Amy Powis's Blog, page 7

Favourite Graphic Novels and Manga of 2020

I have read a lot of good books this year. I think it is safe to say, and because of this, I have decided to split my favourite's list into two. This is the first of those two lists, and it is about my favourite graphic novels! I love to read graphic novels, and I read so many across the year, although it is not an area that I talk about on my blog. I love the way that writers can make readers connections with characters with so little dialogue and of course, the beautiful illustrations. Graphic novels are great OK, but I get they are not for everyone. Anyway here are my favourites... 

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki

As I have mentioned before, I am a massive fan of quiet books, especially those set in the summer, which obviously fits both boxes. I feel like a lot of this was that I loved the vibes and the illustrations and the friendship between the two main characters. It is your perfect coming of age graphic novel, and I can't wait to read more from Mariko Tamaki in the future. 

Heartstopper Volume Three by Alice Oseman 

What is there really to say about Heartstopper? It's great. Everyone loves this series, and the third instalment is no exception to the rule. The third volume definitely develops the relationship between Nick and Charlie. Also, it goes into deeper topics such as eating disorders which will be more relevant in the last two issues. I do just love this one and Alice Oseman in general, and this series can do no wrong. 

Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden 

Tillie Walden has been one of my favourite graphic novelists for a couple of years now, but, for some reason, I was really anxious to pick this one up. It was probably since I had high expectations about it, so I let them subside a bit before picking it up. I picked it up one evening and raced through. I feel in love with the characters and how they connected with each other, the amazing artwork and of course, the inclusion of a cat. It reminded me a lot of Studio Ghibli, which made me love it even more. 

My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness by Nagata Kabi

I tried to get more into manga this year, and I stumbled on this one as I really wanted to find queer manga. I was surprised by this book because Nagata Kabi doesn't pull any punches in the book and although I don't suffer from depression, I got so much of it. It took me a while to read, but I really loved it and would recommend it to everyone. 

The Bright Side by A. Francis 

I stumbled upon this. On Amazon and I was interested due to the cover and the art style. I have to admit that it does talk about death a lot as it details the friendship of death and a younger girl. I say this, but the whole thing was quite wholesome if that is a thing to say about a book referencing death. It did make me feel more at ease with death, although I don't know if this is really the case any more it did at the time. I also really like Dee and Emily's characters and their relationship as it was quite wholesome as previously mentioned. 

Cosmoknights by Hannah Templer 

I also stumbled on this book on Hive, and when I saw it was about space gays, I was sold. It was a great start to the series, and I think it does a great job of expanding the world of Cosmokinghts and made such good and likeable characters that I was entertained throughout. The most complaint that I had was that I wished it was longer as I kind of need the sequel now. 

Have you read some great graphic novels this year? If so, what were they? Let me know in the comments!

See you soon, 

Amy

Popsugar Reading Challenge 2020 Wrap Up

Since the Popsugar Reading Challenge started in 2015, I have taken part every year, and 2020 was no exception. I have never completed the challenge fully, but I really wanted to try to complete it due to the year it has been. The use of the Facebook page has also been so great as I can see the other participants' progress, and it made me more motivated. As you will see, I have given it a good go and I have come so close. I had the last three books in my grasp and have been reading them (I am listening to one right now) I just have been in a couple of difficult situations in December, so I didn't feel the draw to read. I have read many books this year, mostly outside the prompts but around 47 (or 48 if I can read it by tomorrow) that complete the challenge. So let's see what books I read... 

A book that's published in 2020: Heartstopper Volume 3 by Alice Oseman A book by a trans or nonbinary author: The Bright Side Volume 1 Dee & Em by A. Francis A book with a great first line: Into The Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo A book about a book club: Read With Pride by Lucy Powrie A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics: Fleabag: The Scriptures by Phoebe Waller-Bridge A bildungsroman: The Underground Railroad by Coulson Whitehead The first book you touch on a shelf with your eyes closed: Paper Girls Volume One by Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang A book with an upside-down image on the cover: Skyward Volume One by Joe Henderson et al. A book with a map: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo A book recommended by your favourite blog, vlog, podcast, or online book club: The Ask & The Answer by Patrick NessAn anthology: Love & Heartbreak by VariousA book that passes the Bechdel test: Welcome Back Volume 2 by Christopher Sebla A book with the same title as a movie or TV show is unrelated to it: Blackbird Volume One by Sam Humphries et al.  A book by an author with flora or fauna in their name: The Places I've Cried In Public by Holly BourneA book about or involving social media: How To Break Up With Your Phone by Catherine Price A book that has a book on the cover: Bookshop Girl by Chloe ColesA medical thriller: The Silent Patient by Alex MichaelidesA book with a made-up language: Eternal Empire Volume One by Jonathon Luna and Sarah Vaughn A book set in a country beginning with "C": Scott Pilgrim Volume 1 by Bryan Lee O'MalleyA book you picked because the title caught your attention: Run Rebel by Manjeet MannA book published the month of your birthday: Throne of Swans by Katharine & Elizabeth Corr (Will it be finished?)A book about or by a woman in STEM: The Starlight Watchmaker by Lauren James A book that won an award in 2019: The Prince and The Dressmaker by Jen WangA book on a subject you know nothing about: Shaping Up Culture by Mark MacIverA book with only words on the cover, no images or graphics: Salt by Nayyirah Waheed A book with a pun in the title: Rebel With A Cupcake by Anna Mainwaring A book featuring one of the seven deadly sins: A Clash of Kings by George R. R. MartinA book with a robot, cyborg, or AI character: Chew Volume 2: International Flavour by John Layman A book with a bird on the cover: This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone A fiction or nonfiction book about a world leader: Becoming by Michelle Obama (I didn't finish it)A book with "gold," "silver," or "bronze" in the title: Goldie Vance by Hope LarsonA book by a WOC: My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness by Kabi Nagata A book with at least a four-star rating on Goodreads: Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-BridgeA book you meant to read in 2019: The Unadjusteds by Marisa NoelleA book with a three-word title: Cast No Shadow by Nick Tapalansky A book with a pink cover: A Girl Is A Shapeshifter by Jasmine HigginsA Western: Pretty Deadly Vol. 2 by Kelly Sue Deconnick A book by or about a journalist: It's OK To Feel Blue And Other Lies by Scarlett CurtisRead a banned book during Banned Books Week: This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki Your favourite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: A book about an antihero or villain: The Island by M. A. Bennett 
Advanced, 2020 Edition
A book written by an author in their 20s: The Truth About Keeping Secrets by Savannah Brown A book with "20" or "twenty" in the title: A History of Britain in 21 Women by Jenni MurrayA book with a character with a vision impairment or enhancement (a nod to 20/20 vision): The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern A book set in the 1920s: The Diviners by Libba Bray (Didn't finish by year of the year)A book set in Japan, host of the 2020 Olympics: Go by Kazuki KaneshiroA book by an author who has written more than 20 books: What is it? by Dustin Nguyen & Nicole HoangA book with more than 20 letters in its title: Mother Country: Real Stories of the Windrush Children by Charlie Brinkhurst-CuffA book published in the 20th century: The Door In The Wall by H.G. WellsA book from a series with more than 20 books: Chinchilla Up The Chimney by Lucy DanielsA book with a main character in their 20s: Such A Fun Age by Kiley ReidPrompts Completed: 47/50
Have you completed any challenges this year? Did you complete them fully? If you did, what were they? Let me know in the comments. 
See you soon, 
Amy

Disappointing Reads for 2020 (Mini Reviews)

Although this year has not been the best for everyone, I think the books I have read this year have been rather good but like everything you get some disappointments. I know there have been discussions around disappointing books and I know it has been a crappy year, but a lot of these are books I received for review, and I wanted to be as honest as I can. Reviews are for readers and not for authors, and they should be honest so people can know if these books are for them. I have also tried to find some positives in everything I read, and I hope my comments reflect this. I have also read so much this year, 222 books and only 5 books are on this list, so make sure what you will. I think I only have about 5 that was "disappointing" to be on this list so let's get started... 

1. The Island by M. A. Bennett

So I have been a massive fan of M. A. Bennett's STAG series, so I was quite excited to read this book. Despite negative reviews, I was still going in with an open mind, but I just didn't gel with this one as you can see. The premise was great, the idea of teenagers going to an island and fending for themselves and is quite popular in YA but I just don't think that this was well done. The whole idea of having the main protagonist is to have someone the reader can route for, but throughout the book, I just don't think there was any reason why I as a reader should route for Link. He made some terrible choices, especially when they were on the island, which made him even worse than M. A. Bennett had set him up to be. His character was meant to be worse than the others who bullied him, but this does flip when they are on the island which could be some commentary on what power does to people, but I just didn't buy it. I also had some major problems with the ending, and I just didn't like how it happened. I am also watching The Wilds on Amazon right now, and I hope it has a better ending than this book because I can see it going in the same direction. If it does, then I will be quite disappointed. I also know this is an earlier book and from reading FOXES as well this year, I know that M. A. Bennett has improved as a writer, so I will continue to read her books. This just was not the one. 

2. Cleo by Lucy Coats

I requested Cleo a really long time ago on Netgalley, and it had some really harsh reviews at the time of publication which I knew going in. I have seen the reviews get better over time, so I was going in with an open mind, but I was still disappointed. I have to say that my Netgalley copy was quite confusing as some of the text was missing. This obviously affected my reading experience, but I still did not like the overall story even with this. I could not connect with Cleo as a character, and I agree with other reviewers that the story does read more modern than I think it should. I would say for a younger YA audience, this was a choice to make readers feel more relatable for readers, but this dampened my own experience with reading Cleo. I also did find Cleo quite annoying as a character, and this did affect my reading experience. As you say, seeing connecting to a character is really big for me, and if I can't connect, I will give up on it. Again, I also found the plot quite confusing, this was probably due to the text being partly messed up, but again it did affect my reading experience. I think that everything combined made me just not enjoyed as a whole, and I was quite disappointed by it. 

3. The Light that Gets Lost by Natasha Carthew

I have spoken about this one as well too, and I also received it simultaneously as Cleo. Although a lot of these books, I kind of thought it might not be my thing, I actually liked The Light that Gets Lost at the beginning of my reading experience. I really liked the setting and the characters initially as the book was quite quiet and I love a quiet book. I don't know how to describe it, just think of a book that doesn't have that much happen, but it is all about the journey. However, this kind of does just go off the rails, and the book goes in a completely different direction that I just could not get on board with. It went from a book that I was moderately interested in, to something that I could not get on board with. I was just disappointed as a result, and that is why it made a list. 

4. Again Again by E. Lockhart

Even though E. Lockhart has written some of my favourite books, I could not get on board with this one. This one probably hurt the most on the list because I had such high expectations and thought that this would make my favourite books of the year list, but instead, we are here. I really liked it initially, but I knew that something was not clicking as a whole. I love the type of books that deal with time and changes, but I did not click with it at all. I think I was partly confused with what parts of the story were changing, which obviously had a major impact. I also read a lot this year, and even though the story was different from so many books that I read this year, it was just some memorable. Many of them were, but this wasn't, and it makes me so sad to write this. 

5. Invisible Kingdom Vol. 1 by G. Willow Wilson 

Again I think a lot of the reason this was a disappointment for me was that I have enjoyed some of G. Willow Wilson's work before especially the Ms Marvel series so when I saw she has a new series I was really excited. Although this was a disappointment, it was really pretty to look at,, so my issue was not with the art style and the colours because as you can see by the cover, it was stunning inside. I just didn't like the plot. I thought it was quite confusing and did not understand the story's plot at all. It is hard for a comic book to convey a new world, so setting up an imaginary world is challenging,, but I did need to know some of what was going on,, but I just didn't. It is a shame because I would have loved a new series to continue with,, but I will not continue with this one.  

Do you have any disappointing reads for 2020? Let me know in the comments below. 

See you soon, 

Amy

My Vitual Bookshelves

There is a lot of discussion in the book community around bookshelves, and often the discussion is around a physical books bit e-books are forgotten in it.

The main ideal that many readers agree on us that physical books are superior to ebooks.

Up until a couple of years ago, I was the same, but this had changed. I saw myself being drawn to e-books because I wanted to clean my Netgalley TBR. OK, this did not happen, but I did find myself drawn to them.

This is because I really do a lot of reading at might and as the kindle has a light in it, I can read with the light off. Also, I get really tired at night, and I think I can do more of it by reading on my kindle. I think it is also a way of keeping all of my books together when I don't want it to take space on my shelf, but I don't want to get rid of it completely.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good physical book, and I think for some reading experiences, I want that experience, but I do like the virtual one for others. This is also the case for audiobooks which I love to listen to, and they can add a whole different dimension to the reading experience due to the narrator styles.

Basically, all reading types are great even if you don't even have a bookshelf with books on it. All reader experiences are valid, and any way of consuming books is valid. Of course, audiobooks are reading. These are also important for disabled readers as sometimes I really don't want to hold a book at night and are great for when I am ironing.

Basically, you do you, and we can all read and fangirl about books together. 
What do your bookshelves look like? Let me know in the comments below.
See you soon, 
Amy

Book Review: The Friar's Lantern by Greg Hickey

* I am reviewing this book which I was gifted for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: The Frair's LanternAuthor: Greg HickeyPublisher: Black Rose Writing 
Source: From Author

(Bookshop UK| Hive| Goodreads)

Book Summary:
You may win $1,000,000. You will judge a man of murder.

An eccentric scientist tells you he can read your mind and offers to prove it in a high-stakes wager. A respected college professor exacts impassioned, heat-of-the-moment revenge on his wife’s killer—a week after her death—and you’re on the jury. Take a Turing test with a twist, discover how your future choices might influence the past, and try your luck at Three Card Monte. And while you weigh chance, superstition, destiny, intuition and logic in making your decisions, ask yourself: are you responsible for your actions at all? Choose wisely—if you can.
Book Review:

When I got a request for The Friar's Lantern, I was interested in picking it up as I had only seen choose your own adventure films but not books. I had also wanted to read more science fiction so it seemed like a win win. I did really enjoy The Frair's Lantern and would recommend it to anyone who wanted to read more of these types of stories.

I think one of the main problems that I had with the book is the way that fat people and people of colour were described. A lot of the descriptions for fat people did seem to me to be a little offensive and linked to stereotypes. Whereas the people of colour were described as links to food and coffee which seeing reviews from BIPOC, there are other ways this could have been phrased.

I did read the book as one unit rather than following the chose your own adventure element but this was so that I could read all of it rather than only one route. It was obvious that there were different decisions based on what you choose. Obviously. But I did really like the fact that subtle changes were made and they did make a difference.

Also although some of the ideas were quite big and often went over my head, I did like the conversation around choices and what can happen if you made the wrong one. This happened with the murder and the money that you has the main protagonist can win. I think this was well done and that Greg Hickey did a good job of this. While I did not find the trial scenes to be the most interesting and was sometimes confused, it did not make the reading experience too hindering.

I also enjoyed reading in second person as it really does get the conversation of the ideas at the heart of the story. I also do think that your own point of views do come to play but I think that it is understandable. 

The Verdict:

The Friar's Lantern is an interesting and intriguing read that takes the choose your own adventure story to an adult audience expertly. 
Do you want to read The Friar's Lantern? Have you read it? Let me know in the comments. 

Now What?

Eight days ago, two months after originally planned, I handed in my Research Project (my dissertation). I left university for the final time, my MA almost in the grasping distance. No plans. No nothing. Just me and my dreams. 

But all I can think is: now what?

And then my head explodes.

Metaphoric, of course.

Because according to every single piece of fiction in the world, I should know what I want to do with my life. But I don't have a clue.

Well, this is a massive lie. I do know what I want to do, but it's a pipe dream. A pipe dream that I so badly want to be a reality because I love writing so much, but I know how much work it takes and how impossible it really is.

Fiction also tells me that this will come true, but my brain tells me to be realistic. To find a job that is stable and reliable which I already have. But I just want to do something that I love and searching for endless job websites I can't find this one thing.

I can't make up my mind. But I have to think of something because after five years of education it has to mean something. Right?

This was not the position that I imagined at 18. Feeling as lost as confused as ever. I thought I would have my life together. A dream job is grasping distance and to know how I wanted to fill it. Moving out of home definitely in the picture.

But that's not what I have. I'm at home. Writing in my bedroom at my parent's house on Christmas day. Feeling so incredibly lost.

Nobody predicted 2020. It has been a year and how this has upended so many lives, and I know that I am not the only person who feels like this. And pandemic or not, I am not going to be the only one who feels like this.

So right now, I feel lost, and I don't know what's next. I hate that we are taught that we come of age at 18 and that we must know everything because it's not true. At 23, I still have no clue. 

So I'm just going to keep trying. Finding where I fit in the world. Finding out what's next. Finding out what I want to learn. Finding what I want to do now.

Even if it takes a while. 

Announcement: 12 (or so) Days of Blogmas

After last year, when I decided to bring back Blogmas, I wanted to do it again as it is safe to say that I was doing so well with the blog earlier in the year, but recently, well, I've been lacking. Also, it's that time of the year for wrap-ups and favourite books I wanted to share. As per usual, there is quite a lot, and I want to write and hype my favourite books of the year as I don't do that much any more and I should because a lot f them are underhyped. 

I think that this year has not been the one for anyone. It is safe to say that I have been swamped this year balancing university and work so blogging kind of went to the wayside and let's just say now I'm back. Hopefully! (I will say more tomorrow.)

Due to the changes that have happened this year in my life and the world, I have a lot of thoughts in my brain that I want to get out and so many ideas that I want to write about that have just stayed in my drafts. This is the opportunity to do all of the ideas so I'm not sure how long this will go on for as I have to admit I haven't planned it so we will see. 

There is be a variety of posts from favourite books of the year, to essays, to book reviews so join the ride! Hopefully, I will be successful!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I'm sorry if the year is not the one for you, but hopefully, 2021 will be a better year, and we get a better Christmas and time for family. 

See you soon, 

Amy

Blog Tour: Brand New Boy by David Almond

 * I am reviewing this book which I was gifted for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review for part of a blog tour. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: Brand New BoyAuthor: David AlmondPublisher: Walker Books
Source: From Publisher

(Bookshop UK| Hive| Goodreads)

Book Summary:
A warm and thought-provoking tale from a master storyteller, winner of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award and author of the Carnegie Medal-winning Skellig.

“Mam, did you think George was,” I say, “a bit … weird?”
“Weird? Yes, I suppose so. But you kids are all a bit weird if you ask me. And to tell the truth, it’d be weird if you weren’t.”

When a new boy joins the class, everyone thinks he’s a bit strange, but he’s brilliant at football and loves crisps, and that’s all that matters to Dan and Maxie. However, the truth about George is stranger than anyone could have imagined ... and more sinister, too. Can his new pals help him to become truly free?
Book Review:
Even though I am not normally a massive fan of middle grade, I have read and enjoyed some of David Almond's books in the past, so I wanted to give this one a go. I was pleased that I read this one because it captures what it is like to be a child and grow up.

So first I am going to get the negatives out the way. I think that at the start that the main characters seem to think a lot older than they were. This also seemed to match the ending, which I felt was kind of rushed, and it felt slightly strange and again, something that children would not do. I don't know, maybe it is just me.

I really did like George as a character, and I think that David Almond did a great job of building up tension in the book over his character. I liked seeing the hints towards George, and I like how I was guessing what George was until it was finally revealed. I also don't blame the kids that didn't want to find out as I would definitely be the same at 12.

Due to all of this, it did give me E.T vibes because the relationships between the characters were heightened, and David Almond does do a great job of making this really important. Especially after a major plot point happened, I felt like the characters really came together and were united for George. It was lovely about how friendship was at the core of the book.

The illustrations were also a highlight of the book, and they added to the story. I did love them, and I think that Maria and the parts of the story that she picked some features of the story that were great to see in the book.

As a lot of books are set in the South, so the Northern setting was a nice change. Also, this went into the dialogue as well, so it added to to the Northern feel of the story.

The Verdict:

Brand New Boy is a great new book by David Almond that explores the heights of friendship. 
Have you read Brand New Boy? If so, what did you think about it? Let me know in the comments. 

Blog Tour: The Game Weavers by Rebecca Zahabi

 * I am reviewing this book which I was gifted for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: The Game WeaversAuthor: Rebecca ZahabiPublisher: Zuntold
Source: From Publisher

(Bookshop UK| Hive| Goodreads)

Book Summary:
'He spreads out his hands. They glow yellow, then orange. Threads emerge from underneath his nails, shining out of the skin. They weave themselves together, the fingers knitting their light-made lace until the threads form a fabric heading out of the glass panes and towards the fields. They cross the glass without so much as a shudder. Seo crafts his land.' 
Seo Kuroaku has it all. Adopted as a boy by the formidable Sir Neil, he's the youth champion of Twine, the high-pressured national sport. Played in arenas where thousands come to watch, weavers craft creatures from their fingertips to wage battle against fearsome opponents. But this is a Britain of much darker times - and Seo is harbouring a secret. 
When he is outed, Twine can't help him. With the help of his little brother Minjun and Jack, the man he can't decide if he loves or not, Seo has to find a way to get his life back on track, whilst facing the biggest match of his life.
In The Game Weavers, Rebecca Zahabi has created a fantastical yet hauntingly contemporary narrative which is both love story and fable - The Game Weavers is a coming of age story about the importance of intimacy, family and self-acceptance.
Book Review:
When I was asked to review The Game Weaver, I was quite excited as it wasn't a book that was on my radar but sounded really interesting. I was so excited that I did, however, as The Game Weavers was a new and fresh story that teaches it readers and characters to love themselves.

I have to admit that I wasn't completely in love with the book when I first started to read it as I wasn't a fan of some of the language used. This did change as the book evolves and you realise the reasons for this language being used as Seo has a lot of self loathing over his sexuality which is explored throughout the course of the book.

This was something that I really like it the book was seeing Seo finally connect and accept his sexuality. While I think that the ending was a bit predictable, for readers who are younger this could be the right book they read and can make a massive impact.

Of course the coming terms with sexuality is just a small part of this book. Rebecca Zahabi creates such a rich and unique world that is very different and new. I definitely liked the elements of Twine and I also think that the way the scenes were written brings it to life. They were really interesting and I think that having a fictional sport really was a great new concept.

This creates a great dynamic with the character of Penelope which ends in a really exciting and nerve wracking ending. I also think that the character dynamics were a strong point of the book especially with Sir Neil who was a highly disliked character but I think with this, Seo discovers that he could be who he is.

My favourite interactions where with Minjun and I loved the brother interactions as I really do like seeing family relationships developed in YA. While I didn't love Minjun chapters as I didn't like the style of writing, it was because Zahabi does write him as childlike which is accurate as he is a child. Basically it's a me thing and I am nitpicking.

I also loved Jack as he offered another perspective on the society in the book and is really the turning point in their book to get Seo ready to accept himself. He is sometimes hard on him but I really liked seeing their relationship develop and yeah it was really great. While I thought that Seo was a little bit cold and distance, I really did like his development as a solid main character.

Basically while I did have some problems with The Game Weavers, it does not take away from the fact this book is a unique YA read that more people should get their hands one. 

The Verdict:
Captivating and raw, Zahabi takes us to a world that is equal parts magical and heartwrenching, with characters who fight for what they truly believe in. 

Blog Tour: Fin & Rye & Fireflies by Harry Cook Book Review

 * I am reviewing this series which I was gifted for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: Fin & Rye & FirefliesAuthor: Harry CookPublisher: Ink Road
Source: From Publisher

(Amazon|Goodreads)

Book Summary:
“It started with a kiss…as love stories often do. Jesse Andrews had the arms of a Greek god and he was on the track team. The night of our kiss fell on a Friday.”

Then, only a few days later, Fin’s world is turned upside down - and not in a good head-over-heels-in-love way - when Jesse cruelly outs him. An event which ultimately leads to his family leaving town.

But a fresh start isn’t going to change the truth of who Fin is. And it’s not going to stop his sexuality causing everyone all sorts of problems. Everyone, that is, apart from his new best friend Poppy, her girlfriend-in-waiting June, and his new crush Rye… So, while Fin and Rye are enjoying some seriously intimate moonlit moments together, Fin’s parents decide to pack him off to the local ReSouled ‘therapy camp’.

It’s a nightmare - and there’s no easy way out. Can Fin’s squad hatch a plan outrageous enough to spring him before the ‘conversion’ acolytes force him into the straight and narrow?
Book Review:
When I saw the growing buzz around Fin & Rye & Fireflies after it was announced, I knew it was a book that I should keep on my radar so when the opportunity to be part of the blog tour came I jumped at the chance to read and review it. Fin & Rye & Fireflies is a great read and should be talked about a lot more. 
One of the major things for me in this book that I loved was that the friend group in this was diverse and everyone was part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I always say that it is strange in books when you just have the one gay character but this was not the case with Fin & Rye, as we have a trans and pan character and a bi character as well as two gay characters. Even though I can't personally speak for representation, I did find this was a nice part of the book. 
I also liked that the book was set in Australia. I know that Harry Cook grew up in Australia and it did offer a new perspective to the typical YA that I read is based in the UK and the US. 

I, of course, like the relationship between Fin & Rye. It was a slow burn kind of deal as Rye has a boyfriend for the start of the book but I think that even though that Fin did like him, he did not act until he was not on a relationship. I also liked the different perspectives as we definitely got to see them shine as characters and read as their feelings changed. 
The characters are both not flawed as Rye has anxiety and mental health issues which I felt were dealt with well and Fin has issues with his Dad who does not respect his sexuality.
Although I liked so much of the story, I did on some parts feel disconnected from the writing in other places. I don't know why but in some places it did seem to fit and I was taken up as the story was washing over me and I enjoyed it. 
I can definitely understand that this book should find it's an ideal audience, which is gay bloggers and teenagers. Even though I did have a good time reading this, I would like to just hand it to them as I feel like they would take something more than I could. 
Fin & Rye & Fireflies is definitely going to find it's audience and when it does I'm sure that it will hit people differently and that it will mean more than it ever can to me. 

The Verdict:
Fin & Rye & Fireflies is a book that juggles hard topics and a light-hearted feel to encapsulate into the perfect story for those who need it. 
Have you read Fin & Rye & Fireflies? If so, did you like it? If not, do you want to? Let me know in the comments below!