4.5 stars

The Deep felt like a dream, and I was sad to wake up from it. The writing is absolutely stunning, I loved the characters, the plot was interesting. But the atmosphere is what really stole the show for me. I felt so immersed in this world, which is a difficult thing to do in such a short book, but it didn't feel lacking whatsoever. If you know me you'll know I'm a sucker for a unique world, and this one did not disappoint. This is a story that I think will stay with me for a long time, I really enjoyed this!

This is either a very low 4 star, or a 3.5 star, not quite sure.

This was a lot of fun! I loved the setting the most, I've never wanted to go to a ren fair more in my life than I do right now. Ugh I hope I get to go one day. It was such a cute and interesting concept for a romance novel, I loved the difference in dynamic between the main couple during the times they were in character versus out. I thought that was a really interesting part of the story and I very much enjoyed that. I also loved the banter between the couple, although I do wish there was a bit more it; sometimes it felt like things were moving a bit too quickly, or like the couple didn't actually know each other that well before they were saying they loved each other. So I wish we'd gotten to see them getting to know each other just a little bit more. Otherwise though, this was really enjoyable. I especially liked the conflict at the end, for once I thought it was actually a believable reason for conflict. It was realistic and it didn't feel like an overreaction. The conflict portion of a romance novel is always my least favourite part, and it was definitely my least favourite part of this book, but I didn't dislike that part at least, and it was over pretty quickly.

Overall, I really liked this book even though it wasn't perfect. I'll absolutely be adding the second one to my TBR

As much as I love books with all my heart, I have read very few over the years that I've felt reach into my soul and find a home there.

In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune.

And this one. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

From the first page, I knew that this book was going to mean something to me. I really don't have the words that could possibly describe what this book has made me feel, but it has made me feel so much that I'm almost overwhelmed by it. I wish I could sit here and bask in the joy and sorrow and all the things that lay between, all the things that Addie LaRue has made me feel. This book has made me feel seen in a way that I didn't even know I needed. I see myself in Addie, in Henry, in Luc, in Estele, in all the characters that felt so real to me. I see myself reflected in their needs, their wants, their desires, their highs and their lows, and all parts of life that make it worth living. In the way they love, mourn, hope, dream, and die. I will never forget this story, it's one that I know will carry itself with me forever, and I'm so glad for it.

This was just ok. It was really fun, entertaining, and I loved the atmosphere. But the actual plot was really lacking for me. It was painfully obvious from the beginning where the plot was going, not a single thing took me by surprise lmfao. But it was still fun at least!

A cute and quick read, but ultimately the plot was extremely predictable and not all that interesting. It may just be that the target audience is s little bit too young for my personal tastes; I usually love middle grade but this felt like it was written for... whatever is a step below middle grade, I can’t think of the word

Rafe A Buff Male Nanny: ★★★★
Xeni:

This was so much fun! I’m still new to the romance genre, and previously I’d only read the rom-com type of romance novels. I didn’t really know what to expect going into this but I had a great time reading it. This is pretty much just a wet dream for a lot of (straight) pushing middle aged women, where absolutely everything is happiness and orgasms for the rest of her life, and I’m so here for that lol. Is Rafe’s level of perfection unrealistic? Absolutely. But that’s exactly why I loved this so much. It was so ridiculously over the top perfect that it made it really fun to read. I totally get the appeal of these books and can’t wait to dive into more of them!

Thank to Macmillon Audio and Netgalley for sending me an audio-ARC in exchange for a review!

Watch my review on YouTube HERE!

Casey McQuiston's One Last Stop is a celebration of what it means to be queer.

One Last Stop follows a woman in her mid-twenties who has always been on the run, terrified of what would happen if she were to put down roots. She has spent her life friendless, with very little family, digging through archives with her mother in search of a ghost. After moving to New York City into a tiny apartment with a set of quirky but loveable roommates, August starts to find a routine to her new life, one that involves a daily trip on the Q train. This is where she meets Jane, a short-haired, punk rock, Chinese-American lesbian who looks like she came right out of the 70s. Which, as it turns out, she did. Jane is an impossibility, having been stuck in time and place on the subway for over 40 years, with no memory of who she is, how she got there, or why. Jane and August start trying to figure out the mystery of Jane's very existence, all the while trying desperately not to fall in love.

This is easily one of the gayest books I have ever read, and it was beautiful in every way. Every character plays such an important role in One Last Stop, all coming together to form this gorgeous mosaic of some of the different ways to be queer. August and Jane's experience of joining this family and becoming part of their world is something that I have longed for in my own life, and I'm sure is so relatable to every young queer out there. This book is a beautiful example of how we make our own families within this community, which is my favourite thing about us. This has such a richly diverse cast of characters, all so different but still the same in all the ways that matter. One Last Stop will feel like coming home to all the queer folk who have ever felt lost, alone, or had no one to turn to. It reminded me that, no matter where we go, all of us have a family who are always ready to welcome us home, even if you're a complete stranger. That was the family that August and Jane found in this book, and it was such a beautiful thing to read. As much as I loved the plot of this book, with it's fascinating concept of being stuck in a blip of time and somehow ending up tethered to to a single moment and all the complications that come with that, it was truly the characters that were the heart of this book. I loved reading about Jane's experience of being an LGBTQ+ activist in the 60s and 70s, the mentions of our history, and all the badass heroes that we have to thank for having the freedoms we do today. This is the perfect book to kick off Pride month! I'm so thankful that books like this exist, and even more thankful to all the people that made it happen!

MY HEART! Oh this book was so good. I don’t really have a lot to say to be honest. I don’t think there was single thing I disliked about In Deeper Waters, which is such a rare thing. The pacing was great, nothing was drawn out or too rushed. I loved the characters, the romantic and familial relationships, the writing was good, the plot was engaging. Literally everything was fantastic and I had such a good time reading this!

Watch my full review on YouTube HERE!