bookishends's reviews
465 reviews

The Magic Words: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults by Cheryl B. Klein

4.0

The Magic Words is a jam-packed craft book. Although the focus is on children and young adult audiences, I think many of the exercises and advice lend itself to writing for any age in any genre. The content is dense, and it took me a while to get through it. But I’m appreciative that the author put so much effort into making sure everything was explained and had examples. Not only can this book improve your writing, but it can also make you a much better editor. There were so many things that I would have never thought to examine when at the revision/edit stage, but the author’s keen eye and experience opened my eyes to new areas of focus. One thing I wasn’t much of a fan of was the author constantly switching between he/she, like when describing an imaginary protagonist, when ‘they’ would have allowed for more concise and universal application. Overall though, this is a gem of a book, and I can see myself going back to it again and again to soak up all the things I couldn’t get in one read.

The Rival by Emma Lord

4.5

Before this, I’d read four of Emma Lord’s books and loved them all. So, although I try to go in with no expectations, I’ve come to expect a certain je ne sais quoi that makes up her stories. Early in this book, I thought the plot was fun, but I wasn’t sure if the story was going to have the same emotional punch that her other books have. I was so very wrong. So very sorry I ever doubted her. Emma Lord is a genius at writing connection and falling in love, not only with people but with life. She never misses.

I love love, so this book had me cheesing and grinning so many times. There’s nothing better than two people realizing they actually don’t hate each other. That they might actually like each other, or even more. Seb and Sadie were not for the faint of heart, but they truly understood each other in a way no one understood them.

And while the romance was a great aspect of the book, the heart of the story was about Sadie’s growth from the old Sadie to the new Sadie and figuring out if she could be her true self around everyone. It felt poignant for people who share bits and pieces of themselves with those closest to them because they’re too scared to show themselves in their full glory and be rejected. So, while this book was about a freshman in college trying to follow her dreams while also competing against her rival, I think it’s relevant for those in and out of school.

The character Betty was one of the highlights of the book and made me want pancakes so badly that I had to make my own (without the sprinkles because ew). The setting also brought back all those memories of starting college and figuring out what independence looked like and what passions called.

Overall, this is the book for you if you want to laugh as much as you want to swoon. If you want to see imperfect people and their imperfect friends take on a university. If you want to see pancakes have the power to unite.

*Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.*

Ace and Aro Journeys: A Guide to Embracing Your Asexual or Aromantic Identity by The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project

2.5

I was so excited for the release of the book, so I hate that I didn’t like the book as much as I thought I would. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve learned the majority of this information in other nonfiction ace/aro books, but I didn’t vibe with the book. If you know absolutely nothing about asexuality and aromanticism, this might be the place to start, but even then, it felt overly complicated at places as it tried to be as inclusive as possible. The different quotes from people throughout were distracting and a little annoying. I would rather them have been weaved into the content, like in a narrative way, grouped together, or excluded. The content was also a touch depressing in a way that other books I’ve read weren’t. The glossary was very extensive though, and I would purchase the book just to have that at my fingertips.

Overall, though this book didn’t do much for me, I’m always for there being more books about asexuality and aromanticism, especially the latter, and I know there’s an audience out there for this book. It just wasn’t me.

Camp Sylvania: Moon Madness by Crystal Maldonado, Julie Murphy

3.0

This book was as fun as the first one. I enjoyed the new characters and getting to be in Nora’s perspective. I really liked that the book focused on what it can look like when you don’t feel as close to your best friend anymore and how change and trying new things is okay. I don’t know what comes after vampires and werewolves, but I wouldn’t mind a third year of camp.

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

5.0

I wish I could write a lengthy review on how much I adored Before I Let Go. How much it seeped right into my soul. But sometimes the books that affect me the most are the hardest to write reviews for. What I can say is Kennedy Ryan infused some of my favorite elements, like second-chance romance and grief, with authentic, messy, and lovable characters. But even in the heaviest moments of the story, there was hope. This book doesn’t drag you down, but instead lifts you up.

Having the book be told through Yasmen and Josiah’s perspectives really allowed us to see how the divorce affected them both and to see how they were both changing over the course of the story. I loved them a lot, and I was quickly rooting for their relationship to mend because these two were meant to be together. I also really enjoyed Yasmen’s friend group of Hendrix and Soledad. Hendrix is usually the character I don’t vibe with because I wished they would read the room, but I found her very outspoken nature to be hilarious. 

I don’t know if I’ve read a book that presented therapy so openly and positively, and I found myself wanting to have my own session. I cannot wait to read the next book because I’m not ready to leave Skyland yet. I will also definitely be checking out some of Ryan’s other books because she’s made me a huge fan after only one.

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

3.5

I love the idea behind the Year of Yes. As someone who’s a homebody and has been doing less and less, I can see the value in doing the things you’re too comfortable to do. Doing the things that would require more out of you. 
It took me several chapters to get into the book because Shonda has a very particular voice and sense of humor. But once I was drawn in, I had an enjoyable time reading her observations and storytelling. I’ve never seen more than a few episodes of any of her shows, so it was interesting getting an inside view of something I wasn’t familiar with.
There were a lot of things she said that I vibed with, like her take on dreams and luck and marriage. There were also a lot of things that I probably would have been able to appreciate more if I had experienced them before, like motherhood.
My mom recommended this book years ago, and I’m glad I finally took the time because there are some insights that I’d love to take into and apply to my own life.

Beta/Sensitivity Read by Redacted

1/05/25: YA Romance
1/12/25: Adventure Romance 
1/14/25: Why Choose Romance
1/18/25: MG Magical Realism
1/25/25: Werewolf Romance
1/28/25: Hockey Romance 
1/30/25: Sports Romance
2/05/25: Sports Romance
2/10/25: Dark Fantasy Romance
2/13/25: YA Contemporary 
2/23/25: Queer Romance 
3/06/25: Epic Fantasy
3/10/25: Epic Fantasy (Reread)
3/14/25: Fantasy
3/25/25: RomCom
4/07/25: Omegaverse 

Noodle & Bao by Shaina Lu

4.0

Noodle & Bao was both cute and inspiring. The art style and title draw you in, but the story of a girl wanting to save her community keeps you turning the pages. I love that more and more stories for young people are focusing on gentrification, and that they make organizing something that feels tangible. Not just a problem to deal with when you become an adult.

Momo was headstrong and hilarious. Sometimes she got herself in over her head, but the people around her reminded her that she didn’t have to do it all alone. A really positive message, and one that strengthened the community aspect of the book even more.

I love how much inspiration the author drew from real life Chinatown communities and activism. And the inclusion of different Chinese dialects and the characters in dialogue, instead of just the English translation, was a really nice touch.

There were a few times I felt like a panel would abruptly jump, and I felt like I was missing something, but other than that, I really enjoyed the book. If you’re looking for a book where food and community is at the heart of the story, I’d recommend this one.

✨Thank you to HarperCollins for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.✨ 

Camp Sylvania by Julie Murphy

3.0

This was a fun MG that had a good message of accepting yourself. Not my favorite Murphy book, but I liked the characters, so I plan to read the second book.

Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens

4.5

I adored In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens, so I hate how long it took me to get to this one. No surprise, but I loved it too. And no one told me there was Hadestown vibes!

The writing was so descriptive. The dynamic between Ellery and Knox was *chef’s kiss*. The crush feelings were immaculate. I love when a character keeps a secret from the other characters, but the reader knows what it is. And I can’t even lie, I teared up a bit, which I was not expecting at all.

And while the book was fun, it was also about confronting your beliefs, allowing your worldview to expand when presented with new information, and what makes human humans.

Would definitely recommend this for the YA fantasy lovers.