Tag: Coming of Age

Books

Book 835: Legendborn (Legendborn Cycle #1) – Tracy Deonn

Geoff W

Book cover of "Legendborn" with Amazon Affiliate linkI was on hold at the library for months to get this one! I vaguely remember it being released, but didn’t realize it’s connection to UNC Chapel Hill (my undergrad) until I saw the cover and Deonn in one of the alumni newsletters and then of course immediately had to read it, but was stifled by the long hold times :’-(

I wasn’t only drawn to it because of the UNC connection, but also because of the modern retelling of Arthurian legends. I knew this was going to be a fascinating take on them with a Black protagonist, southern history, secret societies, and the first public university in the country, how couldn’t it be!

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Book 833: You’re My Home – Katie Moore

Geoff W

Book cover of "You're My Home" with Amazon Affiliate linkLooking back at the review request for this, I’m not sure what drew me to it. Maybe it was the best friends, the religious homophobia, the slow-burn or the hurt/comfort friends to lovers draw.* Whatever it was, I’m glad I said yes because even though I was emotionally exhausted by the end of the novel it was 100% worth the 460-page slog!

You’re My Home is the story of Zach, an underdeveloped young man who survives an abusive religious family, and Brady, the wealthy outgoing football jock with a heart of gold. They meet when they’re young and the story spans five or six years and you feel every one of those years on the page.

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Book 812: The Step Back – J.T. Bushnell

Geoff W

Book cover of "The Step Back" with Amazon Affiliate linkI wasn’t sure what to expect with this. I saw a meh review (that was still four stars) on Goodreads so that definitely made me hesitant to start. But, I’d already told the publisher I’d take a look at it, so I did.*

The Step Back is the story of Ed Garrison. There’s not a lot that happens other than he grows the f*ck up. It sounds weird saying it’s that simple—sure it’s a two-year period in his life is full of upheaval and maturing faster than he want—but in essence that’s what it is.

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Books

Book 809: Heartstopper, Vol. 3 (Heartstopper #3) – Alice Oseman

Geoff W

Book cover of "Heartstopper, Volume 3" with Amazon Affiliate linkClick here to see an updated (February 2022) response.

Well, my organized reading list has already been disrupted. I pre-ordered this back in December and didn’t really forget that I ordered it, but forgot when it was supposed to arrive. So, when it arrived while I was out of town last week I knew I couldn’t put off reading it—and frankly I’m impressed I lasted the four days I did!

These are so stinking adorable. I can’t believe I’ve managed to keep myself from finishing the series on the website, knowing it’s there! So, kudos to me for having some self-restraint in some part of my life 😀 If only I could figure out how to do that with food . . . I know for sure there’s at least one more, I’ve ordered it already, but I’m not sure how many more she’ll squeeze in between this and Solitaire.

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Books

Book 797: My Drowning – Jim Grimsley

Geoff W

Book cover of "My Drowning" with Amazon Affiliate linkJim Grimsley is probably one of the most depressing writers I’ve ever read, and yet I keep going back to him every 5-10 years. Depressing may not be the correct descriptor, he just writes such desolate books and truly embraces the southern gothic style and maybe that’s what draws me to him?

This was my first time reading My Drowning and it was very different from Winter Birds and Dream Boy but at the same time very similar (mostly through that southern gothic style). In addition to the style, he really excels at writing children’s voices.

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