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Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

September 11, 2021 2 Comments

7 Hours 3 Mins | Harper Audio | Contemporary | 5/04/2021

In this book, the titular Meet Cute Diary is a wildly popular Tumblr blog of supposedly true meet-cutes from transgender couples. In reality, all the posts are from the imagination of 16-year-old Noah Ramirez–who has only ever dreamed of having his own meet-cute.

When an anonymous troll tries to discredit the blog, Noah and a handsome bookseller stage a social media love story inspired by Noah’s fake posts.

The Meet Cute Diary is a refreshing take on the coming of age YA love story that creates room for queer and imperfect teens but… its main romance left me wanting more.

*mild spoilers below*

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Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

August 14, 2021 2 Comments

8 hours 19 minutes | Harper Audio | Contemporary | 9/15/2020

CW (from publisher): mention of sexual abuse, rape, assault, child abuse, kidnapping and addiction to opioids

28-year-old superstar Korey Fields promised to make 17-year-old Enchanted Jones singing dreams come true. Instead he lures her into an abusive relationship she can’t escape from. Part contemporary novel and part literary thriller, Grown is a brilliantly modern addition to the canon of YA books about abusive relationships.

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Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

July 9, 2021 1 Comment

CW (via author’s website) : inferred (and highly condemned) pedophilia.

Prim and proper Enne arrives in the sinful city of New Reynes to find for her missing mother, but the city has other plans. Enne is quickly pulled in by Levi Glaysier, an alluring young street lord who helps her navigate the city and uncover its darkest secrets.

It was okay.

New Reynes seems to be an homage to early 20th century Monaco. Amanda Foody infuses this setting with what started off as a pretty basic magical system and history that becomes harder to follow as more layers are added.

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The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

June 27, 2021 2 Comments

8 Hours 55 Mins | Simon & Schuster Audio | Historical | 8/04/2020

I don’t typically seek out “Black trauma” books so I don’t know what possessed me to pick this up but I am so glad I did. The Black Kids is an evocative, stunning and salient (historical?) YA set during the L.A. Riots following the Rodney King verdict.

Our protagonist is Ashley Bennett an upper-class Black teen in Brentwood trying to get through the end of her senior year; while just a few miles away South Central is on fire. Throughout the book, Ashley contemplates the good and bad in the world and tries to figure out her place in all of the turmoil.

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Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

May 24, 2021 Leave a Comment

501 pages | Margaret K. McElderry Books | Urban Fantasy | 9/15/2020

This is my first TikTok made me read it books.

Legendborn follows 16-year-old Bree Matthews, a high school student attending UNC Chapel Hill as part of an Early College program, who accidentally stumbles into the world of the Legendborn— magic-wielding descendants of The Knights of the Roundtable. As Bree works her way into the Legendborn world (and falls for their King) she learns more about her own family history.

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Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant

May 23, 2021 Leave a Comment

10 Hours 19 Mins | Harper Audio | Contemporary YA | 1/05/2021

16-year-old Tessa Johnson loves to write romance. When her family relocates to Long Beach she gets to attend a writing conservatory. But during her first writing class, all her story ideas vanish. She decides the best course of action to jumpstart her romance writing mojo is by falling in love IRL.

Tessa sets her eyes on Nico, the brooding dark-haired, rich boy who looks like he walked out of one of her stories while being completely oblivious to Sam, the goofy boy next door who drives her to school everyday.

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