Book Review – ‘Love, Creekwood’ by Becky Albertalli

TITLE: Love, Creekwood
AUTHOR: Becky Albertalli
GENRE: YA Contemporary, LGBT+
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 128 pages
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Penguin Books Australia on September 1st, 2020
RRP: $12.99 AUD (paperback)

Blurb from Goodreads:

Fall in love all over again with the characters from the bestselling Simonverse novels in this highly anticipated epilogue novella. Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli, the movie Love, Simon, and the new Hulu series spin-off, Love, Victor!

It’s been more than a year since Simon and Blue turned their anonymous online flirtation into an IRL relationship, and just a few months since Abby and Leah’s unforgettable night at senior prom.

Now the Creekwood High crew are first years at different colleges, navigating friendship and romance the way their story began—on email.

I didn’t know how much I missed the Simonverse until I read 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥. ❤ Normally I don’t read novellas because I find them too much of a tease, but I’m so grateful to Becky Albertalli for giving us this follow-up so we could catch up with our favorite characters!⁣
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𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 is told in the form of email exchanges between Simon, Blue, Abby, Leah and the rest of the gang. It’s set in their first year of college as we check in to see how Simon and Blue are doing with the long-distance relationship scenario as well as how Leah and Abby’s romance is faring in its honeymoon period. ⁣
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A novella is the perfect treatment for this because it allows us time to flash in and out of the characters’ lives over the course of days, weeks and months in that tumultuous first year as adults living away from home without growing tired of the email format. I also loved the explanation for why these tech-savvy teens are emailing in this day and age – because Abby’s Android doesn’t want to play nice with everyone else’s iPhones, haha, so plausible!⁣
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This is a brilliant feel-good read that had me bubbling over with joy and excitement as I read the fun banter between the loved-up couples and the long-time best friends. 😀 I loved all the nerdy references and cackled at the witty repartee, I had to stop and re-read some lines because it amused me so much. There were also unexpected moments of tender angst and well-meaning brutal honesty which led to character growth and a sweet conclusion. ⁣
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If you’re a fan of the Simonverse, it’s a no-brainer must-read, you will love this!

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 kitties recommend this book.

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: Physical copy provided by publisher free for an unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Release Day Review – ‘Loveless’ by Alice Oseman

TITLE: Loveless
AUTHOR: Alice Oseman
GENRE: YA Contemporary, LGBT+
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 448 pages
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Harper Collins Australia on August 5th, 2020
RRP: $19.99 AUD (paperback)

Blurb from Goodreads:

The fourth novel from the phenomenally talented Alice Oseman – one of the most authentic and talked-about voices in contemporary YA.

It was all sinking in. I’d never had a crush on anyone. No boys, no girls, not a single person I had ever met. What did that mean?

Georgia has never been in love, never kissed anyone, never even had a crush – but as a fanfic-obsessed romantic she’s sure she’ll find her person one day.

As she starts university with her best friends, Pip and Jason, in a whole new town far from home, Georgia’s ready to find romance, and with her outgoing roommate on her side and a place in the Shakespeare Society, her ‘teenage dream’ is in sight.

But when her romance plan wreaks havoc amongst her friends, Georgia ends up in her own comedy of errors, and she starts to question why love seems so easy for other people but not for her. With new terms thrown at her – asexual, aromantic – Georgia is more uncertain about her feelings than ever.

Is she destined to remain loveless? Or has she been looking for the wrong thing all along?

This wise, warm and witty story of identity and self-acceptance sees Alice Oseman on towering form as Georgia and her friends discover that true love isn’t limited to romance.

There aren’t enough books with asexual protagonists, so my expectations were high, but thankfully Loveless lived up to them! ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ As a fellow ace, I related to a lot of Georgia’s feelings, I really could’ve used this book when I was in high school and thought there was something wrong with me for not being like my peers. My hope is that Loveless can help raise awareness for this largely invisible orientation so that asexual teens find some clarity through representation that matches their identity.

ARC Review – ‘I Kissed Alice’ by Anna Birch

TITLE: I Kissed Alice
AUTHOR: Anna Birch
GENRE: Contemporary YA
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 320 pages (hardcover)
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Macmillan on July 28th, 2020

Blurb from Goodreads:

For fans of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda and Fangirl, I Kissed Alice is a romantic comedy about enemies, lovers, and everything in between.

Rhodes and Iliana couldn’t be more different, but that’s not why they hate each other.

Hyper-gifted artist Rhodes has always excelled at Alabama’s Conservatory of the Arts despite a secret bout of creator’s block, while transfer student Iliana tries to outshine everyone with her intense, competitive work ethic. Since only one of them can get the coveted Capstone scholarship, the competition between them is fierce.

They both escape the pressure on a fanfic site where they are unknowingly collaborating on a graphic novel. And despite being worst enemies in real life, their anonymous online identities I-Kissed-Alice and Curious-in-Cheshire are starting to like each other…a lot. When the truth comes out, will they destroy each other’s future?

I Kissed Alice combines two of my favorite subjects – queer girls and fandom – with my favorite trope of all time, enemies-to-lovers. So it’s a no-brainer that this book is perfectly calibrated to please me!

ARC Review – ‘A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor’ by Hank Green

TITLE: A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor
AUTHOR: Hank Green
GENRE: Contemporary, Science Fiction
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 320 pages
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Hachette Australia on July 14th, 2020
RRP: $29.99 AUD (paperback)

Blurb from Goodreads:

April May and the Carls are back in the much-anticipated sequel to Hank Green’s #1 New York Times bestselling debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.

The Carls disappeared the same way they appeared, in an instant. While they were on Earth, they caused confusion and destruction without ever lifting a finger. Well, that’s not exactly true. Part of their maelstrom was the sudden viral fame and untimely death of April May: a young woman who stumbled into Carl’s path, giving them their name, becoming their advocate, and putting herself in the middle of an avalanche of conspiracy theories.

Months later, the world is as confused as ever. Andy has picked up April’s mantle of fame, speaking at conferences and online about the world post-Carl; Maya, ravaged by grief, begins to follow a string of mysteries that she is convinced will lead her to April; and Miranda infiltrates a new scientific operation . . . one that might have repercussions beyond anyone’s comprehension.

As they each get further down their own paths, a series of clues arrive—mysterious books that seem to predict the future and control the actions of their readers; unexplained internet outages; and more—which seem to suggest April may be very much alive. In the midst of the gang’s possible reunion is a growing force, something that wants to capture our consciousness and even control our reality.

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is the bold and brilliant follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. It’s a fast-paced adventure that is also a biting social commentary, asking hard, urgent questions. How will we live online? What powers over our lives are we giving away for free? Who has the right to change the world forever? And how do we find comfort in an increasingly isolated world?

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing was an exciting rollercoaster ride of a book that gave me thrills and chills, a barrel of laughs and then caused me to internally screech in agony with a killer cliffhanger. I’ve been desperately craving this sequel for 18 months so it had a LOT of expectations to live up to…but wow, this book completely smashed through and exceeded them! ❤

ARC Review – ‘Night Owls and Summer Skies’ by Rebecca Sullivan

TITLE: Night Owls and Summer Skies
AUTHOR: Rebecca Sullivan
GENRE: Contemporary YA
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 288 pages
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Wattpad Books on June 30th, 2020

Blurb from Goodreads:

Lumberjanes meets the frothy, fun tone of a YA Marian Keyes in this cute romance between two girls away at summer camp

Emma Lane’s forced to face her fears when her mother unceremoniously dumps her on the doorstep of Camp Mapplewood, abandoning her for the summer while she heads off on a cruise with her latest husband. It’s the last place Emma wants to be with scary creatures, creepy crawlies, and much that can go bump in the night. When Emma breaks into the tool shed on her first day there, the fall out from her escapades leads her right into the path of her counsellor, Vivian Black. . . .

The cute cover and premise of sapphic summer love at camp lured me in, and I whole-heartedly wish I enjoyed it more than I did. Unfortunately this book didn’t hit the mark for me, but it may appeal more to younger readers as it’s a quick easy read.

ARC Review – ‘Something To Talk About’ by Meryl Wilsner

TITLE: Something To Talk About
AUTHOR: Meryl Wilsner
GENRE: Contemporary Romance, LGBT+
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 384 pages
PUBLICATION DETAILS: Penguin Random House on May 26th, 2020

A showrunner and her assistant give the world something to talk about when they accidentally fuel a ridiculous rumor in this debut romance.

Hollywood powerhouse Jo is photographed making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet, and just like that, the tabloids declare them a couple. The so-called scandal couldn’t come at a worse time—threatening Emma’s promotion and Jo’s new movie.

As the gossip spreads, it starts to affect all areas of their lives. Paparazzi are following them outside the office, coworkers are treating them differently, and a “source” is feeding information to the media. But their only comment is “no comment”.

With the launch of Jo’s film project fast approaching, the two women begin to spend even more time together, getting along famously. Emma seems to have a sixth sense for knowing what Jo needs. And Jo, known for being aloof and outwardly cold, opens up to Emma in a way neither of them expects. They begin to realize the rumor might not be so off base after all…but is acting on the spark between them worth fanning the gossip flames?

Honestly, I requested this because I have a passion for Devil Wears Prada femslash fanfic and I’m weak for an ice queen boss who thaws out over her hyper-competent and irresistibly charming assistant (The Proposal is my fave rom-com because of this exact trope). Something To Talk About isn’t quite what I expected, however, as Jo isn’t the dragon boss lady that I assumed from the description of her in the blurb as aloof and cold. Far from being disappointed, however, this book met my long-held and rarely satisfied desire to see more female mentor/protege dynamics in fiction.

ARC Review – ‘Dangerous Remedy’ by Kat Duunn

TITLE: Dangerous Remedy
AUTHOR: Kat Dunn
GENRE: YA Historical Fantasy, LGBT
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 432 pages
PUBLISHER: by Head of Zeus
RELEASE DATE: ebook available from May 7th, 2020 | hardcover to be released August 6th, 2020

Blurb from Goodreads:

Camille, a revolutionary’s daughter, leads a band of outcasts – a runaway girl, a deserter, an aristocrat in hiding. As the Battalion des Mortes they cheat death, saving those about to meet a bloody end at the blade of Madame La Guillotine. But their latest rescue is not what she seems. The girl’s no aristocrat, but her dark and disturbing powers means both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries want her. But who and what is she?

In these dangerous days, no one can be trusted, everyone is to be feared. As Camille learns the truth, she’s forced to choose between loyalty to those she loves and the future.

Kat Dunn’s debut novel Dangerous Remedy is a fast-paced historical fantasy romp set in the French Revolution during the Reign of Terror. Left an orphan after her parents were executed, our protagonist Camille leads her battalion in a courageous and noble effort to rescue other prisoners headed for the guillotine and reunite them with their loved ones.

ARC Review – ‘The Dark Tide’ by Alicia Jasinska

TITLE: The Dark Tide
AUTHOR: Alicia Jasinska
GENRE: YA Fantasy, LGBT
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 304 pages
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Sourcebooks Fire on June 2nd, 2020
RRP: $19.99 AUD (paperback)

Blurb from Goodreads:

The Wicked Deep meets A Curse So Dark and Lonely in this gripping, dark fairy-tale fantasy about two girls who must choose between saving themselves, each other, or their sinking island city.

Every year on St. Walpurga’s Eve, Caldella’s Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace. An innocent life to be sacrificed on the full moon to keep the island city from sinking.

Lina Kirk is convinced her brother is going to be taken this year. To save him, she enlists the help of Thomas Lin, the boy she secretly loves, and the only person to ever escape from the palace. But they draw the queen’s attention, and Thomas is chosen as the sacrifice.

Queen Eva watched her sister die to save the boy she loved. Now as queen, she won’t make the same mistake. She’s willing to sacrifice anyone if it means saving herself and her city.

When Lina offers herself to the queen in exchange for Thomas’s freedom, the two girls await the full moon together. But Lina is not at all what Eva expected, and the queen is nothing like Lina envisioned. Against their will, they find themselves falling for each other. As water floods Caldella’s streets and the dark tide demands its sacrifice, they must choose who to save: themselves, each other, or the island city relying on them both.

The Dark Tide is a stunning fantasy YA debut from Australian author Alicia Jasinska and first in the self-titled series set on the moody atmospheric island city of Caldella.

Book Review – ‘The Midnight Lie’ by Marie Rutkoski

TITLE: The Midnight Lie
AUTHOR: Marie Rutkoski
GENRE: YA Fantasy, LGBT
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 400 pages (paperback)
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Hachette Australia on March 10th, 2020
RRP: $19.99 AUD (paperback)

Blurb from Goodreads:

Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.

Nirrim keeps her head down and a dangerous secret close to her chest.

But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away who whispers rumors that the High Caste possesses magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.

Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s Trilogy, beloved author Marie Rutkoski returns with an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us—and the lies we tell ourselves.

Although Marie Rutkoski is a well-established author, I haven’t read any of her prior books and had no idea what I was in for when I started this. Now that I’ve finished The Midnight Lie, I’ve been converted to the status of new fan!

ARC Review – ‘The Gravity of Us’ by Phil Stamper

Title: The Gravity of Us
Author: Phil Stamper
Genre: YA Contemporary
Word/Page Count: 352 pages (paperback)
Publication Date: by Bloomsbury Australia on March 17th, 2020

Blurb from Goodreads:

As a successful social media journalist with half a million followers, seventeen-year-old Cal is used to sharing his life online. But when his pilot father is selected for a highly publicized NASA mission to Mars, Cal and his family relocate from Brooklyn to Houston and are thrust into a media circus.

Amidst the chaos, Cal meets sensitive and mysterious Leon, another “Astrokid,” and finds himself falling head over heels—fast. As the frenzy around the mission grows, so does their connection. But when secrets about the program are uncovered, Cal must find a way to reveal the truth without hurting the people who have become most important to him.

Expertly capturing the thrill of first love and the self-doubt all teens feel, debut author Phil Stamper is a new talent to watch.

I really enjoyed reading The Gravity of Us which has such a cool and unique premise. The protagonist’s father has been selected as a candidate for NASA’s next mission to Mars and without any warning, Cal’s unceremoniously uprooted from New York to Texas where his family joins the media circus that surrounds the Orpheus mission. However his frustration at having his life derailed is alleviated when he meets the handsome son of another astronaut and a mutual attraction develops!