Andy
Instant favorite! Great use of telling a current story with snippets of the past. Although it was a bit hard to follow with the audiobook because of the back and fourth, it definitely tied everything up at the end. Over all great story, great pacing, and great writing. A story with a very dark beginning yet has a silver lining and showcases how someone’s loss and grief can be the very thing that brings them to new relationships that reminds them of love, and brings them to a new world of possibilities with someone new.
I don’t think there’s an antagonist in this story, if anything, from the 3 main characters are the protagonists and their own antagonists. It is beautifully written where you can really feel how all the characters are feeling, you understand their grief and their actions. Although you can’t justify what some of them did, you can understand why they did it.
A great read for anyone who is dealing with grief and anyone who wants to find solace in tears.
This book was a fantastic read. The pacing, the rituals, the form of demonic magic, the secret societies, and the historical time it took place, during the AIDS epidemic in the 80s-90s, are all well done. I don't have much to say about this book, but you must read it in order to understand what I’m saying. The characters are all memorable, and there is a strong sense of found family that brings it all together. This is a good one-off story that starts and ends without the need to continue the story (although I wish it did continue). One thing I really did enjoy is how good the author made use of the different characters' perspectives and how they all tie into each other. Overall, I think everyone who likes queer fiction/fantasy, but doesn't like huge fantasy like LOTR or GOT, should read this because it is an easy read in the sense that there isn't an entire world to keep track of. It takes place in our world.
The First to Die at the End is a "prequel" to They Both Die at the End. It's a prequel in the sense that it is the first time Death-Cast is officially launched, but it isn't the story that explains how it was created. Overall, this story – like the first – also made me cry. Even though I know what's going to happen in the end. In this case, one of the characters dies. It still makes me cry because of how the character died. Overall, it is a fantastic read, and I will definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in the series. And honestly, I might recommend TFTDATE rather than TBDATE. I think chronological is a better read for these.
Although it was a bit hard to get into the book, parts 1, 2, and 6 were great. Parts 3-5 felt too rushed and were very difficult to keep up with while listening to it. Those parts felt like so much context was missing and kind of just felt like glimpses into what was happening (it works in movies and shows, I don’t think it works here). I almost stopped reading it altogether during part 3, but I stuck through it because I hoped it would get better. And it did… until I hit part 6. I don’t think I can give it 5 stars, but maybe I can give it 4 stars if I go back and read it instead of listening to it. I don’t think I’m as excited to read the sequel, but based on how this ended, I think (hope) the sequel will be a better read.
I really liked this story. Although there were a few things that I wasn’t too fond of. Starting with something that I got over very quickly at the beginning. I’m not much of a fan of historical anything — this leaning more toward a historical fantasy. However, I quickly got out of that mentality since this story doesn’t lean too heavily on the historical part. The second thing I had issues with was about the way Wilhelm was being kept captive and a prisoner, and all the things that were being done to him made me feel so uneasy. It was uncomfortable having to read/listen to how Teddy speaks to him. Not that it was badly written or anything, but the mental manipulation being done to Wilhelm was uncomfortable and kind of depressing for me. Overall I think this is a solid read and deserving of its 3.5 stars. I did feel like some parts could have been a bit shorter, however that’s a personal preference.
Brown really knows how to write a sequel to All That’s Left in the World! The story of Andrew and Jamie continues in this post-apocalyptic adventure that brought me to tears. Though they go through their ups and downs, this book really showcases the love they have for each other. Their story really comes full circle at the end of this book leaving you wanting to know more about their lives and the other characters’ lives as well. I loved it so much and would definitely recommend this book to young adult readers.
This series is such a great story, and I can see it becoming a TV show with at least 2 seasons. Such a beautiful post-apocalyptic LGBTQ+ story that should be told in different mediums.
This literary work starts off super engaging, drawing you right in with a wild sense of suspense. Silvera’s storytelling is on point, and the opening hits you right in the feels, making you shed a tear or two. This literary experience is not all common where the protagonist’s situation emotionally hits the reader that they finds themselves empathizing with the character's struggles. The story is filled with sad moments of grief for the living that make the characters do things they would have never done in their lives.
Even though it’s a common trope in movies and books to "live everyday like it's your last day", this story does something different. It shows the characters living their last day doing what they were to scared to do in their life prior to knowing today was going to be their last day.
This literary gem has rightfully earned its place among my all-time favorites, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to others.
An engaging and entertaining narrative that depicts a future Space Race. While i am aware this is a fictional story, the portrayal of StarWatch, a gossip reality show that disregards boundaries, closely mirrors the behavior of such shows in reality. StarWatch serves as the most non-fictional element in this fictional story. Overall, this book is highly captivating, particularly for those interested in a light contemporary queer love story with a little NASA sprinkled in. I enjoyed it and I recommend it to anyone seeking a similar read.
This book quickly became one of my favorites. I enjoyed the characters through the entire thing, their adventure, and the love that they share. It was a nice feeling to relate to the 2 main characters so much. I can count the amount of books that brought tears to my eyes on one hand, and this book is definitely one of them. This is easily the best book I've read this year and I can't wait to see what adventures Andrew and Jamie go on next.
This is a good follow up to “What If It’s Us?” And I enjoyed this book. There were many moments that shocked me. Not because they were shocking but because you can feel the emotions between the characters. I would have given it 5 stars if a majority of this story wasn’t a “will they, won’t they” situation.
This is the first book I read by A. Silvera, and the fourth book I read by B. Albertalli.
The novel is set in contemporary New York City and follows the story of Ben and Arthur, whose paths cross at a post office. Despite their initial encounter, neither introduces themselves by name. The boys are left pondering each other for weeks, captivated by the intense connection they experienced. One day, Arthur impulsively creates a flyer and posts it on a coffee shop bulletin board, the coffee shop that he had seen on Ben’s shirt the day they met. This physical poster and description of the day they met mirrors the concept of a Craigslist Missed Connection post, and leads to a summer of love and companionship.
This book exhibited a charming and engaging story that was enjoyable to read, despite its lack of explicit adult themes. I understand that the characters are high school students and the book caters to a high school audience, but the writing style could benefit from refinement to appeal to a broader range of readers, including young adults and older young adults.
Although not the most well-written work, this queer retelling of The Little Mermaid features a nonbinary protagonist main character (a Mer), a gay main character, and a bi best friend. The narrative follows both characters’ journeys of coming of age and self-discovery. Set in contemporary times, it introduces a unique reason for the Mer’s departure from the ocean at the age of sixteen, unlike Ariel.
A campy and spooky horror story with a touch of gore, set in “Jasper Hallow”, this story follows a gay protagonist as they embark on a quest to uncover the identity of a serial murder ghost and restore peace to the haunted town. The film draws inspiration from classic films like “Mean Girls” and “The Craft,” while also incorporating elements that resonate with contemporary LGBTQ+ themes.