what i’ve been watching recently #17

Hello, friends!

It’s been such a long time since I last shared a recently watched and that’s literally because the past few months have been SO busy and chaotic and I didn’t have time to finish a thing. But, at last, I’ve finished four shows and I’ll be sharing my thoughts on them today.

NORMAL PEOPLE

I was pretty certain I was going to hate Normal People, but I was still curious enough to watch it. And, indeed, as expected, I hated it, lol. What was still interesting was that I hated it for all the different reasons than I thought I would.

I really dislike the miscommunication trope and some of my least favorite romance stories are those with tons of backs and forths caused by the characters never talking to each other. And while that was certainly present in Normal People, what annoyed me the most was the lack of depth in the interactions and the unbalanced character development.

There is one scene when Connell says that Marianne is his best friend and my only reaction to that was: “is she?” They share practically no meaningful conversations and you never see them develop feelings for one another aside from having sex. It was also really weird how Connell was given a lot of development throughout the series, whereas Marianne’s family issues and submissive tendencies were never properly addressed.

It was a weird show and I definitely can not understand why so many people adore it. Even the Irish vibes were mediocre at best and the lack of soundtrack made pretty impossible for me to connect with the characters/setting.

SELLING SUNSET (S5)

I am a sucker for reality shows and this is a known fact at this point. Season 5 of Selling Sunset was very… weird, I think. Ever since the show started centering Christine as a villain and the source of all drama, I’ve found that it’s just been annoying to watch her being brought down every second. I miss the earlier seasons when drama was caused from left and right.

I think the reunion episode is a must-watch, especially when it comes to the Chrishell x Jason relationship. It was certainly surprising to learn that while they had broken up because Jason didn’t want to be a parent, Chrishell has moved on to a relationship with a 20-something year old called G-FLIP.

As far as a potential season six, I think they will have a hard time creating drama and making the show entertaining without Christine. I am hopeful to hear they will integrate more from the recently-opened O.C office, as a cast refreshment is desperately what the show needs at this point.

STRANGER THINGS (S4)

This season was highly anticipated by me and I had the best time watching it, honestly. Firstly, I need to mention that Jonathan had a lot more screen time than I thought he would have and as a Jonathan Byers stan first, human second, I was VERY happy.

Overall, this season was actually very entertaining. While I was skeptical because they had added so many new characters, I think they were still able to develop interesting dynamics between characters we already knew, such as Robin x Nancy and Will x El. Obviously, some plot lines were more interesting than others, but I liked them all at the end.

The acting, however, was definitely not as good as I remembered it and I think it might have to do with the cringey dialogues. The CGI was also not the best and I was frustrated at how they kept going with the plotline that involved a black man being tortured for literally NO REASON AT ALL!!!!! Just to make us sit through that?! Like, Jesus, be better, seriously.

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY (S1)

This show got so much hype and I really wanted to see how I’d feel about it, even though I remember reading the first book and really not enjoying it. To be fair, love triangles are not for me, and a love triangle involving two brothers just gives me a headache.

Still, I was surprised by how much I did like the overall experience of watching it. I think they nailed the vibes and atmosphere of this one, playing well with nostalgia around beach houses and summers as a kid. (Not that I ever had anything close to this experience, lmao, but still). However, the soundtrack was definitely overpowering at times – I love Taylor Swift, but it was too much.

I also really loved the dynamic between the moms and the end did made me tear up a bit. I don’t have any preferences when it comes to the main love triangle and honestly wish that the romance between Belly and Cam Cameron had been developed more. The one thing I disliked a lot, though, was Steven and all of his plotlines. Seriously, WHO ASKED FOR IT. I don’t careeeeee, I don’t care, I don’t care, take that boy out of my screen please and thank you.

What is the best show you’ve watched recently? And what were your thoughts in the newest Stranger Things season? Have you watched The Summer I Turned Pretty? If so, are you Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah? Let’s chat in the comments!

monthly wrap up: may, ’22

Hello, friends!

May is FINALLY OVER!!!!!!!! Anyone else felt like this month lasted for approximately 32 lifetimes? It was certainly one of the most exhausting months ever and I couldn’t wait for it to be over. Also that Mercury in retrograde absolutely ended my will to live for a while there. But, at last, it is over! So we get to celebrate Pride Month feeling refreshed and much better.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. We finally have the casting for the Big Trio! This is such exciting news and I can’t believe a Percy Jackson TV series is finally a reality. I was very surprised to see Annabeth being casted as a Black girl, mostly because, before, the fandom had bullied the producers of the movie enough for not having a “book-accurate” casting for Annabeth that they literally dyed Alexandra Daddario’s hair blonde for the second one. While there was definitely some backlash after the recent news, I was happy to see that most of the fandom is now mature enough to see that Annabeth and all characters are so much more than their physical descriptions!
2. And I have moved! I am now typing this from an apartment, which is insane, because I’ve never lived in an apartment building and it’s definitely been taking some adjusting to. However, I am so much closer to my job and university now and I take only about 15-20min, whereas I was taking 1h+ every day in commute. It’s certainly an improvement and I’m sure I’ll adapt eventually.

i’ve only had the big trio casting for a few days but if anything happened to them i would kill everyone in this room and then myself

BOOKS READ

May was so busy and I fell into a bit of a reading slump halfway through the month, so I ended up not reading as much as I wanted to and not enjoying everything I read.

★★★★★

First, I did my re-read of Always and Forever, Lara Jean. The conflict in this book is genuinely so good?! While the movie focused a lot on the future long distance aspect of Lara and Peter’s relationship, the book talks a lot about Peter feeling like Lara Jean is saying goodbye to him already, which is the first time LJ’s nostalgic and overly romantic self is shown to have negative repercussions. Also the Covey’s development as a family made me very emo.

★★★★☆

Portrait of a Thief had been very hyped because of the gorgeous cover and I personally had a good time with it. A lot of things felt convenient and very easily resolved, but I definitely admire the author for being able to balance very well the adventure aspects of the heist, the characters’ dynamics and the introspective conversations on the Asian-American experience and their connection to China.

★★★☆☆

I was really into the idea of Give Love a Chai because of the second chance romance + childhood friends to lovers. And while it was very well written and the sexual tension between the characters was definitely there, I found the resolution of the main conflict happening off-page to be very unsatisfying. Also, why IN HELL did the author think a pseudo-break up was a great thing to add to her LAST CHAPTER????

★★★☆☆

While I hadn’t loved Tashie Bhuyian’s debut, I wanted to pick up A Show for Two because the novel was inspired by an actual experience the author had with Tom Holland! I liked the complicated family dynamics and the exploration of depression. But the romance was a bit over dramatic, especially towards the end, and the conflict between the MC and her best friend & sister made me sooooooo mad.

★★★☆☆

I also had no idea This Is All Your Fault was a fanfiction-esque book for this 90s movie called Empire Records so this had no impact on my reading experience. The writing was a bit clunky, with some sections feeling “overly written” and others missing key details. However, the development of the main characters’ made me very emotional and was a satisfying conclusion to a book set in a 24 hour period.

★★★★☆

In a surprising turn of events, Super Fake Love Song was my favorite book I read all month! It wasn’t perfect, but I had such a fun time with it. Sunny was a delightful protagonist, I loved the friend group, the romance was actually sweet and the family dynamics brought legit tears to my eyes. Considering my first experience with this author, this one was certainly an improvement!

 

MONTHLY PLAYLIST

This month, I mostly listened to Billie Eilish’s Happier than Ever (yes, I am very late, don’t @ me) and the Heartstopper soundtrack. I also have to talk about Isaac Dunbar because he’s one of the best artists I’ve discovered recently and I am obsessed with his music right now.

LOOKING FORWARD

I have ambitious reading plans for Pride Month and a bunch of 2022 releases I can not wait to get to. I am also looking forward for the release of Ms Marvel and being a month closer to the second part of Stranger Things S4 and S3 of HSMTMTS.

How was your May? Did you read any great books this month? Also: what are you currently listening to? Let’s chat in the comments!

what i’ve been watching recently #16

Hello, friends!

It’s been a couple of months but I finally finished some shows! I’ve been on a reality show mood recently, and completely bummed that the new Kardashians one is released on a weekly basis. Thankfully, season 4 of Selling Sunset is already here so I’ll definitely have a blast with it the next few weeks. If you have reality show recs, let me know!

LOVE IS BLIND (S2)

Not me talking about a Love is Blind season two posts in a row. What can I say? I am obsessed.

I think this season might be my favorite, as it was soooo much more messy than season one. I know some won’t enjoy that, but when I am watching reality TV, I need it to make me feel all the emotions – including anger and frustration to the point I am yelling at my TV, lol. This season had like two love triangles, petty characters, engagements that made no sense and some pretty epic vow speeches.

I was glued to my screen when watching all episodes and it was definitely pretty fun. I think we did need to see a bit more of the pods, though, especially because we had so many couples and connections that were made, but I still enjoyed this one a lot. The reunion episode was also very much iconic, albeit the second hand embarrassment I felt for Sheik can not be measured.

EMILY IN PARIS (S2)

Surprising even myself, I actually really enjoyed season two of Emily in Paris! I know so many people hate this show, but I can not stress enough how “French stereotypes” are NOT more harmful, more racist or more problematic, than the depiction of the Global South in literally any show or movie you can think of. Seriously. France will survive.

What I liked about this season though was the fact we saw a lot more of the side characters. I really didn’t like Sylvie in season one, but her plot was actually interesting this time around. They even gave Mindy a lot more screen time, although I found her scenes to be repetitive and very bland. I also have no idea why she had to sing a song in every freaking episode, but okay.

I don’t know why they don’t just make Gabriel/Camille/Emily a throuple already, but I guess that would be too risky for Netflix. Nonetheless, Alfie is a great love interest and I really hope season 2 isn’t the last we see of him.

THE DROPOUT

 

I have consumed the Elizabeth Holmes/Theranos case in so many formats – podcast, book, documentary and now a TV show. And I eat it up every time, lol.

For this one, I have to say: Amanda Seyfried absolutely bodied her performance and it was easy to forget you were *not* watching Elizabeth Holmes. The rest of the cast was also cool, but I did find the first three episodes to be painfully slow. The sequences were way too long and they didn’t have that many interesting characters outside Holmes. I will also say the soundtrack is pretty terrible, lol. Not only they chose really bad songs but their timing was super awkward too.

Despite all that, I was very interested in the commentary around women in STEM and the way Holmes kinda fucked up that game for all young women wanting to start their own companies in that field.

HEARTSTOPPER

As I was this close to cancel my NETFLIX subscription, they released the first season of Heartstopper and fantastic it was indeed! I love the graphic novel series and was very satisfied with this adaptation. Although some things were changed and other characters were added, I still found it to be a refreshing and cute story filled with amazing characters.

I loved the soundtrack the most too! They had so many artists that I listen and adore: mxtoon, beabadoobee, girl in red and even ella jane! They also had many others I wasn’t familiar with but that I adored listening to nonetheless.

The little animation elements were also so adorable and tied back into the original work perfectly. I really hope this isn’t another one of those series that NETFLIX cancels after season one, because it is way too good, hopeful and adorable. (And I need Tao and Elle to become canon already!)

Have you watched any of these? Did you like season one of Heartstopper if you watched it already? What was your favorite part about it? And if you have recommendations for reality shows, let me know!

a reading “vlog” where i try to find a new favorite author

Hello, friends!

So, a long time ago (ok, more like back in 2020), the phenomenal Caitlin started this series in her blog called “Caitlin Reads“, where she would “read a couple of books that fit a certain theme and then give updates as she read, which would include pictures from her real life in order to give the post more of a “reading vlog” feel.”

I loved this feature, OK. I also miss Caitlin and her posts A LOT and would simply cry if she was ever to return to blogging. But alas I digress.

Basically: I wanted to try my hand out at reading within a theme and also coming up with frequent updates about my read and share small snippets of life in-between. I don’t know if I will do this again, and I also have no idea if/how to title this series, but if you have ideas, let me know!

The theme for this one was: trying to find a new favorite author. So, basically, I decided to read a book by an author I had read at least once before to see how I *actually* feel about their work and if I would be inclined to read anything by them again.

The books I read were:

ISN’T IT BROMANTIC, by LYSSA KAY ADAMS. I have read The Bromance Book Club by this author and absolutely loved it! I wonder how I’ll feel about this one, considering most people who continued on with the series found the rest of them to be mediocre.

DARIUS THE GREAT DESERVES BETTER by ADIB KHORRAM. I really loved the first one in this duology, Darius the Great Is Not Okay and have been meaning to pick up this second one been ages! I’m very excited because hello, gay love triangle.

THE PARIS APARTMENT by LUCY FOLEY. I was not the biggest fan of The Guest List when I read it, but found it to be a solid thriller with spooky vibes. Will also be buddy reading this one with my sister, though I have no idea what it is actually about, lol.

ISN’T IT BROMANTIC BY LYSSA KAY ADAMS

January, 24th

23%

Currently writing this in the subway, as a woman next to me sits with a bag that smells heavenly of Arab food. Anyway. I am only 20% into it and already absolutely thriving. I had no idea that this was a hurt/comfort story, as Elena has to take care of Vlad after an injury.

I love how well Lyssa Kay Adams writes about failed marriages. Althought this one is about a lot more, as it involves arranged marriages, foreign visas, journalists’ mysteriously disappearing in the middle of the night and a group of old ladies who hang out with a hockey superstar. Still fun, though!

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January 25th
37%

Because today was not as blazing hot as every other day has been in São Paulo, I finally took my book outside of the air-con! I spent my lunch break by the shade and it was very hard not fangirling, as I was technically still in public.

Elena and Vlad continue to be adorable, but I also loved seeing the guys from the Bromance Book Club. They are all so fun and their dynamic together has always been my favorite thing about this series. So far, they have not disappointed.

What I will say is that I am 100% choosing to ignore every piece of character description that Lyssa Kay Adams throws at us. Vlad is supposed to be this tall, muscular guy with a beard and ridiculous amounts of body hair and I am ignoring all that and picturing him like Richard Madden in my head. Too late.

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January, 26th
58%

Today was pretty uneventful, so I don’t have much to share. But I will say that when it comes to the book, there are certainly a few things I don’t love. The first one is the amount of food references. I recently read another foodie romance (A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow) and I just really don’t like reading about food, lol. I wish this book didn’t have *that* many descriptions of cheese, soups and other Russian dishes.

Also, when it comes to the “book inside the book” – aka Promise Me, the war romance that Vlad is writing that mirrors a lot of his relationship with Elena -, I don’t love the idea of the guys writing the book, instead of reading one, and I think it’s mostly because it makes it too explicit that the book is Vlad’s self-insert character, when the fun of this segment is the hero organically learning from romance books.

Still, the bathtub scene between Elena and Vlad is ICONIC.

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January, 27th
76%

I had a *morning* today. Not only my train was stuck underground several minutes, but I also had to leave the wagon as a weird guy was bothering people and then every escalator was broken. :) I love public transportation so much.

At least the book is REALLY good. Like, REALLY good. Angst levels in a solid 9/10. However, I am very nervous about what the third act break up will look like, as everything seems too blissful at the moment, which obviously can’t last, considering there’s still 25% of the book left.

Still, I love the fact that the main conflict is so much about how “I don’t deserve you”, “I am not good enough for you”, “You’re better off without me”. I love this as a romantic trope and the book is delivering sooooo much.

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January, 28th
86%

My snack of choice will always be M&Ms and water. I can survive on it alone.

I am enjoying this one, of course, but I am slightly disappointed by how the book Vlad is writing is mirroring too much his circumstances with Elena, to the point where it’s kinda “meta”. I don’t like this at all? Like, when romance books are aware that they are romance books and mention the actual tropes throughout the story? Uh, no thanks.

I do love that, despite this being a failed marriage book, Vlad is not a hero that struggles with communication at all and he has the most swoon-worthy lines. I also have no idea if this is the last book in the series, but I would really enjoy to see Colton having his own story!

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January 30th
100%

I am done with this one, friends! Today was a pretty chill day and I ended up re-watching the 2020 version of Emma as well, which is so iconic and great. Still thinking about the “hand-on-the-waist” scene and “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”

As for Isn’t it Bromantic, I didn’t love the ending that much. It was very thriller-esque and I stand by the fact that if I want to read a thriller, then I’ll pick up a thriller, not a romance. I still feel like a lot of responsibility was put on Vlad’s shoulders for not “fighting enough” for Elena, when Elena also had very glaring problems with communication that she never addressed?

 

FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a fun ride and I would recommend it for fans of the series. I still prefer Bromance Book Club, but I certainly enjoyed the angst + hurt&comfort + the dynamic between Vlad and friends.

DARIUS THE GREAT DESERVES BETTER BY ADIB KHORRAM

February, 21st
12%

Finally! I am continuing on with Darius’ story! I don’t know why it took me so long to pick up this book, but it’s finally happening.

Mondays are such busy days for me. I work until 3, then have keyboard classes at 4 and pilates at 6. I feel like an Upper East Side kid telling you my schedule of extracurriculars, lol. But yes, needless to say, by the time I’m home I want to do nothing, so I ended up reading very little today.

Nonetheless, I am so obsessed with Darius’ platonic relationship with Sohrab. They’re too cute!

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February 22nd
25%

Friends, it’s way too hot for me to function. Seriously. I hate summer and seeing the weather for the following days (in Celsius) makes me want to *** tbh.

As for the book, I’ve been finding the writing to be quite robotic, with a lot of “I did this”, “Mom did that”, “Dad said this”, and not a lot of emotion at all. But it does make it for a very quick read.

I don’t love the direction the love triangle is going, mostly because Darius’ relationship with Landon is something that happened off-page, so we don’t really see them falling in love. So far, I don’t care that much for their relationship, and if I’m being honest, it reminds me too much of Victor and Benji from Love Victor – a pairing I truly can not stand. Since all Landon and Darius have done so far is kiss and be interrupted by one of their parents, it’s not much I can work with.

---

February 24th
p. 100

So, as far as romance goes, this is getting really repetitive and really bad. All Landon and Darius have done so far is kiss – get interrupted by a parent or co-worker – kiss more – Darius gets uncomfortable and asks Landon to stop and then the cycle restarts. They haven’t had a SINGLE meaningful conversation. Literally. Not one. We know more about Chip’s life and insecurities and family and burdens and I know that’s probably the whole point, but oh my God at least *try* giving Landon a personality? Ugh.

On a more positive note, I got my tickets to watch The Batman in a week!!!! I am very excited for this one, mostly because I developed a Rob Pattinson crush since quarantine (I was more of a team Jacob as a kid), and the trailer for this one looks SO GOOD.

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February 25th
p. 148

Today, the last episode of Love is Blind season 2 came out and let’s just say: as much as I was not shocked with the results, I am still SHAKEN at least by one of them. I also totally downloaded it to watch on the subway and almost missed my stop TWICE.

As far as the book is going, I am enjoying seeing the dynamic between Darius and his dad. It makes my heart warm seeing how much they’ve developed since book one and I also really love how the author has paralleled their experiences with clinical depression.

I am confused about the presence of Darius’ grandmas though. They haven’t talked about anything particularly meaningful at all and I am not sure as to what we’re supposed to make of this dynamic.

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February 26th
100%

Today I went on a roadtrip with my family for Carnaval so I ended up finishing this one while on the road. (Also: peek this gorgeous sunset. Maybe I don’t hate summer).

I am glad I finished it, but oof, it was certainly not a favorite. I enjoyed how this book talked about grief and I definitely teared up at times, but the romance was so fucking frustrating to read about. The scenes were repetitive and the miscommunication was off the charts. I was also pretty bummed about how little we saw of Sohrab and it felt like his existence was mostly to help with Darius’ development, as he was basically given no plot or individual development whatsoever? Ugh.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This one was not my favorite. I was frustrated at the romance, disappointed by how Sohrab was written and found overall the writing to be very mechanic. The family dynamics and mental health rep were pretty good though.

THE PARIS APARTMENT BY LUCY FOLEY

March 9th
20%

This book is actually a buddy read I am doing with my sister this month of March. She has already finished the book (she reads so quickly!) and gave it 2 stars, so I am not hopeful I’ll enjoy this one too much.

So far, I am a bit confused by the narration, just because there are so many characters, but I am enjoying the audiobook experience and the short chapters. However, I didn’t find the setting spooky in the slightest. What I enjoyed about The Guest List, by this author, was how atmospheric the setting of this remote island was, but an apartment complex is not exactly the creepiest place and I don’t think the writing is helping too much in that department.

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March 10th
40%

Peek me finally watching Hairspray for the first time. Yes, I had never watched the movie before. A blasphemy, I know! I am glad I finally watched it, though. Zac Efron looks sooooooo dreamy.

As for the book, I am still very confused by the narrations. I feel like more characters are being added every time I click play on my audiobook, lmao. The previous book I had read by this author had a premise where you didn’t know who was the murderer, but you also didn’t know who *had* been murdered. The Paris Apartment doesn’t have that element – you’re trying to figure out what happened to Ben, the protagonist’s brother -, but that’s pretty much it. I do like the French accent in the audiobook narration, though!

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March 12th
89%

It’s the weekend, so I have been basically playing Ball Sort Puzzle while listening to the audiobook. Aside from this one, I am also obsessed with Gardenscapes and Bubble Buster and definitely guilty of spending way too much time on them when on my phone.

A lot has been revealed in The Paris Apartment that I did not expect. I do agree with one thing my sister pointed out which is, there’s a reveal halfway through the book and if you were to read the first half looking for hints of such reveal, you’d find none. However, after that, the tone changes immediately. It was basically the author omitting information for only when it was convenient to do so, which sucks when you’re in a thriller.

However, I like Jess as a protagonist and the direction the book is going overall is pretty interesting.

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March 13th
100%

And, I finished it! Honestly, I am surprised at how quickly I flew through this book, and I think it’s a testament to how engaging and well done the audiobook was. If you can listen to it, I’d recommend it!

I did like the ending, as there were surprising twists I definitely didn’t see coming. However, if I was to compare this one to The Guest List, I’d say I prefer the latter, mostly because the atmosphere of it was much more spooky. I wasn’t necessarily thrilled by The Paris Apartment, I more wanted to figure out the mystery alongside the protagonist.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS: I didn’t like it as much as The Guest List, as it wasn’t as scary or atmospheric, but the characters are cool and the audiobook is pretty fantastic. I would consider reading from Lucy Foley again, for sure.

But, did I find a new favorite author after all?

I think it’s safe to say Lyssa Kay Adams is a solid romance author for me. Especially if she’s writing in the second chance romance/failed marriage trope, it’s safe to say I’ll enjoy it! Lucy Foley is also an author I’ll be on the lookout for new releases. Unfortunately, I’m not super excited to pick up Adib Khorram’s newest book though because of how :/ the experience with this one was. But I am not writing him off completely, considering some aspects of the book were really well done.

Do you have a favorite author you discovered recently? Have you read any of these books? If so, what are your thoughts? Let’s chat in the comments!

monthly wrap up: march, ’22

Hello, friends!

This past month has certainly been a struggle, as I am aclimating back to going to university classes in person + my internship + reading and blogging. I definitely have not been as active as I would’ve liked, but I am trying to come up with a new routine that will still allow me to write posts and interact with you guys. I apologize for the absence, but I’ll try my best!

HIGHLIGHTS

1. I watched The Batman! I know! The best movie of 2022 and we’re still in March! This release was fantastic, and definitely went above and beyond. The soundtrack is fantastic, the story was a bit confusing but held all of Batman’s charm, the chemistry between Rob Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz is INSANE and the recently-released deleted scene featuring their upcoming version of The Joker left me shaking for three minutes straight. ICONIC!!!!!
2. And I watched a group of classical musicians play Taylor Swift songs. To be fair, they only played ONE (1) Taylor Swift song which was annoying. The marketing was quite misleading, but the event was still fun. I had never had the chance to listen to classical music live before, so I was very impressed and really liked their take on modern songs.

BOOKS I READ

★★★☆☆

First book I finished was my re-read of Love Her or Lose Her. I think I liked this book better the first time around, so maybe it wasn’t the best idea to re-read it. I really appreciate the approach to couples’ therapy and Rose’s development as a protagonist, but Dominic’s alpha male presence was not my favorite and the smut scenes really did nothing for me.

★★★★☆

I then finished Boys of the Beast – I have a full review up on my blog about it! I got to read this one as an ARC, but it’s out already and you should definitely read it if you enjoy road trip stories and family dynamics. I also loved the way this book approached the topic of mental health, and the discussions on religion. However, the writing could’ve been better and the road trip element didn’t make that much sense to begin with.

★★★☆☆

Then I read The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley. I had read from this author before, and while I didn’t find this one to be atmospheric or spooky at all, I was invested in the mystery and I liked the protagonist, Jess. I also highly recommend the audiobook – it’s a full cast one, they have a great French accent and I flew through it!

★★☆☆☆

I also finally finished A Sky Beyond the Storm and concluded the Ember in the Ashes series. However, I really did not like this one. The pacing was terrible, Elias felt like a side character in his own story, the fact the books turned completely to fantasy, ignoring the political landscape which had been the most interesting layer thus far was very disappointing and if I was Helene and had ended the book like this, while my best friends ended like Laia and Elias, that would’ve absolutely been my villain origin story.

★★★★☆

Follow Your Arrow was another really interesting YA contemporary I read this month. While I would’ve appreciated if more time had been given to the protagonist grieve her previous relationship and I found the use of hashtags to be unrealistic and a bit annoying, I was surprised by how well this book discussed biphobia, especially in online spaces, and the nuances of social media and internet culture.

★★★☆☆

Next, I finished The Roommate Risk by Talia Hibbert, which is a good angsty friends to lovers romance. I do have a problem with Talia Hibbert’s humor and I think I would’ve enjoyed the smut scenes better if they didn’t have lowkey a dom/sub dynamic where the hero would call the girl “brat” while they were at it. Nonetheless, the angst surprised me and I really liked the characters’ individual developments.

★★★★☆

As for One of the Good Ones, this book was definitely an unique experience. As much as I loved the different perspectives and timelines, the writing, the fact all characters had distinct voices and the discussions on why some people believe certain lives have more “worth” than others, this book was a lot more triggering than I anticipated. It is definitely a thriller and be aware that there are graphic descriptions of kidnapping.

★★★☆☆

It took me a while but l finally picked up the sequel to Lobizona: Cazadora! I unfortunately didn’t like this one as much as the first. I really enjoy the topics that this series discusses, in terms of disrupting binary ideas in society with the backdrop of this fantastical world of the Septimus. However, I felt very distant of my favorite character – Manu – even though she is the protagonist, the side characters all feel interchangeable at this point and I was left a bit frustrated that this is not a duology like it had been marketed initially.

MONTHLY PLAYLIST

I finally got around to listening to some of my K-POP faves, so that was a part of my March. I also had a sleepover with one of my friends and we jammed to some old Miley Cyrus’ stuff, reminding me of how amazing her earlier Hannah Montana days were. Also, Wonder by Shawn Mendes continues to be his best album yet and I will take no criticism on that. Thanks.

LOOKING FORWARD

The thing I am most excited about happening in April is the release of Heartstopper. Obviously. But Harry Styles is also coming out with new music which is pretty awesome and I am veryyyy hyped for Harry’s House.

What is the best book you read in the month of March? Do you have anything you’re excited about coming out in April? Let’s chat in the comments!

what i’ve been watching recently #15

Hello, friends!

It’s been a while since I last talked about my recently watched TV shows, and that’s because I haven’t watched anything in a while lol. A lot of these shows I actually finished last year, but I hope to up my game in 2022!

LOVE IS BLIND BRASIL

It’s very much true you could say I am a Love is Blind stan. Besides inhaling the first season last year, I also quickly devoured the three-episode reunion that was released early 2021 and now I’ve become just as invested in the Brazilian version of the show.

The men are honestly even more awful that in the American version, which was surprising, but all the girls were fantastic. I did find it to be a bit too long and not dynamic enough, especially the earlier episodes, as besides seeing the couples getting together, there wasn’t as much fighting and drama like in the US one.

However, the ending was totally surprising and I was glued to my phone as I watched it. It was certainly a worth-watching season and I would recommend for fans of the show.

ONE OF US IS LYING

 

While I was never a huge fan of One of Us is Lying, I was interested in watching the show from the cast list and trailer. I will give a warning that the show has an annoying yellow/orange filter to it that makes every scene look the same, the acting is not that good and the cinematography felt a bit too dramatic at times.

Nonetheless, it was an entertaining time. I‘d miss the characters in between the episode releases and the romance was A+ beautiful show-stopping amazing never been done before.

I will say that the ending felt wayyy too forced. It is pretty clear they wanted a season 2 to happen, and I found it to be unsatisfying and overall, took away from the most important message of the book. I don’t think the book did a good job at addressing the most sensitive topics, which is why I had hopes that the show would do a better job, but alas that was not the case.

If there is a season 2, I’d consider watching it, though, as I was highly invested in the romantic relationships.

QUEER EYE (S6)

 

I am so glad I watched this one because it was exactly what I needed. I will never shut up about how great Queer Eye is a show and I had missed them so much.

I think this might be one of my favorite seasons, as I feel like they finally found some balance between the content I loved in the first two seasons and the – understandable – change to highlight the heroes’ community work. I think this season, picking up after the pandemic, was able to highlight a lot of relevant social issues, choosing heroes who were involved as nurses in the front lines, campaigning against homelessness and those who were affected by the hate against Asian communities.

However, there were also some great episodes that brought me a lot of nostalgia for the first couple of seasons. My favorites were Angel’s, which had great parallels to the episode in season 1 where they help a guy come out to his step-mom and the meat-farm guy episode, where he has an amazing conversation with Jonathan about what being non-binary is.

REBELDE (S1)

So Rebelde got a reboot! If you’re not familiar with it, it was a Mexican telenovela that aired in the early 2000s and was one of my favorite things as a kid (albeit the show was definitely not appropriate for 6 year olds). Over 15 years later, Netflix released a reboot, set in the same Elite Way School, but with new characters and new drama.

I think my biggest problem with this show is I was very confused about who the target audience was supposed to be. The relationship and character developments were incredibly rushed (seriously, why every single couple in this show was already kissing by episode 2) and the plot was very surface level, with all conflicts being resolved quickly and conveniently with almost no build up. I felt like the show was targeted for 12-13 year olds, but at the same time, they threw a very explicit sex scene by like episode 3???? I genuinely have no idea who this was written for.

As fun as some of the songs were, I didn’t love the spin they gave in the old songs from the original novela and I absolutely loathed the outfits. Like, seriously why no one could wear normal clothes? Lmao. I probably won’t be watching a season 2, but I will say Luka and Sebas absolutely carried the show.

What shows have you finished recently? Have you watched any of these? If so, what are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

monthly wrap up: january, ’22

Hello, friends!

2022 started and seems to have gone by so quickly already. I find the first couple months of the year to always be the ones I struggle the most, in terms of being productive, but I actually think I did pretty good this year.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. I got COVID! Yay! Much like many others this year, I got COVID in the first week of January, which was annoying and stressful. I had pretty mild symptoms and managed to not contaminate anyone else in my household, thankfully. For the most part, I’m ok, but I felt no taste whatsoever for pretty much three weeks which made every meal incredibly depressing.
2. And I bought tickets to see Harry Styles in concert. I originally bought tickets to Love on Tour in 2019, to watch Harry two days before my 20th birthday in 2020. Obviously, because of the pandemic, the show was canceled and then rescheduled for December 2022. I was surprised to have gotten tickets because they sold out so freaking fast. I really hope the covid situation improves by December cause I will be very upset to miss another concert of his.

BOOKS I READ

★★★★☆

My first read of 2022 was Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins-Reid. I still think my favorite by this author is Daisy Jones & The Six, but this one was still fun. Taylor Jenkins-Reid writes the absolute best settings and it was so easy to feel like I was, indeed, in Malibu in the 80s. The characters were cool, and while I preferred the present timeline over the past one, I still really appreciate the authors’ perspective on themes such as family and responsibility.

★★★☆☆

One of Us is Next was a pretty boring read until about the 60% mark. I didn’t care much for the characters, I found the writing to be full of unnecessary details and the secrets that were being shared were just so painfully dull. However, after a character death happens halfway through the story, the book definitely picks up. While I did manage to predict the twist, I still found entertaining to see things unravel.

★★★★☆

Then, the amazing Here for the Queers Book Club had The Passing Playbook as their book of the month and I decided it was the perfect time to read this one! It was definitely super cute, and I liked the protagonist a lot. However, I did think the autism rep was a bit questionable and for a book that hammered down the idea that coming out should only be done when it’s safe and you feel prepared to do so, it seemed to forget this message by the end, which was 😕

★★★☆☆

Also, thanks to Marie’s recommendation, I read A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow! I absolutely loved the setting of this one and it was incredibly atmospheric. I also liked the protagonist’s journey and development and how amazing her family was, even miles away. What I will say is that I am not a fan of foodie romances and got a bit tired of the amount of pastry descriptions by the halfway mark lol.

★★★★★

After that, I re-read Sinner which is a companion novella to the Wolves of Mercy Falls. I do admit that this book has a very convenient and rushed ending to it, but I still love it so hard. It’s pretty much no plot, just vibes, but I love how angsty it is. Also, Maggie Stiefvater’s writing style, all the side characters – Sofia, Leon, Jeremy – and how much Isabel and Cole are both hurting and yet how they work so wonderfully together just make my heart so full.

★★★★☆

Then, I also finished Isn’t It Bromantic, which was such a great ride. I love Lyssa Kay Adams’ writing, both in the way she writes perfectly about failed marriages and pining, and also about how she never fails to write hilarious frendship dynamics. I will say I could’ve also lived with less food descriptions in this one, and I found the thrilling elements to be not my favorite, but it was still a great romance overall.

The Nobleman’s Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks was a highly anticipated novel for me, as I love Mackenzi Lee’s writing style and her Montague Siblings trilogy has been so great. I am technically still reading this one, but so far, it’s been such an entertaining ride. I love Aiden and I think his dynamic with his siblings is amazing. I also love how the author crafts the characters’ development and I think it’s interesting how much Monty and Felicity also have growing up to do, despite already being adults.

MONTHLY PLAYLIST

There’s not much I listened to in January that stood out to me, except I have been rewatching Nashville and falling back in love with the playlist and I finally listened to Gracie Abrams’ newest album, released late last year. She’s a good vocalist and I do realy enjoy her lyrics.

LOOKING FORWARD

I hope to have a good reading month in February as well, as I have a lot of reading plans. Work has resumed normally, but I also want to find some time to actually work on my long-term goals and resolutions (like finally scheduling a dermatologist appointment and researching how to start my drivers’ license process).

Let me know: how was your January? Have you read anything outstanding? Have you rea any of the books I talked about? Also, if you have song recs, drop them in the comments too!

monthly wrap up: november, ’21

Hello, friends!

It’s been forever since I wrote a post and I apologize. Life has been incredibly chaotic lately: my internship is kicking my ass, I have an upcoming international trip to plan for and university is still going somehow, lol. I hope to dedicate more time in this end of the year to blog hop, catch up and finally draft some posts for y’all!

BOOKS I READ

I finally picked up Here The Whole Time, which was super quick to read. Some dialogues in this book felt very artificial (like trying too hard to be woke) and the pop culture references were clearly made by someone over 25, not by a teenager. However, the relationship was still adorable and I appreciated a lot the discussion on body image and therapy made by the protagonist.

 

I finally read Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating and this one really was Quirky. But in the best possible way. While I did find the conclusion to be a bit too rushed and wrapped-up-in-a-bow, I still really liked the characters, their dynamic and the sex scenes were particularly well written! Congrats!

 

Now, it is true that my read of Call Down the Hawk lasted for what it felt like a month. Every time I thought the book was about to end, Maggie Stiefvater found a way to squeeze 50 more pages. It was driving me a bit insane. But, overall, the book is actually pretty cool! I definitely prefer the characters we already knew from TRC than the new ones we are introduced to here, but the dynamics (except for the romance) were cute and the plot is vvvvv interesting.

 

I loved Love and Other Natural Disasters SO MUCH! This book had an amazing chaotic protagonist, a twist in the fake-dating trope that was great to read about, and a very important conversation on dealing with homophobic relatives that was so refreshing to read about. I also really enjoyed all the characters and imo, the author did an amazing job with all of them despite the short amount of time we spend with them.

I still haven’t found out how to rate An Emotion of Great Delight. This book is very sad, as it deals with a MC with depression, grief, self-harm and a toxic friendship. All the characters are hurting themselves and one another. It’s overall, pretty awful, but I think comes with great discussions on mental health, as well as colorism within the Muslim community and the protagonist’s relationship with religion. However, there’s a very predominant romance that I didn’t like at all, and it didn’t help that the author barely addressed how codependent and unhealthy they would be together.

MONTHLY PLAYLIST

Was ther an option to listen to anything else this month but Red (Taylor’s Version)? Like everyone else, I am absolutely obsessed with it and it was hard actually listening to anything else. My favorite songs are the All Too Well 10min version, obviously, but Forever Winter and Nothing New are stunning as well.

LOOKING FORWARD

I have a trip planned for this December, but the new covid variant really is about to ruin all my plans, which is lovely and not making me freak out at all. *insert picture of the dog in the room on fire saying “this is fine”*. I am excited to all the end-of-the-year content we’ll be seeing, though!

How are you, friends? It’s been a long time so let me know what you’re up to, which books you read recently that you loved (or not) and what is your favorite song from Red (Taylor’s Version)!

what i’ve been watching recently #14

Hello, friends!

It’s been a while since I last posted, but between my internship and uni, it’s been hard finding time and inspiration to blog. I hope you guys don’t mind me commenting on posts from a month ago, but I just now got around to reading them!

Despite that, I did find time to watch more than a couple shows. I am so glad because for a while there, I had literally nothing else to watch and it was making me sad, lol.

THE CROWN (S4)

I did it, friends! The whole time, my goal was to watch *this* season and I finally got around to it. It absolutely did not disappoint.

I think they actually did a good job providing an all-around perspective on the issues and not completely turn Charles into a villain. He still wasn’t likable and I did want to punch him in the face multiple times, but you also understood how his and Diana’s marriage was doomed to unhappiness from the beginning.

Diana was as lovely as ever and this season made me think a lot: about how much happier she could’ve been had she never gotten married, about the loneliness of being surrounded by people that didn’t care about her, and about how everyone in the world loved her and Charles never could.

Also: tolerate it by Taylor Swift never made as much sense as after watching this season.

LOVE 101 (S2)

I’ve talked about season one of this show before, but I was so happy they got a season 2! Love 101 is a Turkish drama and it’s honestly, found family *perfection*.

My favorite thing about this second season was how they developed specific tiers within the friend group. In Love 101, we follow five friends and we had mostly seen them interacting as a group, but this season, there was a lot of one-on-one interactions between Kerem x Sinan, Eda x Sinan, Kerem x Osman. I absolutely loved that!

It was also extremely emotional at times and seeing their future selves made my heart warm. I think it was a hopeful story overall, and while I was annoyed by the teachers’ plot line this time around, it did not taint the whole season for me at all!

ON MY BLOCK (S4)

Speaking of found families…

Y’all, I love this show. On My Block will forever be one of my favorite series of all times and finishing this season made me very nostalgic about the first couple.

I found this finale to be hilarious and emotional. They were able to balance very well the funny moments and give more of a protagonist role to the best characters – Ruby and Jamal -, while also concluding very well the more emotionally heavy plot lines (such as Cesar’s and Oscar’s).

While I was annoyed that we didn’t get as much of Jasmine and Ruby as I would’ve liked (!!), this season was still tons of fun and I was overall pretty happy with our official goodbye to these characters.

DIARY OF A FUTURE PRESIDENT (S2)

The way I will be suing if there’s not a third season of this show.

Diary of a Future President is FANTASTIC and this season made me even happier than the first! It also made me cry a lot more.

We saw Bobby fully coming into terms with his sexuality and I cried *so* much with this plot line, it’s not even funny. Gabi also had such a fantastic development and Elena’s friend group is absolutely God level tier perfection.

To me, this season really was able to further develop the characters and their dynamics while still being the light-hearted, responsible work that it’s been. Plus, I loved seeing more of adult Elena acting as her consciousness! I really hope we get a season 3 because so many things were left unanswered and I *NEED* answers!

What have you watched recently? Any shows I absolutely need to check out? If you watched any of these, let me know your thoughts!

21 of my favorite books of all times in honor of turning 21

Hello, friends!

Today, I turn 21 years old. I honestly feel like I’m still 15 and haven’t aged a single year since that, but unfortunately, I have. Unlike most people, I actually really dislike my birthday, which is why writing posts like these is an attempt to make this day a bit more fun & reflective for me, instead of all the negative vibes that hit as soon as the clock turns midnight.

For this year, I decided to compile 21 of my favorite YA contemporary titles. YA contemporary is my favorite genre, so it just felt fitting to choose this one. It’s going to be a long post, so bear with me!

21 IS FOR THE WICKER KING, BY K. ANCRUM

He would crave the burn until he was dead.

I remember reading this book while in Math class, back in high school. The story was twisting my insides and making me feel so sad, and I still could not put the book down. K. Ancrum creates such amazing characters with an unique writing to show a relationship that is imperfect, but still so so so compelling.

☔️ rep: m/m romance, neurodiverse protagonist
🌈 own-voices: no
🌪 trigger warnings: toxic relationship, codependency, parental neglect, anxiety and panic attacks, use of ableist language

 

20 IS FOR SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY, BY KELLY QUINDLEN

I had yet to learn that being a nobody is supposed to bother me.

On a completely different vibe from the last book which is tragic and gritty, She Drives Me Crazy is the F/F romcom of my dreams. With the same vibes to 10 Things I Hate About You, this book touched on so many different topics, of friendship, family, sexuality, being an athlete and misogyny, while still being a fun and light-hearted story full of teen-com tropes.

☔️ rep: lesbian MC, indian-american love interest, f/f romance
🌈 own-voices: yes for the queer rep
🌪 trigger warnings: bullying and homophobia

 

19 IS FOR DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY, BY ADIB KHORRAM

Everyone wants you here. We have a saying in Farsi. It translates ‘your place was empty.’ We say it when we miss somebody. Your place was empty before. But this is your family. You belong here.

This book was able to deliver *so* much and make a story that is, objectively, quite far from my reality, feel relatable. Darius The Great tackles mostly identity and our protagonist learning more about his Persian roots, but even as someone who couldn’t see herself in that part of the story, the way the book tackles fatphobia inside your own family and the approach of mental health resonated with me very deeply.

☔️ rep: clinical depression, gay MC, fat rep and persian rep
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: fatphobia, bullying, depression, suicidal ideation, terminal ilness

 

18 IS FOR WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI

You are beautiful. Lajawab. My only worry is that I might not be able to do you justice.

I recently re-read this book and it was such a great experience. While I was able to notice a lot more of its flaws (such as the slut-shaming, internalized misogyny and the lack of actual plot), I still stand by the fact that Dimple and Rishi are one of the best couples I’ve ever read in YA. They push each other to be the best, truer versions of themselves and their interactions are always so mature, with great communication and support.

☔️ rep: indian-american protagonists, latinx side character
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: misogyny, racism and bullying

 

17 IS FOR BIRTHDAY, BY MEREDITH RUSSO

We’ll always be Eric and Morgan. Nothing is ever going to change that.

This is another one that I can definitely say has its flaws, but it’s one of the most compelling stories I’ve ever read. It’s extremely intense, and heartbreaking, and even though it is written in such an unique format, where you’re only spending one day each year with these characters, it’s so easy to connect and feel for them. It’s childhood-friends-to-lovers excellence and so, so, so well-written.

☔️ rep: trans protagonist
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: domestic abuse, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, internalized transphobia, homophobia, bullying, death of a parent

 

16 IS FOR HERETICS ANONYMOUS, BY KATIE HENRY

Aren’t most wonderful things a little bit strange?

I do need to re-read this book urgently, yes. But I can only recall the good vibes I felt when reading this story. I love the representation, the dialogues, the humor, and our protagonist. Michael is not likable and he can come across as a privileged douche sometimes, but I really appreciate how the story did not deny that and yet acknowledged that his problems were also still valid.

☔️ rep: colombian-american side character, gay Jewish side character.
🌈 own-voices: no
🌪 trigger warnings: slut-shaming and homophobia

 

15 IS FOR DEAR JUSTYCE, BY NIC STONE

We find the families we were desperate for and learn different ways of going about things. Ways that sometimes land us in places/positions we don’t really wanna be in.

This won’t be the last Nic Stone you see in this list, because I do love this author more than life sometimes. Dear Justyce is what I consider to be her best work: it tackles anxiety, PTSD and being in the prison system at a young age in a way that is so honest and raw, and yet so poetic and lyrical and absolutely beautiful. I love how Nic Stone allows her characters to be imperfect and most importantly to *grow*.

☔️ rep: black MC and side characters, PTSD
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: PTSD and anxiety attacks, domestic violence, child abuse, gun violence, murder and incarceration

 

14 IS FOR CAMP, BY L.C ROSEN

I rock a tiara — but I can do anything he can do and be a princess while doing it.

I am still amazed by how this book was able to blow me away. I expected to enjoy it, but it was so refreshing to read a book that empowers queer people in a way that goes against everything the internet and pop culture have tried to tell me: there’s no one way to be queer and queerness can mean whatever it means *to you*.

☔️ rep: gay Jewish MC, gay korean-american love interest, asexual side character, genderqueer side character
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: internalized homophobia, sexual content, toxic masculinity, homophobic slurs (challenged)

13 IS FOR LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR, BY STEPHANIE PERKINS

I know you aren’t perfect. But it’s a person’s imperfections that make them perfect for someone else.

I’m pretty sure I’ve forced every single one of my friends to read this book at one point. I love it so much, I can’t help but want to spread its word. It has the most perfect pacing of any romance I’ve ever read – the perfect amount of sexual tension and slow burn. It also has amazing family dynamics, laugh-out-loud writing and unique characters that you would never see in real life, which I actually love.

☔️ rep: MC is adopted and has two gay dads
🌈 own-voices: no
🌪 trigger warnings: N/A

 

12 IS FOR RADIO SILENCE, BY ALICE OSEMAN

Everyone’s different inside their head.

I think it’s remarkable how Alice Oseman is able to write a story that is so deep going from a plot that is so basic: two best friends making a podcast together. If you have read Radio Silence, though, you know how it’s so much more than that. This book makes me wish for a friendship like Frances and Aled’s so bad. I love how their relationship is this safe space where they get to be the most authentic version of themselves.

☔️ rep: biracial queer MC, demisexual gay MC, depression
🌈 own-voices: N/A
🌪 trigger warnings: parental abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts, animal cruelty

 

11 IS FOR AMERICAN PANDA, BY GLORIA CHAO

I couldn’t go through life as a shadow.

Another book I need to re-read so bad. American Panda is one of those books where I fell in love with our main character so fast and just wanted to wrap her in a blanket forever. Mei is figuring out so much about herself and her future, and her journey to live as her true self is quite lonely. I really just wanted to become her best friend. I also adore the romance and the complex family dynamics that Gloria Chao creates here.

☔️ rep: taiwanese-american MC with OCD, japanese-american love interest
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: toxic family relationship, OCD, discussions on STDS and mentions of suicide

 

10 IS FOR CONCRETE ROSE, BY ANGIE ROSE

I like to be reminded that beauty can come from much of nothing. To me that’s the whole point of flowers.

I finished this book back in January and is one I’m still thinking about. Not only was this hilarious, but it also brings such an authentic perspective of being a black man in America. Maverick really is a rose trying to bloom from the concrete, trying to make the best decisions he can in a world that thrives on his failure. The sense of community also makes my heart so warm.

☔️ rep: black cast of characters, bisexual side character
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: mentions of parental incarceration, death of a loved one, gang violence, gun violence, drug dealing, racism

9 IS FOR I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN, BY JANDY NELSON

We were all heading for each other on a collision course, no matter what. Maybe some people are just meant to be in the same story.

This! freaking! book! Since the first time I read it, it’s one I still think about. I’ll Give You The Sun is an amazing story of characters that are incredibly flawed, but that you simply can’t help but root for. The way this book discusses family is so well done and how all characters are fated to be in each other’s life is absolutely beautiful. It also made me think a lot about the importance of art.

☔️ rep: gay MC, m/m relationship
🌈 own-voices: N/A
🌪 trigger warnings: death of a loved one, grief, sexual assault, bullying, discussions of addiction

8 IS FOR FAR FROM THE TREE, BY ROBIN BENWAY

They catch you before you fall. That’s what family is.

Another one that discusses family so well is Far From the Tree. The themes of this book are so incredibly well done: what family really means, how you can build a future without knowing about your past, how pregnancy changes a person and the importance of having a place where you know you belong. I cried quite a bit with this one too.

☔️ rep: mexican-american MC, lesbian MC
🌈 own-voices: no
🌪 trigger warnings: teen pregnancy, adoption, discussions of alcoholism, foster system

 

7 IS FOR TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE, BY JENNY HAN

Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That’s the part of the risk. I don’t want to be scared anymore.

Duh. Of course this one had to be on the list. I’m choosing the first one, even if it isn’t my favorite in the trilogy, because it is the one that starts it all. I’ll never shut up about how Jenny Han knows exactly how to use teen-com tropes and create stories that feel authentic and romantic at the same time. While the family in here is absolutely amazing, my favorite thing will forever be how great characters Lara Jean and Peter K are.

☔️ rep: korean-american MC
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: N/A

 

6 IS FOR FURIA, BY YAMILE SAIED MÉNDEZ

I’d leave this house the first chance I got, but not by chasing after a boy. I’d do it on my own terms, following my dreams, not someone else’s.

I had to include this book in the list, as it was one of the first ones I could 100% see myself in. Camila is a much stronger and badass protagonist than I’ll ever be, but the way Furia tackles misogyny and the numerous times women have to endure things in order to stay *safe*, was so heart-wrenching to read about. I also loved the romance and the setting of Rosario, which felt so relatable as well.

☔️ rep: argentinian cast
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: domestic abuse, allusions to femicide and violence against women, misogyny

 

5 IS FOR DEAR MARTIN, BY NIC STONE

If nothing in the world ever changes, what type of man are you gonna be?

I said this wasn’t the last time Nic Stone would show up in the list. This was the first book I read by her and I love it so much. The writing is so interesting, but most of all, this book has really tough conversations about how black people are perceived, no matter who they are. The main friendship at the center of the story is also so sweet and Justyce is a phenomenal protagonist that I connected with so easily.

☔️ rep: black MC and side characters, jewish love interest
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: death of a loved one, gun violence, police brutality, racism

 

4 IS FOR WHERE SHE WENT, BY GAYLE FORMAN

I find the need to remind myself of the temporariness of a day, to reassure myself that I got through yesterday, I’ll get through today.

The amount of times I talk about this book is honestly worrisome. I can’t help but love it so much! I adore how much of an angsty narrator Adam is, how he feels things so intensely all the time, and how much music works in his life as a way to channel all these emotions. His growth is also so stunning to watch and, for one set in 24h, the development does not feel rushed at all.

☔️ rep: anxiety
🌈 own-voices: N/A
🌪 trigger warnings: anxiety and panic attacks, mentions of car accidents and grief

 

3 IS FOR ONLY MOSTLY DEVASTATED, BY SOPHIE GONZALES

Here walks Ollie Di Fiore. Master of his feelings, expert detacher, only mostly devastated.

This book just makes me so effing happy. Honestly. It’s serotonin bottled in 300 pages. I never knew I needed a Grease re-telling, with a chaotic main character and a deeply relatable family dynamic, but here we are. I can see this becoming another one of those books I re-read every year just because I know it will never fail to put me in a good mood.

☔️ rep: gay MC, bisexual latinx love interest, wlw side character
🌈 own-voices: yes for the bi rep
🌪 trigger warnings: cancer, grief, bullying and internalized homophobia

 

2 IS FOR CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT, BY BRIGID KEMMERER

One choice doesn’t determine your whole future.

Look, I didn’t mean to make this book my whole entire brand, but oh well. For a book I had no expectations when going into it, Call It What You Want most certainly made a number on me. I adore how the novel discusses morality: what does it mean to do a bad thing for a good reason, what is the line between good and evil, how do our actions define us. All that in an addictive, compelling story with an A+ romance. Brigid Kemmerer really did that.

☔️ rep: black gay side character
🌈 own-voices: no
🌪 trigger warnings: discussions of suicide attempt and abortion, student/teacher relationship (challenged)

1 IS FOR ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE, BY BENJAMIN ALIRE SÁENZ

The summer sun was not meant for boys like me. Boys like me belonged to the rain.

Lmao. I feel like at this point, every single one of my posts mention this book. I’m sorry, I’m a basic girl. Ari & Dante is another book I pushed every single one of my friends to read because I just had to make sure everyone I knew was familiar with this masterpiece. I don’t think I’ll ever relate to anyone as much as I relate to Ari and I love him so much for that.

☔️ rep: gay and latinx main characters
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: homophobia, assault, mentions of a transphobic hate crime, car accident

 

Friends: let me know in the comments, do you have one favorite YA contemporary of all times? Is it a part of my list as well?