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evilplants's review
temporary dnf because life stuff happened and i lost my momentum with this one. i’ll definitely be returning to it later, maybe closer to spooky season.
ice_lasha's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
orlandoreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.0
abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.5
Thank you so much to Metonomy Press & the author for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I feel so thrilled to have been invited to enjoy some YA in its finest form!
This book was a super engaging and easy to read; the plot ticked along perfectly paced while still leaving plenty of space for character growth and vibrant descriptions. I really appreciated this modern and interesting (paranormal!) approach to healthy relationships and boundaries for queer folks as I don’t think we get enough of those stories. I was really enjoying it for the first 60% or so, but once I hit that “oh shit!” moment, I honestly couldn’t put it down.
Some of my favourite things about this book I think can be traced back to the importance of #OwnVoices and the very natural authenticity of the queerness alive in this novel. I think this is the first time I’ve ever read a story with queer parents that aren’t picture-perfect happy, and I loved that. It felt so real; gay couples fight, have financial strain, work too hard, forget to appreciate each other. All of the many queer & trans characters in The Haunting of Adrian Yates get to be full, complex, unique individuals, in which queerness is important but not everything.
I really love YA when it’s well done like this, because it leaves so much room for messiness and growth. Although as an adult I can look at some decision making skills and be yelling “No!!! Don’t do that!!!” and be frustrated, I think it is very true to real life and the imperfect decisions we make as young people, especially in new relationships.
If you enjoyed paranormal queer books like Cemetery Boys or The Taking of Jake Livingston, I think you’d really enjoy The Haunting of Adrian Yates too!
This book was a super engaging and easy to read; the plot ticked along perfectly paced while still leaving plenty of space for character growth and vibrant descriptions. I really appreciated this modern and interesting (paranormal!) approach to healthy relationships and boundaries for queer folks as I don’t think we get enough of those stories. I was really enjoying it for the first 60% or so, but once I hit that “oh shit!” moment, I honestly couldn’t put it down.
Some of my favourite things about this book I think can be traced back to the importance of #OwnVoices and the very natural authenticity of the queerness alive in this novel. I think this is the first time I’ve ever read a story with queer parents that aren’t picture-perfect happy, and I loved that. It felt so real; gay couples fight, have financial strain, work too hard, forget to appreciate each other. All of the many queer & trans characters in The Haunting of Adrian Yates get to be full, complex, unique individuals, in which queerness is important but not everything.
I really love YA when it’s well done like this, because it leaves so much room for messiness and growth. Although as an adult I can look at some decision making skills and be yelling “No!!! Don’t do that!!!” and be frustrated, I think it is very true to real life and the imperfect decisions we make as young people, especially in new relationships.
If you enjoyed paranormal queer books like Cemetery Boys or The Taking of Jake Livingston, I think you’d really enjoy The Haunting of Adrian Yates too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Vomit
josephcandy's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
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
5.0
Was lucky enough to get an ARC for this book and loved it!
alicia_ann_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
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
4.5
Prologue Skippers - DO NOT. The prologue is the story of a name, of learning, finding and accepting it. The author made the name visceral, it was alive and it was incredible.
On to the Main Event
This is an Own Voices Trans and Queer YA book. Winning.
I wasn't quite sure what I was going to discover with a ghost boyfriend, and so I was mildly perturbed at the beginning when our main character talked openly about it, but absolutely LOVED how it turned out, more from the friendship experience side of things.
This was a story of life and love; grief and acceptance, and at it's core friendship and belonging.
The author wove in difficult themes, and the style of writing really lent itself well to describe emotion in a way I could easily feel. It was both enlightening and hard.
Overall, I really enjoyed this!
Thank you to the author for an advanced e-book. My thoughts are entirely my own.
mxbluet18's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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
5.0
Trigger warnings for The Haunting of Adrian Yates include: discussion of suicide, discussion of self harm, descriptions of death, discussion of parent death, emotional abuse, verbal fighting at home, ableism, misgendering, disembodiment and forced embodiment, attempted strangling and vomiting.
☆
☆
I've read stories about ghosts and involving spirits before, but this one was different. It felt more real, and in a way made me more inclined to believe in them.
~
And for a book where one of its central characters can't leave the cemetery most of the time, a surprising amount happened to him.
~
I liked the inclusion of trans and non-binary characters, and I really liked that one such character used neopronouns, and that specifically ze/zir pronouns have been in use for longer than people think.
~
It shocked me to some extent the impact this book had. And the themes it utilised when it's a YA book about a group of teenagers. How it brought up toxic relationships, but did so in a way that wasn't harmful, or triggering. And also how within that conversation it also mentioned boundaries, and how to set healthy boundaries within a relationship.
~
There was a lot that I enjoyed about this book, but one final thing that I really did like was the character growth and development over the course of the story.
•
Thank you to author Markus Harwood-Jones for sending me an ARC copy of this book.
☆
☆
I've read stories about ghosts and involving spirits before, but this one was different. It felt more real, and in a way made me more inclined to believe in them.
~
And for a book where one of its central characters can't leave the cemetery most of the time, a surprising amount happened to him.
~
I liked the inclusion of trans and non-binary characters, and I really liked that one such character used neopronouns, and that specifically ze/zir pronouns have been in use for longer than people think.
~
It shocked me to some extent the impact this book had. And the themes it utilised when it's a YA book about a group of teenagers. How it brought up toxic relationships, but did so in a way that wasn't harmful, or triggering. And also how within that conversation it also mentioned boundaries, and how to set healthy boundaries within a relationship.
~
There was a lot that I enjoyed about this book, but one final thing that I really did like was the character growth and development over the course of the story.
•
Thank you to author Markus Harwood-Jones for sending me an ARC copy of this book.
melvin02's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
If you need good own voice transgender representation in the books you read.
If you want to have an amazing time bonding with characters you’ll miss the second you put the book down.
If you want to read a book with a ghost as one of the main characters.
If any of these things apply to you, I would definitely recommend this read for you. It’s a quick fantastic read that will make you feel cozy and safe, even when that might be the safest bet.
If you want to have an amazing time bonding with characters you’ll miss the second you put the book down.
If you want to read a book with a ghost as one of the main characters.
If any of these things apply to you, I would definitely recommend this read for you. It’s a quick fantastic read that will make you feel cozy and safe, even when that might be the safest bet.
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