I feel like I'm probably going to get a little backlash for this but I am a firm believer that this book would have been a hundred times better if it I feel like I'm probably going to get a little backlash for this but I am a firm believer that this book would have been a hundred times better if it was not YA. I read a lot of YA and a lot of middle grade and I love it and so it was surprising to me that I thought this would work better as a new adult book. For me I just cannot grasp the intensity of these feelings and these experiences happening to 14-year-olds. So I'm not saying that teenagers don't have big feelings because that's clearly untrue but I am saying that it was hard to believe that the one character's grandma would just let her parents take her to Hollywood and immerse her in this really dangerous culture without any sort of fight as a 14-year-old.
This book takes place when the characters are 18 and they're in their senior year of high school. They were former best friends and one of them up and left at 14 to go live out acting dreams and she becomes this famous actor. But when her dream movie role is withheld from her because of her questionable choices, she and her agent come up with a plan that she is actually a small town queer girl with a long-term girlfriend. that long-term girlfriend that they're fake dating is her old best friend.
The amount of drama and depth that this book does manage to include is really great and I found myself really enjoying it and then there would be moments that remind me that these characters are barely 18 and I was kind of like ripped from the story.
Personally, I think this book would have been a million times better if the leaving the best friend to go to Hollywood had happened at age 17 or 18 and then this actual plot of the book was revisited when the characters were 21 or 22. It just would have worked better and would have been more believable.
Now beyond my ranting about this being the wrong age range, this is a really cute queer sapphic holiday book and I definitely do recommend it. I seem to be the outlier here so I'm reading other reviews so I actually think that most people will enjoy this. And I did enjoy it, I just didn't love it.
My other single qualm with this book is that there's a scene where the characters older brothers who own a bar serve the two girls alcohol inside the bar and that would never happen. No business owner is going to risk their liquor license, which is notoriously difficult to get and maintain, by serving underage patrons. It just would not happen and that scene was wild because no matter how small your town, it's just not a thing....more
I really enjoyed this one. It's fairly similar to the author's other book if I see you again tomorrow but in a totally different way even though that I really enjoyed this one. It's fairly similar to the author's other book if I see you again tomorrow but in a totally different way even though that makes no sense. It's kind of a sci-fi YA contemporary that doesn't have a romance at the heart of it and is going to tug at your heartstrings. Where the other was about a time loop this one is about advanced science brain stuff that isn't technically sci-fi but does give futuristic vibes.
So this book is about this kid whose best friend died in a car accident a year ago and since then he has really been struggling to grieve and express his grief and any sort of manageable way. He has lost his other friends and isn't functioning very well socially. When an opportunity comes for him to be part of a social experiment he ends up doing it for various reasons. The social experiment has almost no parameter set that are defined for the participants and all they really know is that it's for kids who struggle socially. It turns into this sci-fi brain mapping thing that I cannot describe without spoiling it so I'm leaving it there but I really ended up liking it.
This is a book that you kind of have to just power through because you're going to end up questioning some of the relationships that are happening and wondering if they're really well thought out but everything comes together in the end and it all makes sense in a way that just works....more
The first story of this book and the last story of this book were my favorites. Anthologies are always difficult to review because there's always goinThe first story of this book and the last story of this book were my favorites. Anthologies are always difficult to review because there's always going to be stories you don't like and stories that you like more. I don't know that they were any stories that I actually didn't like in this but there were some that I didn't understand or that just totally went over my head. I am disappointed to say that the two authors I was genuinely looking forward to listening to their stories, Rebecca Roanhorse and Darcie Little Badger had stories that I did not get. And that was sad but it's okay. This book did highlight a whole host of new indigenous authors to me and I look forward to reading their other works.
I also was inordinately pleased that I knew what Capgras syndrome was from a criminal minds episode and that story was wild. Both in this anthology and the Criminal minds episode. If you know you know....more
Let's start with the good. Most of the story is good. Most of this review is good. I loved Lucy and Callie and how messy and ridiculous they were. TheLet's start with the good. Most of the story is good. Most of this review is good. I loved Lucy and Callie and how messy and ridiculous they were. They're a little bit cringy but I think that that is part of teenagedom and I really really really love getting a trans girl main character written by a trans woman. That is the representation I am looking for. It is sorely lacking within trans books and I love that we're getting a YA story.
Now, this book is a little bit all over the place but the main premise is that Lucy and Callie are best friends and they're trying to figure out where they want to go to college. They're going to put on this play for their senior year of high school and they're using it as an audition to a local college. But when a college visit goes wrong, Lucy starts looking elsewhere because she wants somewhere where she can blend in and that leads her to a women's college many hours away. When she and Callie take a secret weekend trip to visit the college, Lucy is in love with the way no one questions her gender and she is able to be as free as possible while keeping a part of herself a secret. When the visit ends poorly, she and Callie don't know what to do.
At the same time they're fighting some restriction and bullshit from the school board about their very trans very queer play they're putting on. So there's the discussion of book bans and political correctness going awry and shitty parents trying to ban any identity that is in cishet.
As a whole this book is about friendship and about transness in about living authentically. It really is a celebration of friendship and I love that.
I think for a debut this is a fantastic book. I love that these two sisters wrote it in order to stay in contact during difficult times. Especially appreciate the focus on nurturing and celebrating your platonic relationships as well as conversations about what it really means to live out and proud and whether or not that is a safe reality for people.
I do think this is a little bit all over the place but it doesn't necessarily feel clunky it just felt like you didn't know where the book was going which is an odd thing to happen during a YA contemporary. The only other thing that I didn't love was some of the cringiness and phrases that felt like they were trying a bit too hard to channel their inner teenage girl. I just feel like the phrase booty bump isn't one that's being used on a regular basis but maybe I'm wrong. I do look forward to reading reviews from actual teenagers and the actual audience directed from this book so take my review with a grain of salt.
I will say that I will happily read anything these two release in the future and look forward it.
Trans girl MC who is questioning her sexuality, cis bisexual SC....more
Okay so I thought that I loved Breeze spells and bridegrooms but oh my gosh, maybe perhaps love this one just a teensy bit more.
I am such a sucker forOkay so I thought that I loved Breeze spells and bridegrooms but oh my gosh, maybe perhaps love this one just a teensy bit more.
I am such a sucker for friends to lovers. Like it's actually my favorite. I also love how stupid both of them are because they're clearly in love but so dumb and they're perfect.
So this one follows Torquil who is the gossip columnist and Emrys who is Wyns older brother. From what we know from Breeze spells, Torquil is a little bit obsessed with getting in everyone's business but very hesitant to share their own and Emrys is a bit of an asshole who is set to inherit for the family but has no prospects for marriage.
I think this is why I love companion novels because you can only get so many perspectives from one book and getting to see inside another character's head brings me so much joy because I want to know everything. I am nosy and I need to know all the things.
Another part of why I like this book so much is that yes the romance is there and yes you see how stupid they both are for each other but I wouldn't even say that's the main plot of the book. The main plot is Emrys realizing that he is deserving of a love match and realizing that his love match is right in front of him and Torquil learning that they are more than just a gossip columnist and deserve to have friendships and relationships and a voice. They join the board and help develop rubrics and explanations for different magic systems in order to help as many people as possible. The main plot of the story is the exploration of fae human magic and some of the hypocrisy that has been demonstrated by members of both the fae and human communities. The main plot is the found family that both Torquil and Emrys find.
I really liked this one. It's a middle grade book that has perspectives from both a middle school girl with a stutter and a baby snow leopard. EssentiI really liked this one. It's a middle grade book that has perspectives from both a middle school girl with a stutter and a baby snow leopard. Essentially the girl is sent to live with her grandpa in hopes that it will improve her stutter and during that time she stumbles across a baby snow leopard stuck in a trap and learns that they both struggle to express themselves but need attention and care and deserve respect. This book is set in the '60s and it's a little bit hard to imagine that a major department store would sell exotic animals but it did happen and that's how the snow leopards perspective starts. The only thing I would have changed or wanted from this book is a final chapter from the snow leopard. But it's okay.
Due to the time period this is set in and having a disabled main character, there is a lot of ableism and discriminatory names and phrases used that are difficult to listen so please take care. It is still a middle grade book so it is not horrendously difficult since it is still suitable for children but the ableism is present....more
This book is an ode to queer relationships and queer friendships and queer platonic relationships and I think I really loved it. It's genuinely one ofThis book is an ode to queer relationships and queer friendships and queer platonic relationships and I think I really loved it. It's genuinely one of the most raw and honest books I've read in a long time.
If follows our main character Chino after he and his wife have a devastating loss of their unborn child. They end up separating and divorcing and Chino relies on his group of friends to really keep him afloat. As the story progresses we see Chino go through grief and new and old relationships. We see him embark on non-romantic sexual relationships as well as forming new friendships and new jobs. The ending of this was my absolute favorite and I just really think we need more books that celebrate QPRs.
It's only been a couple days since I finished this but I genuinely forgot all about it immediately after being done. I think it's time for me to admitIt's only been a couple days since I finished this but I genuinely forgot all about it immediately after being done. I think it's time for me to admit that I only like Ashley Herring Blake's middle grade books and not her adult ones....more
This was really really fun. I have not really enjoyed a book in too long and I felt like most of my audiobook listens had been either just okay or dowThis was really really fun. I have not really enjoyed a book in too long and I felt like most of my audiobook listens had been either just okay or downright bad and so this was an absolute breath of fresh air. It is funny while also having some bigger themes. It is a little chaotic but it's also magical. It's absolutely ridiculous at times but a really fun concept and I look forward to the rest of the series.
You basically have all of these royal courts associated with each major holiday and it takes place in a parallel timeline to ours where these people are living but they use some sort of magic to hide their identity from people so regular people just think they're celebrities but don't know why their celebrities. That was a little iffy for me but I don't even care. Anyway we have Christmas Prince and Halloween Prince who are competing for the hand of the Easter princess. Except the two princes would like to bone each other instead. Add in some capitalism and demanding and manipulative father figures and you've got yourself a story....more
This was okay until the ending. I'm so confused by the completion of the story and even though the twist was very predictable, I didn't love the peoplThis was okay until the ending. I'm so confused by the completion of the story and even though the twist was very predictable, I didn't love the people involved nor how the story like legitimately ended on the last page.
I've seen some reviewers talk about how this is very focused on queer subgroups and specific queer stereotypes and I agree and I also don't hate it. Oh mind that people are described as like sword lesbian and such. It's whatever.
I think the best part of this book is just the chaotic bisexualness of it. I really liked the main character and the drag queen and they're kind of hinted at feelings for each other. I'm here for that. I do want to smack her a little bit because like girl there are zombies, maybe focus on staying alive instead of being horny but whatever.
I feel like this book would have a higher star rating for me if I knew it was part of a series. And maybe if a sequel is announced I'll change my rating but as of now it seems to be the only book in the series and if that's how it is ending then it's not worth the read....more
For as much as I loved the Black flamingo, I disliked this one just as much. This was one of the biggest disappointments I've read this year. All of tFor as much as I loved the Black flamingo, I disliked this one just as much. This was one of the biggest disappointments I've read this year. All of the characters suck, the actual plot is not even good and maybe the last hour or so is okay but I'm a firm believer that you should not have to suffer through an entire book for the last little bit to be a good. And also the last little bit isn't even good it's just the best part of the book.
Also can we talk about how tragic this cover is. I just don't understand how this is the finished cover....more
I read this one a whim on Halloween and it was the perfect atmospheric read. It's very eerie and haunting about grief and relationships and monstWow.
I read this one a whim on Halloween and it was the perfect atmospheric read. It's very eerie and haunting about grief and relationships and monsters within and around us.
I wouldn't say it's scary necessarily, but it is pretty gruesome at times so if that's not yours thing, this one may not be for you.
One of the best parts of this book is a fantastic asexual rep. It's repeatedly mentioned and discussed on page and was just genuinely very good.
I don't want to give anything else away so just know that if you're in the mood for a haunting tale, this is a great one to choose. Also the audiobook is excellent....more
This is very different from The Boy From the Mish but also a very similarly poignant and important read.
It's about Jamie, who after a night of drinkiThis is very different from The Boy From the Mish but also a very similarly poignant and important read.
It's about Jamie, who after a night of drinking and getting high, steaks a car from these racists bullies with his buddies and ends up in juvie while he awaits trial.
This book is really about the injustice of the justice system and the systemic racism that is so damn prevalent everywhere. It's a difficult one to read but I did enjoy seeing Jamie's journey even when I was frustrated with his decisions.
I'll admit, I did think this would be queer but it's not. The MCs brother is queer but that's it. That's definitely my own expectations though just from the authors debut.
Idk about audible elsewhere, but if you have audible plus is the US this audiobook is free so that was nice....more
I still stand in the court that Cerulean did not need a sequel and I almost never say that about books but that being said, I did still enjoy this booI still stand in the court that Cerulean did not need a sequel and I almost never say that about books but that being said, I did still enjoy this book. I love the kids and this one has a bit more adult humor in it in more traditional Klune style than Cerulean did.
I liked that this was from Arthur's perspective and it was a good book. I got to be honest I don't have a ton of things to say about it which is odd for me especially when it comes to a TJ Klune book.
I think my main issues with this stem from the narrator because I just don't like him. There are moments that it's okay but he's so over exaggerated during parts of this book that it actually negates my enjoyment of the book. I can appreciate his talent for voices and voice acting but it's not my favorite. I feel like I was also looking for more discussions about systemic change and it briefly touches on it in the epilogue but I was a bit disappointed and the ending of this book....more
Neurodivergent femme lesbian and autistic trans demi lesbian best friend make a summer love pact to find romance and end up finding each other. It wasNeurodivergent femme lesbian and autistic trans demi lesbian best friend make a summer love pact to find romance and end up finding each other. It was just as amazing as that one sentence makes it sound.
I will say this book is the most allo book I've read in a very long time. As someone who is demiromantic and asexual I feel like I had some whiplash from our main character's constant crush having ability. Like she immediately imagines herself with these people and it blows my mind that people actually experience that.
I've seen some reviews talk about how some of these labels feel forced but I think a lot of that is stemming from our own inability to grasp what teenage hood looks like now. Most of these reviews have been from adults and I know that a decade or two ago a friend group of mostly queer people who are out and loud and proud was non-existent and so to read stories about it are both heartwarming and heartbreaking for me personally. I love it though. I love knowing that kids now are able to know themselves in ways we could only dream of when we were their age. I love seeing all of the neurodiversity and acceptance of ADHD and autism and gender and sexuality and it just makes me so happy.
This book is the definition of queer summer joy and I relished it....more
This was fun! Also this is part of a series. If you haven't read the other two go do that first. I've seen people say you can read it as a standalone This was fun! Also this is part of a series. If you haven't read the other two go do that first. I've seen people say you can read it as a standalone I genuinely believe that you cannot. You're going to be confused as hell about Carrigan's and all of the relationships etc.
Anyway, I did like this one. The second book is still my favorite but this one was fun too. All three books in this series are very different and that somehow works. I kind of like that we get different vibes from each book. The first one has that underlying grief element as well as a kind of enemies to begrudging friends to lovers. The second one is best friends to lovers to exes to lovers. And this one we get a fake dating scheme.
I feel like I say this at least once every time I do my roundup of reviews for that moment in time, but I really have to write my reviews sooner rather than later because I don't remember a whole lot about this book in terms of details. I do remember that I didn't love the way the last 25% happened but as a whole I think this was a fun book and technically a holiday book since it takes place in December but it's not overtly holiday-y....more
After the fake dating game, Timothy Janovsky had literal miles to climb to meet any of my expectations again. I hated that book so much that I was actAfter the fake dating game, Timothy Janovsky had literal miles to climb to meet any of my expectations again. I hated that book so much that I was actually skeptical to read anything else by him. But my love for never been kissed and new adult led me to give this one a chance. If he can write a great debut and follow up then surely not all of their books can be bad. And this book isn't bad not necessarily. It's also not that good.
I feel like this book thrives on the first two parts and absolutely crumbles for the last third. I really loved the OCD representation as well as the anxiety representation and the medicated representation we get from both of our main characters. I was intrigued by the concept that both of them served alcohol for a living but didn't drink very much. As someone who has worked in hospitality for over a decade, I enjoyed the hospitality aspect. I even liked their sex pact but the ending of this book totally lost me.
Someone else mentioned that this author is more dedicated to quantity over quality at this point and I am on the verge of agreeing. It feels like he constantly has a new book out yet I don't think that he's spending enough time with each book. This could have been so much better than it was. I also feel like the queer representation is getting really pigeonholed. His first couple books had more dynamic queer representation and now it really just reads as a sex-obsessed cis gay man and I am kind of over it truly.
I wasn't sure if I was gonna like this since both the MC and LI spend a large chunk pining over other people but to my surprise, I ended up enjoying iI wasn't sure if I was gonna like this since both the MC and LI spend a large chunk pining over other people but to my surprise, I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.
The entire premise is that this woman's best friend is getting married and that's great, except she's in love with him. When she catches her best friend's brother monologuing to himself about how in love with the bride he is, she stops him from breaking up the pair and instead helps him out. A platonic night turns into everyone thinking they hooked up so they decide fake dating/fake flinging? Is a good way to get through the wedding of their nightmares.
But it turns out neither of them were ready for the hope and the promise of a new relationship. And neither one was ready for the brightness that each other would bring into their lives. Neither one was ready to admit that the decade (s) they spent pining was a waste of time until they were forced to realize it.
This does have a fat main character but I really got the impression she was more midsize. And just going off the cover I would classify this as a mid-size representation not fat rep which is unfortunate. Not that we don't need midsize size representation but I just want fat characters. Genuinely fat characters. If you can find clothing in a store, you're not fat.
Anyway that's really my own personal gripe and unrelated to the book itself. Technically this has plus size representation if that's what you want to call it and there is some internalized and externalized fat phobia happening throughout the book. I do think this book would have benefited from a dual POV. I think that that is partly my own desire to see people be so unapologetically attracted to fat people and I absolutely die every time we get POVs like that. I think it would have added a lot to this book and to my own joy.
As a whole I think this is a really beautiful book. It isn't a favorite of mine but it is one I would recommend to people who like a complicated rom-com....more
Okay so there's a couple things that I think are going to bring you more enjoyment before you start this book. The first is to read fly With me which Okay so there's a couple things that I think are going to bring you more enjoyment before you start this book. The first is to read fly With me which is a companion novel to this book. I did not realize that and I would have done a reread prior to starting this one had I realized that. It would have refreshed my memory on who all these characters were and all of their relationships. I genuinely think that I would have enjoyed this book a lot more had it done that. So don't be like me and do yourself a favor and go read fly with me again if it's a reread for you before you give this one a chance.
The other thing that is out of my control but definitely would have helped is had the characters had different fuckimgy names. So both characters have names that start with the letter d and my brain did not like that at all with audiobook. I kept getting them confused and I could not keep them straight. Not only did they have names that started with the same letter but they were the same number of letters too. We have a Dylan and we have a Derek and I still could probably not tell you which ones which. I know that there is one fixer upper renovator and one is an ER nurse. One is best friends with the characters from fly with me.
That being said and even though I really struggled to remember which character was which, I still really enjoyed this one. It is a little bit over the top in the beginning with the levels of thirst and terrible jokes but if that's your kind of humor you're going to like it. I have seen a few reviews saying that they had to DNF before like 30% and I don't think that that gives you a fair view of what the book is like in my opinion. I think that at its core this book is about two very strong-willed men who are learning that they deserve someone to stand up for them and how to do that for both themselves and for others. I really loved the ADHD representation and the chaos and also all of the comfort. I think I'll probably do some rereads here at some point of both books because I would like to tell the characters apart ...more
Loading...
