The Music of Us by Emerald Alexandrea
I’ve really been enjoying audiobooks again recently so when this popped up I just had to check it out. I’m always looking for books about music and the fact that this is a romance is the icing on the cake – I pretty much only read romances at the moment.
I’m also excited by the fact that this book is about a cat café, which is ironic as I’m not a cat person in the slightest. I do love books about cafés though and the cats are an added cuteness. Now a whippet café, that’s how you’d really get me. Could you imagine it? They’d either be zooming around or sleeping – my whippet is the type that sleeps most of the day but he’s also a sport dog (flyball) so the zooms are extra fast.
Anyway, back to The Music of Us. This looks like it will be a fun listen and at less than 9 hours, not too long either.
Synopsis: A fun and flirty contemporary YA novel between a cat café barista and a boy band pop star that hits all the right notes! The Music of Us is a laugh-out-loud friends-to-more romance perfect for fans of Kasie West, Beth Reekles, and Lynn Painter.
If life came with a playlist, Lucy’s current era would be “stressed girl summer.” While her friends are out enjoying the last summer before college, Lucy has her hands full managing her mom’s quirky cat café. But with the fancy new coffee shop across the street, how will she attract enough customers to adopt the cats—or even pay the rent?
In a desperate moment, Lucy emails her ex-best friend (and first crush) Jake Moody, who’s now the resident bad boy in the massively popular boy band the Usual Suspects. Lucy hasn’t spoken to him in years—not since he kissed her and left for auditions without a backward glance. Which she’s totally not holding a grudge about, thanks for asking.
To her surprise, Jake is all in on hosting a livestream performance to raise support for the café—and salvage his image after his most recent scandal. As Jake and Lucy work together to corral his bandmates and plan the livestream, she finds her old feelings resurfacing despite her firm intentions to keep her distance. Is it possible the old Jake she knew is still hiding under his new rebellious image?
Books, Iced Coffee & a Side of Dragons: A Graphic Novel by Amanda Lovelace
The title of this graphic novel is three of my favourite things. To be honest, I’m more of a hot coffee person, but still, it feels like this graphic novel was created just for me. Plus, it’s a summertime romance, so now is the perfect time to be reading it – huge thank you to the publisher and author for my copy, I can’t wait to get stuck into it. Especially as this is a new author for me and I’m always on the lookout for new authors.
I have high hopes for this based off the title, cover and synopsis so here’s to hoping I’m not let down!
Synopsis: A sweet, sapphic summertime romance.
A struggling bookstore, a budding new romance, and a mischievous coven of dragons, what could possibly go wrong? Find out in this sugary sweet debut graphic novel from USA Today bestselling author and your favorite cozy witch, Amanda Lovelace!
Welcome to Sea Witch Cove!
Lucinda (call her Luci!) is the owner of Little Lighthouse Books, an adorable bookstore in a defunct lighthouse in her small Jersey Shore town. Everything in her life would be perfect if only Aster, the trans woman who runs the coffee shop next door, would notice her. But with a little bit of luck–and the help of Dandelion, the tiny, curious wind dragon that Aster helps her rescue–this might be the summer that Aster and Luci finally find love.
Amanda Lovelace’s debut graphic novel—brought to shimmering life by illustrator Raquel Trave—Books, Iced Coffee & a Side of Dragons is the perfect time capsule of sapphic summertime sweetness.
Goldie Vance Book One by Hope Larson
I started writing this post weeks ago, so I’ve actually started this already. I’m about 30% in I think and it’s been a little weird so far but I’m loving the art style. I’ve finished one of the ‘mysteries’ and while it’s not quite what I was expecting, it’s been entertaining.
Synopsis: Intrepid teen detective Goldie Vance is on the case in this acclaimed upper middle-grade graphic novel mystery that reads like Nancy Drew meets Only Murders in the Building.
Marigold “Goldie” Vance lives at a Florida resort with her dad and dreams of one day becoming the hotel’s in-house detective. Armed with endless curiosity and unstoppable determination, she’s ready to prove she has what it takes to solve any mystery, big or small!
When the current Crossed Palms Resort detective encounters a case he can’t quite crack, he agrees to mentor Goldie in exchange for her help. Will this budding sleuth be the key to revealing the truth? Or is Goldie in over her head?
Uncover secrets and adventures around every corner with this double-length detective adventure full of retro flair from New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-winning writer Hope Larson (All Summer Long) and fan-favorite artist Brittney Williams (Mixed-Up, Girl on Fire)!
Collects Goldie Vance #1-8.
Check out Young Creative Press on all socials
You can also check out my StoryGraph here