Review: Burro Hills

Title: Burro Hills
Author: Julia Lynn Rubin

In a town like Burro Hills, you either figure out who you are or die trying.

Seventeen-year-old Jack has lived in the troubled California town his entire life. He hides the truth about his sexuality from everyone, including his best friend Jess and his childhood rival and drug dealing partner, Toby. Keeping your head down, Jack knows, is the best way to survive.

But when Connor, a fearless new arrival, enrolls at school, he sees right through Jack’s façade. Jack finds himself falling for Connor, and the feeling is mutual―but their relationship will set into a motion a series of events with lasting consequences. After a falling out with Jess, Jack is worried to see her growing close to the manipulative Toby. To make matters worse, Jack is becoming increasingly paranoid that Toby will expose his relationship with Connor.

As tensions rise and more secrets come to a head, Jack cuts off ties with Toby. Hungry for revenge, Toby comes after Jack, jeopardizing his budding romance with Connor and the life he’s tried so hard to salvage in Burro Hills.

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Thank you Netgalley for providing me a free review copy in exchange for an honest review

I found about this book while on Goodreads looking up books that were coming out this year and I'm glad I did. The cover and the synopsis really drew me in,so when I found out I could request an ARC on Netgalley I went for the chance. Thankfully I was given an ARC and had a chance to read this  heartbreaking story about young adult, living life, friendships, going to high school, and making tough choices.

This book was excellent and I really dig all the characters and there characterization.Jack was just trying to find himself and figure life out.. He was a pretty chill character and like I said Burro Hills is heartbreak sweet. Ugh that ending bahh all the feels we had. The romance aspect of the book was great, I liked how both Conner and Jack were messed up but neither guy set out to try and fix or save the other.

Ahhh!!!That cover is lovely as hell. I really dig the color choice for it and the picture in general.
I totally recommend everyone give this book a chance, because the writing is awesome, the story is captivating and never loses its focus.The book is basically about a boy finding out who he is and how to be okay it, but with drugs, challenges and shit happening all around him, his friends and family.I will probably end up rereading this at some point.4/5

Reveiw: Song About a Girl

Title: Songs About a Girl (Songs About a Girl #1)
Author: Chris Russell 

Charlie Bloom never wanted to be 'with the band'. She's happiest out of the spotlight, behind her camera, unseen and unnoticed. But when she's asked to take backstage photos for hot new boy band Fire&Lights, she can't pass up the chance. 

Catapulted into a world of paparazzi and backstage bickering, Charlie soon becomes caught between gorgeous but damaged frontman, Gabriel West, and his boy-next-door bandmate Olly Samson. Then, as the boys' rivalry threatens to tear the band apart, Charlie stumbles upon a mind-blowing secret, hidden in the lyrics of their songs...

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I picked this book up and the libray based on the cover. Look at that cover it is so pretty!!!I decided to read it because i'm a sucker for nice covers and any book that includes a band/rock-stars.

This was a YA contemporary story about a girl and a boy band.Charlie was an okay character, and she did come across as fairly normal.Charlie is an amateur photographer, taking photos for fun. Her recent shots of a gig garner the attention of Olly, an old school acquaintance, who wants her to come and take backstage photographs of his band Fire & Lights.Charlie lives with her Dad who isn't always there one hundred percent of the time., Charlie gets bullied bullied a lot at school and does what she can to avoid it all. As her job with the band progresses, a photo is leaked of her with them, and the bullying escalates to a level that I thought was pretty awful.I like the fact that Song About A Girl really hit on online bullying and the fact that it is a huge issue.

The romance wasn't a huge thing however,I would have perhaps appreciated that if then the characters hadn’t gone and declared their love for each other, a month after meeting. My main problem with this book is the cheesy romance lines that a certain character feeds Charlie. This charterers feelings for Charlie  felt like instalove or maybe obsession is a better word for it.

As I mentioned that cover is quite pretty.I love It!! It was such a quick read and in a lot of ways predictable. However i'm curious to see what come next in the sequel Songs About Us (Songs About a Girl #2)2/5

Review: Queen Of Tearling

Title: The Queen of The Tearling
Author: Erika Johansen

Publisher:  Harper Paperbacks

Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler—and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her.

On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive.

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So I picked up The Queen of Tearling on a whim thanks to a gorgeous  fantasy kingdom display at my local library.I'm really glad I saw it because I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Queen of Tearling.

 Kelsea was hidden away as a child and is now on her way to regain the throne. What I really liked about Kelsae's characters was her understanding of herself.She recognized her flaws (not the perceived flaws in her appearance that everyone harped on...this annoyed the hell out of me fyi) but her character flaws.. She was shockingly very self aware and sought to find her own path not defined by her mothers legacy or her guards ideas. Kelsea was a pretty fleshed out main character, as were a lot of the secondary characters.I like when the charecters I'm reading about almost seem real,Erika Johansen did an excellent job at this. So while most of the prominent side characters consisted of Kelsea's Royal Guard, I really remembered only one of them - the Mace and Pen - the rest I constantly forgot about. Then there was The Fetch who was supposed to be 'dark and intriguing' which I always love in my characters, but here, it just didn't work for me for some reason, I have no clue why.I can't wait to see his character evolve in the sequels.

The cover is quite pretty and I really dig the golden color scheme it has going on.All in all like I said I enjoyed reading The Queen of Tearling, even if sometimes the pacing was as slow a molasses. I would highly recommend this book to all the fantasy lovers that I now. 3/5
SN:This book helps me check off my first goal on the #RivetedReadingChallenge and that goal is number 3. Start a new series!

Reading Goals For 2018!!

Hello and Happy New Year!! 

I don't normally participate in a lot of reading challenges but I stumbled across the #RivetedReadingChallenge and decided to give it a try. I like the whole idea of a reading challenge not being about the number of books you read, but the types of books you read. As I completed each challenge I'll come back to this post and scratch it off. If you've never checked out the Riveted website I highly suggest that you do.
Comment if you are participating in this challenge or any other challenge.I love to know of any other cool challenges!

P.S while I'm participating in this challenge Jessica is still undecided. 

Happy reading! And happy 2018!

1. Read a book written in verse
2. Read a fantasy or science fiction novel with explicitly queer characters
3. Start a new series
4. Read a sequel
5. Read a YA nonfiction book
6. Read a debut by an author of color
7. Read a book (any genre) starring a queer character of color
8. Read a book that’s been longlisted for a National Book Award (any year!)
9. Read a book that’s over 500 pages long
10. Read a science fiction book with a female protagonist
11. Read a book that confronts or discusses sexism
12. Read a book that confronts or discusses racism
13. Read a book with a first-generation immigrant main character
14. Read a work of historical fiction
15. Read a sci-fi novel written by a woman
16. Read a book featuring a dysfunctional family dynamic
17. Judge a book by its cover! Read something exclusively based on how good the cover art looks.
18. Read a book that has a person of color on the cover
19. Read a romance (comedy or drama) with two PoC protagonists
20. Read a YA anthology (fiction or nonfiction!)
21. Read a book about a character who’s struggling with mental illness
22. Read a book about toxic friendships
23. Read a book based on a true story
24. Read a book with an interracial relationship
25. Read a book where a sport is a major focus/plot element

Happy Reading!!!!