Tag: ARC

ARC Review: The Time of Your Life by Sandra Kitt

Dini @ dinipandareads5 Comments

Special thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Time of Your Life (The Millionaires Club #2)
Publisher: Sourcebook Casablanca
Publication Date: 11 April 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(3 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Second chances always lead to a new beginning! When Everett Nicholls died, he left his millions to the two people he cared about most―the young law student he was mentoring, and his beloved stepson. Eden Marsh and Beck Dennison are instantly suspicious of each other. Suddenly, with all this money at their fingertips, family problems they’ve each been ignoring can no longer be swept under the rug. Beck and his mother have had a strained relationship since tragedy befell the family when he was a young teen, and Eden knows it’s long past time to forge a new relationship with her demanding younger sister. As they begin to confide in each other―and to have fun together―their friendship is an anchor in a stormy new life…

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Death of loved one, death of child (recounted), grief, misogyny

TL;DR: My feelings on this vacillated greatly throughout my reading journey. There were moments when I enjoyed our characters and their burgeoning romance but the slow pace, lack of plot, and the total “what the heck is going on” moment of their final conflict almost made the not-so-enjoyable moments outweigh the good. As it is, I’d say this is a solid 3-star read—not bad but not great though I enjoyed it enough to want to possibly read other books by this author in the future.

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ARC Review: Delicates by Brenna Thummler

Dini @ dinipandareads5 Comments

Special thanks to Oni Press for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Delicates (Sheets #2)
Publisher: Oni Press
Publication Date: 23 March 2021
Genre: Middle-Grade Graphic Novel

Panda Rating:

(5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Following the events of the bestselling graphic novel Sheets, Delicates brings Brenna Thummler’s beloved characters, artwork, and charm back to life.

Marjorie Glatt’s life hasn’t been the same ever since she discovered a group of ghosts hiding in her family’s laundromat. Wendell, who died young and now must wander Earth as a ghost with nothing more than a sheet for a body, soon became one of Marjorie’s only friends. But when Marjorie finally gets accepted by the popular kids at school, she begins to worry that if anyone learns about her secret ghost friends, she’ll be labeled as a freak who sees dead people. With Marjorie’s insistence on keeping Wendell’s ghost identity a secret from her new friends, Wendell begins to feel even more invisible than he already is.

Eliza Duncan feels invisible too. She’s an avid photographer, and her zealous interest in finding and photographing ghosts gets her labeled as “different” by all the other kids in school. Constantly feeling on the outside, Eliza begins to feel like a ghost herself. Marjorie must soon come to terms with the price she pays to be accepted by the popular kids. Is it worth losing Wendell? Is she partially to blame for the bullying Eliza endures?

Delicates tells a powerful story about what it means to fit in, and those left on the outside. It shows what it’s like to feel invisible, and the importance of feeling seen. Above all, it is a story of asking for help when all seems dark, and bringing help and light to those who need it most.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Bullying, grief, bullying, suicidal thoughts

THIS HIT. Wow, Thummler has this wonderful ability to take sad, heavy, heartbreaking moments in life and turn them into powerful stories of overcoming and hope. It’s absolutely no surprise that I was in tears by the end of this story. As wonderful as SHEETS is, I think Delicates outshines it in story, art, and so much heart.

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ARC Review: The Reason I Married Him by Meghan Quinn

Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

Special thanks to Meghan Quinn for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a new marriage of convenience romantic comedy. This steamy, laugh-out-loud, enemies-to-lovers small-town standalone delivers the perfect happily ever after. One-click your copy of THE REASON I MARRIED HIM today!

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ARC Review: The Summer Playbook by Jaqueline Snowe

Dini @ dinipandareads10 Comments

Special thanks to Jaqueline Snowe for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Summer Playbook (Central State Football #2)
Publication Date: 6 February 2024
Genre: New Adult Sports Romance

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Mackenzie Mallinson is an expert at two things—playing soccer and talking about soccer. Wait, there’s a third too. Crushing on her best friend’s twin brother, the star quarterback for the football team, but no one knows about that. Her senior year is her last shot at fun before entering the pros, and she refuses to let soccer be the only thing that defines her. She wants to live life to the fullest, and that requires a summer bucket list.

Dean Romano might have a line of people wanting his signature, but he’s been off his game since someone he trusted hurt him last year. Once the life of the party, he misses the old version of himself. Not the guy who slept around version, but the fun, carefree, let’s enjoy my time on earth version. With his senior year on the team starting, he wants to get back to having a good time, and the perfect opportunity arises: The Summer Playbook.

Mack needs to let loose but wants to do it with someone she trusts. Dean wants to find his mojo again with someone who doesn’t care about his potential NFL career. The two pair up to complete a bucket list of fun while ensuring there are no feelings involved. Some items are easy, like dance on a bar or go to a concert, but skinny dipping? Body shots? Things heat up, but they both agreed their deal ends once they check off every item on the list. The question remains: is love something you cross off a list or a game you can win?

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Sex on page, infidelity recounted, gaslighting

TL;DR: This book was just too freaking cute. It was like a shot of sunshine and happiness straight into my veins because it was a sweet, feel-good, low-drama, low-angst romance. Mack and Dean were so good together and I loved their healthy communication and the playfulness of their romance! If you’re a seasonal reader and are looking for a book to add to your summer reading list, you don’t want to miss out on this because it’s perfect for the summer and it will make you want to fall in love!

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ARC Review: Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang

Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

Special thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for a (very late but) honest review!

Opium and Absinthe
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: 1 July 2020
Genre: Historical Mystery

Panda Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

New York City, 1899. Tillie Pembroke’s sister lies dead, her body drained of blood and with two puncture wounds on her neck. Bram Stoker’s new novel, Dracula, has just been published, and Tillie’s imagination leaps to the impossible: the murderer is a vampire. But it can’t be—can it?

A ravenous reader and researcher, Tillie has something of an addiction to truth, and she won’t rest until she unravels the mystery of her sister’s death. Unfortunately, Tillie’s addicted to more than just truth; to ease the pain from a recent injury, she’s taking more and more laudanum…and some in her immediate circle are happy to keep her well supplied.

Tillie can’t bring herself to believe vampires exist. But with the hysteria surrounding her sister’s death, the continued vampiric slayings, and the opium swirling through her body, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for a girl who relies on facts and figures to know what’s real—or whether she can trust those closest to her.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Murder, blood, exsanguination, drug abuse, addiction, medical abuse, munchausen syndrome’s by proxy, rape recounted, physical abuse recounted

TL;DR: This was an intriguing historical medical thriller that had a bit of a slow start but that I quickly found that I didn’t want to put down. Tillie was a well-developed character whom I pitied and sympathised with, who frustrated me to no end due to her poor decision-making but whom I ultimately admired by the end. I’m terrible at solving mysteries before the great review and although I’d guessed around the motive, I did not guess at all whodunit so that was a fun surprise! Overall, an enjoyable read.

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ARC Review: Sheets by Brenna Thummler

Dini @ dinipandareads12 Comments

Special thanks to Oni Press for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sheets (Sheets #1)
Publisher: Oni Press
Publication Date: 28 August 2018
Genre: Middle-Grade Graphic Novel

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Marjorie Glatt feels like a ghost. A practical thirteen year old in charge of the family laundry business, her daily routine features unforgiving customers, unbearable P.E. classes, and the fastidious Mr. Saubertuck who is committed to destroying everything she’s worked for.

Wendell is a ghost. A boy who lost his life much too young, his daily routine features ineffective death therapy, a sheet-dependent identity, and a dangerous need to seek purpose in the forbidden human world.

When their worlds collide, Marjorie is confronted by unexplainable disasters as Wendell transforms Glatt’s Laundry into his midnight playground, appearing as a mere sheet during the day. While Wendell attempts to create a new afterlife for himself, he unknowingly sabotages the life that Marjorie is struggling to maintain.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Death of parent, Child death, Bullying, Grief, Depression

If you’re like me and you pick this up solely because of the cover, and you don’t look at the synopsis, you might go into this thinking it’ll be a cute story about… Sheets? Turns out, while there are many sheets involved, it’s not at all the light-hearted cutesy story that I thought it would be. This deals with heavy themes of death, grief, belonging, and loneliness.

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ARC Review: Northranger by Rey Terciero

Dini @ dinipandareads8 Comments

Special thanks to SparkPoint Studio and HarperAlley for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Northranger
Publisher: HarperAlley
Publication Date: 04 July 2023
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Graphic Novel

Panda Rating:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

In this swoony and spooky teen summer romance graphic novel set on a Texas ranch, sixteen-year-old Cade Muñoz finds himself falling for the ranch owner’s mysterious and handsome son, only to discover that he may be harboring a dangerous secret.

Cade has always loved to escape into the world of a good horror movie. After all, horror movies are scary–but to Cade, a closeted queer Latino teen growing up in rural Texas–real life can be way scarier.

When Cade is sent to spend the summer working as a ranch hand to help earn extra money for his family, he is horrified. Cade hates everything about the ranch, from the early mornings to the mountains of horse poop he has to clean up. The only silver lining is the company of the two teens who live there–in particular, the ruggedly handsome and enigmatic Henry.

But as unexpected sparks begin to fly between Cade and Henry, things get… complicated. Henry is reluctant to share the details of his mother’s death, and Cade begins to wonder what else he might be hiding. Inspired by the gothic romance of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom comes a modern love story so romantic it’s scary.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Homophobia, racism, homophobic and racist slurs, death of parent (breast cancer), misogyny, alcoholism, mention of attempted suicide (past)

TL;DR: Northranger was an unexpected surprise in the best way. This was spooky and gothic and delivered a very emotional coming-of-age story featuring compelling main characters, entertaining side characters and an important story about learning to be yourself in a place where you won’t be accepted for who you are.

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ARC Review: Shucked by Kate Canterbary

Dini @ dinipandareads15 Comments

Hi friends, I’m so excited to share my review of Shucked by Kate Canterbary! Special thanks to the author for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Shucked (The Loew Brothers #1)
Publisher: Vesper Press
Pub Date: 22 August 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(4.5 stars)

📖 SYNOPSIS

His best friend’s little sister is not an option.

No one ever accused Beckett Loew of being the nice Loew brother, especially not Sunny duJardin. Stuck back home in the quirky town of Friendship, Rhode Island, Beckett is scrambling to save his family’s oyster bar and take care of his teenage brother. He doesn’t have time to deal with the beautiful, sunshine-y owner of the new vegan cafe next door too. His best friend’s little sister may be all grown up, but Sunny’s still a distracting pain in his side.

No one expects much from Sunny duJardin, especially not Beckett Loew. She’s not worried about her older brother’s tall, dark, and broody best friend or battles he insists on waging with her everyday. She’s not the same kid he teased years ago. Now, she composts his type for breakfast.

They’re all wrong for each other.
Bitter rivals.
Complete opposites.
Off limits.

Except they can’t keep their hands off each other.

They tell themselves it’s nothing more than a steamy summer fling until secrets spill and real trouble comes their way.

⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS

chronic illness (epilepsy), mention of childhood bullying, putting the fun in dysfunctional families, parents who turn into accidental criminals, incarceration, open door spice, suspense and moments of peril, happily ever after, no cliffhanger.

TL;DR: Shucked had me feeling all the lovely chaotic emotions, which was perfect because these characters were exactly that: lovely and chaotic, lol. Sunny and Beckett were the perfect combination of grumpy sunshine with a bit of age-gap and brother’s best friend/childhood nemesis sprinkled in. The tension was exquisite and their hate-to-love banter and button-pushing was hilarious! Let’s just say I am so ready for the next book in this series and I need it now, please~!

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ARC Review: Love & Resistance by Kara H.L. Chen

Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

Special thanks to Rylee from SparkPoint Studio and the publisher for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Love & Resistance
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: 04 July 2023
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Panda Rating:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Seventeen-year-old Olivia Chang is at her fourth school in seven years. Her self-imposed solitude is lonely, but safe. At Plainstown High, however, Olivia’s usual plan of anonymity fails when the infamous Mitzi Clarke (influencer, queen bee, bully) makes a pointed racist comment in class. Olivia knows what she must do: let it go. But Olivia is tired of ignoring things just so she can survive. This time, she defends herself.

That is the end of her invisible life.

Soon, Olivia discovers, and joins forces with, the Nerd Net: a secret society who has been thwarting Mitzi’s reign of terror for months. Together, they plan to unite the masses and create true change at Plainstown High.

But in order to succeed, Olivia must do something even more terrifying than lead a movement: trust other people. She might even make true friends along the way… if Mitzi doesn’t destroy her first.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Bullying/Cyberbullying, racism (use of slurs), xenophobia, parental abandonment, divorce

TL;DR: Love & Resistance is a YA contemporary that has an intriguing premise and delivers on it too. The story covers some tough topics such as bullying, racism/xenophobia, and the toxicity of social media culture. Although it was at times heartbreaking and emotionally angsty, it was also powerfully hopeful and I appreciated the approach the author took to handling the tough situations that Olivia and her group of friends find themselves in. I’m sure many readers will be able to relate to this story and the experiences of these high schoolers. This was a great debut by Chen and I’m looking forward to seeing what the author puts out in the future.

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ARC Review: How to Win a Breakup by Farah Heron

Dini @ dinipandareads16 Comments

Special thanks to Skyscape for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

How to Win a Breakup
Publisher: Skyscape
Publication Date: 21 March 2023
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

An “it” couple’s breakup becomes a sporting event in a deliciously charming novel about the games people play in the name of love.

First, math genius and gamer-nerd Samaya gets dumped by her boyfriend. Then he sabotages her job and hooks up with her frenemy. What could be worse? Clearly, her golden-boy ex is winning the breakup. The only way Samaya can get some rebound cred is to find someone new. Even if she has to fake it.

At a volunteer bake sale, Samaya meets a sweet opportunity. Daniel is a handsome hockey jock and a whiz when it comes to lemon squares and brownies. And he agrees to play along. Quid pro quo. He’ll pretend to be the boyfriend of her dreams if Samaya helps him pass calculus.

This may well be the recipe for the best revenge, but Samaya has no idea how complicated it will get. As they whip up an imitation romance, and a bumbleberry pie, resisting each other’s very real charms proves impossible. Samaya finds herself on an unexpected journey of secrets, self-discovery, and the true meaning of moving on.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Bullying/Cyberbullying, Racist slurs, Harrassment, Homelessness, Catfishing, Domestic Abuse (mentioned)

TL;DR: How to Win a Breakup is a fun and fairly angsty YA contemporary romance featuring the fake-dating trope, exes out to best each other, plenty of gaming geeks and an athlete himbo who loves to bake and has a heart of gold. Samaya had a lot of learning and growing to do and although it took a while for her to get there, she does make strides in the end. I loved the friendship she forms with Daniel, who is without a doubt my favourite character in this story! There were some parts that could’ve been stronger and less scattered but overall, this was enjoyable and a perfect summer beach read.

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