A Love Catastrophe by Helena Hunting Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

3.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Dual pov

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ Cat lover and dog lover

Synopsis

Kitty Hart is a popular cat-sitter known as the Kitty Whisperer. Recently she has found her life to be lacking excitement and she hopes the new client will bring back some excitement. Miles Thorn is a dog person who has his mother's cat Prince Francis thrust upon him. When he desperately needs Kitty's help, they get off to a clumsy start. This book follows their hilariously wacky story. 

Best Quote From the Book

“Losing someone you're close to is... like having a piece of your soul go missing that you can't ever get back."

My Thoughts

When I first saw there was a book with both cats and hockey I was like "sign me up!" The cat content in this book was hilarious and adorable the entire time. I think romance may be considered a subplot. It's almost entirely about trauma and Prince Francis, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

Speaking of trauma, it felt a bit like their relationship was built on trauma bonding which just isn't healthy. Perhaps this is my psychology brain kicking in, but how much of their connection is just them wallowing in both losing a loved one? I am not sure what else other than that they even had in common. If they had more to bond over, the relationship would've been much healthier. 

I will also say if you do decide to read this book, keep an eye out for the Telsa key scene. It genuinely had me laughing out loud. It showed the complete bumbling clumsiness Kitty and Miles both have. As a clumsy person myself, I relate to how often they accidentally end up in various situations. 

This book does have some spicy scenes. When these spicy scenes are read out loud (as per the audiobook), they are rather dorky and a bit cringy to witness. It probably would've been better if I were reading the physical book.  If you are looking for good spice this isn't the book.

Overall this book was good for a romcom. It had me laughing often and I liked seeing what hijinks Kitty and Miles will get themselves into next. The spicy scenes were a bit awkward to listen to so I would recommend the physical version of the book. I don't think this book did anything special or was particularly memorable. Even so, it was a nice read. Lastly, I would've liked to see more bonding that isn't related to their trauma. 

Twisted Love by Ana Huang Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Brother's best friend

➮Dual POV

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮    Alpha male

➮ Interracial romance

➮ Billionaire MMC

Synopsis

Alex Volkov is a billionaire with a cursed past. He desires to get revenge on those who have wronged him. He meets his best friend's little sister Ava Chen, who has a lot of trauma of her own. When forced to become neighbors, their stories begin to combine more than before.

Best Quote From the Book

“You want the world to think you have no heart when in reality, you have a multilayered one: a heart of gold encased in heart of ice. And one thing all hearts of gold have in common? They crave love."

My Thoughts

I love seeing a book with a main character that is a photographer. I have a passion for photography and capturing the beauty of the world around me. It is so beautiful to see a character have that same passion. That said, I would've loved to see a bit more with Ava interacting with her career. We see a lot of Alex's career (which makes sense for the plot), I would've loved to see more of hers. 

Ava's friendship with Bridget is truly iconic. Seeing them take on the world together and always have each other's backs is the friendship dedication we all dream of. I could easily read a whole book of their friendships before Alex was nearly as involved in Ava's life. 

Alex's protective nature is by far one of the best parts about him. You can tell everything he does has protecting Ava in mind. While a lot of what he does ends up being quite toxic, I appreciate that it comes with good intentions. 

This book (and series overall) is incredibly tropey. There are a lot more tropes than I listed at the top of this review including a third-act breakup that can make the book a bit hollow. That said, all of these tropes are written incredibly well. Listening to the audiobook read like a movie. I could easily picture all of the characters doing what the did and saying what they said. All of the chracters are well-established and clearly fleshed out. 

My biggest complaint about this book is how difficult I found it to root for Alex. There are a number of awful things he does that if this were real life, I would encourage Ava to run for the hills. He is often not a good person and has a lot of trauma and resentment that hinders him as a person and as a character. I almost didn't want them to end up together in the end for Ava's sake. Even so, when Alex stops being toxic, they do make a very cute couple. 

Notable spice warning for this book. There are a lot of chapters in this book that surround spice. If you do not like that sort of thing, I would say these scenes are skippable as they do not involve the plot too much. I would also like to warn that there are some quite dark themes including kidnapping and violence in this book. Please review all of the trigger warnings before reading this book. 

In sum, I defintely enjoyed this book, if I view in with the lens of a tropey romance book. It isn't going to change your life, it isn't a must read. If you like these tropes, it will fulfill your craving well. It is good for the tropes it has and has a good cast of characters.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Coworkers to lovers

➮ Small-town romance

Synopsis

Nora has spent her whole life surrounded by books. She works as a literary agent who struggles with a sharky reputation. When book editor Charlie Lastra knocks her down a few pegs, she will do whatever it takes to prove him wrong. Seems like fate is keeping them together.

Best Quote From the Book

“ That’s life. You’re always making decisions, taking paths that lead you away from the rest before you can see where they end. Maybe that’s why we as a species love stories so much. All those chances for do-overs, opportunities to live the lives we’ll never have."

My Thoughts

Same amazing banter as always. In addition, the progression in the story is quite natural, which seems to be a staple of Emily Henry's writing. I always like how while there are plenty of tropes yet they feel like a realistic situation. People aren't overly fluffy or getting themselves into situations that would literally never happen. It feels like a situation that could really happen. It is a nice addition to the romance genre. You also get to spend a large portion of the book actually seeing a functional couple progressing through life instead of waiting the entire book hoping people end up together. 

This book adds a twist to a small-town romance. Instead of the farmer boy or mayor's daughter sort of vibe, they are both working adults with successful careers that were in New York. 

My favorite part of this book by far is the focus on the sisterly bond. Unlike most romance books, the bond between Nora and her sister Libby helps carry the story just as much as the dynamic between Nora and Charlie. It's refreshing to see a story that isn't weighed down by romance fluff or too much focus on only two characters. I love seeing Libby and Nora interact and care for each other. 

Can I just take a moment to talk about how excellent of a partner Charlie is. Everything he does for Nora and the way he treats her is just so sweet and attentive. I think he might be my favorite book boyfriend of the year. 

Overall this book is fantastic and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the literary world, like romance, or is looking for a more realistic story. I will never cease to be amazed by Emily Henry's ability to create an engaging but plausible story. 

As a note, there is some spice in this book but it isn't too long. 

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

3.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Multiple timelines

➮ String theory

➮ Book about books

Synopsis

The Midnight Library is a place between life and death. In this place, you have the chance to try out different lives that you could've had if you had made different choices in life. Nora finds herself in this library. Nora then gets to experiment with who she could've been. 

Best Quote From the Book

“ If you aim to be something you are not, you will always fail. Aim to be you. Aim to look and act and think like you. Aim to be the truest version of you. Embrace that you-ness. Endorse it. Love it. Work hard at it. And don't give a second thought when people mock it or ridicule it. Most gossip is envy in disguise."

LGBTQ+ Representation

2/5 🌈

I was very surprised to find that there was any LGBTQ+ representation in this book at all. Nora's brother is gay. In the story, Nora ends up encouraging him to be out and proud. She also helps set him up with a guy he would be happy with. Overall I appreciate the acceptance but she still has some initial surprise about finding out about her brother. I can say as an LGBTQ+ person if someone comes out to me, I may still be a bit initially surprised but of course, end up accepting them fully. It felt very real yet not overly focused on. 

My Thoughts

This book gives so much to think about yet I don't actually have all that much to say. I can admit it feels like I am back in my philosophy classes again just trying to wrap my head around all this book has done. In the end, it teaches a very valuable life lesson about appreciating the life you currently have and making the most of it. With the power to be anyone you could've been, it would be highly tempting to go for fortune, success, infamy, or a simple life. It then becomes a difficult decision about what you actually want and living a life with minimal regrets. No matter where you end up, you will probably have regrets. The challenge then becomes to decide how much regret and what ifs can you tolerate and what can you do to minimize them. 

Other than not being the biggest fan of fantasy in general, I did find the book to be confusing at times. First of all, there were so many different lives Nora endured it all started to blend together. That said, I have a feeling this was a purposeful choice by Matt Haig. The reader gets confused and muddied along with Nora's desire to keep exploring the library. That said, I still had a lot of trouble identifying the roles of people in the various lives compared to who Nora knew them as in her original life. So by about the halfway point of the book, I was just sort of letting the words wash over me with minimal comprehension. 

Overall I enjoyed the questions and contemplation this book elicits more than the actual experience of reading the book. I feel much more appreciative of the life I have and what I can do to make the most of it. I highly recommend this book if you have someone you can discuss it with. I think it would be highly beneficial to jot down your thoughts about this book as you read it to see how your thinking and perspective shift. 

Also, this book is written by an autistic author, so it is an amazing story to support!

People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.25/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Best friends to lovers

➮ Vacation read

➮ Timeskipping

➮ Travel

Synopsis

Poppy and Alex are a duo that loves to travel and experience the world together. As they have grown up, Poppy has stayed traveling for work while Alex became a teacher. While Poppy misses the past, she tries to devise a way to get Alex back in her life. Perhaps a trip would bring them back together?

Best Quote From the Book

“Maybe things can get better when people want to do a good job loving each other. Maybe that's all it takes."

LGBTQ+ Representation

2/5 🌈

This story has a brief bit of representation during Alex's brother's wedding. His brother is gay and Poppy and Alex attend the wedding. The wedding was very normalized and showed how a family can be supportive of an LGBTQ+ family member. That said, the representation was only used as a turning point in the plot of Alex and Poppy's story so I cannot rate it higher. It is also the only form of LGBTQ+ representation I noticed in the book. 

My Thoughts

The flashbacks to previous trips Alex and Poppy have taken together were wonderfully timed and sprinkled throughout the story wonderfully. As we watch Alex and Poppy become reacquainted with each other, we get to see how they once were. This building felt very natural and was the greatest strength of this book. 

The same classic comfortable but realistic relationship that is a staple of Emily Henry's writing. As I have made clear in some of my other reviews, I am a sucker for a duo that has good back-and-forth. Alex and Poppy aren't afraid to give each other a bit of a hard time. It shows the trust they share is strong. 

As I'm reading this book and getting to see glimpses of Poppy's family, they truly remind me of my own. They are wacky, silly, trusting, and entertaining. It can be a bit much to be thrown into the goofiness of it all, but that is how I see my own family. It's nice to see characters that are unafraid to be silly and different. It was also nice to see how Poppy's family never changed no matter who they were meeting. They stayed authentically themselves. It was a wonderful reminder that some of the best families are those who can have fun together. 

Without revealing spoilers I do want to take a brief moment to mention my favorite scene in the entire book. At one point there is a scene involving Tinder. I can say that it genuinely made me laugh out loud and was the easiest part of the book to visualize actually happening. This book was worth reading for that scene alone if you ask me. 

The reason this book is rated a bit on the low side for how much I enjoyed it is because of the last 20% of the book. At that point, it was incredibly obvious where the story was going, and the ending was inevitable. It took forever for it to actually get there. It was frustrating to have to sit through the characters simply being stubborn. This book would've been much better if the ending portion was greatly reduced. As a result, I knocked it down to 4.25 instead of 4.75. 

As a small note, there is a bit of spice in this book. It is not at the forefront but if that kind of scene makes you uncomfortable you might want to skip this book. 

Overall this was an excellent book. If the ending were reduced significantly, that would've made it nearly perfect. It is an excellent vacation (or I miss my vacation already) read. It has a very natural progression and doesn't fall into the instalove trap or a "perfect couple" who never has issues. 

The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Review

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Adorable dogs

➮ Found family

➮ Thriller

Synopsis

Kira is a teenager who trains dogs for search and rescue missions. One day a mission ends up getting her whole found family involved. It didn't help that the case hit rather close to home. Kira has to prove herself as a trainer and that her dog Saskia can handle the role. Kira and her family then embark on a dark and twisted adventure full of adorable dogs and confounding discoveries. 

Best Quote From the Book

“'Now would be a good time for you to say something,... propose a theory, and I will do my Sherlockian duty and tell you why you are wrong.'"

My Thoughts

Jennifer Lynn Barnes just proved again why she is my favorite author. Her timing for dropping hints and truth bombs keeps me on the edge of my seat desperate to turn to the next page the entire time. Perhaps I am especially tempted by fast-paced books because they avoid dragging on too much. Her carefully crafted level of detail combined with her fantastic plot created a story that defines what it means to be a page-turner. 

The Lovely and The Lost excels at portraying familial bonds. I will never fail to be a sucker for a well-written found family. While Kira's found family is mostly a result of a foster relationship, it felt like Kira, her foster brother Jude, and their boundaryless neighbor Free felt like an inevitable trio. Watching their bond strengthen and their trust in one another keep them alive, literally, brought a fuzzy feeling. 

For those who have read this book, I think we would all be honored to have Cady as a mother figure. She was the strong-willed yet understanding counter to Kira's rougher persona. Watching them interact demonstrated how familial love trumps all. I hope to see more role models like Cady in literature. 

If you thought I was going to get through this review without a paragraph dedicated to doggy cuteness, you are sorely mistaken. The dog-centered moments of the story pulled at the heartstrings and showed how a dog and human bond isn't something to scoff at. One of my favorite doggy moments was when Free's dog Duchess was continually referred to as Her Ladyship. This kept me laughing for a while. The dog team is also another excellent example of how much search-and-rescue efforts rely on unwavering trust. Seeing the different personalities and approaches of the dog and trainer duos shed light on an often under-appreciated element of rescue missions. 

I was honestly surprised to see that this book was written relatively recently in Barnes's career because it has a much different feel regarding the found family aspect than her other series. Perhaps that is because the found family is well-established so nothing has to be said outright like in her other series. The love and unconditional trust is already there. Despite being thrown into the middle of their lives, it feels as if as a reader you've known the Bennett family's dynamic for years. 

Overall I really enjoyed this book with its unique balance of wholesome, dark, and funny moments. The found family aspect is probably my favorite part of the book that doesn't involve massive spoilers. I wish I could've talked about my thoughts about the case but I want to keep that experience a secret for anyone who may want to read it. I recommend this book for dog lovers and those looking for a book to pull at their heartstrings while we all shelter inside from the chilly weather. 

October 2023 Reads

  October 2023 Reads 

This month I read 7 books 

These books were 86% fiction

The most popular genres were romance, contemporary, and young adult

My average rating was 3.68 stars

The Books

➽ The Guncle by Steven Rowley

➽ The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

➽ It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

➽ Guts by Raina Telgemeier

➽ Much Ado About You by Samantha Young

➽ The Secret Summer Promise by Keah Brown

➽ I Didn't Do It by Jaime Lynn Hendricks

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Review

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ LGBTQ+ Rep

➮ Flowing narrative

➮ Forbidden soulmates

➮ Immoral MC

Synopsis

This story dives into the wild tale of Evelyn Hugo. A woman who will get what she wants, no matter what it takes. In doing so, she accumulated a surprising number of husbands, all of which she outlived. The one to be able to tell her story? Monique Grant, an unknown magazine reporter. This opportunity is the chance of a lifetime for Monique to get her career off the ground, but why her?

Best Quote From the Book

“It's always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly."

LGBTQ+ Representation

4/5 🌈

In an attempt to avoid too many major spoilers, this part of my review will not be all that in-depth. A number of the main characters in the story are LGBTQ+ and must live with the fact that the world is not yet ready for public queer relationships. The sacrifices made in the story are akin to many stories of people who had to keep their true feelings and desires hidden from the world in order to create a difference in it. 

My Thoughts

This story became a five-star for me not long after I read it because I am confident that I will not be forgetting it any time soon. Evelyn and Monique's story gives a glimpse into how money cannot buy happiness but it can certainly change what are considered problems in your life. Even in the lives of the rich and famous, it can be truly challenging to balance what is important for you versus what is important for your place in the world. Reid does an excellent job of making Monique and Evelyn's relationship as stilted but comforting as it should be. I found myself thinking throughout the story "Ah yes that is so perfectly Evelyn" based on the various things she did. Reid is one of the best I have read so far in terms of creating a fleshed-out character with flaws that are easy to predict in a comfortable way. As if you've witnessed these characters for much longer than a single book. 

The entire time it felt like I was sitting down for a nice chat with Evelyn, letting her ramble on about notable moments in her life. Instead of feeling like an omnipotent person observing what happens to the characters, it feels like Evelyn and Monique are in the room with me. I'm sure this effect was strengthed because I was listening to the audiobook. The narrators did an excellent job keeping the entire book feeling conversational. 

Can I take a moment to say, the plot twist at the end had me reeling. It truly tied all of the loose ends together in a neat little bow and brought everything into focus. I will keep my thoughts at that as to avoid spoilers but this is honestly just me highly recommending this book. 

My favorite part of this book other than the conversational aspect is the lesson it teaches readers at the end. As I'm sure you can tell by the title, Evelyn is not the most blessed in the successful love story department. Despite this, she learned the value of unconventional loves. Whether this is platonic, a non-traditional relationship, a familial bond, or a soulmate that is simply your best friend. It is okay to want to spend your life with someone (or multiple people) that you are not romantically attracted to. What works for your life and fulfills you is more than enough. It doesn't have to be considered settling just because it doesn't fit in the traditional box. Even if this desire changes throughout your life, that is okay too. Accept your life will have phases and what is the best for you in one phase may not be the best for you in the next. 

In sum, read this book. Even if you do not love it, I can promise it is an entertaining read that provides many valuable life lessons in a genuine way. You should especially heed my recommendation because I am not usually the biggest fan of historical novels. I am sold on Evelyn's story and it is one I will be thinking about a while longer. 

Much Ado About You by Samantha Young Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Strangers to lovers

➮ Banter

➮ International romance

➮ Nearly instalove

Synopsis

Evangeline decides to take a trip to get away from her chaotic life in Chicago. She finds herself in a small English village temporarily in charge of a small bookshop called Much Ado About Books. While working there she meets the charismatic farmer Roane and they quickly develop flirty banter. As Evangeline adjusts to a major life shift she finds herself falling more in love with life there as she gets to know the people of the town.  

Best Quote From the Book

“Such benign little words - 'what if.' But at some point in life, those two words become the scariest two words in the English language."

My Thoughts

Like other books from Samantha Young, the romance and banter elements of this book are top-tier! Young excels at creating characters that play excellently off of each other and feel very natural. Unlike many love stories, the quick attraction between Evangeline and Roane makes sense and doesn't feel forced. I appreciate that while the story is about them, there are other noteworthy characters that play a role in Evangeline's development. 

I will always be a sucker for a book that really brings you into the world of the characters as if you are living it along with them without providing too much detail that it becomes cluttered. Her writing style is witty yet comfortable which makes the story even more enjoyable. 

Do keep in mind that there are some brief spicy scenes in this book. They were not overbearing and did not feel like a fanservice plotline. The romance and other relationships in the book are much more the focus. 

Overall, I can say that this book confidently pushed Samantha Young into my list of favorite authors. Nobody does banter and realistic relationships like she does. I can highly recommend her books for fans of romance. 

The Secret Summer Promise by Keah Brown Review

* This review is spoiler-free *

3/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Best friends to lovers

➮ Queer bipoc disabled MC

➮ Summertime

➮ Lesbian relationship

Synopsis

Andrea is a teenager dealing with cerebral palsy, coming to terms with her LGBTQ+ identity, and realizing she has feelings for her best friend. Andrea and her best friend Hailee are hoping to cross off everything on their Best Summer Ever list. As Andrea navigates summertime adventures with her ever-growing feelings, she struggles to maintain balance.

LGBTQ+ Representation

5/5 🌈

This is by far the best LGBTQ+ representation among the books I have read this year. The main character Andrea identifies as bisexual. Her crush Hailee identifies as lesbian. Both of them go through the process of coming out and coming to terms with how their lives will change because of coming out. In addition, another one of Andrea's friends is a trans guy and serves as an example of someone out and proud. If I remember correctly, there is also an additional friend of Andrea's who has lesbian parents. I highly appreciate the varied representation this story provides. It does well at portraying the fears young people experience when they are discovering their sexuality. I do wish there was at least a little representation of people whose coming out stories are not perfect. 

My Thoughts

I listened to this book as an audiobook and admittedly, that may have diminished my experience. Personally, I found the voice used for Hailee to be quite grating and honestly sound like Hailee has been a long-time chain smoker despite being in high school. It really diminished from my ability to relax and take in the story because I was so distracted by her voice. 

Other than that, I find the drama and conflict to be very middle school and immature. Instead of a story about high schoolers, it feels like rising seventh graders. Instead of having the mind to talk things out or at least use the resources they have, it is just a lot of back and forth. 

I feel a bit bad given this is my first rather harsh review of a book. I wish I enjoyed the experience much more than I actually enjoyed it. This book got as high of a review as it got because I do not like to tank reviews for books with excellent representation if it was simply not my favorite. If not for the representation this would easily be a 2.5 stars. If the story were more unique and realistic for the target audience it would've been a much better reading experience. 

If you can get past the immature-feeling drama and overall juvenile feel, I recommend supporting a queer bipoc author who provides excellent representation. I admire Brown's accomplishment of getting more inclusive stories out into the world. I would consider this book better suited to a middle-grade audience than a young adult audience.

I Didn't Do It by Jaime Lynn Hendricks Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Thriller

➮ General fiction

➮ Book about books

➮ Multiple povs

➮ Suspense

Synopsis

This book is set at a thriller writer convention, Murderpalooza. At this convention, thriller writers come together for book signings. panels, and a final award ceremony at the end of the convention. On the first day of the convention, Kristin Bailey, one of the famous authors at the convention, is reported dead. This story follows the various perspectives of people who all have the motive to be her killer. Each of these people is being threatened by an anonymous Twitter account determined to make them all spill their secrets. An unlikely quartet is formed in the process.

Best Quote From the Book

“This is what we do for a living. We take something horrible happening to someone normal and create a dense backstory rife with mystery. As readers, we pick apart every breadcrumb left by the author; and nine times out of ten, we figure out the ending."

My Thoughts

A murder at a thriller author convention, there truly cannot be a more perfect setting. With so many tantalizing suspects, there are many backstories to uncover. Getting to see the perspectives of each of these suspects provides a lot to chew on as a reader. All of the characters have their dirty laundry at risk of becoming part of the limelight. Four different forms of desperation and deception keep the story engaging.

I am personally always a fan of books where writers become the subject of the story. There are often a lot of interesting perspectives on the writing process and insights about how being an author is more than just typing out a story and helping choose a good-looking cover. Going in-depth on the perspectives and lives of four very different authors who all have connections to thriller writing and Kristin provided that behind-the-scenes look I appreciate.

I listened to the audiobook of this story which I think was both a benefit and a deficit. In audiobook format, there is a nice flowing narrative and the ability to hear the emotions of the characters as they happen. The problem is that not all of the characters had separate narrators. At the beginning that made it quite challenging to differentiate between the characters and who had what connection to Kristin. With so many moving parts to keep track of, different voices for all of the main four would've helped a lot in my initial understanding. It was to the point I almost felt the need to take notes to be able to keep up with who was who. 

The other thing that kept this from being rated higher was that all of the twists were isolated to the last 10% of the book. Generally, as a reader, I like to at least have a few twists throughout the story to help keep me on my toes. Instead, Hendricks keeps most of the story a flowing narrative where we find out more but none of it is much of a shock. At the last part of the book, it is like a Scooby Doo all-is-revealed ending. Suddenly many twists come to light, some making more sense than others. 

Overall, I would recommend this book to those who are fans of thrillers and like to see a bit of the behind-the-scenes of being an author. Just maybe keep a notepad by your side when you read or listen to help you not get confused like I did. 

Another Day by David Leviathan Review

* This review is spoiler-free *

3.25/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ LGBTQ+ rep

➮ Body switching

➮ Strangers to lovers

➮ Magical realism

Synopsis

Another Day by David Levithan is a spinoff of his book Every Day. This story follows Rhiannon's perspective. Rhiannon is a high school student who meets A. A is a person who switches bodies every single day. Rhiannon has to learn to come to terms with navigating a relationship with someone who lacks consistency while also trying to balance her own life. 

Best Quote From the Book

“How much of my body is really me? My face is me, for sure. Anyone who looked at my face would know it was me. Even with my hair wet and drawn back, it's me. But after that? If I showed myself a picture of myself from the shoulders down, would I be sure it was me? Could I identify myself that way? I close my eyes and ask myself what my feet look like. I only kind of know. Same with my hands. I have no idea what my back looks like. I let it define me, but I can't even define it.”

LGBTQ+ Representation

2.5/5 🌈

For every book with LGBTQ+ representation, I want to have a section reviewing what the representation is, how well it is done, and how impactful it is to the story as a whole. In the case of Another Day, there is LGBTQ+ representation in three places. The people that A takes over for a day are sometimes trans, lesbian, gay, etc. For A, this is portrayed as completely normal. Rhiannon seems completely fine with different sexualities but has a much more difficult time with varying gender identities. One of Rhiannon's best friends is a gay guy who thankfully is not overly stereotyped. The final and most prominent form of LGBTQ+ representation is A's inherent gender fluidity. Never having a solid identity of their own, A sees themself as agender, or genderfluid. Taking on the pronouns and identities of whoever they inhabit. This concept is one of the biggest things that Rhiannon must approach, as she has moments of questioning her own straight identity.  

My Thoughts

As you can see, I did not rate this book particularly highly. I was honestly surprised and disappointed that I did not enjoy this book nearly as much as other books by David Levithan. In fact, he is on my favorite author list after all. Sadly, this book just wasn't it for me.

I initially read the original perspective for a class I was in. The concept of the story about living a very inconsistent and at times unfulfilling life made for a lot of incredibly insightful discussion. We particularly focused on how the concept of tomorrow shifted throughout the story. It taught me to remember to be thankful for all of the tomorrows I get. Even if I have a not-so-great day, I at least have the privilege of getting to create lasting and meaningful relationships with others. A does not have the privilege. Seeing how they navigate a life with no tomorrows makes that book a worthwhile read.

My main complaint about Another Day was that Rhiannon became very intolerable in the last fifth of the book. A once morally grey character suddenly shifts to be transphobic, fatphobic, etc. I cannot tolerate sitting and watching a character become so awful for absolutely no reason. I would've appreciated if there was a greater push for Rhiannon to shift her thinking as such or to not include that dynamic at all. That said, I would highly recommend the original perspective in Every Day. It is much more insightful for the concept of switching bodies each day because it is from A's perspective. It also answers a few more of the questions raised about how A gets by living a life (or many lives) like that.

The part of the book that I enjoy the most is Levithan's thoughtful words that convey teenage human emotion almost perfectly. There were many moments when I thought how real the writing felt. I truly felt as though we were in Rhiannon's head experiencing the world as she sees it. During these sections, I was reminded why I like Levithan's writing so much. Nobody else has the ability to make you think while not accidentally aging the characters too much or droning on for a bit too long. 

Overall I would highly recommend reading Every Day much more than Another Day. If you are a particular fan of Levithan, this book could be worth reading but otherwise, I consider it to be skippable. I look forward to diving into more of his books that have even more LGBTQ+ representation than this book.

My Favorite Authors

My Favorite Authors

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Inheritance Games series

The Naturals series

The Fixer novels

Debutantes series

Nobody

The Lovely and the Lost

David Levithan

Every Day Series

Boy Meets Boy

19 Love Songs

Nock and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Benjamin Alire Sáenz 

Aristotle and Dante series

Adam Silvera

What If It's Us Series

History is All You Left Me

Death-Cast Series

Becky Albertalli

What If It's Us Series

Yes No Maybe So

Samantha Young

Fight or Flight

A Cosmic Kind of Love

Much Ado About You

Erin FitzGerald

Something Lost

Something Broken

Evie Sterling

The Anatomy of Matchmaking

Digging Up Love with the Sheriff

Game, Set, Matchmaker

So Not My Mr. Wright

Welcome to Read Into Wonderland!

 

Hello lovelies! 

Welcome to Read Into Wonderland! My name is Harlow! I am a book lover who likes to find books with LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent representation (thought I will read a little of almost anything) and engaging stories. I can't wait to head into the wonderland of reading with all of you!

 Here you will find:

- Monthly reads

- Book reviews

- Reading challenges

- Bookish stats

- TBRs

- Book tags

- Excitement for upcoming releases

- Other fun surprises

Genres I like:

- Romance

- LGBTQ+

- Manga

- Mystery

- Contemporary

- Young adult

- Middle grade

- Adult

- Thrillers

- A smattering of non-fiction

Come along with me on my journey to read things that bring me joy and personal development! I am always happy to hear about your current reads!