kristina forest is my go to author now for anything black romance and black joy! zyla & kai was gripping, funny, and touching. i am so happy i got to have an arc of it!!

Okay guys we need to talk about this book. But before we do that I would like to note that I am a white girl, and that this book features two black main characters, and so I can’t judge the accuracy of some of the things mentioned in this book.

However I would like to say that this book made me wonder how many books had love stories where both of the love interests were characters of color. And I couldn’t come with many books (that I had read) and this made me realize that I need to be more intentional when choosing the books that I read and view.

To get right into it: my favorite part of the book was how Forest portrayed the timeline of the story. In the present day, two teens are missing in the Poconos and everyone is confused because they seem like they broke up and no one knows why they did this together.

But the book mostly takes place in the past as it explains all of the days leading up to this event and how it all took place. I, personally speaking, love that. I loved how the entire story was structured. Without that plot, it could have very easily been a boring story with little to distinguish it from the other romance books, but the way Forest formatted the time was very impressive and she did it very well. I was engaged with the book from start to finish!

I loved both Zyla and Kai! They were super well-developed and I enjoyed learning about both of their personalities and hobbies! I also liked how comfortable the author was with portraying non-traditional family situations and the implications of those. Kai’s parents both died and he still goes to therapy and has conversations with his therapists. That seemed like a really thoughtful way to address what was going on with Kai and everyone around him! I also adored how invested Zyla was in fashion and learning more about her and what makes Zyla…Zyla. It was just a nice thing to read and learn more about.

Also the side characters? Freaking phenomenal. I loved them all and I loved how they helped Zyla and Kai grow as people. All of their motivations were explained and although this did make them more sympathetic, the narrative still made it very clear that some of them were in the wrong. And that is more of what I want to see in literature. It was just really fun to read and experience.

The way the plot and all of the characters came together to form this novel was very impressive. The novel was well-written and very nicely put together. All of the characters were compelling and it was very fun to read. I was super glad to have the opportunity to read it and I hope that you all will read it and enjoy it just as much as I did!

This is a cute YA Romance with multiple POVs. You get the perspectives of different characters and learn about the main characters through the eyes of others. Zyla & Kai have to decide if they want to be together or if things from their past will make them too afraid.

Let me preface this by saying, I’m not a huge YA or romance reader.

I was drawn to Zyla & Kai off of the synopsis.

Starting off, you get hit with the fact that Zyla and Kai have run away during a school trip. You get a bit of background on them both during the beginning chapters. Zyla reminds me of a younger me…introverted and a bit quirky. Kai is that popular guy that all the girls like and want to be “seen” by.

Unfortunately, I was unable to finish this book. The premise was GREAT and I’m sure the audience (younger than me) in which this book was written for will enjoy it.

I definitely think this book is amazing, just not for me!

Please read this book if you enjoy:

YA
A coming off age romance
HS love interests
The shy girl gets the guy

Thank you Netgelly and Penguin Teen for my digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kristina Forest has a way of writing love that makes you feel like you’re coming along for the journey, and it’s absolutely wonderful. I spent the whole book rooting for Zyla and Kai, their love story, and the way they supported each other.

I really appreciated the way that Forest didn’t shy away from the flaws within their dynamic, and instead embraced them. These two had many moments of miscommunication due to their own personal struggles, and instead of ignoring the hardships, they talked through them.

Lastly, I want to touch on the significance of Kai, a black teen, going to therapy. I appreciated these scenes because the concept of therapy is so often frowned upon in the black community. It was nice to see it in this text, and I loved seeing how it influenced the way he thinks throughout the story.

Overall, I loved this!

Kristina Forest does. it. again!!! 4.5 stars!

The first few chapters of Zyla and Kai were crucial to me because they set this mysterious tone for the entirety of the story. Although this is a romance book, half of the experience felt like a thriller because we begin the story with this young couple (Zyla and Kai) going missing after getting on a ski lift during their senior trip. From there, we embark on a dual timeline, switching between the day they go missing, while also going back in time traveling through the day they first met and their journey of falling in love.

Kristina's writing is always such a fun experience and makes readers believe that you can experience love, friendship, and self-discovery, at any age and stage of your life. I really enjoyed the themes that were involved, from Zyla never seeing a stable relationship in her own home and how she projected that onto her own love life, and Kai's need to be perfect at everything out of the fear that the people he loves most will leave him (abandonment). This was a beautiful and realistic way of looking at the very real struggles people go with when we have unresolved ideas of love in our lives.

This was a really great story. I am been looking for someone that's YA and non-thrillery for my LFL and the kids in the neighborhood so I'll definitely pick up a copy for this for them.

𝘡𝘺𝘭𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘒𝘢𝘪 by Kristina Forest is a really cute YA romance book. And even though it's not a genre I’m all that interested in, I still found many things I liked about it. ⁣
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⁣I loved that the characters were smart young teens with clear ideas for their future plans. And I appreciated that they started out as friends because it helped cement a stronger foundation for them. The story progressed through all the typical problems such a couple would face and I think many young adults can identify with them: being in the relationship for the first time, the insecurities of having your first bf/gf, learning to open up about your past trauma, learning to communicate, etc. ⁣
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⁣The story did become a little too long for me at one point because I felt it was being unnecessarily prolonged, but going back and forth in the timeline did keep my attention because I wanted to know what happened between the two. ⁣
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⁣There was the use of one trope that I dislike in romantic situations and that's the "it looks like you cheated on me and that's what I'm going to assume without talking to you" which caused a huge issue. And that didn't work for me because I don't like that trope. But I do understand given their situation at the time, how tense everything was, it seemed like the only thing that could have torn them apart at that time. ⁣
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⁣Overall, it's a cute YA romance story and I do believe teens will appreciate the story and perhaps see their own lives reflected in several of the ongoing storylines in the book.⁣
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⁣Thank you @netgalley and @penguinteen for the E-Arc!

I am a sucker for Kristina Forest since I read her last novel, Now That I’ve Found You. Let me start by saying what I absolutely adored about Zyla and Kai. Grumpy girl sunshine boy? I’ve been waiting to read a book with that premise! (Even though Zyla isn’t “grumpy” she’s definitely cynical, and if Kai isn’t a hopeless romantic I don’t know who is!) Something unique Forest did was provide every person’s informed idea of what love is. I enjoyed reading each character’s personal thoughts on what love is, and found it very introspective. Let’s also be honest. Jamal and Beatrice steal the show with their little quips. Absolutely loved them!! I also found the way Forest weaves the past and present together in this novel extremely engaging. She has honestly made me fall in love with YA romance. Zyla and Kai is the hopeful love story we all need.

I love this book so much! Books that switch between past and present make me really happy. I loved both main characters. They were really realistic for a lot of reasons. I love their relationship as well. They are a definite OTP. Something about Black love.

Zyla & Kai tells the story of Zyla, a young woman with a cynical approach to love, and Kai, a hopeless romantic. When work brings them together, their attraction is immediately palpable and, as much as they try, it’s impossible for them to stay apart.

Told in two different timelines, you start the story with Zyla & Kai literally running from the world together. Slowly, you go back in time to get to know how they met, the start of their relationship, and their struggles.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ZYLA & KAI
> The main characters. Both Zyla & Kai have something essential, which is feeling believable. They feel like true young people, with family struggles, hobbies and passions they work for, and they are easy and interesting to follow.

> The central romantic relationship. Although I can’t 100% vouch for the main relationship, since I did not finish this book, everything I’ve read was wholesome and compelling. Zyla and Kai are so in love, and they complement each other really well. I don’t know what happens in the future or why they break up, but I can see them facing their future together.

WHAT DOES NOT WORK FOR ME
> The length. With no prejudice against YA contemporaries, 480 pages are generally too many pages for the genre, and Zyla & Kai is a perfect example. The main mystery behind the story, which is the reason Zyla and Kai run away, takes too long to develop. Add the second plot, which focuses on their relationship and that also has a slow progress, and the book drags way too much.

> The writing. Still connected to the previous point, the writing and plot are basic and easy to follow, but so unnecessarily slow. It’s not like you won’t enjoy reading this story, it can just be boring.

> The mystery. From page one, you know these two teens run away together, but you do not know why. Halfway through the book, there’s barely any development or explanation on the why. I enjoy how that book section is told through outside POVs, but there should be more development to keep the reader engaged. Also, I read in some reviews that this mystery’s solution is anticlimactic, which does not help.

The main takeaway I want you to take from this Zyla & Kai DNF review is that this is worth the read. This book is a compelling story about two young people falling in love and the inherent struggles of that. It is just too slow of a story for me that left me bored, but if this seems like the type of story you’ll enjoy, please check it out.

3.5 stars

I really want to give this book 4 stars or maybe even 4.5 but there's just something about it that i can't. It's a great book about love and it's imperfections, but it was way too long? Like 480 pages? And all that buildup was for barely nothing? I enjoyed the romance and the plot and the now and then time switch but it was unnecessarily long and the start particularly was dragged out. It also got very angsty in the middle which was something i didn't particularly like. The writing was fresh though, and i will try to pick more books by this author for sure!

Overall, not a bad book- read it when you have time!

This was such a sweet, heartfelt book. Kai and Zyla were such incredible characters who find so much out about themselves. I enjoyed how much they grow individually throughout the book. Zyla really struggles with her idea of relationships after the divorce of her parents and seeing how her mom dealt with heartbreak. This book is sweet, but has a fair bit of sadness, too. I found it realistic and refreshing.

If you are looking for a mysterious slow burn romance about opposites attracting, read this book.

This story is told in two different timeline, one in the past when Zyla and Kai become friends and start to build this beautiful relationship and the other in present day as they are now high school seniors and no longer together.

I though this book was ok. The cover sucked me in but the story let me down. There were too many times in the middle of the book where I checked to see how many chapters I had left in the book because it dragged on too much. Also the sub-plot line that was supposed to add a mystery element to the book really fell shot for me. I could have cared less about it.

I might try to read this book again to see if I will like it more on a later date.

Y’all know when I read Kristina Forest’s first book, I fell in love with it. I have since read everything else she’s put out. So when I heard about this one, I was hella excited. Did I know what it was about? Did I know anything besides the fact that it was probably a Black YA romance? No. But that didn’t matter at all. It was perfect and I want to re-read it again already.

Zyla and Kai might have been teens, but the love they shared was well beyond their years. So when they broke up, the people closest to them were surprised, but knew they must have done it for a reason. So when they go missing together from the field trip their schools are on, their friends and family are left wondering why and what on Earth could have happened with them.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the non-linear timeline and the way it was told from different people’s POV. Every time I read a story like this I always think the author is super talented at what they do. Because man, the way she was able to go back and forth and how she had to have thought about getting the story from other people’s POV, even while those people were fictional. Idk why it impresses me so much, but it does. I think these are my favorite types of stories now.

The next best thing about this was the characters. I remember crying when I read her first book because I was looking for Black Romance in YA. She was the first one I’d read and I remember crying because I could finally read a book that I needed as a teen. And it was beautiful. This one was much of the same. Zyla was smart and a fashion nerd. Kai was so sweet and smart and extra as hell for someone his age lol (If you read it you’ll get it lol) I related a lot to Zyla because although she is beautiful, she is also a nerd and she has some real insecurities. Like why does Kai like her when he could have anyone, and more. I have to admit, those are some of the things that I also have thought about. And Kai was hella cool as well. He did all that he did because of how he loved everyone so hard. He was holding on to so much. I wanted to hug him. Sweet kid, that I felt needed some mom hugs.

The romance was what pulled all of this together for me. Yes it was a YA romance, but man it felt like more than that. Kai felt like an old playa lol He was hella romantic for a teen. Like the Valentine’s Day date. One character said he was extra, but I prefer to think of it like Zyla did, that he wears his heart on his sleeve. It was so cute. One of my favorite romance tropes is when the guy is smitten over the girl and he doesn’t hide it. And this is exactly what’s in this book. (And also another book that I recently read, Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle, another Black YA romance.) The way they were together was cute as well. The things he did for her (buying her ONE SCRAP of fabric just to protect her hair?!) and the way she changed for only him. (She was herself, but the weirdest things started making her re-think the things she wanted…. I’m talking Halloween night…)

I also wanted to talk about the mental health representation. I have had anxiety as long as I can remember. So when I saw it in this book, I was happy. Not only was there a Black teen in love, but there is also one who has a mental health diagnoses. If you’re Black, you know that that’s not usually a “thing” in Black households. I’m glad Forest decided to show it and make his experience with therapy a positive thing. Along with this, I thought the way they were both able to call out each other on their BS was a way to positively show their growth from where they started. When they finally came to terms that the other might be right, I was super proud of them.

The setting was pretty cool too. I remember thinking Sailor Joe’s was a lot like the Pleasure Pier in Galveston, Texas. Yes, I know this was mostly set in NJ, but that’s just what I do. I always picture settings as places that I’ve been so that I can get the “full experience” of it. Sailor Joe’s to me was an amusement park on a Boardwalk. I saw it as the Pleasure Pier because they have some of the same things Forest talked about, like the balloon game lol Even though this was but a small part of the book, I still felt like I was in it. For the rest of the settings, I relied on Forest’s writing style to do that for me. And listen, it completely worked. I was at the water park, the park, at the different parties, in Philly at the fabric store, etc. I didn’t want to stop reading it. It was so good.


As you can see I loved this one. This book was about Black Joy and I am so glad I experienced it. There’s not many Black YA romances out there, so I’m all about making sure they get the recognition they deserve. Especially if they’re as well written and well thought out as this one.

During a school trip Zyla and Kai run away together, leaving everyone confused since they’ve been broken up for a while now. The story alternates between past and present and brings us a story of first love and break ups and make ups.

The story takes on a Romeo and Juliet theme. I loved the alternating story that builds to the conclusion. It was definitely a sweet fluffy read.

Kristina Forest is one of the few YA authors I read. I didn’t really really YA when I was a young adult. In the case of I Wanna Be Where You Are and Now That I’ve Found You, the high school aspect wasn’t as prominent as in Zyla & Kai. This book did not make me miss the pressures of high school. I was honestly exhausted reading about Kai’s schedule. There were definitely things I thought were handled well, like Kai’s mental health and that it is an ongoing thing and needs to be worked at; not just something that can be resolved with a quick trip to the therapist. The connection between Zyla & Kai and their support of each other goals, even when those goals will inevitable put a strain of their relationship, was really endearing. In addition, Zyla’s fear of relationships and the impact of both of Zyla and Kai’s pasts on their relationship was very realistic, especially for teens navigating that along with hormones and other pressures.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of how the book progressed. From the very start, you knew when things would go wrong for Zyla & Kai, being Valentine’s Day and St Patty’s Day. Almost the entirety of their relationship was as a flashback and I’ll be honest, that’s not my favorite. Despite that, I was quickly pulled into their friendship and later relationship. Overall, this was a very sweet love story and I can definitely see YA fans really enjoying this book.

Oh my goodness. This book. I cannot get enough. It is so good. Forest is such a good writer that no story she tells is bad.
The way the characters are developed and the alternating points of view is also something that I am enjoying.
It is something that I usually don't like but it really makes this story great

swoon worthy for sure

I feel like I just read a poorly executed Romeo and Juliet retelling.

Our MCs Zyla and Kai meet one summer at their summer job. She's never dated, he's a "player," but (of course) they can't help falling for one another. When their love gets in the way of school and college applications, their families "force" them to break up. I'm all for an angsty, teenage romance, but their insta-infatuation with one another wasn't believable. The conflicts weren't believable. And WHY on earth was this book almost 500 pages?

My biggest issue here was the writing style. We'd read from Zyla's POV about how much she loves Kai and then we'd read from Kai's POV about how much he loves Zyla and it feels like I read the same thing twice. This happened MULTIPLE times.

Even though I didn't like the book and think it's poorly written, I do think there are people out there who will connect with it and I'm happy for them. For me, it was agonizing to read.

I received this book as an E-ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I thought Zyla & Kai would be a fun summer read. You know, your typical YA rom-com, but it was so much more. Zyla & Kai is an ambitious and original love story that does in fact "keep readers guessing until the last page."

First of all, the use of third person omniscient in a YA contemporary is a bold choice, and I love it. The story alternates between present when everyone tries to figure out why Zyla & Kai ran away and the past when we walk through different points of their relationship. The various interludes where we're whisked back into the "present" and get a glimpse into different characters' perspectives are some of my favorite chapters. I don't usually associate YA contemporary with stellar writing, but Forest's use of language is astounding.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. It gives off major Romeo and Juliet vibes--so much so that I skimmed the synopsis multiple times to make sure it wasn't a reimaging--and I love the fact that Kai is the hopeless romantic in this scenario. Forest does a good job of creating believable conflict without giving us a ton of unnecessary (and cringeworthy) drama. I will say that Zyla & Kai's relationship feels a little insta-lovey, so I wasn't quite as invested in it as I wanted to be. I actually was more invested in the relationship between two of the side characters. The first time their names were mentioned together, I wrote a note that said, "if these two fools don't end up together, I'm going to riot." There are also some issues with the pacing. The middle of the book feels unnecessarily slow and should either be tightened up or used to develop Zyla & Kai's relationship more.