Check, Please!, Book 2: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu
Published by: First Second
Pub Date: April 7, 2020
Pages: 336
Format: paperback | Source: purchased
Genres: young adult, contemporary, sports romance, graphic novel, LGBTQ+
Rating:

Eric Bittle is heading into his junior year at Samwell University, and not only does he have new teammates―he has a brand new boyfriend! Bitty and Jack must navigate their new, secret, long-distance relationship, and decide how to reveal their relationship to friends and teammates. And on top of that, Bitty’s time at Samwell is quickly coming to an end…It’s two full hockey seasons packed with big wins and high stakes!

A collection of the second half of the mega-popular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: Sticks and Scones is the last in a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life.

Perfection!!! So very cute!! I love the artwork so much and the story was excellent and there was a lot of pie and jam and Jack & Bitty!! The Haus is the best, I wish this was a tv show. Makes me want to watch Greek haha. Anyway this was delightful and I’m so happy I got to finally finish this story ❤

Moment of Truth by Kasie West
Published by: HarperTeen
Pub Date: March 3, 2020
Pages: 352
Format: e-book | Source: Library
Genres: young adult, contemporary romance,
Rating:

At sixteen, Hadley Moore knows exactly who she is—a swimmer who will earn a scholarship to college. Totally worth all the hard work, even if her aching shoulders don’t agree.

So when a guy dressed as Hollywood’s latest action hero, Heath Hall, crashes her swim meet, she isn’t amused. Instead, she’s determined to make sure he doesn’t bother her again. Only she’s not sure exactly who he is.

The swim meet isn’t the first event the imposter has interrupted, but a little digging turns up a surprising number of people who could be Heath Hall, including Hadley’s ex-boyfriend and her best friend’s crush. She soon finds herself getting caught up in the mysterious world of the fake Heath Hall.

As Hadley gets closer to uncovering the masked boy’s identity, she also discovers some uncomfortable truths about herself—like she might resent the long shadow her late brother has cast over her family, that she isn’t as happy as she pretends to be with her life choices…and that she’s falling for the last guy she ever thought she would like.

I read this on a whim and quite frankly didn’t expect a lot going in because Kasie West’s last few books have been a miss for me. So it was a really pleasant surprise to enjoy Moment of Truth so much! It’s her trademark blend of a heavy topic (Hadley’s teen brother passed from cancer before she was born) with family moments, character growth, strong female friendships, an intriguing mystery, and a really lovely ship. I loooved the ship! I was so glad it WAS the ship hahah. If you loved Kasie’s early books you should definitely give this one (and Listen To Your Heart!) a try.

Truly Madly Royally by Debbie Rigaud
Published by: Point Paperbacks
Pub Date: July 30, 2019
Pages: 289
Format: paperback| Source: purchased
Genres: young adult, contemporary romance
Rating:

Fiercely independent and smart, Zora Emerson wants to change the world. She’s excited to be attending a prestigious summer program, even if she feels out of place among her privileged, mostly white classmates. So she’s definitely not expecting to feel a connection to Owen, who’s an actual prince of an island off the coast of England. But Owen is funny, charming…and undeniably cute. Zora can’t ignore the chemistry between them. When Owen invites Zora to be his date at his big brother’s big royal wedding, Zora is suddenly thrust into the spotlight, along with her family and friends. Everyone is talking about her, in real life and online, and while Owen is used to the scrutiny, Zora’s not sure it’s something she can live with. Can she maintain her sense of self while moving between two very different worlds? And can her feelings for Owen survive and thrive in the midst of the crazy? Find out in this charming romantic comedy that’s like The Princess Diaries for a new generation.

Adorable- this would make a great Netflix or Freeform movie! The meet cute is adorable and while I didn’t feel Owen had a ton of personality (he was kind of a standard “proper prince”), he and Zora were pretty adorable together. I loved how much he noticed her and paid attention to what she cared about. The best part for me was Zora herself- she’s like a mini Leslie Knope, so driven to help her hometown and her people any way that she can! She had a lot of personality that radiated off the page, and her family did too. 

What have you been reading these past couple months? Have you enjoyed any of these titles! Let me know! I’ve missed chatting with y’all!