Contemporary – Page 33 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Christmas Island

Title: Christmas Island
Author: Natalie Normann
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: One More Chapter
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 30, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cosy up in front of a fire and discover Christmas the Norwegian way…full of romance, cosy traditions and hygge!
In the bleak midwinter…
A really frosty wind is making Holly’s life absolutely miserable
After all the years of hard work it took Londoner Holly Greene to become a doctor, now it could all be taken away and she only has herself to blame. She’s retreating to her brother’s rustic home on an island off the coast of Norway to lick her wounds. Only, it’s the middle of winter and icy slush plus endless darkness isn’t exactly the cheery, festive getaway she had imagined.
Nearly stumbling off the edge of a cliff in the dark, Holly is saved by Frøy, a yellow-eyed cat of fearsome but fluffy proportions, and his owner – grouchy, bearded recluse, Tor. Tor has his own problems to face but the inexplicable desire to leave a bag of freshly baked gingerbread men on Holly’s doorstep is seriously getting in the way of his hermit routine.
Call it kindness, call it Christmas, but Holly’s arrival means midwinter has never looked less bleak.

Review:

Holly Greene left her life in London to visit her brother in Norway for Christmas. Her brother and his family were still on vacation when she arrived, so she spent time wandering around his small town island by herself. As soon as she arrived, she got lost and was saved by Tor and his cat Frøy. Tor is staying at the island temporarily, and he has kept to himself until he met Holly. Holly brings Tor out of his home and into the community so they can celebrate their Christmas traditions together.

I haven’t read a story set in Norway before so I found it fascinating to learn about their culture. They had a lot of customs and traditions that they did around the holidays. Many of these traditions involved delicious-sounding food. I highly recommend having treats on hand while reading this one!

I found some parts of Holly’s character confusing. She’s training to be an oncologist in London, yet she made a fuss about having to wake up before eight in the morning. She was also completely confused at why the sun set early. She couldn’t believe that it was dark at five in the evening, even though the sun sets early in London in December as well. Plus, since she’s a doctor, she would have to get up early when it’s dark and probably work until after the sun set. These issues came up multiple times and didn’t fit with Holly’s lifestyle.

This was a nice Christmas story.

Thank you One More Chapter for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Other books in the series:

Summer Island

Have you read Christmas Island? What did you think of it?

Review: The Ravens (The Ravens #1)

Title: The Ravens (The Ravens #1)
Author: Kass Morgan, Danielle Paige
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Source: Beacon Book Box
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: November 3, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Kappa Rho Nu isn’t your average sorority. Their parties are notorious. Their fundraisers are known for being Westerly College’s most elaborate affairs. But beneath the veil of Greek life and prestige, the sisters of Kappu Rho Nu share a secret: they’re a coven of witches. For Vivi Deveraux, being one of Kappa Rho Nu’s Ravens means getting a chance to redefine herself. For Scarlett Winters, a bonafide Raven and daughter of a legacy Raven, pledge this year means living up to her mother’s impossible expectations of becoming Kappa Rho Nu’s next president. Scarlett knows she’d be the perfect candidate — that is, if she didn’t have one human-sized skeleton in her closet…. When Vivi and Scarlett are paired as big and little for initiation, they find themselves sinking into the sinister world of blood oaths and betrayals.

Review:

Kappa Rho Nu is a special sorority at Westerly College with a big secret. All of the members are witches. When Vivi moved to Westerly, she was excited to finally settle down in one place after moving around constantly with her mom her whole life. She’s drawn to the mystery of Kappa Rho Nu. Scarlett is a junior in the sorority this year. She has to do her best to prove that she can be the president next year. Vivi is paired with Scarlett to get to know the sorority, but their partnership is tested when the ghosts of their past show up.

I love stories about witches and stories set at schools, so this one was perfect for me! There was a mysterious history of the sorority, which included the mothers of some of the members who were part of the sorority when they went to the school. They were a secret society of witches, so it surprised the new girls when they found out what the sorority did. They also had a personal history of personal drama, which was revealed throughout the story.

The ending was so surprising. Anything can happen when witches are around, but I wasn’t expecting what happened. This was a great ending. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Review: Juliet Takes a Breath

Title: Juliet Takes a Breath
Author: Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote (illustrator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Contemporary, LGBT
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: December 1, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATION OF THE BESTSELLING BOOK! Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But don’t worry, Juliet has something kinda resembling a plan that’ll help her figure out what it means to be Puerto Rican, lesbian and out. See, she’s going to intern with Harlowe Brisbane – her favorite feminist author, someone’s who’s the last work on feminism, self-love and lots of of ther things that will help Juliet find her ever elusive epiphany. There’s just one problem – Harlowe’s white, not from the Bronx and doesn’t have the answers. Okay, maybe that’s more than one problem but Juliet never said it was a perfect plan… Critically-acclaimed writer Gabby Rivera adapts her bestselling novel alongside artist Celia Moscote in an unforgettable queer coming-of-age story exploring race, idenrity and what it means to be true to your amazing self. even when the rest of the world doesn’t understand.

Review:

Juliet Palante leaves her home in the Bronx to do an internship in Portland. Her idol, the feminist author Harlowe Brisbane, has invited her to go work with her for the summer. Just before she leaves, Juliet comes out to her family, which they don’t take very well. Juliet can embrace her queer identity in Portland, but she has to learn that Harlowe isn’t the perfect idol that she expected.

This is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera. I haven’t read the novel, but I loved this graphic novel. It is a beautiful queer coming of age story.

Juliet is discovering her own feelings and trying to find answers to all of her questions. Since Harlowe’s book explained feminist ideas to her in a new way, she thought that Harlowe was the best person to continue teaching her about feminism. However, Harlowe has flaws that her friends know, and Juliet has to learn the hard way.

I loved the art in this graphic novel. Most of the characters were curvy. Juliet felt self conscious about her body, but she learned to be comfortable with showing it off. There was great body positivity theme in this story that went along with Juliet discovering her sexuality.

This is a great graphic novel!

Thank you BOOM! Box for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares (Dash and Lily #1)

Title: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares (Dash and Lily #1)
Author: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 26, 2010
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

16-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on her favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. Dash, in a bad mood during the holidays, happens to be the first guy to pick up the notebook and rise to its challenges.
What follows is a whirlwind romance as Dash and Lily trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations all across New York City. But can their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions, or will their scavenger hunt end in a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?
Co-written by Rachel Cohn (GINGERBREAD) and David Levithan, co-author of WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON with John Green (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS), DASH & LILY’S BOOK OF DARES is a love story that will have readers scouring bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

Review:

Lily, a sixteen-year-old girl in New York City, left a notebook with dares written inside it in The Strand bookstore. She was hoping that the right guy for her would find the notebook and complete the dares. Dash finds the notebook and starts the scavenger hunt around the bookstore to complete the dares. Then he sends the notebook back to her with his own dares inside. The notebook sends Dash and Lily around New York City over Christmas and eventually leads them to each other.

This story is a fun holiday book. Dash and Lily were brought together by chance, because Dash happened to find Lily’s notebook where it was hidden. As they progressed through the dares, it became obvious that they had a lot in common. They even almost crossed paths a few times before they actually met.

A bookstore romance is the dream for book lovers! This hunt around New York City would be so much fun, but I wouldn’t do some of the dares they had to do, which included going into crowded stores on Christmas Eve and going to a night club on Christmas night.

I loved how this was a romantic story, yet the characters didn’t even met in person for most of the story. There was a clear romance developing between Dash and Lily through their dares, but they were only communicating through the notebook. This made it even more special and unique, since they fell for each other without actually being physically together.

This was a fun story! I’m excited to watch the new Netflix adaptation.

Other books in the series:

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily
Mind the Gap, Dash and Lily

Have you read Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares? What did you think of it?

Review: In a Holidaze

Title: In a Holidaze
Author: Christina Lauren
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 6, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
One Christmas wish, two brothers, and a lifetime of hope are on the line for hapless Maelyn Jones in In a Holidaze, the quintessential holiday romantic novel by Christina Lauren, the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.
But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.
The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.
Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.

Review:

Maelyn Jones always spends Christmas with her family and their close family friends at a friend’s cabin in Utah. She’s had a crush on Andrew, the son of her parents’ friend, for years. On the night before they leave the cabin after Christmas, she gets drunk and makes out with Andrew’s younger brother Theo. Then they get the devastating news that the cabin is being sold, so they won’t be able to continue their Christmas traditions. Maelyn makes a wish to the universe to show her what would make her happy. The next thing she knows, their car is hit by another car, and she wakes up on the plane ride to the cabin, six days ago. Maelyn lives through the Christmas holiday over and over while she tries to figure out how to save their Christmas traditions and how to find happiness in her life.

This is one of my favourite books of the year! It had some heartbreaking moments, but it was mostly an adorable romance. The first half of the book was quite innocent, but the steamy parts picked up in the second half. Maelyn was stuck in a love triangle with two brothers, which was awkward at times, but I was rooting for her and Andrew to be together! They were such a cute couple.

I really liked the time travel aspects of the story. Though Maelyn was repeating the holiday, she was able to change some things each time, so it wasn’t the exact same holiday. She also had to figure out how to convince the others of what was happening to her. It got to the point where everything was going so well for her that I hoped she wouldn’t have to restart all over again. The way she had to keep repeating the days kept the tension high and made it impossible to put down!

This is the perfect holiday romance!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Cousins

Title: The Cousins
Author: Karen M. McManus
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: December 1, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying comes your next obsession. You’ll never feel the same about family again.
Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised . . . and curious.
Their parents are all clear on one point–not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother’s good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it’s immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious–and dark–their family’s past is.
The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn’t over–and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.

Review:

Twenty-four years ago, Mildred Story disinherited each of her four children. She ended contact with them by sending a note that said, “I know what you did.” Now, her three grandchildren have received a letter inviting them to visit her island and work at her resort for the summer. Jonah, Milly, and Aubrey are unsure about going to meet this woman who cut her children out of her life, but their parents insist that they go. Soon after they arrive, they discover that there is a dark family secret that tore the Story family apart. The cousins won’t stop digging through their family’s past until they find out what really happened.

This story was built on secrets. Every character, even the minor characters, had secrets. Some of them were secret events in their pasts, while others were secret identities. These secrets didn’t necessarily put the characters in immediate danger, but they created suspense since all of the characters were hiding something.

This was a complicated story. There were three generations that were involved in the mystery of the story. It was a little confusing to keep track of everyone’s secrets by the end. One thing that made it even more complicated was that Mildred’s children had similar names starting with A: Adam, Allison, Anders, and Archer. I kept getting the three brothers mixed up, which slowed down my reading when I had to figure out which was which. This story would have been much easier to read if the names weren’t so similar.

This was a suspenseful mystery!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Majesty (American Royals #2)

Title: Majesty (American Royals #2)
Author: Katharine McGee
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Random House
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 1, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Is America ready for its first queen?
Power is intoxicating. Like first love, it can leave you breathless. Princess Beatrice was born with it. Princess Samantha was born with less. Some, like Nina Gonzalez, are pulled into it. And a few will claw their way in. Ahem, we’re looking at you Daphne Deighton.
As America adjusts to the idea of a queen on the throne, Beatrice grapples with everything she lost when she gained the ultimate crown. Samantha is busy living up to her “party princess” persona…and maybe adding a party prince by her side. Nina is trying to avoid the palace–and Prince Jefferson–at all costs. And a dangerous secret threatens to undo all of Daphne’s carefully laid “marry Prince Jefferson” plans.
A new reign has begun….

Review:

Princess Beatrice has become the first Queen in American history following the death of her father. She has to take a stand to prove that she will be a good Queen for the people. Her first task is to get married. Meanwhile, her sister and heir, Samantha, is making a splash as a party princess, which leads to an unexpected relationship. Their brother, Jefferson’s ex-girlfriends plot against each other to try to win him back. There was lots of drama and romance to start off Queen Beatrice’s reign.

American Royals was my favourite book of 2019. I was a little hesitant to read Majesty because I worried it wouldn’t live up to my expectations. I loved this sequel and I found it so inspiring. American Royals actually inspired my own writing, so I loved seeing the story continue in this sequel.

This story touched on so many important issues in the lives of royalty. Beatrice had to make a statement as a strong Queen, but she was ruled by the men in her life and told to submit to a marriage. The press was also an important part of their lives. Jeff’s girlfriends Daphne and Nina had to be careful with how they behaved because it could make front page news. Samantha did create a bit of a scandal by making a headline that affected her love life. They even had to deal with racial issues, when one character started dating a black man and that was commented on by the press. These were all contemporary issues that royalty has to deal with in real life, so it made the story feel more real.

This is an amazing sequel! I was happy with the ending, but I would also love to revisit these characters in more books.

Other books in the series:

American Royals

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

Review: As Kismet Would Have It (Dimple and Rishi #1.5)

Title: As Kismet Would Have It (Dimple and Rishi #1.5)
Author: Sandhya Menon
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: Purchased
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 30, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Will Dimple and Rishi find their happily ever after? Find out in this funny, romantic, endlessly charming e-novella sequel to the New York Times bestseller When Dimple Met Rishi!
Dimple Shah has a lot of opinions about marriage, but they boil down to this: It’s not for her. Sure, she loves her boyfriend, Rishi, but why does she need to validate that with an institution that has historically never favored the woman? Why go through all that hassle?
Rishi Patel deeply disagrees. He believes in the power that comes with combining love and tradition, and when the time comes, wants nothing more than to honor those things in a huge celebration with his friends and family. He knows Dimple loves him, but in hearing her rant about how marriage is a “construct of hegemonic masculinity” for the millionth time, a small, niggling part of him worries that it’s not the institution of marriage Dimple has a problem with; maybe it’s him.
The two lovebirds find themselves at a philosophical impasse. Can they find a way to work it out, or does kismet have other plans?

Review:

Dimple and Rishi have been together for a year. Rishi is looking forward to getting married, but Dimple is hesitant. She loves Rishi but she doesn’t want to get married. They have a couple of conversations about marriage over the months, first at a jewelry store when they look at engagement rings and then at the wedding of one of Rishi’s relatives. It all ends with the same conclusion: Dimple doesn’t want to get married. This leads Rishi to wonder if she doesn’t want to marry anyone or if she just doesn’t want to marry Rishi.

I loved seeing the characters Dimple and Rishi again in this story. This story is set between the books When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something About Sweetie.

These characters were more mature than they were in their first book. This story ends a year after the first book, so they are in a different place in life. Rishi is thinking about his future, which he wants to begin by marrying Dimple. Young adult characters don’t often talk about their future adult lives, because they’re busy living in the present. This story showed young characters that were maturing into their adult lives.

This story is a must-read for fans of Dimple and Rishi!

Other books in the series:

Have you read As Kismet Would Have It? What did you think of it?

Review: Rent a Boyfriend

Title: Rent a Boyfriend
Author: Gloria Chao
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 10, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets The Farewell in this incisive romantic comedy about a college student who hires a fake boyfriend to appease her traditional Taiwanese parents, to disastrous results, from the acclaimed author of American Panda.
Chloe Wang is nervous to introduce her parents to her boyfriend, because the truth is, she hasn’t met him yet either. She hired him from Rent for Your ’Rents, a company specializing in providing fake boyfriends trained to impress even the most traditional Asian parents.
Drew Chan’s passion is art, but after his parents cut him off for dropping out of college to pursue his dreams, he became a Rent for Your ’Rents employee to keep a roof over his head. Luckily, learning protocols like “Type C parents prefer quiet, kind, zero-PDA gestures” comes naturally to him.
When Chloe rents Drew, the mission is simple: convince her parents fake Drew is worthy of their approval so they’ll stop pressuring her to accept a proposal from Hongbo, the wealthiest (and slimiest) young bachelor in their tight-knit Asian American community.
But when Chloe starts to fall for the real Drew—who, unlike his fake persona, is definitely not ’rent-worthy—her carefully curated life begins to unravel. Can she figure out what she wants before she loses everything?

Review:

Chloe’s parents are pressuring her to marry their wealthy friend’s son, so she rents a boyfriend to bring home for Thanksgiving. Rent for Your ‘Rents is a company where you can fill out a questionnaire and rent a boyfriend who will fit all the requirements that your parents want in a partner for you. Chloe ends up bringing Drew to her parents’ home. Drew is an artist who is estranged from his family, so he is available to work as a fake boyfriend on holidays. As the Thanksgiving holiday progresses, Chloe and Drew get closer than he usually gets with his clients. Then, they start texting after he leaves. They start to fall for each other, which could become a problem since their relationship was built on lies.

The fake dating trope is one of my favourites so I was so excited to read this story. The tension from the fake dating comes from both people lying about their relationship. There were many secrets and lies in this story. Chloe was hiding Drew’s real identity from her parents. Drew was lying to all of the parents of his clients. Chloe’s parents were even hiding a few secrets of their own. These secrets created lots of tension when they were revealed.

This was a really fun story. There were a couple of tough moments, especially when Chloe’s parents weren’t treating fairly, but most of the romance was so cute. Chloe and Drew were meant to be together right from the beginning. They had similar relationships with their parents, though Drew ended up being kicked out of his parents home and Chloe was still visiting her parents while she was in university. They were both strong young adults, who knew they needed to follow their hearts to be happy.

I really enjoyed this story!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Duck Days

Title: Duck Days (Slug Days Stories #3)
Author: Sara Leach, Rebecca Bender (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Contemporary
Publisher: Pajama Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: October 13, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis:

The third title in the collection that began with USBBY Outstanding International Book Slug Days. Lauren, a third-grade student who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, takes on the challenges of sharing her best friend and persevering when a classmate mocks her bicycle’s training wheels.
Irma is Lauren’s best friend. Irma knows all the strategies Lauren uses when her Autism Spectrum Disorder makes it hard to “go with the flow.” Lauren helps Irma learn English words and understand unfamiliar customs. So why does Irma suddenly want to introduce Lauren to her mountain-biking, litter-dropping neighbor Jonas? Why is Irma calling Jonas her friend?
As if sharing Irma weren’t bad enough, Lauren also has an alarming new problem at school. Their teacher has announced a mountain biking day when the students will learn to ride their bikes on an obstacle course. But Lauren still uses training wheels. She just can’t face the teasing she will get when her classmates see them. She isn’t brave like Irma. She can’t go with the flow like Dad. How can she possibly face this challenge?

Review:

Irma is Lauren’s best friend. Irma has immigrated from Sweden, and she is still learning to speak English. Lauren is on the Autism Spectrum, so while she helps Irma with her English, Irma helps Lauren with techniques to cope with her Autism. One day, Irma introduces Lauren to her new friend, Jonas. Lauren gets upset that Irma now has a new friend. Jonas wants to teach them some bike riding tricks, which intimidates Lauren because she still uses training wheels. When her teacher schedules a bike riding activity, Lauren has to find the courage to ride her bike with training wheels in front of her class.

I loved the Autism representation in this story. Lauren had a lot of visual techniques to help figure out the world around her. She would make hand signals with her father to signal how she was coping with the current situation. Her teacher taught her with flash cards with emotional cues in facial expressions so she could try to read the emotions on the faces of other people. Lauren’s Autism also meant that she liked to have everything scheduled, so when Irma brought another friend over to play with them, it threw her off. Lauren ended up liking Jonas too, so the experience wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, even though it changed her planned schedule.

Lauren helped Irma with her English, which showed some representation of the immigrant experience. Irma had to go to school and learn a language that she wasn’t familiar with, but she had the courage to do it every day. Lauren would correct Irma’s language, but at least Irma was trying to speak, even when she got it wrong. They were both brave little girls.

This is a great children’s book!

Thank you Pajama Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Other books in the series:

Slug Days
Penguin Days

Have you read Duck Days? What did you think of it?

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Summer Island by Natalie Normann

An Alaskan Christmas by Jennifer Snow

Other books in the series:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

These Vengeful Hearts by Katherine Laurin

Lobizona by Romina Garber

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Stephanie Perkins (editor)

Other books in the series:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Other books in the series:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

There’s Something About Sweetie (Dimple and Rishi #2) by Sandhya Menon

Love at First Fight (Dimple and Rishi #2.5) by Sandhya Menon

Other books in the series:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon

Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Slug Days by Sara Leach

Megabat by Anna Humphrey and Kass Reich (illustrator)

Other books in the series: