i love that this book is popular on tiktok even though it hasn’t even been published yet.
but there’s a reason why everyone who got the arc is obsessei love that this book is popular on tiktok even though it hasn’t even been published yet.
but there’s a reason why everyone who got the arc is obsessed with it. including me. i ate it up.
we really can’t talk about this book without talking about that it’s academic rivals to lovers! i feel like it would’ve been spicier if they kept up their rivalry for longer, making me feel like their rivalry wasn’t that strong to begin with. but all the things that he did was alice was so cute and adorable that i can just ignore the parts before.
however, one scene really irked me. (view spoiler)[that scene when they were like “i don’t really hate you” made me so angry because i’m ninety-nine percent sure that i’ve read this exact interaction in an academic rivals to lovers book before. (hide spoiler)]
i really enjoyed alice’s character. especially with the backdrop of a private school in beijing, the exploration of her identity was really interesting. also, in ya contemporary, i’m used to reading good and morally correct characters. but alice is really giving women’s wrongs. while i don’t condone EVERYTHING that she did, it was certainly interesting to read about.
as someone who also attended a private school, the commentary about class (especially in a private school setting) really resonated with me.
the only downside for me was the ending. it was resolved a little too easily and too quickly. and it was just giving “superheroes assemble and come to the rescue” (not literally, but the same vibe). and i don’t really know if it really helps the overall message… but it may be just me.
the best part of this book, to me, is the epitome of chinese culture. while i was reading, i literally felt like i was reading my childhood.
but yeah, i hope this does become a “booktok” book because it really deserves to be one.
thank you to inkyard press for sending me this gorgeous book...more
my obsession with food romances started with those wish books in elementary school (i do still read them occasionally). these are always so cute, flufmy obsession with food romances started with those wish books in elementary school (i do still read them occasionally). these are always so cute, fluffy, and make me hungry by the end. salt and sugar is no exception.
things i liked
this book was honestly so much fun. the rivalry between the families was so entertaining and fun to read about. i’ve always really enjoyed reading about small businesses, and this book really did it well! i also loved reading about the setting in Brazil, and i really need to try brazilian cuisine after reading the descriptions in this book. i literally finished it in a day because it was so addicting.
the relationship was actually so cute. not only is it enemies to lovers where they actually hate each other, they also have immaculate chemistry. the characters themselves also have individual arcs that explore relatable coming-of-age themes. honestly, we love bonding over family issues.
things i didnt like
while it’s fun, i feel like it’s definitely think it’s a tad bit too long. and at some point, the feud became more irritating than endearing. the extent of the feud, at some points, also feel a little too dramatic to the point where i started raising my eyebrows.
the moms were the low point of the book. i feel like we spent wayyy too much time reading about them acting like children. if even half of that time was given to lari and pedro.
still, overall, this was a cute and entertaining read!...more
See, I was skeptical because this was fantasy, and I’ve stayed away from fantasy for a year. But the magic literally felt like a part of everyday lifeSee, I was skeptical because this was fantasy, and I’ve stayed away from fantasy for a year. But the magic literally felt like a part of everyday life that it felt almost like a contemporary. The vibes are also amazing. And honestly, I’d read it just for the tropes — sapphic academic rivals to lovers, and theatre kids?!
This book was well written with interesting characters. I found myself relating to the academic pressure that Shay feels. And the academic-rivals-to-lovers dynamic between Ana and Shay was done really well (coming from someone who has read a ton of academic-rivals-to-lovers).
The plot of the scholarship and Mr. B (just thinking about him makes me want to scream) was so engaging that I found myself flying through the book. Maybe I’m a pessimist, but I did think the ending resolved a little too easily and a bit cringe? But since the book, overall, was amazing, I can just brush that aside.
The author did a great job of using the magic system and the social atmosphere in the book to explore some themes relating to class, coming-of-age, academics, etc.
Honestly, I just want more from this author and this world.
I’m screaming because this was so good. Grumpy-sunshine and rivals-to-lovers are literally two of my favorite tropes, and this book has both of them. I’m screaming because this was so good. Grumpy-sunshine and rivals-to-lovers are literally two of my favorite tropes, and this book has both of them. There’s also amazing themes of friendship and mental health, but the author explores them while still keeping the book lighthearted and fun.
Kavya (h) and Ian (H) have so much chemistry and romantic tension (the reason why I was screaming). I feel like they worked really well because they both just make each other better. Their banter was so amazing and always left me wanting more.
Kavya’s friend group was another highlight for me. Their dynamics and her friends felt so real with their own lives — unlike many books where the side characters are only there to be cheerleaders for the main character.
But Kavya. She’s honestly such a great character to follow. Although she isn’t perfect, I can’t help but root for her. I love how she isn’t afraid to be herself yet still is able to go through character development.
This book was just so charming. And now writing this review, I have the urge to reread it.
i have never gotten so much serotonin from a book and now i can't bring myself to reading classics anymore. RTC
~~~
his was one of my biinitial reaction
i have never gotten so much serotonin from a book and now i can't bring myself to reading classics anymore. RTC
~~~
his was one of my biggest surprises. as in i screamed after i finished this. it topped EVERY SINGLE academic rivals to lovers i’ve ever read, and yes, i’ve read a LOT of academic rivals to lovers. dare i say, it’s one of my favorite ya romances. ever.
from the first page, this book was hitting all the right places. the debate scenes literally made me feel like i was reliving the debate tournaments i went to, and the vibes are so on point.
before we talk about the romance, can we discuss the friendships? they are so well done and just as interesting as the main relationship. tj herself is also an interesting character to read about. seeing her growth was endearing to read about. i enjoyed how the author dealt with the idea of body hair as well.
charlie and tj’s banter made me smile so much, and they had so much chemistry that i couldn’t help but root for them. literally during every one of their interactions, i was screaming because of how much I love it.
honestly, i just want everyone to know how much i love and recommend this book because it’s so underrated.
thank you to penguin teen for providing me with an ARC and literally making me discover one of my favorite books ever...more
One of the most surprising books of February — yes, that means I cried because of it.
Straub’s prose balances perfectly between beautiful and addictinOne of the most surprising books of February — yes, that means I cried because of it.
Straub’s prose balances perfectly between beautiful and addicting, leaving me to teeter between highlighting the whole book and speeding through the book. There are so many quotable lines, yet those quoters are not overly cheesy or out of place.
The atmosphere was absolutely amazing. The atmosphere of Alice in her 40s and Alice in her teens was different — and yes, this book actually had pop-culture references that I appreciate.
I never thought I’d be interested in a book about time-traveling. But that’s probably because this book is more of a no-plot-just-sad-vibes rather than a science-focused time-traveling story. From what I’ve heard about The Midnight Library, this book may appeal to the audience of that book.
The father-daughter relationship of this book was really the best part of this book. And I love how the time-travel aspect complements the story of that relationship.
thank you SO MUCH Riverhead Books for the ARC (and the box of tissues haha)...more
note: i’m literally writing this review MONTHS after i read it (procrastinator things)
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this was my first sabaa tahir book, and i’m definitely intenote: i’m literally writing this review MONTHS after i read it (procrastinator things)
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this was my first sabaa tahir book, and i’m definitely interested in checking out more of her books. she deals with so many difficult subjects and deals with them all wonderfully. and the title is no joke. although i probably have anger issues, it made me so angry.
however, i was mostly only interested in the storyline with Noor and Sal. which leaves the flashbacks to be dull for me. and also, in general, i just don’t really enjoy books with multiple POVs. at some points, the story itself felt kind of slow and repetitive, which causes me to lose focus. but the ending really picked up and saved the book for me.
thank you so much to penguin teen for sending me an ARC!...more
After I read Nina LaCour’s ya novel We Are Okay I was obsessed with Nina LaCour.
I haven’t read anything from Nina LaCour after We Are Okay, since I After I read Nina LaCour’s ya novel We Are Okay I was obsessed with Nina LaCour.
I haven’t read anything from Nina LaCour after We Are Okay, since I haven’t really been in the sad-ya-book mood in quite a while. And now that she has written an adult book, I am so excited.
And it did not disappoint.
Nina LaCour’s writing is gorgeous (as always). The imagery brought me into the scenes and created the tender atmosphere that I love from Nina’s books. There were so many quotable moments, and I wish I could highlight the whole book.
The characters were exactly what I wanted. They tugged on my heartstrings and made me laugh. They are so human that I see parts of myself in them — which is pretty rare tbh.
It was, at points, a bit slow for my liking. Then again, that’s probably on me.
We Are Okay still remains my favorite from Nina LaCour, but this is definitely one of those books that grow on me. (Seriously, We Are Okay was originally 3 stars and somehow turned into five stars).
Thank you so much to Flatiron Books for sending me an ARC of this gorgeous book!...more
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