Marissa Eller: Left On Read

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/232794089-left-on-read

Book Blurb:

In this rivals-to-lovers romcom from Marissa Eller, overachiever Murphy wants one thing: to be the top student in her school. So when a student who could beat her turns up, she tries to keep her eyes on her own paper… and off this infuriatingly perfect boy.

School is everything to Murphy—literally everything, since she’s missed out on all of the Traditional High School Things in pursuit of academic success. Her senior year is going to be perfect, and so is she... because she's pushing herself to her physical and mental limit. All she needs to do is ignore her mounting anxiety! Which is probably clinical! La la la!

But Hayes—her ultrasmart, ultra-annoying rival for valedictorian—is making her year far less perfect than she imagined.

He's after that top spot, and he doesn’t care who he has to shove outside. But when Murphy and Hayes are paired up for a group project on student mental health, Murphy discovers that he might be the only one who understands what she’s going through. The burnout. The self-doubt. The unrelenting grind. Together, they can stand up to the pressures of academia, family, and the way most traveled... if they partner up in more ways than one.

Tropes:

*Netgalley ALC *Enemies --> More *High school romance *high stress *class rivals

*Mental health representation *State Challenge North Carolina *long term grudge 

*Single POV *good friend group *age appropriate YA 

Thoughts:

Have you ever been looking forward to something for... forever and once you have it it's not as great as you thought it would be?  

That is what Nova (FMC) is dealing with her senior year of high school, she is in a special school for academics where the high schoolers also work on taking college classes she's known for a long time she wants to be a professor of literature and she has put this certain professor on a pedestal only the professor is unenthusiastic about the course spends long hours on her phone while playing movies, answers 0 questions and isn't preparing anyone in this course for anything... to top things off her nemesis in all academic related things Hayes is in this class with her.

Hayes has pressure put on him by his parents who want him to be a doctor like them, but he is more of a numbers guy... would they even allow him to pursue a degree in what he actually wants to do?  

Hayes (MMC) is not as bad as Nova initially thought he was while he has been her rival in the past he is charming and can win over a crowd way easier, and it doesn't help that he has a handsome face what's up with that?  can't he have horrible acne or something?  But he has been surprising her in unexpected ways he notices when she needs space and tells everyone in class how brilliant she is with this subject and she might be just what they all need to succeed.

Next thing you know Nova is teaming up with Hayes and it's getting harder to resist that she's feeling more drawn to him.  But she has been hurt in the past and doesn't want to repeat that... Hayes has hurt her in the past too he could just as easily do it again and they are both up for class president again and he won last time! 

While the leads get closer together they are not really shown doing much more than studying together and going to a county fair that gets cut short by Nova's migraine, so we don't really see much of them "together" as a real couple.

Nova at times is shown as immature and a bit over the top dramatic and then she will be incredibly mature and able to lead a group of college students in a study session. 

I felt everything that did wrap up wrapped up quickly and at least one of the bigger plot points was just kind of left open ended.  I would have liked just a little more depth to the characters I didn't fully feel invested at times with the characters or their relationship due to just knowing surface level basics about them.  

This was a cute YA read both leads are struggling with high stress placed on them by themselves and in the MMC's case his parents as well.  The rivals in school aspect reminded me of the show "Never Have I Ever."

I appreciated the leads working together to try to help get appropriate mental health services set up for future students setting their sights on higher academic goals.

I understand that I am not the target audience for this book and believe that middle school/high school kids looking for an age appropriate romance might enjoy this one.  

The narrator did a great job bringing this story to life! 

have you read this one?  What did you think?  

Dana Swift: When Dealing with Dragons

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216815886-when-dealing-with-dragons

Book Blurb:

Bonding with dragons gave humans magic to craft metal―now, two school rivals have to work together to protect a priceless secret, all while fighting their growing attraction to each other, from Dana Swift, author of Cast in Firelight.

Copper-crafter Farren Walsh is set on following in her father's footsteps to become a dragon veterinarian. The only thing more powerful than her love for these magnificent creatures is her hate for those who exploit them for their precious metal. That includes her classmate, an arrogant dragon racer named James Murphy, whose silver-crafting family represents the worst of human greed and dragon abuse―plus, he's the biggest competition for the college scholarship she desperately needs.

When James strongarms his way into interning at her family's dragon sanctuary for the summer, it puts everything at risk. Farren isn't just the plain copper-crafter she seems. She's hiding a secret that could not only change her life, but their society as a whole. And James, trying to find refuge from his controlling father, harbors his own secret, years-long crush on Farren. Hating James might be harder than she thought, but Farren can't risk getting too close: the fate of an endangered species is at stake.

Tropes:

*Netgalley ALC  *Young Adult *magical world *Dragons *teenage romance *dual POV *Fantasy

*drama  *Family drama  *Enemies to more *pining *Forced proxmity *school rivals *first love

Trigger warnings: *DV, Animal cruelty, Death, classist society

Thoughts:

In a world with dragons humans have learned how to bond with these beautiful creatures and through this process bonded humans have gained the magical ability to craft different metals.  Unfortuantely in this process it has become a situation where more sought after metals (like Silver) and those who can craft the metals from these dragons don't feel that they should mix with other classes of metals leading to a culture where higher class metals are wealthy and many of them look down on the lower classes.  

Farren Walsh (FMC) lives with her family on a dragon preserve and has helped her father (a dragon veterinarian) for several years while she is still in school she is looking forward to going to veterinarian college like her father but in order to get in she needs the scholarship... while she thinks she's got a good chance she has competition in the way of her school nemesis Dragon Rider James he's handsome, popular and wealthy... he has everything he needs why does he want this scholarship too?

James (MMC) has some secrets first being he has been secretly crushing on Farren for years, to be honest it's been since the day he met her when they were 12... years later he still can't get her out of his head he just wishes he wasn't so awkward when it came to her he always seems to fumble what he says around her and his fellow dragon riders notice this is definately a weak spot for him leaving him to say some less than pleasant things in the past about the FMC.  His home life isn't what it appears to be, and he actually wants to be a dragon Veterinarian... so when he finds out that Farren's family needs help for the summer he talks his mom into helping get this spot.

Farren can't believe this is happening its bad enough that she has to see James at school and at the dragon races... now he's going to be at her sanctuary too.  She has to keep him at arms length if he finds out what she and her family have been hiding there could be a lot of damage... and not just for her it could put her precious dragons at risk and she must protect them at all costs.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for this ALC.  This was a cute quick listen, there wasn't too much world building but it had an interesting magic system and I loved that the dragons once trained if they were happy in their environment were just like loveable puppies/dogs.  

There is some dragon riding and danger in this book especially once (as we all figured would happen) the secret gets uncovered and it becomes a matter of life and death.  

There is a lot of internal monologue of  does he/she like me or not?  Lets pretend to still not like each other so people don't know we actually like each other now... wish there was less of this and more world building but I do recognize it is for a younger audience.

Farren's family is so sweet and welcoming to James, complete opposite of his own home life (which is a heart breaking situation).  

The ending of the book... had my anxiety up! 

Over all this was an enjoyable young adult fantasy with drama, action, a sweet teenage love story and a strong sense of right and wrong with how others should be treated (including our dragon friends).  

Have you read this one?  What did you think?

.

Lauren Wilson: Tell Your Friends

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240019734-tell-your-friends

Book Blurb:

A former child star and an envious fan collide in this cat-and-mouse psychological thriller about obsession, self-invention, and the dark side of internet fame.

University was meant to be Crystal’s way out. Growing up, there was nothing in her life that couldn’t be turned into content for her mother’s popular (and profitable) family vlog channel, At Home with the Shaws—including the tragic death of her older sister when they were kids. When she arrives on campus, her mother demands she keep filming her every experience for her subscribers—but Crystal has just one story in mind, one that will blow them all away.

At Home with the Shaws is Crystal’s prison, but it is Alyssa’s escape. An aspiring journalist from a deeply troubled family, she jumps at the chance to help Crystal with an exciting project. When she realizes her new friend’s goal is to expose her family and put an end to the channel, Alyssa becomes desperate to find a way to stop the Shaws’ carefully curated image from shattering.

As the two girls discover unsettling truths about themselves and each other, and shocking new information about the Shaws comes to light, Crystal realizes what’s really at stake. If she doesn’t figure out whom she can trust, her freedom will cost her much more than just her fame.

*Mystery *Thriller *College *Young adult  *Child influencer *Darker side of social media

*Obsession  *family secrets *death of sibling  *darker elements *Young Naive adult in big city

*Netgalley ALC (new set 3/7)

Thoughts:

Crystal has grown up in the spot light her family has their own "channel" online and many have followed the family for years seeing Crystal grow up... along with the spot light comes the fact that she feels over exposed her overbearing mother is constantly on her to "behave" appropriately to make sure that their channel's viewers get the "right" impression of their family life and even now that she has broken free of her family for a bit and gone away to University in the big city her mother continues to hassle her for "proper content."

Alyssa grew up in a wealthy family she may have had her needs met... but she never had the love she craved or a true family support now in University working towards Journalism she becomes fast friends with Crystal who has grown up with such a loving family... why couldn't her family be more like that?

Crystal and her family have always had a cloud over them in the form of the death of her older sister... even this what should have been a private time to mourn with her family was turned into content for the family channel.  Seeking to break free of this if not for herself for her younger brother and sister Crystal sets out to enlist help to expose the darker side of being an influencer... only a trip home leads Crystal to finding that something much more sinister may be happening within her family and now there is more urgency to get her story out there.

Crystal has enlisted the help of her new friend Alyssa... only she has motivations of her own and they don't necessarily align with Crystal's.  

Can Crystal find out if she can really trust anyone?... If she can't even trust her own family right now who can she trust?  The Dual POV between Crystal and Alyssa kept the story flowing well enough it kind of reminded of  the movie Single White Female.  The lead characters were young and acted like it, to be honest I didn't really feel a strong connection with either of the lead characters for this book.  

This story was just ok for me, nothing really stood out and there wasn't really anything surprising in this as we as the reader could see where it was going early on... but if you are looking for a quick Young Adult Thriller you might enjoy this one.  I think this audio version could have used a second narrator to help with more voices as sometimes it got a bit hard to tell who was who... but the narrator did well over all.  

Claire Rose: The Cove

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240019622-the-cove

Book Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Lindsay Weinberg has just been kicked out of yet another prep school and exiled to her uncle’s farm in the cold, isolated town of Marbury, Maine. But Uncle Levi is gone, leaving the farmhouse under the strict rule of his new zealously evangelical wife, who runs a reform camp for troubled teens. Up at dawn. Manual labor all day. No phones. No computers. No way out.

When Lindsay meets the twins, Phin and Cass, who live on a nearby island, everything changes. One reckless night, she convinces the others to sneak out for a party. The night is unforgettable—at least, the parts they can remember. The next morning, they wake in their own beds, clutching seashell tokens, hearts pounding, with no memory of how they got home. Except one camper never made it back.

As disappearances mount and dark secrets rise, Lindsay and her friends must unravel the mystery of the island—before The Cove claims them all.

*Netgalley ALC 10/12  *Young Adult *Thriller  *Mystery *Eerie  *Cult *trust no one  

*State Challenge:  Maine  *LGBT  *Light romance vibes *place for wayward teens *Found family

*Teen angst  *gore/violence *religion *family drama  *Secrets  *💀 

*Folk lore/paranormal

Thoughts:

To start with we have Lindsay (FMC) she is a teenager and is sick of her rich parents just dumping her at ritzy boarding school after boarding school not even making sure she moves in ok they have their driver take her there.  She has been kicked out of multiple schools at this point for various degrees of juvenile delinquency and is working towards getting kicked out of this one too... she wants to go home she doesn't make friends easily and is a loner at heart but what she really craves is some attention from either... or both of her parents.

Thanking her lucky stars that she has been called to the headmaster's (mistress?) office she makes herself ready for the usual speech about how she is no longer welcome at the school... only this visit is a mix of that and something else... while she is kicked out for now she is to be given another chance and due to return in the fall semester.  She's told that her parents are actually showing up to pick her up... only when the car comes of course they couldn't make time for her... again in fact it's not even the usual driver but some guy she doesn't know who doesn't take her home but takes her to her long lost uncle's home in the middle of nowhere Maine... What??  she needs out of this now... fine she'll just call an uber they are still in some form of civilization.

Lindsay quickly realizes there are worse places to be than the school she was just at... and it's here in this creepy house with 4 other teens she doesn't know and this woman she's never met but is claiming to be her uncle's wife... where is her uncle anyways?  He's supposedly away for business but shouldn't he have returned by now?  Not like she can call for help the phones don't work, and even if her cell phone hadn't been taken the battery died ages ago and there are surprisingly no outlets... what kind of place is this?  

I was intrigued by the sounds of the plot and requested this ALC from Netgalley, at first I wasn't sure if I would like this because... I'm just going to call it out our girl Lindsay is a straight up brat and I just didn't know how long I could tolerate listening to her constant whining... about everything... I totally get that she felt hurt by her parents neglect and the fact that she was now stuck at this creepy farm house in the middle of nowhere doing manual labor but the other part of me was like... girl you got yourself into this situation you could have still been at the boring but safe boarding school.

Pushing past my initial issues with Lindsay I grew to like her more throughout the book she's got a good sense of humor and once she started actually getting to know the other members of the house she was more tolerable as a main character.  

The pacing is slow at times with nothing really happening other than eerie vibes.  Things start to pick up towards the middle of the book when Lindsay convinces her new friends to sneak out and go to a party on an Island near the farm house... to get to it they have to walk dangerous steps of a cliff to get to the beach then out to the Island which is only walkable at low tide.... after a night of merriment with these Islanders who are most definately in some kind of cult... that ends in no one remembering what happened or how they got back to their own beds the next morning one more thing has happened... one of their friends didn't return home.

The author does well at creating a creepy atmosphere with Lindsay not knowing anyone well enough to fully trust anyone, cut off from civilization with no cell service, internet or land line phone to call anyone for help and even her attempts to get help when in town fail... there are Creepy children of the corn type teenage twins that pop up randomly to do things like Invite her to the Island party... or tell her not to trust anyone in town, there are her own thoughts of she doesn't know if her Aunt is even her Aunt she's never met the woman, then there are strange encounters with the townspeople.

When more of her friends start disappearing she knows she needs to kick up her Nancy Drew senses and get to the bottom of things quickly or she might be the next to go.  There are some small romance type scenes thrown in which really don't add much to the story over all, but I did like the found family vibes.  

Over all it reminded me kind of like the R.L. Stein books I used to read occasionally as a teenager and I got a sense of nostalgia from it.  The Narrator did a great job with bringing all of these creepy characters to life and I think that I enjoyed this way more listening to it, I might have given up on it as a read but ultimately I'm glad that I powered through it while it had a lot of predictable elements there were a few twists.  I wouldn't recommend this one for younger kids/teens it got pretty dark at times.  

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this early release ALC!

Have you read this one?  What did you think?  

Faridah Abike-Iyimide: The Heirs

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237615201-the-heirs

Book Blurb:

A mystery about five teen geniuses, their billionaire father, and the investigation into his murder.
Five prodigies, one dead father, a mansion full of suspects…

Octavius the Maestro.
Fola the Brain.
Bilal the Olympian.
Perdita the Artist.
Romeo the Failure.

These are the five heirs of the illustrious billionaire Leontes Button. Adopted and viciously trained with their father’s infamous “Button Method” to prove his hypothesis for creating prodigies—child geniuses—the Button siblings have had no choice but to be brilliant according to their father's impossibly high standards.

Until he is murdered at his annual Prodigy Ball.

Now, all who attended the ball are required to stay in the Button Manor while the police investigate. But the officers have their work cut out for them—each of the Button siblings has something to hide, but The Heirs aren't the only ones with secrets. After all, Leontes Button was especially good at making enemies. . .

*💀 mystery  *Netgalley ALC 8/12  *crime fiction  *Thriller  *close proximity (yacht) *family drama  *Lots of secrets  *back and forth time line between events *young adult *life of privilege *locked room mystery  *sapphic representation & M/M representation *no spice  *State Challenge New York (Repeat)

Thoughts:

I requested this ALC from Netgalley based on the description I occasionally leave romance for a mystery/thriller and I wasn't disappointed.  This was a situation where we have Billionaire Leontes Button he has made many headlines over the years with one of the top stories being how he decided to adopt 5 children putting them all through grueling training schedules over many years so they would be the best of the best of the best (prodigies) naturally he named this method after himself "The Button Method."

While he was very tough on all of his children no one makes it to the top without making at least a few enemies.  This years annual Prodigy Ball starts off and ends with some fireworks an unapproved member of the press gets into the conference and asks accusatory questions to Leontes... this being the last question prior to the ball itself which is to take place on a yacht.

The story itself reminded me of a Murder on the Orient Express or a Knives Out situation where there are multiple people who could potentially be the actual suspect, when there is a lot of money involved claws come out and the story was told in a non-linear fashion going from the past to the present to weave together what led up to the crime along with what is happening in the present.

The main characters (3 brothers and 2 sisters) are all still teenagers but read more like they are in their 40s they have had enough of everything, don't want to be in the lime light anymore and they are tired of all the pressure that's been put on them for years.    The book spends a lot of time providing a character study on the brothers and sisters so long that it takes a bit to get to the actual meat of the story... who unalived their father?  

While I didn't dislike the story it took me awhile to get into it, there were so many characters introduced it was at times hard to remember who was who (especially with all the nicknames the kids were given) and the POV kept switching as well to include one of the staff members daughters who was conducting her own investigation during the police investigation and Henry their father's right hand man (secretary) and longest standing employee (essentially the kids second father).  I think the story would have benefitted from less POV's and subplots to sift through so more attention could be given to building up the mystery.  

I did feel everything wrapped up well and I appreciated the siblings coming together to rebuild their relationship, they needed to rely on each other for support after losing their father in such a terrible way. 

Thank you netgalley and the author for allowing me an early listen copy!  

Have you read this one?  What did you think?  

Elisa A. Bonnin: The Night King's Court

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239413682-the-night-king-s-court

Book Blurb:

Caraval meets Flowerheart in this rich and immersive cozy fantasy, where dazzling magic, lush descriptions, and a sweet sapphic romance cast an irresistible spell.

Ida’s father went missing without a trace seven years ago, last seen at the court of the enigmatic Night King, which comes to life only after dark with magic and revelry.

So when a position opens up for a new court Luminaire, Ida doesn’t hesitate. She inherited her gift for enchantments from her father—and with this position, she’ll use it to find him again.

Ida is swept into the king’s collection of magical beings, those who bring light and entertainment to the Court’s midnight gatherings—and swept away by the Court, where faerie gardens edge into underwater masquerades, dreaming revels offer blissful escapes, and life is a mesmerizing euphoria.

Yet a sinister thread interrupts Ida’s nights of decadence. Memories go missing, the castle’s magic takes on a malevolence, and Ida can’t seem to leave the boundaries of the court itself.

Enlisting the help of the king’s breathtakingly beautiful daughter Lenore, Ida must unravel the castle’s secrets… before this enchanted world destroys her.

*2026 ALC Netgalley  *Young Adult *Romantasy *Sapphic  *Closed Door  

*ALC 1/12 (Netgalley) *Unique magic system *fast friends *sweet cozy fantasy 

Thoughts:

So I recently went on Netgalley and just started requesting a bunch of audio books that sounded interesting... at the time I didn't think that I would get approved for all of them and then I got approved for pretty much all of them at the same time.  Knowing that I now had to get through so many ALC (along with a few others from different ALC sites I signed up for) I randomly chose this one to start with.

Ida is a young adult (not quite 20) and decides to go on a journey to find her missing father, he disappeared around 7 years earlier while working for the kingdom as the court Luminaire.  Ida lives in a world where magic exists just not everyone has the ability, she inherited her father's skills and while she uses a different medium she decides to leave her family home in search of answers despite what everyone around her says she knows that her father didn't just leave their family on his own free will and she wants to get to the bottom of it!

Essentially she goes to the King after she learns that a spot has opened up and he is searching for a new Luminaire... she has the skills she has been practicing for years and what better way to get answers than to go where her father was last known to be residing when he went missing.  Only once she gets there she has to audition for her job, no one has heard of or remembers her father when she brings up his name and she is told very early on to be careful who she questions and to never ask the King directly.

The narrator does a great job bringing these characters to life and I really enjoyed the world building that the author shows throughout the story it really felt like I was at the castle with Ida searching for her father.  Ida shortly after arrival realizes that she is bound to the king and no longer able to freely leave it is brought up later that leaving is possible but it would come with a great loss that she's not willing to sacrifice.  

Ida meets some friends along the way including Lenore (The king's daughter (not through marriage)), Vegard an Ice spirit from the north, gloam a being that was like a navigator to new arrivals and even her assigned maid.  Learning Ida's quest Lenore and Vegard offer to help even at risk to their own safety while in the castle but they would like answers too they remember arriving but certain memories are gone and even though they were there at the time her father would have been neither one knows of him it's like he never existed at all.

The author does a great job keeping everything kind of eerily mysterious throughout and as the mystery unravels and Ida finds ways to help her friends regain their missing memories will they ever be the same?  Sometimes lost memories should stay lost.

As far as the "romance" aspect goes it's really on the light side like barely there like a few "glances" or a brushed hand but I would say this more focused on the mystery surrounding Ida and her missing father but the story pulled me in and I wanted to know what happened to Ida's father as much as she did by the end of the story.  

I think that I might have an advantage when listening to this story as I am just starting my romantasy journey so I don't have much to compare it to and might have enjoyed it more over others who have read loads of romantasy.  Over all I enjoyed this story and would recommend this to those interested in Young Adult, Cozy Mysteries, Romantasy's (light on the romance) with detailed world building with unique magic systems.

Have you read/listened to this one?  What did you think?  Tell me in the comments!  

Sophie Bernbaum: Just Eloise

Eloise is having a big year not only is she having to deal with high school life without her best friend... and she is recently estranged from her other best friend now having to deal with the world on her own she takes this as a time to reflect on herself and who she could possibly be without her two best friends "Just Eloise" is making an entrance.

This book focuses on the stresses of being in high school with all of the big feelings as Eloise navigates her new world and with her alter ego in charge lets herself talk about the "bigger things" in life like how next year she won't even have her brother because he will be off in college many States away... it's good that she is taking her time to find herself now.

When Trevor comes into her life he is cute, on her brother's basketball team and also a senior... he seems to like who she is becoming and maybe she could navigate things with him by her side... or maybe she can't he's going to be going to college next year too and then all she'll have is Just Eloise.

*2026  *Indie Author  *Young Adult *miscommunication/no communication

*high school romance *sports romance (Basketball) *coming of age

*lots of big feelings *some spice  *POV from FMC side   *State Challenge New Mexico

*MMC struggling with feelings of abandonment *FMC (death of parent in past)  

Thoughts:

This was a cute coming of age story where you are reminded of the awkwardness of being that age range while trying to navigate big feelings and possibility of new experiences like having a first love and going further than just kissing.

Eloise and her brother and Trevor all had probably more free reign of their time than most teenagers this age as they were left on their own a lot while their parents worked.  I liked that Eloise felt comfortable enough to speak with her mom about her relationship but I can't imagine most parents would let their teenage daughter go with their boyfriend out of state to visit his mom.

I truly felt for Trevor he was a sweet boy who just wanted to be loved, his mom sent him to live with his dad after marrying her new man and they had a baby on the way... now he's kicked out of his childhood home and living with his dad who is working all the time and never really there for him, this leaves to him having feelings of abandonment and maybe coming on too strong with being jealous and clingy when it comes to his feelings towards Eloise who is struggling with trying to find who she is as a person.

Eloise is relatable but somewhere a long the way she went from having "Just Eloise" help her with the tough conversations to shutting down when tough conversations needed to happen leading to a lot of no communication.  

I felt this book was way longer than it needed to be (over 450 pages) and I struggled at times to get through it, after the half way mark I started skimming through some of the sections.  

Elizabeth A. Drysdale: Dust of Bargains

 ARC read 2025

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241074766-dust-of-bargains

Grace is a teenager who lives at a boarding school she has a room mate (Joan).  From a young age even though she doesn't remember much about her mother she does remember that she has told her to never let anyone see her blood she wasn't able to ask much more about this as her mother died when she was a young girl after that her father sent her away to school and has been a pretty absentee father since then... even on away weeks when he could take her home he doesn't.

Grace feeling lonely hears about a dating app she is warned against using the app by her stick in the mud room mate but sets up her profile anyways... it's just an app what's the worst that could happen?  Grace flips through potential matches but is drawn to the unnaturally handsome guy named Galin starting a flirty conversation with him leads to unexpected consequences that she never would have believed possible.

Galin is a Fae Prince and Grace has been tricked into giving her nights to him soon after every night no matter how much she tries to fight it she ends up taken from the school and brought to the dark and creepy Fae palace where danger lurks everywhere even dancing in the ball room can get you killed, how can she possibly get out of this?

Grace finds herself exploring the deeper and darker areas of the palace finding that she's not the only human there, this is where the missing girls are going she needs to help them get away... but how can she help them when she can't even help herself.  This Fae land isn't like the fairy tales there is true darkness here and the darkest of all is the Queen who sits on her throne and rules with a cold distance to everyone.

Even in this land of twisted truths Grace grows closer to Galin the longer she is near him and knows that even though it is his fault she's there he has also been protecting her from the most dangerous beings that live in the palace.  She finds a friend inside of the palace who helps guide her when Galin is busy with other tasks but can she truly trust anyone in this place?  

What do the fairies need with humans?  Is Galin truly protecting her or is he up to something nefarious too?  If Galin really cares about her is he ever going to let her get a full night of sleep again?  She is neglecting school to go on these nightly trips to the Fae kingdom after all.  

This book had a creepy feel throughout the author did a really great job describing the Fae palace and the individuals inside of it in such a way where you know it's a magical maze where everything/anything inside is potentially dangerous. 

It took me a bit to get into this book but I enjoyed the over all concept.  This book is lower on the Romance spectrum as there really isn't much in the way of romance other than the inner thoughts of feelings of being cared for/protected by the MMC.  

At times during the book I found myself getting frustrated with our FMC, while she's young she didn't seem to have too much sense for self preservation at times openly walking into areas or situations where she was told not to go for her own safety and leaving the protection of Galin on multiple occasions leading to him needing to rescue her.  I did enjoy her fighting spirit and that towards the end she was able to do some rescuing of her own.  

I do believe this is part of a series and I plan to read the next in the series as I have more questions about the world and want to know what's going to happen next.  

*Book Sirens  *Fae Prince  *Young adult *Boarding school *magic  *blood magic *fierce FMC

*spooky/eerie vibes  *ARC read  

M.L. Collins The Good Girl & the Bad Boy

Jackson High Series (Book 2 read in 2023) this is the second book in the series but can be read as a stand alone and this was my favorite in the series.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52322164-the-good-girl-the-bad-boy?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=eoo444jxMU&rank=3

Grady is the "bad boy" of this story but I feel this is misrepresented as he is a super nice kid he is a athlete and plays football and lacrosse the other kids look up to him and he's a hard worker.  He works late playing guitar at a club to earn some extra money.  A problem he does have is he is a bit absent minded he regularly leaves his guitar in places he shouldn't which is what leads to it getting destroyed by our LFC Lacey when she accidently backs over it with her car in the school parking lot.

Lacey feels awful about breaking Grady's guitar and he is totally out of sorts due to being a musician and this was his prized possession.  

Lacey and Grady then get more bad news... they will be stuck together working on a school advice column only Lacey is now stuck doing his work too after he lays a huge guilt trip on her over the whole broken guitar situation... so after doing double work for several weeks she has had enough and confronts Grady about this, serves him right for lying about a certain situation.    

Grady has it tough at home his mom remarried a guy who is a big ole jerk and and he has a nasty step brother (evil step dad + step brother vibes).  Lacey is trying to be the perfect all around student but feels like the odd man out at her home she's a twin but her sister is so laid back, confident and cool.

While getting to know each other better they realize that not everything is as it seems and maybe they don't dislike each other at all, in fact it could be the exact opposite.  

Really cute quick read with some humor (like when we find that Lacey isn't amazing at "everything" when she joins the talent show).  I did feel that the end was wrapped up a little too quickly and maybe not "as much" time for our couple to get to know each other better.  

*young adult  *age appropriate (high school)  *opposites attract  *bad boy/good girl  

*Enemies (sort of but not really)--> more   *LFC is a twin but complete opposite 

*reverse Cinderella story

Lynn Rush + Kelly Anne Blount: In the Penalty Box

 Read in 2023

Willow is a figure skater she suffers an injury and is worried that her skating dreams are gone but she's a hard worker and knows that she can get back to where she was with rehab and a competitive spirit.  

Brodie is the captain of the hockey team, he's just as driven to succeed as Willow is and when a championship win is on the line with college scouts at the event he needs to do what he needs to do to help his team succeed... even if that means convincing a figure skater to try out for goalie when the other options are looking grim at the moment.

Willow faces challenges as a female goalie on a male team but she's fierce... no sweat she's got this!  Also would it be weird for the rest of the team to know that their captain and goalie are into each other?  

Brodie and Willow both have some bigger issues they are dealing with at home making you as the reader want a happy ending for our couple.  

I really loved the Cutting Edge when I was a kid and I love the Hockey boy + figure skater pairing, it was great seeing their relationship grow and how they were able to teach each other new things and help push each other towards their goals.  Brodie worries that Willow will get called back to her figure skating world and want to stay there... what about their team?  What about him?  

Willow becomes torn between these two different parts of her life throughout the book you see how much she misses figure skating and how she would love to be back on top again going for her golden goals... but she also loves her Hockey team and being able to handle her own on a boys team has been rewarding... and she really likes Brodie, she doesn't want to let down him or her team.  

have you read this before?  Have you read anything else by these authors?  

what would you recommend?

*Young Adult *Hockey/Sports romance *Ice Skater *High school *Dual POV  *clean (no spice)

 *age appropriate read  *slow burn  *Friends --> more 

*small town *secret relationship (hiding it from the team) *happy ending  

Trigger warnings:  Death of parent discussed, alcoholism

Maggie Dallen: One little Lie

 Book 3 in the first loves series read in 2024.  This is actually the first book I read in this series then I went back to read the first two, can be read as a stand alone. 

Addie has had a lot of changes recently her mom has gotten the opportunity to go to Europe to further her culinary training and knowing how hard her mom has worked over the years and knowing that she would never go if Addie didn't give her a little extra push she needs.  In order for her mom to go Addie   has to change everything she a senior in high school and instead of spending her final year with her friends she is moving across the country (New York to Montana) to live with her father and his new family.

Addie hasn't spent much time with her dad in the past besides short visits during school vacations... but now she will be living there full time and going to a new school.  Already nervous about her first day her day gets progressively worse when trying to be nice to her step mother she agrees to put on an outfit she picked out for her (that is not her style and too small/short), she ends up around the side of a building to catch her breath prior to going in where she witnesses an altercation between two guys and shortly after the queen bee of the school thinks she is trying to steal her boyfriend because she was again just trying to be nice. 

The guidance counselor trying to be helpful pairs Addie up with the other new kid in school Vince he's big, has tattoos, transferred recently from juvie... oh and he was one of the guys that got in the fight earlier that day he's strong, tough, and claims he doesn't need friends but everyone needs a friend right?

Not wanting to draw more attention from the school bullies Addie leans into the new rumor she hears swirling around that Vincent "Vince" and she are an item... and when asked about it while not really saying that they are getting together she doesn't directly say no either, she then tries to keep close to Vince who in turn is trying to not get closer to Addie.

Problem is Vince has noticed Addie more than he wants to and he finds himself wanting to take care of her and keep her out of trouble he's recently transferred to this school and he doesn't want to be there either but maybe this new girl is just who he needs to help him feel welcome in his new situation, he's originally from California and now living with his rich somewhat dysfunctional family if that isn't dramatic enough he is going to the same high school as his super popular nephew who doesn't want anything to do with him.  Will he ever feel like he belongs?  

I really enjoyed this book, super cute quick read and age appropriate for teenagers.  

Have you read anything by Maggie Dallen?  which book would you recommend?

*dual POV  *Teen/young adult (clean)  *bad boy  *Grumpy/sunshine  *high school romance 

*friends --> more  *happy ending  *sweet/innocent girl 

*mentions of marijuana use

Erin Fletcher: all laced up

 read in 2023:  Breakaway book 1 

Everyone loves local high school hockey star Pierce Miller... especially Pierce Miller.  Lia Bailey knows him from school but they also have skated at the same ice rink for years but Pierce can't even remember her name in fact he thought she was one of his female fans and signed her water bottle one time when he was leaving the ice and she was coming on... who does this kid think he is?  

Now Lia is stuck teaching ice skating lessons with Pierce for a lengthy period of time (being in his presence any amount of time is too long as far as she's concerned) but she will do anything to help save her local rink.  What she doesn't know is that Pierce feels the same way the rink owner really helped his family a lot in the past and he wants to help pay it forward anyway he can even if that means flaunting being a local hockey star to get more kids to come to the lessons.  

Lia is a figure skater but she really knows hockey in fact maybe the way to get Pierce to realize he isn't as great as he thinks he is, is to point out his flaws on the ice.  One night when she's fired up about having to share the ice and teach the kids with Pierce (who isn't doing his fair share of the training as far as she's concerned) she logs in online makes an account to the Hockey teams website and starts making suggestions... what could go wrong with this plan.

Pierce feeling down about the loss of the game makes the mistake of checking social media a lot of what he sees is the usual "better luck next time" or people trolling him but someone new catches his eye with their actually helpful tips for improving his game.  After private messaging this person and Lia responding this leads to a series of online exchanges reminding me of the rom com You've got mail. 

The more Lia gets to know Pierce the more she realizes that they have more in common than she thought and he's not the pompous jerk she thought he was he's sweet and caring and the more she gets to know him the more she's falling for him a bit more but while she is getting to know the real him especially when she sees him with his younger brother who has special needs she is still living a dual life. 

Lia and Pierce are getting closer at the rink as well but he doesn't know who he is talking to online... he would like to know who it is though cause she's pretty awesome, but will he be upset when he finds out that she has been hiding herself from him the whole time behind an online identity.   The couple are both also dealing with pressures from the skating world and school --> Pierce with his team and Lia on whether she will go forward to take the qualifying test for the next level for ice skating.  

This was a cute & sweet teen romance, quick read and had a happy ending 

*Teen Romance  *enemies --> dating  *hockey romance  *ice skater/hockey pair  

*no spice/kissing only  

*age appropriate for teenagers *trigger warnings loss of parent

Lisa J Page: Just a Family Friend Tom and Libbie

 read in 2025

Young adult romance book age appropriate for those looking for something their teen could read.  Set in New Zealand.  Dyslexic friendly font. 

Tom Johnson is on the tennis team he's really good at it and is looking to get a full ride scholarship to a University in the USA in order to have a chance at a scholarship he needs to get his grades up in Statistics, the teacher wanting to see him succeed suggests that he get a tutor and the teacher has the perfect candidate:  Libbie she's 2 years younger but is a math wiz... she is also a long time friend of his family.

Libbie Ashton has had a crush on Tom since... well since forever he taught her how to play tennis when they were kids because he needed a partner for pairs, they spend time together with their families and she really enjoys being around him... could he ever see her as more than just a friend.

Some family drama ensues after the couple decides to give a relationship a try, will their family approve of their relationship?  Or is their relationship over before it even begins?  

The story is a cute quick read.  Dual POV but reads more like you are reading from a diary or day planner or even a school text book rather than a book at times and the dialogue is kind of awkward at times.  Lots of discussion surrounding homework and I think I would have liked more interaction between the couple surrounding their actual relationship but it is a high school romance.  The book also shows the same scenes from both characters point of view at times instead of moving forward with the book.  

Kelly Anne Blount: I Hate you, Fuller James

 Read in 2023

I don't read young adult books too often but I bought this book after it popped up in an ad for me and I wasn't disappointed.  This was a cute quick read following Wren who is a super smart girl that ends up with a horrible nickname of "wrentainer" and who gave this name to her... well Fuller James of course.

Fuller is cute and popular he is a star basketball player and really is there anything that isn't going his way... well he apparently isn't that great at AP lit and in order to be able to play a really important game (College scouts are there and he needs this game to impress them) he needs to get his grades up and quick in comes Wren who is volun-told that she needs to tutor Fuller and get his grades up prior to this important game as a side note it has to be a secret because the other guys on the team can't know there is a possibility their star will be sitting on the side lines it wouldn't be good for their game (morale).  

At the beginning of the book you can see why Wren might "hate" Fuller especially when he makes a shady bet with his buddies that she would be upset if she found out about.  But he truly is a sweet kid he just needs a chance to show that side of himself to Wren by the end of this book you are rooting for Wren and Fuller to get together.  

Also has a sweet grand gesture that will have your heart melting just a bit especially if you loved those 80's rom coms.

Enemies to romance -->  age appropriate teen romance with a bit of humor.