This book was sort of like a train-wreck in the sense that I just could not look away and I'm not saying that in a derogatory way at all. The writing was compelling and had me locked in the entire time. I think it appealed to my chismosa nature and how I always want all the juicy details no matter what we're talking about lol. This book also made me laugh more than I thought it would. The audiobook was narrated really well!! The main narrator did a fantastic job and I liked how there were other narrators for certain parts of the book. It immersed me in the whole experience.

That being said.. I don't know how I felt about this book lmao. A lot of it felt like trauma for the sake of trauma and shock factor. I did see how some of it tied together but I don't know. I never really cared for any of these characters. They all kind of sucked in their own ways and didn't feel real to me. I just kept thinking how real people don't act like this. I think you can write shocking, traumatic things and still have the characters feel like actual real people. This wasn't that. Not for me at least.

Also, when it got to the ending I had to make sure I heard correctly. It felt unfinished and unsatisfying. Despite all that, I would read more from this author lol.

"And there’s nowhere I’d rather be. I had the time of my life making you mad but loving you has been so much better."

Wow I LOVED this. This was one of those books that I would think about when I wasn't reading it and kept wanting to pick back up. I loved these characters, the premise, and the romance. 10/10 for me.

I think if you liked You Between The Lines by Katie Naymon, then you would enjoy this. The setting is the same in that our main characters are both enrolled in a creative writing graduate program and are tasked with critiquing each other's work. I loved how passionate both Rosie and Aiden were about their writing and how it was integrated into the story.

The excerpts in between chapters that we got from the novel they were writing together were some of my favorite parts, for a number of reasons: 1. Since this book was solely in Rosie's POV, their book was such a creative way to get a glimpse into Aiden's head and how he was really feeling. I salivated over every single thinly veiled crumb that he left in his writing about how he really felt towards Rosie and went feral over them. 2. Getting to see the collaboration between them in real time was so much fun and also really hot at times?? The most unique way I've seen spice incorporated into a book recently and I was so here for it. and 3. I loved the way it allowed them to be vulnerable with each other and slowly reveal the way they felt about each other in a way that felt safe to them.

Rosie was such a relatable fmc. She was a girlie after my own heart and I adored how passionate she was about romance books and romance in general. I really enjoyed all the nods to the genre all throughout the book. Her experience as a Peruvian-American really spoke to me and I loved how the author incorporated her culture into the book - it was another one of my favorite parts about this. Rosie could be strong-willed to a fault at times, but I admired her fire and loved her completely.

At first, I wasn't sure I liked Aiden lol he came off like such a jerk but the more I read, the more I realized his actions at first were kind of a defense mechanism. Aiden was actually incredibly sweet and it was clear how enamored he was with Rosie (and always had been) He had a rough backstory and it made me just want to hug him. I'm so glad he found Rosie and had the honor of being loved by her.

The romance in this was SO GOOD!! The progression from enemies to friends to lovers was perfect and I really enjoyed all of the moments when they could be vulnerable and real with each other. They were both so hard headed but I think they could not be more perfect for each other. The epilogue was so cute and I could have read a whole other book about them.

Cannot wait to read more from this author. Instantly became a new auto buy for me!!

This was SO CUTE!! I loved so many things about this book: Selah was the most relatable fmc, Greyson was the definition of "if he wanted to, he would", and the case of side characters were incredible and added a lot of heart to the story. I had a lot of fun with this.

I saw a lot of my current and past self in Selah. From her day to day life with anxiety/ADHD to her PTSD from previous relationships to her need to run away from relationships - legit felt like looking in a mirror lmao. It was clear that the author wrote her character with a lot of care and I loved reading about an fmc like her. She felt real and genuine - it made me want to root for her and her happiness. If you don't like her than you don't like me!!

Selah's friend group was on my favorite parts about this. I absolutely adored how the author wrote chapters to highlight just how close they were. Some of the shit they got into was peak girlhood and I was so here for it. Also, I would kill to be a part of their book club. Most importantly though, I just love that the author wrote a group of women supporting women. I am dying to know more about each and every one of them.

Greyson - a true king!! I can't begin to describe how much I loved his character. His attention to detail was unmatched. The way he genuinely wanted to know everything about Selah - the music she loved and why she loved it, etc. It was really beautiful how much effort he put in to making sure she knew she was worthy and loved. Also my god the mouth on this man?? I was not expecting him to be such a dirty talker but I was so here for it. Also I loved the detail that the author put into the representation of his culture. It was thoughtfully done and I absolutely loved it.

I really enjoyed this but my only complaint was that there was a lot of telling instead of showing, which is ok for certain things of course, but it was used during what I thought would have been significant moments between Selah and Greyson (at least in my head, I’d love to have actually seen them play out)

I listened to this mostly on audio and I was enjoying it at first, but I’m sorry to say this, the female narrator really was not my vibe once it got to the spicy scenes lol. It was a rough listen, so much so that I ended up switching to eyeball reading.

Anyway, can’t wait to read more from this author and this series!!

I saw this on a recommendation post and was immediately drawn in by that gorgeous cover. While the cover brought me to this book, I stayed for the sweet representation of young Black love and the rich history lessons in Black cowboys and the Houston rodeo circuit.

The initial meet cute between Shawn and Josie was a little rocky, but it didn't take long to turn in the other direction. The super quick chapters were kind of fun and made me want to keep reading. They're so young at the start of this and I enjoyed how pure and guileless it all was. Their instant connection was very sweet and I'm glad there was a little bit of a time jump and that they were able to reconnect a few years later.

Shawn was charming, gentle, and honestly just such a genuine guy!! I really liked how open and honest his character was. I admired the way he fought for Josie even when it would have been easier to just give up.

Josie could be sweet too, but I liked the fire in her more than in anything. Despite being raised in a wealthy family, I liked how she knew a hard day's work and was actively trying to live a life where she could do that full time. Her parents initially seemed like they were not the best parents, but I loved the resolution we got with them and thought the ending with them was so sweet.

One of my favorite parts was all of the history and background that was delved into when it came to Black cowboys and their erasure in the media. It was fascinating to learn about and didn't surprise me at all to learn that it wasn't taught in schools. Also, as someone who lives in Texas, I also really enjoyed the Houston representation. I'm not from there, but I know several people who are and would have loved to see how involved it was in this story!!

The conflict at the end was a whirlwind and I'm not sure how I felt about it?? I had to really suspend disbelief with a lot of it lol. Also, there was something that occurred that I lowkey wish there'd been a trigger warning for :(

Anyway, I still enjoyed this! Really sweet YA novel.

The only information I had going into this book was someone saying it was a "queer romantic thriller written by a Black author" so obviously I was sold, but wow. I could not have predicted the direction this book would take. Truly such a unique, fascinating premise. I can only describe it as haunting, weird in an endearing way, and oddly romantic. I also appreciated the social commentary surrounding the "American dream", community, struggling small towns, and poverty. Absolutely loved this story.

The Corruption of Hollis Brown is very much a coming of age story. Hollis seems to be in kind of a dark place at the beginning of this story and sort of apathetic about his life. It's interesting how Walt taking possession of Hollis's body became the catalyst for the emotional growth that he goes through. At first, I felt so bad for Hollis. All of a sudden he became a passenger in his own life while Walt took over, but maybe it was supposed to be a metaphor for how he was already living his life? Just going through the motions, etc. Once Walt and Hollis kind of worked through the initial growing pains of sharing Hollis's body and learning to coexist together, it was really sweet to see the way Walt's influence changed Hollis.

Now what I absolutely was not expecting was a romance to form between Walt and Hollis lmao. I'm sure you're wondering - how does that work?! It just does for them. There was yearning, there was want and need, and there was being loved and being seen - it was beautiful in the most unexpected way.

Hollis's growth was obviously one of my favorite things. Seeing him come to life and actually try in his day to day made me emotional, but my next favorite part was his friendship with Annie and Yulia. It was such a real representation of everything that comes with being best friends with someone and I loved getting to read about the way they fought and the way they loved each other.

10/10 recommend. The narrator did such a fantastic job narrating this. I can't wait to read more from this author.