Contemporary – Jill's Book Blog

Review: The Doughnut Fix

Title: The Doughnut Fix
Author: Jessie Janowitz
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Paperback
Release Date: April 1, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Superfudge meets The Lemonade War in this funny, heartwarming book about change, adventure, family, and of course, doughnuts. Tristan isn’t Gifted or Talented like his sister Jeanine, and he’s always been okay with that because he can make a perfect chocolate chip cookie and he lives in the greatest city in the world. But his life takes a turn for the worse when his parents decide to move to middle-of-nowhere Petersville―a town with one street and no restaurants. It’s like suddenly they’re supposed to be this other family, one that can survive without bagels and movie theaters. His suspicions about his new town are confirmed when he’s tricked into believing the local general store has life-changing chocolate cream doughnuts, when in fact the owner hasn’t made them in years. And so begins the only thing that could make life in Petersville worth getting the recipe, making the doughnuts, and bringing them back to the town through his very own doughnut stand. But Tristan will soon discover that when starting a business, it helps to be both Gifted and Talented, and it’s possible he’s bitten off more than he can chew…

Review:

When Tristan’s family moves out of New York City, his parents assign him and his sisters to make up a project until they go to school next term. Tristan decides to make a business selling the town’s famous chocolate cream doughnuts. He must follow steps to creating a business with the help of some new friends in town. This is a great story to teach kids how to follow their dreams and achieve their goals. Tristan had to go through a lot of trial and error to complete his project, including experimenting with the recipe for the doughnuts. One character who stole the show was Tristan’s younger sister Zoe. She provided some fun comic relief throughout the story!

The Doughnut Fix is a great middle grade book!

Thank you Bookinfluencers.com and Jessie Janowitz for providing a copy of this book for a sponsored campaign!

Have you read The Doughnut Fix? What did you think of it?

Review: The Divine Feminine Scent

Title: The Divine Feminine Scent
Author: E.C. Beaumont
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Independently published
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Paperback
Release Date: June 4, 2026
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

She seduces powerful men to harvest their energy.

Selene is a high-stakes investor building life-saving infrastructure, powered by a secret. What begins as a gift becomes her Protocol, refined through psychology, ritual, technology, and obsession.

Then Ethan signs the Protocol.

Ethan is a Silicon Valley millionaire with everything to lose. He becomes her most powerful subject yet. Their connection is intoxicating, obsessive, and irreversible. But Selene’s power comes with a brutal cost. As the line between harvest and love blurs, the stakes become more dangerous for both of them.

A story of dark feminine power, psychological intensity, and the cost of loving your prey.

Inside this high-heat, literary romance:
• Female-dominant dark power dynamics
• A powerful woman who may be saving the world or destroying what she loves
• Psychological conditioning and control
• Obsession-driven relationship
• Morally complex, unapologetic protagonist
• Explicit, high-intensity scenes (no fade-to-black)
• Foot worship and sensory domination
• Supernatural elements woven into a grounded, literary narrative

What would you do to the man you love if it saved thousands?

Content note: This novel contains explicit sexual content, power exchange dynamics, psychological manipulation, and morally dark themes. Intended for adult readers (18+). This is not a conventional romance. There is no redemption arc. The ending will stay with you.

Review:

This story is about a woman who could channel her power through seducing men. Her feet had an intoxicating scent that would then give her power. She used the power to help fund investments to build much needed infrastructure around the world. However, she had to balance her morality, power, and work for the greater good.

The Divine Feminine Scent is a study in sexual power.

Thank you Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Content warnings: psychological manipulation, sexual content

Have you read The Divine Feminine Scent? What did you think of it?

Review: Three Days Grace

Title: Three Days Grace
Author: Jeremy Bradley-Silverio Donato
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Indigo River Publishing
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

On the eve of their trip to South Africa, Lynne and her wife, Susan, await three guests in a Paris Nick, Lynne’s distant son; Laslo, Susan’s effusive friend; and Marc, a former professor living on borrowed glamour.

What begins as a bon voyage soon becomes a clash of old wounds and fresh resentments. As night falls, long-buried secrets surface, threatening to dismantle the facades each has built.

Through the winding corridors of Paris and the tangled landscapes of memory, five people must confront the truths they’ve spent decades avoiding. At the heart lies the tragic story of two brothers-one present, one absent-and the lingering trauma that continues to shape their lives.

Set over three days, this unflinching exploration of family, betrayal, and silence asks whether we can ever truly escape our past-and what it takes to finally face the truths we’ve spent a lifetime running from.

Review:

This is a gripping novel about loss and grief. Nick’s father dies suddenly, which brings back the memories of the abuse he suffered as a child. He realizes how much the adults around him knew and chose to ignore. I couldn’t put this book down. I think I could have easily read it in one sitting.

Three Days Grace is a powerful and heartbreaking story.

Thank you Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Content warnings: child abuse, rape, death of parent, suicide

Have you read Three Days Grace? What did you think of it?

Review: Mancala Moon

Title: Mancala Moon
Author: Asa Bowers
Genre: Contemporary, Magical Realism
Publisher: Independent
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: December 30, 2025
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Micah Thorne thought grief was the heaviest burden he would carry. But the forest waits, ancient and watching, offering visions he cannot explain—and a choice that could break the cycle of loss—or trap him forever.

Drawn into a mysterious forest where time bends and memory takes shape, Micah encounters a silent fox who seems to know his path and forces that test the boundaries of choice and inheritance.

Deep within the moonlit woods, an ancient game waits to be played. One decision may offer Micah a chance to break a generational burden—but only if he can face the darkness both around him and within.

Mancala Moon is a quietly mythic work of literary fiction infused with magical realism—a modern spiritual folktale that lingers between inner lives and ancient stories. Haunting and emotionally intimate, it explores loss, legacy, and the fragile courage required to heal.

Review:

This is a story about changing your fate and finding where you belong. Micah came from a long line of men who died before age 40. He had accepted his fate but he also went searching for answers. This is a magical realism story with a beautiful and vivid setting. I really liked how everything came together in the end.

Mancala Moon is a beautiful magical realism story!

Thank you iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Content warnings: death of parents, depression

Have you read Mancala Moon? What did you think of it?

Review: If We Never End

Title: If We Never End
Author: Laura Taylor Namey
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

You’ve Reached Sam meets If I Stay in this epic romance spanning life and death, from New York Times bestselling author Laura Taylor Namey.

Sylvie Castellano is used to goodbyes. Every summer, her friends leave to vacation at faraway beaches and her parents jet off to work on a luxury yacht, dumping her with her tia Vivian. Sylvie may love her aunt Viv, but just once, she wishes the summer held a big adventure for her, too.

When Sylvie scores the thrift find of a lifetime-a vintage gold watch worth thousands-she thinks maybe her luck is turning around. Then a turn of the watch’s dial summons a ghost boy. With no idea who he is or why he’s attached to the watch, and only his name to go off of-Penn-Sylvie offers to help him unravel the mystery of his death.

Sylvie’s summer is suddenly full of road trips, beach bonfires, and ferris wheel rides as she and Penn try to piece together the life he lost. But soon, Sylvie begins to imagine a future together-a future they can never have. Then a devastating discovery brings everything crashing down. The watch’s secrets extend far beyond Penn, and it’s not only Sylvie’s heart at risk, but her life.

Review:

This is a beautiful and thrilling YA novel! It has a beautiful setting in a small town in Oregon. The setting was truly one of the characters in the novel. I love it when a story has a twist that completely surprises me. I thought I had the story figured out but I was wrong. Even though it had some heart wrenching moments, the ending was perfect!

If We Never End is a beautiful novel!

Thank you Bookinfluencers.com and Bloomsbury Books US for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: concussion, migraines, death, car accident, blood

Have you read If We Never End? What did you think of it?

Review: Sibylline

Title: Sibylline
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary
Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: February 3, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Three teens infiltrate the magical ivy league in this heart-stopping dark academia romantasy, the first in a young adult duology from #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

Raven, Atticus, and Dorian have dreamed of attending Sibylline for as long as they can remember. But when the magical ivy league rejects them, the friends’ plans of a future together studying the arcane begin crashing down.

Until they decide to steal an education.

Getting jobs on campus, they sneak into lectures and swipe forbidden texts, dodging the administration’s watchful eye. In the quiet of night, in the thrill of secrecy, their magic awakens. And so do long-buried attractions that turn their friendship into something more.

But like magic, love can create, and it can destroy. As unrequited feelings and resentment threaten to fracture their bond, the trio discovers an insidious magic that has sunk its claws into Sibylline, killing students and corroding the very bones of the university. Now the three intruders may be the key to saving the institution from wreckage . . . if they don’t wreck one another first.

Review:

This was a fun and exciting new adult fantasy! It was fast-paced and thrilling. The magical world was well developed right from the beginning. There was a love triangle, which I know can be controversial, but I like love triangle tropes because they can be realistic.

Sibylline is a great fantasy!

Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for providing a copy of this book!

Have you read Sibylline? What did you think of it?

Review: Beth Is Dead

Title: Beth Is Dead
Author: Katie Bernet
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: January 6, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Beth March’s sisters will stop at nothing to track down her killer—until they begin to suspect each other—in this debut thriller that’s also a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved classic Little Women.

When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer.

Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable.

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs.

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone.

Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.

Review:

This is a fantastic reimagining of Little Women. In this story, the March sisters’ father wrote the book Little Women about his daughters. Beth died at the end of that novel, but she was alive in real life, until New Year’s Eve when she’s found dead. This story was thrilling and suspenseful. It kept me guessing until the end. I loved this story!

Beth Is Dead is a great retelling of Little Women!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, murder, sexual assault (off page), grooming

Have you read Beth Is Dead? What did you think of it?

Review: The Basketball Tournament of Dreams (The Super Hoopers #1)

Title: The Basketball Tournament of Dreams (The Super Hoopers #1)
Author: Alberto Casamayor, Palma & Kako
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Editoria el Pirata
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 13, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Basketball has never been so much fun! Meet the Super Hoopers, the most unusual basketball team you can imagine. Although the Super Hoopers are far from being the best team, their friendship and fun-filled adventures fill their novels. The Super Hoopers is a series about basketball with lots of humor, starring a group of nine-year-old boys and girls who go to the same school. You don’t need to be a basketball expert to have the time of your life with Joel and his awesome group of friends. All pages feature colorful illustrations and include dialogue in comic-style speech bubbles. The story is fast-paced and full of humor. It is recommended for children aged 8 to 11. In The Basketball Tournament of Dreams, Joel and his best friend, Bermú dez, will have to step up their game if they want to pass Physical Education this year because their new teacher, Coach Evans, is stricter than a sergeant. It’s time to get in shape, and to do that, they come up with the brilliant idea of… forming their own basketball team and winning a championship! Something that would undoubtedly be much easier if any of the diverse team members had the slightest clue about playing basketball.

Review:

This is a fun middle grade story! It begins with a couple of friends who want to pass their physical education class easily, so they decide to form a basketball team. However, they aren’t good at basketball. They must figure out how to make a successful team. I liked that this book was illustrated so it would be more accessible for reluctant readers. It’s a fun start to this series!

Thank you Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Have you read The Basketball Tournament of Dreams? What did you think of it?

Review: Joy to the Girls (She Gets the Girl #1.5)

Title: Joy to the Girls (She Gets the Girl #1.5)
Author: Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: September 30, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

For Alex and Molly, the last three years have felt like Christmas every day. So what better way to celebrate their final winter break of college than a romantic holiday getaway in a town right out of a Christmas-card?

Aside from sampling all the holiday cheer Barnwich has to offer, Alex and Molly have an important mission this weekend: to help their friend, Cora, get her crush to fall for her. But in between ice skating, snowball fights, and matchmaking schemes, it becomes obvious that both of them have another mission this weekend: to not reveal the huge secrets they’re each keeping from the other. Secrets about their post-college plans that just might threaten to tear them apart.

Will these two be able to help Cora get the girl and keep theirs—or will this be the last Christmas of Alex and Molly’s love story?

Review:

This is a cute holiday novella. It’s a companion novella to the novel She Gets the Girl, however it can be read as a stand-alone. There was a fun cameo appearance of the characters from Make My Wish Come True. There was romance and lots of tension because both of the main characters were keeping secrets from each other.

Joy to the Girls is a fun holiday novella!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me a copy of this book.

Other books in the series:

She Gets the Girl (She Gets the Girl #1)

Have you read Joy to the Girls? What did you think of it?

Review: A Heart for Christmas

Title: A Heart for Christmas
Author: Sophie Jomain
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 30, 2025
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A teen reclaims her independence and opens her heart to Christmas with the help of a handsome ski instructor in this swoon-worthy young adult holiday romance told in a groundbreaking advent calendar format, with chapter-a-day reading making it a true slow-burn!

When eighteen-year-old April heads to the foothills of Mont Blanc in the Alps to spend her first Christmas at her father’s chalet, she’s hoping for a change. Ever since her heart operation two years ago, she’s lived as carefully as possible. Supervised exercise, green tea, rice cakes, focusing only on her studies. But now, she’s healthy and there’s a world out there that she’s missing.

When April’s ski instructor turns out to be her best friend’s older brother, Augustin, it feels like a sign. As Augustin encourages April to build up her strength, April feels drawn to him in ways she wasn’t expecting. Augustin is daring and gorgeous, and April doesn’t want to let her life pass her by any longer. But is her just-healed heart ready for a Christmas miracle?

With this book’s unique advent calendar format, each of the twenty-four chapters is sealed by its own perforated enclosure that readers can gently tear open—by hand or with the help of a ruler—to read a chapter a day in the weeks leading to Christmas!

Review:

This is an advent story, with 24 chapters. Each chapter is sealed so they can be opened and read in the 24 days leading up to Christmas. Each chapter ended in a way that made me want to keep reading. April had a heart transplant 3 years earlier so she had to protect her heart both literally and figuratively. This YA romance had a heartwarming holiday romance.

This is a great advent YA romance!

Thank you Simon and Schuster for providing a copy of this book.

Content warnings: heart transplant, hospital scenes, attempted suicide (mention), bullying (mentions)

Have you read A Heart for Christmas? What did you think of it?