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Miss Matched

By Wendy Million

Coming Soon on June 13, 2023

(3.5 / 5)

I had the opportunity to read a free advanced review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Keep in mind that the published version will have been edited from the advanced version I read.

Miss Matched is a 2nd chance romance that alternates between the points of view of the two main characters, Tayla and Simon. The premise: about six years ago, the two had a bad breakup after dating for a couple years. You can imagine Tayla’s shock when she uses an expensive dating service to find her soulmate, only to be matched with Simon.

Overall, this book was a fairly quick read that flowed well, but there were certain aspects of the story that just didn’t seem very believable, which is why I didn’t like it as much as I could have. From the beginning, the dating service seemed like a bit of a farse. Only women can use it, and it costs as much as a down payment on a house? Over the course of the book, we learn other shady things about the company, yet somehow all of this has managed to stay quiet for years? I also found the full story about Tayla and Simon’s original breakup, which is revealed gradually, seemed a bit too uncharacteristic for a couple who was supposedly so close.

I honestly thought Simon was a bit of a jerk, especially at the beginning of the book. He did eventually grow on me more though. One thing I noticed was that the “voice” between Tayla and Simon’s points of view felt too similar, and sometimes I even had to remind myself which character I was following.

Despite my complaints, I found this to be an easy read that kept my attention, and I really enjoyed the ending. While this book didn’t turn out to be a favorite for me, I’d be willing to read more books by this author in the future.

If I Can Give You That

By Michael Gray Bulla

(5 / 5)

First off, I’ll admit that I’m not exactly the intended audience of this book as a 40-something cisgender heterosexual female – but as a mom to a trans/nonbinary child, I enjoy reading books that can help give me a better perspective of their experience. This book is written well, and I really enjoyed reading it. I think it would be a great book for teens to read.

The story follows Gael, a teen boy who is transgender, but I love that there is a whole cast of characters representing different parts of the LGBTQ+ community who have their own stories to share. I found Gael to be a very relatable character, especially since I experience some similar anxieties that he does. I especially found it interesting to follow Gael’s exploration of his sexuality, since I know there can be a lot of stigma about this topic for trans people, even within the LGBTQ+ community. I also think Gael’s perspective was good because it helped me gain a better understanding about gender dysphoria. I enjoyed watching Gael grow considerably over the course of the story in a realistic way.

This book is so much more than just a transgender story though, which gave it a lot of depth. Gael lives with his mom, who struggles with mental illness, and some difficult topics are encountered along the way. It also takes a close look at family bonds, as Gael holds some strong feelings toward his father, who he hardly has any contact with since his parents’ divorce. Plus, there’s all the experiences that many teens face in high school, like planning for the future and submitting college applications.

A special “thank you” to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book. I really enjoyed reading it, and all opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

April 18, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

The Last City

By H. J. Nelson

(5 / 5)

The Last City is the second book in The Last She series and should be read after the first book. It picks up a few months after the previous book ended and follows the point-of-views of Ara, Kaden, and Sam. I really enjoyed learning more about Sam in this book, who has been living on his own in Boise since recovering from his accident. Meanwhile, Ara and Kaden travel to The Last City, which really brings a dystopian element to the series. Like the first book, The Last City pulled me in from the beginning and kept my attention until the end. I enjoyed continuing the stories of Ara, Kaden and Sam while also meeting some interesting new characters along the way too. We are able to learn more about the mysteries from the first book, while continuing to have action, adventure and romance. Apparently, there’s a 3rd book in the works, so I’m really excited to see where the story goes next!

I received a free review copy of this book through NetGalley, but all opinions expressed here are my own.

March 4, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Sci-Fi Young Adult 0

Love & Panic

By Raina Ash

(5 / 5)

TW: mental illness, alcoholism, suicidal thoughts

This book pulled me in almost as soon as I started reading it, and I found it very hard to put down. It follows 2 main characters, Natalie and Dean, who are each struggling with mental health and trauma from their past. As someone who has anxiety and has experienced panic attacks, I thought the descriptions were spot-on and realistic. Natalie and Dean end up meeting in an unconventional way, but I loved how they each accepted the other for who they were and didn’t judge. The story was interesting with a lot of ups and downs that kept me invested in the story. I was glad to see a lot of growth in both of the main characters over the course of the story while also being realistic about how these things take a lot of work, time, and sometimes you fall backwards in the process, but that’s okay. The book left me with a feeling of hope and a positive outlook about a topic that often holds a lot of stigma. I really enjoyed the romance aspects of the story as well and found that it came to a satisfying conclusion. There’s a couple steamy scenes, but it’s not excessive. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! A special thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free copy of the book and the opportunity to provide my honest feedback!

February 17, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

The Serpent in Heaven

By Charlaine Harris

(5 / 5)

The Serpent in Heaven is the 4th book in the Gunnie Rose series, which takes place in an alternate history where the United States has fallen and been replaced by multiple smaller countries. While it probably can be read without reading the previous books, I highly recommend reading them first. I really love the mixing of genres in this series: fantasy/magic, western, alternate history, action, mystery, and romance.

Unlike the first 3 books that are from Lizbeth’s perspective, this book follows Felicia, Lizbeth’s younger half-sister. While I initially missed following Lizbeth and Eli, I enjoyed this new perspective, which gave us a lot more insight into Felicia and her background. Since Felicia is around 15 years old, this book has a “younger” feel to it than the previous books, but I don’t think it took away from the story at all. The book is engaging with plenty of action and good flow that kept it hard to put down. I’m hoping this series will continue since I have really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the free review copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

November 29, 2022 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle 0