monday minis

Happy Monday!! We finally have temperatures below 90 this week! 80 is still too hot but I will take it!

Here are a few minis to kick off the week. Let me know what you guys are reading int eh comments!


This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kheryn Callender

A fresh, charming rom-com perfect for fans of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Boy Meets Boy about Nathan Bird, who has sworn off happy endings but is sorely tested when his former best friend, Ollie, moves back to town.

Nathan Bird doesn’t believe in happy endings.

Although he’s the ultimate film buff and an aspiring screenwriter, Nate’s seen the demise of too many relationships to believe that happy endings exist in real life.

Playing it safe to avoid a broken heart has been his MO ever since his father died and left his mom to unravel—but this strategy is not without fault. His best-friend-turned-girlfriend-turned-best-friend-again, Florence, is set on making sure Nate finds someone else. And in a twist that is rom-com-worthy, someone does come along: Oliver James Hernández, his childhood best friend.
After a painful 
mix-up when they were little, Nate finally has the chance to tell Ollie the truth about his feelings. But can Nate find the courage to pursue his own happily ever after? ~ Goodreads

Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts:  This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story has an incredible amount of diversity – PoC main characters, Bisexuality (M/M, f/f, M/f pairings, disability rep – one main character is deaf and uses ASL.

Nathan’s life and relationships were messy but cute. he is still very much in love with his best friend, Florence, who broke up with him and is now dating someone else. Nathan pretends to be cool about it so he doesn’t lose her friendship. Then an old crush comes back and things get even messier. It was high on the angst but in a lighthearted, authentic way. My only gripe is that I think the story needed an epilogue. I don’t need a specific HEA (especially with teens) but I would have loved to see how Nathan and Oliver in the long run.



Jack of  Hearts (and Other Parts) by L.C. Rosen

My first time getting it in the butt was kind of weird. I think it's going to be weird for everyone's first time, though.

Meet Jack Rothman. He's seventeen and loves partying, makeup and boys - sometimes all at the same time. His sex life makes him the hot topic for the high school gossip machine. But who cares? Like Jack always says, 'it could be worse'.

He doesn't actually expect that to come true.

But after Jack starts writing an online sex advice column, the mysterious love letters he's been getting take a turn for the creepy. Jack's secret admirer knows everything: where he's hanging out, who he's sleeping with, who his mum is dating. They claim they love Jack, but not his unashamedly queer lifestyle. They need him to curb his sexuality, or they'll force him.

As the pressure mounts, Jack must unmask his stalker before their obsession becomes genuinely dangerous... ~ Goodreads

Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts: After reading a few reviews, I was honestly expecting Caligula level sex in Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts). What I actually found is a very honest and (shockingly for YA) frank discussion about gay sex and sexuality. Yes, it is graphic at times but most of it comes from Jack’s sex advice column and is presented in a educational, non judgmental way. And yes, Jack is gay, not in a relationship, doesn’t want one yet, engages in hook ups and that’s fiiiiiine. But it’s all consensual, safe and written well imo.

There’s a parallel mystery when Jack starts receiving anonymous love letters that aim to shame and then threaten him about his sexuality once he starts his Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) sex advice column.

There’s a bit of a Scooby Gang crime solving but it makes perfect sense in relation to Jack’s situation. Some of the adults blame him for his own harassment and Jack is brought to a low point in order to appease his stalker.

On a positive note – there are supportive adults in this book too (a teacher, Jack’s mom) and while Jack’s light is temporarily dimmed – it never goes out.

While some adults and readers might not want this level of explicitness in their books (& that’s ok), I love when YA is willing to show the reality of teen sex and give solid, relatable information. Some things, such as hooking up with college guys, made the over protective adult in me cringe, but it's a reality and I would rather have information on how to deal with things out there.

The advice column is very explicit and covers everything from threesomes, BDSM, bad sex, preparation and asexuality. The point Jack tries to make in his advice column is that it’s ok to question, to want sex or want to wait – its all about consent, safety and what feels right for you.

The Darkest Star by Jennifen L. Armentrout

When seventeen-year-old Evie Dasher is caught up in a raid at a notorious club known as one of the few places where humans and the surviving Luxen can mingle freely, she meets Luc, an unnaturally beautiful guy she initially assumes is a Luxen...but he is in fact something much more powerful. Her growing attraction for Luc will lead her deeper and deeper into a world she'd only heard about, a world where everything she thought she knew will be turned on its head...

#1 New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout returns to the universe of the Lux in this brand new series, featuring beloved characters both new and old. ~ Goodreads

Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts: The Darkest Star is a new Lux spin-off series. I didn't realize that when I picked this up and have only read the first book of that one so most of these characters & some of the plot set up are unfamiliar to me. It wasn't too much of an obstacle but I think being a fan who read all the previous books would have made this more enjoyable.

This has a pretty fun premise and interesting twists but - it also takes awhile to get to anything of importance, and once we do, it's the end of the story. I think the 2nd book will be a lot more fun but if you loved the Lux series then this is very similar (at least to the one book I read) and you should love it.