Can I just live in this book please? A perfect book boyfriend, lovely world-building, just the right amount of spice….what more can we ask for? There is a reason it’s the most beloved book in the fantasy realm.
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, (List Price: $19, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781635575583, June 2020)
Reviewed by Kelley Dykes, Main Street Reads in , South Carolina
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It’s actually unfair how good this book is. Kuang seamlessly weaves together grief, trauma, and hope in a way that cracked me open. Grant and Helen are linked by a horrific tragedy, and eventually wind up in the same television writers’ room, both trying their hardest to escape from themselves. A love letter to competency porn, vulnerability, and tripping headfirst into something great with the last person you should be falling in love with. An incredibly moving, honest debut.
How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang, (List Price: $18.99, Avon, 9780063310681, April 2024)
Reviewed by Gaby Iori, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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I loved this story about second (and third) chances and rekindled young love in a small southern town. Themes of alcohol addiction and commentary on American gun violence give Colton Gentry’s Third Act depth that would make this romance a fabulous book club selection. And I loved the restaurant setting!
Colton Gentry’s Third Act by Jeff Zentner, (List Price: $30, Grand Central Publishing, 9781538756652, April 2024)
Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina
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Colleen Hoover writes another fantastic story. I read this book in two days. I could not put it down. I couldn’t wait until the end to know what was going to happen. I highly recommend this book.
November 9 by Colleen Hoover, (List Price: $16.99, Atria Books, 9781501110344, 2015-11-10)
Reviewed by Amy McNabb, Reading Rock Books in Dickson, Tennessee
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Laugh out-loud funny book just in time for wedding season. This book engages family, friends, the wedding industry, and a fast-paced plot perfect for the beach. I gave this to my future daughter-in-law, hoping she can find the fun in the planning. A must-read for any bride.
Wedding Issues by Elle Evans, (List Price: $17.99, Zibby Books, 9781958506745, April 2024)
Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina
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I LOVED this book. It begins as a loose retelling of “Beauty and the Beast”, but you’re constantly faced with the differences between the tale as old as time and “A Court of Thorns and Roses”. Feyre is a strong, wild character. She’s willing to risk it all to save the people she loves. The ending had me on the edge of my seat!
A Court of Thorns and RosesA Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, (List Price: $18, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781635575569, June 2020)
Reviewed by Melissa Gray, The Blytheville Book Company in Blytheville, Arkansas
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Val believes that her family is cursed and they will always be unlucky in love. I loved the sweet and charming graphics and learning about the art of lion dancing. Val’s courage and determination to try and open her heart even if it may end in heartbreak is inspiring. I truly enjoyed this book!
Lunar New Year Love StoryLunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang, (List Price: $25.99, First Second, 9781626728103, January 2024)
Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Adamo’s Not Like Other Girls pairs the emotional power of Speak with a mystery full of plot twists a la A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. This would be a great pick for teen book clubs.
Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo, (List Price: $19.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547614004, April 2024)
Reviewed by Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina
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This is a poignant about family and all the ways those closest to you can do the most harm. Jess knows her mother for who she is, a woman who deserted her family for a con artist recently met. One so infamous he is the subject of a popular podcast. Jess has first-hand experience with her Mother’s priorities and knows her daughters are low on the list. What Jess doesn’t know is that her sister Tegan, whom she has raised, is determined to find their Mother. So much so that she has been communicating with a podcast host who wants to tell the story. By the ways Tegan has been communicating as Jess, an adult. The pressure to keep Tegan safe and not destroy their relationship is a desperate struggle for a “surrogate Mother” who is really just a sister. An obnoxious and pushy podcast host is not a benefit to Jess, nor the host’s handsome and kind assistant. This is a sweet story of finding family through love.
The Other Side of DisappearingThe Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn, (List Price: $17.95, Kensington, 9781496737311, March 2024)
Reviewed by Jackie Willey, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina
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A rom-com focusing on a young woman who makes a deal with a spirit over her heart, unless she can find true love, and her partner, who is shy and healing after a major loss. Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham use their prose and art to share a fun story, as well as education on Asian-American culture and history. A good romp of a read for those in love or trying to find it.
Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang, (List Price: $17.99, First Second, 9781250908261, January 2024)
Reviewed by Hilton Airall, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky
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Perfectly tailored for the reader lingering weirdly between Gen-Z and millennial in title, this book kicks butt and takes names. Deftly navigating (justified) teen angst with a humorous voice and unmatched compassion, Nerada has taken up residence on my list of authors to watch. A book that commits to the bit, Skater Boy destroys labels and points directly at systemic failings we’ve had a propensity to overlook. Nerada’s debut cheekily plays with how the intersections of those two issues create divisive and dismissive behavior. Wesley’s confinement to “punk” and “failure” parallel Tristan’s shining “poise” and “success” as the two boys fall into their predetermined roles, but Nerada’s characters compel the story forward, pushing against the oppressive, frustrating isolation of their respective archetypes and finding themselves wholly realized. Do yourself a favor, get to know the skater boy.
Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada, (List Price: $18.99, Soho Teen, 9781641295345, February 2024)
Reviewed by Shae Jordan, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia
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The “couldn’t put down”-ness with this book was unreal. A new vampire, werewolf romance that had me enthralled from page one. The relationship dynamic between the two main characters had a wonderful progression of tense unknown to familiar like. This book will be for all the “romantasy” readers who have been missing vampires and werewolves in their reading piles. But don’t worry we only have one team to root for and it is the RIGHT team.
Bride by Ali Hazelwood, (List Price: $19, Penguin Publishing Group, 9780593550403, February 2024)
Reviewed by Mekhala Villegas-Rogers, Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, Florida
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Say You’ll Be Mine is an adorable romance with 90s/00s rom-com vibes. It’s also the perfect example of why fake dating (in this case a fake engagement) is one of my favorite romance tropes. Karthik and Meghna are deeply relatable characters who will capture your heart.
Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar, (List Price: $18, Random House Publishing Group, 9780593723883, January 2024)
Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Alex is the son of the first woman POTUS. Henry is a prince of England. Alex has considered Henry to be his archenemy pretty much since they met, and he’s convinced that Henry feels the same. Until one night at a party when Henry kisses Alex, and Alex has to reconsider all of his feelings. But as the children of powerful world leaders, they have to consider their image and decide what damage they could cause and whether it’s worth it to them to pursue a relationship. This is such a fun book, and I found myself laughing out loud in so many places. The world can be hurtful to people who are “other”, but this book is the hope that counters that.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, (List Price: $16.99, St. Martin’s Griffin, 9781250316776, May 2019)
Reviewed by Melissa Oates, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina
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This was one of the most unique magic systems I have ever read. I thoroughly enjoyed this, especially the development in the characters and the emotion with which they were written. I am already anxiously awaiting the next book as I now want to understand the concept of Lore being a deathwitch more. This was the perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and gothic for my taste, and I got completely lost in the story wishing I could jump into the world and adventure through it myself – regardless of the dangers it held.
The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten, (List Price: $19.99, Orbit, 9780316435093, December 2023)
Reviewed by Charlotte Beck, Main Street Reads in Summerville, South Carolina
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