ARC Review: The Night When No One Had Sex by Kalena Miller

Title: The Night When No One Had Sex

Author: Kalena Miller

Publisher: Aw Teen
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Hardcover, 320 Pages
Publication Date: October 12th, 2021

Summary: It's the night of senior prom, and eighteen-year-old Julia has made a pact with her friends. (Yes, that kind of pact.) They have secured a secluded cabin in the woods, one night without parental supervision, and plenty of condoms. But as soon as they leave the dance, the pact begins to unravel. Alex's grandmother is undergoing emergency surgery, and he and his date rush to the hospital. Zoe's trying to figure out how she feels about getting off the waitlist at Yale--and how to tell her girlfriend. Madison's chronic illness flares, holding her back once again from being a normal teenager. And Julia's fantasy-themed role play gets her locked in a closet. Alternating between each character's perspective and their ridiculous group chat, The Night When No One Had Sex finds a group of friends navigating the tenuous transition into adulthood and embracing the uncertainty of life after high school.

I received an ARC of THE NIGHT WHEN NO ONE HAD SEX in exchange for an honest review, and I'm really glad you did, because you guys...this book is hysterical. Seriously. I loved this book so much and am already hand-pushing it on all of my friends because I want them to all read it and laugh along with me. If the title itself wasn't enough to grab your attention, then trust me, the 

As the summary explains, the story follows a group of high school friends who are all seniors who made a sex pact for their prom night. They secured a cabin in the woods without adult supervision, all of their romantic partners, and it seems like it's going to be a great night...until everything that could possibly go wrong does go wrong. It's a hilarious story of runaway cats, roleplay gone wrong, and lots of twists and turns. Trust me, this is not the type of story that you want to miss!

I devoured this entire book in less than 48 hours and even read 200+ pages in a single day because I was so invested in the antics of all of the characters that I just couldn't put it down. I was laughing so hard that my stomach hurt and I was also gasping at every single plot twist and shocking moment. I've been in a bad reading slump for awhile since I've been so stressed about other facets of my life, so it felt like this book found me at the perfect time. I was able to sit down and dive into a hysterical story that I found myself really getting sucked into. I definitely had "one more chapter" syndrome with this one, that's for sure! You get to watch everyone's nights unravel into pure chaos in so many different ways, and although there are a lot of different things going on with each individual couple, the title of the book lets you know that something interesting will be happening with all of them, that's for sure! And some of them are definitely things that you wouldn't expect.

Something else that was really cool about this book was the variety of different perspectives. You get to see the story from the perspectives of everyone in the friend group from time to time, broken up by transcripts of their absolutely hysterical group chat with its ever-changing names. Their dynamic with each other really reminded me a lot of my own friend group at home and the conversations we have, so that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I think above all, this is a story of friendship and all of the different forms its support takes, even among all of the chaos. Seeing them all together and supporting each other (and helping each other out of jams) really made me smile -- I just love books with such tight friendships, and that was really evident here.

My favorite characters of them all were definitely Kevin and Julia. Having such a big cast of characters means that there were so many different options to choose from and picking favorites was hard, but I loved whenever I got to see scenes between the two of them. Even as everything about their night was starting to go wrong and Julia's carefully laid plans (hehe) fell apart, it was clear how much love the two of them had for each other. And I also loved the way Julia would just casually blurt anything and everything about her and Kevin to her friends. She definitely kept the friend group on their toes, that's for sure -- even if she wasn't the only one!

Overall, I absolutely loved THE NIGHT WHEN NO ONE HAD SEX. If you're looking for a book that makes you laugh so hard it hurts, fall in love, and watch the hijinks of a carefully planned prom night unfold in disastrous real-time, then trust me, this is absolutely the book for you. I'm absolutely a fan of Kalena Miller's, and I'm really looking forward to reading more of her work in the future, because reading this book was honestly such a delight!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

"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 Love Hypothesis 
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Paperback, 384 Pages
Publisher: Berkley Books
Publication Date: September 14th 2021

Summary: As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees. That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs. Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

 

I know that this book came out a few weeks ago, but I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet with all of the ARCs I had to get through and I had finals for my MFA program, but now that I finally have a little bit of a break, I'm really looking forward to diving into this one! I even had to do a writeup on the marketing of this book for one of my MFA papers, so I got to learn more about it and I'm extra excited to read it now.

Has anyone here read THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS yet? What did you think of it?

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

Spotlight & Giveaway: Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman!

Hi everyone! Today on the blog, we're shining a spotlight on FRANKIE & BUG by Gayle Forman, a fantastic author who we've always loved, and is publishing a new Middle Grade story! While we don't typically cover Middle Grade here on the blog, Gayle Forman always has a special place in our heart, so we're definitely excited to make the exception. (And who knows? Maybe this will open up the door to us covering more MG titles in the future!) So without further ado, let's get into it!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Frankie & Bug

Author: Gayle Forman

Publisher: Aladdin

Hardcover, 288 Pages

Publication Date: October 11th, 2021 

 Summary: FRANKIE & BUG stars ten- (almost eleven!) year-old Bug, a feisty girl who just wants to play at the beach all summer, who is feeling left out as her older brother stretches his wings toward independence. And there is 11-year-old Frankie, sent from Ohio to stay with his gay uncle in Venice Beach for the summer: a trans boy who just wants the opportunity to be who he is. Wary of each other at first, Frankie and Bug bond over their mutual desire to catch the Midnight Marauder, a serial killer stalking Southern California in 1987. When the violence comes closer to home, what Frankie and Bug learn about themselves is far more important — family can be whatever you make it, love is stronger than blood, and it’s up to all of us to hurry toward justice. Additionally, FRANKIE & BUG conveys an important, and incredibly timely message about acceptance, friendship and showing up: one that we can all use right now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author and journalist Gayle Forman has written several bestselling novels for young adults, including the Just One Series, I Was Here, Where She Went and the #1 New York Times bestseller If I Stay, which has been translated into more than 40 languages and in 2014 was adapted into a major motion picture. Gayle published Leave Me, her first novel starring adults in 2016 and her latest novel, I Have Lost My Way, comes out in March of 2018. Gayle lives with her husband and daughters in Brooklyn.

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

GIVAWAY

If FRANKIE & BUG sounds like the type of book you or a young reader would be interested in reading, you're in luck: we're currently giving away a finished copy on our Twitter account right now, until 10/11! All you have to do is click here, follow us, and Retweet the Tweet. The giveaway is unfortunately U.S. only, but we wish you all the best of luck!

~~~

We'd like to thank Simon & Schuster for inviting us to share this spotlight today, and for providing the giveaway copy for us -- if you're interested in FRANKIE & BUG, don't forget to add it to your TBR!

Review: Verity by Colleen Hoover (Jessica's Review)

Title: Verity

Author: Colleen Hoover

Publisher: Hoover Ink, Inc.
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Paperback, 314 Pages
Published December 2018

Summary: Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

I picked up this book after Emily and Amber both read it and told me that it was a must-read, and I didn't need much convincing. Everyone I know who read this book told me that it blew their minds, and since I'm in the two-week period in between grad school terms, I was eager to dive into as many books as possible to get myself out of my burnout reading/writing slump. Well, it's safe to say that this book didn't disappoint! So without further ado, let's jump into my review:

As the summary explains, Lowen is a struggling writer who gets assigned a huge project -- finishing the final three books in a series by the incomparable, amazing author Verity Crawford, who was injured in an accident. Lowen heads to the Crawford house to dig through Verity's notes to find outlines and such for writing the remaining books, but instead she ends up finding an abandoned manuscript written by Verity with terrifying admissions and insight into the tragedies that previously struck their family. Not only is that a horrifying thing to discover, but at the same time, Lowen starts developing feelings for Verity's husband, Jeremy. Not only does this manuscript paint Verity as an evil, horrid person, but it also gives Lowen an opportunity -- if she shows this to Jeremy, then he won't want to stay with Verity, and they can be together forever.

I finished this book late last night (because of course I couldn't go to sleep right as it was getting good), and I slept on it before writing my review, and I am still at a loss for words with this book. It broke my brain and tore me apart in the best way, and I've already started recommending it to all of my family and friends. I've read some thrillers before, and books with some killer plot twists, but Verity easily blows all of those out of the water. I don't think I've ever really been gripped by a book like this in a long time, staying up to finish it, since I read They Both Die at the End. It felt like around every turn, there was a new plot twist or revelation that kept me on my toes. And being able to get into Verity's head through that manuscript was equal parts fascinating and messed up. Without spoiling anything, all I'll say is that this woman is sick. And the more Lowen realizes that, the more she realizes that Jeremy deserves better...with her. I love the fact that this was a romantic thriller, because while there were some pretty awesome and shocking elements to the book, at its root there was also a love triangle, which caught my heart as a romantic. But overall, just...wow. I don't have any words for what this book did to me. All I can say is that you need to read this book right this very second. Yes, right now. Go download a Kindle copy or go to the store or order it online. Every second that you're not reading this book is a second wasted. 

(THERE ARE MAJOR SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH! SKIP TO THE NEXT ONE TO AVOID THEM.) Alright, I just have to talk about the ending for a second, where they killed her. I was rooting for Lowen and Jeremy all the way until the end, when they went and killed her. I'm glad she's dead because she's sick, but why wouldn't they just turn her in?! Then she'd be gone and they wouldn't be murderers! But ugh...wow. That ending. I really couldn't go to bed, no matter how late it was getting, because I just wanted to find out what was going to happen next. And the fact that they got Verity to talk?! I wish that had been drawn out more, because oh my gosh, that was such a shock. Toward the end of the book, I was so terrified to even keep reading, because I really had no idea what was going to come next, and what the next strike for these Chronics would be.

(THERE ARE ALSO BIG SPOILERS HERE! KEEP SKIPPING TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH!) That final part of the book also confused me a bit too. Lowen just gets pregnant and moves in with Jeremy, and nobody notices the timeline? They said they didn't move in together right away because it would look too suspicious after Verity's death, but wouldn't people put two and two together with their pregnancy? The fact that they got away with murder with no foul play was a bit suspicious. So was the fact that Lowen got rid of the letter -- did she do it because she thinks Verity was lying and doesn't want to upset Jeremy, or did she do it because she knows Verity was telling the truth, and she doesn't want to acknowledge that they killed an innocent person? I love that the book leaves off in such an ambiguous spot that readers get to come to their own conclusions (for the record, I think Verity's letter was a lie and that she really did do those things), because now I get to have such riveting conversations with my friends.

Overall, I loved reading Verity. While it's a deviation from the somewhat lighter romances that Colleen Hoover has written in the past (and don't get me wrong, those are some of my favorites), Verity was a whole different animal. This book gripped me from the opening line and kept me hooked (and kept my productivity low) for the entire day and night, because I just couldn't put it down. If you're looking for a whirlwind of a thriller to keep you on your toes and to break you out of a reading slump, then I'd definitely recommend picking this one up!

September 2021 Blogging Recap

It's time for our September 2021 blogging recap! It was kind of a slow month for us, with Emily starting her new nursing job, Amber working hard on a new job, and Jessica finishing some MFA finals for the term and prepping for working at the Brooklyn Book Festival. So we didn't do that much posting, but we *did* do more reading and get out of our reading slumps, which was exciting! So without further ado, let's take a peek into all of the things we accomplished on the blog this month:

In September...

....We reviewed tons of great books!

Check out our review archive to see what reviews we added this month!

....We interviewed some 2021 debut authors!
This month, we interviewed Claire Winn!

....We interviewed Kendare Blake! 

To celebrate the release of All These Bodies, we got to sit down and have a chat with author Kendare Blake, which was really exciting! 

....We rounded up some book covers with fall colors!  

Now that fall is officially upon us, color-themed roundups are some of our favorite things to do!

What was your favorite thing that we did on the blog this month? What are your recommendations for future posts/reviews? Comment down below and let us know! We're really looking forward to October now that the rough, busy weeks are getting behind us, so we'll have more time to read and review and be here for you guys. :-)

Now it's time fo October, which means one of our favorite holidays -- HALLOWEEN!!!