4 stars. Containing the same cleverly drawn Gothic atmosphere as its predecessor and an expanded narrative scope in terms of perspectives and storylin4 stars. Containing the same cleverly drawn Gothic atmosphere as its predecessor and an expanded narrative scope in terms of perspectives and storylines, Two Twisted Crowns is a gorgeous follow-up and fitting conclusion to a duology I'm glad to have read. ...more
4.5 stars. Marrying zany reality TV hijinks and a romance with both simmering sexual tension and an unexpected amount of depth, Name Your Price was a 4.5 stars. Marrying zany reality TV hijinks and a romance with both simmering sexual tension and an unexpected amount of depth, Name Your Price was a near-perfect adult romcom that took me by surprise....more
4.5 stars. Harrowing and hopeful in its multi-generational narrative and epic in the sheer amount of history it examines through a fiction lens, Wande4.5 stars. Harrowing and hopeful in its multi-generational narrative and epic in the sheer amount of history it examines through a fiction lens, Wandering Stars is a powerful, superbly written family saga that makes me wish I picked up Orange's first novel beforehand. ...more
4.5 stars. Containing both a climatic scene reminiscent of one of my favorite movies and an incredible exploration of mother-daughter dynamics and gen4.5 stars. Containing both a climatic scene reminiscent of one of my favorite movies and an incredible exploration of mother-daughter dynamics and generational trauma through a speculative lens, The Stone Sky is an earth-shattering finale rife with both heartache and hope to its very last page. ...more
4 stars. Frank in both its depiction of racism and in the details it elucidates about eyeball consumption, The Eyes Are the Best Part is a slow-build 4 stars. Frank in both its depiction of racism and in the details it elucidates about eyeball consumption, The Eyes Are the Best Part is a slow-build of a horror novel that intersects "Good for Her" horror with the Asian-American experience. ...more
4 stars. High-octane in its action and harrowing in its stakes and darker elements, The Mirror of Beasts is an excellent bookend to this gleaming silv4 stars. High-octane in its action and harrowing in its stakes and darker elements, The Mirror of Beasts is an excellent bookend to this gleaming silver sword of a YA fantasy duology....more
4.5 stars. Unexpectedly gruesome and written with the kind of sharp incisiveness that only a seasoned author can wield, Silver in the Bone is an gleam4.5 stars. Unexpectedly gruesome and written with the kind of sharp incisiveness that only a seasoned author can wield, Silver in the Bone is an gleaming sword of a book that left me both gutted and utterly thrilled. ...more
4 stars. Melding together Mean Girls teenage antics with a writing style that has a knack for exploring the nitty-gritty of queer teenagehood, Teenage4 stars. Melding together Mean Girls teenage antics with a writing style that has a knack for exploring the nitty-gritty of queer teenagehood, Teenage Dirtbags is a punk pop song of a book that stars messy queer teens just trying to do their best....more
E-ARC generously provided by Grand Central in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4.5 stars. Bubbly as fizzy champagne and as familiar aE-ARC generously provided by Grand Central in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4.5 stars. Bubbly as fizzy champagne and as familiar and heartwarming as a home cooked meal, I’ll Have What He’s Having is a delectable and surprisingly spicy adult romance from an author I continue to love. ...more
4 stars. With atmospheric, lush prose that evokes its small town setting combined with just a hint of Southern Gothic elements, The Unmaking of June F4 stars. With atmospheric, lush prose that evokes its small town setting combined with just a hint of Southern Gothic elements, The Unmaking of June Farrow is an emotionally-packed fabulist story that I found difficult to put down. ...more
4.5 stars. Twining the history of Russia with its rich folkloric tradition in a singular, enchanting story, The Winter of the Witch proves that all go4.5 stars. Twining the history of Russia with its rich folkloric tradition in a singular, enchanting story, The Winter of the Witch proves that all good tales must come to a brilliant end. ...more
4.5 stars. Weaving together Russian folk tale tradition with a fantastical story rife with both court intrigue and enchantment, The Girl in the Tower4.5 stars. Weaving together Russian folk tale tradition with a fantastical story rife with both court intrigue and enchantment, The Girl in the Tower is a brilliant second installment in a trilogy that I’m very quickly falling in love with....more
4 stars. A bit surrealist, strangely horrific, and out of my typical reading taste, Natural Beauty was beautifully compelling and left me both disgust4 stars. A bit surrealist, strangely horrific, and out of my typical reading taste, Natural Beauty was beautifully compelling and left me both disgusted and with a craving to read more literary horror....more
E-ARC generously provided by Avon in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
Compelling, frothy, and containing a Bridgerton-esque queer romaE-ARC generously provided by Avon in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
Compelling, frothy, and containing a Bridgerton-esque queer romance that’s impossible to not root for, You’re the Problem, It’s You is an excellent bookend to this delightful duology inspired by the music of Taylor Swift....more
5 stars. Reminiscent of rom-com classics and packed with laughs and swoon, New Adult is a heartwarming triumph of a best friends to lovers romance tha5 stars. Reminiscent of rom-com classics and packed with laughs and swoon, New Adult is a heartwarming triumph of a best friends to lovers romance that struck an unexpectedly personal chord with me....more
4 stars. Gritty, brilliant, and containing all of the heart readers love from this series, Brothersong ensures that the Green Creek quartet comes to a4 stars. Gritty, brilliant, and containing all of the heart readers love from this series, Brothersong ensures that the Green Creek quartet comes to a close with a resounding howl. ...more
E-ARC generously provided by HarperCollins Children's Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4.5 stars. Harrowing, a bit tragic, buE-ARC generously provided by HarperCollins Children's Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4.5 stars. Harrowing, a bit tragic, but ultimately about hope, family, and humanity's ability to persevere in even the most unlikely of circumstances, The Brightness Between Us is a brilliant sequel to a sci-fi duology that I will absolutely be revisiting in the future....more
4.5 stars. Containing the kind of jaunty humor I find utterly charming with solid prose and a bumbling but heartwarming romance, Swordheart was an exc4.5 stars. Containing the kind of jaunty humor I find utterly charming with solid prose and a bumbling but heartwarming romance, Swordheart was an excellent first book from T. Kingfisher and it won’t certainly be my last. ...more
E-ARC generously provided by Forever in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4.5 stars. Jubilant in the queer Filipino joy that it celebrE-ARC generously provided by Forever in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4.5 stars. Jubilant in the queer Filipino joy that it celebrates and thoughtful in its exploration of what it means to have an intersectional identity, Karaoke Queen is a soaring high note of a romcom that struck me in a personal place I wasn't quite expecting. ...more
4.5 stars rounded up. Containing some of the best steam I've seen in a MLM romance and Timothy Janovsky's signature charm and rom-com goodness, The [F4.5 stars rounded up. Containing some of the best steam I've seen in a MLM romance and Timothy Janovsky's signature charm and rom-com goodness, The [Fake] Dating Game reminded me exactly of why I love gay romance written by queer men so much. ...more
