Book Review: Husband Material by Alexis Hall

Husband Material

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Husband Material 〰️

I really enjoyed the first book. It wasn't my favourite read, but I still enjoyed it all the same. The second book held promise but failed to hold up. This book was clearly written as a cash grab. That's not always a bad thing if the story is good. But this book? Nope. It was boring, and the characters felt assassinated by the end of it. Any character growth Luc had in the first book was gone in this one. He was an ass to basically everyone and made every situation about himself, including but not limited to the death of his boyfriend's father.

Also, I mentioned this in my last review, but who thought it was a good idea two have TWO characters named James Royce-Royce. Yes, you can have two characters have the same name, but even the author doesn't differentiate between which one is which. And if you didn't pick up what one looks like or what he does in the first book, you'll 1000% be lost on who is talking in this book. For example:

I'd agreed to meet James Royce-Royce -- the other James Royce-Royce, during my lunch hour outside an embarrassingly middle-end jeweller in central London.

Like, that doesn't tell me with of the two James it is. (And to be honest, even if it did, I still wouldn't know because they both have the same personality, which is "husband to James and loving father to Baby J").

This book was divided into four parts, and none of them tied together. Each could have been its own stand-alone mini-book. It was all leading up to Luc and Oliver getting married, which, spoiler, doesn't even happen. Which is fine. But with the title and blurb of the book, it made it seem like that was the endgame. And it all ended super abruptly. They both decided right at the end that, nope marriage isn't for us; we work better as a couple; then said bye to the wedding guest and pissed off. Not a satisfying conclusion considering the length of this boo.

I had high hopes of enjoying this book and was let down. Other reviews state all the issues better than I could. All I can say for sure is that if you enjoyed the first book, don't read the second. It could ruin your view of book one.

Book Review: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

The Upside of Unrequited

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The Upside of Unrequited 〰️

This book was a bit of a hit-and-miss for me. I didn't love it like the first book, but I didn't dislike it. It was just okay. It did get really good near the end, but I wasn't super into the start. That's not because the writing wasn't good, it was. It just didn't vibe with me, I guess.

I hate that Albertalli was trying to convince the readers there was a love triangle between Will and Reid. Mainly because it felt like she was trying to convince us that Will was even an option, Molly barely interacted with him and only thought about him briefly when she was with Reid saying things like she should be thinking about WIll and not Reid. There was zero chemistry between Molloy and Will from their first interaction, yet most of the book tried to convince us she was super into in and that he was an option as a love interest. From her first interaction with Reid, they had chemistry and interacted more. It was clear he was the love interest, and Will was just there for lame reasons.

Aside from that, I love all of the representation in this story. We've got multiple people on the LGBTQ+ spectrum (bi, lesbian, pan, gay). We've got multicultural characters (yay, Mina! She was my favourite character and not because we share the same name). We've got different religions and friend groups. We even got some plus size rep. Love all of that.

However, I'm not sure I'd call this a companion to Love, Simon. Besides having Abby as a side character and a few Simon name drops (and one cameo), there wasn't much that made this a cameo. It was its own book, and I feel it should stand alone. This is not how you'd write a companion. But at least there was more of Abby in the world, so I can't fault the book for that.

Was this my favourite Albertalli book? No. But would I still recommend it? Absolutely. When the book does cute moments, it does them right, and they hit hard. I'm a sucker for cute moments. And I like Molly's voice. She came across well on the page and was fun to read.

Book Review: Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales

Never Ever Getting Back

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Never Ever Getting Back 〰️

Actual rating 4.5 stars.

I loved this book, but I did think it had some flaws. Nothing major. I loved the writing. Gonzales never disappoints with her writing and great characters. And having the setting be a reality TV show was super cool. I felt like I was finally let in on the behind-the-scenes of one of these shows, which was cool. A lot of research went into making this seem legit. (Unless Gonzales was on a reality show and wrote from experience. I don't think so, but I don't feel like looking that up).

As always, I love an excellent sapphic romance. I'm all here for that. It's why I picked up this book. And once Maya and Skye finally got together, it was adorably magical.

However, I feel like the romance didn't build up very well. They were both so intent on their Jordy revenge, with just a few small lines here and there, that they might be attracted to each other as more than friends. (I love good enemies to lovers trope, and this one was top-notch). But, they went from friends who may think a cute thought about the other on occasion to full-out making out every chance they get and falling madly in love super fast. I love their relationship, don't get me wrong, but it happened too fast, or rather, it didn't build properly. But if you put that bit aside, there was still chemistry between the two leads, so it still worked out great in the end. (I shipped them the entire time and wanted more).

I will admit I didn't entirely like Maya at first and would have preferred having more POVs from Skye's perspective, but she grew on me. And so did the story. It became much more than a revenge plot. And I love the friendship between all the girls on the show. Each with a unique story and was fun to read, despite how short or long some of them lasted.

All in all, this was still a fantastic read, and if you love the author's previous books, you'll also love this one.

Book Review: I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre

I Think I Love You

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I Think I Love You 〰️

Actual rating 4.5/5 stars.

First off, the cover of this book is stunning. I'm pretty sure I bought this book based on the cover (and the cute title) alone. And it didn't disappoint.

What a cute story. Sure it had lots of tropes and a bit of a lazy-ish plot (both of which I don't mind), but when it hits with the cute scenes, it hits hard. And thankfully, there were plenty of cute scenes.

This book has a lot of strong messages about coming out and about love in general. Coming out is never a one-and-done thing; no one should have to come out when they aren't ready or are not safe to do so. I'm glad Emma felt safe enough to come out, and I totally see why it upset her how her parents reacted. I also love how passionate Emma is about being bi, yet also not making her whole personally "the bi girl." She's a girl who happens to be bi, and that's as important to her as rom-coms are. And I love how Sophia learns to accept love in all its forms (relationship and otherwise).

However, I think the author may have just made up the plot as she went to fit around the love story between Emma and Sophia. Nothing wrong with that. It just sometimes felt like the movie-making plot was sometimes filler to get to the cute romance stuff we all came here for.

Side note, I could tell who sabotaged the whole film project long before the reveal. It was super obvious.

All in all, this was a super cute read. I love how close Emma is to her cousin. I haven't read many books where the MC is besties with their cousin, and I love the close family relationship. Even Sophia learned to be more accepting of her own family.

This was a cute and light read. This book is for you if you are looking for a little bit of gay rom-com.

Book Review: As Far As You'll Take Me by Phil Stamper

As Far As You'll Take Me

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As Far As You'll Take Me 〰️

This is the second book by this author that I've read, and I love Stamper's writing style. I love the story he wrote. And I love how he writes about mental health in queer teens. Mental health is super important, and it's a subject we need to destigmatize. Stamper is doing his part on the matter. It shows you that eating disorders and other mental health issues aren't just for girls or adults. It can happen to anyone.

I love the travel aspect of this story. At the time of finishing this book, Corona has been around for nearly three years and I, like many others, miss travelling. In a way, reading this book felt like I was in Europe alongside Marty. It's mentioned in the author's note at the end that Stamper has been to the places mentioned in the book. He did his research as the sites felt realistically described. I've been to Europe but none of the countries mentioned (yet!). But I felt like I have been there now, thanks to the author.

The story itself was a whirlwind of emotions. I could tell Megan was toxic and that something was off with Pierce since Marty met him. I love how Marty grew as a character by the end. His journey felt believable.

I also love the inclusion of so many queer characters. I'll never object to that.

I am glad Stamper also brings up the issue of outing someone before they are ready to come out. Especially in small towns. No one should be forced to come out. This whole issue was handled exceptionally well, in my opinion.

All in all, this was a great read. Not a cute romantic one like I thought it was going to be (though there were some moments), but a great read nonetheless.

Book Review: Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan

Verona Comics

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Verona Comics 〰️

Boy Dugan really puts you through the emotional rollercoaster with this book, eh?

I loved this book from start to finish, as with all the other books by this author. Each character was so unique and well written. Especially Ridley. As someone with anxiety, I can say this was spot on. His character was extremely well done (to the point where I felt anxious and sad along with him). I loved his unique narrating style, and it fit his character perfectly. I also loved reading Jubilee's perspective. Both were just equally entertaining. And I love all the queerness that surrounds both these characters.

This book deals heavily with some serious mental health issues and I think it handled it very well, especially at the end when Ridley finally seeks the right help and treatment he needs. Because of this I think this makes the book an important read. I will say, however, that because of how well Ridley is written and the way his character deals with mental health, perhaps put off reading this book until you are in the right head space. Yes this book is a cute romance, but the darker aspects of it may trigger some unwanted thoughts and feelings.

Aside from the great characters and talk of mental health, I love the meet-cute of Jubilee and Ridely. I love how they still call each other Peak and Bats even after knowing each others real names. I love how supportive they were of each other. They were just a really cute couple to fall in love with. I wish them both a happy ending (even if they are fictional characters).

All in all, this was a fantastic read and I highly recommend it.

Book Review: The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper

The Gravity of Us

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The Gravity of Us 〰️

First off, I need to say how much I love the cover design for this book. It's stunning. (And excellent chapter formatting, too!)

Okay, now that that is out of the way, onto what I think about this book.

I loved it. I love how Stamper helps release the stigma of mental health. This book deals with some pretty severe mental health issues, and it shows us that it's okay not to be okay. Cal handles Leon's depression and his mother's anxiety very well for a teen his age. Learning about this subject from Cal's perspective is very important to readers of all ages.

As for the story, it was adorable. I do think that Cal and Leon fall in love a little too fast, however. But, I will say that I do find it believable that they fall for each other in the time that passed. It was cute watching their relationship grow. I also love that they got together early on so that we could see them as a couple more often. A lot of books I read have the characters get together only near the end, and then we have like maybe a chapter or two of them being cute and couple-ly together. Which, if written well, is still cute. I just like seeing characters together for longer than a few chapters. (Even in a slow-burn. It's possible! Look at my novel, SOUTH, as an example).

I will say, Stamper really did have me believe that Flash Fame was a real app. It's not, apparently. I looked it up in the app store, and it wasn't there. But it should be an app. And Cal's reporting style is something we need more of in today's media. I'd totally watch him. He low-key reminded me of Philip Defranco if he went live instead of recorded shows.

All in all, this was a great read with a cute couple. We need more queer Astrokids.

Book Review: Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

Hot Dog Girl

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Hot Dog Girl 〰️

This is Dugan's debut novel, and what a great way to start your writing career. This book wasn't the first of Dugan's I've read, but I'm happy to add it to my "books by Jennifer Dugan" collection. Not to mention, it was great to see a bi MC and represented very well.

I love how the MC's voice shines through in the pages. And yes, she is kind of annoying in her schemes, even other characters point it out, but she's still fun to read. (Plus, she grows a character as you read along, and we love a good redemption ark).

I will say there were too many scenes of people getting sick, however. And it was written with too much detail most of the time for my liking. But if you take those scenes out, this book was a great read.

It did get better when you watch Lou slowly fall in love with her bestie, Seeley. You see it before she does, and you can tell Seeley wanted more than friendship all along. So, when they finally got together, I may have squealed in happiness for them. Seeley is just such a fun character to read as well, and I love the relationship (both as friends and more) between her and Lou.

I love myself a nice YA rom-com, and this was a perfect example of it. It was filled with many emotions, and as mentioned, Lou as a narrator is just really fun to read. (Even if her plans for the summer were a bit messed up, she eventually came around to being a great human being).

All in all, loved it, like all of the other books I've read by Dugan. 10/10 would recommend.