Updated on June 12th, 2025
AD – PR Product | 6 years ago I published my first blog post, a book review of Marzia Bisognin’s Dream House. So much has happened since then and just in the past year since I wrote my 5th Blogiversary Q&A, I have gone self-hosted, been able to write sponsored posts more frequently, started offering advertising on my blog, and reached a domain authority of 50. I am excited to celebrate my 6th blogiversary!
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I am extremely grateful for all the opportunities my blog has brought me. I want to thank everyone who has visited my blog over the years. To celebrate my 6th blogiversary (blog anniversary), I wanted to go back to where it all started. Lately, I have not been doing individual book reviews on my blog. However, since my first post was a book review, I thought it would be fun to share short reviews of the books I have read in the past year.
Heartstopper Volume One and Heartstopper Volume Two by Alice Oseman
I read the eBook versions of both volume one and volume two of Heartstopper as I did not want to wait for the shipping of the physical books. In the next few weeks, I will be comparing the books to the Netflix series on my blog though. Briefly, Heartstopper is a graphic novel series that follows Charlie, who was outed and bullied for being gay, and Nick, who is a rugby player. Both of them attend the Truham Grammar School for Boys, and after being placed in the same form group, they quickly become friends, and Charlie starts falling for Nick. I absolutely love the series, and the story is sweet and at times emotional. I also love the graphic novel style with the illustrations.
Heartstopper Volume 1 available at Bookshop
Heartstopper Volume 2 available at Bookshop
Rating: 10/10
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
All Boys Aren’t Blue are personal essays by George M. Johnson about his childhood, adolescence, and college years and the intersection between being black and being queer. Some of the essays include his experiences at school, his first crush, and joining a fraternity at college. The book covers topics such as gender, identity, microaggressions, racism, unconditional love, death, and the importance of having a support system including family/chosen family and brotherhood. I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by the author. I recommend it to allies and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Available at Bookshop
Rating: 8/10
Love, Creekwood by Becky Albertalli
Before I begin, I have read the previous Simonverse books including Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, The Upside of Unrequited, and Leah on the Offbeat. When I found out there was a novella, I was excited to check it out. Love, Creekwood is a novella that takes place after Leah on the Offbeat. The novella consists of emails between Simon, Bram, Leah, and Abby during their first year at college. Simon is away for college in Philadelphia while Bram is at NYU. A large part of the novella is about the challenges they face (especially for Simon) in a long-distance relationship. There are also emails between Leah and Abby who are actually roommates. However, I did not really care for those because I never liked Leah as a character. I especially did not care for her in Leah on the Offbeat.
I did not like the email format of the novella because you miss out on events like Bram visiting Simon and you only learn a small part of what happened. Also, I listened to the audiobook. It was nice that Simon, Bram, Leah, and Abby had different voice actors so you can easily tell who is the one writing the email. However, there are several group chats with the 4 of them plus their friend group from Creekwood High. Therefore, you have to listen to 10 different email addresses for a 5-word email. It was offputting and it seemed like at times the voice actors were annoyed at having to continuously read all the email addresses during those parts.
Even though it was nice to know some of the events that happened after Leah on the Offbeat, I did not like the email format of the novella. I also did not like that Leah was one of the main characters.
Available at Bookshop
Rating: 5/10
Asylum by Madeleine Roux
I bought Asylum years ago and I finally got around to reading it. Asylum is the first book in the Asylum series. In the book, Dan Crawford is attending a summer college prep program. His dorm happens to be the old asylum for the criminally insane. When he arrives, creepy events start happening. With the help of two of his friends at the program, he explores the secret past of the asylum.
The book is easy to read, and I wanted to know what was going on. There were definitely some creepy parts, so if you want to read an engaging creepy story, Asylum is worthwhile. However, I did not really connect to any of the characters. They were not unlikeable, but there was not really anything that made them stand out. I also originally bought this book because it was compared to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. However, I feel like there is no comparison. I personally think Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children is a better series. Also, I feel like the pictures did not really add to the story. There were even pictures included that were not mentioned in the book. While Asylum was a creepy read, do not go in expecting it to be similar to Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children.
Available at Bookshop
Rating: 7/10
No Experience Required by Janet Quin-Harkin
I was gifted a copy of No Experience Required and it is the first book in the Heartbreak Cafe series. The book follows Deborah (Debbie) who comes from an upper-class family, and she never worked in her life. However, after her parents get divorced, her father moves away to be a writer while her mother decides to go back to college so she can later find a good job. Debbie needs money in order to pay for her car insurance and she ends up finding a job at Heartbreak Cafe. However, Joe, who is the cafe manager, doubts that Debbie will last a month working there.
Debbie is an unlikable character in the beginning because she is your typical spoiled and stuck-up rich kid. However, she gets a reality check and becomes more likable as the book goes on. Joe is the complete opposite of Debbie. He has been working hard at his grandpa’s cafe, and he is your typical “bad boy”. I am a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope so I enjoyed their banter and seeing their relationship grow. As far as side characters, Debbie’s friends are also unlikable. They are your stereotypical stuck-up rich kids, but I loved the support characters of the regulars at the cafe. I also loved the setting of the cafe on the beach, and the plot was enjoyable with seeing how Debbie managed her first job.
No Experience Required was a fun book to read and I liked that Debbie grew as a character as the story progressed.
Available at Amazon
Rating: 8/10
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
They Both Die at the End is set in a world where an organization named Death-Cast calls people around midnight on the day they are going to die. On September 5th, both Mateo and Rufus receive the call that they are going to die. The book follows them during their End Day. Both Mateo and Rufus join the app Last Friend, which is for Deckers (the people who are going to die) who are looking for a friend to spend their End Day with, and Mateo and Rufus end up connecting.
I liked both Mateo and Rufus as characters and I loved their relationship. Mateo is anxious, and he does not want to take any risks. At one point, he even considers not leaving his apartment. However, with the help of Rufus, they are able to live their last day to the fullest. The plot is at times slow, but I liked seeing what they did during their End Day and what events they thought were worth their time. Also, throughout the book, it briefly follows other Deckers, but I do not think it took away from the story of Mateo and Rufus and most of the subplots did end up connecting to the main story.
You are never given an explanation of how Death-Cast works. However, I do not think it is important in the bigger picture. I listened to the audiobook, and I loved that Mateo and Rufus were voiced by different narrators. I recommend listening to the audiobook. The book definitely makes you think about death and also if you would want to know when you are going to die, and what you would do if you had less than 24 hours to live.
Available at Bookshop
Rating: 9/10
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
I have read several books by Jacqueline Woodson including Brown Girl Dreaming and Another Brooklyn, and I decided to listen to the audiobook for Harbor Me. Harbor Me follows a group of six kids who meet together every Friday afternoon for a weekly chat without any adults to listen. At first, there is awkwardness between the group, but slowly, they open up to each other and are able to talk about their feelings and fears including a parent in prison, a father taken by ICE, and racial profiling.
In the audiobook, each of the kids is voiced by a different narrator, and I liked being able to hear their stories and how they were able to grow together as a group. The book is written for middle schoolers, but everyone can read it because it covers topics of racism, immigration, deportation, bullying, and grief and shows that kids can experience stress and pressure in their lives. At the end of Harbor Me, Woodson is interviewed by her son about the book, and I think it is a great conclusion to the book.
Available at Bookshop
Rating: 8/10
Thrive by J.J. Eden
I was gifted a copy of Thrive by J.J. Eden, which is a collection of poetry about the beautiful chaos of life. The poems vary in length from 5 lines to a whole page, and each poem includes a black and white illustration, which I thought was a nice touch. Thrive is a wonderful collection of beautiful poems, and you can definitely find ones that resonate with you. I recommend Thrive if you enjoy reading poetry, and it is also great to pick up every now and then and read a few poems.
Thank you for the tips! I’m currently reading “The Rose Code” and it’s really good, even tho there’s not a lot of drama right now 😀
Lots of love,
Krissi of the marquise diamond
You’re welcome! I’ll have to check it out!
Ok. I liked the last one, and the death subject one. Harbor me seems a bit stressful considering the subject. The other asylum with creepy details, I can’t do such genres. I also liked both the books you received as gifts. And the first one took me by surprise I had no idea it would be a ten. And yes to getting attached to characters. Either character development or getting attached to one is needed so one can keep reading the book. Congrats on the 6th anniversary. And a very different book list you shared. Great mix. Xx
Isa A. Blogger
Thank you so much! I definitely recommend the poetry collection and They Both Die at the End!
Yea creepy books aren’t for everyone, but I liked it.
I love the Heartstopper graphic novels! The story is so sweet, but there are serious topics as well.
Looks like a solid list of books here Karalee. Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work with your blog.
Ryan
Happy 6th blogiversary! That’s amazing! I’m coming up to my 10th!
Corinne x
Thank you so much! That’s so exciting you’ve been blogging for almost 10 years!!!
Thank you!
Happy 6 year blogiversary! That’s amazing. I wish you all the best.
Thank you so much!
Ashamed to say that I haven’t read any of these books as yet! I’ll certainly be checking them out now. Massive congrats on your blogging achievements. Perseverance pays off 🙂
Thank you so much! There are some great books and my favorite right now is Heartstopper and I’m looking into getting the next books.
Happy blog anniversary. A great achievement and you have such an awesome blog. I don’t think I have read any of the books you shared. Thank you for sharing.
Lauren x
Thank you so much!!!
Happy 6th anniversary lovely, I absolutely love your blog! You’ve shared some really great sounding books here, thank you for sharing with us. I’ll be checking them out asap. Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
Thank you so much! I hope you’ll find a book or two you like!
Congratulations; six years of blogging is a wonderful achievement!
Thank you!
Happy blogiversary, first of all! 6 years is a major achievement and I’m so excited to see what the future has in store for you 🙂 Great mini-reviews here. I’ve read a couple of them and a few more are on my TBR. I read about 15 books in May and found several new favorites, which makes me so happy! 🙂
Thank you so much! That’s awesome you’ve read so many books in May! Which ones have been your favoite?
Happy Blogversary to you dear. You are doing a good work. Keep it up yeah. Btw, love this list of books. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much!!!
Happy Sixth blogiversary! We have heard about All Boys Aren’t Blue and No Experience Required. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! I recommend both books!
Happy blogiversary and hope you keep doing it while enjoying the journey. Great book suggestions!
Thank you so much!
Congratulations! Sixth blogversary, that’s good going. 🥂
Thank you!
happy 6 years! how wonderful! 🙂 asylum series seems right up my alley and would be perfect for spooky season . will def check it out.
Thank you! It definitely is an interesting book and I’m curious what the next books will be about
Congrats on six years, that’s so impressive! I loved heartstopper on Netflix, so definitely want to check out the comics 🙂 x
mia
Thank you so much! I definitely recommend checking out the comics especially since it’ll be a while before season 2 & 3 come out on Netflix!
Happy Anniversary! I hope to be where you are one day! I admire your dedication to reading. Sharing these reviews was a nice way to honor how your blog started. I used to read all the time. Then, time was limited and now I’m still lacking time and also interest. But, you did a great job of gaining my curiosity for some of the books you read. Maybe I’ll make reading 1 book this summer a starter goal. (But, I will say when I used to drive a lot, I listened to audiobooks all the time and I miss that).
Thank you! I used to read A LOT, but with having a family, going to school, etc. I don’t have a lot of time to read so the number of books I read in a year has defintiely gone down.
I think starting with 1 book to read this summer is a great goal and hopefully it’ll spark your interest in reading again.
That’s great you listened to audiobooks, but you should try listening to them again! I listen to audiobooks when doing mundane chores like putting away laundry or doing dishes.
Congratulations of completing 6 years!
Thank you!
Happy 6th Bloggiversary! That is so exciting!!
Thank you!
Congrats on your anniversary. Interested books. Hope you have many more accomplishments with your blog.
Thank you so much!
Happy 6th Blogiversary. So many amazing books to read. I definitely need to add Asylum to my list. it sounds so interesting. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you! Asylum is an interesting book, but it just wasn’t what I expected because it was compared to the Miss Peregrines Peculiar Children series
Happy blog anniversary! Six years and a DA of 50, that’s incredible. You’ve done a great job. I wish you another happy year of opportunities and many books to feed the soul 📚
Thank you so much! I’m proud of what I have been able to accomplish with my blog and I’m excited for what the future holds!
Congratulations on your blogiversary! 🎉 Thank you for sharing these book suggestions. ☺️
Pastor Natalie (ExamineThisMoment)
Letstakeamoment.com
Thank you so much!
I totally loved Heartstopper and honestly came at such a perfect time in m,y life and loved the Netflix adaptations too! ‘They both die at the end’ is on my TBR and have heard great things I really have to read it! Congratulations on your 6 years Karalee and hope for many more! xx
Thank you so much! That’s great to hear you loved Heartstopper too and I’m excited it has been renewed for season 2 and 3!
I definitely recommend They Both Die at the End!
Congratulations on your 6th Blogiversary! That’s so exciting! This is such a beautiful way to celebrate by taking it back to how it started. I love the sound of Asylum, They Both Die at the End, and Thrive. Congrats once again, and thank you for the book recommendations!
Thank you so much! Asylum is an interesting book, but I was a bit disappointed because it didn’t live up to my expectations. I also definitely recommend They Both Die at the End and Thrive is a wonderful poetry collection!
Heartstopper is just amazing, I need to have a look at these other books too! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
I agree Heartstopper is amazing! I need to buy the next books in the series!
Happy 6th blogiversary. I don’t think any of these are on my book radar. I’m working my way through Virgin River at the moment.
Thank you! How are you liking the book?
I love They Both Die At the End. Such a beautiful book. Thank you for these other recommendations! I binge-watched Heartstopper on Netflix and loved it, so I might have to pick up the book too.
I agree it’s a beautiful book!
I definitely recommend the Heartstopper books especially since it’ll be a while before season 2 comes out!
Happy 6th anniversary!!!
Thank you!
Omg I really want to read they both die at the end! Such a great post!!! Gonna give a follow also. This was great!!
Thank you! I definitely recommend They Both Die at the End because it is a really interesting book that makes you think.