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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
Expecting me to sympathise with a protagonist who LITERALLY A PAGE after the boyfriend confides that is ... a reach.
rep: trans MC; nonbinary LI; lesbian/queer secondary characters; tertiary character with Down's syndrome; BIPOC secondary and tertiary characters.
cw: transphobia; homophobia; deadnaming; bullying; trolling; misgendering; cheating; dysphoria.
Spoiler
cheats on their boyfriend with their ex-boyfriendSpoiler
his little sister with Down's syndrome is in the hospital with severe pneumoniarep: trans MC; nonbinary LI; lesbian/queer secondary characters; tertiary character with Down's syndrome; BIPOC secondary and tertiary characters.
cw: transphobia; homophobia; deadnaming; bullying; trolling; misgendering; cheating; dysphoria.
I'd like to thank Net Galley and Wednesday Books for an advanced copy of Always the Almost.
4.5 stars, rounded up rounded up to 5.
I loved this book. I enjoyed Miles story as he settled into himself. I also really enjoy how the author and story presented situations in a grey space. Mistakes were made, but there was development and progress for all/most of the characters as the story progressed. I look forward to reading more of Edward Underhill's work.
4.5 stars, rounded up rounded up to 5.
I loved this book. I enjoyed Miles story as he settled into himself. I also really enjoy how the author and story presented situations in a grey space. Mistakes were made, but there was development and progress for all/most of the characters as the story progressed. I look forward to reading more of Edward Underhill's work.
~~Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of this ARC!~~
This was really cute and wholesome at the beginning, but things got downhill real fast once the
It wasn't just with Miles, either, but with Rachel and Paige, the side lesbian couple. Paige straight up cheated on Rachel and dumped her for the other girl. She tried to give excuses, like how she never was really in love with Rachel in the first place, how Rachel's personality was "too much", and how it felt so much more right with Josie, but it's just so gross. I couldn't imagine how hard it would be to dump your first relationship with the person who has supported you through your coming-out and budding queerness, but Paige was a coward and made the active choice to hurt Rachel before dumping her. Obviously, Miles had no leg to stand on in criticizing Paige with his whole ordeal, but I can't fucking understand why he decided to keep her as a friend despite all the shit she's done to Rachel, his first and better friend. Mind you, these two have character art in the pre-order campaign; why the hell are they posed together as a couple when they have so obviously broken up by the end? And that Paige is just so shitty? It's already hard to have good wlw rep in media, nowadays, but shit like this certainly isn't helping.
Other than that, the writing was okay, nothing too bad but not immersive, either. I really liked Stefania, Miles' piano teacher who, despite her Russian being exaggerated at the point it was stereotyping, was one of the best side characters and honestly gave great advise and was a good mentor to Miles. Despite me being a band kid, I didn't connect with the music aspect of the book too much. Perhaps it was because of how the music was described/written or the fact I didn't like Miles, therefore not caring whenever he got cathartic when he was playing.
Overall, don't recommend unless you can get past the
This was really cute and wholesome at the beginning, but things got downhill real fast once the
Spoiler
cheating became obvious. I could see what Underhill was doing with Shane and how Miles' didn't need his ex to love him in order validate his identity, that it's okay if who he is was different than who he was before, but Miles' whole attitude of how he wanted to make Shane queer disgusted me from the beginning (And this is coming from someone who's also queer) and him realizing he shouldn't be doing that only came after he kissed Shane. Poor Eric, who has done nothing but be the best, supportive boyfriend to Miles and has always seen him as he was from the very start, does not deserve thisIt wasn't just with Miles, either, but with Rachel and Paige, the side lesbian couple. Paige straight up cheated on Rachel and dumped her for the other girl. She tried to give excuses, like how she never was really in love with Rachel in the first place, how Rachel's personality was "too much", and how it felt so much more right with Josie, but it's just so gross. I couldn't imagine how hard it would be to dump your first relationship with the person who has supported you through your coming-out and budding queerness, but Paige was a coward and made the active choice to hurt Rachel before dumping her. Obviously, Miles had no leg to stand on in criticizing Paige with his whole ordeal, but I can't fucking understand why he decided to keep her as a friend despite all the shit she's done to Rachel, his first and better friend. Mind you, these two have character art in the pre-order campaign; why the hell are they posed together as a couple when they have so obviously broken up by the end? And that Paige is just so shitty? It's already hard to have good wlw rep in media, nowadays, but shit like this certainly isn't helping.
Other than that, the writing was okay, nothing too bad but not immersive, either. I really liked Stefania, Miles' piano teacher who, despite her Russian being exaggerated at the point it was stereotyping, was one of the best side characters and honestly gave great advise and was a good mentor to Miles. Despite me being a band kid, I didn't connect with the music aspect of the book too much. Perhaps it was because of how the music was described/written or the fact I didn't like Miles, therefore not caring whenever he got cathartic when he was playing.
Overall, don't recommend unless you can get past the
Spoiler
cheating plotline.
I loved this book! The writing style was a good fit for me, and the overall plot was realistic without being predictable. I recall having similar concerns and anxiety as Miles after coming out in the middle of high school. It is always a special and meaningful experience to read narratives like this that are heavily underrepresented.
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
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:
Yes
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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 received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. I've been reading so many apocalypse stories and murder mysteries lately that I forgot how fun a lighthearted book could be. Miles is an engaging character and you really root for him to succeed. I love how the author didn't just focus on one issue but instead branched into how different characters have different struggles for different reasons and none are seen as lesser of more important.
I wasn't a big fan of one of the side characters cheating and everone just moving on. I understand that she felt unhappy in her relationship but the fact that everyone moved on and she stayed with the other girl was a little annoying, but it wasnt that main to the story so I can ignore it.
I hope to one day read a sequel about these characters, but if this is all there is it is still incredible good.
I really enjoyed this book. I've been reading so many apocalypse stories and murder mysteries lately that I forgot how fun a lighthearted book could be. Miles is an engaging character and you really root for him to succeed. I love how the author didn't just focus on one issue but instead branched into how different characters have different struggles for different reasons and none are seen as lesser of more important.
I wasn't a big fan of one of the side characters cheating and everone just moving on. I understand that she felt unhappy in her relationship but the fact that everyone moved on and she stayed with the other girl was a little annoying, but it wasnt that main to the story so I can ignore it.
I hope to one day read a sequel about these characters, but if this is all there is it is still incredible good.
5/5 loved it - this was so sweet and well done I loved it so much (and cried multiple times). I loved the midwest rep and the trans rep and how it was messy but not unrealistically so and how the reactions to the mess were actually reasonable and took time (and good apologies and space) to resolve. Miles was such a lovable character who is just trying his hardest, and you could tell how much the author was writing from his own lived experience. I also really liked the parents and how they were nuanced in their relationship to Miles as their son. Also the descriptions of music / playing piano were beautiful! Yay for books that unabashedly depict trans joy
I have never read a book that delves this much into piano, and I loved how major it was in the story. I also loved seeing Miles' friendships with his best friends and Eric. I was sad when they inevitably ended up not talking, but I'm glad they ended up becoming friends again in the end. I loved Eric's character, and getting to know a bit about his background. Oh! I also forgot: I loved just how much trans joy we got to see!! This is genuinely one of the only books I've ever read where so much of it revolved around trans people being happy...
Super cute, had me smiling super big and kicking my feet...absolutely would read again.
Super cute, had me smiling super big and kicking my feet...absolutely would read again.