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A review by betweentheshelves
Out of the Blue by Jason June
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Before becoming a full-fledged merperson, they have to take a Journey on land and help a human. Crest is not excited to be on their Journey. After all, humans are the ones responsible for the pollution of the planet. But if they don’t complete their Journey, they risk being stuck on land forever.
Meanwhile, Sean has recently been dumped. Completely devastated, his summer plans are ruined. But when Crest washes up on land nearby where Sean is a lifeguard, it might just be an act of fate. If Crest can help Sean get his boyfriend back, they can get back to the ocean. And Sean will be happy with his ex. However, fake dating only works if you don’t develop feelings for each other.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperTeen for an advanced copy of Out of the Blue to review! I enjoyed Jason June’s debut YA from last year, Jay’s Gay Agenda, so I was excited for what this one had in store. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
What I appreciated about this book was the mythology and the lore June put behind merpeople. It was an overall different approach, and I think it worked well for this particular story. Making merpeople nonbinary is brilliant, and I loved the idea of them having to help humans on land before becoming a full member of their society. Such an overall fun concept that I haven’t seen done before.
For the most part, the characters were well-writtne, too. Sean and Crest/Ross were the best narrators for this story, and each of their voices were distinct. I do wish some of the side characters had been more developed, especially Miguel. That storyline felt a bit rushed to me, and I wanted it to be explored more.
The pacing is what really took me out of this story. It felt like the first half dragged a bit too much, while the second half was too fast. Cutting out some of the unecessary plot elements would have helped to make the pacing feel more even. Some of the dialogue also felt…off to me. Not necessarily with Crest, because that made sense. But with some of the other characters. Also, the plot twists felt a bit convenient for me.
Despite that, I do think the story itself is entertaining enough and will make a great summer read!
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Okay I was so excited for this book, but it didn't hook me like Jay's Gay Agenda did. Which is a bummer because we love a gay book about merpeople! Stay tuned for a full review to come next week.
Meanwhile, Sean has recently been dumped. Completely devastated, his summer plans are ruined. But when Crest washes up on land nearby where Sean is a lifeguard, it might just be an act of fate. If Crest can help Sean get his boyfriend back, they can get back to the ocean. And Sean will be happy with his ex. However, fake dating only works if you don’t develop feelings for each other.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperTeen for an advanced copy of Out of the Blue to review! I enjoyed Jason June’s debut YA from last year, Jay’s Gay Agenda, so I was excited for what this one had in store. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
What I appreciated about this book was the mythology and the lore June put behind merpeople. It was an overall different approach, and I think it worked well for this particular story. Making merpeople nonbinary is brilliant, and I loved the idea of them having to help humans on land before becoming a full member of their society. Such an overall fun concept that I haven’t seen done before.
For the most part, the characters were well-writtne, too. Sean and Crest/Ross were the best narrators for this story, and each of their voices were distinct. I do wish some of the side characters had been more developed, especially Miguel. That storyline felt a bit rushed to me, and I wanted it to be explored more.
The pacing is what really took me out of this story. It felt like the first half dragged a bit too much, while the second half was too fast. Cutting out some of the unecessary plot elements would have helped to make the pacing feel more even. Some of the dialogue also felt…off to me. Not necessarily with Crest, because that made sense. But with some of the other characters. Also, the plot twists felt a bit convenient for me.
Despite that, I do think the story itself is entertaining enough and will make a great summer read!
-----
Okay I was so excited for this book, but it didn't hook me like Jay's Gay Agenda did. Which is a bummer because we love a gay book about merpeople! Stay tuned for a full review to come next week.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Sexual content