Why am I not surprised that I sobbed over another Sonora Reyes masterpiece? Listening to the audiobook was so the right choice as well, the narrator did a phenomenal job voicing Yamilet and bringing Yami to life. This book is so moving and important to read. There are a lot of serious topics that I do recommend reading the trigger warnings for, but if you believe you are in the right mindset to read/listen, it's going to be so worth it. I could relate so much to Yami's nerves over her coming out process, and about the pressure to be the "perfect sibling/child." Reyes also brings up important talks around immigration and the likelihood of police brutality happening in more predominantly BIPOC neighborhoods/to BIPOC people. Racism and homophobia are very important topics in this book, and Reyes is real with showing that not all people in life are supportive of differences. But what Reyes also shows is the found family and camaraderie that also happen when you find other people who are open-minded and not bigoted assholes. Religious bigotry is real, especially within Christianity/Catholicism, and Reyes shows this while also showing you can believe in God without believing in the church. This book was so well written, and had me laughing, crying, and screaming in ways I didn't realize I could scream. I highly recommend this book to everyone and anyone.

Thank you NetGalley for access to the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Storygram Tours and Penguin Teen for sending me a finished copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was honestly not what I was expecting it to be, but in a good way. Watching Birdie and Cass go from true enemies to lovers was amazing, and reading about Birdie growing and learning more about herself really had me emotional. There is a lot of issues mentioned in this book that really should be talked about more, including classism and gentrification, as well as using children for views, likes, and follows. I genuinely enjoyed having the dual POV in this book as well, it definitely added to the story getting both perspectives. Overall I definitely recommend this book to others!

Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for access to this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I've really been on a roller derby kick recently, it's making me very interested in the sport! This book does a good job at explaining the game and how it works. I also could relate to Casey so much in regards to her anxiety and being scared of literally everything. I'm a fellow catastrophizer as well, and it can be debilitating. I loved watching Casey grow and learn over the course of the book, and see her become more confident in herself. This is yet another book with some amazing found family components. I also like how Morris formed Imogen and Casey's relationship, and how it realistically progressed throughout. Overall this book is a super cute coming of age novel that I recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for access to this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was honestly not what I was expecting it to be, but that only made me love it more. It's cringe but in the most millennial way possible (and I mean if you're gonna get cringe, might as well do it millennial style). Fielder and Ricky were honestly the messy gays I needed to read about right now. Their love was so raw and had me emotional at times. As someone who is also from a big Italian family, there was A LOT I could relate to in this book, so much so that it had me going, "So that's not just my family!" There's also a low-key kind of found family to this book that I wasn't expecting, but absolutely adored in the end. All in all this book was amazing and I truly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for access to this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is ADORABLE. Oh gosh, it was such a throwback to my days as a Directioner (forever love Niall 💕). This book was very nostalgic in that way. I like how the plot progressed and watching the three work through their problems. The side characters like Diego were just perfect at moving the plot along while also being hilarious. I just love how the author emphasized how much music can bring people together. I wish I could go see a reunion tour of One Direction (RIP Liam 😢) with friends from high school that I don't talk to anymore. But being able to live it through this book was honestly such an amazing experience. Gotta go put together a 1D playlist now. I highly recommend reading this book if you're a fan of boy bands, road trips, and yearning!

Thank you The Smuthood for access to this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Just want to briefly say I HIGHLY recommend reading the content warnings for this book before reading. I'm SO happy I've finally read one of Knox's novels! And honestly, this was a perfect one to start with. Havoc and Maddox are two complex, messy individuals that just compliment each other so well, when they're not at each other's throats. But I could feel their chemistry from the beginning. The found family in this book is EVERYTHING. I adore seeing queer found families in books, and Knox wrote this found family very well. And by NO means does Knox romanticize addiction at all. Quite the contrary, I feel like Knox was able to be brutally but efficiently honest about what addiction can do, not only to the person going through it, but their loved ones as well. I cried, I laughed, I yelled. Overall, this book is definitely a recommend for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press/Get Underlined for access to this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Another five star read from Hubbard! Gosh, I knew I was going to enjoy this book going in, but it still exceeded expectations. I loved Zeke and Cohen and watching them realize the idea they have of the other person is so wrong. They are truly enemies to lovers, and it had me in my FEELS. Speaking of feels, Hubbard always seems to know how to say something in a way that I needed to hear, and how to get me so emotionally invested into his characters. I loved that this wasn't just about Zeke and Cohen, but also Zeke's friendship with Sawyer and how he overall wasn't the same person he was just a few months ago. I could relate to Zeke so much, though we sadly do not agree on our favorite Doctor (sorry, I'll always be a Tennant stan). Being able to read (and watch in my head, because a little movie plays in my head while I read) about Zeke coming into himself and realizing that "the perfect gay" doesn't exist was so heartwarming. And Hubbard also does a fantastic job at bringing topics into his books that are real life scenarios happening in the US right now. This book (and my recent read of Imogen, Obviously) has reminded me that even within the LGBTQ+ community, there is discourse and lack of understanding. But Hubbard also reminds us in this book that you can't stop fighting. Even if you don't "win," that doesn't mean you lost. Lost the battle, win the war (can't go wrong with a Paramore lyric). But seriously, this book is not just funny and romantic, it's powerful, inspiring, and can make or break the difference to teenagers who are too scared to speak up for themselves yet. If it isn't obvious, I 100% recommend this book to EVERYONE, not just queer people. It's a guide for rebels, both in the LGBTQ+ community and their allies surrounding them.