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mxspacecadet reviewed Sleep Alone by J.A.W. McCarthy

Sleep Alone (Paperback, Off Limits Press)

For the past six years, Ronnie has worked selling merch for a perpetually touring band. …

Excellent premise, good prose, lackluster execution

3 stars

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, and the author clearly had a well-articulated vision behind the story. The prose was good, if somewhat inconsistent. The pacing of the story was confusing and difficult to follow--this story doesn't belong in such a short format. I wanted to get more invested in the characters, but there was really no character arc for anyone except for the main character, Ronnie. Reading this book felt sort of like walking into a theater during the last two acts, with an expectation that we could take the lack of context and run with it. I really wanted to love this story, but it ended up being solidly mediocre from me even though the ideas and themes behind it are intriguing. I'm not usually picky about what I read, but this book was disappointing.

mxspacecadet reviewed Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Carry On (Paperback, 2017, Wednesday Books)

Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, …

Review of 'Carry On' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I'm actually reviewing this on my second read!

The first time I read this, I plowed through the entire book in a single day. I remember eating it up and loving it from the first sentence, and not much else. I was so excited about it that I didn't actually remember most of the plot.

I finished re-reading it today, and it was just as amazing as I remember it being, possibly even moreso.

This book is not a ripoff of Harry Potter, and as a trans- reader, it hurts me just a bit to hear reviewers say that it is. This book is a love letter to gay relationships and it doesn't shy away from saying so. Rowell writes first-person gorgeously, and the book would not be the same without the POV changes. This is also a book that rewards re-reads--it's got just enough foreshadowing throughout that you'll go …

I'm actually reviewing this on my second read!

The first time I read this, I plowed through the entire book in a single day. I remember eating it up and loving it from the first sentence, and not much else. I was so excited about it that I didn't actually remember most of the plot.

I finished re-reading it today, and it was just as amazing as I remember it being, possibly even moreso.

This book is not a ripoff of Harry Potter, and as a trans- reader, it hurts me just a bit to hear reviewers say that it is. This book is a love letter to gay relationships and it doesn't shy away from saying so. Rowell writes first-person gorgeously, and the book would not be the same without the POV changes. This is also a book that rewards re-reads--it's got just enough foreshadowing throughout that you'll go back and be like "Oh! that's what that was!".

This is on my favorites shelf for a reason. It's got a bit of everything--charm, adventure, romance, and a best-friends dynamic that doesn't fall to the wayside in favor of the romance. Read it.

mxspacecadet reviewed The Sword in the Stone (Collins Modern Classics) by T. H. White

The Sword in the Stone (Collins Modern Classics) (Paperback, 1998, Collins)

When Merlyn the magician comes to tutor Sir Ector's sons Kay and the Wart, schoolwork …

Review of 'The Sword in the Stone (Collins Modern Classics)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Gorgeous prose from White, and with a shining review from Le Guin it didn't come as a surprise. There's quite a bit of coarse language used that would not fly today--the n-word is used once. A product of the time in which it was written, certainly, but if you can get past some of the language it is a very pleasant read, and well-paced.