The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

Ebook provided by Pan MacMillan via NetGalley for review. Thank you.

4/5 stars

Theo and Kit are exes who split in a blaze prior to a food tour of Europe. Now Theo (Theodora) is finally using her rescheduled ticket to get away from things and take a break before her sommelier exam. But who should she meet but Kit, also redeeming his ticket. Things start off tense but friendship regrows out of a hook-up competition and Theo realises she's falling back in love with Kit.

The book is split into two halves, the first half narrated by Theo and the second half by Kit. I loved reading both their perspectives on both current and past events.

The characterisation of our two mains was beautiful and Theo and Kit were so well-rounded but a lot of the side characters felt flat and under-used, the rest of the people on the food tour for example.

Also as someone who is not a foodie and not a drinker the constant food and drink descriptions got a little boring. I preferred reading about the scenery and the local people more. Also excellent queer rep throughout, Theo and Kit are both bi/pan and there were multiple displays of this, plus side characters - those of which I'd have liked to have known more of their story.

Stef Out x

Jemima Small versus the Universe by Tamsin Winter

 

4/5 stars

Jemima Small is 12 going on 13. She is super smart, science and maths are her specialities but she knows a lot about a lot. Her body image is however not great. She's fat and the kids at school and even members of the public will not let her forget about it.

Then comes a weigh-in in science class, a remarkably cruel thing for a school to sanction, especially in front of peers, the results of which lead Jemima to be invited to fat club. Jemima dreads it but it turns out that Gina who runs it is actually kind of nice and not at all weight loss obsessed but more concerned with overall wellbeing, including mental wellbeing.

Alongside this Jemima has a chance to star on her favourite smart kids TV quiz show but will she let her body worries get in the way?

This was a super cute, quick read. It was let down slightly by the mum thing being brushed over so quickly, the ending felt a little abrupt and there were also a few Harry Potter references which dated things slightly, especially as there were no other pop culture references.

Stef Out x

The Dragons Are In by Briany Barnes

 

2/5 stars

A story with no build-up.

The fairies are just living their lives, one of our main characters, Azula, visits her dragon foster parents, and then travelling fairy Garnet visits and tells them all about the towns plan to chop down part of the forest to build a new road.

The fairies then decide to crash the town meeting and find out more and maybe influence some good humans into stopping it. Those good humans are some travellers living nearby. They fail on this instance and the trees are gone. The fairies continue communicating with one traveller girl, Melanie, who runs a local gift shop. Their presence improves the shop's prospects.

On the other side the developer in charge of chopping the trees down has his three kids staying with him for the summer holidays, he and his daughter Lucy don't see eye to eye. An argument pushes her away and she makes friends with Melanie and her friends.

The story was pleasant enough but didn't connect very well, and things seemed too easily resolved. There's no stakes. On the technical side speech was very formal, even amongst children and in relationships. There wasn't always a lot of distinction between scenes and characters would be introduced out of nowhere. Definitely could have done with at least another round of beta readers and editing.

Stef Out x

According to Yes by Dawn French

 

5/5 stars

Rosie Kitto has run away from her life as a primary school teacher in Cornwall to nanny for a fancy family in New York. Glenn and Thomas, their son Kemble and his sons, 28 year old Tommy and twins Red and Three. Kemble is going through a slightly bitter divorce and the whole family under Glenn's influence are stiff and unhappy.

Rosie's presence gradually warms things up, doors open, curtains open, light floods in both literally and figuratively. But along the way things occur which turn everything on its head.

I did want more from the ending, maybe some clarity, but maybe they're leaving it as a Mamma Mia situation, without too much in the way of spoilers that gives a big hint as to the events of the novel. It is a trope I'm not a massive fan of (initials A.P.) but it did work well in this situation.

Overall I did really enjoy this though, I loved how everything progressed and everyone grew.

Stef Out x

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker

 

2/5 stars

According to the amount of 5 star reviews on Goodreads this is a really popular book and to be honest I'm not totally sure why.

I hated the writing style. The way it was written was very tell rather than show. You can show that someone is poor and ill-educated in ways other than near illiterate writing. It made it hard for me to follow what was going on. Especially with all the references of Mr. — rather than using his actual surname.

The book seemed violent just for the sake of it. That opening chapter felt like trauma porn. You can indicate that she is a young person going through rape a lot less graphically. It wasn't necessary and it didn't add anything to the story. Then there were the beatings. We know that in those days men often hit their wives but did we need so many references to it? Also Sofia's excessive violence didn't make any sense.

I also didn't particularly care much about Nettie's letters, other than the fact that they were easier to read. She was an absent character for half the book and now we're supposed to care about all her ins and outs and missionary work. Sorry but not me.

I did like that Celie grew throughout the book and eventually started her own business and had her happy ending.

Stef Out x

Heartsong by TJ Klune

 

Ebook previously provided by NetGalley for review and hardback copy bought by myself.

5/5 stars

I think I'm gonna go ahead and call this my favourite book series. I love the characters and the way the stories are all interwoven and seeing the different characters points of view.

Heartsong is Robbie's story. When it opens he's living at the complex with Michelle Hughes and my assumption was that this had gone back in time to before he came to Green Creek. It soon transpires that this is not the case... He had been kidnapped and had his memory wiped. Having to fit back into the place where he clearly belongs but has no clue about was hard on him but he tried, bless him!

I just want to give everyone massive hugs, they go through so much trauma but they just keep going! Thanks to the extra twist near the end I'm extra eager for Brothersong to get released and read Carter's story, one of the characters that seems most together in the surface but the reality is otherwise.

Stef Out x

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

 

5/5 stars

Well this was fantastic!

Based on South American mythology were the Gods or Dioses are separated into three groups: the Gold "superstars", the Jade important but lowly, and Obsidian, only three named Gods but bad news and were shut away.

Teo is 17 and the trans son of Quetzal, the Jade bird Goddess/Diosa. I loved how casually his transness is talked about, a binder was mentioned but actually he's had top surgery and the binder is for his wings - the downside to being a bird demigod, or semidios, is birds are sexually dimorphic and there are plumahe differences - their colour is the last big dysphoric thing about him.

Coming up are the Sunbearer Trials, a competition where the winner out of 10 is chosen to sacrifice the loser to refuel the sunstone that protects the kingdoms. The last Jade chosen for the competition 130 years ago lost and was sacrificed. This year Teo and fellow Jade Xio are both chosen.

This was so fast paced but also emotional and I loved the world-building and the characters and the ups and downs and that twist ending and I can't wait for the sequel now!

Stef Out x