“Just Your Bisexual Disaster” by Andrea Mosqueda (ARC Review)

April 30, 2022April 30, 2022 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Mosqueda, Andrea. Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster. New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1250822055 | $18.99 USD | 336 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb

In this voice-driven young adult debut by Andrea Mosqueda, Maggie Gonzalez needs a date to her sister’s quinceañera – and fast.

Growing up in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley, Maggie Gonzalez has always been a little messy, but she’s okay with that. After all, she has a great family, a goofy group of friends, a rocky romantic history, and dreams of being a music photographer. Tasked with picking an escort for her little sister’s quinceañera, Maggie has to face the truth: that her feelings about her friends—and her future—aren’t as simple as she’d once believed.

As Maggie’s search for the perfect escort continues, she’s forced to confront new (and old) feelings for three of her friends: Amanda, her best friend and first-ever crush; Matthew, her ex-boyfriend twice-over who refuses to stop flirting with her, and Dani, the new girl who has romantic baggage of her own. On top of this romantic disaster, she can’t stop thinking about the uncertainty of her own plans for the future and what that means for the people she loves.

As the weeks wind down and the boundaries between friendship and love become hazy, Maggie finds herself more and more confused with each photo. When her tried-and-true medium causes more chaos than calm, Maggie needs to figure out how to avoid certain disaster—or be brave enough to dive right into it, in Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster.

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster is the perfect title that encompasses this book to a tee. It’s a fine line to walk to depict a messy bisexual without it devolving into negative stereotypes, and Andrea Mosqueda does so relatively well.

I really like the complexity of Maggie as a character and that of the bonds she shares with her friend group. Exploring the gray areas between friendship and “more” are complex, and I loved the way all of the messiness was delved into. I love that there was little to no strong sense of competition or jealousy, but a lot of exploring and questioning. She reflects on having feelings for her best friend Amanda, who is straight, and Amanda questions how she felt. Matthew, her ex, clearly has some feelings for her, but they just have a generally non-toxic bond, although he’s the one I liked for Maggiethe least romantically. And I loved the growing romantic bond that Maggie develops with Dani.

I did feel like the pacing and prose felt a bit rough in certain areas, and I was taken out of the story at points. However, as a debut novel, it is more or less engaging otherwise.

This is a charming debut, and I’m definitely curious to keep up with Mosqueda to see what she writes next. If you’re looking for a YA contemporary with well-written messy queer rep, I suggest checking out this one.

Author Bio

Andrea Mosqueda is a Chicana writer. She was born and raised in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her partner and works in the publishing industry as an assistant editor. When she’s not writing or editing, she can be found doing her makeup, drinking too much coffee, and angsting over children’s media. Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster is her first book.

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“We Are Not Free” by Traci Chee (Review)

April 29, 2022April 29, 2022 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Chee, Traci. We Are Not Free. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020.

ISBN-13: 978-0358668107 | $10.99 USD | 400 pages | YA Historical Fiction

Blurb

“All around me, my friends are talking, joking, laughing. Outside is the camp, the barbed wire, the guard towers, the city, the country that hates us.

We are not free.

But we are not alone.”

We Are Not Free is the collective account of a tight-knit group of young Nisei, second-generation Japanese American citizens, whose lives are irrevocably changed by the mass U.S. incarcerations of World War II.

Fourteen teens who have grown up together in Japantown, San Francisco.

Fourteen teens who form a community and a family, as interconnected as they are conflicted.

Fourteen teens whose lives are turned upside down when over 100,000 people of Japanese ancestry are removed from their homes and forced into desolate incarceration camps.

In a world that seems determined to hate them, these young Nisei must rally together as racism and injustice threaten to pull them apart.

Review

4 stars

I was simultaneously really excited and really nervous to get into We Are Not Free, because while I love the concept, multiple narrator stories are hard to pull off and I find it hard to become invested in each character individually. I even considered waiting on the audio for this one, as then I’d at least have a distinct voice to put to each character. However, Traci Chee makes the premise work and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it for what it is. It feels different from a conventional novel, as while there is a very clear linear timeline, it also feels almost vignette-like in the way it moves from one interconnected topic and character to the next, and then all ties together at the end.

There’s very much a balance between the understanding that these teens represent the wider Japanese American community that were impacted by anti-Japanese racism and internment during World War II and an attempt to personify them in the space given. While I can’t say I was drawn to any one particular character, I liked the structure with each character getting their chance to shine and talk about their perspective, whether it be about internment or the debate around the loyalty questionnaire or the perils of serving as part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. And each of them has relationships with the others, whether it be familial, friendly, or romantic, and that adds to the stakes. While I can’t say I was particularly moved by a certain character’s death because he was an impressive character in his own right, I was touched by how his loved ones expressed their grief and horrified that this happened as a result of him having to “prove” his loyalty.

Whether this book works for you is very much about your preferences as a reader. I don’t think character-driven readers will get much out of it, and it’s not worth forcing it because the book is “important” (especially when there are other history and fiction books that cover the topic that may work better). But with a shift of expectations to understand the focus on community as character and the relationships within that, I think this book makes for an engaging read.

Author Bio

Traci Chee is the New York Times best-selling author of the YA fantasy trilogy The Reader, The Speaker, and The Storyteller; the National Book Award finalist We Are Not Free; and the YA fantasy standalone novel A Thousand Steps Into Night. An all-around word geek, she loves book arts and art books, poetry and paper crafts, though she also dabbles at egg painting, gardening, and hosting game nights for family and friends. She lives in California with her fast dog.

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“Nate Plus One” by Kevin Van Whye (ARC Review)

April 29, 2022April 29, 2022 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Van Whye, Kevin. Nate Plus One. New York; Random House Books For Young Readers, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-0593376423 | $17.99 USD | 256 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb

Boy plus boy. Two weeks in Johannesburg. A summer of music, adventure, self-discovery . . . and definitely not love. What could go wrong?

Nate needs a date to his cousin’s wedding. Jai is Nate’s best friend and secret crush. Could Jai be Nate’s plus-one—and only?

Nate Hargraves is a behind-the-scenes kind of guy. That’s why he dreams of being a songwriter instead of a singer. But things change the summer after junior year as Nate gets ready to fly to South Africa for his cousin’s lavish destination wedding. The trip is bound to be epic. Except—Nate just found out that his ex-boyfriend will be at the reception. Ugh. He does not want to face this one solo.

Jai Patel, Nate’s best friend (and secret crush), has his own problems. The lead singer of Jai’s band, Infinite Sorrow, quit weeks before a contest that promised to be their big break. But Nate rocks Jai’s world when he agrees to sing with the band. Even though Nate’s not one for the spotlight, he knows this is the kind of stuff you do for . . . friends. In return, Jai volunteers to be Nate’s travel buddy around South Africa, a buffer against his ex, and his plus-one at the wedding.

Maybe this summer will be epic after all. Now that Nate’s crush is on board, will love crash the party? Fall in love with this joyful, swoon-worthy rom-com by the author of Date Me, Bryson Keller.

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Nate Plus One is a charming sophomore novel, and I continue to enjoy how Kevin Van Whye’s love for romcom tropes shines through in his writing. I’m a sucker for friends to lovers, and he delivers all the feels of that here.

Nate and Jai have such a lovely dynamic, which translates well as they take their friendship to the next level. I very much resonate with Nate’s more reserved nature, while also admiring how he’s willing to step out of his comfort zone for his best friend. And Jai is also a really solid guy who is supportive of Nate in the potentially awkward situations he is prepared to run into.

I loved the infusion of South African culture that comes into the story, especially the way it highlights how recent, relatively, apartheid occurred, and highlighting the changes that have happened since that ended. And the family dynamics are brilliant. Nate worries that they won’t accept he’s gay, as they haven’t seen him since before he came out, but they do. And there’s some touching moments that highlight his lingering connection to his late father that I really liked.

I did kind of wish a few elements had been developed more. The ex seemed like a convenient plot device to motivate Nate to bring Jai along to South Africa, but nothing really came into play with him until it came time to force a third act breakup. And given that music is a big part of Jai’s life, and forms a big part of the agreement between the two, I’d have liked to see more of it sprinkled throughout. We get some scenes, especially at the end, but I’d have liked to see more.

However, I still mostly enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone looking for a multicultural queer romcom.

Author Bio

Kevin van Whye was born and raised in South Africa, where his love for storytelling started at a young age. Kevin is the author of Date Me, Bryson Keller. He lives in Johannesburg, and when he’s not reading, he’s writing stories that give his characters the happy rom-com endings they deserve.

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“See You Yesterday” by Rachel Lynn Solomon (ARC Review)

April 28, 2022April 28, 2022 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Solomon, Rachel Lynn. See You Yesterday. New York: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1665901925 | $19.99 USD | 432 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb

From the author of Today Tonight Tomorrow comes a magical romance in the vein of Groundhog Day about a girl forced to relive her disastrous first day of college—only to discover that her nemesis is stuck in the time loop with her.

Barrett Bloom is hoping college will be a fresh start after a messy high school experience. But when school begins on September 21st, everything goes wrong. She’s humiliated by the know-it-all in her physics class, she botches her interview for the college paper, and at a party that night, she accidentally sets a frat on fire. She panics and flees, and when she realizes her roommate locked her out of their dorm, she falls asleep in the common room.

The next morning, Barrett’s perplexed to find herself back in her dorm room bed, no longer smelling of ashes and crushed dreams. It’s September 21st. Again. And after a confrontation with Miles, the guy from Physics 101, she learns she’s not alone—he’s been trapped for months.

When her attempts to fix her timeline fail, she agrees to work with Miles to find a way out. Soon they’re exploring the mysterious underbelly of the university and going on wild, romantic adventures. As they start falling for each other, they face the universe’s biggest unanswered question yet: what happens to their relationship if they finally make it to tomorrow?

Review

4.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

See You Yesterday is a fun older YA/NA romcom, with a bit of a sci-fi twist. I personally was drawn to the similarities between the cover art for this one and my favorite Rachel Lynn Solomon book, Today Tonight Tomorrow, and while stylistically the two are different, there are very similar vibes.

Like Today Tonight Tomorrow, it would be misleading to call this enemies-to-lovers. At least in that book, there’s more mutual history between the couple, whereas at least from Barrett’s perspective here, she starts off with Miles just being a bit standoffish and they clash a bit, but they don’t know each other that well. But ultimately, their characters are well defined and it makes for an interesting dynamic to follow. Barrett and Miles both have some tough things they’ve struggled with, which makes it valid for both of them to view college as a time to start over…and ironic that they find themselves repeating the same day (the first day of college) over and over. Both really resonate in their strong interests in what they are passionate about, but also have room to grow and learn from each other. And on a related note, it’s quite bittersweet to see how each tackles connections they have with other people and how reliving the day over and remembering these varied experiences that the other person doesn’t impacts them, like Miles and his fraught relationship with his brother, Max, or Barrett and her roommate Lucie.

Time-loop stories can be very hit-or-miss for me, and I can think of a couple popular ones that didn’t work for me because of poor execution in that regard. But Solomon makes it work, establishing a solid foundation with the inciting incident from Barrett’s POV, and moving it forward in a way that is fairly easy to follow without being either too repetitive or too confusing. I did feel like the middle did lag a bit in terms of pacing, and it does feel a little long, but I simultaneously can’t think of any full scene I would have cut out.

This is another fabulous book by Rachel Lynn Solomon, and fans of her other work will also enjoy this one. And if you’re looking for a well-crafted romance with time-loop element that has a scientific basis that is also not too scientific and technical, you might also want to check this out.

Author Bio

Rachel Lynn Solomon is the bestselling author of The Ex Talk, Today Tonight Tomorrow, Weather Girl and more. Her romantic comedies for teens and adults have received praise from The New York Times, NPR, and Entertainment Weekly, as well as multiple starred reviews.

In high school, Rachel sang and played keyboard in an all-girl band, and she was once part of a group of people who broke a Guinness World Record for the most natural redheads in one place. After graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in journalism, she worked for Northwest media outlets such as The Seattle Times and KUOW Public Radio.

Originally from Seattle, she’s currently navigating expat life with her husband in Amsterdam, where she’s on a mission to try as many Dutch sweets as possible.

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“Star Wars: Queen’s Hope” by E.K. Johnston

April 28, 2022April 28, 2022 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Johnston, E.K. Star Wars: Queen’s Hope. Los Angeles: Disney/Lucasfilm Press, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1368075930 | $17.99 USD | 280 pages | YA Science Fiction

Blurb

A peace-loving senator faces a time of war in another thrilling Padmé Amidala adventure from the author of the New York Times best-sellers Queen’s Peril and Queen’s Shadow!

Padmé is adjusting to being a wartime senator during the Clone Wars. Her secret husband, Anakin Skwyalker, is off fighting the war, and excels at being a wartime Jedi. In contrast, when Padmé gets the opportunity to see the casualties on the war-torn front lines, she is horrified. The stakes have never been higher for the galaxy, or for the newly-married couple.

Meanwhile, with Padmé on a secret mission, her handmaiden Sabé steps into the role of Senator Amidala, something no handmaiden has done for an extended period of time. While in the Senate, Sabé is equally horrified by the machinations that happen there. She comes face to face with a gut-wrenching decision as she realizes that she cannot fight a war this way, not even for Padmé.

And Chancellor Palpatine hovers over it all, manipulating the players to his own ends . . .

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is based on the final copy.

Background and Quick Thoughts on Previous Books in the Series

In spite of all the flaws on multiple levels with the Star Wars prequels, I’ve always liked and been curious about Padmé and wanted more content about her…I even owned the children’s Journal title that was released around the time of the prequels, which was one of the only books at the time that centered her.

But for some reason, I didn’t rush out to read E.K. Johnston’s first two Padmé books as they were released. However, with the release of the final book, I decided to finally bite the bullet. I did not have much in the way of elaborate thoughts on either for each to warrant its own review, so I instead opted for a brief recap of my thoughts here.

I did feel the choice to tell the prior stories in reverse order was a questionable choice, especially as Queen’s Shadow is much stronger in its themes and more able to explore and flesh out the characters, whereas Queen’s Peril retreaded some of the same territory, and got really clunky towards the back half as it overlapped with The Phantom Menace (“Anakin liked flying.” *pages later* “Anakin really liked flying.”)

However, both books expand Padmé’s backstory and her relationships with her handmaidens. It was fascinating to see her continued relationships with the handmaidens from her time as Queen, even if we didn’t get to see it onscreen, especially with Sabé, who has always been a fan favorite, in large part likely due to her portrayal by a then-largely-unknown Keira Knightley.

And it’s just really great to see more of Padmé from before she got romantically involved with Anakin, and see her asserting herself in politics from such a young age. Queen’s Shadow particularly delves into that a bit more where she has to prove her worth as a young woman senator, even as many are prepared to hold both her age and gender against her. It’s interesting to see more of the prominent political relationships she’s formed by the time we see her in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, like Bail Organa and Mon Mothma and how their relationships grew from animosity to friendship, and meanwhile see how those she has put her trust may not be worthy of that trust, from the obvious (Palpatine) to the more surprising (Panaka).

Review of Queen’s Hope

Queen’s Hope is in kind of an interesting position, as it’s the conclusion to the trilogy, but not the conclusion to Padmé’s story, as it falls shortly after the events of Attack of the Clones, setting it amid a lot of other canon events across various media. That means that while some of the character work and mini-adventures have a similar feel to Queen’s Shadow, and even follow up on some arcs in that one, it does feel very constrained, as parts of Queen’s Peril did. I definitely did not expect a real solid conclusion, but it evolves its character relationships well and helps provide a compelling piece of the puzzle to Padmé’s life between AOTC and ROTS. As in the prior books, the character relationships are central. And as these are YA books, I love how each one tackles a key part of growing up, but through the lens of Padmé and the handmaidens in the midst of this galactic conflict, which Alex from the YouTube channel Star Wars Explained, also emphasizes in his reviews for the trilogy. If being a Queen and her handmaidens was like high school, and then the initial move to the Senate felt like college, now the interactions in this book are about growing up and growing apart. Padmé has recently entered a secret marriage with Anakin, and regardless of her intentions, it results in a shift in the dynamic, particularly with Sabé. There’s an intriguing interaction between Sabé and Anakin that reflects this, and even knowing Anakin’s emotions aren’t regulated by rationality, it still hurts to see Sabé seeing some truth in what he says.

Speaking of which, I quite liked the way Anakin and Padmé’s relationship was fleshed out. It adds dimension to both of them and their relationship, and while it doesn’t undo some of the toxic elements of that relationship, it does feel more believable.

The book also gives brief peeks into the lives of other central matriarchs of the Star Wars universe, much like Queen’s Shadow had some introductory and interstitial moments from Leia’s perspective. To get further insight into what Shmi went through is particularly cathartic, given the time the rest of the book is set, as well as that of a young Beru. Those perspectives are also made richer by the fact that Padmé, through Sabé, had been working to combat slavery on Tattooine, initially with Shmi in mind.

Whether you like this book will depend both on how much you like Padmé and whether you enjoy a more character-driven narrative. It doesn’t radically shake up the canon or provide grand, consequential adventures. But it provides character growth and compelling interpersonal relationships that contextualize Padmé’s evolution between AOTC and ROTS.

Author Bio

E.K. Johnston is the author of Star Wars: Ahsoka; The Afterward; That Inevitable Victorian Thing; and Exit, Pursued by a Bear. She had several jobs and one vocation before she became a published writer. If she’s learned anything, it’s that things turn out weird sometimes, and there’s not a lot you can do about it. Well, that and how to muscle through awkward fanfic because it’s about a pairing she likes.

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“The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School” by Sonora Reyes (ARC Review)

April 27, 2022April 27, 2022 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Reyes, Sonora. The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School. New York: Balzer & Bray, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-0063060234 | $18.99 USD | 400 pages | YA Contemporary

Blurb

A sharply funny and moving debut novel about a queer Mexican American girl navigating Catholic school, while falling in love and learning to celebrate her true self. Perfect for fans of Erika L. Sánchez, Leah Johnson, and Gabby Rivera.

Sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, very rich Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she’s gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way.

After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: keep her brother out of trouble, make her mom proud, and, most importantly, don’t fall in love. Granted, she’s never been great at any of those things, but that’s a problem for Future Yami.

The thing is, it’s hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. So cute. Either way, Yami isn’t going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she’ll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do?

Told in a captivating voice that is by turns hilarious, vulnerable, and searingly honest, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School explores the joys and heartaches of living your full truth out loud.

Review

5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School is a wonderful debut novel that unpacks the struggle of being a queer Mexican-American teen growing up within a Catholic, largely white environment. It’s very much rooted in personal trauma, but there’s a balance between unpacking that trauma and providing a sense of hope for the characters and any readers who might be in a similar situation.

Yami is incredibly relatable in her desire to do well in her prestigious school, despite the obstacles she faces, in order to make her mom proud of her. But the way she chafes at these obstacles is also relatable, from incidents of combined racism and homophobia in relation to social issues to feeling compelled to hide her sexuality, in spite of being drawn to her queer classmate, Bo, as she fears her mom’s reaction.

Ultimately, this is a story about love in its many forms, and how affirming they are, from the budding romance between Yami and Bo, to the friendships Yami forms with a few other sympathetic classmates, and, most crucially, parental and familial love. Late in the book, there’s a key moment where it reinforces one of the most important concepts of the Bible and true Christianity the that is often ignored by bigoted people: to lead with love, not hate and judgment.

With that in mind, almost all of the cast of family and friends are absolute gems…Yami’s mother is wonderful and unconditionally loving, and she has the sweetest sibling relationship with her brother, Cesar. The friend group is also colorful and fun, and I loved the subtle cultural nuances exploring their different backgrounds, as well as believable interactions among LGBTQ+ teens.

I really enjoyed this book, and I am eager to keep up with Reyes’ future projects. If you’re looking for a compassionate depiction of queerness and religion, and the relation between the two, I would strongly recommend this one.

Author Bio

Sonora Reyes is a queer first-generation immigrant who attended a Catholic high school. They write fiction full of queer and Latinx characters in a variety of genres. Sonora is also the creator and host of #QPOCChat, a monthly community-building Twitter chat for queer writers of color. They currently live in Arizona, in a multigenerational family home with a small pack of dogs who run the place.

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“Misrule” (Malice Duology #2) by Heather Walter

April 26, 2022April 26, 2022 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Walter, Heather. Misrule. New York: Del Rey, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1984818683 | $27.00 USD | 480 pages | Fantasy

Blurb

Does true love break curses or begin them? The dark sorceress of “Sleeping Beauty” reclaims her story in this sequel to Malice.

The Dark Grace is dead.

Feared and despised for the sinister power in her veins, Alyce wreaks her revenge on the kingdom that made her an outcast. Once a realm of decadence and beauty, Briar is now wholly Alyce’s wicked domain. And no one will escape the consequences of her wrath. Not even the one person who holds her heart.

Princess Aurora saw through Alyce’s thorny facade, earning a love that promised the dawn of a new age. But it is a love that came with a heavy price: Aurora now sleeps under a curse that even Alyce’s vast power cannot seem to break. And the dream of the world they would have built together is nothing but ash.

Alyce vows to do anything to wake the woman she loves, even if it means turning into the monster Briar believes her to be. But could Aurora love the villain Alyce has become?

Or is true love only for fairy tales?

In the series

#1 Malice

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Misrule is the second half of the story begun in Malice, and while I did have mixed feelings about that first book, I’ve since warmed up to what Walter was trying to do. And it’s helped a lot with the execution of this one.

Alyce’s characterization felt much stronger in this one, especially as the book goes into her grief and turmoil at losing Aurora. And there’s a greater sense that while many others vilified her, Aurora never did, which is part of what hurts the most. I love the twist that she only truly becomes monstrous for love, and it isn’t about her changing from evil to good due to the purity of her beloved, which I initially thought it might be (and I’m much happier for it, even if I wasn’t sure that was the direction it was going at first).

And the way that this dynamic challenges her relationship with Aurora when she is awakened also presents the intriguing stakes I’d been waiting for, and it did not disappoint as they have to navigate the changes in both of them and figure out how to be together in this new and changed world.

I also love the continued exploration of the world, especially as the Briar Court evolves and previously exiled races are welcomed back. And the way it’s been influenced by the political changes is interesting, as it mirrors what the main characters have been going through, with Alyce going from being feared to the one in charge.

And this book overall works better because it is better paced, with all of the introductory stuff taken care of in the first book. The new characters are well incorporated among the established cast, and I remained engaged throughout.

This is a solid sequel, and whatever your feelings about the first book, it’s definitely worth your time to check it out.

Author Bio

Heather Walter is a native Southerner who hates the heat. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, she is both a former English teacher and current librarian. Perhaps it is because she’s surrounded by stories that she began writing them. At any given moment, you can find her plotting.

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Twitter/Instagram: @heatherrwalter5

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“The Romantic Agenda” by Claire Kann (Review)

April 25, 2022April 25, 2022 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Kann, Claire. The Romantic Agenda. New York: Jove, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-0593336632 | $16.00 USD | 336 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

Joy is in love with Malcolm.
But Malcolm really likes Summer.
Summer is in love with love.
And Fox is Summer’s ex-boyfriend.

Thirty, flirty, and asexual Joy is secretly in love with her best friend Malcolm, but she’s never been brave enough to say so. When he unexpectedly announces that he’s met the love of his life—and no, it’s not Joy—she’s heartbroken. Malcolm invites her on a weekend getaway, and Joy decides it’s her last chance to show him exactly what he’s overlooking. But maybe Joy is the one missing something…or someone…and his name is Fox.

Fox sees a kindred spirit in Joy—and decides to help her. He proposes they pretend to fall for each other on the weekend trip to make Malcolm jealous. But spending time with Fox shows Joy what it’s like to not be the third wheel, and there’s no mistaking the way he makes her feel. Could Fox be the romantic partner she’s always deserved?

Review

5 stars

The Romantic Agenda (or something in this vein) was the book I have been waiting for Claire Kann to write, ever since I fell in love with her debut, Let’s Talk About Love. Neither of her other books between that one and this one captured the same magic…but this one does that and more.

I adore Joy and feel a lot of kinship with her, similar to Alice, the heroine of LTAL. She expresses many sentiments about asexuality, both in terms of her own experience with it and as a broader spectrum, that spoke to me. I also like that she expresses her dissatisfaction with the way people, both asexual and allosexual, make assumptions or judgments about what it means to be asexual, and how, for example, other aces tried to gatekeep her because she chose to show off her body, and that she’s a “setting a bad example for the movement” or “confusing people.” There isn’t just one way to be asexual, and I love the way Joy, and the book in general, express that.

This book is a bit of a love…triangle/almost-square, and it’s perhaps one of the best I’ve read, that explored the complex emotions of the characters, while still making all of them endearing, if sometimes a bit messy. I definitely felt Malcolm took Joy for granted for most of the book, but there’s a sense of history there that can’t be explained. Malcolm has some secrets about his feelings for Joy that are revealed late in the book, and I appreciated how that was handled, still with the acknowledgment that their current trajectories with their new partners are better for them.

And while Summer is a bit of a love rival for Malcolm’s attention, I appreciate that there’s no bitchiness on her part, even if Joy isn’t exactly warm toward her at first. I did like how their relationship evolved as they spent time together, especially as Joy also got to know Fox, which colored her interactions with the others as her feelings evolved.

And then, there’s Fox. He’s pretty wonderful. I was afraid at first he’d be defined by being grumpy, to contrast Joy’s optimism, but I really like how he actually sees Joy. He helps her initially with no ulterior motives of his own (in fact, they both suspect Malcolm and Summer of ulterior motives of their own in inviting them), and I really like how understanding he is of Joy’s boundaries. And the subtle ways Joy tries to reciprocate…that’s freaking cute! My only wish is that Joy could have been able to fully shake her attachment to Malcolm sooner, so she could invest more in Fox sooner, but I can also understand the reasoning behind the choices made.

This is an awesome book, and I love the balance between conventional romance beats and the more introspective moments. If you’ve been craving more asexual rep in romance, I’d recommend this one.

Author Bio

Claire Kann is the author of several young adult novels and is an award-winning online storyteller. In her other life she works for a nonprofit you may have heard of where she daydreams like she’s paid to do it. She loves cats and is obsessed with horror media (which makes the whole being known for writing contemporary love stories a little weird, to be honest).

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“The Surgeon’s Daughter” by Audrey Blake (ARC Review)

April 25, 2022April 25, 2022 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Blake, Audrey. The Surgeon’s Daughter. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Landmark, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1728228754 | $16.99 USD | 384 pages | Historical Fiction

Blurb

“[A] richly detailed, expertly paced saga of the only female student attending a prestigious medical school in Italy…a truly captivating heroine, for then and for now.” —Sally Cabot Gunning, author of The Widow’s War and Painting the Light

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Girl in His Shadow comes a riveting historical fiction novel about the women in medicine who changed the world forever.

Women’s work is a matter of life and death.

Nora Beady, the only female student at a prestigious medical school in Bologna, is a rarity. In the 19th century women are expected to remain at home and raise children, so her unconventional, indelicate ambitions to become a licensed surgeon offend the men around her.

Everything changes when she allies herself with Magdalena Morenco, the sole female doctor on-staff. Together the two women develop new techniques to improve a groundbreaking surgery: the Cesarean section. It’s a highly dangerous procedure and the research is grueling, but even worse is the vitriolic response from men. Most don’t trust the findings of women, and many can choose to deny their wives medical care.

Already facing resistance on all sides, Nora is shaken when she meets a patient who will die without the surgery. If the procedure is successful, her work could change the world. But a failure could cost everything: precious lives, Nora’s career, and the role women will be allowed to play in medicine.

Perfect for book clubs and for fans of Marie Benedict, Tracey Enerson Wood, and Sarah Penner comes a captivating celebration of women healthcare workers throughout history.

Review

3 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

The Girl in His Shadow is pretty much a perfect book…which is why I’m dismayed to find that the follow-up, The Surgeon’s Daughter, just felt like a mostly unnecessary sequel that messed with everything that was working just fine.

I do like the continued exploration of Nora’s life pursuing medicine, this time studying in Bologna. There are some new and intriguing challenges she faces, as she finds a new ally in another female doctor and learns about the Cesarean section and how it could advance women’s healthcare. And with that, there’s even more misogynistic scrutiny on her, which she battles throughout the book.

But I found myself feeling very underwhelmed overall, even though I do find Nora to be a generally sympathetic protagonist. And part of that was the approach to some of the subplots, particularly the romance, which seemed settled seemed almost nonexistent this time around, with them being separated. The authors claim in the interview at the end of the book that they were trying to “move away from [romance] genre conventions,” and that after having gone through the journey of finding each other, Nora and Daniel to “see them navigate some hard tests” and that they “enjoyed portraying a ‘real-life’ love story where the partners are more than the sum of their individual selves.” It read to me as a real misunderstanding of romance as a genre and the way love is portrayed in a variety of different ways. It’s odd, as this book is even technically categorized as a genre romance (and they even note it’s not a romance novel), but are still pushing the weird marketing scheme by trying to be “not like other romances.” It also felt to me like they really failed at capturing the “real-life” love story they wanted, as while I rooted for Nora and Daniel in the first book, I couldn’t care less for either of them and whether they’d stay together. I didn’t even feel that invested in Daniel’s solo arc.

I’m very reluctant to continue reading more about these characters, given that I felt very little was accomplished in this book on that front, other than retreading the same issues, albeit with somewhat higher stakes, and the romantic subplot didn’t deliver (to be fair, questionable comments from the authors aside, multiple book romantic subplots frequently are a hard sell for me). I can see the appeal for others who enjoyed the first book who don’t have my particular hang-ups. It could be a case of the execution being not for me.

Author Bio

Audrey Blake has a split personality–because she is the creative alter ego of writing duo Jaima Fixsen and Regina Sirois, two authors who met as finalists of a writing contest and have been writing together happily ever since. They share a love of history, nature, literature and stories of redoubtable women. Both are prairie girls: Jaima hails from Alberta, Canada, and Regina calls the wheatfields of Kansas home.

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“A Show for Two” by Tashie Bhuiyan (ARC Review)

April 24, 2022April 24, 2022 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Bhuiyan, A Show for Two. Toronto, Ontario: Inkyard Press, 2022,

ISBN-13: 978-1335424563 | $18.99 USD | 416 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb

“Wholly heartwarming and enchanting.” —Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends

New from the author of Counting Down with You comes a sparkling YA romance about an aspiring screenwriter who falls for the indie film star who goes undercover at her school.

All Mina Rahman wants is to finally win the Golden Ivy student film competition, get into her dream school, and leave New York City behind for good. When indie film star Emmitt Ramos enrolls in her high school under a secret identity to research his next role, he agrees to star in her short film for the competition…if she acts as his NYC tour guide.

As Mina ventures across the five boroughs with Emmitt, the city she grew up in starts to look more like home than it ever has before. Suddenly, Mina’s dreams—which once seemed impenetrable—begin to crumble, and she’s forced to ask herself: Is winning worth losing everything?

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

While I’m not a huge Tom Holland fan, I loved that the concept of A Show for Two was inspired by him being Tashie Bhuiyan’s classmate when he went undercover at her school.

Bhuiyan strikes the balance by drawing from that experience and creating a relatable scenario of wish-fulfillment, while also making the celebrity love interest a distinct character in his own right, setting the book apart from the fanfic-to-publication books with serial numbers vaguely filed off. There’s obviously an audience for those, and that’s great, but Bhuiyan’s approach allows readers who aren’t part of that specific fandom, as I am, to approach it from their own angle.

I also found myself really connecting with Mina. A big component of her story is her experience as a diaspora Bangladeshi and non-practicing Muslim. And while I’m neither Bangladeshi nor Muslim, I felt her sentiments about her conflicted relationship with her culture. Her experience with depression also rang very true for me. Her relationship with her family is very fraught, and there isn’t much in the way of closure for those relationships, but it makes sense, given Mina’s perspective.

The romance does get a bit lost in the shuffle between the number of things going on. And in some ways that’s fine, especially as it is more about Mina coming into her own. But I did wish their hate-to-love romance had had more time to shine, especially considering the book also had time for a film competition, and to hint at Emmitt’s own family issues. Their relationship development is pretty cute for what it is, however, and he’s a cute, if slightly underdeveloped, love interest.

This is an enjoyable read, and much like Bhuiyan’s debut, there’s a good balance of sweetness/lightheartedness and delving into more serious issues. If you enjoy celebrity romance and/or are interested in a complex exploration of being Bangladeshi-Muslim American, I recommend picking this up.

Author Bio

Tashie Bhuiyan is the author of Counting Down With You, and a New Yorker through and through. She recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, and hopes to change the world, one book at a time. She loves writing stories about girls with wild hearts, boys who wear rings, and gaining agency through growth. When she’s not doing that, she can be found in a Chipotle or bookstore, insisting 2010 is the best year in cinematic history. (Read: Tangled and Inception.)

For rights inquiries, contact JL Stermer at Next Level Lit.

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Twitter: @tashiebhuiyan

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