going on the favorites shelf

read it: red, white & royal blue

/ jmcoster

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Guys, Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston is so. freaking. good. I started it and then couldn’t put it down until I had completely devoured the entire thing.

Alex is the son of the US president, Henry is a prince of England–SHENANIGANS ENSUE. Enemies to lovers, a ruse, forbidden love, and so much delicious, delicious ANGST. I just CANNOT.

This book is sweet, charming, adorable, and hilarious. I laughed out loud and startled my cat multiple times.

It hit me right in the Texas feels. It made me hopeful again. And it unbroke a little piece of my heart. I didn’t know I needed this book, but I NEEDED it. (Stories have power, and don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.)

Also, it has one the best lines ever: “Stop trying to Jane Austen my life!”

Also, Zahra is a goddamned treasure.

Drop whatever you are doing and go read it RIGHT NOW. It will brighten your entire life.

PS. Someone make this into a movie immediately.

read it: this is how you lose the time war

/ jmcoster

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I read This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone in slow bites and didn’t want it to end. This book broke my heart in the best way possible, and then put the pieces back together again.

It is a story about two assassins, Red and Blue, from different factions waging war across worlds and through time. Red and Blue communicate through letters that they leave each other in moments in time. Rivalry and enmity turn into fascination and eventually an impossible love.

What a beautiful, beautiful book. I feel exactly the way the best books should make you feel: delicate, raw, full.