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4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
SO MANY FEELINGS ILL COLLECT MY THOUGHTS SOON /pos
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
trigger warnings: alcohol, death of family member, dementia/alzheimer's, emotionally abusive and toxic relationships, grief, homophobia and slurs, depression and anxiety, physical injury, religious bigotry
How do you explain a book that made you properly sob for the first time in six years... Like fully ouch my feelings were wrecked.
Anita Kelly takes on religious trauma and unlearning internalized homophobia in a very physical journey to self discovery as Alexei decides to walk the Pacific Crest Trail. His emotional development through the stages of grief of being disowned by his parents paired with him finally allowing himself the freedom to fall in love was the perfect emotional concoction of bittersweet. I found myself deeply relating to his journey of self acceptance, finally allowing himself to feel love and explore his sexuality in a way that wasn't formulaic or squirreled away like a dirty little secret.
Ben was also such a sweet lead. I didn't expect a POV for him because Alexei's story was the core of the book but Ben's path to healing from emotionally manipulative ex boyfriends was also a tender storyline that complimented Alexei's so well. In fact Alexei's story to accepting his softer self and Ben's story of accepting love that strengthens him were perfectly complimented in ways I didn't expect. I also really loved reading about Ben's family, his struggles with academics, and his nurturing tendencies that made him who he was.
Ben and Alexei are also both neurodivergent, which was delightful to come across. It's a new habit of mine to pick out traits in "grumpy" characters that code them as autistic (although the grumpy part is not always the case). So I was right on the money in figuring out Alexei is autistic. It isn't a central part of the story, but it's a central part of his personality that does get acknowledged later in the book. It was good to read neurodivergent plot lines that weren't the central part of the book. They make us who we are but they do not declare our whole selves. Same goes for Ben and his ADHD. That isn't explored explicitly in the story but the markers are there for anyone who can recognize the behaviours.
I love this book with all my heart. Anita Kelly has written some of the most exquisite books I've read in the past few years and I cannot wait to read everything else they put out in the future.
How do you explain a book that made you properly sob for the first time in six years... Like fully ouch my feelings were wrecked.
Anita Kelly takes on religious trauma and unlearning internalized homophobia in a very physical journey to self discovery as Alexei decides to walk the Pacific Crest Trail. His emotional development through the stages of grief of being disowned by his parents paired with him finally allowing himself the freedom to fall in love was the perfect emotional concoction of bittersweet. I found myself deeply relating to his journey of self acceptance, finally allowing himself to feel love and explore his sexuality in a way that wasn't formulaic or squirreled away like a dirty little secret.
Ben was also such a sweet lead. I didn't expect a POV for him because Alexei's story was the core of the book but Ben's path to healing from emotionally manipulative ex boyfriends was also a tender storyline that complimented Alexei's so well. In fact Alexei's story to accepting his softer self and Ben's story of accepting love that strengthens him were perfectly complimented in ways I didn't expect. I also really loved reading about Ben's family, his struggles with academics, and his nurturing tendencies that made him who he was.
Ben and Alexei are also both neurodivergent, which was delightful to come across. It's a new habit of mine to pick out traits in "grumpy" characters that code them as autistic (although the grumpy part is not always the case). So I was right on the money in figuring out Alexei is autistic. It isn't a central part of the story, but it's a central part of his personality that does get acknowledged later in the book. It was good to read neurodivergent plot lines that weren't the central part of the book. They make us who we are but they do not declare our whole selves. Same goes for Ben and his ADHD. That isn't explored explicitly in the story but the markers are there for anyone who can recognize the behaviours.
I love this book with all my heart. Anita Kelly has written some of the most exquisite books I've read in the past few years and I cannot wait to read everything else they put out in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I immediately felt kinship with Alexai as a neurodivergent spreadsheet nerd, who loves the quiet and connects with minimal people.
I loved Ben's huge open loveable heart, how he slowly but surely coaxed Lex out from behind the walls built.
I loved how the story, while predominantly following Alexei's journey, coordinated so well with Ben's own journey.
The love, which was somewhat insta but not..(I don't usually like insta love) just worked here. It's something many people do, when you've been broken hearted, and you lack confidence, it's easier to get sucked into the orbit of someone else. But it morphed into this super aware, slow burn love of absolute acceptance of themselves and each other.
There were parts that made me smirk, laugh and many more parts that brought tears to my eyes.
The author dealt with really heavy topics of grief and loss of family after coming out in such an excellent way, highlighting that not everyone gets their preferred family ending, but that the individual can be okay with support from friends, found family, therapy etc.
The spice was perfect; enough detail to feel their desires, mutual consent, their discussions of what they liked or didn't, while highlighting the intrusive thoughts that are normal.
I thought the pacing was excellent, at first when they came together around 30 something % in I wondered where the story could go l, and while I thought the PCT setting was done so well, by not shoving 'nature is the best' etc down your throats I was a little concerned that the day in and day out of the hike would get repetitive.
The author broke it down into parts and the letter section just broke me. There's something about being able to experience some letters being sent, and some just written, weeks apart showing the characters growth...
I'm going to be thinking of this book for a long long time.
Thank you to Net Galley for providing an eARC.
I loved Ben's huge open loveable heart, how he slowly but surely coaxed Lex out from behind the walls built.
I loved how the story, while predominantly following Alexei's journey, coordinated so well with Ben's own journey.
The love, which was somewhat insta but not..(I don't usually like insta love) just worked here. It's something many people do, when you've been broken hearted, and you lack confidence, it's easier to get sucked into the orbit of someone else. But it morphed into this super aware, slow burn love of absolute acceptance of themselves and each other.
There were parts that made me smirk, laugh and many more parts that brought tears to my eyes.
The author dealt with really heavy topics of grief and loss of family after coming out in such an excellent way, highlighting that not everyone gets their preferred family ending, but that the individual can be okay with support from friends, found family, therapy etc.
The spice was perfect; enough detail to feel their desires, mutual consent, their discussions of what they liked or didn't, while highlighting the intrusive thoughts that are normal.
I thought the pacing was excellent, at first when they came together around 30 something % in I wondered where the story could go l, and while I thought the PCT setting was done so well, by not shoving 'nature is the best' etc down your throats I was a little concerned that the day in and day out of the hike would get repetitive.
The author broke it down into parts and the letter section just broke me. There's something about being able to experience some letters being sent, and some just written, weeks apart showing the characters growth...
I'm going to be thinking of this book for a long long time.
Thank you to Net Galley for providing an eARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
This was mostly enjoyable, though I definitely liked their first book better. That may just be due to the setting, as hiking the PCT is of no interest to me (the closest I will get is reading a book about it) and I enjoy food and cooking stories, so the first one was bound to appeal to me. I did appreciate Alexei's journey with coming out and leaving the community and people he grew up with because of it-- that's a hard topic but unfortunately often realistic and I'm not sure I've seen a queer character wrestle with it as thoroughly as Lex did.
BUT one of my fave poems that exists ever because my family relates to it so deeply was referenced and I LOVED that.
BUT one of my fave poems that exists ever because my family relates to it so deeply was referenced and I LOVED that.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
*4.75 Stars
If you haven’t don’t yourself the favor of reading Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly, you should absolutely do so. Something Wild and Wonderful features, once again, the most precious characters to grace my iPad screen. Ben is outgoing, wears his heart on his sleeve, and Alexei is more guarded, and has some walls to take down. The men meet on the PCT hike, and become unlikely hiking buddies. The romance buds from there, and it had me blushing and kicking my feet.
This book also features coming out in a religious family, and how someone might try to move on from that not going well. Alexei’s journey felt so personal, it was like we were walking it with him. We see the very real scenario in which strangers will call a gay couple a slur just for existing. But we get to see the good, as well. We get to see people stand up for our MCs, and our MCs grow into who they are as people.
I just absolutely loved this, and thank you to Forever & Netgalley for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏻. I can’t wait til this hits shelves in March of next year!
If you haven’t don’t yourself the favor of reading Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly, you should absolutely do so. Something Wild and Wonderful features, once again, the most precious characters to grace my iPad screen. Ben is outgoing, wears his heart on his sleeve, and Alexei is more guarded, and has some walls to take down. The men meet on the PCT hike, and become unlikely hiking buddies. The romance buds from there, and it had me blushing and kicking my feet.
This book also features coming out in a religious family, and how someone might try to move on from that not going well. Alexei’s journey felt so personal, it was like we were walking it with him. We see the very real scenario in which strangers will call a gay couple a slur just for existing. But we get to see the good, as well. We get to see people stand up for our MCs, and our MCs grow into who they are as people.
I just absolutely loved this, and thank you to Forever & Netgalley for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏻. I can’t wait til this hits shelves in March of next year!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry
This was heavier than I was expecting but wow. It’s a beautiful and emotional step by step journey of two characters figuring themselves out and finding each other. It’s quite and tender.