Adults in YA: Why We Still Read, Part 9


If you're an avid YA reader, there's no way you've escaped hearing about the stigma that surrounds the genre -- the fact that people who read YA even though they're older than the "targeted market" are often seen as immature, nostalgic, or stuck in their younger years. Recently, after our university newspaper posted an opinion piece in which the writer talked about how we all need to "read our age" -- meaning, basically, that we should break away from YA and focus on the classics such as Dickens -- we decided to send out a Tweet and ask if there were any other YA readers that were over 18 out there. Not to start trouble or stir up angry feelings, but just to see -- just how many "out of the age range" YA readers are there? Our Tweet was as follows:


SOS! 🗣 Do you read YA even though you’re 18+? If you do, please DM us or reply to this Tweet — we have a post idea, and we need your help! #replytweet

— The Book Bratz (@thebookbratz) March 14, 2019

Well, it's safe to say the response we got was absolutely overwhelming. We got nearly 1,000 people over the age of 18 who wanted to tell us why they still read YA even though they're past the "marketable" age-range for the genre. We had so many amazing responses that we wanted to take the time to share them all with you -- but since there are so many, it turns out that we had to make it a series! For 10 whole weeks, we're going to be sharing 10 reasons (100 in total!) why "older" YA readers stick with the genre, and why it's important to them. So without further ado, here are 10 readers above the age of 18 who explained to us why they still read YA:



When I was little I was drawn to the YA section because I wanted to be like the Big Kids, but as I've grown older I think I choose to read YA because it's the section that makes me feel most at home and also most out of my comfort zone. YA dips into so many different character types and backgrounds, that for me it's hard not to want to read everything within the category. Also YA is the only place in the bookstore where you'll find a WELL WRITTEN historical fantasy romance book or a sci-fi fairytale death-galore book. YA gives me everything I want with diverse characters I can relate to, even if I am older than them. 
-@kenzieleetea

I still read YA because it’s not just for kids! The struggles and situations these characters go through are and can be relatable to people of all ages. Things like mental health, friendships, relationships and even fighting dragons isn’t just for children. It’s something that should be read about and talked about by people of all ages whether you are 15 or 55. And honestly, I’m still a young adult. So why shouldn’t I read it? Read what you enjoy! That’s all that matters. 
-@LibrarianFiles

I read YA because I find the world, characters and story to be riveting and relatable. Whether you're a teen going through puberty or an adult having a midlife crisis, we all know and relate to those struggles and journey to find ourselves. Reading, like art and people, are very subjective, [so] not everyone will have the same personality and will like the same thing, so let's not shame diversity. [The] YA genre now [is] vastly more diverse and different from the "Twilight" era, but even so, it's quite demeaning to insult the book that has essentially paved the way for the other YA authors [and the] genre. 
-@geekly_yuniq

Honestly, there are a variety of reasons why I still read YA at 23. One is the unending discussion around New Adult and how certain books would be better suited there (Hi, ACOTAR!). Another is a realization I came to in the past year which is that so much “literature” (and often that written by men!) is just so full of itself. My interest lies in well-written stories that focus on emotional aspects of being human, and authors in the YA sphere do that so well, something I have found lacking in adult literature aside from a few books. 
-@sheba201

I read YA books for a couple of different reasons. I'm a high school English teacher, so I like reading books with my students and having books to recommend to them. But I also read them because I enjoy them. I feel like YA books are often more thoughtful and tackle more sensitive issues in an honest way than many books I've read that are supposedly written for "adults." I also like the sophisticated nature and storytelling techniques found in YA such as verse, letters, screenplay format, etc. that are not found as often in other genres. 
-@saracuse9, Age in the 30's.

There are several reasons why I read Young Adult books. One of the biggest reasons, I think, is because I'm queer (more specifically transgender and demi/biro). Because of having to spend my teen years figuring out who I am, I feel like I missed out on a lot, and reading YA is one way to live out what I wish I had done in middle and high school. Another reason is because so many YA books are very inspirational. With the push for more diverse voices in recent years, there have been so many well-written books on such difficult topics, and there are so many stories out there that make me want to get up and make change happen. Not to mention the community is like my home. Between the writers, readers, bloggers, and everyone else involved in YA, it's like a second family! 
-@AceofBens

"Grow up and read your age’"...No. Walk through life with a sense of lightness and play. The world is changing so fast that a sense of fun and a willingness to walk into new spaces is vital in work and life. YA dwells in the liminal space between youth and adulthood and to live a full and joyful life you need to keep navigating through that changing place. Keep hold of the magic, carry it with you in life, share it with others. Walk with Alanna and Mia and Laura and Anne and Hermione and Katniss and keep your heart full of sweetness and stories.
-@colquhounking

To me, reading is a hobby, something to enjoy. I read to spend time with characters I love on daring adventures and escapades.  So when I grab a book, I'm not thinking, "Is this my reading level?" I'm thinking (to paraphrase the recent internet phenomenon) "Is this book going to make me happy?"  Sometimes the book I grab is going to be challenging, dense writing that's 700 pages long. And sometimes, especially after a long day, that means I need a quick 350-page read that's just *fun.*  If that happens to be a YA book, so be it!  I'm not reading to impress anyone. I'm reading to relax, using whatever material does the trick. 
-@SCmoviegirl

I read YA because it's amazing! YA books tell complex and exciting and diverse stories in ways that are surprising and less formulaic than a lot of adult books. Plus, YA stories deal with so many firsts -- first kisses, first dates, first friendships falling apart, first failures -- and the emotions that come with those are so raw and messy and hopeful and relatable at any age. I was a YA reader before I was a YA writer, but when I started writing books I knew there was no other type of book I wanted to write!
 -@GiaCribbs, Author of THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SLOANE SULLIVAN

YA literature is not just for young adults. As a 26 year old (almost 27), I still read YA because there are so many amazing authors who create such vivid stories. When I choose a book to read, all I want is a story with a creative plot and dynamic characters. The supposed "target" age group does not matter. Some of the best literary worlds come from YA books. 
-@NuclearMaven

What are your thoughts about reading YA past the "age-appropriate" market? If you have something else to add on this topic, feel free to comment down below and share your opinions! Also be on the lookout for another post next week, where we share even more thoughts from other 18+ YA readers!

Check Out The Previous Posts:

Part One
Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

Part Eight

ARC Review: Only Ashes Remain by Rebecca Schaeffer

Title: Only Ashes Remain
(Market of Monsters #2)
Author: Rebecca Schaeffer 
Genre: Urban Fantasy 
Source: HMH Books via NetGalley 
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 3rd 2019

Summary: 
Dexter meets Victoria Schwab in this dark and compelling fantasy about a girl who seeks revenge on the boy who betrayed her, a sequel to the critically-acclaimed Not Even Bones. After escaping her kidnappers and destroying the black market where she was held captive, all Nita wants is to find a way to live her life without looking over her shoulder. But with a video of her ability to self-heal all over the dark web, Nita knows she's still a prime target on the black market. There's only one way to keep herself safe. Nita must make herself so feared that no one would ever dare come after her again. And the best way to start building her reputation? Take her revenge on Fabricio, the boy who sold Nita to her kidnappers. But killing Fabricio is harder than Nita thought it would be, even with Kovit by her side. Now caught in a game of kill or be killed, Nita will do whatever it takes to win.
I really enjoyed Not Even Bones so I was super excited when HMH Teen approved me on NetGalley for Only Ashes Remain. After the end of Not Even Bones I was eager to see where Nita's story was going next. She destroyed the black market. She's "safe." But she is now in protective custody with Fabricio, the boy who sold her to the black market. Let the revenge begin.

Only Ashes Remain took a dark twist real early on in the book. The whole book was dark actually. The destroying black market and the things Nita had to do to save herself and Kovit toughened her. We see the darkness inside Nita come to the surface and how she battles and embraces it. Where in the first book she simply dissected the bodies her mother left for her, in Only Ashes Remain, Nita does her fair share of killing. 

I think the moral dilemma between Kovit and Nita was interesting to watch. Kovit is a Zannie, which means he feeds off of pain and if he doesn't he will weaken or die. Kovit use to be part of a Mob Family and was forced to do terrible things, not all of which he enjoyed. But Kovit has one rule: He won't cause pain to people he knows. Though Kovit doesn't seem to have a moral compass because of what he is, he does. The struggle between Nita's and Kovit's relationship is how Nita can kill who ever she wants, whenever but it bothered her when Kovit would torture to feed. It's messy and I am probably not describing it well, but I really enjoyed how Shaeffer included it all. 

Overall, I can't say too much about Only Ashes Remain with out spoiling it but I hope to see these characters again soon. There are a lot of unanswered questions and things that I am still eager to see resolved. 




Waiting on Wednesday: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert


"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine where we highlight some of the upcoming books we can't wait to read! 

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Title: Get a Life, Chloe Brown
Author: Talia Hibbert
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: November 2019
Paperback, 384 Pages



Summary: 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”, and she’s already completed the first: finally moving out of her glamourous family’s mansion. The next items? Enjoy a drunken night out. Ride a motorcycle. Go camping. Have meaningless but thoroughly enjoyable sex. Travel the world with nothing but hand luggage. And... do something bad.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 with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. He’s also an artist who paints at night and hides his work in the light of day, which Chloe knows because she spies on him occasionally. Just the teeniest, tiniest bit.
But when she enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns things about him that no spy session could teach her. Like why he clearly resents Chloe’s wealthy background. And why he never shows his art to anyone. And what really lies beneath his rough exterior…

I'm a sucker for any type of contemporary romance, so this book immediately gripped me from the start, and I can't wait to read it. Plus, I also love any sort of book with check lists and trying new things and rebellious boys...ugh. My heart is already fluttering just THINKING about this book.

Another thing that's really important to me with this book is the fact that there seems to be some chronic illness rep, which is important to see as well!

I just...UGH. I'm such a sucker for contemporary romances. I can't wait for this one!

What are you waiting on this week? Leave your links so I can stop back! 

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books Released In the Last Ten Years

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl in which we create bookish lists about everything from our favorite characters to love triangles and everything in between!

This week's theme: Favorite Books Released In the Last Ten Years

For this weeks Top Ten Tuesday, I'll be sharing my favorite book for each of the past ten years! Don't forget to comment your favorites!

2009: Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4) by Richelle Mead

2010: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl 

2011: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

2012: The Fault in Our Stars by John green

2013: Wait for You by J. Lynn

2014: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

2015: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

2016: The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2017: Warcross by Marie Lu

2018: Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi






College Diaries: One Year Left!

tired good night GIF by Victoria's Secret PINK

Today on the blog, we have a new installment of The College Diaries for you -- a series where we briefly check in on how we balance blogging, college, internships, exams, and all of that! 

So, we survived another semester.

dead fuck my life GIF

Now that the semester has finally ended and I'm home enjoying a summer full of reading and sunshine, it's dawned on me that we only have one year left of college. ONE. We're about to be seniors -- and then, by extension, we have to graduate and go out into the real world and be real people! Honestly, what? I don't even know what I'm going to do in terms of grad school or not, and I'm really stressed about it and highkey freaking out. It's going to be a long year, that's for sure. The finish line is getting so close that I don't even know what to do about it.

In terms of blogging, it's absolutely wild to me that you guys have been following along with us for this long, because we started this blog when we were freshmen in high school, and now look how far we've come! It's been an incredible journey with all of you guys, and it definitely isn't stopping any time soon. 

Being a senior is going to be lots of fun, hopefully if I land some publishing internships like I really wanted! I want so badly to be in this industry, I love it so much. The bookish community is one of my favorites!!

Having one year of college left means it's almost time to graduate and become a...real person?! Oh my god. I can hardly believe that. One year from now, I'll be graduating!!! Honestly, what??????????????

gold success GIF by Western Illinois University

So, those are my thoughts about only having one year left of college, and getting one step closer to the publishing career that I've always dreamed of. Hopefully this post was interesting for you, so comment down below and let me know! :-)


Review: Defy Me (Shatter Me, #5) by Tahereh Mafi - Jessica's Review


Title: Defy Me (Shatter Me, #5)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Hardcover, 352 Pages
Published April 2019


Summary: Juliette’s short tenure as the supreme commander of North America has been an utter disaster. When the children of the other world leaders show up on her doorstep, she wants nothing more than to turn to Warner for support and guidance. But he shatters her heart when he reveals that he’s been keeping secrets about her family and her identity from her—secrets that change everything. Juliette is devastated, and the darkness that’s always dwelled within her threatens to consume her. An explosive encounter with unexpected visitors might be enough to push her over the edge. 

As most of you know, we here at The Book Bratz have been huge fans of the Shatter Me series for the longest time. Seriously -- Aaron Warner is the #1 book boyfriend and we honestly fight over him all of the time because we love him so much. So when we found out that the series would get extended by three books, we were absolutely thrilled. So I just finished reading the 5th book in the series -- there's one more to go -- and I'm such an emotional, crying mess because of how incredible the story was, so I immediately hopped on my computer to write my review before I forgot about it. So without further ado, let's get into my review!

As the summary explains, at the end of Restore Me, we find out that Juliette is not who she seems. There is an entire world of secrets that she doesn't have access to, an entire life before she came into The Reestablishment, that she doesn't know about. And now she and all of her friends are being held captive, so they have to figure out how to get out of that while also finding a way to figure out all of the secrets and things that have been kept from them for so long.

You guys, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK. Seriously. This book has basically rocketed up to my #1 favorite book in a long time. I tore through the entire thing in roughly 24 hours because I couldn't put it down, always wanting to know what would happen next. There's literally so much that happens in this book, and so much information that you learn about The Reestablishment and all of the characters in the story. There are plenty of plot twists to keep the story moving, which is also part of the reason that I finished the book so quickly. This is also, to my knowledge, the shortest (or at least one of the shorter) books in the series, less than 360 pages, so it's pretty quick to get through. Which is great if you're looking for a gripping read, but super sad if you're like me and you don't want the story to end!

My favorite character in this book, as usual, was Warner. He's so fiercely loyal and defensive of Juliette/Ella that it just made my heart really fall in love with him and more and more. Without spoiling anything, all I'll say is that there are definitely some things that go down in this book that make me and Amber and Emily fight over him as our ideal book boyfriend, that's for sure!

(Minor spoilers here, skip to the next paragraph to avoid them!) My book was the B&N exclusive edition as well, so I got to read a steamy deleted scene between Aaron and Juliette, and also some files from The Reestablishment. So if you're trying to find a place to get a copy of the book, I'd recommend the B&N route if you're looking for some deleted scenes and cool files!

(***MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR SPOILERS HERE, PLEASE SKIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH TO AVOID THEM!***) Oh my god, okay, so we *have* to talk about the proposal thing because my little fangirl heart just can't take it. I've always told Amber and Emily that I really hoped they would get married one day, and the moment where Warner realized he wanted to marry Ella literally had me squealing and crying and clutching the book to my chest happily. And then when he actually proposed to her? Oh my god. OH MY GOD, MY HEART. I seriously cannot handle it. I seriously hope we get to see the wedding in the next book, because that would literally just send my happy little romantic heart into heaven. And the fact that it ended with a birthday party for Warner, on a happy note? I was just so shocked that our heart wasn't thrown into the blender at the last minute. Which *does* make me a little bit suspicious... 

Overall, I absolutely loved DEFY ME, and I'd 100% recommend you go read it as soon as possible. If this is a series that you haven't started yet, I seriously encourage giving it a shot, because I was never a huge sci-fan fan before this but this still became one of my absolute favorite series of all time. I'm anxiously awaiting the last book in the series (nooooooooooo!) to come out next year, and I know I'll be staining the pages with all of my tears because of all adorable and intense and emotional it's going to be. Hats off to Tahereh Mafi for once again destroying my heart with her amazing writing. I wish Aaron Warner was a real person so I could marry him -- don't tell my boyfriend that! But seriously guys, you NEED this book. For real. Right now. Which means stop reading this review and head over to Amazon. What are you waiting for?!



Adults in YA: Why We Still Read, Part 8


If you're an avid YA reader, there's no way you've escaped hearing about the stigma that surrounds the genre -- the fact that people who read YA even though they're older than the "targeted market" are often seen as immature, nostalgic, or stuck in their younger years. Recently, after our university newspaper posted an opinion piece in which the writer talked about how we all need to "read our age" -- meaning, basically, that we should break away from YA and focus on the classics such as Dickens -- we decided to send out a Tweet and ask if there were any other YA readers that were over 18 out there. Not to start trouble or stir up angry feelings, but just to see -- just how many "out of the age range" YA readers are there? Our Tweet was as follows:


SOS! 🗣 Do you read YA even though you’re 18+? If you do, please DM us or reply to this Tweet — we have a post idea, and we need your help! #replytweet

— The Book Bratz (@thebookbratz) March 14, 2019

Well, it's safe to say the response we got was absolutely overwhelming. We got nearly 1,000 people over the age of 18 who wanted to tell us why they still read YA even though they're past the "marketable" age-range for the genre. We had so many amazing responses that we wanted to take the time to share them all with you -- but since there are so many, it turns out that we had to make it a series! For 10 whole weeks, we're going to be sharing 10 reasons (100 in total!) why "older" YA readers stick with the genre, and why it's important to them. So without further ado, here are 10 readers above the age of 18 who explained to us why they still read YA:



YA stories are fast paced and well-thought out, covering topics and issues that adult novels sometimes shy away from but that are so important for society as a whole -- not just teenagers! And as an adult, I love going back and exploring the world from a teenage point of view -- it was a time of firsts, and important firsts at that, and if we forget about what it was like for us back then, we risk becoming less empathetic humans who forget the power and strength of young people. 
-@Angstygeek

Reading is meant to be fun and YA stories, like T. A. Barron's Merlin series or Frank Beddor's Looking Glass Wars or Anthony Horowitz's Stormbreaker, are just as entertaining as any grown-folk read (and sometimes more so). YA is also at the forefront of LGBT acceptance; just look at the success of Becky Albertalli's Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and how meaningful it is. When was the last time an "adult" book touched that many lives? 
-@willvanstonejr

I'm 27-years-old and I still read YA because even as an adult, I still connect to young adult books. I'm drawn to them for their rich characters, or complex plots, or their nuanced treatments of serious subjects. Even though I'm not a teen anymore, YA deals with a lot of themes I can still relate to, like finding your voice and your place in the world. And as a bonus, I'm a teacher, so I can relate to my students over common reading material. 
-@yabytheway

I read YA for the same reason that I read any other book. Something (it's probably the cover, TBH!) about the book sends a spark into the reading part of my brain and makes me want to know more. Readers who dismiss YA books for whatever reason are really missing out on some amazing literature. YA encompasses everything that other genres have and sometimes more. If reading a book can bring you joy, then why should the fact it may be YA matter?  
-@albert_bowes

I'm 32, and I read YA. For me, it's not the nostalgia that draws me in -- I was never a princess or a fierce fae warrior. The characters' experiences are nothing like my own, but I read it for the escapism. It's so easy to find a character-driven adventure with a light or dark tone that hits the spot in YA! 
-@AmberR_Duell

I enjoy reading YA literature (even though I'm about to be 28 years old) because it's interesting. The adventures and magic that are a part of so many of these books draws me to them. The relatable story-lines and characters sometimes remind me of my life now and before when I was a bit younger. YA is just a broad genre that speaks to me more than other genres. I don't want to read adult romances and every nonfiction book that's just not for me. I like stories that make me use my imagination and give me that "movie in my mind."  
-@toomanybooks326

The reason why I still read Young Adult novels is because this genre got me into reading. I’ve tried reading books for “my age” and they don’t capture my attention like a YA novel. I feel like there is a sense of adventure and growing that you can really see in a young adult character. The story lines in each book seem to be much more diverse in terms of worlds to me as well. Just because you’re a certain age shouldn’t define what you're reading or your reading preference. 
-@felicia_32

I am no longer a young adult by any means, but I still read YA books. I find YA books often tell some of the most imaginative stories, and they so often feel very connected to the world as it is now. They explore current ideas, trends, prejudices and issues in ways that make them feel relevant and important. But most of all, there are so many YA authors out there writing excellent stories. 
-@notsotweets

I like YA novels, because it feels like they combine multiple genres within one book. With "adult" books, it's often the case that you either read something romantic or something serious or a mystery, while with YA you can find all of that in the same book. 
-@janneke_kocak

[I read YA] because it's the only place I remotely see myself represented. Also, I made friends through YA -- bloggers, authors, publicists, agents etc -- and I don't know how I could give that up. And yeah, sure, I read adult books too, but YA seems more sophisticated, thought out, and put together. There's more diversity, not just in race or religion, but also in general experiences, and I've gotten to understand life better by reading YA. 
-@AvidReaderBlog

What are your thoughts about reading YA past the "age-appropriate" market? If you have something else to add on this topic, feel free to comment down below and share your opinions! Also be on the lookout for another post next week, where we share even more thoughts from other 18+ YA readers!

Check Out The Previous Posts:

Part One
Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven


12 Of Our Favorite Beach Reads!


Summer is officially almost here, which means it's time to start getting ready for beach trips -- which, of course, involves bringing lots of books to pass the time in the sun. So today on the blog, we decided to highlight 12 of our favorite beach reads for you all to check out. Hopefully you find some new books for your TBR! We chose books that were so gripping that we could hardly put down, and had the perfect binge-reading vibes, filled with incredible characters and gripping stories to read while spending your day in the sun. So without further ado, here they are!


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So those are our 12 favorite beach reads -- some sweet and romantic, some dark and gripping, and everything in between! 

What are some of your favorite books to read at the beach? Comment down below and let us know!



Review: Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett


Title: Serious Moonlight
Author: Jenn Bennett
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Hardcover, 432 Pages
Published April 2019


Summary: After an awkward first encounter, Birdie and Daniel are forced to work together in a Seattle hotel where a famous author leads a mysterious and secluded life in this romantic contemporary novel from the author of Alex, Approximately. Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she’s cultivated a whimsical fantasy life in which she plays the heroic detective and every stranger is a suspect. But her solitary world expands when she takes a job the summer before college, working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel. In her new job, Birdie hopes to blossom from introverted dreamer to brave pioneer, and gregarious Daniel Aoki volunteers to be her guide. The hotel’s charismatic young van driver shares the same nocturnal shift and patronizes the waterfront Moonlight Diner where she waits for the early morning ferry after work. Daniel also shares her appetite for intrigue, and he’s stumbled upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—might be secretly meeting someone at the hotel. To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell…discovering that most confounding mystery of all may be her growing feelings for the elusive riddle that is Daniel.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, and I'm so glad I did, because I really enjoyed reading this one! I first heard about Jenn's writing when our Twitter friend Brooke reached out and told me that as a fan of YA contemporary romance, she was an author I should be paying attention to. She was even kind enough to buy me a copy of Alex, Approximately, and I knew from the minute I read the opening pages that I was going to be hooked for a lifetime. So, needless to say, when I was approached by the publisher asking if I wanted to review Serious Moonlight, I couldn't wait to jump on board! So without further ado, let's get into my review:

As the summary explains, Birdie is a lover of mysteries, and she's surprised when one falls right into her lap after she takes on a graveyard shift at a local hotel. Something else she isn't expecting to happen? Meeting Daniel, a boy full of secrets and elusive magic tricks. It's a summer for the books, and a lot of things come to light that she was never expecting to see.

This was honestly such a delightful read. Pretty much everyone I know is a fan of Jenn Bennett, and it was great just being able to gush over the story as I read it alongside some of my other blogger friends. As our friend Mo pointed out, it was so easy to get into Birdie's voice and fall in love with her story, even if it was sad at times. She's definitely a fascinating and hilarious narrator to follow around, that's for sure!

Something that I thought was really important that was covered in this book was the way sexuality is portrayed so unapologetically. Sex is definitely something that comes up a few times in this book, and the fact that there never seems to be a tone of regret -- not in terms of being a teen embracing her sexuality, although there are some other forms of potential regret that I won't spoil for you -- was just really inspiring to see on the page. Teen girls have sex. Sometimes they have a little of it, sometimes they have a lot of it -- sometimes they don't want to have any at all! As a reader, I was just really pleased to see the fact that Birdie didn't seem to face her sexuality with any sort of shame or disgust. It's definitely a sex-positive story, in my book! (See what I did there?)

Something else that I really loved about the book was the whole mystery-solving aspect. My dad has been a detective for over 25 years, so I've always been a lover of mysteries, and both following a mystery along in the novel while also seeing so many allusions to famous detectives and mystery stories was a treat. Plus, that live interactive Clue game -- how awesome! I wish I could've been a part of something awesome like that.

My favorite character in this story was definitely Aunt Mona, but Daniel was a close second! Aunt Mona was just so unapologetically herself, with her bold outfits and rash decisions and funny commentary. I basically saw her in my head as a young Christine Baranski, which made her character even funnier in my own head. Every time she was on the page, I loved how fiercely loyal and protective she was of Birdie, and also how hilarious she could be!

Another great thing I loved about this book was the setting. I haven't ever been to Seattle (or the West Coast) at all before, so I loved learning about it through Birdie's eyes. I loved all of the tourist attractions and the little diners and mom-and-pop shops. Jenn definitely does a great job of describing Seattle in a way that even readers who haven't ever been there can find themselves plopped right into the middle of the story. That's A+ writing, in my opinion!

Overall, I really enjoyed Serious Moonlight, and I'd definitely recommend it to anybody looking for a heartwarming, fascinating read that they can curl up with over a cup of tea. This book has it all -- romance, secrets, mystery, and adventure! -- so there's definitely lots to love. It's safe to say that I've officially found myself hooked on yet another Jenn Bennett book, and I'm so glad that Brooke reached out to me last year to recommend Alex, Approximately! Now if you'll excuse me -- it's time to add more of Jenn's books to my TBR!



Waiting On Wednesday: Reverie by Ryan La Sala


"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine where we highlight some of the upcoming books we can't wait to read! 

This week Amber's waiting on... 

Title: Reverie
Author: Ryan La Sala 
Genre: Fantasy, LGBT
Publisher: Sourcebooks 
Publication Date: January 1st 2020

Summary: 
Inception meets The Magicians, except with better wigs and a maniacal drag queen sorceress attempting to unravel the reality of Connecticut (yes, the state) and replace it with something…well something better than Connecticut. Ryan La Sala’s debut fantasy is an #OwnVoices story following Kane Montgomery, a gay teenager piecing his life back together after an attack robs him of his memories. As Kane searches for who he was, he uncovers a war for the creative rights to reality itself, each battle played out in an imagined world turned real: a reverie. Reveries are worlds born from a person’s private fantasies, and once they manifest they can only be unraveled by bringing their conflicts to resolution. Reveries have rules and plots, magic and monsters, and one wrong step could twist the entire thing into a lethal, labyrinthine nightmare. Unraveling them is dangerous work, but it’s what Kane and The Others do. Or did, until one of The Others purged Kane of his memories. But now Kane is back, and solving the mystery of his betrayal is the only way to unite his team and defeat reality’s latest threat: Poesy, a sorceress bent on harvesting the reveries for their pure, imaginative power. But what use might a drag queen sorceress have with a menagerie of stolen reveries? And should Kane, a boy with no love for a team that betrayed him, fight to stop her, or defect to aid her? Reverie is about the seduction of escaping inwards, about the worlds we hide within ourselves, and the danger of dreams that come true.

2020 is going to start off with a bang with Reverie! I been eyeing this one for a while and I fell even more in love when I saw the cover. i already know from now that this is going to be a five star read! 



What are you waiting on this week? Leave your links so we can stop back!