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tristatereader's Reviews (114)
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
Fake Dates and Mooncakes is the story of teenagers Dylan Tang and Theo Somers. Dylan is from a working class, immigrant family. His mother recently passed away and he was taken in by his aunt and two cousins. He works hard in school and at his family’s takeout restaurant, Wok Warriors. With financial burdens looming over the family, Dylan decides to enter a mooncake making competition in his mother’s honor in an attempt to save the restaurant.
Theo is the son of absent millionaire, Malcolm Somers, CEO of Somers Technology. He loves the arts and dreams of studying music in college. Dylan and Theo end up meeting when Dylan delivers food from Wok Warriors to the penthouse of Theo’s friend and ex-boyfriend. The order is incorrect and Theo’s ex (he’s the worst) throws a fit while berating poor Dylan.
Despite the less than ideal meet-cute, something sparks between the two, and Theo ends up showing up to Wok Warriors after “the incident”. It’s at Wok Warriors and with Dylan’s family that Theo is reintroduced to family and culture that he never knew since the passing of his mom at age 5. After Theo provides Wok Warriors with some financial reprieve, Dylan agrees to fake being his boyfriend during a lavish family wedding in the Hamptons.
I absolutely loved the character of Theo. Even though he has endless wealth and luxuries at his disposal, he is very down to earth. He loves with his whole heart and it is so apparent through Sher’s writing. I enjoyed the character growth that took place between Dylan and Theo, both together and individually. The side characters were fun and quirky and Clover the rescue corgi was an absolute joy to read about.
This book was very cute and enjoyable, although a bit unrealistic at times. I also found myself wanting more from some of the sub-plots. It’s a fun and quick read with a fairytale HEA.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Look for Fake Dates and Mooncakes on May 16, 2023!
Theo is the son of absent millionaire, Malcolm Somers, CEO of Somers Technology. He loves the arts and dreams of studying music in college. Dylan and Theo end up meeting when Dylan delivers food from Wok Warriors to the penthouse of Theo’s friend and ex-boyfriend. The order is incorrect and Theo’s ex (he’s the worst) throws a fit while berating poor Dylan.
Despite the less than ideal meet-cute, something sparks between the two, and Theo ends up showing up to Wok Warriors after “the incident”. It’s at Wok Warriors and with Dylan’s family that Theo is reintroduced to family and culture that he never knew since the passing of his mom at age 5. After Theo provides Wok Warriors with some financial reprieve, Dylan agrees to fake being his boyfriend during a lavish family wedding in the Hamptons.
I absolutely loved the character of Theo. Even though he has endless wealth and luxuries at his disposal, he is very down to earth. He loves with his whole heart and it is so apparent through Sher’s writing. I enjoyed the character growth that took place between Dylan and Theo, both together and individually. The side characters were fun and quirky and Clover the rescue corgi was an absolute joy to read about.
This book was very cute and enjoyable, although a bit unrealistic at times. I also found myself wanting more from some of the sub-plots. It’s a fun and quick read with a fairytale HEA.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Look for Fake Dates and Mooncakes on May 16, 2023!
*Disclaimer: I DNF this book at 25%, but I would still recommend it!*
This book tells the story of Rose, a business consultant, and Ash, a film director. Ash has been blacklisted in the film industry after an $11 million blunder, but has a chance at redemption when a wealthy client shows interest in her sapphic romance script. With Rose taking Ash’s case pro-bono, the two work very closely in order to try to get Ash’s movie financed.
This book is well written with a cute plot. I don’t know why, but I just couldn’t get into the Rose and Ash’s story. I saw a few other reviews where the reader had a hard time getting into their story initially, but loved it by the end, so my plan is to come back to this book at some point.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Look for Behind the Scenes on January 31, 2023!
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a coming of age graphic novel about Ari, a teenager (I think) desperate to move away from his family’s bakery and start a new life with his band mates in the city. Enter Hector, a lovable new transplant to town. Hector is in culinary school and the perfect bakery replacement for Ari to make his escape. But the two spend all summer together working at the bakery and their friendship develops into something more. Unfortunately, during a passionate moment between Ari and Hector, tragedy strikes the bakery and the two end up going their separate ways (for a short period of time).
I liked the plot of this graphic novel but felt it was lacking in substance and depth. I was really frustrated by how awful Ari’s friends were, especially Cameron, and how Ari was able to walk away and try to start a new life after the bakery tragedy and (figuratively) burning Hector so bad. The pacing / timeline was also a bit off for me as well. I will read the second book in hopes of some redemption for these boys. 5/5 for the incredible artwork!
Content Warnings
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Right Where I Left You was a book I had never heard of, but read the dust jacket and was intrigued.
This book blew me away. It tells the story of Isaac (openly gay) and his best friend Diego (openly bisexual). Isaac is a comic book nerd and Diego is a gaming wizard. The two have just graduated high school and plan to spend the entire summer together, including going to Legends Con and their first teen Pride. During a moment of distraction while talking to his crush, Isaac misses the opportunity to buy passes for Legends Con. What transpires after is a coming of age story and two besties trying to navigate a changing and evolving friendship.
There are so many important themes that the author does incredibly well in this book. Love, loss, closure, found family… it all flows so beautifully. Julian’s writing style is chef’s kiss perfection and his imagery? Truly poetic. I loved the BIPOC representation, the endearing and diverse supporting characters, the setting of the book (former Marietta kid here), and all the easter eggs hidden throughout with references to queer books and movies.
I could probably write a novella on what I loved about this book so if you haven’t read it yet, I strongly encourage you to add it to your tbr list.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*
As a former athlete and someone who religiously watches the summer Olympics, I was super excited when I read the book description. The plot was unique and I’m always a sucker for a good enemies to lovers trope.
Lucas and Oliver are two gymnasts and Olympic athletes in their 20s competing during the Paris 2024 games. Despite running in the same sports circle for 5 years, the two have never gotten along. Enter room assignments at the Olympics, and our two enemies are forced to be roommates. While there are two beds, shenanigans still ensue 😉
Unfortunately, this book just didn’t deliver the way I was hoping. To me, it read a bit like a fan fiction and the relationship between Lucas and Oliver had my head spinning. Every time I thought their relationship and communication was solidifying, something new would happen and any progress they made was gone. I was also confused about the last few days of the Olympics, when Oliver came back from the hospital and separated their beds. Did they just spend the rest of their time not speaking to one another despite sharing a room? And then the author wrote Oliver just casually walking up to Lucas at the finals, talking about celebratory sex, and the readers are supposed to believe Lucas laughed about it and then agreed to talk to Oliver in private as if he hadn’t had his heart broken the day before? I think the ending could have used some reworking. It felt messy to me.
I also felt Oliver’s deceased girlfriend plot line was not teased out enough. That was an incredibly traumatic event, especially since she was on her way to get Oliver’s uniform (he had to have blamed himself) plus her being pregnant PLUS having to mourn in private because the media never knew about their relationship. I feel like there has to be so much unresolved grief to unpack there. There were a few plot lines like this that the author introduced, but didn’t really explore. I think it would have been helpful for character development.
This was a fast paced read and I finished it in 2 days. I would recommend it to someone who enjoys fanfics and the Olympics. There was definitely character growth for both Oliver and Lucas, which I really enjoyed. I also liked the side characters (for the most part).
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Backlit PR for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Death, Abandonment
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated
I Was Born for This tells the story of teenagers Jimmy, a famous rockstar of the band The Ark, and Angel, a devoted and obsessed fan. During a traumatic event at a meet-and-greet for The Ark, Angel helps Jimmy through a panic attack and unknowingly solidifies a bond with her idol. Jimmy’s mental health continues to deteriorate from there and in a moment of panic, he flees London for his grandad’s home in the country, and spontaneously ends up taking Angel with him. It’s during her time with Jimmy (and eventually the other band members) that Angel begins to realize her idols are just regular people.
This is a book about self-discovery and acceptance as well as the reality of fandom life and hero worship. I really enjoyed that it was narrated from the viewpoints of both Jimmy and Angel. I did find myself with a lot of questions at the end (did anyone else?), and I’m wondering if Alice is planning some kind of sequel. In the Oseman universe of books, this rates higher than Nick and Charlie but lower than Heartstopper for me.
Also as a trigger warning, one of the teenage characters has a substance use issue that no one seems to want to address (hello adults where are you?), and this was a really difficult thing for me to not harp on.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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:
Yes
I read The Charm Offensive (TCO) in September and devoured it in two days. So when Alison put the pre-order out for Kiss Her Once for Me (KHOFM) with a bonus holiday short story about my favorites from TCO, I hustled. A sapphic holiday romance with the added bonus of an update on Dev and Charlie? Yes please!
Ellie is a talented artist who has suffered more than her share of hitting proverbial brick walls. It’s after yet another disappointment from her inept “mother” (I use the term lightly) that Ellie finds herself crying in a local bookstore. It’s in the aisles of this bookstore that she meets the charismatic Jack and sparks fly. After a night of passion, Ellie ghosts Jack during a bout of emotion and miscommunication. But Jack remains in Ellie’s life through her art and webcomics, which can’t seem to let go of the girl who stole her heart that night.
Flash forward one year and Ellie’s life has gone to hell. She’s jobless, loveless, and on the verge of homelessness. It’s only when the very wealthy and dashingly handsome Andrew proposes a faux marriage of convenience scheme that Ellie sees a way out. But Andrew brings Ellie home for the holidays and right back into Jack’s orbit.
Overall, this gave me all the holiday vibes I was searching for and I absolutely loved watching Ellie’s growth. After the marriage scheme is abruptly revealed, Ellie spends a few days wallowing (very valid) but subsequently picks herself up and makes moves to better her situation. The social worker in me was screaming ‘YES GIRL! Get those healthy coping skills!’ and by the end, I found myself not even caring if Elck? Jallie? were endgame because Ellie’s growth was enough of a HEA for me.
Ellie is a talented artist who has suffered more than her share of hitting proverbial brick walls. It’s after yet another disappointment from her inept “mother” (I use the term lightly) that Ellie finds herself crying in a local bookstore. It’s in the aisles of this bookstore that she meets the charismatic Jack and sparks fly. After a night of passion, Ellie ghosts Jack during a bout of emotion and miscommunication. But Jack remains in Ellie’s life through her art and webcomics, which can’t seem to let go of the girl who stole her heart that night.
Flash forward one year and Ellie’s life has gone to hell. She’s jobless, loveless, and on the verge of homelessness. It’s only when the very wealthy and dashingly handsome Andrew proposes a faux marriage of convenience scheme that Ellie sees a way out. But Andrew brings Ellie home for the holidays and right back into Jack’s orbit.
Overall, this gave me all the holiday vibes I was searching for and I absolutely loved watching Ellie’s growth. After the marriage scheme is abruptly revealed, Ellie spends a few days wallowing (very valid) but subsequently picks herself up and makes moves to better her situation. The social worker in me was screaming ‘YES GIRL! Get those healthy coping skills!’ and by the end, I found myself not even caring if Elck? Jallie? were endgame because Ellie’s growth was enough of a HEA for me.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
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:
No
Full disclosure, I decided to pick IWYATB as my last book of the year because I thought with it being YA, it might be on the fluffier, calmer side. Spoiler alert: it was neither of these things 😂 (but I still loved it).
Our MC Ben is an 18-year-old non-binary high school student who is kicked out of their parents home after coming out as nb. They suddenly find themself living with their sister Hannah (who they haven’t seen or spoken to in 10 years) and BIL Thomas (whom they’ve never met). Ben is historically a very introverted and somewhat closed-off teenager, but enter the human-ray-of-sunshine Nathan who shakes up Ben’s world. Nathan is kind, patient, supportive, attractive, and has Ben feeling things they’ve never felt before.
This book had some incredibly challenging scenes and I can say I was really feeling all my feels with this one. The mental health issues Ben experiences throughout the book were well represented and I loved the positive portrayal of Dr. Taylor (yay mental health workers!) I also loved seeing Ben make friends and form a healthy support system after the absolute shit they’d been through.
Side note, I would lay down my life for Hannah and Thomas.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book gave me such Sweet Home Alabama vibes and I was living for it.
Morgan is a high profile event planner in LA whose career takes a tumble when she unknowingly kisses the groom-to-be of a celebrity wedding she’s planning. In order to let the bad publicity die down, she begrudgingly retreats to her tiny hometown of Fern Falls and back into the orbit of her first love, Rachel. Although her return to Fern Falls is initially met with apprehension from the town, Morgan bands together with Rachel and their friends to host an event in an attempt to save the town (and Rachel’s family tree farm) from becoming a tourist trap of strip malls and restaurant chains.
This was a really sweet and heartwarming romance. Watching Morgan and Rachel find their way back to one another and fall in love was beautiful and I had tears in my eyes on more than one occasion. The best part of this book, outside of Morgan and Rachel’s second-chance love, was their friends and family. I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book, from Morgan’s exceptionally supportive boss, to her seemingly nosey neighbor (shout out to you Ms. Holloway; you’re the real MVP). I also felt Courtney did an excellent job bringing in real world family issues and showing readers that not every family dynamic is sunshine and rainbows. Last but not least, I am crossing my fingers and toes that I see Ben and Adam in a future book 🤞🏼
Morgan is a high profile event planner in LA whose career takes a tumble when she unknowingly kisses the groom-to-be of a celebrity wedding she’s planning. In order to let the bad publicity die down, she begrudgingly retreats to her tiny hometown of Fern Falls and back into the orbit of her first love, Rachel. Although her return to Fern Falls is initially met with apprehension from the town, Morgan bands together with Rachel and their friends to host an event in an attempt to save the town (and Rachel’s family tree farm) from becoming a tourist trap of strip malls and restaurant chains.
This was a really sweet and heartwarming romance. Watching Morgan and Rachel find their way back to one another and fall in love was beautiful and I had tears in my eyes on more than one occasion. The best part of this book, outside of Morgan and Rachel’s second-chance love, was their friends and family. I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book, from Morgan’s exceptionally supportive boss, to her seemingly nosey neighbor (shout out to you Ms. Holloway; you’re the real MVP). I also felt Courtney did an excellent job bringing in real world family issues and showing readers that not every family dynamic is sunshine and rainbows. Last but not least, I am crossing my fingers and toes that I see Ben and Adam in a future book 🤞🏼