Book Review: The Fast Track by Angelica Cheng

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Sports Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Angelica Cheng
Publisher: Simon Teen
Release Date: August 4th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

An ambitious racer who dreams of becoming the first female F1 champion finds her plans going off track when she catches feelings for her biggest competition in this dishy, delicious contemporary romance for fans of love, Lynn Painter, and Lewis Hamilton.

Justine Kwong has always dreamed of becoming a Formula 1 champion. There’s just one problem: no female driver has ever done it before. So when she’s offered a coveted chance to race in Formula 3, she leaps at the opportunity. Sure, half the fans think she’s just there to fill a diversity quota, and her teammate—the infuriatingly cute Cameron Evans—mistakes her for an intern, but Justine knows her talent will leave them all in the dust.

But driving well isn’t the only prerequisite to getting noticed, and Justine’s forced to fend for herself in a sea of prejudice, paparazzi, and petty backstabbing. There’s a lot riding on her ability to navigate the complicated trackside hierarchy—like the open F2 seat that could be her ticket to the big leagues.

Except…when Justine and Cameron’s bickering gives way to unexpected chemistry, the boy she’s falling for may be the one person standing in the way of her dreams—because while they may be teammates, they are also each other’s biggest competitor. And with her only shot at glory on the line, this race could break more than just hearts.

Thank you Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook and Simon Teen for the gifted book.

A GOOD YA.

Y’all know I love when a young adult novel is actually meant for young adults. And this one was! It’s also the first F1 romance I’ve read that I have genuinely liked so good things all around. It’s a fast paced and short novel that you could read in an afternoon kind of thing.

Justine can be a bit frustrating but in that I’m an adult with a fully formed front cortex reading vs. actually bothersome. I liked her overall character arc and the way she worked through issues and moved forward when life threw her backwards. Combining that with a sweet rivals to lovers-esque romance and it made for a wonderful read. I really liked Justine and Cameron together and the push and pull as they figured out how to communicate with each other.

🎧: Great audiobook! I loved the narrator and can’t recommend this format enough.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Sports Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: July 2026

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How are we halfway through the year?

Here’s my thirty six books for the month of July! I feel like this month went super well reading wise. I loved many of these books. Reviews are out now or coming soon!

  • [ARC/ALC] Our Wicked Gifts by Kathryn Foxfield
  • The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden
  • Spies, Lies, & Alibis by Natalie Walters
  • The Stranger I Wed (The Doves of New York #1)
  • [ARC] To Have and To Fold (Love Stories in Sheet Cake #5) by Emma St. Clair
  • [ALC] A Forsaken Prophecy (The Artisan Trilogy #2) by Stacey McEwan
  • Crown of Blood and Ruin (The Broken Kingdoms #3) by L.J. Andrews
  • Out of the Woods (The Mountains Are Calling #3) by Madison Wright
  • The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee
  • Strange Familiars (The Seamere College Duology #1) by Keshe Chow
  • [Reread] A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas
  • The Scattered Bones by Nicole Scarano
  • [Graphic Novel] Dungeon Crawler Carl Vol. 1 by Matt Dinniman
  • Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances
  • Home Safe by Tracy Baack
  • Songs of the Dead (The Strata Wars #1) by Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian
  • [Graphic Novel] To Dance the Moon and Stars by Tasia M.S. and Barbara Perez Marquez
  • Eliza and the Duke (The Doves of New York #2) by Harper St. George
  • [ARC] A Lass Beloved (The Earls of Cairnfell #2) by Nichole Van
  • [ARC/ALC] Armor for Liars by S.E. Grove
  • All Hail Chaos (Time of Iron #2) by Sarah Reese Brennan
  • Ice Shy (Ottawa Otters Legends #1) by K.M. Gillis
  • [Reread] A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas4
  • [ARC] To Dance with Death (The Edge of Glass #2) by Brittney Arena
  • [ARC/ALC] Fire to the Stars by Morgan J. Watchorn
  • The Name Game by Beth O’Leary
  • In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto
  • North Country by K.A. Tucker
  • [ARC/ALC] The Fast Track by Angelica Cheng
  • Echoes of Emerald Isle (McLaughlins #1) by Ashley Weston
  • [ARC/ALC] Lost and Found (Spunes, OR #3) by Tarah DeWitt
  • The Gate of the Feral Gods (Dungeon Crawler Carl #4) by Matt Dinniman
  • Here for the Cake Serendipity & Shenanigans #1) by Jennifer Millikin
  • Not That Kind of Proposal by Victoria Lavine
  • Light Wielder (Fire & Metal #2) by Rachel Schneider
  • This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

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Book Review: To Dance the Moon and Stars by Tasia M.S. and Barbara Perez Marquez

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Rating: ★★★.75
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance Graphic Novel
Length: 256 pages
Author: Tasia M.S. and Barbara Perez Marquez
Publisher: Joy Revolution
Release Date: July 14th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In a kingdom where dance is forbidden, a future high priestess must bend the rules to stop an ancient evil from destroying everything and everyone she loves, including the crown prince, in this sweeping romantasy graphic novel.

Eighteen-year-old Myra has spent her entire life training to replace her grandmother as High Priestess. But with the day of her ascension rapidly approaching, she’s not sure if she’s meant for this path. How can she become the herald of the god Alrun when he forbids the thing she loves most: dancing?

Her kingdom can’t afford her hesitation though. Not only is the emperor looking for Alrun’s wisdom ahead of a peace treaty, but forces of darkness are seeping through the barrier between worlds. The only source of light Myra has is her childhood best friend, the crown prince. Without his support and…love, she may not be able to stop what’s coming.

To save her people, Myra must delve into her kingdom’s forgotten history, even if it means defying the laws of the land. But the key to salvation may just require her to make the biggest sacrifice of all.

Thank you Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

SIMPLE AND SWEET.

I have been craving a graphic novel and was very excited when this book showed up on my doorstep! It’s a fast paced read that I do think is appropriate for the young adult audience.

I loved the art work. It was gorgeously colored and blocked throughout. I think it fit the story too. But for the story I wish there had been more. It felt like there was a lack of dialogue or narrator squares to help set up the world a little bit more. Everything moved SO FAST that it was hard to keep up with the pacing.

The romance is sweet and I did like the FMC, Myra. I loved the dancing content and how that fit into the world. Not a bad read by any means, just missing that deeper sense of connection from the characters/story.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance Graphic Novel
  • Lanugage: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: An Accidental Marriage (The Gentlemen’s Gamble) by Deborah M. Hathaway

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 232 pages
Author: Deborah M. Hathaway
Publisher: Draft Horse Publishing
Release Date: January 22nd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

He expected a quick visit. He left with a wife instead.

Charles Shepherd is in no rush to marry. With good looks, a comfortable fortune, and considerable charm, he’s certain love will find him eventually. Unfortunately, his mother has other plans.

Returning home for a short visit, Charles reluctantly agrees to meet Miss Marie Oakley—a woman as fortunate as he in both looks and manners. What is meant to be a simple introduction, however, ends in a sudden marriage, and Charles, who values his freedom above all else, is livid.

Mercifully, Marie is as uninterested in the marriage as he is. After a disastrous first day together, they strike a mutual bargain: do whatever it takes to end the marriage as quickly as possible. Charles is determined to reclaim his independence and find love on his own terms. But as forced proximity turns into reluctant understanding, he must face an unsettling possibility—what if the woman he’s trying to leave is the very one he can’t live without?

SO I LOVED?

Big fan of this marriage of convenience/arraigned marriage concept. It’s a short book but I think it packed enough for me to really fall into the swoon of this story. I loved the enemies to lovers vibes and how well the sharp and biting banter was between them. You could see the soft moments slowly pulling them together and it was well timed.

And even when I about thought things would go awry there was some COMMUNICATION and ARGUMENT (arguments don’t have to bad!!) that made me love Charles and Marie all the more. It’s a clever read and only 6 hours on audio if you’re looking for a great historical romance!

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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