ARC Review: The Rival by Emma Lord

 

Rivals-to-lovers gets an academic send-up in this charming and irresistible romantic comedy from Emma Lord, New York Times bestselling author of Tweet Cute and Begin Again.

At long last, Sadie has vanquished her lifelong academic rival — her irritatingly charming, whip smart next door neighbor, Seb — by getting the coveted, only spot to her dream college. Or at least, so she thinks. When Seb is unexpectedly pulled off the waitlist and admitted, Sadie has to compete with him all over again, this time to get a spot on the school’s famous zine. Now not only is she dealing with the mayhem of the lovable, chaotic family she hid her writing talents from, as well as her own self doubt, but she has to come to terms with some less-than-resentful feelings for Seb that are popping up along the way.

But the longer they compete, the more Sadie and Seb notice flaws in the school’s system that are much bigger than any competition between them. Somehow the two of them have to band together even as they’re trying to crush each other, only to discover they may have met their match in more ways than one.

Title: The Rival

Author: Emma Lord

Expected Publication Date: January 21, 2025

Publisher: St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books/Macmillan Audio

Edition: Kindle/Audio

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an egalley and audio galley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I've become a fan of Lord's work. She writes sweet, clean teen romance that is relatable with characters who are developed well and real. I was happy to be approved to read this most recent title from her.

Jesse Vilinsky, the narrator, is known to me. She has narrated quite a few Lynn Painter books. Her tone, inflection, and reactions to the part she speaks is spot on as long as they are teen parts. She has an easy cadence, as well. I cannot see that I would enjoy her for more mature narrations but she fits well as a voice for teens with some angst. I was fortunate to also get the kindle version of this book so I read along for the full immersion and it was surprisingly fun.

Sadie has always battled against her rival Sebastian. Their families have been friends since they were born, neighbors all their lives, and they have spent many vacations with each other. But it's always been a sticky type of relationship. Where they love the same things and compete to get them. Sadie is finally free as she starts her freshman year of college at Blue Ridge State and Seb is stuck at another school. But suddenly, Seb is on campus as his waitlisted spot has opened up. Now Sadie must once again worry he will be after the same coveted spot she is on the school new rag. But a twist of events where the funding for their paper is being pulled has Sadie and Seb researching the reasons together and forming an alliance. This only confuses their relationship even more as they are still competing for the same spot on the paper.

Sadie and Seb are really well done developmentally. I liked that Lord didn't leave out their flaws. It made them so much more real. You definitely get the sense they are freshmen in college who are trying to find their way. And it's obvious that they are more than just the friendly rivals Sadie makes them out to be. The book is told strictly from Sadie's POV. I kind of wish we would have had Seb's POV but I do understand the book is about Sadie's growth and her coming to terms with her feelings and with what she wants to do with her life as well as showing her breaking free of her family to try and become more independent. She's always been the rock that held her sisters and parents together and without her there, things fall apart a bit.. I really felt her struggle to try and keep Seb at a distance but at the same time be drawn to him and be confused by it all. It's hard to see your enemy as your lover. Though she does confess to having these same types of confusing feelings back in high school.

Lord writes great side characters who are diverse and fun. I enjoyed watching Sadie and Seb make friends as they managed their first year of college. It would be great to get some of the side character's stories in the future.

I will say, I expected a bit more academics for this book seeing as they are freshmen in college. There is a lot of emphasis put on the time they spend doing things for the paper and I found that a bit unrealistic. I needed to feel the pressure of classes, tests, papers, and all the other things that come along with learning to navigate academia as an 18 year old. 

This book was a great glance into university politics, becoming independent, and breaking away from family woes. If you're a fan of Lynn Painter's young adult works, you'll enjoy Lord's. If you're looking for a wholesome teen romance, this is a great choice!

Author:

Emma Lord is the NYT bestselling author of YOU HAVE A MATCH and TWEET CUTE, a BuzzFeed market editor, and dessert gremlin living in New York City, where she spends whatever time she isn’t writing either running or belting show tunes in community theater. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in psychology and a minor in how to tilt your computer screen so nobody will notice you updating your fan fiction from the back row. She was raised on glitter, a whole lot of love, and copious amounts of grilled cheese.

ARC Review: Heist Royale (Thieves' Gambit #2) by Kayvion Lewis

 

The high-stakes sequel to Thieves' Gambit, for fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes and Ally Carter.

It's been six months since the end of the Gambit. Instead of winning an impossible wish, Ross has the threat of her family’s execution hanging over her head. Devroe, the only person Ross thought she could trust, could wish the Quests into oblivion at any time. Shockingly, despite his betrayal, Devroe is still making a play for Ross’s heart as the two work together pulling jobs for the Organization. But Ross has learned her lesson: A Quest can only trust another Quest.

When Ross finds herself at the center of a power struggle within the Organization, she sees her chance to change her fortunes. As a new deadly Gambit develops for control of the criminal underworld, Ross strikes a risky deal to guarantee protection for herself and her family.

In this final clash, Ross will square off against a ruthless opponent who will stop at nothing to seize power, and in their corner will be not only Devroe but his mother, who wants to destroy the Quests at any cost.

The new Gambit takes Ross and her crew into the intoxicating casinos of Monte Carlo and across treacherous snow-covered slopes in Antarctica as Ross competes against Devroe in a fight for her life. Loyalties will be tested, backs stabbed, hearts broken. May the best thief win.

Title: Heist Royale (Thieves' Gambit #2)

Author: Kayvion Lewis

Publsiher:
Expected Publication Date: November 12, 2024

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Penguin Young Readers Group/Nancy Paulson Books for providing me with an egalley of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I enjoyed Thieves' Gambit a lot. It was a fun filled, action packed, story. Of course I wanted to see what the next adventure brought so I dove into this one. And I'm happy to say it was just as fun.

The first book definitely left you feeling there could be more, or it could have been done. So I'm glad the author decided to do another book. 

This one was filled with action, adventure, unbelievable stunts, and a bit of romance (which started in the first book but never really blossomed). 

We get a return of the old characters from the first book: Ross, Noelia, Deveroe, and others. But we are also introduced to a few new characters, which I enjoyed. 

The story reminded me of Marie Lu's Stars and Smoke series. And  if you like John Wick or James Bond, you'll definitely get those vibes here with the heists and shenanigans the characters are able to pull off. Reading this felt like a movie playing out in my head. But it's geared towards the younger YA crowd, in my opinion.

The plot is similar to the first book, but the stakes are set a bit higher with this one. I liked the twistiness of the story but I will say the ending felt a bit rushed to me. The writing is good but not fabulous. I had a hard time with some of the transitions the author made. I had to flip back a few pages to understand who was talking, what they were talking about, and why. Sometimes it felt like conversations were completely cut off other times it felt like the conversation switched gears in the middle or picked up on something I didn't even know was being discussed.

The only thing I would say for anyone who wants to read this, suspend your beliefs. Just like the first book, I had a hard time believing these young kids were basically spies sent to do unbelievable things in order to win a game.

Overall this was fun and I think a great book for YA readers who want a little mystery and thrill.

KAYVION LEWIS is a young adult author of all things escapist and high-octane. Her THIEVES' GAMBIT duology has been published in over 25 languages, and is being adapted for film by Lionsgate. A former youth services librarian, Kayvion's been working with young readers and kidlit since she was sixteen. When she’s not writing, she's breaking out of escape rooms, jumping out of airplanes, and occasionally running away to mountain retreats to study kung fu.

Though she lives in Louisiana and often visits her family in The Bahamas, Kayvion never really knows when she'll take off on her next adventure, which could take her anywhere in the world.

ARC Review: Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies #2) by Lynn Painter

 

In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.

For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: strong-willed girl-next-door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process.

Flash forward months and months later and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him.

Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only…Liz will have none of it. Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend.

Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.

Title: Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies #2)

Author: Lynn Painter

Publisher:

Expected Publication Date: October 1, 2024

Review:

Thank you to Edelweiss and Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this egalley to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I really love Lynn Painter but I especially love this little series. The first book was so much fun. Enemies to friends to lovers, lots of romance, and just an all around good feeling book.

What I was not expecting was the heartache that came with this one. I had zero idea Painter was going to take it where she did and then make is a second chance romance. And, while I was praying for a wonderful HEA, I honestly wasn't sure I was going to even get it, even when I was nearing the end of the book! But Painter always comes through with her stories (love her adult fiction, as well) and I was graced with an ending that truly did this couple justice.

Wes has to be one of my favorite YA book boyfriends. I love his sense of humor. I love his commitment to family and friends, and I especially love his heart. His story for this book really got to me. His guilt over the tragedy that struck his family. His willingness to let it all go in order to support them. He carried such a burden in this book. You could feel it weighing him down, even after he kind of got things together and was giving himself a chance to grow.

Liz was very different in this book, definitely not the same girl we knew in book #1. Her thoughts on love and being a lover of love were totally different from the Liz we saw in the first book. She's totally jaded and has done a 180 in terms of where she stands with this. I know this was from dealing with the loss of Wes and what they had built together in high school but I wasn't expecting it to be such a tremendous turn around. She went from believing in romance to kicking it to the curb. Her turn around made me angry and very sad for her. There were times in the book I wanted to really give her a little smack upside the head and say "snap out of it!" I was very happy when she opened her heart to the potential of a second chance.

The pacing on this one was just as great as the first. I wanted to climb into the book and experience it from all sides and never put it down. I felt torn between the need to get to the ending as quickly as possible to see what happens and wanting to experience each scene and interaction with the the MMC and FMC in slow motion so it would not end.

The plot is definitely a figure out who you are, grow a little, and then go after what you really want type of flow. I had one plot hole that really was annoying to me. I don't want to spoil anything but I felt like the fake dating trope that was introduced was truly unnecessary and didn't really lend anything to the plot. Plus, it was never truly revealed to all in the long run so I'm not sure why it was even included.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book. Painter continues to be on my list of must read authors whenever she publishes something. The characters are more mature, with bigger problems than high school kids, yet it was still kept on a level that YA lovers will understand and appreciate. I laughed, I cried, I held my breath, and I sighed. It took me through all the emotions and definitely had me shedding some tears at times.   I've done Painter's books in both print and audio for all of them and I cannot wait to listen to this one when it's released. Definitely a read it again book for me!

Author:

Lynn Painter is the international bestselling author of Better Than The Movies. She writes romantic comedies for both teens and adults, and when she isn't reading or writing, odds are good she’s guzzling energy drinks and watching rom-coms. 

Obscure facts that might make her sound interesting (but probably don't): 

*She is the step-aunt to one of the actors on Riverdale, even though she's technically only met him once and he likely wouldn't remember her. Hint: He starred in a movie with Yara Shahidi. And another one with Will Smith. His name rhymes with Barles Gelton.

*She can fit an entire cupcake in her mouth. BOOM.

*She threw up all over herself on the first day of 2nd grade.

*She once saw Kelsey Grammar hailing a taxi in Manhattan, so she's pretty much an NYC native who is best friends with celebrities.

*She has a one-inch vertical.

*Her love for spaghetti is brighter than the sun, stronger than The Rock.

*If you see her doing anything crafty, it isn't her; she has literally set things on fire with a hot glue gun and has the motor skills of a preschooler. No offense, preschoolers.

*Her 4th grade teacher moved her desk out into the hallway because she wouldn't shut up. Like, ever.

*She held the record at her elementary school for finding the most bats (vampire, not baseball) in a single year. The little dork located - and alerted authorities to - four potentially-rabid bats.*

So technically, if you think about it, she might've saved hundreds of lives with her nerditude. #hero

*She was the only one to ever find any bats because everyone else had better things to do at recess.

ARC Review: Every Time You Go Away by Abigail Johnson

Perfect for fans of Jennifer Niven, Abigail Johnson draws a searing and lyrical portrait of grief, forgiveness, and the kind of love that blooms in the aftermath.

Eight years ago, Ethan and Rebecca met, two trouble-making kids sharing secrets and first kisses in a treehouse, until Ethan’s mom returned to take him away. Each and every visit, his only goodbye was a flower on Rebecca’s windowsill.

Three years ago, Ethan left for the last time to take care of his mother, who’s struggled with addiction his whole life.

Two years ago, Rebecca was in a car accident that killed her father. She’s been learning to navigate life as a wheelchair user ever since.

Now, they discover if their hardships have torn them apart…or will bring them closer than ever.

Title: Every Time You Go Away

Author: Abigail Johnson

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Expected Publication Date: December 5, 2023

Review:

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Inkyard press for providing me with a copy of this egalley to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

For years, Ethan's life has been tearing him and Rebecca apart. Growing up together in short spurts has never been ideal, but it's been all they had. Can they whether the breaks in their friendship? Can they deal with their own tragedies that happen in between? Can they open up to each other and truly become the one each of them can lean on?

I loved the idea of this book. Two friends who share short spurts of being together only to be torn apart by poor circumstances. There was so much potential for character growth and development. So much room for fleshing them out and making them relatable.

Ethan has spent his life as a captive of his mother's drug abuse. His need to keep his mom safe has always been his top priority. But it has him putting aside his own needs. He's always dropped everything to make sure she's safe never thinking of the impact that may have on those around him who just want him to be happy. I wanted to really like Ethan but his penchant for just up and running really got on my nerves. He had zero thought for anyone else, especially Rebecca. Part of me connected with him because of my own past and understand of drug and alcohol abuse. And I really wanted to that be the case for the entire book. But I just could not bring myself to feel any empathy for him.

Rebecca's circumstances were much more understandable. Tragedy struck her in the form of a car accident that left her paralyzed, And she has tremendous guilt over it. I was happy to see the inclusion of disability in this book. I thought it was well done, showing me exactly how difficult the life of a wheelchair bound person can be when. Showing me exactly how much thought needs to go into living the daily life we all take for granted. At the same time, Rebecca has a bit of a found family in her boss, while she struggles with trying to connect with her mother after the tragedy they have both endured. I enjoyed her character much more than Ethan's.

For the most part, the book had a good theme but the pacing was just off for me. I felt like it was running in circles with the same things happening  over and over again. The definition of insanity! It just turned me off and really took away from what could have been an enjoyable. book. 

Did I enjoy it, for the most part I did. But. I really felt the conflict was overdone without creating a true empathy for the characters.

2.5 stars rounded to 3.

Author:

Abigail Johnson was born in Pennsylvania. When she was twelve, her family traded in snowstorms for year-round summers and moved to Arizona. Abigail chronicled the entire cross-country road trip in a purple spiral-bound notebook that she still has, and has been writing ever since. She became a tetraplegic after breaking her neck in a car accident when she was seventeen, but hasn’t let that stop her from bodysurfing in Mexico, writing and directing a high-school production of Cinderella, and riding roller coasters every chance she gets. She is the author of several young adult novels including If I Fix You and Every Other Weekend.