Grumpy Sunshine

Tag: Mature Content

  • Book Review: Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

    Every Summer After is a mature YA romance that is sad, funny, intense, and maybe just a little dramatic… but in the best way.

    The story follows Persephone “Percy” Fraser and Sam Florek over six summers in Barry’s Bay. We watch their friendship grow from age 13 into something deeper, while the present timeline focuses on one very messy weekend when Percy returns for Sam’s mom’s funeral. Being back in Barry’s Bay — and back around Sam — kind of forces her to face the past she’s been avoiding.

    This book is honestly an emotional rollercoaster. I laughed. I cried. I dramatically vented to my friends (who had zero context but listened anyway). Watching Percy grow from a 13-year-old girl into an adult dealing with consequences was fascinating. Things change… but they also don’t? If that makes sense.

    And without spoiling anything: I will always be Team Sam. Always.

    Carley Fortune does such an amazing job describing the lake, the cottages, the small-town summer vibe — you can literally picture everything. The flashbacks every few chapters make it super engaging because you’re constantly piecing the past and present together.

    This is genuinely one of my favorite books ever. I’ve reread it four times (including the bonus chapters), and in my heart it’s not just a 5/5 — it’s a 100/5.

    🔞 Age rating thoughts: Common Sense Media says 17+, and they’re not totally wrong. There is spice. But a lot of the book takes place when they’re teens. I read it at 15 and personally think it’s best for 16+, or mature 15-year-olds who know what they’re getting into.

    📚 If you like: Second-chance romance, summer nostalgia, emotional growth, small-town lake vibes. Similar authors: Elle Kennedy (Avalon Bay series), K.L. Walther (The Summer of Broken Rules), Emily Henry (People We Meet on Vacation). Carley Fortune is a Candian author (:

    ⭐ Rating: 5/5 stars. No notes. Just feelings.

    Also by Carley Fortune:

    Meet me at the Lake

    Fern and Will

    This Summer Will Be Different

    Lucy and Felix

    One Golden Summer

    Alice and Charlie

  • Book Review: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

    AGGGTM is a sharp, clever YA murder mystery with a serious, dramatic tone… and just a tiny sprinkle of flirting.

    Pip is a smart, determined teen who’s never afraid to ask questions. For her senior project, she decides to investigate a local murder everyone else has already moved on from. The police say it’s solved. Pip says, not even close. With nothing but her notebook, her gut instincts, and later, help from Ravi, she starts uncovering secrets the town desperately wanted to keep buried.

    This book nailed the mystery aspect for me. The clues are well thought out, the characters feel real, and the pacing keeps you hooked. Each chapter is around 10 pages, so it’s fast-moving without feeling rushed. I did have to flip back a few times to double-check clues, but honestly, that’s part of the fun—and even Pip and Ravi circle back to earlier leads, so it works perfectly.

    🔞Recommended for ages 13+ – there is talk of Murder details, drug use, kidnapping, and dark themes.

    ⭐ Rating: 5/5. This was everything I want in a murder mystery: a plot that makes sense (seriously, why is that so rare?!), layered characters with interesting backstories, and a writing style that keeps you invested the whole way through.

    📚 If you like: Smart, independent FMC and small-town mysteries you’ll love this. Similar authors: Karen McManus (One of Us Is Lying), Kathleen Glasgow (How to Make Friends with the Dark), and Jennifer Lynn Barnes (The Inheritance Games)

    Also by Holly Jackson:

    Book 2 of AGGTM

    Book 3 of AGGTM

  • Book Review: If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin

    If He Had Been with Me is a deep, emotional teen romance that dives into the mind of Autumn, the main character. It’s full of intense internal thoughts, quiet heartbreak, and the feeling of being just slightly off from where you want to be.

    Autumn grew up side by side with Finny, her mom’s best friend’s son. They were inseparable as kids—but by high school, things changed. Finny is now the star soccer player with the perfect, popular girlfriend. Autumn is more of a misfit, hanging out with her artsy, dyed-hair friends and dating the group’s unofficial leader.

    As she goes through grades 9 to 12, Autumn tries to keep her feelings for Finny buried, all while dealing with anxiety, distant parents, and the weight of growing up. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, first love refuses to fade.

    What I loved most was how Laura Nowlin writes high school from the perspective of kids who aren’t in the spotlight. It’s not just jocks and prom queens—it’s the quiet kids, the different ones, the ones with too many thoughts. That made it feel real.

    The writing is beautiful but heavy. I had to read it in small chunks just to process everything. There was a slow patch in the middle where things got repetitive, but it didn’t last long. The ending really brought everything together in a heartbreaking but powerful way.

    🔞 Recommended for ages 15+ due to mature themes like anxiety, depression, and mental health struggles.

    ✨ If you liked Girl in Pieces or How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow, or A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, you’ll probably love this too.

    ⭐ My rating: 5/5. It took me longer to read, but it was worth it. The story stuck with me, and the emotional depth made it unforgettable.

    Also by Laura Nowlin:

  • Book Review: Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh

    Binding 13 is a deep, emotional YA romance set in Ballylaggin, Ireland in 2005. It’s intense, romantic, and occasionally funny (thanks, Gibsie <3), but definitely not your light-and-fluffy read.

    The story follows Shannon Lynch, a sweet, quiet girl who’s been through a lot and is trying to start over at a private school where she can finally feel safe. Then she meets Johnny Kavanagh—rugby star, local legend, and literal walking heartthrob. Their worlds are nothing alike, but somehow, they start to fit into each other’s lives in the most unexpected (and adorable) way.

    This book totally pulled me in. The characters are so different, but when you put them together, they make the story even better. I loved the banter (especially the supportive and hilarious moments), and the way the book shows both Shannon’s and Johnny’s perspectives. Chloe Walsh does a great job showing two very different lives—rich vs poor, popular vs invisible—in a way that feels super real.

    But just a heads-up: this book gets heavy. It deals with some seriously tough stuff like abuse, alcoholism, drug use, fights, and a lot of swearing (including f-bombs and Irish insults). It made some parts hard to read, especially because Shannon is dealing with trauma the entire book. So if you’re not in the right headspace, you might want to wait before diving in.

    🔞 Recommended for 15+ because of mature themes, intense language, and sensitive topics like abuse and addiction. This isn’t a fluffy romance—it’s emotional and raw.

    ⭐ My rating: 4/5. I loved the writing style, the characters, the chapter lengths (not too long!), and even the playlists at the end! The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because the heavy stuff sometimes made it hard to fully enjoy the story—but that’s also what makes it powerful.

    📚 If you like friends-to-lovers, dual POV, and emotional romances with real-world problems, this one might be for you.

    Similar authors:

    • Becka Mack (Consider Me) – romance with mature themes
    • Laura Nowlin (If He Had Been with Me, If Only I Had Told Her) – emotional, heavy topics, but a beautiful story
    • Jennifer Gold (On the Spectrum) – teen romance, eating disorders
    • Carley Fortune (Meet Me at the Lake) – dealing with grief, includes smoking

    Also by Chloe Walsh:

    There is more to the Tommen Boys series including Taming 7 and Releasing 10