The nostalgia that this book gave me was so good. I'll always hold these books close to my heart because of how huge and formative they were for me whThe nostalgia that this book gave me was so good. I'll always hold these books close to my heart because of how huge and formative they were for me when I was younger, but man they do not come without many problems. This book, along with the other Twilight books, are highly problematic and honestly not even written that well. I really only gave this 2 stars for the nostalgia factor.
This book was beautiful. The prose was amazing, the way it entwined Hindu mythology with the love story and complexities of being queer was breathtakiThis book was beautiful. The prose was amazing, the way it entwined Hindu mythology with the love story and complexities of being queer was breathtaking. Vivek is amazing, if anyone reading this review hasn't picked up any of her books, seriously do. While I've had the pleasure of working with her, all of her books have taken my breath away in how brilliant they are. I can't wait to add to more of my collection of her books!...more
I've loved the movie since high school, and was glad the book lived up to it! Knocked off the star for language choices and because sometimes King's wI've loved the movie since high school, and was glad the book lived up to it! Knocked off the star for language choices and because sometimes King's writing is grating to read....more
This book was fun! I really like Trixie and Katya, and I do think you definitely have to be a fan of their work/Drag Race to really get the humour in This book was fun! I really like Trixie and Katya, and I do think you definitely have to be a fan of their work/Drag Race to really get the humour in this, and several of the references. My issue with this book though, is that it wasn't as absurd or funny as I thought it was going to be. It did make me laugh, and overall the experience was enjoyable, but for two cis gay drag queens writing a humorous book about "modern womanhood" I thought it would be a lot more absurdist in nature, especially knowing their sense of humour and how they can bounce off each other. This book has some genuinely good advice which threw me off, along with it not always centring the ridiculous idea of idilic womanhood like I thought it would through its marketing. In the same vein, I found it to be a little disconnected and odd how they would shift from absurdist humour to actual good advice (albeit written very wonderfully in their voices). It didn't make much sense to me. But again, overall it was a very enjoyable book but definitely not at all what I expected it to be, and not nearly as funny as I imagined either. ...more
This is probably the best book I've read all year. It is powerful and moving; a beautiful tale of grief and pain and reality. Race, class, and cultureThis is probably the best book I've read all year. It is powerful and moving; a beautiful tale of grief and pain and reality. Race, class, and culture are portrayed in such a real, raw way, and the way Acevedo twines it with grief is so real and struck me at the core. It's just fucking amazing. The way the two girls lives have so much of the same aspects in them but in such different ways is so heart-wrenchingly real and stunning, and the way this is structured (being written in verse) is gorgeous. I highly, highly recommend reading this, and I recommend the audiobook even more. I did a mix of reading and listening to this book, but the way the author and Melania-Luisa Marte perform this book is absolutely incredible and so moving. ...more
4.5. This book would be been perfect if it weren't for the dreadful sex scenes and often weird descriptors of women.
But MAN this book fucking blew me4.5. This book would be been perfect if it weren't for the dreadful sex scenes and often weird descriptors of women.
But MAN this book fucking blew me away. It was incredible and a wild ride, and such a fun (though morbid!) journey to go on. It was brilliant and precise and had me constantly on the edge of my seat. It was a big book with good reason for being a big book.
All the call backs to Derry made me so emotional and fascinated too, and the little appearances of Bev and Richie, then Don at the end.
All in all, a fucking incredible book. Highly recommend!!...more
Well, it took me just over a year but I've finally finished this! Honestly, it's an excellent read and really lit a fire under my ass - so to speak - Well, it took me just over a year but I've finally finished this! Honestly, it's an excellent read and really lit a fire under my ass - so to speak - as a writer. I've spent the last year in a really huge slump (who hasn't, though, I guess?) but coming back to this book has helped me regain some of my confidence as a writer, which is really valuable and I know I'm going to be going back to this book a lot. Now, off to write! ...more
This is a really brilliant take on how harmful hate messages are, but also how we can learn from them. The illustrations were powerful and vibrant, anThis is a really brilliant take on how harmful hate messages are, but also how we can learn from them. The illustrations were powerful and vibrant, and I kept wanting more and more of them.
Most of all, though, I think it's a very important piece on how damaging social media and the internet can be, especially when it comes to being hateful, and sending bigoted messages, like the transphobia that Vivek received. ...more
3.5. I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE BOOK THREE NOW THANKS!!!
I thought this book was great! It didn't captivate me in the same way Carry On did, but I love tha3.5. I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE BOOK THREE NOW THANKS!!!
I thought this book was great! It didn't captivate me in the same way Carry On did, but I love that it centred on the more negatively raw parts of being in a relationship and dealing with trauma. And on that same now, please book three...I need it ;__;...more
This was a fucking emotional roller coaster and I'm HURT. And I'm gonna fight Stephen King!!!
But truth be told, I loved it. Took that one star off beThis was a fucking emotional roller coaster and I'm HURT. And I'm gonna fight Stephen King!!!
But truth be told, I loved it. Took that one star off because the book could have been at least 200 pages shorter, and I could have done without the romanticized abuse and uh. a certain uh. sex scene lol. Also Bill is extremely terribly characterized (hardly any consistency lol) but really other than that I fucking love this....more
I had a really hard time rating this book. I'm not sure if this is even the right rating for it, I'm so unsure how to properly rate it with the experiI had a really hard time rating this book. I'm not sure if this is even the right rating for it, I'm so unsure how to properly rate it with the experience I had. Actually, I had a really hard time with this book in general. I was so excited for this book, especially because I LOVE this author. I've been following her since 2012 and she's been a consistent favourite of mine. But this book was a massive disappointment, and I'm shocked that no one else who has reviewed this book has mentioned what has disappointed me the most about it.
The first half of this book was a delight. When I decided to completely commit to it, I started listening to the audiobook as I've been very busy lately and I find it awesome to listen to books and cook! As such, I fell in love with the first half of this book. Was it perfect? No. The book was consistently a little scattered in world building, and I think overall it should have been a much longer book or two books because there's so much world there!! There's so much potential! And definitely so much more character growth that could have happened.
But halfway through I was just sick to my stomach. *SPOILERS AHEAD*
Elliot gets into a relationship with a 20 year old when he's 16. This squicked me initially, because ew. But it just kept getting worse the more I read. I have to say, the relationship, manipulation, and power imbalance was really accurately portrayed. It made my stomach turn with nerves and horror as I read it, but what really threw me off and honestly sent me into an anxious spiral was that fact that this wasn't even discussed.
Earlier in the book, Elliot gets sexually assaulted. This was managed so eloquently and wonderfully, not straying from the narrative or characterization with the way the incident was explained and handled–as in, why it was a bad thing to happen.
This did not even remotely happen with this relationship between Elliot and Jase. I'm not sure what the point of it was? To let Elliot know he's completely bisexual? Another way for him to feel unloved by someone he wants to love him?
I think having events like this in novels are great. It can characterize folks wonderfully, and be a great comment on society and actual events that happen. This was NOT reflected in this story. This is such a harmful stereotype, especially in queer relationships. It's a huge problem in all sexualities, but is so negatively stereotyped on queer people. The fact that it wasn't dealt with in a similar vein to the sexual assault, that it didn't really have any discernible or characterizing impact on Elliot makes it so harmful in a book marketed as queer (and boy, is it queer!!! and I love that! but I hate this part!!). I'm so disappointed by this, and still so sick to my stomach.
All in all, this really coloured the last half of the book, and soured the whole experience for me. People have said this reads like fanfic, which I know is meant like an insult (sorry you've only read mediocre fic lmao that sucks), but I found it read like a great fanfic! And that's why the first half worked so well for me. It was intriguing and a great set-up, but everything went downhill so fast and the world and characters and writing became more scattered as it went on. Super disappointed by this book, and really sad it turned out this way....more
I loved this. It was sweet and filled with so much character. I love that it wasn't your typical "perfect" love story. Made it feel really real. And tI loved this. It was sweet and filled with so much character. I love that it wasn't your typical "perfect" love story. Made it feel really real. And the open ending ahhh :')...more
This book was fucking incredible. Everything I could have wanted in a book, really!!!!! I'm so in love with it, I just have no words besides keysmashiThis book was fucking incredible. Everything I could have wanted in a book, really!!!!! I'm so in love with it, I just have no words besides keysmashing and heart-eye emojis!!...more
This author has written one of the best pieces of fiction, let alone fanfiction, I've ever read. "What We Pretend We Can't See", a Drarry masterpiece.This author has written one of the best pieces of fiction, let alone fanfiction, I've ever read. "What We Pretend We Can't See", a Drarry masterpiece. I was so excited to find out that he's written a book, and one I could buy! It was fantastic to slip into Dylan's writing again, and to learn about this little town and all these characters. I especially loved the representation for all kinds of identities. I also loved the art through the book! Very pretty!!
However, despite how much I appreciate a good grey character, complex women, and taking the piss out of suburban rich fuckers, I found the pacing of this book to be troubling. It alternated between really slow and really fast, ultimately being a slowburn romance between the two main characters, but depicted in such an odd way. And they say show don't tell, but I think this book did too much showing, and not enough telling. I think it lacked detail in places, and just...necessary context in others. The first time Gale is introduced, Mim somehow already knows her first name despite never being told? That's just one awkward example. I think dual POVs was a great choice for this, but I just wish this book was longer and more fleshed out. It would have easily made it more of a stand out 4 stars than a pretty basic 3. Enjoyable, fun, lovely prose, but ultimately lacking in detail and proper pacing....more
Absolutely stunning. The art is beautiful, the world and the story are so captivating, and I couldn't put this down!Absolutely stunning. The art is beautiful, the world and the story are so captivating, and I couldn't put this down!...more
Listen, this book was far from phenomenal. The writing was okay, the story was okay (though the trope was PERFECT). It was just okay. However, we needListen, this book was far from phenomenal. The writing was okay, the story was okay (though the trope was PERFECT). It was just okay. However, we need queer stories like this. I plan on making a video on this topic, but this was just a fluffy, okay wlw romance. And that's fucking wonderful. Let queer people have fluffy, meh romances. The straights get them all. the. time. and get so much fucking praise for mediocrity. Let us have that too. And you know, despite being just okay, I flew through this and had a blast reading it. ...more
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