Trope: Best Friends to Lovers

Teenage Dirtbags / James Acker

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Teenage Dirtbags
By: James Acker
Genre: YA
Number of Pages: 384
Published: April 9, 2024
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Dates Read: December 11, 2024 - December 15, 2024
Format: Library Book /eBook

Trigger Warnings: Toxic Relationship(s), bullying

Phil Reyno is short tempered and marked as a trouble maker, which is why when the viral video at last year’s dance announced his relationship with universally loved Cameron Ellis, people were surprised.

Jackson Pasternak is the school’s “good guy”; Junior Class President, star rower, Ivy League bound. But Jackson is burnt out and misses the only person who really knew him – his ex-best friend, Phil.

When Cameron dumps Phil and plummets his already iffy reputation, Phil hatches a plan to expose Cameron for who he truly is – two-faced. Jackson agrees to infiltrate Cameron’s circle and uncover dirt to use as ammunition. But, as Phil and Jackson rekindle their friendship (and more), they start to wonder if knocking Cameron off his pedestal will really solve their problems.

I really enjoyed the theme of “putting people on blast” and what that means for everyone. Nowadays, when people get canceled and it’s all over the internet, there really aren’t secrets. This book does a fantastic job at addressing what that can look like for various people.

I also appreciate the relationship everyone had with one another, it was complex, raw, and realistic – not everyone was perfect friends with each other.

Overall, if you’d like a YA book where events (and characters) are messy, this book is for you.

Slow Dance / Rainbow Rowell

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Slow Dance
By: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Romance
Number of Pages: 400
Published: July 30, 2024
Publisher: William Morrow
Dates Read: July 3, 2024 - July 17, 2024
Format: ARC / Paperback

Back in high school, everyone thought Shiloh and Cary would end up together – everyone but Shiloh and Cary, who were just best friends.

Now, it’s been fourteen years since Shiloh’s talked with Cary. She’s been married, had two kids, and then divorced. She’s also moved back in with her mom and living in the same house she grew up imagining running away from.

When she’s invited to an old friend’s wedding, all she can think about is whether or not Cary will be there. Would he even want to see her?

I’m going to start off by saying I don’t read a lot of romance – adult or YA, and if I do, that’s not usually the main focus of the story. But, I love Rainbow Rowell and will always read anything she writes so I was all about giving this one a chance.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Shiloh’s. I found her incredibly annoying and I honestly don’t know how Cary put up with her half the time, especially when she would continue to mess with him after he clearly told her to stop (if someone continuously poked me or tugged on my hair, I would have stopped speaking to them so fast). Shiloh’s kids were fun!  I adored Cary but wish his character was a little more flushed out. We got a few pieces about his not so great childhood, but sometimes he would do things that I wish I had a better understanding of his background to then understand why he did what he did.

Overall, I’m still going to recommend this book. To me, it’s on the “softer” side of the romance – fluffy if you will; there’s nothing majorly spicy in it, definitely more cutesy with that “just get together already” vibe.

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