My love for Christmas knows no bounds, thanks to my schooling. I am all about the Christmas spirit which was the foremost reason for me to pick up thiMy love for Christmas knows no bounds, thanks to my schooling. I am all about the Christmas spirit which was the foremost reason for me to pick up this book. As soon as I saw the author's request for ARC readers, I jumped in the bandwagon. And here we are.
The prologue was going great. Best friends, their blooming love and the onset of Christmas festivities along with the beautiful dance by Samuel had such a pretty picture painted in my mind. I was enjoying myself until the sudden death of a parent left a bitter taste in my mouth. This made me angry at the author and the only reason why I continued reading the story was because I hoped that the author wouldn't ruin bookish Christmas for me, but not before taking a much needed break.
The story is narrated from Niall's POV and I loved getting a glimpse of his thoughts. I liked Samuel from the very start and as the story progressed, I only liked him more. Their first kiss was so perfect, my brain didn't take a second to visualise it (I have hyperphantasia but the visualisation was fast even for me). It was a happy ending even though the start was heartbreaking. It's hard to choose a favourite character because everyone was special in their own way - Samuel, Niall, Sophie, Elijah...
Yay for more bisexual main characters. The indie author community has really upped their game in the past couple of years to bring forth more sexualities to readers than the traditionally published community ever did. Most of Annabel's characters, both main and secondary, belong to different sexual minority communities. Go check out her books....more
Ever seen a swimmer and a volleyball player together? Well, a water animal and a land animal interacting is less common, isn't it? But not here becausEver seen a swimmer and a volleyball player together? Well, a water animal and a land animal interacting is less common, isn't it? But not here because our swimmer had a heated argument with our volleyball player at their sports university where they are students. The best part is how this is depicted from the perspective of a neurodivergent person, how an incident keeps playing in their heads and how difficult it is to get it out, if ever. So relatable, I read it twice. I loved the neurodivergent representation. I have anxiety, among other things, and I could relate to those scenes a lot. Very well written.
I wanted to write so much about this book but at the end, I just can't put my feelings into words. Guess you'll have to read it to understand. I loved every part of it. Characters having meltdowns, characters questioning their identities, characters feeling like a burden, characters self-harming, parental neglect... There was so much happening. So relatable because this was real life. Incidents are never isolated, there's always an overlapping and that overlapping is so well depicted in this story.
I haven't read many sports romances so this was a welcome change. This book was character focused and driven. I loved the character development and their interactions with each other. They might be questioning themselves but they do try to understand each other. There is a rich cast of LGBTQIA+ characters. And the found family? Yes! A hundred times yes. I might have cried an ocean.
This is one book I was very excited to have on this year's TBR. I was invested in the story since the moment I read the prologue. I didn't know it hadThis is one book I was very excited to have on this year's TBR. I was invested in the story since the moment I read the prologue. I didn't know it had dragons even though there's one on the cover ...more
This was my first book about music and I loved it! Very well written. I like the characters and the nuances, they are imperfectly perfect. My favouritThis was my first book about music and I loved it! Very well written. I like the characters and the nuances, they are imperfectly perfect. My favourite trope, found family, is there and it's so beautifully written. It has characters from the LGBTQIA+ community, including the main character. But that is not central to the story, it's just who the characters are. The emotions and feelings of the characters are well defined and they feel visual. It is written in the modern times with the pandemic very much being a part of it. Put your physics gear on because that's there, a lot. Totally recommended....more
This book contains poems and stories written by twenty two (22) members of the LGBTQIA+ community from all around the world. It talks about their expeThis book contains poems and stories written by twenty two (22) members of the LGBTQIA+ community from all around the world. It talks about their experiences and feelings, some still questioning their identities while some truly confident of who they are, how the society sees them and how they are still considered outcasts. There are several first time writers and their voices are equally impactful as the rest. The title matches with the content of the book. Almost Love by Niamh Hennessey @niamhhennessyyoga and My Swan Song by Shelby Catalano @shelbycatcreates are my favourite poems of the lot. If you are a member of the community, you'll feel represented and if you're are ally, you'll get to know what the people feel. This was a pleasant read. If you're looking for a quick read with lots of representation, pick this up....more
This is hands down one of my top five favourites. The way Elio thinks and speaks is absolutely relatable to my teenage self. Elio's parents are my insThis is hands down one of my top five favourites. The way Elio thinks and speaks is absolutely relatable to my teenage self. Elio's parents are my inspirations. There is something about unrequited love that is so heart-wrenching yet satisfying that it makes this book even more appealing....more
The book is a sequel to Call Me By Your Name. It fills in the story of the twenty years that pass in between Elio and Oliver's first and last meeting The book is a sequel to Call Me By Your Name. It fills in the story of the twenty years that pass in between Elio and Oliver's first and last meeting stated in CMBYN. I loved Oliver's point of views, how his life was incomplete even though he had everything one could desire for and his love for Elio. My favourite undoubtedly is the part where Oliver finally meets Elio....more
So many people recommended this book to me and I am grateful to all of them. This was such a delightful read. I started liking both Alex and Henry theSo many people recommended this book to me and I am grateful to all of them. This was such a delightful read. I started liking both Alex and Henry the moment their banter began. I loved the shielded manoeuvre of Henry towards Alex whereas Alex always spoke his mind. Politics, friendships, relationships - this book is a perfect blend. Most recommended....more
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