Tag: Young Adult Romance

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: Royal Rebel by Heather Frost

Dini @ dinipandareads11 Comments

Special thanks to Heather Frost for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Check out my reviews for the previous books in the series:

Royal Decoy, Royal Spy, Royal Captive – Fate of Eyrinthia Books 1-3 by Heather Frost

Royal Rebel (Fate of Eyrinthia #4)
Pub Date: 21 April 2023
Genre: Young Adult Romantasy

Panda Rating:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

A PRINCE fighting to save a princess
A SERJAH torn between duty and desire
A PRINCESS willing to sacrifice everything
A DECOY with nothing to lose
A WORLD about to be torn apart

After his father’s latest punishment, Grayson isn’t at his full strength. Trapped in Ryden and surrounded by enemies, he knows escaping with Mia will be more complicated than anticipated. Tyrell is determined to claim Mia for himself, and Henri’s plans for the rest of Eyrinthia are more horrific than Grayson ever imagined. Despite the increased danger, he and Mia must return to Mortise and warn Desfan of what’s coming—even though it may already be too late.

In Mortise, the palace is still reeling from the brutal attack that left many dead and even more wounded. Regardless of the chaos, Desfan is determined to continue with his coronation. As serjan, he hopes to bring stability to his country and solidify the peace with Devendra. But things in Eyrinthia are always complicated. When Prince Liam reveals they may be facing dangers from old enemies, Desfan will have to decide what kind of ruler he will be.

Devastating news from home has left Clare broken. Despite her heartache, she must once again be Serene’s decoy when a terrifying report sends the princess on an unexpected mission to Zennor. Left at the palace, Clare helps Desfan build trust with the elite in Mortise while guarding a treasonous secret. Because as her grief transforms into a burning desire for vengeance, she is finally ready to embrace a new role—rebel.

Eyrinthia is consumed by uncertainty. Duty. Desire. Sacrifice. Every rebellion has its cost.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Graphic: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Murder, Physical abuse, and War
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, and Drug use

**Note: as this is the fourth in a series where you must read the previous books to understand what’s going on, this review may contain mild spoilers for certain parts of the previous books, but I’ll try to keep it as vague and contained as possible!**

TL;DR: Royal Rebel was a great addition to the Fate of Erynthia series. The story continues to be action-packed, politically charged, and in this book, a new mystery full of sinister undertones is introduced and I absolutely cannot wait to know what happens next. It was a treat to reunite with the huge cast of characters and I loved how their relationships evolved—there are so many ships to ship! One thing is for sure: I’m ready for more!

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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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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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ARC Review: Seven Percent of Ro Devereux by Ellen O’Clover

Dini @ dinipandareads13 Comments

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

Seven Percent of Ro Devereux
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: 17 January 2023
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

A clever, charming, and poignant debut novel about a girl who must decide whether to pursue her dreams or preserve her relationships, including a budding romance with her ex-best friend, when an app she created goes viral.

Ro Devereux can predict your future. Or, at least, the app she built for her senior project can.

Working with her neighbor, a retired behavioral scientist, Ro created an app called MASH, designed around the classic game Mansion Apartment Shack House, that can predict a person’s future with 93% accuracy. The app will even match users with their soul mates. Though it was only supposed to be a class project, MASH quickly takes off and gains the attention of tech investors.

Ro’s dream is to work in Silicon Valley, and she’ll do anything to prove to her new backing company—and the world—that the app works. So it’s a huge shock when the app says her soul mate is Miller, her childhood best friend with whom she had a friendship-destroying fight three years ago. Now thrust into a fake dating scenario, Ro and Miller must address the years of pain between them if either of them will have any chance of achieving their dreams.

Fans of Emma Lord and Alex Light will love this stand-alone contemporary novel with a masterful slow-burn romance at its core.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Death of a loved one, injury caused by angry mob, parental abandonment

**note: this review was originally written when i finished the book in January 2023!**

TL;DR: I didn’t expect to find another second 5-star read in January or for it to be another YA contemporary but lo and behold! There is SO MUCH to love about this book—from the friendships and family relationships to the romance, the honest exploration of self and the character growth, the writing, the tension, and the angst, it was all SO good and the fact that it’s a debut actually stuns me. I don’t know if it’s too soon to say but I think I may have found a new favourite YA contemporary! If you enjoy coming-of-age YA contemporaries or have a young reader in your life to give a rec to, I would highly recommend this for its realistic characters, wonderful friendships/relationships, and a swoontastic romance.

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Blog Tour Review: Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

Dini @ dinipandareads32 Comments

Hello, friends! I’m back with my first blog tour of 2023 hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours and I’m so incredibly excited that it’s for a title that I absolutely adored: Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert.

Thanks to Joy Revolution 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!

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute
Publisher: Joy Revolution
Publication Date: 3 January 2023
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Rep: Black, OCD, Fat

Panda Rating:

(5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Brown Sisters trilogy, comes a laugh-out-loud story about a quirky content creator and a clean-cut athlete testing their abilities to survive the great outdoors–and each other.

Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He’s a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes… except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.

Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption–yet, she’s still not cool enough for the popular kids’ table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that’s how Celine sees it.)

These days, there’s nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she’s surprised to find Brad right beside her.

Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed… or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Anxiety, struggling with OCD, childhood abandonment, estranged parents

📚 BUY A COPY!

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

TL;DR: Honestly, what can I say about this other than I loved it? What a fantastic way to kick off my reading in 2023 with my first 5-star read of the year! This book has reminded me why I love Talia Hibbert so much. Although she usually writes adult romance, you wouldn’t know this is her YA debut because it was so well written and was essentially classic Hibbert. From the cheekiness, the A+ banter, the wonderfully weird and quirky, flawed yet realistic characters, the heart-swoopingly sweet romance, and the casual queerness and beautiful representation. Reading her stories always feels like a warm hug and they never fail to make me laugh and smile! If you’re looking for a cheekily cute YA romance to kick off your 2023 reading, look no further than Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute. I mean, couldn’t you tell from that name alone that this was gonna be a winner?!

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Blog Tour Review: Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Dini @ dinipandareads10 Comments

Hello, friends! I’m excited to share my thoughts and favourite quotes today for Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto on the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours.

Thanks to Delacorte Press 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!

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Blog Tour Review: It’s All In How You Fall by Sarah Henning

Dini @ dinipandareads15 Comments

Hello, friends! It’s my stop on the TBR & Beyond Tours for It’s All In How You Fall by Sarah Henning and I’m excited to share my review and favourite quotes with you today!

Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Poppy for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

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

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Blog Tour Review: A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy

Dini @ dinipandareads16 Comments

Hello, friends! It’s my stop on the TBR & Beyond Tours for A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy and I’m excited to share my review and favourite quotes with you today!

Thanks to HarperCollins/Balzer+Bray for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

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

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ARC Review: My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth

Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

Special thanks to Holiday House for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Goodreads: My Mechanical Romance
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 31 May 2022
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

Opposites attract in this battle-robot-building YA romance from the NYT best-selling author of The Atlas Six.

Bel would rather die than think about the future. College apps? You’re funny. Extracurriculars? Not a chance. But when she accidentally reveals a talent for engineering at school, she’s basically forced into joining the robotics club. Even worse? All the boys ignore Bel—and Neelam, the only other girl on the team, doesn’t seem to like her either.

Enter Mateo Luna, captain of the club, who recognizes Bel as a potential asset—until they start butting heads. Bel doesn’t care about Nationals, while Teo cares too much. But as the nights of after-school work grow longer and longer, Bel and Teo realize they’ve made more than just a combat-ready robot for the championship: they’ve made each other and the team better. Because girls do belong in STEM.

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