Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Out of the Blue
Author: Jason June
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Gay Plus Size MC, Nonbinary MC, Gay character, Bisexual Hispanic character, Indian Bisexual character, Sapphic characters, Nonbinary person of color character
Recommended For…: young adult readers, fantasy, mermaids, romance, LGBT, contemporary
Publication Date: May 31, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Age Relevance: 15+ (sexual content, language, romance, gore, cheating, violence, depression, death, grief)
Explanation of Above: There is some sexual content in this book. There is sex mentioned and implied. Nothing is graphically shown, but there is lead-up before the fade to black and in one scene there’s flowery language about it. There is a few curse words in the book. There is a lot of romance in this book. There is some gore involving vomit and blood in the book and one scene where a fist fight breaks out for violence. Depression is briefly mentioned a couple of times in the book. There is a very brief death scene and grief scene. There is cheating shown and mentioned in the book.
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Crest is not excited to be on their Journey: the monthlong sojourn on land all teen merfolk must undergo. The rules are simple: Help a human within one moon cycle and return to Pacifica to become an Elder–or fail and remain stuck on land forever. Crest is eager to get their Journey over and done with: after all, humans are disgusting. They’ve pollluted the planet so much that there’s a floating island of trash that’s literally the size of a country.
In Los Angeles with a human body and a new name, Crest meets Sean, a human lifeguard whose boyfriend has recently dumped him. Crest agrees to help Sean make his ex jealous and win him back. But as the two spend more time together and Crest’s pespective on humans begins to change, they’ll soon be torn between two worlds. And fake dating just might lead to real feelings…
Review: Okay this was an incredibly cute read! I loved this mix of mermaid fantasy but they’re kinda operating as fairy godmothers to gather intel and living a month away from their colony ala Rumspringa like the Amish. The book is a bit of a grumpy/sunshine romance in the beginning, but is very much a fake dating romance. The book does well to make the mermaid fantasy spin fresh and new and I loved all of the queer-ness of this book! The characters are well developed and the romance was so sweet. I loved the world building as well and I read this book in one sitting.
The only issue I had with the book is that it was a bit slower paced in the middle than I would have liked to see it. I also thought that the book was a bit too quick with the epilogue, so I’m hoping for a loose sequel in the future for the two MCs, but also to encounter other fantasy elements in the world together.
Verdict: It was a well done read. Highly recommend!
Book Info:
Out of the Blue by Jason June
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publishing Date: May 31, 2022
Synopsis:
Crest is not excited to be on their Journey: the monthlong sojourn on land all teen merfolk must undergo. The rules are simple: Help a human within one moon cycle and return to Pacifica to become an Elder–or fail and remain stuck on land forever. Crest is eager to get their Journey over and done with: after all, humans are disgusting. They’ve pollluted the planet so much that there’s a floating island of trash that’s literally the size of a country.
In Los Angeles with a human body and a new name, Crest meets Sean, a human lifeguard whose boyfriend has recently dumped him. Crest agrees to help Sean make his ex jealous and win him back. But as the two spend more time together and Crest’s pespective on humans begins to change, they’ll soon be torn between two worlds. And fake dating just might lead to real feelings…
This sophomore novel from Jason June dives into the many definitions of the world home and shows how love can help us find the truest versions of ourselves.
Book Links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58931216-out-of-the-blue
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/out-of-the-blue-jason-june/1140112786?ean=9780063015203
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Out-Blue-Jason-June/9780063015203?ref=grid-view&qid=1648502838624&sr=1-9
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780063015203
About the Author:
You’ve come here wondering, “What is the meaning of life?” Er, I mean, Jason June’s life. Jason June (it’s a two-name first name, like Mary-Kate without the hyphen or the Olsen twin) is a genderqueer writer mermaid who loves to create picture books that mix the flamboyantly whacky with the slightly dark, and young adult contemporary rom-coms full of love and lust and hijinks.
When not writing, JJ zips about Austin, Texas. He loves dinosaurs, unicorns, Pomeranians, and anything magical that takes you to a different world or time. JJ is a tried and true Laura Dern stan, and he is actively looking for an Andalite friend.
His picture books include WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, illustrated by Jess Pauwels, and PORCUPINE CUPID, a queer-inclusive Valentine’s Day story, illustrated by Lori Richmond, both from Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster. For under-the-sea whimsical adventures, check out the MERMICORN ISLAND chapter book series from Scholastic! And get ready for JAY’S GAY AGENDA, Jason June’s debut YA, queer rom-com, coming June 1, 2021 from HarperTeen!
Author Links:
Website: https://www.heyjasonjune.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heyjasonjune
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyjasonjune/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15906433.Jason_June
Tour Schedule:https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/2022/04/23/tour-schedule-out-of-the-blue-by-jason-june/
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