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jessicabeckett's review against another edition
2.0
(Between a 1.5, 2 or 2.5 star rating.) Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Review can be found here at Booked J.
As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
When I saw the title of this book I was somewhere between secondhand embarrassment (it is one of those titles that I'm just not super into, like I MARRIED MY BEST FRIEND or THE BAD BOY'S RIGHT SHOULDER BLADE or whatever) and intrigue. The intrigue won out because, hello, representation. I saw it and was like, UH, yes, sign me up, immediately, thanks.
I'm a Gay Wizard has a lead in representation. It made me SO happy.
Not only does it feature a gay main character, but a transgender character and a few other potential sexual identities that are yet to be explored. For this alone, Santoni should be praised for bringing these characters into our lives. While I had a lot of issues with the plotline and the way the story is written, its biggest redeeming quality is the sincerity Santoni portrays his characters.
Going into I'm a Gay Wizard, I expected the story to be driven by its magical elements and veer into magical realism. However, it felt to be very much so character driven and I definitely am appreciative towards that. Where Santoni lacks in development of the world and magic, he gains in portrayal of his characters. Also, there's this brutal force of honesty in Santoni's plotlines that mix the magic seen in I'm a Gay Wizard with the world we live in. I'm always keen on novels that take fantasy and blend in bits and pieces of our world's struggles.
(!! GIVE ME ALL THE PARALLELS.)
Because of these moments, there are going to be some very real topics that are touched upon that will be triggering. I'm a Gay Wizard truly does not shy away from this. As always, I have to recommend that readers look into what trigger warnings it might feature. There were a lot of slurs that were used in it that could be very damaging to some readers and, bluntly, felt a bit excessive.
Overall, I enjoyed quite a few moments during I'm a Gay Wizard but also felt it fell flat in so many other moments. Does this make it a bad novel or any less important? Absolutely not. Santoni writes in a way that is simple/to the point; sometimes it drifts off into an underdeveloped territory, but it's by no means badly written.
Much like with After, I can definitely tell it had its origins on Wattpad, but that makes me all the more impressed by how far Santoni has come--and how much potential his writing has to grow.
As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
When I saw the title of this book I was somewhere between secondhand embarrassment (it is one of those titles that I'm just not super into, like I MARRIED MY BEST FRIEND or THE BAD BOY'S RIGHT SHOULDER BLADE or whatever) and intrigue. The intrigue won out because, hello, representation. I saw it and was like, UH, yes, sign me up, immediately, thanks.
I'm a Gay Wizard has a lead in representation. It made me SO happy.
Not only does it feature a gay main character, but a transgender character and a few other potential sexual identities that are yet to be explored. For this alone, Santoni should be praised for bringing these characters into our lives. While I had a lot of issues with the plotline and the way the story is written, its biggest redeeming quality is the sincerity Santoni portrays his characters.
Going into I'm a Gay Wizard, I expected the story to be driven by its magical elements and veer into magical realism. However, it felt to be very much so character driven and I definitely am appreciative towards that. Where Santoni lacks in development of the world and magic, he gains in portrayal of his characters. Also, there's this brutal force of honesty in Santoni's plotlines that mix the magic seen in I'm a Gay Wizard with the world we live in. I'm always keen on novels that take fantasy and blend in bits and pieces of our world's struggles.
(!! GIVE ME ALL THE PARALLELS.)
Because of these moments, there are going to be some very real topics that are touched upon that will be triggering. I'm a Gay Wizard truly does not shy away from this. As always, I have to recommend that readers look into what trigger warnings it might feature. There were a lot of slurs that were used in it that could be very damaging to some readers and, bluntly, felt a bit excessive.
Overall, I enjoyed quite a few moments during I'm a Gay Wizard but also felt it fell flat in so many other moments. Does this make it a bad novel or any less important? Absolutely not. Santoni writes in a way that is simple/to the point; sometimes it drifts off into an underdeveloped territory, but it's by no means badly written.
Much like with After, I can definitely tell it had its origins on Wattpad, but that makes me all the more impressed by how far Santoni has come--and how much potential his writing has to grow.
slowburnsrus's review against another edition
3.0
This was darker than I expected, I usually read fluffier YA. The MCs deal with some harassment and anti-queer/trans violence. However, it was all realistic, and balanced by some wholesome sweetness in the relationships. I wanted gay HP, and that’s pretty much what I got, although with more of the energy of the last few books in the series.
My main disappointment was that friendship and found family storylines weren’t was strong as I expected. I wanted more time with Johnny and Allison bring there for one another and they just seemed to stop caring about one another for a long patch midway through the book. I really loved Allison and I felt like we didn’t get as much of her story as I’d hoped. Especially because Johnny made some extremely stupid decisions, that Allison definitely could have prevented if she’d been around more.
My main disappointment was that friendship and found family storylines weren’t was strong as I expected. I wanted more time with Johnny and Allison bring there for one another and they just seemed to stop caring about one another for a long patch midway through the book. I really loved Allison and I felt like we didn’t get as much of her story as I’d hoped. Especially because Johnny made some extremely stupid decisions, that Allison definitely could have prevented if she’d been around more.
thebookishaustin's review
2.0
You can read my review here: https://thebookishaustin.tumblr.com/post/188628777333/arc-review-im-a-gay-wizard
barbrokatrin's review
2.0
Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
The idea of the book is interesting, the execution nit so much. There’s a lot of homophobic slurs in the beginning, bullying and fat shaming just to named a few issues. The writing was not that great and the story felt like a let down.
The idea of the book is interesting, the execution nit so much. There’s a lot of homophobic slurs in the beginning, bullying and fat shaming just to named a few issues. The writing was not that great and the story felt like a let down.
amysbookshelf's review
4.0
I’m A Gay Wizard was the one I had the least expectations for when I read these books’ synopsis – I knew it would be full of magic, and assumed it would be very gay, but apart from that, I really didn’t know what to expect! When Johnny and his best friend Alison find themselves extracted by people from the Marduk Institute (a school for wizards) after they use magic against the school bullies, they have to learn to navigate a whole new world and forget everything they thought was plausible. They quickly realise that the school is not all it seems, and very soon find themselves fighting monsters far more life-threatening than the bullies they’re used to.
I have to admit, that this book definitely confirmed to the most “YA stereotypes” that I don’t enjoy, however, that aside, I loved Santoni’s take on this magical world. One thing which I think is important when dealing with anything magical or supernatural is the complexity; an author has to think about all the small details in order to make the world realistic (I mean, think how complicated the HP universe is (though full of loopholes, but that’s not a conversation for now!)) I think Johnny was a lovable protagonist and I enjoyed seeing the world through his eyes, and again, as a lover of romance, I was all for the hot boys he found himself with feelings for along the way. Plus with LGBTQ+ representation galore, this book shone an important spotlight too.
I have to admit, that this book definitely confirmed to the most “YA stereotypes” that I don’t enjoy, however, that aside, I loved Santoni’s take on this magical world. One thing which I think is important when dealing with anything magical or supernatural is the complexity; an author has to think about all the small details in order to make the world realistic (I mean, think how complicated the HP universe is (though full of loopholes, but that’s not a conversation for now!)) I think Johnny was a lovable protagonist and I enjoyed seeing the world through his eyes, and again, as a lover of romance, I was all for the hot boys he found himself with feelings for along the way. Plus with LGBTQ+ representation galore, this book shone an important spotlight too.
whateveryoneelseisreading's review
3.0
I received an ARC of this book thanks to Net Galley and publisher Wattpad Books in exchange for an honest review.
This books is a whole ton of fun. I wasn't really sure what to expect from I'm a Gay Wizard given that it is a Wattpad book and I couldn't really remember the plot when I started reading it. This is the story of Johnny and his friend Alison, two young people who are kidnapped by an institute when it's revealed they can do magic. Their powers mean that they must now attend school at this institute, although the plot focuses more on the shadowy goings-on of this world. There is also a lot of teen romance and tons of representation in here (gay Latinx main character with a trans best friend).
One of this book's greatest strengths is its creativity. To be honest, I was kind of expecting a Harry Potter rip-off but this has nothing in common with that series at all. The institute is not a fun magical school but a place of imprisonment, and the bulk of the magic system focuses on the use of a dream world. The characters are also pretty good. Some of the side characters suffer from being a little one-dimensional but Johnny was very likeable and I was rooting for him.
Sadly, I could not make it all the way through this book. This is more down to my own personal tastes than any real criticism. This book introduces a LOT of new terms that exist in this magical world and I just couldn't keep track of any of them. At the halfway point I realised I wasn't following it very well and so I just skim-read the rest. I'm not a fan of fantasy books that have lots of new terms or really convoluted plots, and sadly this one was just a bit too much.
If you can read books with those elements though, then I'm a Gay Wizard could be a good book to check out. It is definitely Young Adult and some of the elements (especially at the start) betray its origins as a Wattpad book. There are a couple of high school cliches and other small details which maybe should have been ironed out in the editing process. Overall though, I was pleasantly surprised by this book and it definitely deserves kudos for having such creativity and representation in it.
Overall Rating: 3/5
This books is a whole ton of fun. I wasn't really sure what to expect from I'm a Gay Wizard given that it is a Wattpad book and I couldn't really remember the plot when I started reading it. This is the story of Johnny and his friend Alison, two young people who are kidnapped by an institute when it's revealed they can do magic. Their powers mean that they must now attend school at this institute, although the plot focuses more on the shadowy goings-on of this world. There is also a lot of teen romance and tons of representation in here (gay Latinx main character with a trans best friend).
One of this book's greatest strengths is its creativity. To be honest, I was kind of expecting a Harry Potter rip-off but this has nothing in common with that series at all. The institute is not a fun magical school but a place of imprisonment, and the bulk of the magic system focuses on the use of a dream world. The characters are also pretty good. Some of the side characters suffer from being a little one-dimensional but Johnny was very likeable and I was rooting for him.
Sadly, I could not make it all the way through this book. This is more down to my own personal tastes than any real criticism. This book introduces a LOT of new terms that exist in this magical world and I just couldn't keep track of any of them. At the halfway point I realised I wasn't following it very well and so I just skim-read the rest. I'm not a fan of fantasy books that have lots of new terms or really convoluted plots, and sadly this one was just a bit too much.
If you can read books with those elements though, then I'm a Gay Wizard could be a good book to check out. It is definitely Young Adult and some of the elements (especially at the start) betray its origins as a Wattpad book. There are a couple of high school cliches and other small details which maybe should have been ironed out in the editing process. Overall though, I was pleasantly surprised by this book and it definitely deserves kudos for having such creativity and representation in it.
Overall Rating: 3/5
ofbooksandbone's review
3.0
I’m a Gay Wizard - there’s so much about this book I liked and some things I didn’t love. I gave it a 3/5 stars. While I appreciate the queerness and the visibility of a trans person - there was some thinks lacking in character development for me. The world building was a little iffy but I could overlook that. However, I will offer up a trigger warning for the gay hate crime that appears early on in the story. I’m not upset about that, because queer people do experience these types of situations. All in all - more character development would have helped tremendously.
hannahmarierobbins's review
3.0
Emotionally right now: 5/5
Really: 3/5
Construction 2/5
This has lovely queer content but content note for depictions of homophobic and transphobic abuse (including hate language). Disappointingly, the book is just not brilliantly written. There’s So Much covered in short sections and then quite long stretches of nothing. I did laugh and smile. I thought the action scenes worked well. Just be warned that the writing is patchhhy.
Really: 3/5
Construction 2/5
This has lovely queer content but content note for depictions of homophobic and transphobic abuse (including hate language). Disappointingly, the book is just not brilliantly written. There’s So Much covered in short sections and then quite long stretches of nothing. I did laugh and smile. I thought the action scenes worked well. Just be warned that the writing is patchhhy.
catherreads's review
3.0
I’m a Gay Wizard by V. S. Santoni left me with a lot of mixed feelings. It has it’s pros and cons, leading me to rate it three out of five stars.
Johnny and his friend Alison perform a magical ritual to summon the Cintamani. Something goes wrong and they are whisked off to the Marduk Institute, a school for wizards-in-training where they are told they’ll be able to hone their powers. Yet nothing is as it seems and the two friends have to learn whom to trust as they navigate a new world filled with monsters, magic, and mayhem.
First of all, I love the cover. It’s exploding with color, proclaiming in bold text the title of the story. I’m a Gay Wizard promises readers a tale filled with queer magicians, and it does not disappoint. The entire cast of characters is queer and diverse, starting with Johnny—a gay Latino protagonist—and his friend, Alison—a trans girl. This type of representation is important to have, showing diverse kids and young adults that they’re not alone.
The characters all had different backgrounds, some coming from loving families and others from abusive households, shaping their personalities and their reactions to the different situations portrayed in the story. The romances were all queer, although none of them really seemed like a good pairing in my opinion, causing me to not really care what ended up to the couples. Some of the character reactions also didn’t make sense to me, such as one character being incredibly secretive about being gay, only to not care a few pages later, announcing it to literally everybody. I’m glad he was comfortable enough to take pride in it, but it seemed unnatural and rushed for that character to achieve that level of comfort so soon.
Some parts were difficult to understand due to the writing, and I found it hard to engage in the beginning. However the plot picked up in the end, making the last half a fast read for me.
The plot was fast paced and somewhat interesting, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how this book reminded me of other stories that I’ve read. Wizarding school, the stuck up lineage wizards, and ventures to the town next to the school reminded me of Harry Potter. Other plot points reminded me of middle grade books I read back in my early teens about dimensions and magic. So for me, the plot didn’t seem to be fully original, and I wished there was more worldbuilding and details on how the magic worked and what the limitations were.
Overall, it’s a great book if you’re looking for queer representation and diverse characters and not much else. I found it lacking in originality, pacing, and characterization: making it not the book for me. It is an explosion of color from the cover to the characters, and I only wish it had been more memorable.
Johnny and his friend Alison perform a magical ritual to summon the Cintamani. Something goes wrong and they are whisked off to the Marduk Institute, a school for wizards-in-training where they are told they’ll be able to hone their powers. Yet nothing is as it seems and the two friends have to learn whom to trust as they navigate a new world filled with monsters, magic, and mayhem.
First of all, I love the cover. It’s exploding with color, proclaiming in bold text the title of the story. I’m a Gay Wizard promises readers a tale filled with queer magicians, and it does not disappoint. The entire cast of characters is queer and diverse, starting with Johnny—a gay Latino protagonist—and his friend, Alison—a trans girl. This type of representation is important to have, showing diverse kids and young adults that they’re not alone.
The characters all had different backgrounds, some coming from loving families and others from abusive households, shaping their personalities and their reactions to the different situations portrayed in the story. The romances were all queer, although none of them really seemed like a good pairing in my opinion, causing me to not really care what ended up to the couples. Some of the character reactions also didn’t make sense to me, such as one character being incredibly secretive about being gay, only to not care a few pages later, announcing it to literally everybody. I’m glad he was comfortable enough to take pride in it, but it seemed unnatural and rushed for that character to achieve that level of comfort so soon.
Some parts were difficult to understand due to the writing, and I found it hard to engage in the beginning. However the plot picked up in the end, making the last half a fast read for me.
The plot was fast paced and somewhat interesting, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how this book reminded me of other stories that I’ve read. Wizarding school, the stuck up lineage wizards, and ventures to the town next to the school reminded me of Harry Potter. Other plot points reminded me of middle grade books I read back in my early teens about dimensions and magic. So for me, the plot didn’t seem to be fully original, and I wished there was more worldbuilding and details on how the magic worked and what the limitations were.
Overall, it’s a great book if you’re looking for queer representation and diverse characters and not much else. I found it lacking in originality, pacing, and characterization: making it not the book for me. It is an explosion of color from the cover to the characters, and I only wish it had been more memorable.