H.S. Valley

This was a very sweet and lighthearted YA magical romance. The romance was definitely central, you only got a very light idea of the magic and any events prior to the start of the novel. It had a kind of fanfiction vibe, with slightly familiar characters and dynamics in a magic school, but the characters were individuated and interesting, the New Zealand location and cultures added a fresh spin, and most of all the actual—possibly completely unprecedented?!—presence of real parents and family relationship dynamics in a story about a magic boarding school was really unique.… (plus d'informations)

Time Te Maro and the Subterranean Heartsick Blues is a queer YA fantasy romance novel focusing on Tim and Elliott, two teenagers at a boarding school for kids with magical abilities. After both boys have been effectively dumped, they team up together on a school project - taking care of a giant egg - in order to get revenge on their exes, but both get a little more than they signed up for.

For fans of YA romance, this has all one could ask for - solid characters, a well-placed plot, and a good handful of favorite tropes. I also enjoyed reading a fantasy somewhat based on a culture not often seen in literature, especially YA, and it's done really nicely here. The book definitely feels like a product of fandom, so your feelings on fanfiction may be a good indication of your interest.

The only thing I really wanted more from this book was a little more depth. Granted, it's a romance novel, so there's not a ton of that in the genre in general, but I still wanted to feel like Tim and Elliott would still be lingering in my brain after reading, and I didn't really get that feeling.

Overall, though, it's a fun read for the banter between characters alone. I'd say it's a must for queer YA romance fans, even if fantasy isn't one of your favorite genres.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hardie Grant Children's Publishing for providing a copy for review.… (plus d'informations)