I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn Realistic Fiction Romance * * * * Stars (Great!) Kimi Nakamura has been accepted to a prestigious art school for college, but is having second thoughts about a career as an artist/painter. When her mother finds out she’s dropped her senior painting class, she’s very disappointed and after a few terse interchanges, Kimi accepts an invitation from her estranged grandparents and flies all the way around the … Read more
Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker Fantasy Graphic Novel LGBTQ Romance * * * * Stars (Great!) Nova Huang is a young witch who is reunited with her childhood friend Tam Lang (pronouns: they, them), a young werewolf, when Tam returns to town in pursuit of a demon that can only be destroyed by her wolf magic. Nova’s grandmothers are able to temporarily bind the demon while Nova and Tam work out how to … Read more
Wayward Son Simon Snow #2 by Rainbow Rowell Fantasy Romance * * Stars (Just ok) After defeating the Humdrum in “Carry On,” Simon Snow and his friends have to adjust to normal life – one where magical dangers don’t lurk around every corner. Penny and Baz are handling the transition well, but Simon, who has lost his magic (but gained large leathery wings and a tail), has spent months on the couch in a severe … Read more
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Play Romance Review #1 * * * Stars (Pretty good) In Verona, two families are in a feud. At a Capulet party, Romeo Montague falls in love with Juliet Capulet. It is arranged and the two marry in secret, but during a street fight, Romeo is banned. In a desperate attempt to reunite, Juliet fakes her death, but the message fails to reach Romeo, and believing she is dead, … Read more
The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West Romance Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Gia’s boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of high school prom. She’s been talking up Bradley and needs to prove he exists, so she asks a guy in the parking lot. She asks him to be a fill-in boyfriend. Two hours, a few white lies, zero commitment. Except it’s not. Gia can’t stop thinking about this fill-in Bradley, … Read more
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon Realistic Fiction Romance Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Natasha is an illegal immigrant who doesn’t believe in love until she meets Daniel, a dreamer, who tries to convince Natasha that they were made for each other. The catch is, they meet the day before Natasha has to leave the U.S. to go back to Jamaica. I personally loved how this book was written. … Read more
By Your Side by Kasie West Romance Review #1 Autumn Collins becomes locked in a library for an entire weekend and has to survive off of vending machine food and fight boredom until she realizes Dan Miller is also in the library and he’s trouble. Not to worry, Jeff, her almost boyfriend, will notice she’s gone and come rescue her. Except he doesn’t. No one does. Now she’s stuck with a guy that means nothing … Read more
Expelled by James Patterson Mystery Realistic Fiction Romance Thriller Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Theo, Jude, Sasha, and Parker are expelled for an inappropriate picture on Theo’s twitter. The thing is, he didn’t post it. Parker is the only one that is guilty. Theo tries to figure out who posted the picture. He finds that Sasha isn’t innocent, and also is crazy. Jude, his best friend, wants to pursue art since … Read more
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Classic Historical Fiction Romance Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Jane as a kid lived with her wealthy aunt. Many times she was accused of things she didn’t do. Soon after, her aunt didn’t want to take care of her. She sent Jane to a boarding school. The teachers were harsh and she got a bite of bread and a sip of water for almost every meal. She … Read more
Sam and Ilsa’s Last Hurrah by Rachel Cohn Realistic Fiction Romance Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Twins Sam and Ilsa are known for their out-of-this-world dinner parties, so they decide to throw one last one. The “best” one they have ever thrown. Only it doesn’t go quite as planned.