Book Review: Rent a Boyfriend

Author: Gloria Chao

Genre: YA Contemporary

Release Date: 10.10.20

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

SYNOPSIS: “Chloe Wang is nervous to introduce her parents to her boyfriend, because the truth is, she hasn’t met him yet either. She hired him from Rent for Your ’Rents, a company specializing in providing fake boyfriends trained to impress even the most traditional Asian parents.

Drew Chan’s passion is art, but after his parents cut him off for dropping out of college to pursue his dreams, he became a Rent for Your ’Rents employee to keep a roof over his head. Luckily, learning protocols like “Type C parents prefer quiet, kind, zero-PDA gestures” comes naturally to him.

When Chloe rents Drew, the mission is simple: convince her parents fake Drew is worthy of their approval so they’ll stop pressuring her to accept a proposal from Hongbo, the wealthiest (and slimiest) young bachelor in their tight-knit Asian American community.

But when Chloe starts to fall for the real Drew—who, unlike his fake persona, is definitely not ’rent-worthy—her carefully curated life begins to unravel. Can she figure out what she wants before she loses everything?”

Rent a Boyfriend was the adorable fake dating story I wanted, and so so much more. It had incredible character development, romantic chemistry, and infinite mooncakes. I decided to read this after feeling the need for a something fluffy and cute. It successfully filled that need, and then some! It was adorable and a fantastic take on the fake dating trope. Dare I say, that this is the fake dating trope done right?!

So, first, I loved these characters. Chloe and Drew were fantastic protagonists and I enjoyed reading from both of their perspectives. Their voices were unique and together, made the story feel full. It was easy to get emotionally connected to them while reading and I was quickly attached. I sympathized *a lot* with Chloe and wanted to give her a hug more times than I could count.

With that being said, I was also impressed with the character development in this! I was cheering for Chloe so hard during the entire novel, and I felt that her character arc was very well done.

Overall this book was really fun to read. It was also a perfect December read considering it covered the Holidays, which made the reading even more enjoyable. This was the first book I’ve read from Gloria Chao, but It definitely won’t be the last! I’m looking forward to picking up her already published works along with future stories to come 🙂

ARC Review: Meme

Author: Aaron Starmer

Genre: YA Thriller

Release Date: 09.08.20

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers

Source: E-ARC via NetGalley

My Rating: 3/5 stars

Synopsis: “No one is going to miss Cole Weston. A loner without friends or family and an unhealthy obsession with the darker corners of the internet, Cole had become increasingly violent toward his ex-girlfriend, and threated to do so much worse. So it was only logical–only right, really–that his former friends took it upon themselves to rid the world of Cole Weston.

Now, Logan, Meeka, Holly, and Grayson are forever bound by Cole’s body, buried under the cold Vermont earth. The failsafe should any one of them consider betrayal: their old phones, buried with Cole, disconnected from service, and each wiped clean except for one file–their video confession.

As expected, no one misses Cole. Or even realizes he’s gone. But a few days later, the meme appears. It’s a stupid meme, old school and not even funny. But every terrible joke has one thing in common, the same photo–a screenshot from the confession video still entombed six feet under with Cole. “

Wow, this book was such a wild ride. It was a whirlwind story that kept me guessing. No matter how far into the book I got I never felt like I had any idea what was going on, everything was complex and put together to be absolutely addicting. I read most of this in one sitting without even realizing how quickly I was getting through it. Every chapter brought more questions than it did answers, especially considering the narrators. Meme is told from three different point-of-views all of which are unreliable and make this story even more intriguing. It felt like walking through the story on uneven footing, just grasping at any clues to put the puzzle together.

As much as I did enjoy the story, there were still a few things that took away from that. It took me a long while to get into the story. I think I was 30-40% in before I started digging it. I’m glad that I didn’t give up on the reading (because clearly, this was fun to read) but it took a long while to get there. At times it was also hard to remember who was narrating the chapters. The characters didn’t have distinct voices and if I wasn’t consciously remembering who was narrating I often would forget and be unable to figure it out without checking.

Lastly, I have mixed feelings on the ending. It was underwhelming overall. While it did still have some twist, I felt like things could’ve been kicked up a notch to match the way the story had been built.

So, all in all, it was an enjoyable read. I had a fun time reading this even with the time it took to get into the story and troubles with the povs. It’s a quick story and would be perfect if you’re looking for something spooky!

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with an E-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review: Vicious Spirits

Author: Kat Cho

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: 08.18.20

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Source: E-ARC

My Rating: 5/5 stars

* this synopsis contains major spoilers for Wicked Fox! If you haven’t read the first book yet then click away to avoid being spoiled*

Synopsis: “As Vicious Spirits begins, Miyoung and Jihoon are picking up the pieces of their broken lives following the deaths of Miyoung’s mother, Yena, and Jihoon’s grandmother. With the support of their friend Somin, and their frenemy, Junu, they might just have a shot at normalcy. But Miyoung is getting sicker and sicker by the day and her friends don’t know how to save her. With few options remaining, Junu has an idea but it might require the ultimate sacrifice and, let’s be honest, Junu isn’t known for his “generosity.” Meanwhile, the events at the end of Wicked Fox have upended the forces that govern life and death and there are supernatural entities lurking in the background that will stop at nothing to right their world. “

This sequel is incredible. I adored the expansion and development of this story! Vicious Spirits was one of my most anticipated releases for 2020 and I was not disappointed. This is easily one of the best sequels I’ve ever read AND will most likely end up on my list of favorites from this year.

I lovedddd the expansion of the characters in this book. Of course I’m a fan of Miyoung and Jihoon, so seeing their return was a treat. But, I also enjoyed the new focus on Junu and Somin! They were both well written with fantastic depth and development. By the end of this story it hurt to finish reading because of how much I’ve come to love these characters.

Speaking of the Junu and Somin, the romance in this book was everything!! It was steamy, swoony, and authentic. I was very impressed with this pair and their relationship.

The plot in this book is FANTASTIC. I was hooked onto the premise from the first chapter. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this emotionally attached to a story. I seriously could not put this book down. I spent the entire read smiling and crying along with the characters, I was just that hooked into it.

I can’t even explain how much I loved this book. The characters? Fantastic. The writing? Incredible. The plot? Addicting. The mythology? Fascinating. My heart? Somehow equally broken and healed. Vicious Spirits was an incredible sequel that I will not soon recover from.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with an E-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: This Lie Will Kill You

Author: Chelsea Pitcher

Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller

Release Date: 12.11.18

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 3/5 stars

Synopsis: “One year ago, there was a party.
At the party, someone died.
Five teens each played a part and up until now, no one has told the truth.

But tonight, the five survivors arrive at an isolated mansion in the hills, expecting to compete in a contest with a $50,000 grand prize. Of course…some things are too good to be true.

Now, they realize they’ve been lured together by a person bent on revenge, a person who will stop at nothing to uncover what actually happened on that deadly night, one year ago.

Five arrived, but not all can leave. Will the truth set them free?
Or will their lies destroy them all?”

TW: drowning, murder, emotional abuse, violence, drinking

My feelings about this book are very very mixed. Overall I enjoyed reading it, but there were a few things in the story that made me lower my rating.

First of all, this book was incredibly scary and haunting. It gave me chills just from reading it. I even had to avoid reading this book before going to bed because it was that spooky. The author did a fantastic job making this book scary and atmospheric! A large part of this is due to the writing which was beautiful, lyrical, and dark.

When it comes to the plot, the way everything was constructed was clearly planned AND the execution was well done! The story was layered in a way that always kept me guessing and trying to figure out what was happening. It made for a very addicting read!

My biggest issue with this book was that, while the writing is beautiful, it also pulled me out of the story a few times. The characters would say these beautiful lines that a teenager would never. ever . actually say. This made it hard to believe the story and caused me to laugh a few times because the dialogue felt so forced.

Other than that I found the ending a bit confusing. It was a lot of information and things coming together quickly which made me confused.

But, all in all, this wasn’t a bad book! It was very creepy and I think it would be the perfect spooky read for October.

ARC Review: Now & When

Author: Sara Bennett Wealer

Genre: YA Contemporary

Release Date: 07.14.20

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Source: E-ARC via Netgalley

My Rating: 1/5 stars DNF

Synopsis: “There’s something about Truman Alexander that Skyler Finch finds incredibly annoying. Actually, several things: his voice (grating), his arrogance (total know-it-all), his debate-team obsession (eyeroll), and his preppy vibe (does he iron his shorts?). She does her best to avoid him and focus on the important stuff: friends, school, and her boyfriend, Eli. His promposal was perfect–just like he is–and the future is looking bright. Or is it?

For some unexplainable reason, Skylar’s phone is sending her notifications from the future . . . a future in which, to her horror, she appears to be with Truman. As in, romantically. As in, Skyler cannot let that happen.

But trying to change the future means messing up the present, and what Skyler sees keeps shifting. Classmates disappear and reappear, swap partners and futures. Turns out there are no actions without reactions, and life doesn’t come with a road map. But sometimes the wandering leads you exactly where you need to be, and people–like glitchy phones–are full of surprises. “

I’m sad to say that I am DNFing this book.

I was really hooked onto this story when it first began. The writing was enjoyable and I’ve been so interested in seeing where the author was going to take this! I loved the concept of a character being able to see into the future. That mixed with the whispers of an enemies-to-lovers romance had me very hyped up to read this! However, after getting about 20% in I decided to set it aside for now. My main reason for this is details and discussions of self-harm and suicide that caught me off guard and were upsetting to me. I had a hard time reading these details and that overall made me fall out of interest with the story. I wish this book had trigger warnings, or that I had at least seen someone mention that this content was included, so that I could’ve been prepared for it while going in blind.

So, overall I think this story has great potential and a nice concept, However, the sensitive content has deterred me from continuing but I hope that others can read and enjoy the story!

Blog Tour: Recommended For You

Author: Laura Silverman

Genre: YA Contemporary

Release Date: 09.01.20

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Source: Publisher

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis: ” To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets You’ve Got Mail in this charming and hilarious rom-com following two teen booksellers whose rivalry is taken to the next level as they compete for the top bookseller bonus.

Shoshanna Greenberg loves working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. And with her moms fighting at home and her beloved car teetering on the brink of death, the store has become a welcome escape.

When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan.

Jake is an affront to everything Shoshanna stands for. He doesn’t even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he’s also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down.

But as the competition intensifies, Jake and Shoshanna grow closer and realize they might be more on the same page than either expects… ”

Laura Silverman is an author and editor currently living in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her MFA in
writing for children at the New School. Her books include Girl Out of Water, You Asked for Perfect, It’s a
Whole Spiel, and Recommended for You. Girl Out of Water was a Junior Library Guild Selection. You can
contact Laura on Twitter @LJSilverman1 or through her website LauraSilvermanWrites.com.

Review

Recommended For You is the perfect fluffy book to pick up this Winter! It’s loaded with energy, fluff, adorable romance, and amazing representation. The story is a quick read that I finished in two sittings and seriously enjoyed. It was cute and perfect for fans of younger YA contemporary.

One of my favorite elements of this book was that is features an Indie Bookstore! It served for such an amazing story focus and the author did a great job creating an atmospheric feeling. The world building made everything feel cozy and helped make the story come off the page. Once Upon, the indie bookstore featured, was amazing and I totally wish I had a place like that near me! I loved the discussion of the importance of indie bookstores and the overall feeling of Once Upon. I am more than a little jealous that Shoshanna gets to work at such an amazing place!

And speaking of Shoshanna, she was the cutest protagonist! She was a sweetheart and brought light to the page. Her narrative was sweet and I feel like younger YA readers would easily connect to her. I enjoyed her character development through the story, she made mistakes and learned from them, which was enjoyable to see. I also really enjoyed the side characters. Her love interest was adorable, her best friends were fantastic, and I adored her moms!

If you’re looking for a book with great rep, look no further! The representation in the cast of characters was incredible. This book features a Jewish family and has lots of LGBTQ+ rep. I loved seeing these elements in Recommended For You!

Lastly, I was impressed with the issues and conversations presented in this book. For a younger YA reader I feel like it would be very important to read about these topics. For example, this story covers issues in friendships and how to handle them in a healthy and productive way. It also discusses parents fighting and the feelings that come with that. I thought both of these topics were well handled.

Overall I really enjoyed this read! It was fast paced while also including a lot of important conversations and diversity. The romance was adorable and the entire story was very atmospheric. The writing made it a quick read that was impossible to put down! I’d highly recommend this book for fans of Indie bookstores, fluffy romances, and Winter time shenanigans!

Book Review: All Your Twisted Secrets

Author: Diana Urban

Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller

Release Date: 03.17.20

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis: “Welcome to dinner, and again, congratulations on being selected. Now you must do the selecting.

What do the queen bee, star athlete, valedictorian, stoner, loner, and music geek all have in common? They were all invited to a scholarship dinner, only to discover it’s a trap. Someone has locked them into a room with a bomb, a syringe filled with poison, and a note saying they have an hour to pick someone to kill … or else everyone dies.

Amber Prescott is determined to get her classmates and herself out of the room alive, but that might be easier said than done. No one knows how they’re all connected or who would want them dead. As they retrace the events over the past year that might have triggered their captor’s ultimatum, it becomes clear that everyone is hiding something. And with the clock ticking down, confusion turns into fear, and fear morphs into panic as they race to answer the biggest question: Who will they choose to die?”

This book is everything I wanted it to be. Oh my gosh!! It was gripping, spooky, and the way the story built was masterful. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I cannot wait to read more from this promising author.

So, I initially discovered this book from Twitter and I’ve been obsessed with the premise ever since. Seriously, it’s a murderous escape room with an unlikely cast of characters. I live for stories like this! Thankfully, this book nailed the premise. I was very impressed with how it was structured and with how the plot played out. The narrative between the past and present brought the story together perfectly and made the tension brutal!

For me, personally, when I’m reading I find it very hit or miss when stories are told through two timelines. However, Diana Urban did this so well! The structure of it added well to the overall narrative and made the story more dramatic. I enjoyed watching things slowly build together until the very end.

And oh, THAT ENDING. I am still such a mess. I had a few mild ideas of how things were going to play out (and although I was thinking in the right direction) the ending still crushed me. It concluded the story perfectly while also providing for a huge twist!

Overall, I loved this book. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. The writing, plot, and character were all phenomenal! If you’re looking for your next addicting read I’d highly recommend picking this up.

ARC Review: They Wish They Were Us

Author: Jessica Goodman

Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller

Release Date: 08.04.20

Publisher: Razborbill

Source: Publisher

My Rating: 1/5 stars DNF

Synopsis: “In Gold Coast, Long Island, everything from the expensive downtown shops to the manicured beaches, to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends, looks perfect. But as Jill found out three years ago, nothing is as it seems.

Freshman year Jill’s best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on.

Now, it’s Jill’s senior year and she’s determined to make it her best yet. After all, she’s a senior and a Player–a member of Gold Coast Prep’s exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill’s year. She’s sure of it.

But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham’s innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn’t kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.”

I am truly so upset about this book.

In the beginning I was really enjoying it. The elite boarding school vibes were killer and initially I was into the writing style. It kept me guessing and made the first few chapters nothing short of addicting. However, the further into the book I got the less I was enjoying it.

The plot in the middle was slow and featured extremely long chapters. On top of that the constant switching between the past and present narrative made the story hard to follow, especially since the plot/chapter lengths were causing me to lose attention.

At 57% I decided to set the book aside. While I was, and am, very intrigued by the mystery aspects I didn’t find myself enjoying the story overall. It didn’t focus as much on the mystery as I would’ve liked and it simply was not keeping my attention. At this time it’s best for me to set this down and move onto other stories.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for Providing me with an E-Arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!