#will kostakis

[slaughter-books]

Day 23: JOMPBPC: Autumn Colours 🍂

[auslgbtqya]

Everything Under the Moon: Fairy tales in a queerer light Edited by Michael Earp and Illustrated by Kit Fox

(2023)

From the Publisher:

Some damsels don’t want to be rescued. Some curses don’t need to be broken. And some of the best happy ever afters won’t be found in storybooks.

Think you know fairy tales? Think again.

These twelve fairy tales have been spun through a queered lens to reflect our world in stories as old as time. From the furthest reaches of space and the darkest depths of the forest to the street just around the corner, this anthology will excite, challenge and move you.

Featuring stories from some of the biggest names in young adult fiction, Everything Under The Moon is an illuminating celebration of queer love and identity.

Lushly illustrated by up-and-coming talent Kit Fox, this collection includes stories by Michael Earp, Alison Evans, Helena Fox, Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner, Will Kostakis, Jes Layton, Gary Lonesborough, Amber McBride, Abdi Nazemian, Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Alexandra Villasante and Lili Wilkinson.

[jetwhenitsmidnight]

We Could Be Something by Will Kostakis

Release date: 3 September 2024

Genre: young adult contemporary coming of age

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

Part coming-out story.

Part falling-in-love story.

Part falling-apart story.

Harvey's dads are splitting up. It's been on the cards for a while, but it's still sudden. Woken-by-his-father-to-catch-a-red-eye sudden. Now he's restarting his life in a new city, living above a cafe with the extended Greek family he barely knows.

Sotiris is a rising star. At seventeen, he's already achieved his dream of publishing a novel. When his career falters, a cute, wise-cracking bookseller named Jem upends his world.

Harvey and Sotiris's stories converge on the same street in Darlinghurst, in this beautifully heartfelt novel about how our dreams shape us, and what they cost us.

Content warnings

Divorce, toxic relationship

Dementia, chronic illness

Implied sexual content

Alcohol

Xenophobia

Homophobia

Grief

Review

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

I did not expect this book to hit me so hard in my feelings.

These characters are so human; they mess up a lot (Sotiris especially), but they are constantly trying their best at the same time, while struggling to figure out their dreams. I love how the author doesn't flinch from making these characters so complicated and messy, but at the same time he manages to keep them sympathetic and real.

I figured out the connection between the characters at about 20% but I think it's not supposed to be a huge plot twist anyway so it's fine. I loved how their stories paralleled each other's right up till the ending—and that ending was devastating.

I feel like Sotiris' story received more focus, which makes sense in the book, but it makes it feel like Harvey's story doesn't get enough precedence, not to mention that Harvey's story also involves Sotiris but not the other way around, which makes their narratives feel unbalanced.

Overall, this is an excellent story with realistic characters, one that will be sticking with me for sure.

[beautifulpaxielreads]

I'm a bit behind on my reading atm, so I wanted some light-hearted, fun, and relatively short reads. I'm hoping that these will fit the bill!

[teenageread]

Review: We Could Be Something

Initial Thoughts: Of the books I have read this year, this one is different, and where it may not be memorable in my mind, there were pieces of this novel that I will carry with me, despite forgetting the name of this novel. For started the duel perspectives between Harvey and, in which I felt so dumb for not realizing that Sotiris was Harvey’s father, and that his perspective was of a previous time, for I truly thought at one point that these two plotlines would be the love interest. In a way Kostakis did that with familial love. I felt there should have been more time pieces in Sotiris’s teenage years, I am assuming to be around the 90s, to let readers know that it was not the same period as Harvey, if Kostakis wanted to keep the actual connection a surprise. A trap Kostakis does fall into, which a lot of authors do, is that the main character is the least interesting one. Throughout the novel I gave absolutely zero cares for Harvey, or any of the drama that he put into his life, and only continue the novel to see how Harvey’s parents make out, Sotiris’s teenage love life, everything about Gina and Proyiayia. The setting of Australia was beautiful, and I love Kostakis integration of both the Greek and Australian culture within this novel. I just wish Harvey actually had something to contribute to the story, besides giving us filler chapters between his father's childhood, and current parental antics.

Characters:

Harvey is just uninteresting. A drifter, does not seem to have any friends, not good at making them, and does not seem to have any ambition out there to do something with their life. Things just happen to him, with Gina giving him a job at the cafe, Leah becoming friend-ly (I would not even call them friends actually), and even the failed Grindr hookup did not actually lead anywhere. Seriously, Harvey did not contribute anything to this story, except who he introduced us to within his family. With multi-generations living under one roof, Kostakis does a great job at portraying realistic relationships and family drama within the household. Covering the concept of dementia, as Harvey’s Proyiayia (Great-grandmother), begins to slowly fade in front of their eyes, was done beautifully, as Kostakis took the time to show how it affected everyone from Gina, Sotiris, “Dad” and Harvey. Sotiris plotline was far the most interesting, both in the teenage years and married life. With Sotrisis finding youth and fame in his teenage years with meeting Harvey’s father, and developing his career as a writer, to him mid-way through life trying to re-start his career and seemingly falling out of love. Where I do not think i would change the perspective, it was interesting to see Harvey watch his fathers romance fade as Sotiris seems to take everything from Dad and not give him anything back, showcasing the harms of giving one all to another. Still, this could be a plot issue, but I felt if there was more drama our characters could have developed more, instead they are almost exactly the same in the end as when the novel started 

Plot / Writing:

This novel is a slice of life of Harvey and his father as there is no real climax, conclusion, big blow out, the novel sort of just ends like how it started. Which makes it a cool concept, but also a boring read, and definitely no re-reading aspect within the story. Any drama would have caused major plot turns, character developments, heart string tugging, something to get a reaction out of me. Instead, Kostakis seem to kind of trudge along in this sad family tale, with the main couple (Ba and Dad) heading towards divorce, Proyiayia slowly going to dementia, Gina trying to hold everything together, and Harvey… Well Harvey is kind of just there. The novel just felt like it was going nowhere, even with my favorite plotline of Ba (Sotiris) and Dad, and their breaking up. However, Kostakis really dragged on and instead of getting hooked after knowing about their past, it just made me hate how Sotiris was, and made you wonder where that person went. Also, KOstakis was trying to make the novel relevant for the LGBTQ+ community, especially the gays, but please leave Grindr out of it, the apps need to stay away from the dinner table as that entire scene… still makes me shudder. 

Conclusion: 

This LGBTQ+ story with multiple generations, no romance, no triumph, and honestly not plot. A slice in life of teenager Harvey and the past teenager of his father, as they navigate life toughest challenges in the downunder country. Where I do not regret reading this novel. It has a whole lot of nothing to it, but was cozy at parts even if it was dull in others. 

[girlwhodoeskratom]

Dimitra Kostaki @ Moschino Fall/Winter, 1995 Ready-to-Wear

[djkerr]

NCIS 22x10 Baker's Man

After NCIS learns that the owner of Parker’s favorite bakery (guest star Melina Kanakaredes) is being blackmailed, they hatch a plan to save her from the perpetrators. Also, tensions heighten when Torres’ secret romance is discovered.

Monday, Jan. 27 episode

��� [source]

[n-evermores]

Alden Parker ━ 22.10: Baker's Man ⤷ looking at Eleni

[littlencisthings]

Little NCIS Thing #2048

Eleni Kostakis

[marcdurm]

There’s something very poetic about Hector and Tsimi following each other on Instagram and I’m here for it

[slaughter-books]

Day 30: JOMPBPC: Read In September

My September, 2023 reading wrap-up! 💜

[auslgbtqya]

We Could Be Something by Will Kostakis

(2023)

From the Publisher:

A wonderful emotional rollercoaster of a novel about two young men, each on a journey of discovery. It's part coming-out story, part falling-in-love story, part relationship breakdown story, part extended Greek family story. It's warm and funny, a little bit heartbreaking, and completely satisfying.

'The enormous heart of We Could Be Something beats with a rare, thrilling authenticity. Every funny, smart, tough word of it rings true. I loved this book.' - Patrick Ness, bestselling author of A MONSTER CALLS and the CHAOS WALKING series

Part coming-out story.

Part falling-in-love story.

Part falling-apart story.

Harvey's dads are splitting up. It's been on the cards for a while, but it's still sudden. Woken-by-his-father-to-catch-a-red-eye sudden. Now he's restarting his life in a new city, living above a cafe with the extended Greek family he barely knows.

Sotiris is a rising star. At seventeen, he's already achieved his dream of publishing a novel. When his career falters, a cute, wise-cracking bookseller named Jem upends his world.

Harvey and Sotiris's stories converge on the same street in Darlinghurst, in this beautifully heartfelt novel about how our dreams shape us, and what they cost us.

Goodreads

[bidamonalbarn]

I could never be noticed by a celebrity bc I'm far too worried about them thinking I'm annoying

[olganmwriter]

#TuesdayBookBlog The Nurse: Love shines bright, even when memory fades (Beyond Memory's Veil) by Joyce Kostakis (@Jhk1263) (@newbooksplease)

Hi, all: I bring you a book from BooksGoSocial on NetGalley, with an interesting story, not only inside its pages but also behind its creation. The Nurse by Joyce Kostakis The Nuse: Love Shines Bright Even When Memory Fades by Joyce Kostakis What if the person you love most is slowly slipping away, their memories fading into oblivion, and you are powerless to stop it? Jill Bish has built a…

[greekbooks-poll]

[girlwhodoeskratom]

Dimitra Kostaki @ Moschino Fall/Winter, 1995 Ready-to-Wear