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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you Netgalley for this copy.
Brenda is a girl from our world, trying to get into college, and worried about climate change. Kat lives in an alternate version of our world, full of magic. When they stumble into each other thanks to some portals, they find themselves at the center of saving both their worlds and magic in Kat's world becomes more and more unstable, creating consequences for Brenda's world. Oh, and while they're at it, they fall in love.
Both girls are such awesome leads, I loved following their parallel but also unique struggles. I also enjoyed their individual relationships with the families, and their friends. Watching Kat cope with the looming chosen one life, or death, and how it impacted her relationships, made an interesting story to follow.
The world was also fantastic. Brenda's is, of course, very recognizable, but Kat's was incredibly interesting. How the magic replaces technology, the ways their world grew and changed to be so similar and yet so different from our own, the one Brenda lives in.
The narrators were great, I loved that they voiced the dual POV with two voice actors, it made it easier to follow the narrative and gave some extra life to the story.
Brenda is a girl from our world, trying to get into college, and worried about climate change. Kat lives in an alternate version of our world, full of magic. When they stumble into each other thanks to some portals, they find themselves at the center of saving both their worlds and magic in Kat's world becomes more and more unstable, creating consequences for Brenda's world. Oh, and while they're at it, they fall in love.
Both girls are such awesome leads, I loved following their parallel but also unique struggles. I also enjoyed their individual relationships with the families, and their friends. Watching Kat cope with the looming chosen one life, or death, and how it impacted her relationships, made an interesting story to follow.
The world was also fantastic. Brenda's is, of course, very recognizable, but Kat's was incredibly interesting. How the magic replaces technology, the ways their world grew and changed to be so similar and yet so different from our own, the one Brenda lives in.
The narrators were great, I loved that they voiced the dual POV with two voice actors, it made it easier to follow the narrative and gave some extra life to the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent
While not nearly as cozy as I expected (saving the world will never feel low stakes ), I did still enjoy this. The magic system was a little difficult to follow at first, but I think I got it sorted out, and the sweet romance between Brenda and Kat was a good counter to the less cozy aspects of the book. I always love interesting takes on Chosen One narratives, so Kat's arc was interesting to me, and Brenda's overachieving focus spoke to my teenage self.
I will say, I did have some things that I didn't love as much - the way too easy acceptance of magic was a running theme and I found the villain to be a little too predictable - but all in all a solid book.
3.5/5
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends and Netgalley for the eARC!
I will say, I did have some things that I didn't love as much - the way too easy acceptance of magic was a running theme and I found the villain to be a little too predictable - but all in all a solid book.
3.5/5
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends and Netgalley for the eARC!
A cute, soft sapphic YA cozy fantasy about two girls who fall in love in a magical coffee shop in alternative universes. Super cute concept, and the plot started decently interesting, but I struggled to finish it and almost DNFed. I wanted to see more relationship development, the pacing became slow, and there were several references that took me completely out of the “cozy fantasy” (“Fox News”?).
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for sending me an arc! My review is 100% my honest thoughts and opinions.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for sending me an arc! My review is 100% my honest thoughts and opinions.
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Cute middle grade/young YA book about two parallel Los Angeles cities one with magic and one without and what happens when the two collide. This book was fun and lighthearted without being boring or too silly. It would be a great read for middle or high schoolers wanting a light fun queer fantasy. The characters are young full of life and a little immature and indecisive but no more than any other teenagers who have large dreams of saving the world and idealistic dreams of their future. A great and super quick listen even with the length of the audiobook. The narration was well done and captivating though a little slow which was easily solved by upping my speed.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
with an adorable love story, a twist on the chosen one trope, and a mystery that spans two universes, this was a fantastic, adorable, cozy read! for anyone who loves CoffeeShopAU fics, this is the novel for you! the Coffee shop is literally an alternate universe, but so is the Target! with two young girls exploring love for the first time, as well as struggling with where they fit into the world, what they want to do with their futures, and figuring out the mystery that is afflicting both their worlds with terrible natural disasters. between the meet cute, the first date, and the working together to alter both their fates, this is a fantastic cozy fantasy, Sapphic, YA romance for anyone who likes the cozy ghibli films.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved it. I went into the story completely blind and was completely surprised by the absolute magic present in the story and the chemistry between the two main characters.
The story follows Brenna, the girl with the 21 step life plan, running into Kat, the Chosen One destined to save her world, at a coffee shop. One world much like our own with electronics and one completely powered by magic. As they grow close and spend more time together they realize something isn’t quite right with how the portals between their worlds are manifesting and that there is a deep conspiracy that may have had something to do with the death of Kat’s mother. Will their love and some help from their friends be enough to save both of their worlds?
I absolutely loved how C.B. Lee created the world building of the parallel universe to our Los Angeles. I would love to live in that parallel universe where there isn’t pollution and I can take AP Spell Work. As for our world, she definitely nailed growing up in Southern California, down to the Key Club Community Service events, of that I can attest.
Brenda and Kat were also a super cute couple and I love how both of them and would lay down my life for them. They deserve the entire world!
Overall, this was a super cute romance and I loved how C.B Lee used fantasy and the real world to tell the story.
I received this book in advance and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story follows Brenna, the girl with the 21 step life plan, running into Kat, the Chosen One destined to save her world, at a coffee shop. One world much like our own with electronics and one completely powered by magic. As they grow close and spend more time together they realize something isn’t quite right with how the portals between their worlds are manifesting and that there is a deep conspiracy that may have had something to do with the death of Kat’s mother. Will their love and some help from their friends be enough to save both of their worlds?
I absolutely loved how C.B. Lee created the world building of the parallel universe to our Los Angeles. I would love to live in that parallel universe where there isn’t pollution and I can take AP Spell Work. As for our world, she definitely nailed growing up in Southern California, down to the Key Club Community Service events, of that I can attest.
Brenda and Kat were also a super cute couple and I love how both of them and would lay down my life for them. They deserve the entire world!
Overall, this was a super cute romance and I loved how C.B Lee used fantasy and the real world to tell the story.
I received this book in advance and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I received this as an arc from my bookstores and was blown away. While marketed as a YA cozy fantasy, the books does have stakes with an engaging conspiracy plot while still maintaining that cozy feel. It’s been a book I keep thinking on as I admire the way the worlds were built and the lives of each of our protagonists.
As a first generation daughter of an Ecuadorian immigrant, I understand the pressure that children in those communities face and that can lead to someone like Brenda being focused on succeeding to be worthy of the sacrifice done for her but it can also lead to a burnout where you can’t live up to expectations so things feel meaningless like Kat (even though her situation is more magical destiny inflicted). I appreciate the way C.B. Lee drew from Californian history of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants and included more resources to learn more.
I highly look forward to the release and will be getting the final version for my collection.
As a first generation daughter of an Ecuadorian immigrant, I understand the pressure that children in those communities face and that can lead to someone like Brenda being focused on succeeding to be worthy of the sacrifice done for her but it can also lead to a burnout where you can’t live up to expectations so things feel meaningless like Kat (even though her situation is more magical destiny inflicted). I appreciate the way C.B. Lee drew from Californian history of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants and included more resources to learn more.
I highly look forward to the release and will be getting the final version for my collection.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advanced copy of Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by CB Lee to review! Always on the lookout for new cozy fantasy; bonus for fantasy that is set in a coffeeshop. Who wouldn't want to accidentally find out there's another magical universe out there when they stumble into a coffeeshop?
The world building in this book was fantastic. Both Kat and Brenda's worlds parallel each other in ways that were just similar enough that it took a little bit to figure out the mystery at the beginning. And then the magic system was so fascinating! I am always here for an interesting magic system, especially when it means a non-magical character discovers magic. Brenda's friends also discovering it was so entertaining. One of my favorite scenes was with the dragon and the cat. You'll know when you get there.
In addition to such a wonderful world, the character development is on par with it. Brenda and Kat are wonderfully complex, in addition to their friends and family. All around, there are a lot of great characters to love in this book.
If you like D&D, I think this is a book you'll also love! Especially if you were to suddenly find out that some of the magic in D&D was real. If you like queer cozy fantasy, definitely check this out when it comes out in July!
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Review to come!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced