ARC review, book review, young adult

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson (ARC Review)

Korey Fields is dead. When Enchanted Jones wakes with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night, no one—the police and Korey’s fans included—has more questions than she does. All she really knows is that this isn’t how things are supposed to be. Korey was Enchanted’s ticket to stardom. Before there was a dead body, Enchanted was an aspiring singer, struggling with her tight knit family’s recent move to the suburbs while trying to find her place as the lone Black girl in high school. But then legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots her at an audition. And suddenly her dream of being a professional singer takes flight… Read More Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson (ARC Review)

ARC review, book review, young adult

Shine by Jessica Jung (ARC Review)

What would you give for a chance to live your dreams? For seventeen-year-old Korean American Rachel Kim, the answer is almost everything. Six years ago, she was recruited by DB Entertainment—one of Seoul’s largest K-pop labels, known for churning out some of the world’s most popular stars. The rules are simple: Train 24/7. Be perfect. Don’t date. Easy right?… Read More Shine by Jessica Jung (ARC Review)

ARC review, book review, young adult

The Friend Scheme by Cale Dietrich (ARC Review)

High schooler Matt’s father is rich, powerful, and seemingly untouchable– a mobster with high hopes that his son will follow in his footsteps. Matt’s older brother Lukas seems poised to do just that, with a bevy of hot girls in tow. But Matt has other ambitions–and attractions. And attraction sometimes doesn’t allow for good judgement. Matt wouldn’t have guessed that Jason, the son of the city’s police commisioner, is also carrying a secret. The boys’ connection turns romantic, a first for both. Now Matt must decide if he can ever do the impossible and come clean about who he really is, and who he is meant to love… Read More The Friend Scheme by Cale Dietrich (ARC Review)

ARC review, book review, young adult

10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon (ARC Review)

Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny-tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe. Samir Jha might have a few . . . quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady… Read More 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon (ARC Review)

ARC review, book review, young adult

Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye (ARC Review)

Everyone knows about the dare: Each week, Bryson Keller must date someone new–the first person to ask him out on Monday morning. Few think Bryson can do it. He may be the king of Fairvale Academy, but he’s never really dated before. Until a boy asks him out, and everything changes. Kai Sheridan didn’t expect Bryson to say yes. So when Bryson agrees to secretly go out with him, Kai is thrown for a loop. But as the days go by, he discovers there’s more to Bryson beneath the surface, and dating him begins to feel less like an act and more like the real thing… Read More Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye (ARC Review)

book review, young adult

The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park (Review)

Nate Jae-Woo Kim wants to be rich. When one of his classmates offers Nate a ridiculous amount of money to commit grade fraud, he knows that taking the windfall would help support his prideful Korean family, but is compromising his integrity worth it? Luck comes in the form of Kate Anderson, Nate’s colleague at the zombie-themed escape room where he works. She approaches Nate with a plan: a local tech company is hosting a weekend-long survivalist competition with a huge cash prize. It could solve all of Nate’s problems, and Kate needs the money too… Read More The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park (Review)

audiobook, book review, young adult

Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon (ARC Review)

For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what to do… Read More Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon (ARC Review)

ARC review, book review, young adult

Cold Falling White by Gabrielle S. Prendergast (ARC Review)

Two teens fight for their lives after an alien invasion in this heart-stopping follow-up to Zero Repeat Forever. Humans. Clones. Aliens. No one is safe anymore. It’s the end of the world. Xander Liu survived the alien invasion—just barely. For more than a year, he has outsmarted, hidden from, and otherwise avoided the ruthless intruders, the Nahx, dodging the deadly darts that have claimed so many… Read More Cold Falling White by Gabrielle S. Prendergast (ARC Review)

book review, young adult

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw (ARC Review)

Be careful of the dark, dark wood…Especially the woods surrounding the town of Fir Haven. Some say these woods are magical. Haunted, even. Rumored to be a witch, only Nora Walker knows the truth. She and the Walker women before her have always shared a special connection with the woods. And it’s this special connection that leads Nora to Oliver Huntsman—the same boy who disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys weeks ago—and in the middle of the worst snowstorm in years. He should be dead, but here he is alive, and left in the woods with no memory of the time he’d been missing… Read More Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw (ARC Review)