ARC – Page 13 – andrea's galley

ARC — Epically Earnest — Molly Horan

“What did he say?” (…)
“He said, ‘End Act I.’” (…)
“And that means what exactly?”
“I’m not one hundred percent sure. A start? The promise of Act II?”

Genre: Young Adult, LGBTQIA+
Actual Rating: 3 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Abandonment of a baby and harassment.

Inspired on “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde, “Epically Earnest” follows Jane Grady, a high school senior who found her fame when she was just a baby, as she was abandoned at a train station and found in a Gucci bag, becoming #bagbaby. In a coming-of-age story, Jane is stuck between trying to find her biological family or moving on with her life, as she crushes on a girl who’s out of her league.

I loved the quotes in the beginning of every chapter, I loved the relaxed narrative that didn’t try to be overzealous, but mostly I loved the characters Molly Horan portrayed. In this queer story, we get to see how complicated it can be to just be a teenager—finding young love, starting to make life-changing decision… “Epically Earnest” is a short, sweet read. Actually, too short if you ask me. That’s why I only gave it 3 stars. It’s really well written, but I felt like there was just so much unresolved or under-explained.

I would recommend “Epically Earnest” to anyone looking for a short, sapphic or queer romantic comedy that’s not only a romance book, but that goes a little more in-depth into character development and family relationships.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Clarion Books in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 21, 2022

ARC — Fake It Till You Bake It — Jamie Wesley

“What happens in the supply closet stays in the supply closet.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 4.5 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Bullying and harassment.

“Fake It Till You Bake It” follows Donovan Bell, a football player who’s also the owner of a (hopefully) up-and-coming bakery, and Jada Townsend-Matthews, an ex-reality-tv-show-star, as they end up in a fake relationship that benefits them both—bringing traction to Donovan’s bakery and helping shed a must-needed good-light on Jada’s reputation.

I knew I was going to love this book from the get-go. I love football (and books about football players) and I love fake-dating romance books—and that’s exactly what “Fake It Till You Bake It” delivers. Jada and Donovan are charismatic and have undeniable chemistry, both physically and emotionally, yet they’re not perfect characters nor do they try to be, they have their stories and backgrounds and simply meshed together perfectly. I just finished this book and already want to grab and reread it all over again.

Also, I don’t know what it is with St. Martin’s Press books but they’ve never been a miss to me. If it’s a romance book and it’s published by them, I know it’ll be fire emoji x 5. Something as simple as fake-posing for a romance cover in the middle of a book club meeting was made incredibly tense and spicy, that’s all I’m saying.

I would recommend this book to every single contemporary romance book reader, specially those who enjoy rocky starts and the fake-dating trope.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 21, 2022

“I promise to do better.”

ARC — Here for the Drama — Kate Bromley

“All love stories are complicated.”

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1.5 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Toxic work dynamics.

“Here for the Drama” follows Winnie, as she moved across the world from the United States to the United Kingdom—straight to the heart of London’s theater world. She is the right hard of a renowned, American playwright, and she is trying to hold the play from falling apart as the director and her boss butt heads, and as she falls for the one guy she was told not to fall for. To say there’s a lot going on in this book would be an understatement.

If you’re reading a book titled “Here for the Drama” I assume you’re, well, here for the drama. Over-the-top would be an accurate way of describing this book and all Winnie goes through. I loved the dynamic banter and I loved the forbidden romance feel to it (not the spicy part, that part was entirely awkward and worded weirdly), but I think it was a bit much at times. I wasn’t completely engaged and sometimes only skimmed through, just reading the dialogue, that’s why I’ve given this book 3.5 stars.

I would recommend “Here for the Drama” to anyone who’s ever watched Mexican Novela type shows (let that be actual novelas or perhaps tv series like “Jane The Virgin”). Basically, if you like unrealistic, slice-of-life drama and the New York City-London vibe, then this book is for you.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 21, 2022

ARC — Same Time, Same Place — David M. Barnett

“Everything is the same. But different. Just like Daisy said.”

Genre: Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Mentions harassment and family violence.

“Same Time, Same Place” follow Daisy Dukes (yes, that’s her name) and Nate Garvey, two security guards who work at the Museum of Social History. As Nate works the day shifts and Daisy works the night shifts, their days only overlap for a few minutes during handover—that is until things start going missing at the museum, for a few days at a time, before being put back on their museum display. Delving into how our past affects our future, and told through different points of view, this is a dynamic and engaging read that goes to show that our history doesn’t define us and that love can be born from the oddest of places.

Sadly, I didn’t connect with the characters in this book as much as I thought I would. I enjoyed the story and the quirky romance, but there was something too ficticios about the characters for me. I did like how they redeemed themselves and how the mystery came to fruition. Maybe 4 stars is too high a rating for characters I didn’t love, but David M. Barnett did such an excellent job with the writing that I couldn’t give it any less.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy both romance and mystery books, even if the publisher hasn’t categorized it under Mysteries. There isn’t too much suspense here, but mystery is definitely in the mix.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 07, 2022

ARC — Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting — Clare Pooley

“The advantage of boarding the train at Hampton Court was that it was the end of the line, or the beginning, depending, of course, on which way you were traveling. There was a life lesson there, thought Iona. In her experience, most endings turned out to be beginnings in disguise.”

Genre: Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions medical emergencies (choking), and deals with homophobia and bullying.

“Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting” follows a set of characters that all commute on the same train—all getting on and off at different stops. After one eventful morning breaks the ice between them, one wonders: what would happen if you throw the rules of commuting away? What if you were to talk to a perfect stranger—who you see every day, through your silent commute? Told through different points of view, we get a glance at different realities, all being tied by their preferred mode of transport.

This book had so many funny, quirky, and diverse characters. Actually, I think it’s been the most diverse cast I’ve read this year. Contrary to what I expected, Iona is, in fact, not a millennial like myself—and that only made me realize that I can’t remember the last book I read where the character wasn’t a young woman. I loved Sanjay, I could relate so much to his inner narrative. I learned to love Piers, or “Smart-But-Sexist-Manapreader” as Iona would call him before meeting him formally. I feel like I am most like Emmie when commuting, always with a book in hand. I think the narrative I enjoyed the less was Martha’s, but even then I wouldn’t change a thing, because all these characters brought together a heartwarming story.

I dread human interaction with strangers but, strangely, this book kind of made me want to talk to a stranger. Connect a little. It made me realize that there are so many different lives being lived all around. It’d be a disservice to only focus on my own.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, easy, fast-paced read with different points of view. If you’ve enjoyed books like “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman, then “Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting” by Clara Pooley is for you.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 07, 2022

ARC — Together We Burn — Isabel Ibañez

“Because it isn’t about my not wanting you, (…) I do, damn it. I do. So stay and talk to me, because if I can’t have more, then let me have less.”

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Mentions parental death, violence, and animal death.

“Together We Burn” follows Zarela Zaldivar, a known flamenco dancer who’s the daughter of a famous Dragonador (so like, a matador but with dragons instead of bulls), as she tries to keep her family business afloat after her father is injured during one of the shows. To do so, she’ll need some help, and so in comes Arturo Diaz de Montserra, a dragon hunter who immediately sets it off with the wrong foot with Zarela. But after another accident takes place, Zarela starts to think that perhaps these aren’t accidents at all, but someone looking to bring the Zaldivar family down. Will Zarela and Arturo overlook their differences and work together to save things they both hold dear? Will truths be uncovered?

You know when a book captivates you right from the first line? Well, this was it. Isabel Ibañez wrote “My mother died screaming my name,” and she had me. I read this book in one sitting.

I loved the Spanglish aspects of this novel since Spanish is my native language. I loved the characters and the love story that was woven into the adventurous parts of this fantasy novel. And it wasn’t only Zarela and Arturo, no, I loved the side characters and, well, just from the premise of the book I knew animal cruelty would be involved, so keep that in mind, but it certainly wasn’t overly gruesome or as sensationalized as it could be. Ibañez simply writes it as it is, in this world of fantasy. The only think I didn’t like about this book (other than the animal cruelty) was that it could be overdramatic at times–which I guess is to be expected of a YA novel, but oh well.

I would recommend this book if you like the enemies-to-lovers trope, if you know and appreciate Spanish culture, or if you’re looking for a relatively short but entertaining fantasy standalone book. The world-building was complex but it didn’t feel forced. This was truly a masterpiece.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

“He’s all of the warm and sultry flavors of Santivilla. I hold smoke and fire and sweet wine in my mouth. We catch on fire under a million stars. Together we burn.”

Publication Date: May 31, 2022

ARC — Every Summer After — Carley Fortune

“I can’t trust that you’ll love me forever when I don’t even know if you’ll love me next month.”

Genre: Women’s Fiction
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions cancer, parent death, cheating, bullying, slut shaming, and panic attacks.

“Every Summer After” follows Persephone—aka Percy—and Sam—just Sam, not short for Samuel or anything like that—, two childhood-friends-turned-high-school-sweethearts who, abruptly, stopped talking 12 years prior. But now Persephone is back in the town that brought them together—the town where Sam grew up, the town where Sam’s mother’s funeral will be taking place—and she will have to face Sam again after all these years. Told through different timelines, Carley Fortune built a story that’s both heartbreaking and heartwarming (but don’t I say that about all the books I love? Apparently I’m a fan of emotional books that tear me apart). The ending was the sweetest of them all. But it wouldn’t have been as sweet if it has been an easy way there.

The characters were lovely and well-defined, all with their peculiar personalities and ways of talking and acting. I am not sure what brother I loved more, Sam or Charlie, but I must say I loved them both. I am not the biggest fan of books where cheating is involved, but in the end I was very engaged with the plot and—although unjustifiable—I could empathize with what each character did under the circumstances they did it in. We were all kids once upon a time, we all messed up.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy alternating timelines and to fans of Colleen Hoover books, especially those who have enjoyed books like “It Ends With Us” and the “Maybe Someday” series.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 10, 2022

“Betrayals don’t cancel each other out. They just hurt more.”

ARC — I Kissed Shara Wheeler — Casey McQuiston

“How can that be possible, to feel estranged from a place where everyone loves you? To owe your life to a place and still want to run?”

Genre: YA, LGBTQIA
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: Homophobia, religious bigotry, and bullying.

“I Kissed Shara Wheeler” follows Chloe Green as she tries to solve her archnemesis’, Shara Wheeler’s, disappearance. Joined by Rory, Shara’s neighbor, and Smith, Shara’s long-term boyfriend, Chloe is set to find Shara and beat her to Valedictorian fair and square—if only her feelings of burning hatred won’t get in the way.

If you’re only reading this because you liked “Red, White, and Royal Blue”, don’t. Yes, there is queerness in this book too, but the plot is nothing like Casey McQuiston’s debut novel, and I say that as a fact, not as a good or bad thing… just a thing.

I gave this book 4 stars because I liked the writing and the ending, but the getting there was a bit boring and I was never able to empathize with Chloe Green, the main character of sorts. I was tired of the whole Shara-scavenger-hunt when I was 20% into the book but they don’t find her until well past 60%. So I guess you can see how this book was a bit boring for me. I had read the summary of the book but still, I was not expecting Casey McQuiston to write a mystery YA book.

I would recommend this book to actual YA readers, not new adults who read YA. “I Kissed Shara Wheeler” is a bit childish, but it’s entertaining and engaging, so don’t hesitate to grab it off the shelves as its release date is today!!!

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ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 03, 2022

“Love God first, love Shara Wheeler second.”

“Because this is what Shara does (…) It’s like… little hints. She can’t just let you in. You have to figure out your way there.”

ARC — What We Both Know — Fawn Parker

“It’s as though the more he forgets the more I remember.”

Genre: Fiction, Mysteries and Thrillers
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Content Warnings: Dementia, insinuations of incest and child molestation, explicit pet death,

Hillary Greene is left with some hard tasks: take care of her senile father and write his memoir. Her father is a renounced author and, after years of writing, is losing himself and all the secrets he tried so hard to bury. Hillary, on the other hand, is an aspiring author and is grieving the loss of her sister. She is left with a choice: share, through the memoir, who her father really was or cover it all up so his legacy as a writer can live on.

This was an extremely depressing and disturbing read. Let’s start with the fact that the daughter—and caregiver—calls her dad Baby? We then find out why that is, but it still made me uncomfortable at times, even if it was a nickname.

Personally, I think that the most devastating part of this book was how, through her endeavors, she uncovered truths that were there all along, not only about her father, who the memoir is about, but of her dead sister as well. I can’t say I agree with all the actions Hillary took throughout this book, but at the same time I could mostly see where she was coming from.

I would highly recommend this book, especially if you’re fond of dark stories. If you read and liked “A Little Life” by Hanya Tanagihara or “My Dark Vanessa” by Kate Elizabeth Russell, then “What We Both Know” is for you.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 03, 2022

“They say a man becomes a man when he loses his father, but what does he become when he loses himself?”

ARC — How to Be the Best Third Wheel — Loridee de Villa

Genre: Romance, Comedy, YA
Actual Rating: 3 stars
Content Warning: As provided by the author… “WARNING: This book may cause a loss of brain cells from facepalms, premature wrinkles from periodic cringing, irregular and rapid heartbeat from character ships, occasional uncontrollable swooning, and many relatable moments. The author takes no responsibility for damage to books or electronic devices if you hurl yours across the room.” Which I found hilarious.

“How to Be the Best Third Wheel” follows Lara as she comes to the realization that she’ll be the biggest third wheel this year: all 3 of her best friends at school are in relationships now. She compiles a useful guide with funny rules (stated at the beginning of each chapter) about how to survive just this: being the third wheel. As her school and social dynamics change, and she’s forced to tutor her archnemesis, she goes through all the typical teenage crises—including falling in love herself.

So, I have to set the record straight. I gave this book 3 stars as a YA romance book, but as a YA fanfic or Wattpad novel? I’d probably give it 5 stars. This fic is quirky, funny in a childish way, and plagued with clichés—but that’s something the author warns us about on the very first page.

I would recommend this book as a gift to a very young reader. If you’re looking for a book that’s a romance but is completely clean, with only a few innocent kisses here and there, then look no further: “How to Be the Best Third Wheel” is for you.

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ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.