Hello! I’m here with another installment in my Buzzword Readathon series. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

This is the eighth post in my Buzzword-a-thon series for 2022. In case you’re new here, Buzzword-a-thon (or Buzzword Readathon) was originally created by Kayla at the YouTube channel booksandlala. It centers around readers choosing books that include specific words or ‘types’ of words. This is the second year where all 12 prompts were selected in advance and it’s being loosely hosted once a month on sites like Goodreads and Storygraph. Last year had an even split of specific words and themed-words alternating every month, but this year it’s more themed-based with a few original buzzword catagories making a reappearance from past read-a-thons. In 2022, I am challenging myself to read at least one book that satisfies the prompt every month, and suggesting books I’ve read previsously that would also fufill it within these posts. August’s theme was items / objects, and while I had a few to choose from I’m ultimately really happy with the book I decided to go with.

Book read in August: A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings

Harper, a highly qualified dental student, is anxiously awaiting placement into a top oral surgery residency program. She has her head held high and is moving forward with no distractions, until one day she, quite literally, falls and crashes into Dan. While he doesn’t share Harper’s passion for teeth (numbers are more his thing), first-year dental student Dan is trying his best to follow in the family footsteps to one day take over his late father’s practice. The two form an instant connection, but with Harper leaving in just a few months and not wanting anything serious, Dan decides to play by her rules. “Just friends” isn’t fooling anyone but them, but as time goes on the threat of unraveling the life she’s laid out for herself may be more than Harper can bear, and while Dan has found something to like about dental school, he may be forcing himself to live out someone else’s destiny.

This was such an enjoyable read, honestly, it’s exactly the kind of romance I visit time and time again. First, I loved the depiction of anxiety in Harper’s character – when she’s explaining an anxiety attack to Dan, after he encounters her having one at a crowded party, she compares it to a type of mushroom that on the surface can appear small, calm, and “normal,” but underground there is an array of roots that criss-cross, create friction, and cause chaos that is seemingly unfounded to the natural eye. That really resonated with me, as someone who can have particularly bad cases of situational anxiety – I feel as though my body is drowning in on itself, but I’ve had people who tell me I am over-exaggerating or that I “seem fine on the outside.” Harper can be in her own head a lot, much to her detriment, and I loved watching her grow and understand how it is okay to seek help so that your mind isn’t drowning all the time. I was a bit hesitant while reading the first few chapters, because the attraction between Dan and Harper is pretty evident since the moment they crash into each other, but watching them get to know each other, and learn to love the little moments was just lovely to see. I found Dan’s storyline to be really interesting, because several times when talking about his dad, and how he passed away from cancer, someone always gives their condolences, but he doesn’t feel right accepting them because, well, he didn’t like the person his dad had become, even when he was sick. He’s been pressured into attending dental school so his mom doesn’t carry the burden of their family practice alone, but he could think of a million things he’d like to do more than attending to dental patients. In the end, Harper is scared to let someone else in after losing someone she loved so dearly, and even though she knows it isn’t right to string Dan along she doesn’t want to let go. And Dan realizes that their relationship, as it stood presently, was causing both of them suffer, which isn’t healthy. I appreciated the depiction of people walking away, knowing it isn’t the right time to be together, in order to work on themselves as individuals first, before being able to come back and be a couple who supports each other through thick and thin. In the end, I really loved this story, and Mazey Eddings writing. I know there are going to be other stories following Harper’s friends, but I’m not all that interested so for now I’ll just enjoy Harper and Dan’s story for what it is.

In conclusion, we’re quickly approaching the last quarter of 2022, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings.

Where to find A Brush with Love:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Mazey Eddings’ site

Additional Recommendations: [some of these may be stretching the prompt just a bit, and I didn’t notice how much of a focus on YA contemporary I had until I’d finished compiling the list, so if that’s your jam I have a ton of recs for you]
–All Signs Point to Yes ed. By G. Haron Davis, Cam Montgomery, and Adrianne White (YA romance anthology)
–Chord (The OTP #2) by Chelsea M. Cameron (NA Romance)
–Crumbs by Danie Stirling (YA Graphic Novel)
–Dragonblood RIng (Blazewrath Games #2) by Amparo Ortiz (YA Fantasy)
–Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow (Middle-grade Contemporary)
–Going Off Script by Jen Wilde (YA Contemporary)
–If the Shoe Fits (Meant to Be #1) by Julie Murphy (Adult Romance)
–Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau (YA Contemporary)
–The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore (YA Contemporary) [review]
–Miss Meteor by Anna-Marie McLemore + Tehlor Kay-Mejia (YA Contemporary) [review]
–The Pants Project by Cat Clarke (Middle-grade Contemporary)
–Radio Silence by Alice Oseman (YA Contemporary)
–This Train is Being Held by Ismée Amiel Williams (YA Contemporary)
–You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (YA Contemporary)

Hi there! I’m here to talk about the next installment in the Enola Holmes series, that I was invited to read early. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

Last year I was invited to be a part of the blog tour for the 7th installment of the Enola Holmes series, Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche (you can find a small review and an excerpt from chapter 5 here). I found it to be an enjoyable experience and connected enough to the main series so seasoned readers would appreciate the references, and unique enough that it could be a starting point for new readers. So a few months ago, the folks over at Wednesday Books reached out and offered the chance to read the next book, Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade, early. This time we’re back with our finder of persons and things, Enola, her brother, Sherlock, and the appearance of Lady Cecily, a character who has appeared in several of the main series books (most likely starting in the 2nd book, The Case of the Left-Handed Lady). So I was interested enough to delve back into the world of Enola Holmes, and see what shenanigans she gets into next.

Enola Holmes, the much younger sister of well-known detective Sherlock Holmes, is currently living independently in London, studying and being a scientific perditorian (a finder of persons and things). But while Enola is able to have her independence, not all young women in Victorian England share the same liberties. Such is the case for Lady Cecily Alastair, who has already been rescued from her father, Sir Eustace Alastair, twice by Enola, but finds herself in need of rescuing yet again when she is confined to her bed chamber. Once Cecily has climbed down from her window in the middle of the night, Enola takes them both to her secret office to spend the night. However the next morning, Sherlock Holmes comes knocking, employed by Cecily’s mother to find her, but both Sherlock and Enola instead find the room empty of occupants, and now there is a girl loose on her own in the unforgiving city of London.

Honestly, I really like Enola as a character. She knows exactly who she is and what she’s capable of, even if other people find her strange or doubt / underestimate her abilities. It’s also evident in this installment that she isn’t against asking for help, turning to her brother, Sherlock, or a family friend, Lady Vienna, when she’s reached a sort of dead end. Enola cares deeply for the ones she holds close, and that’s why she is so adamant against Lady Cecily returning to her family home under the “too watchful” eye of her father, who, in my eyes, is abusive toward her and her mother, using his position as patriarch to force the household into submission. Enola will do anything to keep her friend safe, even if that means allowing her to slip past her brother’s grasp and return on her own to the streets of London. I think I would’ve liked this book more if I had been introduced to Lady Cecily earlier in the series – we do get her perspective in the prologue, and she does do a good job of recapping her involvement and establishing her history with Enola, so I think readers of the original six books will enjoy a callback to a previous character they know and love. I also wish that we could have gotten additional chapters from Cecily’s point of view – we do see her escape with Enola, we know she’s stolen some of Enola’s things from a secret message she’s left, and while she does appear more towards the end, I think it could have been interesting to see her make her way on her own. Enola succeeds in her quest to collect information to help free her friend by using sneak tactics (that almost finds her caught in a laundry chute), disguises, and a fake identity that add much-needed levity to an otherwise serious situation. These books are incredibly readable, and I will continue to pick them up to see what is next for our favorite perditorian.

I will admit I was a little concerned when I came across this line in the synopsis: “Even worse, Lady Cecily has a secret that few know. She has dual personalities—one, which is left-handed, is independent and competent; the other, which is right-handed is meek and mild.” I wasn’t sure how these “dual personalities” were going to be handled throughout the story (and if it had been referenced in the previous installments). Enola is always concerned when Cecily’s “right-handedness” takes charge, because “left-handed Cecily” doesn’t remember what happens in those times, and she acts more mild and meek because that is how society (or perhaps more pertinent her father) would like her to behave. To be fair, Cecily isn’t present for much of this novel, besides the prologue, epilogue, and some moments where she sends correspondence to Enola in between, so the main instances where it’s mentioned is Enola’s inner monologue, or her trying to explain it to Sherlock or Lady Vienna. It is definitely accurate that those around in this time period would not be familiar with dissociation, or even cases of multiple personality disorder (now better characterized as dissociative identity disorder). I did appreciate that when Cecily is having a moment upset at herself for not remembering something she did while her “right-handedness took over,” there is a line where Sherlock says something like ‘to be one’s self is not misbehaving,’ to assure Cecily that while they might not understand truly what is going on, it is not misbehavior. I’m still not sure how I feel about this aspect of Cecily’s character, but there were moments where I found it was handled as well as it could be for the time period.

In conclusion, I’d say this was a nice read to pass the time, and I think readers of the original series will enjoy this more than the last for the inclusion of characters seen before. I’m glad there are character like Enola who show that while not everyone in Victorian England could be independent, there were surely those who strived to be against the norm and make society a better place. Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade will be released on September 6th, 2022, which is just one week away, so please consider picking up a copy for yourself if you’re at all interested. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Where to find Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Macmillan
Nancy Springer’s site

Hi there! I’m back again to review a book from an author whose work I’ve loved before. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

Back in 2020, I was introduced to Minnie Darke from her release of The Lost Love Song, which I was approved for and reviewed on NetGalley (and you can read my review here). I fell in love with the story of Arie grieving the loss of his wife, Diana, Evie trying to find herself in a new city, and a myriad of other individuals touched by the last song Diana composed before she died. The writing was incredible and I loved the method of storytelling – I even picked up Darke’s first novel Star-Crossed, which centers horoscopes, which I haven’t yet had the chance to read. So when the kind individuals at Penguin Random House reached out and said I was preapproved to read her newest novel, With Love From Wish & Co., I couldn’t click the email fast enough to add it to my NetGalley queue.

Marnie Fairchild is the brains and talent behind Wish & Co., a boutique store that offers a unique gift-buying experience. Throughout the years, Marnie has garnered several wealthy clients with… complicated lives that need her assistance with their gift-buying needs. Her longest and most loyal customer is Brian Charlesworth, who currently needs an anniversary gift for his wife, Suzanne… and a birthday present for his mistress, Leona [as these occasions happen to fall on the same day]. Marnie has had her sights set on moving Wish & Co. to the historic shopfront once owned by her grandfather, and when an opportunity to bid for the property unexpectedly arrives in Marnie’s lap, it causes her to make a mistake. A tiny one. With monumental circumstances. Soon, gifts arrive at the wrong addresses, Brian is struggling to keep his marriage intact, and Marnie is scrambling to keep her dreams alive because if she loses him as a client the storefront is unattainable. As the next few weeks become a whirlwind of emotions, the last thing Marnie expects is to meet, and possibly fall for, Suzanne and Brian’s son, Luke Charlesworth.

One thing I admire so much about Minnie Darke’s novels are her ways of storytelling. I knew we were going to follow Marnie, as Wish & Co. is her business, and Brian, as his affair is found out due to a mistake being made. But what I didn’t expect was getting to follow Suzanne, as her heart becomes broken at the news of her husband’s [repeated] infidelity, Leone, Brian’s mistress as she grapples with Brian’s response to the news being found out, and Luke, who has his own secrets to be kept hidden for now [and since it’s not in the synopsis I don’t want to spoil his storyline, but it was one of my favorite parts watching his arc apart from Marnie’s]. While at first it felt disjointed – there were so many shifts in perspective before the “main event” (there’s an initial countdown to the implosion of the Charlesworth marriage), by the time we reached the end I felt so heavily for all of these characters, and their feelings and emotions felt so incredibly raw and honest. There was hurt, anger, distrust, and loneliness, but also love in its many forms – for a partner, for a child, for a friend, all of it. Everyone wants a chance at a new beginning, to start over with the knowledge past mistakes have taught them and move forward to make the future even better than the past and present. I struggled to call this novel strictly a romance, because while yes, it does follow Luke and Marnie and their love story, it follows so much more than just their lives. It was absolutely lovely to see.

No one in the book is perfect. They all occasionally make selfish decisions and don’t see how their actions will affect other people around them. They get angry, respond irrationally, and later, when they can see things more clearly, they can own up to their mistakes and apologize. They might not understand people’s actions or perspectives, and might go about asking in inappropriate way that cause discomfort. But at the end of the day, this is a group of individuals who ultimately want what is best for each other, and will strive to achieve that in what they believe to be the best way possible. I loved watching this story unfold the way it did.

In conclusion, this just makes me even more excited to pick up Star-Crossed, and probably any future novels Minnie Darke wants to grace us with. Her method of storytelling is such a joy to read, and I hope that the story of Marnie, Luke, Brian, Suzanne, and Leone can resonate with readers who need it, as it is ultimately one of love and new beginnings. With Love From Wish & Co. is set to be released [in the U.S.] on August 16th, 2022, which is the day this post goes live, so please join me in wishing it a happy book birthday and picking up a copy for yourself if you’re interested. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Where to find With Love From Wish & Co.:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Penguin Random House
Minnie Darke’s site

Hello! I’m here with another installment in my Buzzword Readathon series. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

*This is a little later than my usual posting, as I mentioned the past month has not been the best in terms of my mental health. I will be trying to be on top of things as best I can, as next month I will be traveling for the first time since the pandemic started. Thank you for reading*

This is the seventh post in my Buzzword-a-thon series for 2022. In case you’re new here, Buzzword-a-thon (or Buzzword Readathon) was originally created by Kayla at the YouTube channel booksandlala. It centers around readers choosing books that include specific words or ‘types’ of words. This is the second year where all 12 prompts were selected in advance and it’s being loosely hosted once a month on sites like Goodreads and Storygraph. Last year had an even split of specific words and themed-words alternating every month, but this year it’s more themed-based with a few original buzzword catagories making a reappearance from past read-a-thons. In 2022, I am challenging myself to read at least one book that satisfies the prompt every month, and suggesting books I’ve read previsously that would also fufill it within these posts. July’s theme was bookish words, and honestly this is the prompt I thought I would have more choices to pick from but overall I am very pleased with my final decision.

Book read in July: Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Nora Stephens is a cutthroat literary agent in New York CIty who works hard for her clients and even harder to make sure her younger sister, Libby, is happy. While her life may revolve around books, Nora knows she isn’t the heroine to be expected from romance novels, and her life doesn’t follow the typical tropes. But when Libby begs for a sister’s trip to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, a small town which happens to be the setting of Nora’s client’s best-selling book, she finds herself on a plane heading south. Instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps running into Charlie Lastra, a bookish editor that once passed on one of Nora’s clients and the two have “feuded” ever since. But Sunshine Falls still has its small town charm, and when Charlie and Nora are thrown together through various circumstances, the two of them may just find themselves the heroes of their own story.

Honestly, this might be my favorite Emily Henry romance novel so far (though it may be just tied with Beach Read – I’ll have to give them both a reread to decide). I appreciated how career-driven Nora comes across, and how well she treats her clients because she wants what is best for them and their books. I found it funny how this book plays with typical romance tropes, and how some are specifically referenced because Nora is trying to explain how her life is constantly not like those books / movies (I mean, except how several of her boyfriends have traveled to small towns, found love there, and have subsequently dumped her). Nora has always needed to put other people’s needs before her own, whether it be her clients, her partners, or most importantly her sister, so when she finally sits down and has time to reflect on herself and what she needs, what she wants, she realizes she may need help to overcome some unresolved issues from her childhood. I found Nora and Libby’s relationship to be pretty relatable, and while I did not lose my parents at a young age, I am the youngest of three and can see my sisters taking care of me in the same way Nora looks out for Libby. While I can’t necessarily say I agree with the initial marketing of this book being enemies-to-lovers, I loved seeing Nora’s discontent with Charlie and his entire personality, her surprise seeing him in Sunshine Falls, his reasoning for being in Sunshine Falls, their banter, his protectiveness every time she became close to anyone else in town, and ultimately them giving in to their mutual attraction. Overall, people have their very strong opinions about Emily Henry’s books (and romance novels in general, but that is a story for another day), but this was definitely one of my favorites and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

In conclusion, more than half of the year is gone already. I’m curious to see what the remaining months will bring.

Where to find Book Lovers:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Emily Henry’s site

Additional Recommendations:
–The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (Essay Collection)
–The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser (Adult Fiction) [review]
–Comics Will Break Your Heart by Faith Erin Hicks (YA Contemporary)
–In a Book Club Far Away by Tif Marcelo (Adult Fiction) [review]
–The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey (YA Contemporary)
–The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu (Adult Urban Fantasy)
–The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander (Adult Fiction) [review]
–The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Adult Speculative Fiction)
–The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons (Adult Contemporary) [review]
–The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg (Adult Fiction – translated)
–The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley + Austin Siegemund-Broka (Adult Romace)
–Suggested Reading by Dave Connis (YA Contemporary)
–True Crime Story by Joseph Knox (Adult Mystery)
–Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur (Adult Romance) [review]

Hi there! I’m here to share my thoughts about a new YA contemporary that stole my little thespian heart. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

*Also, I disappeared for a bit because things got pretty rough mentally the past month, and I didn’t have all the motivation to get around to posting on my blog. I’m trying to get things in order as much as I can, especially since I will be traveling next month for my largest trip since the pandemic started. I’m a little annoyed at myself for not getting this review up before release, especially since I actually really enjoyed this book and my personalized pre-order just came in the mail the other day, but I am only human and am doing my best – thanks for reading*

So when looking through the new YA books coming out this summer, especially the ones from Wednesday Books as they’ve always been really kind to me with digital ARCs through NetGalley and I tend to enjoy a fair amount of their selections, I came across Long Story Short, a YA contemporary debut by Serena Kaylor. I thought the cover art was adorable, and when I saw that the plot involved a mathematical genius attending a summer Shakespeare camp and becomes friends with a bunch of theatre nerds, I knew I had to request it at once. This sounds like something that I would absolutely love and relate to, and, fortunately, that’s exactly what happened, and now I get to share my thoughts.

Beatrice Quinn is a homeschooled statistical genius from Berkeley, California who has dreamed of attending a prestigious university (such as Oxford) and discovering / solving new mathematical challenges. Unfortunately, when Beatrice shares the news of her acceptance at a disastrous dinner party, her parents express concern that her social skills will make living away from home, let alone another country, a little difficult. So, in order to prove to her parents she can make it on her own, she agrees to attend the a six-week program at the Connecticut Shakespearean Summer Academy, packed with a checklist of milestones to complete. Unfortunately, teenage interactions don’t follow even the simplest equation, so when Beatrice is adopted by an eclectic duo of theatre nerds and immediately makes an enemy of the son of the camp’s founders (does he have to be annoying, talented, and attractive?), she realizes that these six weeks may be more harder to get through than her most difficult calculus class. Beatrice slowly opens up and takes a chance with everything this camp has to offer, but will she realize there’s more to life than numbers and books before the final curtain call?

Ok so I found this book a bit slow to get into at first, but when things finally got going I actually stayed up late to read this a few days in a row, which I haven’t done for a YA contemporary in a long time. As someone who is perpetually socially awkward (and have always thought myself to be behind my fellow peers in terms of life events we deemed “important” as teenagers) I found following Beatrice as she slowly experiences more with the help of her new friends to be incredibly relatable. I can only hope that people like Mia and Nolan would adopt me into their friend group if I was in this position. Every introvert [if they want] deserves to have a duo of extroverts to bring them out of their comfort zone. I loved Beatrice’s back and forth with Nik, how everyone else can tell it’s flirting except her, and he’s constantly trying to get under her skin to elicit a reaction because he knows he will. I will say I didn’t particularly love their misunderstanding, but I can appreciate that it’s handled in a very age-appropriate way, and when Nik is eventually confronted with it he doesn’t try to deny it, just spends so many other times trying to make up for his ego getting the best of him. Beatrice can also be seen trying to cope with her anxiety, and she and her therapist devised a plan for her to recite the names of all the noble gases when she feels herself becoming overwhelmed, which I might steal and use in the future. It was important for Beatrice to learn that even though she comes to camp with a checklist of actions she feels forced to carry out, being a teenager and taking a chance to be a bit reckless for the night, having fun with her friends, feeling more confident and putting herself out there even when it scares her are much more important than any list, and it was really nice to see her character growth. I think anybody who grew up around theatre will appreciate all the Shakespeare references, lines, and accuracy about summer camp for theatre nerds in all departments, but I don’t think it’s inaccessible for readers who aren’t as familiar – the play they’re putting on is Romeo and Juliet, which I feel is the most well-known, and many other references are used in the context of a Shakespeare face-off competition. While the ending may have been a bit rushed and over the top, I still absolutely loved my time with this book.

*I know I don’t have to mention this, but I have seen some reviews that are unhappy with Beatrice’s characterization – they are neurodiverse and believe Beatrice to be coded as autistic, and feel as though she gives in to people trying to change her. I will admit I did not read Beatrice this way, as I related more in a sense of her suffering from major social anxiety, but cannot say that anyone’s reading or interpretation as incorrect. I did feel it was important to mention, so please look up own-voices reviews if you are concerned with the representation on that front. From what I could tell, the word autistic is not used on page, but in discussions the author does consider neurodivergence an important aspect in her main characters.*

In conclusion, I wasn’t expecting this YA book to steal my thespian heart in such a way, but I was a goner for Beatrice’s story – her blossoming friendship with Mia and Nolan, her playful rivalry with Nik, and her rough patch around Shelby. I’m sure teens will find something to relate to in Serena Kaylor’s debut, and I hope people of all ages can come to appreciate the terror that is summer theatre camp. Long Story Short was released on July 26th, 2022, so make sure to pick up a copy for yourself in you’re interested. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Where to find Long Story Short:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Macmillan
Serena Kaylor’s site

Hello! I’m here to review a book about books I was excited to read early. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

I think I speak for most book nerds when I say that novels about libraries or books in general will always make their way onto our TBRs. So when I saw The Littlest Library, a literary fiction novel by Poppy Alexander, up on NetGalley, with an array of books hidden inside an English red telephone box, I was intrigued enough to request it. I was expecting small town vibes, and the power of books bringing a community together, and I’ll say I was pretty spot on with my predictions.

Jess Metcalf is perfectly content with her quiet, predictable life. But we know the only thing about life is its unpredictability. When her beloved grandmother, who raised Jess for close to 30 years after her parents’ deaths, passes away and she loses her job when the local library closes its doors, Jess’ life is turned upside down and she starts to feel stuck. With a little nudge from her best friend, she decides it’s time for a new beginning and buys a tiny cottage in the English countryside. To her surprise, Jess finds herself the new owner of a run-town telephone box at the edge of her property. Using the ten boxes of books her grandmother left behind, Jess decides to share the love and turn the phone box into the littlest library in England. It’s not long before the books are exhanged from villager to villager, filling the town with conversations of plot and characters – the library might even work its magic to bring Jess’ grumpy neighbor out of his shell. With every passing day, Jess is beginning to feel more at home in this tiny cottage in the tiny English community, but will she be able to fully make the leap and follow her heart wherever it leads?

Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read. The book starts off with Jess losing her way and unsure of what to do next, and when she’s re-directed to a small town in the English country-side she comes across a tiny cottage for sale and, feeling adventurous, puts in an offer that same day. The cottage just happens to below to the grumpy neighbor who helped her car when it wouldn’t start, and at a town-hall meeting Jess decides to pitch an idea to put a little library inside the abandoned phone box on the property, and fill it with her grandmother, Mimi’s books. It’s not long before all scores of people are popping by just to see what the library has to offer – mothers stopping by with their kids before school, sisters no longer on good terms but reading the same book, a husband who needs to learn when to put his family first, everyone is welcome to share the love of these books. It seems like Jess’ arrival in town sparks other members of the community to pitch in and help out their struggling neighbors, like volunteer at the corner store to allow the owner to attend training to reopen the post office. Although Jess seems to be settling in nicely, she is still grieving for her grandmother, the only parental figure she’s known since her parents died in a car accident when she was four. Through conversations with her neighbors, she learns that grief is more of a universal emotion than she thinks – almost everyone she talks to has felt the loss of something or someone, a loved one, a marriage, a mindset, a job, a way of life – and that no matter how put-together anyone seems on the outside no one truly has all the answers. Mimi has also left some annotations in some of her books, which provide a smile and some much-needed hope to those who use the library. What this story does best is showing the power of words, both spoken and written, how a community can come together to bring out the best in each other, and that there will always be a book waiting for you when you need it most.

I do also want to point out some things in the novel that I didn’t quite enjoy. This book is full of pages and pages of descriptions, which works well when both Jess and the reader are getting acquainted with the town and her cottage, and everything that she’ll need to do to fix it up. But sometimes, in instances where I felt excessive description was not inherently necessary, I found myself skimming until we came across more of Jess’ internal dialogue or conversations with another character. I have to say I liked Aidan and Maisie (his daughter) as Jess’ next-door neighbors, and the sort of grumpy-sunshine dynamic Aidan and Jess portrayed throughout most of the book, but I wasn’t a huge fan of Aidan’s ex-wife, Lucie, becoming a main antagonist and pretty much the sole reason he and Jess couldn’t be together or even spend time bonding for a majority of the book. We get one odd interaction with Lucie, and then we’re she’s taking Aidan to court to fight for more custody of Maisie, presumably because she is jealous of Jess. And I didn’t understand Aidan’s comment that Maisie won’t become an alcoholic like her mother, when almost every interaction Jess has with another woman from town is them drinking several glasses of some kind of alcohol. Lastly, I really don’t know why Jess, as a librarian herself, constantly and consistently says that she thinks libraries and their systems are going to be obsolete soon, due to funding cuts and the digital age. In recent years we’ve seen library advancements to keep up with the growing technological boom, embracing digital archiving and being able to share books to a wider community through apps and online. So I was a little taken aback when Jess shares her thoughts, in the first chapter nonetheless.

In the end, I’d say the tagline sums up this novel to a tee – a heartwarming literary novel about a woman who turns an ordinary red phone box into the littlest library in England and brings together a struggling town. It’s a story about loss, life, books, community, and coming together to bring out the best in each other. I’m glad I gave it a chance. The Littlest Library will be released (in the U.S.) on July 19th, 2022, which is the day this post goes live, so please join me in wishing it a happy book birthday and consider picking up a copy for yourself if you’re interested. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Avon Books, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Where to find The Littlest Library
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
HarperCollins
Poppy Alexander’s site

Hello! I’m here to review the epic conclusion to a trilogy by T.J. Klune! **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

The Extraordinaries series will always have a special place in my heart. The Extraordinaries was one of the first books I requested when joining NetGalley in February of 2020, and Tor Teen decided to take a chance on me and approve my request to read the first book in a new series by one of my favorite authors (you can read my review of it here). A year later I was approved to read its sequel Flash Fire early (you can read my review of it here) and now here we are, in 2022, where I get to share my thoughts about the third and final book in this trilogy, Heat Wave. Reading this series has certainly been an experience, and while I cannot say the series is without its faults, many of which Klune has owned up to and worked to correct in later books, there is something very charming about these characters and this town that makes me sad that it’s over, but glad to have read it.

Heat Wave starts off about a month after the ending events of Flash Fire, and after reading the plot twist Klune decided to throw in right at the end, after the acknowledgements, I know readers are going to be eager to see how this plays out. It started out pretty typically for an Extraordinaries novel – with Nicky and his friends just trying their best with the situation and circumstances they’ve been dealt – but then at the end of chapter 2 things started to feel off. Really off. And as a reader I knew something was wrong, but I couldn’t explain what. And even the characters couldn’t explain what, because they were all acting as if nothing was wrong and that made me even more suspicious. I can say I was genuinely confused for the first 40-50% of the novel, and I know I’m supposed to be, given what we discover later, but it still hindered my enjoyment on a first read-through. I can tell readers are going to have some opinions about this twist. There were still embarrassing moments between Nick and his dad (especially one conversation in particular), some really sweet and tender moments between Nick and Seth, and honestly I love that Jazz has become a true force to be reckoned with throughout this series, because she and Gibby are wonderful additions to this cast. There are also plenty of dad jokes that will either make you laugh or cringe – your mileage may vary. This book also made me hate Simon Burke even more – the things he was willing to do to gain power and control, and the lengths he was willing to go in order to hurt Nick and his dad were truly remarkable. As with every superhero book there was a big moment of climatic action, a face-off between the heroes and the villains, and there were moments I wasn’t sure of the outcome so it kept me engaged and reading forward. Some choices towards the end were a bit much for my taste, but I will say I found the “epilogue” to be a very nice ending to wrap up this story.

I think I want to speak specifically about Owen and his role throughout the series (*this paragraph will contain spoilers, so please read at your own risk*). At the end of the first book we learn that Owen, who is the son of Simon Burke of Burke pharmaceuticals, was not born with his extraordinary powers that allowed him to become Shadow Star, but in fact had them because his father was performing experiments with pills that would give normal civilians superhuman abilities. He chose to become the villain to Seth’s Pyro Storm, and cause damage to the city, including the death of several innocent people. After his apprehension, he is sent by his father to a safe-guarded facility where he was forced in a room with the lights always on, to deny him access to his shadows. When he escaped, he approached Nick and his friends at the park, informed them of Simon Burke’s deception, and then comes to their assistance twice (once at Nick’s house and once during the final battle sequence). In my eyes, Owen only helped Nick because “the enemy of my enemy is my ally,” and Owen’s sole purpose was to enact revenge on his parents for everything they had put him through. But after the villain of the story is finally exposed and apprehended, Owen does not stop. He chooses to further harm the city, becoming even stronger by taking more of his father’s pills, and refusing any of the help offered. In the end, his powers become his downfall. I’m not sure this plot-line will sit well with every reader, because they would prefer seeing Owen seek help after all the abuse he’s suffered. When offered the help, he does not take it, and while I would have liked to see the inner workings of Owen’s character explored more throughout the series, I personally understand and can learn to respect the way this plays out.

Since this is the third book in a trilogy, I figured I’d include some general thoughts about the series as a whole. Overall, I think where this series shines is in the character work. While Nicky as a main character makes mistakes and is misguided at times, whether through ignorance, ADHD, or simply being a teenager, you want to root for him and you don’t want him and his friends & family to continue to suffer at the hands of the villain. And speaking of the villain? I don’t know if I’ve hated a character as much as him in a long time. The themes of family and friendship are incredibly solid, and discussions about the importance of communication (and the consequences of keeping secrets) among various relationships were good to see. And while I think it can be important to discuss social justice issues as they pertain to both the book’s characters and events occurring in the real world, I think Klune’s baseline inclusion of these issues, and his handling of them, is where the strength of the series begins to falter. There are reviewers who have covered these missteps through a lens far better than I ever could (especially as a white reader), particularly around the release of The Extraordinaries so please go check out their thoughts. So while I don’t think this series is Klune’s strongest work to date, I’m glad that it has positively reached some readers, especially those with attention deficit disorders, and has allowed them to feel seen.

In the end, would I recommend The Extraordinaries as a series to start? Well, that all depends on your reading tastes. If you’re a fan of superhero stories with lots of actions, commentary, and quirky characters, then I think it would be a great series for you. Fans of T.J. Klune will certainly appreciate the humor and some callbacks to other books he’s written, as well as the pain he typically puts his characters through. It won’t be for everyone, though, and that’s ok – reading is subjective after all. I’m sure fans of the series will appreciate the conclusion Heat Wave gives them, and I’m excited to see everyone’s thoughts on that twist. Heat Wave is set to be released on July 19th, 2022, which is the day this post goes live, so please join me in wishing it a happy book birthday and consider picking up a copy for yourself if you’re interested. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Tor Teen, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Where to find Heat Wave:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Macmillan
T.J. Klune’s site

Hello! I’m here to catch up and review some ARCs I didn’t quite get around to reading before their release date. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

So, ARCs and sites like NetGalley are primarily used to generate buzz for upcoming titles by releasing copies early into the hands of reviewers. But we’re all human, and sometimes things come up or we put the book down and then release day comes along and we just haven’t finished the book. It happens to all of us. The end of last year, and parts of this year, have proven to be rough patches for me, and when that happens I don’t want my mood or distracted mindset to affect the books I read in any way, so I’ve set aside three titles to come back to, possibly in formats other than a digital ARC, so I could give them a real and honest chance and express my true thoughts. And even though these have been out for a while now, I still wanted to share my thoughts about them here.

You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao (released November 9th, 2021)
–You’ve Reached Sam is a debut YA contemporary with a little speculative twist, following seventeen-year-old Julie. As high school is coming to an end, she thinks she has her future planned – moving out of her small town with her boyfriend, Sam, attending college in the city taking writing courses, and spending the summer in Japan among the cherry blossom trees. But then Sam dies, and Julie has a hard time coping with her new reality. Heartbroken, Julie deletes all of Sam’s messages, throws out everything that reminds her of him, and avoids his funeral, but a message Sam left in her yearbook causes old memories to come flooding back. Desperate to hear his voice one last time, Julie calls Sam’s number, expecting his recorded voicemail, and miraculously he answers. Suddenly, Julie has the chance to say goodbye, but with this restored connection, no matter how temporary, it starts to become even harder to let go.
-I was able to get this on NetGalley when it was a Read Now option, and I did truly try to read it before its release. I had probably started it at least three times, but I never felt I was in the right headspace and didn’t want my thoughts to be negatively affected. So I took my time, put myself on the waitlist for the audiobook from my library, and picked it up when it was finally my turn to listen. I can definitely see why this book got a lot of hype around its release, it was a great book that explored grief in a very specific way, and how someone might react to getting a second chance to talk to their loved one after they’ve passed away. Julie holds a lot of guilt at the beginning of the book – Sam dies when driving, on his way to pick her up at a bus stop, and there are times when she replays the events of that day wondering if things would have been different if she hadn’t ignored his calls. She blocks everyone out and gets rid of all Sam’s things because she thinks it’ll make things easier. When Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family endures after his death, she finds herself wondering if sharing this chance to talk to Sam one last time is worth of risk of possibly severing the connection for good. I’m a bit torn because on one hand, I really would have enjoyed further development for the side characters, like Sam’s family and Julie’s friends at school, but on the other hand by focusing on Julie it really highlights just how dependent Julie becomes on her calls with Sam, and how instead of helping her heal they seem to further isolate her. I sometimes thought the pacing was a bit off and felt the ending was rushed, but overall I enjoyed my time with this debut and would recommend picking it up if you’re interested.

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich (released December 7th, 2021)
-Zach Knight, Ruben Montez, Angel Phan, and Jon Braxton make up the boy-band Saturday, one of the biggest rising musical acts in America. Their image suggests they’re heartbreakers onstage and on screen and best friends behind the scenes. But even a carefully crafted image can begin to fall when management wants to take control of every aspect of your life. Angel is starting to turn to other means of control, Jon is feeling less like his father (head of management)’s son and more like a marketing tool, Zach is becoming more certain each and every day that while he’s a part of Saturday he’ll never be able to come out as gay, and Ruben is struggling to figure out his feelings when a drunken kiss with his best friend and bandmate Zach sparks something new. A whirlwind trip through Europe allows the boys to become the stars they’ve always dreamed of, but tensions rising over jealousy, secrecy, and unresolved emotions may lead Saturday into deep waters where they’re no longer able to navigate on their own. Will the band (and Zach and Ruben’s relationship) survive the tour and what comes next?
-I have struggled to just sit down and finish this book ever since an ARC copy dropped onto my NetGalley queue. Around release there was some undeserved criticism surrounding the book and its similarities to a real-life band, which the authors have repeatedly stated they have not based the book on, so I wanted to wait until I was in a good space to read, rate, and review the book as to not give it an unfair review to add on. I ended up listening to the audiobook while diamond painting and I’m so glad I finally got through it and gave the whole book a chance. It’s told in dual POV (Zach and Ruben’s thoughts in first person) and while I would’ve maybe liked a dual narration to help highlight the change in perspective, I found that each character was distinct enough in their own way that I didn’t have trouble keeping track. I appreciated how this book does not shy away from the negativity of the music industry, and how young people who become extremely famous extremely fast can sometimes be placed under management that will not always have their best interests as individuals at heart, only their interests as performers or money-makers. And how easy it is for them to turn a blind eye to substance abuse or other issues until they become impossible to ignore. I loved Zach and Ruben and how they brought out each other’s strengths. I found it especially impactful when they are telling management about their relationship and while Ruben is buying the excuse of “not going public until they’re ready,” Zach knows that as long as they are making albums and selling out shows they’ll always be forced into the closet. I wish we could’ve gotten more insight into Jon’s thoughts – as the producer’s son it had to be incredibly tough knowing that his career as a whole will always be more important to his dad than him as a person. Overall, the balance between sweet and serious moments made me want to keep listening, so I would highly recommend picking up If This Gets Out if you’ve been interested.

All the Right Reasons by Bethany Mangle (February 25th, 2022)
–All the Right Reasons is a debut YA contemporary following Cara and her mother, Julia. When a video diary of them bad mouthing Cara’s father (that was supposed to be private) goes viral, the pair are invited to be the stars of a new reality dating show for single parent families. When Julia starts to grow attached to a man Cara can’t stand, and Cara herself starts to develop feelings for another contestant’s kid, she knows she’ll have a hard time agreeing with her mother on which pairs to keep around and which ones will be eliminated from the show.
-I think the strongest aspect of this book was Cara’s relationship with her mother. After a nasty divorce, they’ve had to depend on each other to work against everyone who tried to bring them down. They don’t have much money, and they’re forced to interact with Julia’s ex-husband because the judge ruled partial split custody and they own a gym together. Still, Cara wants her mother to be happy and not overworked, and Julia tries to be the best parent to her daughter. They clash and fight and say things they don’t mean in the heat of the moment, and it was just great to see that on page. I also loved the representation of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a hereditary disorder affecting the body’s connective tissues. Connor, one of the suitor’s sons, has EDS, and there are good conversations and moments in which he doesn’t want to feel “coddled” because he is disabled. Personally I wish there was more moments with Connor and Sam (one of the assistants on the show) but I understand there needed to be drama with other contestants (it is reality T.V. after all). Overall I enjoyed my time reading this – it wasn’t my favorite but it was cute and fast-paced when the action finally took off, and I think it’s a great choice for any teen to pick up.

In conclusion, there will probably be books I request or receive in the future that I won’t be able to read before release date. I know I can’t always be perfect, but I can strive for honesty and do my best to make sure I don’t get this far behind on ARCs in the future. **Even though these are late, all thoughts and opinions are still my own and I would like to thank the publishers, Wednesday Books (You’ve Reached Sam and If This Gets Out) and Margaret K. McElderry Books (All the Right Reasons) for the early copies.**

Where to find these books:
You’ve Reached Sam: Bookshop Amazon Goodreads Dustin Thao’s site
If This Gets Out: Bookshop Amazon Goodreads Sophie Gonzales’ site Cale Dietrich’s twitter
All the Right Reasons: Bookshop Amazon Goodreads Bethany Mangle’s site

Hello! I’m here with another installment in my Buzzword Readathon series. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

This is the sixth post in my Buzzword-a-thon series for 2022. In case you’re new here, Buzzword-a-thon (or Buzzword Readathon) was originally created by Kayla at the YouTube channel booksandlala. It centers around readers choosing books that include specific words or ‘types’ of words. This is the second year where all 12 prompts were selected in advance and it’s being loosely hosted once a month on sites like Goodreads and Storygraph. Last year had an even split of specific words and themed-words alternating every month, but this year it’s more themed-based with a few original buzzword catagories making a reappearance from past read-a-thons. In 2022, I am challenging myself to read at least one book that satisfies the prompt every month, and suggesting books I’ve read previsously that would also fufill it within these posts. June is the only month this year that had a specific word to find in the title, and that word was “ALL.” I had some really good choices to pick from, and I’m overall really pleased with my read this month, and my recommendations of past reads.

Book read in June: All the Feels by Olivia Dade

Alexander Woodroe stars as Cupid in the newest hit T.V. show, Gods of the Gate. He has it all and should be living the dream, except that the latest season has wrecked Cupid’s character growth, Alex is dogged by old demons left to fester, and his post-show future is, in the simplest terms, uncertain. When Alex is caught in a bar fight and tabloids claim his star is falling, the directors hire former ER therapist Lauren Clegg to keep him in line. While she is accustomed to de-escalating situations with dangerous patients, Lauren is surprised to see little evidence of Alex’s recklessness, and what she does see is not without legitimate reason. When another scandal at a convention lands Alex in major hot water and costs Lauren her job, she’ll have to choose between protecting him and giving in to what they both want. Alex is determined to keep his impossibly stubborn, and extremely endearing minder in his life any way he can, and on a road trip up the California coast together he intends to show her exactly what a falling star will do to catch the woman he loves: anything at all.

We were first introduced to Alex and Lauren in Spoiler Alert, the first book in the series which follows Gods of the Gate co-star, Marcus, and the plus-sized cosplayer / fandom writer whose picture goes viral, April. The event that causes Lauren to lose her job happens at the end of Spoiler Alert, at a panel at a convention, so I’m glad we got to back-track and see the progression of Alex and Lauren’s friendship and relationship before and after that. If I’m being honest, I actually enjoyed All the Feels a little bit more – Alex and Lauren really won my heart over. I felt for Lauren so much – she’s plain, unremarkable, and she knows it, and she’s had to deal with people telling her so and forcing her to apologize for how other people feel. Then enter Alex, who will fight tooth and nail for the people he cares about without any second thoughts of the consequences that could come from it. Alex also loves teasing Lauren, but never takes it too far and always asks Lauren what is wrong when he seems to make her uncomfortable, because he wants to avoid making her upset at all costs. These two just want to make each other happy, but seemingly miss being on the same page as to what they both want. It was lovely watching them figure out their feelings. And it’s certainly steamier than I remember Spoiler Alert being, but that could just be me not recalling those scenes so take that with a grain of salt. There were also text messages from the group chat of several Gods of the Gate actors and snippets of fanfiction Alex is writing to express his distaste for his character’s arc on the show sprinkled in between chapters, which always make for a more immersive reading experience at least for me.

In conclusion, I can’t believe we’re already halfway through 2022. It hasn’t been the easiest six months ever, but here’s hoping that good things are in store for the second half of the year.

Where to find All the Feels:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Olivia Dade’s site

Additional Book Recommendations:
–All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (YA Memoir)
–All Signs Point to Yes ed. By G. Haron Davis, Cam Montgomery, and Adrianne White (YA romance anthology)
–All Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders (Adult Sci-fi)
–All the Right Mistakes by Laura Jamison (Adult Fiction) [review]
–All the Right Reasons by Bethany Mangle (YA Contemporary)
–All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace (YA Fantasy)
–All the Things We Do in the Dark by Saundra Mitchell (YA Contemporary)
–All the Wrong Places by Ann Gallagher (Adult Romance)
–All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban (YA Mystery / Thriller)
–How it All Blew Up by Arvin Ahmadi (YA Contemporary) [review]
–I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver (YA Contemporary)

Hi there! I’m here to talk about a pretty unique book I got the chance to read early. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

A few months ago, a good friend of mine, Sam, read this YA debut horror book called Hell Followed With Us. After they finished, they would not stop singing its praises – primarily for its great trans and autistic rep, and its portrayal of religious trauma. So when it went up on NetGalley as a Read Now option, I snagged it and downloaded a copy before the title was archived at the beginning of June. I will say the formatting wasn’t the best, and so it took me a bit longer than normal to get through the book as I wanted to make sure I picked up on everything on the page, but it didn’t impact my overall thoughts or enjoyment of it I just wanted to mention it.

Benji is sixteen-years-old and is on the run from the religious cult who’s raised him for the past five years – the very same cult who decimated the world’s population and left very few clusters of survivors scattered around the globe. He’s searching for a place where he can’t be found, and, more importantly, where they can’t get their hands on the dangerous and perfected bioweapon they infected him with. When he feels trapped, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center (ALC for short). Their leader, Nick – gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot – knows the secret Benji has been hiding – the bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe out the rest of humanity, or at least the rest of the nonbelievers. Still, Benji is offered a place of solace at the ALC, as long as he can control the monster and use its power to keep the others safe. Benji agrees, until he learns that Nick has secrets of his own, and that he may never truly be safe.

*the letter from the author prior to the start of the novel has the following content warning: “this book contains depictions of graphic violence, transphobia, domestic and religious abuse, self-injury, and attempted suicide.” please take care of yourself and pick this up only if you’re in a good head-space to do so, it will still be there when you’re ready*

Now I am not a reader who actively chooses to pick up book that are heavy on action and gore. From the letter from the author at the beginning I knew what I was getting into, I just don’t normally pick up these kinds of books. But I want to be clear that I’m not saying these books don’t deserve to be written. Hell Followed With Us is full of anger and trauma and rebelling against the force that has made you feel worthless for longer than you can remember. It’s about trying to escape in order to heal and being re-traumatized at every turn. There is hurt. A lot of it. And underlying it all, there is hope. It’s a story that needs to be told, and certainly one that will find its audience – it has already found a pretty substantial following with whom its message has resonated so strongly, and I’m glad to see it. The book starts off with action, Benji trying to escape the scene where his father has just been murdered by people whom he’s been taught to trust, and I’ll admit I was a bit confused. It’s one of those stories where you’re thrown in and have to keep reading in order for things to be explained, and it definitely took me some time to become accustomed to the world. While I do think the ending got a little muddled, again it’s a point of major action and I got a bit confused, there is so much to love about everything in between. From found family (the queer teens at the ALC who may not always get along but rely on each other for survival), to on page and named autistic representation in Nick, to Benji’s inner thoughts about dysphoria, there are so many discussions that caught me off guard in the best way and were more powerful than I can put into words.

One thing I especially want to highlight is the massive religious trauma wielded throughout the book. It really does such a great job at showing just how destructive indoctrination can be on someone’s health and mindset. It doesn’t matter how strongly you’ve deconstructed, or how much you know in your mind and heart that what you’ve been taught all those years is harmful and hateful, there will always be times when those teachings crop back up in your life and make you react in certain ways. This doesn’t mean you’ve failed in your journey of healing, far from it as long as you acknowledge your words and actions as harmful – it just shows how deeply trauma can affect someone. As someone who spent more than half their life at religious institutions, even I have to give myself pause when a thought crosses my mind sometimes. Not everything I’ve ever been taught has been wrong, but I’ve had to sort out my beliefs so they better align with what I, in the present, believe to be right.

In conclusion, I’m not entirely sure this review made a lot of sense. I have a lot of thoughts about Hell Followed With Us, and I’m sure that I’ll gain more insight from the story when reading a second time, since I’m not personally skimming through some of the heavier action to make sure the characters I care about made it out ok. I truly can’t wait to see the book find [more of] its audience and to resonate with readers who need to feel like their feelings are valid and acceptable. Hell Followed With Us is set to be released on June 7th, 2022 (which is the day this post goes live) so please join in wishing it a happy book birthday and consider picking up a copy if you’re interested. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Peachtree Teen, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Where to find Hell Followed With Us:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Peachtree
Andrew Jospeph White’s site