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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
The best portrayal of rescuing chickens!!!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I absolutely adored this book! It was really well written and I loved all the characters. I wish I could move into Lavender House with them!
This book follows El who is in a rut. She is still in the same dead end job she hates, and hopelessly in love with her best friend Ray. When El, Ray, and their two friends Will and Jamie, hatch a plan to ditch the big city and move into a house in the countryside together, it feels like the perfect opportunity to shake things up. Despite being a DIY challenge, the friends are excited and hopeful for their newly named "Lavender House".
However, being in such close quarters with Ray forces El to confront her feelings and decide if it's worth ruining a their wonderful friendship for a chance at love.
This book follows El who is in a rut. She is still in the same dead end job she hates, and hopelessly in love with her best friend Ray. When El, Ray, and their two friends Will and Jamie, hatch a plan to ditch the big city and move into a house in the countryside together, it feels like the perfect opportunity to shake things up. Despite being a DIY challenge, the friends are excited and hopeful for their newly named "Lavender House".
However, being in such close quarters with Ray forces El to confront her feelings and decide if it's worth ruining a their wonderful friendship for a chance at love.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This was exactly the kind of low-stakes, lighthearted, romance story I was in the mood for. Eleanor has embarked on a year of doing wild things to try to switch things up in her life. Partway through the year she and three friends jump at a chance to move out of the city and purchase an old house in the country to start a queer commune. The only catch is Eleanor is in love with her best friend and is terrified of rocking the boat.
These characters are so well developed and lovable. The first half of the book was a little slow for my taste, but overall just a pleasant reading experience.
Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
These characters are so well developed and lovable. The first half of the book was a little slow for my taste, but overall just a pleasant reading experience.
Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I was absolutely thrilled to get my hands on this ARC after adoring Kay’s first novel THE SPLIT. Four pals move out of the city to start a queer commune in the countryside, raising chickens and renovating the house? Sign me up 🙌🏼
This was a WHOLESOME, lighthearted + adorable read. From the stunning front cover (PERFECTION🤌🏼) and loveable characters, to the dry wit and slow burn romance, this plot was just so much FUN. I actually ended up listening to the audio version for most of the book — the narration was brilliant, with each character having a distinct voice, resulting in a super enjoyable listen.
The romance was VERY slow burn, but the rest of the plot (from the loveable neighbours and El’s wild things bucket list, to Jamie’s commune instagram page and chickens named after a twilight characters) was so much fun, that the book flew past without me once getting impatient for Ray and El to end up together. I did actually end up preferring the side characters to El herself; I know it was kinda the point of the storyline, but I just wanted to shake her and tell her to take control of the situation and stop pining. She got there eventually but she was a teensy 🤏🏼 bit frustrating.
To sum up: if you’ve ever dreamed of moving to the countryside with your pals, and want a summery read full of queer joy, humour, emotion and everything in between, you NEED to pick this up (and also read THE SPLIT!) I’m super excited to read TELL ME EVERYTHING from my TBR 🫶🏼
𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒚 @ 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 🪻
This was a WHOLESOME, lighthearted + adorable read. From the stunning front cover (PERFECTION🤌🏼) and loveable characters, to the dry wit and slow burn romance, this plot was just so much FUN. I actually ended up listening to the audio version for most of the book — the narration was brilliant, with each character having a distinct voice, resulting in a super enjoyable listen.
The romance was VERY slow burn, but the rest of the plot (from the loveable neighbours and El’s wild things bucket list, to Jamie’s commune instagram page and chickens named after a twilight characters) was so much fun, that the book flew past without me once getting impatient for Ray and El to end up together. I did actually end up preferring the side characters to El herself; I know it was kinda the point of the storyline, but I just wanted to shake her and tell her to take control of the situation and stop pining. She got there eventually but she was a teensy 🤏🏼 bit frustrating.
To sum up: if you’ve ever dreamed of moving to the countryside with your pals, and want a summery read full of queer joy, humour, emotion and everything in between, you NEED to pick this up (and also read THE SPLIT!) I’m super excited to read TELL ME EVERYTHING from my TBR 🫶🏼
𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒚 @ 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 🪻
Wild Things filled my heart all the way up. El is the disaster bisexual of my dreams, and I fell in love with Ray, Jamie, Will, and Lavender House just like she did. I want to have a glass of wine (or three) with all of them. A hilarious story of queer friendship, queer longing, and queer triumph.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Wild Things is available May 23. Thanks to NetGalley and Vintage Anchor for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There were some things about the book that I really enjoyed, like the whole house renovation process. Jamie is a delight, Sally is wonderful, and Jacob, Bella, and Edward are the best chickens. I would happily read a book based on Jamie’s antics at the house, on the Instagram page, and in the WhatsApp community group. Happily. I liked the whole group dynamic, and the found family themes running through the book.
I knew that it was friends to lovers, but ultimately I think the chemistry fell a little flat.El clearly spent so much time pining over Ray, who didn’t seem to reciprocate. Maybe that had to do with the book being in first person with El as the narrator, but I wish more overt things had been put in there to key the reader that Ray is also into El. Their connection felt rushed since it wasn’t developed on both sides. Honestly, I felt more of a connection between Rachel and El, and I thought the two of them would date.
I had a hard time getting into the book initially, and found the first couple of chapters until they buy the house to be slow and clunky. I thought that El would be in college or in her early 20s based on her behavior and was surprised to learn she’s 30 or so. That said, once they bought the house and the ensemble had more time to shine, the pace picked up nicely.
Overall, it’s a quick and light read with good supporting characters and themes of found family.
There were some things about the book that I really enjoyed, like the whole house renovation process. Jamie is a delight, Sally is wonderful, and Jacob, Bella, and Edward are the best chickens. I would happily read a book based on Jamie’s antics at the house, on the Instagram page, and in the WhatsApp community group. Happily. I liked the whole group dynamic, and the found family themes running through the book.
I knew that it was friends to lovers, but ultimately I think the chemistry fell a little flat.
I had a hard time getting into the book initially, and found the first couple of chapters until they buy the house to be slow and clunky. I thought that El would be in college or in her early 20s based on her behavior and was surprised to learn she’s 30 or so. That said, once they bought the house and the ensemble had more time to shine, the pace picked up nicely.
Overall, it’s a quick and light read with good supporting characters and themes of found family.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Two best friends
One huge crush.
A year that could change everything….
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an audiobook copy of Wild Things by Laura Kay. This was so fun! There was found family and a slow-burn friends to lovers with the ‘it’s always been you’ trope; what more could you want?! There was some amazing LGBTQIA+ representation with a number of characters being a part of the community and I enjoyed every second of it. I would definitely recommend for anyone who wants a sweet and cosy read!
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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
If you’re looking for a fun sapphic romance with minimal smut, look no further! This is THE book for you!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for gifting me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion! This was a delightful read, so I’m grateful for the opportunity to review it!
Wild Things is one of the loveliest queer romances I’ve read, although not because of the romance itself. It has queer found family, chickens, a sweet old lady, DIY-projects, and drunk karaoke. What’s not to love!
The romance was also super cute and felt like a realistic love story, but I adore a deeply unrealistic amount of banter and ~tension~ in my romances, and this novel just didn’t offer that. It’s a slow-burn romance, and friends-to-lovers, and while I love both of those tropes, the lack of tension and excess of pining made me almost wish they wouldn’t end up together!
With that being said, I didn’t really mind, as the romance for the most part came second to other aspects of the story, like El’s personal growth! I loved following her throughout her Wild Year, and hearing about the DIY struggles of the friendgroup, so all in all this was exactly the cozy low-stakes read I needed!
In conclusion, the chickens are my babies, and I’d like to protect Jamie at all cost, thank you very much! And if you’d like to know what that means, be sure to check it out!
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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:
Yes
Thank you Quercus, Net Galley and Laura Kay for giving me this audio arc.
What do you do when you hate your job, hate your roommate and have a 5 year long crush on your best friend? You move in with your best friend.
This was such an easy light hearted listen that I really enjoyed. And the whole time you are left thinking will they? Won't they?
El's character was irritate at times and I find myself shouting "just do it El!!!" But she is also so relatable! Maybe that's why I found her so frustrating?
I have read two of Laura Kay's books already and I did enjoy them too. This book helped me get out a book slump and I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read it.
What do you do when you hate your job, hate your roommate and have a 5 year long crush on your best friend? You move in with your best friend.
This was such an easy light hearted listen that I really enjoyed. And the whole time you are left thinking will they? Won't they?
El's character was irritate at times and I find myself shouting "just do it El!!!" But she is also so relatable! Maybe that's why I found her so frustrating?
I have read two of Laura Kay's books already and I did enjoy them too. This book helped me get out a book slump and I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read it.