Reviews and Comments

I was hoping for a zippy little romcom, but it dragged in the middle for me. I loved th concept and it did go into a few interesting narrative places, but I probably won’t read the next book in the series unless I hear something amazing about it. The leads were good, but not exceptional. The theme of looking for joy authentically as you deal with your troubles instead as a facade of perfection spoke to me.

Who wants a fluffy holiday themed romcom after a few books of death and mayhem? Me. It’s me. I’m the one who wants it.

Charles now uses prosthetic legs after losing his legs and nearly his life from illness as a child. He also can now see ghosts. So can Sam, a ~~cute~~ frustrating boy who tries to get close to him, looking for help finding missing ghosts.

This is a fun adventure. It telegraphs most of its twists, so there were few surprises, outside of some details. It’s a wonderful book for teens (and adults) who love spooky stories with cute boys solving mysteries. I’m looking forward to continuing the series after a fluffy romcom to cleanse the palate.

CW: Death, murder, violence, self-harm, minor transphobia, mental health, medical, supernatural. Some graphic descriptions of deaths prior to and during the narrative.

A spooky book about a boy who wears prosthetic legs and sees ghosts and another ghost-seeing boy (who he definitely doesn’t have a crush on) trying to find why local ghosts are disappearing.

Using the Mesoamerican and Polynesian cultures and mythos to build the story is wonderfully unique. The POV characters are all intriguing. It definitely felt like a first of three books. If you like palace intrigue based fantasy novels, this is a definite recommend.

I’m enjoying it enough, but it definitely feels like a lot of putting the pieces in position.

I’ve got a #bookclub for this in just a few days. I gotta pause Dancer from the Dance and get on this.

I’m looking forward to read a gay novel written before our community was decimated by HIV/AIDS. Joe Locke mentioned it in one of his interviews. I’m going in pretty blind. I’m hoping not to need tissues for it. 🤞

This book really resonated with me, but I’m also in the same age and cultural cohort as the characters. Add to that a personal event similar to the instigating event for the story and it was practically written for me.

After the loss of their close friend just prior to college graduation, the remaining friends create a pact to hold funerals for each other while they’re still alive. Through the years the friends call on the pact. Secrets are revealed and their friendships are repeatedly tested. They learn whether the pact a testament of their bond or a desperate grasp to hang onto a time long since passed?

While the specter of mortality weighs on the Celebrants more than the Guncle series, Steven Rowley’s punchy wit, irony, and joy shine through the same. While it doesn’t break new ground, it celebrates life, next chapters, and not leaving things unsaid.

So it begins. My heart is already broken at the end of the first chapter. It’s bringing back memories of friends who have passed and friendship groups dealing with aging and distance.

Before the more challenging books, it’s time for one more queer romance.

A book club book that isn’t about grief? A cute gay hockey romance? Let’s go!