Book Reviews

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Man, that cover is gorgeous!

Kerick is a master at creating fabulously sassy and unique characters, and Chance, the star of Love Spell, fits the bill. He is “a boy without a box”, and struggling with gender identity. I loved his outrageous personality, his outlandish crazy sense of style, and all the pop culture references. His best friend, Emily, on the other hand, becomes a little too over-the-top about halfway through the story. I could have used less of her silly made up words and self-created drama. For me, they weren’t the best match as bffs, but given Chance’s choices of possible friends, perhaps Emily was his best bet.

Following along with Chance’s plan to capture the fancy of Jasper (who he nicknames Jazz) is at times funny and other times heartbreaking. Taking cues from a magazine article and “love spells”, Chance sets his sights on Jazz, who is delightfully clueless. I so enjoyed Jazz’s personality and go-with-the-flow nature. Chance’s misguided attempts at seduction are endearing.

Chance and Jazz have two completely different home life experiences, and it was interesting to see Chance’s realization of what family means and what’s most important in life by becoming close with Jazz. Honestly, I think Love Spell is a story about family.

View all my reviews

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**ARC received from author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.**

I liked the concept of this story: An escort is hired to assist a married couple with a rather unique bedroom issue. Told from the escort’s POV, the reader gets a candid look into his profession as a sex worker, fulfilling fantasies of well-to-do couples and individuals.

JD has a pretty awesome skill set: he’s bisexual, good at reading cues, and can adapt to any situation in the blink of an eye. The story jumps right into the erotica, setting the tone for the rest of the story. This is definitely not a book for anyone easily shocked or embarrassed by explicit sex scenes. (One would have to wonder why such a person would pick up a book about an escort–with “escort” in the title, no less.)

The reader gets to see the glamorous side of JD’s job (hot and varying sex with mostly classy people) and the somewhat seedy side (role playing taken a bit too extreme). Jasper/JD’s feelings and emotions are perfectly conveyed, and it’s easy to get absorbed in his train of thought.

While I liked Jasper/jD, I felt disconnected from Nick and Ali. I didn’t get Nick or Ali’s inner thoughts because everything is told through Jasper/JD’s eyes and perception. I also didn’t feel the emotional connection between the three. It was apparent to me that Jasper was lonely and seeking a committed relationship. Ali, on the other hand, came across as a bit spoiled and entitled. Nick almost seemed like Ali’s doormat.

There were some word choices that were slightly off-putting for me. As I mentioned, the story starts off with an explicit sexual encounter, and while I have absolutely no issue with explicit content, the use of the words “juicy” and “cream” was unpleasant for me to read. Thankfully, those words were not used again. Additionally, Jasper/JD and Nick frequently call each other “dude” and “buddy”, even after they agree to end their professional relationship and pursue a personal one. Not words I associate with romantic or sexual partners.

Another issue I had with the story was the manipulation of the three by a minor character. This made the whole premise seem unauthentic.

Overall, the writing was good but the story left me feeling like something was missing.

View all my reviews

My Crunchy Life by Mia Kerick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

***Copy provided by Embrace the Rainbow in exchange for an honest and impartial review.***

(Note: This review is going to refer to the trans character by both names (Julian/Julia) and both pronouns (he/her) as is done in the book.)

My Crunchy Life is told from the unique perspectives of two high school students: one transgender (Julian/Julia) and one wannabe hippie (Kale).

“But I know I’m a girl, even if my body tells the world a different story.”

Julian/Julia has to be one of my favorite characters. Jaded and fabulous and more mature than his/her classmates, he/she gives the reader insight into body dysphoria and the process of the early stages of transition. I loved the outward snarky attitude projected along with the moments of vulnerability. Julian is certain that he is Julia, and I admire that bravery.

“I’m just trying to understand what’s going on with me…when it comes to you.”

Kale’s confused, naive, and curious. He’s drawn to Julian/Julia and doesn’t know what that means for his sexuality. Kale is very much self absorbed and out of touch with what others are going through. His reaction to Julian in the beginning feels real. making his evolution throughout the book that much more genuine.

I enjoyed getting to know Julian/Julia and Kale and their journeys of growth and discovery. I think both perspectives were written well, and I wouldn’t say no to a follow up story to see where their lives have gone after high school.

View all my reviews