skye_era_books's reviews
406 reviews

Love in Focus by Lyla Lee

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

4.75

This was so swoony I LOVED it! Asian sapphics! Second chance! Writer and photographer! A STRAP!!!!!

Okay in all seriousness, I loved the way Gemma and Celeste ended up back together. This is the one and only time where I agree with a third act “breakup”/time apart. I think Gemma needed that time to herself, and they both needed time to go to therapy. And I love that the epilogue wasn’t just them getting married — it was them moving forward, “one romance novel moment at a time.” ❤️

Also obsessed with the Casual by Chappell Roan vibes the last 30% of the book hehehe. 

Thank you to my Forever besties for the ARC!

Nix and Tell by Ellie Rose, Ali Williams

lighthearted fast-paced

4.25

a fun quick read!

Muted: Volume 1 by Miranda Mundt

challenging dark emotional fast-paced

4.5

what a great first installment! the colors and illustrations were phenomenal for the storyline. I wish we got to see more of the sapphic storyline, since that’s a main reason why I requested the graphic novel on NetGalley. but I suppose that’ll be in volume 2? I hope? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury

Up Close & Personal by Ana Holguin

funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.25

I really enjoyed this audiobook! 

The fitness instructor aspect was done really well and the author did a good job at including people of all body types and abilities without putting people down that don’t have the ability to work out as hard as others. The author also did an excellent job at portraying mental health issues, mainly anxiety. 

I do wish that

Silas told Jo earlier that it was his plan in the beginning to interview her.

But I understand that for the sake of the third act breakup, it needed to come about that way. 

I also really enjoyed the narrators and am looking forward to listening to more audiobooks by them in the future. BUT I feel like Silas’ narration felt too.. bubbly? In the beginning his character is pitched as a part-time hater (which, same and I love that for him) which makes me think he should’ve sounded more grumpy-ish? But the narrator just felt very light and bubbly the entire time. Besides that I still loved their voices.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content

Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

Damn I think this is my favorite in this series. I love that there wasn’t a third act breakup and it was sunshine x sunshine 🥹

Rep: autism/neurodivergence, chronic illness/chronic pain, bisexual FMC

You Started It by Jackie Khalilieh

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.75

This was such a fun book to not only read but annotate! Jackie encapsulated young love PERFECTLY through Jamie and Axel, and honestly even with Jamie and Ben. You’re pretty much always going to have a first love that doesn’t work out, and You Started It really shows us that. 
Axel is such an angel baby and I adored him. And I love that we finally have an Arab MMC in a book! We need more of this!
Jamie was so relatable, she literally felt like if my teenage self was written onto a page. 
I love how DRAMATIC this was because genuinely, what isn’t dramatic when you’re a teenager?? 
But I also need to mention Jamie’s mom, dad, and of course, Amo Eli (my favorite character!). Eli was hilarious and so helpful for Jamie. Jamie’s parents both needed to grow, and I loved seeing them rekindle their relationships. 
Okay okay I’ll be done now lol. Go read this!

Fitting Indian by Jyoti Chand

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

4.5

Fitting Indian was so raw and real, and I believe the illustrations only added to that. Many young girls deal with mental health issues, but I cannot imagine the stigma that would come from being Indian and your family never talking about it. I loved how everything turned around in the end, but sad that it took a suicide attempt to do it. But that is the reality of life unfortunately, and the author and illustrator executed it perfectly.

Please check trigger warnings before reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail

Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

4.5

Icarus and Poseidon 🥹🥹🥹 my lover boyssss

also this is me realizing there’s only two books left in this series and I’m not ready for it to be over

notes: anxiety/panic attacks, fat rep, queer rep, Poseidon might be autistic but never confirmed 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood

My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner

lighthearted fast-paced

2.0

This was… something. I have many thoughts, I’ll come back later and write them.

EDIT: Okay I’m back. This was a relatively short audiobook which I enjoyed, and the narrators fit perfectly with the characters in my opinion. But it was difficult to care about the two main characters, Ginny and Elsie. It made me honestly angry that Elsie ended up not only having lots of sex with Ginny but also DATING them like what, two weeks after dumping her fiancé? I get she wasn’t very happy but damn. I wouldn’t be as upset if he like cheated or was mean to her or something, but he was honestly just kinda oblivious and trying to help. Some of the sex scenes made me CRINGE (aka the fisting scene). The third act breakup was extremely unnecessary and avoidable.

The redeeming qualities of this audiobook were the narrators and the fact that it was a quick listen.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC. 

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H

informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

What an amazing look into what it means to be queer and Muslim. I enjoyed learning about the Quran as well!