Tag: teen romance

REVIEW: The Charmed List by Julie Abe

REVIEW: The Charmed List by Julie Abe

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Ellie Kobata loves her little magical community – the shops, the spells. Everything but her ex-best friend Jack and his grouch of a father. In fact, it’s a prank on Jack that goes so wrong it might cost Ellie her current best friend, her parents’ trust, and her magic. It was an item on Ellie’s “Anti-wallflower” to do list – a list of tasks she wanted to do to come out of her shell. But “Get revenge on Jack Yasuda” went all wrong.

As penance, she has to take a business road trip – the trip she was supposed to take with Lia before everything fell apart – with Jack. How can she endure hour after hour in close quarters with the best friend who abandoned her years ago?

Review

This was an unexpected delight. I wasn’t sure about this at first. It took me a bit to get into the flow of the magical world. And Ellie and Jack were hard to like early on with all of the mysterious hostility. I’m still not 100% sure Jack’s explanation was sufficient. But the two of them are delightful together once they set their feud aside.

By the end I was deeply attached to this magical world. I loved the village and the cottage and the convention – brilliant! The supporting cast is lovely; they were a great anchor for me to keep reading when Ellie and Jack were at odds.

The bucket list plot has been done often, and I generally enjoy the stories. I enjoyed how the list comes into play here. It’s a constant thread in the book, but not a driving one. It’s part of Ellie’s journey to define herself and take up space in the world and that whole journey was enjoyable.

Readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers should definitely check this out, especially of you like stories with an extra layer of magic.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

REVIEW: When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Millie Price’s star is on the rise. She’s worked her butt off to get into a theater pre-college program. But her dad is reluctant to let her go. And his resistance seems to have something to do with Millie’s mother.

Millie doesn’t know who her mother is, but she stumbles on her father’s LiveJournal from college. Reading through the entries around the time she would have been conceived, Millie finds some names of women who could be her mother. She’s sure if she can find the woman – who was also into musical theater – she could get her mother’s help to convince her dad to let her go.

But Millie’s plan to check out each of these women hits a snag when she ends up competing with her high school nemesis, Oliver, for an internship she doesn’t even want. But as it’s a chance to work with one of the potential moms, she sticks with it while getting to know the other women on her list. But Millie has no way of knowing how this search for her mom and her quest to attend this theater program is going to change everything.

Review

Emma Lord is the author of the fantastic Tweet Cute and You Have a Match, and after this third delightful story, she’s a must-read author for me.

I loved this! Millie is such a great character. She has a big personality, and sometimes the dramatic theater types can be abrasive to read. But that was never the case here. While she’s abrasive to Oliver, that’s part of the fun of the story, but I loved her (and Oliver) from the start.

Millie’s quest for her big theater program and for finding her mom opens up SO many great threads for this story – with the internship, with Oliver, with her family and friends, and with the new people she meets along the way. But none of those external pieces overshadows the internal work Millie does which is equally great.

Fans of Emma Lord’s previous books should absolutely pick this up – the character work here is excellent! And the romantic bits and the humor is icing on the cake. RomCom fans and musical theater lovers – you’re going to want to read this one too! (Language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Blame It on the Mistletoe by Beth Garrod

REVIEW: Blame It on the Mistletoe by Beth Garrod

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Holly is the Christmas Queen, but with a break up on her mind and all the usual family Christmas traditions upended by her mother’s plans to have them move in with her boyfriend and his kids, Holly’s not sure this year will be very merry.

Elle is all about being an influencer. And what better time than Christmas for fun activities to build her follower count?

But when Elle agrees to do an Instagram challenge to gain 15,000 new followers – where all of the losers of the challenge have to delete their accounts – she knows she has to take Christmas to a whole new level.

So Elle and Holly find a way to switch homes for the holidays. Elle heads to Holly’s home in England while Holly heads to America. Each of them are determined to make this holiday unforgettable.

Review

This was billed as “Tweet Cute meets The Holiday,” so there was no way I was going to miss this one! I adored Tweet Cute, and The Holiday is one of my favorite Christmas movies.

This was a cute story. I enjoyed the different Christmas experiences and both of the girls in the story. There’s a lot here that was just plain fun – Christmas treats, Christmas sweaters, Christmas love.

I feel like some of the conflicts and story tension could have been stronger, with more punch. But this is a lot like a Hallmark film. You really just need a small moment to put everything in jeopardy so the audience gets the satisfaction of watching everything work out. And this delivers on that satisfying ending.

If you are looking for a fun, cozy holiday love story, be sure to check this one out.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: 10 Truths and a Dare by Ashley Elston

REVIEW: 10 Truths and a Dare by Ashley Elston

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney/Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will release next week on May 4th.]

Summary

Olivia and her cousins are a week away from graduating when she finds out she is short half a credit of PE. She did an outside course – golf – but didn’t finish all the hours needed. She’s supposed to be salutatorian, but now she might not even graduate.

Olivia has one shot to fix things, but it’s going to be complicated. She has to spend the week working on a golf tournament for the coach to make up her hours. But she’s supposed to be going to a bunch of graduation parties all week – and she doesn’t want anyone to find out about this hiccup in her situation. Her parents are away for the week due to work, but Olivia’s mom is obsessively tracking her phone while they are gone.

So Sophie, Charlie, and Wes agree to swap phones with Olivia and hit the parties so her parents don’t find out about her screw up. But their always-present, over-involved, tightly-knit family will be hard to dodge.

Review

I absolutely adored the first book about the Messina family, 10 Blind Dates, when I read it in 2019. In fact, it was number three in my list of favorite reads of the year – 3 out of 400 is a big deal! I was thrilled at the news that there would be a sequel!

This was far more stressful than the first book. In 10 Blind Dates, Sophie’s family is “helping” her over a break up in a bizarre way. Olivia’s situation has far more serious stakes, which changes the tone of the book. There are still funny moments, but this is not the laugh-riot that Dates is for me.

The characters are my favorite part of this series. The core four are back, and it’s delightful to spend time with them again. There’s less time spent with the larger family group in this one. But Uncle Michael was solidified as my favorite extended family member thanks to this book. (Don’t get me started on Olivia’s mom and her tracking app, though. Yikes!) I would love to see Charlie get a book to round out the series. I will jump at any chance to spend more time with these characters in the future.

Newcomers should be able to follow this story without difficulty even if they haven’t read 10 Blind Dates. But trust me – you will absolutely want to pick that one up asap! (Some language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks

REVIEW: The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Abrams Kids in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Evie and Caleb have been best friends since childhood. And Caleb has been in love with her for most of that time. But Evie has never responded to his hints – or his “almost kisses.” She’s not really been interested in any romantic relationship at all. Teaming up with Caleb, Evie has the chance to compete once again for a huge math/science award. Last year, a panic attack before she even got on the plane derailed her plans. But this year, with Caleb at her side, she has a chance to fully compete.

After 8 months with a therapist of her choosing, Evie is managing her anxiety and feeling more confident in general. And then Leo transfers in. He’s brilliant – someone who can compete in a lot of ways at Evie’s level. And he gives her fluttery feelings she’s never experienced before. Caleb has to reign in his jealousy when Leo and Evie start dating.

When Caleb has a chance to interact anonymously with Evie in the online forum for the award finalists, he jumps at it, hoping it will help Evie see him as a romantic option once she knows it is him.  Evie is left wondering how she went from complete disinterest in romance to juggling feelings for Leo and a new guy online. And wondering how this new layer to her life will work with everything else she has been working through so very carefully.

Review

Evie and Caleb were captivating from the first delightful chapter. I loved their friendship and what they meant to each other. I loved reading about Evie’s journey with anxiety and therapy, and the ways Caleb was part of that journey. Evie and Caleb were so fun, both as individuals and in their bantering friendship.

The arrival of Leo coincides with Evie maturing to a place where she is noticing romantic feelings and she’s ready to explore that part of growing up. Leo was good for her even if he was an obstacle for Caleb.

The math of the book was way over my head, but never a distraction or drag on the story. I loved all the ways the characters in this pushed back on assumptions about women in general and Evie in particular when it comes to math and science. While Evie’s mother is the most infuriating part of this book, the misogynistic pieces were a close second. But Evie and her friends stand up to it brilliantly.

This is a delightful character-driven book. I loved having Evie and Caleb tell their own stories. And the romance is sweet and complicated, but never over-the-top. And the book is funny! The side characters might have been developed a little more (Bex’s story was fascinating, but I wanted her to feel more fleshed out), but the spotlight here is really for Evie and Caleb. And they deserve it. Don’t miss this one! (Some language, TW: Anxiety/panic attacks)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: Get a Clue by Tiffany Schmidt

REVIEW: Get a Clue by Tiffany Schmidt

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Huck’s intentions were good. He can’t help his highly observational nature. With so few people in the class, it was obvious the instructor was refusing to call on girls in the class. Huck offered to speak up, but the instructor’s primary target said no. So Huck took the video as proof to share with his friends from his old school.

He never meant to post it.
He never meant for it to go viral.
He never meant for a picture of one of his classmates to be turned into a slew of unflattering memes.

So Huck is learning from his mistake. He’s keeping his mouth closed and his observations mostly to himself. He’s doing extra work with Ms. Gregoire and also reading Sherlock Holmes. And he’s pining for his crush, Win, who goes to another school. Any excuse he can find to hang out with Win’s older brother Curtis, Huck takes so he can maybe see Win.

Huck’s observational skills get a workout with Win’s family. There are a lot of unspoken things in the family that are practically screaming at Huck. He saw what happened last time he tried to fix something.

But when Huck discovers someone is pulling a smear campaign on Win that is costing him friends, the trust of his family, and a chance to transfer to Huck’s school, he promises Win he’s going to figure out the mystery. Just like Holmes would. Although that means Huck needs to stay objective about the case. No dating Win until the mystery is solved.

Review

I was devastated to read this would be the last of the Bookish Boyfriends series, “at least for now” according to the author. I have adored this series from the first book. Each new book is my “series fave” – until the next book is released. Books 2 and 3 were in my most favorite of favorites lists for the years when I read them. I adore the premise of the series, the characters, the humor, the charm, the books, and the romances.

Huck feels like a young Shawn Spencer (from the show Psych) although with more emotional insight and self-awareness. His observational skills are (usually) brilliant and on target. He’s also charming like Shawn (and unlike Sherlock Holmes), so he’s adorable, someone you are cheering for from the beginning.

I loved the mystery in this. It was a pretty intense situation for such a fun and funny series. It made for a lovely contrast. And the severity really highlights some of the issues Win is dealing with. Huck learns some good lessons about boundaries as he wrestles with the best course of action to both solve the mystery and protect Win.

The emotional and relational pieces of the story are excellent as always. All of my favorite series characters are here. The interplay is great; the chemistry between Win and Huck is delightful. And I loved watching what it meant to Win to have someone who really sees him and believes him in his corner, fighting with and for him.

If every teenager named in this book was given a story of their own, I would buy every last one. This series is such a breath of fresh air for me. It always makes me laugh and always leaves me with warm feelings about the main couple. These are perfect examples of comfort books – the ones you go back to time and time again because you know they will provide the perfect escape. Do not miss the fourth book in this incredible series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding

REVIEW: You Have a Match by Emma Lord

REVIEW: You Have a Match by Emma Lord

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Abby takes a DNA test to be supportive of her best friend (and crush) Leo, she never expects it will shake every foundation of her life. But when the results come in, it says she has a sister. A full-blooded, older sister.

When Abby and Savvy meet up in secret, it’s obvious the results are accurate. The questions start piling up – why did Abby’s parents place Savvy for adoption? How are they connected to Savvy’s adoptive family? Why have they kept this secret from Abby her whole life?

Abby decides to meet Savvy at Camp Reynolds for the summer. It meets her parents’ insistence on academic recovery work, but it will also let the girls dig into this mystery and get to know one another for the first time.

Review

Emma Lord is now a must-read author for me. Last year I fell in love with her delightful debut, Tweet Cute. And now I have fallen again for Abby and Leo and Savvy and Mickey and Finn and the rest. This was a start-to-finish read for me. It’s funny, suspenseful, and emotionally touching. It’s everything I want when I sit down with a YA novel. I can’t wait to read it again. And again. (In fact, the minute I finished reading the ARC, I pre-ordered my own copy.)

The family story was the hook for me. There are other things happening in the story – Abby’s feelings for Leo, the pressures from her parents regarding school, the camp, her reluctance to share her photography with others, her grief over the loss of her grandfather, and her questions about the future. And every one of those pieces was beautifully handled and part of the joy that is this book. But I was all in on the relationship between Abby and Savvy and on finding out the truth of their story. And it was so satisfying! There were moments when I couldn’t read fast enough to take in everything as quickly as I wanted to.

“Comfort reads” are a real thing, especially in these weird days. These are the books you know you love and you go back to them over and over to enjoy sinking into a great story with great characters. I have many YA comfort reads – Tweet Cute, 10 Blind Dates, Prince in Disguise and more. And now You Have a Match. The writing, the characters, the story, the humor, the heart – all of it was fantastic. YA fans do not want to miss this one! (Language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Talk Nerdy to Me by Tiffany Schmidt

REVIEW: Talk Nerdy to Me by Tiffany Schmidt

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Eliza’s best friend, Merrilee Campbell (A Date with Darcy), is convinced their English teacher, Ms. Gregoire, is magic. But science-minded Eliza knows that is not remotely possible. Merrilee and her sister, Rory (The Boy Next Story), believe Ms. Gregoire gives students books that magically come true in their lives. But that’s ridiculous.

Not willing to take any chances, though, Eliza chooses Frankenstein as her free reading choice for class. Ms. Gregoire is reluctant to let Eliza go with that book, but Eliza is confident that its lack of romance and its emphasis on science make it the perfect choice.

As Eliza digs into the assignment, she’s also trying to keep up on her parents’ ever-increasing demands. They are world-famous scientists currently working at the South Pole. They monitor Eliza through exacting logs, a personal tracker, and the grad student they have watching her at the house. Her 89% on a recent math test has them concerned. They want her to beef up her study habits as well as add an extracurricular – from three choices they feel would be appropriate. She chooses Quiz Bowl team, not expecting to find Curtis there.

Curtis is the sophomore class’s Class Clown. He always has a joke or zinger at the ready. How is HE on the Quiz Bowl team?

Soon Eliza’s assumptions – about her English assignment, her parents’ expectations, and even Curtis – are going to be challenged in ways she can’t begin to imagine.

Review

I have been crazy for the Bookish Boyfriends series since I first heard the plot of book 1!  And this book is no exception. I’ve been eager to read Eliza’s story since Merrilee’s book. Her parents’ controlling behavior is stunning. I wanted to know more about why they were like that and why Eliza put up with it. She’s also been putting up with Curtis since the first book. So this was my chance to see that relationship explored. It was so satisfying!

Curtis and his siblings are my favorite characters from this book, although I also love the whole ensemble. But Curtis is a perfect contrast for Eliza’s controlled and controlling life. He’s fun and sweet and endearing. He’s also confident enough to ask for what he wants and stand up for his right to be treated with kindness, courtesy, and honesty. This is my favorite pair in the series – at least for today. I think I say it every time I finish a book in the series!

There is no element of anyone trying to figure out how Ms. Gregoire does what she does. And I’m loving that. They accept it as part of life and just watch to see what happens. Each book in the series so far explores two pieces of literature. The second book in this one is Anne of Green Gables.

We already know where book four – Get a Clue – is headed. I am looking forward to seeing what happens when Huck and Curtis’ brother, Win, team up to solve a mystery à la Sherlock Holmes. That is currently scheduled to release in January 2021. I already have it sitting in my online shopping cart. These are characters I already love. And a new book gives me the perfect excuse to go back and re-read the whole series over Christmas.

Fans of YA romance, especially with a lot of book love and a touch of magic, should not miss this series!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥= Outstanding, Fantastic

REVIEW: Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

REVIEW: Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Pepper’s parents started Big League Burgers when their whole family still lived in the same town. Now, Pepper’s parents are amicably divorced. Her sister, Paige, is away at college, and Pepper is trying to survive her senior year at an incredibly competitive private school. Her life revolves around her school work, staying ahead of her academic rival, and swim team responsibilities as the captain. When she’s not consumed with all that, she bakes to let off steam. Her mom, in a bit of tone deaf parenting, also expects her to help with the business’ Twitter account. While there’s an employee assigned to it, she doesn’t have Pepper’s instincts or snark.

Jack’s parents run the deli Girl Cheese which was started by Jack’s grandmother. Jack’s parents seem to assume Jack will take over the deli some day, although they don’t make those assumptions about his twin brother, Ethan. Jack would rather design apps. In fact, he’s the secret designer of Weazel, a wildly popular social app at his private school. He also sometimes tweets things on the deli’s Twitter profile.

When Big League Burgers announces a new line of grilled cheese sandwiches, Jack and Ethan realize one is a direct rip off of their grandmother’s secret grilled cheese recipe at the deli. Their dad wants to ignore it, but Jack fires off a tweet. And Pepper, not knowing who is on the other side of the Twitter war, fires back.

Let the games begin.

Review

“You can’t just casually tell someone you carry caramel sauce around and walk away like that’s a normal thing. What other emergency condiments do you have stashed in your bag?”

This is delightful!! Sharp writing – and so funny! I loved Pepper and Jack! There are tons of levels to this – their assumptions about each other from school, their anonymous conversations on Weazel, their face-to-face interactions, and then the Twitter war. And it was all so fun!

There’s a lot of depth to the characters and the relationships amid the banter back and forth. Both teens are thinking about their futures. They’re struggling under expectations, and they’re trying to discover who they are. There are also some fascinating family dynamics for both teens.

And all of that – along with some mouth-watering food descriptions – is woven together so well. I loved it. The only thing missing is some recipes. Do not miss this fun novel! The paperback of this will release after the first of the year along with the author’s second book, You Have a Match. I’ll be reviewing that one in 2021. (Language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = Loved it! Would read again!

BONUS REVIEW: Recommended for You by Laura Silverman

BONUS REVIEW: Recommended for You by Laura Silverman

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Shoshanna adores her job at the mall bookstore, Once Upon. Her boss is a mentor, and she loves her co-workers. And it’s a good thing she loves it because it’s the holiday season which means the mall is crazy busy, and she is working double shifts until Christmas.

Shoshanna needs those double shifts. Her car has become unreliable, and the repair is expensive. Her moms don’t have the money, and they are fighting enough already. She doesn’t want to add any stress to their household. But then her boss offers a holiday incentive. The person who sells to the most customers leading up to Christmas will earn a bonus. That extra money would go a long way toward helping her fix her car.

The biggest roadblock to Shoshanna’s success is the new guy, Jake. He doesn’t even read, except for things assigned at school! But he’s charming and clever, and customers like him. He’s bonded with Shoshanna’s work friends and leveraged technology to help him make recommendations. He is serious competition. In all of their interactions he has come across as a jerk to Shoshanna, so she is determined to beat him. She’ll get the money she needs AND show Jake that being a bookseller is about more than doing an online search.

Review

This was fun! I loved the bookstore pieces in this as well as Shoshanna’s enthusiasm about her work and about books/reading in general. The author does a good job of keeping Shoshanna endearing, even when she’s a bit much. There’s some immaturity at play, which makes sense for her age. In fact, it’s been awhile since I read a YA novel where the main character felt like a genuine teenager. Shoshanna really feels genuine. Here, she has a lot to learn about boundaries. She wants everyone to be happy, get along, and feel good about themselves, even if that means she meddles in things she shouldn’t. The other great thing about this is that Shoshanna learns from her mistakes. She is intentional about making different, better choices as the book goes on. She lets her failures instruct her for the future.

The bookstore pieces are balanced by the women in Shoshanna’s life and the problems they are experiencing. Shoshanna’s moms are fighting and it makes home feel unsettled and tense. Then, when Shoshanna alienates her best friends, she can’t even go home for comfort because things there are so on-edge. There are nice holiday pieces woven in, too – Hanukkah celebrations for Shoshanna and Jake as well as the Christmas festivities at the mall.

The romance here is sweet and gradual. It’s a low key enemies-to-lovers story. And in reality it’s probably more bickering-rivals-to-crushes, but the usual features of the trope are there. I warmed up to Jake pretty quickly and loved watching his relationship with Shoshanna thaw over time.

While the cover doesn’t show it, this is definitely a holiday story, so librarians and booksellers should keep this title in mind for holiday displays. Readers who love sweet teen romances, books about books and bookstores, and stories about personal growth should check this on out! (Some language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great!