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danielghurst's Reviews (422)
A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY by Brian D. Kennedy is the cutest lil romance there ever was! The setup is very clever with Emmett and Luke seemingly at odds when it comes to their goals and lifestyles, but the sparks fly anyway. Both main characters are kind-hearted and sympathetic, which has the reader rooting for both of them as individuals and as a couple. Meanwhile, they each have to do some self-discovery and face some hard truths. Both characters have compelling and believable journeys throughout the story, and the mysterious scandal surrounding Wanda Jean and Luke's grandmother adds a nice jolt of suspense.
I also loved the setting, which is pretty unique in the young adult literary space. The contrast between the glitzy Wanda World theme park and the natural beauty of the surrounding area and the grittiness of the dive bars and other such locales give the story a lot of variety and make the world of the book come to vibrant life. It also features some charming (and less-than-charming) side characters who are all fleshed out just enough to contribute to the world of the book but not take away from Emmett and Luke's love story.
A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY is absolutely adorable and a perfect summer read, especially for Pride month!
I also loved the setting, which is pretty unique in the young adult literary space. The contrast between the glitzy Wanda World theme park and the natural beauty of the surrounding area and the grittiness of the dive bars and other such locales give the story a lot of variety and make the world of the book come to vibrant life. It also features some charming (and less-than-charming) side characters who are all fleshed out just enough to contribute to the world of the book but not take away from Emmett and Luke's love story.
A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY is absolutely adorable and a perfect summer read, especially for Pride month!
SMALL TOWN PRIDE by Phil Stamper is the story of what happens when a middle schooler tries to throw a pride festival in his small town in Ohio. With help from his supportive parents and his best friend, Jake has to go up against the homophobic residents of his town to convince the mayor that she should allow the pride festival as a sign that their town is welcoming to all.
SMALL TOWN PRIDE is a fantastic middle grade debut from Phil Stamper, whose previous published works have all been in the young adult space. He makes the transition perfectly, as he really shines at making quiet stories feel important and personal. Jake's journey is full of ups and downs as he becomes more open about his identity and learns whom he can trust. His sweet friendship with Brett, the mayor's son, is also well done, as it develops into feelings that go beyond platonic. Brett's struggles with his own identity and his mother's expectations is compelling, as well.
The pacing is strong, and the the characters are charming. The story has its clear heroes and a few faceless villains, but most of the antagonistic forces exist in a gray area, where people are torn between the new and the familiar and their personal and professional loyalties. That's a big part of why this book is so interesting, but most importantly, it's a beacon of hope that young queer people so desperately need.
SMALL TOWN PRIDE is a fantastic middle grade debut from Phil Stamper, whose previous published works have all been in the young adult space. He makes the transition perfectly, as he really shines at making quiet stories feel important and personal. Jake's journey is full of ups and downs as he becomes more open about his identity and learns whom he can trust. His sweet friendship with Brett, the mayor's son, is also well done, as it develops into feelings that go beyond platonic. Brett's struggles with his own identity and his mother's expectations is compelling, as well.
The pacing is strong, and the the characters are charming. The story has its clear heroes and a few faceless villains, but most of the antagonistic forces exist in a gray area, where people are torn between the new and the familiar and their personal and professional loyalties. That's a big part of why this book is so interesting, but most importantly, it's a beacon of hope that young queer people so desperately need.
NEVER BEEN KISSED by Timothy Janovsky is a sweet new adult romcom and ode to classic cinema. Fresh out of undergrad, Wren Roland has been promoted to manager at the drive-in movie theatre in his hometown, where he's worked every summer for nearly a decade. Surprisingly, Derrick Haverford is also working there. Wren and Derrick have a history of unspoken, maybe-requited feelings and an almost kiss from their high school years. Combine those complicated emotions with Wren's quest to save the drive-in by screening of a lost classic by a reclusive director, and Wren is in for an unforgettable summer.
NEVER BEEN KISSED is full of quirky characters, classic film references, and all kinds of queerness. While it sticks to a standard plot structure and familiar tropes, it's the type of romcom the world needs in 2022. While Wren has already come out as gay, he has more to explore in his queer identity, which offers a refreshing perspective. As a result, readers who shy away from spicy scenes are in the clear, aside from a few innuendos. Some readers might connect deeply with the representation here, but overall this story reads as cute and breezy. A perfect beach read!
NEVER BEEN KISSED is full of quirky characters, classic film references, and all kinds of queerness. While it sticks to a standard plot structure and familiar tropes, it's the type of romcom the world needs in 2022. While Wren has already come out as gay, he has more to explore in his queer identity, which offers a refreshing perspective. As a result, readers who shy away from spicy scenes are in the clear, aside from a few innuendos. Some readers might connect deeply with the representation here, but overall this story reads as cute and breezy. A perfect beach read!
IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND by Robby Weber tells the story of a teenaged aspiring screenwriter, Harry, and his summer romances. Harry is spending the summer in his hometown of Citrus Grove, FL working on his super hero screenplay and trying to get over his first love, Grant, who ghosted him last summer. Surprisingly, Grant makes an unexpected reappearance, and while Harry wants to stay mad at him, he finds a more sympathetic Grant than he expected. On top of that, he meets a cute new boy, Logan, who's staying with family for the summer and seems interested. Harry quickly finds himself entangled with two boys, dealing with a tricky friendship, and questioning his own motivations. Is true love is even real? And if it is, does he deserve it?
While the book does get into some of the big questions that teenagers ask themselves during that period in their lives, this book is just as sweet and fluffy as the cover implies. It's filled with time spent at the beach and the pool and frolicking around a seaside town in Florida. Harry has ABBA dance parties with his little sisters and eats lots of pizza and ice cream and pastries with his two suitors. It contains a strong element of nostalgia, which is so familiar for teenagers. Even in the moment, teens are often aware of how quickly the end of their childhood is approaching and how much their lives are about to change as they prepare for college and ponder their potential careers. This is heightened by the way Harry and Grant reconnect with the help of a rose-tinted version of the prior summer. Meanwhile, the anticipation and fear of the future is captured in the way Harry and Logan know that their time together is fleeting.
If you want a classic romcom full of whimsy and wistfulness, you've come to the right place.
While the book does get into some of the big questions that teenagers ask themselves during that period in their lives, this book is just as sweet and fluffy as the cover implies. It's filled with time spent at the beach and the pool and frolicking around a seaside town in Florida. Harry has ABBA dance parties with his little sisters and eats lots of pizza and ice cream and pastries with his two suitors. It contains a strong element of nostalgia, which is so familiar for teenagers. Even in the moment, teens are often aware of how quickly the end of their childhood is approaching and how much their lives are about to change as they prepare for college and ponder their potential careers. This is heightened by the way Harry and Grant reconnect with the help of a rose-tinted version of the prior summer. Meanwhile, the anticipation and fear of the future is captured in the way Harry and Logan know that their time together is fleeting.
If you want a classic romcom full of whimsy and wistfulness, you've come to the right place.
Shaun David Hutchinson is a prolific young adult author who always creates layered, emotional, and quirky stories, and HOWL is no exception. The story kicks off with a bang with our main character, Virgil, arriving in town with his clothes and his back torn to shreds with claw marks and a story about a monster in the sprawl. But no one believes him. Throughout the story, Virgil deals with losing his connections to his old life in Seattle and a difficult transition to life in Merritt, Florida. His newness, his queerness, and his traumatic attack story make him an outcast, and he isn't sure who he can trust. His life is full of morally gray characters, who are described vividly and depicted believably. Hutchinson is masterful at showing how the people who love Virgil sometimes treat him poorly, or in a way he perceives as poorly, while those he has no reason to trust treat him kindly. Meanwhile, Virgil's internal struggle with his traumas, both those grounded in reality and those with a supernatural bent, is realistic and handled with care. That being the case, the story has moments of redundancy that might make it a less enjoyable read for some, while others will find it powerful and relatable. Readers of Hutchinson's work will find some similar themes and situations to previous works, most notably his memoir BRAVE FACE.
BLAINE FOR THE WIN by Robbie Couch is the gay, teen, Legally Blonde-inspired book we needed. High school junior and mural painter, Blaine, gets dumped by his hyper-successful senior boyfriend, Joey, on their one-year anniversary. The reason: Joey's parents insist he date someone more serious. Thus, Blaine decides to run for senior class president to win back Joey's heart, enlisting his best friends and a cute but prickly boy to help him with his campaign. Though he's running for all the wrong reasons, has no experience, and is pitted against the junior class's golden boy, Blaine might be just what his school needs and might just find what he really needs along the campaign trail. Told with a healthy dose of hilarity and heart, BLAINE FOR THE WIN is totally charming and a breezy, comforting read. The characters are vibrant, and the writing is snappy. Very cute!
VERY BAD PEOPLE by Kit Frick is the story of a teen girl named Calliope, who survived a horrible car accident in which her mother drove their car containing Calliope and her two sisters into a river. The sisters survived; Calliope's mother did not. And no one knows what caused the accident. Six years later, Calliope transfers to the boarding school her mother attended and gets inducted into a secret society, Haunt and Rail, that advocates for social justice on campus. Then Calliope makes some connections between Haunt and Rail and her mother's mysterious death and begins to question the methods and motivations of Haunt and Rail. Soon, she doesn't know who she can trust and who could be in danger.
VERY BAD PEOPLE has a captivating premise that manages to carry the reader through to its conclusion. The Haunt and Rail idea is clever in the way it brings up questions about the distinction between lawful and moral and the methods and motivations people use to achieve what they see as justice.
VERY BAD PEOPLE has a captivating premise that manages to carry the reader through to its conclusion. The Haunt and Rail idea is clever in the way it brings up questions about the distinction between lawful and moral and the methods and motivations people use to achieve what they see as justice.
SO THIS IS EVER AFTER is at the intersection of teen romcom, coming of age, and loving parody of high fantasy and chosen one stories. When peasant-turned-chosen one, Arek, and his band of misfits defeat The Vile One, ending his reign of terror over their kingdom, the work has only just begun. Not only does Arek, as the newly crowned king, have a kingdom to run, but magical law says he must find a marriage partner within three months or die. Arek only has eyes for his childhood best friend and mage, Matt, but without knowing how Matt feels about him and unwilling to force his friend into an unwanted marriage to save Arek's life, Arek must find another partner, no matter how much it hurts.
This book is sweet, funny, clever, and agonizing in the best way. The fantasy world is charming in that it's familiar enough--a medieval-type universe with magic--that we don't waste too much time going into detail. The workings are revealed as the plot progresses, while the characters and plot remain front and center. Speaking of characters, each main character fits into a familiar archetype while having individual arcs and hidden depths. The banter of Arek and his crew is always witty and affectionate, and I love that the author has created a world in which every character's sexuality is unconfined to any particular gender. The story is well-paced and told with perfect clarity and plenty of heart. It's perfect leisure reading!
This book is sweet, funny, clever, and agonizing in the best way. The fantasy world is charming in that it's familiar enough--a medieval-type universe with magic--that we don't waste too much time going into detail. The workings are revealed as the plot progresses, while the characters and plot remain front and center. Speaking of characters, each main character fits into a familiar archetype while having individual arcs and hidden depths. The banter of Arek and his crew is always witty and affectionate, and I love that the author has created a world in which every character's sexuality is unconfined to any particular gender. The story is well-paced and told with perfect clarity and plenty of heart. It's perfect leisure reading!
I KISSED SHARA WHEELER by Casey McQuiston is an absolute dream of a YA romcom. High school senior and IT girl, Shara Wheeler, has disappeared, but not before kissing her academic rival, Chloe, and the boy who loves her from afar, Rory. Before long, Chloe and Rory team up with each other and with Shara's boyfriend, Smith, to follow a trail of notes she's left behind in hopes of tracking her down. Along their scavenger hunt, they question their relationships with Shara, with each other, and with their town and school, as well as their own identities.
Casey McQuiston writes consistently snappy prose full of wit and charm, which makes the book a joy to read from start to finish. Below the surface of this fluffy teen romcom, though, is a deep dive into the experience of being queer in a small southern town and a private school. When the three main characters from different social circles team up to find Shara, they question what rules enforce the social divide, which leads them to ask the bigger questions about why their school and their town have such a clear hierarchy. In short, they set out to upset the status quo.
While the whole premise of the story requires a willing suspension of disbelief, it sets the scene for a rollicking high school adventure, where we can believe that teenagers can climb ladders to each other's bedroom windows and sneak around in the air ducts at their school, and disappear entirely without suffering any real consequences. Ultimately, with a story this fun and characters this endearing, it's best not to question the plausibility of the story. Just get lost in it!
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Natalie Nadus, is excellent.
My only question is, when are we getting a spin-off featuring the two characters involved in the secondary romance??
Casey McQuiston writes consistently snappy prose full of wit and charm, which makes the book a joy to read from start to finish. Below the surface of this fluffy teen romcom, though, is a deep dive into the experience of being queer in a small southern town and a private school. When the three main characters from different social circles team up to find Shara, they question what rules enforce the social divide, which leads them to ask the bigger questions about why their school and their town have such a clear hierarchy. In short, they set out to upset the status quo.
While the whole premise of the story requires a willing suspension of disbelief, it sets the scene for a rollicking high school adventure, where we can believe that teenagers can climb ladders to each other's bedroom windows and sneak around in the air ducts at their school, and disappear entirely without suffering any real consequences. Ultimately, with a story this fun and characters this endearing, it's best not to question the plausibility of the story. Just get lost in it!
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Natalie Nadus, is excellent.
My only question is, when are we getting a spin-off featuring the two characters involved in the secondary romance??