First Page Friday - Best Friends

Without getting into anything super heavy right off the bat, I'm going to be frank with you all and admit that with everything going on, it has been challenging for me to focus on new reading material. I'm putting this out there because I'm a person who loves book and reads a lot, so being a reader is a big part of my identity. It has been hard for me to come to terms with the fact that with all the "free time" I have, my reading time has gone down instead of up, and I suspect there might be other readers out there who feel the same way. Y'all, let's recognize this together right now: Sheltering in place during a global pandemic is not "free time," and there is nothing wrong with the way we are responding to the traumatic experience we are currently living through.

Seriously, let's be gentle with ourselves. Now take a deep breath, in for five...out for five...and I hope that one of these best friend pairings strikes your fancy and helps you unwind a little.

1. Cara and Bea in The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle

No matter how many times I listen to this book, it always gives me chills. From the changelings and the wolves to the mystery surrounding Elsie being in all of Cara's pictures to the accident season itself...it all gets me. Plus I'm honestly a little bit jealous of Cara and Bea's friendship. The two, along with Alice, Cara's sister, and Sam, her former step brother, form a tight-knit quartet, and Bea and Cara together are so witchy and strange, I can't help but love them. Honorable mention also goes to Cara and Sam. 💖 If you're into audiobooks, this is a book I feel is best when listened to.

2. Aristotle and Dante in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

I've reviewed this one, but I don't go into much detail, so I'll try to expound on my love for Ari and Dante. The two are such an unlikely pair, but that's exactly what makes them work so well. Where one is soft, the other is hard. Where one is weak, the other is strong. They compliment and lift each other up, and their relationship is a perfect example of what relationships should be. Read this and try not to fall in love with them, I don't think you can do it.

3. Penelope and Simon in Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Yeah, I know, I recommend this in every list I do, and I've reviewed it. Stop talking about Carry On, Dewey! Look...I'll stop talking about it when it stops being amazing, how's that? In the meantime, I stan Penelope and Simon, and if possible, I stan them even more in Wayward Son.

4. Cristina and Emma in The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare

I chose Cristina and Emma for this best friend pairing, but take your pick, really. There are so many amazing relationships in this series, it's hard to call one my favorite. (Ok, fine, it's not...Livvy and Ty, obviously.) The vibrant characters are one of my favorite parts about the Shadowhunter books, and whether it's this series or another, you won't go wrong picking up one of Cassandra Clare's books.

5. Gideon and Noah in Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Yep, another one that I won't stop talking about (or reviewing). But seriously, take a look at this preview of their friendship:

"I was born six weeks early, you know," [Gideon] says quietly.

 "Really?"

Yeah," Noah says. "And just look at him." He closes the fridge. "Seriously, look at him." Gideon straightens up and begins doing a model walk across the room and into the hall, swinging his arms, fingers extended, kicking out each foot with his head held high.

"Look at those legs," Noah says. "Look at that bone structure. Look at those eyes, you could get fucking lost in them."

"You need GoogleMaps to find your way out of my eyes," Gideon says, executing an elaborate turn before catwalking back. "Or at least a comparable navigation app."

They are so goofy and genuine together, and they also just...unabashedly love each other. At the risk of being super cheesy, reading about the two of them feels like a hug to me. Their friendship (and pretty much everything else about this book) is beautiful.

6. Pablo and Tice in Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi

Y'all, I love Mary H.K. Choi so much that when my sister gave me a signed copy of this book for Christmas, I started straight up bawling. This is another book that I've reviewed, and it's actually one of my longer reviews, so I won't say much. Just that we all need a friend like Tice, someone who isn't afraid to call you on your bullshit and tell you to straighten out when you need some tough love. Also, I want someone to make me a quarantine Hot Snack (tm).

7. Simon and Leah in Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Honestly, just thinking about this pair makes me want to reread this book. Leah is the best kind of snarky, and Simon is just...so Simon. They're a great pair, and their whole friend circle is wonderful. No wonder Becky Albertalli can't resist writing more about them. They're such a heartwarming group to spend time with.

8. The quartet in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Ok, this is an oldie, but it's a goodie, and I couldn't not include this group in a post about best friends. They have magic friendship pants FFS. If you're in it for the good feels, stop after Forever in Blue. If you're in it for all the feels, read Sisterhood Everlasting.

9. Aza and Daisy in Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Ooh, another one with a longer review, and one where I specifically talk about what a great friendship Aza and Daisy have! I'll just reiterate that I love the way they genuinely love and support each other, even when they're angry with each other. Would that we could all have a friendship like Aza and Daisy's.

10. Emoni and Angelica in With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

These two are pretty much the definition of Ride or Die friends. They have each other's backs through thick and thin, and they're always there to go to bat for each other when one of them needs support, whether it's something huge like Emoni's pregnancy or smaller things. This is Elizabeth Acevedo's second novel, and once again, she does not disappoint.

Mask of Shadows - Linsey Miller

My rating: ⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But genderfluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper class - and the nobles who destroyed her home.

When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of the Left Hand - the Queen's personal assassins, named after the rings she wears - Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge

But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive."

FYI before we get started: I'll be using she/her pronouns for Sal since that is what the description defaults to.

Story time. I just bought a book journal, and I was SUPER excited to start writing in it. SO PUMPED. The journal happened to arrive at the beginning of April, and this book happened to be the book my book club is reading in April, so it made sense for this to be the first book I included in my awesome new journal. I drew a little sketch of my version of the cover ("my version" meaning it isn't very good), I wrote down the title, and I had all my pens and markers ready to record favorite moments and quotes and such.

And...

And...

It was a real struggle to come up with anything to add to the journal.Because y'all...I did not love this book.

I wanted to. The premise is interesting, the cover is beautiful, and I was looking forward to reading it. But it was all so very "meh" for me. Everything about it was underdeveloped. Sal is a great thief...based on...the fact that the book tells you she is, I guess, because (spoiler, I guess?) she steals someone's purse with the flyer about Left Hand auditions in it in chapter one (speaking of...why did some noble lady have a flyer about the Left Hand auditions in her purse?) and has murdered her super powerful and intimidating boss and headed off to the audition by the end of chapter three, so there is literally no world-building or character development to introduce you to Sal or this world.

We get to chapter four, where auditions begin, and it's like "WHOA. This is super serious, a fight to the death. I am but a simple street thief, I'm not prepared for this!" But after the first day, no one really messes with Sal (at least not in any way that made me nervous at all). And while we're talking about the auditions, Sal pretty much sucks at everything...but is leading the pack from the get go? I don't buy it, my friends. Nah.

Then the Big Reveals start. But they aren't big reveals, because...oh yeah...we don't know anything about Sal, her motivation, or this world! If you want me to be like "GAAAAASP, this guy is at court?!" then maybe like...tell me about that guy first? Same with the romance between Sal and the "intriguing scribe at court." There was so little build-up that it all seemed forced and stilted. Even the other auditioners are barely developed, which is a huge let down given that the bulk of the story revolves around auditions. Honestly, the only characters I felt had enough personality and development for me to connect with them were Maud and Ruby.

Ultimately, while I wanted to enjoy this book, it was a drag from start to finish. I struggled to get into it, and finishing it felt like running a 5k through water. Pass.

When - Victoria Laurie

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Maddie Fynn is a shy high school junior, cursed with an eerie intuitive ability: she sees a series of unique digits hovering above the foreheads of each person she encounters. Her earliest memories are marked by these numbers, but it takes her father's premature death for Maddie and her family to realize that these mysterious digits are actually death dates, and just like birthdays, everyone has one.

Forced by her alcoholic mother to use her ability to make extra money, Maddie identifies the quickly approaching death date of one client's young son, but because her ability only allows her to see the when and not the how, she's unable to offer any more insight. When the boy goes missing on that exact date, law enforcement turns to Maddie.

Soon, Maddie is entangled in a homicide investigation, and more young people disappear and are later found murdered. A suspect for the investigation, a target for the murderer, and attracting the attentions of a mysterious young admirer who may be connected to it all, Maddie's whole existence is about to be turned upside down. Can she right things before it's too late?"

Ok, ok, I know it says right there in the description that Maddie ends up part of a homicide investigation and a target for the murderer, but uh...it still caught me off guard what a thriller it was. I know, I know. Kept me on the edge of my seat, though! In fact (**spoiler alert!**) I was into it until the very end, when everything wrapped up superneatlyperfectly, and then I was like meh...that's a little Disney movie-esque for a book about a serial killer. Also, it killed me that when she got home at the end of the book and smelled the cigarette smoke, knowing full well that there's a serial killer following her around who smokes and has left cigarette butts at the scene of each crime, she decides that her mom has miraculously gotten out of rehab, rather than recognizing that hey, maybe the murderer got into my super unsecure house. Unforgivably dumb of her. Maddie, be a little less naive. (/spoileralert) Ignore my gripes, though, because really, it's a great book. I was a big fan of the character development, I thought the concept was super intriguing, and it's pretty intense and gripping. It's definitely worth a read!

First Page Friday - Books That Feel Like a Hug

I would love to do an actual book review for y'all, but I just don't have it in me now, so instead I've got another list of quarantine recommendations coming your way! This one is all about comforting reads. It was going to be a top ten, but there are a few repeats from last week, so I added some bonus titles. Do you have another comforting book to recommend? Leave it in the comments!

1. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley

Beauty's father in a wealthy merchant, but when he loses his fortune after tragedy befalls his fleet of ships, her family is forced to auction off what remains of their worldly possessions and relocate to the small town her sister's fiance is from. It's a difficult transition, but ultimately the family finds their groove in this new life, and things are going well until, journeying home in the middle of winter, her father gets lost in the woods and finds himself at the Beast's enchanted castle. Just like in the original story, Beauty takes his place, and things unfold from there. I've read this book so many times, but I still lose myself in it every time. Bonus, it's actually the first in a trio of fairytale retellings, so if you like it, you can keep reading! (And let me know what you think of Rose Daughter and Spindle's End, because confession: I have not read either of them)

2. Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

I double checked whether I had reviewed this book on the blog before, and at first I was a little surprised that I hadn't. Then I realized that of course I haven't reviewed it here, because I don't know what to say. This book is hard to describe, but perfect to read. It's Penny's first year of college, and...that's what it's about. Navigating somewhere new. Learning how to live with roommates, making new friends. Managing your anxiety. It's a book about real life. If you read this one and don't like it, I'm begging you, please don't tell me, because it is probably in my top three favorite books of all time, and I love it so much that it makes me nervous even recommending it.

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I threw this in with last week's list, and maybe I'll just keep bringing it up until I wear everyone down and convince them to read it. It's similar to Emergency Contact, Cath's first year at college, learning to navigate new and unfamiliar spaces while dealing with extreme anxiety. Again, nothing horribly consequential happens, but it feels so familiar because, hello! It's your first year of college, you've lived a version of this! I've said it before, and I'll say it again...I consider this the perfect book. So again, please don'tt ell me if you hate it. ;)

4. Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Oh, I've reviewed this one! You guys, I read to my husband before we go to bed, and this was the last book he chose to read. Not even lying, there were moments where the dialogue made me laugh so hard I had to stop reading and compose myself. I love this book, Gideon is so purely kind and lovely, even just remembering it gives me the warm fuzzies.

5. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

Yeah, I know, a repeat from last week, but it's so good! There's some serious stuff in there, but Monty is so snarky and wonderful, just reading his dialogue is like hanging out with a friend.

6. Harry Potter 

We all know who it's by, I'm not going to include her TERFy name. If you read these as a child, it's a journey back to those days. If you're like me and read them when you were a little older, maybe it's not a nostalgic trip back to when you were waiting to get your Hogwarts letter, but it still warms my heart to reread them and spend time with some of my favorite characters.

7. The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien

What better to take your mind off a worldwide pandemic than some epic hobbit adventures? Dragons, elves, orcs, magic rings...

8. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Another that I've reviewed before! Leah kicks ass, and she has some of the best one-liners ever. If foul-mouthed tough women are your thing, you'll love Leah.

9. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

It's a classic, y'all! This book is truly a revisit of my childhood, and it makes me so happy thinking back to my book-loving, nerdy young self (not that I'm not book-loving and nerdy now, but you know...I was going to say I was slightly shorter then, but I don't know how true that is. I was younger, for sure.). If you haven't read it before, give it a shot! This or Anne of Green Gables, they were my favorites back then. To this day, every time I drive through Blythe, California, I give a little sigh thinking of Gilbert Blythe.

10. Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

I really thought I had reviewed this one before, but I haven't! This is the first book Becky Albertalli wrote in the same world as Leah on the Offbeat, and oh my, I love it so much. Simon has a virtual penpal, and he's pretty head over heels for him, but there's a small catch - he doesn't know who he is in real life. There's some shittiness and drama, but Simon's friends are amazing, and this book makes my heart happy.

11. Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

You can revisit my review of this one here. Or you can just trust me that this book will not only make you want to go camping, it will warm your heart to its very cockles.

12. This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills

Ohh, a recent review, and another Emma Mills book! She writes such great dialogue, and her characters are way too easy to fall in love with. I found this book incredibly touching, and I hope that you will too.

13. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Yep, another repeat. I said it last week, and I'll say it again, these books are a trip back in time to when the most stressful part of your life was what the person you had a crush on thought of you. Lara Jean is so sweet and serious, and watching her navigate high school and dating just...melts my heart. And Noah Centineo is perfectly cast as Peter Kavinski, if you have not watched the movies on Netflix, I don't know what you're waiting for.

14. The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo

Another book that I've reviewed before! This one and Foolish Hearts kinda remind me of each other, but that isn't a bad thing. They're both light-hearted and wonderful. And this one features a food truck, so prepare to be hungry basically the entire time you're reading - seriously, have snacks handy.

15. We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Marin is running away from her old life, but parts of it keep pulling her back in, refusing to let her go. Months later, she's alone at college in her empty dorm, waiting for her best friend to visit and dreading confronting everything that Mabel's presence will force her to confront. This book is kind of a departure from most of this list because it's actually very sad, but in an...oddly comforting way? Maybe read this one sandwiched in between Foolish Hearts and This Adventure Ends.