Life on the Refrigerator Door

Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars

Helen Thinks: Life on the Refrigerator Door is a novel told solely in the scribbled notes between a Mother and her daughter, Claire, because they keep missing each other due to their busy lives of being a doctor and a teenager. They start as simple notes such as Mum reminding her daughter to pick up groceries or to clean out Peter, their pet Rabbit’s cage, or Claire telling her Mum she was babysitting or that she had passed a test but then one day the notes take a more serious turn... Mum has found a lump in her breast so she has to make a doctor’s appointment to get it checked out. Through note form, we see the strain this new development has on their relationship as well as Claire struggling with being a young teenager.

Life on the Refrigerator Door is a fast, easy read that follows a whole new layout which makes it stand out in the crowd. How Kuipers manages to make the audience feel so much empathy towards the characters when all we’re really getting is snapshots through handwritten notes left on a refrigerator is fantastic. I felt the hurt as young Claire realised her Mum was really sick, the distress the Mum had at telling Claire about the lump as well as feeling extremely irritated by Claire’s bratty teenage behaviour when she was being moody and self-absorbed; which is how most teenagers are and it was written superbly.

My only issue with this novel is that despite the quirky and unique layout is I can’t quite grasp the idea of a Mother and daughter having such personal and serious discussions over note form! Grocery list. Sure. Clean out the rabbit. Sure. Mum, I’m babysitting tonight. Great. The idea that the news of Mum having a lump in her breast and it turning out to be cancer was discussed in such an impersonal way kind of irked me but it did deliver a story that could have been cliche in a whole new format and for that I applaud Kuipers.

So make a note to yourself and add this book to your ‘to be read’ pile!

We Are All Made of Stars

We Are All Made of Stars by Rowan Coleman

Age: Adult
Category: Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars

Helen Thinks: I came across this novel when I typed ‘Dementia’ into the search bar of my local library and amongst all the medical journals and textbooks it jumped out at me so I reserved it. And boy, am I glad that I did!

It follows three different characters. Stella; a night nurse at a hospice who writes letters for her dying patients that she delivers once they’ve gone while also dealing with her veteran husband whose home from the war with an amputation and a coldness towards her. Hope; a young woman with Cystic Fibrosis that isn’t dying but is using the hospice as a rehabilitation after nearly not dying. Hugh; a recluse of a historian that lives alone but soon becomes friends with his new neighbour and her son. The main focus of the novel is Stella and her letter writing but we do get to know quite a bit about Hope and Hugh’s life too. I don’t want to give too much away in this summary because Hugh’s involvement with the storyline could be seen as a plot twist that I did see coming but Coleman still wrote it beautifully. Even with the multiple first persons, nothing became confusing or jumbled. It smoothly transitioned from one point of view to the next.

I read all three hundred and odd pages of this novel in one morning. I neglected T.V., housework, I’m pretty sure I cancelled meeting up with my sister all because I was desperate to see how this novel turned out - I’ve even recommended it to my sister and best friend to read! It was simply breathtaking as a novel.

The massive plus for me was after each chapter there was a letter written by Stella for her multitude of patients and it’s intriguing to see who people want to write to when they know death is upon them. Some wrote to their ex-wives, some to siblings confessing childhood secrets, to children that they had become estranged from. It just made me wonder... If I was to die tomorrow, who would I write my last words too? My sister? An ex-boyfriend? The boy I never found the courage to let him know I loved him back?


So thank you to my library for recommending this novel to me and I’m now paying it forward and recommending it to all of you guys to see if you can answer the question the book poses... “What if you had just one chance, one letter you could leave behind for the person you love? What would you write?”

First Position

First Position by Melissa Brayden

Age: Adult
Category: LGBTQIA+ / Romance / Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars

Rosie Thinks: If you’re at all familiar with our site, you know there’s one thing we ADoR gals love: cliches. Everyone has their favourite cliches and this story contains a weakness of mine. Rivals to lovers. Is there anything better?

This is set in the world of the New York City Ballet, a beautiful backdrop to a beautiful story. Ana Mikhelson has been working her whole life to get out of the shadow of her famous father, and this is her year. She’s finally made principal dancer, the highest position in the company. She’s known as the Ice Queen, but she doesn’t let petty things like jealousy or lonliness bother her. Until Natalie enters the scene. Hailed as a dance protege since she was young, Natalie has never liked the strict world of ballet. When she’s offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the NYC Ballet, she can’t say no. And so starts a fierce rivalry between the two, that soon gives way to a wary friendship.

I have a confession to make - I rarely read f/f books. The few I’ve read haven’t been very well-written, so I while I was hesitant to start this, the summary and glowing reviews urged me on. It doesn’t disappoint. It switches between both Ana and Natalie, but I never got confused between the two. It served to craft both their characters well and not make them into stereotypes. Ana’s a workaholic and reserved, while Natalie is the complete opposite - outgoing, loves to party, is continually late. But they were both more than this and that’s what truly brought this story to life for me.

The plot was riveting throughout. While it does go the way of a cliche, it’s more than that. There’s a solid storyline the whole way through, making it not boring for a moment. I’ve always had a fascination for ballet, so it was near-magical to read about it. Brayden writes in a way that flows like a picture in my mind. My only concern was it did feel a bit disjointed at the climax, but that’s only nitpicking.

Breathe, Annie, Breathe

Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally

Age: Adult / Young Adult
Category: Romance / Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars

Rosie Thinks: Sometimes, you just need a book that’s going to leave you with a smile afterwards. This is that book. It’s so cute, but has an at times sad and gripping storyline. Our main character is Annie, who is struggling with guilt over her boyfriend’s death. To honour his memory and as some kind of atonement, Annie signs up to run a full marathon. Downside: she hates running, and has never run a day in her life.

This story is structured around her preparing for the marathon, but it’s a lot more than that. It goes into her dealing with her grief and how her boyfriend’s accident has affected all areas of her life: family, school, and friends. She’s also struggling with her feelings for her coach’s younger brother, the charming Jeremiah. He makes her smile and feel things she hasn’t felt before, but that makes her want to stay away from him at the same time. A second chance romance is a tricky cliche to navigate. It’s too easy for an author to justify a new relationship by vilifying the old one, or comparing the two guys and finding the previous one lacking. Or, my least favourite of all, having the entire thing be completely unrealistic. This wasn’t the case here. The topic was dealt with gently and thoroughly, in a way that was very realistic and heart-breaking.

Jeremiah himself has to be one of my favourite leading guys. His personality is one I’ve never seen before, so it came across as incredibly original. This whole novel was a breath of fresh air. I’ve trained for something similar to a marathon, and the details were all there: the body breaking down, the stomach cramps, and how it’s the strength of your mind that will get you through it. I loved all of it! This is in a series of books called Hundred Oaks, and some characters from the other books do appear, but I read it as a stand-alone and had no trouble.

Hate List

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Age: Adult / Young Adult
Category: Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars

Rosie Thinks: This book honestly scared me. Everyone has those thoughts some time in their lives, the 'I wish this person was dead' but not truly meaning it. For Valerie, the MC of this book, she never meant it. But her boyfriend did.

The story starts when Valerie is returning to school, months after her boyfriend came in and shot students according to a 'hate list' they'd both put together, then shot himself. Val is racked with guilt, but is determined to finish her final year. Half the town thinks she's a hero for accidentally saving a classmate, and the rest think she was in on it. Even her family and closest friends have taken sides. So you can imagine just how intense and emotional of a read this was!

Rather than being about the shooting, though, this story is more about Val. Almost everyone we meet in the story is against her, and Brown truly delved into the minds of all the characters. There's not a single one-dimensional character to be seen! The story explores the good and the very ugly in people, in an unapologetic and, at times, hopeless light that I found enthralling. I was seriously sucked into Val's journey, and I love how she was the one forcing herself to get back on her two feet and stand up for herself, not anyone else. She truly found herself and it was one of the most awesome character growths I've read, because it was solely on her own. She's a character that is easy to connect with, and I could feel her hurt and guilt and loneliness as if it were my own.

This book went far further than just the black and white. One of the most interesting aspects is that Valerie still loves her boyfriend. The author doesn't paint him as purely an evil person. Instead, through flashbacks, we see Nick through Valerie's eyes, and see not only the warning signs, but the reasons why she loved him. All together, it turned this book into a powerful, thought-provoking read.

Pieces of You

Pieces of You by Ella Harper

Age: Adult
Category: Contemporary / Romance
Rating: 4 stars

Helen Thinks: I have this habit that if I enjoy a novel by an author I immediately reserve the rest of their available works at my local library. This is how Pieces of You by Ella Harper ended up on my shelf dedicated to books from the library and oh my goodness am I glad it did! Despite having read a different book by Ella Harper, this is Harper’s debut novel and what a beautiful piece it is. I have genuinely called this the book of my 2016.

Lucy and her husband Luke have been trying unsuccessfully for eight years to have a child. Despite their lack of a child, she knew that she would always have Luke in her life and that was enough to keep her going through their attempts. Until one day Luke is in a car crash and as he lies in a coma her world comes crashing around her - in the form of a pregnant nurse; the result of a one night stand with her beloved husband.

This book flooded me with emotions. From heartbreak to downright anger. Seriously, the amount of times I had to put this book down and phone someone (many thanks to my Mother, sister and best friend who were often at the end of these phone calls patiently reminding me it’s just a novel!) about what was happening and how it was so frustrating was a clear sign of how amazing Harper’s writing it. The empathy the reader (or I did) feels for Lucy is astounding - seriously, I told my Mum at one point if it had been my husband there would have been a huge chance of his machine being switched off (only joking of course!).

I read over this review and realise that I don’t actually make much sense and I’m basically flailing like a massive fangirl but that’s now what I am. Harper has joined the small group of authors that I follow blindly into the dark with each novel they release and she achieved this magic with only having two books out. I eagerly await her third one and I hope that you’ll give this book a chance and feel even just a small part of the emotion that I did towards it...

A Year Agreement (Trilogy)

A Year Agreement (Trilogy) by Kenadee Bryant

Age: Adult
Category: Contemporary / Romance
Rating: 4 stars

Helen Thinks: Jenna Howard was left by her mother at five years old and emancipated herself at seventeen to find out life doesn’t get any better just because you’re an adult. Working two dead end jobs just to keep herself above water, Jenna believes her life is just one big disappointment until a customer at the strip joint offers her the deal of a lifetime - marry him and he’ll pay her one million dollars. Despite her immediate convictions towards a stranger offering her this deal Jenna knows that the amount of money offered will change her life forever so she agrees. What she didn’t bargain for was the fact her husband-to-be could be quite cold and cruel towards her nor did she bargain for the fact that maybe - just maybe - she likes him more than she should?

I’ll be honest with you and admit that it was the cover of the first novel that grabbed my attention one day when I was perusing through the “recommended for you” category on amazon. I immediately downloaded it - big bonus it’s available on Kindle Unlimited for those of you that subscribe to that service - and read it within a couple of hours. I literally could not put it down. I also kept texting Lauren (my sister for those of you who aren’t aware or who have forgotten) throughout her night shift telling her that she must read it!

Liam was a bit of a douche at times and I know that’s what she was going for but sometimes some of the comments he came out with was a bit too much. However, once his gruff exterior was chipped away at by our heroine, I did find myself liking Liam very much and believe that Jenna and Liam were written very well by Kenadee Bryant.

Read more »

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

Age: Adult
Category: Contemporary
Rating: 3 stars

Helen Thinks: Sara has never left her home country of Sweden so when her elderly penpal, Amy, from Broken Wheel, Iowa, offers her the chance to stay at her house for two months she jumps at the chance. Unfortunately for Sara, Amy’s funeral is just coming to a close when she arrives. However, the residents of Broken Wheel were all under instructions from Amy to ensure that Sara remained there and felt welcomed. Broken Wheel is a small dying community in the middle of nowhere so they are stunned that Sara wishes to remain there, as well confused to her love for the written word. In return for their generosity and for something to do, Sara opens a bookstore with Amy’s books for the people of Broken Wheel and the residents become fond of Sara.

I’m not going to lie to you but the beginning of this book was slow going. Sara, for me, started off as a particularly dull character that had no dimensions whatsoever. Her inner thoughts were rambles about published books that you may or may not have read. I understand being a book lover - I’m a massive book lover - but it was focused on a little too much for my liking. However, Sara did begin to grow on me as she started to interact with the residents of Broken Wheel and we started to see snapshots of their lives. From Andy and his good friend Carl that owned the bar, Grace that owned the local diner and Caroline that was always there to help out and organised everything. There was a handful of supporting characters and they were all individual enough that you could see who Bivald was talking about.

I felt like a great touch was that each alternate chapter was a letter from Amy to Sara so that despite Amy’s death in the novel we still managed to meet Amy as well as get a look at the friendship that had formed between the two women. In their letters they spoke of books and of what books meant to them as well as us seeing what Amy’s relationships were with the residents of Broken Wheel.

Despite me saying earlier that this book was slow starting, I managed to read it in one afternoon once I tackled the first thirty or forrty pages that made it a struggle. I was in love with the characters of Broken Wheel so all I can say is that Helen from A Drop of Romeo highly recommends that you give this book a chance.

Along for the Ride

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary, romance
Rating: 5 stars

Melissa Thinks: Rereading books is not something I normally do. The most frustrating thing about being a book lover is as I grow older, I find my tastes are always changing. A book I might have read and loved five years ago I might read now and hate. I originally read Along for the Ride six or seven years ago and it wasn't a book that made a large impression on me. On this second read through, I've had an unexpectedly different reaction.

Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors for several reasons. First of all, her novels are always so well crafted. The characters have layers of character development that slowly emerge throughout her stories. She knows how to write about teenagers in a way that is not patronizing or stereotypical. Dessen novels are a perfect example of YA novels or "chick lit" books that can transcend their marketed audience. The themes and messages of this book (perseverance, femininity, elitism in academia, family and motherhood, change)

Another of Sarah Dessen’s strengths is the relationships she builds within her novels. Whether it’s familial relationships, friendships, or romantic connections, Dessen always seems to find the best ways to bring her characters together. Take, for instance, Eli and Auden. Their relationship starts off fairly innocently; they bond over coffee, pie, and insomnia. As they become closer, it’s hard not to want them to end up together forever. But like I said, it’s not just about the romance. Auden’s damaged relationship with her mother, father, and stepmother plays a very important role in Along for the Ride. Auden also connects with a group of girls who work in her stepmother’s store, which showcases the importance of strong friendships as opposed to the female rivalry which can often play a big part in YA books.

To conclude: I just really loved this book a lot more than I thought I would. Oftentimes an author’s later books can be crappy in comparison t their earlier works, but Along for the Ride was an amazing read, much like Dessen’s earlier works. So if you’ve not read a book by this author before, I think this is a great one to start with!

Hover Car Racer

Hover Car Racer by Matthew Reilly

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary, science fiction
Rating: 5 stars

Rosie Thinks: This book is definitely not something I would normally read. I normally don’t touch science-fiction, and especially not a book classified under ‘childrens’ on Goodreads! But this is one of my most favourite authors and I first read this book about eight years ago - and on my third read-through (at 22 years old) this book hasn’t lost any of itsmagic!

We follow Jason Chaser and his brother, the Bug, as they navigate their way through the hover car racing world. The story starts with the two just scraping their way into the International Race School and their uphill battle to the top as they go up against the best racers in the world.

In the same vein as most children’s fiction, this story is fairly black and white. Jason and his friends are good, the bullies are bad. The basic plot (The Underdog) has been done a million times, but that didn’t stop me absolutely adoring this. Jason, the Bug and their mismatched hover car are constantly beset by obstacle after obstacle, but none of it feels overdone or ridiculous. Matthew Reilly is one of my favourite authors because his books always deliver fast-paced action and suspense that keeps me glued to the book, and his usual flair translated well into children’s fiction.

When this book was first released, it was done for free online and in installments. And it says something amazing about the book when Disney picked up the rights to it without all the installments even out! Although that was ten years ago, I’m still hoping for a movie to come of this!

I mentioned earlier that I don’t like reading science-fiction, but this is only set a few years into the future (at an unspecified date). It’s kind of like the exact same world as now, plus hover car technology for everyone. But the entire world and intricate detail Reilly put into this was awesome to read. The details of the racing tournaments were like an amalgamation of several different sports, and I was consistently in awe of Reilly’s imagination in putting it all together.

So please don’t be put off by the age! This is a fantastic book that can be read in a few sittings and leave you with the warm fuzzies.

The Problem with Forever

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars

Brittany Thinks: Jennifer L. Armentrout typically writes sci-fi or paranormal romance and I’ve always enjoyed her grasp of plot arc and character development. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on “The Problem with Forever” even though I knew it was a change for her in terms of content. I was not disappointed.



The Problem with Forever is the story of Mallory, a young girl from a troubled past who is about to start her senior year of high school. When we meet Mallory, she’s already done a ton of work to recover from the trauma that she experienced as a young girl, but she still has a long way to go. On her first day of school, she runs into the boy who served as her protector – Rider - when they were both very young and the reunion tears their lives apart. I can’t really tell you more about the plot without mega spoilers, but whoa. I would liken it to a tamer Colleen Hoover or a more contemporary Sarah Dessen novel. 



I absolutely loved reading this book. I think Armentrout handled a sensitive subject with so much grace and understanding. I loved the emotional journey of both Mallory and Rider. I was riveted from the first page and read it from cover to cover in one day. One of my coworkers said she found the book to be a bit slow and I think that’s a fair assessment. It’s not the most action packed read out there and might not be your cup of tea if character development doesn’t keep you interested, but that wasn’t a problem for me. I love a story about growth, learning, and struggling and “The Problem with Forever” was one of the better examples that I’ve come across. I really came to care about Mallory, Rider, and all of their friends and the relationship between Mallory and Rider was just so dang cute! “The Problem with Forever” is a great read to curl up with on a sunny warm day and lose yourself. I have a feeling that you’ll love Jennifer’s worlds as much as I do.

Mark of Cain

Mark of Cain by Kate Sherwood

Age: Adult
Category: Romance, contemporary, LGBTQIA+
Rating: 5 stars

Rosie Thinks: Hate to love stories are hard to get right. Very hard. As in, about one in a hundred actually feel legitimate and don't feature insta-lust and cliches to help the storyline along. This is one of the best examples I've ever read of 'hate to love' done right. Our main characters here are Lucas Cain and Mark Webber. Mark is a gay Anglican priest, committed to helping everyone around him and committed to his job. Lucas Cain just got out of prison after serving three years. The charge? Killing Mark's brother in a drunken bar fight. So can you imagine the kind of hate between these characters? When Mark sees Lucas out celebrating his first night free, he's consumed with hatred and is determined to do his best to make him pay. But Lucas has come out of prison a changed man, and all he wants to do is lead a steady, sober life, and take full responsibility of what he's done.

I've been putting off reading this book for a long time, since I wasn't a fan of one of the man characters being a priest. As a personal issue, I'm not a fan of overly religious stories, especially ones that shove it down your throat. I'm not a religious person at all, and could see the religious aspect in this story totally putting me off. Luckily, I couldn't resist the allure of such a highly rated hate/love story! So if you have the same worries I did, don't be - I found Mark's perspective and personal storyline, wherein he faces problems with the Church, to be interesting and not off-putting at all. One thing I had no idea about was that Anglican priests are allowed to marry, and that they're also accepting of openly gay priests (although I did go to an Anglican school for five years of my life, so oopsy).

Lucas was a fantastic character. He is so filled with self-loathing and guilt that my heart went out to him, despite him committing a horrible crime to land him in jail in the first place. He doesn't make any excuses, and tends to take the weight of the world on his own shoulders, so it was amazing watching him open up to love and healing as he made his own personal journey towards recovery. Which brings me to another thing I really like about this book: both main characters had their own storylines throughout the novel. They had their own battles to fight, and it kept me consistently interested in their story. Not once did I lose interest! The situation at the beginning seems so helpless and traumatic that I couldn't imagine it ever ending happily. But Kate Sherwood did a brilliant job at slowly, realistically bringing the two together, so even the reader could feel the love and forgiveness between the them.

Confess

Confess by Colleen Hoover

Age: New Adult
Category: Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars

Brittany Thinks: As a life long reader of Young Adult who is arguably still in the stage between YA characters and Adult fiction characters in my own life, New Adult is an exciting new genre for me. New Adult stories are still humorous coming of age tales, but for characters a bit older than the typical YA heroes and heroines. NA characters know a bit more about who they are, but they still have a lot to figure out before they’re fully settled. I’ve been devouring the most popular New Adult titles lately, and my newest addiction is Colleen Hoover.

Confess is the story of Auburn Reed. When we first meet Auburn, she is desperate for money to hire a lawyer - I’d tell you why, but then you’d have to kill me - and she finds herself taking a job with a quirky and intense artist named Owen. Confess follows their story as their lives intertwine and fall apart. It’s a roller coaster of emotion and I’d love to tell you more about the plot, but discovering on your own is seriously the best part. Colleen Hoover will always keep you guessing, unsure of who to trust or what awaits you on the next page.

One of the coolest parts of the book is Owen’s art. He runs a gallery called Confess, where patrons submit anonymous confessions and Owen uses some as inspiration for his art. Hoover actually found an artist to make art based on a few confessions and the paintings are beautiful, vibrant, and one of the neatest additions to a novel that I’ve seen in awhile. They add depth to the story and allow the reader to feel the emotions of the characters in an entirely different dimension. I loved it.
In a lot of ways, Colleen Hoover reminds me a bit of Sarah Dessen for an older audience. For years I’ve said that no one can do character development like Dessen can and that has always held true for me - until now, that is. Hoover is a master of the character and drops bombshells on every page that will leave you gasping for breath - and wishing you could shake some sense back into your favorite characters. If you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced read with well-developed characters and a page turning plot, definitely pick up Confess. Colleen Hoover is an author to watch.

Still Alice

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Age: Adult
Category: Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars

Helen Thinks: Alice Howland is a fifty year old woman that works at Harvard as a cognitive psychology professor and is a renowned expert in linguistics. She’s proud of the life she has built for herself, her husband and her three children. Then one day, during a lecture, she finds herself struggling to remember a simple word that she uses on a regular basis during her lectures. She dismisses it as old age combined with tiredness but eventually the problem becomes more regular until one day when out jogging she can’t remember where she is even though it’s the same route she always takes. Finally deciding that she can’t hide from this any longer, Alice visits the doctor where she is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. “Still Alice” follows her journey as the disease has a major impact on both her professional and personal life.

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of Dementia and according to the Alzheimer’s association an estimated five million Americans are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I decided to read the book because I had seen the movie (starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin and Kirsten Stewart) advertised and it piqued my interest. I am a care worker in a residential home for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of Dementia but the service users I look after are primarily in their later years, averaging around the age of eighty. To think such a cruel illness could start at fifty was baffling and also slightly terrifying, especially knowing that currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s.

Read more »

Dirty Angels (Dirty Angels #1)

Dirty Angels by Karina Halle

Age: Adult
Category: Contemporary, romance
Rating: 4 stars

Rosie Thinks: Just a warning before we get into this review: in the summary, it says this book is dark. And it is. It is very dark and deals with a lot of violent situations, like rape and torture, so if this is a trigger for you, please don't read this. In saying this, it was never as bad or as explicit as I was led to expect, but it still deals with a lot of violence.

When beautiful Luisa Chavez catches the eye of the deadliest drug lord in Mexico, Salvador Reyes, she knows she will do anything to give her ailing parents the care and money they need. But marrying Salvador is a worse hell than she can imagine, and when she tries to escape, she runs right into the arms of rival cartel boss, Javier Bernal. Javier plans to ransom Luisa back to Salvador, but neither of them are prepared for the twisted attraction that emerges between them.

Read more »

Addicted to You (Addicted #1)

Addicted to You by Krista Ritchie and Becca Ritchie

Age: Adult
Category: Contemporary, romance
Rating: 3 stars

“The fear of losing each other is always stronger than the pain we cause.”

Marta Thinks: Addicted to You is set in Pennsylvania which is where its two main characters, Lily Calloway and Loren Hale, go to university. They are rich and immensely privileged (it is thanks to their parents, after all, that they attend such a prestigious school) and their lives would be easier than everyone else’s if it weren’t for one thing…they’re both addicts. Loren is an alcoholic, who jealously guards his bottles and drinks himself into oblivion every night, due to the influence of a father who encouraged him to drink ever since he was young. Lily, instead, is a sex addict who medicates her insecurities and anxieties by hooking up with strangers. They both crave for a release: just in different ways.

Read more »

How to Repair a Mechanical Heart

How to Repair a Mechanical Heart by J.C. Lillis

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary, romance, LGTQIA+
Rating: 4 stars

Melissa Thinks: I think that I described How to Repair a Mechanical Heart to a friend as being about “fandoms and Jesus”. Brandon and Abel make vlogs together about Castaway Planet, a Star Trek-like television show they both adore. It’s actually how they met—through a fan forum dedicated to the show. Now they’re getting ready to go on a road trip to visit various cons throughout the country to make good on a bet they made with a rival group of fans (shippers of the two main characters, Cadmus and Sim).

The interesting thing about this book is how it really tackles the good, the bad, and the cringe-worthy side of being a fan—the sense of community, the shipping wars, the fic. It even brushes on things like fanservice and queer baiting (which, for those who don’t know, is when the writers of a TV show will create sexual tension and subtext between two same sex characters without any intention of having them be gay, bisexual, pansexual, etc. They do it to essentially grab the attention of queer viewers).

Additionally, Brandon also provides an interesting narrative regarding his sexuality. There’s a few super common character tropes in m/m fiction: the “gay for you” trope (where a character is essentially “straight” until they meet their love interest and realize how super gay they are), and the “I’m gay, but I don’t want to come out in fear of making everyone I love hate me” trope. Brandon was neither. Instead, the author explores his complex relationship with his parents, religion, and God. His church has taught him to hate gay people, and so now he struggles with self-hatred; he doesn’t know how to love and accept himself while also staying faithful to his religion. His parents, who seem to live and breathe their church, are similarly conflicted with how to accept this part of their son. It’s often shown in the book that they prefer to just pretend he never came out, or they try to change him to fit their own ideas of what he should be.

There was a lot to like in this book in terms of writing, characters, and plot. There was something special about the humor and the voice, which made the book unique in my opinion. The author’s coverage of the dynamics between fans, creators, and (in the case of shows/movies) actors was refreshing and real, albeit exaggerated.

Recommended for lovers of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell!

Foxhole Court (All for the Game #1)

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic

Age: Young Adult / Adult
Category: Contemporary, LGTQIA+
Rating: 5 stars

Rosie Thinks: To put this review in a little bit of context, I'm writing this after waiting two years for the final book in this series to come out, and that book has sky-rocketed this series into becoming one of my favourites of all time. Within the first few chapters of reading the third book, I knew I could reread it straight away after finishing it and still love it just as much (and let me tell you, I NEVER feel like that). But let's rewind to the first book!

These books revolve around the made-up sport of Exy - a mix of ice hockey and lacrosse - and focuses on Neil Josten. Neil has just been scouted for the Palmetto State University Foxes, an Exy team famous for signing players from broken homes. As the runaway son of a violent criminal, he knows he can't afford his face to be in the spotlight, but his obsession with Exy doesn't allow him to turn the opportunity down. Not only does he have to battle his own inner demons, but the other Foxes are straightaway suspicious and wary of him. A lot of the conflict comes from this, but one of the other strong plot lines is that of the Foxes being the underdogs of the Exy world, and their fierce and brutal rivalry with the top-ranked Ravens.

I went into these books thinking they'd be your everyday sports m/m romance that I've read a million times before, with the addition of traumatised characters (nothing gets me better than a bit of angst). But it was so much more! Despite me labelling this slash, there's no romance in the first book at all, and the character I thought would be the love interest wasn't (which, in hindsight, THANK GOD). Don't let that put you off! What you get instead is an incredible story with an insane cast of characters. I would be hard-pressed to think of another book with characterisation as individual and perfect as in this. Each of them had their own past and set of problems, no more so than the psychotic, insane Andrew. He is one of the most complex characters I've ever read about and even at the end of three books, I still shocked as to how Sakavic even created and wrote someone like him. I think it was a risk to write a character like him, that could so easily come off as unrealistic or too violent, but the risk paid off.

And Neil. Our darling MC with all the secrets and lies he tells not only to the other characters, but to reader themselves. He's smart and strong, but also so lost and terrified. These novels show his growth as he incrementally opens himself up to the Foxes and learns that there are other ways to live than being on the run. And it's not just him that develops and progresses as a character - a lot of the others do as well.

Even though this technically revolves around sport, I would recommend to everyone even if they didn't like sports stories. It doesn't get too technical and complex and bogged down in the theory of the sport. Instead, the sport scenes are used to further the plot and the character development. First and foremost, I found this to be a character-based story, with all their dark and twisted histories and personalities as they learnt to interact with each other. It was quite hard to write this review, as these books contain so much and my love for them is out of this world, but I hope I've done them justice!

Everything, Everything

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary; romance
Rating: 4 stars

Melissa Thinks: I don't know how to feel about this book. Before I get into the meat of it, I'd like to address a few things. Nicola Yoon has a way with words, for sure. There was a poetic simplicity to her prose that I especially enjoyed. Her dialogue and the voice of her characters was a particular favorite of mine. Maddy and Olly had an charming and clever air about them. They were intelligent without seeming pretentious. There was one particular scene with a bundt cake that really put a smile on my face--cutest and funniest thing that happened in the entire book.

Now for the hardest part of this review: the plot. I found the "Bubble Boy" (2001 movie. Jake Gyllenhaal. Weird but cute boy with no immune system escapes his overprotective parents to find a girl. You should check it out.) concept to be unique in that I've never read a Young Adult book that tackled this issue. There were times, however, when Madeline's dangerous behavior was hard to grasp. It was difficult to believe that she wouldn't get sick what with some of the reckless things she ended up doing. And on top of all that, her mother came off as aggressively clingy and her need to isolate her daughter was pretty problematic in the beginning of Olly and Maddy’s relationship, though it’s never really addressed until the end. Even then, it’s glossed over. But, I really liked the progression of the story. The plot was only predictable in a few places.

There was a touch of insta love in Everything, Everything. Personally, that is a huge turn off for me in books, but I enjoyed the characters so much that I could forgive it for the most part. The two main characters were just heartbreaking. Their interactions had a realness to them that made them likeable and easy to connect with. One of the best aspects of the book by far, though, is its message. There was a large emphasis on living your life to the fullest and taking risks even if they might result in something bad, because life is too short to be cautious.

You guys should definitely read this book! Do it for the beautiful cover, do it for the lovely romance, do it for the bundt cake!

Rites of Passage

Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary
Rating: 3 stars

Rosie Thinks: Sam's never been able to turn down a dare. But this dare was the last one given to her before her brother passed away: be one of the first girls to go through Denmark Military Academy. She's from a military family herself, so knows exactly what to expect. What she isn't expecting is the brutal hazing she's put through, and the outright violence towards her for not giving up.

There are quite a few books like these out there - girl joining military school, book then letting down all your expectations and hopes. But, surprisingly, this one didn't! Sam herself truly made this book stand out to me. She's strong, stubborn to a fault, but with an underlying vulnerability that she is determined not to show. At times, she came close to falling into the stereotypical Strong Female Character, but that vulnerable streak I mentioned before prevented that, thankfully! She became an inspiring character - despite all the oftentimes violent opposition to her being at DMA from almost everyone around her, she stood for what she believed in, and I loved that. Sometimes, because of all this opposition, it became a bit of a hard read, but it is definitely worth it to keep going.

I'm gonna be honest here: I know nothing about military schools. Are they even in Australia? Maybe? Maybe not? Regardless, the amount of detail in this was on point and gave me a much more in-depth image than any other TV show or book before it. And it turns out, Hensley herself attended a military school, so she knows what she's talking about! I love how she didn't hold back on any of the brutality, sexism or homophobia that was present in the novel. She gave a no-holds-barred view of military schools that felt incredibly accurate to me (not that that means too much, since I know nothing about them anyway!).

The romance in this book takes a while to come to fruition, but it is lovely and satisfying when it does. It served to further the story, rather than the amazing plot line becoming secondary to it like I see so often. The misogyny in this story made me want to throw my Kindle against the wall, but the ending definitely made my crankiness throughout it worth it!