Anthony Camber

And I thought 2023’s total of 48 books was going to be hard to beat. In 2024 I read 104 books – almost all queer, and most YA. Meanwhile I completed the first drafts of two new novels, about which you’ll hear more soon.

As usual, for each book I published a one-post review on Threads – and more recently, on Bluesky too. The Threads, uh, thread starts with this post. Bear in mind that Threads seems particularly poor at rendering a single long thread that doesn’t branch, so if you want to read them all then keep scrolling here, as they’re all at the end of this blog post. I also post all my reviews on Goodreads and StoryGraph.

Summarising the year’s reading:

• Favourite: Book 38, In Memoriam. Gut-wrenching, uncompromising, unrelenting.
• Least favourite: Book 47, Road Song: Step One. I wrote a blog post about it.
• Best surprise: Tie between book 76, Autoboyography, and book 95, Wear It Like a Crown. I started both with low expectations, thinking I’d hate them.
• Worst surprise: Probably book 29, Glitterland. A rare miss for me for Alexis Hall.
• Most frustrating: book 82, You’re My Home. Odd; implausible; the religous, homophobic parents trope; a family with infinite money; stereotypes…
• Most in need of another proofread: book 87, Land on Me. After posting my review, the author commented that a newer version had been uploaded fixing many problems.

I am still oddly enamoured with ice hockey romances. I have the urge to attend a match for some reason. Shame the UK isn’t a great ice hockey nation.

Someone please make these into TV shows:

• The Breakaway series by EL Massey, starting with 2023’s book 37, Like Real People Do, and book 38, You’ve Nothing Left to Prove, and concluding this year with book 1, All Hail the Underdogs, and book 104, Free From Falling (coincidentally-ish my first and last books of the year). Three queer ice hockey romances, linked by the same team.
• Book 11, Sixteen Souls, and book 32, Twelve Bones, by Rosie Talbot. Ghosts in York, and people who can see them.
• Book 51, Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow, and book 103, Wayward Son, by Rainbow Rowell (I’ll read the third in the series this year). Magical youths, without Potter.
• The Last Binding trilogy by Freya Marske (book 56, A Marvellous Light; book 70, A Restless Truth; book 88, A Power Unbound). Edwardian magic.

Ratings distribution, because nerd:

You might reasonably argue that I’m easily pleased.

Looking at my reviews over the year, they’re relatively consistent: trending slightly lower (green line).

And now the full text of every review of the year.

1. All Hail the Underdogs 5/5

Books 1 and 2 in this series were my runaway favourites in 2023. Book 3 follows a younger pair of hockey players in the same universe: Roman and Damien, likeable and very different. I didn’t know if I’d love them as much as Alex and Eli from the first two books. Turns out I very much did. Nitpicking, I would’ve liked to see more of the secondary characters like Kaner and Olly. But there’s plenty of plot for the two leads.

2. If I See You Again Tomorrow 4/5

Groundhog Day stories, even ones dressed up as romances, are mysteries. Why am I looping? How can I stop looping? Fantastic (as in “fantasy”) problems like this inevitably have fantastic solutions. Despite this, the in-story logic must hold, and the detective (protagonist) must detect. SYAT mostly succeeds here: there’s lots of detecting, and fantastic logic. There are also too many coincidences, and the romance is fast and then– absent.

3. Sidelined 4/5

A better title might be “Expectations”. Two (US) footballing teens both saddled with expectations to live up or down to: estranged friends, thrown back together after a few years apart, navigating the traditions of US high schools, the reputations of their fathers, and their own history. Some fun red herrings – feels like the author’s toying with the reader’s expectations too. A rushed act 3 means the story ends a little sooner than… expected?

4. They Hate Each Other 4½/5

Bounced off this for weeks because of the title. Better: “Losing Control”. An enemies-to-lovers story in which both teens are suffering in different ways: Jonah is the caregiver in his poor, broken family; Dylan is haunted by past events in his well-off, distant family. How they deal with their problems, and their progression from fake to real dating, is sensitive, real, and genuinely moving. A pivotal character never speaks: perfect choice.

5. Keep Talking 4½/5

Over 70 years of broadcasting – mostly at the BBC – David Dimbleby has seen everything. This isn’t an autobiography in the traditional sense: we learn almost nothing of his life outside broadcasting. It’s a timely record of the importance of true, fair journalism – especially political journalism – in a fractured and fractious world. It’s also a strong defence of the BBC, despite its flaws. Great for news nerds like me.

6. The Charm Offensive 4/5

I’m obsessing about titles: I don’t like this one. I’d go with “Reality Meets Reality”. Hot neurodivergent tech millionaire Charlie goes on a TV dating show to find his princess, but instead finds a prince – his producer handler, Dev, who’s living with depression. Enjoyable, unexpectedly moving in parts. A range of queer identities on display. A fraction too focused on the TV show.

7. As You Walk On By 4/5

Theo has friend trouble, boy trouble, family trouble, and future trouble. This is a book about dares – explicit (his friends regularly dare each other) and implicit (growing up, speaking up, permitting yourself, expressing yourself).

I struggled with the firehose of characters in the early chapters. Loved the diversity and the reality on show (teen boys acting like teen boys). Needed more… evidence to justify the ending.

8. Spotlight 4/5

This self-pub has a lot going for it, in particular protag Emmy’s best friend Julian and his younger brother Colby. There’s a rich backstory here: not so much for Emmy, sadly. The boys live in a town uneasy with anything but the Kinsey extremes, and Emmy’s growing realisation of his feelings towards Julian battle against the realities of his world.

Over-written in places, and in need of a light copy edit to unravel occasional confusion. Enjoyable though.

9. Ander and Santi Were Here 4½/5

Up-and-coming Texan artist Ander falls for undocumented immigrant Santi, in a neighbourhood of San Antonio where ICE agents are prowling. Ander is proudly non-binary, and nobody in their orbit has an issue with that: great to see. Love the intermingling of English and Spanish, which feels real (I know some Portuguese, so I get by).

A book of heat: passion and anger, and finding your home.

10. Lock & West 3½/5

Neurodiverse Lock, wannabe actor West. Families in various states of disrepair, with secrets galore. Some funny lines but all very soapy and melodramatic. Tonally hit-and-enormous-miss. Some characters lacking shades of grey. A related group with J names: Jim, Jordan, Jenny, Jill, and Jack – thankfully distinct enough in the plot but a bad idea. Annoying slips indicating more editing needed: “reign in”, “wrung” (of a ladder).

Some good ideas hindered in execution, sadly.

11. Sixteen Souls 4½/5

York schoolboy Charlie can see and interact with ghosts. He meets Sam, with similar powers. Mystery, adventure, and great danger follow.

Lots to love here: in particular the diversity, including Charlie’s disability. An intricate, clever plot. Dark and scary moments. Deep backstories – we arrive more in the middle than the start of the story, but never feel confused. There’s a world here, and I’m keen to encounter more of it.

Would make a great TV series.

12. A Mark on My Soul 2½/5

Noah and Parker, best friends. Noah has had a crush on Parker forever, and it’s time to come out.

Technically it’s fine, although some scenes are padded with an awful lot of irrelevant fluff. It tells an important story, about the damage religious parents can do. And maybe a decade or two ago this story would have been desperately needed.

But it’s not the kind of story I want to read now. It’s not the kind of story teenagers need.

13. Evergreen 4/5

Quill is a male, half-human dryad – unique, and waiting for magical powers to kick in. Liam is his new, human, neighbour. Quill’s mother doesn’t want him to leave the house, but Quill is 17 and Liam is… interested?

One danger with a small cast and a big mystery is a shallow pool of candidate antagonists. No problems here: the plot is clever without being opaque. I did say “no, don’t do that” at the protagonist a couple of times. Sweet, different, touching, enjoyable.

14. Reverie 4½/5

Kane has a gap in his memory. What happened? Why does he have burns on his head? Why do some strangers not seem like strangers?

Saying much more would introduce spoilers. This is a hugely imaginative fantasy with great writing and world-building. The major characters are well thought-out and very distinct. My only quibble is the protagonist, whose decisions sometimes feel forced to drive the plot.

15. So This Is Ever After 4/5

What happens after the hero kills the evil one? Arek and his companions take over the kingdom – but magic still abounds. Great premise for a story, and I perversely enjoy modern speech in medieval fantasy settings. The kingdom is pleasingly diverse and accepting. The characters bounce off each other nicely.

Sadly it suffers from a common problem: if only the two destined for each other actually had a proper conversation there’d be no conflict, and no story.

16. The Many Fears of Daniel Beck 3/5

Danny suffers from severe anxiety, and after bad experiences at his last school he’s a loner. Until Leon befriends him, and Danny’s life begins to change for the better.

An odd book. It often reads more like a “what I did over summer” essay than a novel. The story is resolutely unsurprising. Not a great deal actually happens, and sometimes it happens more than once. Disappointing.

17. Theoretically Straight 4/5

Theo’s straight – and then he meets Caleb. What does this new whatever-it-is mean for his faith, his friends, and his family? And can Caleb cope?

The depiction of the electric confusion of first love here is great. There’s the usual mix of characters in the two friend groups, nicely portrayed.

However… way too many “Earth to Theo/Caleb” moments: no need for characters to freeze while thinking. And I think I’m done with the strict religious parents trope.

18. Runaway Train 4/5

Denis’s mum throws him out when he tells her he’s gay. He sneaks onto a fancy overnight train, and meets rich, wild child Oliver – who has his own demons.

Doyle’s stories, set in Ireland, are a refreshing change from US-based stories. I enjoyed the humour amid the deadly serious. More than a little suspension of disbelief in how the Oliver/Denis relationship grows over the space of a single night.

19. Lucky Bounce 5/5

Teacher Zeke has had an embarrassing thing for pro ice hockey player Spencer for so long. And now Spencer’s kid is in his class, and Zeke and Spencer have to interact, and… you can guess where this is going.

I seem to have my own embarrassing thing for nerd/jock stories involving ice hockey. This is a character piece not unduly burdened with plot and that’s fine: it’s adorable, and funny, and sparky, and really rather spicy. Wanted more, but loved the ending.

20. Top Secret 4/5

Keaton’s GF wants a threesome with a guy. He finds one on an app, and realises he might be keener on guy than girl. Unknown to him, the guy is… his frat brother Luke, and they hate each other. Yes, it’s an enemies-to-lovers gay awakening story.

The coincidence that he matches with his hate-interest is fine: it drives the plot. Less good: an arrest where a character makes the wrong choice for plot reasons. But I enjoyed this overall. Better title perhaps: “Accepting”.

21. I’m So (Not) Over You 3½/5

Unemployed journalist Kian was recently dumped by super-rich beverage heir Hudson but they both still seem to be in love with each other and it’s all rather messy.

Messy in lots of ways. I just didn’t buy any of this, to be honest. In the small it’s decently written and there’s a great scene with Kian and Hudson’s grandma. In the large, people act for the story and not from character in a series of implausible breakups and reunions.

22. The King’s Delight 3½/5

Royal groom Felix and King Leopold get it on. That’s the gist. There’s little preamble and a great deal of amble. Nothing wrong with that: I like ambling. If you’re looking for a plot, there’s a light dusting, no more.

I mean, it’s OK?

23. Daniel, Deconstructed 4/5

Daniel has autism and sees the world differently to neurotypical people. He tries to set up his best friend Mona with his new friend Gabe, who’s non-binary. But Daniel doesn’t see the signals that others see.

This is a very Gen Z book: maximally diverse and accepting. Putting the reader in Daniel’s head is important – I learned a lot. The lack of significant plot doesn’t stop you rooting for the characters. These kinds of stories warm my heart and give me hope.

24. My Fair Brady 4½/5

Wade: self-centred theatre geek. Elijah: shy, low self-esteem. Elijah enlists Wade’s acting chops to forge a new, confident self: Brady. Meanwhile Wade’s wannabe-not-ex Reese is the star of the school musical, My Fair Lady. Is Wade helping Elijah for the right reasons?

Wade’s portrayed well: not annoyingly dislikeable, and his actions fit. Elijah I loved: reminding me of myself in many ways. His transformation to Brady is great. Reese gains ½D by the end. Enjoyable.

25. Sparks Fly 4½/5

At Stonebury’s Conservatory for Young Mages, Arthur and Mika are bitter rivals and top of the class. And then deep magic reveals they’re soulmates. To get the other students off their backs they start fake dating – you can guess the rest.

The initial chapters throw characters at you rapidly, and I thought I’d dislike this story. Happily, it grew on me. Great depictions of the emotions at play. Strong, likeable, distinct leads and friends. Loved chapter 31.

26. If This Gets Out 4½/5

Boy band Saturday – Ruben, Zach, Angel, Jon – is on a world tour. Closeted-by-management Ruben falls for Zach, who wants to write but management says no. And Angel and Jon aren’t how management wants them to be.

Part romance, part coming-of-age story, part diatribe against manufactured artists and their exploitative, cynical puppet masters. A touch of the twirly moustaches there, but the boys are well drawn and the angst and stresses and family pressures are real.

27. The Sky Blues 4/5

Sky has a crush on Ali, and a wall covered in his plans for a promposal. And then a photo of the wall is emailed to the school and beyond. Who did it? Why? And how will Ali react?

Fun and sweet, and a little bit different. Predictable, sure, but it had me smiling at all the right points. Some side characters needed depth, especially the nastier ones. The ending is more abrupt than I’d have preferred.

28. A Boy Called Rainbow 4/5

Newly single art evaluator Miles is hired to evaluate some art in a big old beach house. Living there is Ryan-Beau, AKA Rainbow: talented artist, attractive, and deaf.

The inclusion of a deaf major character is great, and the story’s well written. But there’s not much of a plot or spark. Spice, yes. The characters fall for each other – and Miles picks up ASL – implausibly rapidly. A short, unsurprising, pleasant read.

29. Glitterland 3½/5

Bipolar, toff-adjacent writer Ash falls for “glitter pirate” Essex boy Darian. Can whatever they have survive Ash’s self-destructive tendencies?

Hall’s a funny, engaging writer. But I struggled with this one. Ash is desperately unlikeable, even taking into account the mental illness that debilitates his daily life. It’s hard to root for an arsehole. Meanwhile Darian’s accent is rendered phonetically, which while accurate reads as condescending.

30. Cattle Stop 4½/5

Five years ago, farmhands Cooper and Whit kissed. Now Cooper’s back at the farm, and Whit’s there, and it’s awkward, and they snipe at each other, until of course they don’t.

One of those stories that wouldn’t be a story if only the pair would have a proper conversation. But where’s the fun in that? Their relationship is deliciously antagonistic and stuffed with telling but misread silences. Men being awful/wonderful/frustrating/sweet men.

31. Him 4/5

Ryan and Jamie: near-pro hockey players, best friends, until a dare a few years ago. Ryan’s gay, Jamie’s straight (or is he?) (obvs no). A chance encounter brings them together again, resurfacing old feelings.

Ungooglable title. Ryan and Jamie’s characters are mostly interchangeable – disappointing in a story that’s all about those two and not much else. Secondary characters have ghostly presences only. But the relationship is sweet and spicy and I’ll gladly read the sequels.

32. Twelve Bones 4/5

Sequel to Sixteen Souls. Ghost-seers Charlie and boyfriend Sam, plus their living and dead friends, have another mystery to solve. People are being ripped apart – seemingly from the inside. Who or what is to blame?

Packed with action, this story doesn’t let up for 400+ pages. The supporting cast are great, and the two leads very strong. It’s grisly and a lot darker than you might expect. Both books perfect for a lavish TV adaptation.

33. XOXO 3/5

Childhood cancer survivors Lark and Henry meet up again at college, where Lark is a dance student and Henry the star quarterback. They rekindle their friendship – and more.

Competently written and a decent core idea, but humdrum and lacking any real spark. Reads more like a journal in places, documenting activities that I suspect were intended to add colour but sadly just slow the pace.

34. Overthinking 4/5

The sequel to Overemotional (4/5) sees Steven, Troy and Freya start university and navigate the stresses of new adulthood while recovering from their defeat of Zachary. Meanwhile, the secretive DEMA wants to use Steven and Troy’s powers to help round up more emomancers. But something’s not right…

Another fast-paced, fun adventure for the group, with an explosive finale that sets up book 3. Shows how easily even close friendships can struggle and snap in new environments.

35. Runaway Skies 4½/5

In Dublin, Caleb is living life to the full a few years after a heart transplant while still a teen. Kai is a French student studying in the city and staying at Caleb’s (mum’s) house. They become friends, etc.

Same universe as Runaway Train (4/5). I enjoyed this a lot more: rich backstories, rounded characters, plausible plots and subplots. Still many scenes that instantly jump back in time. Overall, a story of sadness, hope, and making the most of the time you have.

36. An Unexpected Kind of Love 3½/5

Aubrey, owner of a Soho bookshop, meets Blake, American actor filming in the area. There’s an instant attraction, etc.

This book struggles to sustain its plot. The core idea is fine if implausible but you sense the author grasping for Things To Do to keep the story going. A very public moment of PDA sits uneasily with Blake’s professional closet-dwelling. The relationship stresses around Aubrey’s hovering ex _because Tropes_. OK but frustrating.

37. Conventionally Yours 4/5

Conrad: confident. Alden: neurodiverse. Both play the card game Odyssey. They hate each other. And then they go on a road trip across the country to Las Vegas to play in an Odyssey tournament.

A solid slow-burning enemies-to-lovers alternating-narrator road-trip romance. The leads are distinct with decent backstories, and the developing relationship hits the right notes. Could benefit from a few surprises to liven things up.

38. In Memoriam 5/5

Elwood and Gaunt, boarders at a public school as World War One starts. Close friends, both silently wanting more. And then both in the trenches in Belgium and France.

Devastating. The unrelenting horror of that war is laid bare. The brutality, the suffering, the death. The guilt and anger of the survivors. And told through this terror, the love story of Elwood and Gaunt. Best book of the year so far. Might give you nightmares.

39. The Amazing Alpha Tau Boyfriend Project 3½/5

Students Eli and Archer meet at a wedding, and Eli gives Archer his number. Except Archer’s straight. They become friends anyway, and it turns out Archer isn’t that straight after all.

Short, breezy, implausible and inconsequential. Archer is the most oblivious character it’s possible to imagine and it’s more frustrating than endearing. And also: punctuation in texts?

40. Openly Straight 4/5

Rafe is openly gay – until he moves from Colorado to New England for his junior year. At his new school, he doesn’t want to be labelled “gay”: he just wants to be Rafe. So he reinvents himself. And then he meets… etc

Great premise. What if you could reboot people’s perceptions of you? It almost happened to me at 18: but that’s a different story.

Introspective but keeps the plot moving. Stutters rather towards the end. I’ll read the sequel though.

41. You & I, Rewritten 3/5

Will starts a new job as an editor at a publishing house. Graham, the boss’s son, works there too. As the pair get close, Will receives a manuscript that stuns him.

This book frustrated me. I tired quickly of the volume of adjectives, yearning for some poetry amongst the lifeless prose. Too much description serving no purpose, and not enough story.

42. The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge 3½/5

Ezra and his friends decide to enact revenge on their ex-boyfriends, and soon find themselves part of a broader struggle against intolerance.

Not much in the way of character depth. Some moustache-twirling in evidence, and a lot of plot telegraphy. Significantly more political than I expected – welcome and timely if sadly unrealistic.

43. Otherwordly 4/5

In an alt-present of goddesses, dryads and the like, human Ellery meets familiar Knox and they become… more familiar. But what shenanigans is Knox involved with, and why is the city’s climate in a permanent winter?

I tend to enjoy fantasy alts, with the mix of reality and magic – the Rivers of London series standing out. This one is pleasant enough, and an easy read, but doesn’t veer far from the fantastic vanilla.

44. Only Mostly Devastated 4½/5

Ollie and Will had a summer fling, and after Ollie’s family moves suddenly he’s surprised to discover Will at his new high school. But Ollie is out, and Will is not. What happens now?

Grease-inspired but I genuinely didn’t notice. Told entirely from Ollie’s perspective, there’s a lot of introspection and angst and it’s both funny and desperately sad. The leads and secondaries are mostly engaging, with their own storylines.

45. You Should Be So Lucky 4½/5

At the Chronicle in 1960 New York, Mark is assigned to write a diary for the Robins’ new trade Eddie, struggling to adapt to major league baseball and his new team. Mark is also adapting: to life without William.

This is a story about loss and rebuilding. Mark’s loss of William; Eddie’s loss of his old life and his form. Together, they rebuild. A beautiful, atmospheric slow-burn romance in a city on the edge of tolerance, on the cusp of Kennedy, and everything.

46. Chasing Pacquiao 3½/5

At high school, Bobby is outed and suffers for it: heavy beatings. He decides to learn to box to defend himself, emulating his hero Manny Pacquiao, supported by his boyfriend Brandon and friend Rosie.

The setting is mostly great, and the characters mostly likeable if underdeveloped. I found myself saying _oh come ON_ too often. Needs more nuance and shades of grey.

47. Road Song: Step One 1/5

Adopted 15yo Blue moves to a new town and makes new friends, including Harry, and they go on a road trip together over the school summer holiday.

This book is not ready for release, and my score is generous: ½ for giving Blue a stammer; ½ for finishing.

I’ve written more here: https://anthonycamber.com/2024/05/19/fixing-common-writing-problems/

48. The Place Between 4/5

Doctoral student Ned is persuaded to fake-date his former professor, Henry, as a ruse so Ned can work on his dissertation and Henry can work on an important presentation.

The premise makes very little sense, and Henry starts out as excessively standoffish and unlikeable. The dialogue sparkles, though – especially with the secondary characters, with Ned’s dad a particular delight. Lovely slow-burn, and I found the end quite moving.

49. The Ghost of Buxton Manor 2½/5

Ghost Rupert, haunting an empty manor house for a century, meets non-ghost Aaron – who seems remarkably similar to his former lover Michael. And Aaron has been drawing a face all his life, remarkably similar to Rupert’s.

Rupert and Michael are based on a real couple who died together in 1921. The premise is fine, the execution not so great. Let down by numerous grammatical errors and a lack of basic research (example: about Oxford University).

50. The Sleeping Soldier 4/5

A fairy’s curse means US Civil War soldier Russell sleeps for a century. Waking in 1965, he meets gay student Caleb – and has a lot to learn, and relearn.

Well written and dripping with research, this is an imaginative and poignant tale that’s as much about loss and loneliness as it is about the growing friendship of Russell and Caleb. Needs a more appropriate cover.

51. Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow 4½/5

Simon, prophesied as “the Chosen One” in magickal circles, plus his magic-wielding friends – including grumpy Baz, who everyone believes is a vampire – battle dark forces, trying to track down and defeat the Insidious Humdrum.

Terrific. Would work so well as a TV adaptation – much more interesting than H Potter. Characters have depth and all get a turn as narrator. The Simon/Baz relationship is a delight.

52. The Only Light Left Burning 5/5

Sequel to All That’s Left in the World (2022, 4½). Andrew and Jamie’s relationship struggles under the stresses of post-apocalyptic life, both still haunted by the events of the first book. And now they have others to look out for too.

I was genuinely afraid for these boys: anything could happen in this world. The additional characters work well, making for a different story this time but just as stressful to read. Another one I’d love to see adapted for TV.

53. Pride High: Book 1 – Red 4/5

It’s 1992, and various students of a Kansas town called Pride navigate their relationships – or lack of them – in their sophomore year at Pride High.

First of a trilogy, and I’ll keep reading. The characters share narration duties and are varied and interesting if sometimes a little flat. More of a record of a semester than a story with a single coherent plot – but that’s fine.

54. We Contain Multitudes 4½/5

At high school, Jonathan (AKA Jo, gay and bullied for it) and Adam (AKA Kurl, a jock repeating the year) are paired in a letter-writing exercise, and through this learn more about each other and themselves.

Narrating a relationship solely through letters exchanged between the participants inevitably means characters relating scenes in which both were present. Dangerous, but it mostly works here. Heart-wrenching, poignant, poetic.

55. Enemies with Benefits 3/5

Colby and Ezra are enemies, after Ezra slept with Colby’s girlfriend. And then Colby receives a photo from an unknown number showing he and Ezra making out. Colby decides to get his revenge on Ezra by… seducing him.

This is an odd book. Tonally it’s not sure where it is, mixing broad comedy with unexpectedly spicy scenes and a serious subplot about conversion therapy. I didn’t entirely buy into the characters. Needed a good editor and a few more drafts.

56. A Marvellous Light 4½/5

In Edwardian England, Robin becomes government liaison to a secret magical society he knows nothing about. Edwin grudgingly teaches him – and then they’re drawn into a mystery at the heart of magic. First in a trilogy.

Beautifully written. Robin and Edwin are opposites that attract, and how their relationship deepens and shifts as the mystery slowly unravels is portrayed well. Another story ripe for a TV version.

57. HappyHead 4/5

Seb is one of a hundred young people spending two weeks at a new retreat intended to tackle teenage unhappiness. He meets Finn, and begins to suspect that not all is as it appears.

The blurb compares it to Hunger Games – fair. The writing style is unusual (some sequences of extremely short, urgent, bare paragraphs) and some might hate it: I didn’t. The ending is disappointing, focusing on setting up book 2 rather than delivering a satisfying conclusion to book 1.

58. Us 3½/5

Sequel to Him (2024 #31, 4/5). Ryan and Jamie, now living together, struggle with life as a closeted couple. Ryan’s teammate Blake moves into their apartment block, and they hate acting as “roommates” when he’s around, and socialising separately. It’s tense.

Sequels are tricky. How will the authors sustain the plot? Here it’s pretty flimsy, and readers might well scream JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER. But there is some heft to it and you do feel for the characters.

59. The Big Ask 3/5

Alfie asks recently dumped Harvey to the prom. Harvey’s ex-girlfriend isn’t too happy about it.

Sweet and life-affirming, and full of Simon James Green’s usual humour (which I enjoy). Sadly it’s so, so short – 120 pages – with not much plot to speak of. An easy, quick, expensive read.

60. Icarus 4½/5

Teenager Icarus works for his forger father, stealing art – mostly from one house. When Icarus meets Helios mid-job in that house, life begins to take on new meaning.

An unusual, beautiful book that’s ultimately about friendship, and how teens notice and help more than their elders credit. There is pain, and longing, and desire, and regret, and lots of things unsaid.

61. Swimmer Boy 2½/5

Liam moves with his family to Fairmont and joins the high school, where he shares classes with a blond, straight swimmer called Alex. Alex’s friends and his girlfriend are different flavours of obnoxious, but Liam and Alex become friends.

Not a good book. Too much telling vs showing; one-dimensional characters; an unlikely plot. Short, and yet bulked with filler.

62. Out of Character 4/5

Follow-up to Conventionally Yours (2024 #37, 4/5). Jasper (nerdish) reconnects with estranged friend Milo (jock). Once joined at the hip, their friendship broke when Jasper came out. Can they become friends again – or more?

A pinch of enemies-to-lovers, a cup of opposites-attract. Jasper’s need to help, to fix, clashes well with Milo’s stubborn desire to solve his own problems. Milo’s paralysis and fear of coming out are real. Milo changes a lot; Jasper much less.

63. Together in a Broken World 3½/5

Post-apocalyptic courier Aiden, on a cross-country delivery, meets proto-MacGyver Zach, who wants to go to Seattle – where Aiden is headed. Shenanigans and romance ensue.

I enjoy the post-apocalypse genre (prep for 2025?). This is fun but a little repetitive in spoilery ways I won’t detail. Keeps the tension right up to the end. Aiden and Zach fall for each other too quickly and easily, and other characters are strictly 2D.

64. Daniel Cabot Puts Down Roots 4½/5

New York, 1973. Daniel is coasting, unsure of his life. Alex runs a paediatrics clinic, and is (undiagnosed) autistic. Although they do everything together, they’re not together… yet.

Cat Sebastian creates wonderful, funny, awkward characters, and the writing seems effortless. I love these character explorations, these evocative glimpses into people’s lives.

65. Until We Meet Again 3½/5

Follow-up to XOXO (2024 #33, 3/5). Roommates Emil (gay) and Bones (straight?) go from bickering to friends to more.

The burgeoning (b)romance is set against Bones’ strained relationship with his parents, who in their grief constantly compare Bones to his dead brother. Bones continuing to email the brother is a nice idea sadly underused. Aside from this, there isn’t much depth to the characters; I don’t know much about Emil even though he narrates half the chapters.

66. Canto Contigo 4½/5

Rafie and Rey share a moment at a big mariachi competition. A few months later, with Rafie grieving his abuelo, they unexpectedly meet again and compete for lead vocalist in the school mariachi band ahead of the next competition.

Rafie’s grief consumes him: I love how this is portrayed, through Rafie talking to his abuelo in the form of a ceramic figure (which talks back). Rey is a saint to persevere. Moving and uplifting; makes me want to listen to the songs.

67. Boys on a Train 3½/5

Eddie travels by train to school. A new guy starts, Dylan, and he travels on the same train. They argue, fight, etc, and it gets quite complicated.

This book didn’t quite gel with me. The homophobia and fear feel of a different age. The writing’s fine, the characters are interesting; I just found it all too bleak and hoped for more joy. While accurate, the title is very generic and this perhaps reflects the looseness of the story.

68. The Paper Boys 3½/5

Sunny: tabloid reporter. Ludo: broadsheet reporter. Both on the politics beat at Westminster. Ludo breaks a story that Sunny should’ve had: they become rivals, until they aren’t.

An easy, light read. Some good jokes and fun characters, with an interesting plot about nuclear power stations and political shenanigans. Great to read a book with authentic British sensibilities and humour.

69. Blaine for the Win 4/5

Blaine’s boyfriend breaks up with him, and Blaine tries to win him back by standing for senior class president.

The subplots and secondary characters, such as Blaine’s aunt Starr, make this book deeper and more interesting than the main story would suggest. There’s a strong theme of mental health too. Ends rather abruptly, and I wanted more Danny to balance the politics plot.

70. A Restless Truth 4½/5

Follow-up to A Marvellous Light (#56, 4½/5). On the Lyric crossing the Atlantic to Southampton, Maud tries to solve a mystery involving the second piece of The Last Contract, with the help of new friend Violet and others on the liner.

A well-written and deeply plotted locked-door mystery that ties closely into the events of the first book. Plenty of fun characters across the classes. Looking forward to the final book of the trilogy.

71. Pride High: Book 2 – Orange 3½/5

Follow-up to Pride High: Book 1 – Red (#53, 4/5). As 1992 becomes 1993, students at the Kansas high school – and their relationships – grow and change.

Book 2 continues the story from where book 1 left off, adding more narrators and plotlines and continuing existing ones. The plausibility is dropping, on the whole. Still fun, and I’m enjoying the development of Diego in particular. I’ll finish the trilogy soon.

72. Dead Happy 4½/5

Follow-up to HappyHead (#57, 4/5). Seb and the other nine, in their couples, undergo more trials on a remote island. But where is Finn? And what is really going on?

The tension ratchets up trial by trial, so much so that I rationed my reading a little. The relationships between the three main characters are great and believable, and I enjoyed the sense of creepiness of the new characters. A genuinely exciting climax. Says important things about happiness.

73. Radical Love 4½/5

Based on a true story. It’s the 1810s, and Reverend John Church is preaching tolerance in London while chasing love and frequenting a molly house.

Definitely not a gay Bridgerton, if that’s what you might be hoping. This is the reality of Regency: pillories, hangings, gaol and all. Beautifully written in the style of the time, with John narrating – unreliably. A great read bringing a disturbing period of history to life.

74. Honestly Ben 4/5

Follow-up to Openly Straight (#40, 4/5). Ben struggles with his feelings for Rafe – he’s sure he’s not gay. Meanwhile he has to deal with his family, and with school pressures.

First book was first-person Rafe; this is first-person Ben. I enjoyed how the Ben/Rafe dynamic evolves, and especially the interactions with Toby and Albie. Ben is a deep thinker, an over-thinker (I relate!) and Rafe often mouth-before-brain, introducing friction. I’d happily read more about them.

75. Don’t Hate the Player 3½/5

Sophomores Jack and Elliot play in the same football (soccer) team at their high school. Elliot hates Jack, but not for long.

Billed as enemies-to-lovers, the boys aren’t really enemies: just a bit ratty with each other, until they become friends and then more.

Some of the writing needs a polish – complex, confusing sentences. The cover isn’t very good.

I struggle with US portrayals of proper football, of scoring “points”. No, it’s goals.

76. Autoboyography 5/5

In Provo, Utah, 18yo Tanner is a secretly bi non-Mormon in a sea of Mormons. He takes a class where he’ll write a book and falls hard for the 19yo TA, Sebastian – son of a Mormon bishop.

Quietly devastating. This is Tanner’s book, written for school. His personality shines, and his emotions batter you from the page. Sebastian’s struggles – the LDS disapproves of same-sex stuff – are written so well.

Did not expect this book to grab me by the feels in the way it did.

77. The Redwood Boys 2/5

1980ish. Closeted, bullied Peter – via his therapist, somehow – goes to a fancy boarding school, Redwood, and falls for rich rower Dalton.

Poor. A small, bland cast and a rather pedestrian plot, a lot of which takes place away from Redwood. Some unrealistic teenage stupidity, eg Peter knowing a character hates him and lies to him (for no obvious reason) but still believes him about something, until he doesn’t. Feels like it’s there to bulk up a low word count.

78. Pride High: Book 3 – Yellow 3½/5

Follow-up to Pride High: Book 2 – Orange (#71, 3½/5). The school year continues, and the relationships between the pupils continue to evolve. There’s some standard 90s homophobia.

I think this series is starting to step aboard the struggle bus, as if the author is scrambling for plotlines. It’s getting more than a little soapy. I’m still enjoying it, despite the implausibly diverse and tolerant cast for the time.

79. Be Dazzled 4/5

17yo Raffy lives to create: he’s a cosplayer. He meets Luca, a closeted soccer player who likes him, and wants to help him. But can he come out as bi and as a cosplayer?

Alternating chapters – “now” and “then” – follow Raffy and Luca as they first meet, and after they break up. This idea lives or dies on how each chapter relates to its neighbours, and it works well here. Raffy’s mother Evie is a bit extreme for me. Took me a while to engage with the story.

80. London Triptych 4/5

Three separate stories, half a century or so apart: 1894, 1954, 1998. A boy who knows Oscar Wilde; an artist who paints nudes; a hedonist who gets more than he bargained for.

Beautifully written, occasionally over-written (I’m not convinced a Victorian rent boy would know the word “asterisk”, and the writer enjoys writing dialogue for Wilde a little too much). As a study of character and of those changing times, fascinating and evocative.

81. Rookie Recovery 4/5

Cocky 25yo expat Brit hockey star Archie is traded to a pro team near Boston and falls for its uptight 37yo physio, ex-pro Jamie.

A slow-burn spicy romance, narrated alternately by Archie and Jamie. One of the two authors is British, so Archie’s language is accurate. I enjoyed his cockiness and confidence compared to Jamie’s more reserved nature. Plotwise, there’s nothing surprising on offer.

More typos and formatting issues than I’d like to see (Kindle version).

82. You’re My Home 3/5

13yo Zach is beaten by his homophobic, religious father, and saved by his 13yo neighbour Brady who recently lost his younger brother. The pair become inseparable.

Unusually the story covers almost their entire teenage years, with both boys taking turns to narrate. I veered between “this is so weird” and “this is unhelpful stereotyping” and “sweet” and “just talk, would you?” and “they seem to have infinite money”. Too odd, implausible and long to merit a higher score.

83. I Wish You All the Best 4½/5

Ben, after coming out as non-binary, is thrown out by their parents. They move in with their sister, start a new school, and meet Nathan. But Ben’s trauma is never far from the surface.

Ben’s pain and struggles are all on the page. It all feels real. I love Nathan: he’s a bright light in Ben’s life, guiding them out of the darkness. A great insight into life as an enby.

Many issues with paragraph breaks (Kindle version).

84. The Brightness Between Us 4/5

Sequel to The Darkness Outside Us (2023 #23, 4½/5). Ambrose and Kodiak, with their children Owl and Yarrow, struggle to survive on Minerva. Back on past-Earth, their original selves uncover the truth about the mission.

Unexpected and enjoyable sequel, deftly mixing two timelines 30K years apart. Lacks the darkest surprises of the original but just as compelling.

85. Boy Underground 4/5

In rural 1941 California 14yo Steven makes new friends: Nick, Suki, and Ollie. As the USA enters WW2, Suki – Japanese – is interned; Ollie goes to war; and Nick is falsely accused of a crime. And Steven begins to stand up for who he is, and what – who – he wants.

Told as a memoir from 2019, this is a haunting and melancholic story. The injustices of war, of internment, of false accusations, and of how gay people were treated. And of love, really. But there’s also hope.

86. Epic 4/5

Follow-up to Us (#58, 3½/5). Jamie and Wes return in a very short novella. I enjoy this couple, and the story is fun, but it’s so short my tea didn’t have time to get cold.

87. Land on Me 2/5

In a Texas town, 18yo Landon – who thought he was straight – becomes obsessed with 21yo Caleb, doing janitorial work at Landon’s school.

Immensely frustrating. A decent core idea that needed more work in the editing stage. Stupid teenage decisions are fine: but many felt more like decisions made simply to further the plot. I hated the best-friend Dan subplot, which didn’t ring true at all, especially how it ended.

So many typos. SO. MANY. TYPOS.

A selection: “<ore and more kids”; “witj”; “Ca;eb”; “siad”; “tyed”; “hoddie”; “teh”; “An tinge”; “her hand sin mine”; “they’d surly felt”

Also: words missing, quote marks missing, incorrect punctuation. Desperately in need of a good copy edit.

Editor’s note: the author has told me that the current version of this book on Amazon is newer, with these and other issues fixed. I haven’t personally confirmed this.

88. A Power Unbound 5/5

Final part of the Last Binding trilogy (#56 A Marvellous Light, 4½/5; #70 A Restless Truth, 4½/5). Focuses on Jack and Alan as the hunt for the final piece of The Last Contract heats up and reaches a dramatic conclusion.

I love the portrayal of Jack and Alan’s growing, complex relationship. A perfect, satisfying end to the trilogy that’s exciting and surprising, and beautifully written. The whole trilogy would be terrific as a TV show. I’m off to talk to some bees.

89. The Boyfriend Subscription 3½/5

Cole is not just a sex worker: he runs a big, legitimate business. Plant guru Teddy is bankrupt, his ex-father-in-law having ripped him off. They meet in a bar, and hit it off – and Cole needs a fake boyfriend for various reasons.

Sadly none of this felt especially real. The mutual love at first sight. The constant splitting and making up. The incongruity of perfect communication about consent versus a complete lack of it in other aspects. All a bit messy.

90. The Prospects 4/5

Gene is a gay trans man playing in the minor baseball leagues. Then his crush/rival Luis is traded to his team, threatening to take his place.

A third-person-limited narrative, always from Gene’s perspective. Suffers from ambiguous pronouns — is ‘he’ Gene or Luis? — making some speech hard to interpret. I enjoyed though understood little of the baseball. Warm and sweet, unsure if it wants to be spicy. Pleasingly diverse with some nice character work.

91. Murder on Milverton Square 3½/5

Addison is named as the sole beneficiary of his great-uncle’s estate, and travels to a small New Zealand town to find out more – where he’s caught up in a murder mystery and meets an attractive police sergeant, Jake.

Extremely cozy. Not much tension: think Murder She Wrote. Some enjoyable town busybodies and gossips in the cast. Unsure if I’m invested enough in Addison and Jake to read the sequels.

92. Gary of a Hundred Days 3/5

Innocent Gary, deposed as king, escapes into the arms of his former stable-master, Magnus.

A short (170 pages), mildly spicy romance untroubled by much in the way of plot or indeed romance. Serviceable prose, and I did laugh at some of the funny bits.

93. Ancient History 4/5

Amos and Hutch: a secret couple at high school, until Hutch bailed. Ten years on, Amos teaches History at the same school – and Hutch joins as a coach.

Very few surprises here: sweetly and spicily predictable. Secondary chars ranging from fun to indistinguishable. Only said “just talk to each other” once. Some common, glaring mistakes (reign/rein) and a comedy typo of “Occam” that probably belongs in the Urban Dictionary.

94. Out of the Blue 3½/5

Ocean-dwelling mer-person Crest is sent to live for a month on land as a human, and must solve someone’s problem before they can return. They meet swimmer Sean, who’s just broken up with his boyfriend.

Great concept, like Quantum Leap with fins. I don’t think it makes enough of that, ultimately: it becomes fake-dating with arguments and assholery when it could be more magical. I wanted to see more of Miguel, but he barely appears.

95. Wear It Like a Crown 5/5

In alt-contemporary Britain, Prince Joshua, second child of Queen Louise, is in danger of being outed. The monarchy engages a damage control agency and Leo is put on the case. And Leo has some secrets of his own.

Unexpectedly, this book grabbed me quickly and didn’t let go. Complex, vulnerable, engaging characters. A mostly plausible plot (I said “wouldn’t happen” a few times). Would read more Joshua/Leo content, gladly.

96. You & Me 4/5

Luke and his son Emmet are estranged, a year after the death of their wife/mother. Trying to reconnect with Emmet, Luke volunteers with the football parents – where he meets Landon, whose son Bowen plays with Emmet. Landon is gay, and Luke is… straight?

A slow-burn romance. Luke’s inevitable realisation is too instant for me. Loved the gradual reconnection of Luke and Emmet, and the conclusion despite its cheesiness.

Needs a more specific title, I think.

97. Hiding Him 2½/5

Out sixth-former Cameron is single, and then Finn joins the school. But life isn’t as simple as that: both boys have histories.

I’m not a fan of this one. The writing, editing and proofing all need work: clunky wording and grammar problems abound, and there’s too much fluff for me – plus a mad coincidence. I said “just talk to each other” too often. I know homophobia still exists in schools but the representation here feels outdated to me.

98. Pride High: Book 4 – Green 3½/5

Follow-up to Pride High: Book 3 – Yellow (#78, 3½/5). Time continues to pass in the town of Pride, Kansas, in 1993. The students learn more about themselves and each other.

Another decent instalment, and I’ll keep reading – assuming the author will complete the rainbow. This time there’s a sprinkling of new side characters, with some gender-questioning in the mix too. The real 1993 was never as queer as this in Kansas.

99. So Over This 4½/5

Third in the trilogy after Overemotional (2023 #28, 4/5) and Overthinking (2024 #34, 4/5). Steven and the gang deal with the events at the end of book 2 that brought seismic changes to their world.

Great conclusion to the story, full of action and energy. Flits between heads frequently and I sometimes lost track. Hope to read more by this author.

100. Sparrow 5/5

In an abandoned British Roman town, Jacob recounts his youth as a slave in a brothel on the Hispania coast. First confined to the garden, then sent on errands, then working downstairs in the tavern, finally he’s upstairs as a wolf – a sex worker.

Wonderfully evocative: a tremendous sense of time and place. Rich characters, even those with barely a scene. The boy – not yet Jacob – is written so well, narrating both as his younger and older selves, with naivity and wisdom.

101. The Pairing 3½/5

Exes Theo and Kit accidentally go on the same food/booze tour of Europe.

I wanted to enjoy this more. It’s a richly detailed description of European cities, wines, food, people, and the characters are warm and interesting. I struggled with the believability of it: in particular, sleeping with everyone they meet of any gender, and oddly how they could afford a tour like this. It’s a fantasy travelogue and I got a bit travel sick.

102. Theoretically Perfect 3/5

Sequel to Theoretically Straight (2024 #17, 4/5). Caleb and Theo continue their relationship, trying to work around Theo’s dad’s religious objections.

Needs a reminder of the first book to reduce confusion. Too many “I’m fine” excuses for me, and I remain extremely over the religious parents trope. Things happen with minor characters that don’t seem to have reasons or consequences: setup for a third book? Felt unsatisfying.

103. Wayward Son 4/5

Sequel to Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow (2024 #51, 4½/5). Baz, Simon and Penny go on a road trip in the USA, and magickal shenanigans ensue.

Full of adventure, with some fun new characters. Baz and Simon’s weird, rocky relationship is portrayed well. It’s missing some of the spark of the first book, and some peril. I’ll happily read book 3 though.

104. Free from Falling 5/5

Follow-on from All Hail the Underdogs (2024 #1, 5/5). Matts, one of the straight guys in the queerest hockey team in the NHL, meets Sydney – a trans woman rock star.

I’ve loved every book in the Breakaway series, and this is no exception. Alex, Eli, Roman and Damien from the earlier books make appearances. Matts is adorably dorky for a hockey player, and Sydney both strong and vulnerable. Such an important story to tell in the current climate, and beautifully told.