Romance

This Day Changes Everything / Edward Underhill

/ Alisha Helms / 2 Comments 
This Day Changes Everything
By: Edward Underhill
Genre: YA, Romance, LGBTQ+
Number of Pages: 288
Published: February 1, 2024
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Dates Read: March 9, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Abby believes in the magic of the universe – especially since her high school marching band is going to be in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She now gets to spend the next few days in New York City with her best friend, Kat. The exact same New York City their favorite book is set in – and the perfect place to finally tell Kat she loves her (and that she’s gay). She’s got a signed copy of the book that she’s spent months annotating, now she’s just got to find the perfect moment to create her own rom-com.

Leo on the other hand, just wants to get through the next few days without too much of a family blowup – especially since he’s about to be outed on national television to his Southern family as the trans boy he really is. He’s not excited for the parade, he just wants to get it over with – yet alone spending the day sightseeing with his band.

When fate throws both Abby and Leo on the wrong subway trains heading in the opposite direction of their bands, the duo get lost in Manhattan. And worse yet, Leo makes Abby lose her one of a kind gift for Kat. To hopefully fix it, they decide on a new mission: find a souvenir at every location mentioned in the book, while their friends can hopefully cover for them during sightseeing. Maybe, just maybe, fate and a little magic will make this a day that changes everything.

I wasn’t sure what year this was supposed to be set in. They mention Tumblr a lot and I used it religiously for twelve years, but haven’t messed with it too much in the last five when my dash became so slow because people stopped posting. Is that still a popular website, or was this set roughly ten years ago? I think knowing this would also help me in understanding where Abby was in knowing about Queer activities in and around the KC area. 

I’m not the biggest Romance fan, but this just sounded super cute when I read the premise – plus a lot can happen in a big city in 24-hours and this book doesn’t disappoint. 

Overall, great representation of Teen Queer communities. Also for those who love that grump and sunshine trope.

*Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Bookshops & Bonedust / Travis Baldree

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Bookshops & Bonedust
By: Travis Baldree
Genre: Fantasy
Number of Pages: 352
Published: November 7, 2023
Publisher: Tor
Dates Read: February 6, 2024 - February 8, 2024
Format: Paperback / Library Book / Audiobook

Bookshops & Bonedust is the prequel to Legends & Lattes where Viv, after getting injured during a job, gets left behind in the small beach town of Murk to recover. With not much to do and on crutches, Viv spends her hours in a bookshop in the company of its foulmouthed owner and their pet named Pot Roast. It’s not where she saw herself being, but maybe it’s just what she needs.

But the sleepy town doesn’t stay very quiet for long – there’s a suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and a lot of skeletons to uncover.

Tell me why I waited so damn long to read this book?? I knew I would love it. A soft fantasy with a found family feel – those will always have me signed up.

This novel is also so adorable when it comes to talking about books. The amount of times I took photos of entire passages where Fern was talking to Viv about her latest book read ❤ ️ <spoiler> like the bit where Viv is reading a spicy romance and Fern is just staring at her with a crazy grin </spoiler>.

If you’re in need of a warm fantasy to curl up with, this will do it for you. There’s no high stakes – the fact it’s the prequel to the first book, kind of gives away that everything will be okay in the end, you know? Still, watch me give these series out as recommendations left and right.

*Thank you Tor and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy / Faith Erin Hicks

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy
By: Faith Erin Hicks
Genre: Graphic Novel, Romance
Number of Pages: 304
Published: October 3, 2023
Publisher: First Second
Dates Read: December 30, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: homophobia, bully, domestic abuse

After Alix lashes violently out at her rude and mean teammate, Lindsay, she knows she needs to control her anger. So, she goes to Ezra; the cool, calm theater kid from her grade, for help. As they begin to hang out more and more, Alix learns there’s more to Ezra than the levelheaded front her puts on. And maybe, there’s something more than just friendship forming…

This is a cute YA graphic novel romance with a bit of the gender roles switched than what you usually see in rom-coms.

I enjoyed the storyline and the chemistry between the two felt genuine and wasn’t that insta-romance. I do however wish the ending as a little longer, so it could flush out a little more of the story better.

Overall though, I will be recommending to those who enjoyed the author’s other works, like Pumpkinhead by Rainbow Rowell, and the series Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu. And those that like a cute YA graphic romance.

Heartstopper: Volume Five / Alice Oseman

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Heartstopper: Volume Five
By: Alice Oseman
Genre: Graphic Novel, Romance
Number of Pages: 336
Published: December 19, 2023
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Dates Read: December 28, 2023 - December 29, 2023
Format: Library Book / eBook

Trigger Warnings: discussion of mental health, eating disorders, and sexual references

In this volume of Heartstopper, Charlie must persuade his mum to let him sleep over at Nick’s house, but he’s also got to get passed all his tests. Meanwhile, Nick is going off to university next year, is everything about to change?

I went most of this year thinking this was going to be the final installment of the Heartstopper series, but then Alice Oseman says we’ll get one more. Now I have a little more time to prepare myself. And also to get it set up on hopefully a physical copy of it so I don’t have to wait on the back order my library has and then setting on a digital copy. Nothing was going to stop me from reading this story as soon as I possibly could!!

As always, the boys were adorable and so supportive of each other. I would love to wrap them both in blankets and let them be cute and adorable together always. It still makes me happy about the friend support everyone gives each other – even sometimes with the tough love or the hard questions, it was also with love.

We also got a hint at Tori and her story in this too. I haven’t officially read her stories yet, but they are on my Shortlist TBR.

Overall – I’m going to be recommending this series until the day I die, so there is no question here if I like it or not. I loved it.

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic / Breanne Randall

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic

By: Breanne Randall

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Number of Pages: 322

Published: September 19, 2023

Publisher: Alcove Press

Dates Read: December 16, 2023 - December 20, 2023

Format: Library Book / Audiobook / Paperback

Ever since Sadie Revelare was told about her four heartbreak curse that accompanies her magic, she’s never doubted the price wouldn’t be worth it. But when Gigi, her grandmother, is diagnosed with cancer and only has weeks to live, and her first heartbreak, Jake, returns after being gone for a decade, Sadie’s life feels like it’s unraveling and her magic can’t fix it. Even more, upon hearing about Gigi’s diagnosis, Sadie’s estranged twin brother, Seth, returns as well, uncovering family secrets that will tear her world apart.

Gigi has been the backbone to the Revelare family for generations, and with her death, Sadie must try with everything she’s got, to not only keep her family together, but her magic as well. As her feelings for Jake begin to respark, Sadie must decide if love is more important than her magic.

I don’t actively go about reading romance books, but this had the tagline “for fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls” and I decided to give this a shot. I absolutely called the ending pretty early into the book, especially once everything was established. Though I was a little confused about Sadie’s curse… I still am to be honest. Also – witches who go to a christian church? What?

Overall, the book was okay. The premise of it was excellent, but it fell short for me.

*Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Something More / Jackie Khalilieh

/ Alisha Helms / 1 Comment 
Something More
By: Jackie Khalilieh
Genre: YA, Romance
Number of Pages: 336
Published: June 6, 2023
Publisher: Tundra Books
Dates Read: November 17, 2023 - November 19, 2023
Format: Hardcover

Jessie was just diagnosed as autistic weeks before starting high school. Determined to keep it hidden, she makes a list of goals to cross off – ranging from having two distinct eyebrows, to getting a magical first kiss, and landing a spot in the school musical.

This is such an honest and messy story. So many novels, especially YA, don’t always show the messiness that’s teenage life, but this one shows it great. Jackie Khalilieh writes Jessie as a truly authentic teen with autism: feeling different, being bad at social interactions and ques, being obsessed with one particular interest, along with a lot of other differences. Khalilieh also writes deeply about wearing a mask and what that both looks like and feels like to someone with autism.

Along with truly showing a teen with autism, this story is also a romance, but cute. I’m usually against YA Romance because I find them so cheesy, but this one I actually liked and enjoyed. Jessie meets two boys on her first day of school and both show interest in her – one she catches onto a lot more quickly. Again, I would like to bring up the writing that Khalilieh did here where she talks about Jessie zeroing in on the one boy and the one relationship and how all others don’t really matter too much. I can be bad at that, so I felt that deeply.

Overall, I absolutely loved the representation this book shows and the story that it gives. I believe that, even though it is a YA romance, it’s not overly cheesy, and therefore I can see many readers enjoying this for its autistic representation.

*Thank you Tundra Books and LibraryThing for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

The Spells We Cast / Jason June

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Spells We Cast
By: Jason June
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 352
Published: October 2, 2023
Publisher: Melissa de la Cruz Studio
Dates Read: October 25, 2023 - October 27, 2023
Format: Library Book / Audiobook / Hardcover

Nigel Barrett spent his whole life preparing for the Culling – a spell-casting competition that determines which of the world’s teenage magicians get to keep their powers, and those who will be stripped of them, in order to keep and preserve the magical balance. He’d been ready – until he met Ori Olson.

The moment they meet, sparks fly, their powers are stronger, more thrilling, but also it seems, more dangerous. As the Culling field gets more and more narrow, Nigel and Orio realize just how much is at stake – and it may very well ride on the connection between them.

I don’t know where I saw this being marketed as “magical gay cowboys” but I grabbed this as soon as I could because of it. And boy, did it not disappoint! I also don’t know what it is about teenagers and them being on the verge of losing their magic forever that gets me into these stories, but I’m down.

I did give out quite a few eye rolls when Nigel would talk about his breakup with Jeremy. He’d talk about how he knew they wouldn’t work out and listed all this stuff – but then would compare interactions with Ori to Jeremy and I’d be sitting there going, “It’s not the same!”. And, the whole insta-romance thing is never my type. This book happens over 3 days!! <spoiler> I know this plays on soulmates, but it’s still a bit too fast </spoiler>.

But, even though I didn’t care all that much for the romance aspect of it (or rather, the pining on Nigel’s part for a partner who is no longer even in the photo), I still enjoyed the novel and its story. It ended on a cliffhanger and I’ll be keeping an eye out for the sequel for sure!

*Thank you Melissa de la Cruz Studio and NetGalley for a digital advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

I Loved You in Another Life / David Arnold

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
I Loved You in Another Life
By: David Arnold
Genre: YA, Romance
Number of Pages: 352
Published: October 10, 2023
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Dates Read: October 20, 2023 - October 23, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook / Library Book / Audiobook

Sosh is lost and angry at the world for the drunk driver that killed her sister. Stevie and Sosh were more than sisters, they were the best of friends – Sosh looked at Stevie like she was her moon. Evan’s struggling with his dad walking out on his family and his mom’s breast cancer diagnosis – but mostly, he’s worried about how to take care of his younger brother William, a sensitive seven-year-old, who wears the same red hoodie, covers himself in bandaids, and watches E.T. every Tuesday night. Both are trying to figure out their next step in life when they begin hearing a mysterious singer no one else seems to hear. How will the melody bring them together?

The characters of Sosh and Evan were a little harder to get into at the beginning but they were closed off, which was understandable. It was almost like meeting a friend for the first time – the more you got to know them, the more they opened up and shared their struggles.

I don’t read a ton of romance, but this book is most definitely a slow burn romance. Did I get the “love you in another life” part? Not really – sure there were tidbits here and there of other characters in a different time, but I had a hard time connecting them to Sosh and Evan.

What I really did like about this book, that wasn’t the romance, was both the family dynamic of Evan, his mom, and his brother, and the therapy positive outlook they had on there. Oh – and Sosh and her teacher’s relationship, because that’s what I always wanted for my kids when I taught – was for them to feel safe enough to talk about their stuff and for me to hopefully give them a positive outcome.

Overall, I enjoyed this mostly for the character’s individual’s journeys over the romance portion of it. Romance was okay, but that’s not why I will be recommending this book when I do.

*Thank you Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

The Infinity Particle / Wendy Xu

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Infinity Particle
By: Wendy Xu
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 272
Published: August 29, 2029
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Dates Read: October 14, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: Emotional abuse

Clementine Change moves from Earth to Mars for a fresh start and to work her dream job with Dr. Marcella Lin, an AI pioneer. On her first day of work, Clementine meets Kye, Mr. Lin’s personal humanoid AI assistant. Clem has built her own robot – a moth-shaped companion named SENA, so she’s no stranger to artificial intelligence, but there’s something human about Kye. When the two begin working together, sparks begin. But Dr. Lin is enraged by Kye’s growing independence and restricts his freedom. Both Clem and SENA can tell there’s something different with Kye, that he’s possibly more than just your standard AI – but what is Dr. Lin trying to hide?

Firstly, this is all just adorable.

Secondly, when do we get to have our own “Build-A-Friend: Kiddie Robotics Kit”? I would also like to have my own SENA as my best friend. Seeing her expressions always got me to giggle at how cute she was.

The artwork in this novel is beautiful and works really well with the complimentary limited pallet. Everything is clearly seen from panel to panel – even in the darker/evening time panels.

Overall – if you read Mooncakes and loved it, you’ll love this one. You’ll also love it if you like the age-old Sci-Fi question of : when is a being truly a conscious living thing? Also, again, cute and adorable companions.

Girls Like Girls / Hayley Kiyoko

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Girls Like Girls
By: Hayley Kiyoko
Genre: YA, Romance
Number of Pages: 336
Published: May 30, 2023
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Dates Read: October 9, 2023 - October 10, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook / Audiobook

Trigger Warnings: mentions of suicide, grief, loss of a parent, homophobia, underage drinking and drug use

It’s the summer of 2006 and 17-year-old Coley has been forced to move to rural Oregon after losing her mother. She’s in no position to risk her already fragile heart – but then she meets Sonya, and everything she’s tried to keep down goes flying. Both girls have a lot to figure out and realize before they can step up.

Based on Hayley Kiyoko’s hit song and music video with the same title, Girls Like Girls is about young, queer love between two girls.

The writing of this isn’t perfect, I didn’t think it would be, especially being Hayley Kiyoko’s debut novel, but it made up for it in the parts that really hit it home. Sure some parts were a bit cringey and filled with teenage dramatics, but it was also very lyrical and still realistic in parts.

Though, Tenton drove me so nuts! I understand in a way that it’s set in a small town and you don’t always have a wide selection of people to hang out with but like – come on! Sonya would continuously defend him but we never saw anything good from him.

Overall, this is a cutesy YA sapphic romance that gives a bit of a “cinematic extension” to Kiyoko’s song and music video with the same title. Don’t hold it up to high standards of regular romance, it is Young Adult – other than that, I can see quite a few people enjoying the read.

*Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review