• Book Reviews

    SEVEN PERCENT OF RO DEVEREUX BY ELLEN O’CLOVER // spoiler-free book review: finally reviewing one of my fave books of 2023 & forever screaming over this author

    It’s been a long time coming but. It’s you and me. That’s my whole world. Miss Ro Devereux isn’t a… bad bad girl? Okay fun over, that was bad. But I hope I expressed my excitement ovet this book in some small way? If you’ve been here a while, you may have noticed and I’ve read and adored both of these author’s books. I just haven’t sat down to yell about them in their own post. Well except for this fun thing I did… Yeah go read that, we had a lot of fun. Anyways, enough babbling because I NEED TO GUSH SO STINKING BAD!!!! Title: Seven Percent of Ro DevereuxAuthor: Ellen O’CloverPage count: 320Date published: 17 January 2023Genre: Young Adult contemporary romance 🎧 Synopsis: Ro Devereux can predict your future. Or at least, the app she’s created can. Inspired by the iconic kids’ game, MASH calculates details about your life with 93% accuracy, like where you’ll live and what your career will be. It can even match you with your soulmate. When MASH goes viral, swanky Silicon Valley app developer XLR8 swoops in to partner with Ro. She’s thrilled until she’s betrayed by her own algorithm and matched with…

  • Book Reviews

    CHECK AND MATE BY ALI HAZELWOOD // spoiler-free book review: this book has me in a chokehold and we don’t talk about this NA rivals to lovers chess rom-com enough!!!

    I just can’t stay quiet any longer. I must stand up and speak my truth: you are all wrong if you disliked this book and yes I have an argument to back myself up. What can’t of an amateur do you think I am? Anyways, let’s just get right into it!!! Title: Check & MateAuthor: Ali HazelwoodPage count: 325Date published: 7 November 2023Genre: New adult contemporary ♟️ Synopsis: Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess. Nolan’s loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What’s even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can’t help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist…. As she…

  • Author interviews

    INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR ELLEN O’CLOVER // chatting with debut author of Seven Percent of Ro Devereux aka my first favourite of the year on release day

    So so excited about today’s post so I can yell about this wonderful book that you all nee to read RIGHT THIS SECOND!!! We have a very special guest so why I shut up and just get started? Big thanks to Harper Teen and the author for gifting me with an eARCof Seven Percent of Ro Devereux via Netgalley! Title: Seven Percent of Ro DevereuxAuthor: Ellen O’ CloverPage count: 320Date published: 17 January 2023Genre: Young adult contemporary romance 📱 Synopsis: Ro Devereux can predict your future. Or, at least, the app she built for her senior project can. Working with her neighbor, a retired behavioral scientist, Ro created an app called MASH, designed around the classic game Mansion Apartment Shack House, that can predict a person’s future with 93% accuracy. The app will even match users with their soul mates. Though it was only supposed to be a class project, MASH quickly takes off and gains the attention of tech investors. Ro’s dream is to work in Silicon Valley, and she’ll do anything to prove to her new backing company—and the world—that the app works. So it’s a huge shock when the app says her soul mate is Miller, her…

  • Book Reviews

    A LADY FOR A DUKE BY ALEXIS HALL // spoiler-free book review: this regency romance will solve all of your problems and maybe melt your heart along the way

    Let’s see if I can get through this review without crying. Because I probably will. This book is my new everything and I shall now commence with the shoving and the faces and down the throats. You’ve bene forewarned. Onwards we go!!!! Title: A Lady For A DukeAuthor: Alexis HallPage count: 460Date published: 24 May 2022Genre: Adult historical romance ✉ Synopsis: When Viola Carroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood. Only when their families reconnect, years after the war, does Viola learn how deep that loss truly was. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognises her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become. As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that would have been impossible once and may be impossible still, but which Viola cannot deny. Even if they cost her everything, all over again. ✉   ✉…

  • Book Reviews

    ALEX, APPROXIMATELY BY JENN BENNETT // spoiler-free book review: my new fave ya contemporary ft. all the summery beach vibes & stunning enemies to lovers romance

    Eeep I’m finally caught up on old reviews so now I can yell about books I’ve read fairly recently. Are you proud of me? Because I am. This book means a whole lot to me and I’m very mad at myself for taking so long to read it. But it was absolutely everything and I need to shove it down all of your throats. Yup, you have no choice. Let’s get into the squealing <3<3<3 Title: Alex, ApproximatelyAuthor: Jenn BennettPage count: 392Date published: 4 April 2017Genre: Young Adult contemporary romance ☀️ Synopsis: Classic movie buff Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online by “Alex.” Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush. Faced with doubts (what if he’s a creep in real life—or worse?), Bailey doesn’t tell Alex she’s moved to his hometown. Or that she’s landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she’s being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth—a.k.a. her new arch-nemesis. But life is whole lot messier than the movies, especially when Bailey discovers…

  • Book Reviews

    TODAY TONIGHT TOMORROW BY RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON // spoiler-free book review: a YA contemporary adventure ft. witty writing & swoon-worthy academic rivals to lovers

    Truly didn’t expect this but colour me surprised by how much I adored this book and I love it here <3<3<3 Picked this book up on a total whim, not thinking much would come from it as I didn’t love an adult romance from this author, but as you can probably guess, I adored it and am here to hype it up even more. I’m a hopeless romantic, I can’t help myself. Into the heart eyes review! Title: Today Tonight TomorrowAuthor: Rachel Lynn SolomonPage count: 364Date published: 14 July 2020Genre: Young Adult contemporary romance ✎ Synopsis: Today, she hates him. It’s the last day of senior year. Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school, clashing on test scores, student council elections, and even gym class pull-up contests. While Rowan, who secretly wants to write romance novels, is anxious about the future, she’d love to beat her infuriating nemesis one last time. Tonight, she puts up with him. When Neil is named valedictorian, Rowan has only one chance at victory: Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle, a farewell tour of the city she loves. But after learning a group…

  • Book Reviews

    YOU HAVE A MATCH BY EMMA LORD // spoiler-free book review: a dazzling YA summer camp contemporary ft. heavy sibling relationships & adorable friends to lovers romance

    I do deserve public shame for a) taking over a year to read this even though I had an early copy and b) ever having doubt that I would not love this. Currently typing out my Notes app apology. That’s not even an exaggeration, I’d actually do it haha. Anyways, I’ve been on a YA craze as of late and it feels absolutely amazing. This was one I finally decided it was time to read and is my new obsession. Going to yell at myself and you to read it NOWWW!!! Let’s get into the screaming <3<3<3 Title: You Have A MatchAuthor: Emma LordPage count: 305Date published: 12 January 2021Genre: Young Adult contemporary romance 🌳 Synopsis: When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front. But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister. When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re…

  • Book Reviews

    AFTER I DO BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID // spoiler-free book review: this marriage in crisis adult contemporary blew my mind and i will never be okay again!!!

    Welcome to round three of Ruby catching up on reviews of books she read in 2021 that were also on the favourites list, but I’m a terrible human. I, too, did not follow whatever I just wrote oops. Anyways, I’m a huge fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid, so this is an exciting review. Also was shocked at how much I adored this book, which is a crime on humanity because how can I expect anything less from queen TJR??? Let’s just get into the yelling! Title: After I DoAuthor: Taylor Jenkins ReidPage count: 336Date published: 1 July 2014Genre: Adult contemporary fiction 💍 Synopsis:  When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Other than that, anything goes. Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas…

  • Book Reviews

    A MILLION JUNES BY EMILY HENRY // spoiler-free book review: a mystifying tale of grief and love ft. gorgeous writing and banter worthy of awards from my fave author

    The shame continues as this review is approximately a million years overdue since I literally read this book back in 2019. That review can also be lit on fire because it was AWFUL. Please forgive me for my sins. Though I reread last year so if we say 2021, it makes me look better hehe. But at least I’m here to catch up and I hope my queen Emily Henry appreciates me. That’s all I want from life if I’m being honest. Anyways, please enjoy the 1000th screeching review over this author and this very special book. Let’s get into it *wipes eyes* Title: A Million JunesAuthor: Emily HenryPage count: 391Date published: 16 May 2017Genre: Young Adult fabulism 🍒 Synopsis: For as long as Jack “June” O’Donnell has been alive, her parents have had only one rule: stay away from the Angert family. But when June collides—quite literally—with Saul Angert, sparks fly, and everything June has known is thrown into chaos. Who exactly is this gruff, sarcastic, but seemingly harmless boy who has returned to their hometown of Five Fingers, Michigan, after three mysterious years away? And why has June—an O’Donnell to her core—never questioned her late father’s deep hatred…

  • Book Reviews

    THE LOVE THAT SPLIT THE WORLD BY EMILY HENRY // spoiler-free book review: an enchanting debut from my fave author ft. a scarily relatable main character and lyrical writing to blow your socks off

    I do deserve to be publicly shamed for taking so long to review this book and you have permission to scold me in the comments. Finally catching up on my faves though so at least be a little nice *insert teary eyes* I’m going to stop wasting time talking about myself  so we can gush over MY QUEEN MS EMILY HENRY!!! Let’s get into it xoxo Title: The Love That Split The WorldAuthor: Emily HenryPage count: 416Date published: 26 January 2016Genre: Young Adult fabulism ♥ Synopsis: Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start…until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” At first, they’re just momentary glimpses—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right. That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as…