Title: The Avant-Guards, Vol. 1 Author: Carly Usdin, Noah Hayes (illustrator) Genre: Young Adult, Verse Novel, Contemporary Trigger Warning: Rating: 5 stars Release Date: September 3, 2019 Synopsis When Charlie transfers to the Georgia O’Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics, she struggles to find her feet, but winds up exactly where she belongs...in the school’s (terrible) basketball team. As a transfer student to the Georgia O’Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, former sports star Charlie is struggling to find her classes, her dorm, and her place amongst a student body full of artists who seem to know exactly where they’re going. When the school’s barely-a-basketball-team unexpectedly attempts to recruit her, Charlie’s adamant that she’s left that life behind…until she’s won over...

Last month, I posted my DNF reviews of books throughout the first half of 2019 here . In July, I ended up dnfing two earcs. Not Hungry by Kate Karyus Quinn A special thank you to Netgalley and West 44 Books for providing a free advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I was looking forward to this book, but it just kept getting worse and worse until I dnfed it at 61%. I rarely ever dnf something this far in, especially when it's this short, but I legitimately couldn't finish it. This may have a few spoilers, but the content was not sensitively portrayed and far too graphic. I felt really uncomfortable with the far too detailed descriptions of June puking after binging, but hoped it would get better. This is also a poorly written verse novel, but I could see that not bothering some other people. The part I ended up dnfing is when someone records June binging and then puking and I just can't read that video being released. None of the characters are likabl...

Title: Watches and Warnings Author: Ryan Wolf Genre: Young Adult, Verse Novel, Contemporary Trigger Warning: Mentioned Drug Abuse, Character Death, Description of Corpse Rating: 5 stars Release Date: August 1, 2019 Synopsis Hi-lo. Sixteen-year-old Philip is the son of two Evangelical youth pastors. He also secretly helps his older brother pay for his heroin addiction. When a massive tornado touches down in their small town, Philip’s family becomes heavily involved in the post-disaster cleanup as Philip struggles with the return of his detoxing brother. With his life swept into sudden chaos, Philip grapples with questions that cut him to the core. Review A special thank you to Netgalley and West 44 Books for providing a free advance digital copy in exchange for a honest review. This is going to be the book I point o...

Title: Beau and Bett Author: Kathryn Berla Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance Trigger Warning: Past sexual assault, Bullying Rating: 4 stars Synopsis After Beau LeFrancois's mother wrecks Bett Diaz’s luxury SUV, his family faces an impossibly large bill—and no car insurance to help pay it. To pay off the debt, Beau spends his weekends working at the Diaz Ranch. Beau’s prepared to work, but he’s definitely not prepared for the infamous temper of Bett Diaz—also known as "The Beast" at school. As Beau learns the secrets behind Bett’s tough exterior, he finds himself falling for her. That is, until he catches Bett in a lie. A contemporary twist on a classic fairy tale, Beau and Bett is a timely story of family, friendship, and the power of speaking out and standing up for yourself. Review ...

Title: Wilder Girls Author: Rory Power Genre: Young Adult, Horror, Science Fiction Trigger Warning: Body Horror, Eye Trauma, Death, Medical Torture Rating: 5 stars Release Date: July 9, 2019 Synopsis It's been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty's life out from under her. It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don't dare wander outside the school's fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything. But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it...

I started reviewing eARCs through Netgalley at the end of last year, and I hate that I don't love all of them. There are so many out there that I do love (and I've requested way too many) that I just don't have the time or energy to read books that I'm not enjoying. I definitely want to give books a chance, but I'm not going to force myself to keep reading something that I don't like. That being said, I understand that sometimes what I dislike about a book may make others want to read the book all the more. Thus far in 2019, there have been 3 ARCs that I ultimately decided to dnf. Here are my reviews, so you can decide for yourself if this recent release is something that should go on your tbr. Castle of Lies by Kiersi Burkhart I tried so hard to like and finish this book, but I just couldn't. The pov voices sound like the same, narration is far too repetitive. I kept on giving this book chances but nothing was able to entice me to keep reading. I h...