watson_my_shelf's reviews
504 reviews

Let’s get the bad part of this book out of the way: yes, there is a lot of lacking communication throughout this book. Yes it is annoying. But yes the book is still worth it. 

The romance in this is truly lovely. I thought the second chance was so well done. We’ve got a drop-out rockstar and a music review writer in a small town. They each have their own pasts they can’t seem to share and have to figure out how to let each other in. 

This book is so queer and I love it! While I really enjoyed the romance, I looooved the found family even more! The main character moved around a lot as a child and found stability and second family in her mom’s friends’ family. They end up staying in touch for years and are all just so supportive. 

If you like romance, I definitely recommend this! 

A bright, colorful book to affirm teens' identities, gender, and exploration! 

I had such high hopes for this book. I wish I could write a glowing “no notes” review. But I just didn’t love it like I hoped I would. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very cute, the writing is good, and it’s a fun plot. BUT. 

The book is set at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, which is where the author attended college. Wellesley is mentioned so much in the book, right down to what floor of what building the meeting room is on, the names of the dorms and dining halls, and many other uber-specific details. Which I am sure is great if you went to Wellesley, but really took away from the story for me. 

Now, for the good: I did love the layout of the book. There are instagram stories and posts in the book that are formatted to look like actual posts, which is very cool. I also enjoyed the alternating POVs. It was cool to get to see two characters from very different backgrounds, the way they think, and how they view themselves in relation to the rest of society. The advice given in the instagram posts is so college, I loved it. 

And most importantly: the acearo representation is SO. GOOD. I am so glad this book exists for the youth, as they discover who they are and are seeking labels to make them feel less alone. I love how the author goes into such detail with both of the main characters’ where the reader gets to see their inner thoughts and feelings which tie into their acearo identities. 

I still recommend this, just know it’s going to be Wellesley-heavy and is a YA. Especially recommend if you are ace, aro, or love someone who is either or both! 

THIS. BOOK. IS. BEAUTIFUL! 

Following the journey of a family with five children, one of whom is exploring their gender identity, Frankel's narrative is both heartfelt and enlightening. With her own experience as a parent of a trans daughter, Frankel brings an authenticity that deeply resonates.

The story delves into the tough decisions families with transgender members often face, from school disclosure to medical considerations. It's a thought-provoking journey. There are so many considerations for a trans child that I had never thought about. Do you tell the neighbors? What about teachers at school? Friends? So much to think about!

What makes this book truly exceptional is its focus not only on the trans child but also on how their journey ripples through the entire family. Throughout the book, the dad - Penn - is telling the children a magical story, which is always timely with what is going on with the family. The parallel narrative of Penn's bedtime stories adds a wonderful depth to the storytelling.

Emotional, educational, heartwarming, and inspiring, this book showcases the resilience and compassion within families navigating similar challenges. 

I recommend this to anyone and everyone. It is beautiful, and you will learn something. This book has been on my shelf since 2020, and I wish I had picked it up sooner. 

An excellent YA, friends! An intergenerational queer historical fiction!! This story is about three generations of men in an Iranian family. The book alternates between three different timelines and each of their POVs. Their lives are so different, yet in some ways so similar. 

“Not everything unspoken is a secret. Some things just belong to those who experienced it.”

This book made me very emotional. Which is pretty typical for coming-of-age stories, tbh. The writing is beautiful. The characters are amazing. We see how complex families can be, but how much you can have in common with your family members. Each character shows love in their own unique way. 

I highly recommend this one if you enjoy YA. It is very moving and impactful, and an important story that has present-day importance. 

 

Danforth did an excellent job writing this book. As you can probably tell, there is a lot going on. And she managed to make it make sense (for the most part). The book is so well written and the writing is just beautiful. This book is a RIDE. 

I love the plot & the premise. However, it dragged a bit in my opinion. Spoilerish statement ahead (in brackets): [I kept expecting something really scary or wild to happen, but it just never did. When it ended, my first thought was, “we went through all that worldbuilding and THAT is IT?!”] 

The sapphic romances are so good in this. It’s so gay, it’s great. The way we switch between timeframes, from the early 1900s to the present, really added to the story. Getting to see how things were then versus now, and how both similar and different they were. I do wish we had more tie-in from the past to the present-day characters. 

Overall I enjoyed, but wish it had been a bit shorter with a little more ~flair.~ I would recommend it if you are into dark academia & a twisty plot. 

 

 

This book is just so wholesome! The characters are so lovable while also being so real and relatable. We get to see such vulnerable sides from the male and female characters: Jamie’s anxiety, Bea’s autism. You can tell when reading this that the author put so much thought into each character and developing their stories. 

I definitely bought into the insta-love. And the fake dating was actually well done in this story (it’s so hit or miss for me). The ending was meh for me, a little rushed. SPOILER-ISH content: but seriously, what was that third act breakup?! It was so unnecessary and just drug out the story in my opinion. Bea could not put her love on hold for her sister?!? ANYWHO. 

I recommend this for the mushy readers who enjoy characters that are open & honest, and that show mental health struggles and are neurodivergent. I think I’d recommend it in physical form over audio, though. 

 

 

Filing this one under “books that made me cry” 

This book follows Tom and Ming. Them meeting. Graduating college. Adjusting to ‘adulthood.’ And Ming coming out as a trans woman. We get to see how they both navigate the relationship and friendships, seeing both of their firsthand perspectives throughout the book. 

This one really snuck up on me. At first, I was finding it to be good, not great. A little slow. But then, I realized I was loving it and couldn’t put it down. By the end, I was crying. Dinan’s writing is very impressive in that she really builds this world and makes you feel like you are a part of it. I really enjoyed the alternate perspectives and the non-linear timeline. At first, I did not think I was going to like either of those aspects, but they ended up really adding to the story. It was really interesting to see Tom’s perspective as a cisgender partner in a relationship with a transitioning transgender partner. 

In addition to Tom and Ming, we get to know their flawed yet lovely and loyal friends. Their friends add to the story in a way that gives you more perspective on Tom and Ming’s relationship. And who they are as people. 

If I had to describe this in two words it would be tender and vulnerable. As a millennial, it was easy to see some of the struggles Tom and Ming faced. After reading some interviews with the author, I can see how she wove some of her personal life into both Tom and Ming and that made the story that much more special for me. 

Another aspect I really enjoyed about this was Ming’s descriptions of Malaysia and growing up as queer and Malaysian. And the descriptions of food are YUM. 

 

I never want to hear someone call their partner "sugar" again. No thank you. This one was fine - a little too rushed. I don't think the audio narrators helped any. 

When I first started the audiobook and saw that the first section was over 200 minutes long, I panicked a little. But I immediately forgot about that once I got into the story and never noticed while reading. The book is written as a stream of consciousness mental letter to the main character, Kris’s, late wife. Kris is left raising their newborn alone. In this alternate world, instead of being imprisoned, law-breakers are given a shadow (or multiple) for their wrongdoings. The shadows designate them as outsiders and are a constant reminder of what they did. 

It was really interesting to read about how Kris navigated life with her shadow and as a new mom raising a daughter, who was born with shadows. This book is queer in the best way. Through a queer lens, we get to see how people are fighting back and even as they face homophobia, find community together. 

The daughter in the story is so funny. The mother daughter relationship we get to see form is great. We do see Kris struggle a lot though. Through alcohol abuse, depression, instability. 

After reading, I do still have some questions about the shadows. I don’t really understand how they keep people from committing crimes once you already have one. Or what effects they have on their owner. But honestly, it was a fun read and as long as you don’t think too hard about the mechanics, you will still enjoy it. 

Overally, I really enjoyed the narration style, found family, and showing up for each other.