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citrus_seasalt's reviews
316 reviews
A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow
5.0
was thinking of giving this a 4.5 or 4 stars at first, but then I got to Aaron’s POV and they went all in with the poetry!! I was hesitant about how I’d feel about this, considering as it’s focused around U.S. colonial-era history, but both Aaron and Oliver’s complicated thoughts about connecting with history and trying to find themselves in it, definitely will resonate with a lot of people in several different ways. Genuinely, it’s so awesome to see in literature the mindset of a person getting into queer history to better know themself. Oliver having a Tumblr is just the cherry on top of the accuracy LMAOOOO
It also helps that the romance feels natural and is so, so sweet. (Yes, there’s some conflict, but none of it feels contrived, and it’s pretty on-brand for their different home environments.) The phone call scene before they go to the reenactment had me gigglinggg, they’re so sweet in an awkward way, and besides that, Aaron and Oliver have distinctive voices I love to see banter. (Not sure when else to say this, but I thought the text-speak was actually fantastic LOL. Genuinely got flashbacks to my first and only relationship I had in freshman year)
This is the second book I’ve read by Robin Gow, and not only do I appreciate him keeping creativity and vulnerability intact in his contemporary narratives, but also the ways he writes about the complexity (and confusion) of gender. God, so many of Aaron’s thoughts especially were things I remember writing about in my journals (or just thinking) when I first came out!! I also loved how while both him and Oliver were trans boys, they had different thoughts around their expression and their gender. I always gobble up whenever t4t romances do that!! (something something Lakelore mention.)
I think the only criticism I have is that Oliver’s chapters often felt choppy, but this’ll definitely cement Robin Gow as an auto-buy author for me. For this being a YA debut, he nailed the feelings of being a teen, and showed that through vulnerable and often beautiful passages. (But. Why have I been reading so many small town trans-centered stories recently, is that my niche now💀🙏) (that’s a joke. I grew up in the suburbs)
It also helps that the romance feels natural and is so, so sweet. (Yes, there’s some conflict, but none of it feels contrived, and it’s pretty on-brand for their different home environments.) The phone call scene before they go to the reenactment had me gigglinggg, they’re so sweet in an awkward way, and besides that, Aaron and Oliver have distinctive voices I love to see banter. (Not sure when else to say this, but I thought the text-speak was actually fantastic LOL. Genuinely got flashbacks to my first and only relationship I had in freshman year)
This is the second book I’ve read by Robin Gow, and not only do I appreciate him keeping creativity and vulnerability intact in his contemporary narratives, but also the ways he writes about the complexity (and confusion) of gender. God, so many of Aaron’s thoughts especially were things I remember writing about in my journals (or just thinking) when I first came out!! I also loved how while both him and Oliver were trans boys, they had different thoughts around their expression and their gender. I always gobble up whenever t4t romances do that!! (something something Lakelore mention.)
I think the only criticism I have is that Oliver’s chapters often felt choppy, but this’ll definitely cement Robin Gow as an auto-buy author for me. For this being a YA debut, he nailed the feelings of being a teen, and showed that through vulnerable and often beautiful passages. (But. Why have I been reading so many small town trans-centered stories recently, is that my niche now💀🙏) (that’s a joke. I grew up in the suburbs)
Man o' War by Cory McCarthy
5.0
Edit: raised my rating to 5 stars! Even though it isn’t perfect, it deeply emotionally affected me. And I want to start rating books higher based more on their personal impact. Pardon the sassy start of the review, in that case.
Part Bildungsroman that sometimes got lost in its aquarium-lit nostalgia and melancholy, part semi-average coming-out YA contemporary, always emotionally dense, fluid, and such a realistic look into dysphoria and the pain of being closeted that it was sometimes draining. Thank you to Alex (@obscure.pages) for recommending this so highly! I think I’d have to be bribed with an absurd amount of money to go through this again, but the writing was beautiful and absolutely visceral.
River is a character I don’t expect everyone to like. They’re self-deprecating (and even self-sabotaging), frequently resentful or anxious, and their growth is a very slow process, where within that awkward timeframe that it can’t quite happen yet (when they don’t have access to all of themself), they take out their resentment on others. The small-town Ohio setting was intrinsically tied to their identity-based claustrophobia, something that I thought that, while not written with subtlety, was tangible and easy to empathize with. I loved seeing a coming out story like theirs. It was complex and longer-term, in a way that is rarely depicted in queer media. Their characterization is complex, too, and goodness, that’s always wonderful to see even if sometimes results in mortifying decisions! Seeing them grow up was also a bittersweet and rewarding experience.
I liked the side characters, too. Indy and Catherine’s ever-changing characterization through River’s eyes was especially interesting: Catherine goes from feeling a little superficial, to being a realistic depiction of a long-distance but good friend that pops in and out of your life. Her bluntness goes hand-in-hand with River’s, but she’s more confident and not as jaded. Indy… I had mixed feelings on, I won’t lie, just because of how heavily they’re idolized at first, and their relationship with River sometimes tiptoeing into codependency. (Although, a lot of that is addressed.) For that reason, I found it difficult to root for the main relationship, and didn’t give this book a perfect rating. However, as much as the break up pissed me off, the writing being more obvious about Indy’s commitment issues helped to characterize them as someone imperfect.
Side characters, cont: I enjoyed River’s support system, too. Namely, the Chengs, Everett (I liked his solidarity especially when him and River were teens, even if he didn’t have a ton of on-page time with them), and the highschool swim characters (they have more development than the college ones, lol). Their role in River’s development was obvious, but they were still endearing. A lot of that, I think, comes from how personal in nature the plot feels. There’s definitely a feeling of looking back on all these memories with a mix of sadness and joy, that just radiates from the pages.
I definitely feel like this is like “The Ship We Built” by Lexie Bean in that it near-flawlessly encapsulates the mindset of the age group it’s writing about. (This time, though, I get to be in the target age range!! What a special experience!) Specifically regarding River’s anticipatory nostalgia, I can see it being too much melodrama for some, and I found it a little repetitive I’ll admit, but I remember feeling that way throughout both middle and highschool, haha! Holy shit though, I love that the teenage experience isn’t romanticized. Mrs Cheng’s conversation with River (and the quote that came from it) was incredibly validating. River’s youth ticks some coming-of-age flick checkboxes, however, there’s still the suffocating feeling of still being young enough to have to live under your parent’s house and control, while you figure out yourself and your independence.
I agree with Laurel on this being a unique YA novel. I hope more people check it out. I hope this helps teens and can get in language arts curriculums one day. I definitely won’t be looking at Portuguese man o’ wars the same way.
(P.S., someone please make this into a film!! I’ll pay hundreds of dollars just to fly to wherever it plays.)
Part Bildungsroman that sometimes got lost in its aquarium-lit nostalgia and melancholy, part semi-average coming-out YA contemporary, always emotionally dense, fluid, and such a realistic look into dysphoria and the pain of being closeted that it was sometimes draining. Thank you to Alex (@obscure.pages) for recommending this so highly! I think I’d have to be bribed with an absurd amount of money to go through this again, but the writing was beautiful and absolutely visceral.
River is a character I don’t expect everyone to like. They’re self-deprecating (and even self-sabotaging), frequently resentful or anxious, and their growth is a very slow process, where within that awkward timeframe that it can’t quite happen yet (when they don’t have access to all of themself), they take out their resentment on others. The small-town Ohio setting was intrinsically tied to their identity-based claustrophobia, something that I thought that, while not written with subtlety, was tangible and easy to empathize with. I loved seeing a coming out story like theirs. It was complex and longer-term, in a way that is rarely depicted in queer media. Their characterization is complex, too, and goodness, that’s always wonderful to see even if sometimes results in mortifying decisions! Seeing them grow up was also a bittersweet and rewarding experience.
I liked the side characters, too. Indy and Catherine’s ever-changing characterization through River’s eyes was especially interesting: Catherine goes from feeling a little superficial, to being a realistic depiction of a long-distance but good friend that pops in and out of your life. Her bluntness goes hand-in-hand with River’s, but she’s more confident and not as jaded. Indy… I had mixed feelings on, I won’t lie, just because of how heavily they’re idolized at first, and their relationship with River sometimes tiptoeing into codependency. (Although, a lot of that is addressed.) For that reason, I found it difficult to root for the main relationship, and didn’t give this book a perfect rating. However, as much as the break up pissed me off, the writing being more obvious about Indy’s commitment issues helped to characterize them as someone imperfect.
Side characters, cont: I enjoyed River’s support system, too. Namely, the Chengs, Everett (I liked his solidarity especially when him and River were teens, even if he didn’t have a ton of on-page time with them), and the highschool swim characters (they have more development than the college ones, lol). Their role in River’s development was obvious, but they were still endearing. A lot of that, I think, comes from how personal in nature the plot feels. There’s definitely a feeling of looking back on all these memories with a mix of sadness and joy, that just radiates from the pages.
I definitely feel like this is like “The Ship We Built” by Lexie Bean in that it near-flawlessly encapsulates the mindset of the age group it’s writing about. (This time, though, I get to be in the target age range!! What a special experience!) Specifically regarding River’s anticipatory nostalgia, I can see it being too much melodrama for some, and I found it a little repetitive I’ll admit, but I remember feeling that way throughout both middle and highschool, haha! Holy shit though, I love that the teenage experience isn’t romanticized. Mrs Cheng’s conversation with River (and the quote that came from it) was incredibly validating. River’s youth ticks some coming-of-age flick checkboxes, however, there’s still the suffocating feeling of still being young enough to have to live under your parent’s house and control, while you figure out yourself and your independence.
I agree with Laurel on this being a unique YA novel. I hope more people check it out. I hope this helps teens and can get in language arts curriculums one day. I definitely won’t be looking at Portuguese man o’ wars the same way.
(P.S., someone please make this into a film!! I’ll pay hundreds of dollars just to fly to wherever it plays.)
The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon
3.0
Well. I definitely liked “The Flicker” much more than this one, haha. (That was the book that got me to check out Edgmon’s backlist.) One of my book besties (hi, Alex) recommended me this and I feel like that one Dextor’s Laboratory audio of him crying at his locker and saying “I’m sorry, my mentor. I have failed you”.
Blah. I’ll preface this with that I read this on audio, narrated by the pretty cool Dani Martineck. I’m not used to listening to more than one audiobook by the same author within a month’s timeframe— I started this originally to ease some of my impatience around not having access to the Sir Callie book 1 audiobook, but then ended up finishing “The Witch King” not too long after the last 4 hours of Sir Callie. So if you’re wondering why I made a surface-level comparison between how those two deal with systemic oppression and monarchies… now you know, lol. I’ll include more bits of feedback on their narration throughout my review (I always do that), but I enjoyed the emotion they brought to the characters. Specifically, Tessa’s breakdown was one of my favorite parts, it sounded inconsolable in a way I haven’t heard from an audiobook before? Anyhow, I think my favoritism comes from Dani having a slightly less blunt-sounding “narrator voice” than others I’ve listened to (does anyone know what I mean lol??), but like, I think I’d have to listen to more clips of them talking out of character to know if that still stands.
(Also, the line from 18% in that says “He has no right to sound as angry as he does. I was fourteen, acne-riddled, and pissed at the whole world the last time he saw me.” made me laugh so FUCKING HARD, ESPECIALLY with how it was narrated, and I had to pause my audiobook for a moment)
Wyatt was an okay protagonist for me, he got hit with a bunch of development around 60% in, and while it was good, it also felt a little like whiplash. It’s probably just a me issue, though, that still happens at a relevant part of the plot and I was like, listening to a couple chapters to fall asleep, so. It was moreso the writing style that made me groan at some of his thoughts or dialogue. The 2020/2021 gay internet humor that I vividly remember seeing on reposted Tumblr screenshots is so dreadfully dated😭 I can’t quite tell if listening to the audiobook worsened or lessened the impact of the juvenileness. On one hand, sometimes the writing felt almost conversational, and I think it would’ve started to really grate on me if I’d only read it in text form. On the other, HEARING “little gay worm”, and some inconveniently timed thirsting, was agitating and a little embarrassing.
OH MY GOD SPEAKING OF IT BEING DATED I just remembered Gin saying “I’m what you may call a ‘theydy’” when talking about being a nonbinary lesbian😭PACK IT UP
(Did not help that the plot had some of my own icks, even if they were meant to be subverted. The Fated Mates thing, Wyatt trying to pretend he wasn’t in love with Emyr and so they have this sort-of-rivalry throughout that’s more pitiful than thrilling because the text reminds us several times that their dynamic only reached this point because of predetermined circumstances. I appreciate how the bioessentialism of the Fated Mates matching has to be dissected because of the protagonist literally being trans, but either the wording was repetitive or it was surface-level. Or both.)
I’m unsure what to think of the worldbuilding. Good lord though, I did not like how Asalin was established! There was so much worldbuilding done in the form of infodumping through flashbacks, and not only was this hellish to distinguish in auditory form, but this continued until the HALFWAY POINT? And anyhow, while I think H.E. Edgmon’s dedication to establishing a distinct culture for Asalin was super interesting, and I do love getting to read about fantasy food that isn’t basic (but still sounds delicious), the fairy world in general has a couple plot holes within how its kingdoms are distributed. In short: typical debut novel woes.
Another debut novel-typical issue I noticed was the pacing. There are entire chapters, particularly in that first half with the worldbuilding infodumps, where nothing will happen except for a lengthy plot-heavy conversation. Ugh.
Unsure how to feel about the other characters, but I did love Maritza and Paloma. They were fun, and I thought as much even before Wyatt did, plus their voices were nice to listen to. I can’t really think of any other favorites except for maybe Briar, she barely does anything wrong, the softness in some of her lines is narrated really well, and I was a little worried about how she was practically Wyatt’s rock, but she addresses that later on. (OMG!! the singsong “tell Emyr I say hello” was adorable. Silly and soft.) I was peeved by how unlikable Clarke was, but that’s much funnier after the ending.
And, of course, while I appreciate the moderately anarchist, “fuck the system because we can’t actually change it from the inside” allegory that’s barely an allegory (see: 2021 publication date), I didn’t think it was handled in a way meaningful enough to stick with me. Too many ideas were reiterated too many times.
Not sure if I’ll read the second book? If I do, it’ll likely be in physical form, but I’ll see how that prediction holds up.
Blah. I’ll preface this with that I read this on audio, narrated by the pretty cool Dani Martineck. I’m not used to listening to more than one audiobook by the same author within a month’s timeframe— I started this originally to ease some of my impatience around not having access to the Sir Callie book 1 audiobook, but then ended up finishing “The Witch King” not too long after the last 4 hours of Sir Callie. So if you’re wondering why I made a surface-level comparison between how those two deal with systemic oppression and monarchies… now you know, lol. I’ll include more bits of feedback on their narration throughout my review (I always do that), but I enjoyed the emotion they brought to the characters. Specifically, Tessa’s breakdown was one of my favorite parts, it sounded inconsolable in a way I haven’t heard from an audiobook before? Anyhow, I think my favoritism comes from Dani having a slightly less blunt-sounding “narrator voice” than others I’ve listened to (does anyone know what I mean lol??), but like, I think I’d have to listen to more clips of them talking out of character to know if that still stands.
(Also, the line from 18% in that says “He has no right to sound as angry as he does. I was fourteen, acne-riddled, and pissed at the whole world the last time he saw me.” made me laugh so FUCKING HARD, ESPECIALLY with how it was narrated, and I had to pause my audiobook for a moment)
Wyatt was an okay protagonist for me, he got hit with a bunch of development around 60% in, and while it was good, it also felt a little like whiplash. It’s probably just a me issue, though, that still happens at a relevant part of the plot and I was like, listening to a couple chapters to fall asleep, so. It was moreso the writing style that made me groan at some of his thoughts or dialogue. The 2020/2021 gay internet humor that I vividly remember seeing on reposted Tumblr screenshots is so dreadfully dated😭 I can’t quite tell if listening to the audiobook worsened or lessened the impact of the juvenileness. On one hand, sometimes the writing felt almost conversational, and I think it would’ve started to really grate on me if I’d only read it in text form. On the other, HEARING “little gay worm”, and some inconveniently timed thirsting, was agitating and a little embarrassing.
OH MY GOD SPEAKING OF IT BEING DATED I just remembered Gin saying “I’m what you may call a ‘theydy’” when talking about being a nonbinary lesbian😭PACK IT UP
(Did not help that the plot had some of my own icks, even if they were meant to be subverted. The Fated Mates thing, Wyatt trying to pretend he wasn’t in love with Emyr and so they have this sort-of-rivalry throughout that’s more pitiful than thrilling because the text reminds us several times that their dynamic only reached this point because of predetermined circumstances. I appreciate how the bioessentialism of the Fated Mates matching has to be dissected because of the protagonist literally being trans, but either the wording was repetitive or it was surface-level. Or both.)
I’m unsure what to think of the worldbuilding. Good lord though, I did not like how Asalin was established! There was so much worldbuilding done in the form of infodumping through flashbacks, and not only was this hellish to distinguish in auditory form, but this continued until the HALFWAY POINT? And anyhow, while I think H.E. Edgmon’s dedication to establishing a distinct culture for Asalin was super interesting, and I do love getting to read about fantasy food that isn’t basic (but still sounds delicious), the fairy world in general has a couple plot holes within how its kingdoms are distributed. In short: typical debut novel woes.
Another debut novel-typical issue I noticed was the pacing. There are entire chapters, particularly in that first half with the worldbuilding infodumps, where nothing will happen except for a lengthy plot-heavy conversation. Ugh.
Unsure how to feel about the other characters, but I did love Maritza and Paloma. They were fun, and I thought as much even before Wyatt did, plus their voices were nice to listen to. I can’t really think of any other favorites except for maybe Briar, she barely does anything wrong, the softness in some of her lines is narrated really well, and I was a little worried about how she was practically Wyatt’s rock, but she addresses that later on. (OMG!! the singsong “tell Emyr I say hello” was adorable. Silly and soft.) I was peeved by how unlikable Clarke was, but that’s much funnier after the ending.
And, of course, while I appreciate the moderately anarchist, “fuck the system because we can’t actually change it from the inside” allegory that’s barely an allegory (see: 2021 publication date), I didn’t think it was handled in a way meaningful enough to stick with me. Too many ideas were reiterated too many times.
Not sure if I’ll read the second book? If I do, it’ll likely be in physical form, but I’ll see how that prediction holds up.
The Brightness Between Us by Eliot Schrefer
4.0
A solid sequel, but it didn’t quite have the same impact as the first book. The twists weren’t as batshit, for starters. I think some of the chapters towards the end were a little too heavy with their allusions and references to the first book, and instead of them feeling like these full-circle emotional moments, they just felt tired. Like another Goodreads reviewer, I also lamented the lack of an older Kodiak and Ambrose POV: while the past timeline was an interesting way to psychoanalyze the characters, and Sheep was an adorable companion, I didn’t like having to relive the same development and maturity the two had in “The Darkness Outside Us”. Though, I do also understand keeping the focus on Yarrow and Owl to stick with the YA demographic. (Also in the words of that specific reviewer— “Unwarranted, but understandable.”) At least a couple of chapters, maybe in that last present-day portion where we flip-flop POVs, could’ve had that??
Still, I found Owl and Yarrow’s isolated lives, their desperation, and their existentialism around how to be human when they have no other role models besides their family, to be compelling. (But I liked Owl’s POV slightly more.) I just really wanted to know the inner workings of older Ambrose and Kodiak, since they have a lot of (sorta) unspoken questions about not just how to raise their kids but also the ethics of this fledgling civilization, and, like, how much of their kids’ worries are they aware of or do they think about? What about being the only model for romantic love that Yarrow and Owl will see in their lifetime?? What about the inherent grief in having Owl literally be made of the same genetic material as Ambrose’s sister??
As for the past timeline, while it was still very interesting, and all the events culminated in a predictable but still devastating end, I didn’t find the “newly introduced” (in quotations, because they’ve been mentioned before) characters to be that compelling. Seeing more of Sri was cool, though. Devon became a little annoying to me, only because the nuance in his character seemed to be lost after a certain plot twist.
Like its predecessor, though, I did enjoy the scientific aspects. Although this entire story is obviously a work of fiction, there’s still a commitment to making the science seem realistic, which is pretty rare for me to see in sci-fi. It’s smart, and a breath of fresh air.
It was also very interesting to see how OS shifted as a character in this book?? They were still blunt, and terrifying, but not as violent. (With the exception of one scene.) I think seeing their banter(?) with the kids was one of the highlights of the book.
Overall, this was a tense, but enjoyable, read. I completely understand if someone who read the first book only wants to stick with that one, though. It works as a standalone, and the writing of “The Brightness Between Us” doesn’t mesh with everyone.
Still, I found Owl and Yarrow’s isolated lives, their desperation, and their existentialism around how to be human when they have no other role models besides their family, to be compelling. (But I liked Owl’s POV slightly more.) I just really wanted to know the inner workings of older Ambrose and Kodiak, since they have a lot of (sorta) unspoken questions about not just how to raise their kids but also the ethics of this fledgling civilization, and, like, how much of their kids’ worries are they aware of or do they think about? What about being the only model for romantic love that Yarrow and Owl will see in their lifetime?? What about the inherent grief in having Owl literally be made of the same genetic material as Ambrose’s sister??
As for the past timeline, while it was still very interesting, and all the events culminated in a predictable but still devastating end, I didn’t find the “newly introduced” (in quotations, because they’ve been mentioned before) characters to be that compelling. Seeing more of Sri was cool, though. Devon became a little annoying to me, only because the nuance in his character seemed to be lost after a certain plot twist.
Like its predecessor, though, I did enjoy the scientific aspects. Although this entire story is obviously a work of fiction, there’s still a commitment to making the science seem realistic, which is pretty rare for me to see in sci-fi. It’s smart, and a breath of fresh air.
It was also very interesting to see how OS shifted as a character in this book?? They were still blunt, and terrifying, but not as violent. (With the exception of one scene.) I think seeing their banter(?) with the kids was one of the highlights of the book.
Overall, this was a tense, but enjoyable, read. I completely understand if someone who read the first book only wants to stick with that one, though. It works as a standalone, and the writing of “The Brightness Between Us” doesn’t mesh with everyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Sexual content, War
The Broposal by Sonora Reyes
3.0
(Merged review.)
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the eARC! I’ve been keeping up with Sonora Reyes’s books ever since their debut, and them writing a gay fake dating romance intrigued me. Don’t be fooled by the tropey premise, though— the issues front and center of Han and Kenny’s respective arcs give “The Broposal” too much gravity for it to call itself a rom-com—or, at least for me to do that, more like. (Even if it’s overall hopeful, and ends well.) Although, I feel some of the over-the-top writing present in the awkwardness of the romance (especially at the beginning) resulted in the tone wobbling on a tightrope line between lighthearted and emotional.
I was disappointed by how there was very little done with the idea of Han figuring out his “homophobia” towards Kenny was just jealousy. The crossed-out words in Han’s internal monologue made his (comedic) sexuality crisis too obvious a realization for it to be actually funny. It felt a little fanfic-reminiscent? I think in general, though, the first third or so of the book was awkward to read, the narrative was trying its damndest to ship the main characters together, and it was so obvious from some of the dialogue.
I thought the parts of the romance that involved Han and Kenny actually realizing they had romantic feelings (but were fumbling around it) were cute, though. (I think part of that also came from Han having to drop the “bro” out of every other sentence.) I appreciated the weekend rituals and casual moments they had with each other that fitted the kind of dynamic two long-time friends would have. I also enjoyed the inclusion of drag! That resulted in a really cute bonding moment, and in addition, the drag element (subplot?) was a neat way to introduce Leti, as well as show more of Kenny’s self-expression! But I didn’t like the miscommunication that made up a bulk of the plot. It was extremely frustrating to read— especially with a moment in the book where Jackie basically assaults Kenny but it NEVER gets properly called out as such, EVEN WHEN KENNY TELLS LETI WHAT HAPPENED?!?!
Speaking of Leti! I feel like their purpose as a character was literally just to drop in to offer advice or be like “NOW KISS”! (Not an exaggeration! In the slightest!) They barely have personality outside of that, and as much as I know they’re just one representation of a very common romance media trope, conceptually they were cool, and I was bummed as a nonbinary person who enjoys (and occasionally does) drag.
Branching out about side characters— of course I have to talk about the Caucasian elephant in the room, Jackie. I’m basically with every other reviewer on that she was cartoonishly evil. Like, her one personality trait was being manipulative. While I appreciate how Kenny was able to have these surprisingly realistic, conflicting feelings about a partner he was in denial about being abusive, and that his POV chapters can show why it’s so hard for someone to leave a toxic relationship, it was unfortunately wasted on an incredibly one-dimensional character.
But—making for a very clunky tone and topic change, how fitting— I did really enjoy the sex scenes. The kink elements were super light (appropriate, since Han’s never done anything kinky before) but I like the way Reyes writes consent, while keeping things a little hot and having these two (Han and Kenny, of course) being very sappily, incredibly in love with each other. Again! Fanfic-reminiscent! (Different connotation, this time.)
While my feelings are mixed, and my rating isn’t high, as always, Sonora Reyes has a compulsively readable writing style. I do hope that “The Broposal” means we can have more nuanced, mentally ill, casual queer representation in publishing, and I can see it easily finding its audience. (It already has, so.)
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the eARC! I’ve been keeping up with Sonora Reyes’s books ever since their debut, and them writing a gay fake dating romance intrigued me. Don’t be fooled by the tropey premise, though— the issues front and center of Han and Kenny’s respective arcs give “The Broposal” too much gravity for it to call itself a rom-com—or, at least for me to do that, more like. (Even if it’s overall hopeful, and ends well.) Although, I feel some of the over-the-top writing present in the awkwardness of the romance (especially at the beginning) resulted in the tone wobbling on a tightrope line between lighthearted and emotional.
I was disappointed by how there was very little done with the idea of Han figuring out his “homophobia” towards Kenny was just jealousy. The crossed-out words in Han’s internal monologue made his (comedic) sexuality crisis too obvious a realization for it to be actually funny. It felt a little fanfic-reminiscent? I think in general, though, the first third or so of the book was awkward to read, the narrative was trying its damndest to ship the main characters together, and it was so obvious from some of the dialogue.
I thought the parts of the romance that involved Han and Kenny actually realizing they had romantic feelings (but were fumbling around it) were cute, though. (I think part of that also came from Han having to drop the “bro” out of every other sentence.) I appreciated the weekend rituals and casual moments they had with each other that fitted the kind of dynamic two long-time friends would have. I also enjoyed the inclusion of drag! That resulted in a really cute bonding moment, and in addition, the drag element (subplot?) was a neat way to introduce Leti, as well as show more of Kenny’s self-expression! But I didn’t like the miscommunication that made up a bulk of the plot. It was extremely frustrating to read— especially with a moment in the book where Jackie basically assaults Kenny but it NEVER gets properly called out as such, EVEN WHEN KENNY TELLS LETI WHAT HAPPENED?!?!
Speaking of Leti! I feel like their purpose as a character was literally just to drop in to offer advice or be like “NOW KISS”! (Not an exaggeration! In the slightest!) They barely have personality outside of that, and as much as I know they’re just one representation of a very common romance media trope, conceptually they were cool, and I was bummed as a nonbinary person who enjoys (and occasionally does) drag.
Branching out about side characters— of course I have to talk about the Caucasian elephant in the room, Jackie. I’m basically with every other reviewer on that she was cartoonishly evil. Like, her one personality trait was being manipulative. While I appreciate how Kenny was able to have these surprisingly realistic, conflicting feelings about a partner he was in denial about being abusive, and that his POV chapters can show why it’s so hard for someone to leave a toxic relationship, it was unfortunately wasted on an incredibly one-dimensional character.
But—making for a very clunky tone and topic change, how fitting— I did really enjoy the sex scenes. The kink elements were super light (appropriate, since Han’s never done anything kinky before) but I like the way Reyes writes consent, while keeping things a little hot and having these two (Han and Kenny, of course) being very sappily, incredibly in love with each other. Again! Fanfic-reminiscent! (Different connotation, this time.)
While my feelings are mixed, and my rating isn’t high, as always, Sonora Reyes has a compulsively readable writing style. I do hope that “The Broposal” means we can have more nuanced, mentally ill, casual queer representation in publishing, and I can see it easily finding its audience. (It already has, so.)
Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith
(I am hoping that means that Edwyn and Willow are canonically queer!! That would add to the metaphor/allegory.)
Also, Elowen and Callie’s romance was very cute. I loved the longing, and the queerification of the brave knight + princess(/occasional damsel?) trope LOL. I do understand if some people think it fits a bit too well into heteronormativity (Callie being the more masculine one and putting on this heroic persona and whatnot), but I think they each had their moments of saving each other, in more than one definition of the word. Ugh, I wish it was a slow burn, though!! I’ve gotten into so many series but none so far where they canonize a romance in the second or third book. Can we bring that back in fantasy, please😭😭💔💔
AND!! BISEXUAL DAD, LETS GOOO!!! I feel like Papa was a little too perfect, but I liked his maturity. Some of his more snarky lines kind of feel like when you revisit a kids book as an adult and start realizing the unresolved ethics issues in it. (I think the main reason I liked those parts is because they reminded me of my own late dad, though.)
On the topic of dads, Lord Peran was a pretty good depiction of emotional abuse and how parents can manipulate their kids(biblically accurate fatherly guilt-tripping)(look. I never said Papa was the only dad in the book to sometimes remind me of my dad ok), but also, his evilness was so repetitive. It made him a very one-note character. Who am I to complain, though. Some kid readers probably need an on-the-nose personification of toxic behavior—without the morals or toxicity being muddied— being called out and exiled. But, I’m sure book 2 is gonna address Elowen and Edwyn’s complicated feelings about that.
Gonna be reading book 2, too. Hoping for more magic, Elowen to maybe take on that deal from the dragon because she was considering it for a little too long, and a lot of trauma.
4.0
Interesting allegory, decently twisty in the short period where the cursed forest was part of the plot, and the characters were fun, but this was surprisingly draining. I’m gonna blame the constant, plot-relevant transphobia for that.
While I feel a lot of these messages are important for kids to read, eventually it started to feel like therapy-speak (particularly with the two major “I can still love you and feel ___” discussions, which, in the case of the first one, I think a twelve year-old should’ve taken a couple more chapters, or maybe even a book??, to get to that conclusion), and I feel like the Big Emotional Discussions took up way more pages than the action. I am conflicted as to what to think of them, though? Because while they were long, and they were frequent enough to be a little annoying, they were also pretty plot relevant despite messing up the pacing. 🤔I’ll attribute that to this being a debut novel.
Also, regarding the boys being forbidden to use magic, and them being physically harmed into not using it anymore… did anyone else catch onto that being a conversion therapy allegory?? I mean, come on!:
While I feel a lot of these messages are important for kids to read, eventually it started to feel like therapy-speak (particularly with the two major “I can still love you and feel ___” discussions, which, in the case of the first one, I think a twelve year-old should’ve taken a couple more chapters, or maybe even a book??, to get to that conclusion), and I feel like the Big Emotional Discussions took up way more pages than the action. I am conflicted as to what to think of them, though? Because while they were long, and they were frequent enough to be a little annoying, they were also pretty plot relevant despite messing up the pacing. 🤔I’ll attribute that to this being a debut novel.
Also, regarding the boys being forbidden to use magic, and them being physically harmed into not using it anymore… did anyone else catch onto that being a conversion therapy allegory?? I mean, come on!:
- It perfectly fine for girls to have it, but not boys. In that case, it’s seen as a sign of personal failing or weakness. (heterosexuality vs gayness??)
- Peran intending to “purge” the magic from Edwyn by leaving him with no room to think about or focus on it?? Along with a couple other torturous methods and Edwyn + Willow being assumed to be “broken” bc of their magical ability.
- The only other main male magic user, Neal, IS GAY!
(I am hoping that means that Edwyn and Willow are canonically queer!! That would add to the metaphor/allegory.)
Also, Elowen and Callie’s romance was very cute. I loved the longing, and the queerification of the brave knight + princess(/occasional damsel?) trope LOL. I do understand if some people think it fits a bit too well into heteronormativity (Callie being the more masculine one and putting on this heroic persona and whatnot), but I think they each had their moments of saving each other, in more than one definition of the word. Ugh, I wish it was a slow burn, though!! I’ve gotten into so many series but none so far where they canonize a romance in the second or third book. Can we bring that back in fantasy, please😭😭💔💔
AND!! BISEXUAL DAD, LETS GOOO!!! I feel like Papa was a little too perfect, but I liked his maturity. Some of his more snarky lines kind of feel like when you revisit a kids book as an adult and start realizing the unresolved ethics issues in it. (I think the main reason I liked those parts is because they reminded me of my own late dad, though.)
On the topic of dads, Lord Peran was a pretty good depiction of emotional abuse and how parents can manipulate their kids(biblically accurate fatherly guilt-tripping)(look. I never said Papa was the only dad in the book to sometimes remind me of my dad ok), but also, his evilness was so repetitive. It made him a very one-note character. Who am I to complain, though. Some kid readers probably need an on-the-nose personification of toxic behavior—without the morals or toxicity being muddied— being called out and exiled. But, I’m sure book 2 is gonna address Elowen and Edwyn’s complicated feelings about that.
Gonna be reading book 2, too. Hoping for more magic, Elowen to maybe take on that deal from the dragon because she was considering it for a little too long, and a lot of trauma.
Tale of Three Ships by Darcia G. Laucerica
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
Was reading too many books and lost track of how much time I had on my loan, I can’t finish 300+ pages before 5pm tomorrow, my QLL account wasn’t working and neither was the verification link so I can’t even read it if I tried, and I’m about to cry. this seemed fun :(
D'Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins
3.0
Cute overall, but I wasn’t sold on the relationship beyond their sexual chemistry (good lord. Communication), and the writing style was a little cringy. The two smut scenes had some… interesting… euphemisms LOL. (Also, this book did the fanfiction thing where they described brown eyes as “chocolate orbs”, I had to put my copy down to giggle😭) Speaking of fanfiction, I was going to give an extra .5, but I do not think the Spanglish was proofread??
Would’ve been nice to see the contestants more? Only Tanisha popped in, and that was to try and stir a nonexistent love triangle. The reason I didn’t rate this low, though, is that the fluffiness and queer joy was enjoyable. I think the rapid acceleration and development of the main relationship, as well as the hijinks part of the plot, would make this great material for a movie adaptation. (Ideally not low budget, though, as much as I want to joke about this being Hallmark material but a smidge more scandalous.)
Would’ve been nice to see the contestants more? Only Tanisha popped in, and that was to try and stir a nonexistent love triangle. The reason I didn’t rate this low, though, is that the fluffiness and queer joy was enjoyable. I think the rapid acceleration and development of the main relationship, as well as the hijinks part of the plot, would make this great material for a movie adaptation. (Ideally not low budget, though, as much as I want to joke about this being Hallmark material but a smidge more scandalous.)
Holy Wild by Gwen Benaway
deleted my review. I don’t think the intricacies of someone’s craft matters when they somehow wrote an entire collection about anti-colonization while faking their race