Blog Posts of The Week:I totally nailed it this week–got tons of stuff done. Unfortunately August totally wore me down and I think I’m fighting off a cold but whatever I’m still taking the win.
I haven’t been loving any of the books I’ve tried but hoping the next one will be a winner once I figure out what the next one should be.
Books I Read:
Books I Had Planned to Read:
Books Bought:
ARCs Received:
Zora Emerson knows exactly who she is and she knows that she has everything she needs to make big changes in her part of the world. But even with all of her confidence, no one is more shocked than Zora by her immediate connection with Owen–the actual prince of an island off the coast of England.
Attending a prestigious summer program should give Zora all the skills she needs to grow her after school helper program to reach even more of her neighbors. But it’s hard to focus on her courses when thinking about Owen is taking up so much of her attention.
When Owen invites Zora to be his date at his older brother’s wedding, it’s a dream come true. But it also sets Zora up for more scrutiny (and criticism) from strangers than she ever imagined. Soon Zora has to decide if dating Owen is worth the media attention–and if she can still stay true to herself while dating an actual prince in Truly Madly Royally (2019) by Debbie Rigaud.
Truly Madly Royally is a standalone contemporary perfect for anyone who can’t get enough royal romances.
Zora is a no-nonsense heroine. She is a practical, passionate Black girl and she is more than ready to speak her mind when the situation calls for it. She has immense pride in her hometown in New Jersey and a lot of affection for her family–even when it looks like her brother and her best friend might be making some questionable dating decisions.
Owen has a lot more whimsy and is the perfect counterpoint for Zora as the story focuses on their courtship and builds up to the big royal wedding (which is a clear and beautiful homage to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s nuptials in 2018). Themes of civic engagement and initiating change when and where you see a need in your community are solid undercurrents throughout this frothy romance.
Truly Madly Royally is a funny, effervescent story sure to leave a smile on your face. Recommended for readers who like their romances filled with witty banter, strong friendships, and plenty of empowerment for the heroine.
Possible Pairings: Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo, Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins, Comics Will Break Your Heart by Faith Erin Hicks, You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson, The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord, Now a Major Motion Picture by Cori McCarthy, American Royals by Katharine McGee, My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma, Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith, Prince in Disguise by Stephanie Kate Strohm, Pride by Ibi Zoboi
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
Magic killed Aza Wu’s sister. Shire had more experience and more innate talent as a caster than Aza. She was able to work in secret, completing illegal full magic spells for customers to help keep Wu Teas open and pay their required tributes to Saint Willow–the gang leader overseeing their sector of Lotusland.
Shire has been dead for almost a year and Aza is no closer to fully controlling her own abilities as a caster or paying back her family’s mounting debts.
Desperate and just a little reckless, Aza’s efforts to investigate Shire’s death leads her to an underground casting tournament. Winning could be solve most of Aza’s problems. But losing could leave her dead in Caster (2019) by Elsie Chapman.
Caster is a gritty urban fantasy set in a world where magic–that is, full magic–taps into the earth’s energy and is slowly destroying it. Desperate to stave off further disasters, full casting has been declared illegal. But that doesn’t change that some people still have the ability to cast–or the fact that it’s the only option Aza sees for keeping her family afloat.
Stark prose, restrained world building, and suspense immediately draw readers into Aza’s world and the web of intrigue surrounding her sister’s death. High action and detailed fight scenes bring the casting tournament to life.
Caster seamlessly blends mystery and fantasy elements in this story where organized crime and full magic go hand in hand. Based on the ending, readers can only hope that this is but the first of Aza’s adventures.
Possible Pairings: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, White Cat by Holly Black, Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo, The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, Devil’s Pocket by John Dixon, Chasing Power by Sarah Beth Durst, Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan, Unwind by Neal Shusterman
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration at BookExpo 2019*
Blog Posts of The Week:Forget weird, this week was just absurd. Already looking forward to my three day weekend next week lol
Finished One Dark Throne and I have a lot of Thoughts. And many Feelings. Onward to Gravemaidens. In other words: I’m doing pretty well with the ARC August thing.
“Nothing lasts forever. Not this snowflake. Not our homes, not our families. But it doesn’t mean you can’t live in the beauty of the moment.”
Susan Thomas doesn’t cause trouble. She does well in school and she always meets her parents exacting expectations. Maybe that’s why she goes along with her family’s move to Canada without much fuss. Now, instead of spending her senior year with her friends in the familiar surroundings of Saudi Arabia, Susan is in Canada dealing with winter, a school that– while less demanding–is co-ed, not to mention her mother’s depression while they both wonder if Susan’s father will actually make the move to join them in this new country.
According to almost everyone in his life, Malcolm Vakil is trouble. He remembers when he used to care about things like school and making his parents proud but it was a while ago. Before his mother died, before Malcolm found out about his father’s affair, and long before his father finally stopped hitting him and his younger sister. He knows what people see when they look at him. He doesn’t care enough to prove them wrong.
Susan and Malcolm have nothing in common except for wanting desperately to run away from their lives and, maybe, finding a welcome distraction in each other. But the problem with running away is that eventually you have to figure out somewhere–and maybe someone–to run to in The Beauty of the Moment (2019) by Tanaz Bhathena.
Bhathena’s sophomore novel is a contemporary romance set in the same world as her critically acclaimed debut novel A Girl Like That.
The Beauty of the Moment is a light story but don’t make the mistake of thinking that means it is slight. Bhathena effectively contrasts Susan and Malcolm’s points of view to highlight their differences as well as the common threads that draw them to each other in this story about perceptions and expectations.
This novel is as self-aware as its two main characters. Bhathena artfully explores typical conventions found in romantic comedies while subverting the familiar trope of the smart girl meets bad boy to move the story in unexpected directions. Like all of the best comedies, The Beauty of the Moment isn’t afraid to make fun of itself even drawing its title from a line that Malcolm himself recognizes as being incredibly corny seconds after he shares it.
The Beauty of the Moment is everything you could want in a romantic comedy. As with many things, it’s easy to ignore the work–the strength of Bhathena’s writing– because so much of it is hidden behind well-drawn characters and an engrossing plot. Not to mention beautiful sentence level writing that is sure to immediately draw readers into Susan and Malcolm’s world.
The Beauty of the Moment is a breezy, sweet story about an unlikely romance, complicated families, changed circumstances, and perception. Highly recommended for fans of the genre, readers looking for a new take on some familiar tropes, and anyone looking for a genuine story with authentic, intersectional characters.
Possible Pairings: Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo, Emergency Contact by Mary HK Choi, The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert, 96 Words for Love by Ava Dash and Rachel Roy, 29 Dates by Melissa de la Cruz, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar, There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon, The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe, Frankly in Love by David Yoon, The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, Places No One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
Here are my top fives from Simon and Schuster’s Fall 2019 preview for librarians and educators.
If you want to see all of the tweets from the preview, you can check out of the #sskidspreview tag on twitter. (You can also find all of my tweets from the preview too!)
Here are the top five titles I’m excited about from the preview:
Let me know if any of these were already on your radar or if this post helped you find some new titles for your to read list!
Blog Posts of The Week:I feel like my word for the month of August is “weird.” Every week I feel like I’ve been saying how weird things are and I’m still not sure why.
Still working on The Guinevere Deception and re-read Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin.
Birdie has always been a good daughter. She works hard in school, she’s responsible. She listens to her parents even when it’s hard like when she had to give up soccer to focus on her classes and college prep.
But it’s hard to balance being a good daughter with dating Booker–the new boy in her life. Birdie’s parents would never approve of Booker with his bad reputation and his juvenile record. Rather than upset her parents Birdie does what seems like the best thing for everyone: she decides to keep Booker a secret for as long as possible.
Then there’s her estranged aunt Carlene who is back in Chicago, and Birdie’s life, after years of struggling with substance abuse. Birdie barely remembers her aunt but she’s eager to reconnect now–especially when Carlene seems willing to listen to Birdie in a way her mother hasn’t for years. As Birdie grows closer to Carlene and to Booker, the secrets mount. When Birdie finds out that she isn’t the only one who’s been keeping secrets everything she thought she knew about her family will be thrown into question in The Revolution of Birdie Randolph (2019) by Brandy Colbert.
Colbert’s latest standalone is an introspective novel about family, secrets, and what it means to be true to yourself. Birdie is an open and honest narrator struggling with how to balance what she wants with what her parents expect of her. Her story unfolds across a vibrantly described Chicago that is immediately evocative.
Typical stressors of school and college prep are amplified as Birdie finds herself keeping more and more secrets as she tries to spend time with Booker. Their sweet and new romance is tempered by the knowledge that they’ll soon have to figure out how far their relationship can go–if it can go anywhere at all, in fact–while contending with disapproving parents on both sides. Birdie faces a similar push and pull with her aunt who soon becomes a confidant despite the strain it causes with her parents.
In a lot of ways, The Revolution of Birdie Randolph is a story about decisions. The course of Birdie’s life up to this point has been shaped by decisions her parents, and even her aunt, have made. As Birdie begins to understand the ramifications of those choices, she has to decide for herself how to move forward. But luckily for her, and readers, she has a lot of support along the way.
The Revolution of Birdie Randolph is a smart, nuanced story about learning to be true to yourself–even when the truth about your past might not be what you expect. Come for the swoony romance, stay for the authentic intersectional identities, complex relationships, and memorable characters. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhatena, Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake, Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum, Past Perfect Life by Elizabeth Eulberg, Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp, The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez, Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith; Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen, How to Save a Life by Sarah Zarr
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration at BookExpo 2019*
Twelve years ago, at this exact moment, I started blogging as Miss Print.
A lot of things have changed in the last twelve years–the blog has grown and gained a lot more visibility and led to unbelievable opportunities and new friends. I like to think I’ve grown and changed too–partly thanks to being a blogger.
It’s been a wild ride. Thank you so much to everyone who’s joined me as a regular reader.
And now the really important part:
Spread the word, share the love, and head over to Rafflecopter to enter my giveaway.
Giveaway ends August 31 at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be notified September 1. If I don’t hear back from the winners by September 3, I will pick a new winner from the entry pool as needed. US only. Must be 13 years or older to enter.
Miss Print 