Tag: Diverse Reads

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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Book Review: Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston

Dini @ dinipandareads8 Comments

Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigations #2)
Publisher: Farshore
Pub Date: 1 September 2022
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Sequel to the New York Times bestseller Amari and the Night Brothers!

Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this magical second book in the New York Times bestselling Supernatural Investigations trilogy, soon to be a major movie starring Marsai Martin. Perfect for 8+ fans of Percy Jackson and Nevermoor.

After finding her brother and saving the entire supernatural world, Amari Peters is convinced her first full summer as a Junior Agent will be a breeze.

But between the fearsome new Head Minister’s strict anti-magician agenda, fierce Junior Agent rivalries, and her brother Quinton’s curse steadily worsening, Amari’s plate is full. So when the secretive League of Magicians offers her a chance to stand up for magiciankind as its new leader, she declines. She’s got enough to worry about!

But her refusal allows someone else to step forward, a magician with dangerous plans for the League. This challenge sparks the start of the Great Game, a competition to decide who will become the Night Brothers’ successor and determine the future of magiciankind.

The Great Game is both mysterious and deadly, but among the winner’s magical rewards is Quinton’s last hope… so how can Amari refuse?

⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS

Racism, bigotry, bullying

TL;DR: Amari and the Great Game was just as action-packed, if not even more so, as the first book in this series but this time, there are a lot more players involved and everyone’s actions felt a lot more sinister than ever before. I loved those who rallied around Amari through all the hate she once again faces and her friendship with Elsie is still my absolute favourite! While I didn’t necessarily recognise who the ultimate villain would become by the end of this book, it does have me excited to see how Amari will deal with probably the most diabolical and powerful of baddies in the next one.

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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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ARC Review: Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee

Dini @ dinipandareads15 Comments

🦅 HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY!!! 🦅

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

Untethered Sky
Publisher: Tordotcom
Publication Date: 11 April 2023
Genre: Adult Fantasy

Panda Rating:

(5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

From World Fantasy Award-winning author Fonda Lee comes Untethered Sky , an epic fantasy fable about the pursuit of obsession at all costs.

A Most Anticipated in 2023 Pick for Polygon | Book Riot | Paste Magazine

Ester’s family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her father’s painful silence and a single, overwhelming need to kill the monsters that took her family.

Ester’s path leads her to the King’s Royal Mews, where the giant rocs of legend are flown to hunt manticores by their brave and dedicated ruhkers. Paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, Ester finds purpose and acclaim by devoting herself to a calling that demands absolute sacrifice and a creature that will never return her love. The terrifying partnership between woman and roc leads Ester not only on the empire’s most dangerous manticore hunt, but on a journey of perseverance and acceptance.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Animal death, death of family, child death, violence, graphic descriptions, gore, dismemberment

TL;DR: This was a complete departure from her famous Green Bone Saga trilogy but it was no less fantastic. Lee’s ability to pull readers into a story and wholly immerse them into a new world with vivid descriptions and detailed but not overwhelming world-building is, in my humble opinion, unmatched. Don’t expect a fast-paced story as this wasn’t action-packed, but it has more of a quiet ‘slice-of-life’ quality to it that I personally enjoyed. I loved following Ester’s journey as she trains to become a rukher with her roc, Zahra, and the friendships and life lessons she experiences over the course of several years; all culminating in a heartbreaking yet hopeful ending that had me all up in my feels. Pick it up if you love Lee’s work but also pick it up if you want a small taste of how amazing her work is!

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ARC Review: Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz

Dini @ dinipandareads6 Comments

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

Last Sunrise in Eterna
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: 28 March 2023
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rep: Puerto Rican

Panda Rating:

(2.75 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Three teenagers are invited to spend seven days on the secluded island floating off the coast of Puerto Rico to learn the magic of the elves.

All they have to do is give up their dreams.

Seventeen-year-old goth Sevim Burgos hates elves. Everyone else on earth loves the elves (especially their handsome princes) and would give anything to participate in Eterna’s annual Exchange, where three teens can trade their dreams for a week of elven magic.

But Sevim knows things most people don’t. She can see through the illusions the elves use to conceal their crimes. Ever since elves killed her father, Sevim has longed for revenge. So to help support her single mother, she has been selling abandoned elf corpses on the black market.

But it turns out that the elf prince Aro has noticed Sevim bodysnatching, so he kidnaps her mother in retaliation. To get her mother back, Sevim must participate in the Exchange.

In the home of the elves, Sevim will have to surrender her dreams and put her trust in the charming prince who took the last family member she has in order to master the art of elf magic. And in working with him, she will discover how the royal elves might be more tied to her own history than she ever suspected.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Trauma, handling corpses, death of parent (recounted), murder, mutilated corpses (elven children), dead bodies (elven children), cannibalism (brief mention)

TL;DR: I’m quite conflicted with my feelings about this book. It’s not terrible and I did enjoy the author’s writing but I found myself wanting more throughout the whole read. Ultimately, I realised that this probably wouldn’t make it on my list of recommendations for readers that want a YA fantasy, no matter how wonderfully diverse it is! I was really hoping to enjoy this more than I did but it just wasn’t the right fit for me as I found the plot and characters to be too surface-level to really engage with.

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Blog Tour Spotlight: Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz

Dini @ dinipandareads3 Comments

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m shining a spotlight on Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amapro Ortiz. This is the first day of the tour and there are plenty of awesome posts to come so don’t forget to check out the other blogger posts too!

Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!

Last Sunrise in Eterna
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: 28 March 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Rep: Puerto Rican

📖 SYNOPSIS

Three teenagers are invited to spend seven days on the secluded island floating off the coast of Puerto Rico to learn the magic of the elves.

All they have to do is give up their dreams.

Seventeen-year-old goth Sevim Burgos hates elves. Everyone else on earth loves the elves (especially their handsome princes) and would give anything to participate in Eterna’s annual Exchange, where three teens can trade their dreams for a week of elven magic.

But Sevim knows things most people don’t. She can see through the illusions the elves use to conceal their crimes. Ever since elves killed her father, Sevim has longed for revenge. So to help support her single mother, she has been selling abandoned elf corpses on the black market.

But it turns out that the elf prince Aro has noticed Sevim bodysnatching, so he kidnaps her mother in retaliation. To get her mother back, Sevim must participate in the Exchange.

In the home of the elves, Sevim will have to surrender her dreams and put her trust in the charming prince who took the last family member she has in order to master the art of elf magic. And in working with him, she will discover how the royal elves might be more tied to her own history than she ever suspected.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Trauma, handling corpses, death of parent (recounted), murder, mutilated corpses (elven children), dead bodies (elven children), cannibalism (brief mention)

📚 BUY A COPY

Amparo Ortiz is the author of BLAZEWRATH GAMES and
DRAGONBLOOD RING. She was born in San Juan, Puerto
Rico, and currently lives on the island’s northeastern coast.
She’s published short story comics in MARVEL’S VOICES:
COMUNIDADES #1 and in the Eisner-award winning
PUERTO RICO STRONG. She’s also co-editor of the
upcoming OUR SHADOWS HAVE CLAWS, a young adult
horror anthology featuring myths and monsters from Latin
America. When she’s not writing, she teaches ESL as a
college professor and watches a lot of K-pop videos.

Author’s Socials
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Is Last Sunrise in Eterna on your TBR or does it sound like a book you want to read?

ARC Review: Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

Dini @ dinipandareads29 Comments

Special thanks to the author and Underlined for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Fake Dates and Mooncakes
Publisher: Underlined
Publication Date: 16 May 2023
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(2 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians in this heartfelt, joyful paperback original rom-com that follows an aspiring chef who discovers the recipe for love is more complicated than it seems when he starts fake-dating a handsome new customer.

Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn.

Enter Theo Somers: charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons.

In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend… but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems.

Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both?

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Classism, death of parent (recounted), cancer, alcoholism

TL;DR: Fake Dates and Mooncakes was high up on my list of anticipated YA contemporary romances this year and I was beyond thrilled to get a digital ARC! Sadly though, for various reasons, this book really didn’t work out for me. I loved the cultural and food aspects of the story and Dylan’s family was great as well. That said, the romance was instantaneous and I didn’t really feel their romantic connection. The writing also read on the younger end of YA, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I’m not sure that’s what the author intended and it also clashed with the more sexually suggestive overtones between Dylan and Theo. I wanted to see more of the mooncake competition but that played a woefully small part in the story. Overall, I’m sad that this didn’t end up being what I expected because I was genuinely looking forward to loving it!

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Blog Tour Review: The Next New Syrian Girl by Ream Shukairy

Dini @ dinipandareads13 Comments

Hello, friends! I’m back with a blog tour review for The Next New Syrian Girl by Ream Shukairy. Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it!

Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the fantastic bloggers on tour!

The Next New Syrian Girl
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 14 March 2023
Genre: Young Adult Mystery
Rep: Syrian, Muslim

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Khadija Shaami is a Syrian American boxer fed up with the expectations of being the perfect Syrian daughter. Saddled with a monstrous ego and a mother to test it, she will stop at nothing to leave Detroit and travel the world with her best friend.

Leene Taher is a Syrian refugee enraptured by the lavish lifestyle of the Syrian girls in Detroit. America is her fresh start, if only her haunting past will let her move on.

When their worlds collide, the result is catastrophic: To Khadija, Leene embodies the tame, dutiful Syrian ideal she’s long rebelled against. And to Leene, Khadija is the strong-willed, closed-off American who makes Leene doubt her place in the world.

But as Khadija digs up Leene’s past, a startling discovery brings the two of them closer together. As the girls secretly race to unravel the truth, their blossoming friendship challenges what each knows about the other and herself. And what they find takes them all the way across the world, back to the place of Khadija’s memories and Leene’s nightmares.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Islamophobia, the Syrian Revolution, depression, suicide (off-page), reality of socioeconomic gaps, generational trauma, PTSD, Syrian refugee.

📚 BUY A COPY!

Note: The quotes below are taken from an advanced copy and are subject to change in the final version.

TL;DR: This was a complex and emotional coming-of-age story about family, identity, and belonging. It shines a pointed light on the impact of the Syrian War on the Syrians in Syria, Syrian refugees, and Syrian Americans. This story is rich in culture and is packed with love for Syria as highlighted by the experiences of Khadija and Leene, two Syrian teenagers whose families may come from the same country but have entirely different life experiences. I loved how they learn from each other and grow together and the strength of the friendship that they form was really heartwarming! This took me on a complex journey of emotions and overall, I thought it was a great debut novel!

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ARC Review: Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling by Elise Bryant

Dini @ dinipandareads11 Comments

Special thanks to Grace Fell at SparkPoint Studio and Balzer + Bray for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Reggie & Delilah’s Year of Falling
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: 31 January 2023
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Delilah always keeps her messy, gooey insides hidden behind a wall of shrugs and yeah, whatevers. She goes with the flow—which is how she ends up singing in her friends’ punk band as a favor, even though she’d prefer to hide at the merch table.

Reggie is a D&D Dungeon Master and self-declared Blerd. He spends his free time leading quests and writing essays critiquing the game under a pseudonym, keeping it all under wraps from his disapproving family.

These two, who have practically nothing in common, meet for the first time on New Year’s Eve. And then again on Valentine’s Day. And then again on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s almost like the universe is pushing them together for a reason.

Delilah wishes she were more like Reggie—open about what she likes and who she is, even if it’s not cool. Except… it’s all a front. Reggie is just role-playing someone confident. The kind of guy who could be with a girl like Delilah.

As their holiday meetings continue, the two begin to fall for each other. But what happens once they realize they’ve each fallen for a version of the other that doesn’t really exist?

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Racsim, bullying, dyslexia, chronic migraines

TL;DR: This was a fun coming-of-age YA contemporary that was a well-balanced mix of fluffy and serious. It tackles themes of racism, identity, mental health, learning disability and bullying in a sensitive and well-rounded way. Both of the characters felt like real teenagers who are simply doing their best and despite being frustrated by their actions sometimes, it was easy to root for them to find their happiness. The romance was admittedly a bit too cheesy for me at times and I felt like the build-up of the story felt too drawn out, I still enjoyed this and I think many YA readers will too!

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