Finding true friends

 The Roommate Arrangement
By Samantha Markum

 

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Publication date: January 27, 2026

Print length: 352 pages

ISBN-13: 978-1665973076

Reading age: 14 years and up

Grade level: 9 – 12

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

When Blair accidentally becomes college roommates with her brother’s best friend, sparks fly in this hilarious rom-com from bestselling author Samantha Markum, perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Emma Lord.

Blair might be a little type-A, but she never thought of herself as completely overbearing…that is, until her two best friends drop her from their housing arrangement a week before her pre-college summer coding program is about to start.

Blair knows if she switches to an on-campus dorm, her parents will make her give up her expensive sculpture class with her dream mentor in order to pay for it. Desperate, she agrees to be the fifth roommate to four off-campus sophomores who are also in a last-minute bind. But things get complicated when one of her new roommates turns out to be her brother’s best friend, Jamie Atwater.

Blair begs Jamie not to tell her brother about the new living arrangement. Her brother would go straight to their parents, who would definitely not approve, and all her plans would fall apart. So they strike a deal: she’ll help him finish coding the app he’s building if he promises to keep her secret.

Spending more time together shouldn’t be a problem. Sure, Jamie has a new haircut, a mysterious tattoo, and a year’s worth of earned muscle, but it’s not like Blair is noticing. After all, they’re only roommates, right?

 

My Thoughts:

Blair is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Her mother and stepfather are extremely controlling and, quite frankly, snobby. They’ve chosen her future career and how she should spend her time. What she really loves is sculpture, and when her “best” friends pull out of a rooming agreement for college, she is left scrambling to find a place. Naturally, she accidentally ends up with her misfit older brother’s best friend. Whom she hates. And believes hates her. Or whatever.

 

Of course, things develop. It turns out that Jamie’s really not so bad. And Blair finds out what it really means to be accepted and supported by friends. The theme of found family is the best part of this story, because her own family is pretty awful. There is redemption, eventually, with her brother, and it’s a sweet moment.

 

Watching Blair struggle in her summer coding program is really hard. Particularly with the bully of a professor. But the support she received from her sculpture mentor makes up for a lot of that. Blair eventually learns to let go and trust herself. And Jamie.

 

Possible objectionable material:

Teens drink and party. End of a friendship. Lying to parents. Blair has been sexually active in the past. Innuendo. Swearing, including the F word. Blair has a panic attack. A character is nonbinary.

 

Who might like this book:

People who like stories of found family and overcoming difficulties. Those who like art. Blair talks about herself as “fat”, so those who like female main characters who don’t fit the usual mold.

 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 

#BookReview #BookBlogger #NetGalley #YA #YARomance #The Roommate Arrangement #SamanthaMarkum

Do not miss!

A Language of Dragons
A Language of Dragons 1
By S.F. Williamson

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication date: January 7, 2025

Print length: 432 pages

ISBN-13: 978-0063353848

Reading age: 15+ years

Book 1 of A Language of Dragons

Grade level: 8 - 9

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

In an alternate London in 1923, one girl accidentally breaks the tenuous truce between dragons and humans in this sweeping debut and epic retelling of Bletchley Park steeped in language, class, and forbidden romance. Perfect for teen fans of Fourth Wing and Babel.

 

Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get a summer internship studying dragon languages, be smart, be sweet, and make sure her little sister never, ever has to risk growing up Third Class. She just has to free one dragon.

 

By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

 

With her parents and cousin arrested and her sister missing, Viv is brought to Bletchley Park as a codebreaker—if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.

 

As Viv begins to discover the secrets of a hidden dragon language, she realizes that the fragile peace treaty that holds human and dragon societies together is corrupt, and the dangerous work Viv is doing could be the thread that unravels it.

 

A War of Wyverns
A Language of Dragons 2
By S.F. Williamson

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication date: January 6, 2026

Print length: 368 pages

ISBN-13: 978-0063353862

Reading age: 13 years and up

Book 2 A Language of Dragons

Grade level: 8 – 9

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

Rebellion happens in the shadows. In the sequel to the New York Times bestseller A Language of Dragons, language is the greatest weapon in a war between humans and dragons—and one translator has the power to change the world. Perfect for teen fans of Fourth Wing and Babel.

 

Who is Vivien Featherswallow?

 

It’s the question on the lips of every human and dragon in Britannia, and even she doesn’t know the answer. Is she the Swallow, the face of the rebellion against the corrupt government and invading Bulgarian dragons? Is she a brasstongue, a translator on the cusp of discovering a new dragon language? Or is she just Viv, the girl who lost the love of her life after playing spy?

 

Viv isn’t sure, but she knows she has to fight back.

 

Armed with a machine that allows her to listen to dragons’ thoughts, a diary with the clues of a never-before translated dragon tongue, and her own need to avenge her lost love, Viv seeks out the elusive Hebridean Wyverns. If she can find them and convince them to join the war, the rebellion might have a chance.

 

Viv will soon realize that while translation is a weapon, it might not help her on her journey to victory—or to finding herself.

 

My Thoughts:

If you haven’t already read the first book in this trilogy, why on earth not? It’s one of the best fantasy books of 2025. Think…Bletchley Park, but with dragons.

 

Of course, this series is so much more than that. It’s about class, and the power of language, and rebellion. And yes, a little bit about love. But not just romantic love. It’s about love of family, love of heritage, and even love of God.

 

Vivien is a flawed protagonist. She’s done some bad things in order to achieve the success that is expected of her. But she knows she’s done bad things, and she feels deserving of every bad thing that comes her way. She is also naïve about how the world really works. She is quick to judge, assuming that she knows what’s what.

 

With this clearly established, then, Vivien’s growth in understanding and purpose is eminently satisfying. After she inadvertently causes the Peace Agreement between humans and Dragons to be broken, she is sent off to Bletchley Park, to join other gifted teens in an effort to decode the ultrasonic language of dragons. She meets teens with different backgrounds and life experiences, and she begins to realize that her ideas are not always right.

 

One of the best parts for me is her conversations with Atlas, a priest-in-training. Their discussions on the idea of forgiveness, and spending one’s life being better, are lovely.

 

I also enjoyed the ideas about language. Words and word choice are important. Language conveys power, culture, tradition, and so much more that is not directly encoded in the words. As we get into the second book, Williamson also introduces the idea that much of the meaning in a translation comes from the translator, trying to convey the intangibles of one language into another.

 

Consider the irony, then, in today’s Instagram story from Williamson. A French publisher is has fired their translators in favor of using Artificial Intelligence.

 

Book 1 ends on a tragic note. It’s not the only death in the book, but it’s by far the most important one.

 

Book 2 starts with Vivien working hard on a new draconic language, as war rages in England. She still has a habit of making snap judgements, but she also continues to grow and learn, including the most important lesson: that she is more than her abilities.

 

In both of these books, there is a cast of interesting, well-rounded characters. Perhaps the most stock character is the principle antagonist, Prime Minister Wyvernmire.

 

The only reason not to read these books RIGHT NOW is that book two ends on a cliffhanger, and you’ll have to wait another year for the conclusion.

 

Or you can just have the pleasure of reading them again.

 

Possible Objectionable Material:

Minor cursing. Frequent use of the “f” word. Smoking, drinking. One character is gay. It’s war and many—humans and dragons—die. Children are hunted by dragons. Dishonesty. Child abuse—not shown. Families are separated. Classism. Attempted sexual assault. Kissing.

 

Who Might Like These Books:

Those who like stories about dragons, alternate histories, language, dystopian governments.

 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing ARCs in exchange for my honest opinion.

 

#NetGalley #YAbooks #biblioquacious #bookbloger #dragons #ALanguageOfDragons #AWarOfWyverns #trilogy #SFWilliamson #HarperFireBooks

 

 

Secret penpals

 

Wish You Were Her
By Elle McNicoll
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication date: August 26, 2025
Print length: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1250335562
Reading age: 13 - 18 years
Grade level: 7 - 9

 Publisher’s Blurb:

Allegra Brooks is an eighteen year old actress who is secretly autistic. When a journalist publishes a scathing profile on Allegra, she decides to take the summer off in Lake Pristine, to visit her slightly estranged father. There, she befriends the booksellers of Brooks Books and decides to help them plan the popular Lake Pristine Book Festival. As she gets closer to Simon, the openly enthusiastic and neurotypical of the two, she realizes it's really Jonah, the boy she argues with constantly and finds a bit off-putting, who she's actually more and more drawn to. As the summer wraps up and the festival approaches, Allegra has to make some decisions about what she owes to others, and to herself.

 My thoughts:

She’s been working since she was 13, and everyone’s favorite actress, Allegra Brooks, just wants a rest. So she decides to go stay with her father, whom she hasn’t visited in years, in his smallish town and help with his bookstore and book festival.

 And maybe, meet her anonymous email penpal who works at the bookstore. She really, really hopes it’s funny and charismatic Simon, not grumpy Jonah who insults her on first meeting. Of course, we know it’s Jonah, since this book is told from both of their POVs. (I still love dramatic irony.)

 Honestly, the least believable part of this book is how so many people in the town of Lake Pristine keep Allegra’s visit a secret. She’s there quite a while before the press picks up on. But when the paparazzi arrive…things get bad in a hurry.

 Allegra takes a long time to tell Noah that she is autistic; he had told her of his own autism much sooner. She told others long before she told him. Not realizing she has autism means that Noah assumes some of her intentions—incorrectly. As with any romance, there are miscommunications along the way.

 Many of the side characters are delightful. Some are mean. But they all feel like real people, and add to Allegra’s experience of trying to be more like a normal teenager in her stolen summer. As the story progresses, both Allegra and Noah are forced to break out of their comfort zones, and it’s a good thing.

 Possible objectionable material:

Swearing, including the F word. Mention of same-gender couples. Partying, but the book takes place in the UK (I think—it’s never quite made clear), so the teens are of legal drinking age. Paparazzi. Allegra’s parents are divorced. Description of heavy making out. Later, we get the idea that Allegra and Noah are sexually active. Friend betrayals.

 Who might like this book:

Those who like books about famous people, autistic people, teens finding their purpose.

 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 #NetGalley #BookReview #Biblioquacious #ElleMcNicoll #YA #WishYouWereHer #autism #romance #YARomance

Is it real, or is it social media?

 

Influenced
By Sarah Darer Littman and Cindy L. Otis
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication date: August 19, 2025
Print length: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1339038261
Reading age: 12 years and up
Grade level: 7 - 9

 Publisher’s Blurb:

Tenth grade isn’t going according to plan for Lainey. Her twin brother moved across the country to live with their dad and stepmom, leaving Lainey -- and her anxiety -- behind. And Lainey’s starting to realize that maybe most of her friends were really her brother’s friends. Thank god for Bliss.

 Bliss is navigating her own tough sophomore year, determined to find her place. But no matter what’s going on in her life, Bliss is really good about being there for Lainey. She’s confident and fearless, all that Lainey wishes she could be. It seems like Bliss is getting everything she’s ever wanted, including a new boyfriend and becoming the first wheelchair user to land a lead role in the school production.

 What no one knows is that Bliss is struggling. At school it feels like everyone is always watching her, and at home, she’s overwhelmed by her parents’ expectations. When things get worse for Bliss, Lainey stops hearing from her completely. Panicked that something awful has happened, Lainey rushes to find out what’s going on. But when Lainey arrives at Bliss’s apartment, nothing is what it seems, and everything Lainey thought she knew about her friend is a lie...

 My thoughts:

When my daughter was in elementary school, she came to me in tears one day. Her favorite YouTubers, Popular MMOs’ Pat and Jen were getting a divorce, and my poor child was crushed. It’s a great example of what we call a parasocial relationship, in which we feel a connection with public or professional figures, but the relationship is all on our side, or only minimally on the side of the other person.

 This is the case in Influenced.

 Lonely Lainey has been following Bliss on social media, entranced by her talent, uplifted by her positive content, and heartened by Bliss’ replies to Lainey’s DMs. So when Bliss makes a post about being “done”, Lainey rushes to Bliss’ home, urgently trying to save her friend from some kind of self harm.

 Only problem is, Bliss—actually Elizabeth—has no clue who Lainey is. Lainey, who has sent Bliss a gift, and has been knitting her a sweater. Lainey, who has poured out her heart to Bliss through DMs.

 Elizabeth has used an accidental viral moment to re-create herself as Bliss and become an advocate for disability awareness. A wheelchair user, Elizabeth has cerebral palsy, which doesn’t prevent her from dreaming of a career on Broadway.

 It’s in the aftermath of Lainey’s visit that things get really interesting, as she comes to realize the truth of the situation. Elizabeth has her own problems, as her parents have come to depend on her influencer status and endorsement deals for income.

 This book makes a great commentary on the power—both positive and negative—of social media and how easily we fall into parasocial relationships. The ideas of fame and notoriety ring true. Dialogue is natural. You can’t help but feel sorry for Lainey and her social anxiety, but she also is stubborn and blind to her own flaws. Elizabeth finds that her fame is not what she had expected it to be, and also has to confront her parents and make them listen to what she really wants.

 Possible objectionable material:

Parental infidelity, divorce and remarriage. Parental manipulation. Heavy social media use. Manipulative friendships. Lainey doesn’t tell anyone she’s going to find Bliss. Mention of a same-gender couple. I didn’t note any swear words.

 Who might like this book:

Anyone interested in the effects of social media.

 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 #NetGalley #BookReview #Biblioquacious #SarahDarerLittman #CindyLOtis #YA #CerebralPalsy #Influenced

Can you fall in love in two weeks?

 

Two Weeks to Fall in Love
By Kat Featherly
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Publication date: August 12, 2025
Print length: 360 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1998854820
Reading age: 13 - 17 years
Grade level: 8 - 12

Publisher’s Blurb:

For fans of contemporary, humorous, clean teen romance by Beth Reekles, Sarah Dessen, and Jenny Han comes a debut novel about uncovering secrets, challenging first impressions, and discovering that love—and people—are far more complicated than they seem.

Noah Archer dates girls for two weeks and then moves on—but none of his exes seem to mind. Skyler Fox can’t figure it out. When her best friend becomes Noah’s latest “victim,” Sky decides it’s time to expose him. Her plan? Be the next girl he dates.

Charming and confident, Noah accepts Sky’s unexpected dating proposal. Beneath his reputation, Noah is searching for something real, driven by a secret. Each short-lived relationship is his way of chasing a connection before it’s too late.

Sky sets out to expose Noah, but the closer she gets, the more she starts to question her motives… and her heart. As their two weeks unfold and Noah’s secrets begin to surface, Sky is forced to confront the one question she never expected: can she be the one to break his two-week streak?

My Thoughts:

Yes, this is another YA novel about a girl with a nearly single-minded focus on a goal. Unlike many, it does not ruin her friendships. In fact, at the end, she finds that she may have more friends than she realized.

The idea of Noah having found a list of questions to ask a prospective romantic partner—and a two-week deadline for determining whether it’s love—is an interesting premise. Despite herself, Sky discovers that Noah is not just a player; he has a lot of depth, and it encourages her to think more deeply about herself and the world as well. She allows herself, sometimes against her better judgement, to get to know and like Noah for the person that he is.

In fact (slight but probably inconsequential spoiler), Sky realizes just how unkind her motives were in dating Noah, and she breaks up with him before the two-week deadline. And is miserable because of it.

However, she finally allows herself to talk to her mother, and their sometimes distant relationship is strengthened because of it. I love that this books allows relationships to deepen, not break apart.

There were some errors that I hope are fixed by publication: first Sky says she and Noah have second period together; later she says their first class together is fifth period. I also question how long the passing periods are in their school. They seem to get an awful lot done during passing time!

Possible objectionable material:

Serial dating, kissing, past death of a parent. LGBTQ+ representation. Cursing, including a couple of f-words. There is an underage party where teens smoke and drink. Sky’s mother talks to her about contraception and safe sex, though not in any specific terms.

Who might like this book:

If you like stories where characters think about their own lives and selves and learn to become better people, this is a good one.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

#NetGalley #BookReview #Biblioquacious #YA #Romance

Jinkies!

 Very Dangerous Things
By Lauren Munoz
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication date: July 29, 2025
Print length: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0593857892
Reading age: 12 - 17 years
Grade level: 7 - 9

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

Everyone in town knows about the game. For decades, J. Everett High has staged an annual murder mystery to put its criminology students to the test. And this year, crime junkie Dulce Castillo is dead set on winning. Soon, the game kicks off, and the student playing the victim, Xavier Torres, is found poisoned in the school’s greenhouse . . . except his death is not pretend.

It’s murder.

When the authorities open an investigation, all the evidence points to Sierra Fox, Xavier’s ex-girlfriend and Dulce’s ex-best friend. Claiming innocence and desperate to clear her name, Sierra begs Dulce to look past their bad blood and find the culprit.

After all, Dulce knows this school better than any investigator ever could, but she must use caution to solve this mystery. Because these historic halls are full of suspects with no shortage of motives. And in this game of cat and mouse, the other player kills.

 

My Thoughts:

Well, I didn’t see that coming.

 

I can frequently figure out the culprit in mysteries, but this one was sneaky. It’s not that it was unbelievable…just that it was a surprise.

 

Dulce and her late mother loved the detective novels of Dorothy Sayers, and Dulce attends a magnet school for forensics and criminology. Each year, the school stages a fake murder, and teams race to solve the case. Dulce is tired of taking second to her former best friend. But when the murder turns out to be real, and the former bestie is the prime suspect, Dulce grudgingly takes the case.

 

She turns out to be…not that great of a detective. I won’t tell you exactly how, but, while she does some things well, she bungles others. Nontheless, she and her friends do solve the case.

 

The idea of a magnet school for future crime solvers is an interesting premise. The school still has things like band and PE, so it’s not totally out there.

 

Overall, I found the characters interesting. They all have their flaws and are real and human. Zane’s sketchy past before transferring to Dulce’s school is a strong motivator for his actions in the story, although his attraction to Dulce is an equally strong motivator for other actions.

 

All in all, it’s a fun detective novel with imperfect people who still find a way to be successful.

 

I love Dulce’s dad, by the way. We don’t see him much, but I love what we get.

 

Possible objectionable material:

Swearing, including the F-word. Teenage partying. Teen sexual activity (off page). Some teenaged petty crime. Kissing. A parent died in a car accident. Same sex couples. Murder, poisoning, and assault. A smear campaign.

Who might like this book:

Fans of mysteries and true crime.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

#BookReview #NetGalley #YA #Mystery #VeryDangerousThings #LaurenMunoz #biblioquacious

A New Dystopian Twist

Soulmatch
By Rebecca Danzenbaker
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date: July 29, 2025
Print length: 496 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1665963701
Reading age: 12 years and up
Grade level: 7 - 9

Publisher's Blurb:

Two hundred years after World War III, the world is at peace, all thanks to the soul-identification system. Every eighteen-year-old must report to the government to learn about their past lives, a terrifying process known as kirling. Good souls leave the institute with their inheritance, a career path, and if they’re lucky, a soulmate. Bad souls leave in handcuffs.

It’s a nerve-wracking ordeal for Sivon, who, given her uncanny ability to win every chess match, already suspects her soul isn’t normal. Turns out, she was right to worry. Sivon’s results stun not only her, but the entire world, making her the object of public scrutiny and anonymous threats.

Saddled with an infuriating and off-limits bodyguard, Sivon is thrust into a high-stakes game where souls are pawns and rules don’t exist. As deaths mount, Sivon must decipher friend from foe while protecting her heart against impossible odds. One wrong move could destroy the future lives of everyone Sivon loves, and she can’t let that happen, even if they’ll never love her back.

 

My Thoughts:

This book hinges on the idea that reincarnation is real, as well as that some people have true soulmates.

 

Imagine that each soul has a specific vibration or frequency, and that it can be measured, identified, and catalogued. That is the premise here. Sivon has turned 18 and it is time for her to be kirled, the process by which her soul is identified. She is terrified that she has a bad soul, one that still owes society for crimes committed in past incarnations.

 

Instead, she finds out that her soul has never been catalogued—a New Soul. This gets her involved in her time’s equivalent of a presidential race, in order to provide protection for her mother from all the people who feel strongly (both positively and negatively) about New Souls.

 

Along the way, she meets two boys: one infuriating, and one who claims to be her soulmate. She must unravel the realities of who really has her best interests at heart and who is using her.

 

Although I don’t believe in reincarnation, I found the base premise of this story to be interesting and well-handled. Although it wasn’t particularly difficult to figure out who the true bad guy of the story was, watching Sivon figure things out was only mildly frustrating. I’ve definitely had worse reads.

 

Possible objectionable material:

Reincarnation. Swearing, including multiple F-words. Same gender relationships. Nonbinary characters. Souls can be born into bodies of either gender in future lives. Kissing. Physical danger. Possible suicide.

 

Who might like this book:

Fans of YA dystopian fiction. Anyone who enjoys a love triangle.

  

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 #BookReview #NetGalley #YA #DystopianFiction #Soulmatch #RebeccaDanzenbakerBooks #biblioquacious

A Fateless Chosen One

 

Fateless
By Julie Kagawa
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: July 15, 2025
Print length: 400 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1335448804
Reading age: 13 - 17 years
Grade level: 7 - 9
 

Publisher’s Blurb:

Deep in the forgotten city of the Deathless Kings, an ancient relic of untold power waits—for one bold enough to steal it.

When seventeen-year-old Sparrow joined the Thieves Guild she made a vow of binding loyalty to their cause. So when a mission comes along from The Circle, a group of mysterious, dangerous beings who control the Thieves Guild from the shadows, Sparrow is determined to cement her place in the guild.

What ensues is a death-defying adventure that has Sparrow and her band of thieves venturing into the heart of the forgotten city of the Deathless King. The fate of Sparrow, her companions, and Raithe, the enigmatic yet alluring assassin Sparrow is forced to join forces with during their quest, all hang in the balance as they find themselves battling ancient forces within the tombs and facing the unwavering hold of fate.

Perfect for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Sabaa Tahir, this new fantasy trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa will sweep listeners into a bold and exciting new world, where a twisted game of destiny has far-reaching consequences.

 My Thoughts:

This book follows some of the YA fantasy tropes: A chosen one. A romance. Found family. Honestly, the blurb is a little misleading. Sparrow doesn’t lead “a band of thieves” into the underground city, and they actually do very little battling in the tombs. It’s what happens after Sparrow’s quest to the underground city that really matters, and it’s what forces her to run from all she has known and team up with people who become her friends—and more.

 Sparrow has always been taught to count on no one, that the only person she can truly rely on is herself. Her people believe that the fate you are born to cannot be changed. So having to see herself as anything but a thief is a big lift. Luckily, she is able to develop both the humility and the hope to do exactly that.

 There is one thing that bugs me a bit—the romance between Raithe, the equivalent to an elf, who has lived for centuries, and 17-year-old Sparrow. Age gap much?

 This book doesn’t tread a lot of new ground. There are elves and dwarves, although the names of those races are slightly different. There are battles and adventures. But don’t take this to mean that it’s not worth the read. It most definitely is, and I look forward to the next book in the series.

 Possible Objectionable Material:

Mild swearing. Drinking. Fantasy creatures. Stealing. Dark blood magic. Battles, complete with blood, injuries, and death. Kissing.

 Who Might Like This Book:

Anyone who likes the Chosen One trope. Those who like magical realms and adventure.

 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

 #Fateless #NetGalley #JulieKagawa #HarperColllins #BookReview #YAFantasy #ChosenOne

Becky Dean Does it Again

 

Love Unmasked
By Becky Dean
Publisher: Delacorte Romance
Publication date: July 15, 2025
Print length: 384 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0593647875
Reading age: 12 - 17 years
Grade level: 7 - 9
Lexile measure: HL680L

 Publisher’s Blurb:

From the author of Hearts Overboard comes a swoony mystery-filled romance in which a girl on a school trip to Venice gets swept off her feet by a mask-wearing stranger...but does she know him already? Lose yourself in the masquerade—because sometimes, the greatest adventure begins when you unmask your heart.

People pleaser Evie Whitmore can’t believe her art and architecture class trip has brought her to Venice—home of gondolas and crumbling palazzos, and the inspiration for both her art and her hidden passion, Elven Realms, a series of novels set in the very city she’s about to explore.

Rumors about an underground Elven Realms fan club swirl, and Evie, wearing a costume and mask, sneaks out at night to find it. There’s no way she can tell anyone what she’s doing—not her friends, and certainly not Gabriel Martinez, the bad boy loner she’s been partnered with on the trip.

But Evie’s not the only one on this clandestine quest. She collides with someone else in disguise—a stranger whose eyes hold secrets. He calls himself Angelo, and he too loves the novels. Venice is a labyrinth, and as they unravel clues together, their connection deepens. Who is Angelo, really? And who does Evie want him to be?

 My Thoughts:

Becky Dean has been on my “must read” list since the first time I read one of her books. (Reviewed here.) This book just supports that assessment.

 Once again, Dean gives us a story of a high-achieving girl on the brink of adulthood. Evie’s dealing with stress, parental expectations, sibling examples, and the death of her father. She’s worked hard to present a certain image at school: always helpful, always reliable, always well-behaved. But secretly, she geeks out over a series of fantasy novels that she enjoyed with her father before his death. So when she gets the chance to visit Venice—where there’s a secret fanclub for the books—on a school trip, she plans a minor rebellion.

 Her daytime plans get abruptly changed, when she’s assigned to partner with standoffish Gabe. In contrast, the first night she sneaks out to find the club, she meets a boy who’s also masked, with the same purpose in mind, and the two bond quickly over their shared fandom. Evie finds freedom in being masked; she can be her true self with no repercussions. So she continues, gradually trying to forge a friendship with Gabe by day, while hanging out with “Angelo” all night.

 With help from her best friend, who is in on her secret, Evie tries to figure which of the students on the trip might be Angelo. But she’s also developing feelings for Gabe, who turns out to be sensitive, funny, and even wise. He helps her to stand up for herself.

 I loved their explorations of Venice, a city that I spend half a day in a few years ago. They visited two of my favorite places as well! So it was easy for me to visualize the setting as I read. Even without having visited there, I think Dean’s descriptions were thorough and engaging.

 The running “what are you thinking” game between Evie and her friend group was a lot of fun. The minor characters here were well-done. The dialogue rang true.

 It takes a lot to get five stars from me. Basically, it has to be a book I not only enjoyed but will read again. This book checks those boxes.

 Possible Objectionable Material:

Past death of a parent. Sneaking around. Mention of bullying. Kissing.

 Who Might Like This Book:

People interested in art, Venice, and coming of age.

 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

#LoveUnmaked #NetGalley #BeckyDean #YALit #BookReview #DelacortePress