#ya contemporary books

[franticvampirereads]

This book was not what I expected it to be. I thought I was getting one thing and ended up with something completely different. And that’s the thing I liked about it the most. It just grabbed me by the hand and wouldn’t let me go until the very end.

I felt so much for both Max and Jordan. For different reasons, but damn did this book go after my feelings every chance it got. I really liked that this dealt with a whole host of different issues, from mental illness and shitty parents to the aftermath of rape and consent. And none of it felt like it was forced or out of place in this story. Sure, there were some things that could have been handled a little better, but I felt like this book did a really great job getting its point across.

Over all this was a really great read and I would highly recommend it! This is getting a four and a half stars.

[queenofasgardreads]

“No need to hold back, Mal. He’s a big boy. Whatever you’ll dish out, Nolan can take it.” Her smile is faint. “He probably wants it.”

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

[ya-world-challenge]

Fantasy Series by European Authors

The Mirror Visitor Series by Christelle Dabos

Magical floating arks, court politics and arranged marriages

The Reckless Series by Cornelia Funke

Mirror portals, curses, and shape-shifting foxes

The Engelsfors Trilogy by Sara B. Elfgren & Mats Strandberg

Teen witches, ancient demons, and the end of the world

The Raven Rings Trilogy by Siri Pettersen

Norse myths, an outcast heroine, and... tails?

The Arcadia Trilogy by Kai Meyer

Mafia romance, shapeshifters, and Greek mythology

The Watch Series by Sergei Lukyanenko

Paranormal people, magic organizations, and Dark vs Light

The Gifts Series by Caroline O'Donoghue

Tarot cards, psychic cults, and queer rights

Lockwood & Co. Series by Jonathan Stroud

Ghosts, paranormal detectives, and British humour

-------------

(*some series are longer but I limited the images to 3 books)

(*All YA except the Watch series but I wanted diversity in location)

[aroaessidhe]

read in 2023: books that made me cry

Sheiné łénde

The Feast Makers

In Other Lands (reread)

Beating Heart Baby

Hungry Ghost

Monstrous

Lirael (reread)

[haileygonzales]

Aro rep in my books:

Take Me to Your Nerdy Leader (Bowden Anime Club): main character Paige is alloaro. A coming of age YA novel about friends, first times, anime, finding your confidence, and art.

Strange Worlds (Jensen in the Multiverse): The main character is aroace. He vaguely thinks about it in book 1 (where he learns about the identity) and confirms it in book 2. There’s other aro and ace characters. A portal fantasy: Jensen used to be a thief. Now he’s on a quest to save the multiverse from the evil Overlord.

Ancient Magic (Gray Stone Witches): Side character turned main character, Rachel, is alloaro and bisexual. This is confirmed in book 2. In book 3 and onwards she has her own POV. An urban fantasy novel about college witches who struggle to survive in a dangerous magical world while an enemy lurks in the shadows.

Luvian Code: main character, self-love Cupid, Theodosius is aromantic. A cozy urban fantasy novella about him reluctantly mentoring a fledgling Cupid, Kai, and teaching him the equality of the seven loves.

[readtilyoudie]

Michael: Aw, Lilly, you’re just jealous. 

Lilly: I am not! 

Michael: Yes, you are. You’re jealous because she got her hair cut without consulting you. You’re jealous because you stopped talking to her and she went out and got a new friend. And you’re jealous because all this time Mia’s had this secret she didn’t tell you. 

Lilly: Michael, SHUT UP! 

Boris: (leaning out of the supply closet door) Lilly? Did you say something? 

Lilly: I WASN’T TALKING TO YOU, BORIS! 

Boris: Sorry. (goes back into closet) 

Lilly: (really mad now) Gosh, Michael, you sure are quick to come to Mia’s defense all of a sudden. I wonder if maybe it ever occurred to you that your argument, while ostensibly based on logic, might have less intellectual than libidinous roots. 

Michael: (turning red for some reason) Well, what about your persecution of the Hos? Is that rooted in intellectual reasoning? Or is it more an example of vanity run amok? 

Lilly: That’s a circular argument. 

Michael: It isn’t. It’s empirical. 

Wow. Michael and Lilly are so smart. Grandmère’s right: I need to improve my vocabulary. 

Michael: (to me) So does this guy (he pointed at Lars) have to follow you around everywhere from now on? 

Me: Yes. 

Michael: Really? Everywhere? 

Me: Everywhere except the ladies’ room. Then he waits outside. 

Michael: What if you were to go on a date? Like to the Cultural Diversity Dance this weekend?

-  The Princess Diaries (The Princess Diaries, #1) by Meg Cabot

[jessread-s]

Thanks to @ireadyabooks for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

✩💌💻Review:

This is the second ya rom-com I have read by Ann Liang and I cannot get enough of her writing! 

“I Hope This Doesn’t Find You” follows Sadie Wen, the perfect student who channels all her frustrations into her email drafts. While some are addressed to her teachers and classmates, most are directed at her infuriating co-captain Julius Gong. When they are accidentally sent out, her carefully crafted reputation begins to crumble. But amidst the chaos, the one boy she is sworn to hate begins to fall for her true self. 

I have never connected with a character as deeply as I connect with Sadie Wen. I felt so seen by her need to be perfect and her people-pleaser tendencies. Julius calls her out for being fake, because she never allows herself to express how she truly feels, and she undergoes so much growth because of it. I loved seeing her begin to prioritize herself towards the end.

Julius and Sadie’s relationship is top tier. The pace of the romance in this book is so deliciously slow with the most satisfying pay-off. Liang takes her time in establishing their decade old rivalry, even going so far to explain its origins and the point system attributed to it. It felt so real and her gradual blurring of the line between loathing and love is so well done. I especially enjoyed reading the contents of Sadie’s emails after Julius committed them to memory because they are what made them both come to the realization that they were meant for each other.

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

[lgbtqreads]

Exclusive Cover Reveal: The Rules of Royalty by Cale Dietrich

I’ve been a fan of this author’s since way back when, so I’m delighted to reveal the cover of Cale Dietrich’s upcoming YA romance,  “a gay YA spin on The Princess Diaries” entitled The Rules of Royalty, releasing December 10, 2024 from Wednesday Books! Here’s the story: Two princes from neighboring countries fall into a whirlwind romance in this sparkling spin on The Princess Diaries by Cale…

[ot3]

a friend is trying to make me watch rwrb and you are singlehandedly assuring me that it is not worth it so thank you for that actually

the thing that people who enjoy contemporary ya romance don't seem to understand is that you cant recommend contemporary ya romance Anything to anyone who is not already into it. it's fine to like that stuff but i truly believe that it's the single worst genre to have to suffer through when you're not already interested in its fare. it could be the best contemporary ya romance in the world (which the rwrb movie absolutely isnt. cant speak on the book) and it still wont magically become interesting to someone who doesn't care about that format. even if its gay.

[franticvampirereads]

This was such a sweet story! I loved the focus on family, cooking, and finding happiness is unexpected places. I loved Dylan, he was so kind. Especially when he was dealing with an asshole customer or his boyfriends (very rich and slightly obnoxious) family. And Theo, the fake date/boyfriend was such a sweetheart. I loved that he just wanted to hangout and be around Dylan and his family. I also loved how close Dylan’s family was and that they actually acted like a family with all the teasing and jokes and working together. It was just so nice to see in a YA book!

Honestly, I think this is gonna be one of my favorite books I’ve read this year! It felt like home, even though I’ve never been to Brooklyn or had the chance to eat some of the foods mentioned in the story. It was just that good. Fake Dates And Mooncakes is getting five out of five stars!

Reading Challenge Prompt Fills:

Alphabet challenge: F

Romance Readathon: a romance with one of the colors of a sun on the cover (orange), a romance set in your favorite season, a romance by a BIPOC author

[therefugeofbooks]

Merry Christmas ✨️

[greaseonmymouth]

Do Americans not know about Alice??? I’m so confused

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

[aroaessidhe]

YA contemporary books with aroace girls

Other People's Butterflies - aroace MC

The Rhythm of my Soul - 2/3 MCs aroace, one is a girl

Summer Bird Blue - questioning aroace MC

Immoral Code - 1/5 MCs aroace

Loveless - aroace MC

At The End of Everything - 1/3 MCs aroace-coded

Dear Wendy - 2 aroace MCs

Those Who Ripple - 1/4 MCs an aroace-questioning girl

Stuck In Her Head - 1/2 MCs an aroace girl

Switchback - 1/2 MCs an aroace girl

Before I Let Go - ace MC (& assume intended to be aro too)

#aspec books / aspec database / tumblr masterpost

[necessary-quotation-marks]

I guess I didn't believe he wanted me to know who he was. So I just collected clues... Someday all the clues would come together.

Benjamin Alire Sáenz (Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe)

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

goodreads

Frances Janvier spends most of her time studying. Everyone knows Aled Last as that quiet boy who gets straight As. You probably think that they are going to fall in love or something. Since he is a boy and she is a girl. They don’t. They make a podcast. In a world determined to shut them up, knock them down, and set them on a cookie cutter life path, Frances and Aled struggle to find their voices over the course of one life-changing year. Will they have the courage to show everyone who they really are? Or will they be met with radio silence?

Mod opinion: I haven't read this book yet and it doesn't seem like my type of literature, but I've heard good things about it.