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My Roommate From Hell by Cale Dietrich – Review

A swoon-worthy YA rom com about an ambitious college student whose plans get derailed when he discovers his roommate is the prince of hell.

Owen is not going to college to have fun. Nothing is going to stop him from achieving his goals: study hard, get a good job, and set himself up for the rest of his life. The last thing he needs is to have a loud, obnoxious, and infuriatingly hot roommate. Especially since said roommate just so happens to be the prince of hell.

Prince Zarmenus has come to Point University for the first-ever Earth/hell exchange program, and he’s determined to make the most of it. Which may or may not include wild parties, bringing in random boys to his and Owen’s room, and accidentally setting Owen’s furniture on fire. Sparks fly (literally) as Owen and Zar clash, but Zar’s actions threaten to not only ruin Owen’s peaceful college life, but demon-human relations as well. To clean up his image, he asks Owen to be his fake boyfriend and teach him how to be a better human in exchange for an internship that will secure Owen’s future. That, and Zar will consider being a better roommate.

A deal is struck, and the two start pretending to be in a relationship where they each have agendas of their own. Only Owen has a secret―dating his mortal enemy, even if it’s fake, is the most fun he’s ever had.

Charming and fun, My Roommate from Hell is a rom com with a magical twist. Think just one bed, but that bed is in hell, surrounded by fire and brimstone.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC of this deeply unique and fiery romance! I was immediately drawn to the cover and the clear divide between the two main characters. When I read the synopsis, I noticed that our protagonist was named Owen; which just happens to be my nephew’s name. I kept getting more and more excited, and when I saw that the overarching trope was ‘fake dating’, I knew this was going to be the book for me. It absolutely did not disappoint! I fell head over heels for both Owen and Zarmenus, and I could not get enough of the Will They, Won’t They from the very first chapter. Not to mention the way that the author was able to create a reality in which Hell is real and devils were (mostly) welcome on earth.

We start with Owen, who is going to college without the presence of his best friend. Feeling totally out of sorts, he hopes he will be able to make friends easily and pursue his dreams at the same time. He is surprised, however, by a living situation he did not expect. When he walks into his dorm room, he is met with the Prince of Hell himself. Owen is wary of Zarmenus but decides to give him a chance, and it goes about was well as you might expect– at least at first. Zarmenus is totally unused to not only normal human life, but also to taking care of himself in any way. From rubbish around the room to a ghoul in the bathroom… it’s a living nightmare. Owen almost gives up, but then a twist of fate brings the two into a mutual agreement to act as boyfriends; one that changes not only their lives, but the world at large.

What I loved about this book more than anything is how tight and genuine the narrative is. With a fake dating romance, there is usually a lot of miscommunication and hurt feelings, and that gets really grating to read. However, the author here has taken that miscommunication and given the characters the ability to talk and work out their problems before the situation escalates to an unbelievable level. Of course, I was also smitten by the flourishing relationship between Owen and Zarmenus, the long distance friendship between Owen and Ashley, and the view of a college life I never allowed myself to have. This was such a cozy, lighthearted, and meaningful read. I very much recommend that YA romance lovers take in this novel and lose themselves in the heat of the moment.

5/5 stars

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The Rebel’s Guide to Pride by Matthew Hubbard – Review

When the mayor of a small Alabama town starts targeting Pride events, bad boy Zeke begins hosting a series of “Pride Speakeasies” in this joyful queer coming-of-age!

There’s nothing Zeke Chapman wants more than to tarnish the perfect reputation his father is so obsessed with. He quit the baseball team, started fighting at school, and nearly flunked junior year. Newly out as gay, Zeke isn’t sure where his queer identity fits in with his bad-boy persona. His father has always told him to stay quiet and not attract attention, but his friends are pushing him to be just as out and proud as they are. Most days, Zeke isn’t sure how to be a “good gay” or what that even means.

When his best friend, Sawyer, begs him to help the QSA plan Pride Day, he obliges—mostly to piss his dad off. But then the mayor announces an ordinance that cancels all LGBTQ+ celebrations. Angered by the injustice—and his father’s support of it—Zeke decides to put his rebellious ways to good use and plans a series of underground “Pride Speakeasies”.

As the speakeasies grow, and the community comes together to declare him “King of Pride”, Zeke finally feels like he’s doing something that matters. But friendship drama, a mysterious cyber-crush, and rising tension with his rival and ex Cohen “Coco” Fisher threaten to undermine his newfound pride. When his final party ends in near-disaster, Zeke must ask himself what he’s really trying to do. After all, there’s a reason that the first pride was a riot.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the early copy of Hubbard’s sophomore novel! I had the opportunity to read and review his debut as well (which I loved) and I can confidently say that this author has yet another success on his hands. With plenty of hope to share in a tumultuous time— both in between the pages and outside of the novel itself— The Rebel’s Guide to Pride is a rallying cry to all of us who are saddened and scared by the current state of the world. It teaches us how to be brave and bold and exist outside of the box that ‘powerful’ people, our own families, or even we ourselves try to shove us in.

We follow Zeke (formerly Anthony) Chapman as he navigates his way through his parents’ messy divorce. Losing his father means gaining the ability to be himself for the first time… and it feels daunting. How can he be a ‘good gay’ when he has kept his true self in a shoebox for most of his young life? He tries to follow in the footsteps of his best friend, Sawyer, who has been out and proud for years. What he learns, however, is that pride is something you must instill within yourself.

A wrench is thrown in the gears of this process as the mayor of Zeke’s small Alabama town starts the ‘Family First’ initiative that will, at least outwardly, silence the thriving LGBTQ+ community of Beggs. Zeke has two choices— lay down and be shoved back into the strange shape he became trying to fit in, or to raise his voice and inspire the gays and allies around him to do the same. When he chooses the latter, he not only finds the courage to become more than the Zasshole he was, but also falls into and explores relationships that threaten to change his life forever.

As a pansexual woman who came out later in life, I both relate to and envy Zeke. I know what it’s like to be stuffed into a category that does not fit me, and how an outwardly disapproving father can absolutely tear you down and leave you in a state of perpetual imposter syndrome. I also wish I had been able to be myself at a young age with the support system I have now. Like Zeke, I have my mom, my friends, and the beautiful likeminded people of my community. Even so, we are in a state of emergency with our current administration. So the love that I feel is quickly being overrun by hate, but it’s works like Hubbard’s that gives me hope for the future. I will hold on to Zeke’s story as a light in the dark.

5/5 stars

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The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge by Matthew Hubbard – Review

A queer coming-of-age debut about three teenage boys in small town Alabama who set out to get revenge on their ex-boyfriends and end up starting a student rebellion.

Ezra Hayes has always felt like a background character compared to BFFs Lucas and Finley. He would do anything to be seen as a romantic lead, even if it means keeping a secret summer boyfriend, Presley. But when he discovers that Presley is a lying cheater, and his best friends are having boy problems of their own, they want revenge.

Their plans to get even involve sabotaging the largest party of the year, entering a drag competition, and having Ezra run against his ex for Winter Formal King. Then the school district starts to actively censor queer voices with their Watch What You Say initiative. Taking to TikTok to vent frustrations, Ezra begins “The Last Boyfriends Student Rebellion.”

Between ex-boyfriend drama and navigating viral TikTok fame, Ezra realizes this rebellion is about something more important than revenge. It’s a battle cry to fight back against outdated opinions and redefine what it means to be queer in a small town.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this debut novel that has the conniving of Mean Girls, the bildungsroman of Dear Evan Hansen, and yet— a fresh and heartening queer story all its own. I finished it in one night because I absolutely fell head over heels from the very first page. I had no idea how much I needed the lessons and representation inside the covers of this book. Reading it, I saw myself… my friends… but even more importantly, I saw the ones who have hurt me in the past. It was reaffirming in the best way to be reminded that I was getting my best revenge by living out loud.

We are introduced to Ezra— hockey fanatic, high school ‘nobody’, and last of his friends to have a boyfriend… or so everyone believes. In truth, he’s been seeing the Harper Valley High School’s Golden Boy for five months on the down low. He has watched his friends, Finley and Lucas, drown in their own respective boy problems— thinking he was the lucky one. This secret triste takes a swift nosedive and sends all three boys on a mission… one to get back at the assholes who wronged them. What ensues is a collection of plots inspired by the best vengeance media the teens have collectively seen (think Carrie and First Wives Club) and a realization that maybe there’s more to retaliation than just getting even.

With a cast of characters that span the gamut of LGBTQ+ representation with their own individual struggles— there is someone for every reader to relate to.  I personally saw myself in Jackson; another HVHS Lion who strikes up a friendship with Ezra. There are twists that will surprise and delight you, and great subversions of literary tropes to warm your heart. The author creates a safe space to feel, to explore, and to learn within these pages. From relationship drama to educational administration domination, there are obstacles galore that Ezra goes through. His strength will give readers renewed purpose; and I can’t wait for people of all ages to be inspired by this work.

5/5 stars

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Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce – Review

When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!

Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she’s grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.

Riley can’t waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.

But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan’s Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn’t require as much acting as she would’ve thought…

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advance copy of this, frankly, mesmerizing and heart-droppingly sweet romance. As a lover of both theatre and D&D— I was instantly drawn to the premise. Plus, there’s nothing as frustrating (in the best way!) as fake dating! All that to say that this book was a perfect recipe for success; and it absolutely delivered! I fell in love with the cast of characters so quickly, and the scene that the author paints is lively and jumps right off the page. I felt like I could go visit Boards and Swords— or walk around the high school! There are references that geeks of any type will enjoy, too, but it’s not so overt that readers of any background can’t make sense of it! It is an easy read that I finished in just a few hours— and that’s how absolutely entrancing it is.

To pull us into the narrative— the author first gives us Riley. She’s a theatre girl, but not your average leading lady. Yes, she loves the stage; but she wants to direct. Her hopes come crashing down when the school’s annual show is cancelled, and to top it all off— she’s gotten into deep trouble with her parents and has been roped into working at her dad’s gaming store as punishment. Though she doesn’t know a thing about RPGs or any tabletop game; she finds herself getting settled into a D&D group that plays there. It doesn’t take long before her fellow coworker, Nathan, catches her eye. He’s pining for another in the group, and to prove that she’s over her ex, the two agree to help each other out by fake flirting. What ensues after can only be described as a breathless ‘will they, won’t they’ with Riley coming to an understanding of herself and her potential at the same time.

I went to school for acting and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Arts. I met one of my very best friends in my time as a theatre scholarship student in college. It wasn’t until long after we graduated and moved on with our separate lives that he invited me to experience D&D with him. That game saved my life, much like it ends up changing Riley’s. I come at this story from a very personal point of view, and it makes it incredibly special to me. I cannot recommend this novel enough for fans of musicals, lovers of gaming, or just those on the lookout for a romance that will give them goosebumps and a longing for something they can’t describe. I love that the author has a similar love for the game, and that passion reverberates through every word. If you’re looking for a book that feels like home— this is it.

5/5 stars

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The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan – Review

In this queer YA psychological thriller from the author of Some Girls Do , perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder , the sole surviving counselors of a summer camp massacre search to uncover the truth of what happened that fateful night, but what they find out might just get them killed.

“Shocking, captivating, and utterly chilling. A delicious thriller that will have you tearing through pages to get to the end, where you won’t be disappointed.” —Jessica Goodman, bestselling author of They Wish They Were Us

Sloan and Cherry. Cherry and Sloan. They met only a few days before masked men with machetes attacked the summer camp where they worked, a massacre that left the rest of their fellow counselors dead. Now, months later, the two are inseparable, their traumatic experience bonding them in ways no one else can understand.

But as new evidence comes to light and Sloan learns more about the motives behind the ritual killing that brought them together, she begins to suspect that her girlfriend may be more than just a survivor—she may actually have been a part of it. Cherry tries to reassure her, but Sloan only becomes more distraught. Is this gaslighting or reality? Is Cherry a victim or a perpetrator? Is Sloan confused, or is she seeing things clearly for the very first time? Against all odds, Sloan survived that hot summer night. But will she survive what comes next?

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC of this disquieting horror novel! The premise alone was enough to draw me in; as a fan of slashers for my whole life, I was so ready to jump into a new creation with the age old trope. Jennifer did not disappoint here. The entire book is filled with trauma– both old and fresh. The way that she handles PTSD is utterly astounding, from Sloan’s bad dreams to bonding with the one who pulled her out of the living nightmare. And speaking of Cherry: her relationship with Sloan may be a summer love, but it is a joy to read.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. We are introduced to our protagonist very shortly after her world has been completely turned inside out. Sloan and her girlfriend Cherry are the sole survivors of a massacre at the summer camp they were to be counselors at… but it never got to open. Eight funerals later– Sloan has totally cut off her old friends, guards herself around her family, and mistrusts her therapist. The only person she will allow herself to be with is Cherry. However, things begin to change as new information comes to light in the investigation of the murders, even that dynamic shifts. Sloan can only trust herself… which is problematic, because she can’t even remember what happened the night everyone was killed.

So, with a mountain road’s amount of twists and turns and an unreliable narrator– this story keeps you guessing up until the very last page. I devoured the book in one night, wholly unable to put it down. I was truly taken with the characters in this book. From the central figures to the background players– each were genuine and varied, and they truly made the tale something special. If you like sapphic romances, cults, and whodunnits; this is the book for you. I absolutely loved how I was questioning everything the entire time. What’s real? WHO is real? You feel the narrative unraveling and coming together all at the same time, and it’s absolutely gripping. Thank you, Jennifer, for this thoroughly fun read.

5/5 stars

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Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler – Review

A queer Sliding Doors YA rom-com in which a girl must choose between summer in NYC with her dad (and the girl she’s always wanted) or LA with her estranged mom (and the guy she never saw coming).

In Dahlia Adler’s Going Bicoastal, there’s more than one path to happily ever after.

Natalya Fox has twenty-four hours to make the biggest choice of her life: stay home in NYC for the summer with her dad (and finally screw up the courage to talk to the girl she’s been crushing on), or spend it with her basically estranged mom in LA (knowing this is the best chance she has to fix their relationship, if she even wants to.) (Does she want to?)

How’s a girl supposed to choose?

She can’t, and so both summers play out in alternating timelines – one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the girl she’s always wanted. And one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the guy she never saw coming.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC of this delightfully split narrative with so many possibilities wrapped inside! I had read the synopsis for this novel once the invite to read it had been sent over to me; so I knew there would be alternating timelines– but I had no idea how such an endeavor would play out! Much to my awe and enjoyment, it was absolutely seamless and perfectly easy to keep both plots in mind. You even get to choose your own ending, which thrilled me to bits. It’s such a fun conclusion to a very cozy read, and I literally could not put it down.

This novel centers around Natalya, a bi and Jewish young adult who comes from a bit of a broken home. The warm season has reared its shining head, and as such, Nat must make a choice. She can either stay with her father in New York or visit her mother in California. She is torn, and Dahlia Adler lets her be torn. What follows are two stories of summer love that I absolutely loved to watch unfold. In one, Nat finally makes a move on her crush; the Redhead. Also known as Elly, the Redhead opens up a world of music, art, and sapphic romance. In the other, Nat goes to intern for her mother’s company and meets Adam, a chef-in-the-making. He shows her the vibrant social scene of Los Angeles, and they make an incredible team in the workforce. Outside of these things, he also finds his way into her heart.

in each timeline, Natalya not only finds lasting flirtations, but also a deeper connection with her estranged mother and a path to pursuing her gift of art. It’s not just a book about love– it’s also a coming of age story that shows how everything happens for a reason, and that if it’s meant to be, it will be. I fell in love with the cast of characters here; how diverse they all were and how full of life. I could imagine these people being my own friends, my own family. Dahlia has crafted a beautiful YA novel that is going to be the pride of Pride Month. I can’t imagine an easier or more fun read. I am looking forward to seeing which ending everyone decides on! For me, as Camila says, “Por que no los dos?”

5/5 stars

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Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede – Review

By day, Maeve Fly works at the happiest place in the world as every child’s favorite ice princess.

By the neon night glow of the Sunset Strip, Maeve haunts the dive bars with a drink in one hand and a book in the other, imitating her misanthropic literary heroes.

But when Gideon Green – her best friend’s brother – moves to town, he awakens something dangerous within her, and the world she knows suddenly shifts beneath her feet.

Untethered, Maeve ditches her discontented act and tries on a new persona. A bolder, bloodier one, inspired by the pages of American Psycho. Step aside Patrick Bateman, it’s Maeve’s turn with the knife.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC of this dark and disgusting (in the best way!) work of fiction that truly brings Patrick Bateman to his plastic-clad knees. Maeve is an ice princess turned cold-blooded killer, and it is such a fun transition to watch come to life. With a plot that carefully weaves dark comedy, horror, and intimacy– readers are in for an all-encompassing treat. With this being C.J. Leede’s debut novel; I was impressed and delighted by her style and how she does not shy away from details of the gory or sexy kind. It’s truly a raw, unfiltered experience.

We meet Maeve in a transitionary period in her life. She works in the happiest place in the world, but can’t feel that joy for herself. She has so many emotions brewing under her skin; but it takes her best friend’s brother, Gideon Green, coming to town to set them free. The two begin to explore their innermost and ruinous desires with each other, and all hell breaks loose. It is literary whiplash seeing Maeve go from her glittering day job with children to nights out on the street as an absolute hunter. It serves as a reminder, however, that you can never tell what a person is like on the surface.

This book is not for the faint of heart. However, if you’ve read the synopsis and are a horror fan in the least bit, I don’t think it will faze you. There are some trigger warnings: graphic sex and torture, sexual assault, abuse, general violence, and of course– murder. All of this makes for a truly chilling experience that will keep you hooked on every page. You never know what will happen next, and that rollercoaster ride feeling of your stomach dropping at the very top never relents. I very much recommend this to any torture porn fan or strong-stomached horror buff. You won’t be able to look at an egg the same way again.

5/5 stars

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Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee – Review

An immortal Knight of the Round Table faces his greatest challenge yet—saving the politically polarized, rapidly warming world from itself—in this slyly funny contemporary take on Arthurian legend.

Legends don’t always live up to reality.

Being reborn as an immortal defender of the realm gets awfully tiring over the years—or at least that’s what Sir Kay’s thinking as he claws his way up from beneath the earth yet again.

Kay once rode alongside his brother, King Arthur, as a Knight of the Round Table. Since then, he has fought at Hastings and at Waterloo and in both World Wars. But now he finds himself in a strange new world where oceans have risen, the army’s been privatized, and half of Britain’s been sold to foreign powers. The dragon that’s running amok—that he can handle. The rest? He’s not so sure.

Mariam’s spent her life fighting what’s wrong with her country. But she’s just one ordinary person, up against a hopelessly broken system. So when she meets Kay, she dares to hope that the world has finally found the savior it needs.

Yet as the two travel through this bizarre and dangerous land, they discover that a magical plot of apocalyptic proportions is underway. And Kay’s too busy hunting dragons—and exchanging blows with his old enemy Lancelot—to figure out what to do about it. 

In perilous times like these, the realm doesn’t just need a knight. It needs a true leader. 

Luckily, Excalibur lies within reach. 

But who will be fit to wield it? 

With a cast that includes Merlin, Morgan le Fay, the Lady of the Lake, and King Arthur himself—all reimagined in joyous, wickedly subversive fashion— Perilous Times is an Arthurian retelling that looks forward as much as it looks back . . . and a rollicking, deadpan-funny, surprisingly touching fantasy adventure.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC of this hilarious yet hard-hitting retelling that takes the Arthurian Legend to all new highs and lows! I thought I knew what to expect; having read many tales of Arthur, the legendary sword, and all the hijinks in between, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Perilous Times delivers a dystopian type fantasy that will knock you off your feet and have you more worried about your own future– and making you laugh the pain away while it’s at it.

We meet Sir Kay, who is resurrected because the country is in dire peril, as he begins on a journey to understand the new land he finds himself in. Mariam discovers him as she attempts to skirt around mercenaries that want her head… and having released a dragon upon the realm with her band of eco-terrorists. The two must band together in order to put their experiences to use; one having lived in the apocalyptic landscape for her whole life, and the other having lived through countless unmentionable wars and seeing just how humans can hurt each other and the planet they live on through millennia. The two band together to help heal the world before the climate change or the terrifying monsters hiding just beyond the veil bring England to its knees for good.

This tale expertly takes history, legend, and uncertain futures and creates a brave and stunning plot that will hit your funny bone while making you think. I very much enjoyed all of the modern aspects of the characters and how diverse they became. Thomas D. Lee has taken a much beloved classic and shone new light on it, and I think readers will not only relate to the fear of the setting but also to the very human protagonists and antagonists. It is an easy read that will have you questioning what you can do to stop this very plot from happening… because our world needs heroes too.

5/5 stars

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Pieces of Me by Kate McLaughlin – Review

The next gut-punching, compulsively readable Kate McLaughlin novel, about a girl finding strength in not being alone.

When eighteen-year-old Dylan wakes up, she’s in an apartment she doesn’t recognize. The other people there seem to know her, but she doesn’t know them – not even the pretty, chiseled boy who tells her his name is Connor. A voice inside her head keeps saying that everything is okay, but Dylan can’t help but freak out. Especially when she borrows Connor’s phone to call home and realizes she’s been missing for three days.

Dylan has lost time before, but never like this.

Soon after, Dylan is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, and must grapple not only with the many people currently crammed inside her head, but that a secret from her past so terrible she’s blocked it out has put them there. Her only distraction is a budding new relationship with Connor. But as she gets closer to finding out the truth, Dylan wonders: will it heal her or fracture her further?

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC of this thoroughly researched and compelling novel centered around a young adult woman diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. I went into reading this book completely blind; having not even read the synopsis. All I knew is that I love Kate McLaughlin’s writing– having read ‘Daughter’ and ‘What Unbreakable Looks Like’ previously. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement: I love glances into mental disorders and have been interested in DID since watching United States of Tara as a teenager myself.

Kate has done a beautiful job bringing Dylan and her alters to life. When we first meet our protagonist, she is coming to at an unfamiliar place and realizes that she has lost three whole days with her last memory consisting of being at a coffee shop. This begins a journey to figure out why this has happened, and after some run-ins with people who know her face without her being able to reciprocate and other instances of time loss– Dylan is diagnosed with DID. She meets some of her alters: Lannie, Kaz, and Dali to name a few, and begins to understand that something terrible happened in her childhood to bring them all to life.

What follows is an absolutely chilling and heartbreaking voyage into Dylan’s mind to finally piece together what she’s been hiding from herself for years. Thankfully, she has an amazing support system, including her famous mother, her only best friend, and a boy named Connor that she met while she was not in control of her own body. This is a story of self-discovery, but also one of familial and romantic love, and the lengths we go to in order to protect ourselves and the ones we adore. Kate weaves a narrative that you will not be able to put down, and one that will give you new insight on DID itself. This novel is brilliant, and I’m so lucky to have gotten to experience it.

5/5 stars

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Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa – Review

Aristotle and Dante meets The Hate U Give meets The Sun Is Also A Star: A stunning YA contemporary love story about a Mexican-American teen who falls in love with an undocumented Mexican boy.

Finding home. Falling in love. Fighting to belong.

The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Martínez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce. The mixture of Spanish and English filling the streets. And, especially their job at their family’s taquería. It’s the place that has inspired Ander as a muralist, and, as they get ready to leave for art school, it’s all of these things that give them hesitancy. That give them the thought, are they ready to leave it all behind?

To keep Ander from becoming complacent during their gap year, their family “fires” them so they can transition from restaurant life to focusing on their murals and prepare for college. That is, until they meet Santiago López Alvarado, the hot new waiter. Falling for each other becomes as natural as breathing. Through Santi’s eyes, Ander starts to understand who they are and want to be as an artist, and Ander becomes Santi’s first steps toward making Santos Vista and the United States feel like home.

Until ICE agents come for Santi, and Ander realizes how fragile that sense of home is. How love can only hold on so long when the whole world is against them. And when, eventually, the world starts to win.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this heartbreaking but lovely story of Ander and Santi and all the obstacles in between. Jonny Garza Villa brings readers a genuine tale of first love– from the honeymoon stage to the inevitable heartbreak that life deals you alongside it. There are hard looks at gender and the roles it plays in our society, peeks into Mexican culture, and of course, commentary on the current politics that preside over the United Sates as we know it. This may be a love story, but that’s far from all you’ll get.

We meet Ander Martinez in their home of San Antonio, Texas. They are getting ready to leave it all behind in order to go to art school, but are taking a gap year to prepare. Ander’s parents give them leave from the taqueria they work at to focus on their murals and creativity in general– and in the process, hire a new waiter. Santiago Lopez Alvarado captures Ander at once, and through the novel we get swept up in their raw and unbridled emotion. While it is mostly positive, things take a dark and heady turn as ICE turns its gaze on Santi. The couple must figure out a way to stay above the water that the world is trying to push them under.

This was such an amazing book to read. I cannot emphasize enough how refreshing it was; how deeply rooted in today’s issues and speaking the truth of the LGBTQ+ community. As a pansexual and gender-questioning person myself– it hit home. I think it will feel like such a safe space for not only young adults who are finding themselves, but for readers of any age who have felt that spark of love, belonging, fear, and angst. You can relate to the witty and free spirited main characters, but also the strength and compassion of the parental roles. There are so many types of people represented here, and it makes it such a fulfilling read. I would recommend it to anyone seeking a place that feels like home.

5/5 stars