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Review: She Drives Me Crazy

Kelly Quindlen has long been championing queer youth with her works, and She Drives Me Crazy is no exception. Funny, quirky, and deceptively smart, this book is a gem of a tribute to the tropes and cheesy nature of classic high school media. After losing spectacularly to her ex-girlfriend in their first game since their break up, Scottie Zajac gets into a fender bender with the worst possible person: her nemesis, the incredibly beautiful and incredibly mean Irene Abraham. Things only get worse when their nosey, do-gooder moms get involved and the girls are forced to carpool together until Irene’s car gets out of the shop. Their bumpy start only gets bumpier the more time they spend together. But when an opportunity presents itself for Scottie to get back at her toxic ex (and climb her school’s social ladder at the same time), she bribes Irene into playing along. Hijinks, heartbreak, and gay fake-dating scheme for the ages. From author Kelly Quindlen comes a new laugh-out-loud romp thr...
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Review: Icebreaker

Blending a rivals-to-lovers romance with sports, mental health, and the NHL, Icebreaker is certainly one of the most unique and exciting releases I’ve seen so far this year. This book is a hidden gem—quick-paced and true to life with confident humor—and has cemented A.L. Graziadei as a new author I’m excited to follow.  Seventeen-year-old Mickey James III is a college freshman, a brother to five sisters, and a hockey legacy. With a father and a grandfather who have gone down in NHL history, Mickey is almost guaranteed the league's top draft spot. The only person standing in his way is Jaysen Caulfield, a contender for the #1 spot and Mickey's infuriating (and infuriatingly attractive) teammate. When rivalry turns to something more, Mickey will have to decide what he really wants, and what he's willing to risk for it. I’ve been wanting to read this book for months. When I say I’ve thought about Icebreaker near weekly since its release in January, I truly mean it. And, let ...
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Review: A Far Wilder Magic

Allison Saft’s Softmore novel, A Far Wilder Magic, is a 2022 standout. At its core a story about outcasts finding a home in one another, this historical fantasy is soft, deliberate, and welcoming, and is certain to leave you feeling charmed and cozy by the end. When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. If Margaret wins the hunt, it may finally bring her mother home. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist. Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist—yet. Fired from every apprenticeship he's landed, his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret and her bloodhound Trouble. Margaret begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her. As the hunt ...
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Review: If This Gets Out

If This Gets Out is a conversational book about knowing who you are and loving yourself for it. Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich tackle the mess that is the music industry with a grace that’ll leave you feeling raw. Eighteen-year-olds Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are two members of the boy-band Saturday, one of the biggest acts in America. Along with their bandmates, Angel Phan and Jon Braxton, the four are teen heartbreakers in front of the cameras and best friends backstage. But privately, cracks are starting to form: their once-easy rapport is straining under the pressures of fame, and Ruben confides in Zach that he’s feeling smothered by management’s pressure to stay in the closet. On a whirlwind tour through Europe, with both an unrelenting schedule and minimal supervision, Ruben and Zach come to rely on each other more and more, and their already close friendship evolves into a romance. But when they decide they’re ready to tell their fans and live freely, Zach and Ruben start ...
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Review: The Extraordinaries

TJ Klune’s YA hit showcases a love for everything bright and ridiculous. All at once hysterically ridiculous and brutally heartfelt, The Extraordinaries is an homage to the naturally campy (and queer) nature of superheroes. Nick Bell? Not extraordinary. But being the most popular fanfiction writer in the Extraordinaries fandom is a superpower, right? After a chance encounter with Shadow Star, Nova City’s mightiest hero (and Nick’s biggest crush), Nick sets out to make himself extraordinary. And he’ll do it with or without the reluctant help of Seth Gray, Nick's best friend (and maybe the love of his life). I’d best explain this book as Marissa Meyer’s Renegades meets “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift, but with all the iconic hilarity and nostalgia of Peter David’s 1998 run of Young Justice. From over-the-top suits to flashy fights to terrible hero names, this book should feel familiar to anyone whose ever been a fan of superheroes. The train of thought narration style takes s...
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Review: Nick and Charlie

Sweet and joyous with a pinch of teen drama, this Osemanverse novella is the perfect pick-me-up for any reader between books. Nick and Charlie are facing the start of university and the uncertainty that comes with it. Even with countless new hurdles, and two-hundred miles, between them, they manage to prove that some people are just meant to be. Everyone knows that Nick and Charlie are the perfect couple – that they’re inseparable. But now Nick is leaving for university, and Charlie will be left behind at Sixth Form. Everyone’s asking if they’re staying together, which is a stupid question – they’re ‘Nick and Charlie’ for God’s sake! But as the time to say goodbye gets inevitably closer, both Nick and Charlie question whether their love is strong enough to survive being apart. Or are they delaying the inevitable? Because everyone knows that first loves rarely last forever. You might know this novella from its iconic audiobook lines—“do you love me more than your dogs?” and “I’ve been d...
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Review: I Kissed Shara Wheeler

Casey McQuiston’s YA debut, I Kissed Shara Wheeler, is nothing short of triumphant. Hilarious, romantic, and true to life, the intertwining stories of Chloe and Shara have carved space in the YA canon for queer youth everywhere.  Chloe Green is so close to winning. After her moms moved her from SoCal to Alabama for high school, she’s spent the past four years dodging gossipy classmates and a puritanical administration at Willowgrove Christian Academy. The thing that’s kept her going: winning valedictorian. Her only rival: prom queen Shara Wheeler, the principal’s perfect progeny. But a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and vanishes. On a furious hunt for answers, Chloe discovers she’s not the only one Shara kissed. There’s also Smith, Shara’s longtime quarterback sweetheart, and Rory, Shara’s bad boy neighbor with a crush. The three have nothing in common except Shara and the annoyingly cryptic notes she left behind, but together they must untangle Shara’s trail of clues...
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