Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson

The moose.
Zaiah. He's cool.
320 Pages

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

Justice for audiobooks and justice where the female character isn't the reader.
Also like... talking about how with ADHD and neurodivergence there's a lot of strategies/coping mechanisms.
He loves her beautiful brain.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS REFERENCE
480 Pages

Iron Vow by Julie Kagawa

Ok but the gang is back together.
I totally didn't cry near the end of the book. Not one bit.
Puck continuing to be the sass monster who says everyone's internal thoughts out loud....mood.
448 Pages

The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray

Must. Protect. Jonathan.
I feel like Jonathan's autism could have been written to be more nuanced.
400 Pages

A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand

bro...you can't love someone you just met
red flag red flag red flag red flag
*pretends to be shocked
The book got better towards the end...
560 Pages

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

because I love my enemy boy 
cause dragons

A black dragon:

tying shoes:

ACCOMODATIONS ACCOMODATIONS

Y'all y'all y'all y'all y'all.

So yeah. This is going to be on my favorites of 2023.
Do I have words for this review. Yes I do....but gifs. 
It's the type of book I love to read with YA vibes that isn't YA, enemies tension, and height differences, and girls being underestimated and then being ba, magic powers, and dragons, and dragons and dragons and dragons.
Plus the end.
I'll just be on the floor waiting for my backordered copy, and then my preordered second book.....
512 Pages

Black Powder War by Naomi Novik

I love my nerdy dragon.
And baby dragon.
Also that dragon is referred to as "my dear"
365 Pages

The Starless Crown by James Rollins

I had trouble connecting with the characters and with paying attention, and I don't know if it's because I'm used to short books now, or if I needed more background information.
560 Pages

The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead

Ok bur a school librarian fake dating a politician and influencing his platform, and talking about funding and collection development.
fake dating fake dating fake dating
....me trying to figure out why they gave him a British accent besides the like....appeal of it...
It's the part where he prefers her with her normal hair and her librarian clothes for me.
kitty cat
384 Pages

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

*cries because it's so cute.
The Rich Boy that's all alone and the Poor Boy with an amazing family trope.
THE CORGI THE CORGI THE CORGI.
The baking competition
The punny tee shirts.
They're too pure. Too good for this world. Cinnamon rolls.
272 Pages

The Emperor of Evening Stars by Laura Thalassa

So it's kind of a prequel to the Bargainer series, but part of the story also happens during the two books.
...Also....we've been blessed with Des's perspective.
My favorite things: men being soft for and absolutely dedicated to their loves
256 Pages

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

The radio transcripts. The grand gestures...
Also Shay's dog. I feel personally attacked on behalf of my doggo Pep Pep.
Dominic the lil nerd with family
352 Pages

Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta

ok but the number of Jane Austen references..like...directly
Little nerdy Darcy.
320 Pages

Dream House by Stephanie Fournet

My mood for the entire book:

....that's not was papal infallibility means....
Not me trying to not strangle one of the characters while he talks about how problematic catholicism is, based on like...the way his mother practices it.
......we don't say "and also with you" anymore
and now we're getting a giant internal monologue about what religion and politics and philosophy is....
and the spice wasn't even good

364 Pages

True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

IT'S IN THE SAME WORLD AS THE SOULMATE EQUATION
One of my niche tropes: reality contestant falls for someone they're not supposed to fall for (aka the producer/cameraman/whatever)
I continue to love men who defend the romance genre.
Also, I love Connor... and like... ;fjklds;sfldjisjkldafa
416 Pages

TS: The Very First Night

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

I'm cackling because the MC is 27....and I am 27
I appreciate the book for the publishing knowledge, but like....
my hatred for the MC ruined it.
And I know the character is supposed to be problematic, and it's supposed to be satire, but I don't know if it's good satire if you can't tell what the actual point is.
Also...as a white writer, I'm still trying to figure out how to write diverse stories when I have the uniqueness of white bread.
It wasn't bad writing, but I didn't like the book.
336 Pages

Fractal Nosie by Christopher Paolini

ARC: Publication Date 5/16/23
Ok but like.....a person wanting to avoid conflict and mind their business sometimes doesn't work...
Like...the inaction of the MC to resolve the interpersonal conflict occuring frustrated me. And maybe it's because I would have snapped after a certain point and told them they were acting like toddlers.
304 Pages

Said No One Ever by Stephanie Eding

All of the animals. Just. The donkey. The goats. The chickens. the doge.
Also the family thinking they know what's best and being controlling and not taking input.
Warren being Warren and like: here's toast.
320 Pages

Aerie by Maria Dahvana Headley

Ok but I was v stressed for a hot sec.
I love Jason.
307 Pages

The Charade by Judy Corry

...so the third act conflict made me uncomfy. I knew it was going to resolve, but like...
The "I'll pretend to date you for your ex, and that's why we're hanging out, not because we're studying"
Me @ Carter: that scene from The Game Plan (with the Rock) where one of the players comes in carrying an armful of stuffed animals.
My boy has trauma. like Trauma with a capital T
402 Pages