Hey there, lovely people!

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Sorry about that- I’ve been going through some tough times with finishing school and the whole COVID crisis (America has not been handling it well).

But that’s not why we’re here.

We’re here for a new book review! This week is a two-parter because I can’t help myself. I recently discovered Carry On and Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell. Carry On was published way back in 2015 and Wayward Son back in late 2019. Luckily, Rainbow has said that she plans to release a third book, called Any Way the Wind Blows, very soon, and I honestly cannot wait.

Here’s what I’ll do from now on: I’ll talk about a book or two I read, and I’m not going to worry too much about the structure of my posts. So, here I go.

I discovered Carry On in one of my many Google searches for gay books. Yes, I Google books with queer representation (I’m one of them). I had seen Wayward Son in pretty much every bookstore but could never manage to find its prequel. I had to order it online (I use bookshop.org, which raises money for local bookstores and has pretty much every book you’d get on Amazon). I am so glad I did.

The main character, Simon, is supposed to be the Chosen One in a school of magick. Prophesies and other mages have told him so for years, but he can’t seem to control the magick he has. He also can’t get along with his roommate, Baz, who the sole heir to the most powerful of the Old Families. The two of them will one day have to fight each other, and they’re both confident that only one of them will make it out alive.

Then new information comes to light about the decade-old death of Baz’s mother, and Simon and Baz become reluctant allies to solve the mystery. They recruit Penelope, Simon’s smart, powerful best friend, to help.

Wayward Son finds the three of them driving across America in an old-fashioned convertible to visit, and possibly rescue, Simon’s ex-girlfriend Agatha. Magickal rules in America are very different, and mages don’t have the kind of power that the trio is used to.

And don’t worry, it gets gay.

And Penelope is half Indian, on her mother’s side.

I read these books in one night each. I stayed up until three or four in the morning to finish them. The pacing is amazing, the world building is insane, and the characters are so complex and loveable that I couldn’t sleep without knowing what happened next. Honestly.

The representation was excellent and the storytelling was beautiful. I cannot wait for Any Way the Wind Blows. Until then, I guess I’ll have to settle for other books.

Take a look at my last post on Once and Future by James Patterson. Also, visit my (soon to be updated) bookshelf for the books that I’d recommend to read or reread. I’m pretty picky about what books I keep.

Until next time!