Tag Archives: ARC

ARC — Serendipity: Ten Romantic Tropes, Transformed — Edited by Marissa Meyer

Authors: Elise Bryant, Elizabeth Eulberg, Leah Johnson, Anna-Marie McLemore, Sandhya Menon, Marissa Meyer, Julie Murphy, Caleb Roehrig, Sarah Winifred Searle, and Abigail Hing Wen

Narrated by: Aida Reluzco, Alaska Jackson, Ewan Chung, Gary Tiedemann, James Fouhey, Jeanette Illidge, Natalie Naudus, and Reena Dutt

Genre: Young Adult
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.

“Serendipity” addresses different romantic tropes, twisting them into extraordinary and more inclusive versions of the tales we’ve heard a hundred times before. Following prompts like unrequited love, fake relationships, and grand romantic gestures, the stories are sharp and entertaining.

This compilation of stories delivers what’s promised. This book is perfect if you’re looking to delve into different worlds and stories without the time commitment of reading a whole book. Think watching a movie versus watching a short Youtube video. If you’re in the mood for short videos, then this is the book for you.

I was lucky enough to be provided with the audiobook thanks to NetGalley. I found most narrators to be charming and their voices fit their characters perfectly. There was just one occasion in which I felt the voice didn’t match the character I imagined, but even then, listening to this audiobook was amazing.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for short, heartwarming stories. This compilation reminded me of Rainbow Rowell, Maureen Johnson, and John Green (think the Christmas-y compilation they were a part of in 2016, “Let It Snow”, this book kind of has those vibes), so I would recommend this book to anyone who’s liked their writing.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: January 4, 2022 (TODAY!)

ARC — The Girl Who Knew Too Much — Tiffany Brooks, narrated by Stephanie Willing

Genre: Mystery and Thrillers, Young Adult
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses murder and pedophilia.

“The Girl Who Knew Too Much” follows Riley Ozment as she joins 19 other teenagers in a Survivor-style reality show that’s located on a deserted island off the coast of Brasil. Riley’s hoping to redeem her past and succeed in her future by winning on the show but, mostly, by finding the hidden treasure that’s been lost in the island for hundreds of years.

This is a perfect YA novel. And by that, I mean that the plot is entertaining and different, and the main character is an immature teenager that’s just figuring out who she is. Childishness aside, this is a great (fictitious) adventure book.

Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to listen to the audiobook of this novel and I must say I loved Stephanie Willing as a narrator. I will definitely be looking at other audiobooks narrated by her. I rounded up the rating from 3.5 stars to 4 stars in Goodreads just because of this awesome voice actor.

I would recommend this book to young adults (and YA-literature lovers) who enjoy outdoorsy adventures and reality TV. I can’t recommend this book based on any other book I’ve read before, because it’s that unique. But remember: it’s YA. It is far-fetched at times, and it is ridiculous, but that’s also what makes it fun.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can pre–order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: January 1, 2022

ARC — Paper Girl and the Knives that Made Her — Ari B. Colfer

“i think about how we are both paper
but i was the one who got the cuts.”

Genre: Poetry, New Adult, Self-Help
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Given by the author (10/10 for that)— Discusses mental health conditions, suicide/suicidal ideation, self-harm, sexual assault, gun violence, and violence against POC. Briefly mentions body dysmorphia and drug/alcohol use, and other tough topics.

First things first, I must say I came into this book a bit biased. I have loved Ari B. Cofer’s poetry (and illustrations) on instagram for years. I have been on her email list/tender poets club for a while now too. I came in knowing I would love this book. I knew it would be great. But yeah, not even my wildest thoughts could’ve predicted how much this book would move me.

This debut poetry collection does not disappoint. It’ll take you through an emotional rollercoaster, for sure, but it’ll also soothe you with doodles and drawings scattered between the words. These drawings are characteristic of Ari B. Colfer’s work, as can be seen on her social media (@ari.b.colfer on instagram, check her out, you won’t regret it), and they add a special touch to this collection. I know doodles and drawings aren’t an innovation when it comes to contemporary poetry books, but hear me when I say that Ari’s drawing hit different. With their bright colors and harsh words, they bring so much to this book.

Not all poems in this collection are perfect—some are more like a broken down sentence pretending to be a poem—yet I seriously couldn’t recommend this poetry book enough.

I would recommend this book to people who’ve hurt before but are halfway through (or fully) mending now. This book could be a tough read for anyone who’s vividly living through a mental health crisis right now or who is still processing a traumatic event. Be careful when you grab this book. Be gentle with it and with yourself. But grab it once you’re feeling up to it, as it’ll be healing in and of itself.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Central Avenue Publishing for letting me read an early copy of this book. I preordered a physical copy this morning because 1) I love Ari’s poetry, and 2) It’s just that good and I feel a need for a physical copy even though I’ve already read it.

“you will remind yourself it’s not your fault.
you did not choose to be raped,
the rapist chose to be a rapist,
you’ll remind yourself to let go.”

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

ARC — The Maid — Nita Prose

“It’s easier than you’d ever think—existing in plain sight while remaining largely invisible. That’s what I’ve learned from being a maid. You can be so important, so crucial to the fabric of things and yet be entirely overlooked.”

Genre: Mystery and Thrillers
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses death, murder, and drugs.

“The Maid” follows Molly Gray, a young woman whose passion is to be an exceptional hotel maid. After she finds one of the hotel’s guests dead in his room, she is thrown into a whirlwind of chaos that ends with her being accused of being the murderer. The summary of the book describes it as a “Clue-like, locked-room mystery” and it really delivers just that.

This book has a very interesting narrative. Molly seems to be neurodivergent in some way and I just loved how her inner voice remained consistent. Oh, she is blunt, but she’ll stay blunt throughout the entire novel, through the chaos and sometimes even comical mystery. It made me furious how some people took advantage of her naïvety, but that just made it into an even more wonderful book.

I would recommend this book to fans of murder mystery parties, escape rooms, and true crime shows and podcasts. This book will have you nervous with anticipation and is exceptionally written. The only reason why I didn’t give this book a full 5-star rating is that I wasn’t as surprised as I thought I would be by the end of the book.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: January 04, 2022

ARC — This World Does Not Belong to Us — Natalia García Freire, translated by Victor Meadowcroft

“Don’t you think that, after our deaths, after everything, it is they who are the stronger ones? And that, all things considered, perhaps this world does not belong to us, but to those miniscule beings, so numerous that they could bury us completely if they ever came together.”

Genre: Fiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses death. Also, insects and dead animals are prominent topics, if you have a phobia related to any insect, don’t read this book.

“This World Does Not Belong to Us” follows Lucas as he visits his childhood home after he was sent off and sold into slavery. Since then, his father has died and his mother has been labeled a madwoman—oh, and two strangers they had invited into their home years back are now permanently living it.

This book is deeply troubled and yet somehow beautifully poetic. It feels like it’s Lucas’s way of grieving not only his father’s death but all he lost when he was sent away. Between a series of flashbacks, Lucas relives the days he spent in the home that is no longer his.

I would recommend this book to people who like magical realism. So, people who have enjoyed books by authors like Gabriel García Márquez, Carlos Fuentes, and Isabel Allende. These books are filled with absurd circumstances that are portrayed as if they’re not absurd at all. I can see why this debut novel is so highly acclaimed in its original language, congratulations to Natalia García Freire and thanks to Victor Meadowcroft for this beautiful translation.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can pre-order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 03, 2022

ARC — Bet on It — Jodie Slaughter

“To her, it didn’t seem fair that someone could be in your life for such a short amount of time but still upend it completely.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses mental illness, panic attacks, drug abuse, and child endangerment (These were stated at the beginning of the book, 10/10 for that).

This book follows Aja Owens, who just moved to the small town of Greenbelt, and Walker Abbott, who swore he would never come back to his hometown of Greenbelt. Walker is the grandson of Aja’s bingo partner and has moved back to Greenbelt temporarily, as he helps his grandma recover from a fall. As Aja and Walker bond over bingo (and their undeniable chemistry), they unintentionally form a pact: they will have sex if and only if one of them wins in bingo… Because they can’t and won’t fall in love. What would be the point? Walker will be leaving soon and Aja still hasn’t found what she’s looking for in small-town living. “Bet on It” is a story of friendship and understanding, bingo and luck. You will be left hanging from your seats, willing for a bingo as soon as possible.

“Bet on It” has been one of the most entertaining books I’ve read this year. If it hadn’t been for other commitments, I would’ve most certainly read it in one sitting. Both Aja and Walker were such related characters for me. They were really well written and I just loved how Jodie Slaughter went out of her way to show how anxiety and panic attacks could look different for different people and how different coping mechanisms are still valid.

I fell in love with the potential Aja and Walker had. They truly complimented each other. It wasn’t just the raw sexual tension between them that tied them together, no. They bonded over their most personal experiences and they tried to be there for each other and be open with each other. Their friendship and relationship was truly amazing to witness.

I would recommend this book to people who like romance books like The Hating Game and who aren’t afraid of some seeeerious sexual tension and restraint. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can pre-order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: July 12, 2022

ARC — Long Story Short — Serena Kaylor

“What must it be like to feel so confident in your own skin that wearing another person’s seemed like nothing at all?”

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.

“Long Story Short” follows Beatrice as she embarks on a Shakespearian summer camp adventure in order to show her parents she’s mature enough to move to another continent in order to attend the university of her dreams. Branching out from a to-do list, she makes friends, breaks rules, and, surprisingly, has some fun in the process.

I found Bea’s inner voice to be very engaging and I absolutely loved the friendships she built as she broke out of her shell. Mia and Nolan were the perfect summer camp friends, and they kind of made me reminisce all the friends I made in summer camps when I was younger. Slow-burn crushes usually aren’t my favorite, but I must say I enjoyed this one very much.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes nerdy YA novels, because oh- does this book get down and nerdy about Shakespeare. But really, you don’t have to know much about Shakespeare to enjoy this book (take it from me, I’ve only really read Twelfth Night and I still thoroughly enjoyed this book). Do not hesitate to pre-order this book, so you’ll get it as soon as it’s published. You will not regret it.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can pre-order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: July 26, 2022

p.s. Nik is essentially Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, and I was there for it.

ARC — The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy — Edited by James Crews

“We lay together under the stars.
We know ourselves to be part of mystery.
It is unspeakable.
It is everlasting.
It is for keeps.”

Genre: Poetry, Essays and Collections
Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.

I’ve read poetry collections before, and have always had mixed feelings about them. Sometimes I hate them, sometimes I love them. Sometimes they’re right in between. I think the latter is how I feel about “The Path to Kindness.”

Some poems were good, while some felt slightly forced into the narrative. It’s not I didn’t enjoy reading this collection, it’s just I didn’t feel inclined to keep reading at times.

I think my favorite parts of this collection were the reflective pauses. They included an invitation to write down your thoughts, and I liked the prompts.

I would recommend this book to people who have been lonely through this pandemic and who like poetry and journaling.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can pre-order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: April 12, 2022

ARC — The Lives of Diamond Bessie — Jody Hadlock

“Do you know why most of us are here? Because we’ve been betrayed by the men who wanted to enjoy the pleasure of our company, who lead us down the primrose path, promising to defend our reputations, to marry us, but then abandon us because they’re engaged or married to someone else. Then they claim they’ve never known us (…).”

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mysteries and Thrillers, Women’s Fiction
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Content Warnings: Domestic violence, mentions death, sexual assault, suicide, and drug abuse.

“The Lives of Diamond Bessie” follows the story of Annie Moore, a woman in the 1860s who, after getting pregnant out of wedlock, is sent to a convent to pay for her sins and not bring shame upon her family. After giving birth and having the baby taken away from her by the nuns, she runs away in hopes of being reunited with her daughter. With no references, she can’t find a decent job and is left with no other option but to resort to prostitution. This is essentially what’s given to us by Jody Hadlock through the book’s description, but I must say this isn’t even one-eighth of the story.

You build so many preconceptions about what will happen in this book based on its summary… and then Jody takes them all and rips them apart. Annie, Elisabeth, Bessie, you were such an amazing character, such a resilient woman. Once you learn why they call her Diamond Bessie, you’ll be devastated and hoping it’s all a dream or some kind of premonition.

This book is very fast-paced, and maybe to a reader that enjoys extensive details and narrative it may seem like it skips through some steps. I think it was paced differently from other books I’ve read, and so I enjoyed it very much.

I would recommend this book to any reader who thinks sex work is real work (because it is) and to readers who like historical fiction and true crime.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can pre-order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: April 5, 2022

ARC — Open Up — Alex Woodard

“These are tears of unexpected anger.
Anger at what’s happening to her. Anger at the heaviness that buries me in the past, because that’s the only place I can still find her. Anger at my inability to build a bridge between the chasm separating me and these Polaroid versions of me. Anger at my anger, when I have so much to be grateful for.”

Genre: Memoir, Humor, Nonfiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions death, dementia

“Open Up” follows the author, Alex Woodard, and how he grows (as a child actor/line-memorizer, as a singer-songwriter) and fucks up and gets better and deals with his family and relationships and heartbreak and lowkey childhood trauma.

This memoir was wonderfully written, it was almost poetic. I really enjoyed the pictures at the end of some chapters (especially the Skippy one, I’m sorry).

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes funny memoirs or slice-of-life literature, especially if they have an interest in dementia and how it affects family members even in the most subtle of ways. No, dementia isn’t really the main topic here, but it’s like it’s been interwoven into the essential fabric of this memoir. Either way, it’s a really good book.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can pre-order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

p.s. the chapters “Emily” and “The Sender” absolutely destroyed me. What a beautiful letter, what a beautiful song.

Publication Date: November 20, 2020