Robin’s Worlds by Rainie Oet (text) and Mathias Ball (illustration) (3rd)
A nonbinary child is whisked off on a spellbinding adventure for their birthday in this dazzling tale of friendship, community, and self-love.
It’s Robin’s eighth birthday and it seems like everyone has forgotten. But things take a sudden turn when the Cat-Headed Wanderer shows up and sweeps Robin away to a magical party in…
Personal Opinion: One of the only reasons that this doesn’t get a perfect score is simply because it’s just not my type of book. I enjoyed it very much but it just didn’t impact me emotionally like others have. That being said, for people who like queer-led mysteries will love this book. The characters are so vibrant and intriguing and the mystery itself is captivating.
Do I Own This Book? Nope.
Spoilers Below For My Likes & Dislikes:
Likes:
- I love the characters. They’re all so unique and vibrant and interesting. My favorite is Jerry though. Just a 93 year old man who turns into a child when he sees a dog and shares his years of wisdom with the main character. He’s so insightful and so adorable, I love him. Then we have Hollister, the lesbian artisan who is badass for searching for Camilo harder than the police. And Burley, the gentle giant who beat up Ryan and also bakes delicious sweets. Hayden’s friends are all truly special.
- Hayden himself feels a bit like a blank canvas protagonist so that anyone can project onto him. That’s not a bad thing. I think it’s incredibly smart for a mystery novel because not only could I relate to Hayden easily but a lot of his thoughts reflected my own. It made the narrative easy to follow and thrilling to witness unfold.
- I have a weakness for dogs in novels. Commander is so cute and I love how he’s described as a nuisance but Hayden wouldn’t have it any other way. That is just how it is with pets. Plus, him getting excited to see Jerry was so cute.
- The mystery aspect was very captivating. I was so curious to find out what a good guy like Camilo could be wrapped up in. All the pieces fell neatly into place when Daniela appeared so I see no flaws. It was well executed and interesting and I don’t think anyone can really root against Camilo for wanting to stop his sister.
Dislikes:
- I’m iffy on Mysti. Especially considering that she’s a queer Asian, I want to like her. How dare she be iffy. I wish I could’ve seen her more from Hollister’s point of view. I want to see why someone as cool as Hollister is with someone as demanding and cold as Mysti.
- There is room for a sequel but the ending works too. Whether or not Hayden and Camilo are meant to be is yet to be seen and I kind of think that’s okay simply because they had only one night together. That’s not enough for us to see if they’d be good together forever. Anyway, if there is a sequel, I’ll read it. But for now, this book works as a standalone story too.
Devil’s Chew Toy by Rob Osler
Dead in the Garden by Dahlia Donovan
Death Before Dessert by A.E. Radley
Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies by Misha Popp
Renovated to Death by Frank Anthony Polito
Bonus: Coming August 9th, A Killing in Costumes by Zac Bissonette
Double Bonus: These are all standalones or short series, but for a much more extensive collection, check out Ellen Hart’s Jane Lawless…
