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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Yes
Queer coming-of-age young adult scavenger hunt with a dual narrative in two different present times: no notes.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Toxic relationship
This was one of my favorite reads this year, truly, and a favorite overall. Everything about this book worked for me.
I'm a sucker for a good road trip book and the scavenger hunt aspect was so fun and kept things interesting. I was rooting so hard for Darren! The romance was cute and Darren's character arc throughout the book was extremely well done and believable.
For me, though, Decklee's chapters might have been my favorite part of the book, because boy could she be a little shit, but she really was fire. The ambition she had is exactly the kind of ambition that people love to read about when it comes to cis men, so I was rooting for her success, even when it hurt the people around her. I always understood her decisions. Because I hungered with her. And I knew her successes were coming because the book opens with her obituary, but also Decklee herself knew what was coming the same way I did. That's how confident she was. She's a fascinating character to read about.
I can't wait to preorder this one and read a physical copy, preferably during a road trip. I'm ready to take the journey again with both of these characters ASAP and yes I will cry again and yes it will be amazing.
Thank you to Viking and NetGalley for the eARC.
I'm a sucker for a good road trip book and the scavenger hunt aspect was so fun and kept things interesting. I was rooting so hard for Darren! The romance was cute and Darren's character arc throughout the book was extremely well done and believable.
For me, though, Decklee's chapters might have been my favorite part of the book, because boy could she be a little shit, but she really was fire. The ambition she had is exactly the kind of ambition that people love to read about when it comes to cis men, so I was rooting for her success, even when it hurt the people around her. I always understood her decisions. Because I hungered with her. And I knew her successes were coming because the book opens with her obituary, but also Decklee herself knew what was coming the same way I did. That's how confident she was. She's a fascinating character to read about.
I can't wait to preorder this one and read a physical copy, preferably during a road trip. I'm ready to take the journey again with both of these characters ASAP and yes I will cry again and yes it will be amazing.
Thank you to Viking and NetGalley for the eARC.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
adventurous
emotional
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
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the audiobook narration, complexity and diversity of the characters, musical moments, and overall use of flashbacks for storytelling with two main narrators. It was a really enjoyable story that definitely reminds of Evelyn Hugo but also… she’s not the only fictional character allowed to be famous with a secret same gender partner! I didn’t find it too similar, and think this story stands on its own.
Only reason I didn’t give it five stars was I wanted more, especially around the unexpected twist and the general backstory of Decklee Castle.
Only reason I didn’t give it five stars was I wanted more, especially around the unexpected twist and the general backstory of Decklee Castle.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Lesbophobia
Moderate: Cancer, Abandonment
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
Okay, I love a rom com. And so many of them are “fluffy” but every once in a while one rolls through and knocks you on your ass. So a few things:
1. I can’t explain how much I love lyrics. Like I love melodies but when a lyric can stand on its own without a melody, that means it’s brilliant and I could tell the characters in this book would agree.
2. My dream is to grow into a curmudgeony gay who bakes muffins and rolls her eyes at baby queers and hides her sequins in the basement.
3. Home isn’t always a place. It can be a people too and you should probably tell them you love them more often.
1. I can’t explain how much I love lyrics. Like I love melodies but when a lyric can stand on its own without a melody, that means it’s brilliant and I could tell the characters in this book would agree.
2. My dream is to grow into a curmudgeony gay who bakes muffins and rolls her eyes at baby queers and hides her sequins in the basement.
3. Home isn’t always a place. It can be a people too and you should probably tell them you love them more often.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Lesbophobia
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
I wish I could reread this book for the first time over and over again. The writing, the plot points, the characters are all so well done. This is the book young queer me wanted and in a lot of ways a book 30 something me needed.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced