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The Keeper of Magical Things
Julie Leong
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This is what I was The Secret History was. Or at least what The Secret History could be for me if I was well read/smart enough for Donna Tartt. Mind you, I still really enjoyed The Secret History.
The characters in this book are so deeply flawed and so hateble but so loveable at the same time. I do have an issue with how the women were written/how the protagonist views the women. However, that contributes to his character and (unfortunately) making him feel like a real person.
I loved the plot structure with the time jumps and the mystery that creates. The tension was incredibly done, and I even enjoyed the extensive Shakespear references despite not knowing Shakespear well at all. This book steadily climbs toward a terrifying climax and the end had me nearly in tears. I was blindsided by how much I cared by the end.
Between pretentious college students, murder, and homoerotic friendships, this book was practically made for me.
SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD
I went into this book not knowing it was canonically queer. I knew people thought of it as queer but I'm very used to that meaning crumbs or queerbaiting. For the first half of the book I hated how the protagonist talked about the only openly gay character, but that changed once I realized they were committing to the protagonist being queer himself. After he starts to accept that side of himself the way he talks about Alexander (and James) become an exploration of internalized homophobia that I related to and really enjoyed.
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If We Were Villains
M.L. Rio
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The Second Death of Locke
V.L. Bovalino
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Upon a Starlit Tide
Kell Woods
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Honor & Heresy (The Great Fall of Northgard, #1)
Max Francis
Post from the If We Were Villains forum
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Galahad and the Grail (Merlin's Isle, #1)
Malcolm Guite
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Sweetbitter Song
Rosie Hewlett