I was drawn in right away with the vibrant descriptions of the settings and characters, especially Philbet, who is at the centeWhat a beautiful book!
I was drawn in right away with the vibrant descriptions of the settings and characters, especially Philbet, who is at the center of this book. Philbet is a shy, kind boy who recognizes early on that he’s not like the other boys around him, although it takes him a while to understand why. Grappling with his sexuality and a physical deformity, he just wants to lead a normal life, but knows that will never happen for him.
The book is made up of short chapters that read like small snippets of Philbet’s life as he grows from age 4 and ends on his 18th birthday. Each of these vignettes into his life is colorful and beautifully written, giving us a peek into what life was like for him. His closeness with his Grandaddy was so pure and loving, and made me miss my own grandma. And the way he was treated by some of the other members of his family made me want to come to his rescue and give him a huge hug.
The relationship with his friend Knox was so sweet, and I loved how Knox treated Philbet with such kindness, despite calling him a weirdo (not unkindly) at times.
The last few chapters had me crying, both from sadness, and from pure joy. I loved every minute of this book. I listened to the audiobook, and was really impressed with the narrator. This is a book that will stick with me for a long time....more
This is one of those books that I wanted to finish in one day because it was just so damn good, but I also didn't want it to end. It had all the thingThis is one of those books that I wanted to finish in one day because it was just so damn good, but I also didn't want it to end. It had all the things I love in a romance: it was a sweet hurt/comfort slow-burn with two lovable MCs and a lot of yearning.
The book is so beautifully written and with every scene was so easy to picture myself completely immersed in their world. (It also helped that I read this while on vacation in rural Ohio, which has a lot of the same vibes as the setting of this book.)
Basie is so grief-stricken and angsty, and despite being a bit unkind to Kit at the beginning, I wanted to wrap him up in a giant hug. And Kit was patient, kind, and had a good heart. I loved these two together. And since it's labeled as 'Book 1', I hope we get to see more of them in the future. And maybe more of Lewie?
I could go on and on about how much I loved this book, but you should read it for yourself.
I am in awe of how perfectly the author has told such a sweet and tender story infused with enough sass and color to keep if fun and light in parts whI am in awe of how perfectly the author has told such a sweet and tender story infused with enough sass and color to keep if fun and light in parts while presenting the heavy, dark realities of life for undocumented immigrants in a grim light, but still managing to keep it all so hopeful. Ander is such a sassy character and I love him so much. And Santi is quiet and beautiful. My heart broke for the two of them time and again, but the way it ended was like a wonderful gift. I especially loved all of the imagery and food that was sprinkled throughout the book. I felt like I was watching a movie rather than listening to an audiobook. Audiobook: the narrator was fantastic. Avi Roque is so good at giving the characters distinct voices that perfectly match their personalities. ...more
Another amazingly sweet and beautiful book by Cat Sebastian. The characters come to life with the writing and I found myself fully immersed in every sAnother amazingly sweet and beautiful book by Cat Sebastian. The characters come to life with the writing and I found myself fully immersed in every scene like I was watching a movie. Nick and Andy are a perfect match and the inner struggles they both faced to be together were heartbreaking. I adored this book. ...more
This book is a perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and overcoming grief without getting too weighed down by any of them. The characters are all so uniqueThis book is a perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and overcoming grief without getting too weighed down by any of them. The characters are all so unique and so lovely, and Callahan does a great job of developing each one in a way that makes them feel complete. The world building is done so well, in a way that made me feel like I'd just watched a movie. The relationship between Peter and Breck evolved in a way that was so heartwarming and I was rooting for them both from the beginning. Breck was so adorable and mysterious (though more about his past is revealed in the second book) and Peter's struggles to overcome grief make the relationship between the two so beautiful to watch as it grew throughout the book. I loved it....more
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