#ma wardell

[bookshelvesandtealeaves]

✨ AUDIOBOOK REVIEW ✨

Teacher of the Year by MA Wardell

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QOTD: Who’s your favourite fictional couple?

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Review below cut

Thank you Penguin and Libro FM for the ALC. All thoughts are my own.

I was a bit torn on this one, to be honest.

On the one hand, I really liked Marvin and his connection with his students and his best friend. Seriously his friendship with Jill was such a highlight of this book for me. I really enjoyed getting to know him as a character.

But the relationship was really lacking for me. I never really got a sense that they’d developed real feelings for each other until the (admittedly understandable) third act breakup. Every interaction between them seemed based on their sexual attraction to each other and it wasn’t until just before the third act breakup that feelings seemed to be coming into it. Then suddenly Marvin realises he’s in love with Olan once they’ve broken up? I just didn’t buy it.

This was a nice, easy listen but doesn’t leave me inclined to read more from this author.

[haveyoureadthisqueerbook]

Have you read Teacher of the Year by MA Wardell (2023)?

YES

NO

Voting ended onMay 1, 2025

[pridepages]

Happy Holidays from PridePages 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️✨

[haveyoureadthisqueerbook]

Have you read Mistletoe & Mishigas by MA Wardell (2023)?

YES

NO

Voting ended onMay 2, 2025

[bookshelvesandtealeaves]

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

Marshmallow Mountain by AJ Truman and MA Wardell

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“It could be worse.”

“How could this be any worse?”

“We could be straight.”

This was such a wonderful mix of sweet, funny and spicy. There’s so many jokes, some that genuinely made me laugh, some that made me groan, but there’s also a lot of heart in this book. And these characters are HORNY.

Marsh is a comedian and he can’t help but make jokes at every turn. Instead of being annoying like it could have been, it was endearing. Every time. I really, really liked Marsh.

Data was understandably confused and hurt and he spends a lot of this book wrestling with that. But he also clearly loves the shit out of Marsh.

I love a second chance romance and these two were just made for each other.

I highly recommend if you’re looking for something both silly and spicy.

[pridepages]

🌈 Happy Pride! 🌈

Good things come in sets of sixes as I spotlight some of my favorite rainbow reads.

✨ Category is: Favorites Read in 2023✨

Learn more about them under the cut!

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake (RomCom, Rep: F/F, lesbian, bisexual)

Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore (YA gay remix of The Great Gatsby, Rep: M/M, transmen, sapphic characters, BIPOC mcs)

Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta (YA Scifi, Rep: F/F, bisexual, lesbian, BIPOC mcs)

Teacher of the Year by MA Wardell (Spicy/Sweet Romance, Rep: M/M, gay, unlabeled queer mc, BIPOC mc, neurodivergent mcs, ADHD mc, Jewish mc)

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli (YA coming out/romcom, Rep: F/F, bisexual, lesbian, nonbinary sc, Jewish mcs, BIPOC scs)

An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera (Historical Romance, F/F, lesbian, BIPOC mcs)

[pridepages]

“That’s what love does to you. Allows you to see someone, even their flaws, and want them anyway.” —Marvin Block, Napkins and Other Distractions by MA Wardell

[pridepages]

Vincent: You don't try to fix me. Kent: Because you're not broken.