The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar — 4 stars
The Henna Wars is such a soft contemporary read! It’s set in Dublin, Ireland at an all-girls school and tackles a variety of topics—coming out, acceptance, cultural appropriation, racism, and more. Nishat’s romance with Flávia is so sweet, and I especially loved Nishat’s relationship with her sister and the focus on culture. I’m looking forward to Adiba Jaigirdar’s sophomore novel, which features fake dating!
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell — 4 stars
I loved the art in Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me—especially the pink and black coloring—and all of the details in it! It connects well with the story, which explores being in a toxic relationship.
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes — 5 stars
Jennifer Lynn Barnes has been an auto-buy author for me for several years now—I just love the twisty books she writes so much. I immediately dived into The Inheritance Games the moment my preorder arrived, and I was hooked right away! It was so easy to fly through this novel with the short chapters, intriguing plot, and fun riddles. I loved Avery and the four Hawthorne brothers—their charm and personalities really made me question if I would be able to trust them. I especially loved Avery’s relationship with Grayson (enemies-to-kind-of-allies-to-maybe-forbidden-love?), so you better believe I’m hoping for more between them in book two. If you’re a fan of Knives Out, The Inheritance Games is the perfect book for you!
Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland — 3 stars
This may be a case of not for me, but I just wasn’t the biggest fan of Our Chemical Hearts. It was a very emotional contemporary read, so check it out if that’s your thing! You can read my book vs. movie review here.
Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch — 5 stars
I adored Love & Gelato! This book has been in my TBR for ages, and I’m so glad I finally read it. It’s a sweet contemporary romance about a girl who spends her summer in Florence, getting to know her father and working through her grief by following her mother’s journal as it takes her on an adventure around the city . . . with a cute Italian boy as her guide. Perfect for fans of Anna and the French Kiss and Mama Mia!
I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick — 5 stars
I completely devoured I Killed Zoe Spanos! I listened to the audiobook for this one and it was so good. It has a full-cast narration, which worked so well for the mixed timeline, unreliable narrator, and podcast format. This is a must-read for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and a perfect addition for your summer TBR!
American Royals by Katharine McGee — 5 stars
American Royals was a reread in preparation of diving into Majesty. Here’s my original review: American Royals was one of my most anticipated fall reads, and it did not disappoint! I freaking loved all of the drama and how addicting the different storylines were! Tons of my favorite tropes are utilized (like falling for you best friend’s brother!!) and I absolutely loved it all!
Majesty by Katharine McGee — 4 stars
I loved Majesty! This is such a fun series full of drama and romance. There seemed to be a little less romance in this sequel, but I enjoyed the topics explored as the four girls grow up each in their own ways. It’s a very entertaining read and even has a fake dating storyline this time—my fave trope!