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tristatereader's Reviews (114)
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
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:
No
I fell in love with the idea of Badam while reading the first Fern Falls book, In The Event Of Love. I was hoping, praying, crossing my fingers and toes that we would get to see their love story unfold in the future, and Courtney answered my prayers.
Ben Parrish and Adam Reed are childhood besties who have [not so secretly] been pining after one another for an eternity. When Ben enters a national baking competition with his family’s famous cinnamon roll recipe, Adam is eager to support him. But after the producer assumes they’re romantic partners on live TV, and Adam rather forcefully makes the declaration that they’re just friends, Ben hightails it out of Fern Falls and to his grandma’s house in Maywell Bay.
Celebrating his g-ma’s 80th birthday is a 2-week extravaganza and Ben is all too happy to participate. He hopes the time away from Fern Falls will help him move on from Adam. But when Adam shows up in Maywell Bay as the replacement guitarist for the band g-ma hired, it seems like the two may have finally got their timing right. Enter a shitty “dad” (I use the term loosely because fuck Jake Gibbons) who threatens to dismantle Ben’s stability in both life and love.
This touched on some heavy shit y’all. My poor Ben was 👏🏼 Going. Through. It. 👏🏼 But I absolutely loved his support system, his ability to implement therapeutic skills learned through years of counseling, and his open communication with Adam. The mental health rep was top notch and so well done.
This book was a romance. Childhood besties to lovers, two sunshines making the world a brighter place, together. But it was also a journey of self-acceptance. Ben had to take time to heal from his past trauma in order to be able to fully accept love; something so relatable to so many readers.
I also need to express my endless gratitude to the author for the incredible amount of diversity and inclusivity in this book. It definitely didn’t go unnoticed. Thank you 💕
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC.
Look for In the Case of Heartbreak on 7/25/23 or pre-order now!
Ben Parrish and Adam Reed are childhood besties who have [not so secretly] been pining after one another for an eternity. When Ben enters a national baking competition with his family’s famous cinnamon roll recipe, Adam is eager to support him. But after the producer assumes they’re romantic partners on live TV, and Adam rather forcefully makes the declaration that they’re just friends, Ben hightails it out of Fern Falls and to his grandma’s house in Maywell Bay.
Celebrating his g-ma’s 80th birthday is a 2-week extravaganza and Ben is all too happy to participate. He hopes the time away from Fern Falls will help him move on from Adam. But when Adam shows up in Maywell Bay as the replacement guitarist for the band g-ma hired, it seems like the two may have finally got their timing right. Enter a shitty “dad” (I use the term loosely because fuck Jake Gibbons) who threatens to dismantle Ben’s stability in both life and love.
This touched on some heavy shit y’all. My poor Ben was 👏🏼 Going. Through. It. 👏🏼 But I absolutely loved his support system, his ability to implement therapeutic skills learned through years of counseling, and his open communication with Adam. The mental health rep was top notch and so well done.
This book was a romance. Childhood besties to lovers, two sunshines making the world a brighter place, together. But it was also a journey of self-acceptance. Ben had to take time to heal from his past trauma in order to be able to fully accept love; something so relatable to so many readers.
I also need to express my endless gratitude to the author for the incredible amount of diversity and inclusivity in this book. It definitely didn’t go unnoticed. Thank you 💕
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC.
Look for In the Case of Heartbreak on 7/25/23 or pre-order now!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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:
No
This was absolutely adorable!
I’m not usually into fantasy, but this was recommended to me during the Trans Rights Readathon this week, and I’m so glad I gave it a try because I loved it.
All of the characters were so lovable in this book (minus the villainous cult). Nova and Tam were so great and I loved watching them find their way back to one another. The Nanas were EVERYTHING; they could seriously do no wrong in my eyes. And the art was absolutely stunning.
I loved the diverse cast, the non-binary rep (Tam), and the disability rep (Nova). The storyline was also super creative. Would love to see a sequel!
I’m not usually into fantasy, but this was recommended to me during the Trans Rights Readathon this week, and I’m so glad I gave it a try because I loved it.
All of the characters were so lovable in this book (minus the villainous cult). Nova and Tam were so great and I loved watching them find their way back to one another. The Nanas were EVERYTHING; they could seriously do no wrong in my eyes. And the art was absolutely stunning.
I loved the diverse cast, the non-binary rep (Tam), and the disability rep (Nova). The storyline was also super creative. Would love to see a sequel!
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I wanted to love this book, I really did. But alas, it will continue to stay on my never ending list of wants. Reading You & I, Rewritten felt… disjointed. Like I was reading two different books. And to be honest, I would have loved to have read the 2nd half as a stand-alone.
The first half of the book introduces us to Will and Graham. From the synopsis, I thought it would be a more enemies to lovers type relationship, or a grump and happy sunshine. But there was instant chemistry between the two and they quickly fell into a serious romance. And while Graham is described as cold and distant in the synopsis, I felt he was pretty warm and open while trying to maintain professionalism in the workplace (something Will seemed to struggle with).
The second half dives head first into Will’s trauma history. We’re finally introduced to his father in the most heartbreaking way. I shed a lot of tears in this part of the book.
There were also a lot of subplots that made me… I don’t even know the word so I’m just going to say: ???. For instance, Graham acknowledges that morale is low in the office, so he bakes his employees some cookies and suddenly all is fine? What exactly was in those cookies and can I get a batch?
MOST IMPORTANTLY, I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the unprotected sex in this book. A conversation never takes place between Will and Graham regarding protection. The words condom and PrEP are no where to be seen. There’s not even a quick conversation about either of their statuses. As someone who lost a family member to AIDS, this was a very difficult piece of the book for me to ignore. It’s 2023 and being open, honest, and communicative during intimacy is sexy.
Klair for President.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-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:
No
I know I’m a little late to the party, but I finished The Flatshare a few days ago and what a clever story y’all!
Tiffy Moore is a young professional who is working in the publishing business. After a recent split from a controlling and manipulative ex-boyfriend, Tiffy finds her in a bit of conundrum: she has no place to live. Enter Leon Towmey, an introverted hospice nurse looking for a flatmate. Leon works the night shift and is therefore able to offer his flat to Tiffy during that time. Despite living together (and sharing a bed!), Tiffy and Leon’s schedules never overlap and they don’t physically meet for several months. Their chosen method of communication? Post it notes! As the two continue to correspond via written communication, they find themselves more and more intrigued by the other. After an incredibly awkward meet-cute in the bathroom, it’s clear these two are down bad for each other. But Tiffy’s POS ex and the trauma related to his (psychological) abuse threatens the pairs happiness.
Initially I had a difficult time with the way Leon was written. His thought pattern was a bit clunky to me. But as I became more invested in the plot, I found his chapters flowing easily. I loved watching Tiffy and Leon’s friendship blossom through writing and the strangers to friends to lovers trope was so smooth between these two. I did find the end a smidge rushed but the epilogue was perfection. There was even a queer subplot dating back to WWII and I would do anything to read about Mr. Prior and JW the 6th’s romance… Beth I beg of you!
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-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 just finished this ARC and y’all… I loved it.
Marvin Block is an amazing kindergarten teacher whose engaging mind and passion for helping his kiddos has earned him a nomination for Teacher of the Year. Winning this award would be a huge help to his struggling public school and he’s really feeling the pressure as they return from winter break. Enter Illona Stone, a new face joining his classroom. Illona is sweet, friendly, inquisitive, and comes packaged with a hot as hell single dad, Olan.
A romance ensues between Marvin and Olan. But their romance is met with some trials and tribulations related to Marvin’s past trauma as the son of a recovering alcoholic. Marvin tries to manage that part of his past (by essentially ignoring it) and throwing himself into his work. But as Olan starts to open up about his own recovery, Marvin’s mind and body can’t seem to stop going into “panic and flee” mode.
This book is a romance, yes, but it’s also about overcoming adversity, coping with past trauma (in healthy ways), and learning to accept unconditional love. M.A. Wardell does a tremendous job piecing out Marvin’s trauma history and subsequent steps toward healing. And Olan Stone (fervently fans myself)… Olan Stone has never done anything wrong in his entire life and I will die on this hill.
The kiddos were completely adorable, the side characters were absolute perfection (Jill and Nick, Jick, total couples goals) and there were some extra spicy Olavin scenes 🌶️😏. Also… hold onto your seats… we have unlabeled, QBIPOC, AND Jewish representation! Who cheered?!
Thank you to M.A. Wardell for the ARC. Look for Teacher of the Year on sale May 9th, or pre-order now and get some fun goodies!
Marvin Block is an amazing kindergarten teacher whose engaging mind and passion for helping his kiddos has earned him a nomination for Teacher of the Year. Winning this award would be a huge help to his struggling public school and he’s really feeling the pressure as they return from winter break. Enter Illona Stone, a new face joining his classroom. Illona is sweet, friendly, inquisitive, and comes packaged with a hot as hell single dad, Olan.
A romance ensues between Marvin and Olan. But their romance is met with some trials and tribulations related to Marvin’s past trauma as the son of a recovering alcoholic. Marvin tries to manage that part of his past (by essentially ignoring it) and throwing himself into his work. But as Olan starts to open up about his own recovery, Marvin’s mind and body can’t seem to stop going into “panic and flee” mode.
This book is a romance, yes, but it’s also about overcoming adversity, coping with past trauma (in healthy ways), and learning to accept unconditional love. M.A. Wardell does a tremendous job piecing out Marvin’s trauma history and subsequent steps toward healing. And Olan Stone (fervently fans myself)… Olan Stone has never done anything wrong in his entire life and I will die on this hill.
The kiddos were completely adorable, the side characters were absolute perfection (Jill and Nick, Jick, total couples goals) and there were some extra spicy Olavin scenes 🌶️😏. Also… hold onto your seats… we have unlabeled, QBIPOC, AND Jewish representation! Who cheered?!
Thank you to M.A. Wardell for the ARC. Look for Teacher of the Year on sale May 9th, or pre-order now and get some fun goodies!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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:
No
I’m here to yell and scream about Something Wild & Wonderful. It’s my first 5-star read of 2023 and I fear my brain chemistry has been permanently altered by this book (in the best possible way). I don’t think any review will do this book justice, but I’m going to give it a whirl.
Something Wild & Wonderful tells the story of Alexei, a gay man who has been cut off by his conservative parents after coming out. Alexei’s personality appears to be shy and reserved (possibly repressed?) and he is undoubtably battling trauma related to his extremely religious upbringing and the subsequent rejection of his parents. Alexei decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in a cathartic attempt to start a new life as “Alexei 2.0”. It’s on the PCT that he meets the handsome and charismatic Ben. The two are completely captivated with one another from the beginning, and set off to hike the trail together, as friends. Through their arduous 700 miles in the desert, Ben shows Alexei what it’s like to be loved for exactly who you are, something he’s never experienced before. And unbeknownst to Ben at the time, Alexei does the same thing for him.
Friends to lovers enthusiasts rejoice because this 👏🏼 is 👏🏼 how 👏🏼 it’s 👏🏼 done. This book tugged at every single one of my emotions in the most beautiful way. There’s a section of this book written in letter format and oh. my. god. Your girl is not a crier but I was boohoo sobbing during these letters. They are such a powerful, beautiful, and poetic communication method for this story. I also have to commend Anita Kelly on the diversity in this book. I loved the Russian and Portuguese MCs as well the amount of queer representation.
Look for Something Wild & Wonderful on March 7, 2023!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Something Wild & Wonderful tells the story of Alexei, a gay man who has been cut off by his conservative parents after coming out. Alexei’s personality appears to be shy and reserved (possibly repressed?) and he is undoubtably battling trauma related to his extremely religious upbringing and the subsequent rejection of his parents. Alexei decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in a cathartic attempt to start a new life as “Alexei 2.0”. It’s on the PCT that he meets the handsome and charismatic Ben. The two are completely captivated with one another from the beginning, and set off to hike the trail together, as friends. Through their arduous 700 miles in the desert, Ben shows Alexei what it’s like to be loved for exactly who you are, something he’s never experienced before. And unbeknownst to Ben at the time, Alexei does the same thing for him.
Friends to lovers enthusiasts rejoice because this 👏🏼 is 👏🏼 how 👏🏼 it’s 👏🏼 done. This book tugged at every single one of my emotions in the most beautiful way. There’s a section of this book written in letter format and oh. my. god. Your girl is not a crier but I was boohoo sobbing during these letters. They are such a powerful, beautiful, and poetic communication method for this story. I also have to commend Anita Kelly on the diversity in this book. I loved the Russian and Portuguese MCs as well the amount of queer representation.
Look for Something Wild & Wonderful on March 7, 2023!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So I finished Glitterland in one sitting. I legit could not put it down. Started at 8:30pm one night and finished around 3:30am. I had heard mixed things about this book from several different people, but I absolutely loved it. Idk if it’s the social worker in me that was positively elated with the SPMI (severe persistent mental illness) representation or what, but this book had me; hook, line, and sinker.
Glitterland is the story of Ash, an author who is diagnosed with bipolar depression. While he doesn’t seem to cycle in the book, we do see flashbacks of past manic and depressive episodes as well as tw: a suicide attempt / mentions of self-harm. Ash is content being reclusive and engaging in occasional one-night stands. It’s during a one-night stand that he meets Darian, a bright, charismatic, ball of glitter from Essex. Although Ash assumes he’ll never see Darian again after their night together, Darian reappears at one of Ash’s book signings and the two fall into a natural and comfortable relationship.
Alexis’ writing in this book was something I haven’t seen in his other books. It felt really intimate, personal, and I felt his passion for this story. While there is a third act breakup (something I usually hate), I think it was written in a way that made it very relatable to the reader. I think we’ve all been in a place of vulnerability where we’ve felt we needed to act like someone other than our authentic selves, and that’s what I took away from Ash’s behavior. There were characters I loved (Darian, babes, you can do no wrong ever) and characters I didn’t love (Niall, I’m looking at you 😒). I laughed, I cried, I screamed, but most importantly I loved this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Self harm
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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:
No
I finished As You Walk On By yesterday and had to marinate on it for 24 hours because I had so many feelings. I requested this book from my library like 2 months ago and was so excited when it finally came in. I absolutely loved Right Where I Left You and after AYWOB, Julian has officially solidified himself as one of my must read authors.
As You Walk On By introduces readers to star athlete and golden boy, Theo Wright. Theo and his dad have spent all of his high school years adhering to “The Plan”, which ideally culminates in Theo attending Duke for college. But one night, one party, changes the course of The Plan and prompts Theo on a journey of self-discovery and love. In reflecting on this book, I identified The Plan as a metaphor for life; full of curveballs and the need to remain adaptable.
The description of this book being The Breakfast Club meets Can’t Hardly Wait is spot on as Julian artfully masters the “one day/night can change everything” trope. There are so many things I loved about this book, starting with the unconventional way Theo was brought into this world. I loved the complexity and sometimes messiness of all of the characters; so raw and relatable. I loved that while Theo gets his HEA, not everything in his life is tied up into a perfect bow, and he finds peace with that.
This was the perfect February read to celebrate Black History Month. I absolutely love reading Julian’s books because of the abundance of positive BIPOC and QBIPOC representation. Julian’s words are captivating, mesmerizing, and heartbreaking all at the same time. His writing is so important and elicits so much awareness.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Car accident, Sexual harassment
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
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 was so excited when I got approved for this eARC and it did not disappoint.
Always the Almost is more than a rom-dram, it’s a self-acceptance journey for our main character. Miles Jacobson is a high school student who recently came out as trans. While his friends and family are (mostly) supportive and accepting, his boyfriend Shane ends their relationship. Miles believes Shane can love him as his true, authentic self and makes a resolution to win him back.
Insert new student Eric Mendez to make Miles say, “resolution who?” Eric is an artsy Seattle transplant who’s charming, funny, and above all accepting of Miles as exactly who he is. A beautiful connection forms between the two, but Miles’ inability to stop thinking about what could be with Shane threatens their relationship.
I loved so many things about this book. Miles was complicated, messy at times, and yet so lovable. I found myself rooting for him throughout every step in his journey. Eric was the most beautiful soul and I couldn’t get enough of him. He was so unapologetically authentic; a complete breath of fresh air.
A huge part of Miles’ journey was his piano playing and the author did a great job explaining the instrument. His writing style made me feel like I was physically watching Miles’ play. The ending was absolutely perfection for me and I shed so many happy tears.
Insert new student Eric Mendez to make Miles say, “resolution who?” Eric is an artsy Seattle transplant who’s charming, funny, and above all accepting of Miles as exactly who he is. A beautiful connection forms between the two, but Miles’ inability to stop thinking about what could be with Shane threatens their relationship.
I loved so many things about this book. Miles was complicated, messy at times, and yet so lovable. I found myself rooting for him throughout every step in his journey. Eric was the most beautiful soul and I couldn’t get enough of him. He was so unapologetically authentic; a complete breath of fresh air.
A huge part of Miles’ journey was his piano playing and the author did a great job explaining the instrument. His writing style made me feel like I was physically watching Miles’ play. The ending was absolutely perfection for me and I shed so many happy tears.
Look for Always the Almost on February 14, 2023 💕
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Marten’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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:
No
I just finished an eARC for The Long Run by James Acker and can’t stop thinking about it. And it’s not just because I’m a Jersey girl, or that I could vividly picture every single Jersey reference that James put in this book, or because of the amount of cursing (we New Jerseyians love our swear words).
The Long Run is a coming-of-age story and romance about Sebastian Villeda (Bash) and Alessandro Miceli (Sandro/Dro). The two are both high school athletes navigating senior year, Bash being a track star and captain and Sandro being a field captain. While they’ve always been (at the most) acquaintances, it’s at a sports party where the two realize there might be something more between them.
I loved this book because it was so raw and real. It gave me Young Royals vibes as we saw two teenage boys seriously going through it. There were dysfunctional families, toxic friendships, homophobia, and sexual exploration (all very real things that high schoolers have to deal with on the daily). I was hooked on the self-acceptance journey and character growth for both Bash and Sandro, and the author did not disappoint. These two were navigating some serious shit and didn’t always handle it well. The author did a great job portraying this to the readers. In my opinion, there wasn’t really one central plot in this book, but rather several sub plots that worked so well and cohesively. And there was 👏🏼 So 👏🏼 Much 👏🏼 Incredible. Character 👏🏼 Growth 👏🏼. Not just for our MCs, but minor characters as well! WHO CHEERED?!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Look for The Long Run on February 7, 2023!
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail