September in Review

September in Review

A Phở Love Story by Loan Le — 4 stars
A Phở Love Story is a cute romcom about two teens whose families have competing Vietnamese restaurants! I especially loved the focus on family and the role they played within in the story. You won’t want to read this book on an empty stomach because it will make you hungry!

Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon — 4.5 stars
Blackout has a star-studded line up of authors with stories by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon! When a summer heatwave causes a blackout in New York City, the spotlight turns to six teen couples as they navigate the chaos and confusion they are facing in both the city and their personal lives. This anthology is so fun, and I loved how all of the stories utilized different romance tropes and weaved together seamlessly. This collection of romances starring Black teens will be the perfect addition to your summer TBR!

Heartbreakers and Fakers by Cameron Lund — 5 stars
Heartbreakers and Fakers is a fun summer romcom with lots of drama! After making the huge mistake of cheating on her boyfriend with her best friend’s boyfriend, Penny must fake date Kai in order to prove that they have real feelings for each other and be forgiven by their friends. I loved watching Penny grow throughout the novel and seeing flashbacks from the previous school year, where we discover how unhealthy Penny’s friendship with her best friend was. And the romance! Her hate-to-love + fake relationship with Kai was so good! This book is perfect for fans of Better Than the Movies and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

Once Upon a Quinceañera by Monica Gomez-Hira — 4 stars
If you’re missing the warmer weather, Once Upon a Quinceañera is a fun summer read! I loved the complex family dynamics and Miami setting in this debut. This story is full of second chances—Carmen completing an internship so she can graduate from high school, reuniting with family who had hurt in the past, and of course being forced to work with her ex-boyfriend—and it has such a strong voice. I look forward to reading more books by Monica Gomez-Hira!

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson — 5 stars
As Good as Dead is such WILD conclusion to the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy! I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook! This finale takes a dark turn for the series, but it felt true since Pip is dealing with a lot of trauma after the end of the previous book. I won’t go into any more details (because spoilers), but the twist at the halfway mark genuinely surprised me and the suspense in the second half was real—I HAD to know how everything would play out.

Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka — 5 stars
Always Never Yours was so adorable! I’m glad I’ve finally read it since it’s been in my tbr since it released. Megan’s voice was very strong and Owen was such a soft guy—I loved their slow burn relationship so much!

Are any of these books in your tbr? What was your favorite read in September?

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