Short AF Book Review | Florrie | ARC Received By Netgalley

Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Florrie" by Anna Trench. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers to please keep that in mind!)

"The story of female footballer Florrie and the amazing hidden history of the women's game come to life in this debut graphic novel about football, friendship and falling in love.

'A really great graphic novel... beautifully drawn and very well written' ALISON BECHDEL

'If you put Alison Bechdel's Fun Home in football kit, you might come up with something like Florrie' ZING TSJENG

When Florrie's great - niece discovers she was a footballer in the early twentieth century, she unearths a secret history both on and off the pitch.

Boxes from the attic contain photos, objects and letters, revealing football games and love affairs in Norfolk, London and Paris. Florrie's adventures touch on both invented and real huge crowd matches in London and Preston, international fixtures, dances at lesbian club Le Monocle in Paris and the devastating consequences of the FA's 1921 ban on women's football.

This is a story of self - discovery, friendship and queer love, alongside huge (and little known) historical moments for the women's game. In Florrie, Anna Trench brings readers a beautifully drawn, evocative and warm - hearted love - song to an unforgettable woman and sport.

'Bright with the feeling of liberation, and the risks and joys of following your heart' SEAN HEWITT

'Charming and incredibly moving' RACHEL RAMSAY"

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So the reason I wanted to read this is as you all know I love queer graphic novels and genuinely thought this sounded like such an interesting read. Friends, I'm so glad I was granted to read this book. This book INSTANTLY had me in tears. The story was so beautifully written and illustrated and I genuinely read this in less than an hours sitting. This had everything I wanted from a queer graphic novel, such as strong female relationships and powerful women. To see the history of women's football in England was so interesting to read about as I had no idea before this. I genuinely loved the correlation between what was happening to Florrie in real life in regards to her queerness and relationships as well as what was happening to her with her passion of football. This book was honestly very bittersweet and I would 100% recommend reading this with a pack of tissues. I will definitely be getting a copy of this when it's out, and would absolutely recommend this to anyone and everyone who just wants a good, bittersweet queer graphic novel.

I gave this book a 5/5 star rating on Goodreads

This book is already out!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Amelia, If Only | ARC Received By Netgalley

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Amelia, If Only" by Becky Albertalli. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers to please keep that in mind!) 

"Amelia Applebaum isn't in love with Walter Holland. He just happens to be her favourite moderately famous, chaotically bisexual Youtuber. Who she just happened to invite to prom (But it's fine. No, for real. If you delete the post, it didn't happen)

Okay, maybe her friends are right: She's slightly parasocially infatuated. But Amelia just knows sparks would fly - if only she could connect with Walter for real.

If only he would host a meet and greet.

If only it were just a short road trip away.

And if only Amelia could talk her best friends into making it the perfect last hurrah before graduation - even her newly single, always - cynical, guitar - toting best friend Natalie.

One thing's for sure: All roads lead to butterflies.

But what if Amelia's butterflies aren't for Walter at all?"

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So the reason I wanted to read this is genuinely because I loved "Simon Vs. The Homosapien's Agenda" by Becky Albertalli so the moment I saw this on Netgalley I knew I wanted to read it. Friends, I'm ecstatic that I got to read this. This book had EVERYTHING I wanted from a queer YA romance. Firstly, the female friendship within this book (heck the friendship group in general) was beautiful. I loved how they were all supportive of each other, and mostly good at communication. I loved the witty banter between them all and this book genuinely had me cackling in the middle of the night because of how funny some of it's moments were. The romance in this book was so obvious but such a nice slow burn which had me giggling and kicking my feet throughout most of it. The pages when it came to the reddit/twitter threads as well as interviews were so fun and I loved how they added to the story so it felt like we could become part of the "fanbase", and as someone who's been in multiple fandoms in her lifetime, was very realistic. This definitely gave me 2010 queer discourse vibes at times but in the best way. All in all, I loved this book so much, It was such a nice fresh breath of air to read a cute little gay YA and I would definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone. Also, I did not know this was a second in a series, but by the looks of it they're interconnected standalones so I will definitely be picking up the first in this series as soon as possible.

I gave this book a 5/5 star rating!

This book is already out!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Spoops: The Little Spirits Of Halloween | ARC Received By Netgalley

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Spoops: The Little Spirits Of Halloween" by A.J. Locascio. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers to please keep that in mind!) 

"Young Holly Hollowell loves Halloween more than anything, but her dentist parents are totally against any event that promotes tooth - rotting sweets. While other kids trick - or - treat, Holly watches sadly from her window... until the Spoops arrive to turn things around! With their magical help, Holly can finally show her parents the true spirit of Halloween: not the candy, but the joy of expressing yourself, unleashing your imagination, and letting your spooky side soar!

Presented in rhyming verse that recalls Dr. Seuss and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,' along with nostalgic illustrations in black, white, and orange, Spoops is an instantly timeless classic that places Halloween right alongside other beloved holidays."

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So the reason I wanted to read this is honestly because I saw it on Netgalley and thought it looked super cute, plus I love Halloween, so I thought I would apply for it. Friends, I'm so happy I got to read this one. First of all the artwork throughout this story is super cute and really gives me the nostalgia of childhood books I read as a kid. As a 31 year old woman reading this book, I adored it and loved that it showed that Holly's uniqueness is what made her special and that her love for spooky/halloween things as a child was not weird and in fact should be encouraged. This book would've been so perfect for me as the odd one out Halloween loving girly growing up. For such a short story with a LOT of illustrations it sure does pack a mighty punch. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a cute little halloween read, even if you're not a child. And I will FOR SURE be picking up a copy of this for my niece when it comes out.

I gave this book a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads!

This book comes out on the 12th August 2025!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Uncover

Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Uncover" by Faith Fawcett. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Faith Fawcett's latest YA release! The perfect coming - of - age with a sapphic twist!

"It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks. What matters is that I love you and you love me" Ellie - Mae, sixteen and nervous after moving schools in exam year, becomes fast friends with boy - obsessed Sasha. She can be a little bit crazy and hectic but there's just something about her... Something different.

As the two girls become closer, caught up in a three - hundred year old mystery, feelings begin to blossom. But 'hanging out' doesn't feel so simple anymore, not when mere touches sends flickers of butterflies into Ellie's stomach.

But she's never liked a girl before, let alone been in love."

So the reason I wanted to read this book is because I follow Faith on tiktok and saw her advertise this story and thought this would absolutely be right up my alley. Friends, I'm not going to lie, I'm a little 50/50 with this book. First let's talk about the good. This book is incredibly stinking cute. As y'all know I love a queer book with good female friendship, and the friendship dynamic between these characters is so good most of the time. The mystery that they were trying to solve really kept me on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book, and I was rooting for them to get the answers that they deserved. The characters were very fun and relatable, and were so easy to empathise with. Now for the downside, as much as the friendship dynamic between the characters was good most of the time, the lack of communication in some chapters did not make sense considering they were actually so good at communicating with each other in other chapters. I left the book feeling slightly disappointed that we didn't have all the answers and truly felt like the girls would not have stopped there considering the momentum of the rest of the book. Do I think this was a cute light queer YA mystery to get into? Yes. Do I also wish there was more answers and depth to the story than there was? Also yes. Will this stop me reading any more of Faith's books? Absolutely not, I will be picking up another the moment I'm back up to date with my ARCs. I just think I went into this book expecting more than I should have, and that's honestly on me.

I gave this book a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe! 

Short AF Book Review | Here And Queer

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Here And Queer" by Rowan Ellis. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Here and Queer is a helpful, friendly guide full of support and advice about living your best queer life, written for girls.

This vibrant, inclusive guide, designed for all kinds of girls, is designed to help you be the strongest, proudest, happiest version of yourself! A celebration of the gift of queerness, it's packed full of heartfelt advice, comforting stories, and stylish illustrations, and will give you the tools you need to explore your own identity, on your own terms.

Author and YouTuber Rowan Ellis uses her personal experience to take you through queer life, from coming out and dealing with tough stuff, right through to finding friendships and celebrating Pride. There are also brilliant guest essays from contributors across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.

This book opens with guidance on understanding how you feel as a queer girl. From choosing your pronouns to navigating different labels and identities, Ellis helps girls understand that they are in control of their own identity, and that it's ok to not be sure straight away.

Moving onto a glossary of queer terms, Here and Queer helps introduce girls to the rainbow of definition and terms which help queer people understand who they are and how they feel. The book then moves onto advice on coming out, for many one of the hardest steps to take on their journey to truly living their best lives.

Following are chapters on sex and romance, including helpful advice about your first time, as well as guides on consent and knowing how to make sure you build a healthy and supportive relationship with your partner.

There are also sections on dealing with bullies and stigma, finding your community, and looking after your mental health, including advice on how to help you find extra support if you need it. The book also has more information on queer ladies in history, and on the fight for equality undertaken by brave activists throughout history and today.

Stylishly designed with cool illustrations, this helpful, friendly guide will help all queer girls navigate the challenges of discovering and embracing their identities and flourishing in their own skins!"

So the reason I wanted to read this is genuinely because I saw this book across the room in my local YMCA Charity shop and knew I had to pick it up.  What a book to start pride month off with. Friends, this book is incredible. I genuinely didn't feel as a 31 year old queer woman I had much left to learn but this book sure proved me wrong. This book was beautiful from the way that it was set out to the illustrations and stories. It is a shorter book and I genuinely read this in one sitting but it is PACKED full of information around queerness in general {even if it says it focuses on queer girls}. I honestly believe if I have had this book as a teenager the world would have made so much more sense. This book goes through so many important topics such as consent, sex ed, queer history, resources for queer people, just everything and anything you could think of is in this book. I love the way that it handled these topics in a way which was simple and easy to understand but also expressed how important they were. The little essays from other queer people were beautiful to read and genuinely made me tear up. I would recommend this to any queer person of any age to read this book as there's so much information even I didn't know and would've been perfect to have as a younger person. 

I gave this book a 5/5 star rating on Goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe! 

Short AF Book Review | Unfamiliar Vol. 1

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Unfamiliar Vol. 1" by Haley Newsome. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Meet Planchette.

A lonely young kitchen witch, she has high hopes for her new home, a place where she can be herself and maybe even make friends. Unfortunately, she discovers that her perfect house is haunted... really haunted. Ghosts live in the paintings, they crawl on the ceiling, and they pour out of the faucets! While Planchette can whip up a perfect pizza potion, getting these supernatural guests to leave is more than her magic can handle. To get out of her paranormal predicament, Planchette befriends a cursed girl, an introverted siren, and the worst witch in town. Together they struggle to put these spirits to rest and find their own sense of belonging.

Unfamiliar, a debut graphic novel based on the popular webcomic series by Haley Newsome {AKA Lavender Towne}, is bursting with offbeat charm, a vibrant cast of wee witches, and hilarious sidekicks."

So the reason I wanted to read this is genuinely because I got a Kindle Unlimited email which showed this graphic novel as part of it and I thought it looked cute so I downloaded it. Friends, I'm really glad that I did. I had just DNF'd 3 books and caught up with my ARCs so I REALLY needed a palette cleanser and this graphic novel hit the spot. The artwork throughout this is so cute, and unique, and really brought the story to life. As y'all know I LOVE books with good, strong female friendships and we truly seem to be getting that straight off the bat. All the characters were so perfectly unique and different in their own ways but absolutely in ways that help them compliment each other and make the story whole. I really loved the little nods to the horror movies that definitely inspired some of the characters in this book as they were very obvious but also so very much Haley's own. This currently has two volumes out and I will 100% be picking up a physical copy of both books on payday. I recommend this to anyone who wants a cute spooky little graphic novel to break up their heavier hitting books. To be honest, just anyone who enjoys graphic novels in general.

I gave this book a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe! 

Short AF Book Review | The Lone Wolf Cafe | ARC Received By Netgalley

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "The Lone Wolf Cafe" by Sydney Wilder. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers to please keep that in mind!) 

"When a runaway werewolf gets a job at a reclusive witch's cafe, more than just tea ends up brewing in this cozy, sapphic Halloween romance.

Nettie Clarke has never known the world beyond Hollenboro, her tiny home island off the coast of Maine. So when she abruptly flees with few belongings, no money, and no idea where to go, things get complicated.

Mainly because she's a werewolf.

After arriving on the mainland, she comes across Wisteria Grove, a witch village hidden deep in the forest, and seeks shelter in a local cafe. There, she is confronted by the owner, Rowena Hawthorne, the town's surly and introverted herbalist. Impressed by Nettie's baking skills, Rowena makes her an work as the cafe's resident baker and pretend to be a witch, and she'll be paid enough to make it worth her time.

At first it seems like a great deal, and Nettie only plans to stay for a few weeks before taking off to see the rest of the world. But as the days pass, her baking skills grow, she befriends the local elementals, and she {reluctantly} finds Rowena attractive. All of which makes it harder for her to leave.

But as Nettie and Rowena's bond deepens, so does the danger, Nettie's safety is at stake if the village finds out she's a werewolf, and her ears and tail won't stop popping out hen she gets stressed. And Nettie isn't the only one with a secret to hide. Wisteria Grove is full of mysteries, all of which seem to trace back to Rowena. Despite warnings from the rest of the village, Nettie continues to fall for the herbalist witch, eager to discover the truth.

But the past has its claws sunk deep into Wisteria Grove, and Nettie will have to confront her own secrets - as well as Rowena's - to stay in the town she's grown to love.

The Lone Wolf Cafe is a mildly spicy sapphic Halloween romance between a witch and a werewolf. Perfect for fans of the cozy fantasy vibes of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea, Legends and Lattes, and The Spellshop who are looking for a spooky Halloween twist."

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So the reason I wanted to read this is because I actually follow the author on tiktok, and when she mentioned that this was very similar to Legends and Lattes but make it werewolves and witches I knew I wanted to read it. When I saw that it was on Netgalley I applied for it straight away! Friends, this was everything that I wanted from a cosy fantasy and more. First of all, the world building in this story was beautiful, I genuinely sat there feeling like I was in the places the author was describing. The author really took their time to describe every scent, sight, magic etc but did so in a way that wasn't too overly descriptive. This book was beautiful, and magical, and I genuinely feel like this would 100% be the perfect Halloween read. I loved the characters, and the magic system and almost every little thing about this story. The only one downside I had with this book, was it took a little longer than I'd of liked to get into the "good parts". However, once it was there, it was incredible. There was so much action, so many twists and turns I was just not expecting and it really had me on the edge of my seat towards the end. I was fully rooting for our main character and genuinely fell in love with both Nettie and Rowena. Heck, it was truly hard to not fall in love with all of the characters. I cannot wait for this to come out and will 100% be picking up a copy for my shelf. I am also excited to see the future books in the series and can't wait to see where their stories go.

I gave this book a 4/5 star rating!

This book comes out on the 9th September 2025!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!