‘Burden Falls’ review: Kat Ellis delivers a haunting murder mystery

Without a doubt, ‘Burden Falls’ is a horrifying and chilling novel by Kat Ellis that will leave you at the edge of your seat.

‘How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe’ review: Raquel Vasquez Gilliland’s sophomore novel captures the aftermath of abuse and religious trauma

Raquel Vasquez Gilliland’s sophomore novel, ‘How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe,’ is an emotional rollercoaster of a book.

‘Radha & Jai’s Recipe for Romance’ review: Nisha Sharma explores joy, regret, and coming-of-age in her latest YA rom-com

The newest contemporary novel from Nisha Sharma balances the lightheartedness of the rom-com genre with the seriousness of topics like anxiety and complex family relationships. Radha & Jai’s Recipe for Romance is a beautifully written book with such heart that…

‘XOXO’ review: Axie Oh’s lighthearted musical romance is the perfect summer read

Axie Oh’s heartwarming novel XOXO brings readers along on an emotional journey of friendship, young love, and complicated family relationships. Set in both South Korea and the United States, a cello prodigy and a K-Pop idol attempt to pursue their…

‘Love & Other Natural Disasters’ review: A trope-y summer romance from Misa Sugiura

It’s been a banner year for fake dating in queer YA romances. Misa Sugiura’s new rom-com, Love & Other Natural Disasters, takes the trope to San Francisco.

‘An Emotion of Great Delight’ review: Tahereh Mafi returns to realistic fiction to explore collective and individual trauma

After the completion of her Shatter Me series, Tahereh Mafi showcased her versatility as a writer by shifting gears from speculative fiction to contemporary fiction. Her last YA novel, A Very Large Expanse of Sea, features a hijab-wearing Muslim American…

‘Yolk’ review: Mary H.K. Choi’s timely novel about grief, illness, and authenticity in collective experience

In her newest young adult #ownvoices novel, Mary H.K. Choi writes about two Korean-American sisters struggling to cope with individual illnesses. As Choi discusses in a Refinery29 interview, Yolk delves into the “shame around illness, the idea that being sick…