Review: Road to Ruin by Hana Lee

Title: Road to Ruin
Author: Hana Lee
Genre: Dystopian Fantasy Romance
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
Publisher: Saga Press
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Synopsis:

Jin-Lu has the most dangerous job in the wasteland. She’s a magebike courier, one of the few who venture outside the domed cities on motorcycles powered by magic. Every day, she braves the wasteland’s dangers—deadly storms, roving marauders, and territorial beasts—to deliver her wares.

Her most valuable cargo? A prince’s love letters addressed to Yi-Nereen, a princess desperate to escape the clutches of her abusive family and soon-to-be husband. Jin, desperately in love with both her and the prince, can’t refuse Yi-Nereen’s plea for help. The two of them flee across the wastes, pursued by Yi-Nereen’s furious father, her scheming betrothed, and a bounty hunter with mysterious powers.

A storm to end all storms is brewing and dark secrets about the heritability of magic are coming to light. Jin’s heart has led her into peril before, but this time she may not find her way back.

Review:

Five stars. Easy five stars. I feel like Road to Ruin came out of nowhere. I’d heard nothing about this book until this tour and I can’t imagine why. A fast-paced, diverse, dystopian fantasy full of magic, monsters, complex relationships, and love, this book is brimming with everything I love about early 2010 dystopian fantasies.

This book was a setup for the bigger series but still had it’s own full chaotic plot. We have Jin, the courier, and her sparktalent; Reena, a shieldcaster and a princess trying to escape a sexist and classist city; and Kadrin, the Talentless prince of what was viewed as a refuge for Talentless refugees. I loved all three of them as we get to know them through both the main plot and the letters Reena and Kadrin send each other. Full of action and betrayals, the main plot was a wild ride.

That being said, the setup was no less interesting. I enjoyed hearing about Reena’s research into the Talented versus the Talentless, the mana pools, and the overall world building we were given. It all felt so organic and effortless, and there was a wonderful balance between that and the main plot. I loved Screech, too, and how there was a peek into the lore of the world’s monsters, which I’m sure we’ll explore in the future.

This book also tackles some bigger issues, including race purity, sexism, classism, and environmentalism. Similar to the world building, it’s not in your face, but it’s also a huge part of what triggers the plot and the exploration of it was really well done.

I will say, if you were a fan of the 2010s dystopian craze, this book will definitely be for you. This gave me that buzzy reader feeling I’ve been chasing for the last while and I love it! This book isn’t even out yet and I’m now anticipating it’s sequel!

TW: death, murder, blood, injury detail, blood, violence, alcohol consumption, kidnapping, sexism, classism; mentions death of a parent, incest

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.72/5

eARC and FC gifted via Colored Pages Book Tours by Saga Press via Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Takedown by Lily Chu

Title: The Takedown
Author: Lily Chu
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
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Synopsis:

For Dee Kwan, every day is the perfect day. No, really. She has a house she loves, a job she adores, and a ridiculously attractive “nemesis” who never seems to mind when she wins their favorite online game. How can life possibly get better? (It can’t, obviously. It can only get much, much worse.)

Soon Dee is forced to share her adorably cozy home with her parents and prickly estranged grandmother. Then she’s tossed into the deep end, tasked with cleaning up a scandal for intimidatingly chic luxury fashion firm Celeste. If that weren’t enough, she discovers her hot-nemesis works there, too…and Teddy is nothing like the man she thought she knew.

Before she can cry foul, Teddy comes clean about his double life: he’s the heir to the CEO and he needs her help to make Celeste a better place—for everyone. But that means taking down the old guard—including his father—intent on standing in their way. Now in the center of a dizzying corporate coup, Dee is forced to decide whether she’s ready to stop watching the world through rose-colored glasses and instead face the truth: about herself, about her feelings for Teddy, and about what she’s willing to do to truly make a difference.

Review:

This book was relatable to the point it felt like a personal attack, and I both resent being called out and also applaud Lily Chu for it.

Dee is a Diversity and Inclusion consultant, Teddy is the heir of a huge fashion business, and chaos ensues when Teddy’s family business is thrust in the spotlight for terrible D&I practices (in that there wasn’t really any D&I). The main plot was hard to get through – the micro-agressions, white privilege, and outright racism – it was a wild storm. However, so many great conversations came out of it and it was a huge undertaking on Chu’s part to write about and shine a light on some of these issues.

The personal attack was Dee’s family. The way they sweep everything under a facade of toxic positivity and general avoidance. It was a bit too real at times, and I commend Chu for really hitting me where it hurts. So much of my family was reflected in this book and it was an oof. Dee’s growth through it was amazing, even though it takes her a while to fully settle into it (relatable, as well).

While I liked Dee, I loved Teddy. He was my favourite part of the story. Lily Chu always makes her men so real and outside of the conventional “manly man” template. Teddy is a fashion designer who loves art and isn’t intimidated by a smart woman and he’s almost entirely green flags and I love him for it. He and Dee really click and seeing their relationship with each other develop and grow was a lot of fun, despite the growing pains.

The book was a ride and while I definitely didn’t like confronting some of my own issues as I read it, a book where you see yourself reflected and your experiences shared is really a testament to Chu’s ability to write real and relatable characters. That ending also was so vindicating, my goodness!

Rep: biracial MCs, bisexual secondary character

TW: toxic positivity, biphobia, racism, micro-aggressions, racial slurs, bullying, sexism; mentions fatphobia, cancer, death of a parent

eARC gifted via Colored Pages Book Tours by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Red Tigress by Amélie Wen Zhao

Title: Red Tigress [Blood Heir Trilogy #2]
Author: Amélie Wen Zhao
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: Mar 2, 2021
Publisher: Delacorte Press
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Synopsis:

Ana Mikhailov is the only surviving member of the royal family of Cyrilia. She has no army, no title, and no allies, and now she must find a way to take back the throne or risk the brutal retribution of the empress. Morganya is determined to establish a new world order on the spilled blood of non-Affinites. Ana is certain that Morganya won’t stop until she kills them all.

Ana’s only chance at navigating the dangerous world of her homeland means partnering with Ramson Quicktongue again. But the cunning crime lord has schemes of his own. For Ana to find an army, they must cross the Whitewaves to the impenetrable stone forts of Bregon. Only, no one can be certain what they will find there.

A dark power has risen. Will revolution bring peace–or will it only paint the streets in more blood.

Review:

I liked this a lot more than book 1. I still found some things were lacking in terms of characters learning their dang lesson (not me screaming at them to stop going into danger alone every other chapter), but I found I really enjoyed Brigon and getting into the groove of the found family we made in Blood Heir.

I found Linn gave Toph vibes, and Sorcha gave Azula energy. Both characters were great additions to the cast, I loved seeing more of Linn after her introduction at the end of Blood Heir. I did find Linn’s devotion to Ana a bit strong for what transpired in Blood Heir, but past that, she’s a strong character. I didn’t think I’d read the final installment halfway through, but now I’m so curious about our three MCs as we reach the finale of the series.

This installment had a better and stronger climax than Blood Heir, and I found myself rooting for the characters more than rubbing my temples in frustration. Definitely didn’t suffer from second book syndrome! I’m also glad that we tied up some storylines in this one, thus setting the stage for Crimson Reign.

All in all, a strong sequel, and a great setup for the finale of the series! I’m really loving the crew we’ve put together and I’m excited to see how their story ends.

TW: blood, murder, injury detail, torture, alcohol consumption, violence, child abuse, fire/fire injury, death; mentions infidelity, death of a parent, death of a child, kidnapping

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 3/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.94/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Delacorte Press via Random House Children’s in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

Title: Descendant of the Crane
Author: Joan He
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
Publication Date: April 9, 2019
Publisher: Roaring Brook
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Synopsis:

TREASON

For princess Hesina of Yan, the palace is her home, but her father is her world. He taught her how to defend against the corruption and excesses of the old kings, before revolutionaries purged them and their seers and established the dynasty anew.

Before he died, he was supposed to teach her how to rule.

TRIAL

The imperial doctors say the king died a natural death, but Hesina has reason to believe he was murdered. She is determined to uncover the truth and bring the assassin to justice.

TRUTH

But in a broken system, ideals can kill. As the investigation quickly spins out of Hesina’s control, she realizes that no one is innocent. Not the heroes in history, or the father she thought she knew. More blood will spill if she doesn’t rein in the trial soon―her people’s, her family’s, and even her own.

Review:

What an absolutely stunning book. I read this back in 2019 as an eARC, but I didn’t have the words at the time to properly express how amazing I found this book, even more so today than I did back then.

At its heart, Descendant of the Crane is a book about morality. We all want to do the right thing, we all want to believe in the systems that have been put in place, and we all want to hope that the people around us are true, faithful, and honest. This book breaks down the concept of morality and truth and makes Hesina, our MC, question what is real and what is a veneer over a broken system.

What I love most about this book is that it showed the truth of humanity – no matter your position, your intentions, or your heart, humans are fallible and we make mistakes. Hesina makes choices that she believes are right and will lead her to the truth, but the brokenness of the system results in consequence after consequence, loss after loss. And she owns up to them, which is so rare to see, but you can see her taking accountability and bearing the weight of the losses on her shoulder.

The twist at the end still haunts me and I wish that we could’ve gotten a sequel for this one. Alas, not in the cards, but where it ends, there’s hope for everyone left and I loved the potential we’re left with.

Descendant of the Crane remains a favourite for me, and I definitely recommend picking this one up. I think it’ll surprise you.

TW: death, grief, torture, violence, blood, injury detail, genocide, slavery, racism (of a magical group of people); mentions suicide, war, vomit

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.62/5

eARC gifted by Joan He’s previous problematic publisher (Albert Whitman & Company), so I won’t be thanking them, but acknowledging the gifted copy.

Review: Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan

Title: Women of Good Fortune
Author: Sophie Wan
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publication Date: Mar 5, 2024
Publisher: Graydon House
GoodReads

Synopsis:

Lulu has always been taught that money is the ticket to a good life. So, when Shanghai’s most eligible bachelor surprises her with a proposal, the only acceptable answer is yes, even if the voice inside her head is saying no. His family’s fortune would solve all her parents’ financial woes, but Lulu isn’t in love or ready for marriage.

The only people she can confide in are her two best friends: career-minded Rina, who is tired of being passed over for promotion as her biological clock ticks away; and Jane, a sharp-tongued, luxury-chasing housewife desperate to divorce her husband and trade up. Each of them desires something different: freedom, time, beauty. None of them can get it without money.

Lulu’s wedding is their golden opportunity. The social event of the season, it means more than enough cash gifts to transform the women’s lives. To steal the money on the big day, all they’ll need is a trustworthy crew and a brilliant plan. But as the plot grows increasingly complicated and relationships are caught in the cross fire, the women are forced to face that having it all might come at a steep price…

Review:

Heisty, reflective, and chaotic, Women of Good Fortune is a fast-paced read that explores familial expectations and the weight the next generation carries because of them.

Examining beauty standards, the impact of the one child rule, societal and familial standards for both men and women, and relationships (both with friends and love), I was surprised by the depth we got for all these characters. Of course, we couldn’t fully dive into everything, but the large cast really helped to build this image of Chinese society and everything that comes with it. All the rot under the glittering facade.

A big focus is the heist and the three MC’s friendship. We have Lulu, the bride-to-be who’s always been trapped by her family’s guilt for letting her (the second child and daughter) live; Jane, who’s always been told her face was nothing pretty and is married to a man who originally wedded her for her apartment; and Rina, a workaholic who’s afraid to let go of control. They have been friends for years, and want to use the heist to take back the reins of their lives.

I loved the exploration of their friendship along with their personal relationships – with their parents, their partners, and other people in their lives. The development of everything came together so well at the end that I was honestly a bit surprised. There are some relationships that I felt like needed a bit more page-time and a bit more work to get to where it all stands at the end, but overall, I was really happy with this chaotic ride of a story.

Women of Good Fortune is really great at providing an introduction to how Chinese society looks and feels, and shows that gilded cages are still cages. All in all, definitely a strong read and a solid debut from Sophie Wan!

TW: body shaming, emotional abuse, sexism, burnout, classism, misogyny, vomit, alcohol; mentions abandonment

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.98/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Graydon House via HarperCollins Canada.

Review: Conditions of a Heart by Bethany Mangle

Title: Conditions of a Heart
Author: Bethany Mangle
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: Feb 20, 2024
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
GoodReads

Synopsis:

Brynn Kwan is desperate for her high school persona to be real. That Brynn is head of the yearbook committee, the favorite for prom queen, and definitely not crumbling from a secret disability that’s rapidly wearing her down. If no one knows the truth about her condition, Brynn doesn’t have to worry about the pitying looks or accusations of being a faker that already destroyed her childhood friendships. She’s even willing to let go of her four-year relationship with her first love, Oliver, rather than reveal that a necessary surgery was the reason she ignored his existence for the entire summer.

But after Brynn tries to break up a fight at a pep rally and winds up barred from all her clubs and senior prom, she has nothing left to prop up her illusion of being just like everyone else. During a week-long suspension from school, she realizes that she doesn’t quite recognize the face in the mirror—and it’s not because of her black eye from the fight. With a healthy sister who simply doesn’t understand and a confused ex-boyfriend who won’t just take a hint and go away like a normal human being , Brynn begins to wonder if it’s possible to reinvent her world by being the person she thought no one herself.

Review:

I want to just put a GIF of Captain Holt saying, “Pain,” and end my review there, but this book deserves so much more so I’m going to try to put all my feelings on paper (screen?).

This book resonated with me on another and put so many feelings into words. I loved how the book sets up situations to build empathy in its readers. Even if you can’t relate to the core of Brynn’s feelings, the author makes it easy for people to understand why she’s frustrated, why she’s tired, and why things are just HARD. It was a phenomenal break down of both her emotions, her relationships, and her disabilities and needs.

If you have a disability, invisible or otherwise, I feel like you’d be able to relate so well to Brynn. From her pushing herself through pain, to her negotiating with her body to just do-one-more-thing-dang-it, to her feeling trapped beneath the weight of everyone’s hovering and the idea that being chronically ill is pitiable and unimaginable. I loved that the author canonically included COVID-19 into the story to truly show that the world left us behind. Brynn feels so much throughout the story and Conditions of a Heart is truly a masterclass in turning feelings into words. I sobbed so much, yet also laughed a lot. Sometimes both at the same time which had be choking on my joy, which felt apt for this book.

I want to also shoutout the familial relationships that were addressed throughout the story, the idea that we need to be more than our disabilities to ourselves, but also to our family. The conversations they have are so important and I loved that it showed that growth is messy and full of errors and missteps, but putting in the effort shows that you’re listening and learning. This made me so happy, and it was definitely a highlight of the story.

I also loved the end. While we get a nice HEA for Brynn, there are still things left open-ended. I think this worked well because it was truly showing that there’s always more work to be done as people with disabilities continue to fight to be heard, seen, and respected. It was realistic and didn’t try to paint the world with rose-coloured lenses.

In the end, I have so many feelings around this book, and so much love for Bethany Mangle and the characters she created. Please just read it and scream unintelligibly at me as you do!

Note: As an aside, as I feel like it’s more of an editing issue than a writer issue – the final copy I read had some typos (words missing, weird turned around words), as well as inconsistencies (the whole issue with her car kept confusing me, her eating whatever off the street with her problems was weird, along with a couple other spots), which didn’t ruin the book for me (obviously), but did make me question the editor for a sec. So this isn’t the perfect book, but it’s also perfect, so read it.

Rep: MC with hEDS, MCAS, and POTS, father with hEDS

TW: violence, injury detail, medical content, discussions around ableism and classism; mentions racism, panphobia, biphobia

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.49/5

Finished copy gifted via Colored Pages Book Tours by Simon Teen in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin

Title: Rebel Skies
Author: Ann Sei Lin
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: Feb 13, 2024
Publisher: Tundra Books
GoodReads

Synopsis:

Kurara has never known any other life than being a servant onboard the Midori, a flying ship serving the military elite of the Mikoshiman Empire, a vast realm of floating cities. Kurara also has a secret — she can make folded paper figures come to life with a flick of her finger. But when the Midori is attacked and Kurara’s secret turns out to be a power treasured across the empire, a gut-wrenching escape leads her to the gruff Himura, who takes her under his wing. Under Himura’s tutelage, and with the grudging support and friendship of his crew, Kurara learns to hunt shikigami — wild paper spirits sought after by the Princess of Mikoshima.

But what does the princess really want with the shikigami? Are they merely enchanted figures without will or thought, or are they beings with souls and minds of their own? As fractures begin to appear both across the empire and within Kurara’s understanding of herself, Kurara will have to decide who she can trust. Her fate, and the fate of her friends — and even the world — may rest on her choice. And time is running out.

Review:

This felt like YA ADSOM meets Pokemon ethics, which is a very specific niche, but it worked.

The real star of this book is the world building – the dynamics of the political system, the concept of paper magic and shikigami, the flying ships and pirate-esque vibes of the crew – it was all so well developed, I felt like I was in the world. This is definitely where the ADSOM comparison come in – the depth of the world-building and the unique magic system made me feel like I was a part of the action.

Pokemon ethics is very specific, but the concept of these magical paper creatures, shikigami, having a master versus having autonomous thoughts feelings and the ethics behind it was a huge part of the story. What gives people the right to have governance over something/someone else? Because they’re magical creature, why aren’t they allowed the right to live freely? It provides interesting insight into a similar kind of ethics system and was a huge part of Kurara’s story line. Honestly, one of the aspects of the story I found most interesting as her own history and shikigami history and autonomy was explored more.

I also liked the three POVs and how they contrasted each other in thought and end-goals, and how they helped to build the world. It felt like we got more of the larger picture as a result of the three POVs as well as different perspectives regarding politics and magic. That being said, I feel like this gave less time for character and relationship building – Kurara’s POV was mostly ethics and Haru focused; Himura’s POV looked more at Kurara’s training and Crafters’ knowledge limitations, as much of their history was lost; and the Interlude POV that was focused on the Sorabito people and the Sohma rebellion. There wasn’t much room for the secondary characters as a result, and it felt like we didn’t really get to the hearts of our three leads either because there was a lot to juggle.

While there was an overarching plot to this book, the end felt abrupt. We were left with a lot of loose ends, and while I know this is a trilogy, I felt like there wasn’t anything solidly settled by the end and it felt unfinished as a result. I definitely will pick up the second book, as I’m so curious about the shikigami and exploring more of that magic system, but I do hope future instalments delve deeper into the characters and their relationships to one another.

TW: fire/fire injury, death, murder, injury detail, animal death (paper animal death, not dog), kidnapping (of sorts), slavery (of magical creatures), militaristic abuse of power; mentions war

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.87/5

ARC gifted by Tundra Books via Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao

Title: Blood Heir
Author: Amélie Wen Zhao
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: Nov 19, 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Press
GoodReads

Synopsis:

In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are deemed unnatural–even dangerous. And Anastacya Mikhailov, the crown princess, is one of the most terrifying Affinites.

Ana’s ability to control blood has long been kept secret, but when her father, the emperor, is murdered, she is the only suspect. Now, to save her own life, Ana must find her father’s killer. But the Cyrilia beyond the palace walls is one where corruption rules and a greater conspiracy is at work–one that threatens the very balance of Ana’s world.

There is only one person corrupt enough to help Ana get to the conspiracy’s core: Ramson Quicktongue. Ramson is a cunning crime lord with sinister plans–though he might have met his match in Ana. Because in this story, the princess might be the most dangerous player of all.

Review:

I don’t know how I feel about this one. It presented an interesting depiction of slavery and indenturement positioned in a world outside of the Americas. But the execution kind of fell apart at the end.

Ramson was not the hardened criminal mastermind we were promised. He does think through his plans, but, whether it’s his age or his original privilege, he is outsmarted by basically everyone he comes across. Some of his plans bear fruits, but he really does go through it, at the end of the day, despite all his planning. I did love how his character was fleshed out through flashbacks, but I couldn’t get behind his overall characterization.

The same goes for Ana. She’s said to be fierce and a badass, but she loses her battles often too. She doesn’t have a good handle on her power and her own limitations (until suddenly at the end). Again, I loved how her story is built up, but there’s definitely something missing from her.

It was so interesting seeing the Affinites’ different powers. It really helped with the world building and the magic. Again, the slavery and indenturement aspect was so interesting and full of nuance in a way that breaks your heart. Additionally, the rebellion is presented in a way that you want to get behind, but also notes the impact and consequences of overcorrection. There are a lot of questions of morality, particularly what action goes too far? At what point is the hero a villain?

Lastly, the end was so staged. I hated how dramatic it was cause I thought of the solution immediately and it made me mad that everything was just yelling in a court room. Felt flimsy, though, again, I guess it was the age showing, in that Ana believed yelling crimes out in court would really change the tides. I don’t know. This was a miss for me for the most part, but I truly do feel like this will set up the rest of the series well. I’m also curious to see how Amelie’s writing improves as I go through her repertoire.

Plot: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
World Building: 2/5
Writing: 3/5
Pacing: 2/5
Overall: 2/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.83/5

Review: I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang

Title: I Hope This Doesn’t Find You
Author: Ann Liang
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: Feb 6, 2024
Publisher: Scholastic Press
GoodReads

Synopsis:

Sadie Wen is perfect on paper: school captain, valedictorian, and a “pleasure to have in class.” It’s not easy, but she has a trick to keep her model-student smile plastered on her face at all times: she channels all her frustrations into her email drafts. She’d never send them of course — she’d rather die than hurt anyone’s feelings — but it’s a relief to let loose on her power-hungry English teacher or a freeloading classmate taking credit for Sadie’s work.

All her most vehemently worded emails are directed at her infuriating cocaptain, Julius Gong, whose arrogance and competitive streak have irked Sadie since they were kids. “You’re attention starved and self-obsessed and unbearably vain . . . I really hope your comb breaks and you run out of whatever expensive hair products you’ve been using to make your hair appear deceptively soft…”

Sadie doesn’t have to hold back in her emails, because nobody will ever read them… that is, until they’re accidentally sent out.

Overnight, Sadie’s carefully crafted, conflict-free life is turned upside down. It’s her worst nightmare — now everyone at school knows what she really thinks of them, and they’re not afraid to tell her what they really think of her either. But amidst the chaos, there’s one person growing to appreciate the “real” Sadie — Julius, the only boy she’s sworn to hate…

Review:

I went into this book thinking it’d be a full on romance, and, while we did get that, I found that the larger, resounding part of the story was found in Sadie’s growth.

Sadie is a people pleaser and a fixer. She never knows when to stop as she puts her needs on a shelf in favour of helping others. Sacrificing sleep, pride, and sanity, Sadie is well on the edge of cracking under the pressure of trying to be everything for everyone else. I loved her growth through the book as she realizes the weight she puts on herself and that she doesn’t need to please other people to live a good life. I loved her so much and I wanted to give her the biggest hug.

In contrast, everything seems to come easy for Sadie’s academic rival, Julius Gong. He’s well liked, smart, and unrelenting. That being said, if Julius was a quote, he’d be that one from Jane Austen’s Emma, “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.” Julius is definitely more of an actions-speak-louder-than-words kind of guy. While I grew to love him in some of his softer moments, I feel like I needed to get inside his brain. His and Sadie’s banter (read: fights) allows readers to better understand his character and who he is, but I wish there’d been a longer heart-to-heart conversation somewhere along the line where we really get to crack him open. His actions did speak loud though, even coming through in off-hand mentions and actions construed as “evil.”

Ann Liang’s writing really propelled me through this book. Her ability to weave humour into conflict to ease tension; to makes scenes realistic, yet valuable to the story and still fun; and to write characters you easily fall in love, is absolutely unmatched. I’m so excited for all of her other releases this year and I hope one of her book tours brings her to Canada (I could only dream).

As a whole, I loved the message of this book and I love Ann Liang, so it’s a winner for me. The only thing I wish I had more of was Julius’s voice, but maybe we’ll get that in the future!

TW: bullying, alcohol consumption

Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.46/5

ARC gifted by Scholastic Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday

Title: Canadian Boyfriend
Author: Jenny Holiday
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: Jan 30, 2024
Publisher: Forever
GoodReads

Synopsis:

The fake Canadian boyfriend. It’s a thing. The get out of jail free card for all kinds of sticky social situations. “I can’t go to prom; I’m going to be out of town visiting my boyfriend in Canada.” It’s all over pop culture. But Aurora Evans did it first. Once upon a time she met a teenage hockey player at the Mall of America. He was from Canada. He was a boy. She may have fudged the “friend” part a little, but it wasn’t like she was ever going to see him again. It wasn’t like she hurt anyone. Until she did—years later—on both counts.
  
When pro hockey player and recent widower Mike Martin walks into the dance studio where Aurora Evans teaches, he’s feeling overwhelmed with the fact that his wife may not have been exactly who he thought she was and the logistics of going back to work. As one of the few people his angry, heartbroken daughter connects with, Aurora agrees to be a pseudo nanny to help him navigate the upcoming school year and hockey season. To his surprise, she turns out to be the perfect balm for him as well. Aurora gets him. The real him underneath his pro jersey. And yet, he still finds himself holding back, unable to fully trust again—especially when he finds out the secret Aurora’s been hiding from him.

Review:

This book was intense, to put it simply. Though I went in thinking it’d be a light romance, I ended up staring mental health and self-reflection in the face. As someone who’s walked away from emotional abuse, body image issues, and grief from a loss of someone close, this whole book was a lot.

Let’s start with the strongest part of the story – the positive therapy rep. Holy heck, the therapy rep was perfect. I loved that both MCs were so open about their therapy journeys, and that they told each other stuff they’ve learned in order to help one another grow. While some books feel preachy, the conversations about therapy and sharing therapy-isms was organic and both characters were receptive to changing and growing. As Mike kept saying, they were both coachable and I loved both his and Rory’s growth through the story.

The romance was also organic and cute. I appreciated that the story takes place basically over two years (three, if you count the kind of epilogue), so you really saw them growing and falling in love over time. Yes, there was an instant zing, but beyond that this story was definitely a friends-to-lovers.

I also liked how we got some insight into Rory when she was younger through her letters to her Canadian Boyfriend. I also liked how those letters came into play through the book and within her real relationship to Mike. While I wish there hadn’t been a third-act breakup, I think they both needed it for different reasons, and I loved that those reasons are clearly drawn out for us. It wasn’t a miscommunication, it was growth, and it was a breath of fresh air.

There were a couple things that did bother me a bit – I wish that they had more time with their friends doing their individual growth. I wanted to see them have fuller lives (though that was also part of the whole healing process for them). That being said, hopefully we’ll see more of them in Gretchen’s book living their best lives. I also found some of the vocabulary jarring. This is my first book by Holiday so I don’t know what her vocab quirks are, but this is the first time I’ve seen a number of words used in such quantity. It might be the uniqueness of the terms (logjam, woo-woo, schmaltzy), but their repetition stood out and gave the story character but was also mildly distracting. Weird thing to be hung up on, I know, but it’s still there.

All in all, this book is definitely a new favourite of mine. It was soft, sentimental, and full of healing. I learned a lot from this book, and while it was heavier than I expected, I ended up adoring every part of it.

TW: grief, emotional abuse, eating disorder, body shaming, panic attack/anxiety (not full blown, not fully on page), death, death of a parent, sexual content (not super descriptive), cursing, alcohol; mentions car accident, pregnancy, injury detail

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.85/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Forever in exchange for an honest review.