rogier caprino
Woody wrote 3 dimensional 17/18 yr old main characters. I like how they created the romance and the fake dating scheme sounded believable in this situation. The boys, both of them had do deal with parental neglect. Jonas especially. You could see why they hated each other and it wasn't a mere miscommunication but how their home life impacted how they saw one another. I love how Woody talked about mental health, anxiety and panic attacks. That parental relationships can heal with time and work but sometimes there's not else what can be done. Going back to this romance feeling realistic, I love how Dylan and Jonas started to trust each other and opened up. Jonas ‘s stress to provide for his younger sisters , being poor and Dylan ‘s panic attacks. The book needed those 350 pages that took place over the span of 8 months. How they hate each other is baking romance undercover
A beautiful companion novel to the goblin emperor. The same kindness and good government as that the first book . THARA , you are loved and deserve love. Dude
Stop being so hard on yourself
Growing up is difficult for many. Growing up poor worsens it. Adam Lee Binder is Oklahoma trailer trash. The low class of society, which most don't give a fuck about. Adam has been able use the Sight to see the other side; the spirit realm and other planes since he was a child and it happened frequently growing older and to every day in his teens. This causes strain on his family resulting in tense relationships. His own brother and mom locked him up in a psychiatric facility, which they think was good for him. It wasn't. Years have passed and college aged Adam is flung back into his estranged older brother's life. He has to save his possessed sister in law. Lives are at stake and his life will never be the same.
Urban fantasy often has middle to upper class protagonists. This is extremely prevalent in YA. You rarely see rural , lower class or poor protagonists in adult and YA urban fantasy. And queer and this case gay protagonists even less. I love how Adam's social and financial situation colored this book. Slayton crafted a highly traumatized young man with a past who perservers and tries to remain kind. Adam really is a cinnamon roll but boy is he broken. You feel for Adam , want to hug him and say everything will be okay. I immediately liked him on page one and fell more in love chapter by chapter.
Every queer experience is unique and every person is different. Adam is real and was real reading his story. I love how Adam felt like a real guy, had sexual urges but wasn't a horndog. He's fully fleshed person. I would be his friend no doubt. You feel that Slayton cares for every character he created. From smaller to more important.
Every being Adam encountered had a life when they were off and on the page. You jump into action from the get go. Every character is important and helps reveal the story or is revealed throughout the book. The pace slows down at parts to help build character but is never boring and always important.
The love story between Adam and his lover past and present builds organically. You understand why they are a thing. And why Adam has doubts with both because of things and power beyond his control. I love how Adam is low powered. This means winning and defeating his enemies won't be easy. Adam being over powered is less of a thing.Adam has to work with other beings to get things done. Beings that are sneaky. Don't mess with the Fae is all I'm saying. I adore Argent and Silver , high fae , who are maybe or not friends. Magic has a price and Adam really pays for it. I know he will grow stronger, build stronger relationships and heal. Be less broken in his story. I'm in for the ride and thank you Slayton for creating Adam Lee Binder.
Cover talk: It is standard with urban fantasy to have the lead or leads on the cover. I expected it but change is good. I still love the first mentioned cover style. The green and purple fit perfect together. It depicts a scene and I'm looking forward what will depicted the following books
This anthology last year is a success. Well written. Funny, sad , emotional and full of rage. Highly recommend. Roanhorse, Murphy and oshiro are my favorites. I really need to start reading their work
My thoughts
Cover: Like the cover a lot. Llona ???s ability is shown. I love when publishers do that. But it is not how I imagined her though.
Book: This my 2nd book from cederfort I???ve read. I got to say there pretty dam good.[sorry 4 the curse word]. My 1st booktour was a success . I reviewed Seers. The review linky. I saw it on netgalley . I was intrigued . I made a freaking great decision.
Llona Reese, our leading lady. 17 yrs [if I remember correctly. Human but something special in side of her. She is a Aura, female individual who can bend manipulate lights in her veins, her dna ,her being . Aura???s are supposed to be gentle and comforting. Llona is that but more she is active, not a pushover and tries to be brave
The book begins at the start of her senior year at High Land High.
There she meets Christian Knight a new athlete at the school, our leading a male, friend and romantic interest. Y???all probably thinking clich??, red alert, red alert ,insta love!! Well you???re wrong. Yes there is romance but no insta love. Love emerges steadily and steadily in the book, their relationship.
Christian loves sport, but is not consumed by it and not a jerk. He ???s kind, charming, a bit overprotective at times but you will soon learn why. I think girls need a real fictional male in their life. No effeminate edwardy boy.
Other characters
May, Matt and Adam are great friends and 2nd characters. You would be lucky to have such friends in real life
Yes. The parental figures were present. Jake Reece her 26 yr old uncle was a example. He was fun, a game freak/enthusiast and a role model.
Other than aura???s there where
Guardians: protectors of Aura???s. Male humans not as vulnerable as normal males.
Vykens: evil shadowy flesh like creatures, dark pools of eyes. 100% evil. They reminded me of local lore; Asemas, shadowy being with fiery burning eyes who drink blood like vamps do.
This is a 1st person narrative .Llona pov. The beginning was a bit slow, the first 50 pages I rated it almost a 4 at that point. But then page 194,195 arrived and it passed the 4, 45. The ending gave it a boast towards a 5 star rating. My love is different for this book , not like mythos academy or rapture but still love.
I am eagerly awaiting book 2. Man I have to wait till 2013.
Thank you netgalley and cedarfort in accepting my review request. This is a 100 % honest review
sorry if i offended any twi fan
My thoughts
Cover: The cover is ok. Precisely how I imagined Amy. However the Hardcover is my favorite.
Book: A bookish friend gifted and ordered AtU[Across the Universe] for me at the bookdepository.Thanks Shelaugh
amy was on earth
Now she's frozen.Cryrogenically Frozen
She should be asleep but she's not.Mostly wake in cold frozen lifeless body. She wants to scream but can't. And almost 300 years onboard Godspeed. But out of nowhere she's thawing,alive again and unfrozen. What?? why?? how??
BUT
wink
Him telling her that her that he did it, unfreezing her.Keeping a secret is never good. I hope Amy can forgive him
Other characters
Sad he died. Knew you died, knew you not how you were going to die.Did not see that coming. Feeling emotionally right now typing this.But glad the wonderful Mrs Revis thought you up.He I feel a bit better i'll get to know more about your girlfriend who sad died as well in book two and maybe more about you
DUDE DUDE,OMG REALLY
Other noteworthy characters
This is an 100% honest review
Artist inspires Artist and media inspires media. The Route of Ice and Salt ( La ruta del hielo y la sal) was originally published in 1998 by a Mexican comic publisher Grupo Editorial VID, it didn't take root and but it became cult classic. It's now in English for the first time through Silvia Moreno-Garcia's efforts.
This novella reimagines Dracula???s voyage to England on The Demeter. The Route of Ice and Salt gives the nameless Captain a voice as gay man in this time period. This book is really about hunger, the captain ‘s hunger for love and physical touch, his sexual fantasies regarding his crewmen and Dracula's hunger where each crewmember is attacked one after an other. The captain realizes that he has a feeling besides hunger for his men, love and he will fight for them. This novella is about the captain ‘s emotional trauma he experienced as a young man, his internalized homophobia and accepting himself. . Z??rate does this by writing poetically , i had to re read sentences more than once because they were beautiful but also because i had to keep track if the captain remembered a memory or if was present time. It felt like a fever dream at times, a beautiful one but still fever dream. The Route of Ice and Salt is horror, poetry and philosophical. The latine SFF community knows of it's existence and I'm happy English readership can experience this emotional weird queer gothic story
3.5 ^^ crownchasers! it???s an epic space adventure abt a competition for the throne and the main character is queer. One of her competitors actually happens to be her ex. It was a fun ride
got a e=arc from galleygrab/ gave up was a 2 for me. maybe if i read further it would be more
4.5 /5
This Gay witch gay book set at a boys boarding school in the 90s was high on my most anticipated/ wish list the moment it was announced a few years ago.?? Andy mientus has been on my radar being an actor and author but the amulet acquisition had me Lazer focused on?? him
Imagine an huge sprawling city, where the elite are live along an enormous dome , The Mirador. And the majority in the slums, in the Lower City. Thieves, murderers, sexworkers , poor and any other seen as lesser than magical practice are pushed out sight for the wizards or hocuses in Lower City speak. Mildmay, the fox is one of those down below . A kept-thief , not on good terms with any criminal gang and hunted by the DOGS like the fox he is. He's telling you his story and your point of entrance to this city. Never trust a hocus he tells you but what he doesn't know that someone that will be close to him is one and lives up above, his gay older brother. Welcome to Melusine.
This European inspired fantasy world would not felt lived in if it weren't for our two leading men. Mildmay and his brother, Felix Harrowgate, wizard of the Callaban order. Felix and Mildmay have equal amounts of page time in alternating points of view and their voices are distinct. But Mildmay is the narrator and talks to us the reader.I was never lost or what happened in their story.Keep in mind that a moment in felix' dark past is shown once and other times alluded to, the scene goes dark the second time. And he's finally able to speak it loud with his dear ones at the end of the book. Both felix and mildmay have hideous childhood traumas in one way of or another. Monette doesn't use any scenes for titillation or shock. She truly cares for these brothers and it feels that way when reading. Thank you for creating and thinking up this duo. I'll my upmost best to keep their tales alive for new readers.
That ending line in melusine. My heart.It was so soft. And illustrated their bond fully, what already started to form and I can imagine what it will be come. Both are more like each other that they think and maybe , just maybe Felix will be less of a witty jackass.
Surrender your sons is a nightmare come true for queen folk. Conversation camps are real and still present in our society. Sass writes suspense amazingly and the action scenes are written fluently. The writing is precise and punchy. You feel the emotional pain of our lead and the dread of this nightmare place of a camp. I bowed out not reading after having my wish granted to read surrender our sons because it feels all too real reading it as a ace gay person. But I had to push through it because this book is THAT IMPORTANT. Sass deserves all the praise it has received so far and deserves even more. It fucking deserves to be a bestseller. Queer people, we can survive and prosper and we will.
The French Royal but magic. Set during the early years of King Louis XIV reign , with real historical people as Prince Phillipe , Henriette of England , Armand de Gramont, Comte de Guiche and others. The royal palaces are grandiose, beautiful and bombastic but what if magic was the cause of it. Gold and glittery magic, The Sun KING deserves nothing less. Historical fiction goal is to entertain and educate or make known to an extend. Castellan makes me curious to research further into the lives of these complicated people. The marriage of Henriette and Phillipe had it's troubles and their presented personalities clash in this book but the fictional versions grow to love each other as people, friends and lovers what once only a marriage of convenience. Phillipe was my favorite character , in fact I had this debut on my radar because it mentions his queerness and him favoring men. Which I did not know and I had not learned about this royal in school. French history is not taught here. Henriette had to make peace with her husband being in a romantic relationship with Armand. Armand is a delight and I'd love to party with this fictional version. She eventually becomes friends with. Henriette can be frustrating when she is na??ve in situations but I have to remind myself that she is sheltered but with all this she is quick on her feet, brave and determent when the going gets though. They all hold each other together to stand up against the murderous and mysterious dark magician. If you are in need of a historical fantasy, In the shadow of the sun is solid choice. And i'll think of this trio now and then.
I had been waiting since the book acquisition was announced in mid-December 2020. I frequently see horror movie reviews on Cale's insta stories. I should not have been surprised to see he wrote and sold a slasher with a gay lead but still excited to read it. When I read his debut “ The Friend Scheme “ in 2017 I knew I needed whatever would be published in the future. It was delayed by almost a whole year from May 2022 to Feb of this year. Personally speaking, it was worth the wait.
You could say The Pledge is the sequel to a slasher if it were a movie. With how the book opens. Sam is traumatized by being the final boy from a massacre two years back. He forces himself back into the world at the therapist's request by enrolling in an out-of-state university. His hot RA invites him to a fraternity “ open night”. (Ya know
yeah . a 5 star book. i have read few this year. a great twist on the fae. shiver. a gr8 botherly lovew and funny bromance
^^
gr8 start of a series
a rounded up 4/5
I loved this book from page one. Gideon is so fun to read about. I love her snark. Muir's writing is easy to read at least in this book. I got bored at the 60% mark to 80. It could have been shorter but that ending is
2020 has to be year of the cold and standoff ish mother in YA. Funnily enough all encountered in fantasy this reading year. Difficult and nuanced motherly figures, Thea Hope is the daughter of such figure, She???s the daughter of a famous alchemist who looms over her. A Golden Fury is about Thea Hope, a young alchemist, who has the knowledge to make the Philosopher???s Stone. Before finishing the Philosopher???s Stone her mother goes mad and smashes their work. Because of this and escaping her mother???s anger she travels to find her beau, Will, and to make the stone before anyone else does. Cohoe really focused on the scientific side of SFF in A Golden Fury. The alchemy was more science based than magic based. It was all puzzle for Thea and her cohort to find out. Managing temperatures and putting in the right ingredients at the right time. Science is a real puzzle, figuring out the elements instead of cardboard pieces. It was great to see the fictional scientific methods and scenes in the lab where Thea looked at Arabic texts for instructions. The magic system was different and it's great to see different interpretations of alchemy. Cohoe really blended the alchemy in a historical setting. this book nailed the historical setting pretty darn well. Set in the backdrop of a weakened France before the revolution. I really enjoyed the plot and I was engrossed in it from the start to the end It had a great pace and was action-packed. Cohoe used the slower parts to her advantage were she used of knowledge of the half magic ??? half science practice to build the world. Bit by bit. I had to page at both paces in the story, eager to see what happened next. Cohoe???s lines and phrasing is a delight to read and roll of the tongue or in my case the mental version of that. And lastly a book is nothing without its characters. If you don???t care the characters no matter how creative or beautiful the writing, I can???t care. But you do care for Thea, how she???s treated by the people around her. Get mad how the men in her life don???t trust her or see her ingenuity. Loving Dominic so much how truly cares for her and wants the best for her. No one was that good or all that bad. Even our quick-witted lead Thea who could be selfish and have an ego at times. I loved how deeply flawed she and others were. People that love Historical fiction where magic doesn???t over power the story. Where the SF of SFF comes to play and a story with a flawed but human girl tries to be recognized for her talents. They for surely will enjoy A Golden Fury
really good novel and i liked the romance . had some flaws but it a lovely book . hope the review is up soon
Cassie Worthy has summer and her NYC college career all planned out. All the Summer 1991( one year before I was born haha) plans come crashing down when she discovers her boyfriend was seeing someone else when she was busy finishing her high school career. Cassie also gets fired. WTF? This won't stop her, heck no.Cassie as she finds friendship, love, and ultimately herself.
I disliked this book. It was decently written, but felt like a bare bones movie script instead of a novel. It meandered and many scenes would work better as movie montages. This is historical fiction (gasps) but I didn't have any connection to Cassie. She's your standard privileged white girl. Just say already what's wrong dont lie to your parents. They'll get used to it .The faking and misunderstandings weren't cute ,maybe it would have worked better in a romcom. We live capitalistic hellhole, we do our best to survive. I luckily never had nostalgia for the mall, it exists in Suriname but not the enormity like the US. YOU might like it if you have fun memories working in the mall. I might've liked it if it was a movie. Who knows maybe it will. I'm not interested in any other McCafferty book in the future that is certain