EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR by E.K. Johnston

Though Exit, Pursued by a Bear deals with the serious subject matters of sexual assault and abortion, I enjoyed this story and believe it to be an essential book for any teenager and older to read. Hermione is not just a cheerleader, but the co-captain of the team, and she's getting ready for her last year of high school before her life changes. But everything changes before she reaches her last year of high school when she is drugged, raped, and left to die at a summer cheer camp. How she deals with the traumatic event and the fallout from it all is what this book is about. Because of Hermione's memory loss from that night and her amazing support system, the story shows her struggles, but also her push to not let herself be seen as a victim. Without those things, this story could have gone much differently, and the author does make note of that in their author's note at the end. I must also say that I have felt a strong connection to both of E.K. Johnston's contemporary YAs, because I grew up and live in the same area, so I can relate to it, and the characters could easily be people I know. I will definitely be reading more from this author!

BUILT OF SECRETS by Jemi Fraser

This book was a wild ride! From the burgeoning heat between Tansy and Sam to the arms dealer after Tansy's top secret project, there was never a dull moment in Built of Secrets. Like the average person, the MCs did have their share of secrets and communication issues, but nothing they couldn't work out. And Sam was determined to keep their communication open in order to keep Tansy safe. I loved the characters, the setting, the story, and how Jemi Fraser set up the entire series in the first book. I'm definitely excited to read more!

​KNOWN TO THE VICTIM by K.L. Armstrong

Wow, this book had me going around and around trying to figure out who the main character, Amy, could trust. After the murder of her mother, Amy struggles with her grief, and it's her half-brother who helps her through it. But then he gets framed for attempted murder of his girlfriend, and Amy isn't sure if he's guilty or not. Her podcast about intimate partner violence tells people how to spot red flags in relationships before things become violent, so surely she would see the signs in her brother, right? Or maybe someone set him up. But who? Known to the Victim has so many twists and turns throughout, especially in the second half, right up to the last chapter. I really didn't know what was going to happen, and I'm still a bit shocked, even if the "monster" was hinted at all along. I will definitely read more by this author under this pseudonym and the other one I've enjoyed books written by.