Book Recommendations: Part Eight

 With it now being March, we can happily say that Spring and all that it brings - lighter days, later sunsets and hopefully better weather – is just round the corner. To keep you going until then, here are a few more books you may want to add to your TBR and maybe help get you out of the reading slump so many of us have fallen victim to the past couple of weeks…

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

This book became a fast favourite for me and it’s one of those reads that sticks with you; as do the characters. Creating fairy tale romances for the long-running dating show Ever After is something Dev is a pro at. He’s a producer on the reality show and he knows how to concoct the perfect love story. However, Dev has his work cut out for him when the show brings in Charlie as their leading bachelor. Charlie is far from the ‘Prince Charming’-esque standards that the show is used to and getting through to him and trying to get him to connect with the women contestants on the show falls onto Dev. As Charlie’s walls slowly come down in front of Dev, both men realise they’ve let the other see parts of them that others would reject. The TV show has an ending it’s expecting but Charlie’s heart wants things that go against everything this show is about... but can either men deny the chemistry between them? What are they willing to sacrifice for each other and what future is more important: the scripted TV show one or their off-script dreams? (Trigger/Content Warnings: Panic Attacks, Experiences with Depression discussed, OCD, Brief references to Homophobia and Racism)

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

The graphic novel that we all needed growing up and, quite frankly, still do. Heartstopper is heartwarming, fluffy and will leave you grinning from ear to ear. The story follows two young boys, Nick and Charlie, who meet in school and soon become friends and then best friends and then they begin to develop feelings for one another. The graphic novel follows these teenagers as they move through the motions of romance, school life, friendships, mental health, family and everything in between. There are currently four volumes to this graphic novel and later this year, it’s being released as a Netflix series. It’s a cosy and easy LGBTQ+ romance story and is definitely a good way to be introduced to the world of graphic novels if that’s unfamiliar territory for you. (Trigger/Content Warnings for all volumes: Homophobia, References to Bullying, Anorexia, Discussions of Self-Harm, OCD)

 The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

I was having a look through my book recommendation posts and realised that this book hadn’t made it to the lists! This is only because I read it a good few months before I even started this blog series so it completely slipped my mind to mention it but I truly can’t not recommend this gem of a story. The story follows Nishat; who has just recently come out to her parents who are having a hard time accepting that their daughter is a lesbian. Struggling with being true to who she is whilst not wanting to damage or destroy the relationship she has with her family, Nishat throws her focus into a school business competition whereby students must create their own business. Nishat chooses Henna as her business; something that she is good at and can celebrate her culture. However, she soon discovers that Flávia, a childhood friend, has come back into her life and has also chosen Henna as her business idea. In an entanglement of cultural appropriation, sabotage, school, family and romantic feelings; Nishat and Flávia’s lives are thrown together in many unexpected ways. What is essentially a sapphic enemies to lovers trope is packed full of Muslim, Queer and POC diversity that so many people need in their lives. (Trigger/Content Warnings: Homophobia, Racism, Bullying)