A disappointing novel from a normally competent writer, I give Count Your Lucky Stars a
✨3.5/10✨
2. Brendon is unforgivably annoying in this book & COMPLETELY killed my interest in Hang The Moon.
3. The third act breakup was SO bad that I stopped reading. The drama with Olivia's ex-husband was more engaging, and I'm bummed it was only in service of the worst part of the book.
A few additional issues I had: 1. Luke sucks as a plot device- the book straight up points out that he represents everything Margot wants, which like COME ON, trust your readers a LITTLE- and you could have cut him out entirely without changing a damn thing.
Frankly, her fake-dating books did a better job at showing how the characters built their relationship and slowly fell in love.
It's almost like Bellefleur used Olivia and Margot's past as a shortcut to get to the sex scenes. But it's just frustrating to read these two characters dance around a conversation they BOTH want to have, and Bellefleur's genuine talent at writing sapphic erotica doesn't make up for it!
It just strikes me as unnecessary. I would have preferred if Bellefleur had let the characters clear up the misunderstanding early on and then let them rediscover each other. That would have been more interesting to read! Instead, we get a lot of sexual tension without much relationship building.
And, like, why?? Why put it off for so long? It makes no sense for EITHER character to delay talking about what happened for such a long time- especially since their communication is great everywhere else!
But it's so easy to clear up that Bellefleur has to make increasingly absurd scenarios to delay this clarification until the third act. It becomes even more egregious when she DELIBERATELY writes a 'clearing of the air' scene when Olivia and Margot talk roommate logistics.
Of course, this is not what Olivia expected OR wanted, and she is devastated. They're horribly awkward around each other for the rest of the year, Olivia gets back with her ex, they graduate, go to different colleges, etc etc. All well and good. I can totally see this scenario happening.
Now, Olivia was asking how she could tell this guy off (and low-key angling to get Margot to clarify their relationship status), but Margot takes it as a "I'm getting back with my ex! :) :)" message. So a heartbroken Margot reassurances Olivia that it's totally fine if she gets back with her ex.
One thing leads to another, they kiss, and basically have a sex marathon. But, crucially, they do NOT clarify if this means they're together-together. THEN, the FOLLOWING WEEK, Olivia gets a text from her ex begging her to come back. She's like WTF, and texts Margot asking what should she do.
Here's the set-up: In high school, Olivia & Margot were best friends/mutual crushes. Right before they graduated, Olivia and her boyfriend broke up. Margot's parents are gone that weekend (week? I can't remember), and she invites Olivia to crash at her place to help get over the breakup.
HOWEVER. That's the only nice thing I have to say. My biggest problem is that the entire plot hinges on a miscommunication that, at best, would take FIVE MINUTES to clear up.
That is a fantastic set-up, and Bellefluer does a pretty good job exploring what can come out of a relationship like that. Bellefleur, in general, is great at fleshing out her characters' dynamics, and I'm glad to see she didn't loose her knack for it in this book.
Okay. I'm going to start with the one thing I genuinely enjoyed: Olivia & Margot's dynamic. Margot is a 'tough girl' who fears emotional intimacy, yet desires to cherish someone. Olivia is a bit of a doormat who struggles to advocate for herself in relationships, yet desires to BE cherished.
Now that all her friends are pairing off, though, her life is starting to feel a little...lonely. But as luck would have it, Brendon's new wedding planner needs a place to stay after a freak accident at her apartment- and it's none other than Olivia, the very woman who broke Margot's heart...
Continuing from Written in the Stars, we now focus on Margot, Elle's former roommate. Margot is perfectly content with keeping her romantic encounters casual- she tried the whole relationship thing back in high school, and it ruined her most cherished friendship.
This week's book is Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur, and damn if this isn't the second queer romance sequel I've DNFed this year.
#booksky #thriftbooks #lgbtbooks #sapphic #romancebooks
#songoftheweek: Everything Matters by Aurora ft. Pomme #music
www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0qH...
Fifty-nine-year-old Pejman Karshenas Najafabadi is currently the 11th person to have died while in ICE custody this year that we know of, and the 17th ICE-related death since the killing of Keith Porter on December 31, 2025.
Story lataco.com/iranian-ice-...
An autobiography that doesn't hold back its punches- but also doesn't beat you up- Ducks is Kate Beaton's best work to date. I cannot recommend it enough. I give it a
✨10/10!✨
Much like what I said in my first Heartstopper review, the style reminds me of sketch journals. I think that's the perfect look for such an intimate autobiography! Also, her panel layouts have gotten REALLY good in the past few years, damn.
I haven't mentioned the art yet, but I do love it! Admittedly, I am biased because I have been reading Kate Beaton's comics since her LiveJournal days, but I think her style fits the narrative well.
Beaton uses these little scenes to take us out of the larger narrative to remind us that these men are just... men, not a horde of earth-destroying monsters or evil rapists. And why shouldn't she include these moments? They're her people, after all.
But she also shows the other side of their lives. We see moments of kindness & joy in these men- like Joe offering to take Kate for a nice lunch after he finds her crying at her desk, or Norman taking photos of the northern lights and turning them into prints.
It is an immensely difficult situation to be in, and Beaton does a commendable job of depicting how these conditions lead to many of her co-workers getting addicted to drugs, becoming closed-off and angry, or having mental breakdowns.
With few job opportunities back home, many Nova Scotians feel obligated to take jobs far away from home- ones that are usually dangerous- just for a chance at a better life. Beaton and her co-workers could only see their families a few times a year, if at all.
It would have been understandable for her to write off the whole experience as an irredeemably bad period of her life, but that's not what we get. Instead, she presents a nuanced look at blue-collar workers of the sands- especially those from Nova Scotia, who are, as she puts it, her people.
Another strength of the book is Beaton's ability to humanize her co-workers- even the worst ones.. That could not have been easy, especially when you consider that she was sexually assaulted twice while working at the sands.
This one scene, to me, is the prime example of why Beaton's choice of narrative structure is the most effective one for the story she is trying to tell.
