teereadsbooks's reviews
470 reviews

Denial by Saxon James

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a good, short, sweet, and spicy novella. There isn't too much going on here, but we get a decent enough look into who Rainer and Colton are. They are running away from their pasts but learn that they might need to come to terms with that and move forward so they can run towards each other. Everything happens pretty fast here, but it's to be expected in a novella. This was an overall fun and easy read that I quite enjoyed.

Suddenly You by Cora Rose

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

4.5 stars

I had way more fun than I expected reading this, and I was already expecting to have fun. I mean, an accidental, drunken Vegas wedding is a recipe for a fun reading experience. Also, this was surprisingly cute considering what we learned about Matt in Except You. Matt and Coop are so adorable. Yeah, they got married and did some things that remain a mystery (or is it? Cora Rose kindly gives us a bonus scene for that,) but we get to see them become friends and eventually more. I actually liked the slow progression of their relationship. Matt came to terms with his sexuality and was working to unlearn a lot of not great things that were instilled in him from his family. Coop was very respectful, understanding, and helpful in Matt's journey. Coop is so much more than the spoiled rich boy that we met in Except You. We get to see all the depth and layers to both characters, which I loved. Also, we get some amazing scenes with Sem, Maggie, August, Emery, Caleb, and Whit, so it was awesome getting to see those characters again. And the scene in the desert was priceless. Now I'm already super pumped for Mitch's story, because that epilogue left me screaming internally.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is the story my closeted 2000s emo teen heart didn't know it needed. This felt very nostalgic for me. And the play on punk song names as the chapter titles was super fun. Also, the basis of this story is Avril Lavigne's Sk8er Boi (which I listened to on repeat as a 9 year old,) but queer, which I absolutely love. I will say, the story slowed down a bit for me around the halfway point, and I found myself struggling at times to keep focus with the pacing. Overall, this is a great debut novel for Anthony Nerada. It's a story I didn't know needed to be told, but I'm so glad it was. The main character, Wes, is so great and layered. He has a lot of struggles and emotions, and it's great to see his journey through his own POV. I look forward to more from this author in the future.

Café Con Lychee by Emery Lee

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Okay, this one was cute, simple, entertaining, and easy to read. Theo and Gabi are complex characters. They have a lot of intense thoughts and feelings, as any teenagers would. We see these two families with competing businesses while experiencing similar yet different struggles between them through the eyes of their sons, Theo and Gabi. This story has a lot of coming-of-age components, like dealing with change and growing up. Both MCs go through their own journeys of self-discovery and growth. Theo learns to better navigate his anger and better communicate with his family. Gabi learns to accept himself and to stand up for himself and others, especially with his family. Overall, this is a great story, and I enjoyed it a bit more than this author's other book, Meet Cute Diary. The only thing that took away some points was Theo's over excessive anger towards everyone and everything. Yes, a lot of teens experience a lot of anger as they work to better process their thoughts and emotions. But Theo's reactions became annoying at times and would make me roll my eyes. 

Salt Kiss by Sierra Simone

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Oh, Lord, have mercy. This book was amazing. This is a queer Tristan and Isolde retelling, and I am so here for it. This book is told from Tristan's POV, and he is such a great and loveable character, yet layered and complex. He has so many in-depth thoughts and feelings that Sierra really delves into very well. Sierra Simone is such a great writer and storyteller. We get the budding romances that develop in this book that I loved every minute of. I love the mystery around Mark, and I definitely look forward to learning more about him. I just know I will go feral when we finally get his POV. And that cliffhanger had me screaming internally. Also, the spice? Top-tier. It's Sierra Simone, so I wouldn't expect less. And she, of course, had to add some church spicy times to stay on brand, and I love it! I am so excited for Honey Cut.

P.S. please note, it is so important to read Salt In The Wound, the prequel novella, before jumping into this one. It really helps make things make sense.

Chasms Between Us by Kussy Gonzalez

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I was totally here for this story for the first half of the book. The flow was good, and the story kept me hooked. Around the halfway point, we get a lot of time jumps and not too much explanation of what is happening, which didn't leave me very invested in the story anymore. The concept of this story is great, the writing is also amazing, but I feel the story could have a smoother flow to make it easier to follow after the halfway point. That said, I did like the complex and layered characterization of Hunter and Logan. They are very realistic. Neither is truly good or truly bad. They have a very emotional, messy, and toxic relationship. The emotions in this story are very real. Ultimately, this is supposed to be a romance, which the relationship between Hunter and Logan is at the center of everything. But, I got so much more than that from this story. There is a lot of personal growth and learning. It's a journey for both characters. They make very real mistakes and eventually learn from them. Overall, this is a great debut novel from this author, and I look forward to where they go from here.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is such a cute story. At its core, it's about self-discovery and self-acceptance. There's a lot of growth between bith MCs throughout this story. I especially love Elijah. He feels so relatable. He's shy, insecure, and awkward, and he just wants to make some friends. I remember those same feelings when I was a teenager in high school. The premise of the story is a My Fair Lady situation, which is the musical performed in the background of the story. The romance isn't very heavy, but I'm okay with that. We really experience Wade and Elijah learning about each other and becoming friends before any real feelings come up between them towards the end. This is very enjoyable and entertaining. I had a lot of fun reading this. It touches on some real things that teens can definitely relate too, but isn't overly serious to take down the mood. This is lighthearted and very easy to read. 

Advanced Chemistry by A.J. Truman

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This book is good, but not great. I enjoyed the overall concept, and each individual MC is fleshed out well. I love what Chase, Anton, and Seb bring to the story. Where I struggle is seeing the emotional chemistry between the three of them. The sexual chemistry is there, but I just didn't see the emotional side of things very well. I still had fun with this read. The banter amongst Chase and his friends was great, especially where Everett was concerned. He had me chuckling a time or two. Once again, this is pretty low angst and low stakes, so it's an easy-for-the-brain kind of read. This is still quite enjoyable, I just wanted a *little* but more from it.

Romance Languages by A.J. Truman

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Another fun book by A.J. Truman. This one touched on some more serious things compared to the other books in this series, but it didn't pull away from the funny moments and overall humor in this story. I really related to Julian's character at times. He has some very real struggles and insecurities that I think a lot of people could empathize with. I really loved his character growth throughout this book. His and Seamus's chemistry really fit together nicely. My only qualm is that the overall premise, to me for some reason, didn't feel as strong as the previous books in this series. That said, this is still a very enjoyable read.

Drama! by A.J. Truman

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I love Everett and Raleigh so much. This book was so much fun. The banter between the MCs really made this story. Everett and Raleigh have great chemistry, and I love their journey through this book. Both of them experience a lot of growth by the end of this story. I especially love Everett. He has a lot of depth, and I just really love all his quirkiness. And, of course, all the shenanigans with the South Rock teachers is just so amusing. It's never a dull moment whenever they are on page. I just have so much love for all the A.J. Truman books I have read so far, and this one is an easy addition to that list.