Total shocker but after months and months of not being able to read – I’m reading ALL the books! 15 in May!
I’m totally caught up on review book reading so I’m free and clear to get back to my TBR pile.
Here’s a bit of a wrap up the past week.
Currently Reading:
He’s Come Undone: A Romance Anthology by Emma Barry, Olivia Dade, Adriana Herrera, Ruby Lang, Cat Sebastian ~ Goodreads I’m a fan of every single one of these authors and this anthology about uptight men and the women that unravel them is one of the better anthologies I’ve read.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. kendi ~ Goodreads I’ve been trying read more non-fiction and I love Jason Reynolds, so when I was offered this for review I grabbed it. Stamped is a remix of Kendi’s adult Stamped From the Beginning and aimed at teens to educated and get readers to understand how racism has been baked into the fabric of America (and the world) right from the beginning. While also teaching how to examine those ideas and stamp out those teachings.
The writing has a very frenetic energy that is kind of hard for me to follow but is perfect for teens to grab their attention and an absolute must read for parents and kids to start discussions.
Read:
Fell of Dark but Caleb Roehrig ~ Goodreads This is a very ambitious book. Roehrig combines snark, historical figures, vampires and werewolves in a very entertaining way. There’s a touch of romance or more like attraction maybe between the teen protagonist Auggie who discovers he’s the Chosen One holding a demon vessel inside of him (major Buffy vibes!) and 2 vampires who come to town and it plays out in a very interesting way – as a way to show LGBQT history and attitudes throughout time and to play with the turn your lover into a vampire and stay together for eternity trope.
There’s loads of danger and action and it’s fun – yet it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. There were so many characters (primarily his best friend and her love interest) that came and went only to service the plot as needed and I was a little squicked out but how old the vampires were in relation to Auggie. Even though they are *stuck* in time as teens. But that’s just me as an old lady – I used to be all about that during the Twilight years – even though it bothers me now. So you know…ignore that if it doesn’t bother you.
Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert ~ Goodreads I’m a huge Annabeth Albert fan and this first NA title by her was a delight. Much tamer than her adult series (and most NA) but still full of romantic tension between these two rivals to more.
As always, she brings depth to her characters – one of the MC”s is neurodiverse and Jewish – both have complicated relationships with their parents – while adding the fun road trip aspect and of course the major competition between Alden and Conrad for a spot on the Odyssey Pro Tour – something they both desperately need – but only one can win.
The ending was a little dragged out and overly sappy but I do like my solid endings so I’ll overlook it. And there were several repeated phrases that might be cleaned up in the finished copy.
Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo ~ Goodreads I loved this one! This is a one day romance with a fairly unlikable hero but she made it work. I hope to have a review up for this one soon.
The Summer Deal (Wildstone #50 by Jill Shalvis ~ Goodreads I’ll be reviewing this one for an upcoming tour so I’ll be brief and say this was a very messy, complicated look at friends, family (by blood and found), and forgiveness and I loved it!
What have you all been reading? HAVE you been reading?
