Recommended For You by Laura Silverman

 

“Shoshanna Greenberg loves working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. And with her moms fighting at home and her beloved car teetering on the brink of death, the store has become a welcome escape.

When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan.

Jake is an affront to everything Shoshanna stands for. He doesn’t even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he’s also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down.

But as the competition intensifies, Jake and Shoshanna grow closer and realize they might be more on the same page than either expects… “ - taken from Goodreads.com

Recommended For You was a cute holiday story that reads like a Hallmark Christmas movie. Shoshana, who is Jewish, loves working at a local bookstore. When her boss offers a holiday bonus for the top seasonal seller, she sees it as a way to get her car fixed if not to relieve some of the tension at home. Jake Kaplan, the cute new hire, is her only competition. With lots of stumbles and realizations, Shoshana soon realizes that Jake isn't what he originally seemed. 

Visit Laura Silverman’s website.

Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim (Blood of Stars book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Spin the Dawn, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Maia Tamarin’s journey to sew the dresses of the sun, the moon and the stars has taken a grievous toll. She returns to a kingdom on the brink of war. The boy she loves is gone, and she is forced to don the dress of the sun and assume the place of the emperor’s bride-to-be to keep the peace.

But the war raging around Maia is nothing compared to the battle within. Ever since she was touched by the demon Bandur, she has been changing . . . glancing in the mirror to see her own eyes glowing red, losing control of her magic, her body, her mind. It’s only a matter of time before Maia loses herself completely, but she will stop at nothing to find Edan, protect her family, and bring lasting peace to her country.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Wow, this book was definitely worth the wait! I had no problem picking up the story from book one. I don't want to do is give away too many details about this story. Maia has been named the royal tailor and has returned with the three coveted dresses in tow. What she hadn't planned on doing was trying to stop the coming war on her kingdom. Full of adventures and heartbreak, Maia’s adventure is one not to forget.

Visit Elizabeth Lim’s website.

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

 

“Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised . . . and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point—not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious—and dark—their family's past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over—and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I wholeheartedly believe that Karen McManus is a master of YA mystery. The Cousins was so different from her previous YA books that the reader is left hanging until the very end to see what really has happened. The four Story children; Adam, Anders, Allison, and Archer, are banished from their mother's life with a letter from her attorney is it states “you know what you did.”. They never hear from her again, not even after marriages or the birth of their children.

When the three Story grandchildren, Millie, Aubrey, and Jonah; receive letters offering them summer employment at their grandmother's luxury resort, their parents leave them no choice. Soon, they find themselves deep in the infamous Story mystery.

 Full of shocking twists, turns, and reveals, readers will be holding their breath until the very end. 

Visit Karen M. McManus’ website.

10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon (Dimple and Rishi book 3)

 

SPOILER ALERT! This is a companion story that takes place after There’s Something About Sweetie. While it’s not necessary to read the previous book first, I wouldn’t want to spoil any of the details for you. 

“Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny-tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe.

Samir Jha might have a few . . . quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady.

Pinky loves lazy summers at her parents’ Cape Cod lake house, but after listening to them harangue her about the poor decisions (aka boyfriends) she’s made, she hatches a plan. Get her sorta-friend-sorta-enemy, Samir—who is a total Harvard-bound Mama’s boy—to pose as her perfect boyfriend for the summer. As they bicker their way through lighthouses and butterfly habitats, sparks fly, and they both realize this will be a summer they'll never forget.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I enjoyed Pinky and Samir’s story who we first meet in There’s Something About Sweetie. This book is your typical fake boyfriend troupe but it really works well in this story. Both of our characters grew over the course of the summer. Unfortunately for fans of the previous books, only Ashish has the briefest of mentions at the beginning and end of the story. I hope that the author writes an epilogue of all six of these characters in the future to see how everyone turns out.

Visit Sandhya Menon’s website.

American Street by Ibi Zoboi

 

“The rock in the water does not know the pain of the rock in the sun.

On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie—a good life.

But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola’s mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit’s west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own.

Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream?” - taken from Goodreads.com

A powerful story about Fabiola’s quest to achieve the American Dream and what it will cost her to get there. Thrown into life with her cousins and aunt, she is left to own devices to find a way to gain her mother’s release from immigration officials and make her way around the streets of Detroit. Interspersed with the stories of minor characters, readers will gain insight into what life is like for an immigrant. 

Visit Ibi Zoboi’s website.

Ruthless Gods by Emily A. Duncan (Something Dark and Holy book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Wicked Saints, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher on the first book.

“Darkness never works alone...

Nadya doesn’t trust her magic anymore. Serefin is fighting off a voice in his head that doesn’t belong to him. Malachiasz is at war with who--and what--he’s become.

As their group is continually torn apart, the girl, the prince, and the monster find their fates irrevocably intertwined. They’re pieces on a board, being orchestrated by someone… or something. The voices that Serefin hears in the darkness, the ones that Nadya believes are her gods, the ones that Malachiasz is desperate to meet—those voices want a stake in the world, and they refuse to stay quiet any longer.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Well, if that wasn’t a bombshell dropped in the opening chapters. Most of this book revolved around the ending of the first book and building up to the ending and the setup for the final book. A bit slow, the story drags and there is little action until the end. Now, onto the conclusion that promises to pack a punch.

The trilogy will be concluded with Blessed Monsters on April 6, 2021.

Visit Emily A Duncan’s website.

This is My Brain in Love by I. W. Gregorio

 

“Jocelyn Wu has just three wishes for her junior year: To make it through without dying of boredom, to direct a short film with her BFF Priya Venkatram, and to get at least two months into the year without being compared to or confused with Peggy Chang, the only other Chinese girl in her grade.

Will Domenici has two goals: to find a paying summer internship, and to prove he has what it takes to become an editor on his school paper.

Then Jocelyn's father tells her their family restaurant may be going under, and all wishes are off. Because her dad has the marketing skills of a dumpling, it's up to Jocelyn and her unlikely new employee, Will, to bring A-Plus Chinese Garden into the 21st century (or, at least, to Facebook).What starts off as a rocky partnership soon grows into something more. But family prejudices and the uncertain future of A-Plus threaten to keep Will and Jocelyn apart. It will take everything they have and more, to save the family restaurant and their budding romance.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was a cute boy meets girl romance until Jocelyn's father stepped in and attempts to put the brakes on her blooming relationship with Will. With the Wu family struggling to keep their family restaurant, A Plus Chinese Garden afloat, Will soon realizes just how much he and Jos have in common, their mental health issues. Written from a #OwnVoices standpoint, Will and Jos's issues aren't glossed over but provide others with Insight on how to get help for themselves. 

Visit I. W. Gregorio’s website.

Sisters of Sword and Song by Rebecca Ross

 

“After eight long years, Evadne will finally be reunited with her older sister, Halcyon, who has been proudly serving in the queen’s army. But when Halcyon appears earlier than expected, Eva knows something has gone terribly wrong. Halcyon is on the run, hunted by her commander, and charged with murder.

Through Halcyon’s life is spared during her trial, the punishment is heavy. And when Eva volunteers to serve part of Halcyon’s sentence, she’s determined to find out exactly what happened. But as Eva begins her sentence, she quickly learns that there are fates much worse than death.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book has to be one of the best fantasies I have read in a long time. And the best part is that it is a stand-alone read. Full of sisterly love and sacrifice, Halcyon and Evadne prove over and over again that they would do anything to protect the other. But working off part of Hal's sentence and working for the Straton household, Eva soon learns the secrets that her sister was trying to protect her from. And Damon's part in the story was phenomenal. This book and author are both definitely underrated.

Visit Rebecca Ross’ website.

Broken Places & Outer Spaces by Nnedi Okorafor

 

“A powerful journey from star athlete to sudden paralysis to creative awakening, award-winning science fiction writer Nnedi Okorafor shows that what we think are our limitations have the potential to become our greatest strengths.

Nnedi Okorafor was never supposed to be paralyzed. A college track star and budding entomologist, Nnedi’s lifelong battle with scoliosis was just a bump in her plan—something a simple operation would easily correct. But when Nnedi wakes from the surgery to find she can’t move her legs, her entire sense of self begins to waver. Confined to a hospital bed for months, unusual things begin to happen. Psychedelic bugs crawl her hospital walls; strange dreams visit her nightly. Nnedi begins to put these experiences into writing, conjuring up strange, fantastical stories. What Nnedi discovers during her confinement would prove to be the key to her life as a successful science fiction author: In science fiction, when something breaks, something greater often emerges from the cracks.

In Broken Places & Outer Spaces, Nnedi takes the reader on a journey from her hospital bed deep into her memories, from her painful first experiences with racism as a child in Chicago to her powerful visits to her parents’ hometown in Nigeria. From Frida Kahlo to Mary Shelly, she examines great artists and writers who have pushed through their limitations, using hardship to fuel their work. Through these compelling stories and her own, Nnedi reveals a universal truth: What we perceive as limitations have the potential to become our greatest strengths—far greater than when we were unbroken.

A guidebook for anyone eager to understand how their limitations might actually be used as a creative springboard, Broken Places & Outer Spaces is an inspiring look at how to open up new windows in your mind. - taken from Goodreads.com

An inspiring read that really resonated with me. Sci-fi and fantasy author Okorafor details the summer when she went from star tennis player to becoming paralyzed from the waist down after surgery to correct her severe case of sclerosis. Throughout her recovery, she details how she felt betrayed by science and started her journey as an award-winning author.

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Visit Nnedi Okorafor’s website. See her TED talk

Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram (Darius the Great book 1)

 

“Darius doesn't think he'll ever be enough, in America or in Iran.

Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He's about to take his first-ever trip to Iran, and it's pretty overwhelming—especially when he's also dealing with clinical depression, a disapproving dad, and a chronically anemic social life. In Iran, he gets to know his ailing but still formidable grandfather, his loving grandmother, and the rest of his mom's family for the first time. And he meets Sohrab, the boy next door who changes everything.

Sohrab makes sure people speak English so Darius can understand what's going on. He gets Darius an Iranian National Football Team jersey that makes him feel like a True Persian for the first time. And he understands that sometimes, best friends don't have to talk. Darius has never had a true friend before, but now he's spending his days with Sohrab playing soccer, eating rosewater ice cream, and sitting together for hours in their special place, a rooftop overlooking the Yazdi skyline.

Sohrab calls him Darioush—the original Persian version of his name—and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he's Darioush to Sohrab. When it's time to go home to America, he'll have to find a way to be Darioush on his own.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I adored Darius and his emotional journey as he visits his mother’s family for the first time in Iran. Dealing with depression and a belief that he doesn’t live up to his father’s expectations, Darius discovers himself and comes into his own during the trip.l Darius discovers his heritage, makes a true friend, and meets for the first and last time his dying grandfather. 

I loved all of the details of Iran and it felt like I was there alongside Darius. The ending was emotional and satisfying. I cannot wait to see where Darius goes next.

Book two, Darius the Great Deserves Better, is out now. 

Visit Adib Khorram’s website.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin book 1)

 

“For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book has an incredibly beautiful cover with a girl on it but don’t let that fool you about this book. The story is told from two different points of view; Malik, a refugee who is looking for a better life for him and his sisters, and Karina, the daughter of the sultana. When Malik’s little sister is kidnapped and Karina’s mother is assassinated, these two are thrown together unknowingly to use one another to save their respective loved ones. I fell in love with this African fantasy that is full of fantasy, adventure, and romance. The ending kept me on my toes and the betrayal cut deep but will leave readers clamoring for the next book.

The story will continue with book two, A Psalm of Storms and Silence, in 2021.

Visit Roseanne A. Brown’s website.

Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian

 

“Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery—the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best of friends. Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia even has her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure that the stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew Grady arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady’s got some changes in mind… “ - taken from Goodreads.com

This book was slow to start off with and I found Amelia to be a bit wishy-washy. I loved the diary entries from Molly Meade that were interspersed throughout the story about her life during the last year of World War II and the start of what would be her business venture. I almost gave up on this book but once Grady Meade enters the story and takes over the ice cream stand, the story really picks up as Amelia comes into her own. Not without problems and confrontations, Amelia’s and Grady’s summer is a sweet story about standing up for what you believe in.

Visit Siobhan Vivian’s website.

The Betrothed by Keira Cass (The Betrothed book 1)

 

When King Jameson declares his love for Lady Hollis Brite, Hollis is shocked—and thrilled. After all, she’s grown up at Keresken Castle, vying for the king’s attention alongside other daughters of the nobility. Capturing his heart is a dream come true.

But Hollis soon realizes that falling in love with a king and being crowned queen may not be the happily ever after she thought it would be. And when she meets a commoner with the mysterious power to see right into her heart, she finds that the future she really wants is one that she never thought to imagine.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I heavily skimmed the entire book in order to finish.

Hollis’ story is expected to be concluded with the publication of book two on May 4, 2021.

Visit Kiera Cass’ website.

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace (All the Stars and Teeth book 1)

“Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice.

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer — the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder — and more peril — than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.” - taken from Goodreads.com

An annoyingly pampered and sheltered princess who doesn't understand the situation of her kingdom, check. A swashbuckling, handsome pirate with dark secrets of his own, check. And a fiance with strong magic of his own that will do anything for Amora, check. A mermaid who takes girl power to the next level, check.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy read that takes our ragtag crew across Amora’s kingdom to discover the depths to which she has been lied to and betrayed all her life. Never one to back down from a challenge, where she ends up at the end definitely propels the story to the concluding book. 

The story concludes with All the Tides and Fate on February 2, 2021.

Visit Adalyn Grace’s website

The Lying Woods by Ashley Elston

 

“The truth won’t stay buried.”

“Owen Foster has never wanted for anything. Then his mother shows up at his elite New Orleans boarding school cradling a bombshell: his privileged life has been funded by stolen money. After using the family business, the single largest employer in his small Louisiana town, to embezzle millions and drain the employees' retirement accounts, Owen's father vanished without a trace, leaving Owen and his mother to deal with the fallout.

Owen returns to Lake Cane to finish his senior year, where people he can barely remember despise him for his father's crimes. It's bad enough dealing with muttered insults and glares, but when Owen and his mother receive increasingly frightening threats from someone out for revenge, he knows he must get to the bottom of what really happened at Louisiana Frac--and the cryptic note his father sent him at his boarding school days before disappearing.

Owen's only refuge is the sprawling, isolated pecan orchard he works at after school, owned by a man named Gus who has his own secrets--and in some ways seems to know Owen better than he knows himself. As Owen uncovers a terrible injustice that looms over the same Preacher Woods he's claimed as his own, he must face a shocking truth about his own past--and write a better future.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was an incredible mystery that begins with why Owen's father embezzled millions of dollars from the company he owned and devastates the small town in Louisiana where they live. Left a cryptic note by his father, Owen arrives home from boarding school to find out his mother is the target of threats. Soon after arriving in town, he stumbles into a part-time job at a pecan farm that his father held when he was Owen’s age. 

The story is told in alternating points of view between present-day Owen and his father Noah when he first arrives in Lake Cane. The mystery soon deepens into something neither Owen nor the reader could have ever imagined. Definitely worth the read.

Visit Ashley Elston’s website.

You Say It First by Katie Cotugno

 

“Meg has her entire life set up perfectly: her boyfriend Mason is sweet and supportive, she and her best friend Emily plan to head to Cornell together in the fall, and she even finds time to clock shifts phonebanking at a voter registration call center in her Philadelphia suburb. But everything changes when one of those calls connects her to a stranger from small-town Ohio, who gets under her skin from the moment he picks up the phone.

Colby is stuck in a rut, reeling from a family tragedy and working a dead-end job—unsure what his future holds, or if he even cares. The last thing he has time for is some privileged rich girl preaching the sanctity of the political process. So he says the worst thing he can think of and hangs up.

But things don’t end there.…

That night on the phone winds up being the first in a series of candid, sometimes heated, always surprising conversations that lead to a long-distance friendship and then—slowly—to something more. Across state lines and phone lines, Meg and Colby form a once-in-a-lifetime connection. But in the end, are they just too different to make it work?” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was my first book by this author but it certainly won't be my last. This was a cute rom-com about how opposites attract over a phone call about voter registration. Both Meg and Colby have family and personal situations that they need to overcome and work through before either of them could think about taking the next step in their relationship. Told from both their points of view, the reader gets to see how their words to each other can be powerful. A good read during this election season.

Visit Katie Cotugno’s website.

Bone Crier’s Moon by Kathryn Purdie (Bone Grace book 1)

“Bone ​Criers have a sacred duty. They alone can keep the dead from preying on the living. But their power to ferry the spirits of the dead into goddess Elara’s Night Heavens or Tyrus’s Underworld comes from sacrifice. The gods demand a promise of dedication. And that promise comes at the cost of the Bone Criers’ one true love.

Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become the matriarch of the Bone Criers, a mysterious famille of women who use strengths drawn from animal bones to ferry dead souls. But first she must complete her rite of passage and kill the boy she’s also destined to love.

Bastien’s father was slain by a Bone Crier and he’s been seeking revenge ever since. Yet when he finally captures one, his vengeance will have to wait. Ailesse’s ritual has begun and now their fates are entwined—in life and in death.

Sabine has never had the stomach for the Bone Criers’ work. But when her best friend Ailesse is taken captive, Sabine will do whatever it takes to save her, even if it means defying their traditions—and their matriarch—to break the bond between Ailesse and Bastien. Before they all die.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Is it acceptable to judge a book by it's cover? In this case, yes!. I love Charlie Bowater’s artwork and have thoroughly enjoyed every book I’ve read that she has designed the covers for. This is an epic fantasy told from the voices of Ailesse, Sabine, and Bastien. Thrown together during a ritual that has gone wrong, Sabine is the character who grows the most since she is no longer under the kidnapped Ailesse’s shadow. Just when you think you know where the story is going, the author throws you a shocking twist or wicked curveball. With a slight cliffhanger ending, readers will be eagerly awaiting the conclusion to this story. 

Book two, Bone Crier’s Dawn, is expected to be published on March 30, 2021.

Visit Kathryn Purdie’s website.

Visit Charlie Bowater’s website.

Skyhunter by Marie Lu (Skyhunter book 1)

 

“A broken world.

An overwhelming evil.

A team of warriors ready to strike back.

Talin is a Striker, a member of an elite fighting force that stands as the last defense for the only free nation in the world: Mara.

A refugee, Talin knows firsthand the horrors of the Federation, a world-dominating war machine responsible for destroying nation after nation with its terrifying army of mutant beasts known only as Ghosts.

But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front to Mara's capital, Talin senses there’s more to him than meets the eye. Is he a spy from the Federation? What secrets is he hiding?

Only one thing is clear: Talin is ready to fight to the death alongside her fellow Strikers for the only homeland she has left... with or without the boy who might just be the weapon to save—or destroy—them all.

Loyalty is life.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I absolutely adore Marie Lu. she writes the best closings/epilogues to her books that no other writer can dream to come close to. I was so excited to pick up the start of her newest series. As I started reading, my first thought was that this was going to be a redo of her Legend trilogy and some readers may see it that way. Please don't stop reading but continue on. I love Talin’s character and she definitely has not lived a sheltered life. And the way she risked her life for Red time and time again shows the true strength of her character. Talin’s friend circle is supportive and has a family feel to it. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book. 

Book two is expected in 2021.

Visit Marie Lu’s website.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

“A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan.

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?” - taken from Goodreads.com

Okay, here's another book that I'm late to the party for. Fangirl has been on my TBR pile forever so I finally took a chance on the audio version. I loved Cath’s journey of self-discovery and independence during her freshman year at college. Cath’s anxieties begin when her twin sister Wren decides she needs her own space and doesn't want to share a dorm room with her. Cath stretches, not always willing, her wings and comes into her own. Cath’s story is interspersed with her popular fanfiction stories based on a Harry Potter-like book series. I adored Cath’s story and hated for it to end, but the ending was truly awesome. 

Visit Rainbow Rowell’s website.

 

Far From Normal by Becky Wallace

 

“Maddie McPherson is sick of Normal—both her hometown of Normal, Illinois and being the ‘normal’ sibling. But when she lands a summer internship with a sports marketing firm, she finally has a chance to crawl out of her genius brother’s shadow. Not to mention, a glowing letter of recommendation could secure her admission to her dream college.

But Maddie’s nickname is “CalaMaddie” for a reason, and when the company tasks her with repairing the image of teen soccer phenom Gabriel Fortunato, she wonders if she’s set herself up for embarrassment. Gabriel is a tabloid magnet, who’s best-known for flubbing Italy’s World Cup hopes. As Maddie works with him to develop “pleasant and friendly” content for social media, she also learns he’s thoughtful, multi-talented, and fiercely loyal—maybe even to a fault. Falling for a footballer is exactly how CalaMaddie would botch this internship, but with the firm pressuring her to get the job done, perhaps her heart is worth risking?” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was another super cute, sports-related rom-com from this author. Maddie McPherson wants to follow in her aunt’s footsteps and work in sports marketing. Getting a summer internship with her aunt’s firm is her first step. When Maddie has a bike accident at a soccer game on the beach, little does she know that her savior will turn out to be her first big project, soccer bad boy Gabriel Fortunato. In order to improve his image, Maddie soon realizes that Gabe is not his public persona. She soon finds herself trying to draw a line between work and pleasure.

Visit Becky Wallace’s website.