Book Review Speed Round: June 2017

It's that time again! Here are some speedy reviews of the books I read last month.




This book is an Own Voices novel about a trans girl who out of town and in with her distant father to start a new life. Amanda has transitioned and no one knows about her past, which she intends to stay in the past. She makes some great friends and even falls in love. While I very much appreciated this story and hope to read more books by trans authors, the heart of this novel seemed to be about the romance and...I just wasn't feeling any chemistry. 

I wouldn't call myself a huge Lily Collins fan, but I follow her on social media and think she is absolutely gorgeous. It was interesting that she had written a book and, because the audio was available on Playster during my free trial, I thought I'd give it a go. Lily is a few years younger than me, so writing a memoir of sorts seems strange considering she has so much more life to live. That being said, she addresses the issues of abusive relationships and eating disorders in an honest and open way that will surely help younger readers. It was a fair read, but I didn't take anything away from it.

Undoubtedly one of the buzziest YA books this year, WDMR is the story of two Indian-American college-bound teens whose meet-cute isn't so cute once Dimple realizes that Rishi has come to the coding camp she's attending under the guise that he'd be meeting his future wife. Dimple and Rishi have adorable chemistry and I loved how they complimented each other (Dimple is open-minded and hates the rules placed on her by her family and their beliefs, Rishi is very traditional and wants to stay true to his heritage). My one complaint is that I wish they focused more on their interactions at the camp, as they tried to come up with a phone app to win the grand prize. Time sort of skipped ahead a lot and I actually would've liked to know a bit more about their day-to-day dealings. However, I will definitely be reading Sandhya Menon's next book!

When the guy behind the school's gossip website dies in detention surrounded by several students with secrets, everyone is a suspect. This book is told through the perspectives of the 4 other students who were in the room and why they might have been motivated to kill Simon. This one kept me guessing...I had a lot of theories and most of them got knocked down, which is always a sign of a good thriller in my book. I'm a little disappointed that it had been compared to The Breakfast Club because the detention portion lasts one chapter. I suppose the closeness between the 4 unlikely pals is what makes that comparison work.

Eliza is the brain behind the popular web comic Monstrous Sea, but no one knows that. A loner at school with a massive fanbase online, she sort of leads a double life and keeps all the good stuff in her life on the internet. Both worlds collide when she meets the new boy at school, a big fan (and fanfic writer) of MS and she attempts to keep her identity secret. The best part of the book was the exploration of Eliza's anxiety. The descriptions of her panic were spot-on and I really appreciated that. There is also an excellent mix of illustrations and online conversations that break the story apart in a fun way. 

Abusive relationships are a tough nut to crack. People often only acknowledge physical abuse and are quick to look down on the victim for not getting out of the relationship immediately, as if it were the easiest thing to do. Demetrios writes a story of the passionate but poisonous relationship between Grace and Gavin. It is a reminder that emotional and psychological abuse are a real thing, that possessive behavior is not romantic, and that ending that type of relationship is easier said than done. Loved this book.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid



I've read 2 books by TJR and, while I've enjoyed them, they pale in comparison to her latest. I think this is her breakout novel. It's being buzzed about like crazy and was even one of the Book of the Month picks (which is how I got it). Evelyn Hugo is an Elizabeth Taylor-esque celebrity from Old Hollywood who has chosen Monique, an obscure and unknown reporter, to help write her biography. The novel is broken up into parts that delve into her relationships with each of the husbands, but it is so much more than that. It's the perfect beach read, but that doesn't mean it's fluff. 

Aftercare Instructions - Bonnie Pipkin



When I first read the description of this book, it reminded me a lot of Bad Romance. Luckily, it wasn't really like that at all. This is about Genesis, a girl who is stranded at Planned Parenthood by her boyfriend after she has an abortion. The chapters follow the "Aftercare Instructions" of the healing process of an abortion and tie in the emotional pain that comes with her sudden and unexplained breakup to those particular stages. It was an interesting way to tell the story, and it was nice to read a pro-choice book that didn't get preachy or second-guess itself. 

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