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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Who here has written a fan fiction before? Or joined a message board to talk about your favourite tv show/book/movie? Or gone to a con (convention) of some kind?! If any of these sound like you, you may love this book! If not, it might be a bit too nerdy for you and you may want to pass… Keep reading and find out more!
Spoiler Alert is a novel that tells the perspective of two individuals: the first being an ordinary woman named April, who is an accomplished geologist during the day, and a fangirl for her favourite mythology-based TV show (God of the Gates) at night. The second individual is a tall, blonde, gorgeous man named Marcus Caster-Rupp who just happens to be a famous actor, starring in one of the most successful TV shows on the planet! However, there is more to Marcus than he likes to portray to the world… he may appear sweet, vapid and happy; like a human golden retriever who uses far too much pomade. But inside, he actually has a brain, and opinions of his own; and he secretly loves reading and writing fan fiction about the show he stars in, and is even part of the online community (anonymously of course).
Marcus and April spend their time messaging each other (not knowing who the other is at all) as they are online friends and beta each other’s fan fiction. However, their relationship unknowingly changes when April posts a picture of her (beautiful and plus-sized self) online in a God of the Gates themed costume. She is given a lot of hate from some pretty horrible trolls, and in response, Marcus decides to ask this beautiful redhead woman on a date. She accepts, and while on this first date a few interesting things happen: 1) April realizes that Marcus might not be the vapid self-centred idiot he portrays to the world, and that intrigues him and 2) Marcus realizes that this woman he is having dinner with is not just any random pretty girl; she’s actually his online best friend. What happens next?! You’ll just have to read the book and find out yourself…
Spoiler Alert really took me back to my fanfic writing, message board posting, internet-friend having life from my early 20’s. And is that a bad thing? Absolutely not! Some of the best memories I had during that time of my life were in expressing my creativity through writing fan fiction about characters I loved (even if some were pretty bad…) and sharing interesting discussions and making meaningful friendships and connections with other people from around the world! This book really took me back to those days and gave me the warm fuzzies. So as you can imagine, I really did enjoy this book and the unique love story it shared. HOWEVER, I know not everyone has that kind of experience or even really understands it, so this book isn’t for everyone.
I can totally relate to getting wrapped in an online world and becoming true friends with people you’ve only sent messages to online… and I can only imagine how it would feel if the hot star of one of the shows asked you out on a date, and ended up becoming your boyfriend. It is the stuff fan girls only dream of, which made this book a very fun (if incredibly unrealistic) read! The characters were very well written, fleshed out and interesting. None of them were perfect; they all had flaws, but they were still likeable in their own ways– even the secondary ones! Even the made-up fandom and show (God of the Gates) felt so real to me; like the show actually existed, and all of these storylines really happened. It really was masterful writing in that way. OH and did anyone else think the author got inspiration for God of the Gates from Game of Thrones?? I’m convinced they did.
I also really loved that this book was very inclusive and loving to April, who is a plus-size character. Plus size romance is a very, very rare genre (which is one of the reasons why I was so excited to finally read this book– I’ve had it on hold with the library for ages!) and the author handles it incredibly well– probably the best I’ve read. April is not without her insecurities and issues (such as trolls calling her names online, her mother pressuring her to diet, and her reading into things Marcus says) however she does not let these things stop her. She doesn’t subscribe to the whole “I’m fat so I better only eat salads” trope, and Marcus who is an INCREDIBLY desirable and handsome man, finds her beautiful and sexy– just as who she is, not because he has a fat fetish or “looks past” her appearance. This is exactly what larger women look for in a relationship; and it is rare to find. He is very supportive, patient and caring when she expresses her insecurities, and treats her like a Queen. I wish all men were like Marcus Caster-Rupp!!! And I wish he was a real person!
My only complaint............. (to be continued on my book blog, as linked below..)
For a more in-depth review, fantasy casting and an analysis of the astrology of the characters.... oh and even more book reviews (!!!) check out my new book blog: The Virgo Bookworm
Spoiler Alert is a novel that tells the perspective of two individuals: the first being an ordinary woman named April, who is an accomplished geologist during the day, and a fangirl for her favourite mythology-based TV show (God of the Gates) at night. The second individual is a tall, blonde, gorgeous man named Marcus Caster-Rupp who just happens to be a famous actor, starring in one of the most successful TV shows on the planet! However, there is more to Marcus than he likes to portray to the world… he may appear sweet, vapid and happy; like a human golden retriever who uses far too much pomade. But inside, he actually has a brain, and opinions of his own; and he secretly loves reading and writing fan fiction about the show he stars in, and is even part of the online community (anonymously of course).
Marcus and April spend their time messaging each other (not knowing who the other is at all) as they are online friends and beta each other’s fan fiction. However, their relationship unknowingly changes when April posts a picture of her (beautiful and plus-sized self) online in a God of the Gates themed costume. She is given a lot of hate from some pretty horrible trolls, and in response, Marcus decides to ask this beautiful redhead woman on a date. She accepts, and while on this first date a few interesting things happen: 1) April realizes that Marcus might not be the vapid self-centred idiot he portrays to the world, and that intrigues him and 2) Marcus realizes that this woman he is having dinner with is not just any random pretty girl; she’s actually his online best friend. What happens next?! You’ll just have to read the book and find out yourself…
Spoiler Alert really took me back to my fanfic writing, message board posting, internet-friend having life from my early 20’s. And is that a bad thing? Absolutely not! Some of the best memories I had during that time of my life were in expressing my creativity through writing fan fiction about characters I loved (even if some were pretty bad…) and sharing interesting discussions and making meaningful friendships and connections with other people from around the world! This book really took me back to those days and gave me the warm fuzzies. So as you can imagine, I really did enjoy this book and the unique love story it shared. HOWEVER, I know not everyone has that kind of experience or even really understands it, so this book isn’t for everyone.
I can totally relate to getting wrapped in an online world and becoming true friends with people you’ve only sent messages to online… and I can only imagine how it would feel if the hot star of one of the shows asked you out on a date, and ended up becoming your boyfriend. It is the stuff fan girls only dream of, which made this book a very fun (if incredibly unrealistic) read! The characters were very well written, fleshed out and interesting. None of them were perfect; they all had flaws, but they were still likeable in their own ways– even the secondary ones! Even the made-up fandom and show (God of the Gates) felt so real to me; like the show actually existed, and all of these storylines really happened. It really was masterful writing in that way. OH and did anyone else think the author got inspiration for God of the Gates from Game of Thrones?? I’m convinced they did.
I also really loved that this book was very inclusive and loving to April, who is a plus-size character. Plus size romance is a very, very rare genre (which is one of the reasons why I was so excited to finally read this book– I’ve had it on hold with the library for ages!) and the author handles it incredibly well– probably the best I’ve read. April is not without her insecurities and issues (such as trolls calling her names online, her mother pressuring her to diet, and her reading into things Marcus says) however she does not let these things stop her. She doesn’t subscribe to the whole “I’m fat so I better only eat salads” trope, and Marcus who is an INCREDIBLY desirable and handsome man, finds her beautiful and sexy– just as who she is, not because he has a fat fetish or “looks past” her appearance. This is exactly what larger women look for in a relationship; and it is rare to find. He is very supportive, patient and caring when she expresses her insecurities, and treats her like a Queen. I wish all men were like Marcus Caster-Rupp!!! And I wish he was a real person!
My only complaint............. (to be continued on my book blog, as linked below..)
For a more in-depth review, fantasy casting and an analysis of the astrology of the characters.... oh and even more book reviews (!!!) check out my new book blog: The Virgo Bookworm
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you’re a curvy girl who wants some badass representation, or a man who loves a curvy woman, this book is phenomenal. Absolutely love the way she writes Marcus’s POV when it comes to what he finds attractive about April, in all ways.
Strap in because this is going to be a bit of a lengthier review…
I want to start by saying the portrayal of April in this one made my little fat girl heart happy. April is fat (not a bad word) and hot and she knows it, but Dade still does such a good job at verbalizing the insecurities of moving through the world as a plus size woman.
I especially loved the conversations between April and her mom because she captures the emotions of having a mother who is fixated on your body perfectly. April’s mothers constant comments on her daughter’s weight and what she’s eating and if she’s exercising echo experiences I think a lot of us fat women have in our lives, especially when these comments are veiled as concern for our health. The conversations between April and her mother where she is finally able to establish boundaries about how her mom is allowed to talk about her body in front of her were heartbreaking but so cathartic to read. These boundaries being set are for every little kid who was put on weight watchers when they were far too young. I didn’t expect this kind of depth and awareness of non-dating issues out of a romance novel, but I’m so glad we got them.
Now to the actual romance part of this romance novel. Marcus was just…wow. The way he slowly let April in was really cool to see. I feel like in a romance of this nature (fat love interest), all of the insecurity and depth of character could be focused on the fat character, but the way that Dade extends this to Marcus’ character is one of the best parts of this book. We get to see Marcus struggle with his own insecurities that almost mirror April’s in a way (dyslexia/fatness, parental approval, etc.). Marcus and April are two very flawed people and watching how he struggles to let her see all the broken parts of him (just like she does the same) is really powerful. I also really enjoyed the dual POV style of writing because we get insight into exactly what he thinks about April and her body and his complete attraction without hesitation to her is HOT. This is a kind of love and devotion that everyone deserves, regardless of the way they look.
And at the core of all of this…fanfic. My favorite form of escapism. This part of the story also made me very happy because I think everyone who has ever read or written any kind of fanfic wants to believe the actors on a show they’re writing about care too. I think this situation is a big fantasy of anyone who spends extensive time on AO3 and I love it. That’s all. April and Marcus are now my OTP.
I want to start by saying the portrayal of April in this one made my little fat girl heart happy. April is fat (not a bad word) and hot and she knows it, but Dade still does such a good job at verbalizing the insecurities of moving through the world as a plus size woman.
I especially loved the conversations between April and her mom because she captures the emotions of having a mother who is fixated on your body perfectly. April’s mothers constant comments on her daughter’s weight and what she’s eating and if she’s exercising echo experiences I think a lot of us fat women have in our lives, especially when these comments are veiled as concern for our health. The conversations between April and her mother where she is finally able to establish boundaries about how her mom is allowed to talk about her body in front of her were heartbreaking but so cathartic to read. These boundaries being set are for every little kid who was put on weight watchers when they were far too young. I didn’t expect this kind of depth and awareness of non-dating issues out of a romance novel, but I’m so glad we got them.
Now to the actual romance part of this romance novel. Marcus was just…wow. The way he slowly let April in was really cool to see. I feel like in a romance of this nature (fat love interest), all of the insecurity and depth of character could be focused on the fat character, but the way that Dade extends this to Marcus’ character is one of the best parts of this book. We get to see Marcus struggle with his own insecurities that almost mirror April’s in a way (dyslexia/fatness, parental approval, etc.). Marcus and April are two very flawed people and watching how he struggles to let her see all the broken parts of him (just like she does the same) is really powerful. I also really enjoyed the dual POV style of writing because we get insight into exactly what he thinks about April and her body and his complete attraction without hesitation to her is HOT. This is a kind of love and devotion that everyone deserves, regardless of the way they look.
And at the core of all of this…fanfic. My favorite form of escapism. This part of the story also made me very happy because I think everyone who has ever read or written any kind of fanfic wants to believe the actors on a show they’re writing about care too. I think this situation is a big fantasy of anyone who spends extensive time on AO3 and I love it. That’s all. April and Marcus are now my OTP.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3,5 stars. This was such a self indulgent read lol. I'm a fangirl, I can't deny that. And I'm fat. I also ship Jaime and Brienne and this book is such a dig at Game of Thrones final season that it's hilarious.
The idea for this book is 5 stars but I feel that the execution was a bit off. The first half was SO GOOD but it dragged a bit after that. Totally worth a read though! And I will definitely check out more books by Olivia Dade.
The idea for this book is 5 stars but I feel that the execution was a bit off. The first half was SO GOOD but it dragged a bit after that. Totally worth a read though! And I will definitely check out more books by Olivia Dade.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
This book was...okay. It has some serious YA vibes going on with a lot of its tropes, which was why I picked it up. I don't normally read much YA, but some of the tropes were similar to those in stories that I did enjoy. And while I did enjoy a lot of the aspects of the character arcs and the depth to which the author explored them, I found the story and characters a little forgettable. Like they were shadows or shades of other characters I'd read before. So in short, it was okay, I enjoyed it well enough, but definitely nothing to write home about. However, lovers of RW&RB, Eliza and her Monsters, Fangirl, or Once Upon a Con will probably enjoy this.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What an excellent romance. Saw the third act coming a mile away but it was so well done. A love letter to the genre, fandom spaces, and fat women everywhere.
slow-paced
Full review to come but I really enjoyed this!! It wasn’t perfect, it kind of dragged a bit in some places, but for the most part it was fantastic and I’ll definitely be checking out more of this author in the future