Sophie Reads YA: Kelsey Rodkey

Class Act

Waiting On Wednesday: Class Act by Kelsey Rodkey

10:00

Kelsey Rodkey

Waiting On Wednesday: Plus One by Kelsey Rodkey

10:00

2022 New Release challenge

ARC Review: A Disaster in Three Acts by Kelsey Rodkey

10:00

A Disaster in Three Acts
Series: None
Author: Kelsey Rodkey
Published July 5th 2022 by Harperteen

Goodreads Synopsis
Fans of Elise Bryant and Rachel Lynn Solomon will swoon for Last Chance Books author Kelsey Rodkey's next romance, packed with snark, banter, and inconvenient crushes.

Saine Sinclair knows a little something about what makes a story worth telling.

Your childhood best friend refuses to kiss you during a pre-adolescent game of spin the bottle? Terrible, zero stars, would not replay that scene again. The same ex-friend becomes your new best friend's ex? Strangely compelling, unexpected twist, worth a hate-watch. That same guy--why is he always around?--turns out to be your last shot at getting into the documentary filmmaking program of your dreams?

Saine hates to admit it, but she'd watch that movie.

There's something about Holden that makes her feel like she's the one in front of the camera--like he can see every uncomfortable truth she's buried below the surface. Saine knows how her story's supposed to go. So why does every moment with Holden seem intent on changing the ending?
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

All Saine Sinclair wants is to become a documentary maker, and getting the chance to submit her tape for a prestigious college is the dream. She initially has the best idea for her tape, all unrequited love and video games, but when her subject drops out, she has to work with the enemy - ex-best friend, Holden. Holden and Saine were inseparable for most of their childhood, but after an incident at a twelfth birthday party, involving spin the bottle, they've barely spoken since - not even when Holden was dating Saine's best friend, Corrine. Forced together, Saine and Holden reconnect, and realise that their friendship was never worth giving up on, and that what once was puppy love, has turned to more.

This book was everything I wanted, and more! I nearly screamed when the email came through with my review copy, but had to contain myself as I was on a treadmill at work. As soon as I was able to, I immediately started it, and was hooked from the get go. Saine was such a relatable character, who's life wasn't perfect, and who's grief and family troubles will resonat so well with such a large audience. She goes through a lot over the course of the book, not least feeling guilty over her feelings for her ex-best friend, and best friend's ex, as well as feeling crummy about using him and his own family situation for her documentary. I'll be honest, I felt a little weirded out when she was started to use Holden and his family for her own good, but the story took a turn for the better, and it all turned out right in the end. As a couple, Holden and Saine were so good for each other, and though it may have been a sort of 'enemies-to-lovers' situation, their past friendship definitely set them up for the best relationship. I loved Kelsey's debut, but I've got to say, I think's A Disaster in Three Acts is even better!

Dates Read:
May 28, 2022

Rating
4 Stars

2021 New Release challenge

Review: Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey

10:00

Last Chance Books
Series: None
Author: Kelsey Rodkey
Published May 18th 2021 by HarperTeen

Goodreads Synopsis
Don’t you just love the smell of old books in the morning?

Madeline Moore does. Books & Moore, the musty bookstore her family has owned for generations, is where she feels most herself. Nothing is going to stop her from coming back after college to take over the store from her beloved aunt.

Nothing, that is—until a chain bookstore called Prologue opens across the street and threatens to shut them down.

Madeline sets out to demolish the competition, but Jasper, the guy who works over at Prologue, seems intent on ruining her life. Not only is he taking her customers, he has the unbelievable audacity to be… extremely cute.

But that doesn’t matter. Jasper is the enemy and he will be destroyed. After all—all’s fair in love and (book) wars.
Goodreads

Review
For Madeline Moore, her family's bookstore, Books and Moore, is her whole life. When her mother abandoned her and younger brother, Benny, with their aunt, who took over the shop when their grandma passed, Madeline was almost raised in the store. Now about to start college, she hopes her aunt will trust her enough with the store to make her manager after graduation, but another book store, Prologue, opens up across the street, and with rising rents, it looks like Books and Moore may not have that long. And to make matters worse, the rival store is owned by the parents of Jasper, a handsome guy Madeline liked, until she realised he was the enemy. Adamant it is all Prologue, and Jasper's fault, she's out for revenge, and soon the petty fighting and squabbling makes ways for an even stronger emotion - love. How will Madeline deal with the stress of her mother's return, the potential loss of her family's store, and her frustrated feelings over Jasper?

I've had this book on my wishlist as soon as it was announced, and sent off review request after request for it, but was never lucky enough to be approved. When my pre-order arrived, I neigh on dropped everything to read it, and really enjoyed it. Last Chance Books is a book that takes you somewhere else, and it was a perfect read this summer. I honestly felt like I was spending time in the two different book stores, with Madeline and Jasper, and really felt for Madeline throughout the book. She went through so many different emotions, and really looked at her demons, especially over her mother's reappearance in her life, and came out the other side stronger. The romance was really cute too, and I loved the fighting via notice boards that they did. All in all, a really good YA contemporary, perfect to read over the summer.

Dates Read:
August 22-23, 2021

Rating
4 Stars