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ashylibrarian's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Wow is this book full of heart and emotion. A beautifully written story that explores friendship, self-acceptance and -discovery, and grief (in the many facets of life). This is a book I will be thinking about for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship
peskilanim's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Homophobia
sglance9's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia
mabellene's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Infidelity
dogoodwithbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a free audio e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
After being dumped for performing in a dress during the school talent show, Mark feels that he’s too much for someone to love him. With the encouragement of his older brother, Eric, and new crush, Ezra, at the costume store, things might be turning up for him. Yet, Mark realizes that his brother has struggles that he doesn’t know about or what to do to help him. When he wears the dress he got when he first met Ezra, Mark realizes that the dress could help him be how he wants to be seen.
Becoming a Queen is a book that can be full of wit and charm at one point and heart-wrenching at another point. A stellar debut from Clay, this book really dives into themes of loss and self-discovery and that reflects into Mark’s character development. From the first page, I enjoyed having Mark as an MC and I think that his journey with faith, grief, and being who you want to be is really something readers can resonate with.
For the narration, Clay takes the honor as the sole narrator for this 10 hour and 40 minute audiobook that can be easily listened to at 1.25x. While Clay makes a bold choice with doing his own narration for Becoming a Queen, it ultimately works for him. Clay brings about all the laugh out loud and heart-wrenching emotions in this book to life as well as every other emotion in between. Since there are plenty of short chapters, this is an easy-to-listen audiobook that’s perfect for multi-tasking. My only critique of Clay’s narration is to work on creating distinct voices for the female characters.
Nevertheless, I think this is a really good read. If you’re looking for an emotion-filled, queer coming-of-age novel, you are going to love Becoming a Queen.
After being dumped for performing in a dress during the school talent show, Mark feels that he’s too much for someone to love him. With the encouragement of his older brother, Eric, and new crush, Ezra, at the costume store, things might be turning up for him. Yet, Mark realizes that his brother has struggles that he doesn’t know about or what to do to help him. When he wears the dress he got when he first met Ezra, Mark realizes that the dress could help him be how he wants to be seen.
Becoming a Queen is a book that can be full of wit and charm at one point and heart-wrenching at another point. A stellar debut from Clay, this book really dives into themes of loss and self-discovery and that reflects into Mark’s character development. From the first page, I enjoyed having Mark as an MC and I think that his journey with faith, grief, and being who you want to be is really something readers can resonate with.
For the narration, Clay takes the honor as the sole narrator for this 10 hour and 40 minute audiobook that can be easily listened to at 1.25x. While Clay makes a bold choice with doing his own narration for Becoming a Queen, it ultimately works for him. Clay brings about all the laugh out loud and heart-wrenching emotions in this book to life as well as every other emotion in between. Since there are plenty of short chapters, this is an easy-to-listen audiobook that’s perfect for multi-tasking. My only critique of Clay’s narration is to work on creating distinct voices for the female characters.
Nevertheless, I think this is a really good read. If you’re looking for an emotion-filled, queer coming-of-age novel, you are going to love Becoming a Queen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity
courtnoodles's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
Misadvertised
Rtc
Rtc
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Vomit, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, and Medical content
Minor: Homophobia and Sexual content
vanina_ice's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia
sarahsthoughtsonbooks's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
I picked up this book based on the cover and title alone aka I didn't read the synopsis. Not what I thought the book would be, and it packed an emotional punch. I'm sure I would have eventually picked up the book if I read the synopsis, but I do avoid books where there's a chance of tears. So many tears.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, and Alcohol
Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Homophobia, Vomit, Medical content, and Outing
louisekf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing and Homophobia
xangemtheelibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"The world can't handle a tragedy without a lesson, so here I sit, with my broken heart in my hands, waiting for my lesson." (Paraphrased, Dan Clay)
This line that I quoted above broke me. Because I understand so hard it hurts. 287 days ago, I lost my dad to cancer. The way Dan Clay narrates his own book is visceral in it's pain and grief. Either he is a very good actor, or he knows something about grief.
I adore this story. I adore these characters. Drinking, partying, and a generous amount of cussing isn't really my style, so I didn't find that I really liked a lot of what Mark does in the story, but I like Mark. I like Ezra. I like Eric. (Apologies if any of these names are misspelled). These teens are front and center on that struggle bus called Life. But you know what? By the end of the story, they're using the middle aisle of the struggle bus as a catwalk.
And side note: my god! The way Dan Clay narrated Mark's swoony moments over flirting and abs and kissing and sexual tension is right on par with a romance novel. Whoo! Do not listen at work if you are prone to blushing! (For the curious: there's no explicit sexual content. Just a lot of flirting, visible abs, a very particular spot of chest hair Mark often focuses on, eyes you fall into, and very strong, tense, when-are-they-gonna-DO-it feelings. I'm personally not used to listening to romantic banter and innuendos on audio, so I tended to feel my face getting warm at work lol)
This line that I quoted above broke me. Because I understand so hard it hurts. 287 days ago, I lost my dad to cancer. The way Dan Clay narrates his own book is visceral in it's pain and grief. Either he is a very good actor, or he knows something about grief.
I adore this story. I adore these characters. Drinking, partying, and a generous amount of cussing isn't really my style, so I didn't find that I really liked a lot of what Mark does in the story, but I like Mark. I like Ezra. I like Eric. (Apologies if any of these names are misspelled). These teens are front and center on that struggle bus called Life. But you know what? By the end of the story, they're using the middle aisle of the struggle bus as a catwalk.
And side note: my god! The way Dan Clay narrated Mark's swoony moments over flirting and abs and kissing and sexual tension is right on par with a romance novel. Whoo! Do not listen at work if you are prone to blushing! (For the curious: there's no explicit sexual content. Just a lot of flirting, visible abs, a very particular spot of chest hair Mark often focuses on, eyes you fall into, and very strong, tense, when-are-they-gonna-DO-it feelings. I'm personally not used to listening to romantic banter and innuendos on audio, so I tended to feel my face getting warm at work lol)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Homophobia, and Grief