The second part of my spring favorites for this year because I read a crap ton of books. These are the best books I’ve read, movies I’ve watched, music I’ve listened to, and other great things I’ve found during the months of April and May!
Books
Reminder: ALWAYS check trigger warnings before reading! I have many listed in each book’s individual section, but you can look here to find a more comprehensive list.
All summaries are shortened from the synopses on Goodreads.
Fantasy
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (13+)
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free. However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school's resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He's determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.
This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. I laughed out loud, I screamed, I cried, and I fell in love with the characters and the story.
Aiden Thomas told Yadriel’s story in such an endearing way, and this has been the most connected I’ve felt to characters in a long time. My heart is warmed by each and every one of them.
CW: death of a loved one, talk of loss of a parent, misgendering, mention of parental abuse, mention of transphobic parents and deportation
Crier’s War by Nina Varela (14+)
After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae took over the estates of their owners and bent the human race to their will. Ayla, a human servant, dreams of avenging the death of her family by killing the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier, who was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father. But that was before she was betrothed to Scyre Kinok, who seems to have a thousand secrets. That was before she discovered her father isn’t as benevolent as she thought. That was before she met Ayla.
Sapphic enemies to lovers
This story was so beautifully crafted, and all of the characters were so interesting to learn about, especially with their complex backstories
The book draws on some of popular YA fantasy elements (the one bed trope, rebellion, etc) but it also introduced some very fascinating new elements with its magic system, worldbuilding, and main conflicts. It also handled power dynamics really well because Ayla and Crier are of different social classes.
CW: discussions of war; discussions of the suffering & exploitation of humans by (magical) ruling class; death; violence
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (14+)
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus: a flying demon, a secret society of “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down, and a mysterious mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw. The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.
SO GOOD! I loved Bree as a protagonist, and once I got into it, I couldn’t put this book down; action-packed for sure
CW: alcohol, death of a parent, gore (mild), grief, physical abuse (mentioned), racism, rape (on-page, not explicit/graphic), trauma, violence
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (13+)
The once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life and could be the key to setting her country free. Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and her heart.
I’ve heard so much about this book from all of my friends who read, so it was great to finally meet the characters and form my own opinions on them
CW: abuse, death, dubious consent, genocide, gore
Contemporary
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (18+)
For cynical twenty-three-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don't exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. There’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures. But then, there's this gorgeous girl on the train. Jane. August's subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there's one big problem: Jane is displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help her.
First of all, this book is sapphic. Second of all, the characters and their experiences and backgrounds all made me feel so seen. The representation is immaculate, and I think Casey McQuiston did a lovely job characterizing each of them and their personalities with little things like how their rooms are decorated or their subtle quirks. I just love them all so much.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC! One Last Stop comes out on June 1st!
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter (15+)
Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago, but her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar—even befriend Wes Bennet. The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in. But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love—and rethink her own ideas of what Happily Ever After should look like.
Enemies to allies to lovers, boy next door, fake dating, and love triangle/square
I swooned so much oh my gosh I was in love from the first page
This is one that I’m adding to my all-time favorites list
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC! Better Than the Movies comes out on May 4th!
CW: death of a loved one (mentioned), drinking
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar (13+)
When Nishat comes out to her parents, they say she can be anyone she wants—as long as she isn’t herself. Because Muslim girls aren’t lesbians. Nishat doesn’t want to hide who she is, but she also doesn’t want to lose her relationship with her family. And her life only gets harder once a childhood friend walks back into her life. Flávia is beautiful and charismatic and Nishat falls for her instantly. But when a school competition invites students to create their own businesses, both Flávia and Nishat choose to do henna, even though Flávia is appropriating Nishat’s culture. Nishat can’t quite get rid of her crush on Flávia, and realizes there might be more to her than she realized.
Really cute read that delves into topics like cultural appropriation and cultural expectations
CW: bullying, cultural appropriation, homophobia, public outing, racism
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (17+)
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. When she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one in the journalism community is more astounded than Monique herself. She is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband, David, has left her, and her career has stagnated. Regardless, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. She listens as Evelyn unfurls her story: from making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the late 80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn’s life unfolds—revealing a ruthless ambition, an unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love—Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the actress. But as Evelyn’s story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
This one utterly, truly broke me. I don’t think I will ever forget it.
CW: alcohol, biphobia, cancer, cheating, death, domestic abuse, homophobia, physical abuse, racism, sexism, statutory rape, suicide (mentioned)
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (18+)
Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help her “Get a Life”. But it’s not easy being bad, even when you’ve written step-by-step guidelines on how to do it correctly. What Chloe needs is a teacher, and she knows just the man for the job. Redford ‘Red’ Morgan is a handyman and artist with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. When Chloe enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns what really lies beneath his rough exterior…
I couldn’t put this one down, and I loved seeing the chronic illness/disability rep!
There are two other books this series featuring Chloe’s sisters, and they’re lovely as well
CW: ableism, abusive relationship, classism, racism, sexual content
I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas by Tiffany Schmidt (12+)
Noelle Partridge is known for three things: being the best ballet dancer, babysitter, and person with the most Christmas spirit in her small town. But lately, she’s bored by the lessons at her dance school, and her friends and father are more bah humbug than Hallmark movie marathon. So when her favorite babysitting clients ask her to accompany them on a ski trip over winter break, she packs her bags for the slopes. It helps that they’re offering double her rate—she’ll need the money for Beacon, an elite ballet academy that’s granted her an audition. Noelle is ready to “Deck the Halls” and have fa la la la fun, until Wyatt, the older half-brother of her babysitting charges, decides to surprise his family for the holiday. He’s one of the best dancers at Beacon, and makes Noelle’s head spin faster than pirouettes. Unfortunately, she also manages to step on his toes—spoiling his surprise and complicating his secret plans. After a few missteps, Noelle and Wyatt begin to thaw toward each other and bond over the big decisions looming in each of their lives. With enough Christmas magic, Noelle might just start the New Year with lots of babysitting cash in her pocket and a chance with the pas de deux partner of her dreams.
SO ADORABLE and swoon-worthy!
Christmas x ballet x super cute romance (slight enemies to lovers dynamic)
Perfect for any lovers of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series! (there’s a hot tub scene hehe)
Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for the e-ARC! I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas comes out on October 5th!
Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Fraiser (12+)
Annie is a smart, antisocial lesbian who’s under pressure to join the cheerleader squad to make friends and round out her college applications. Her former friend BeeBee is a people-pleaser—a trans girl who must keep her parents happy with her grades and social life to keep their support of her transition. Through the rigors of squad training and amped-up social pressures (not to mention microaggressions and other queer youth problems), the two girls rekindle a friendship they thought they’d lost and discover there may be other, sweeter feelings springing up between them.
Graphic novel
Very fluffy and lighthearted, while also dealing with some more serious topics!
CW: transphobia, fatphobia
Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the e-ARC! Cheer Up comes out on August 10th!
Quick photo break before getting back to the last couple books :D
Thriller
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (13+)
The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. Everyone knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?
I didn't see any of the plot twists coming, and the book really keeps you engaged and trying to solve the murder for yourself
The characters = stunning, wonderful, so lovable
CW: death, bullying, cheating (implied), death threats, disordered eating (mentioned), drug abuse, kidnapping, murder, psychological abuse, racism, rape (mentioned), self-harm (mentioned), suicide (mentioned), verbal abuse
Sci-Fi
City of Shattered Light by Claire Winn (14+)
As heiress to a powerful tech empire, seventeen-year-old Asa Almeida strives to prove she's more than her manipulative father's shadow. But when he uploads her rebellious sister’s mind to an experimental brain, Asa will do anything to save her sister from reprogramming—including fleeing her predetermined future with her sister’s digitized mind in tow. With a bounty on her head and a rogue A.I. hunting her, Asa’s getaway ship crash-lands in the worst possible place: the neon-drenched outlaw paradise, Requiem. Gun-slinging smuggler Riven Hawthorne is determined to claw her way up Requiem’s underworld hierarchy. A runaway rich girl is exactly the bounty Riven needs—until a nasty computer virus spreads in Asa’s wake, causing a citywide blackout and tech quarantine. To get the payout for Asa and save Requiem from the monster in its circuits, Riven must team up with her captive. As one of Requiem’s 154-hour nights grows darker, the girls must decide whether to fend for themselves or fight for each other before Riven’s city and Asa’s sister are snuffed out forever.
SUPER action-packed
Sapphic with a bisexual love triangle (m/f and f/f); reluctant allies to lovers; found family
Perfect for fans of Warcross by Marie Lu
CW: gun violence, death, mild gore, emotional abuse/manipulation, mild body horror (cybernetics), references to suicide, terminal illness, drug and alcohol references
Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for the e-ARC! City of Shattered Light comes out on October 19th!
Music
“Crooked Teeth” - HwaYoun (pls go stream this one - HwaYoun is so sweet and unbelievably talented)
“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” - Taylor Swift (my faves: The Way I Loved You, You Belong With Me, Forever & Always, Mr. Perfectly Fine)
“Cherry Wine” - Hozier
“hurts like hell” - Wrabel
“My Person” - Tayler Buono
“I Would” - Connie Talbot
“When He Sees Me” - Kimiko Glenn (from the Waitress soundtrack)
“Just Cause I Love You” - Anna Avery
“About Love” - MARINA
“Cooler Than Me” - Ethan Fields
“Young Love” - Phillip Vo
“Retail Therapy” - ROSIE
“Achilles Heel” - J. Maya
“Falling Up” - Dean Lewis
“Jasper Avenue” - CaRter
“Alright” - Clara Mae ft. Russell Dickerson
“deja vu” - Olivia Rodrigo
“TOO YOUNG TO BE SAD” - Tate McRae (my faves: slower, wish i loved you in the 90s)
“Closure” - Hayd
“Happy Ever After You” - New Rules
YouTube Channels
Matt Trav: high school senior (incoming freshman at Harvard) that makes lifestyle and student life content
A Clockwork Reader: makes book-related content; super funny and great book recs!
Izzy Snapshots: senior at Barnard College majoring in neuroscience (pre-med track) that makes lifestyle and student life content
Sami Clarke: makes lifestyle and fitness content; I love her workout videos!
Jennifer Le: makes lifestyle, productivity (stationery + journaling), and art content; super calming and aesthetically pleasing videos
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