zombecrustacean's Reviews (189)

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Have you ever felt cabin fever from a book? A feeling of itchiness under your skin, a rampage in your chest, a possession of your will demanding of you to do something. That's what this book was to me. 

I could tell you all of the checkboxes it marks in terms of classifying it as a diversity read, and maybe I will at the end of this review, but instead, I want to tell you about humanity. This book encapsulates what it means to be human and what it means for an author to write a fictional character that feels real. I felt true sorrow and confusion and compassion while I was reading these pages. Each character was so imperfect and flawed and so much like someone I could have met in line for coffee that I was taken aback consistently at how these people weren't real. At least not physically. 

Grappling with trauma placed upon you by others, the consequences of your actions, how family can be something that you make, how to survive when the world is burning around you, and how to come together and fall apart and find yourself in the pieces. This book takes place over the time period that was plagued by the pandemic and the injustices that revitalized the Black Lives Matter movement. I remember feeling so helpless and useless during that time and seeing Tookie reckon with those experiences too and then find closure felt like I was finally finding closure. 

This review is likely too vague and flowery to be of much help, but I hope it communicates the sense of wonder that reading this book gave me. And since I mentioned it, if you're looking for a diversity or social justice read, I give you the following tags:
- bisexual main character
- Native American main character
- various different Native American tribe and/or lineage representation
- life during the COVID-19 pandemic
- the Black Lives Matter movement
- police brutality, incarceration, life after incarceration
- found family and motherhood
- self love, self care, and healing
- good soup

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I am at a loss of where to start. The characters were beautiful. They were full of depth and personality and imperfections and motives. They were so well-written and I became attached so very quickly to each of them. Gideon as the protagonist was so likeable, real, and unabashedly queer. The characters being so well-fleshed out are why this book is equal parts ambition and tragedy. 

At times, I thought it was a bit too smart for me, but I would catch up enough to find my place again. The descriptions of the trials, tribulations, science, magic, and settings were so thorough that I found reading and rereading it to be incredibly helpful. 

The twists and turning points throughout the book really kept me on the edge of my seat and grappling to understand exactly what I was reading in the best way. Don't even get me started on that ending.

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I was one of the many Tumblr users who read Check, Please! as it was being published page by page in blog format back in the day. I was super excited to see this author not only get published, but to see them reach mainstream success and appearing in wide-scale bookstores like Barnes & Noble. I started reading the paperback version that I got a very long time ago, but finally got a chance to finish it this weekend.

This graphic novel is such a fun little romp, great for both active and non-fans of hockey with great found family vibes and a cute slow burn romance. All of the characters are very endearing and I love them dearly. Full gator rating because Bitty is hella gay. Only four stars because while I enjoyed it, I would have liked a little more gay before the end of this volume, otherwise a very fun time.

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I absolutely DEVOURED this book! It was a really enjoyable read and I got through the book on a lazy Sunday afternoon/evening. Full stars and full gators. Our main characters include:
- A tech-savvy himbo teenager who is a hopeless romantic who loves magic
- His glam boss lady who is literally devastatingly powerful but can’t work a coffee machine
- A moderately feral and sweaty teenaged they/them with a pleasantly prickly demeaner
- Their they/them cottage core magical mentor who I think would give amazing hugs
It’s queer, it’s magic, they’re here to moderately annoy the government.

While I jest, the magical government and societal structure in this book was extremely interesting and while fiction, rang true to a lot of my experiences in capitalist America. It was nice to see someone succeed in their small acts of rebellion. Also, an entire society without a single homophobic slur? Amazing, love to see it. We could use more books where being some form of queer isn’t questioned, it just is. 

I recommend giving this book a read. The only thing that would have made it better for me was if there were more physical elements to the slow-burn aspect of the story and if the characters were young adult-aged instead of teenagers as I myself am far from being a teenager.

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This was a good book about forgiveness, friendship, and who we are when no one, or everyone, is watching. I took a star away because I’m an epilogue girly and while I liked the mildly abrupt end, I also would have liked to see more of the after – whatever that ended up being. I could have used more time with the group as a group towards the end. My favorite part of a lot of coming together stories where the team is split apart or paths are about to converge are when everyone is finally together, sharing information, and working alongside each other. I wanted a little more of that. 

I also wish the court transmission chatters were more straightforward and less philosophical and/or jargon-y. I wanted to get to know the Almaens in those sections more than I did. I almost wanted them to mention the messages that were involved in the other parts of the books – I think that would have been a great way to tie it all together. 

Four out of five gators for pretty good gay rep, but I wanted MORE of it. Not necessarily the book’s fault, but I’m a queer gremlin.