The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan // A Cute Sequel. That's It.

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily (Dash and Lily #2), by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Publication: October 18, 2016, by Knopf Books FYR
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 215
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: ½

Dash and Lily have had a tough year since they first fell in love among the shelves of their favorite bookstore. Lily’s beloved grandfather suffered a heart attack, and his difficult road to recovery has taken a major toll on her typically sunny disposition.
With only twelve days left until Christmas—Lily’s favorite time of the year—Dash, Lily’s brother Langston, and their closest friends must take Manhattan by storm to help Lily recapture the unique holiday magic of a glittering, snow-covered New York City in December.

My Thoughts:

I have been waiting forever to read the sequel of Dash and Lily, and I finally got the chance a little after Christmastime this year, which is kind of depressing. The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily, however, was quite boring and uneventful compared to the first novel. I feel that this might be because it was released years after the first book stunned us. It has lost the magic, to be honest, and I feel bad saying this, implying that the sequel to an adorable contemporary romance novel was disappointing. 

Listen - 3.5 stars isn't bad. It isn't even terrible at all. It's just that I was expecting something more to come out of this. I wanted Dash and Lily to have a story that screamed out Christmas, hot cocoa, and gooeyness all together. But instead - NO. I was given a story about the two members of this lovely couple questioning their relationship, questioning all the time they have spent together. It was just lacking something, and I felt that the story as a whole was just filler and made to please the audience. It wasn't made as a continuation, because a continuation honestly wasn't needed.

So, as the title explains, this story takes place over a span of twelve days. Twelve days for the two main characters to discover who they are and what their relationship really means. It was cute, but I feel that New York City, the setting, was the reason why it was cute. I COULDN'T GET ENOUGH OF READING ABOUT ALL OF THE STREETS AND ATTRACTIONS AND AGH - it was glorious. I just loved the idea of reintroducing these characters for a short period of time again. It was like another season of Gilmore Girls - same idea and characters, simply made to please the fans.

"This is the funny thing about New York — there are so many things to do at all times of the day, but there are still moments when you have no idea which of them to do, and feel extra silly because you know there has to be something out there for you to do; your mind just hasn't found it yet" (180).

The plot was a little slow for me but I can admit that it was all because of the pacing. The story was meant to go by fast but the relationship's destruction slowly occurred and I just became confused. This surely had its good, swoony moments where I literally FELL for Dash, but I occasionally felt the need to read something else. However, Levithan and Cohn's writing is as gorgeous as always. I constantly feel these poetic vibes coming from every word and chapter.

If you are the BIGGEST fan of this series, then give this a go. If you liked it, but wasn't OBSESSED with it, then you may pass on this because, even though it was written nicely, there are better books out there, including better books by these two authors. I can admit that I missed both Dash and Lily, so this was a nice run-into.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is a sequel that is worth skipping?

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan // A Nice LGBT Story

You Know Me Well, by Nina LaCour and David Levithan
Publication: June 7, 2016, by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ
Pages: 248
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½

Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.
That is, until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.
When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other—and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.
Told in alternating points of view by Nina LaCour and David Levithan, You Know Me Well is a story about navigating the joys and heartaches of first love, one truth at a time.

My Thoughts:

You Know Me Well is a book that really actually does know me well: I love books like this, that have a bit of unique substance in it that we can never really find in real YA. Honestly? I enjoyed it so much because an amazing author contributed to the story, and added in his own perspective (most definitely Mark's perspective, which I enjoyed reading more than Kate's), David Levithan. This is a book that I unfortunately was not able to pick up at BEA this year, but was sent it straight to my house a few weeks later from the publisher. This is a two-perspective novel written with the concept of pride and LGBTQ happiness. Our two protagonists, Kate and Mark, both explore their opportunities in the lovely setting of San Francisco (I WANT TO GO THERE NOW) and the Bay Area. And the best thing? They are not in love with each other. Kate is lesbian while Mark is gay, and they both become unexpected friends when in a club one night. 

This was written spectacularly. As always, two amazing YA authors collaborating turns out fantastic. This was poetic, lyrical, and had that interesting use of language that captivated me from the first page. I had a few issues with the plot, momentarily becoming boring at times, but the writing is important for me when I'm reading these kinds of inspirational stories. This seriously is an inspirational story. Although you may not be LGBTQ, it is a story that will make you have pride and look at things from a different perspective. We see two characters striving to get a good ending in the end, wanting to be getting the person that they initially wanted and wished for, and it just turned out pretty great.

We are first introduced to Mark, who is in love with his best friend, Ryan. They both aren't an official couple, but they have had their bright moments when things got better than Mark would ever expect. One night, during Pride Month, they head out to a club, and things get out of control when Mark parties so hard that he stands on top of the bar and goes crazy. He then meets his Calculus seating partner, Kate, and they instantly become friends, both battling their relationship issues together.

"I am looking into Ryan's eyes and I know I am going to take that public kiss, that kiss that would have changed everything, and I am going to fold it up until it id too small to ever be found again" (143).

I really enjoyed reading both sides of the story. I preferred Mark's, as mentioned before, because I normally always prefer to read a guy's side of the story, because men think things and do things differently than us gals do/think. Mark was hilarious, contained every characteristic that David Levithan's characters usually have. I just wanted THE SHIPS TO HAPPEN, TO SAIL. Ryark needed to occur. And then Kate was pretty great too, though I couldn't relate to her artistic personality. Kate is set to go to UCLA for art (very ambitious, am I wrong?) and she's obsessed with her best friend's cousin (I'm pretty sure it was that, it was so complicated to be honest), Violet, who is also lesbian. FOR ONCE WE HAVE A STORY WHERE THE GIRL/BOY DOESN'T TRY TO MAKE THEIR TRUE LOVE GAY. That happens quite often in many books I have read, and it honestly either turns out one way or the other, but Levithan and LaCour just made this so natural.

The whole book was natural. There was nothing absurd or weirdly explained about it. It's teenagers being teenagers, friendship blooming. There is so much buzz revolving around this newly-released story, perfect for Pride Month (which just happened!) and it's definitely worth it. I would say that this is one of the better LGBTQ books out there, because we readers immediately understand, and it doesn't fully have to do with everything gay and rainbow. But it stands with a perfect message that I need everyone to pick up and figure out for themselves. I loved the friendship between Kate and Mark—even though they were boy and girl, not in love with each other, their connection was inevitable, was precious. It's rare for us to explore adventurous friendships these days in novels, but I feel like we just did.

Something that could be debatable is the setting of the book: the timing specifically. This is very fast-paced, and although it's not so relatable in terms of actual reality, I enjoyed the novel anyway. THIS WAS THE PERFECT SUMMER READ. I just want to travel to San Fran and explore and hang out with the cutest friend group ever.

"We grow up and we lose ourselves. Sometimes when my favorite songs are on I have to stop what I'm doing and lie down on my carpet and just listen. I feel every word they're singing. Every note. And to think that in twenty years, or ten years, or five even, I might hear those same songs and just, like, bob my head or something is horrible" (130).

You Know Me Well is a coming-of-age novel that is simply about growing up and friendship, and most importantly: about taking risks. Lately, I've been feeling adventurous, wanting to experience things that my normal self wouldn't want to, and this story by two fabulous authors was really out of the blue for me. With a great setting, interesting (though sometimes un-relatable) characters and beautiful writing, this is the book for this summer and beyond.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is the latest LGBTQ book you have read? Which author's writing do you prefer more: David Levithan or Nina LaCour?

Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story by David Levithan Review

Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story, by David Levithan
Publication: March 17, 2015, by Dutton Juvenile
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, LBGTQ
Pages: 200
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

It’s Tiny Cooper’s turn in the spotlight in this companion novel to New York Times bestseller Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Jazz hands at the ready! Tiny Cooper (“the world’s largest person who is also really, really gay”) stole readers’ hearts when he was introduced to the world in the New York Times bestselling book Will Grayson, Will Grayson, co-authored by John Green and David Levithan. Now Tiny finally gets to tell his story—from his fabulous birth and childhood to his quest for true love and his infamous parade of ex-boyfriends—the way he always intended: as a musical! Filled with honesty, humor, and “big, lively, belty” musical numbers, the novel is told through the full script of the musical first introduced in Will Grayson, Will Grayson.

If someone told me a year ago that David Levithan would be writing about Tiny Cooper in a play-musical format, I would've laughed and thought that they were joking. It's not that his character isn't fit for the role and for a musical, it's just different and absurd. Overall, this wasn't my kind of book and I wish we had more of a "memoir" kind of base here so there would be more detail coming from his side of the story and all of the guys that he dated.

If you want original songs, two acts, to see the ghost of Oscar Wilde, and to meet each and every one of Tiny's exes, then this book is for you. A big issue that Levithan focused on throughout the whole book was Tiny being proud of who he was and that being gay is normal today. And the best thing is, this wasn't one of those stories where the parents of the kid don't allow the gayness to happen. Honestly, I think, what can you do? This was a fantastic example of diversity and I believe that it absolutely fits the LGBT community of 2015. High-five, Mr. Levithan! You've impressed us all with the way you took Tiny's matter and struggles and put them into a hilarious novel.

"That's the thing about life and love—every time you take another look at them, there's something else that can be revised. For now, let me just say this: My name is Tiny Cooper, and it's time to raise the curtain on my bombastic, baffling, and hopefully stupendous story."

The plot really couldn't be simpler, but I understand that this novel was a companion to Will Grayson, Will Grayson, also with John Green. That was one of the best books ever, and though I read it a long time ago, I'll always remember how much I loved Tiny's character. Who thought that in 2011 that there'd be a sequel four years later? *laughs* And really, this wasn't a sequel where stuff happened in the first book that you'll need to know before reading this. Okay, so I don't recommend reading this before the first book, but I find that it's more about Tiny's life and how many people have affected it.

Another thing that I love about Levithan's novels are that they're really short, and get straight to the point and message quickly. And that's why he's one of my favourite authors, as his books are always fluffy and easy to read, and I'm always able to pick them up at any time. They're like remedies to books that are trying to put you in a reading slump. But enough of the useless compliments at the moment—this was a very quick read. I think I finished it in an hour, since it's 200 pages with lots of spacing and crazy stuff. Get ready for lots of songs, belting, yelling and roller coaster rides of fun, because this surely was a read that got me laughing and smiling from head to toe.

To be honest, I did expect it to be better than it was. I usually love every single one of Levithan's books, but this was a 3 star for me. Why? Well it certainly isn't my type of read and I feel that it didn't signify the true meaning of a sequel well enough. This is something that could've been added onto Wattpad as some fanfiction and then people would read it. Stating this as a companion? Eh. We already knew the ending of the first book, and it's not like something else happened here. It was simply just filler and we got to find more about Tiny, which I don't mind.

"Love is the most common miracle. Love is always a miracle, everywhere, every time. But for us, it's a little different. I don't want to say it's more miraculous—it is, though. Our miracle is different because some people say it's impossible. But let me tell you—it's possible. Very possible."

Can I even say that there was a plot in this situation? Does this musical even have a plot? *laughs* As I said, it's not for me, so I kind of lost interest of what was happening and felt that it was kind of boring since half of it was actually song lyrics. And since Tiny is and always has been a confident guy, there was no development from him being some tiny squirt who's shy into a big belting guy. It was all smooth like pavement. The meaning of this all was actually wonderful and I'm proud to admit that I'm sticking by it and I'm nodding my head continuously, praising the work and who Tiny became.

I guess this book gave us a better vision of who Tiny is. Since he was a side character in the first book, we didn't get much information of him, and he was simply there. But here, the spotlight was absolutely on him and we got a description of him, and what he's been doing since the events of the last books and memories of his horrific dates that he's been on. *chuckles*

Last thing—I'm glad that we got to see Phil Wrayson. *laughs* And Will Grayson. If you don't understand what I'm saying, I'm seriously asking you to go and read the first book as you'll then get it and be proud that I said this inside joke out loud. And now I feel that I look like a fool. Oh, well.

I guess the only aspect and thing that stuck with me after reading this 'play' is Tiny's character and the theme of diversity and praising the LGBT community, which I'm totally up for. Other than that, the book probably would've been a catastrophic event for me, but we all know that David Levithan would've never let that happen. Hey, after this, I feel that I'm going to hold my copy of the first book closer to my heart, because NOW I realize how much that book changed my few of contemporary YA fiction written by two of my favourite authors. 

Have you ever read a book written in a play-format? Do you enjoy these kinds of books?

Two Boys Kissing, by David Levithan

Two Boys Kissing, by David Levithan

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, LBGTQ, Romance

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Publication: August 27, 2013, by Knopf Books

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed)




Goodreads Summary: New York Times  bestselling author David Levithan tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record—all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS. 

While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teen boys dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out, navigating gender identity, and falling deeper into the digital rabbit hole of gay hookup sites—all while the kissing former couple tries to figure out their own feelings for each other.

Review:

"We were once like you, only our world wasn't like yours. You have no idea how close to death you came. A generation or two earlier, you might be here with us. We resent you. You astonish us."

  I must say that this wasn't David Levithan's best novel, but I still loved it. Every book he writes is with such passion and always ends up unique. This man is literally one of my favourite authors. I would read his shopping list.

   I just found out that this story is actually based on true events! That even adds more awesomeness to the awesome factor. This story was truly beautiful. It's about different people, different gay couples who are insecure about themselves and their relationships. One of the couples, Harry and Craig, are about to take part in a thirty-two hour kissing marathon to set a new world record. This is their story where they find more about themselves and love.

    

       

     This book made me squeal a lot, very often. It was very cute, but dark at the same time. In this book, David Levithan is representing many teenage lives out there who are insecure with who they are and their sexual identity. He has mastered the truths and the thoughts of these people. The idea was literally perfect.

      But I wouldn't call this my favourite Levithan book. It did have its cons, and that basically was all about the plot. This was a 200 paged book, and not too much was happening, except finding the meaning in these people's thoughts and behaviour and about their relationships. This was a very, very light read and there wasn't too much going on. This is one of the lightest contemporaries I've read to date.

      "We do not want to haunt you too somberly. We don't want our legacy to be gravitas. You wouldn't want to live your life like that, and you won't want to be remembered like that, either. Your mistake would be to find our commonality in our dying. The living part mattered more. We taught you how to dance."

       I loved the characters. Craig and Henry would have to be my favourite, since their relationship was the cutest and most strongest. Ryan would take place in second, with his wittiness and sass. But really, all of David's characters end up relatable to whom they are like, and I really believe that few gravitate to your highest liking.

       This was a very quick, but inspirational and beautiful read. I absolutely recommend it, and if you're a fan of LBGTQ like I am, then this might become your new personal favourite.

        Other Gorgeous Quotes:

        "People like to say being gay isn't like skin color, isn't anything physical. They tell us we always have the option of hiding. But if that's true, why do they always find us?"

         "When Neil is through, Peter smiles and holds up his hand, gesturing Neil to wait there, to not say a word. He picks out two books from the YA section, then runs to the fiction section for a third. He is still smiling when he returns to Neil and shows his selections one by one."

         "This is what we don't admit about first kisses: One of the most gratifying things about them is that they are proof, actual proof, that the other wants to kiss us. We are desirable. We desire. Every kiss that matters contains a recognition at its core."

          "It does not bring back the twelve-year-old who put a gun to his head. It does not bring back the fourteen-year-old who hung himself. It does not bring back the nineteen-year-old strung up on the side of an empty highway and left to die. It does not bring back the thirteen-year-old who took a stomach full of pills. It does not bring back any of us. But it does bring back Cooper."

             "There will come a time--perhaps even by the time you read this--that people will no longer be on Facebook. There will come a time when the stars of your favorite teen TV show will be sixty. There will come a time when you have the same unalienable rights as your straightest friend. (Probably before any of the stars of your favorite teen TV show turn sixty.) There will come a time when the gay prom won't have to be separate. There will come a time when you will look at someone younger than you and feel that he or she will know more than you ever did. There will come a time when you will worry about being forgotten. There will come a time when the gospel will be rewritten. If you play your cards right, the next generation will have so much more than you did."

             "There is the sudden. There is the eventual. And in between, there is the living."

              "We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. We make more than dust."

"This is the power of a kiss:

It does not have the power to kill you. But it has the power to bring you

to life."

      

Will Grayson, Will Grayson, by John Green and David Levithan

     John Green has truly enlightened my world. I'm sad to say, but I've read all of his, and I want more! 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson was amazingly written. Green and Levithan have truly put their heart and soul into writing this book, you could tell. Their points of view are top-notch, and fans will go gaga for more. 

The Will Grayson I truly actually liked more was David Levithan's Will. I liked his story and the suicidal part gave me something to think about. He couldn't find himself, which was perfectly fine, and when he did, sadly, the story came to a close. He knew what and who he wanted in his life, and spoke about it.

So, may I say, every single one of you, yes you, get up, get into the car, and drive to your local bookstore. Go into the teen section, and find the letter "G" and when you do, look for the book Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Go pick it up, and buy it. This one's a keeper.