Roger's Reads

Author & Book Reviewer

Welcome to Roger’s Reads!

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Roger Hyttinen avatarBeing a lover of books, I started this site as a companion to my BookTube Channel “Rogers Reads” and as a way to chronicle my reading journey and help spread the love for books that I enjoyed.  This site is a place for me to review books that range from Young Adult fiction to Fantasy to LGBT Romance.  I do have somewhat ecclectic reading tastes though Fantasy and YA Fantasy are my most read genres at the moment.

If you’d like to learn more about me, click the About Roger link on top of the page.  If you have a book you’d like me to review, please check my Review Policy link first on top of the page.

Thank you so much for stopping by.  Grab a cuppa, put up your feet and browse through some of the reviews.  Who knows?  You just might come across your next epic read.

Happy Reading!

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Review of The Long Run by James Acker

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Long Run cover imageBlurb

Two track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut.

Sebastian Villeda is over it. Over his rep. Over his bros. Over being “Bash the Flash,” fastest sprinter in South Jersey. His dad is gone, his mom is dead, and his stepfather is clueless. Bash has no idea what he wants out of life. Until he meets Sandro.

Sandro Miceli is too nice for his own good. The middle child in an always-growing, always-screaming Italian family, Sandro walks around on a broken foot to not bother his busy parents. All he wants is to get out and never look back.

When fate—in the form of a party that gets busted—brings these two very different boys together, neither of them could’ve predicted finding a love that they’d risk everything for…

Review

Going in, I thought this was going to be a sweet YA romance story about two boys in their senior year of high school, but it turned out to be much more intense than I expected — intense in a good way. There are definitely some tender, sweet and silly moments between our two flawed protagonists, and I enjoyed the strong chemistry between them. But there are also some darker and grittier moments as well — the kind that makes your heart ache and brings a tear to your eye.

The long run offers a tantalizing glimpse into the lives of two teenage boys who are navigating their senior year when they discover each other. The story is told via a dual POV, and I loved how it allowed us to see the situation from both Bash’s and Sandro’s perspectives, both of whom spoke in distinct, original voices. I also enjoyed traveling with Bash and Drove during their journey of discovering themselves and each other and overcoming the various obstacles placed before them. And through this process, we also witness their inner growth and insight, a difficult but beautiful process.

The character arcs were exceptionally well done, with plenty of growth not just among the boys and their budding relationship but also among their families. James Acker really seems to understand the teenage soul—the longing, the self-doubt, the challenges, the melancholy, the self-awareness, and the confusion. The Long Run is an authentic look at what it feels like to be a teenage boy and all that it entails.

The author tackles a lot of subjects with this book: hiding one’s authentic self, dysfunctional families, pretending to be someone you’re not, sexual awareness, self-discovery, parental neglect, self-acceptance, bisexual awakening, and toxic masculinity, resulting in a profound, authentic and raw read. There’s a lot of depth in this introspective story, and I ended up loving this engrossing novel. Recommended!

What I loved:

❤️ All the Feels
🎭 Family drama
✌🏼 Two perspectives
🤔 Thought-provoking characters and themes
⛹️‍♂️🤾🏽‍♂️ Two lovable high school jocks who find each other
✍️ Amazing character development
🧑🏽‍🔬 Dro’s and Bash’s connection/chemistry was just 👌

Review of A Tale of Two Princes by Eric Geron

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Tale of Two Princes Book CoverBlurb

Will these long-lost twin princes be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations together—or will this royal reunion quickly become a royal mess?

Edward Dinnissen, Crown Prince of Canada, loves getting the royal treatment at his exclusive Manhattan private school and living in a fancy mansion on Park Avenue. But despite living a royal life of luxury, Edward is unsure how to tell his parents, his expectant country, and his adoring fans that he’s gay.

Billy Boone couldn’t be happier: he loves small-town life and his family’s Montana ranch, and his boyfriend is the cutest guy at Little Timber High. But this out-and-proud cowboy is finally admitting to himself that he feels destined for more . . .

When Edward and Billy meet by chance in New York City and discover that they are long-lost twins, their lives are forever changed. Will the twin princes—“twinces”— be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations together? Or will this royal reunion quickly become a royal disaster?

Review

This book was so much fun! I love stories about unknown twins reuniting, and this one did not disappoint, especially given that it follows two gay twins. The story itself is rife with hijinks, high drama, coming-out angst, romance, royal intrigue, public humiliation, jealousy, and sabotage, which kept me glued to my kindle throughout the book. I enjoyed how the story is told via each twin’s POV, so we get to see the situation from each of their perspectives, rendering each of them relatable to the reader.

I loved how realistic all of the characters were. But what I most enjoyed was the outrageous silliness, resulting in plenty of laugh-out-loud moments for me. The two protagonists each take a delightful journey, resulting in superb character arcs and personal growth that is near-inspirational. I quickly fell in love with both of the quirky, vibrant, and sometimes sullen and confused main characters and enjoyed their moments of self-discovery. I also enjoyed how the tone shifts from light to dark, snarky to serious, happy to sad, and back again.

I was in a bit of a reading slump, and this was the perfect feel-good story to pull me out of it. Snappy dialog, stellar worldbuilding, sweet and relatable characters, hidden family secrets, and a touch of romance make A Tale of Two Princes a standout. I legit had a huge smile on my face from start to finish as I worked my way through this engaging book, and it stole my heart.

A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book.

Review of Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales

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Never Ever Getting Back Together imageBlurb:

When their now famous ex-boyfriend asks them to participate in a teen reality show, two eighteen year old girls—one bent on revenge, the other open to rekindling romance—get tangled up in an unexpected twist when they fall for each other instead in Never Ever Getting Back Together by nationally and internationally-bestselling and Indie Next Pick author Sophie Gonzales.

It’s been two years since Maya’s ex-boyfriend cheated on her, and she still can’t escape him: his sister married the crown prince of a minor European country and he captured hearts as her charming younger brother. If the world only knew the real Jordy, the manipulative liar who broke Maya’s heart.

Skye Kaplan was always cautious with her heart until Jordy said all the right things and earned her trust. Now his face is all over the media and Skye is still wondering why he stopped calling.

When Maya and Skye are invited to star on the reality dating show Second-Chance Romance, they’re whisked away to a beautiful mansion—along with four more of Jordy’s exes— to compete for his affections while the whole world watches. Skye wonders if she and Jordy can recapture the spark she knows they had, but Maya has other plans: exposing Jordy and getting revenge. As they navigate the competition, Skye and Maya discover that their real happily ever after is nothing they could have scripted.

Review

Holy. Freaking. Moly. I loved this book! Initially, I was a bit leery of this one because I’m not particularly a fan of reality TV shows. But despite that, I adored this sapphic rom-com/revenge story and had so much fun reading it. It was an enjoyable, humorous, somewhat cheesy feel-good romance that was populated with an amazing cast of characters, each brimming with personality. I loved the distinct multi-layered traits of each of the girls in the show, especially those of our two heroines, who start out by being bitter enemies and end up in love. This is a novel full of fascinating multidimensional characters, starting, of course, with Maya, the funny, snarky, and independent heroine hellbent on revenge. And as icing on the cake, Gonzales gives us Jordy, a vile villain whose interactions with the girls are super cringy and often loathsome.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the way Sophie Gonzales developed the dramatic storyline by slowly weaving together various strands of intrigue, thus bringing all of the characters closer to each other. I especially enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at a reality TV show, complete with its manufactured emotions, fake lines, and scripted scenes (including numerous retakes, when necessary). The author gives us not only a peek into the filming itself but also a compelling glimpse into the lives of the camera crew. In this way, the reality TV aspect of the story felt quite realistic and evocative, and it felt as if I were there witnessing the entire thing.

While the novel doesn’t hold any big plot surprises or weird twists, but it made me smile —and even laugh a time or two — and leave me with a happy feeling right in the middle of my belly. If you’re up for an enemies-to-lovers sapphic rom-com with a revenge subplot and plenty of hijinks and chaos, then you’ll definitely want to check out Never Ever Getting Back Together. Recommended!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

Review of Grave Things Like Love by Sara Bennett Wealer

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Grave Things Like Love book coverBlurb:

A contemporary YA romance with a paranormal twist: what happens when in between trying to decide which boy is the right boy, a girl finds out the funeral home her family owns might be haunted?

Elaine’s home is a bit . . . different. It’s a funeral home that has been in her family since the 1800s–and it’s why everyone calls her Funeral Girl. And even though she’s lived there her whole life, there are still secrets to be found.

When Xander, a cute new boy with a penchant for ghost hunting, arrives in town, Elaine feels an instant spark. His daring and spontaneous ways help her go from Funeral Girl to Fun Girl. Then there’s Miles, Elaine’s oldest friend, who she’s starting to see in a completely new light.

After Xander convinces her to stage a seance one night, Elaine discovers that her home might be haunted by a kindred spirit–the daughter of the funeral home’s original owner. But who wants to be haunted by the dead when there are boys to spend time with? After all, you only live once. . . .

Review:

This book’s blurb captured my attention right away: a girl who works at a haunted funeral home and captures the interest of a young ghost hunter? Count me in!

Grave Things Like Love is aYA romance novel with just a touch of the paranormal that follows Elaine (aka “Funeral Girl”), who is expected to take over the family funeral business from her parents. She’s not too keen on the idea but has resigned herself to having her future planned out for her. Things change, however, when a young man named Xander comes into town — an intense and attractive boy who is determined to make a name for himself as a ghost hunter. Elaine attracts his attention, and the two begin spending more and more time together, much to the chagrin of her best friend, Miles and her parents.

Now, if you’re going into this expecting a straight-up ghost story, you might be disappointed. The actual ghost encounters play only a small part in the plot. Instead, the story mainly explores Elaine as she begins to discover who she is and who she wants to be and, through Xander’s influence, realizes that she does have choices and can make her own life decisions, even if it means stepping away from her family. All of this, combined with Elaine’s dating dilemmas, lead to quite a bit of high drama. In fact, after a series of bad decisions, Elaine ends up in quite a bit of hot water and soon finds herself in over her head.

Let me also mention that there’s also a bit of a love triangle in the story. Now, typically, I’m not a fan of this plot device, but it was handled exceptionally well in the novel, and I didn’t mind it here at all.

All in all, Grave Things Like Love was a cute YA contemporary with just a whisper of the paranormal. I thought the author did a fantastic job weaving through the intricacies of family expectations, leading to a fun, engaging story with a fair amount of angst. I also enjoyed the tantalizing glimpse into the everyday life of funeral directors, which added an extra compelling element to the story. Recommended!

Review of Fire Island Ice Queen by B.J. Irons

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Fire Island Ice Queen cover imageBlurb

College law student, Connor, is a bit pretentious, high-strung and what some might describe as being cold as ice. After catching his boyfriend cheating on him and then being dumped, Connor decides to take his best friend Byron up on his offer for a summer gaycation experience to Fire Island.

While at Fire Island, Connor reevaluates his identity and goes through a deep soul searching experience to truly understand himself. While on vacation, he befriends a stranger named Lawrence, who encourages Connor to open up more and become lively. Lawrence proposes that Connor completes a series of wild, fun tasks, which he dubs as the Fire Island Ice Queen Challenge to get Connor to come out of his shell more. Will this frivolous and boisterous vacation at Fire Island be enough to melt the heart of this Ice Queen?

Review

What a delightful story of self-discovery! The story follows Connor who is a tad stuck up and a bit of a prude, who catches his boyfriend Derrick cheating on him. Connor is then subsequently dumped by the cheating jerk. When Connor’s friends offer to take him to Fire Island to help him forget his woes and speed up the healing process, he agrees. There, he examines his identity and decides he’s not completely happy with how other people see him. So he embarks on a quest to open up more and enjoy life — and to prove to himself that he isn’t the person that others see him as.

I loved how Connor’s character grew throughout the story as he began to discover who he was — and what better place to do it than Fire island? In fact, I thought the book also really captured the magic of Fire Island, which I appreciated. There were plenty of zany antics and witty banter in the story which were a lot of fun, and I caught myself smiling and chuckling on more than one occasion.

I loved the idea of Connor finding himself with the help of someone who sees through Connor’s “icy” facade, and I enjoyed traveling with Connor as he began to open up and blossom.

All in all, this ended up being a sweet and sexy heart-tugger of a love story that I really enjoyed. The fast-paced plot makes for an engaging read, and from the very first chapter, I was fully immersed in the narrative. If you like witty banter and wild, rollicking shenanigans, this is the book for you.

A huge thank you to BookSirens for providing a review copy of this book.

Purchase Fire Island Ice Queen from Amazon

Review of Lavender House by Lev A.C. Rosen

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Lavender House Book Cover

Blurb

A delicious story from a new voice in suspense, Lev AC Rosen’s Lavender House is Knives Out with a queer historical twist.

Lavender House, 1952: the family seat of recently deceased matriarch Irene Lamontaine, head of the famous Lamontaine soap empire. Irene’s recipes for her signature scents are a well guarded secret—but it’s not the only one behind these gates. This estate offers a unique freedom, where none of the residents or staff hide who they are. But to keep their secret, they’ve needed to keep others out. And now they’re worried they’re keeping a murderer in.

Irene’s widow hires Evander Mills to uncover the truth behind her mysterious death. Andy, recently fired from the San Francisco police after being caught in a raid on a gay bar, is happy to accept—his calendar is wide open. And his secret is the kind of secret the Lamontaines understand.

Andy had never imagined a world like Lavender House. He’s seduced by the safety and freedom found behind its gates, where a queer family lives honestly and openly. But that honesty doesn’t extend to everything, and he quickly finds himself a pawn in a family game of old money, subterfuge, and jealousy—and Irene’s death is only the beginning.

When your existence is a crime, everything you do is criminal, and the gates of Lavender House can’t lock out the real world forever. Running a soap empire can be a dirty business.

Review

Part cozy mystery, part hard-hitting historical fiction, Lavender House was a gripping story with a group of fascinating characters. The story takes place in the Bay area in 1952 and follows our main character Andy, a disgraced police officer who was fired after being caught in a raid of a gay club. He’s approached by Pearl Lamontaine, a wealthy and mysterious widow who asks him to figure out who murdered her wife. He agrees and is then brought to Lavender House, where he meets the rest of a created family of LGBT people:

  • Pearl, the widow
  • Pearl’s son Henry
  • Henry’s partner, Cliff
  • Henry’s wife, Margo (they married only for appearance)
  • Margo’s partner, Elise
  • Margo’s mother, Alice (the only straight person in the household)

What’s interesting about the novel is that it takes place during a time when it is quite dangerous to be queer, as we see firsthand during a particularly disturbing scene of violence in the story (consider yourself warned). Because of this, we see some of the impossible choices some of the characters are called on to make in order to protect themselves, their identity, and their loved ones. The story illustrated nicely how one false step can cause you to lose everything: your money, your home, your social standing, and even your life.

Aside from the hard-hitting theme of the difficulty of being queer in the 50s, Rosen also gives us a fun ‘whodunnit’ with plenty of red herrings to throw us off the scent of the true killer. It was fun journeying along with Andy as we discover each character’s possible motives as well as their own struggles with being queer in an unaccepting world. I loved this mismatched group of characters and enjoyed getting to know all of their quirks and idiosyncrasies as the story unraveled. These dynamic characters are beautifully complex, empathetic, and wonderfully rendered and the author really brought them to life in the narrative.

While on the surface, Lavender House is a cozy mystery, there’s real depth to the story, which delves into themes of acceptance, loneliness, homophobia, fear, false appearances, queer love, and found family. Though the story is tough to read in places, the seriousness is balanced by witty banter and several laugh-out-loud moments.

All in all, Lavender House is a well-crafted tale with compelling and vivid characters as well as a compelling mystery to solve. Recommended!

A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.