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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Haffling started out okay but became a mess by the end.
Caleb James really did have some great ideas, but it felt like he had troubles writing them down. The descriptions of the fairy land seemed jumbled and were not easy to follow. The lack of world building really threw me off and made the book less enjoyable to me.
And although the story itself wasn't boring it often made no sense and was confusing.
I'm afraid of the second book and hope it will be better elaborated.
Caleb James really did have some great ideas, but it felt like he had troubles writing them down. The descriptions of the fairy land seemed jumbled and were not easy to follow. The lack of world building really threw me off and made the book less enjoyable to me.
And although the story itself wasn't boring it often made no sense and was confusing.
I'm afraid of the second book and hope it will be better elaborated.
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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:
No
cute!!! and fun!!
'Haffling' is a great coming-off-age novel, combining a contemporary world, with it's problems to a gay teenage boy, battling poverty, foster care for his sister and his mother's schizophrenia, and the world of the Fey.
It seems this book kind of started the bandwagon of the (gay) diversity hype instead of jumping onto it, since it is a couple of years old already, but it is more than that. Caleb James managed to fit a huge load of problems together and put the Fey on top of it, without making the story improbable.
I received a free copy through Netgalley, in return for an honest review.
It seems this book kind of started the bandwagon of the (gay) diversity hype instead of jumping onto it, since it is a couple of years old already, but it is more than that. Caleb James managed to fit a huge load of problems together and put the Fey on top of it, without making the story improbable.
I received a free copy through Netgalley, in return for an honest review.
Book – Haffling (Haffling #1)
Author – Caleb James
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 250
Cover – Great!
POV – 1st person, one character
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – LGBT, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
Haffling is like nothing you have ever read before. It's fantasy, contemporary, romance and weird all rolled into one. And it's fantastic!
At first, the book starts with quite a lot of information, but trust me when I say that it's needed. There is so much we need to know before throwing ourselves headfirst into the story. We meet our MC Alex through his 1st person POV, which I normally don't really like, but this story was written so well that I barely noticed. The usual problems with 1st person – not being aware of gender, age, appearance or having an overload of explanation about all three in the first page – were absent here. The way that we were introduced to Alex felt natural, gave us the information we needed up front and allowed us to feel placed into the story without feeling like we'd entered in the middle of something we couldn't understand.
When it comes to characters, I loved how diverse and interesting they all were. Alex and Alice were the first two we got to know – showing us their small, hectic world that whittles down to having nothing but a roof over their head, welfare and charity to survive, because their mother is schizophrenic and can't take care of them. Their lives are so lacking in wealth, love and even safety that I immediately felt concerned for their futures and what they'd been through before we entered the story. Then we slowly learn about their past and all the struggles they've survived until now, as well as their current dilemma of having to deal with their mother going AWOL so often.
Their mother, Marilyn, is actually much more interesting than you'd think, because she doesn't get a lot of page time. She's got an interesting psyche and a very huge part to play in the story, despite the fact that she's not in it a lot. And I can't explain why, but I promise you that it's important and very intriguing.
Next up, we meet Jerod. He is the super cute crush that Alex has been harbouring in secret, until suddenly Jerod meets him outside Alice's school, where his own little brother Clay (also a very interesting addition!) goes to school. Jerod is the stereotypical hot, flirty, charming and popular kid. Except...there's nothing stereotypical about him. He is, in fact, so much more than what he first appears. Especially in terms of his slightly homophobic girlfriend, Ashley. (cough *beard* cough)
Things really picked up when Alex discovered the world of Fey, which kind of proved his mother wasn't schizophrenic, but in fact able to see a world that no one else knew existed. The incredible attention to detail and imaginative world building really soared here, leading us into a world that was still somewhat familiar but also incredibly new and exciting.
Here, we discovered more about Alex's fairy Nimby, who shouldn't exist where she is. And, although we don't get an obvious answer to this, Alex does figure it out in his thoughts, until it makes a whole lot of sense. There's also May, who is the biggest troublemaker in existence, who speaks in riddles and lays vocal traps for everyone she talks to. Through her, we learn about Katye, May's sister, who has a really good part in the last half of the story that impacts everything! Also in the Fey world are Liam – hottie and interestingly jealous of Alex and and Jerod – as well as the mysterious Cedric.
The entire story, while having so many characters important to the story, never feels over-stuffed or complicated. It's a whirlwind of an adventure, right from page one to the very end, and keeps that momentum to a tolerable level without leaving us readers feeling the tailspin of too much action and no time to breathe in between.
On top of all of the genius writing and characterisation, James covers some seriously heavy topics – poverty, mental health, schizophrenia, coming out, coming-of-age and the prospect of having nothing but family to begin with and risking the loss of that family. But what makes this story so incredible is that there is a whole lot of believeability, in amongst the humans scenes, plenty of fantasy in the Fey scenes and still, it manages to cover these topics frankly, with with compassion and care. There is no judgment between the characters or an imagined prejudice or judgment from the author. There is only depth, trust and truth as the worlds – both human and Fey – are explored with intricacy.
Most of all, I have to say that the very best thing about the story was the romance. Alex and Jerod together were truly something fantastic and beautiful. Their chemistry was palpable and so strong that it was amazing to see the ways that it really transcended all the struggles, craziness and chaos that they went through from beginning to end.
The ending was fantastic, though I hesitate to mention anything about the last 30% because it's a huge spoiler. But I can guarantee that it's incredible and answers all of my questions, while leaving me excited to read book 2.
~
Favourite Quote
“Today on Sadly, Alex is still gay, has never been kissed, has a crush on a straight boy, is going to get pulled into foster care, is probably going to lose limbs to a crazy fairy, and just leaned that he might not be human.”
Author – Caleb James
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 250
Cover – Great!
POV – 1st person, one character
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – LGBT, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
Haffling is like nothing you have ever read before. It's fantasy, contemporary, romance and weird all rolled into one. And it's fantastic!
At first, the book starts with quite a lot of information, but trust me when I say that it's needed. There is so much we need to know before throwing ourselves headfirst into the story. We meet our MC Alex through his 1st person POV, which I normally don't really like, but this story was written so well that I barely noticed. The usual problems with 1st person – not being aware of gender, age, appearance or having an overload of explanation about all three in the first page – were absent here. The way that we were introduced to Alex felt natural, gave us the information we needed up front and allowed us to feel placed into the story without feeling like we'd entered in the middle of something we couldn't understand.
When it comes to characters, I loved how diverse and interesting they all were. Alex and Alice were the first two we got to know – showing us their small, hectic world that whittles down to having nothing but a roof over their head, welfare and charity to survive, because their mother is schizophrenic and can't take care of them. Their lives are so lacking in wealth, love and even safety that I immediately felt concerned for their futures and what they'd been through before we entered the story. Then we slowly learn about their past and all the struggles they've survived until now, as well as their current dilemma of having to deal with their mother going AWOL so often.
Their mother, Marilyn, is actually much more interesting than you'd think, because she doesn't get a lot of page time. She's got an interesting psyche and a very huge part to play in the story, despite the fact that she's not in it a lot. And I can't explain why, but I promise you that it's important and very intriguing.
Next up, we meet Jerod. He is the super cute crush that Alex has been harbouring in secret, until suddenly Jerod meets him outside Alice's school, where his own little brother Clay (also a very interesting addition!) goes to school. Jerod is the stereotypical hot, flirty, charming and popular kid. Except...there's nothing stereotypical about him. He is, in fact, so much more than what he first appears. Especially in terms of his slightly homophobic girlfriend, Ashley. (cough *beard* cough)
Things really picked up when Alex discovered the world of Fey, which kind of proved his mother wasn't schizophrenic, but in fact able to see a world that no one else knew existed. The incredible attention to detail and imaginative world building really soared here, leading us into a world that was still somewhat familiar but also incredibly new and exciting.
Here, we discovered more about Alex's fairy Nimby, who shouldn't exist where she is. And, although we don't get an obvious answer to this, Alex does figure it out in his thoughts, until it makes a whole lot of sense. There's also May, who is the biggest troublemaker in existence, who speaks in riddles and lays vocal traps for everyone she talks to. Through her, we learn about Katye, May's sister, who has a really good part in the last half of the story that impacts everything! Also in the Fey world are Liam – hottie and interestingly jealous of Alex and and Jerod – as well as the mysterious Cedric.
The entire story, while having so many characters important to the story, never feels over-stuffed or complicated. It's a whirlwind of an adventure, right from page one to the very end, and keeps that momentum to a tolerable level without leaving us readers feeling the tailspin of too much action and no time to breathe in between.
On top of all of the genius writing and characterisation, James covers some seriously heavy topics – poverty, mental health, schizophrenia, coming out, coming-of-age and the prospect of having nothing but family to begin with and risking the loss of that family. But what makes this story so incredible is that there is a whole lot of believeability, in amongst the humans scenes, plenty of fantasy in the Fey scenes and still, it manages to cover these topics frankly, with with compassion and care. There is no judgment between the characters or an imagined prejudice or judgment from the author. There is only depth, trust and truth as the worlds – both human and Fey – are explored with intricacy.
Most of all, I have to say that the very best thing about the story was the romance. Alex and Jerod together were truly something fantastic and beautiful. Their chemistry was palpable and so strong that it was amazing to see the ways that it really transcended all the struggles, craziness and chaos that they went through from beginning to end.
The ending was fantastic, though I hesitate to mention anything about the last 30% because it's a huge spoiler. But I can guarantee that it's incredible and answers all of my questions, while leaving me excited to read book 2.
~
Favourite Quote
“Today on Sadly, Alex is still gay, has never been kissed, has a crush on a straight boy, is going to get pulled into foster care, is probably going to lose limbs to a crazy fairy, and just leaned that he might not be human.”
Sixteen-year-old Alex Nevus lives a challenging life for a teenager. Living with a schizophrenic mother, he does all he can to keep things together for his younger sister, Alice. He will do everything he can to keep his family together. And while he manages, it's always just by a thread. And he tries hard to ignore the fairy that he hallucinates, worried he might end up just like his mother someday.
When Alex's mother disappears on the day of a court hearing, he knows he has to find her. And his quest to find her takes him to a strange place--the land of the Fey. What he learns there helps explain some of what's going on in his life, but it stirs up more questions than answers. And in the land of the Fey, all questions come with a cost.
Alex learns there might be a bigger threat to his family than the court system. To save them, he'll need to find a way to stop May, queen of the Fey. And it won't be easy.
Complicating things is the fact that the boy of Alex's dreams, Jerod Haynes, just started talking to him. As much as Alex has longed for a relationship, Jerod's timing is terrible. Or is it actually the best timing ever?
--
I really enjoyed this fun and action-packed story. Once things get moving here, they move quickly and stay that way right up until the end. There's a rich history between the Fey lands and the lands of the humans that the author has developed. And there are some fun references to other stories that certainly made me smile.
This is the start of a series and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
When Alex's mother disappears on the day of a court hearing, he knows he has to find her. And his quest to find her takes him to a strange place--the land of the Fey. What he learns there helps explain some of what's going on in his life, but it stirs up more questions than answers. And in the land of the Fey, all questions come with a cost.
Alex learns there might be a bigger threat to his family than the court system. To save them, he'll need to find a way to stop May, queen of the Fey. And it won't be easy.
Complicating things is the fact that the boy of Alex's dreams, Jerod Haynes, just started talking to him. As much as Alex has longed for a relationship, Jerod's timing is terrible. Or is it actually the best timing ever?
--
I really enjoyed this fun and action-packed story. Once things get moving here, they move quickly and stay that way right up until the end. There's a rich history between the Fey lands and the lands of the humans that the author has developed. And there are some fun references to other stories that certainly made me smile.
This is the start of a series and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
3.5 more than 4 stars. It was okay. I liked some parts of it, I liked the characters, I just... idk.
There are some books that, when you're reading them, you keep seeing how long you've read and how much is left and you just think to yourself "oh, no, please don't be over yet! I want more!!". But then, there are other books where the opposite happens. You keep looking at the pages, the porcentage and can't help to think "agh, there's a lot left??? please, let it be over already!!".
Sadly, for me, this book was the second. I couldn't way to finish it. It was okay, it was entertaining, but... idk, something was missing, something that would make me want to keep reading it, something that would make me want more.
But anyway, still was better than others. Nice reading and nice characters.
There are some books that, when you're reading them, you keep seeing how long you've read and how much is left and you just think to yourself "oh, no, please don't be over yet! I want more!!". But then, there are other books where the opposite happens. You keep looking at the pages, the porcentage and can't help to think "agh, there's a lot left??? please, let it be over already!!".
Sadly, for me, this book was the second. I couldn't way to finish it. It was okay, it was entertaining, but... idk, something was missing, something that would make me want to keep reading it, something that would make me want more.
But anyway, still was better than others. Nice reading and nice characters.
Not going to lie, the ending made me incredibly happy. It still felt like such a long read, but I couldn't tell you what I'd want to cut. Overall a really good read, enjoyed it a lot.
This was supposed to be a book that I read over a few days... not one...
From the moment I picked it up I was engaged by the characters and the story line just kept on pumping out the tidbits of information to compile an amazing urban YA fantasy...
I think that the author has found that very thin line between writing a story of fantasy, reality (tv), and human emotions that makes a book like this worth missing out on an event, (or in my case housework), and then staying up late to finish it so you have a book hangover the next day.
Heartily recommend this to anyone who likes the genre's mentioned.
Thanks Caleb, I look forward to more of your work.
From the moment I picked it up I was engaged by the characters and the story line just kept on pumping out the tidbits of information to compile an amazing urban YA fantasy...
I think that the author has found that very thin line between writing a story of fantasy, reality (tv), and human emotions that makes a book like this worth missing out on an event, (or in my case housework), and then staying up late to finish it so you have a book hangover the next day.
Heartily recommend this to anyone who likes the genre's mentioned.
Thanks Caleb, I look forward to more of your work.
2.5 stars
I had mixed feelings about the first half, but the last several chapters were just... messy and confusing and not enjoyable? I kept waiting for it to be over. And now it is, so yay.
tw: ableist slurs, some homophobia, child molestation, and possibly some other stuff I can't be bothered to remember
I had mixed feelings about the first half, but the last several chapters were just... messy and confusing and not enjoyable? I kept waiting for it to be over. And now it is, so yay.
tw: ableist slurs, some homophobia, child molestation, and possibly some other stuff I can't be bothered to remember