Title: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Author: Becky Albertalli
Series: Simonverse #1
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Young Adult, Romance
Spice: 0.5 / 5
Format: Kindle
Pages: 336
Reason Read: Play Book Tag
Rating:
My Thoughts
I grew up in a very conservative religious family. Like many Christian religions, my religion believes acting on “same-sex attraction” is a sin. Because of this, I’ve always shied away from reading LGBTQ+ stories. In more recent years, I’ve come to the conclusion that LGBTQ+ literature’s important because of representation and normalizing that love is love.
SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA is a heart-warming story about love and acceptance in all its forms. I loved the relationship he had with Blue. I loved reading their emails to each other. They were fun and witty. I also loved his relationship with his parents and sisters. His family was protective and supportive, but not without their flaws which made the story more realistic.
I felt scared and happy on Simon’s behalf when he came out to his friends and family. When I read about his fear of rejection and/or disappointing those he loved, my heart broke and I wanted to hug him and tell him everything was going to be okay. I also felt sad and angry for him when he was outed without his consent and bullied at the hands of other students in his school. I actually really loved how Albertalli used the bullying Simon faced as a way for him to feel supported by his friends, family, and teachers as they rallied around him.
In A Holidaze
Author: Christina Lauren
Genre: Holiday, Magical Realism, Romance
Spice: 2.5 / 5
Format: Kindle
Pages: 336
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:
My Thoughts
I was a little bit hesitant read IN A HOLIDAZE because I’m not much of a Christmas or holiday book reader. I really glad I read it because I adored practically everything about it. I zipped right through it and it helped remind me why I love to read romance. Friends-to-lovers is hands down my favorite romantic trope and the execution was excellently written, producing a bit of a steamy fast-paced romance.
I thought the Groundhog Day-esque “magic” was a lot of fun. I loved Maelyn Jones and her family, blood and found. I loved reading about their Christmas traditions in their cabin near Park City. It was especially fun to picture the mountains, snow, Christmas decorations, and the touristy beauty of my home state.
Some Of It Was Real
Author: Nan Fischer
Genre: Magical Realism, Romance
Spice: 2 / 5
Format: Kindle
Pages: 352
Reason Read: Recommended
Rating:
My Thoughts
SOME OF IT WAS REAL is a a heart-wrenching story that asks the reader to believe in something unseen. It’s also about love, acceptance, and truth. The execution of the enemies-to-lovers trope was excellently written, producing a spicy slow-burn romance. Sylvie and Thomas’ constant worry of out-smarting the other while falling in love was a treat to read, and the cat and mouse game dynamic made the story fun and exciting. My only gripe is that the ending wasn’t quite as satisfying as I wanted it to be. I wanted a more solid resolution for Sylvie and Thomas’ relationship.
I also loved the inclusion of Sylvie’s beloved service dog, Moose. Even though as a Great Dane he comes across as a bit scary, he’s a lovable teddy bear. Thomas’ cat, Christopher Robin, reminded me of my Daxi-cat, who recently passed away due to old age. I loved Chris’ demeanor and her interactions with Moose. Each pet was written as a beloved companion, endearing me more to the two main characters and making a much richer story.
The Good Sister
Author: Sally Hepworth
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle
Pages: 309
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:
My Thoughts
For the most part, I loved THE GOOD SISTER. It was a fantastic story that kept me reading until the end. I saw the big twist coming a mile away, but it didn’t ruin the suspense or story for me. I still wanted to know how everything would play out, and I wasn’t disappointed. I really liked the characters. I liked that even though I guessed the twist, I still kept wondering if I was right.
I really struggled with Hepworth’s portrayal of mental illness, specifically Borderline Personality Disorder. I feel like her antagonist perpetuated the stigma that people with BPD are violent psychopaths. I simply wish she had talked to a DBT-trained psychologist or even someone who’s diagnosed with BPD before she used it as one of the reasons why the antagonist did what they did.
Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
Author: Becky Albertalli
Series: Simonverse #1
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Young Adult, Romance
Spice: 0.5 / 5
Format: Kindle
Pages: 336
Reason Read: Play Book Tag
Rating:
My Thoughts
I grew up in a very conservative religious family. Like many Christian religions, my religion believes acting on “same-sex attraction” is a sin. Because of this, I’ve always shied away from reading LGBTQ+ stories. In more recent years, I’ve come to the conclusion that LGBTQ+ literature’s important because of representation and normalizing that love is love.
SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA is a heart-warming story about love and acceptance in all its forms. I loved the relationship he had with Blue. I loved reading their emails to each other. They were fun and witty. I also loved his relationship with his parents and sisters. His family was protective and supportive, but not without their flaws which made the story more realistic.
I felt scared and happy on Simon’s behalf when he came out to his friends and family. When I read about his fear of rejection and/or disappointing those he loved, my heart broke and I wanted to hug him and tell him everything was going to be okay. I also felt sad and angry for him when he was outed without his consent and bullied at the hands of other students in his school. I actually really loved how Albertalli used the bullying Simon faced as a way for him to feel supported by his friends, family, and teachers as they rallied around him.
Every Summer After
Author: Carley Fortune
Series: Florek Brothers #1
Genre: Romance
Spice: 2.5 / 5
Format: Paperback
Pages: 307
Reason Read: Recommended
Rating:
Also in this series: One Golden Summer
My Thoughts
EVERY SUMMER AFTER is a heart-warming story of love, betrayal, loss, and redemption. Not only is it a fun contemporary romance, but it also deals with some heavy themes to give the story some depth. The friends-to-lovers trope is my favorite and this one didn’t disappoint. I haven’t read many second-chance romances, but I think I will now. I thought Fortune was a master at writing sexual tension between her characters, and I loved Percy and Sam’s interactions because of it.