"contemporary texts aren't ever as meaningful/artistic/etc as classics." WRONG! Here are a few prime examples of beautiful modern writing:

"All I can do is stand on the curb and say 'Sorry about the blood in your mouth. I wish it was mine.'" - Richard Siken, Crush

“They both know the looping shape of pain—it changes and quiets but never ends. There is a strange comfort in its constancy. Memories of what was lost are also reminders of what was held.” - Lily Brooks-Dalton, The Light Pirate

"Cold came over me, but I was warm inside with guilt. The feeling nuzzled against me. It pressed against my heart like a soft animal and slept in my life." - Marie Rutkoski, The Midnight Lie

"Surviving's ugly work, and here I am, so hideously alive." - Trista Mateer, Girl, Isolated

“I've taken what they've given me and turned it into a mockery of them. I will turn it into what destroys them. If they want me to be a monster one step closer to God, that's fine. In what world was their God ever a benevolent one?” - Andrew Joseph White, Hell Followed With Us

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales (book review)

"Never Ever Getting Back Together" is everything I could have hoped it would be. I loved the conflict, and the inner turmoil of the two main characters. I liked that I got to see into the minds of both main characters with the alternating POVs, which I'm usually not a fan of. Most, if not all, of the characters were well-developed and enjoyable to read, whether you loved them or loved to hate them. Jordy was the absolute worst, and at times I had physical reactions to how much I despised him. I got so excited when things began to transpire between the main characters. I loved the fact that most of the girls in the house were committed to sisterhood, even when there were issues within the mansion. And the ending!! Oh my goodness, it was so wonderful. I am a huge fan of karma coming around to kick people in the rear. I don't have many understandable thoughts on this book, so this is the best you're getting, haha! I really enjoyed it, though. The main reason that it isn't five stars is because it wasn't outstanding, per se. There were a few moments where it could have been better written, but overall, it was a good book.

4/5 stars

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston book review

Frankly, I have no idea how to write this review. I have so many thoughts about this book, and all of them are positive. Were there a few moments where a Gen Z reference was made, and it felt a little dated? Maybe once or twice. But otherwise, it was very difficult to find things to dislike about this book. This is a long one, so strap in.

It was clear from the beginning that Casey McQuiston (CMQ) did their research. They clearly understand how Gen Z function. From the "monsterf***er" jokes to the fact that all of the queer kids grouped together and had a strong sense of justice. There were cultural things that I didn't expect to see in a book written by someone who isn't herself a member of Gen Z. I may be over-emphasizing this, but it is so refreshing to read a book that clearly understands who its audience is, and was written directly for them. AND THE CHARACTERS!!!!! Although Chloe Green is the main character, the other characters shine just as brightly. Every single one of them, from Rory (the grumpy musician who's had a thing for Shara for as long as he can remember) to Ace (the jock with a secret passion for musical theatre), had a story. They all had something important about them, and it never felt like CMQ added them in just for that extra seasoning that's found in an ensemble book. My personal favorite was Smith, maybe because jocks written by non-men are naturally superior, but also because he has so much development throughout the story. He has such a beautiful arc, and I won't say anything else in order to avoid spoilers, but I would like him and all his flowers to be my best friend. This book will put you through a million emotions, but it primarily puts the "-com" in "romcom". I was giggling in a silent library while reading IKSW. I cannot express how out of character that is for me. But CMQ doesn't shy away from their ability to make the reader emotional either. She proudly flaunts that ability with the wonderful scenes about being who you are, despite your circumstances. And oh my goodness, some of the "From the Burn Pile" segments genuinely made me tear up. I have yet to read a book that is as touching as this one that also manages to swerve into humor effortlessly. The subject matter is difficult. There's a lot of religion-based homophobia and some mentions of transphobia. There's general grossness that comes from living in a small town in the Southern United States. But, frankly, it's very accurate. I come from a very religious small town in the South, and IKSW is in a league of its own with how honest it is about those realities. Also, it's worth noting that I finished this book in 3 days, despite the fact that I've been bouncing from book to book lately. IKSW isn't unreasonably fast-paced, but it's fast enough that it reels you in. I flew through those 351 pages like they were nothing. However, there are enough slow moments to really keep you attached to the characters.

Echo After Echo by A.R. Capetta book review

I am forever in love with this book. I put it down because of a months-long reading slump, and when I picked it back up, it was once again love, but this time at second-sight. This book has so many wonderful characters, and the plot is so compelling. There's hispanic rep, fat rep, wlw rep, mlm rep, jewish rep, and probably more that I'm forgetting. This book is so inclusive without it feeling like the author just wanted to throw things in there for "diversity points". The love story was beautiful, the mystery was perfectly suspenseful, and the relationships between characters were so realistic. I'm not typically a fan of mystery books but this one was perfect in every way.

Crier’s War book review

this book will forever be one of my favorites. i’ve read it twice now and adore it with my whole being. it’s the kind of book you’ll read over and over, only to spot more intricate details. i cannot recommend it enough. 

5/5 stars

triple poetry book review: a strangely wrapped gift, swim, and things i learned in the night by emily juniper (or byrnes)

i tried really hard to like these books, but they just weren’t it for me. the writing felt very generic, which really saddens me. i thought i would like these books because i used to follow the author’s instagram and enjoy their content, but i guess back then i accepted all poetry as something i should like.

one star for all of them, i do not recommend them

When Leigh Bardugo wrote “‘I would come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you...’” and when Nina Varela wrote “But in the moment Ayla first touched her, Crier had learned what it felt like to be born.” and when Julia Drake wrote “Alone, they were good; together, they were art. I’d always wondered what that would be like— to be so in sync with someone, you create.”....

Girl, Isolated by Trista Mateer book review

This book was heartbreaking but so, so beautiful. Anyone whose mental health has struggled during the pandemic will likely related heavily to this collection. I cannot recommend these stunning poems enough.

It’s also by a queer author!

The Falling in Love Montage book review

I really loved this book. Saiorse's development, and her journey to accept change was really well done. I wasn't a fan of how she only truly clung to one of her "rules," much less how it was the rule that would alienate her from Ruby the most, but I still enjoyed the book. I liked the ending a lot, as it didn't do the whole "true love always prevails" thing, and rather did the realistic thing. Overall, an amazing book.

5/5 stars!!

Perfect on Paper book review

This book was okay. I laughed, and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't astounding by any means. The main character felt foolish and childish. This was mainly due to how desperate she was to keep a friend who hurt her 5x more than the MC hurt the friend. 

The characters were funny, but easy to forget about. When a new side character is introduced, the chance that they'll speak again (except for one scene towards the end where everyone says something) is incredibly low. It's almost as if, halfway through, the author decided that they weren't worth developing. 

My expectations were high for this book, as I've seen many reviewers say that they loved it for its bi representation, and while that was good, and the jokes were often funny, this book just doesn't hold a place in my heart like I was promised it would.

2/5 stars

She Drives Me Crazy review

oh. my. god. this book is probably one of the best romcoms i’ve ever read. AND it’s enemies to lovers. AND there’s the one bed trope. AND there’s fake dating. AND there’s an accurate portrayal of what it’s like to process grief. AND there’s healthy boundaries set because of said grief. AND there aren’t any homophobic parents. does it get any better than that? absolutely not. this book uses popular tropes (i.e. enemies to lovers, “there’s only one bed,” fake dating) and puts them to good use! She Drives Me Crazy is unlike anything i’ve ever read, even when using common tropes.

5/5 stars!!

Six of Crows review

(in case you didn’t figure this out yet, this is a book blog now)

so!! this book. holy moly. leigh bardugo is a genius. she wrote a book where the main character isn’t sapphic that i couldn’t put down. it’s typically so easy for me to DNF books without sapphic MCs, but I am in love with this book. i typically dislike fantasy, because of how overwhelming the worldbuilding tends to be, but this book did it so well! i cannot wait to read Crooked Kingdom!!

5/5 stars!!

eighteen years (book) - madisen kuhn / la coiffure (combing the hair) - edgar degas (1896) / empty bottles full of stories (book) - robert m. drake & r.h. sin / cruel summer - taylor swift / wilder girls (book) - rory power / strolling along the seashore - joaquín sorolla y bastida (1909) / cvs - winnteka bowling league