Hello bloggers and the world beyond!!
I was very lucky to be selected by Turn the Pages Tour as a tour host. thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. all the following opinions are unbiased and my own.*
Ahh, this was so perfect for the month of love.
Love And Other Sins
TITLE: Love and Other Sins
AUTHOR: Emilia Ares
PUBLISHER: SERA Press
RELEASE DATE: October 19th, 2021
GENRES: Young Adult Fiction—Contemporary, Romance
BUY LINK: https://bookshop.org/a/11727/9781736814000

SYNOPSIS:
Mina’s life is going according to plan; she’s acing AP Calc and is perfectly content with her nonexistent social life. Though only a high school junior, Mina knows time is an investment, and she’s putting all her capital into academics. Oliver, a child abuse survivor who grew up in the foster care system, is ready to burn down his old life and start from scratch—complete with a new name and emancipation papers—in L.A. When the two are thrown together through circumstance and develop an unexpected connection, they discover how hard it is to keep the past in the past.
Content Warning(s): Sexual assault, recollections of child abuse, discussions of suicidal thoughts, and mention of miscarriage
About the Author

Emilia Ares
Emilia Ares is an Armenian-American actress best known for American Horror Story and Bosch, producer and now the author of Love and Other Sins. Emilia graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with her Bachelor’s in Economics and a Minor in Russian.
Review
Mina is an independent, fierce and smart high school senior who keeps her feelings close to herself and doesn’t often let people in. She has loves her mother, who moved them from Russia for the chance of a better life, a love for dance and for her best friend Nyah.
Oliver moves to Los Angeles for a fresh start, he leaves behind a life of tragedy and neglect. His newly obtained emancipation papers and a settlement that will set him up for potential success in this new life, he overcomes through his anger issues and flash backs to finally have a chance to live a normal life.
From the moment Mina and Oliver meet, their mutual attraction is SPARKS FLY. The story is dual POVs, which I appreciate in a book.
A lot of angst could have been avoided if they had just been open and honest with each other from the start, but that’s often easier said than done when the past is involved, so it can be understandable.
I didn’t really like Mina’s character, she was like a doing things impulsively, had the whole im-not-like-other-girls thing going on and her perspective really really sounded like a biography. Oliver’s pov was MUCH more refreshing and it was phenomenal to see his character development.
The romance didn’t have me rooting for them. But I read this book for it’s mental health, and although I’m not an expert, I did like the way it was portrayed.
I think that this is a beautiful tale of overcoming tragedy and your fears, and while both characters are far from perfect, they find chance at love.
Thoughts
I tried something different with this book, and I am proud of myself for doing that. I’ve also come to realise I need to read more ya with mental health rep. Do check this one out and let me know of your thoughts!
If you’re looking to make a fresh start, Los Angeles is possibly the worst place you could do that. Unrelatable.
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The fresh start that you mean, and the one Oliver means are different I think. The author actually explained why he wants to go to LA, and it did make sense. I had the same question too, tho ZD.
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In that case, I feel bad for him, because now he has to live in Los Angeles.
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this book sounds really interesting! i love it when mental health is portrayed well.
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aah yes!
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Ahh this book sounds AMAZING! AND I NOW ALSO WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OLIVER so I’m definitely checking it out ASAP! Love your review!!
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YAY! Oliver was definitely one of the best things about LAOS. Tell me when you read it!
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WILL DO!
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I love a book with mental health portrayed when it has some element of thrill in it as well. Although I’m not a fan of such books which have romance as well and prefer more the psychological thriller genre, I think this book does seem interesting,I may perhaps check it out..! 🙂
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Ah , do tell me how you like it!
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Lovely review, the characters in this book sound so intriguing and I’ll definitely be checking it out. If you’re looking for another brilliant YA read with similar themes and mental illness rep, I’d highly recommend The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky if you haven’t read it already. It’s an all time favourite of mine! Do be mindful of the trigger warnings though 📚❤️ X x x
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