This series manages to be even hornier than Captive Prince and it’s entirely chaste! Good god. CS Pacat never misses. I’m genuinely curled up into a bThis series manages to be even hornier than Captive Prince and it’s entirely chaste! Good god. CS Pacat never misses. I’m genuinely curled up into a ball, desperate for Book 3....more
Recommended if you want slow-paced historical fiction, a book about the Jewish immigrant experience, and very tender gay yearning that touch3.5 stars.
Recommended if you want slow-paced historical fiction, a book about the Jewish immigrant experience, and very tender gay yearning that touches on self-discovery and reconciling religion with your sexuality.
This book is honestly very good, well-researched and clearly written with love. The MC is a GOOD BOI, the slow burn romance is sweet, and reading about the Jewish experience was both painful (because of the antisemitism) and lovely (to learn about their culture). I loved how everyone had a different relationship to their heritage but in the end they are proud of who they are and this novel is a celebration of that strength.
Plus, a gay gangster love interest named Frankie? I'm delighted.
I highly recommend listening to this as an audiobook. I think I might've DNFed if I read the text. It is pretty slow, and despite the summary, contains little fantasy aspects. It's more of slight paranormal and folklore that's used as a plot device. I also feel like the author didn't take advantage of the World Fair setting. I don't mind since in the end it all worked out, but keep that in mind if you're coming in for that historical aspect. At its core this is a historical fiction novel, so come in with that lens....more
I wasn’t sure there was a story left to be told after the events of Want, but this was a pleasant surprise! It’s short, action-packed, and impeccably I wasn’t sure there was a story left to be told after the events of Want, but this was a pleasant surprise! It’s short, action-packed, and impeccably paced — not a word wasted. While the series itself is cliched it’s still a fun read. This time we go from Taiwan to China, and the atmosphere is INCREDIBLE. As usual, a little too real considering real life events (everyone is masked lol), but I just think it’s proof of how smart Cindy Pon was to weave all these together about 3 years ago.
My favorite character died in Book 1 while my least favorite got more screentime in this sequel but eh. What can you do.
All in all a good and underrated series. It reads a little young, though, so feel free to recommend this to the younger teens. ...more
4.5 stars. WOW. YA fantasy doesn’t do it like this anymore, which sucks. This was a spooky, gripping, and nostalgic read reminiscent of 2000s horror m4.5 stars. WOW. YA fantasy doesn’t do it like this anymore, which sucks. This was a spooky, gripping, and nostalgic read reminiscent of 2000s horror movies. A little bit Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a little bit Jennifer’s Body, and a little bit Supernatural.
Dark, edgy, and very gory, this kept me up all night and could be read in one sitting. It’s short, fast-paced, and has a very witty protagonist—basically the formula for every book I love. Also, I really missed reading male MCs in YA.
”You fuck—you ate my cat!”
I admit it got over-the-top and ridiculous sometimes, but that’s why it’s fun. It’s so unapologetically itself. And when I say the MC is witty I do mean it. He made me snort laugh with his lines. This novel has aged really well despite some pop culture references.
Unfortunately the second half lags and lacks the bone-chilling horror that the first half did, but it was still fun... which is what matters. The second half is where the genre rears its head and reminds you that it’s a YA novel, sir, did you forget? But I’m so charmed that I don’t mind. And now I am craving some good old-fashioned paranormal/urban fantasy because UGH when it’s done well, it’s fantastic.
gore count: three people eaten, countless victims dismembered, multiple ghosts stabbed, a girl literally dressed in blood. this book is BLOODY and not for the faint of heart....more
You need some patience with this book because it starts out seeming like your average Chosen One fantasy until the plot twists start hitting and you rYou need some patience with this book because it starts out seeming like your average Chosen One fantasy until the plot twists start hitting and you realize it's actually a really brilliant subversion! But I'll be honest... I'm only here because the Will and James scenes made me GASP.. CS Pacat I admire your audacity.. I'm on the edge of my seat and very incoherent. And now I'm going to finish reading Capri to recreate these feelings lol thank you...more
THIS WAS SO CUTE. OMG. While it reads on the younger end of YA and was honestly a bit cringey sometimes, it absolutely charmed me, and I’m excited to THIS WAS SO CUTE. OMG. While it reads on the younger end of YA and was honestly a bit cringey sometimes, it absolutely charmed me, and I’m excited to see more of the author’s work!
“Gay pirates” is an inaccurate pitch, but the comp to The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is well earned. Read this if you want a simple, easy, and fluffy mm romance with magic, loving family relationships, and self-acceptance. I was also pleasantly surprised by the queernorm world — there’s no homophobia here, and Tal’s family actively encourages him to pursue who he loves, regardless of gender.
I admit that this novel felt too juvenile at times and could do with more fleshing out in regards to the political subplot, but eh, it’s YA and still great for younger readers. Excellently paced and sweet, I sense this will be a comfort read for many people.
Also, it gave me fanfic vibes, which I adore :)...more
This is so much better than The Near Witch lmao Schwab please explain.
Also this was originally released in 2012, and Vicious was pubbed in 2013. I canThis is so much better than The Near Witch lmao Schwab please explain.
Also this was originally released in 2012, and Vicious was pubbed in 2013. I can see the slightest similarities. The Near Witch feels like an absolute fluke....more
What a happy coincidence. This novel takes place during the Nowruz season... which is now, when I’m reading it. I didn’t do that on purpose 4.5 stars.
What a happy coincidence. This novel takes place during the Nowruz season... which is now, when I’m reading it. I didn’t do that on purpose but I swear that added to my happiness meter.
The writing style and pacing take a while to get into, but oh, this book is a gem. I laugh-huffed, I cried, I learned lots of new things! I loved seeing more of Persian culture and Yazd through Darius’ eyes. Makes me wish I could go there myself!
But most unexpected is how much I loved Darioush. He’s a quiet, awkward, nerdy teenage boy who struggles with depression, not feeling Persian enough, and tons of insecurity. He’s got a hefty internal monologue but his dialogue is limited to okays and ums. He has a very strained and awkward relationship with his father; he feels like he’s a constant disappointment. Darioush and I have barely anything in common (except geekiness, I suppose)... but I related to him a lot. And I wanted to give him a huge hug. And a giant pot of tea.
Anyway, yes. This is a quiet wonder of a book. You’re reading along, and before you know it, you’ve been swept up into this slice-of-life story about friendship, identity, and struggling to relate with your family.
I loved the central friendship between Darioush and Sohrab. They don’t talk much, but they spend endless hours together playing soccer, exploring Yazd, and sitting in companionable silence. The kind of boundary and language-breaking friendship seems hard to understand, but is achingly sweet.
(And to anyone who is wondering about my shelving of this book: yes, Darioush is confirmed as gay in the author’s note and in the sequel. However, there are only subtextual hints in the novel itself, and him and Sohrab are strictly friends—albeit very close ones, compared to how American friendships go)
Highly recommended! Read this if you loved Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe....more
I'm honestly surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. It's got everything I normally avoid: a quest plotline, inconsistent pacing, multiple POVs, aI'm honestly surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. It's got everything I normally avoid: a quest plotline, inconsistent pacing, multiple POVs, and a generic medieval European setting. But wow, it is charming, and the characters have taken hold of my heart.
This might be a YA fantasy but it reads way more like Adult. It sort of gave me Merlin meets The Lord of the Rings meets Terry Pratchett's sense of humor. I haven't read Terry Pratchett, but I've read and loved Good Omens, so I base it off that.
The slowburn m/m romance is my absolute favorite part of this book.
Rags, sweet baby snarky cinnamon roll thief Rags, is hauled out of prison and forced by the Queen's sorcerer to steal a fae artifact from abandoned fae ruins, Indiana Jones-style. But at the end, he doesn't discover just any gold treasure; he accidentally awakens a fae prince who's been trapped and sleeping for thousands of years. Turns out this is step one in an epic quest to gather magical fae artifacts that, combined, will give the wielder incredible power. Sorcerer wants that, obviously, so he forces Rags and Shining Talon (aka Shiny, aka Tal, aka beautiful fae prince) to find them. Shining Talon is a stiff and clueless yet honorable prince who doesn't really know how humans work but is eternally grateful to Rags for saving him, so here we have the besotted supernatural creature turned bodyguard trope. My god, this relationship was the cutest thing on Earth. Tal hovers over Rags like a mother hen, always watching out for him and saving him (he defends him from a spoon at one point because he thought it was evil), unaware of the concept of personal space. Rags is a loner thief who is not used to this, so he acts like a total tsundere, when in reality he likes Tal too and just feels unworthy of him. Just. CUTENESS.
The magic system is pretty quirky. Fae creatures that turn from dining room silverware into magical animal pets?? Mirror magic that can only be defeated by a blindfold?? So it made the novel stand out, even if it used Ye Olde Arthurian Fantasy Worlde. Also since I am a YA reader obviously I like fae, and I just imagined Tal as a sterner, darker-skinned, tattooed Legolas. hehe. Yes, I know Legolas is not a fae, but Cardan and all those other pretty boys don't have the same long hair and sturdy build so.
I only had two major concerns. The first is that I wasn't a big fan of the multi POV since I usually prefer dual at most. Many times I kept thinking RAGS RAGS GIVE ME MORE RAGS I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU but meh. The second is that the pacing is honestly really weird, in that certain subplots take way longer than they should, so I skimmed a bit. But every time I skimmed, I still kept my eyes peeled for Rags because I swear he's all I care for lmao.
Yes, I am going to read Book 2. Just for him and Tal. I want my boys to be happy. Also, we don't usually see male MCs in YA fantasy anymore, so yay.
To be honest, I don't think this is for everyone. It's a very traditional type of fantasy novel, and far from the YA mold. But it's very accessible for a non-Adult fantasy reader, the characters are cute, and the gay slowburn is delightful. Also, something about Rags' POV feels decidedly masculine, as if a man wrote him. Kinda gross, no filter, emotionally constipated... but still endearing and without the annoying machismo slash sexism present in a lot of traditionally male-authored fantasy.
TL;DR I enjoyed this book a lot but it doesn't offer a lot of newness. Read it for the snarky thief and fae prince bodyguard trope. Sorry @ the other POV characters. They're fine, I guess.
Wow this book was so bad lol. Where was Edgmon’s editor this whole time?
I wanted to love this book so badly but it was a huge mess. Juvenile writing, Wow this book was so bad lol. Where was Edgmon’s editor this whole time?
I wanted to love this book so badly but it was a huge mess. Juvenile writing, nonexistent plot (I mean, there is a plot, but it disappears 1/3 of the way through so Wyatt can fuck around and do nothing despite promising himself that he’d get out of his situation), flat characters, flimsy worldbuilding, awful dialogue...
Edgmon wouldn’t know subtlety if it whacked them in the face. Some of the lines in this book are just... *hands itching for a red pen* That is not how metaphors are used, sir.
Also, for a book that’s got a trans MC and is supposed to be anti-racist, anti-police brutality, anti-queerphobia... some of the vibes were weirdly offensive lol.
This fantasy world makes... zero sense whatsoever, and it’s like the author couldn’t keep their own rules straight. I don’t get it. Don’t you literally have a publishing team that fixes this for you?
The MC is insufferable and nobody in this book has more than an ounce of depth. They all read like caricatures tbh. MC Wyatt also treats his loved ones terribly and there are no... consequences for this whatsoever?
Briar deserves better.
The romance is very one-sided, until it’s ~not. I appreciate the subversion of the soulmate bond trope, but not when one side actively ignores the other’s wishes, and the other one hates him but he’s too distracted by the ~sexy anyway.
Plot... what plot? Oh yeah, I forgot Wyatt actually wanted to go home, as he constantly whines, instead of... *shuffles cards* Blandly reacting to everything... Riding dragons and almost getting his best friend killed without remorse... thirsting over his fiance who he ~definitely does not want to marry... doing everything except what he said he wanted to do...
Honestly, this book reads like a very young person wrote it and I don’t understand how so many glaring editorial issues survived til publication....more
THIS WAS AN AMAZING FINALE AND I LOVED IT VERY MUCH.
I have already reread it. It made me unbearably happy.
I'm sorry I can't elaborate. Just know that THIS WAS AN AMAZING FINALE AND I LOVED IT VERY MUCH.
I have already reread it. It made me unbearably happy.
I'm sorry I can't elaborate. Just know that I cherish this trilogy to bits.
EDIT: Since some people are coming in with different expectations... FYI this book is no plot, just vibes. Just character work. Romance. Friendship. Character development. Tying up a few loose ends (not all, though I'm not complaining) and giving everyone a happy ending.
And yes, this is shelved under ff romance ;)...more
This sequel is very different, so I understand why a lot of people were disappointed. But I think this nWayward Son is better than Carry On. Fight me.
This sequel is very different, so I understand why a lot of people were disappointed. But I think this novel takes all the amazing parts of the Simon Snow universe and increases them tenfold.
First off, this hooked me in from Chapter One. It was 354 pages of pure glee, flailing, sweetness and pain. Lots of pain. But thankfully, as a great contemporary author, Rowell doesn't lay it on too thick. Instead, she writes it all quite realistically.
I'm honestly surprised that I can't think of any other fantasy novel that deconstructs the genre like this series does. And the deconstruction is in full force in Wayward Son. Sure, the characters are going on this fun roadtrip full of action and adventure, but they're also grappling with trauma and uncertainty. The Chosen One has lived his entire life knowing who he is... but suddenly he's lost his powers, his purpose, and his future. He's lived his entire life knowing that he was a hero who would go up in flames... but what does he do when the world doesn't end and he's still alive and useless?
Do you like reading post-canon fanfics that discuss and deconstruct what would happen after the book's Happily Ever After? Because that's what Wayward Son feels like, and that is why it is so good.
The highlight, Simon and Baz's relationship, is now rocky and fraught with tension. They have their issues but they at least stay together, and I am sooo grateful to Rowell for not pulling a final act break-up. So if you were afraid of that, don't be. Yes, this is a spoiler, but you'll thank me for it.
Penny also gets a spotlight here, along with a new and lovable character. It's great how everyone has some character growth and introspection. And their friendship is stronger than ever!
The worldbuilding is also expanded in this sequel. If you were disappointed by the Potter-ness of the first, then you'll be impressed by the second. It's really more... magickal. And Rowell's writing style is so much more gripping in this one too.
I am hurt but I have hope. When does Book 3 come out again?...more
Yes, I am the last person on earth to read this book. Yes, it is worth all the hype. I laughed, I cried, it broke my heart.
There are lots o4.5 stars.
Yes, I am the last person on earth to read this book. Yes, it is worth all the hype. I laughed, I cried, it broke my heart.
There are lots of things I could say about this novel but... I'm honestly feeling raw and some things aren't meant for everyone on Goodreads to see.
Highly, highly recommended. Actually, I think reading it as an adult is more impactful than if I had read it as a teenager. Because the details of it no longer fly over my head....more
What an underrated book! Perfect for fans of The Gilded Wolves, this YA sci-fi has an all-Asian ensemble cast, a heist plotline, and an environmentaliWhat an underrated book! Perfect for fans of The Gilded Wolves, this YA sci-fi has an all-Asian ensemble cast, a heist plotline, and an environmentalist message.
Actually, I loved it way, way more than TGW. Characters are Taiwanese, Chinese, Indian, and Filipino. The worldbuilding was incredible. It felt good to understand all the references for once; this futuristic Taipei has a lot in common with our current landscape. Actually, reading this 2017 novel in 2020 was a bit uncomfortable, considering how much worse the world has gotten. Megacorporations working with corrupt governments, class divides, deathly pollution, a flu-strain pandemic (was the West as badly affected by the H1N1 scare?)... Eerily relevant today.
Just, again. It felt so good to be seen and centered for once.
Most interesting is how our protagonist Jason actually feels like a male POV. I've been looking for more male POVs in YA SFF and I'm glad to have found this one. This novel is an easy read and I could definitely see it as an action movie or TV series. I wish I saw more of the other characters (Victor is my favorite), but the slow burn romance was actually nice, and it was a fun story, albeit predictable. I'm only rating this 4/5 stars because I wish it added something new aside from the tired tropes, and it took a little too long to subvert the black-and-white narrative... but hey, this is YA, and those criticisms aside it was a pretty solid book....more
I've been struggling to decide whether this deserves 3 stars or 4, but I'm going with 3. There's a lot to love about this book but the execution felt I've been struggling to decide whether this deserves 3 stars or 4, but I'm going with 3. There's a lot to love about this book but the execution felt rushed and messy at certain points.
WHAT I LIKED 1. The characters! Everyone is so vibrant and distinct. There's a deeper level to them, even the assholes, which I appreciated.
2. The friendships. Hands down one of my favorite books that depicts male friendships in YA. These boys are boisterous and inappropriate and rough--it's realistic--but they truly care about each other. Toxic masculinity is addressed; they aren't afraid to show their love and friendship. And reading their banter was just loads of fun.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE 1. The relationship development. Sebastian and Emir's romance is cute. They were childhood friends who had a falling out and stopped seeing each other for years. Suddenly, Emir appears at soccer camp, and while Bastian is desperate to rekindle their friendship, Emir is desperate to stay away. Sebastian has been wildly in love with him since they were kids--though it takes a while for him to realize it--and he won't give up. They move pretty fast but there's still a lot of tension between them, a lot of slap slap kiss, and even several arguments that separate them temporarily. Which is my biggest problem. There's a point near the end where they break up for a while but... I just... did not fully understand why. Sebastian was blamed for it when I honestly felt that it was Emir's fault too. There were issues between them that remained unsolved so I was unconvinced by the ease of the HEA.
2. The execution in general. I adored the first half of this book so much. But from the middle onwards--once Emir and Sebastian get together--it just starts to meander. I think this is a problem with a lot of romances in general but it was just so awkward here. It felt like reading a bunch of scenes without much connection. And while they became physically intimate really fast -- they spend a lot of time making out and getting handsy -- I wish Winters also focused on emotional development. Sebastian goes through his emotional development independently, but I wish him and Emir talked it out a bit more so they'd solve it together.
Despite that, it's a good and promising book at its core. Everyone on the team is open about their sexual orientations, and they treat each other as family regardless of background. And I really enjoyed Sebastian's other conflicts like his body insecurity and his fear of the future. He's afraid of what comes after high school because he's afraid he'll have nothing. It's a very relatable fear for everyone at his age, and I thought it was really well done, not at all brushed aside.
TL;DR Promising, not perfect, but still a good read for when you want something cute and wholesome....more
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