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thebooknerdscorner's reviews
1459 reviews
A slavic inspired fantasy where a young woman is sacrificed to the mythical Leshy in order to bring peace to her suffering village.
Leena's village is starving and people are going missing. Some say that it is the work of the dangerous monster that lurks in the woods that the townspeople call the Leshy. Abused and longing for more, Leena agrees to be given to the Leshy in hopes of appeasing his insatiable hunger and saving her beloved grandmother. Upon entering the woods, Leena expects to be greeted by nothing more than ominous trees. But as it turns out, the Leshy is real, and he wants Leena in a way that no one has ever wanted her before. Leena is forced into a relationship with the beast, but she is trying her hardest to resist his advances and keep her mind centered on saving her village. As time passes, Leena finds herself more and more drawn to Bratan. He has her in his clutches. . . and that scares Leena more than anything else.
Unfortunately, this book does a great job of exhibiting pretty much all the qualities that I really dislike in a book. The characters are shallow, the dialogue is repetitive, the writing struggles in several aspects, and the book is overall much too steamy for me. Also, I have been oversaturated in books where young girls are sacrificed to appease some god/creature as of late.
This book gives off serious "Beauty and the Beast" and "Little Red Riding Hood" vibes, so it reminded me greatly of Hannah Whitten's "Wilderwood" series. I wasn't a fan of that series either, so this was not a good thing for me (especially because I read it earlier this month).
I haven't encountered the fated mates trope before this book, and I can say with certainty that it is not one that I like all that much. I am not a fan of instalove, and fated mates takes that trope to another level. I am more of a slow burn fan, so Leena and Bratan's relationship moved way too fast for me to get behind.
What this book lacks in plot, it makes up for in sex scenes. At least half of this book has to be made up of Leena and Bratan pleasuring each other or lusting after one another. I personally prefer my romances closed door, so this wasn't to my particular liking. Also, it held back the main plot from occurring until about the eighty percent mark of the book. By that point, I was far past the point of caring.
Overall, "A Whisper in the Woods" is a prime example of a book I dislike. From its shallow characters, to its boring dialogue, to its overreliance on sex scenes, I was not enthused in any way. At the best of times, I would have disliked this book immensely. After reading it so close to a similar book that I also disliked? This book had me worn out and waiting for it to end. I'm sure that lovers of spicy romantasies may get a kick out of this book, but I certainly didn't enjoy my time with it at all.
A riveting ghost story for the modern era in which vengeful ghosts are attacking people via the internet.
Teresa has become a bit of an agoraphobe after the tragic car accident that killed her best friend. Now, Teresa lives within the comfort of the four walls of her room and finds solace in all things streaming. Whether she's having a chill day with her chat, collabing with her friends, or watching her favorite streamers, the internet is the only place that she truly feels safe. That is, until the fateful date that Brick, a popular streamer, gets attacked by a mysterious figure. Nothing is as it seems as Teresa works to unravel the mystery of what actually happened to Brick and hopefully gain some new subscribers along the way.
I've never read a horror novel that dives deeply into the intricacies of the internet and uses it as a powerful weapon. I personally love consuming content from some of my favorite streamers, so it was neat seeing this world brought to life in this format. The very idea of our internet personas taking on a life of their own is an insanely creepy idea, and I truly ate up this book.
This book indeed highlights the bad sides of technology and how it can easily be used to hurt others. On the other hand, it also does a great job of showcasing how the internet can also bring us together for the better. The online world that we are all learning to inhabit in this day in age is filled with both good and evil, which I feel this book represents very astutely.
The narration style in this book is spot on. It is told in a mix media format that includes transcripts of streams, Discord servers, text messages, forums, and other creative content. This not only makes it a quick read, but also one that is diverse in its narrative storytelling. The narration of the prose in this book is also super eerie due to the fact it is told in an omniscient third person, making the narrator seem like a stalker. More details on this are revealed as the story progresses, but man didit make my hair stand on end.
The first half of this book really had me trying to unravel all that was happening. After a while, it all became clear, but this book still had me invested until the very last page. I was really rooting for Teresa to overcome her severe anxiety and paranoia and see how she would take down the big baddie in the end.
Speaking of Teresa's agoraphobia, I found her anxiety, panic attacks, and severe paranoia to be very relatable. I am a worrywart that is constantly stressing about things I can't control, and I definitely understand the fear that comes with anxiety attacks. Luckily, I am not as anxious as she is when it comes to leaving the house, but don't I know that it can still be hard to face the outside world on many occasions, especially if social interactions are required.
As a complete random note, I was not expecting this book to have two of my least favorite types of horror: bug horror and eyeball horror. If you know, you know. Just thought I would throw this in here, because I was totally not ready for it and was a tad confused why either event was happening.
Overall, "Deadstream" is a modern paranormal thriller that plays with the dark side of the internet and the vengefulness that is often not suppressed online. I enjoyed following Teresa's journey, especially watching her learn to cope with her anxiety, paranoia, and grief. This book did a great job of building suspense; there are many moments that my stomach filled with dread due to the fact I suspected what was coming and I was not excited for it. A quick paced cyber-thriller that many teens today can relate to. I would definitely recommend checking this one out, especially if you are interested in the world of influencing.
Teresa has become a bit of an agoraphobe after the tragic car accident that killed her best friend. Now, Teresa lives within the comfort of the four walls of her room and finds solace in all things streaming. Whether she's having a chill day with her chat, collabing with her friends, or watching her favorite streamers, the internet is the only place that she truly feels safe. That is, until the fateful date that Brick, a popular streamer, gets attacked by a mysterious figure. Nothing is as it seems as Teresa works to unravel the mystery of what actually happened to Brick and hopefully gain some new subscribers along the way.
I've never read a horror novel that dives deeply into the intricacies of the internet and uses it as a powerful weapon. I personally love consuming content from some of my favorite streamers, so it was neat seeing this world brought to life in this format. The very idea of our internet personas taking on a life of their own is an insanely creepy idea, and I truly ate up this book.
This book indeed highlights the bad sides of technology and how it can easily be used to hurt others. On the other hand, it also does a great job of showcasing how the internet can also bring us together for the better. The online world that we are all learning to inhabit in this day in age is filled with both good and evil, which I feel this book represents very astutely.
The narration style in this book is spot on. It is told in a mix media format that includes transcripts of streams, Discord servers, text messages, forums, and other creative content. This not only makes it a quick read, but also one that is diverse in its narrative storytelling. The narration of the prose in this book is also super eerie due to the fact it is told in an omniscient third person, making the narrator seem like a stalker. More details on this are revealed as the story progresses, but man didit make my hair stand on end.
The first half of this book really had me trying to unravel all that was happening. After a while, it all became clear, but this book still had me invested until the very last page. I was really rooting for Teresa to overcome her severe anxiety and paranoia and see how she would take down the big baddie in the end.
Speaking of Teresa's agoraphobia, I found her anxiety, panic attacks, and severe paranoia to be very relatable. I am a worrywart that is constantly stressing about things I can't control, and I definitely understand the fear that comes with anxiety attacks. Luckily, I am not as anxious as she is when it comes to leaving the house, but don't I know that it can still be hard to face the outside world on many occasions, especially if social interactions are required.
As a complete random note, I was not expecting this book to have two of my least favorite types of horror: bug horror and eyeball horror. If you know, you know. Just thought I would throw this in here, because I was totally not ready for it and was a tad confused why either event was happening.
Overall, "Deadstream" is a modern paranormal thriller that plays with the dark side of the internet and the vengefulness that is often not suppressed online. I enjoyed following Teresa's journey, especially watching her learn to cope with her anxiety, paranoia, and grief. This book did a great job of building suspense; there are many moments that my stomach filled with dread due to the fact I suspected what was coming and I was not excited for it. A quick paced cyber-thriller that many teens today can relate to. I would definitely recommend checking this one out, especially if you are interested in the world of influencing.
Three nerds of varying types go to the convention of their dreams, only to find their hopes shattered and their hearts hurting due to unfortunate circumstances they never could have seen coming.
Phoebe Byrd is a percussionist and she's ready to slay during her solo and ensemble events. Vanessa Montoya-O'Callaghan is a fanfic writer who finally gets to meet her online co-author and girlfriend Soleil for the very first time. Callie Buchannan isn't the most passionate about her gig as an amateur taxidermist, but she's ready to spend some quality time with her dad. The three girls are prepared to have the week of their lives celebrating the things that they love most. That is, until all three of them find themselves in sticky situations that have them wishing that they were anywhere but stuck in a massive convention center for days on end. That is, until Phoebe, Vanessa, and Callie all run into one another and craft the perfect plan to help all of them before the con is done.
Upon seeing the cover of this book, it was hard to think that this book was going to be anything but a cheesy mess that highlights nerd culture at its finest. I must say, this book wad filled to the brim with the nerdiest things such as hardcore musicianship, podcasts, Harry Potter, and fanfics written about other fanfics. I loved seeing all of these nerdy activities coexisting at the same time; I love how humanity holds such strong passions about the strangest things (even stuffed dead animals).
Unfortunately, his book was a little too filled with teenage drama for me to truly find much enjoyment. All three girls found themselves in some pretty messy situations created by their own accords, and I couldn't help but keep thinking that they kept digging themselves deeper into their messes rather than trying to do anything to fix any of their personal problems. It didn't help that all three of the girls had similar problems when it came down to the essence of them (making rash decisions and refusing to communicate with people). This had me a tad frustrated, especially throughout the beginning portion of this novel.
I did really like the final third of this book in which the three girls come together to assemble a special project and help each other reconcile their problems in the process. It is great that the three of them could compile their talents to come up with a great stellar project (even if it couldn't beat gay Harry Potter fanworks). Seeing these three girls talk out their issues with their friends, crushes, and family members was pretty rewarding, even if many of the choices that got them to that point were rather foolish.
Each character was written by a different author, and I must say, their style blend very well with one another. It is cool that they collaborated with one another on this book so that each segment and passion was more authentic than if one author would have done research on their own. For a book that was written by three different authors, it flows quite splendidly and has a really cohesive message.
There were several things I was completely thrown off by (like the inclusion of the toddler beauty pageant), but for the most part, this book was a fun look into the lives of different people and the passions they all cherish. As a self-certified nerd, it was fun seeing likeminded people contained within the pages of this book.
Overall, "The Pros of Cons" was a book filled with charming nerdiness that really embraces the spirit of creativity. The book was filled with a tad too much teenage drama for me to fall in love with it, but I did really like essence that this book captures. I haven't read too many books that surround topics as nerdy as cons and fanfic, so I still enjoyed my time with this one despite its weaknesses. I applaud how well the co-writing in this book is done and how effortlessly it is strung together. This is definitely a book that celebrates those who call themselves part of a fandom and for those whose hobbies often consume their lives in more ways than one.
Phoebe Byrd is a percussionist and she's ready to slay during her solo and ensemble events. Vanessa Montoya-O'Callaghan is a fanfic writer who finally gets to meet her online co-author and girlfriend Soleil for the very first time. Callie Buchannan isn't the most passionate about her gig as an amateur taxidermist, but she's ready to spend some quality time with her dad. The three girls are prepared to have the week of their lives celebrating the things that they love most. That is, until all three of them find themselves in sticky situations that have them wishing that they were anywhere but stuck in a massive convention center for days on end. That is, until Phoebe, Vanessa, and Callie all run into one another and craft the perfect plan to help all of them before the con is done.
Upon seeing the cover of this book, it was hard to think that this book was going to be anything but a cheesy mess that highlights nerd culture at its finest. I must say, this book wad filled to the brim with the nerdiest things such as hardcore musicianship, podcasts, Harry Potter, and fanfics written about other fanfics. I loved seeing all of these nerdy activities coexisting at the same time; I love how humanity holds such strong passions about the strangest things (even stuffed dead animals).
Unfortunately, his book was a little too filled with teenage drama for me to truly find much enjoyment. All three girls found themselves in some pretty messy situations created by their own accords, and I couldn't help but keep thinking that they kept digging themselves deeper into their messes rather than trying to do anything to fix any of their personal problems. It didn't help that all three of the girls had similar problems when it came down to the essence of them (making rash decisions and refusing to communicate with people). This had me a tad frustrated, especially throughout the beginning portion of this novel.
I did really like the final third of this book in which the three girls come together to assemble a special project and help each other reconcile their problems in the process. It is great that the three of them could compile their talents to come up with a great stellar project (even if it couldn't beat gay Harry Potter fanworks). Seeing these three girls talk out their issues with their friends, crushes, and family members was pretty rewarding, even if many of the choices that got them to that point were rather foolish.
Each character was written by a different author, and I must say, their style blend very well with one another. It is cool that they collaborated with one another on this book so that each segment and passion was more authentic than if one author would have done research on their own. For a book that was written by three different authors, it flows quite splendidly and has a really cohesive message.
There were several things I was completely thrown off by (like the inclusion of the toddler beauty pageant), but for the most part, this book was a fun look into the lives of different people and the passions they all cherish. As a self-certified nerd, it was fun seeing likeminded people contained within the pages of this book.
Overall, "The Pros of Cons" was a book filled with charming nerdiness that really embraces the spirit of creativity. The book was filled with a tad too much teenage drama for me to fall in love with it, but I did really like essence that this book captures. I haven't read too many books that surround topics as nerdy as cons and fanfic, so I still enjoyed my time with this one despite its weaknesses. I applaud how well the co-writing in this book is done and how effortlessly it is strung together. This is definitely a book that celebrates those who call themselves part of a fandom and for those whose hobbies often consume their lives in more ways than one.
A romantic romp featuring a Canadian boy band at its heart that takes a deep dive into how the media forces expectations on people whether they want them or not.
Hunter figured that his life would end up being far from normal. As a gifted hockey player, he imagined that he'd someday go pro. After a tragic accident ends his sports career, he finds himself taking a different path to stardom: that of being part of an elite boy band by the name of Kiss & Tell. On his first American tour with his four best friends, life couldn't possibly be better. Except that he just had a public breakup with his former best friend and boyfriend, Adrian. As the only gay member of Kiss & Tell, Hunter feels as though he must act as the perfect queer icon, even if it means burying his true self. Adrian makes it hard though when he leaks a series of incriminating messages that showcase the boys' intimate relationship with the world. Now forced to reconcile with the consequences, Hunter finds himself becoming someone he no longer recognizes. Is it worth losing himself to be the queer icon that the Label wants him to be?
I love how this book tackles so many different topics head on and in a very authentic way. One of my favorites is how this book showcases how anyone who lives in the public eye feels an overwhelming amount of expectation to be perfect, fit the mold that society wants them to fill, and cut out all the pieces of themselves that aren't jiving with their fanbase. I feel that anyone who is presenting themself in any way online or in the media feels these burdens and I think this book did a great job of exhibiting this. The news articles, social media posts, blog articles, and other excerpts between chapters truly brought to life the face of the media and how easily things get distorted despite people's best efforts.
Another thing I love about this book is how it embraces queer sex positivity. Teen sex viewed in a positive light is something that can often be hard to find in literature in general, so it is even less common to find books that showcase sex between members of the LGBTQIA+ community in a glowing manner. Yes, this book deals with the media stereotyping and criticizing Hunter on every decision that he makes romantically and sexually, but the author puts up a great fight to show that teenagers indeed have healthy, consenting sex, even queer ones. I think many people in this day in age are still very put off when it comes to homosexuality, so I think facing these concerns head on can do great things for those who are questioning humanities differences and validate many others simultaneously. This book also does a great job of addressing imposter syndrome, racism, stereotyping people, and homophobia in general. So yeah, many great lessons to dive into in this novel.
Unfortunately, despite all the positive messages that I adore, there were many things about this book that were pretty mediocre for me. Firstly, I had a hard time connecting to most of the characters, which made it very hard for me to distinguish the characters from one another. The only people that I really felt like I knew anything about was Hunter, the twins Adrian and Ashton, and Ethan (the jokester of the group). This made it a tad difficult to be truly moved by much of this story, but I'm sure many readers felt more connected. Secondly, I found Kaivan to be a rather icky character. Being the love interest, it made it hard for me to feel connected to the main romance that was going on in this book. I just never found myself trusting the guy and I knew that he was going to treat Hunter awfully in the end. I wasn't looking forward to reading that train wreck, so I got very little good vibes from this guy.
Some scenes in this book were so hard to read, because some people can just be so awful, especially when they can hide behind a username and a profile pic of a cat. My heart goes out to anyone who is bullied, shown prejudice, harassed, and treated as lesser for just trying to be their authentic selves. People need to get over themselves and realize that the world doesn't revolve around them.
Overall, "Kiss & Tell" was a book that overflows with positive messages about being authentic, supporting the LGBTQIA+ community (and other diverse groups), and sex positivity. I didn't love the romantic elements and I didn't find myself attached to many of the characters, but I still find myself appreciating all that this book set out to do.
Hunter figured that his life would end up being far from normal. As a gifted hockey player, he imagined that he'd someday go pro. After a tragic accident ends his sports career, he finds himself taking a different path to stardom: that of being part of an elite boy band by the name of Kiss & Tell. On his first American tour with his four best friends, life couldn't possibly be better. Except that he just had a public breakup with his former best friend and boyfriend, Adrian. As the only gay member of Kiss & Tell, Hunter feels as though he must act as the perfect queer icon, even if it means burying his true self. Adrian makes it hard though when he leaks a series of incriminating messages that showcase the boys' intimate relationship with the world. Now forced to reconcile with the consequences, Hunter finds himself becoming someone he no longer recognizes. Is it worth losing himself to be the queer icon that the Label wants him to be?
I love how this book tackles so many different topics head on and in a very authentic way. One of my favorites is how this book showcases how anyone who lives in the public eye feels an overwhelming amount of expectation to be perfect, fit the mold that society wants them to fill, and cut out all the pieces of themselves that aren't jiving with their fanbase. I feel that anyone who is presenting themself in any way online or in the media feels these burdens and I think this book did a great job of exhibiting this. The news articles, social media posts, blog articles, and other excerpts between chapters truly brought to life the face of the media and how easily things get distorted despite people's best efforts.
Another thing I love about this book is how it embraces queer sex positivity. Teen sex viewed in a positive light is something that can often be hard to find in literature in general, so it is even less common to find books that showcase sex between members of the LGBTQIA+ community in a glowing manner. Yes, this book deals with the media stereotyping and criticizing Hunter on every decision that he makes romantically and sexually, but the author puts up a great fight to show that teenagers indeed have healthy, consenting sex, even queer ones. I think many people in this day in age are still very put off when it comes to homosexuality, so I think facing these concerns head on can do great things for those who are questioning humanities differences and validate many others simultaneously. This book also does a great job of addressing imposter syndrome, racism, stereotyping people, and homophobia in general. So yeah, many great lessons to dive into in this novel.
Unfortunately, despite all the positive messages that I adore, there were many things about this book that were pretty mediocre for me. Firstly, I had a hard time connecting to most of the characters, which made it very hard for me to distinguish the characters from one another. The only people that I really felt like I knew anything about was Hunter, the twins Adrian and Ashton, and Ethan (the jokester of the group). This made it a tad difficult to be truly moved by much of this story, but I'm sure many readers felt more connected. Secondly, I found Kaivan to be a rather icky character. Being the love interest, it made it hard for me to feel connected to the main romance that was going on in this book. I just never found myself trusting the guy and I knew that he was going to treat Hunter awfully in the end. I wasn't looking forward to reading that train wreck, so I got very little good vibes from this guy.
Some scenes in this book were so hard to read, because some people can just be so awful, especially when they can hide behind a username and a profile pic of a cat. My heart goes out to anyone who is bullied, shown prejudice, harassed, and treated as lesser for just trying to be their authentic selves. People need to get over themselves and realize that the world doesn't revolve around them.
Overall, "Kiss & Tell" was a book that overflows with positive messages about being authentic, supporting the LGBTQIA+ community (and other diverse groups), and sex positivity. I didn't love the romantic elements and I didn't find myself attached to many of the characters, but I still find myself appreciating all that this book set out to do.
A funny middle grade tale of a young rapper who will do anything in his power to save his family's home.
Thirteen-year-old Shaun (aka Growls) is known for dropping a beat and rapping his heart out on the fly. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the way to his crush's heart. Tanisha may not like his bars, but at least he has his best friend Shanks on his side. That is, until Growls goes live while he and Shanks are practicing their raps and they become the laughingstock of the school. Now, Shanks is missing in action, and Growls finds himself utterly alone until he meets the new girl on the block, Siobhan. Life feels a little less lonely, but how is Growls supposed to win the rap contest without his best friend by his side?
If I would have only read the first twenty percent of this book, I would have hated it immensely. Growls didn't really make that great of an impression in the first part of this book and his wordplay was a bit hard to palate. Luckily, I got used to this as the book progressed and I ended up finding his cringe wordplay to be quite endearing. This book also reminded me how much slang changes in such a short period of time. I've always been bad at keeping up with trends, but so much of these words meant absolutely nothing to me. The author did me a great service by including a glossary in the back that gave a thorough explanation of what everything meant and examples of how the words would be used in a sentence. This will be especially useful as this book ages.
I thought that this book was going to be shallow due to its lighthearted nature and the small brain power of the main character. However, this book actually has quite a bit of depth. Growls, Shanks, and Siobhan are all going through some things mentally, physically, and financially that most children are blessed to not have to ever think about in their youth. This doesn't mean that they aren't happy kids with dreams and aspirations of their own, but they certainly have more stressors than the average kid.
Not all aspects of this book one hundred percent check out, but I'm not going to be overly critical of it because this book provided me with a great time. I often found myself laughing uncontrollably at the weird things that Growls says and the not so bright decisions that he thinks are works of art. I'm not sure how he is aware of who Guy Fawkes is but doesn't understand who Queen Elizabeth is, but hey, kids pick up on obscure facts and are completely oblivious to other things. The figurative writing in this book is totally out there, which I found to be quite fun. Seriously, this book has one of my favorite similes of all time contained within it that compares things to Pokémon in a very creative way that also perfectly portrayed the situation.
Overall, I ended up really enjoying "Dropping Beats." It took a bit of time for the writing style, the wordplay, and the characters to grow on me, but I ended up finding it really enjoyable in the end. This book is quite comical while also highlighting on issues that many kids may be experiencing themselves. I appreciate how it portrays people who live "on the block" in such a positive light; kids are really just kids no matter the situation or the living conditions. The figurative language was quite expressive in such a unique way that I've never seen anything close to. I can see why many people would give up on this book in the first few chapters, but I found that sticking with it was quite rewarding.
Thirteen-year-old Shaun (aka Growls) is known for dropping a beat and rapping his heart out on the fly. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the way to his crush's heart. Tanisha may not like his bars, but at least he has his best friend Shanks on his side. That is, until Growls goes live while he and Shanks are practicing their raps and they become the laughingstock of the school. Now, Shanks is missing in action, and Growls finds himself utterly alone until he meets the new girl on the block, Siobhan. Life feels a little less lonely, but how is Growls supposed to win the rap contest without his best friend by his side?
If I would have only read the first twenty percent of this book, I would have hated it immensely. Growls didn't really make that great of an impression in the first part of this book and his wordplay was a bit hard to palate. Luckily, I got used to this as the book progressed and I ended up finding his cringe wordplay to be quite endearing. This book also reminded me how much slang changes in such a short period of time. I've always been bad at keeping up with trends, but so much of these words meant absolutely nothing to me. The author did me a great service by including a glossary in the back that gave a thorough explanation of what everything meant and examples of how the words would be used in a sentence. This will be especially useful as this book ages.
I thought that this book was going to be shallow due to its lighthearted nature and the small brain power of the main character. However, this book actually has quite a bit of depth. Growls, Shanks, and Siobhan are all going through some things mentally, physically, and financially that most children are blessed to not have to ever think about in their youth. This doesn't mean that they aren't happy kids with dreams and aspirations of their own, but they certainly have more stressors than the average kid.
Not all aspects of this book one hundred percent check out, but I'm not going to be overly critical of it because this book provided me with a great time. I often found myself laughing uncontrollably at the weird things that Growls says and the not so bright decisions that he thinks are works of art. I'm not sure how he is aware of who Guy Fawkes is but doesn't understand who Queen Elizabeth is, but hey, kids pick up on obscure facts and are completely oblivious to other things. The figurative writing in this book is totally out there, which I found to be quite fun. Seriously, this book has one of my favorite similes of all time contained within it that compares things to Pokémon in a very creative way that also perfectly portrayed the situation.
Overall, I ended up really enjoying "Dropping Beats." It took a bit of time for the writing style, the wordplay, and the characters to grow on me, but I ended up finding it really enjoyable in the end. This book is quite comical while also highlighting on issues that many kids may be experiencing themselves. I appreciate how it portrays people who live "on the block" in such a positive light; kids are really just kids no matter the situation or the living conditions. The figurative language was quite expressive in such a unique way that I've never seen anything close to. I can see why many people would give up on this book in the first few chapters, but I found that sticking with it was quite rewarding.
A cute middle grade graphic novel that falls in the same vein of fantasy as "The Tea Dragon Society" books.
Juniper and Hadley live quiet lives as interns at Larkspur's local bakery. One day, a little excitement comes knocking when a mysterious person orders a special order of baked goods. These treats require a rare ingredient that can't be found in Larkspur. In order to make this request, Juniper and Hadley set out on a quest to find the mushrooms and make the requested pastries.
I have been looking forward to reading "The Baker and the Bard" for quite some time now. I thought that this book was a YA romance going into it, but it is in fact a brief story of two friends who work together to accomplish their objective. It saddens me that this book is marketed incorrectly, because it means that many middle graders who would eat this book up are going to miss out on it. As a middle grade story, this book is a solid read. It literally reads like the cousin to "The Tea Dragon Society" with very similar themes, LGBTQIA+ characters, and art styles.
Hadley was my favorite part of this story. They are a bit stereotypical in some ways, but I enjoyed how antsy they are and how they go looking for adventure. Their snake companion Fern is also quite cute. Their matching detective hats were definitely one of this book's highlights for me.
Unfortunately, this book doesn't have that much depth, and it reads pretty much like a glorified picture book. The art is cute and the vibe is cozy, but it felt like the story was over in a matter of minutes before I even had a chance to get attached to anything.
Overall, "The Baker and the Bard" is a short fantasy graphic novel that is cute and cozy. It may not have much depth, but it is pretty adorable for what it is. I didn't find myself attached to much in this book, but there were still many moments that made me smile. This plot and world have potential, so I would be willing to see what Haught comes up with next despite the fact that I didn't enjoy this book as much as I was hoping to.
Juniper and Hadley live quiet lives as interns at Larkspur's local bakery. One day, a little excitement comes knocking when a mysterious person orders a special order of baked goods. These treats require a rare ingredient that can't be found in Larkspur. In order to make this request, Juniper and Hadley set out on a quest to find the mushrooms and make the requested pastries.
I have been looking forward to reading "The Baker and the Bard" for quite some time now. I thought that this book was a YA romance going into it, but it is in fact a brief story of two friends who work together to accomplish their objective. It saddens me that this book is marketed incorrectly, because it means that many middle graders who would eat this book up are going to miss out on it. As a middle grade story, this book is a solid read. It literally reads like the cousin to "The Tea Dragon Society" with very similar themes, LGBTQIA+ characters, and art styles.
Hadley was my favorite part of this story. They are a bit stereotypical in some ways, but I enjoyed how antsy they are and how they go looking for adventure. Their snake companion Fern is also quite cute. Their matching detective hats were definitely one of this book's highlights for me.
Unfortunately, this book doesn't have that much depth, and it reads pretty much like a glorified picture book. The art is cute and the vibe is cozy, but it felt like the story was over in a matter of minutes before I even had a chance to get attached to anything.
Overall, "The Baker and the Bard" is a short fantasy graphic novel that is cute and cozy. It may not have much depth, but it is pretty adorable for what it is. I didn't find myself attached to much in this book, but there were still many moments that made me smile. This plot and world have potential, so I would be willing to see what Haught comes up with next despite the fact that I didn't enjoy this book as much as I was hoping to.
A lighthearted rom-com inspired by the classic legends of King Arthur, but like, way gayer.
Gwen and Art are not in love. Gwen, the princess of Camelot, is forced to marry the pompous fool, Arthur Delacey, and she is not satisfied with that one bit. Actually, neither is Arthur. When the two find each other forced to court over the summer, they are less than pleased. The two quite frankly despise each other and each harbor a deadly secret: they are attracted to people of the same sex. When Gwen finds Arthur kissing a male member of the castle's staff, Gwen finally catches a lucky break. Now, she can inform her father and have the marriage off. Except that Arthur also happen to be the king of blackmail and manages to uncover Gwen's diary from the year prior confessing her crush on Lady Bridget Leclair, a female knight that Gwen can't help but notice. With no other choice, Gwen agrees to fake a relationship with Arthur to please both of their parents. Things start to get even more complicated when Bridget starts to notice Gwen back and Arthur feels drawn to Camelot's prince, Gabriel. With their futures on the line, the four have to be very careful to avoid the consequences of their feelings. But in the end, maybe the risk is worth it for a chance at true love.
I found the majority of this book to be so cute and fluffy. Yes, it deals with a ton of anxiety and fear about taking a chance at love and coming out to those who one knows are going to be less than thrilled (especially for the time period). The last thirty percent of this book gets a tad dark a bit out of the blue, too. I personally don't think these took away from the cozy romance vibes too horribly, so I can say that I quite enjoyed the fluffy romance vibes.
This book alternates from Gwen to Arthur's perspective. I found myself to be much more attached to Art's storyline and romantic situation, but I enjoyed my time with them both quite a bit. I must say, if a book has fake dating in it, I want it to be because the two are betrothed to each other and are trying to placate their stuffy parents and have the chance to secretly find their own happiness. Gwen and Art's banter is pretty stellar due to the fact that they find each other quite bothersome, which often had me giggling. Despite their differences, these two eventually soften toward each other and it is quite a wholesome thing to experience.
Gabriel is by far my favorite character. He is slotted to be the future king of Camelot, so he has a ton resting on his shoulders and is anxious pretty much all the time. To ease his burdens, he finds refuge in the castle library and tends to birds and cats as he feels so inclined. Gabriel is such a sweet boy and I couldn't help but root for him throughout the entirety of this novel. And once he is paired with Arthur? He gets even better! Arthur is a flirt who spends more time drinking than pretty much anything else. He sounds like such a lout, but he has plenty of secrets hiding under his lighthearted exterior that explain many things. Pairing a cinnamon roll lad with a moody flirt is so much fun, and I truly love the bond that these two had with each other. Much of their chemistry is physical, but I found myself more convinced by their love story than by Gwen's and Bridget's.
The writing is definitely what makes this book flourish. It's witty, swoonworthy, and altogether perfect to tell a cozy fantasy rom-com. I can tell by this book that all of Croucher's romances would be a joy to explore due to the fact that they will be filled with banter and have such cute moments that they have me wanting to kick my feet.
Overall, "Gwen & Art Are Not in Love" is a witty fantasy rom-com that had me feeling giddy while reading it. I adore the writing style and the fantastic banter between many of the characters. I love me a story loosely inspired by the King Arthur mythos, and this one definitely lived up to my expectations (bonus points for it being queer!). I look forward to browsing more of Croucher's titles in the future and seeing what else they are cable of writing!
Gwen and Art are not in love. Gwen, the princess of Camelot, is forced to marry the pompous fool, Arthur Delacey, and she is not satisfied with that one bit. Actually, neither is Arthur. When the two find each other forced to court over the summer, they are less than pleased. The two quite frankly despise each other and each harbor a deadly secret: they are attracted to people of the same sex. When Gwen finds Arthur kissing a male member of the castle's staff, Gwen finally catches a lucky break. Now, she can inform her father and have the marriage off. Except that Arthur also happen to be the king of blackmail and manages to uncover Gwen's diary from the year prior confessing her crush on Lady Bridget Leclair, a female knight that Gwen can't help but notice. With no other choice, Gwen agrees to fake a relationship with Arthur to please both of their parents. Things start to get even more complicated when Bridget starts to notice Gwen back and Arthur feels drawn to Camelot's prince, Gabriel. With their futures on the line, the four have to be very careful to avoid the consequences of their feelings. But in the end, maybe the risk is worth it for a chance at true love.
I found the majority of this book to be so cute and fluffy. Yes, it deals with a ton of anxiety and fear about taking a chance at love and coming out to those who one knows are going to be less than thrilled (especially for the time period). The last thirty percent of this book gets a tad dark a bit out of the blue, too. I personally don't think these took away from the cozy romance vibes too horribly, so I can say that I quite enjoyed the fluffy romance vibes.
This book alternates from Gwen to Arthur's perspective. I found myself to be much more attached to Art's storyline and romantic situation, but I enjoyed my time with them both quite a bit. I must say, if a book has fake dating in it, I want it to be because the two are betrothed to each other and are trying to placate their stuffy parents and have the chance to secretly find their own happiness. Gwen and Art's banter is pretty stellar due to the fact that they find each other quite bothersome, which often had me giggling. Despite their differences, these two eventually soften toward each other and it is quite a wholesome thing to experience.
Gabriel is by far my favorite character. He is slotted to be the future king of Camelot, so he has a ton resting on his shoulders and is anxious pretty much all the time. To ease his burdens, he finds refuge in the castle library and tends to birds and cats as he feels so inclined. Gabriel is such a sweet boy and I couldn't help but root for him throughout the entirety of this novel. And once he is paired with Arthur? He gets even better! Arthur is a flirt who spends more time drinking than pretty much anything else. He sounds like such a lout, but he has plenty of secrets hiding under his lighthearted exterior that explain many things. Pairing a cinnamon roll lad with a moody flirt is so much fun, and I truly love the bond that these two had with each other. Much of their chemistry is physical, but I found myself more convinced by their love story than by Gwen's and Bridget's.
The writing is definitely what makes this book flourish. It's witty, swoonworthy, and altogether perfect to tell a cozy fantasy rom-com. I can tell by this book that all of Croucher's romances would be a joy to explore due to the fact that they will be filled with banter and have such cute moments that they have me wanting to kick my feet.
Overall, "Gwen & Art Are Not in Love" is a witty fantasy rom-com that had me feeling giddy while reading it. I adore the writing style and the fantastic banter between many of the characters. I love me a story loosely inspired by the King Arthur mythos, and this one definitely lived up to my expectations (bonus points for it being queer!). I look forward to browsing more of Croucher's titles in the future and seeing what else they are cable of writing!
An emotional coming-of-age novel that showcases the difficulties of accepting oneself and learning to be vulnerable in the process.
Elisabeth is starting a new life in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. Here, no one knows about her traumatic past or the circumstances that led to the estrangement from her family. Now that she's alone, she can start working towards becoming the person that she's always wanted to be. When a huge snowstorm engulfs the town, Elisabeth finds herself accepting help from her neighbor and the small town's sheriff, Noah. Forced into close quarters with nowhere to hide, Elisabeth is forced to learn how to show vulnerability and maybe even find a way to start healing her heart along the way.
I thought that "I Am the Cage" was going to take me a while to get through due to the content matter, but it was actually a really quick read. Elisabeth's story is told in quick snippets that alternate between her current state in life and her past self's existence as she was experiencing the traumatic events of her youth. Wonderful pieces of poetry were also scattered throughout this book which made the pages turn even faster. These poems were the highlight of the book for me due to their poignancy and rawness; the final one in the book was my favorite as I love the discussion of how the human mind and body work with and against each other.
All things considered, this book is a deceptively simple story. The traumatic medical and emotional abuse that Elisabeth experiences in her youth is quite complex, but most of the story focuses on Elisabeth's quiet existence in her small cabin in a quaint little town during a blizzard. Seeing Elisabeth learn to let others into her life was a heartwarming experience, especially when it comes to Noah. He is certainly a sweet lad with her best interests at heart, but sadly, their relationship didn't get super deep within the timeframe of this book. Honestly, most of the relationships in this book weren't really explored in depth, but one of the points of this book is Elisabeth opening herself up to trusting people and being vulnerable with herself and others, so I think I can let that slide a little bit.
The writing in this book is by far my favorite part. The way that things are described have a poetic feel to them, and the descriptions depict thoughts of self-harm, depression, loneliness, self-doubt, and trauma with such poise and accuracy. I think if the writing in this book wouldn't have been as strong as it is I wouldn't have enjoyed reading it as much as I did, but it is truly artful the way that the sentences are penned in this novel.
Overall, "I Am the Cage" is a quick read that showcases many complex experiences in a short amount of time. The way this book explores things such as isolation, accepting oneself despite their shortcomings, and opening up to those around them are quite artful. The writing style in this book is a major plus, and I love the poems that are interwoven into the story. Elisabeth's voice is captured so beautifully throughout every part of this book, which is something that I couldn't help but appreciate. I think many people can relate to many of Elisabeth's thoughts and feelings, even without having lived through such traumatic events in their lives. I wish that some relationships and specific story moments would have been explored a tad more, but in the end, this is still a very solid debut novel packed with many emotions that will touch many readers.
Elisabeth is starting a new life in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. Here, no one knows about her traumatic past or the circumstances that led to the estrangement from her family. Now that she's alone, she can start working towards becoming the person that she's always wanted to be. When a huge snowstorm engulfs the town, Elisabeth finds herself accepting help from her neighbor and the small town's sheriff, Noah. Forced into close quarters with nowhere to hide, Elisabeth is forced to learn how to show vulnerability and maybe even find a way to start healing her heart along the way.
I thought that "I Am the Cage" was going to take me a while to get through due to the content matter, but it was actually a really quick read. Elisabeth's story is told in quick snippets that alternate between her current state in life and her past self's existence as she was experiencing the traumatic events of her youth. Wonderful pieces of poetry were also scattered throughout this book which made the pages turn even faster. These poems were the highlight of the book for me due to their poignancy and rawness; the final one in the book was my favorite as I love the discussion of how the human mind and body work with and against each other.
All things considered, this book is a deceptively simple story. The traumatic medical and emotional abuse that Elisabeth experiences in her youth is quite complex, but most of the story focuses on Elisabeth's quiet existence in her small cabin in a quaint little town during a blizzard. Seeing Elisabeth learn to let others into her life was a heartwarming experience, especially when it comes to Noah. He is certainly a sweet lad with her best interests at heart, but sadly, their relationship didn't get super deep within the timeframe of this book. Honestly, most of the relationships in this book weren't really explored in depth, but one of the points of this book is Elisabeth opening herself up to trusting people and being vulnerable with herself and others, so I think I can let that slide a little bit.
The writing in this book is by far my favorite part. The way that things are described have a poetic feel to them, and the descriptions depict thoughts of self-harm, depression, loneliness, self-doubt, and trauma with such poise and accuracy. I think if the writing in this book wouldn't have been as strong as it is I wouldn't have enjoyed reading it as much as I did, but it is truly artful the way that the sentences are penned in this novel.
Overall, "I Am the Cage" is a quick read that showcases many complex experiences in a short amount of time. The way this book explores things such as isolation, accepting oneself despite their shortcomings, and opening up to those around them are quite artful. The writing style in this book is a major plus, and I love the poems that are interwoven into the story. Elisabeth's voice is captured so beautifully throughout every part of this book, which is something that I couldn't help but appreciate. I think many people can relate to many of Elisabeth's thoughts and feelings, even without having lived through such traumatic events in their lives. I wish that some relationships and specific story moments would have been explored a tad more, but in the end, this is still a very solid debut novel packed with many emotions that will touch many readers.
A thrilling time travel mystery that had me entirely engrossed in the world, the characters, and the complexities of having multiple versions of oneself existing in the same moment.
After returning to her hometown for her first summer after college, Sloane is ready for a mundane summer working at her father's law firm. At least she finds herself working with a cute coworker named Eric who makes the days feel a little less long. Before long though, Sloane's life takes an exciting turn when she starts manifesting strange powers—powers that let her manipulate time itself. With the help of a mysterious man named Adrian and his young daughter Maddie, Sloane begins to understand the elusive powers that she possesses and the complex world of time travel that she finds herself ensnared by. Things take a turn for the worse though when a woman with fiery red hair tries to kill her. Now on top of learning to harness her new abilities, Sloane must do everything in her power to prevent her time in this secretive world from being cut short before it hardly even begins.
It has been a long time since I've felt this absorbed in a book! The fast pacing in this book kept me flipping the pages, and I seriously considered staying up until three in the morning to finish it (but I restrained myself). Between the mysterious incident that broke Sloane and Tom's friendship, the mechanics of how time travel worked, and the murder mystery elements of this book, literally every angle of it had me so curious to know what happens next.
Usually I'm not the biggest fan of time travel books due to the fact that the science behind is just too complex for my brain to truly understand. The way that Andersen approaches talking about time travel in this book was really easy to follow (even if she did include some math equations that definitely went straight over my head). Also, I have to give her kudos for keeping everything in this book straight. In the course of this book, Sloane revisits the same night at least five times and by the end of it, there are so many versions of her and her friends running around that I found myself forgetting where they all ended up. Luckily, I'm not the author of the series, and it is not my job to keep all of the timelines straight.
I really like the secret societies of Time Wardens in this book. There's this one group that has very strict rules and a Council of Lunai to keep everyone in line, which is the group that Sloane is a part of. There is so much lore surrounding what they can use their powers for, how they came to be, and who is allowed to know about them. There is also a rogue group of time travelers that I won't say much about, but their whole vibes adds strong tension to this book. I think it is really fun that the Lunai call the non-time travelers Temps. It really reminds me of how Wizards call non-magical humans Muggles in the Harry Potter universe. All the history and lore in this book can be a little complex, but it makes the world super immersive to read about.
The characters in this book are also golden. Sloane is definitely flawed in many ways, and she has a hard time following the rules of the Time Wardens. This leads to some quite grievous errors on her part, but it also makes Sloane feel like a full-fleshed human who goes through many real issues. I also found myself absorbed in many of the side characters' lives, especially Tom's and Adrian's. Tom was Sloane's best friend before they had a huge falling out after high school graduation. I was so excited to learn any little tidbit about him, because he seems like such a nice dude, and I knew there had to be some kind of misunderstanding between him and Sloane, though I didn't know what that would be. Adrian is the leader of the Los Angelese area Lunai and leads the Council there. I found him to be such a nice mentor character, and I found it nice to see how he treated all the Lunai that are under his care.
The romance subplot in this book is also pretty subtle, which is nice. I enjoy having romance in my books, but I really appreciated how the romantic elements didn't consume the plot in this one. Also, all the spicy scenes were closed door, which is something I appreciate in my adult novels. Eric seems like a pretty solid love interest, but I still think I need more info on him before I can make an accurate assessment of his character.
This book ends on a pretty nasty cliff hanger, which has me desperate to read the next one, even though I read this book pre-publication date, so I'll still have quite a while to wait for it. The thriller vibes in this book go all the way until the very end, so I kept rapidly turning the pages until there were no more crumbs for me to consume. I always love when a book has me desperately reaching for the next one. I guess I have another book to add to the list of books that I'm anxiously waiting to get my hands on!
Overall, "The After Hours" is a magnificently penned sci-fi thriller that has me desperate to read the next installment. I adore the worldbuilding, the characters, and the writing style. The time travel elements in this book are handled so masterfully; it was always easy for me to follow, and I never felt too stupid to understand things or completely lost at any point. It has been a while since I've found myself so absorbed into the pages of a novel (which is really saying a ton, because I don't love reading ebooks for long periods of time, and I still found myself not being able to tear myself away from the screen). I am so glad that I happened across Andersen's street team; I very much hope that I'll get to live through this experience again. I can't wait to read book two in this series and see how Sloane manages to get herself out of the mess that she has made!
After returning to her hometown for her first summer after college, Sloane is ready for a mundane summer working at her father's law firm. At least she finds herself working with a cute coworker named Eric who makes the days feel a little less long. Before long though, Sloane's life takes an exciting turn when she starts manifesting strange powers—powers that let her manipulate time itself. With the help of a mysterious man named Adrian and his young daughter Maddie, Sloane begins to understand the elusive powers that she possesses and the complex world of time travel that she finds herself ensnared by. Things take a turn for the worse though when a woman with fiery red hair tries to kill her. Now on top of learning to harness her new abilities, Sloane must do everything in her power to prevent her time in this secretive world from being cut short before it hardly even begins.
It has been a long time since I've felt this absorbed in a book! The fast pacing in this book kept me flipping the pages, and I seriously considered staying up until three in the morning to finish it (but I restrained myself). Between the mysterious incident that broke Sloane and Tom's friendship, the mechanics of how time travel worked, and the murder mystery elements of this book, literally every angle of it had me so curious to know what happens next.
Usually I'm not the biggest fan of time travel books due to the fact that the science behind is just too complex for my brain to truly understand. The way that Andersen approaches talking about time travel in this book was really easy to follow (even if she did include some math equations that definitely went straight over my head). Also, I have to give her kudos for keeping everything in this book straight. In the course of this book, Sloane revisits the same night at least five times and by the end of it, there are so many versions of her and her friends running around that I found myself forgetting where they all ended up. Luckily, I'm not the author of the series, and it is not my job to keep all of the timelines straight.
I really like the secret societies of Time Wardens in this book. There's this one group that has very strict rules and a Council of Lunai to keep everyone in line, which is the group that Sloane is a part of. There is so much lore surrounding what they can use their powers for, how they came to be, and who is allowed to know about them. There is also a rogue group of time travelers that I won't say much about, but their whole vibes adds strong tension to this book. I think it is really fun that the Lunai call the non-time travelers Temps. It really reminds me of how Wizards call non-magical humans Muggles in the Harry Potter universe. All the history and lore in this book can be a little complex, but it makes the world super immersive to read about.
The characters in this book are also golden. Sloane is definitely flawed in many ways, and she has a hard time following the rules of the Time Wardens. This leads to some quite grievous errors on her part, but it also makes Sloane feel like a full-fleshed human who goes through many real issues. I also found myself absorbed in many of the side characters' lives, especially Tom's and Adrian's. Tom was Sloane's best friend before they had a huge falling out after high school graduation. I was so excited to learn any little tidbit about him, because he seems like such a nice dude, and I knew there had to be some kind of misunderstanding between him and Sloane, though I didn't know what that would be. Adrian is the leader of the Los Angelese area Lunai and leads the Council there. I found him to be such a nice mentor character, and I found it nice to see how he treated all the Lunai that are under his care.
The romance subplot in this book is also pretty subtle, which is nice. I enjoy having romance in my books, but I really appreciated how the romantic elements didn't consume the plot in this one. Also, all the spicy scenes were closed door, which is something I appreciate in my adult novels. Eric seems like a pretty solid love interest, but I still think I need more info on him before I can make an accurate assessment of his character.
This book ends on a pretty nasty cliff hanger, which has me desperate to read the next one, even though I read this book pre-publication date, so I'll still have quite a while to wait for it. The thriller vibes in this book go all the way until the very end, so I kept rapidly turning the pages until there were no more crumbs for me to consume. I always love when a book has me desperately reaching for the next one. I guess I have another book to add to the list of books that I'm anxiously waiting to get my hands on!
Overall, "The After Hours" is a magnificently penned sci-fi thriller that has me desperate to read the next installment. I adore the worldbuilding, the characters, and the writing style. The time travel elements in this book are handled so masterfully; it was always easy for me to follow, and I never felt too stupid to understand things or completely lost at any point. It has been a while since I've found myself so absorbed into the pages of a novel (which is really saying a ton, because I don't love reading ebooks for long periods of time, and I still found myself not being able to tear myself away from the screen). I am so glad that I happened across Andersen's street team; I very much hope that I'll get to live through this experience again. I can't wait to read book two in this series and see how Sloane manages to get herself out of the mess that she has made!
A slow burn queer romance with a complicated love triangle featuring an online blog about trans people finding their happily ever afters.
Noah Ramirez's life revolves around love and the formula of romance. As a sixteen year old teen, he has plenty of time to pour into his blog, Meet Cute Diary, which is filled to the brim with fictional accounts of trans teens falling in love. He also believes that romance happens in a twelve step equation that is showcased in pretty much every form of media ever. The problem with all of this is: it's not real. Things start not looking great for Noah when people online start to realize this. When a troll starts their own blog presenting cold facts on why Noah's stories can't be true, Noah is desperate to find a solution that will save face. The answer practically runs into him when he stumbles upon Drew, a hot guy that works at a local bookstore who just happens to be a super fan of the blog. Noah and Drew soon devise a scheme to fake date one another and share their relationship with readers in the hopes of restoring faith in the power of meet cutes and love itself. As Noah and Drew's relationship deepens, Noah is shocked to find that romance is much harder in real life than it is in romance novels.
The first third of this book was practically unbearable to read. Noah is such a brat, and spending so much time with him was really raining on my parade. Not only does he live in the clouds ninety-nine percent of the time, but he is also incredibly selfish and blinded by his never-ending pursuit for the chance to fall head over heels in love at first sight. BOO! All of these traits are incredibly annoying and make for a truly unlikeable main character. I'm going to get a bit specific here about a couple of things, so feel free to skip the next paragraph if that bothers you at all.
One of the things that really teed me off was how selfish Noah's financial decisions are. His parents gave him a credit card to feed himself when his brother was away from home and he literally used it to buy anything he could think of. He spent over four hundred dollars in a matter of days on pointless things like buying ice cream, books, and coffee all in the hopes that he would stumble into a cute guy that he could swoon over. He also decided that he needed to hire a rideshare to get to all of these places rather than walk a couple of blocks, so he was spending money like there was no tomorrow. And then he was shocked when his mom froze the card! The gall of this kid is truly astounding (he's sixteen, by the way), and this made the beginning third of the book when he was moping around by himself so excruciatingly painful.
Also, all of Noah's logic surrounding his blog is so skewed. Did it really matter if the stories were fictional? People find relief and satisfaction in Hallmark movies all the time, but that doesn't make them anywhere close to true. Fictional stories can move people just as much as real ones if done well, therefore it doesn't even make sense that Noah felt so obligated to convince everyone that his stories were real. And the fact that he didn't open his blog up for people to submit their stories from page one of this book actually had me groaning because the solution was so obvious.
Things started to get a bit better when Noah met Drew, but honestly, he gave me pretty shady vibes from the get-go. Part of me was hoping that they would fall for each other for real because they both seem like such awful people who deserve one another. I'm never a fan of fake dating; it is too dishonest for me to enjoy much. Since this book was drowning in lies, I found it hard to like pretty much any element of it.
Then enters Devin and my thoughts on this book changed quite a bit. Devin goes by many pronouns throughout this book so for the sake of clarity, I going to refer to em using the e/eir pronouns. Devin is the type of character that I eat up in every way. E is truly a darling who loves comic books, Starbucks coffee, and spending time with the kids that e gets to watch during summer camp. E is also a nervous bean who is often afflicted by panic attacks and extreme amounts of anxiety (which I can't help but relate to). Panic attacks are no fun, so I can totally see why Devin felt e needed to apologize for them every time that they happened to em in public. If this sweet nonbinary finey did not grace the pages of this book, it definitely would have been a two star read and I would have hated pretty much every second of it. Devin is definitely too good for Noah, but e is pretty much the perfect love interest to read about.
I like how this book also handled the topics of gender identity. Noah starts this book as an out trans boy who is ready to live his life, but Devin is much more confused about eir identity. Literally, this human goes through all the pronouns in this book, which e has every right to if that's what it takes to feel comfortable in eir skin. Noah's family does still forget about Noah's transition from time to time, but they are very gracious about their slipups. And luckily, this is like the only thing that Noah isn't super selfish about; he actually makes jokes about his family's slips of the tongue.
I haven't much more to say about this book besides the fact that it would have been nice if it was a tad shorter. I could see about fifty percent of readers DNFing this book before it actually gets good due to Noah's personality alone. If there would have been less wallowing in the beginning, I'm sure more readers would make it to the end and actually get to experience some of Noah's growth. Granted it may make the pay off at the end a tad less gratifying, but what's the point of gratification if most people abandon the book before they get to that part?
Overall, "Meet Cute Diary" was definitely not the super cute, fluffy romance that I wanted it to be. I found Noah to be so grating on my nerves and Drew was a possessive creep that I just couldn't get behind. The fact that I didn't like most of the main characters took away the appeal of this book, but at least Devin swooped in and saved the day with eir awkwardness and anxious vibes; I don't know if I would have made it through this book without em. I'll probably give this author's books another try, but I will be cautiously optimistic about the odds of me enjoying them.
Noah Ramirez's life revolves around love and the formula of romance. As a sixteen year old teen, he has plenty of time to pour into his blog, Meet Cute Diary, which is filled to the brim with fictional accounts of trans teens falling in love. He also believes that romance happens in a twelve step equation that is showcased in pretty much every form of media ever. The problem with all of this is: it's not real. Things start not looking great for Noah when people online start to realize this. When a troll starts their own blog presenting cold facts on why Noah's stories can't be true, Noah is desperate to find a solution that will save face. The answer practically runs into him when he stumbles upon Drew, a hot guy that works at a local bookstore who just happens to be a super fan of the blog. Noah and Drew soon devise a scheme to fake date one another and share their relationship with readers in the hopes of restoring faith in the power of meet cutes and love itself. As Noah and Drew's relationship deepens, Noah is shocked to find that romance is much harder in real life than it is in romance novels.
The first third of this book was practically unbearable to read. Noah is such a brat, and spending so much time with him was really raining on my parade. Not only does he live in the clouds ninety-nine percent of the time, but he is also incredibly selfish and blinded by his never-ending pursuit for the chance to fall head over heels in love at first sight. BOO! All of these traits are incredibly annoying and make for a truly unlikeable main character. I'm going to get a bit specific here about a couple of things, so feel free to skip the next paragraph if that bothers you at all.
One of the things that really teed me off was how selfish Noah's financial decisions are. His parents gave him a credit card to feed himself when his brother was away from home and he literally used it to buy anything he could think of. He spent over four hundred dollars in a matter of days on pointless things like buying ice cream, books, and coffee all in the hopes that he would stumble into a cute guy that he could swoon over. He also decided that he needed to hire a rideshare to get to all of these places rather than walk a couple of blocks, so he was spending money like there was no tomorrow. And then he was shocked when his mom froze the card! The gall of this kid is truly astounding (he's sixteen, by the way), and this made the beginning third of the book when he was moping around by himself so excruciatingly painful.
Also, all of Noah's logic surrounding his blog is so skewed. Did it really matter if the stories were fictional? People find relief and satisfaction in Hallmark movies all the time, but that doesn't make them anywhere close to true. Fictional stories can move people just as much as real ones if done well, therefore it doesn't even make sense that Noah felt so obligated to convince everyone that his stories were real. And the fact that he didn't open his blog up for people to submit their stories from page one of this book actually had me groaning because the solution was so obvious.
Things started to get a bit better when Noah met Drew, but honestly, he gave me pretty shady vibes from the get-go. Part of me was hoping that they would fall for each other for real because they both seem like such awful people who deserve one another. I'm never a fan of fake dating; it is too dishonest for me to enjoy much. Since this book was drowning in lies, I found it hard to like pretty much any element of it.
Then enters Devin and my thoughts on this book changed quite a bit. Devin goes by many pronouns throughout this book so for the sake of clarity, I going to refer to em using the e/eir pronouns. Devin is the type of character that I eat up in every way. E is truly a darling who loves comic books, Starbucks coffee, and spending time with the kids that e gets to watch during summer camp. E is also a nervous bean who is often afflicted by panic attacks and extreme amounts of anxiety (which I can't help but relate to). Panic attacks are no fun, so I can totally see why Devin felt e needed to apologize for them every time that they happened to em in public. If this sweet nonbinary finey did not grace the pages of this book, it definitely would have been a two star read and I would have hated pretty much every second of it. Devin is definitely too good for Noah, but e is pretty much the perfect love interest to read about.
I like how this book also handled the topics of gender identity. Noah starts this book as an out trans boy who is ready to live his life, but Devin is much more confused about eir identity. Literally, this human goes through all the pronouns in this book, which e has every right to if that's what it takes to feel comfortable in eir skin. Noah's family does still forget about Noah's transition from time to time, but they are very gracious about their slipups. And luckily, this is like the only thing that Noah isn't super selfish about; he actually makes jokes about his family's slips of the tongue.
I haven't much more to say about this book besides the fact that it would have been nice if it was a tad shorter. I could see about fifty percent of readers DNFing this book before it actually gets good due to Noah's personality alone. If there would have been less wallowing in the beginning, I'm sure more readers would make it to the end and actually get to experience some of Noah's growth. Granted it may make the pay off at the end a tad less gratifying, but what's the point of gratification if most people abandon the book before they get to that part?
Overall, "Meet Cute Diary" was definitely not the super cute, fluffy romance that I wanted it to be. I found Noah to be so grating on my nerves and Drew was a possessive creep that I just couldn't get behind. The fact that I didn't like most of the main characters took away the appeal of this book, but at least Devin swooped in and saved the day with eir awkwardness and anxious vibes; I don't know if I would have made it through this book without em. I'll probably give this author's books another try, but I will be cautiously optimistic about the odds of me enjoying them.