Tag: high school

Only Mostly Devastated By: Sophie Gonzales :❤️: | Book Review

Only Mostly Devastated
By: Sophie Gonzales
Genre:Contemporary Romance, Family, LGBTQ, YA Fiction, Friendships
Rating: Loved it
Publisher:St. Martain’s Press/Wenesday Books
Release Date: March 3, 2020

🏳️‍🌈

IndieBound | Amazon |

Synopsis:

SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA meets CLUELESS in this boy-meets-boy spin on Grease

Summer love…gone so fast.

Ollie and Will were meant to be a summer fling—casual, fun, and done. But when Ollie’s aunt’s health takes a turn for the worse and his family decides to stay in North Carolina to take care of her, Ollie lets himself hope this fling can grow to something more. Dreams that are crushed when he sees Will at a school party and finds that the sweet and affectionate (and comfortably queer) guy he knew from summer isn’t the same one attending Collinswood High.

Will is more than a little shocked to see Ollie the evening of that first day of school. While his summer was spent being very much himself, back at school he’s simply known as one of the varsity basketball guys. Now Will is faced with the biggest challenge of his life: follow his heart and risk his friendships, or stay firmly in the closet and lose what he loves most.

Pulled from my read-book vault:

My Thoughts

Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales invites readers into the tumultuous world of teenage emotions, deftly balancing between carefree moments and the overly dramatic tones that define adolescence. This delightful coming-of-age novel explores the evolution of a summer fling into a heartfelt journey of self-discovery.

Ollie and Will’s summer romance takes an unexpected turn as they navigate the challenges of high school. The stark contrast between their carefree summer selves and the complexities of the school year sets the stage for a charming and humorous exploration of love and identity.

Gonzales adeptly portrays the internal struggles of Will, who suppresses his true self, leading to a poignant narrative. Ollie’s resilience and self-awareness shine through, creating a powerful dynamic. The characters’ journeys contribute to a broader message about the importance of authenticity and self-worth.

Only Mostly Devastated weaves a narrative that delves into themes of self-discovery and honesty. It skillfully addresses the internal conflicts faced by the characters, emphasizing the positive messages of staying true to oneself amidst societal expectations.

Sophie Gonzales crafts the narrative with precision, effectively communicating the complexity of suppressed emotions and the courage required for self-acceptance. The writing style seamlessly blends humor and depth, making the book an engaging and relatable read.

In conclusion, Only Mostly Devastated is more than a cute and funny exploration of teenage love; it’s a compelling story of empowerment. Readers will be captivated by the characters’ journeys, the positive portrayal of self-worth, and the courage to stand up for oneself. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a delightful yet powerful narrative on love, authenticity, and the journey to self-discovery during the challenging years of adolescence.

Book received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you all for coming over and checking out my thoughts on this lovely read, Only Mostly Devastated. If you’ve read the book and have a different take on it, I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

To those readers who loved Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda  (book & film) and readers who enjoy relationship-building, angst, friendship, humor with authentic touches of sadness and self-reflection–I know, that’s a lot, isn’t it?!😆.

I am confident you are going to enjoy this book as much as I did. And I highly recommend  Only Mostly Devastated be your next story to dive into.😊

Until the next post,

Gia.

Bleeding Earth by: Kaitlin Ward | Review

Bleeding Earth

By: Kaitlin Ward

Genre: LBGT,  G/G Romance, YA, Contemporary, Fantasy, Horror Fiction

Rating: 3.5 stars

Release Date: February 9, 2016

Publisher: Adaptive Books

I received an ARC of this book forever ago from the publisher in a giveaway.

Synopsis:

Lea was in a cemetery when the earth started bleeding. Within twenty-four hours, the blood made international news. All over the world, blood appeared out of the ground, even through concrete, even in water. Then the earth started growing hair and bones.

Lea wants to ignore the blood. She wants to spend time with her new girlfriend, Aracely, in public, if only Aracely wasn’t so afraid of her father. Lea wants to be a regular teen again, but the blood has made her a prisoner in her own home. Fear for her social life turns into fear for her sanity, and Lea must save herself and Aracely whatever way she can.

Book Review:

With blood oozing out of the ground,soon filing the streets, taking over life as the world knows it, and turning people into mean, and aggressive scavenging mobs, I thought Bleeding Earth was a interesting choice to post a review on for Valentine’s Day. In my own, quirk of ironic humor, I chose this YA, horror book centering on this young, lesbian teenager with this secret girlfriend as my “token” romance piece for this lover/couple fest holiday.

Besides the enjoyment reviewing a mainly horror driven book for Valentine’s Day, I was really excited to finally crack open this book. I am not a natural horror book reader so I really excited that I could get through this book pretty easily. The content of the blood and the rapid urgency of it’s danger and affect on the entire world was pretty difficult to get through at times, but the author does a great job of tampering some of the gorish details by means of filtering the spiral of civilization through the ever hopeful, love sick and wildly observant eyes of Lea.

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