Andrea Valcarcel

It’s Not Summer Without You — Jenny Han — Summer #2

Genre: Young Adult, Coming-of-age
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses cancer and death.

“It’s Not Summer Without You” follows Belly and the Fisher brothers into the aftermath of sickness and heartache. It’s summer, they’re not at Cousins Beach, and Jeremiah calls in to let Belly know Conrad is gone and no one knows where he is. Nothing is how it’s supposed to be, but there’s still time for this summer to be turned around.

In the second book of this series we can finally get a closer look at Jeremiah and Belly’s friendship. We get to see how they bicker and care for each other. I know they implied at that the first time around, but we didn’t get to see it as much. Belly is still a child but at the same time we can see how she’s grown, and how her thinking has evolved. Maybe it was heartbreak, maybe it was grief, but she’s grown.

I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and slightly unrealistic, and that’s why I gave this book 4 stars, not because I didn’t love the writing and the characters and all the feelings they made me feel this time around. Well, that’s one key difference I can point out about this book: there was less fluff and much more true feelings in this one.

I would recommend this series without any hesitations, keeping in mind it’s directed to pre-teens and teens (and young adults like myself that just want to relive these things one more time around).

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The Summer I Turned Pretty — Jenny Han — Summer #1

Genre: Young Adult, Coming-of-age
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses cancer and divorce.

“The Summer I Turned Pretty” follows Belly through her summer, as she, her brother, and her mother join her mother’s best friend and her sons, Conrad and Jeremiah, in their beach house—a long standing tradition that Belly’s been doing pretty much her whole life. But this summer is different. This summer she’ll get it right. She’ll pursue Conrad, her forever crush, and live out the perfect summer… or will she?

This book is childish in all the right ways. And yes, I have definitely outgrown this type of narrative, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think this will always be my go-to YA series when giving recommendations to younger readers, there’s something ageless about this book. It was published 13 years ago but it still hold true: summer love is the shortest and sweetest thing.

The only reason I didn’t give it the full 5 stars I gave it 8 years ago on Goodread is because at times the chapters wouldn’t fit together. I’m not sure how to explain it, but I guess it’s that sometimes the transition between one chapter and the next was very abrupt and just felt forced, as if the author was trying to dump some information or flashback on us.

I highly recommend this book to pre-teens and young teenagers, and would also recommend it as gifts for any young nieces or daughters you may have. This was one of the series that made me get into reading when I was younger, it’s easy to read and relatively fast-faced. It’ll catch anyone’s attention pretty early on.

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ARC — Waiting for Frank Ocean in Cairo — Hazem Fahmy

“I recall the moment
white Americans around
me started learning how to
fear the police, or at least
understand why others do.
I wish I knew what that
sweet innocence tasted like.”

Genre: Poetry
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions police brutality, discrimination, domestic abuse, and violence.

“Waiting for Frank Ocean in Cairo” is Hazem Fahmy’s sophomore book and it uses some Frank Ocean lyrics to build the story of a life: one that is split between two cultures, two continents—or across Oceans, if you will.

This poetry collection gives you a multi-sensory experience, as you’re moved by Hazem Fahmy’s words and Frank Ocean’s tunes and lyrics. Hazem Fahmy has found a way to transport you into their poetry collection in such a unique and absorbing way.

Hear me out, this is of utmost importance: as you’re reading this collection, open up whatever app or website you use to listen to music and be ready to look up Frank Ocean songs as they come up. Personally, I would listen to the song first and then read the poem, but you do you.

I think this is the most creative poetry collection I’ve read in years. I love music and how it can move you; and even though Frank Ocean isn’t amongst my favorite artists, it was still amazing to revisit his music from a whole different perspective, one that invited me to live through it.

I would recommend this poetry collection to people who like melancholic songs—those that make you want to dance *and* cry. It’s hard to read this book and not be moved. Oh, and of course, absolutely read this book if you like Frank Ocean or experimental soul and rap music in general, or if you’re up for a uniquely different poetry collection.

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Thanks so much to Topaz Winter and the team at Half Mystic Press for sharing this ARC with me and including me in their blog tour.

Publication Date: March 18, 2022

“Music, at the end of the day, can only do so much.”

The Simple Wild — K.A. Tucker — Wild #1

“(…) wanting someone to be something they’re not won’t make it happen.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5+ stars
Content Warning: Discusses cancer and airplane crashes.

“The Simple Wild” follows Calla Fletcher, an Alaskan-born, Toronto-raised 26-year-old. When she was 2 years old, her mother took her and left Alaska for good, leaving her pilot father, Wren, behind. Having never seen her father again and having cut all relationship with him when she was in middle school, she is shocked when she hears he’s—perhaps terminally—ill. Embarking on a trip to re-meet her own father, Calla will find more than solitude and tundra in this romantic, heart-shattering book.

Why was this hidden gem kept from me? This was one of the best reads of the year already. I missed out on this book for almost 4 years, that’s inconceivable. I loved Calla and her inner voice. I loved the adventure K.A. Tucker took us on. I loved the raccoons. I loved loved loved the character development. If anything, I feel like this book ended too soon. Good thing there are more books in this series, I need more Calla and Jonah in my life.

If you like romance: read this book. If you like nature: read this book. If you like books that will make you cry a lil: read this book. If you’re breathing: do yourself a favor and just read this book. It’s so so good.

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“Jonah is Alaska to me.”

Lovestruck — Kate Watson

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Actual Rating: 3 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.

“Lovestruck” follows Kalixta, a 16-year-old cupid-in-training, who’s the daughter of Eros and Psyche and is very frustrated over the fact that the Fates control everyone’s future. In a turn of events, she accidentally gets struck with one of her own arrows and ends up head-over-heels over a young, human boy called Ben—but that may or may not be her fate. This book follows this young goddess as she searches for a way to break the love spell put on by the arrow and make everything right.

Mixing mythology and young adult literature together, Kate Watson has brought together a nice, light read. This book is fast-paced and entertaining, but I would say it’s been wrongly labeled as being a romance. Young Adult and Fantasy? Yeah. Romance? Absolutely not. But it was still a nice read, maybe just not my speed anymore.

I would recommend this book to teenagers, around the ages of 14-18, who like Greek mythology and light-hearted books.

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King’s Cage — Victoria Aveyard — Red Queen #3

“Now I’m in a king’s cage. But so is he. My chains are Silent Stone. His is the crown.”

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy
Actual Rating: 2 stars
Content Warnings: Contains violence and is extremely boring.

“King’s Cage” is the third installment in the Red Queen series. It follows Mare Barrow as she is kept as a war prisoner by the Silver royalty, a.k.a. by her ex-fiancé, now-boy-king Maven, and brother of her ex-love-interest Cal.

I guess this one is supposed to be about Stockholm syndrome—but is it? Mare is a “prisoner” in a palace, treated like no other normal prisoner would be treated. She literally gets everything she wants, except access to her powers… the powers she didn’t even know she had not too long ago. Her wining was excruciating and repetitive. There was no character development on any fronts and honestly all “different” points of view just sounded like the same narrators, they just happened to have different names and were supposed to be different characters.

Sadly, I won’t be embarking on the last book of this series. I tried, I really did, but it’s just really not worth the time.

I will not be recommending this series to pretty much anyone. The first book was the best one in my opinion, and it wasn’t even that good.

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Glass Sword — Victoria Aveyard — Red Queen #2

“If I am a sword, I am a sword made of glass, and I feel myself beginning to shatter.”

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Content Warnings: This one is so so so violent.

“Glass Sword” is the second book in the Red Queen series. This series takes place in a dystopian reality where people are born either into the upper class Silver bloods or the lower class Red bloods. Silvers have super powers while Reds are just regular humans… or are they? “Glass Sword” still follows Mare Barrow, this time around as she grows stronger and sets out to find others like her—Reds with super powers—with the help of the rebels, the Scarlet Guard.

This one was action packed to an extreme. Essentially all they did was fight and have conversations in between and as they traveled to their next attack site. Did I like it? Well, I liked it better than the last one. Will I keep reading this series? I’m not sure. I came to this series with the thought that it’d have more romance involved, but it really hasn’t (even though the publisher keeps marking it down under “YA Romance”).

If you like violent fantasy books, this series is for you. I wouldn’t recommend this to people that read the Hunger Games mostly for the love triangle and not for the adventurous action side of it.

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Preview ARC — Husband Material — Alexis Hall — Boyfriend Material #2 (First 5 Chapters)

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions cheating.

“Husband Material” is the sequel to Alexis Hall’s “Boyfriend Material” and I am here for it. The sequel once again follows Luc O’Donnell, the son of two celebrities who’s kind of famous by association, and Oliver Blackwood, a.k.a. the perfect boyfriend and fancy barrister. This time around, everyone close to them is getting married and that’ll make them question where their future lies.

First of all, AAAAAHHHHHH I AM FREAKING OUT. I know it’s only a preview, but getting to read just a bit of this sequel has made my day, my week, my month. Get to pre-ordering this bad boy as soon as possible, as we’ll get all the wonderful Luc and Oliver banter we got to know and love through “Boyfriend Material”.

From what we could see in these first five chapters, this book will come packed with drama, yes, but most of all it’ll come packed with Luc and his panicky periods and Oliver and his calming qualities, as we got to see the first time around with “Boyfriend Material.”

I will recommend this book to absolutely everyone. But first: go read Boyfriend Material!!! These books are light and well-written and just a blast to read. If you’re into LGBTQIA romance, this is for you.

ARC — Come As You Are — Jennifer Haupt

“It occurs to Skye now, listening to her mom’s eulogy, that forgiveness is the difference between the way a wife loves her husband and a child craves love from a parent.”

Genre: Fiction
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses death and descriptions of panic attacks.

“Come As You Are” follows Skye and Zane, two childhood best friends turned lovers, through the decades that brought them together and tore them apart. Told mostly from Skye’s point of view, and following various timelines, this is a story about how loss and distance can mend and break relationships.

Expertly written, you truly are transported through the years, from 1987 to 2002 (and a 2013 epilogue), in a grunge-y scene worthy of the reference its title suggests. Jennifer Haupt made a wonderful job with her jumping timelines, slowly revealing things to the reader, building up curiosity and suspense around what happened in the past and what the future could hold.

I grew fond of all the characters, even the ones we were encouraged to dislike. They were complex, well-defined, and consistent throughout the book. I really felt like I got to know them, close and personal. If anything, I wish there would’ve been more. I would’ve liked to see more into the future, but the ending was a true testament that most times history repeats itself.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy stories with alternating timelines (think like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo). Also, I would encourage anyone fond of the 1990s rock-grunge vibe to grab this book. It’s a unique story told through clever means, it’ll be worth your time.

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ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: March 01, 2022

Red Queen — Victoria Aveyard — Red Queen #1

“Anyone can betray anyone.”

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance
Actual Rating: 3 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses death, war, and discrimination. Mentions suicide.

“Red Queen” takes place in a dystopian future where everyone is defined by the color of their blood. Red versus Silvers, powerless versus powerful. Silver blood gives you superhero powers, while red blood confines you to a live of servitude… or does it? Mare Barrow is a 17-year-old red girl that discovers she actually does have a power of her own. This book follows her story, as she infiltrates the world of the Silvers and is set to be betrothed to one of the Silver princes.

The reason why I gave this book such a low rating is kind of ridiculous. I liked the story, I liked the plot twists, I liked the characters, but for some reason I wasn’t passionately invested in them. It’s like I was a witness to their story while having absolutely no sympathy for them. And for that I gave this book 3 stars. It’s a good story, but the characters feel distant at this point. I can’t wait to read the second installment in this series and see if it’s any better.

I would recommend this book to fans of dystopian novels, like The Hunger Games. But when thinking about dystopian novels, this wouldn’t be the first one I recommend.

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