"Call Me By Your Name"

"Call Me By Your Name"

Written by Andre Aciman

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

Call Me By Your Name is marvelous and mesmerizing. The novel is romantic fiction bearing a plot that follows a 17 year-old Italian boy, Elio, who falls in love with his American houseguest, Oliver. They engage in a romantic summer fling, which could only ever lead to heartbreak. However, the positive and uplifting ending leads into the sequel, Find Me, which I plan to read soon. In a similar 'love then lost' storyline to a favorite, Tin Man by Sarah Winman, I found this novel to be a brand new favorite.

To continue, Aciman has a brilliant and captivating writing style, that just makes the reader feel good while reading, as if it is able to cause a serotonin release all on its own. The story feels pure, but sadly, Oliver does not. Elio is sweet, caring, and a little weird, but he feels so incredibly realistic, as if he could be telling the story to the reader in the same room. Oliver runs hot and cold, which just causes Elio to find him even more irresistible. I find him to be uninteresting at most times, while Elio carries the story in his poetic first person narration.

The characters play off so brilliantly, showing the stark difference between the two, as they both engage in this relationship. While I feel much more sympathetic and loving towards Elio, I felt it was interesting to see Oliver's character development in the later portions of the book, in Rome and in the epilogue portions. I felt so much longing and aching while reading, especially during their last days together. As someone in a long-distance relationship, I understand the pain of saying goodbye and wanting to drink every last second of the other person before separating. 

Additionally, I read this in a print form, but I imagine it'd be lovely to listen to as an audiobook. I plan to watch the film. I truly believe that this novel is best consumed in a kinesthetic way, recommending that the reader listens while drinking wine, having cheese and grapes, sitting outside in the sun, and even while listening to Taylor Swift's new album, Folklore. I plan to be engaging similarly again, when I pick up the sequel and when watching the film adaptation.

Lastly, I want to point out that although there is an age gap between the characters, I think one can push past it. The age of consent in Italy is fourteen, so even if that skeeves you out, the relationship in the novel is consenting at all times.

I rate this book at 5 out of 5 stars. It will stay in my collection and be cherished.

 

"Ghosted"

"Ghosted"

Written by Rosie Walsh

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

Ghosted or alternatively known as The Man Who Didn't Call, is a romantic thriller that piqued my interest when looking for a new audiobook to listen to. Instantly, I found myself entranced in the story, narrated by the wonderful Katherine Press. Rosie Walsh, the writer, has created an interesting story, with likeable characters more developed than most in both the romantic and and thriller genres. 

In the story, Sarah and Eddie have had a seven-day whirlwind romance after meeting. Sarah, recently divorced from her business partner, and Eddie, single, learn more about each other than they ever could have anticipated. After Eddie leaves to go on a pre-planned vacation, he stops responding to calls, messages, and is inactive on social media. Has he 'ghosted' her, by ignoring her like a ghost, or could he possibly be in danger?

The story progressed to have multiple perspectives, from Sarah's, Eddie's, and through letters. Sarah's fear for Eddie's safety stems from an accident that she caused, leaving us to wonder more about the mystery. Could Eddie have been involved, more than she knows? Additionally, due to Eddie's disappearance, Sarah's career is faltering. As a CEO of a company that brings clowns to patients in hospitals, her career relies on her responsibility and communication with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. Coupled with a bit of drama between her and her best friends, Tommy, Jo, and Jenny, Sarah's life feels out of control.

By the time we receive all of the facts, it is up to us readers to decide who is right, wrong, and who deserves forgiveness. The question of mercy brings the reader in more, making the story seem more realistic and relatable, depending on the morals of those turning the pages.

I personally loved this book. There were many reveals that I could not expect but there were enough I saw coming, so the plot did not seem far-fetched. I also loved the writing style, characters, and overall message. It sheds a light on today's society and the change that one must undergo to be forgiven.

I rate this novel as 5 stars out of 5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I recommend listening to the audiobook. It provided a great listening experience, as I have begun daily walking, yoga, and running. I look forward to reading more by Rosie Walsh, even though I think I have accidentally already owned this book but didn't realize due to the title change. One of those things, eh?

“Making Friends with Alice Dyson”

“Making Friends with Alice Dyson”

Written by Poppy Nwosu

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

As a nostalgic fan of teen / young adult romance novels, I felt excited to begin reading Making Friends with Alice Dyson. I have long enjoyed these types of novels, and I was hoping to find them similar to those I read when I was in my teens. However, I have learned in my twenties, that teen fiction does not always hold my interest anymore, with new slang, technology, and pop culture references. To my surprise and pleasure, I found that Alice Dyson held my interest and entertained me in many different ways.

To continue, Nwosu impressed me, with witty yet realistic dialogue, appealing characters, and a very handsome love interest. Alice Dyson is reserved, shy, and intelligent, while her best friend, May, has become obsessed with dating and popularity. Alice has become tentative friends with Teddy, a mysterious new kid who is rumored to have been violent towards teachers and students at his previous school. The plot centers around Alice’s friendship with May, changing for the worse, as May becomes cruel and uncaring towards her friend. Alice also is consumed by her budding interesting in Teddy, about whom she learns and realizes that he is not the dangerous bully people say he is.

In all honesty, this story is fresh and sweet, but it does not feel incredibly unique. The plot does not feel very complex, when I would have hoped it to be a bit stronger. The themes of first love and loss of friendship are important, but I felt that Nwosu could have dug deeper and made them more meaningful. Also, I felt that some scenes were memorable, but many of them feel similar to any other book from this age and genre. I wish that this book would stand out a little more, but it felt very basic.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this story, but I felt it could have been more elaborate, with more details and better scenes. If Nwosu continues Alice’s story, I’d happily continue reading it in a series. I also plan to read Nwosu’s book Taking Down Evelyn Trait shortly. I recommend Alice Dyson to those who enjoy the work of Jenny Han, John Green, David Levithan, and Gayle Forman.

I received a complimentary copy to read and review, from Walker Books US. Thank you for the opportunity.

"Crave" - Book Review -

"Crave" Book Review

Written by Tracy Wolff

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

Crave is the first installment of a new series, written by Tracy Wolff, about a teen human, named Grace, who begins the school year at a secluded, fancy boarding school in Alaska. Reeling from the accidental death of her parents, Grace feels welcomed by her uncle Finn, the school's headmaster and her cousin and new roommate, Macy. All too quickly, Grace becomes caught up in a strange mystery around the school, bordering on the supernatural. She soon discovers that many of her peers are vampires, witches, dragon shifters, werewolf shifters, and even gargoyles. Although supernatural and romance stories with these archetypal characters are not new to teen readers, the story feels familiar, like an old friend. To many, Crave is reminiscent of many popular installments, such as Twilight, Riverdale, Sabrina, The Vampire Diaries, Jennifer's Body, and even Harry Potter. Though there is an abundance of literature, television, and film surrounding this type of story, I still think that Wolff brings nuance and a new, fresh take to the genre. Let's elaborate.

Grace's character is familiar. The beautiful yet mousy girl who has had a great deal of family tragedy falls in love with a movie monster. She is a cocktail, combining many of the famous and well-loved characters so much like her. We spy Elena Gilbert's spirit and vigor, Bella Swan's sweet and literature-loving personality, and Sabrina Spellman's eye for adventure. She isn't meek and mild; she is bold, funny, and interesting. Grace feels so incredibly fleshed out, that she is jumping from the pages to become a well-loved and inspirational heroine. Her willingness to put others before herself but her unwillingness to back down and stand up for herself shines. The folklore and history of each supernatural being excited me. I always find in books and media like this, that I look for creative, new biology for each being. Vampires are physically shocked by crystals, dragon shifters breathe ice and fire, and many cool types of telekinesis. Although I found many parallels to previously established mediums from this genre, I enjoyed the similarities. Certain scenes felt similar, such as a snowball fight, action sequences, and conversations. I personally enjoyed deciding which romantic interest I would choose for Grace, like I have enjoyed with Team Jacob or Edward and Team Damon vs. Stefan. I think it can be quite difficult to read a new supernatural teen romance without comparing it to its predecessors, but I think that many of us who have enjoyed the predecessors would love Crave. For those of you concerned with the healthiness of the main relationships in this genre, I found the love between Jaxon, lead vamp, and Grace to be extremely healthy, with some lies of omission but no clear manipulation tactics or gaslighting, as previous vamps have exhibited. In a few important, intimate scenes with Grace and Jaxon, consent was approached and executed well.

To continue, I did not see many issues with the novel, except the terribly cheesy chapter titles. They did grow on me, but I found it amusing to compare them to pop punk songs, like ones from the music groups, Fall Out Boy or Panic! at the Disco.  Many scenes felt cinematic, so realistic and so well-written. The quality of Wolff's work impressed me, as I expected a parody or the quality level of fan-fiction. Her dialogue is superb. The scene pacing was impressive. The war between species was so interesting, and I loved how the history of each character played out into the war. Additionally, the scenery of a dark, elusive Alaskan school felt atmospheric. The tunnels, the cold, and the Northern Lights brought a curious, new element to the setting.  I was grateful to find that although the majority of this novel was establishing the characters and world-building, that all other elements were still written well, without sacrificing in any category. The final reveal of the major villains was so exciting, allowing the climax to breathe and truly grip the audience. Lastly, I appreciated that while this is a teen romance, there were no obnoxious or smutty sex scenes, just a whole lot of hot kissing. Woohoo!

In conclusion, the series will be continued in Wolff's next installment, Crush, and boy am I excited for it. I enjoyed this novel so much more than I thought I would, and I highly recommend it to all reading this review. I think there's something for everyone. Even that I am now a twenty-four year old, I do believe this novel can appeal to those my age, without it seeming too modern and trendy with its texting, pop culture references, and slang. It takes me back to when I was a teen, and I like the feeling of that nostalgia. I eagerly anticipate works from Tracy Wolff in the future.

I rate this novel at 5 stars out of 5 stars. I absolutely believe it will be a new classic and a new favorite of mine.

Thank you to Entangled Teen at Entangled Publishing for the advance proof and all of the fun PR goodies, such as salted caramel marshmallows (I now get the fun reference), a great coffee cup, a bookmark, and a few other goodies. I appreciate the opportunity and cannot wait to represent Entangled again.

"Love, Unscripted"

“Love, Unscripted”

Written by Owen Nicholls

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia of Bookworm Banter 

“Love, Unscripted” is a romantic comedy in which Nick, a person obsessed with film and pop culture, experiences an extremely difficult break-up. Nick fell in love with our second main character, Ellie, at the beginning of the Barack Obama presidency campaign in 2008. The story splits when Ellie breaks up with Nick. We have a small third person narrator that explains some details about the two, similar to the narration in “500 Days of Summer”. The other two perspectives are told by Nick: one in real time and one in a fictional film world in which Ellie and Nick are still happily together. All too soon, Nick grows and realizes that in neither world would he be truly happy without Ellie, so he makes conscious efforts to win her back.

The story is told in a typical Nora Ephron-type romance novel, which is a quite enjoyable format. The characters have faults, flaws, make quite a few modern jokes, and spend time with their families. We find out early on that Ellie experienced a tragic death involving a family member when she was very young, so Nick’s reaction to this news was a great response, and it showed a positive element to his character.

As far as the characters, unfortunately, Nick is insufferable for nearly every chapter. We understand his plight, but he comes off in a bit of an obnoxious way. “Why doesn’t she want me? We were so great. I’m so great”. He just cannot possibly fathom why they do not work as a couple, when nearly every example of love he knows from films is doomed. He does not take time to look retrospectively at his relationship, only to look forward and try to fix what he doesn’t think is broken. Ellie is only told in a third person, which I felt was a choice that could have been different. I like Ellie. She’s smart and she’s funny, but her character is heavily limited by what Nick thinks of her, like “500 Days of Summer”. We do not know how to understand her or truly like her, because everything is told secondhand to us. She’s idolized, which allows for no room to criticize her. I feel this happens all too often in romances told through the man’s perspective, so I felt disappointed by this portrayal of Nick.

Additionally, a very difficult glaring element of this novel was the pop culture references and film references. I understand that this story is about two characters with a strong love for film and television, but my God, the threshold for “too much” was stomped over numerous times. We received about 7 references to “It’s a Wonderful Life”, one of my favorite films of all time. If I’d like to hear about it that often in one piece of work, I’d rather just watch the film. Nearly every page has at least one to two references. This overabundance of nods to films and actors felt far too difficult to overcome. It absolutely impacted my liking for this book and ruined it a bit. It seemed that it made the characters quirkier but to the point of causing annoyance, not nuance.

To continue, the plot was not as well-executed as I would have liked. I felt that it took far too many chapters to kick off. Most of the novel is told in memories and flashbacks. There are many chapters that do not provide any interesting plot elements or details about the characters and feel more like filler than interesting content. The real and the imaginary perspectives are told one after the other, which can blur the lines and cause confusion. Also, I am highly confused as to why the Obama campaign is used to mark time, since neither character cares much for politics. The only time we see the characters interacting with anything Obama-related is the two parties to announce his winning term. I felt that it detracted from the story just slightly, disconnecting us. I felt if the story just used November 2008 and time-marked it without including the campaign, it would have made just the same amount of sense.

Lastly, although this was not a favorite book of mine, I did enjoy most of the elements. I wish however that Nick was a little more interesting and that Ellie was more than two dimensional in character. I do recommend this novel, because although Nick was not a favorite, there are interesting enough moments, side characters, and a few great chapters. I find this novel similar to: David Nicholls’s work, “The Two Lives of Lydia Bird”, “Maybe in Another Life”, and many other slightly fantastical romantic comedies from which the novel seems to draw inspiration.

I rate this novel at three out of five stars.

I thank Ballantine Books at Penguin Random House for an advance uncorrected proof. I also received a corrected proof, which I plan to compare for any small changes. Thank you for the opportunity.

"Wooing Cadie McCaffrey"

“Wooing Cadie McCaffrey”

Written by Bethany Turner

Review written by Diana Iozzia

It has been an incredibly long journey to find a favorite romantic comedy in book form. There have been many terrible tropes I’ve read through, manipulative characters, and tiring pop culture references that make the characters seem funny. While “Wooing Cadie McCaffrey” has some of those misery-inducing tropes, this book flips them and shows how romantic comedies can be sweet and hilarious, without boomboxes, hundreds of flowers, and chasing down romantic conquests in New York City. This was easily the most enduring romantic comedy written as a book, that I have ever read. This is instantly a new favorite for me, and I plan to read it many times in my life.

When I first was offered the chance to read this book, I was hesitant, as I had noticed it was from one of the Christian publishing imprints from Harper Collins. As an atheist, I was expecting something from Nicholas Sparks’s caliber. However, don’t let the publishing imprint scare you off. There’s a little bit of praying and there are characters discussing their abstinence and chastity beliefs. Other than that, the main focus was elsewhere: on one of the sweetest and most honest relationships I’ve seen in years.

This romantic comedy has all of the wonderful aspects that I look for in this type of book or movie. The characters should be good people. I am tired of a love interest being awkward and creepy in their conquests, hunting women down and beating up other men to win the heart. I have been tired of women or men lying about themselves or manipulating to win the person over. Nora Ephron’s films have always been a favorite, but there’s always a small element of deceit. There’s no deceit here. Every character truly cares about each other. Our main characters, Cadie and Will, are so genuine and so hilarious! Man, the meet-cute is easily the best part of the book and frankly had me laughing out loud, which is something that very rarely happens when I read.

Let’s speak about the premise. The alternating time jumps and the perspectives allow for an interesting narration technique. We jump back and forth in time of Cadie’s and Will’s relationship. Cadie explains to us that she absolutely loves Will, but she feels he will never be ready to reach the next step of their relationship: marriage. After losing their virginities to each other, four years into their relationship, Cadie and Will are devastated, as they wanted to wait until marriage. Cadie loses sight and love for Will, so she decides to break up with him. Will seeks out help from their friends (who are GREAT side characters) to win and woo Cadie back. This occurs in an endearing way, not in a psycho “why don’t you love me? I’m going to make you love me” way.

This book is so refreshing and so sweet. I felt it was heartwarming, honest, cute, and exhilarating. I loved watching Cadie and Will miss each other and find ways to catch up with each other, knowing that they would find their way back to each other.

I personally believe this is a new favorite. I cannot explain any more how much this book amazes me. I would love to see this as a film. I feel like every favorite aspect of romantic comedies is mixed in here. Even some of the cheesier tropes, like the big, crazy Hail Mary of an apology. I’m also begging for a sequel and to read every book by Bethany Turner.

P.S. What an amazing epilogue.

P.P.S. I love all the baseball and sports stuff! It’s so great to see well-fleshed out career settings in a rom com.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes.

"The Goodbye Summer"

"The Goodbye Summer"
Written by Sarah Van Name
Review written by Diana Iozzia


"The Goodbye Summer" is a fun young adult romance that takes on many different aspects but fails to fully address its most important topics. As this book's demographic is female teenagers, we should consider how female teenagers could read this.

Our main character is Caroline, who is spending her time working at a local aquarium's gift shop, trying to save money for the fall. She's in a relationship with boring and slightly abusive Jake, who plans to convince her to drop of out high school and work on his father's farm in a different state. I did not like him from the start, but his personality gets worse throughout the book. Caroline befriends a group of counselors who work at the aquarium's summer camp. She becomes closest with Georgia, who is from a wealthy family but feels neglected by them.

Georgia and Caroline strike up one of those unbelievable teen friendships, and it's lovely. In the back of my mind the whole time reading, I just kept thinking, "wouldn't it be nice if they turned out to be gay or bisexual?" I felt this book would have been a really nice entry for young girls wanting to read about LGBT, but I was disappointed. Now, there was not any inclination that this book would turn out that way, but I felt the characters had a really cute friendship and hoped they would date.

The other characters are stationary but fun to read about nonetheless. This is a great summer read, but I'm glad that it touches on neglect, manipulation, and more importantly consent. There is a very uncomfortable scene in which Caroline does not want to have sex with Jake in any circumstance. She does not say no, so he continues. She does not say yes. She does not say that he raped her. However, I think this should have been a more important note to touch upon, rather than brush it off as 'bad sex' as Caroline referenced.

In conclusion, I did enjoy the book, but I beg those who read it to realize that the serious topics addressed should have been explained better, rather than the thousandth reference of the girls eating gooey pizza.

"In Paris With You"

“In Paris With You”

Written by Clémentine Beauvais

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“I hear two tambourines pounding faster, shaking and vibrating inside their chests”.

“In Paris With You” is a modern romance told in a poetic, airy style. We are treated to a funny, charming, mysterious, sad, and bittersweet story. This romance is reminiscent of many other more realistic romances that I have enjoyed, like “Once”, “The Last Five Years”, “Where She Went”, “The Light We Lost”, and “Bridges of Madison County”. I have always held a candle for romances in which characters find each other after some time has passed. The “one that got away” theme is prevalent through many of the love stories I have enjoyed. I am also a fan of limited time romances. The chance encounter in which characters only have so little time to reconnect and fall back in love again. For example, in “Where She Went” by Gayle Forman was special for me, because we meet the characters and see their love lost, over the span of twenty-four hours.

When we meet our characters in Clémentine Beauvais’s love story, we are introduced to them by an omniscient first-person narrative. Now, this narrative was an interesting experience for me. It felt a bit strange, in the sense where I felt that we should have eventually found out who this narrator was. Is it Paris personified? Is it just for stylistic purposes? The unseen narrator reminds me of the narration from “Matilda”, by Danny DeVito. Half of the book I read in Danny DeVito’s voice.

Now, there were parts of this book I absolutely fell for. Then, there were parts that were so uncomfortable and disagreeable that I just could not let go of. I absolutely love our character, Tatiana. She is beautiful, kind, interesting, and all around a lovely character. I was interested in her art thesis and fell in love with the artist she is writing her thesis about. She is passionate, but she is ambitious about her career. She does not seem to want this reconnection and romance again. She was only fourteen when she had developed her crush on him. They only crushed on each other as young teens; this was not a crazy, beautiful, epic love story that went wrong. Eugene had kissed her sister at a party and then like teenagers, it ruined everything. As adults, surely you would not think passion and love and epic romance would surface out of the dregs of their young teenager years.

Eugene is another story. At first, I like him, because he’s honest and sad and a bit mixed up currently. But then we constantly experience his lust and craving for Tatiana’s body and her attention. He is so much more interested in her again, and she is just more focused on her career. So much of his side of the story is just lamenting that she could be sleeping with her professor and that she focuses too much on things that are not him. I was so disappointed in his character. I can understand that his feelings may remerge for her, but it is so quick and sweeping and at times, unsettling.

I did love the narrative style, even if the narrator was a bit hokey at times with parentheses, asides, and jokes about the characters. I would not have minded if the narrator did not exist. However, I absolutely love the lyrical prose. There are so many gorgeous lines that sound that they belong in soft ballads.

Personally, I love how this story ended. The ambiguous “perhaps, someday” ending absolutely felt right for this story, although it was bittersweet. This is the type of story that I will look back on and read again, wondering how these characters would eventually live their lives.

“You, Me, The Sun, and the Stars”

“You, Me, The Sun, and the Stars”

Written by G.P. Loehr

Review written by Diana Iozzia

            “You, Me, The Sun, and the Stars” is a poetry collection, with many poems centering around love, heartbreak, and faith. This book grants a cute, Southern American charm, if that was intended or not. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, through the perspective of the author. Loehr speaks of many emotions in a very natural and believable way. The reader can imagine the emotional experience he has been through and sympathize, relating in their own ways to their own loves. For instance, I related to quite a few of his poems surrounding long-distance love, because I myself am in a long-distance engagement. I felt very at peace reading Loehr’s books. I can imagine reading this on a nice, wooden porch with a glass of something cold and sweet.

            To continue, I enjoyed that many of Loehr’s poems have similar themes. Certain colors, days, times, and themes of nature are present throughout the book. The most noticeable recurring theme is the one of nature: the sun, the moon, the stars, the universe, day, night. I understand why he has titled the book after these. I often enjoy a theme in a poetry book’s organization. They feel more cohesive and as if you are experiencing the journey with the poet.

            I enjoyed many poems of his. I would like to share the titles with you:

“Tomorrow, We’ll Be Together”                           “These Summer Nights”

“The Foxtrot”                                                           “A Dream That You Inspired”

“Sunburst”                                                                “Shooting Stars”

“Atlas”                                                                       “Lullabies”

“Cycles”                                                                     “The Summer Rains”

            “Foxtrot” was my absolute favorite.

Courtesy of Olympia Publishing, I received a complimentary copy of this book for reading and reviewing purposes.

"I Wrote"

“I Wrote”

Written by Alice Bogen

Review written by Diana Iozzia

 The experience of reading “I Wrote” was absolutely wonderful. “I Wrote” was written by a seventeen-year-old poet. Jeez. Way to make the rest of us look unaccomplished! Alice Bogen’s poetry reflects a certain wisdom she has learned so far. Her writing also reflects a deep maturity and understand of her experience in the world. Her poetry is a large mix of different emotions, tales, and times in her life.

Her poems can be a bit sad or startling, but they have a genuine hope to them, which I find refreshing. There are many beautiful metaphors to nature, but they come across very realistic. Often, we find metaphors that just have sprinkles of random things thrown in. People are turtles, in the slow movements they make. He was the ocean after a storm. It can be a bit like Mad Libs, sometimes. However, Alice’s metaphors, similes, and other comparisons are very simplistic and believable.

To continue, an interesting technique that Bogen has implemented into her book is using general abstract themes or emotions like bravery, fame, happiness, youth, beauty and more. She creates original poems that are more than just their titles with a spin.

I enjoyed a multitude of poems in this book. They are:

 “I Wrote”                              “Happiness”                          “They”           

“Last May”                           “Youth”                                  “Beauty”

“Bravery”                              “Last Huge Breath”            “Life Shall Be Lived”

“Sacrifice”                             “Seen”                                    “The World is Not Enough”

“To Her”                                “Wings”                                 “To Leo”

“Acceptance”                        “Ears Don’t Lie”                  “Lion”

“Brother”                               “To M 2”                                “Goodbye”

“Consequences”                   “Sinners”                               “The Devil”

Courtesy of Olympia Publishing, I received a complimentary copy of this book for reading and reviewing purposes.

"Sweet Hearts"

“sweet hearts”

Written by Bella Ryan

          Bella Ryan is a great poet, so it’s funny to even say, “because she’s so young, it’s surprising”. Many fantastic parts of literature were created by young artists. Bella Ryan is one of them. As a self-published writer, Bella’s created a beautifully designed book with many poems about her initial infatuation with her now husband, their love story, and their lives together now. From speaking with the poet, she’s lovely, kind, and interesting. Bella’s poetry speaks wonders to the love story she and her husband have.

          Like myself, Bella and her husband have been in a long-distance relationship. As I am still in mine and haven’t “closed the distance”, I find it really calming and soothing to read poetry of a couple who have moved in together. Bella uses great poetic techniques in her writing. She includes many metaphors, similes, interesting juxtaposition. Her poems seem very nostalgic and fairy tale like, in some instances. I also enjoy that the poems feel very consistent throughout the book. I always feel that a collection reads best if the poems are similar and in the same writing style. The words are quiet, but very sweet and nice to read. I had the lucky chance to listen to her read out some of her poetry today, and it gave the same warm fuzzy feeling that I had as I read along. Her book is great to read along to with a nice hot drink and a couple of snacks. If only I had a fireplace.

          My favorite part of “sweethearts” is the New Year’s Eve poems. These poems, I assume, were written annually, or about each year that Bella and her husband have been together. I personally find myself to be a romantic and very sentimental, so these hit me hard in the best way. Realizing that one year they’re just at the beginning of their love. Another year they’ve moved in and are settled together in a home of their own. Her poems are very real and caring. I can become a bit funny with poetry that sounds like it’s completely imagined. Poetry feels best to me when it’s natural and based in truth. Not “I was walking by the ocean today and I thought of our love”. Were you, were you really at the ocean? I feel that Bella’s poetry is coming from the heart. The words feel like love letters or like bed time stories. There are also many allusions to Greek mythology, which I thoroughly enjoy as well.

          I have many favorite poems. Quite honestly, I think “sweethearts” could have just become my new favorite book of poetry. From a new, self-published, smaller, indie poet, no less. I hope all the best for Bella, this book is exciting. My favorite poems include:

·        “Goldilocks”

·        “Airports”

·        “Implode”

·        The New Year poems ***

·        “Between Us” **

·        “Confection” **

·        “Shadow” *

·        “Vertigo”

·        “8.8.16”

·        “Moving In”

·        “He Is” ***

·        “I Wonder What He Dreams”

·        “Sculptor”

·        “A Collection of Him”

·        “Storms At Midnight”

·        “Platonics”

·        “Homecoming”

          With all of my reviews, I often try to mention what I disliked or didn’t find interesting about a book. I am happy to report I didn’t have any of the such. I thoroughly and honestly loved this book. Please, if you’re looking for a scathing, determined review, look at some of my other ones. This is a great poetry book, and I am so happy to add this to my collection.

* I received a complementary copy from the author for reviewing purposes. *

"No One Here Belongs More Than You"

“No One Belongs Here More Than You” by Miranda July

Review Written by Diana Iozzia

            “No One Belongs Here More Than You” was a different reading experience than I usually have when I read a book of short stories. This book is full of little stories about love, sex, and other dramatic life experiences.

            The stories are very unique, about topics I have heard about but I have never read about before. One is about a peep show worker who is in love with her ex-roommate. I think that it’s important to recognize that feminists could really enjoy this book, because it’s about love and sexual freedom. I think that Ms. July tried very hard to create short stories that other people would read, and truly, they are creative. However, I think that they are just too much for me. I found myself struggling to read through the stories, because they weren’t intriguing.

            I thought that the fact that every one of the stories was first person was interesting, but it made it a bit difficult to decipher between the characters. I can guarantee you can name one of the characters that existed in the story, but I wouldn’t be able to remember which story they exist in.

"The Light We Lost"

“The Light We Lost” by Jill Santopolo

Review Written by Diana Iozzia

            Quite honestly, “The Light We Lost” is the best book I have read in a long time, perhaps even a year or so. This fantastically written story is very unique and quite haunting.

            The main character, Lucy, meets Gabe on September 11^th, 2001. They date for two years and eventually, Gabe leaves to work in the Middle East as a photojournalist. Lucy tells her story to Gabe from years later, but we don’t understand at first why she is telling this story. It’s very romantic how she tells him how in love she was with him, but then, the problem starts when she starts to move on to date Darren.

            I really enjoy that the story is told in a perspective from the main character to her boyfriend, addressing him directly, saying “You were doing this. We were doing that.” I haven’t read another book completely like this, sans a book with a diary entry. The entire novel is like this, except for a letter in the last two pages.

            This felt very natural and very beautiful. It was interesting that even though Lucy was telling her story to Gabe, it felt very similar to my experiencing the events, rather than have been told them. Lucy is an interesting character, because you feel such sympathy and such apathy towards her. She’s a difficult character to love, depending on your morals, I believe.

            I really suggest this, but I do admit the cover description makes the book sound much more dramatic and full of action than it truly is. However, it’s fantastic, and I really enjoyed this, in comparison to other romantic/dramatic books that I have read recently.

            As I’ve mentioned, Lucy’s morals are hard to sympathize with. I found myself struggling to decide “whose side” I was on, Gabe’s, Darren’s, Lucy’s? Also, the relationship Lucy has with her children can be a bit controversial as well. All in all, a really worthwhile read.

I received this from Ms. Santopolo’s publicist as an advance reader’s copy.

"The Secret Year"

“The Secret Year” by Jennifer R. Hubbard
Review written by Diana Iozzia


Young love lost. It’s a very important and very sad theme in many young adult fiction novels, but I think this is one of the best ways to describe a young love falling apart due to the death of one partner. In “The Secret Year”, Julia dies in a car accident, and we learn how she and Colt were in a secret relationship. You have your tropes; a beautiful blonde popular girl falls in love with the awkward yet handsome and kind boy from the wrong side of the tracks. His life is so wrong he has tires and old cars strewn across his front yard.

Julia and Colt had a lovely sugary high school relationship when they were together, often swimming together in a lake at night. Their love feels very pure, and it reminds me of many young adult novels, such as “Thirteen Reasons Why”.

I feel compassion for Julia, because she was never happy in her own shoes. She liked stepping into Colt’s and loving him, so it’s very sad when you remember that she was dead. I fully recommend this to anyone who wants a very different and sad young adult novel to sulk with. It’s not happy clappy. Boy meets girl, boy loves girl. Girl dies. Boy mourns girl.

"Love Story"

“Love Story” by Eric Segal

Review written by Diana Iozzia

 

God, this was a lovely story that I had the fortune of reading a few summers back. It was a beautiful quick read about a new romance, in which one characters has been diagnosed with cancer. The story follows Oliver Barrett and Jenny Cavilleri as they meet each other in college, and begin their love.

I believe that all young lovers can relate to the passion and sweet angelic feeling of brand new love. Oliver is a hunky athlete with a real beating heart underneath. Jenny is a sarcastic Daddy’s girl who likes to use her smart mouth.

I would recommend this for anyone who reads fiction and prose about cancer and romance. Doomed, star crossed love has always been a beloved fiction trope, especially with the surge of the Fault in Our Stars book by John Green and A Walk to Remember” by John Green. Well, this was the original cancer love book that would tear your heart out. I recommend this over the movie, although the movie was classic and just as enjoyable.

"Ruined"

"Ruined" by Paula Morris
Review written by Diana Iozzia






"Ruined" is a young adult fiction novel starring the main character, Rebecca. She recently moved to New Orleans, near the French Quarter, to live with her aunt and her younger cousin. Rebecca starts making new friends at her new school, and naturally, she makes a few enemies. Rebecca visits a cemetery nearby her apartment, which is practically in shambles post Hurricane Katrina. Rebecca meets a girl who she later finds out is a ghost named Lisette.

Throughout the novel, Rebecca finds herself hallucinating that she is back in the times of slavery, when Lisette's family were slaves. Not to give away the ending, which is pretty climatic and intriguing, Rebecca finds out that her ancestors are much more involved in the history of New Orleans than she'd like them to be.

I've read this book at least three to four times as a teenager, and it still holds a place in my heart as probably the first thriller book I read other than "Goosebumps".

"Me Before You"

"Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes
Review written by Diana Iozzia 




"Me Before You" is one of my top five romance novels to this day. The sweet and earnest prose treat you to a sweet, honest, and kind love between a caretaker and her patient. 

Louisa, or Lou, Clark is a very unique and quirky young woman. After the coffee shop she worked in closes, she needs to find a new job, and begins working as a carer for a young quadriplegic man, Will Traynor. Lou is clearly unprepared to take care of this depressed and grumpy man, who is understandably unhappy with his paralysis. Lou treats Will to a nice couple of months, once she finds out that he is planning on ending his life with physician assisted suicide. 

Lou makes Will smile again, takes him on fun day trips to an orchestral concert, an unsuccessful horse race, and many more. This is a sad, happy, and complex novel, but I really enjoyed the realism and humanism of these characters. I highly recommend you tuck in with a cup of tea and maybe a few biscuits for this one. I absolutely absorbed this one in a matter of days.

"Black Chalk" by Christopher J. Yates

"Black Chalk" by Christopher J. Yates

Review written by Diana Iozzia

“Black Chalk” is an honest and interesting portrayal of the dynamic in a friendship group. There are two different narratives in the story, told in the past and present. At Oxford University, there are six friends, Chad, Jolyon, Emilia, Dee, Mark, and Jack, who become involved in a game of dares and consequences. They realize that as they continue playing, the stakes grow higher and the animosity grows between them.

The book is advertised as “six strangers, five survivors”, so instantly, the suspense grows to see who will not survive. Survive as in death or survive as in staying in the game? Unfortunately, you find out in the last two chapters, so the suspense has died over the length of the book. I have lots of praise and lots of dismay for this book.

The two narratives are told very separately. One is a written story by the character, Jolyon. The second narrative is from his perspective. We learn this early in the book, however, I interpreted that Chad was the main character, but over time, you realize that Jolyon’s story is not reliable. Jolyon was tormented by the past and his own dementia, so it makes for an interesting and unreliable narration.

The characters in this book are very likeable, and are relatable. The friendship dynamic reminds me of the ones in “A Beautiful Mind” and especially “The Dead Poet’s Society”, perhaps further exemplified by the school campus setting. I really enjoyed the characters, Jolyon and Chad, for their friendship. They start out as strangers, Chad on a study abroad, the American in England cliché. They connect very well and quickly, which causes some rivalry. In addition, I like that this book is contemporary, but it’s not telling of the times. It could have taken place last year or ten years ago. The characters are not dated by their music, art, or film tastes, like many books I have read before.

Naturally, I must address the faults I found. As interesting as the characters were, I do feel that six characters was too many. I feel that there could have been only five, that Mark and Jack were very similar and not fleshed out enough to be two separate characters. In addition, the “game” that they actually play does include dares and consequences, but the actual dice/cards/cups gameplay is confusing.

In addition, Jolyon’s perspective was muddled and confusing. He leaves notes and creates mnemonic devices for himself. We see him fourteen years later, but he acts as if he is a completely different character. The Jolyon we loved and admired is now a shell of the person he was. I understand that the events of the book have changed him, however, there isn’t a glimmer of the character we loved, so it’s hard to sympathize with him later down the line. We’re supposed to care about this poor man, but we don’t. He’s just a weird, old man. We eventually find out why, but it’s past the point of no return, where we don’t feel badly that we don’t sympathize with him.

Lastly, the game of dares is supposed to be scary, embarrassing, and overwhelming, but we hardly read about any of the dares that were completed. We mostly heard the characters talk them after the fact.

I did thoroughly enjoy this, it just seemed less exciting and thrilling than I hoped it to be. It was a bit slow, but it was well written. I would recommend it, but I just don’t want anyone getting their hopes up that this is as good as the next Stephen King bestseller or the next “Gone Girl”. It’s thrilling, but only about a quarter of the time.

"Dear Strangers" by Meg Mullins

"Dear Strangers" by Meg Mullins

Review by Diana Iozzia

The book "Dear Strangers" by Meg Mullins is an interesting romantic yet suspenseful novel. This book is for anyone whose stared at strangers before, become curious at how their lives might be. This one is for those who look at windows and wonder what is inside that room. Meg Mullins depicts a family in such a realistic and natural light. The son, looking for his long lost adopted brother. The daughter, an alcoholic and sex addict. The new girlfriend of the son, a photographer of strangers.

We meet an ensemble of characters who paint a portrait of a seemingly normal family in the United States.

Characters long for the past, nostalgia is in the air. The characters are so intertwined with each other, that they reflect aspects of each other. Have you ever wondered why someone close to you begins to pick up on your catch phrases and starts to like your favorite foods?

Meg Mullins dissects her characters and shows the sides that the characters want to hide, but cannot. Their interactions prove that they are not only characters, that they are so humanistic, they feel real. I recognized these characters, because I know people like them. I recognized my fiance in the son. I recognized myself in the girlfriend, her curiosity always winning and helping her lose her battles.

I really enjoyed the realism and the sadness in these characters. Everyone of them is longing for the past, but they just cannot capture the high that the past once gave them.