Heartstopper Vol. 3 by Alice Oseman — 4.5 stars
The Heartstopper series is so sweet! I loved reading volume 3 and watching Nick and Charlie become even closer and navigate coming out to their friends. They head to Paris on a class trip in this volume, which was so fun, and I liked getting to know their friends more. Can’t wait to see this series turned into a show!
CW: eating disorders, self-harm
Dating Makes Perfect by Pintip Dunn — 3.5 stars
Fake dating is my favorite romance trope, so of course I had to read Dating Makes Perfect! This romcom was fun and full of lots of tropes—childhood best friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, and fake dating. I especially loved the family dynamics and focus on Thai culture. It’s a charming read younger teens will enjoy! Unfortunately, I listened to the audiobook and the narration was not my favorite, which lessened my enjoyment.
I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee — 4.5 stars
While I haven’t really listened to k-pop, I LOVED reading I’ll Be the One, which is about a Korean American teen competing on a tv show searching for the next k-pop star! This book was so fun, and I loved Skye’s determination to win the competition and become the first fat k-pop star. Plus, she and her love interest Henry are both bi!
Counting Down With You by Tashie Bhuiyan — 4 stars
I heard so many good things about Counting Down With You, so I was excited to read it, especially since it has fake dating! This was such a sweet debut—I really loved the main character’s relationship with her grandmother, the anxiety representation, and, of course, the soft bad boy love interest. I look forward to reading what Tashie Bhuiyan writes next!
Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales — 4.5 stars
It’s official! I’m a Sophie Gonzales fan! I loved reading Perfect on Paper, so I knew had to pick up Only Mostly Devastated ASAP. I really enjoyed this spin on Grease and the dual timelines. I loved the writing and seeing both Ollie and Will’s growth throughout the novel as well as the family and friend dynamics. I’m excited to read more books by Sophie Gonzales in the future!
10 Truths and a Dare by Ashley Elston — 3.5 stars
I loved reading 10 Blind Dates, so I was very excited to dive into 10 Truths and a Dare. One of my favorite parts about this series is the large family! My family is on the smaller side, with my cousins being way older or younger than me—so I love reading stories where cousins are close in age and best friends. Unfortunately, though, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did the first, but it was still a fun read with all of the graduation parties and phone high jinks.
I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre — 4 stars
I Think I Love You is a fun romcom perfect for summer! I loved the rivalry between Emma and Sophia as they compete for a chance to be featured at a film festival and all of the drama that comes with splitting their friend group up for their teams. A super cute read set in New York!
Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon — 4 stars
Of Curses and Kisses is a fun contemporary Beauty and the Beast retelling! I loved the boarding school setting and modern-day royals. Jaya and Grey were great as were the rest of the characters. I’m looking forward to seeing them all again in Of Princes and Promises.
The Lucky List by Rachael Lippincott — 5 stars
The Lucky List is a beautiful story that will pull on your heart strings! It’s full of so much summery goodness and adventures while also diving into the challenges of grief. This heartfelt story is perfect for your summer TBR! Check out my aesthetic and read my full review here.
That Weekend by Kara Thomas — 5 stars
I’ve been a fan of Kara Thomas for several years now and That Weekend was worth the wait. I won’t give anything away since this is a thriller, but I loved the twists and suspense created from the main character’s memory loss as well as the multiple timelines. I did not want to put it down! Go pick up this book (and the rest of Kara’s novels if you haven’t read them yet)!
She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen — 4.5 stars
Basketball + fake dating? It’s like She Drives Me Crazy was written for me! I played basketball when I was in high school so I’m always on the lookout for basketball books and this one did not disappoint. I loved this romcom so much—I didn’t want to put it down! Scottie and Irene were so great and I loved their friends and family too.
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons — 4.5 stars
I flew through The Passing Playbook in a day as it was so easy to get sucked into the story. I love sports books and this one is so important since it stars a trans teen. There’s a sweet romance and lots of soccer—a must-read!
Brightly Woven: The Graphic Novel by Alexandra Bracken, Leigh Dragoon, and Kit Seaton — 3.5 stars
I have not read the original novel yet, so I’m not sure how accurate of an adaptation it is, but the Brightly Woven: The Graphic Novel was fun! A great graphic novel for middle schoolers and younger teens. It’s a bright, colorful read full of magic and adventure!
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean — 5 stars
Tokyo Ever After is such an adorable read—I loved it so much—and I can’t wait for the sequel! The voice is super fun and the bodyguard romance was so cute. This book is perfect for fans of The Princess Diaries!
Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler — 4.5 stars
Cool for the Summer is the first book I’ve read from Dahlia Adler and I really enjoyed it! I listened to the audiobook in basically a day because I didn’t want to stop. I loved switching between the present and past timelines, which had a Grease feel to it. Lara’s confusing feelings for Chase and Jasmine felt very real. There’s also Jewish rep! This book is perfect for fans of Only Mostly Devastated!
Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau — 4.5 stars
Kisses and Croissants is such a fun read! I loved diving into the world of ballet and exploring Paris. The romance is so sweet, making this book the perfect summer read! Fans of Anna and the French Kiss andEmily in Paris will love it!
Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon — 4.5 stars
Instructions for Dancing is a bittersweet story exploring if love is really worth it if it’ll only end in heartbreak. It’s an emotional, heartfelt read with a little bit of magic thrown in. I actually went into the book without really knowing much about it (just that it was a new Nicola Yoon novel with a stunning cover), so I was surprised in a good way. This story is beautiful and hopeful and will tug on your heart strings!
Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn and Nicole Goux — 5 stars
Shadow of the Batgirl is my favorite I’ve read so far from DC’s YA graphic novel imprint! I didn’t really know who Cassandra Cain/Batgirl was going into this graphic novel, so I was excited to discover her backstory. I loved the focus on identity and found family so much—there was a part I was even tearing up over! The art is gorgeous and the color platte fits so well with the story.