ARC Review: Fresh by Margot Wood (Jessica's Review)

Title: Fresh
Author: Margot Wood
Publisher: Amulet books
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Hardcover, 352 Pages
Publication Date: August 3rd, 2021
Summary: Some students enter their freshman year of college knowing exactly what they want to do with their lives. Elliot McHugh is not one of those people. But picking a major is the last thing on Elliot’s mind when she’s too busy experiencing all that college has to offer—from dancing all night at off-campus parties, to testing her RA Rose’s patience, to making new friends, to having the best sex one can have on a twin-sized dorm room bed. But she may not be ready for the fallout when reality hits. When the sex she’s having isn’t that great. When finals creep up and smack her right in the face. Or when her roommate’s boyfriend turns out to be the biggest a-hole. Elliot may make epic mistakes, but if she’s honest with herself (and with you, dear reader), she may just find the person she wants to be. And maybe even fall in love in the process . . . Well, maybe.

There aren't even words for how we reacted when we found out that Margot Wood was publishing a book. She had been our YA literary hero since we were little teens in high school who used to race home from the bus stop to catch the latest episode of Epic Reads's Tea Time with Margot & Aubrey. We've been fans of her for so long, following along with her writing journey, so it's safe to say that when she announced she was going to be a published author, we wasted no time adding the book to our TBR! And once more info came out about FRESH, we couldn't wait to get this book in our hands. So thank you to Margot for being so sweet and awesome and sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review! So without further ado, let's get into it.

As the summary explains, FRESH follows the story of Elliot McHugh as she leads the reader through her first year at Emerson College (which is where Margot actually went!). Elliot goes through a whole bunch of antics while she's there, some even based on Margot's own experiences -- everything from experimenting with sex, and friendship, classes, parties, and just the general anxieties and stress that come with going away to college for the first time (many of which I remember very well). And throughout the whole ride, she learns a lot of different things -- about herself, about her friends, and even about her future. The entire story is a fun rollercoaster ride, a loose retelling of EMMA, as Elliot makes her way through the chaotic jungle that is college.

I don't even have proper words for how much I loved this book. So just as a heads up, a majority of this review is going to be incoherent fangirling and flailing. It was so hysterical, and also so different than any other book I've ever read. I was so excited for my ARC of FRESH to arrive that I did something I'd never done before -- when it arrived, I stopped in the middle of the book that I was currently reading to dive right into it. I've never done that in my life before, so that's how you know how much I was anticipating this one! I enjoyed such a pleasant reading experience, laughing along with all of Elliot's antics, her internal monologues, her footnotes (which I'll talk more about in a second), and just all of the chaos and awkward situations she finds herself in. Her sparring with Rose was also super funny to see on the page, and watching them work out their dynamic was really fascinating. One thing I can absolutely say about FRESH is that it's so exciting and different, and really shook up my day-to-day monotony of reading the same types of books over and over. It absolutely stood out of me and I already started recommending it to so many friends and family members!

My favorite part of this book was definitely the footnotes. They were a fresh (ha), different take on reading a novel that I hadn't ever considered before. And they also added brief little snippets of the story that were directed straight toward the reader, so I didn't just feel like an outsider stepping into the story. I felt like I was actually part of the story myself, and Elliot even goes out of her way to address the reader directly several times. Fresh is also peppered with all sorts of interjections, choose-your-own-adventure segments, text transcripts, and more. All together, it made for a really fascinating, engaging, theatrical experience that I really enjoyed.

Overall, FRESH was such a fun, hilarious, sex-positive whirlwind of a ride that I enjoyed every second of. I spent so much time pausing my reading to share funny passages with my boyfriend and my co-bloggers, laughing out loud, and genuinely loving this story so much. I'm really looking forward to the book being published this upcoming Tuesday so I can go pick up a finished copy -- which is a hardcover without a dust jacket (!!) filled with all sorts of gorgeous endpapers, glossy text, and so much more that I'm excited to read. Let me reiterate: if you are a YA reader who needs a good laugh, you absolutely need to pick up FRESH. It's non-negotiable. And trust me, you'll thank me when you do!

Hats off to Margot Wood -- not only does she rock working in the publishing industry, but she rocks the author side of it as well! I'm really looking forward to reading more hilarious, captivating stories from her in the future.




Waiting On Wednesday: Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye

"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! 


Title:
Blood Scion (Blood Scion #1)

Author: Deborah Falaye
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: March 8th 2022
Summary: 
A young girl with forbidden powers must free her people from oppression in this richly layered epic fantasy from debut author Deborah Falaye, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology and perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and An Ember in the Ashes. This is what they deserve. They wanted me to be a monster. I will be the worst monster they ever created. Fifteen-year-old Sloane can incinerate an enemy at will—she is a Scion, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods. Under the Lucis’ brutal rule, her identity means her death if her powers are discovered. But when she is forcibly conscripted into the Lucis army on her fifteenth birthday, Sloane sees a new opportunity: to overcome the bloody challenges of Lucis training, and destroy them from within. Sloane rises through the ranks and gains strength but, in doing so, risks something greater: losing herself entirely, and becoming the very monster that she ahbors. Following one girl’s journey of magic, injustice, power, and revenge, this deeply felt and emotionally charged debut from Deborah Falaye, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, is a magnetic combination of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and Daughter of Smoke and Bone that will utterly thrill and capture readers.


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




Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’d Want With Me While Stranded On a Deserted Island

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: Books I’d Want With Me While Stranded On a Deserted Island

If I was stranded on a desert island, I'd definitely need some good books to get me through. So I picked ten books that I read and loved (and would enjoy re-reading) to bring with me if I ever found myself stuck and in need of passing some time before my rescue! 

         


So those were ten books that I'd want with me while I was stranded on a deserted island! Do you have any of the same picks, or other choices that you think I should consider? Comment down below and let me know!



Spotlight: Get You the Moon by Hasnita Singh

Hi everyone! Today on the blog, we're shining a spotlight on GET YOU THE MOON  by Hasnita Singh, thanks to the fantastic team at Cherry Publishing who reached out to us about sharing it.. So without further ado, let's get into it!


ABOUT THE BOOK


Title: Get You the Moon
Author: Hasnita Singh
Publisher: Cherry Publishing
Paperback, 277 Pages
Published July 2021

 Summary: Scarlet Bridge is beautiful, intelligent, and ambitious. In her final year of high school, she has five goals she wants to achieve before graduation, and she won’t let anything – or anyone – stand in her way. Not even everyone’s favorite golden boy, Levi Henare. Levi has it all – good looks, quick wit, and he is a rugby prodigy. And nothing gives him more pleasure than getting on Scarlet’s every last nerve. When Scarlet accidentally dials Levi’s phone number, a chain of events that neither of them expected is set into motion.  Thrown together by a twist of fate, will Levi and Scarlet overcome the challenges of their final year at school, their mutual dislike of each other, and their own personal demons to successfully graduate? 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Hasnita Kiran Singh is a twenty-one-year-old living in Auckland, New Zealand. As a university student, she spends most of her time procrastinating. As an Optical Assistant, she’ll do everything to convince you to get glasses. When she’s not writing (which is unfortunately too often), she can be found baking or trying out new restaurants. She loves her friends, being on time, and chocolate fondants as much as she loves reading. She is a proud member of the Draco Malfoy Defense Squad and a lover of the stars.⁠
Keep up with Hasnita: Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Instagram

We'd like to thank Cherry Publishing for inviting us to share this spotlight today! If you're interested in GET YOU THE MOON, don't forget to add it to your TBR!

2021 Debut Author Interview: Emma Kress

In 2019, we made it our goal is to work with as many debut authors as possible and to spread the word about their debut novels. It was such a success last year that we decided to continue the fun for years to come! Follow us this year as we pick the minds of the 2021 debuts and chat with them about their writing process and what it's like to be a new author. Also stay tuned for news of giveaways, Twitter chats, and more!

At the end of 2020, we Tweeted about wanting to discover more debut authors and their books. We ended up finding Emma Kress and her novel DANGEROUS PLAY, and we have been interested in it ever since! We are so excited to have Emma on the blog today to answer some of our questions! 

***Content Warning: This book discusses sexual assault and rape culture.




Photo Credit: Erin Summerill

Emma Kress loves writing about badass girls and her debut novel DANGEROUS PLAY (Macmillan, Summer 2021) is a fast-paced thriller about a team of field hockey players who refuse to accept the world as it is, and set out to change it. An educator of over 20 years, Emma was one of four finalists for New York State Teacher of the Year. She is a graduate of Vassar College, Columbia University’s Teachers College, and the Vermont College of Fine Arts’ Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program. Before teaching, Emma worked in social services helping survivors of sexual assault. Now, she lives with her family in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Keep up with Erin: Website / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads / Facebook / TikTok


The Book Bratz: First of all, congratulations! How does it feel to be a debut author?

Emma: Wild. I consider myself to be a chemically-blessed, stable person and yet…I’m pretty sure I feel every emotion every day. It’s a wild thing to get to give this gift of holding a book I wrote in my hands to that 10-year-old self who so wanted to be a published author. All. The. Feels. 

The Book Bratz: In your opinion, what's the best part of the writing process? What's the hardest?

Emma: The best part about writing is being IN the writing. I adore those days where you’re far enough into the project and you truly inhabit your characters and their world, allowing the rest of the world—especially this year—to fall away. It’s an incredible, magical experience that always leaves me feeling deeply fulfilled. Writing is deeply challenging so there are a lot of hard parts. I’ve always believed, however, that there’s great pleasure in aspiration—in engaging with a hard task. So, part of the fun is the hard. But I think one of the harder things for me that doesn’t really fall into the aspirational pleasure category, is the solitary piece. I don’t mean alone time—oh my goodness, I need and crave alone time, this year more than ever. Rather, I mean that it’s easy for self-doubt to creep in. While I’ve assembled an incredible support team in my editor, agent, critique partners, friends, and family, the problems are still yours and yours alone to solve.


The Book Bratz: Where did you get the idea for DANGEROUS PLAY?

Emma: I began writing Dangerous Play in 2014, before #MeToo. At the time, there were several wonderful YA books that explored the journeys of survivors of rape, but there weren’t any that addressed different sexual assault or rape culture. As a former sexual violence peer counselor and activist, this troubled me. I also began to notice that while there were some amazing books about girl athletes—particularly girls who were trying to find their way in male-dominated sports—there weren’t any books honoring that special friendship that comes from being on a sports team. Thankfully, now this has changed (see these wonderful 2021 debut novels featuring fierce, athletic girls: In the Same Boat, by Holly Green, and The Knockout, by Sajni Patel). But those two observations were percolating for a while. Then, while I was in the middle of writing something else entirely, this fierce team of field hockey players showed up demanding to be heard…so I listened. 

The Book Bratz: Who was your favorite character to write? Who was the most difficult?

Emma: Well, I love the main character Zoe. She begins fierce on the field, but timid in life, and I loved following her journey as she tried to claim space in all areas of her life. Truly, I love every girl on the team. But probably the most fun to write was Aunt Jacks, a dear friend of Zoe’s mom. She’s irreverent and inappropriate, funny and feminist, and everything she said flowed so easily. Zoe’s mom might have been the hardest to write. There is a lot of nuance in their mother-daughter relationship and it took a lot of passes to communicate that properly to the reader.


The Book Bratz: What surprised you the most about the publishing process?

Emma: This goes back to your first question, but I don’t think I expected to feel so many emotions. I think I just expected joy. But it’s all so much more nuanced than that. It’s a deeply moving experience to have worked for this moment for so many years, to have dreamed of it for so many more. It’s also the first time this work that I’ve been doing mainly in seclusion for my whole life is finally getting into the world, which is scary and strange. And, to top it all off, I’m debuting in a pandemic. So yeah. There are a LOT of feels. 


The Book Bratz: What do you hope that readers will take away from DANGEROUS PLAY? 

Emma: I hope that this book finds the readers who need it. I hope this book helps them feel seen, heard, and empowered. My grand hope is that in ten years, rape culture and misogyny are gone and this reads like historical rather than contemporary fiction. But I also think power and powerlessness are enduring issues. I think even if we were to solve societal inequities (and wow there’s a lot to do there), there will likely always be individual feelings of powerlessness. In many ways, this book is a blueprint of hope for those moments of powerlessness. 


The Book Bratz: Do you plan on returning to the world of DANGEROUS PLAY in the future, or do you have any other projects in mind? Can you tell us anything about them?

Emma: I feel really good about where I’ve left the team and characters of Dangerous Play. That said, I adore the team and it might be fun to tackle future books from the perspectives of different team members. As for what I’m working on right now—I can’t tell you much, but, like Dangerous Play, you can bet it’s feminist, funny, and fierce.


Title: Dangerous Play
Author: Emma Kress
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: August 3rd, 2021

Summary: Zoe Alamandar has one goal: win the State Field Hockey Championships and earn a scholarship that will get her the hell out of Central New York. She and her co-captain Ava Cervantes have assembled a fierce team of dedicated girls who will work hard and play by the rules. But after Zoe is sexually assaulted at a party, she finds a new goal: make sure no girl feels unsafe again. Zoe and her teammates decide to stop playing by the rules and take justice into their own hands. Soon, their suburban town has a team of superheroes meting out punishments, but one night of vigilantism may cost Zoe her team, the championship, her scholarship, and her future.


Thank you so much to Emma for stopping by and answering our questions! We are super excited about DANGEROUS PLAY and can't wait for it to be out in the world on August 3rd


Celebrate So Excited GIF by Hey Violet



2021 Debut Author Interview: Margot Wood!

In 2019, we made it our goal is to work with as many debut authors as possible and to spread the word about their debut novels. It was such a success last year that we decided to continue the fun for years to come! Follow us this year as we pick the minds of the 2021 debuts and chat with them about their writing process and what it's like to be a new author. Also stay tuned for news of giveaways, Twitter chats, and more!

At the end of 2020, we Tweeted about wanting to discover more debut authors and their books. When we found out that Margot Wood, one of our YA *heroes*, had a book coming out this year, we couldn't wait to talk to her about it. So without further ado, we are *so* excited to have Margot on the blog today to answer some of our questions! 




Margot Wood is the founder of Epic Reads and has worked in marketing for more than a decade at publishing houses both big and small. Born and raised in Cincinnati, and a graduate of Emerson College, Wood now lives in Portland, Oregon. She once appeared as an extra in the Love, Simon movie.

Keep up with Margot: Website / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads


The Book Bratz: First of all, congratulations! How does it feel to be a debut author?

Margot: It feels amazing! I only get to be a debut author once and I’ve had a wonderful, extremely rewarding experience so far. 

The Book Bratz: In your opinion, what's the best part of the writing process? What's the hardest?

Margot: My favorite part of the writing process is writing dialogue. I have no formal writing education so I leaned on my experience with acting and theatre when I set out to write this book. For every new scene, I would write the dialogue first and later went back in and filled everything else in. The hardest part of writing for me is plotting. I’m more of a character-driven writer so plots don’t come naturally to me. 


The Book Bratz: Where did you get the idea for FRESH?

Margot: Fresh was inspired by my own experiences as a freshman in college as well as Emma by Jane Austen. Your freshman year is such a wild and messy time with so much change and growth in such a short period of time and I really wanted to explore this specific experience in young people’s lives. And as for Emma, I love the idea of charming characters who mean well but don’t always do well and Emma Woodhouse is the epitome of that archetype. It’s one of my favorite comedies of all time and while Fresh is only loosely based on Emma (aka not a direct retelling), I wanted to honor my fave by writing a modern, queer spin on it. 

The Book Bratz: Who was your favorite character to write? Who was the most difficult?

Margot: Elliot is obviously my favorite because the whole book is narrated from her perspective, so besides Elliot my favorite characters to write were Elliot’s core group of friends as well as her younger sister, Remy! The most difficult character to write was probably Rose Knightley, Elliot’s resident adviser. I kept making her too likeable from the beginning which didn’t help with tension building at all, so I had to go back a few times during the editing process and make her more of a foil for Elliot instead of a friend. 

The Book Bratz: Do you feel like your vast experience in publishing affected your writing process in any way?

Margot: I was making were choices that might turn off some readers. Like the narration style and its use of footnotes. A lot of people hate footnotes and there are 90 of them in Fresh so I knew going in right away that some readers weren’t going to like the style of the book. Another example would be setting the book in college. I know from my background in publishing that YA books set in college are difficult to sell because people don’t know where to place them. Are they young adult or adult or new-adult? I really want 18–24-year-old stories to thrive which is why I chose to set Fresh in college in the first place instead of high school but I also knew that by doing so I was making it more difficult for my book to sell. Hopefully it can overcome those hurdles!


The Book Bratz: What do you hope that readers will take away from FRESH? 

Margot: More than anything, I want readers to have fun when reading my book. It’s written to be a fun, escapist, good-time book that’s perfect for those who are in reading slumps or just want something funny to blast through in one sitting or two. Fresh does touch on some more serious topics like sexual assault, but at the end of the day it’s a comedy. It’s meant to be fizzy and bright and chaotic and fun. 


The Book Bratz: Do you plan on returning to the world of FRESH in the future, or do you have any other projects in mind? Can you tell us anything about them?

Margot: I’m always down for more Elliot McHugh shenanigans but for now it’s a standalone story. As for what I’m working on next, that’s a good question because I have like five new book ideas in my mind and I haven’t committed to any of them yet. The plan is to dive into those as soon as Fresh is out so hopefully I’ll have more of an update on that after Fresh is out!


Title: Fresh
Author: Margot Wood
Publisher: Amulet Books
Hardcover, 352 Pages
Publication Date: August 3rd, 2021

Summary: Some students enter their freshman year of college knowing exactly what they want to do with their lives. Elliot McHugh is not one of those people. But picking a major is the last thing on Elliot’s mind when she’s too busy experiencing all that college has to offer—from dancing all night at off-campus parties, to testing her RA Rose’s patience, to making new friends, to having the best sex one can have on a twin-sized dorm room bed. But she may not be ready for the fallout when reality hits. When the sex she’s having isn’t that great. When finals creep up and smack her right in the face. Or when her roommate’s boyfriend turns out to be the biggest a-hole. Elliot may make epic mistakes, but if she’s honest with herself (and with you, dear reader), she may just find the person she wants to be. And maybe even fall in love in the process . . . Well, maybe.


Thank you so much to Margot for stopping by and answering our questions! We are super excited about FRESH and can't wait for it to be out in the world on August 3rd! You can also check our reviews of the book, coming soon!

Celebrate So Excited GIF by Hey Violet



Waiting on Wednesday: The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu!

 

"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! 


Title:
The Donut Trap

Author: Julie Tieu
Publisher: Avon
Paperback, 368
Publication Date: November 2nd, 2021
Summary: Jasmine Tran has landed herself behind bars—maple bars that is. With no boyfriend or job prospects, Jasmine returns home to work at her parents’ donut shop. Jasmine quickly loses herself in a cyclical routine of donuts, Netflix, and sleep. She wants to break free from her daily grind, but when a hike in rent threatens the survival of their shop, her parents rely on her more than ever. Help comes in the form of an old college crush, Alex Lai. Not only is he successful and easy on the eyes, to her parents’ delight, he’s also Chinese. He’s everything she should wish for, until a disastrous dinner reveals Alex isn’t as perfect as she thinks. Worse, he doesn’t think she’s perfect either. With both sets of parents against their relationship, a family legacy about to shut down, and the reappearance of an old high school flame, Jasmine must scheme to find a solution that satisfies her family’s expectations and can get her out of the donut trap once and for all.


I heard of this book when Book Twitter was raving about it nonstop, so of course, I had to add it to my TBR and see for myself! I'm a huge fan of sweet, contemporary rom-coms, and as expected, the cover is already making me crave donuts. I can't wait for November 2nd to roll around (which is also mine and my boyfriend's anniversary!), so maybe I can convince him to get me this sweet read to celebrate! 

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Read In One Sitting

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: Books I Read in One Sitting

    
    

What were some books on your list this week!? Leave your TTT link below so we can stop back!