Book review: Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa

Ander and Santi Were Here

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Ander and Santi Were Here 〰️

Not to be dramatic, but I would die/kill for Anger and Santi. Their love was so pure from the start you can just tell they were meant for each other. You could feel the static between them. And as a queer artist myself, I could totally relate to Ander.

Also, that cover for the book? Absolutely stunning.

This was the first novel I've read with a non binary MC and I'm all here for it. Ander was a wonder narrator for this story and I love their personality. I also loved their passion for art. Though I will say, I don't know why they needed to go to art school. They were already doing so well for themselves, making money and getting lots of commissions. Why go into debt to learn stuff that would help you get a job when you're already basically doing what you want not? Not they they go in the end, but still.

I loved how the author shows the rich Mexican culture in this book. (And with all the talk of delicious Mexican food, I was hungry reading the book the whole time, haha). I also applaud Villa for showing the harsh reality that a lot of illegal immigrants have to go through. While the author mentioned they haven't experienced it themselves, they've done their research well enough that to me, (having not experienced it either), sounds legit.

This book gave me so many emotions. From happiness and calmness, to straight out fear and sadness. It was a whirlwind of emotions and I love that from a book. I also love how Ander's family is soooo supportive of them in literally everything. They are wonderful parents. And very kind people. I'm glad this book had such good LGBTQ+ representation, and no mentions of homophobia at all. It wasn't that kind of story. It was extremely LGBTQ+ friendly and I will always fully support that.

The only negative (and it's not even a negative, at least not for me) is that I worry that non-Spanish speaking people might not understand a lot of the Spanish phrases, and there is a lot. I thankfully speak Spanish because it was my major in uni, but I hope that people who don't speak Spanish can still enjoy reading this book even if they don't understand the random words and phrases in Spanish. (I'm still glad it was included as it helps show real life for Mexican-Americans).

I'm glad to have read this book, not only for entertainment purposes, but as a bit of a insiders life of a Mexican-American and learning about Mexican culture. (As well as what illegal immigrants have to go through). This book was an excellent read and I fully recommend it.

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: Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Boyfriend Material

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Boyfriend Material 〰️

I loved this book. I get that Luc isn't the most likeable MC in the world, but he was still enjoyable to read. (His self-deprecating humour was a little much, but I enjoyed the writing style, so it's forgiven). I love a good fake dating story. Though truth be told, they acted and sounded more like a real couple who casually used "fake boyfriend" a lot just to justify it being fake. But I still loved it. What can I say? I'm a sucker for romance, even if the fakeness of the fake boyfriend plot wasn't super believable.

I felt bad for Luc and all he's had to go through in life, so I was happy he found someone who loved him for him and not his questionable past. I thought Luc and Oliver were really cute together. I love opposites attract stories. Yes, they both lead very different lives, but I still saw the chemistry between them. And honestly? If they were too much the same, it would have been boring to read.

As much as I enjoyed reading this book, there were still some issues. The casual homophobia was for sure a big one. But did no one else notice that besides Luc and Oliver (and their main friends/family) that everyone was complete idiots? Like, Alex is the obvious one. How he managed to get a job, let alone keep one, is beyond me. But it seems like every other character (like Alex's fiance or random rich people) all sound like absolute idiots. Was it the "com" part of the "rom-com"? Because I don't get it. Also, as much as I loved Oliver, who actually speaks that proper (posh)? Maybe it's a British lawyer thing that I'm not aware of, but he speaks a bit like a super well-knowledgeable Victorian butler.

Also, who thought it was a good idea to have two James Royce-Royce characters? (I mean, Hall did, obviously). But I could never tell if both of them were in the same room and if so, which one was talking. Could they not have had one be called James Royce and the other James Royce-Royce? That last observation was a bit of a nitpick.

I know it sounds like there was more negative than positive in my review, but I really did truly love this story. Was it the perfect LGBTQ+ romcom? No. But did I have a blast reading it? Absolutely. Will I read the sequel? Well, I've already started. :)

Though there are some issues, I still think this book deserves to be on everyone's gay TBR list.

Book Review: Firestarter by Stephen King

Firestarter

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Firestarter 〰️

Actual rating 4.5/5

So I actually saw the movie (remake) first before I read the book. I really enjoyed this book, but I may have enjoyed the movie a bit more because of the changes they made. I won't go into detail stating all the changes, changes between books and screenplays are necessary, but I think the remake improved upon the story. (With the exception that they added a scene where Charlie has to kill a cat she hurt, and that made me ugly cry on the plane. Thankfully, no cats were harmed in the book. Other animals were, but I'm very sensitive when it comes to cats).

The story was engaging and piqued my curiosity from the beginning. I did feel like it dragged a little in the middle once Charlie and Andy spent months locked in The Shop. But the first half of the book and the climax and ending were perfect.

Some of the stories didn't age well, and I wonder if King was a woman if he'd be cancelled for his thoughts on casual racism and homophobic slurs that he always uses. I know many writers (mostly female) who have been called out and cancelled for less, but because King is, well, a king of writing, he gets away with it. Granted, I haven't read much of his more recent works, so I don't know if he's changed. And if he has, great. But people love bringing up the past and cancelling them for it even if they did change. (Which, if they changed, shouldn't that count for something?)

Aside from that, King really knows his stuff. He's an excellent writer and storyteller, and there's a reason we love his books so much we turn almost all of them into movies and even later remake those same movies. This story is a classic, and I loved it. The characters were unique. The storytelling enthralling. The pacing, for the most part, is perfect. All in all, a really enjoyable read. A great addition to anyone's Stephen King collection.

Book Review: Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

Imogen, Obviously

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Imogen, Obviously 〰️

This book is near perfect, from the cover to the witty dialogue to the self-discovery story that I’m all here for, to great rep. It basically has it all, obviously. The only criticism I have, and it’s a minor nitpick, is that it may be trying a bit too hard to be super “woke,” but otherwise than that, it was awesome.

This book was such a good read. And not only that, I think this is an essential read. Imogen is straight. Or at least she thought she was until she met Tessa. And then there are people like Gretchen who basically believe that because they are part of the LGBTQ+ group, they can dictate someone’s sexuality and say they can or can’t come out later in life. (There are also non-LGBTQ+ people who think this way, but that’s beside the point). The message of this book is clear; no one can tell you when you have to come out. No one can label you. If you are a closeted bi, only liking 1% of girls, then you are still bi if that’s what you identify with, and no one can say otherwise. And if you don’t feel like it’s the right time to come out, then that is okay, too. This is your life, your body, and no one can tell you how and what you feel, even if they are part of the same community as you.

That aside, I loved how all the characters integrated with each other. I found the flirty banter between Imogen and Tesse to be well-written. I laughed a few times. Their relationship, from the start of the book to the end, made me smile. It was never toxic. It was healthy, and I love that. And I love how Lili’s friends accepted Imogen into their lives like she was there all along. I love great friendships in stories. The only toxic person was Gretchen. Gretchen’s feelings were valid but misguided. She doesn’t speak for all queer people just because she is one, even if, in her mind, she can.

This was a cute fluffy read of self-discovery, and I loved it. Reminder, at no point in your life do you have to decide, welp, I thought I was one thing so I guess I have to stay this way. People and feelings change as Imogen learns. You can grow up thinking you’re straight but later learn that maybe you’d instead identify as non-binary or that you’re ace. There is no timeline, no race.

All in all, this is a must-read.

Book Review: The Exorcist's House by Nick Roberts

The Exorcist's House

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The Exorcist's House 〰️

This book has no business being as good as it was. This was one of the best horror books I've read in a while. (Outside of Judith Sonnet's books. But she writes more splatterpunk horror than this genre of horror). And before I get into the book, I do want to mention I love the shout-out Easter egg of sorts to William Blatty, the author of The Exorcist. It could be a tribute, could be an eater egg, but the fact that the exorcist who owned the house in the title of the book has the last name Blatty. Love that.

I found the pacing to be great, the story intriguing, and the visuals perfect. I could picture everything like it was a movie, and that's great because I could see this as a movie. In fact, I wish it was, as it's one of my favourite types of horror movies. I love the supernatural and hauntings and demons, and this had it all. And that ending. *Chef's Kiss* The kind of ambiguous ending that leaves you wanting more, yet it also somehow ends perfectly as you would expect a horror book/movie to end. It's great.

I wouldn't say I liked the head jumping, however. That's not to say it was done poorly. I just normally don't read books with multiple POVs in the same chapter. I didn't expect this book to be one of those. It worked, though. Not my usual style, but Robert's executed it perfectly and in fact, it added to the story.

Besides that, there was only one other thing that irked me of sorts. This could be a plot issue, or it could just be me nitpicking (which I most definitely am since I really enjoyed this book). Why did the Hill family have to move into the home if they planned selling it? Like it was stated they were going to flip it, but didn't they kinda already do that before they even moved in? They had contractors working to fix up the house, and when it was finished, they moved in. I get the family needed to be there for the story to take place, but it was already fixed up and ready to sell. Unless I don't fully understand house flipping, that could also be the case. But aside from that, everything was excellent. I can't sell this book enough.

All in all, if you love horror (and even Blatty's The Exorcist), this is an excellent book to read, and I highly recommend.

Book review: Five Survive by Holly Jackson

Five Survive

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Five Survive 〰️

I've been waiting to read this book for a while. I had it pre-ordered and everything. I ended up reading Jackson's Good Girl Guide to Murder series first while waiting (loved it so much). And then I read other books in my TBR. But I finally got around to reading it, and it was well worth the wait.

I love love, loved the writing style in this book. Jackson really made it unique and fitting for Red. You could see her past trauma and PTSD over what happened to her in the past and how it still affects her to this day. I know what happened to Red happened years ago, but trauma like this never goes away. I can maybe see how some people may be annoyed with Jackson's writing style in this book, but I personally loved every second of it. (Though now that I think of it, we never did find out what the pattern was in those darn curtains, and I, as well as Red, would love to know, haha).

Because of how this was written, as well as the story premise, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. This book was a real page-turner, and I'm here for it. I never saw anything coming. (Though I'm sure other readers could have. I'm not very perceptive).

However, I will say that only one small thing bothered me. Something the characters should have done but didn't. When Red spilled her secret, and everyone was trying to decide if they should chuck her out of the van, I wondered why they didn't radio the sniper, asking if this was the correct secret and save them all the trouble. I mean, it didn't matter in the end that they didn't do this thing, but I kept screaming at the book because they did it with Oliver and Reyna's secret, and thus they didn't have to leave the van. And yes, Red was the one they were after, but like, you'd think they'd ask the sniper if it was Red who they wanted before voting whether or not to send her out to die. Again, it didn't matter in the end, as it was Red who held the answers they were looking for, but you'd think the group would want to check first before blindly sending her to her death.

Aside from that, the pacing was great, the characters worked well off each other, and I loved learning about everyone's secrets and Red's past. It was a compelling read, and I highly recommend it. I think now that I've read the Good Girl's Guide to Murder series and this book and loved them all, I think Jackson will now be a new auto-buy for me.

Book Review: The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

The Writing Retreat

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The Writing Retreat 〰️

Actual rating 4.5 stars

I picked up this book solely on the title alone. Well, that and I saw a friend of mine reading it on Instagram, and the cover looked interesting, and I was looking for a new read. I glanced at the blurb, and it sounded interesting enough, so I took a chance. I'm glad I did. If I didn't, I would have missed out on this gem.

As a writer, I know firsthand many of the writlery struggles the characters feel in this book. If you are a writer, you'll for sure find that part of the book very relatable. However, I found it odd that the characters were shocked to hear they'd have to write a whole novel in a month. It's doable. I've done it. NaNoWriMo is a thing. I've never taken part in it, and granted, the goal is 50k in a month (the length a book is officially considered a novel), not 80k (average novel size), but still. It's also doable. I've known people who have written their first 80k draft in a month, so this shouldn't be too daunting for the characters whose only task to do in a day is to write.

That said, there is a larger story than just writing a novel in a month during a writing retreat. This is a thriller and a damn good one. Bartz lets you know something sinister is going to happen early on, and even though you're ready for it, it still hits hard. Like, people die, and I love it when an author commits to killing off characters.

However, I will say that the villain villains are a bit too hard at some points. She was veering close to Disney villain territory. Not that that is a bad thing. But it was close to being cartoonish to me. I did love her reasoning behind her plans, however. It was interesting to see Roza kill to become a famous writer, despite never being good enough to warrant such fame.

I loved that Alex and Wren, though reconciled at the end, don't become friends again. It really subverted my expectations, and that was a nice change. Like, we all wanted them to become friends (or maybe more?) again, but I love that Alex has accepted it wasn't a good relationship for her and moved on.

All in all, this was a gripping read, with a few good ghost stories tied in between. I would recommend giving this book a shot. It may surprise you.