soulofsam's reviews
98 reviews

Can't believe the only sports book I have ever read is for a sport that (in this way) doesn't exist... truly gay of me.

I loved this book. Alice Oseman just has a way of capturing people and emotions that is so unique and real. I loved getting to explore this group of university students as a university students and learning more about then all. Some of the moments and conflicts seemed just a tad too story-like and overused for me to fully enjoy them. Those however didn't take away from how powerful this book was in highlighting the importance of platonic love and friendship. I loved seeing the asexual and aromatic representation and definitely want to read more books with this. It's something so underrepresented that I think a lot more people should know about and need to see in media.

The last third really saved this for me, because I found the kind of prelude before the actual Drag story quite extensive and not as interesting. I understand how it's important for the story and necessary to tell the story of The Black Flamingo but I just didn't feel too engaged. I sadly also think the format of this book didn't work have enough room to really feel with the character so I felt unaffected by a lot of what was going on. That being said I loved the presentation of Drag and seeing the change in confidence and what identity means.

I think this book might work a lot better in the audio boom version and have more of an impact if it is listened to as spoken word poetry, especially since it's narrated by the author himself.

I don't even know where to start reviewing this book or put into words how much it means to me.
I have never felt so seen or understood when reading a book and it was the most beautiful experience to have while reading. I didn't relate to all the things Ben experienced but so many little details they mentioned when working through their identity resonated with me. Figuring out who you are as a nonbinary person and coming out is never one and done but is something that shifts and changes and it was beautiful to see that recognized in a book. I loved how the topic of mental health was discussed and it felt represented so accurately and delicately. This is by no means an easy book and I cried both happy and sad tears when reading it but I love that it always felt hopeful, any lows and struggles were accompanied by the hope that the feelings aren't final and it can change for the better. Not in an unrealistic way either and people messed up and the relationship between Ben and Hannah was flawed but it was presented in such a human way that I enjoyed reading about their relationship so much. The inclusion of the importance of internet friends in discovering oneself and the comfort they can give and so many other little queer moments were so familiar to me it made me heart feel all warm and happy.
I knew this would be a book I would love about 1/3 in and I was not wrong at all and I am just not ready to leave the little world that it created around Ben.

After loving the first Singing Hills book I had high hopes for this and was all the more disappointed it didn't live up to them. The story of this one just didn't interest me as much, maybe because I found the main character just not as compelling or relatable. I liked the idea of how stories are just that, stories shaped by who tells them and who listens to them. How we throughout got two accounts of a set of events with no knowledge of which one is more true than the other and maybe how truth is not the goal. Overall a solid book, but not one that caught me off guard or made me want to recommend it to others.

This book, was absolutely brilliant!!
I went into it with few expectations and it grabbed my heart and feelings so good. It took me a little to get into and wrap my head around all the terms and lore but once I did I loved it. I really liked the characters and how Chih using they/them was so natural (nonbinary representation being the reason I picked this up). I loved the unique way we learned about the Empress because its something I had never seen before. The whole hook felt very poetic and like a beautiful piece of art.

I wish this would have been such an easy 5 stars for me as it seemed to be for everyone else, but I just didn't love the end.
I really loved all the characters because they were relatable and flawed and I loved getting to know Molly and Alex and even Jim. I really liked that they showed the different struggles the girls had with their parents and going a bit more in heavier topics but never making it outweigh the love story and giving the parent-stories a hopeful conclusion. I think the premise of the friendship between Molly and Alex was so fun because it's like such a convenience thing but then they work so well together.

Sadly I wish it had stayed a friendship, because I felt the turn to romance was way too rushed and I just didn't feel it. Before the last couple pages my hope was that Alex would realize she doesn't need a relationship and that friendships can be fulfilling as well for a bit, for Molly and Cora to get together and just the emphasize on friendship. I do agree after finishing that Molly and Cora don't work together but it's just, not the end I was hoping for so I wasn't all that big of a fan of the last third of the book tbh.

This book, OH MY GOD.
It took me a bit to get into, which is absolutely my own fault, but once I did it gripped me. The story is written in such a beautiful, poetic way that it wraps itself around your brain and heart. Somehow despite unchanging format it managed to built up such good tension towards the end and I loved the drama of it. I absolutely was a fan of the letter format and it worked so well the whole book through. This story reached into my soul and touched onto something I haven't felt or thought of in a long time, I am in love.

Sami being trans just did things to my heart I can't explain and I loved this comic so much.