I am a HUGE fan of queer revenge stories (as in, queers getting revenge against the heteropatriarchal societies in which they reside) - so much so thaI am a HUGE fan of queer revenge stories (as in, queers getting revenge against the heteropatriarchal societies in which they reside) - so much so that part of my dissertation covers this trope. So yeah, I am a big fan of The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge by Matthew Hubbard. I also really appreciate that the book doesn't feel as patronizing as some other YA "issue" books. What takes away from my enjoyment of the book is the ending and a bit too much of a focus on relationships. I suppose I can accept these issues since the book is so strong otherwise, but it is by no means a perfect book.
That being said, it IS a great book that had me oscillating between simmering with rage and giddiness. Any book that does that is worth its weight in gold. I definitely recommend this book, and I fully believe it deserves far more acclaim in the LGBTQ+ YA genre(s)....more
Comparable to Heated Rivalry, but, like, significantly better and less problematic. I am not happy about the year-long wait for the next book though..Comparable to Heated Rivalry, but, like, significantly better and less problematic. I am not happy about the year-long wait for the next book though......more
I would not say that True Love and Other Impossible Odds is a particularly surprising or unique novel. I was able to predict pretty muc4.5 rounded up.
I would not say that True Love and Other Impossible Odds is a particularly surprising or unique novel. I was able to predict pretty much every major beat of the story without too much difficulty; the plot breaks no rules and goes in no unexpected directions. What makes this book stand out is its writing. Repeatedly during the book I would stop and think, "Wow, this feels real." On top of experiencing the death of a parent, protagonist Grace is dealing with the first year of college and all of the angst that brings, the redirection of her dreams, and the struggle to redefine herself outside (and within) the bounds of her family - to say nothing of dealing with pesky things like love and sexuality. Grace is really going through it, and author Christina Li does a phenomenal job at expressing these very big, very real feelings on page. This is an excellent book, and I am very excited to read more by this author....more
The Last Love Song is a complete try-hard of a book. Incredibly cheesy and unnecessarily angsty, the book suffers from "I'm trying to be deep but I'm The Last Love Song is a complete try-hard of a book. Incredibly cheesy and unnecessarily angsty, the book suffers from "I'm trying to be deep but I'm actually more shallow than a puddle!" syndrome.
I like the book in theory: protagonist Mia is gifted her deceased mother's diary when she turns 18; but to read the diary she needs to complete a scavenger hunt. Her mother, a famous country music star, is someone she both looks up to and fears becoming - to the point where she fears leaving her small town, and admitting that she loves her best friend. Also, she's trying to figure out who her father is. Also, the book has two narrators, as we see flashbacks from her mother's life.
In practice, however, I dislike this book quite a bit. Let me tell you why.
1. The prose is the most vivid shade of purple possible.
2. Mia - who supposedly knows everything about her mother but doesn't even know what she died from (???) or that certain people knew her mother very well - is honestly really dumb.
3. I had absolutely zero interest in reading about her mother, who strung along several guys because she was selfish before doing the same for her own daughter through this ridiculous (and honestly really meaningless) scavenger hunt.
4. The father arc is really dull and we figure it out almost immediately.
5. The book takes place in a small town where everyone knows each other, yet Mia doesn't recognize half of the (relevant only for plot purposes) people she comes across.
6. The angsty romance between Mia and her best friend is just pointless.
7. Mia's grandparents are lesbians who live in a small town yet in the scenes that take place in the 1980s we see nary a word of their having a negative experience. Instead, everyone accepts them and is happy and they have no problems at all. I realize that not every book needs to discuss homophobia, but like, why even have these two characters or the flashbacks if you're going to ignore what they almost certainly experienced at that point in time? UGH.
Sorry. I try to identify at least one positive point in books I read, even when I dislike them, but I just don't see anything that makes this book redeemable. Instead, I'm just kind of annoyed. I don't recommend this book....more
Loading...
