Other Words for Smoke

This book is very YA in some of the cheesy prose and themes but at least it wasn't incessant. I also spotted a few mistakes which the editor had obviously missed, but it was easy to figure out what the word was supposed to be and didn't make the experience too jarring. However I did enjoy reading this overall because there are a few unique aspects to the story. It doesn't have an annoying typical YA romance and all the characters are decently fleshed out.

I was about to give up until I reached Bevan's chapters which are written in second person. I really loved these and wish the book had much more of them. They were just creepy (not scary), unsettling and vague enough, in just the right measures to keep me interested. I also wished we had explored more of the rooms and gotten more details of how things worked and the other people in there. Like the man in the office, for example.

Sweet James and his connection with Bevan was the thing that kept me reading. I'd be interested in a sequel involving Bevan and her mission within the rooms. I wasn't keen on the ending, it felt rushed and predictable. Its still worth a go though if you want something a bit different which is easy to read.

Also props for including queer characters where their queerness is not the main plot device in the story.