Reviews with content warning for Grief - One Last Stop

This was so lighthearted and warm and fuzzy and adorable, I loved it from the first to the last page. I am so happy to read about a character I can identitfy with, namely a bisexual who is struggling their way through university, lives in shared apartments and is reliant on a side-job. I can barely think of other narratives that I have read so far depicting queer characters that are not either in highschool or in their mid-thirties and I am so so happy to finally find narratives that depict the stage of life I find myself in.

The paranormal elements were plotted so well and fun. (Even though I found many plot revelations to be very foreseeable because McQuinston placed foreshadowing hints regularly and it felt a little obvious how those were left hanging in the air, even though it would have absolutely made sense to answer the obvious questions following these hints or for the characters to ask these questions at least.)

This is a little all over the place. Altogether, One Last Stop made me feel a whole lot of things. How the different characters from the flat/ house form a community, how the love between August and Jane develops and the many, many lovely (queer) events and parties they go to. It created a certain ache in my heart for this kind of community that I crave so bad. And McQuinston wrote these people and their interactions so well that I'd just love to live in the same house with them, honestly.

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brookey8888's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious slow-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

3.0

I’m so upset I didn’t love this. I enjoyed it, but something was just missing for me. I feel like I didn’t really get to know the characters enough and I feel like there interactions weren’t enough. I think for me it was more telling then showing so it was hard for me to connect. I did really like the characters and the found family aspect. This is such an feel good story and like the author says it’s unbury the gays and that’s so important. I also didn’t really love the Syfy element/ magical realism which is my fault. I do recommend it because I did enjoy I just didn’t love it.

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indigoriverboat's review against another edition

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emotional 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

This book is an amazing queer love story. The historical aspect of Jane’s time traveling, the mystery of Jane, and the lovable cast of characters make this an engaging and delightful read. There is depth and allusions to queer history and protest movements, to historical and present homophobia and racism without those topics ever overshadowing the tender love story at the center of this book. If you want to feel seen as a queer person with complicated family history, this book has got you covered. I cried. I stayed up late to find out what happened. So worth it.

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panic_at_the_bookshelf's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

If anything the representation in this book is on point. Though homophobia and racism is mentioned, it's not the main focus on the book. If anything Casey MqCuiston gave us a story where people's background can be casually mentioned. No big deal, no big drama.

This is a queer romance that shows us all aspects of falling in love with someone. From the denial to the fear of losing them. From pure joy to the insecurities that come along with letting someone close.

I am also super happy about how there are plenty of hints to the people from the LGBTQIA+ community who fought so hard for our rights and freedom. Not the mention the ode to drag queens. They are portrayed as openhearted, protective, loving and determinated people instead of bitches. Casey has shown us how the community can be such a warm and welcoming place.

I also love how even side-characters get a background story. They aren't just some decoration for the story. There is a depth to them that makes everything more realistic even when the author plays with timelines.

There are only a few minor things that bugged me just a little. The first part of the story has plenty of scenes (sometimes super random ones) where the focus is on August's virginity. I know society portrays virginity as a shame once you reach a certain age. Yet I felt weird when reading how the character shames herself on this and there isn't much else done with it. At least I didn't feel like a lot was done to this.

I also feel as if some things conveniently happened when the characters were facing a problem. Sometimes it felt too convenient to me.

However those two elements are literally the only thing that bugged me throughout this book. I would highly recommend this books if you want queer romance, a diverse cast of characters and a bit of a mindfuck. Heck, I wasn't able to put down the book for the last 100 pages because I was absolutely hooked and needed to know how the mystery would be taken care of...

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merle_bookdragon's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

I am sitting here, struggling with words outside of "it was just SO good," because honestly, it was. I was a little scared going into it because I LOVED RW&RB and sometimes second books from authors I loved disappoint me but oh MAN this did NOT disappoint.

This review will contain spoilers.

I went into this with a very vague idea of the blurb being "girl meets other girl on subway and falls in love" so let me tell you I was surprised when suddenly there was time travel involved? Or time ... jumps? Blips? I don't know what to call it. Anyway, I was NOT expecting this fantastical/magical/sc-ifi element? However, I really enjoyed it because it gave the narrative a nice frame to exist in and also guaranteed to a certain degree that the story would progress because they were on a time grind.

Found family is my absolute favorite trope maybe EVER so of course I loved August, Myla, Niko, and Wes' flat family, then adding Isaiah and (more or less technically) Jane, and of course all the people from Billy's and UGH it just made me very happy because what is a life goal if not a very happy (queer) family of people. The book also gave enough "screentime" to the other characters and their stories, giving the reader a break from the main narrative without taking away from it at all.

"I wish I was never born," August moans into the floor.
"Retweet," Wes says solemnly.

Otherwise:
- A+ jokes, like honestly I love when characters have good humor
- so much queerness and especially so much drag, i love it
- also kinda of a little love letter to New York? from a very genuine perspective I think, considering McQuiston also currently lives in the city
- two scenes that I would officially titled "pretty spicy" but could be skipped if the reader isn't comfortable with details, I am still questioning their sanity after they did it on the Q ngl
- Wes needs a hug and should be protected
- Niko and Myla = powercouple
- I wish I had HALF the swag that Jane has

Anyway I think that's it for now but honestly truly really loved it.

And she'd do figure drawing, where she'd draw the negative space around a person first, and then fill in the person. And that's how I'm trying to look at it. Maybe I don't know what fills it in yet, but I can look at the space around where I sit in the world, what creates that shape, and I can care about what it's made of, if it's good, if it hurts anyone, it makes people happy, if it makes me happy. And that can be enough for now.

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marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful slow-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Chubby femme bisexual from Louisiana meets effortlessly cool butch Chinese American, except the latter is from the 1970s and is stuck on the subway. Both August and Jane have bounced around the country looking for a home (and an identity), only to meet in New York in what should have been impossible circumstances. August had an unconventional childhood surrounded by a neverending investigation into a missing relative, and Jane survived the violence against queer people as a revolutionary in the gay liberation movement. Of course they fall in love. With a very diverse cast of characters and a race to save a neighborhood landmark, One Last Stop explores community and queer magic in more ways than one.

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kittykatruin's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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dandeliongirl's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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