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Book 1,019: The West – Naoíse Mac Sweeney

This was a fascinating read. Mac Sweeney takes what you think you know about “Western Civilization” and attempts to flip it on its head via fourteen mini-biographies about historical figures, only a few of which I knew immediately.

I feel horrible it’s taken me this long to push my response out. The publisher reached out in January 2023. I blew past the publication date in May 2023, and finally read it in December 2023. So, I’m hanging my head, because it’s now taken me another month and a half to actually publish my response.

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Book 983: Unexpecting – Jen Bailey

When someone in the marketing department reached out about this back in December, I wasn’t I was going to read it as I’d had a very stressful fall with a new puppy and school and work, but the blurb stayed in my mind, and after a couple of days deliberation I finally said yes.* I mean I had months to read it so may as well say yes and then plan around my schedule.

Unexpecting was unexpectedly (hardy har har) charming. Was it perfect? No, but that’s okay. It was a fun easy-to-read debut with unique and memorable characters (main and supporting). The book brought a lot of emotions out of me from hating and then understanding Maxie’s parents to my wanting to shake some sense into Ben but also wanting to give him a big hug for trying so hard and finally seeing reality. It was definitely a whirlwind.

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Book 980: Out of Character – Jenna Miller

I requested a copy of this from NetGalley the second Jenna mentioned it was available for requests.* You see, Jenna and I started book blogging around the same time all those years ago and I remember bonding over some of our aligned reading tastes, but I also remember when she started to talk about writing and NaNoWriMo and all the other things that went into the drafts and early works of the novel and we’ve stayed in contact on Insta, oh hey internet friend.

So when she announced not only that she got an agent, had a novel accepted, AND that it was about internet friends. I was like OMG I have to read it. And y’all it was 100% worth the read. There is a spoiler or two after the jump so if you want to read it and don’t want to know anything skip it until you’ve read it.

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Book 979: Heartbreak Boys – Simon James Green

I snagged a copy of this book from NetGalley way back in April, but of course, my schedule went off the rails and I ended up missing the review deadline by a few weeks.* I’m glad I kept my copy and finally got around to it though, it was great!

Heartbreak Boys is the story of Jack and Nate. It starts with a coming out, two horrible breakups, cheating, a lot of sass, an Instagram rivalry, and an embarrassingly awkward forced-road trip together. If that doesn’t convince you to read it, the former best-friends patch up and grow closer should!

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Book 978: Never Ever Getting Back Together – Sophie Gonzales

I’ve been looking forward to reading this one since Wednesday Books’ marketing team reached out way back in April!* I generally like to read a book closer to release so I held off on reading it and then of course missed the release by two weeks, but what can you do when life and school and work get so busy you barely have time to do anything but get from day-to-day?

My first interaction with Sophie Gonzalez was her collaboration with Cale Dietrich If This Gets Out and after adoring that when this landed in my inbox I immediately said yes and am so glad I did. This brings a new romance that I haven’t read in a long time to my site (FF) and increases bisexual representation as the two protagonists are both bisexual! I’m still giggling about this line:

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