Hey there, bookworms! Welcome to my blog tour stop for Turn the Page tours' All Kinds of Other tour! All Kinds of Other by James Sie released just a few days ago on May 4, so make sure to go grab yourself a copy after reading my post! I'd like to thank Turn the Page Tours and Quill Tree Books for sending me a finished copy of this book for being a part of this tour. Make sure to check out the tour schedule here to follow along! Also, this tour has a giveaway! Click here to enter for a chance to win one finished copy of All Kinds of Other by James Sie. This giveaway is open to USA only and runs from May 4 to May 11, 2021. Synopsis
My ReviewI've got lots of jumbled thoughts about this book, and I'm going to try to string them into a halfway comprehensible review, so here goes... I'll start off by saying that I did really enjoy this book. I especially liked the two main characters, Jack and Jules (and isn't that alliteration there snazzy??). They were written in a deeply authentic manner and seemed like truly realistic people. Like, you could pluck them out of the book and drop them in a grocery store, then have me run into them in said grocery store, and I'd totally believe they were real people. (Please excuse that bizarre example, looking back I see how weird that sounds, but moving on...) They went through a lot of difficult stuff and reacted to it in a genuinely fifteen-year-old manner. James Sie, thank you for including none of that I'm supposed to be fifteen but actually act like I'm twenty-three weirdness--we all know it and we all can't stand it. Jack and Jules acted like normal fifteen-year-olds, which made them much more enjoyable to read about. Despite acting their age, they were both complex, deep characters who grew and learned throughout the book. Jack and Jules' relationship was also very sweet to read about, especially some scenes towards the end. I liked how the romance wasn't the main focus of this book; there was more of a focus on self-growth and self-acceptance in both characters, and their romance was stronger because of it. I also loved the formatting of this book. It was told mainly in first-person, alternating between Jack and Jules' perspectives, but there were also tumblr posts and vlog transcripts interspersed throughout. Something about this format helped me get in touch with the characters on a very personal level. The tumblr posts and vlog transcripts also gave valuable insight into the past of one character. Additionally, many of the vlog transcripts were actually quite educational, and the tumblr posts were really emotional and packed full of feelings. One thing about this book that wasn't necessarily bad but is definitely something readers should be aware of is that the transphobia, homophobia, and racism present in this book is very intense. Characters get called transphobic and homophobic slurs and there are several racist comments from side characters. A trans character gets outed at his school, is misgendered multiple times, and is deadnamed (deadname is not mentioned in the text, though). Nonbinary and trans side characters also got attacked verbally and physically. While I feel like this was a truthful representation of these issues, it did hit me really hard at times, so readers should be aware of that before picking up this book. That's all for my review of All Kinds of Other by James Sie! I found this book enjoyable and eye-opening, and I'd recommend it especially for fans of Felix Ever After or The Sky Blues. It broke my heart in all the best ways and was packed with important messages and information. I gave All Kinds of Other Four Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Favorite QuotesAuthor Info
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Hey there, bookworms!My name is Rose (she/her) and I'm the creator of Books of Magic and Mystery. I love reading YA books, especially fantasy and mystery. When I'm not reading, you can find me baking, studying, or cuddling with my super-furry pets. Visit me on Instagram @booksofmagicandmystery! Archives
November 2021
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