Tag: #lgbtq

#contemporary, #fantasy, #fiction, #literature, #yafantasy, author, blog, book blog, book blogger, book bloggers, book review, books, fiction, historical fiction, literary ficton, queer, review, thriller, Uncategorised, ya, young adult

April Wrap Up

jthbookreviews

Didn’t April fly by? I can’t believe its over already. It was a strange month for me in many ways and it affected my reading. I read nine books this month and I either absolutely loved them or didn’t like them at all. There was no in between.

It took me a while to read some of the books this month, especially the ones I’ve loved because I didn’t want them to end. And if I haven’t enjoyed them I’ve read them super fast. Does anyone else do this?

So lets talk about the books shall we?

First up was Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff Vandermeer. No. Nope. Just no for me. I didn’t like this one at all. To felt pointless and depressing. It’s supposed to be a thriller but I didn’t find it engaging at all. It was dull. I had no desire to learn about Hummingbirds that much. Also, if I ever read the Silvina again I will cry. Literally cry. Thanks to the publishers for gifting me with a copy of this book. It’s out now.

Up next I read Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joys Goffney and it was absolutely brilliant. It deals with such important themes to wonderfully. I really need all young adult books to be this good. Seriously. This one is out now. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. You can check out my full review here

Thirdly I read Of Women And Salt by Gabriela Garcia. What a book! It’s the kind of book that is so intriguing. The writing is lyrical and brilliant. I was totally enraptured by this book. I just loved it. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out now.

(We’re just taking a break here because I had two five star reads in a row and that deserves to be celebrated.)

Then I read Slingshot by Mercedes Helnwein. Well the five star reads didn’t last for long. I just didn’t enjoy this one at all. It also didn’t have much depth, and it was just about a love story. If a book is going to be just about a love story, it needs to be good. And this one just wasn’t. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out now.

Up next was Kate In Waiting by Becky Albertalli. Now this is how all YA books should be. It was fun, charming, inclusive, funny and romantic. Becky is one of the best young adult authors around. I loved it. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out now. You can check out my full review here

Then I read Ariadne by Jennifer Saint. Well much to my surprise I absolutely loved this book. Full of strong female characters, beautiful story telling and Greek Mythology. It’s really beautifully done. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out now. You can check out my full review here

Seventh this month I read Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard. Have I found my favourite new fantasy series? Yes I think I might have. I loved everything about this book. Everything. I need book two now. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out May 4th. You can check out my full review here

Then I read Still Life by Sarah Winman which was absolutely fantastic. It will definitely be one of my favourite books of the year. I loved it. I’ll remember these characters for a long time. Just absolutely brilliant! Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out June 10th.

(Another two five star reads in a row. When does that ever happen?)

Lastly I read Male Tears by Benjamin Myers and I didn’t enjoy this at all. A few of the stories were okay, the rest I didn’t see the point in. Was a big disappointed for me. Maybe the title lead me to believe this was going to be something else, but for me it missed the mark. My favourites were definitely the shorter stories. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out now.

So that’s if for me this month. Not as many as March but some fantastic books. Quality over quantity.

Are you going to read any of these? Let me know.

Until the next review

Jthbooks

#contemporary, author, blog, book blog, book blogger, book bloggers, book review, books, bookstagram, fiction, gay, lgbt, queer, Uncategorised, ya, young adult

Book Review: Kate In Waiting by Becky Albertalli

jthbookreviews

Title: Kate In Waiting

Author: Becky Albertalli

Publisher: Penguin

Length: 387 pages

Synopsis: Contrary to popular belief, best friends Kate and Anderson. Carpooling to and from theatre rehearsal? Environmentally sound and efficient. Consulting each other in every single life decision? Basic good judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun anyway. But when their long-distance crush Matt Olsen shows up at their school, everything goes off-script. Turns out, communal crushes aren’t so fun when real feelings are involved. This one might even bring the curtains down on Kate and Anderson’s friendship.

This review is basically just a thank you to Becky Albertalli for writing this wonderful young adult book.

There is just so much to love about Kate in Waiting. The first thing that’s wonderful about this book is all fantastic characters. Kate is a brilliant main protagonist to follow. I loved that it was really about Kate finding herself and her confidence and it really was a joy to read. It was full of fantastic supporting characters to like Anderson, Noah, Brandie, Raina and Matt.

One of the best thing in the book was the relationships between the characters. Becky Albertalli really knows how to right friendships. They all had such a brilliant connections, especially Kate and Anderson. It reminded me of me and my bestie and I loved that.

Of course this is a Becky Albertalli so we had some fantastic representation and inclusivity in this book. Everyone gets there chance to shine and people are just who they are and it’s something Becky does so well.

The book follow Kate and Anderson as the both like the same guy and I’ll be honest and say that I thought it was going to be a little tedious, but it wasn’t! They always put their friendship first and I loved it. There were a few romances in this book, but I don’t want to spoil them for you. Let’s just say they were swoon-worthy.

And I loved that they were working on a musical! It was such a fun part of the book. If you feel like writing more books like this Becky, I definitely won’t complain.

The whole book is extremely sweet, but it never crosses into being to sweet and cliche. Kate in Waiting is just super enjoyable. It’s a super quick read because you never want to put it down.

Thanks to Penguin Random for my copy of this book in return for an honest, unbiased review. It’s out April 22nd.

Until the next review

Jthbooks

#contemporary, #fantasy, #fiction, #literature, #yafantasy, author, blog, blogtour, book blog, book blogger, book bloggers, book review, Uncategorised, ya, young adult

March Wrap Up

jthbookreviews

March has come and gone. It once again flew by, and it was my last full month being furloughed as restaurants can open again in April if they have outdoor space, so I’m going back to work. Which will mean less reading time, but I’m excited to go back. Who knew I’d miss baking cakes and scones!

I did manage to read eleven books this month. Which I believe is a record for me. I would’ve read more but I got a stomach bug just after my birthday and it slowed me down. But I’m still proud of eleven. Let’s see if I can achieve the same in April!

So lets talk about the books shall we?

First up was Common Ground by Naomi Ishiguro. You know, this book just wasn’t for me. I found it dull, and I never wanted to pick it up. Also, the whole point if this book is the friendship between the main characters and I didn’t believe. I felt absolutely no connection between them, so for me the book ultimately failed. But who knows, you might love this one. It’s out now. Thanks to the publishers for my copy.

Then I read Sistersong by Lucy Holland. I absolutely loved this one, much more than I expected to. It was a brilliant historical fiction novel, with great magic and fantastic characters. I flew through it and I’ll kook forward to whatever Lucy writes next. Thank to the publishers for my copy if this book. It’s out now.

Next up I read A Lonely Man by Chris Power. This was a subtly intense thriller that I really enjoyed. It’s detailed, it keeps you guessing as to whether the character is telling the truth. And I loved the ending. The book was so good you wanted it to carry on, but the ending was taught and open. It was fantastic. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out now.

Fourth up I read The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne by Jonathan Stroud. This is the beginning of a brilliant new teen series that I think everyone can enjoy. It was action packed, the world was interning and epic and the characters were fantastic to follow. I am looking forward to reading this series. It’s out now. Thanks to the publishers for my copy.

Up next was Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley. I absolutely loved this book. From beginning to end. It was intriguing, I loved the main character and I thought the ending was epic. Thanks to the publisher for my copy. It’s out now.

Then I read An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon. There were definitely parts that I liked, and I loved the epilogue but for some reasons, I just couldn’t totally emotionally invest in the book. I really don’t know why. It’s usually kind of book I adore. I found the writing slightly jarring at times, it didn’t quite flow. I wonder if I reread this book if I’d love it. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out now.

Seventh up this month I read In The Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. What an incredible book. It’s exquisite. This queer nonfiction memoir is a work of art. Carmen writes from her soul. I’m so glad I picked this one up. It blew me away. A new favourite. It’s out now.

Next I read The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni. You know when you’re into a book from the first page. That was this book for me. I loved the concept. I loved the story. Loved the characters and all the twists and turns. And that ending? It can’t leave me waiting like that. This was just how I like my young adult books. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. Out in April.

Then I read Lean, Fall, Stand by Jon McGregor. This one started off so strong. Incredibly strong. It’s intense, it’s exciting, its dangerous and I was loving it. Then there was a shift in the plot, and I was still really enjoying it and I was thinking it was going to be a five star book, but towards the end it just lost it for me. I found myself skimming the pages. It just lost my interest, I could see what the author was trying to do but it didn’t work for me. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out April 13th.

For my ninth book I read Fragile Monsters by Catherine Menon. This book just unfortunately wasn’t for me. There was to much going on in the plot, with not enough of it being dealt with in detail. It didn’t care for any of the characters at all. And the writing felt off to me, it felt clunky. Nope, this book wasn’t it for me. Thanks to the publisher for my gifted copy. It’s out April 8th.

Lastly I read Witches Steeped In Gold by Ciannon Smart. This was my third time trying to read this book, I’d put it down twice as I couldn’t get into it, but this time I managed to finish it. For me, it wasn’t worth it. It was long and dense. The first 150 pages were just explaining the complex magic system. I did start to get into it more once we’d passed this but I never felt engaged or attached to the characters. I’m not saying this is a terrible book by any means, and I know many people love it. For me, there’s better fantasy books out there. Thanks to the publishers for my copy. It’s out April 20th.

That was it! That was my reading month. I can’t tell you how much I adored In The Dream House.

Have you read any of these, or do you plan to? Let me know.

Until the next review.

Jthbooks

#contemporary, #fiction, #literature, author, blog, book blog, book blogger, book bloggers, book review, fiction, gay, lgbt, literary ficton, queer, review, Uncategorised, ya

ARC Book Review: The Split by Laura Kay

jthbookreviews

Title: The Split

Author: Laura Kay

Publisher: Quercus

Length: 352 pages

Synopsis: Brutally dumped by her girlfriend, Ally is homeless, friendless and jobless… but at least she has Malcolm. Wounded and betrayed, Ally has made off with the one thing she thinks might soothe the pain: Emily’s cat. After a long train journey she arrives home to her dad in Sheffield, read to fold herself up in her duvet and remain in the sofa for the foreseeable. Her dad has other ideas. A phone call later, and Ally is reunited with her first ever beats, and friend of old, Jeremy. He too is broken-hearted and living at home again. In an inspired effort to hold each other up, the pair decide to sign up for the local half marathon in a bid to impress their exes with their commitment and athleticism. Given neither of them can run, they enlist the support of athletic, not to mention beautiful, Jo. But will she have them running for the hills… or will their ridiculous plan play off…?

When I first heard about this book, I knew immediately I wanted to read it. I love seeing queer stories in commercial fiction like this (something we need more of) so I was so grateful to Quercus for sending me a copy.

As we follow, Ally, who has been dumped and heads back to her hometown you can’t help but grow to love her. Actually you don’t grow to love her, its pretty instant. She’s witty and relatable and you can feel her heartbreak. There’s just an instant connection between the character and the reader and it’s all down to Lauras grey writing. The Split is full of many other fantastic characters like, Jeremy and Jo. They are both so likeable. And they also worm their way into your heart. So do Sophie and Charlie. Honestly, its full of great characters and they feel like the become your friends.

My favourite thing to read in this book was Ally’s growth, it was brilliant to read, especially because Laura has written it so well. I loved reading about ally finding herself and her passion. And you love Ally so much that you want her to succeed. Reading Ally’s growth is great and makes the book so enjoyable. I love how The Split also shows the importance of friendship, which are so important. Especially for queer people.

I also loved the queer representation in this book. Ally and Jeremy are my age, so their queer journey really resonates with me (also how can you not love any book that reference C’est la Vie by B*Witched). There was a moment in the book where Ally and Jeremy talk about being a queer kid at the school disco and that really hit me in the feels. That kid was me, and I’ve never read that in a book before. It also has fantastic queer friendships and found family and it made my little gay heart happy. This book is proof that we need more books in commercial fiction, especially when they are this goose.

Listen, books never make me laugh but The Split had me laughing out loud in the first twenty pages. I never do that. Ally has written a book that is sweet and uplifting that will warm your heart but it definitely has an edge to it that makes it hilarious and relatable.

I can’t recommend this book enough to you. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Also, it’s a super quick read because you can’t put it down.

Thanks to Quercus for gifting me with a copy of this book in return for an honest, unbiased review. It’s out March 18th but it’s out in ebook and audiobook now.

Until the next review

Jthbooks

#fantasy, #yafantasy, blog, book blog, book blogger, book bloggers, book review, books, bookstagram, gay, lgbt, queer, review, Uncategorised, ya, young adult

ARC Book Review: Infinity Reaper by Adam Silvera

jthbookreviews

Title: Infinity Reaper

Author: Adam Silvera

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Length: 512 pages

First things first, what a stunning cover!!

Synopsis: Brothers Emil and Brighton beat the Blood Casters in an epic war and escaped… or so they thought. When Brighton drank the Reaper’s Blood, he believed he’d be invincible – instead the potion is killing him. But finding an antidote risks disturbing the battle for peace. Now they have to reach the ultimate decision- to end the war or to win it.

I have been waiting for this book for this book since that ending of book one? Yes, yes I have. And I know often in the second book in a series we usually have a struggle, but does this one? No. It does not. It only goes from strength to strength. I loved it! This book does start immediately where Infinity Son ended, so if you need to reread the last few chapters like I did, theres your warning.

There was just so much I enjoyed about this book. In fact I enjoyed everything. Look, I like to be asleep by 10pm, 11 if I’m feeling wild, but I was up until 1.00am reading this book because I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened, I wanted to know what happened. I was feeling all the feels and I was loving it.

First of all, I loved the story. I loved the direction Adam took it in. There was so many different aspects to it. It was full of action. It was full of romance. It was full of character development. It was exciting. There was literally points when I was reading and I was saying to myself ‘damn this book is exciting’. But I also really loved the quiet moments in the book. I loved when the gang was at the New Ember Sanctuary, it was just so interesting.

I also loved the characters, everything that happened in Infinity Son, they’ve grown and learnt from and it’s really interesting to read. It felt like they all became more complex and likeable. I loved each perspective, I mean did I agree with everything Brighton is doing no, but its such a great choice from Adam and makes it really intriguing. But I loved Emil, Ness and Maribelle. I do remember at one point saying that Ness has my whole heart. But me feelings are invested in all of them. I’m excited to read more from them and I want to be part of the gang.

*Spoiler* That was your warning ok! The romances, I loved them. Brighton and Prudencia, I loved their trepidation towards their feelings for each other and I’m excited to see where it goes. I also enjoyed there sex positivity. But you know what us gays were waiting for, it was the reunion between Emil and Ness. What I didn’t expect was the love triangle and what I REALLY didn’t expect was how into it I was. I love how the different guys bring out different sides to Emil. I mean, I think Ness is endgame but I’m excited to see what happens.

In the first book, we had a lot of magic and a lot to learn but I think in this book its been toned down and it works for the better. It felt more compact and accessible. I know this going to sound strange but it also expanded in a way I loved. I don’t want to say how, I want you to be surprised. But it was so exciting.

I really loved the writing in Infinity Reaper. Reading from four different perspectives is tough, but I never got confused who I was reading. I loved how the modern world and social media was woven in. Also, the action scenes were epic. The were thrilling. I mean, the fight in the air on the back of the Phoenixes was cinematic. I could see it so clearly in my head. Like the rest of the book, it was all next level.

Shall we talk about the ending? You know I want to. I can’t believe it ended like that. It was brilliant. Don’t worry, no spoilers. But Adam has built it up so perfectly between Emil and Brighton, that it made the ending epic and heartbreaking. Also Maribelle, I have questions. I need answers.

So now I guess all there is to do is sit around and wait for book three…

Thank you to hashtagreads for my copy of this book in return for an honest, unbiased review review. It’s out March 4th.

Until the next review

Jthbooks

author, blog, book blog, book blogger, book bloggers, book review, books, bookstagram, gay, lgbt, literary ficton, queer, review, Uncategorised, ya, young adult

5 Books to read for LGBT History Month.

jthbookreviews

It’s LGBT+ History Month here in the UK, so I thought I’d share five books (although there is many more you could read and I hope you do) that talk about the history of the queer community. Some are non-fiction, some are historical, some are just wonderful queer books.

It’s so important to remember the history of the queer community, it can stark reminder of how bad things were, how far we’ve come. And we must remember every part of the community, gay, sapphic, bisexual, trans, questioning, aro, ace and non-binary. We are all part of the same community and we must celebrate it all. We can’t forget 2020, was the worst year for trans violence, especially for trans people of colour.

These books shed some light on queer lives.

So lets talk about the books shall we?

The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr. This has become one of my favourite books of all time. It’s so beautifully written, it’s literally stunning. It’s so moving. It’s the story of two black enslaved men, who are in love. I’ve never read this before. It’s showing that queer people and queer love existed in this time, because of course they did. You can check out my full review here.

Swimming In The Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski. This is one of those unforgettable novels that is quiet and understated but will have such an impact on you. It’s set in the 1980s Poland, and is the love story between two men in a time when it’s unacceptable. It’s thought provoking and moving. I can’t recommend this one to you enough. You can check out my full review here.

Fighting Proud The Untold Story of the Gay Men Who Served In Two World Wars by Stephen Bourne. This book says it all in the title. It details the lives and stories of gay men fighting in the war. It gives them a voice, full of facts. Such a super interesting read.

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta. I will always recommend this book. It’s brilliant. It’s one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. It’s sent in our time, but it just perfectly captures the journey towards self acceptance and that’s definitely an important thing to read during lgbtq+ history month.

Lie With Me by Philippe Benson. One of my favourite novels that I couldn’t not mention. Set in France in the 1980s in the middle of the AIDs epidemic, this a story of two boys falling in love when acceptance wouldn’t be granted. It’s so beautifully written, so heartfelt. You can check out my full review here.

I have only chosen to feature five books, which I also know focus on m/m stories but this mainly what I read. But here’s some more recommendations of books that share the queer experience in brilliant ways. All The Young Men by Ruth Corker Burks, You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson, Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender, The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, Real Life by Brandon Taylor, Camp by L.C.Rosen, Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo and All Boys Aren’t Blue by George Johnson.

This month is a time to reflect on how far the queer community has come, of course not all other the world as being queer is still illegal to be gay in 72 countries, this still shows how far we’ve still got to go.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post. And you enjoy some of these. Let me know if there’s any queer books you think I should be reading for this month.

Until the next review

Jthbooks

author, blog, blogtour, book blog, book blogger, book bloggers, book review, books, gay, gothic, historical fiction, interview, lgbt, queer, review, thriller, Uncategorised, ya, young adult

January Wrap Up

jthbookreviews

Hello my bookish friends, another month has come to an end and I can confirm its been a good reading month for me. In England, we have gone back into Lockdown so that means I’ve had a lot of time to read on my hands (which I’m not mad at).

I managed to read 10 books this month, which is very good for me. It ties with the most I’ve ever read in a month. I enjoyed most of the books I read this month, so that makes it a really good month.

Lets talk about the books shall we?

First I read This Will Be Funny Someday by Katie Henry. I really enjoyed this book. It was funny, I loved all the stand up elements to the book. It’s a great YA contemporary that’s out in the UK in February.

Then I read Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow by Benjamin Dean. This book was so adorable and wholesome. I loved every page. It’s a children’s book but I truly think everyone should read this book. It’s got such an important message. It’s out in February

Thirdly I read The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe. This book is absolutely wild. It’s so intense, with a plot that will keep you hooked until the very last page. Filled with twists and turns and complex characters. It’s out in February.

Up next was Skyward Inn by Aliya Whiteley. This is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It’s taken me a long time to make my mind up, but i think I loved it. It’s so human but other worldly. It’s out in March.

Then I read Forever Ends On Friday by Justin A. Reynolds. This was such a wonderful book, that deals with a heavy subject that made me really emotional. I really loved this book. Thanks to mykindabook for my copy. This one is out now.

Up next was A Meeting Of Two Prophets by Judah Tasha. This a sweet queer love story from a perspectives I’ve never read before. The love story really captured me but it also taught me a lot. Thanks to Judah for sending me this book. It’s out on February 4th.

Then I read Native by Akala. I read this as part of my 2021 challenge to read a nonfiction book every month. Such a brilliant book on class and race in the uk. I learnt so much. It was so informative yet accessible. This one should be required reading.

Up next I read Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackson. I was really looking forward to this book but for me it unfortunately missed the mark. There was just something missing and few things that didn’t quite work for me. It wasn’t bad, but not my favourite. Thanks to Netgalley and SourceFire books for my copy. Out February 2nd.

Then I read The Coven by Lizzie Fry. I really enjoyed this book. It was engrossing and really clever. With fantastic characters and a book that parallels a society we find ourselves living in today. And who doesn’t love witches? Thanks to the publishers for this book. It’s out February 25th.

Lastly I read The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna. I absolutely loved this book. I loved it. Every page, every character. The only thing I didn’t like is now I’ve got to wait for the second one. Such a brilliant young adult fantasy. This one is out February 4th.

So that’s all my books for the month. Do you plan on reading any of these? Or have you read any? Let me know.

Until the next review

Jthbooks

#contemporary, author, blog, book blog, book blogger, book bloggers, book review, books, bookstagram, gay, lgbt, queer, review, Uncategorised, ya, young adult

ARC Book Review Yesterday Is History by Kosoko Jackson

jthbookreviews

Title: Yesterday Is History

Author: Kosoko Jackson

Length: 320 pages

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Synopsis: Weeks ago, Andre Cobb received a much-needed liver transplant. He’s ready for his new lord to finally begin, until one night, when he passes out and am wakes up somewhere totally unexpected… in 1969, where he connects with a magnetic boy named Michael. And then, just as suddenly as he arrived, he slips back to present day Boston, where the family of his donor is waiting to explain that his new liver came with a side effect – the ability to time travel. And they’ve tasked their youngest son, Blake, with teaching Andre how to use his unexpected new gift. Andre splits his time bouncing between the past and the future. Between Micheal and Blake. Micheal is everything Andre wishes he could be, and Blake, still reeling from the death of his brother, Andre’s donor, keeps him at arms length despite their obvious attraction to each other. Torn between two boys, one in the past and one in the present, Andre has to figure out where he belongs – and more importantly who he wants to be – before the consequences of jumping in time catch up to him and change his future for good.

As soon as I heard about this LGBTQ+ book I knew I wanted to read it. It was immediately added to my tbr and I was so excited when I got an advanced copy and I started it straight away.

Now, unfortunately I have to be honest and say that this book was a bit of a letdown. I wanted to love it so badly, but I just couldn’t. There was just so much missing. It was at times to shallow, and laughable. I feel so bad saying that.

Ok, to keep this all from being negative lets start with the things I liked. I really liked the main character Andre, I thought he was fantastic. I read somewhere that Kosoko wanted to make a black boy is seen as a love interest and I think that was achieved. He was by far the best thing about this book. I also like how it dealt with grief, it was a main part of the book, and I really liked it. And I never considered dnfing it, I wanted to know how it would end.

Alright, lets talk about what I didn’t like. The love triangle. It was so bad. So, so bad. When Andre meets Michael it’s one of the worst cases of Instalove I’ve ever read. It was so unbelievable, so rushed, I just ended up hating it. It felt like we were just told they were in love, but there was no connection. Then when Andre meets Blake and it feels like the author here at least put in a bit of effort to give them a connection, he’s still thinking about how much he loves Michael and it just is annoying. Then he has this goodbye with Michael that’s supposed to be emotional, but because there ‘love story’ was handled so poorly throughout it was actually laughable. I literally laughed out loud.

The whole book just felt disjointed to me. There was a lot going on, and none of it was explored in that much detail. I really wonder if the author tried to put to much into the book. With the love triangle, the cancer, the family’s grief, the time jumping. It just felt a bit messy to me. The time jumping was interesting, but I wanted so much more. I wanted it to be explored in more depth. But Andres time jumping became all about Michael, which we know I wasn’t a fan of.

I really don’t know if I would recommend this one. It really didn’t work for me. I will read what Kosoko writes next, as I think each book he writes will probably get better. But yeah, this one wasn’t for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for gifting we with a copy of this book in return for an honest, unbiased review. It’s out February 2nd.

Until the next review

Jthbooks

author, blog, book blog, book blogger, book bloggers, book review, books, bookstagram, gay, gothic, gothic horror, lgbt, middlegrade, queer, Uncategorised, ya

ARC Book Review: Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow by Benjamin Dean

jthbookreviews

Title: Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow

Author: Benjamin Dean

Length:

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s

Synopsis: My name’s Archie Albright, and I know two things for certain 1. My mum and dad kind of hate each other, and they’re not doing a great job at pretending they don’t anymore. 2. They’re both keeping a secret from me, but I can’t figure out what. Things aren’t going great for Archie Albright. His dad’s acting weird, him mum too, and all he wants is for everything to go back to normal, to three months before when his parents were happy and still lived together. When Archie sees a colourful, crumpled flyer fall out of his Dad’s pocket, he thinks he may have found the answer. Only problem? The answer might just lie at the end of the rainbow, an adventure away.

I absolutely loved this book. It was so wholesome and sweet, yet I believe it has such an important message.

Archie, Seb and Bell are such a fantastic characters. I loved them, what a trio. I loved there friendship, I loved how the support each other. They also made me laugh, Bell is so funny. It made me laugh out loud and books never do that. Honestly they are so adorable. There’s other great characters in this. Archie dad, who journey of self acceptance is touched upon, is really moving.

It’s such a fun, meaningful story. I loved the adventure that the gang went on. And I have to say, as someone who has never been to a pride parade I am insanely jealous of them. I don’t want give to much of the gangs adventure away but it is fun, and it also has so much heart. And the adventure ends so brilliantly.

Can we also talk about how stunning the proof is?

This is obviously a book for children, but i think its a book everyone should read. It has such a wonderful important message. It shows the importance of acceptance. And its from a perspective I’ve not read before. It also shows the importance of found family that is often so vital to the queer community. It also made me cry, I couldn’t help. The message is just put across so well.

Dean has written a brilliantly book. It’s funny, it’s sweet and its vital. I love that theres a queer book like this out in the world, especially for children. It’s a diverse, inclusive book that I sincerely hope you all decide to pick up.

I can’t recommend this book enough. I’m looking forward to what Dean writes next. I guess all there’s left to say is, can we have some more adventures from Archie and the gang?

Thank you so much to Simon & Schusters Children’s books for gifting me a copy of this book in return for an honest, unbiased review. It’s out February 4th.

Until the next review

Jthbooks

blog, book blog, book blogger, book bloggers, book review, books, bookstagram, lgbt, queer, review, Uncategorised, ya, young adult

Book Review: Here The Whole Time by Vitor Martins

jthbookreviews

Title: Here The Whole Time

Author: Vitor Martins

Length: 267 pages

Publisher: Hodders Children’s books

Synopsis: Felipe doesn’t believe someone like Caio could ever fall for someone like him. But over the next fifteen days, everything will change…

If you read my blog they’ll you know I read a lot of queer books and I’ve often said that so many of them are the same, but finally we have one that is different. Shall we talk about why?

In Here The Whole Time, we see a plus sized person that is the main character and it’s so refreshing to see. They are also the love interest. It’s so refreshing to read a character in a queer book that is real. And they’re not a high school student that somehow looks like a super model.

I absolutely loved this representation. It’s necessary and important. In all of queer YA books the characters all look like supermodels with fantastic bodies but in Here The Whole Time Vitor has given a voice to people that don’t fit into this absurdity. It’s brilliant to read. It’s also wonderful to see how Felipe confidence blossoms.

It’s full of fantastic characters. As I said Felipe it a great character. He’s so likeable and funny. Caio is also great. I also really loved Felipes mum Rita and Becky they are a real highlight of the novel. They were brilliant. I found myself caring for all of them.

We’ve got a slow burn romance and it’s a good one. A really good one. It was so sweet and romantic and it just made me swoon. I absolutely loved it. I was willing them to get together. They had real chemistry and it felt organic. I loved when Felipe gave Caio the book. I mean who doesn’t want to be given books right?

I loved this book. I loved it’s important message about self love and standing up for yourself. Of course I had to have a little cry at the end.

I definitely recommend this book. It’s a must have for any queer shelf on your bookcase.

Thank you so much to bmkr for my copy of this book in return for an honest, unbiased review. It’s out now I’m eBook and comes out in paperback January 7th.

Until the next review

JTH