btwnprintedpgs's reviews
1302 reviews

I am so surprised by how much I loved this book. Everything about Beatrice's character development was so good and I loved being in her head as she figured out who she is outside of her ordered four walls. 

I will say at first, everyone felt a bit stereotyped and they got attached super fast. Not that that's surprising for a summer camp read, but the book at times felt like a bubble and the real world wasn't knocking. It was very sweet how the friendships developed and felt like a large part of the story, but there still felt like there was something missing in them. That being said, I appreciated the support that they provided Bea as she ventured out of her comfort zone time and time again. I loved their unconditional love and appreciation of Bea as a smart human being, but also someone totally out of her depth. Their love and help were an integral part of Bea's growth. 

I absolutely loved Bea and her journey. Being in her head as she dissected and processed new social interactions and events felt very relatable. As someone who was involuntarily sheltered, I kind of loved seeing her approach to new things, and appreciated how cautious she was with her heart, because same. I found a lot of my young self in her, and enjoyed seeing her open herself up to new people and new experiences. Her unintentional banter and chemistry with the other characters brought a humanity to herself and the other characters. This element was what truly brought the whole cast to life for me and it's definitely where Kaylor's writing shines. 

The Shakespearean themes were a lot of fun - the plays, the acting, the romance, the games - there's just something about the Bard that brings people together. As a Shakespeare kid, I enjoyed revisiting the plays throughout the story. 

All in all, I loved this book and I am so excited to see more from this author! 

TW: bullying, underage drinking 

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Wednesday Books via St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. 

How do I recover from this?? Like???

- Explores the experience of undocumented people, and those adjacent and sympathetic to them
- Ander's art comes alive through the descriptions and whoever designed this book cover understood the assignment
- The romance is so full of heart and the community they have around them is so giving and loving and powerful and I adored every character in this book
- Not me crying at 1AM at work doing inventory, nope
- Moves us through the characters' lives as they begin to understand what they want from life and how to get it - there's strength in knowing that not every path is linear
- Very queer cast, with no shame and only pride in their identities; sex positive, fade to black
- There was a line that said Boy Meets World was a Boomer thing, and I need them to hold on a Millennial Minute, because we definitely claim that show, not the Boomers

TW: racism, grief, deportation, ICE, alcohol consumption; mentions loss of a parent, death of a grandparent 

Y'all, prepare to be sick of me because I am absolutely obsessed with this book. I thought I was feral for This Time It's Real, but this book may have just topped it for me. I Am Not Jessica Chan is a book for every person who's ever thought the grass is greener on the other side, anyone who's ever experienced visceral wanting, and anyone who's currently dealing with gifted kid burnout.

Jenna has always compared herself, and been compared by everyone else, to her cousin Jessica. Whenever she does well, Jessica does better, and Jessica is lauded for it. Always in her shadow, Jenna wants after everything Jessica has - smarts, recognition, admiration of their peers, and the effortless grace and beauty Jessica exudes. So when she wishes upon shooting star to BE Jessica Chen, she gets her wish. She wakes up in Jessica's body. However, Jessica's picture perfect life isn't what it seems and as Jenna learns more about Jessica, and the longer she's apart from her own self, she starts to realize that maybe it's not all sunshine and roses being Jessica Chen.

I absolutely loved the character development in this story - we get to spend time in Jenna's POV, but also get to understand Jessica better as Jenna lives her life. It puts everything into such perspective, from the Chinese family life, to gifted kid burnout, to the fleeting feeling of success and clout. I found it so interesting to learn about two very different characters in this way and Ann Liang's writing supported this type of character development so well.

And it wouldn't be an Ann Liang book without the MMC yearning after our MC. I loved Aaron Cai so much. He surprised me. Where he starts the book kind of disconnected from both Jenna and Jessica, I easily fell in love to him as he opened up more to Jenna and showed his vulnerable side. I need a man to love me like Aaron Cai, because damn if he's not one of my favourite Ann Liang characters to date.

With a hint of Freaky Friday, a dash of The Picture of Dorian Gray, a slice of filial piety, and self-discovery mixed with love, and you have I Am Not Jessica Chen. An absolute masterpiece that will speak to stressed Asian kids everywhere. I am obsessed.

TW: racism, micro-agressions, injury detail, burnout

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

eARC gifted via Edelweiss by HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. 

This was such a cute read and such a beautiful love letter to Vietnamese culture and food.

Lan and Vivi meet in Saigon. Lan is a food blogger who feels stuck between her dream of travelling and the obligation to stay home and take care of her mother after her father's death four years ago. Vivi is studying abroad - her parents think she's in Singapore, but she's actually in her Motherland of Vietnam, looking for her mother's family. I loved the dynamic these two had and how they supported each other and challenged one another to be brave and chase what they want in order to achieve their dreams.

I loved this book for two main reasons. The first is the way this story brings Saigon to life. The food descriptions, their little adventures around the district, the new year celebration they go to together, I loved reading about this lively city. I also appreciated that it delved a bit into th generational traumas of war and the impact of colonialism and war within the Vietnamese community and culture. It wasn't heavy handed, but the stories and experiences really brought heart to the story and to the people of Vietnam.

I also loved the family dynamics within the story - the filiel piety element, the moments of grief, the pain of generational trauma and secretive parents - it gave so much life to the characters and their relationships. There was so much depth in such a short story and it's truly a testament to the writer's skill.

My only criticism for this book is the near insta love and the abrupt ending, but everything else was so well done that the story was a hit for me! All in all, would recommend for a quick cute romance full of culture and beautiful relationships.

TW: grief, injury detail; mentions death of a parent

Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5

eARC gifted via Edelweiss by Henry Holt and Co. via Macmillan in exchange for an honest review. 

I haven't had a YA thriller hook me in a while, so this was a great surprise. A fast-paced thriller/mystery with an added layer of in-game puzzle solving makes this book feel similar to Slay crossed with Love 020.

I will say that this book takes on a lot, but it does it well, overall. We have the foundational thriller - someone dies and now our MCs have to race against the clock to solve the mystery and save the people and things they care about. Then, we have the gaming elements superimposed over the real world mystery. Adding in Marina's secret past, a dash of romance, and nods to Chinese history and Asian culture (particularly filiel piety and Asian guilt culture), this story held my attention right from the start.

I really love books that mix with video games, and Kelsea Yu did it in a way that felt organic and necessary to the story. I liked how the video game aspects built on the secrets, the mystery, and the character development - it was an essential part of the story and was fleshed out so well!

Additionally, I enjoyed our MCs - all four had distinct personalities and lives and the way they became friends through life and video games felt so true to life.

All in all, a twisty thriller of a book that had me flying through the pages! I'm so excited for more people to pick this one up.

Rep: Chinese lesbian MC, queer SC, Trans SC

TW: gaslighting, injury detail, murder, blood, stalking, mutilation, child abuse, gun violence, kidnapping, drugging, fire/fire injury; mentions transphobia, death of a child, death, animal abuse, suicidal ideation

Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Bloomsbury YA via Colored Pages Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. 

I adored this book. I've only read a couple books with Deaf/HOH rep and I'm so happy to see that there are more books coming out to share the Deaf and HOH experience.

One of the highlights was the way Lilah's experience showed the differences within society for a Deaf/HOH person - the technology, the aids, the discrimination, the general lack of knowledge people have, and the lack of space people give to people within the disabled community. It's a lot and there was a lot of learn, even as a reader.

The camp was a fantastic way to showcase how different people's needs and views are around disabilities. Meeting and getting to know the campers and counsellors with Lilah opened up avenues to share different experiences and give us insight into the good and bad within the community.

Outside of the rep, I loved the relationships Lilah builds with everyone. Her hesitance and feelings of not being enough of one thing or the other were relatable, and I loved that she opened herself up to the experience and the chance to learn more and rediscover a community for herself. I also appreciated that there were moments of possible drama, but a lot of the characters were open to learning and listening and communicating with each other.

All in all, this is a cozy summer camp read with some amazing rep throughout that will have you rooting for the cast!

Rep: Deaf/HOH MC, Deaf MMC, Deaf and HOH secondary and tertiary characters, blind secondary and tertiary characters

TW: ableism, discrimination, bullying, violence; mentions appropriation, injury

ARC gifted by Penguin Teen Canada in exchange for an honest review.

I think this book had more dialogue in it than any other book I've ever read. This felt like as if bunch of quips and chaotic mewling got dressed up in a trench coat and decided to be a book. The plot was tissue paper thin, the characters a bit over-the-top, and the dialogue a bit repetitive at times, and yet I had a fantastic time reading it.

One of the biggest mysteries carried over from A Taste of Gold and Iron was their secret ship magic. How do the Arasti sail all year round, while every other nation is grounded for 5 to 6 weeks a year? This tale endeavours to answer that question, and it does, but in the weirdest and most roundabout way

There is an underlying plot for sure, but much of the story focuses on Avra and how much he really wants attention, specifically Tev's attention. Much of his jokes are crass and sexual in nature, but there is no spice whatsoever. There is a note of polyamory, and I enjoyed seeing the navigation of those relationships, but it very much leaves readers on the "will they, won't they" side of things. In the end though, we do see Avra figure out how to be a good friend and a mewling simp, rather than just the latter, and we find a cast of characters who put up with him because he is genuinely a good and loyal person.

I will say though, this book is funny as hell. I enjoyed the chaotic quips, the stupid songs, and the silly banter. It all was so easy to read and it made me laugh out loud very often. However, we cannot get by on quips alone, and there were points in the book where I asked myself, "Where on earth is this going?" It felt like a long book where nothing much was getting done, outside of a few side quests, but in the end it all came together well and that's either very masterful, or everything else was simply an Avra-shaped distraction.

All in all, a fun time, but not necessarily a productive time. Very much a fantasy book of good dumb fun and comedic dialogue, and a huge switch in tone from A Taste of Gold and Iron. I'd definitely say, if you're looking for the political intrigue and solemn tones of book 1, this is not the place to look (though Avra is very good at politics when he wants to be).

Rep: queer normative world; non-binary gay MC, gay MC, pan MC, polyamorous relationship, sapphic secondary character 

TW: death of an animal (not dog), violence, bullying, sexual content, death; mentions murder, cults, classism.

Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Tordotcom via Tor Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. 

I feel like romances that are about 500 pages should either hit it out of the park, or just not be 500 pages, and this landed in the middle.

I feel like this could've been so much shorter. The author could have trimmed some of the extras that didn't add much to the story (I'm looking at you team building exercises that basically did nothing). Some of the team stuff was just a general lack of communication, and a lack of accountability. I liked the overall arc of the story - Ryder and Gigi helping each other grow and accept their own emotions and pasts; the smorgasbord team that's cobbled together becoming one in the end; the dreams realized and shattered. It was all solid, and I enjoyed the characters and the banter, but at the end of the day, I feel like I could've had all that even if the story was tightened up a bit. I'd reread this book in a heartbeat if it didn't have all the superfluous stuff (yes, that's a callback to the book cause that moment made me laugh).

I also hated how much sexism there was. Dumb comments from Ryder about females only being figure skaters, some other comments from other people about "crazy" women, and the fact that half the characters were f-boys who could just get anyone to sleep with them. Idk, it all felt a bit toxic, but I guess sports are generally just a bit toxic at any given time. That part was not for me, but I guess it was to be expected.

As a whole, I enjoyed the cast. I liked all characters and the different personalities they brought to the table, and I loved the romance arc! In the end, it was very much all devotion, and love, and emotion, and that worked very well. It was just some of the other pieces that really fell short for me. I'll likely read on in the series, as I like Gigi's friends enough to be curious about their stories, but it may be more of a skim going forward, because that's entirely too many pages for a romance for me.

TW: death of a parent, incarcerated parent, alcohol consumption, infidelity, sexism, injury detail; mentions cyber bullying, defamation 

The Prospects has so much heart to it, as well as a lot of trans and queer joy!

I'll start off saying that baseball is not my sport. There's a lot of story that goes into that and I was not there for it, but I did learn a thing or two. I loved Gene and Luis's love for the sport though. Seeing them sync up their playing with each other and slowly open up to one another was endearing and heartwarming and I appreciated seeing that relationship grow.

There were a few things in the book that I wasn't a fan of. First off, Luis's magical ever allowed dog, Dodger, is literally everywhere with them including hotels, people's houses, planes, ubers, restaurants, etc. I'm all for accessibility, but there is no world in which an emotional support dog is so ubiquitously accepted. I don't know if this was a dream scenario type thing, but I was surprised to see that there were never any hoops that they needed to jump through (or even permission asked) for this dog to come in. I also didn't love that we never really found out why they didn't like each other to start. Like what made they so abrasive at the beginning?? That never really felt resolved for me.

Otherwise, this book is pure joy and love and acceptance of self, I adored the characters and the stories and they chased their dreams, accepted their realities, and found success and happiness at the end of the day. This book is so important as there is so much self-love and acceptance in it that I feel like it can really help people understand that their body is okay, who they are is okay, and that was the real beauty of this story.

Rep: Trans gay MC with ADHD; gay MC with anxiety and mild paralysis; queer side characters

TW: transphobia, homophobia, bullying, panic attack, injury (sports related); mentions car accident

ARC gifted by Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. 

I feel like this book gave way too much of the middle grader sass - everyone kept complaining about everything and I understand what the author was trying to do, but it made it very hard and frustrating to read for the first quarter. Once we got back into the adventure and the mythology, it felt a lot better.

I really do think this book is important due to how it builds relationships - we don't know what other people are going through, we never know what will hurt others, and we never know what others will need from us to help support them if we don't ask. It was a strong testament to their friendships and relationships in the way they supported each other (even when everyone protested way too much).

Seeing everything come together in the end was nice and the overall story had the same energy as book one, which was fun and challenging in the best way. This is another great book, just wasn't as much for me as book one.

TW: bullying, injury detail, violence; mentions parent neglect

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Penguin Teen Canada in exchange for an honest review.