Witch Hat Atelier follows Coco, our young, headstrong, incredibly lovable protagonist as she dreams of becoming a witch. Due to quite chaotic circumstWitch Hat Atelier follows Coco, our young, headstrong, incredibly lovable protagonist as she dreams of becoming a witch. Due to quite chaotic circumstances, the very handsome Qifrey the Witch (I’m in love with him) has taken her under his wing to train. This was a really enjoyable ride and great introduction to a series. While the story is keeping me engaged, the artwork is where the manga really shines. I’m rarely drawn to graphic novels and manga, but I’m glad I was drawn to this one. I highly recommend if you’re looking for a lighter, witchy read. I am also picking up on some queer subtext (or projecting), which I hope gets touched on sometime down the line.
Finally read because I had it set aside for Halloween, and I’m glad I got to it. I will definitely be continuing this in the future....more
“ ‘I don’t think it’s the world’s fault that magic has disappeared. Maybe people hold themselves back too much.’ ”
As the first, and only, Studio Gh “ ‘I don’t think it’s the world’s fault that magic has disappeared. Maybe people hold themselves back too much.’ ”
As the first, and only, Studio Ghibli movie I watched (and rewatched, and rewatched, and rewatched…) as a child, Kiki’s Delivery Service, has a very special, very nostalgic place in my heart. The recently translated novel it is based on unlocked that ocean of joyous nostalgia on the first page, with a young witch and her talking cat being just as, if not a little more, charming as I remember them.
When a witch turns thirteen, she is expected to take her black cat and leave home and start her journey in a new town she has chosen. Kiki and Jiji fly until they find a bigger town by the seaside; a town that doesn’t have a witch and doesn’t think they need one. As Kiki connects with and aids the townspeople over the year, connections are formed and Kiki and her delivery service become a widely appreciated (and needed) part of the town. Almost every chapter is a new task, as the reader watches Kiki and Jiji come of age, and each task is just a little bit ridiculous in a way that makes you smile.
While everything about this book is precious, Jiji hands down steals the show. Kadono nails the cat aura and his snarky, yet loving(?) attitude feels exactly like what my cats would sound like if they could talk. He has some of the best, both hilarious and (sometimes) heartfelt, lines, and the perfect cat attitude. And now it is time for me to go snuggle up with my own black cat who very narrowly avoided being named Jiji five years ago and hope that the rest of the series gets translated sometime soon.
“How wonderful it is to have a place to return to.” ...more
When the guy Payal Mehta has been crushing on for years turns out to finally notice her (through a series of unfortunate, vomit-related incidences), sWhen the guy Payal Mehta has been crushing on for years turns out to finally notice her (through a series of unfortunate, vomit-related incidences), she thinks it’s finally her chance at an epic love story. That is, until he tells her that she should totally date his Southeast Asian because she’s so cool. Armed with hurt and annoyance, Payal teams up with Philip, her academic rival, to “solve racism with love.” It goes about how you would expect. Chhibber does an excellent job balancing the cute romcom vibes with the more intense discussions on racism and the casual microaggressions that Payal, as a young and impressionable girl, begins to tie to her own self-worth. This is a really great story about not watering yourself down for other people and embracing who you are; the people that you’ll want to spend your life with will love you for your full self. At times it was a bit young for me, but this is a young adult high school romcom and I can’t knock the book for being what it was advertised as. I do wish that this could’ve been a little longer so that all of the plots could get a little bit more fleshed out, but overall this was a very cute read!...more
“ ‘You know people are more ready to pay attention to silly games than great deeds.’ ”
After officially leaving her unaccepting mother, Callie has b “ ‘You know people are more ready to pay attention to silly games than great deeds.’ ”
After officially leaving her unaccepting mother, Callie has been living in paradise with their Papa and stepfather, Neal, but when their dad is called back to his knightly duties to help train a young prince, they decide to go with him. Despite Neal’s warnings that the city will not be accepting of them and that the rules are much different than they have been used to, Callie excitedly joins their dad as a squire, looking forward to training and winning a competition. When they arrive, they are immediately treated like a girl, not allowed to fight, and locked in with the other girls for not accepting their place. Through this frustrating time, Callie is forced to confront what the “different” members of the city already know—there is no place for anyone outside of the norm, and if you don’t conform, you will be tossed out. There is no glory here, just a list of games that everyone is expected to play and that hurt anyone who is different, even if that person is the next king.
“ ‘Not all battles can be fought with swords, Callie—remember that. And not all enemies want you dead.’ ”
I found this book, especially Callie’s personal journey, to be quite endearing and really loved having a nonbinary main character in a middle grade series. Callie comes in fighting, with strong convictions and an inability to hold their tongue, and there are both positives and negatives to this. The big positive is that other people who have been forced to hide who they are getting a glimpse of someone that is so unashamedly themselves for the first time, giving them hope. The big downside is that they don’t really have a tactical approach, making them a much bigger target for bigots, even being used as an example of what is wrong with the world. Learning how to navigate this world with all these rules that Callie hasn’t had to adhere to in so long is both exhausting and motivating, as our young knight never loses themselves, but does learn how to play the system to some extent.
“I’m more aware than ever how much I dislike the magical part of myself, and how often I’ve wished it away. It doesn’t work like that. If it’s part of you. Whether you’re a girl or a boy, or both or neither. You don’t get to pick and choose, especially not for other people.”
When Callie first comes to the city, it is evident that they have some internalized misogyny and hate everything that is associated with femininity, including magic, which is traditionally only found in girls. It makes complete sense for this to be the case, as they are extremely young and were forced to be a girl for many years, and it was incredibly satisfying to see them unlearn this hatred towards femininity with the help of their new friend, Elowen. The mindset is definitely shifting, a bit slowly but surely, from “I should be allowed to do this because I’m NOT a girl” to “Why are these gender stereotypes and rules in place anyways?” as Elowen offers to teach them some magic.
“For the longest time, gender felt like being crammed into a pair of shoes I’d never fit into in the first place. Except I didn’t get to pick a new pair. I didn’t even get to try on a different pair just in case. Day after day, I wore the same small shoes, and I kept growing. And the more I grew, the less I fit.”
Going from seeing Callie be forcefully separated from their father, the only person in the city they knew or could trust, to them making friends with the prince and Elowen and seeing how these rules oppressed not only them but everyone was lovely. So few people actually fit into the standard, in systems like this everyone is just expected to shave off the parts that don’t fit or at the very least hide them away. Callie gave her new friends the hope that things can change, or at least that there is a place that they could go to be accepted. Their friends gave Callie the ability to see other points of view. For example, Elowen being a girl who doesn’t just want to heal with her magic shed some light on their more misogynistic ways of thinking and allowed them to grow.
“ ‘Family are the people who love you,’ he told me once. ‘Exactly as you are, regardless of blood and bond.’ ”
Prince Willow, Elowen, and Edwyn, Elowen’s brother, were incredibly compelling side characters, with their own, usually big, issues and a lot of unconditional love to go around (well, with Willow and Elowen) and Symes-Smith did an incredible job of making me care deeply for them. My favorite character, which surprised me, was Edwyn. I did not have a super strong reaction about anything except his arc, which I maybe cried over a little (*definitely, *a lot). Where Callie has been blessed with two wonderful dads, the other kids haven’t been so lucky. The pain and questioning that comes with having terrible (or just absent) parents was heartbreaking to read about, as the struggle with accepting themselves hinged on the acceptance of the people that should accept them regardless of who they are.
“Being brave is being scared and doing it anyway.”
Overall, this was a very solid introduction to a middle grade series, filled with friendship and bravery in all different forms. It was very much a book about being true to yourself, and I cannot wait to continue the series. Requesting the arc of book 3 because I didn’t realize that it was the third book was a great happy little accident.
Have you ever wanted to read a book version of a Disney Channel Original Movie? If so, boy do I have the book for you! This book exudes nostalgia for Have you ever wanted to read a book version of a Disney Channel Original Movie? If so, boy do I have the book for you! This book exudes nostalgia for the semi-unpolished, kind of formulaic, but very fun DCOMs of the early 00’s/10’s and it really is such a fun, nostalgic ride that really just portrays a cute relationship that is so high school. Shoutout to adira and s.’s great reviews for getting me to read this sweet book (and remember 3 stars is still a good rating, please let me join the cult thank you <3).
“It seems to me that because of things like car accidents and lost loves, life and death, and broken hearts we should grab every moment and absolutely devour the good parts. Wouldn’t she want that? For me to adlib my life instead of living by some typed in 12-point courier new script?”
This is a really cute romcom following super romance obsessed, kind of delusional Liz as she tries to have a Prom (and senior year in general) that her late mother would be proud of while dealing with her incredibly annoying yet cute neighbor, Wes. Through a (arguably) mutually beneficial scheme, Wes and Liz end up spending a lot of time together as they try to get Michael, a childhood friend who moved away and recently came back, to ask Liz to prom. What ensues is a pretty cute plot about Liz realizing maybe, just maybe she doesn’t have to have the perfect movie-like romance and maybe she should let life ride it’s course and allow herself to feel how she actually feels instead of push herself to feel a way that would help her have her dream happily ever after. I would say there is about the same amount of growth as the DCOMs I’m reminded of, but we do have some really heart wrenching moments as we watch how the incredibly avoidant Liz is trying to process her grief in the only way she knows how. This is a love story, but it’s also about Liz learning how to be her own person and process her grief in a more healthy way (albeit, I’m not sure if she fully got there, but she’s making some steps). I was a big fan of Wes, Joss, and Helena the whole time and this probably would’ve been four stars if I had been given any break from Liz’s pov.
I’ve decided that I prefer these types of romcoms in movie format rather than book format because I really don’t like being in the head of a girl making really stupid decisions because she is so obsessed with boys and a fantasy that she constantly hurts every around her and I had to LISTEN to her think through those decisions and rationalize them in her head. I know it was the center of the plot, but it was torture to have to be in the head of someone who just was so avoidant and was a big fan of ditching her friends for boys. Where I would’ve had a bunch of fun in a romcom, I was screaming about how her friends/family were wayyyy too lenient with her and that someone should have had Liz put in grief counseling/therapy YEARS ago so that she could be some semblance of a human being. I feel weird talking about how much I didn’t like Liz, because I know she was going through some major unprocessed grief, but I don’t know. I ship Liz and therapy and honestly do not see how her and Wes would have any possibility of working out long term if she doesn’t go through some major self-reflective changes. I’m still interested in book 2 and really hope that Liz’s growth as a person is more of a focal point as we watched a lot of her being static in a really bad place which made it really hard for me to read from her pov, no matter how much I understood her.
Once I got to Chapter 15, I thoroughly enjoyed every second of the book. At lot of stuff was really well done, especially her friends, “enemy”, and family and the ending was incredibly satisfying and cute. The last three chapters really were the classic movie ending feel and were sweet. I can see why people eat this up. While I do wish we got a little bit more closure and discussion with how she treated her friends and Wes, I recognized that this book wasn't going to delve into that as deeply as I wanted it to before I finished it. I did really adore how her relationship with her stepmom Helena progressed and found that aspect of the ending to be my favorite part.
Extra points for a great book playlist being included, special extra points for Death With Dignity aka one of my current favorite songs being on it, we love Sufjan in this house. Points deducted for the “oh my god you’re not like other girls because you eat burgers not salads” scene in a book released in 2021, Wes being HUGE, and random things that she was doing during the entire book not being brought up until they were relevant, lessening their value to me.
Audiobook I listened to this on audible and Jesse Vilinsky was the PERFECT narrator. She really nails the semi-delusional, boy-obsessed Liz – like she sounds exactly as I would have pictured her. I highly recommend the audiobook version....more
I am a simple person - I see Dungeons and Dragons as a major part of a book & I want to read it immediately.
This is a cute little book where theatre I am a simple person - I see Dungeons and Dragons as a major part of a book & I want to read it immediately.
This is a cute little book where theatre kid Riley, our protagonist, is forced to work at her dad's game shop for two months after she steals her mom's car so she and her best friend can go see a musical a few hours away (Waitress, great choice). There she has to work with nerdy guy Nathan, who she does end up in a mutually beneficial fake dating/flirting sort of relationship with. She's also invited into Nathan's Dungeons and Dragons campaign, which she agrees to to get out of working. Obviously, none of this works out according to plan.
This book is a quintessential high school nerd romance. The fake dating and insane amount of miscommunication that comes from it is perfect for a high school situation where you don't really understand your own feelings and are a bit self-conscious and super unsure of everything, especially people's opinions of you.
When Riley is begrudgingly introduced to Dungeons and Dragons, her tune soon changes when she realizes "it's like improve meets choose your own adventure." She creates her human bard that is very obviously a self-insert (we've all been there) and starts on her tragic backstory like any respectable first time D&D player. The boys help her along the way and are super enthusiastic to have another player. There is a moment when the literal Dungeon Master (DM) mentions that he can't do all his accents BECAUSE he's the DM as if the best thing about being a DM isn't all of the incredibly silly accents you get to do. But that's fine and it's definitely not the biggest thing I've been thinking about after finishing this book last night...
I thought the Dungeons and Dragons and musical parts were done really well. This is only a 300 page book and fitting both of those interests, growing friendships, family issues AND fake dating drama was a lot so it did all feel a little rushed and underdeveloped at times (especially the family aspects). The side characters were all really wonderfully done, but I do wish we got to see a bit more of them. The big thing I feel like we missed out on was her bonding with her dad since 90% of it was done off page.
Highly recommend the audiobook, Eva Kaminsky does a great job....more
Imogen, Obviously follows super straight very cool ally Imogen as she spends her senior year spring break at her friend Lili's college with her and heImogen, Obviously follows super straight very cool ally Imogen as she spends her senior year spring break at her friend Lili's college with her and her friends. Right before Lili left for college she came out to Imogen as pansexual, now she has a great group of queer friends, and Imogen feels incredibly inadequate and has been avoiding talking to her for pretty much the whole year. Once we get to college we see that all of these fears were pretty unfounded and silly because Lili is the best, but get dropped a bombshell. Lili, who was feeling insecure as a baby gay, told her new friends that she dated super straight Imogen, so now Imogen has to pretend to be bi to keep the gag going. The problem? Lili has a super hot and cool next door neighbor, Tessa, who makes Imogen start questioning whether she actually is straight. But Imogen has always been surrounded by queer people - her sister, her two best friends, ... - and she'd obviously already 100% know if she liked girls, right?
This story really is so sweet. It's about our anxiety-ridden people-pleasing protagonist stumbling through discovering herself and finding an accepting community. Imogen is an incredibly relatable character, trying to ensure she gets everything right and doesn't upset anyone ever and losing a bit of herself in the process. Her blossoming romance with Tessa is a bit clumsy, but beautiful and realistic. I imagined Tessa as Ruby Cruz in bottoms (as seen below) so I really had no choice but to love her. I really really loved this relationship and the dynamic they had, so much so that it is probably my favorite relationship I’ve read about in a modern romance story?? I have to bring astrology into this because Becky brought it up first by telling us Imogen and Tessa's star signs, but I definitely related to the mcs because Imogen is a Scorpio (my moon) and Tessa is a Cancer (my sun) which was such a fun little surprise. [image]
"Its like there's this idea that you have to earn your label through suffering and then you have to prove it with who you date, how you dress, how other people perceive you." / "It feels bigger than I want it to be. Do I really have to announce this? Can't I just feel something and live inside it while it's happening and not analyze it to death? While this book is a cute queer love story, it's primary purpose is pretty obviously to discuss and condemn the growing trend of chronically online (usually young) queer people forcing people to come out before they are ready and the harmful effects of putting people into boxes and stereotyping the queer community. This book is a direct response to Albertalli's own coming out situation, where she was forced out of the closet due to criticisms of her writing a book centering a gay relationship (Simon vs. the Homosapien Agenda). There is also a situation discussed that is incredibly similar to Heartstopper actor, Kit Connor's forced coming out story in 2022 due to the backlash of an actor who was perceived as being straight playing a bisexual character. The main antagonist, who is also bisexual, weaponizes their sexuality and trauma to pretty consistently invalidate not only our protagonist (who is actively coming to terms with her sexuality) but also literally anyone she deems not queer enough. These people are all queer, they just don't fit in her little box of what it means to be queer. This is an issue that has become much more relevant in the past few years and Albertalli does an incredible job of exploring the nuances of why a person may act in this way while still showing how unacceptable the behavior is. Seriously, I've met or seen so many people like this and she absolutely nails it with this character, it gave me flashbacks. Her family and Lili and her college friends show a different side. They represent wonderful acceptable people who understand that sexuality can be fluid and sometimes it takes a little longer to discover who you are. They directly contrast this idea of queerness that forces queer people into a box by accepting Imogen and making space for the way she is queer instead of trying to push her into that box.
"I've always had such a pliable center, I like being who people expect me to be. It's not that I'm trying to change who I am, I just want who I am to make sense." Was the main character... me? Imogen is so in her head that she cannot figure out her emotions. Everything she tries to process has to go through the feelings of everyone else who could be affected before she even tries to confront it, and by then the thought is so watered down that it's barely anything. Once she realizes she has a crush on a girl, she takes endless quizzes to try and get other people to tell her what her sexuality is and is constantly so in fear of being wrong about her own feelings that she invalidates herself. I realized I liked girls when I was 15, I realized I didn't like boys when I was 25. The number of quizzes I took in an attempt to be told a definite answer of what my sexuality was both this year and 10 years ago was... staggering. The fears of telling people because what if they don't believe me? What if I'm wrong like I was before? Insurmountable. I loved these moments that Albertalli added in that really show what it's like for someone realizes they are queer later in life, it made me feel a lot more connected to the story. It was so incredibly nice to be in the brain of someone who has the exact type of anxiety as me. Every time she was in her little overthinking spiral, I was just sitting there like girl you're so right!! Imogen realizes her sexuality relatively late in life and a lot of it is attributed to her existing in a way that caters to the existence of other people, by slightly changing herself with everyone she's with and not really having an opportunity to be her true self with anyone (same girl). When she is with Lili and Lili's college friends, you can see how she visibly relaxes and, while she still does it, it's significantly toned down and she is allowed a chance to discover who she is without the influence of more aggressive voices telling her who she should be.
Anyways I finished this audiobook in one night and, while I could've done with a lot less pop culture references, I'm starting to realize that maybe I do love cute romances - I've just been reading ones that I'm not exactly the target audience for. This was an absolute joy to read....more
Some days I’m just tired. I don’t want to analyze anything; I just want to read something sweet and fluffy and feel joy for a bit. The problem is thatSome days I’m just tired. I don’t want to analyze anything; I just want to read something sweet and fluffy and feel joy for a bit. The problem is that my brain doesn’t have an “off” button. I always have some analysis to give, some comment on a deeper meaning that the creator is trying to say. It makes me incredibly fun and not completely unbearable at parties (or just watching things in a group setting). When I say this book let me turn off my brain and just have fun, that is an incredibly high compliment. Grey does an incredible job at really making this a fluffy romance that I didn’t nitpick or overanalyze. I just sat down and had fun. This was so cute and lovely and I was just smiling the whole time. I really loved every aspect of this book and found it to be such a fun time. I love love and love seeing such a happy and positive relationship at the center of a book.
‘Lots of things made me happy: art, perfectly seasoned rice, bike rides downtown, and now, apparently, making Sage smile because of something silly.’
When Noah and Sage, college rivals and competing artists on Inkmic, are put on the same team as co-head authors for the revival of the Queen Leisah comics, there is bound to be tension, competition, and heads butting. What neither of them expected was to enjoy working with each other and actually want to collaborate with each other after years of both of them not taking help or collaborations from anyone. It’s been lonely on the way to the top and they’re starting to realize that maybe that’s not so sustainable.
The rivals to lovers portion of this moved fast and I think this is a lot fluffier than one may expect with it being labeled as rivals to lovers (which has become a very common problem in publishing). I personally loved that it was fluffier because I loved both Sage and Noah and wanted them to be happy together as soon as possible. The way Sage and Noah treat each other is so beautiful and they are probably one of my favorite couples I’ve ever read? We love couples in their mid-twenties actually having good communication skills and respecting each other.
This is a really cute book and it was aided by my love for both Noah and Sage. Both of them are SIX FOOT TALL (swoon) artists in their late 20’s (and they’re actually mature). Noah is a sweet and positive ray of sunshine who loves romance and is WRITING A COMIC ABOUT LESBIAN MERMAIDS??? I’ve never wanted an fictional story to be real so I could read it as badly as I wish that comic was real. Sage is a bit harder on the exterior, having trouble letting anyone in . She’s all about the black clothes and bike riding and has a bit of trouble understanding social cues. I love her equally as much as Noah and was glad to see that both girls really do have distinct personalities as this was a dual POV book. There are a few sex scenes too (really just one that spans multiple chapters) and, while I’m not the biggest fan of sex scenes and don’t want to discuss it that much, I do want to say that I really loved how Grey layered in consent, asking your partner what they liked, and just listening and communicating in those scenes without it feeling awkward or clunky. When there is such a stigma against doing stuff like that because it’s “not sexy”, it’s really cool to see in romance books.
Sage and Noah really were just the queens of good communication when they started pursuing each other and it was so nice to see. I really loved how a lot of the issues in this book weren’t central to the romance. Instead of having conflict between Sage and Noah, they were two strong and supportive partners who openly communicated and understood each other. They were there for each other and portrayed a really nice and healthy relationship. Their relationship stood strong as other problems swarmed around them.
‘Made it. Simple words, simple concept, except I didn’t understand it, not since walking across the stage during graduation and realizing that in the world of art, I had to give everything to make a simple ripple. The idea of “making it” got more abstract each day.’
With them working together everyday and a new opportunity in the form of an Inkmic there is a lot of room for jealousy and resentment as both of them are trying to reach the top spot. The stress of creating in a way that generates a sustainable income is a source of stress for Noah and Sage. Noah, with her carpal tunnel, continually pushes herself past her physical limits in order to be the very best and “catch up” to Sage. Noah is driven by the thoughts that she just might not be good enough. While Sage got the same job right out of college, Noah had only been doing art on the side until she finally got this job. While Noah was not as relatable to me, I found her to be an incredibly empathetic character. It was painful to watch her continually destroy her body just to gain more notoriety, but I could see why she was doing it and it was heartbreaking.
Sage is hyper independent and cannot ask for help. She’s been stuck in the same place since she graduated and is convinced that she just needs to push herself harder and isolate herself in order to be the best she could, but she’s destroying herself mentally in the process. Sage is the control freak in group projects, the one who has to be in control of everything because she’s so used to other people failing her. I related a lot to Sage, especially watching her push her very cool and supportive coworkers away because she didn’t feel like she deserved to be happy until her work was perfect and she was satisfied (an incredibly depressing way to live).
I really liked seeing how Sage and Noah balance each other out and helped take away some of the stress and pain for each other.
‘our parents were adults in age only.’
Both Sage and Noah have some deep-rooted issues with their families that really shows why they are the way that they are. It’s really interesting to see how their families have shaped them and how with that, and working in a field that is hard to break into, leads both of them into thinking that they don’t really deserve to be happy, they just need to people please and work their asses off without asking for help. A lot of this book really is about two girls allowing themselves to be happy for the first time in their lives and them supporting and helping each other along the way. Sage’s family stuck with me a bit more than Noah’s, likely because the issues with her family were more pressing, but both family storylines were incredibly heart wrenching and realistic.
This is a really cute read that is just such a nice break with a wonderful cast of main and side characters. Check this one out when you’re in a fluffy feel good mood!...more
Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend is a sapphic regency romance where our two main characters, Beth and Gwen, hatch up a plan to set their parents up sDon’t Want You Like a Best Friend is a sapphic regency romance where our two main characters, Beth and Gwen, hatch up a plan to set their parents up so they can have a second chance at happiness and end up falling in love in the process. This was an absolute joy to read. The relationship between Beth and Gwen felt so real and raw and was scattered with very real issues that came with being a lesbian who needed to marry in regency England. The relationship between the parents was also well fleshed out and beautifully done, I felt so bad for Beth’s mom and was immediately charmed by Gwen’s dad. While we mainly follow Beth and Gwen as they meddle and develop feelings, we also see some incredible developments from side characters. The parental relationships both girls have are so important to the story and so wonderful to see, the cousins add some hilarious banter, and the maids are a heartwarming surprise. This book delivered so well and was everything I could’ve hoped for. It had me kicking my feet like a fool. If you’re looking for a cute, sapphic regency romance I recommend checking this out!
The only real critique I have is that it got a bit repetitive and lulled a little in the middle. Nonetheless, this was an incredibly enjoyable read and I cannot wait to see these characters again in the sequel!
3.5/5 This book was actually really cute I just wasn’t the target audience. In that I mean that Hibbert captured a high school romance perfectly and I3.5/5 This book was actually really cute I just wasn’t the target audience. In that I mean that Hibbert captured a high school romance perfectly and I felt like an old lady looking into something I no longer fully understood. Our main characters Brad and Celine were adorable but a little immature (obviously it’s because they’re 17 and Hibbert is capturing being a teenager perfectly, but it was still annoying to read from them at times). Childhood best friends to rivals to friends to lovers??? I love it!! Hibbert’s banter is unmatched as usual and I found myself giggling a lot. The cast of side characters also had me smiling 24/7. Celine is a super relatable emotionally avoidant conspiracy theorist on tiktok and Brad is the popular sports playing bi guy with OCD and some self esteem issues and the conversations that were had were really deep and important especially for high schoolers. I really wish we got more of the camp and felt like everything was a bit rushed. I’d recommend reading her other books over this one. While I loved the romance and the banter, I felt Hibbert’s writing was a little weaker in this compared to her adult books. I am blaming this on it being a YA romance and would still recommend it to people interested! Especially teens....more
If I had a nickel every time one of Emily Henry’s books made me root for the two main characters separately but not as a couple, I’d have two nickels,If I had a nickel every time one of Emily Henry’s books made me root for the two main characters separately but not as a couple, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but I’ve only read three Emily Henry books. This book solidified my half-baked theory that Emily Henry is not aware that men and women are capable of being platonic friends because… man I don't think Emily Henry has written a book where a male/female close friendship didn't end in them being together (this is mainly pointed at Peter and Petra here, but also as soon as Daphne/Miles got semi-close it immediately got sexual, so I'm also talking about them). I did really love the friendship and growth between Miles and Daphne, I just wish it was done in a less sexual way (at least for the majority of the book)! I think I’m being harsh on this one because it really had the potential to be my favorite Emily Henry book and just fell so flat for me.
“Every time he looks over, it’s like the sun peeking out from behind a cloud, and I do my best to feel content, to be just another person at the edge of his glow.”
If this book wasn’t so focused on a romance that neither Daphne nor Miles were ready for, it could have been my new favorite Emily Henry book. There are some really good discussions on how to live after a relationship, especially one where you have lost your sense of self and only view yourself as part of a couple. Unfortunately, those self-reflections felt a little weak when Daphne started some form of romantic relationship incredibly quickly. I think there could have been some really great discussions on how neither of them were in a place for a relationship (which was, again, stated multiple times in this book), but I guess that wouldn’t make it a romance? I still think they had great chemistry and would’ve been more on board if they maybe started thinking about each other romantically at around chapter 30, but this felt way too soon for the circumstances. Maybe I’m just a romance hater; more likely I’m a much bigger fan of romances that start emotionally rather than physically. And are between two idiots who don’t realize their feelings. And there’s a lot of yearning. Anyways… I actually did end up liking them together in the end, it just took me a while to get there. And I still wish there was a bit more time between their breakups. Seriously, this all happens starts right after they both get out of very serious, long-term relationships so obviously they’re going to be a bit selfish and maybe not quite over their exes, because who would be? That’s such a terrible event to go through. There were so many times when it was so clear that neither of them were ready for a relationship and both were benefitting from just having someone in their corner that I really just couldn’t back up this relationship in it’s current stage.
“ ‘But after a while, someone either finally sees you or they don’t, and either way it fucking sucks. Because if they see you, and it’s not what they signed up for, then they’re out of there. And if they never see you. . . it’s worse. Because you’re just alone.’ ”
The bulk of this book felt like that one Arrested Development scene where they’re like “I have feelings for you.” “I have feeling for you.” And then the narrator goes “That feeling was friendship, but neither had ever experienced it.” Because wow did both Daphne and Miles get treated like decent human beings by the opposite sex for the first time in their lives and immediately decide that they were romantically interested in each other. That being said, I did actually really like their friendship and only got the ick when things would get weirdly sexual (in public too??? I’m sorry, ew. Maybe I am just a hater now that I think about it…) I don’t want to call it chemistry, but they were really good for each other and got on incredibly well. They also were probably the only two people in Waning Bay who had their long-term partners cheat on them with their best friend and then get together, so there was some major solidarity that they wouldn’t have been able to find from anyone else. They both brought out the best in each other, held each other accountable, and were all around just decent people to each other. I really liked them together (platonically) and could see the vision for the romance, just not at the time it occurred.
“I wouldn’t have become a librarian if I didn’t love stories, but I’ve never been great at telling my own.”
Daphne is an incredibly relatable character that has one major flaw: the Daphne Moan. I’m getting this out of the way first because, wow, it had the potential to ruin everything for me. Every single time this (grown) woman ate food there was at least the mention of her moaning in pleasure about it. It was gross. Anyways, aside from the moan Daphne is a very cool librarian who loves her jobs and has various classic parental issues. Her unsurety and winding stories were incredibly relatable and it was really nice to see her grow and learn once she exited a “we” relationship (again, should someone who becomes a “we” and not a “me” as soon as they enter a relationship immediately jump into a new relationship? Debatable. Moving on…). With Miles as her tour guide, Daphne really blossoms into her own and gains confidence and connections. Daphne has the works: daddy issues, lowkey mommy dependency, severe trust issues, doesn’t know who she is and Emily Henry really does a great job at showing her evolution. I especially love how Henry showed how her trauma shaped the way she viewed the world. Part of it may be because I used to have similar unhealthy habits (Therapy! Helps! Maybe she should go to it instead of getting in another relationship so quickly!), but I found myself agreeing with her a lot and was thrown for a (good) loop when Emily Henry was like “no, this is bad thinking.” I also really appreciated the coffee-hater-who-still-goes-to-coffeeshops-everyday representation, even if I am more of a (good) matcha than a chai sentient being.
“ ‘ I’ve never been good under pressure. I would’ve fucked it up eventually.’ ‘Based on what?’ I demand. His smile is rueful. ‘History.’ ”
I was very happy to see some stoner-in-severe-depressive-episode-who-immediately-becomes-productive-when-he-is-needed representation in Miles! I’ve seen people be 50/50 on Miles, but he really is just Nick Miller from New Girl in a different font and I can rock with that. He does kind of lose a bit of his personality once he becomes Daphne’s tour guide, but I’m attributing that to the fact that the tour guide situation also served as a great distraction for him so he was able to stuff all his feelings down and just do that. Everything negative about Miles can be whittled down to him being in a very severe depressive episode and having just been broken up with in the most insane way and having all of his fears about himself seemingly be validated. Have I mentioned how bad of a time it is for them to be in a relationship enough yet? He’s also just got a lot of unresolved childhood trauma that I thought was really interesting to explore, especially his mommy issues. Overall, a great friend and also love interest if the timing was not the worst ever.
“ ‘I’ve seen your place,’ Ashleigh says. ‘I didn’t see a cohesive theme. Unless it was major depressive episode’ ”
Am I going to be lumping Ashleigh and Julia together for most of this? Yes. Ashleigh is the way-too-cool coworker of Daphne (with a conversation pit??? That’s literally the most exciting thing about this book. I’m a very big conversation pit person.) who helps Daphne realize some things about herself and just is there for Daphne, and Julia is the way-too-cool little sister of Miles who helps Miles realize some things about himself and is just there for Miles. See any similarities? No? Okay. While I love both of them, and could probably write pages about how we deserve to see a (sapphic) romance with Ashleigh as the main character, they kind of boil down to the same importance. They’re wonderful friends (or sister) and a great duo with some pretty good comic relief. I wanted to be in on their conversations 24/7 and I, as a person with a bunch of water (and gemini and leo, if you care) placements in their birth chart, am still wondering what the hell they were whispering about water signs. Probably that we’re super cool and also really compatible with single mom librarians who have conversation pits in their house and are also the coolest people ever, idk (marry me, Ashleigh).
“To him, he’s the brother who ran away. To her, he’s the one who stays, even when he shouldn’t”
Marriage proposals aside, Ashleigh and Julia were great characters because we got to see Daphne and Miles’s growth through them. They were outside parties that really loved the two of them and were a really nice addition. There was also a decent amount of focus on Ashleigh and Daphne and Julia and Daphne’s friendship that showed how important friendships are, instead of completely focusing on the romantic relationship. Likewise, the brother-sister bond between Miles and Julia was so sweet and nice to be able to see, even if we only saw it from Daphne’s pov.
“ ‘Life’s short enough without us talking ourselves out of hope and trying to dodge every bad feeling. Sometimes you have to push through the discomfort, instead of running.’ ”
If you’re looking for a new romantic pairing to love (Lake Michigan x Sunlight), I would consider this a cute story. It feels more like Happy Place than her older stuff, but it was still definitely a book that I read and also wrote “cute!!!” on the end sentence, so if that doesn’t sell you… I don’t really have much else to say. This one is for the pessimists, the ones whose childhoods make them feel a bit fucked up especially when it comes to pretty much any type of interpersonal relationship. It could've really been one I resonated with....more
A lovely manga that I can see this as a comfort read for me in the future.
A little girl is abandoned in “the Outside”, found by one of the Outsiders,A lovely manga that I can see this as a comfort read for me in the future.
A little girl is abandoned in “the Outside”, found by one of the Outsiders, who resembles a demon/monster and taken in and cared for. I’m a sucker for the tainted/innocent pairing in a parent/child type relationship and this was no exception. Their relationship is adorable and you can tell that both parties teach the other a lot. As the plot moves forward it is quite obvious that the system is based on western cultures and modern day christianity which I usually don’t love in a fantasy setting (I find it overplayed and a bit too on the nose, preferring a more unique god system), but I found this choice conveyed the point of the first three volumes well. The art style is beautiful and dark, which sometimes made it hard to see what was going on in the pictures, but it matched the atmosphere perfectly. I would highly recommend the deluxe version as the cover is exquisite. ...more
Gwen and Art are not in love. No, seriously. One is obsessed with the only female knight she's ever seen and the other is gay. This isn't going to chaGwen and Art are not in love. No, seriously. One is obsessed with the only female knight she's ever seen and the other is gay. This isn't going to change. But, this betrothed pair can maybe finally stop hating each other and work together to ensure a happy life in world that would not be too happy about their preferences. Unfortunately, I am also not too in love with this book. The first 60% was solid and cute, but things started to go downhill for me after that. I found the friendship between Gwyn and Art to be by far the strongest relationship in the book, so when things started escalating with their separate romantic partners before I started really feeling a spark in the relationships, it stopped working for me. The tone also dramatically shifts a little after the halfway mark and I was neither prepared for it nor happy about it. It felt like two separate books, both unfinished. Most of the banter was cute though (Arthur truly was so hilarious and relatable for the first half, he did start grating on me [as they all did] in the second though) and I would recommend it as a light read; it just unfortunately did not do much for me. I was lukewarm on both relationships from the beginning (I wanted to love them), but at the 60% mark I really did start hating both of the romantic relationships and was getting really annoyed with everyone. But I also cannot express how picky I am about romance, so that being said, I do see the vision for this one and can see why people would enjoy it.
'Nobody else is ever going to care as much as you do about the things that you want, Gwendoline. So it's up to you--you can put them aside forever, if you can live with that, or you can put on your big-girl girdle and demand more for yourself.' ...more
I think everyone has an Emily Henry book that hits you a little harder and a lot more personally and this is mine.
I don’t really know what to say aboI think everyone has an Emily Henry book that hits you a little harder and a lot more personally and this is mine.
I don’t really know what to say about this book because this review isn’t really about the quality of the book, it’s about my emotional reaction to it. Poppy was such a relatable character for me in so many ways and a lot of the topics discussed in this book really hit home for me personally. I also loved Alex and just their whole relationship in general. This book was a warm hug that had me laughing and sobbing the entire way. I was trying to read this as slowly as possible because I just fell in love with everything about this and didn’t want it to end and I know this will be a comfort read for years to come. <3...more
If you want to read a book that exudes Ghibli vibes, this is it. This book is a love letter to all the lonely kids who didn’t quite fit in and it is oIf you want to read a book that exudes Ghibli vibes, this is it. This book is a love letter to all the lonely kids who didn’t quite fit in and it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read - an instant favorite.
One day, the mirrors of 7 kids begin to shine and they are transported to a castle. There they are told by a Wolf Queen that they are welcome to the castle anytime they want for a year, but they are looking for a key which can grant one of them a wish. If one of them finds the key and spends the wish, the castle shuts down immediately and they all forget the castle and their time there. This is a story of resilient kids with some real anxieties and traumas creating the purest bonds....more
A very cozy graphic novel that would be perfect for the fall. I loved the art style (especially the forest spirits!!!) and found the story to be very A very cozy graphic novel that would be perfect for the fall. I loved the art style (especially the forest spirits!!!) and found the story to be very heartwarming. ...more
Loading...
