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| 1335147268
| 9781335147264
| 1335147268
| 4.75
| 4
| Jan 14, 2025
| Jan 14, 2025
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0
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not set
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not set
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Aug 31, 2024
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Hardcover
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| 1640097031
| 9781640097032
| 1640097031
| 5.00
| 4
| unknown
| Apr 29, 2025
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it was amazing
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Actual rating 4.5 stars. Pitched as All the Lights We Cannot See meets In Memoriam, The Lilac People was a huge surprise for me. This story, told in a Actual rating 4.5 stars. Pitched as All the Lights We Cannot See meets In Memoriam, The Lilac People was a huge surprise for me. This story, told in a dual timeline, is about Bertie, a transexual man during the thirties and forties in Nazi Germany. When people hurt bad enough, they’ll grab any idea to make their own lives better, no matter how illogical. What surprised me the most was what I didn’t know yet about that time. Have you ever heard of The Institute of Sexual Science, where transexual people got surgery and a new passport in the twenties and thirties of the last century? I didn’t and found this part fascinating. Bertie works at the Institute and is confident in his life as a man. Okay, he sometimes needs to pretend (back then, they didn’t have hormones yet), but overall, he’s happy. Until Hitler comes to power and he has to flee. ”If it helps, I believe everyone is acting in one way or another in this world. We’re all afraid to be ourselves. And the saddest part is that fear is unnecessarily genuine.” The Lilac People shows us the time before and after WWII. Before: a happy time full of parties and friends, eventually turning into something sinister. And afterward: tucked away on a farm where, after the war, the Americans suddenly pose a threat because they arrest queer people. Bertie, his girlfriend Sofie, his best friend Gert (oh Gert), and Karl, who fled Dachau as a trans man, came to life in this beautiful and informative story. ”Anger is not bad. Anger is how we tell ourselves that we’ve been wronged, that we’ve been mistreated, and that it’s not okay. Anger is a beautiful emotion. We just need to express it properly.” Does the pitch of ATLWCS meets In Memoriam fit this book? Well, it’s written in a dual timeline and gives us an insight into German life during those years, like ATLWCS, and has poetical writing and queer characters surviving a war, like In Memorial. But that’s where the similarities end. I believe The Lilac People is a unique story on its own that provides insight into a mostly unknown part of history. I also highly recommend the author’s note in the back (also about the Institute because its owner, Hirschfeld, had a messy and tangled relationship with racism, misogyny, and eugenics). ”History isn’t artifacts or pictures or things. History is the people who made them. The history is us. And we’ll keep passing it on.” Thank you, Counterpoint and Edelweiss, for this wonderful ARC! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 28, 2024
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Sep 04, 2024
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Aug 23, 2024
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Hardcover
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| 0593686209
| 9780593686201
| 0593686209
| 4.31
| 29
| Mar 11, 2025
| Mar 11, 2025
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None
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not set
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not set
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Aug 22, 2024
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Paperback
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| 1419756893
| 9781419756894
| 1419756893
| 3.12
| 8
| unknown
| Mar 25, 2025
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really liked it
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In the last couple of years, dark academia has become one of my favorite genres. I have a soft spot for those morally grey characters who I’d condemn
In the last couple of years, dark academia has become one of my favorite genres. I have a soft spot for those morally grey characters who I’d condemn in contemporary or romance. We Are Villains has the same blunt writing as Felix Ever After (Kacen Callender’s most popular book) but with darker vibes. From the blurb, Milo and Liam seem to be the main characters, while, in fact, Ari sets the pace of this story. I love books with multiple POVs, but if there are more than two, I always get a little wary. In this book, Kacen Callender used at least eight, but I didn’t mind and found it very interesting to be in all those other minds for a short time. Their chapters were just little snippets that gave an extra layer of depth to what happened to Ari and the atmosphere of Yates, the boarding school. Just like so many other dark academia stories, this book is f*cked up. Yates is central where tyranny and patriarchy rule, everyone is pretending to be something or someone else than they really are, and the reader starts sympathizing with the ones, who are bad news. My favorite was Liam, even though I hated him too for what he did. But love and hate are never far from each other, right? It’s always easier to look at someone else—to see how they’ve made mistakes. Always easier to see how someone else is the villain. It’s harder to admit when we’re the villains, too. Don’t expect a romance because there isn’t any. Also, don’t expect lots of angst. Instead, We Are Villains focuses on all those messed-up teens, their f*cked-up relationships, and what they’re trying to hide. I flew through the pages because of Kacen’s vivid writing, even with so many POVs. Stars in Your Eyes is one of my favorite adult romances, but I wasn’t a huge fan of Infinity Alchemist. I was a little afraid to see another genre, but I shouldn’t have feared because I really liked this one and will definitely read other dark academia stories by Kacen Callender. Thank you, Abrams Books and Edelweiss, for this ARC! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 18, 2024
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Aug 22, 2024
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Aug 17, 2024
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Hardcover
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| B0CZXQ8X51
| unknown
| 4.28
| 25
| unknown
| Jan 23, 2025
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really liked it
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William Hussey is one of my favorite YA authors. Hideous Beauty is a gem, and I expected to find the same writing, the same emotions, and the same kin
William Hussey is one of my favorite YA authors. Hideous Beauty is a gem, and I expected to find the same writing, the same emotions, and the same kind of love story from that book in The Boy I Love, a YA story about English boys going to war in France in 1916. The best book I’ve ever read about WWI (or actually overall) is In Memoriam. So, I expected a YA version of that book, the vividly written scenes in the muddy trenches, the brotherhood between those soldiers, the hurt and the pain, and above so much love. Did I get all of this? Yes, because The Boy I Know is a beautifully written story that took me to those grimy trenches and let me feel the brotherhood between those men. It made me fall in love with Danny, sweet, cheerful Danny and made me want to throw my fist at Gallagher and Beddowes (please know I’m not a violent person) for the terrible men they were. It made me weep because of Ollie, oh sweet Ollie, and smile when Stephen and Danny admitted their feelings for each other. It made my heart thunder in my chest when, for one moment, Stephen thought Danny had died, and it made me feel so much more. After finishing this book, I only wanted one thing, though. That I had read In Memoriam after this one and not before. How is it possible to compete with such a masterpiece? And maybe it’s not fair to compare those two stories. So, If you haven’t read In Memoriam yet, read this one first. If you think In Memoriam is too triggering, you might want to try this one since it’s less graphic. And if you’ve loved any of William Hussey’s books and/or In Memoriam, I’d still recommend reading this one too. Thank you, Andersen Press and NetGalley, for this wonderful ARC. It was one of my most anticipated 2025 releases, and I’m so happy I could read it early! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 04, 2024
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Sep 09, 2024
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Aug 01, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1803369981
| 9781803369983
| B0CM5GQD93
| 4.53
| 112
| Oct 22, 2024
| Oct 22, 2024
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really liked it
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Pitched for fans of Raven Boys and Cemetery Boys, but in my opinion closest to F.T. Lukens’ Spell Bound and their The Rules series. I love the rival t Pitched for fans of Raven Boys and Cemetery Boys, but in my opinion closest to F.T. Lukens’ Spell Bound and their The Rules series. I love the rival to lovers trope, but I like the grumpy-sunshine trope even more, and I loved that one the most in The Hollow and the Haunted. Miles is the empath, always helpful and thinking about others. Gabriel is the brooding one, distant and cold. But when a friendship grows, Gabriel opens up, and Miles finds out, that a sweet boy is hiding underneath all those layers of coldness. Be aware this is a slow, slow, slow-burn and that the romance isn’t the main theme. This story is about two rivaling families, and Miles and Gabriel find themselves in the middle of the feud. Camilla Raines writing is incredibly vivid and made this story such a pleasure to read. Miles and Gabriel, including the side characters, splashed of the pages, and I smiled so many times. At Miles’ and Gabriel’s banter, but also at Miles’ car because Camilla managed to make Blanche almost human. To be honest, while reading that ending, I was like ‘WHAT?’, but now I can’t wait to read the sequel! I’d love to be back with Miles and Gabriel again. Thank you, Titan Books, for this wonderful ARC! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 30, 2024
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Aug 04, 2024
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Jul 25, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 166595096X
| 9781665950961
| B0D2VF54M2
| 4.70
| 10
| Apr 29, 2025
| Apr 29, 2025
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None
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0
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not set
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not set
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Jul 10, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 0369747380
| 9780369747389
| B0BS442Y3X
| 3.71
| 1,281
| Jan 09, 2024
| Jan 09, 2024
|
liked it
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If only this book had a dual narrative… Lucky Bounce is okay. Nice. Fine. I’ll admit, I really, really liked the first pages. I smiled, and I chuckled If only this book had a dual narrative… Lucky Bounce is okay. Nice. Fine. I’ll admit, I really, really liked the first pages. I smiled, and I chuckled, and sometimes I had second-hand embarrassment because of Zeke’s crush. But after a few chapters, my enthusiasm faded away. I think this story could have been so much more! Such a shame. I terribly missed Spencer’s narrative. And now that I’m spouting criticism, I also missed character depth. There was wit, and my lips turned up in a smile, but Zeke and Spencer were also very one-dimensional. I kind of hated their dialogues because there was hardly any, especially in the beginning. It would have been okay, but I didn’t feel any yearning or longing, or at least some buildup to something more. Yeah, Zeke felt sexual attraction, but that’s it. I think the book is much too short. Add at least 100 pages, dive into the characters, upgrade the dialogues, tell Addie’s background story in more than three sentences, and lose the bro/dude/bud thing, and this romance could suddenly be really good. But right now it isn’t, at least not in my opinion, and therefore, Lucky Bounce became an in-between. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed myself, but this book is rather unforgettable. And that’s a pity. If you love an easy read and at times funny story to dream away for a while, readable in one sitting, this one might be for you. Oh, and there’s no third act breakup and that’s great! Thank you, Harlequin-Romance and NetGalley, for the ARC. Follow me onInstagram Merged review: If only this book had a dual narrative… Lucky Bounce is okay. Nice. Fine. I’ll admit, I really, really liked the first pages. I smiled, and I chuckled, and sometimes I had second-hand embarrassment because of Zeke’s crush. But after a few chapters, my enthusiasm faded away. I think this story could have been so much more! Such a shame. I terribly missed Spencer’s narrative. And now that I’m spouting criticism, I also missed character depth. There was wit, and my lips turned up in a smile, but Zeke and Spencer were also very one-dimensional. I kind of hated their dialogues because there was hardly any, especially in the beginning. It would have been okay, but I didn’t feel any yearning or longing, or at least some buildup to something more. Yeah, Zeke felt sexual attraction, but that’s it. I think the book is much too short. Add at least 100 pages, dive into the characters, upgrade the dialogues, tell Addie’s background story in more than three sentences, and lose the bro/dude/bud thing, and this romance could suddenly be really good. But right now it isn’t, at least not in my opinion, and therefore, Lucky Bounce became an in-between. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed myself, but this book is rather unforgettable. And that’s a pity. If you love an easy read and at times funny story to dream away for a while, readable in one sitting, this one might be for you. Oh, and there’s no third act breakup and that’s great! Thank you, Harlequin-Romance and NetGalley, for the ARC. Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Nov 06, 2023
not set
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Nov 08, 2023
not set
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Jun 27, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1738566412
| 9781738566419
| B0D1VTZG94
| 4.58
| 97
| Jul 01, 2024
| Jul 01, 2024
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really liked it
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It is, I think, the best pink sky moment I’ve had yet. Don’t you love those pink sky moments? Those moments at night when the sky turns into these soft It is, I think, the best pink sky moment I’ve had yet. Don’t you love those pink sky moments? Those moments at night when the sky turns into these soft colors, and everything looks suddenly so beautiful. I was so happy that Alis was enjoying these moments because this story is sometimes hard to read. Like really hard and, therefore really triggering. But it’s also genuinely good. So, if you’re interested in reading this one and get triggered easily or have specific triggers, please, please check out the trigger warnings first! So, Earth to Alis. Lex Carlow reached out to me and asked if I wanted to read her debut, but I immediately wanted to decline because it would be released in about a week, and I had enough other ARCs on my shelf. But then I checked the blurb, and suddenly, I said yes, and I’m SO happy that I did! Alis is a teen who’s fighting his own demons and real ones. He’s such a lonely boy (by choice), and I loved to see him opening up to other people and letting them in while traveling through Europe. Noor, Drew, Dakota, and of course Craig, were the best friends Alis could have. They were so caring, and the found family trope is such a sweet thing in this book! But be prepared because even though this is upper YA, it’s harrowing at times. Think of the detailed scenes in Young Mungo (adult and different themes!). As an adult (for ages) sometimes even I had to look away from the pages because it became too much for me, and I can handle almost everything. At one particular time, I wanted to scream at Alis don’t, don’t, don’t, but he did it anyway. And I felt numb, tears burning behind my eyes. But even though the story is heavy, messy, and full of drama (bullying, neglecting parents, a fallout with a best friend), it also made me smile so many times. I adored cute cinnamon roll Craig and was so happy to see a more bulky love interest! Another huge plus was that I finally read a book by a North American author, and I wasn’t frowning because of the stereotypical descriptions of Europe. I especially loved to be in Interlaken again ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 25, 2024
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Jun 29, 2024
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Jun 23, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 133509041X
| 9781335090416
| 133509041X
| 4.76
| 17
| unknown
| Jan 28, 2025
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really liked it
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Actual rating 4.5 stars. I want Isaac’s therapist! I highlighted so many of her observations! Isaac’s Song is a beautifully written story, that almost Actual rating 4.5 stars. I want Isaac’s therapist! I highlighted so many of her observations! Isaac’s Song is a beautifully written story, that almost reads like a biography. The first pages took my breath away. The story starts when Isaac’s father dies and Isaac cries to his surprise. Weeks later, he visits a therapist because he loses weight and hardly sleeps. Isaac’s meetings with his therapist are the bones of this book and with her he goes back to his childhood and how he perceived his parents, his Blackness, and his sexuality. ”Apologies don’t heal the wounded. They’re for the perpetrator.” This story digs deep. It’s about love and what we feel and what we think happened. Isaac’s relationship with his dad was always difficult. But while he rethinks what happened, he finds out he might have judged his father too harshly. And might put his mother on a pedestal she didn’t always deserve. ”Some of the truths you discover, Isaac, are going to conflict with what you feel in your heart. Still, don’t back away from them. This is what you’re looking for. It comes to make us reconsider what we think we know.” I flew through the pages and through Isaac’s life. His childhood, his time at university, when he started working and still didn’t feel comfortable as a Black gay man. ”You become an agent of your own existence the minute you stop blaming others for what they did to you. Those who hurt us cannot heal us. That’s our job.” When I read his father’s letter, tears leaped into my eyes. The love that shone through those sentences. The fact that his father tried, even though he called his son a sissy and girly. I really need to read Daniel Black’s Don’t Cry for Me. I think it will make me bawl my eyes out. Thank you, Harlequin Trade Publishing, for this beautiful ARC! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 25, 2024
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Jul 28, 2024
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Jun 13, 2024
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1398715794
| 9781398715790
| B0CW25L6FJ
| 4.32
| 1,250
| Jul 17, 2024
| Jul 18, 2024
|
liked it
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I love books by K.J. Charles, especially the combination of wit and pining, both ingredients in The Duke at Hazard. And still… I liked Cassian’s and D I love books by K.J. Charles, especially the combination of wit and pining, both ingredients in The Duke at Hazard. And still… I liked Cassian’s and Dhazell’s story; I just didn’t love it. Situations that should have made me smile didn’t do anything more than sometimes pull up my lips a little; I lost my concentration while reading the ‘There’s just one bed’ scene, and even though the pacing was fast, I was reading so slowly. I do not even have the inspiration to write a full review. For me, this story was just okay. Nothing more, nothing less. Please check out other reviews if you want to read this one! Thank you, Orion Publishing Group, for this ARC. I’m sorry for not liking it more. Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 02, 2024
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Jun 06, 2024
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May 30, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1335015329
| 9781335015327
| 1335015329
| 4.55
| 142
| Mar 04, 2025
| Mar 04, 2025
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really liked it
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Oh, I liked this one more than Time to Shine (I liked that one too, but this one just a bit more!). It just hit all the right notes, a slow burn secon
Oh, I liked this one more than Time to Shine (I liked that one too, but this one just a bit more!). It just hit all the right notes, a slow burn second chance romance (okay, the story itself only takes place in a week or so), two men in their forties (we need more older MCs!), and the first pages grief-stricken (and we know I’m a sucker for sadder stories). Riley’s grief was so palpable in the first part of the story. His love for his father shone through the pages, and I loved all those small family dynamics. They were all so relatable. I immediately wanted to hug him. Even though I hated the way Adam had treated Riley in the past, he was the one I had a soft spot for. Without many words, Adam was so quietly caring. All those tender moments, bringing coffee and breakfast in the morning, just lying in bed and comforting Riley because he needed it. I think the tenderness in this story stood out for me the most. Two grown-up men who’d already lived a part of their lives and finally felt they were coming home. And that epilogue was chef’s kiss. Thank you, Harlequin Romance and NetGalley, for this wonderful ARC. I loved reading it! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 28, 2024
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Oct 2024
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May 10, 2024
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0385550650
| 9780385550659
| B0CH9K228J
| 4.19
| 1,248
| unknown
| Jun 04, 2024
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really liked it
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Actual rating 4.5 stars. ”It’s one thing to love a child, but it’s an entirely different thing for the same child to feel loved. A home is the last pla Actual rating 4.5 stars. ”It’s one thing to love a child, but it’s an entirely different thing for the same child to feel loved. A home is the last place a child should feel conditionally loved.” I’ve read quite a few books set in Africa, especially in Nigeria (The Death of Vivek Oji being the best known) and I really loved the setting of all of these books. Therefore I couldn’t wait to read Blessings, about a gay Nigerian teen, a dancer, who is banished to boarding school when his dad witnesses an intimate moment between his son and another boy. This story is not only about Obiefuna though. It’s also about his mom Uzoamaka, who doesn’t understand why her son is suddenly send away. Blessings is a powerful, tender and sometimes harsh story about love and acceptance set just before Nigeria criminalizes same-sexs relationships. It’s about wanting to be free, but needing to hide at the same time. I loved the lyrical writing and the cadence of this debut novel. Whenever I wasn’t reading, I couldn’t wait to be back with Obiefuna and Uzoamaka, they both pulled at me like magnets. I had one wish though, that this novel would have been a little longer, like fifty pages or so. I loved the last part, but also think it was too short. It left me longing for more. That’s why I rounded my 4.5 star rating down to four. But overall this debut impressed me and I can’t wait to read more by Chukwuebuka Ibeh. Thank you so much, Doubleday Books and NetGalley for this wonderful story! And I love the cover! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 10, 2024
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Mar 13, 2024
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Feb 29, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1773218646
| 9781773218649
| 1773218646
| 4.27
| 33
| Oct 08, 2024
| Oct 08, 2024
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really liked it
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Actual rating 4.5 stars. For fans of If This Gets Out or Kiss and Tell. Or those with a soft spot for anxious teen boys. And for those who can handle h Actual rating 4.5 stars. For fans of If This Gets Out or Kiss and Tell. Or those with a soft spot for anxious teen boys. And for those who can handle heavier and darker-themed stories. Even though Under All the Lights is a sequel, this story is perfectly readable as a standalone. I was curious but also a little scared when I started reading because Ollie was in a solid relationship with Aisha after book one. Although I really wanted to know what was going to happen between Ollie and Jessie, I didn’t want to get stuck in a cobweb of lies because of a love triangle. And luckily, that didn’t happen. But be prepared; this story is messy. Let me just love messy and harder hitting stories! Under All the Lights is about a boy and his confused feelings. About a boy who’s trying to battle with severe anxiety. About a boy who’s suddenly in the spotlights, including sh*tty social media rumors. About a boy and his past and the inextricable link to his internal biphobia. And yeah, it’s also about a boy with a wonderful girlfriend who finds out he likes a guy, too. I loved reading from Ollie’s POV. I already had a soft spot for him when I was reading When It All SyncsUp, and after I found out what happened to him in the first installment of this series, my blood was boiling, and I wanted to protect him against all costs. And therefore, I fully understood why Ollie felt he needed to ignore his feelings for boys. But after meeting Jesse, his feelings came flying back like a boomerang, and suddenly, he couldn’t shrug off what he knew deep inside anymore. Some stories hit me hard, and this is one of them. Those two boys, both struggling so much but not letting the other in. I felt their inner fights throughout the book. The soft spot I had for Olly has become bigger, and he nestled himself deep into my heart. Just like Jesse, actually, and I’m secretly hoping Maya Ameyaw will write a follow-up story with a dual or even triple POV because with that ending and all, I’m not done yet with these characters, and I really, really, really need more! Thank you so much, Maya, Annick Pres, NetGalleyand, and Edelweiss, for the eARCs of this book. I know I needed a few of them before I was finally able to read this story, but I’m so glad I could in the end because I loved Olly, Jesse, Aisha, Neil, and all the others! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 20, 2024
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Apr 23, 2024
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Feb 14, 2024
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| unknown
| 4.48
| 40
| unknown
| Jun 05, 2024
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 17, 2024
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Mar 20, 2024
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Feb 10, 2024
| ||||||||||||||||||
| 0063339633
| 9780063339637
| 0063339633
| 4.10
| 92
| Sep 10, 2024
| Sep 10, 2024
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it was amazing
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History is All You Left Me meets Hideous Beauty Sometimes, we have to look back in order to move forward. Abdi Nazemian is a superb YA author. His previ History is All You Left Me meets Hideous Beauty Sometimes, we have to look back in order to move forward. Abdi Nazemian is a superb YA author. His previous books, Like a Love Story and Only This Beautiful Moment, were fantastic. And here’s another amazing one. Think of History is All You Left Me, but maybe most of all Hideous Beauty. Desert Echoes is a beautiful, sad boy story, a mystery imbued with hope, written in a dual timeline: the year Kam returned from Joshua Tree without Ash, and two years later when Kam goes back to Joshua Tree and has to face what happened back then. There’s Covid in this book, talk of masks, social distancing, and vaccines, things I hate to see in stories—I even DNF’d books with mentions of Covid in it. But for the first time, I didn’t mind because the Covid references portrayed loneliness and the loss of human connections so beautifully, both significant themes in this story. Kam craves those connections so much, of course with Ash, but maybe even more with his parents and Bodie, his best friend. In the now chapters, Kam’s grief is palpable on every page. In the videos he watches, in the music he listens to, in the conversations he has with Bodie. And slowly, I realized his pain wasn’t only because of Ash’s disappearance. The same applies to the then chapters. The love Kam and Ash had for each other felt so energetic, almost frantic. I smiled so many times, and still… When I found out more about the truth, my heart ached for Ash. At the same time, I wanted to hug Bodie so badly because his love for Kam shone so brightly from page one, and Kam was so oblivious. This story is about first love and moving on, about (co)dependency and cravings, and like I said above about loneliness and human connections. And just like Only This Beautiful Moment, this story is incredibly personal. Tears burned in my eyes while reading the last chapter and then I started to smile so much! This story, including the title and the cover is gorgeous! Thanks so much again, HarperCollins International, for allowing me to read this beauty! I will gush about it wherever and whenever I can! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 30, 2024
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Jun 02, 2024
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Feb 05, 2024
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Hardcover
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| 9781728270319
| B0BB8RC9KT
| 3.75
| 2,579
| May 30, 2023
| May 30, 2023
|
really liked it
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Adored this one!!! The Gay Best Friend has hints from The Charm Offensive and Red White and Royal Blue, but the book that comes to mind the most is Fi
Adored this one!!! The Gay Best Friend has hints from The Charm Offensive and Red White and Royal Blue, but the book that comes to mind the most is First Time for Everything. Recently single, thirty-year-old gay Domenic (Dom) is an anxious mess and stuck between his best friends, the hypermasculine Patrick and his fiancé, the ultrafeminine Kate. When Kate asks Dom to protect Patrick from doing stupid things at his bachelor party, and Dom arrives at Kate’s bachelorette party with a bunch of secrets, his life is spiraling out of control. The Gay Best Friend is incredibly heartwarming, captivating, and witty. Funny and almost cringe-worthy moments alternate with wonderful conversations, especially between Dom and Bucky. Because of this, the story is far more layered than you’d assume when you start reading the book. Even though Dom feels trapped, his friendship to both Patrick and Kate is so precious and this story is Dom’s personal journey to his true self. Throughout the story, I wanted to tell him desperately that he should start loving himself and doesn’t have to feel less than Patrick. I simply loved the book and Dom. In the end, I was surprised that I even liked Ted and fully agreed with the message he gave Dom. I can’t wait to read more by Nicolas Didomizio! I received an ARC from Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Follow me onInstagram Merged review: Adored this one!!! The Gay Best Friend has hints from The Charm Offensive and Red White and Royal Blue, but the book that comes to mind the most is First Time for Everything. Recently single, thirty-year-old gay Domenic (Dom) is an anxious mess and stuck between his best friends, the hypermasculine Patrick and his fiancé, the ultrafeminine Kate. When Kate asks Dom to protect Patrick from doing stupid things at his bachelor party, and Dom arrives at Kate’s bachelorette party with a bunch of secrets, his life is spiraling out of control. The Gay Best Friend is incredibly heartwarming, captivating, and witty. Funny and almost cringe-worthy moments alternate with wonderful conversations, especially between Dom and Bucky. Because of this, the story is far more layered than you’d assume when you start reading the book. Even though Dom feels trapped, his friendship to both Patrick and Kate is so precious and this story is Dom’s personal journey to his true self. Throughout the story, I wanted to tell him desperately that he should start loving himself and doesn’t have to feel less than Patrick. I simply loved the book and Dom. In the end, I was surprised that I even liked Ted and fully agreed with the message he gave Dom. I can’t wait to read more by Nicolas Didomizio! I received an ARC from Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 24, 2023
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Jan 27, 2023
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Feb 03, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 103500898X
| 9781035008988
| B0CNPVX48P
| 3.88
| 1,471
| Sep 03, 2024
| Sep 05, 2024
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it was amazing
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Actual rating 4.5 stars. For fans of The Ghosts We Keep, When Haru was Here is a messy, painful and at the same time beautiful story about grief and lo Actual rating 4.5 stars. For fans of The Ghosts We Keep, When Haru was Here is a messy, painful and at the same time beautiful story about grief and loneliness. And isn’t that cover stunning? When he loses his best friend, Daniel, Eric more or less stops living. Time passes without him noticing, and he’s in his head a lot. He makes up stories and thinks he sees Daniel everywhere. Then, Eric meets Haru again, the Japanese boy he once had a beautiful day with. Haru becomes Eric’s lifeline, whether he’s real or not. While reading, I found another summary of this story, probably an older one, and all of a sudden, something in my head clicked. Goosebumps started dancing over my skin because I realized Eric’s feeling of loneliness wasn’t only because of Daniel. Grief is a complicated thing, and we all cope differently with the abundance of people we love so much. Eric’s coping mechanism is holding on to the beautiful memories he made with Haru and the new ones he’s making. That, he can manage. Real life, he cannot. This story might seem messy and jumpy, and side characters are hardly visible. I believe my sudden inkling helped me to understand what was happening better, but I also think Dustin Thao wrote Eric’s story like this intentionally. It’s a brilliant concept, even though I also know that it might make people confused. Please just know Eric makes up stories a lot. This novel shows a very lonely boy being in so much pain, a boy who disjoints from real life because he just can’t cope anymore. And from the moment, I had an my inkling, my chest tightened, and my heart went out to that nineteen-year-old so many times. Those letters and that epilogue… I cried. Of course, I cried—massive tears of love for this lonely and sad boy. But I also smiled because, in the end, I knew he was going to be okay again. I haven’t read You’ve Reached Sam yet; it has been on my TBR for so long, but I’m definitely going to, and I can’t wait for Dustin’s spin-off of that book! Thank you so much, Erin, from Macmillan International, for letting me read this beautiful story early! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 13, 2024
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Mar 14, 2024
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Jan 25, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1538725401
| 9781538725405
| 1538725401
| 4.15
| 105
| unknown
| Sep 17, 2024
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really liked it
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”Why be with someone you have to hide yourself from?” Just like Dominic Lim’s debut, All the Right Notes, Karaoke Queen is a fluffy story with a seriou ”Why be with someone you have to hide yourself from?” Just like Dominic Lim’s debut, All the Right Notes, Karaoke Queen is a fluffy story with a serious undertone. Rex stopped doing drag years ago. But when he wants to help his ex, Aaron, his love for drag comes tumbling back, and he finds himself (or herself) back on stage again. What I loved most is that this story is taking us in a different direction than the blurb implies—a much better direction. I adored Kat, Eva, Rex’s mom, Tito, Bryan, and even Aaron (even though I had to warm up to him), but Paolo was my favorite. Such a sweet, sweet guy! I could have done with fewer secrets, but overall I enjoyed myself immensely. I don’t want to say too much; just read this book! Thank you, Forever and NetGalley, for the ARC! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 03, 2024
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Jul 07, 2024
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Jan 24, 2024
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Paperback
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| 1728270324
| 9781728270326
| 1728270324
| 3.84
| 876
| unknown
| May 21, 2024
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really liked it
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This one is for you if you’re in a relationship and sometimes have difficulties communicating with your partner. Or if you just want to read about all
This one is for you if you’re in a relationship and sometimes have difficulties communicating with your partner. Or if you just want to read about all the things communication-wise could go wrong. The ‘will I tell, or hmmm, maybe not’. The ‘you did that or you did not’. This story is so, so relatable! Sometimes, I just need a story to lighten the heaviness in my heart. Right now, because I finished a very raw but beautiful book and knew I needed something to let go. And this one definitely delivered! Ray and Kip, the main characters in Nearlywed, could have been stereotypes in an average rom-com full of miscommunication—Ray, the outgoing, social media-loving journalist, and Kip, the introverted, private doctor—but gladly, they weren’t. Instead, this story is about not communicating in relationships. About the topics that really matter, like your biggest fears. Ray and Kip are madly in love with each other, but hardly talk about their differences and their fears. Ray who grew up between lobster catchers with a mom who did everything for her Prince Charming, Kip in a traditional doctor’s family with a dad who has certain dreams for his son. So Ray clings to Kip and sets his own life on hold, focusing on quality time with his fiancé, afraid the love of his life will find out he’s not enough. Kip doesn’t want everything to be about his sexuality and always conforms to anything his Dad wants. Like I said, their way of communicating is so relatable, instead of listening and staying calm, Ray hissed and throws all his grievances onto the table, and Kip just defends himself or shuts the conversation down and falls asleep like nothing happened. Smiles pulled at my lips so hard while reading, and at other times, I wanted to shout at those guys to start listening to the other and start talking, really talking. But I also know from my own experience how hard it can be to put your fears fully on display with the ones you love the most. Those two guys were perfectly flawed and should have opened up much sooner, but I also understood why they didn’t. I already loved The Gay Best Friend and I fell in love with Nearlywed even a bit more. Highly, highly, highly recommended! Thank you so much, Sourcebooks Casablanca, for this wonderful ARC! I enjoyed Ray’s and Kip’s story immensely! Follow me onInstagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 03, 2024
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Feb 06, 2024
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Jan 21, 2024
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Paperback
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my rating |
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| 4.75
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not set
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Aug 31, 2024
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| 5.00
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it was amazing
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Sep 04, 2024
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Aug 23, 2024
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| 4.31
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not set
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Aug 22, 2024
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| 3.12
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really liked it
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Aug 22, 2024
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Aug 17, 2024
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| 4.28
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really liked it
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Sep 09, 2024
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Aug 01, 2024
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| 4.53
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really liked it
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Aug 04, 2024
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Jul 25, 2024
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| 4.70
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not set
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Jul 10, 2024
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| 3.71
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liked it
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Nov 08, 2023
not set
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Jun 27, 2024
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| 4.58
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really liked it
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Jun 29, 2024
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Jun 23, 2024
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| 4.76
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really liked it
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Jul 28, 2024
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Jun 13, 2024
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| 4.32
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liked it
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Jun 06, 2024
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May 30, 2024
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| 4.55
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really liked it
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Oct 2024
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May 10, 2024
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| 4.19
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really liked it
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Mar 13, 2024
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Feb 29, 2024
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| 4.27
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really liked it
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Apr 23, 2024
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Feb 14, 2024
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| 4.48
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Mar 20, 2024
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Feb 10, 2024
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| 4.10
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it was amazing
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Jun 02, 2024
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Feb 05, 2024
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| 3.75
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really liked it
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Jan 27, 2023
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Feb 03, 2024
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| 3.88
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it was amazing
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Mar 14, 2024
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Jan 25, 2024
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| 4.15
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really liked it
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Jul 07, 2024
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Jan 24, 2024
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| 3.84
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really liked it
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Feb 06, 2024
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Jan 21, 2024
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