Carla ✨

4.5 ⭐️

oh gosh, this book ❤️‍🩹

We are talking about a YA coming of age novel where the characters arcs were beautifully written, the rep is *chef's kiss* and the setting could only be described as perfectly on point. Conversations were witty, funny and the friendships were so wholesome from minute one. But this is NOT a retelling. Or at least not a retelling of any well known stories (I am real bad with history, I'm sorry I can't be more precise).

Gwen and Art were a delight to read, their banter going from hate to that sort of friendship where you're like, ugh I hate them but I've grown attached, it was awesome.

Side characters were also a delight to read.

Sydney was funny as hell, fierce protector but also with a no bullshit policy. I wish we got to see more in detail him courting Agnes, that would have been so sweet.

Bridget was the kind of woman I wish more books had. She knew what she wanted, and she took it. She put herself first and foremost, and made sure everyone around her knew it.

Her relationship with Gwen was so sweet, because while Gwen was all gay panicking towards Bridget, she was being all serious but friendly not knowing what to expect out of their encounters.

Also, Gabriel? I love him, he is my baby, protect him at all costs 🥺. Poor boy struggles so much with the idea of being King, and not disappointing anyone and at the same time coping with all of it by spending time buried into books to the point of not sleeping.

The only thing I really wished we could have seen more of is the development of Art and Gabe's relationship. While Art was so sure about himself and his sexuality, por Gabriel struggled real hard with it, and, I know we could attribute the lack of Art's empathy to him having had his heart broken not long ago, but I wished there had been more moments of understanding between them.

It's such a thin line that in part I was like, good for Art for not wanting to meet people where they are because he's already there (as he says, it saves on the commute 😂) but I also hoped for him to be more lenient with Gabe 💔.

At the end of the day this book kind of felt like it lasted forever, because it kind of felt like it wanted to have equal parts romance and story but I never really got the full picture for either of them?

Like, it feels like so many key parts are missing from both the romance and the plot, but if they had been included the book would have lasted even longer.

Let us be honest, I wanted more romance than plot, but that was just my personal craving when I started the book, but it wasn't necessarily bad. The plot twist at the end tho, I really wasn't expecting things to go down the way that they did :')

I don't know what else to say, I really enjoyed my time with this book and laughed real hard while doing so.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to review this ahead of its release! As always all my opinions are my own, no matter the situation.

the only reason it gets 4* is because it ended too fast 🥲

(wasn't trying to make a pun but... kinda pun intended 😂)

My heart is bursting with LOVE.

Why haven't I read this earlier?

I'm not even sorry. I am giving it 5 ⭐️ .

I don't care I sometimes got lost or confused by the politics.

I don't care the third person writing made me lose my goddamned mind half of the time.

I don't care. I really. do. not. care.

It's all worth the 5 stars. You know why?

Because Alex and Henry's story was one of the most beautiful I've ever read.

Because Alex discovering his sexuality was as funny to read as it made me feel stressed and confused right along with him.

Because the way Alex describes feeling everything that happens was as confusing as it was relatable.

And because those emails. THOSE EMAILS. GOD.

I won't be able to forget those emails.

And lastly, I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry if you didn't enjoy this book the way I did.

Because, honestly? This has to be one of the most beautiful experiences I had while reading a book.

And I hope it's one I get to relieve in the future in other books.

I am devastated. I don't even think I'll be able to pick up Ruthless Gods before having processed the last three chapters of this book and it's epilogue.

I've never felt so betrayed by a character as I've been by Malachiasz. I kinda want to think I felt like Nadya when reading those last chapters.

It was like I saw it coming, but I also didn't want to believe it, CAUSE I HAD FAITH. I had faith in him and now here we are. I'd be crying, but I much rather scream at the book to let that fristration out.

That's it. I have nothing left to say. I just need to get rid of the book hangover this is giving me to pick up Ruthless Gods.