Book Review: Heartstopper Vol. 5

Title: Heartstopper Vol. 5

Author: Alice Oseman

Series/Standalone: Heartstopper (Volume 5)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Romance, LGBT, YA

Pages: 336

Publisher: Graphix

Year Published: 2023

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love and everything that happens in between: this is the fifth volume of the much-loved HEARTSTOPPER series.

Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They've finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick's house.. But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?"

My Rating: 5/5

Each volume of this series is better than the last. These graphic novels are beautiful coming-of-age stories with a variety of LGBTQ+ characters all on their journey to adulthood. I think that the way the author handles difficult topics (sexual orientation, mental health, and sexual health) is done in a natural and informative way without feeling like a lecture. Looking forward to the finale.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Saenz

 

Title: Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Water of the World

Author: Benjamin Alire Saenz

Series/Standalone: Aristotle and Dante Series (Book #2)

Genre: Young Adult, LGBT, Romance, Contemporary

Pages: 516

Publisher: 2021

Year Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Format: Audiobook

"In Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the Universe, two boys in a border town fell in love. Now, they must discover what it means to stay in love and build a relationship in a world that seems to challenge their very existence.

Ari has spent all of high school burying who he really is, staying silent and invisible. He expected his senior year to be the same. But something in him cracked open when he fell in love with Dante, and he can't go back. Suddenly he finds himself reaching out to new friends, standing up to bullies of all kinds, and making his voice heard. And, always, there is Dante, dreamy, witty Dante, who can get on Ari's nerves and fill him with desire all at once. 

The boys are determined to forge a path for themselves in a world that doesn't understand them. But when Ari is faced with a shocking loss, he'll have to fight like never before to create a life that is truthfully, joyfully his own."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I absolutely adored the first book in this series and thought about it for a very long time, even rereading it a couple of times. I was surprised that the author decided to continue on with a second book but I was pleasantly surprised that this reads very similarly to the first one. Watching these two characters learn how to define who they are and shine bright in a world where the AIDs epidemic is sweeping the world was hard, but important to read. I love the way these are written and I would pick up anything else by the author. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Down to The Wire by Carly Usdin

Title: Down to the Wire

Author: Carly Usdin

Artist(s): Noah Hayes

Series/Standalone: The Avant-Guards (Volume 3)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary

Pages: 112

Publisher: BOOM! Box

Year Published: 2020

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"THE FINAL SHOT. Everything's happening- Liv & Charlie figuring out what it means to be Liv & Charlie, the final game of the season is here, creating the perfect fundraiser and everyone's parents showed up to cheer them on during the most stressful time the team could imagine. It's Just A Lot For Everyone To Deal With. Luckily the entire existence of the league doesn't depend on this one game or the Avant-Guards winning, right? Oh wait..."

My Rating: 4/5

This was, I think, a wrap on this series. I believe that this series does so well on discovering who you are in college and beginning to understand who you are as a young adult. Where you're going, who you want to be and the people you meet along the way. This one was fun, but not all that different than past volumes, so forth the rating. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Y2K-O! by Carly Usdin

Title: Y2K-O!

Author: Carly Usdin

Artist(s): Nina Vakueva

Series/Standalone: Heavy Vinyl (Volume 2)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, LGBT

Pages: 112

Publisher: BOOM! Box

Year Published: 2020

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"An all-new original graphic novel follow up to the award-nominated Heavy Vinyl: Riot on The Radio that reunites everyone's favorite girl vigilantes to save the day by stopping Big Music from killing digital music in 1999!

SAVE THE INTERNET, SAVE THE WORLD (OF MUSIC)!

It's 1999 and Chris is living her dream: working at Vinyl Destination by day and fighting for (musical) justice by night (okay, maybe during the day too) in the world's coolest teen girl vigilante fight club. But when the girls of Vinyl Destination enter Battle of The Bands- to investigate and, of course, win - they learn that the shadowy corporate masters of the music industry plan to destroy the fledging world of digital music and blame it on Y2K. Now it's time for Christ and the gang to dial up 56k (or more, pretty please) of justice so they can save the day once again!"

My Rating: 4.5/5

I wish that this series had more volumes, the cliffhanger that this one ends on was not what I needed from the series. Also watching as the characters traverse long-distance relationships, new relationships and crushes. I loved the way this tackled so many things while staying fun and keeping the music involved. I would read anything else this author put out! Anything!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Heartstopper: Volume 4

Title: Heartstopper: Volume 4

Author: Alice Oseman

Artist(s): Alice Oseman

Series/Standalone: Heartstopper (Volume 4)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, LGBT

Pages: 384

Publisher: Graphix

Year Published: 2021

Format: Paperback Copy (Library)

"Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love and everything that happens in between: this is the fourth volume of HEARTSTOPPER, for fans of The Art of Being Normal, Holly Bourne and Love, Simon.

Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Charlie's beginning to feel ready to say those three little words: I love you.

Nick's been feeling the same, but he's got a lot of his mind- not least coming out to his dad, and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.

As summer turns to autumn and a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick are about to learn a lot about what love means.

Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger which speaks to all of us."

My Rating: 5/5

This review is coming quite a bit later than when I finished reading this volume because I got married this past week! Super exciting stuff and it was so busy that imagine this, a review slipped my mind. But not to worry I'm back at it. This was a great instalment of the series. It is both a sweet and heartfelt story, alongside tackling more serious topics for a young audience. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to more. Would recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in picking it up!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: The Avant-Guards, Vol. 2

Title: The Avant-Guards, Vol. 2

Author: Carly Usdin

Artist(s): Noah Hayes

Series/Standalone: The Avant-Guards

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, LGBT

Pages: 112

Publisher: BOOM! Box

Year Published: 2020

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"The Avant-Guards have been on a roll, but when they hit the end of their winning-streak, will these new friendships survive? As The Avant-Guards struggle to move forward, they'll soon learn just what it means to truly be a team- on the court and, most importantly off the court. The critically-acclaimed team of writer Carly Usdin (Heavy Vinyl) and artist Noah Hayes (Wet Hot American Summer) deliver the next chapter of the series where every shot counts when you take them with your friends."

My Rating: 5/5

This is such a fun contemporary graphic novel series. I appreciate that the creative duo took the time to further flesh out more of the characters in this second volume and I could honestly read this series forever. It's fun, cute, comfortable and diverse. I'm loving it.  I look forward to finishing the series although I think it will be a bittersweet moment!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: The Avant-Guards Vol. 1

Title: The Avant-Guards Vol. 1

Author: Carly Usdin

Artist(s): Noah Hayes

Series/Standalone: The Avant-Guards Vol. 1

Genre: Young Adult, LGBT, Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Publisher: BOOM! Box

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"When Charlie transfers to the Georgia O'Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics, she struggles to find her feet, but winds up exactly where she belongs... in the school's (terrible) basketball team.

As a transfer student to the Georgia O'Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, former sports star Charlie is struggling to find her classes, her dorm and her place amongst a student body full of artists who seem to know exactly where they're going.  When the school's barely-a-basketball team unexpectedly attempts to recruit her, Charlie's adamant that she's left that life behind... until she's won over by the charming team captain, Liv, and the ragtag crew she's managed to assemble. And while Charlie may have left cut-throat competition in the dust, sinking these hoops may be exactly what she needs to see the person she truly wants to be."

My Rating: 5/5

This was exactly the type of comic I needed. Light, fun, but also so darn cute. The potential romance in this is EVERYTHING! I also loved the art style, it really reminded me of a mix of Lumberjanes (THE FIRST VOLUMES) and Giant Days. If either of those holds your interest I would strongly recommend this first volume of this new series.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

Title: Black Water Sister

Author: Zen Cho

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Fantasy, Adult, LGBT

Pages: 384

Publisher: Acebooks

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook

"A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in the compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

Jessamyn Teoh is closet, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there's only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma. In life Ah Ma was a spirit medium, the avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she's determined to settle a score against a gang boss who has offended the god-- and she's decided Jess is going to help her do it.

Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she'll also need to regain control of her body and destiny. If she fails, the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good."

My Rating: 2/5

I found that during this story, I wasn't able to focus on the plot line as much as I wanted. I think that I started out reading this book thinking it would be YA, it became more adult and less something that I was interested in. It's wonderful to see more diverse stories being published every year and if this in any way interests you, I would give it a shot, it just wasn't for me.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Title: Cemetery Boys 

Author: Aiden Thomas

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, LGBT, Romance

Pages: 344

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Year Published: 2020

Format: Audiobook

"Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can't get rid of him.

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Martiza, he performs the rituals himself, and then sets free the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school's resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He's determined to find out what happened, and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave."

My Rating: 1.5/5

I really just didn't care about this story. I was interested in the cultural aspects and the ideas that are presented in that regard, but the characters themselves. I felt that their romance was fine and cute, but nothing was something I cared enough to keep me interested. I also saw the plot "twist" at the end of the book coming, it felt like the plot was too obvious to me. I hope that those who read this book for the representation feel that it was fulfilled, and I have no hard feelings about this story, it just wasn't for me. And that's ok.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Rebels Without Applause by James Tynion IV

Title: Rebels Without Applause

Author: Jame Tynion IV

Artist(s): Rian Sygh, Walter Baiamonte

Series/Standalone: The Backstagers (Vol. 1)

Genre: LGBT, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Young Adult

Pages: 112

Publisher: BOOM! Box

Year Published: 2016

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"All the world's a stage... but what happens behind the curtain is pure magic literally!

When Jory transfers to an all-boys private high school, he's taken in by the only ones who don't treat him like a new kid, the lowly stage crew known as the Backstagers. Not only does he gain great, lifetime friends, Jory is also introduced to an entire magical world that lives beyond the curtain. With the unpredictable twists and turns of the underground world, the Backstagers venture into the unknown, determined to put together the best play their high school has ever seen."

My Rating: 3.75/5

After completing this first volume I went to add more of the series on my Goodreads TBR. And do you know what I found? There are only THREE volumes of this cute, mystical story! THREE! How will I ever be satisfied with that? I loved the characters in this, and the world of backstage was absolutely amazing. I'm so curious to see what will happen with their antics in the next volume of the story. But again, how are there only three?!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Witchlight by Jessi Zabarsky

Title: Witchlight

Author: Jessi Zabarsky

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Middle-grade, Graphic Novel, LGBT

Pages: 208

Publisher: Random House Graphic

Year Published: 2016

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Jessi Zabarsky's lushly illustrated shoujo-adventure comic that introduces Lelek the witch as she blows through town one day, kidnapping the peasant girl Sanja. The unlikely pair grow more entangled as they travel together, looking for the missing half of Lelek's soul- the source of her true magical abilities. Both women are seeking to learn, in their own ways, how to be whole again. This book collects the serialized story all into a single-volume, including the heart-griping conclusion and other all-new material."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This graphic novel was so sweet, and a quick cute read to enjoy. That being said, it was in the Young Adult section of my library and I would argue that this book could be considered middle grade, there is no real violence, or anything romantic that a 12-year-old couldn't have handled. It also just wasn't too fleshed out or complex to follow. Not that it's a bad thing, but for me, this book was just ok. I would recommend it to younger teens or middle-grade teens who are into graphic novels that include a romantic interest.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Heartstopper: Volume 3

Title: Heartstopper Volume 3

Author: Alice Oseman

Artist(s): Alice Oseman

Series/Standalone: Hearstopper Series (Book #3)

Genre: Graphic Novel, LGBT, Contemporary

Pages: 384

Publisher: Hodder's Children Books

Year Published: 2020

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"In this volume we'll see the Heartstopper gang go on a school trip to Paris! Not only are Nick and Charlie navigating a new city, but also telling more people about their relationship AND learning more about the challenges each other are facing in private...

Meanwhile Tao and Elle will face their feelings for each other, Tara and Darcy share more about their relationship origin story, and the teachers supervising the trip seem... rather close...?"

My Rating: 5/5

I really enjoyed the change of setting and the different characters we were able to see in this story. I think that Alice Oseman does a great job of making you care about other characters and their relationships. I wasn't expecting to care so much for side characters and yet, here I am. I also love how cute the art style is in these. I can't wait to read the next installment in the series.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

Title: All Boys Aren't Blue

Author: George M. Johnson

Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Memoir, LGBT, Young Adult

Pages: 320

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Year Published: 2020

Format: Audiobook

"In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing, this young-adult memoir weaves together with the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.

Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer men of color, All Boys Aren't Blue covers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson's emotionally frank style of writing will appeal directly to young adults."

My Rating: 4/5

I originally took out this book to be a better ally, but through reading it I couldn't help but think about how this book will impact my professional life as well. I work in childcare as an Early Childcare Educator, and I'm trying to work at reading books that help me to combat my own societal prejudices and to reflect on my practice with children. My goal is to make sure that all children in my care feel seen and accepted. This book is obviously more than that, but I really enjoyed it. I hope that people who are reading this are feeling seen, and heard. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Title: Girls of Paper and Fire

Author: Natasha Ngan

Series/Standalone: Girls of Paper and Fire Series (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, LGBT

Pages: 385

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson Books

Year Published: 2018

Format: Hardcover Copy (Own It)

First Line: "There is a tradition in our kingdom, one all castes of demon and human follow."

"Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for.... and the most demeaning. This year, there's a ninth. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.

In this richly developed fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards for an unknown fate still haunts her. Now the guards are back and this time it's Lei they're after-- the girl with the golden eyes whose rumored beauty has piqued the king's interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but oppressive palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit a king's consort. There, she does the unthinkable-- she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens her world's entire way of life. Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge."

My Rating: 1.5/5

I really wish that I liked this story more but it just isn't what I'm looking for in my fantasy stories. I personally prefer a little more political intrigue or action-based scenes. It just didn't have either of those factors, it was more about the relationships between the characters and the beginning of a war. And while the war aspect was interesting, along with the world it didn't draw me in enough to want to continue with the series. I also found that while there appeared to be an idea of building up tension, but the follow-through just wasn't there for me.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Heartstopper: Volume Two by Alice Oseman

Title: Heartstopper Volume 2

Author: Alice Oseman

Series/Standalone: Heartstopper Series (Volume 2)

Genre: LGBT, Contemporary, Graphic Novel, Young Adult

Pages: 320

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback Copy

"Nick and Charlie are best friends. Nick knows Charlie's gay, and Charlie is sure that Nick isn't.

But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is discovering all kinds of things about his friends, his family... and himself."

My Rating: 5/5

These are so incredibly touching and the characters are so heartwarming. I've really been enjoying the cute art style and the storyline. I think this is a great story if you are looking for something cute to read or wanting to feel the warm and fuzzies. It also touches on the idea of coming out and the different ways people feel about speaking about their sexuality. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Heartstopper: Volume One by Alice Oseman

Title: Heartstopper: Volume One

Author: Alice Oseman

Series/Standalone: Heartstopper Series (Volume 1)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary

Pages: 278

Publisher: Scholastic

Year Published: 2016

Format: Paperback Copy (Library Copy)

"Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more...?

Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Tuham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn't been too great, but at least he's not being bullied anymore. Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He's heard a little about Charlie- the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months- but he's never had the opportunity to talk to him.

They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn't think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner..."

My Rating: 5/5

This graphic novel was exactly what I needed right now. It has the sweetness of a high school self-discovery, two boys finding themselves, and romance. The best way to describe this story was cute and heart-warming. I would highly recommend if you are looking for a quick sweet read, there is a change of pace near the end, but I liked that it kept the intrigue of the story. I look forward to reading the next installment as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

 Title: The Henna

Author: Adiba Jaigirdar

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, LGBT

Pages: 400

Publisher: Page Street Kids

Year Published: 2020

Format: Audiobook

"When Dimple Met Rishi meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in this from com about two teen girls with rival henna businesses.

When Nishat comes out to her parents, they say she can be anyone she wants- as long as she isn't herself. Because Muslim girls aren't lesbians. Nishat doesn't want to hide who she is, but she also doesn't want to lose her relationship with her family. And her life only gets harder once a childhood friend walks back into her life.

Flavia is a beautiful and charismatic and Nishat falls for her instantly. But when a school competition invites students to create their own businesses, both Flavia and Nishat choose to do henna, even though Flavia is appropriating Nishat's culture. Amidst sabotage and school stress, their lives get more tangled- but Nishat can't quite get rid of her crust on Flavia and realizes there might be more to her than she realized."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This was an interesting read to wrap up my end of the month reading. This story follows Nishat through coming out to her family, fighting for her culture and enduring bullying continually based on who she is. I think that this story does well highlighting cultural appropriation and the reasons its harmful to all who participate in it and the people's culture it lifts from. The characters in this book were interesting enough to read and I enjoyed hearing about Bangali culture, that being said I found that Nishat was a little self-centred at times. This might be due to the fact that I am a 26-year-old and I believe that Nishat is likely 16 or 17. A bit of development happens between those ages. I also found that there is a twist in the story that wasn't surprising at all. I'm not sure if we are supposed to realize what's going on, or if it's set up as a surprise, but either way that is one of the reasons this story didn't get 5/5 stars for me.

Overall a good story, and will be reading more work from the author. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Naturally Tan by Tan France

 Title: Naturally Tan

Author: Tan France

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Nonfiction, Autobiography, LGBT

Pages: 304

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"In this heartfelt, funny, touching memoir, Tan France, star of Netflix's smash-hit QUEER EYE, tells his origin story for the first time. With his trademark wit, humor and radical compassion, Tan reveals what it was like to grow up gay in a traditional Muslim family, as one of the few people of color in Doncaster, England. He illuminates his winding journey of coming of age, finding his voice (and style!), and how he finally came out to his family at the age of 34, revealing that he was happily married to the love of his life-- a Mormon cowboy from Salt Lake City.

In Tan's own words, "The book is meant to spread joy, personal acceptance, and most of all understanding. Each of us is living our own private journey, and the more we know about each other, the healthier and happier the world will be."

My Rating: 2/5

I think I'm coming to realize that celebrity autobiographies/memoirs are not for me. I just find that they appear a bit performative and while they do touch on important topics, it's just not for me. That being said, Tan France speaks about growing up in a predominately white neighbourhood, racism, homophobia, religious beliefs, marriage, media diversity etc. Many important topics, I just didn't find that the audiobook did much for me. And that's fine, not every book is for everybody to get something from. So for me, this was just ok. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

 Title: The Black Flamingo

Author: Dean Atta

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Poetry, LGBT, Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 360

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen- then at university he finds his wings as a drag artist, The Black Flamingo. A bold story about the power of embracing your uniqueness. Sometimes, we need to take charge, to stand up wearing pink feathers- to show ourselves to the world in bold colour."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This story follows Michael as he further discovers himself, and expands his view about who he wants to be. I really thought after reading the description that this story would focus more on the drag aspects, but it was far more about self-discovery. I enjoyed the writing style and the changes in dynamics between characters, but I will say that verse while beautiful was too much for me at some points. I just don't vibe well with poetry. I will read more from the author in the future and plan to find more books about entering the drag community as it is something that really interests me.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Reverie by Ryan La Sala

 Title: Reverie

Author: Ryan La Sala

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBT

Pages: 397

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Year Published: 2019

Format Audiobook

"Inception meets The Magicians in the most imaginative YA debut of the year!

All Kane Montgomery knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. He can't remember how he got there, what happened after, and why his life seems so different now. And it's not just Kane who's different, the world feels off, reality itself seems different.

As Kane pieces together clues, three almost-strangers claim to be his friends and the only people who can truly tell him what's going on. But as he and the others are dragged into unimaginable worlds that materialize out of nowhere- the gym warps into a subterranean temple, a historical home nearby blooms into a Victorian romance rife with scandal and sorcery- Kane realizes that nothing in his life is an accident. And when a sinister force threatens to alter reality for good, they will have to do everything they can to stop it before it unravels everything they know. 

This wildly imaginative debut explores what happens when the secret worlds that people hide within themselves come to light."

My Rating: 1/5

I just don't understand the enjoyment that some are finding from this story. Yes, there are LGBTQ characters, but the plot is all over the place, the characters are not well described/laid out. And I honestly just don't think that the villain just wasn't what I needed it to be. Villianizing someone in drag just didn't feel right for me. I didn't think that the idea behind the book was bad, it just needed either more time to develop relationships with the characters, and a build-up to the world, or it needed to have fewer characters. It was just trying to do too much for what it was.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny