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Annie’s reading tips

Welcome to check out my YA, queer and diverse book recommendations!
​See my latest reviews below, or find a review by author or rating under categories.

4/16/2022 1 Comment

StrangeLove by T.L. Bradford

This is the third book in The Young Americans series following the cast on a Hollywood TV show and their friends and it just keeps getting better by each book! This is my favorite one yet!
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StrangeLove can be read as a standalone, but I think you’ll enjoy it more if you’ve read the two previous books in the series first. Even though this book focuses on the budding romance between football player Archer and dancer and former member of the YA cast Kai, it was so lovely to see the main couple from the first two books, Josh and Noah, as well as some other favorites among the YA crew again.

​I won’t get into the story too much, since it will spoil the previous books in the series if I do. But I just want to say that compared to the complicated and sometimes toxic relationship in the first two books, I shipped the slow-burning and sweet romance between Archer and Kai so much more. They felt right for each other from the beginning despite their differences.

I also really appreciated how this book shows that love for another person can exist in many forms and how you can remain friends with someone even after concluding that you are not a romantic fit. I also loved Archer’s and Kai’s sweet and adorkable quirks and their snarky banter.

Some parts were a bit too long and dragged unnecessary, and there were some plot twists that didn’t make sense to me. It was also a bit hard to fully comprehend Archer as a character. He was really sweet and goofy, but there was something about him that didn’t add up in his persona. Some parts got their explanation towards the end, with his homophobic family and their rejection, but I hope his character will be even more fleshed out in the next book. Which I’m eagerly awaiting… I can’t wait to continue Archer’s and Kai’s story and to get more of their snarky banter!

I also hope for one more couple in this series, and I hope it will involve Liam Allen who is an intriguing character that definitely grew on me in this book!

Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for the free review copy and blog tour invitation for The Young Americans series. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
3.5 stars rounding up to 4

Get your own copy:
Amazon

​Author info:
T.L. Bradford

Giveaway:
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See all participants and links to their posts here: StrangeLove Tour
1 Comment

4/5/2022 0 Comments

True Faith by T.L. Bradford

This second book in The Young Americans really surprised me and made me question my feelings from the first book… Suddenly I’m Team Noah after having some real problems caring for him in the first book, and my sweetheart Josh is suddenly selfish and immature, and the other cast members certainly are not behaving their best either. Just like the first book, this one was a bit too long and with too much soap opera drama, but it was fun to have your thoughts and feelings overthrown by the author!
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True Faith continues where Just Like Heaver finished, with the love affair between Josh and Noah. But instead of a happily ever after and a happy marriage that we all expected, they are really struggling to navigate the twists and turns of their newly public relationship…to varying degrees of success. And when Josh suddenly becomes the new Hollywood it-boy instead of Noah things soon get out of hand…

I was a bit disappointed in the way Josh acted, but on the other hand I’m glad that I finally got to root for Noah. The problem was that their relationship was so toxic and melodramatic most of the time, that I almost didn’t want for them to end up together. It was also sad to see the relationship of some of my other favorite supporting characters turning toxic as well.

What I really loved about this book was the way the author made her characters so real and so human with all their flaws and shortcomings. The story was a very angsty, emotionally complex and intriguing one, and I’m glad that we got more of Josh and Noah than just the first book. So all in all, it was an enjoyable read, but now I’m feeling more than ready to move on to some of the other members of the Americana cast.

Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
3 stars

Get your own copy:
Amazon

​Author info:
T.L. Bradford
0 Comments

3/29/2022 0 Comments

Just Like Heaven by T.L. Bradford

This first book in The Young Americans really got me hooked at first! It started off as an intense and thrilling romance and with a great Hollywood setting. But after a while it became just as melodramatic as the soap opera TV show where the main characters were actors. It had a lot of potential but didn’t meet them all the way sadly.
Just Like Heaven takes place on the set of the Hollywood show Americana, where Noah Sinclair is the big star. After a breakup from his co-star Gemma, both on set and in real-life, the directors felt that a twist was needed in the show. Enter Josh Hill, former football player, as the new love interest and a threat to Noah’s well protected secret…

I really loved the charming, sweet and kind Josh, but had a lot of problem with Noah and his controlling ways. Even though his backstory provides some explanations, it never really justified his toxic behavior at times.

I also had some issues with the overall plot – or rather plots – there was so much going on that the book became way too long and the twists and turns just made you lose connection with the characters. The plot contained just about every literary trope possible and there was some really weird things happening storywise concerning Noah’s abusive father.

But the other cast members were great supporting characters and I completely adored Josh’s family! So even though this book didn’t quite meet my expectations I still have high hopes for the second book in this series!

Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
3 stars

Get your own copy:
Amazon

​Author info:
T.L. Bradford
0 Comments

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