Book Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One

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Ready Player One 〰️

I saw the movie when it came out and had no idea it was based on a book. Years later, I finally snagged a copy of the book to see if it was as good as the movie. Normally I always say the book is better than the movie, but in this case, they are both equally as good. Because while the film has the same plot premise as the book (gunters, the sixers, the hunt for the egg contest, and characters, to name a few), how everything ends up happening is entirely different. Like, vastly different. And I love that. It's like I can experience both forms of media for the first time while still getting the same content if that makes sense.

Now I haven't read any reviews of the book, but I get the feeling many people would say this book is a HUGE info dump for the entire book. And it is. But it's written in a way that doesn't feel that way, at least to me. I loved learning about all the cool things mentioned in this book. I loved learning how our not-so-distant future became the way it is. (And honestly, I can see it happening, the way our course is heading).

Info dumping aside, this book was a blast to read. The concept was super interesting, and as a huge nerd and gamer myself, I loved reading all the references and learning more about them. It was cool to see Wade start from nothing and build his avatar up. He's smart and probably has a photographic memory for all the stuff he's memorized. I can barely remember my own age, let alone all the things he's learned in order to win the contest.

If you're a fan of YA dystopian books, 80s nostalgia, Japanese media, old-school games, and just general geekery like myself, this book is for you. And I also recommend the movie, as it's also its own experience.

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: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda 〰️

This book is just so wholesome and adorable and filled with cute moments that made me actually laugh out loud. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I found it extremely relatable. I thankfully never experience any homophobia with my family and friends, so I can't relate to those aspects, but I can for sure relate to the nerves of coming out for the first time. And the second. And every time after that. (Because sadly coming out is never a one and done thing).

The emails between Simon and Blue were just too cute. I had a similar relationship with someone at that age so it was all very realistic to me. The dialogue in both emails and spoken was great.

I do feel like Nick could have had a bigger role, however. He wasn't in the story much other than to be the straight love interest to a secondary character. I think he was mentioned more than actually present in the story. I would have loved to see Simon hang out with his friends more. He talks about them a lot but he mostly pines over Blue.

Overall, this is a great debut by Albertalli. I've read her later books and love those, and when I realized I haven't read her earlier works (or seen the movie!) I knew I had to get on that. It didn't disappoint.

If you love a cute YA romance with witty banter and a coming out story, this is a great book for you. And if you really loved it, they made a movie! Love, Simon. (I'm glad they made the title shorter because this one was a mouthful). I haven't seen the movie (yet!) but I will soon!

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: And They Lived... by Steven Salvatore

And They Lived...

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And They Lived... 〰️

I cannot praise this book enough. This story was exactly the type of story I love to write. I see a lot of my novel, SOUTH, in this story, from the animation to self-discovery journeys, super cute moments, the real hardships of life and mental health, and excellent characters. This story has it all; it was an honour to read.

I love how healthy all the relationships are in this novel. It's nice to read. And not only are the main characters dynamic and exciting to read, but the side characters are just as flesh-out and entertaining. (And OMG, I love Benny and Rae so much. Can we get a book on them just being the best of friends?)

And who doesn't love a good self-discovery story? I know I do. I've written one! We've got self-discovery with love, a journey of trying to love your body, and a journey of self-discovery regarding gender. And it's all handled very well. (And I'm happy the author included resources for those needing help in the book. There is no shame in seeking help when you need it).

The plot was solid, the cast was perfect, and the ending was *chef's kiss*. I can't recommend this book enough.

The only thing I have negative to say (and this is based on my own experience and is highly nitpicky) is that the animation program Chase attends seems awfully advanced for a first year. I actually went to an art school, studied animation and worked as an animator for years before changing careers. I say this to say that your first year, especially your first month of an animation program, is usually learning about the basics of animation. The program Chase is in and the work he's making sounds more like second-year work rather than first years, let alone the first semester. But maybe animation programs are just different in the US as opposed to Canada, where I went to art school.

That all being said, if you're looking for an excellent queer read, this book is 100% for you.

Book Review: The Legacy of Yangchen by F.C. Yee

The Legacy of Yangchen

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The Legacy of Yangchen 〰️

I will admit the Kyoshi books were better than Yangchen's. While I enjoyed them, Kyoshi's story was far more compelling and felt more in the Avatar world than Yangchen's did. But again, I still enjoyed the read. I would also like to say I enjoyed book two of Yangchen's story more than the first. Although, if I'm being honest, it only hooked me and got interesting a bit after the 50% mark. Before that, I wasn't sold and would have probably rated the book a 3-star or something.

This book had too much politics for my liking. While I don't mind a little politics, I feel like, for an Avatar story; this was a bit excessive. I can't recall if the first book had as much, but I believe it had its fair share as well. It took away from my enjoyment of the story.

Also, as mentioned in my review of The Dawn of Yangchen, Kavik seemed to be more of a main character than Yangchen was. Although, admittedly, she did have more screen time than book one. But for a story that is supposed to be all about Yangchen, she didn't feel as present as she should have.

I also wish that we saw more of her past lives leaking through. We know from book one that she remembers most of them more than other Avatars we know. And we do get one scene where Yangchen is with Kavik and she slips into the mind of a previous Avatar. Kavik decided to keep the information she said a secret, even to her, and I expected it to come into play later in the story, but as far as I recall, it didn't.

I do hope to see more books by Yee in the Avatar world, however. Even if Yangchen's story wasn't as compelling as Kyoshi's, Yee is still an excellent storyteller. I always applaud someone who can describe fighting scenes in a book so well that I can picture them happening in my mind. And with a story in the Avatarverse, you need lots of fight scenes, or at the very least, bending scenes. And to be able to show and not tell these complicated actions takes great skill. I'd imagine even someone not familiar with any martial arts or someone who hasn't seen the show can imagine the bending scenes with great ease in their heads.

Not my favourite installment in the Avatarverse, but I'm not mad at it. Still had a good time reading it and getting to know another Avatar in another time period. Hope to see more someday, especially by Yee.

Book Review: The Dawn of Yangchen by F.C. Yee

The Dawn of Yangchen

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The Dawn of Yangchen 〰️

I have mixed feelings about this book. I'm super excited to read another Avatar's history and see a badass female protagonist. But at the same time, I felt like we spent more time with Kavik and his whole backstory than with Yangchen. Don't get me wrong, Kavik is a great character, but seeing as this book is called the Dawn of Yangchen, not Kavik, I just expected to see more of her. Hopefully, we will see more of her in book 2.

Did I enjoy this book? Absolutely. But was it a top read like Kyoshi's stories were? Sadly, not even close. I do appreciate more worldbuilding on a world we already know a lot about. (If you've seen the shows and read the comics and such, that is).

The plot was alright, but it felt lacking ins something that I can't quite put my finger on. The characters were well developed, even Yangchen, which we don't see much as Kavik. I do wish that Kcompanionship than together, in my opinion. Maybe things will change. We'll have to wait for the next book to come out.

Is this still a worthy addition to the Avatar universe? Absolutely. It wasn't the best Avatar book I've read, but it was still worth reading. If you are a fan of the Avatar world, you should still enjoy this book and early await for the second to come out, just like me.

Book Review: Living Dead Girl by Rachel Vincent

Living Dead Girl

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Living Dead Girl 〰️

Holy hell, what a ride! Seeing as this was one of her earlier works put on the back burner for a hot min, it's safe to say Vincent always knew how to tell a good story.

My only concern is since this was written many years ago, I wonder if she also wrote a sequel. The ending was great, but if this was a standalone book, it was also not satisfying at all. In fact, it's the type of ending that demands a sequel, and I worry we will never get one. I sure hope we do. There were so many unanswered questions.

That being said, I'm glad to see another adult book back in her urban fantasy roots. Don't get me wrong; she writes the best YA. (though I may be biased since literally anything of any genre Vincent writes is literary gold for me). But she also writes amazing adult, and I feel like we haven't seen that in a while. And technically still haven't since this was originally written years ago, only now to resurface and polish up for modern times.

This story had me right from the start. Vincent knows how to give a good chapter cliffhanger that keeps you reading straight until the very end. If you are a fan of Vincent's earlier works, like the Shifters series (a great series, by the way), you'll also love this book. I will never stop recommending Vincent's books to anyone who will listen to me.