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Timekeeper – Tara Sim
I was in an accident. I got out. I’m safe now.
An alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, where a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.
A prodigy mechanic who can repair not only clockwork but time itself, determined to rescue his father from a Stopped town.
A series of mysterious bombings that could jeopardize all of England.
A boy who would give anything to relive his past, and one who would give anything to live at all.
A romance that will shake the very foundations of time.
Victoria Schwab describes the novel as “at once familiar and utterly original”. An alternate Victorian world ruled by clock towers does sound original but the automaton and principles used were familiarly steampunk.
In this world, time seems to be a very changeable thing which leads me to some questions. What is time in relation to the moon, the sun and other celestial bodies? If time can run fast them slow, does that mean the people in a town age faster and die faster or a town where people die sooner than another town? In a world where time is very erratic, what is their reference point? These things were not explained and I think the world-building needs to flesh out some of the finer details.
Danny is a skilled mechanic but he’s also the type who do not think things through and did some things that came biting him in the ass. There were moments when I thought he was unlikable but he pulled through at the end. Danny and Colton are a cute couple although I am only halfway convince that their relationship would work because a. Colton’s a clock spirit, he doesn’t age but he also very fragile, b. Colton’s emotions affect time so when things got hot and steamy between him and Danny, time ran really, really fast so I don’t think Colton should be exposed to extreme emotions. However, there’s enough fluff to satisfy my fluff quota so I could deal.
You’re everything. You’re… You’re chaos and order and everything between. Like sunshine kept back by clouds. Like the entire world’s imploded inside you, but all I see are the stars are sewn into your skin. You’re filled with soft, dark music. I hear it all the time. Your music.
This book was on my to-be-read list for a long time. Sadly, I was not as into it as I hope I would be. There were some predictable elements but I really liked the clock spirits idea. There is so much potential here that I hope the author might expand the concept and make the logic of the fantasy element a little more rigorous. I hope she adds more details to the world and make things a little more steampunk other than just mere mentions of automaton. I also don’t understand what the protesters were for and why exactly they are protesting the towers. I hope book two might make this plot point clearer.
Timekeeper is an example of a book with an interesting premise but failed to deliver all the goods. The parts where it delivered were enough to convince me to pick up the second book though so I’m not giving up on Danny and Colton yet.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked it
Soundtrack: Precious Time
Artist: The Maccabees
Album: Colour It In(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25760792-timekeeper)
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Nobody’s Butterfly – Claire Davis & Al Stewart
Cobweb ghosts are so inconvenient—especially grumpy ones with bad breath. Don’t they know silence is golden?
Johnny Strong is the expert; he hasn’t spoken in two years. Not one word to anyone except the ghost. The main purpose of life is to avoid people and not get noticed. Friends? He doesn’t need them; and certainly nobody wants him despite what the ghost says.
Until a new boy appears at Windybank—Finn Lyons, teenage wizard. He eats frogs, concocts potions, and is always hungry. Not only does Finn stand up for Johnny; he actively seeks his company and soon becomes part of life.
First love; family and words; a heady mix to go in the potion but how will it all turn out?Hubble bubble; Johnny Strong’s in trouble! Silence is not always golden in this sweet, zany story of the purest magic at Christmas
Quintessential Claire Davis & Al Stewart: an oh so fluffy mix of sweet, cute and mental disorder!
Like most CD & AS stories, Nobody’s Butterfly starts a bit cryptically, letting you wonder about the setting, why the characters are the way the are and then you have to figure out the special names, metaphors and whatever mental issues the MCs have. This could either be confusing and exasperating like in Dear Mona Lisa or poetic and magical as done brilliantly in this story.
Everything’s endearingly pure and adorably quirky despite all the bad experiences Johnny and Finn experienced. Johnny Strong has not spoken for two years for reasons not explicitly explained but he talks to the ghost in the cobweb at his window. Enter Finn Lyons, who claims to be his wizard and seems to understand what Johnny was saying silently. Finn can cast magic spells that makes Johnny’s worries disappear.
You’re the seeker,” Finn burped. “And I am your finder. But, of course, you already know that.”
Finn drags the reluctant but not really Johnny on quests and adventures. The two boys just connected so beautifully and comfortably, it was warm and fuzzy all over. But Johnny was afraid that Finn would go away soon. That explosive scene where Johnny finally let it all out because he was thought they were sending Finn away was just the definition of heart wrenching.
“NO! And if you send him back there, you might as well kill me too. No.” The rant ended as more of a cry of pain than a shout. “I’ve thrown the suitcases away and flushed the door key down the toilet. I’ll sit in front of the door and you’ll have to get a crane to move me because you’re not taking my boyfriend. NO—no—no—no—no. I’ll call the police and the BBC and tell them.”
“Johnny Strong,” Finn whispered into Johnny’s hair. He pulled back to wipe his face but more tears burst out. Johnny forgot about Greg and Anna. He nudged Finn’s nose with his own, and that led into a long, teary kiss, one he would remember for the rest of his life.This has a lot of similarities to Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace! which in my opinion is the duo’s best story (and an all-time favorite of mine). It’s also magical and reads like a fairy tale of sorts, the kind where poor orphans are abandoned in the care of big bad caretakers. But here, the villains are not really bad, just human. It’s a very moving and poignant tale of friendship, coming of age, finding connections and overcoming darkness. It tells us to believe, hope and love. It leaves us a message that
People don’t have to be perfect to be lovely.
I definitely recommend this!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Amongst Butterflies
Artist: Paul Weller
Album: Paul Weller(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36631025-nobody-s-butterfly)
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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda – Becky Albertalli
Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.
My knee jerk reaction to the book:
Maybe I’m too old for this shit but I am really, really tired of contemporary YA books being about sexual identity and other identity woes all the time. Can we have an LGBTQA+ teens that don’t give a rat’s ass about these things? Can we have LGBTQA+ teens who are just happy being themselves and don’t let their sexuality define them? Can we have a contemporary LGBTQA+ teen do something else other than worry about dating, sex, relationships and identity? This is why I prefer middle grade books over the kind of YA books that emerged after Twilight and Hunger Games (I know these are not contemporaries nor LGBTQA+-centric but they were a bad influence). So I’m sorry, I guess this is not the book for me.
But then, there’s the mystery of Blue. Who the hell is Blue?! I have got to find out.
Blue and Simon’s relationship consist of exchange of emails. They started tentatively then things turned sweet and flirtatious. It’s similar to Anyta Sunday’s note exchange story Noticed Me Yet? and while the latter’s handwritten note exchange was a drag, Blue and Simon’s was more plausible and interesting. Soon, both found that they were falling for each other and Simon tried to uncover Blue’s identity. There were a lot of red herrings and Simon never did guess, although there was a big clue but I’m happy to say I got it right.
I still don’t understand all the hype surrounding this book. It has this typical YA vibe, a lot of pop references, sarcasm and the like. Yes, it was fluffy but so are a million other young adult books. I like the low angst quality though and I might revisit old Elliott Smith songs because of it but overall, the story was nothing spectacular.
Rating:
2.5 Stars – far from hate but not quite a likeSoundtrack: Independence Day
Artist: Elliott Smith
Album: XO(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19547856-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda)
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The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue – Mackenzi Lee
Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.
But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.
With a title and cover like that, how can I resist? Right off that bat, I know it was going to be a fun, lighthearted read with adventure and laughter and kissing at the end. And indeed it is.
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is about Monty, his sister Felicity and his best friend Percy and their Grand Tour gone awry (to be expected because Monty). Feckless is a word I learned recently and it is something that can be used to describe Monty, along with fun-loving and not the brightest spark in the room. Monty’s sister Felicity can throw a better punch than him. Probably the only things we can commend him on are his indecent supply of good looks and that he really does love Percy with all the love his silly little heart can give. Felicity is the nose-buried-in-a-book/can-do-anything type aka the smarter one and Percy is a music loving, well-mannered guy whose darker looks makes him a bit more circumspect with his behavior compared to his more reckless best friend.
If this was a movie, the visual style, storytelling and soundtrack might be something like what Sofia Coppola did with Marie Antoinette. Not entirely accurate but still gives a good sense of time, place and mood. This would also have been a solid 5-star book had it been a little more concise but I felt it was stretched out a tad too long like the author felt the trio had to have as many misadventures and go to as many places as possible before resolving everything.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: City of Culture
Artist: Slow Riot
Album:(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29283884-the-gentleman-s-guide-to-vice-and-virtue)
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The Raven Cycle: The Dream Thieves – Maggie Stiefvater
Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after…
Not gay per se but I love Ronan and he swings that way so this is highly recommended. Actually, I didn’t notice that he was gay until I read the reviews but he was always been my favorite of the four boys so it’s a nice bonus. I liked this second book better (possibly my fave in the series) as I now have a clearer grasp of what Gansey was all about (I struggled with that on book one) and we get to know Ronan’s family and why he’s so damn angry all the time. Ok, it’s not just all Ronan and his family. Adam has his issues. Blue is still great and Noah is Noah. The adults have more active roles. The Grey man is worth getting to know as well. I could say something about Gansey too but really, I just adore Ronan.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17347389-the-dream-thieves)
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REVIEW: Luna by Julie Anne Peters
Luna – Julie Anne Peters
Regan’s brother, Liam, can’t stand the person he is during the day. Like the moon from whom Liam has chosen his female namesake, his true self, Luna, reveals herself only at night. For years, Liam has transformed himself into the beautiful girl he longs to be with the help from his siter’s clothes and makeup in the secrecy of their basement bedrooms. Now, everything is about to change – Luna is preparing to emerge from her cocoon. But are Liam’s family and friends ready to welcome Luna into their lives?
Boring really.
Rating:
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn book
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17225278-luna_)
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Openly Straight: Openly Straight – Bill Konigsberg
The award-winning novel about being out, being proud, and being ready for something else … now in paperback.
Rafe is a normal teenager from Boulder, Colorado. He plays soccer. He’s won skiing prizes. He likes to write.
And, oh yeah, he’s gay. He’s been out since 8th grade, and he isn’t teased, and he goes to other high schools and talks about tolerance and stuff. And while that’s important, all Rafe really wants is to just be a regular guy. Not that GAY guy. To have it be a part of who he is, but not the headline, every single time.
So when he transfers to an all-boys’ boarding school in New England, he decides to keep his sexuality a secret – not so much going back in the closet as starting over with a clean slate. But then he sees a classmate break down. He meets a teacher who challenges him to write his story. And most of all, he falls in love with Ben … who doesn’t even know that love is possible.
This witty, smart, coming-out-again story will appeal to gay and straight kids alike as they watch Rafe navigate feeling different, fitting in, and what it means to be himself.
Did not really enjoy it as much as I expected. I thought it was pretty stupid how people ask inane questions about which sport or ice cream flavor a gay guy would like. The best characters in the books were Toby and Albie. I want to hang out with them and they seriously need a book of their own. Claire Olivia was also great, she was the best friend any gay guy could ever ask for.
I found the main character and his love interest dull. I totally get what Rafe said about being label-free and Ben was suppose to be this nice, sensitive guy but I prefer the scanner pong and apple gang adventures.
Rating:
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn book
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16100972-openly-straight)
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REVIEW: The Center of the World by Andreas Steinhofel
The Center of the World – Andreas Steinhofel
Seventeen-year-old Phil has felt like an outsider as long as he can remember. All Phil has ever known about his father is that he was Number Three on his mother’s long list—third in a series of affairs that have set Phil’s family even further apart from the critical townspeople across the river. As for his own sexuality, Phil doesn’t care what the neighbors will think; he’s just waiting for the right guy to come along.
But Phil can’t remain a bystander forever. Not when he’s surrounded by his mother, Glass, who lives by her own rules and urges Phil to be equally strong; his sister, Dianne, who is abrupt and willful, with secrets to share; his uncle Gable, a restless mariner, defined by his scars; his best friend, Kat, who is generous but possessive. And finally, there is distant Nicholas, with whom Phil falls overwhelmingly in love—until he faces the ultimate betrayal and must finally find his worth … and place in the world.
Wanted to like it but it was boring as fuck.
Rating:
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn book
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18410469-the-center-of-the-world)
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REVIEW: Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
Boy Meets Boy – David Levithan
This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.
When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.
This is a happy-meaningful romantic comedy about finding love, losing love, and doing what it takes to get love back in a crazy-wonderful world.
This is definitely a classic. This book is so damn adorable even though if you really think about it, it’s just a typical teenage love story with the requisite prom night HEA except most of the characters are LGBT. A must-read for everyone.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfect(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23228.Boy_Meets_Boy)
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REVIEW: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Cycle: The Raven Boys – Maggie Stiefvater
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Gansey is different. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been told by her psychic family that she will kill her true love. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.
I actually avoided reading this book because of what’s written above. It is seriously a very misleading blurb that makes the book sound like it is a romance-driven, reverse harem story about an annoying, oh so special girl whose main concern is whether to kiss a boy or not. So I stayed away despite some very positive reviews.
I finally decided to give this one a try after seeing pictures of people shipping Ronan and Adam and finally noticing that it has a GLBT tag in Goodreads. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it enough to buy the rest of the books although I felt a nagging feeling that something was a little off. I like all the characters. I don’t know why Ronan is so angry but I see him as a punk and I love punks. Gansey’s tendency to unwittingly offend people through unfortunate phrasing is something I also suffer from. Noah is precious and Adam is nice. Blue is a level headed, sensible type who can make her own clothes. And I am so glad nobody’s forcing the romance angle, nobody got on my nerves, they can speak Latin, they got their own HQ and the ending is bam!
Now to what’s nagging me about it all. The book reads like a story with British characters but speaking in American English. All that tea, all those eccentricities (especially the women), all those posh private school boys in their uniforms, the woods, the atmosphere, that dead Welsh king, it gave me a British book feel. It’s not necessarily something that detracts from my enjoyment of the book but sometimes I get disoriented and realize that this is all in Virginia.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17675462-the-raven-boys)
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