Book Review: Girl at Heart by Kelly Oram

Rating: ★★★★ and a 1/2 or 4.5 stars

Synopsis: As the daughter of a successful Major League pitcher, Charlie Hastings has baseball in her blood. Unfortunately, being the only girl on her high school baseball team, Charlie has always been just one of the guys.

When her best friend, and secret love of her life, asks another girl to the prom, Charlie is devastated. She’s tired of being overlooked by boys because she’s not like other girls. Suffering a massive identity crisis, she decides to hang up her cleats and finally learn how to be a girl.

But with only two weeks until the state championships, the Roosevelt High Ravens can’t afford to lose their star catcher. Team captain Jace King makes her a deal: Don’t quit the team, and he’ll help her become the girl she’s so desperate to be. After all, he’s got four sisters, one of whom happens to be a cheerleader. He knows a thing or two about girls. (And if he can win her heart in the process, all the better.)

From the bestselling young adult author of Cinder & Ella, V is for Virgin, and the Avery Shaw Experiment comes a new sweet romance that’s sure to leave you with all the feels! Girl at Heart is a clean and wholesome sports romance that will leave you with warm fuzzies and an itch to watch a baseball game.

Review: I had been wanting to read this book for a while but kept putting it off. And what better time than to read it in quarantine. And my verdict is “this is so cute, my heart exploded!”, some bits were not that cute but overall it was just so heartwarming and sweet.

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Book Review: The Academy by Emmaline Andrews

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis: The Academy
Where things are not always as they seem…

My name is Kris Jameson and I’m a student at the Royal Academy. I’m at the top of all my classes, what they call a “model student.” There’s only one problem—the Academy is an all boys school and I’m a girl.

It started as a prank when I took my brother’s place. But things got complicated when I caught Broward, the school bully, in a compromising position. They got even worse when I was assigned my roommate—the handsome but enigmatic North who saved me several times from the bully’s attacks.

Now the consequences of my deception are coming back to haunt me. The penalty for fraud at this exclusive school is much worse than simple expulsion—I could lose a hand. Worse, so could my beloved brother.

With so much at stake, it’s imperative that I keep my secret safe. And the person I’m closest to, North, is the one I have to be most wary of.
The trouble is, I think I’m falling in love with him…

Review: THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE READ SO FAR! The Academy by Emmaline Andrews mixes traditional with dystopian and my word this book was an adventure to read! I love a good girl-disguised-as-a-guy-due-to-misogyny book and this one is at the top of that list!

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Book Review: Just One of the Boys by Leah and Kate Rooper

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis: Alice Bell has one goal: to play for the elite junior hockey team the Chicago Falcons. But when she’s passed over at tryouts for being a girl, she’ll do anything to make her dream a reality…even disguising herself as her twin brother. With her amazing skills on the ice, Alice is sure she’ll fit in easily. That is, until she starts falling for one of her teammates…

Hayden Tremblay, star of the Falcons, can’t keep himself out of the penalty box. Constantly living in the shadow of his older brother, Hayden’s losing his passion for hockey. But when he gets shown up on the ice by the Falcons’ new rookie, Hayden’s determined to teach the kid a thing or two. Little does he guess that “Al’s” surprises on the ice are just the beginning…

Review: Cute. Amazing. Gripping. All these words I would use to describe this book. Just one of the boys uses a topic in books that I love, a girl affected by gender inequality by defying the rules and pretending to be a boy. For some reason, I just love this type of book and with just one of the boys, it has to be the best one I have ever read.

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Book Review: Friended by Kilby Blades

Rating: ★★★ and 1/3 or 3.5 stars

Synopsis: Compared to life on tour with her wannabe rock star mother, finishing high school in Rye is a snooze. At least Roxy has her best friend, Zoë, her dad, and her music. When her standoffish Civics class partner, Jag Monroe, breaks ranks and randomly friends her on Instagram, Roxy swiftly declines.

Jag is Roxy’s total opposite: stinking rich, conceited, and hot in that obvious kind of way. Roxy’s sure that his repeated friend requests must be a joke. Then Zoë does the unthinkable: snatches Roxy’s phone, accepts Jag’s latest friend request, and follows him back.

As the posts (and sparks) fly, Roxy begins to suspect that Jag may not be as shallow as everyone thinks, and that he may be into more than just her music.

Review: Ooh this book is so cute! The characters were very lovable and the addition of music for each chapter actually helped make the book more immersive if you will.

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Book Review: The Wrong Bachelor by Alexandra Moody

Rating: ★★★★ or 4 stars

Song that reminds me of this book: Perfect Strangers by Jonas Blue ft. JP Cooper

Synopsis: Bachelor: A desirable potential boyfriend. AKA not Cole Kingston.

Seventeen-year-old Madison (Madi) Matthews wants nothing to do with the dating competition her school is holding to raise money for charity. She’s never been interested in chasing a guy before and she certainly isn’t interested in competing for one in front of the whole school.

But, when Madi is voted as one of the ten “lucky” contestants, she’s given no choice but to vie for the heart of Lincoln High’s most eligible bachelor. The problem is, they’ve chosen the wrong guy.

Cole Kingston might be good looking, great with a football and practically the king of Lincoln High, but he’s also cocky, arrogant, a serial flirt and Madi’s sworn enemy.

Will she be able to resist him though when the competition heats up and he turns his charms on her?

Review: Oooh this book was great! It is a YA contemporary romance that I actually enjoyed which is pretty unusual but the whole story was interesting enough to keep me hooked as well as build up tension.

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Book Review: My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak

Rating: ★★★ and 1/2 or 3.5 stars

Synopsis: My Life with the Walter Boys centers on the prim, proper, and always perfect Jackie Howard. When her world is turned upside down by tragedy, Jackie must learn to cut loose and be part of a family again.

Jackie does not like surprises. Chaos is the enemy! The best way to get her successful, busy parents to notice her is to be perfect. The perfect look, the perfect grades-the perfect daughter. And then…

Surprise #1: Jackie’s family dies in a freak car accident.

Surprise #2: Jackie has to move cross-country to live with the Walters-her new guardians.

Surprise #3: The Walters have twelve sons. (Well, eleven, but Parker acts like a boy anyway)

Now Jackie must trade in her Type A personality and New York City apartment for a Colorado ranch and all the wild Walter boys who come with it. Jackie is surrounded by the enemy-loud, dirty, annoying boys who have no concept of personal space. Okay, several of the oldest guys are flat-out gorgeous. But still annoying. She’s not stuck-up or boring-no matter what they say. But proving it is another matter. How can she fit in and move on when she needs to keep her parents’ memory alive by living up to the promise of perfect?

Review: This book had such a unique story that I was intrigued as soon as I read the synopsis. This book did not disappoint! The story line and characters were great!

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Book Review: #TheRealCinderella by Yesenia Vargas

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis: A modern-day teenage Cinderella. An all-star varsity basketball player. Will the chemistry disappear when they go from anonymous to face-to-face?

Geeky Ella Reyes is at the bottom of the totem pole at Westwood High. Her ultra-popular stepsisters refuse to be seen with her at school, and every day she comes home to a mountain of chores.

Ella’s only friend (and maybe crush) lives on the other side of her phone’s screen. She and Baller929 know everything about each other, except their real names.

When they have a chance to meet at her school’s Halloween ball, Ella must figure out a way to get there without her stepmom or stepsisters finding out.

Is revealing her identity to Baller929 worth risking the one good thing left in her life? Or is he too good to be true?

Review: Another Cinderella retelling!!! This one is a modern retelling and I really liked it! So the main character named Ella (Daniela actually) has the whole Cinderella package,evil stepsisters, demanding stepmother and an online crush named Baller929.

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Book Review: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis: Cinderella goes to the con in this fandom-fueled twist on the classic fairy tale.

Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom. Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfieldmovie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

Review: The Cinderella story retelling is one of my favourite types of books and this one is one of my favourites. It combines fandoms with fairytales and celebrity romances as well as the evil stepmother and stepsisters.

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Book Review: To Best the Boys by Mary Weber

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis:

The task is simple: don a disguise. Survive the Labyrinth. Best the boys.

In a thrilling new fantasy from the bestselling author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, one girl makes a stand against society and enters a world made exclusively for boys.

Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port have received a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. The poorer residents look to see if their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.

In the province of Caldon, where women train in wifely duties and men pursue collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.

With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone is ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the deadly maze.

Welcome to the Labyrinth.

Review: This was the perfect book to drag me out of my book slump! It was exciting and wasn’t as predictable as expected. There were a few twists that totally shocked me and the actual storyline of this book was incredible.

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Book Review: The Beast’s Heart by Leife Shallcross

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis:

I am neither monster nor man—yet I am both.

I am the Beast.

The day I was cursed to this wretched existence was the day I was saved—although it did not feel so at the time.

My redemption sprung from contemptible roots; I am not proud of what I did the day her father happened upon my crumbling, isolated chateau. But if loneliness breeds desperation then I was desperate indeed, and I did what I felt I must. My shameful behaviour was unjustly rewarded.

My Isabeau. She opened my eyes, my mind and my heart; she taught me how to be human again.

And now I might lose her forever.

Review: I definitely give this 5 stars! This book is incredible, there’s just one small thing but otherwise, this book is perfect. I was actually shocked by how much I liked it because this isn’t my usual kind of read but I’m trying more historical contemporary books ( I don’t actually know the genre name, don’t judge me) and so far I haven’t been disappointed by any of them.

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