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Noahverse #2
Watching for Comets
HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME meets WHAT IF IT'S US in this adorable, heartwarming story of two boys grieving the loss of a friend and their chaotic yet charming path to healing.
— — — — — — —
TYLER: Life sucks. There’s no point in acting like it doesn’t.
Why else would it make me gay, give me a family that hates who I am, throw me in a town that would rather “my kind” be shipped off, and then decide my boyfriend had to die? Or maybe that last one was my fault... The point is that life sucks. Everything about it sucks.
Oh yeah, and now I’m stuck venting about it all to my archnemesis, Aidan.
AIDAN: You know what? Life hurts sometimes.
It does right now. I miss my friend, and I don’t understand why he had to die. But there’s a part of me that knows he’s looking down from the stars right now, and he wants me to smile again. It might be fake at the moment, but it’s something. The crazy part is I never imagined Tyler would talk to me again, but here I am trying to help him through the same hurt I’m feeling.
I just wish I knew why he hates me so much.
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TW: Conversion Therapy, Homophobia
— — — — — — —
TYLER: Life sucks. There’s no point in acting like it doesn’t.
Why else would it make me gay, give me a family that hates who I am, throw me in a town that would rather “my kind” be shipped off, and then decide my boyfriend had to die? Or maybe that last one was my fault... The point is that life sucks. Everything about it sucks.
Oh yeah, and now I’m stuck venting about it all to my archnemesis, Aidan.
AIDAN: You know what? Life hurts sometimes.
It does right now. I miss my friend, and I don’t understand why he had to die. But there’s a part of me that knows he’s looking down from the stars right now, and he wants me to smile again. It might be fake at the moment, but it’s something. The crazy part is I never imagined Tyler would talk to me again, but here I am trying to help him through the same hurt I’m feeling.
I just wish I knew why he hates me so much.
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TW: Conversion Therapy, Homophobia
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2020
176 people are currently reading
3824 people want to read
About the author
Jordon Greene
19 books618 followersJordon Greene is an award-winning author and software engineer raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. His work ranges from tense horror thrillers to cute romance stories, however, Jordon's heart is most invested in writing young adult romance stories where both young and young-at-heart readers alike can feel the acceptance and worth they so deserve. Since his debut young adult novel in 2019, Jordon's stories have reached young readers with messages of diversity, found family, and hope while also handling difficult issues.
An alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.S. in Political Science, Jordon works professionally as a senior software engineer. When he isn't writing or at work you can usually find Jordon at his favorite little coffee shop with his found family, cuddling with his little demon spawns (aka cats), or posting online about his latest Asian-pop music or BL drama obsession. Jordon lives in Kannapolis, NC with his children Genji and Freyr (aka the aforementioned demon spawn).
Jordon is the award-winning author of EVERY WORD YOU NEVER SAID and A MARK ON MY SOUL.
An alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.S. in Political Science, Jordon works professionally as a senior software engineer. When he isn't writing or at work you can usually find Jordon at his favorite little coffee shop with his found family, cuddling with his little demon spawns (aka cats), or posting online about his latest Asian-pop music or BL drama obsession. Jordon lives in Kannapolis, NC with his children Genji and Freyr (aka the aforementioned demon spawn).
Jordon is the award-winning author of EVERY WORD YOU NEVER SAID and A MARK ON MY SOUL.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
June 18, 2021
“It’s hard sometimes knowing which feeling to trust, which one is leading you to your best life and which is just fear keeping you from all the beautiful things life has waiting for you.”
There are so many things I want to highlight about WFC, it was difficult to choose a quote to start this review with. But this one, I would say, is the story’s biggest morale, aside from something that really defines both Aidan and Tyler—the doubt, the emotion-driven decisions; enthusiasm-driven in Aidan’s case, and fear-driven in Tyler’s.
“I guess sometimes forever is a lot shorter than you think it’s going to be.”
In WFC we meet Aiden and Tyler, two grieving boys. Brayden, Aidan’s best friend as well as Ty’s boyfriend, died in a car accident two months ago, and although the most visceral part of the pain has subsided, things are still rough. Although they used to be friends, Tyler suddenly stopped talking to Aidan one day, and it seems like they will be worlds apart forever… Until a fateful night, in which Aidan comes across Tyler as he cries and offers him support and company. The boys slowly rebuild their friendship, but when something more is born inside each of them, things start shaking and threaten to collapse again.
“God, please let Brayden know I miss him. Tell him it’s not fair I have to do this alone, that I have to go to college alone. But tell him I know it’s not his fault.”
One of the first things I would like to highlight about this book is the approach to grief. Let me make this clear, and please trust my Psychology degree for once: there isn’t a single, universal way to experience grief. There just ISN’T. Emotions are completely subjective, and each person experiences a situation and reacts to it in a different way. Two months after Brayden died, Aidan and Ty are still coming to terms with it, each in their own way but both past the stage of endless crying and rage. And I really liked how Jordon showed this next phase of grief—the phase in which some days you’re feeling and doing better, some others you can’t stop thinking about it and feeling a void, sometimes you allow yourself to feel good and sometimes you beat yourself up for feeling something besides sadness. It wasn’t your mainstream, stereotypical depiction of grief, and that’s precisely why it felt real to me.
“It’s not that hard to treat me like a normal person and stop acting like I’m some Satanist simply because God made me gay. It’s not that I don’t believe in God. I do. Just not the way they do.”
Something else I deeply enjoyed was Ty’s being both Christian and gay. Many times it seems like you can’t be both. There’s pressure from both very conservative sectors of Christianity and the queer community to “choose”; surely you can’t be a believer in Christ and feel non-heterosexual attraction! This book defied that, and I was so happy to see my own experience reflected in Tyler’s. Of course you can be both. Each of those labels is a part of your identity, that does not define the other. You’re so much more than just “gay”, or just “religious”, and you can be both, one, or neither!
There were also characters that reflected very realistic experiences that come with being both .Ty’s father does not accept the fact that his child is gay, and he’s convinced that through ‘manly’ activities, conversion camp, or simply prayer, he can go back to normal. And here’s the beautiful thing: he isn’t a psycho. He’s simply a man worried about what he believes homosexuality will mean to his son. And Tyler knows that. Tyler goes beyond the “you MUST accept and celebrate who I am” pose, and understand why his father is that way. He understands that he’s genuinely worried about him, that he’s sticking to a very literal interpretation of the Bible, and that he still loves him. Even if he can’t accept or agree to his orientation. There’s no major fighting scene over it, no sudden change of heart in Tyler’s dad, and that was actually a very realistic depiction of how things work in these situations. When a certain attitude is part of someone’s core beliefs, you can’t just change that suddenly. Just as they can’t change you. The way they seemed to accept that things were the way they were with each other was really well done.
“You know, if you wanted to be on top of me so bad, all you had to do was ask. You don’t have to make it look like an accident.”
And now that my TED talk is over… Read this book, period. It was just soooo cute! And made me feel so much! Have you ever watched “readers react to…” TikToks and reels? I went through so many of those reactions. Sometimes Aiden made me feel such second-hand embarrassment (in a good way, ofc), I had to look away and make a weird face just to deal with it. Sometimes the boys, or Kallie, would say something sassy as hell, and I’d have to try not to laugh the way a sea lion would choke in the middle of the night. Because: yes, this book kept me up at night. The characters were so easy to love, and their dynamic was so good! I would SO read more books about Tydan being cute together! Because GUYYYYS THE PINING, THE SLOW BURN, I WAS SO DEDD
“You should be flattered. It’s not every day you say something worth repeating.”
If I had to highlight something I didn’t love as much, maybe I would go for two things. First of all, sometimes Kallie could be a little too pushy. She’s worried about her best friend Ty, and she simply wants to help him move on. Many times, when she’s being histrionic, you can see how she’s just trying really hard to be there for both boys, and to make them smile again. But a few times she overstepped. That’s something that happens IRL, too, with people who desperately want to help their friends, but usually the latter tell them not to do that and the intrusive attitude is adressed.
“It feels like forever, him and me.”
Something else I would’ve enjoyed would’ve been a scene in which Tyler explains to Aidan why he, at first, couldn’t stand him. Although he does talk it through with Kallie, Aidan doesn’t really get to hear from him the reason why he hated him. Considering that he’s explicitly wondering about that in the book blurb, I would’ve enjoyed a scene in which he finds out.
“God, please let Brayden know I miss him. Tell him it’s not fair I have to do this alone, that I have to go to college alone. But tell him I know it’s not his fault.”
All in all, this book was delightful, and earned a solid 4.5/5 stars from me (rounded up to five, because in this house we love, respect, and amplify #OwnVoice authors)! Will most probably reread it in the future… Now, though, I have a problem—I just NEEEEED to get and read Jordon’s previous book, “A Mark On My Soul”, soon!
Diversify Yo Bookshelf bingo 2021, 4/35! Free choice. I chose an LGBTQ+ M/M book with a religious main character, and a Latino one.
December 26, 2020
I wanted to like this book. The concept seemed so good and sad, but it didn't live up to it at all.
The biggest issue with the book for me is all the pop culture references, namely the amount of chapters dedicated to describing Overwatch. As someone who has played a ton of Overwatch as well, I could tell the author was also a big fan because it's all very accurate to what goes on in the game, and that's all fine and good, but when I'm reading a book about two boys bonding and falling in love after losing a mutual friend, I don't really want to read about them playing Overwatch, you know? Especially since it doesn't really contribute to much. They play a few matches together but it doesn't necessarily deepen their relationship; it's all just so shallow. (And dude, adding a character with a J name that lives in your city, and giving another character a cat named Genji when you have a cat named Genji... I know we all put pieces of ourselves in our writing, but that's a bit obvious, no?)
My other big issue deals with Kallie. She was funny at times, but ultimately her whole involvement in the book is about forcing the two together. Tyler and Aidan's relationship ultimately feels less genuine and real to me because Kallie spends all her time telling Tyler that he needs to forgive Aidan (that does have truth to it, at least) and befriend him, while telling Aidan that Tyler is going to forgive him. I was expecting Tyler and Aidan to start bonding over their grief and pain, sharing memories of Brayden, and that develops into an actual friendship then relationship. Instead Kallie is basically forcing Aidan onto Tyler, who is clearly not ready for a relationship at the start, and it just makes it all feel... uncomfortable and odd. Not to mention Tyler's apology for being a jealous jerk of Aidan while he was with Brayden is awkward and short, and Aidan accepts it with no problem without them talking about it. Like Aidan dude, love yourself.
The dance and kiss in the rain scene WAS cute, but everything that happens after that was just so painful. Tyler understandably retreats into himself and starts ignoring Aidan, and I understand his fear of getting into a new relationship, but after a certain point it was just like, really dude? Of all people, Aidan would be the one to understand why Tyler is afraid of relationships because of everything about Brayden. I just kept saying "just TALK to him already." It was so frustrating. It felt like the author was just keeping them apart to add extra padding to a book that's already decently long with not much happening. And then Aidan suddenly develops an allergy and lands in the hospital, and I was thinking that this would be the moment they make up, but... nothing. Gotta draw it out for a couple more chapters. After a while, I thought it was actually going to end up with this moral of "you could have had something, but were too afraid to make a move so it passed you by, but at least you recognize that now and can be ready for the next person" for Tyler, and I would have respected that, but nope, there's a typical apology and confession of feelings at the very last minute, and after Aidan originally says no (because of COURSE), they end up happily together like it was nothing.
It just felt so clunky and awkward and contrived, and I think it boils down to the main issue of the book: that their relationship isn't genuine. The two are forced together. They never talk about their grief, their pain, their trauma of losing someone so important. They never deal with the core issues that kept them apart for so long. They are forced together by their best friend, play some Overwatch together, and suddenly it's all good and happy. And it just doesn't work.
Some other gripes I had with the book:
-Tyler never has a meaningful confrontation with his parents. There's some understanding between him and his mom, but she still rarely stands up to his homophobic father besides one moment, and that's still shitty. I understand the conversion thing is a real and important issue, but it barely affects the story. Tyler is so traumatized by both that and Brayden's death, but he never really talks about it to Aidan, it's almost like what's the point if it has no real impact on the plot and it never comes up with other characters. And now Tyler's stuck another year with his parents while having a long distance boyfriend, but that doesn't come up either.
-There's no real confrontation with Christian and Sean. They're awful, almost cartoonishly over the top homophobic bullies, but they're just dropped once school gets out, and that's understandable, but there's no message of moving on from bullying or anything, they're just flat out forgotten. Plus, when Christian mentions what he did with Tyler to Aidan, I was expecting something to come with that. It's yet another reason why Tyler would be hesitant about a relationship, but it's never at all discussed past that time in the bathroom, which begs the question why it was brought up in the first place.
-Tyler called Kallie the b word far too much for my tastes and it made my skin crawl. I understand it was in a joking manner, but I just don't like it when guys call girls that even among friends. It just rubs me wrong.
The writing on a technical level wasn't terrible, no grammar or spelling issues that I noticed or remembered. But the book just falls flat to me. What could have been a great, sad, moving concept gets completely glossed over for the sake of shallow interactions and Overwatch gameplay between two guys who are forced together by their friend and the sake of plot. So many issues are brought up for both characters that ultimately don't really matter for their relationship and are forgotten. I really did want to like the book, but it was bland, dragged on for too long, and was just disappointing.
The biggest issue with the book for me is all the pop culture references, namely the amount of chapters dedicated to describing Overwatch. As someone who has played a ton of Overwatch as well, I could tell the author was also a big fan because it's all very accurate to what goes on in the game, and that's all fine and good, but when I'm reading a book about two boys bonding and falling in love after losing a mutual friend, I don't really want to read about them playing Overwatch, you know? Especially since it doesn't really contribute to much. They play a few matches together but it doesn't necessarily deepen their relationship; it's all just so shallow. (And dude, adding a character with a J name that lives in your city, and giving another character a cat named Genji when you have a cat named Genji... I know we all put pieces of ourselves in our writing, but that's a bit obvious, no?)
My other big issue deals with Kallie. She was funny at times, but ultimately her whole involvement in the book is about forcing the two together. Tyler and Aidan's relationship ultimately feels less genuine and real to me because Kallie spends all her time telling Tyler that he needs to forgive Aidan (that does have truth to it, at least) and befriend him, while telling Aidan that Tyler is going to forgive him. I was expecting Tyler and Aidan to start bonding over their grief and pain, sharing memories of Brayden, and that develops into an actual friendship then relationship. Instead Kallie is basically forcing Aidan onto Tyler, who is clearly not ready for a relationship at the start, and it just makes it all feel... uncomfortable and odd. Not to mention Tyler's apology for being a jealous jerk of Aidan while he was with Brayden is awkward and short, and Aidan accepts it with no problem without them talking about it. Like Aidan dude, love yourself.
The dance and kiss in the rain scene WAS cute, but everything that happens after that was just so painful. Tyler understandably retreats into himself and starts ignoring Aidan, and I understand his fear of getting into a new relationship, but after a certain point it was just like, really dude? Of all people, Aidan would be the one to understand why Tyler is afraid of relationships because of everything about Brayden. I just kept saying "just TALK to him already." It was so frustrating. It felt like the author was just keeping them apart to add extra padding to a book that's already decently long with not much happening. And then Aidan suddenly develops an allergy and lands in the hospital, and I was thinking that this would be the moment they make up, but... nothing. Gotta draw it out for a couple more chapters. After a while, I thought it was actually going to end up with this moral of "you could have had something, but were too afraid to make a move so it passed you by, but at least you recognize that now and can be ready for the next person" for Tyler, and I would have respected that, but nope, there's a typical apology and confession of feelings at the very last minute, and after Aidan originally says no (because of COURSE), they end up happily together like it was nothing.
It just felt so clunky and awkward and contrived, and I think it boils down to the main issue of the book: that their relationship isn't genuine. The two are forced together. They never talk about their grief, their pain, their trauma of losing someone so important. They never deal with the core issues that kept them apart for so long. They are forced together by their best friend, play some Overwatch together, and suddenly it's all good and happy. And it just doesn't work.
Some other gripes I had with the book:
-Tyler never has a meaningful confrontation with his parents. There's some understanding between him and his mom, but she still rarely stands up to his homophobic father besides one moment, and that's still shitty. I understand the conversion thing is a real and important issue, but it barely affects the story. Tyler is so traumatized by both that and Brayden's death, but he never really talks about it to Aidan, it's almost like what's the point if it has no real impact on the plot and it never comes up with other characters. And now Tyler's stuck another year with his parents while having a long distance boyfriend, but that doesn't come up either.
-There's no real confrontation with Christian and Sean. They're awful, almost cartoonishly over the top homophobic bullies, but they're just dropped once school gets out, and that's understandable, but there's no message of moving on from bullying or anything, they're just flat out forgotten. Plus, when Christian mentions what he did with Tyler to Aidan, I was expecting something to come with that. It's yet another reason why Tyler would be hesitant about a relationship, but it's never at all discussed past that time in the bathroom, which begs the question why it was brought up in the first place.
-Tyler called Kallie the b word far too much for my tastes and it made my skin crawl. I understand it was in a joking manner, but I just don't like it when guys call girls that even among friends. It just rubs me wrong.
The writing on a technical level wasn't terrible, no grammar or spelling issues that I noticed or remembered. But the book just falls flat to me. What could have been a great, sad, moving concept gets completely glossed over for the sake of shallow interactions and Overwatch gameplay between two guys who are forced together by their friend and the sake of plot. So many issues are brought up for both characters that ultimately don't really matter for their relationship and are forgotten. I really did want to like the book, but it was bland, dragged on for too long, and was just disappointing.
December 1, 2020
Thank you to the author for giving me a free arc copy of the book to review this book comes out december 8th!
I really enjoyed this book and for me this is my first Jordon Greene book and i was pleasantly surprised how much i really did enjoy it.
So this book centres around two boys Tyler and Aidan who are both mourning the loss of their friend and this takes place before the beginning of the book so we start off with the aftermath of what happened. I myself am not apart of the LGTBQI+ community but i'm always on the lookout for stories with own voices and hopefully come out from a book having learned something new.
I found Tyler standoffish in the beginning of the book and i can kind of get where he's coming from because he's dealing with his ex boyfriend's death and its hitting harder than he thought and than he has his best friend Kallie trying to set him up with Aidan in the process which doesn't make his mourning period any better. I did find however that Kallie was very pushy with the whole trying to get them together at every chance she got which i found the only thing i didn't like that she did in the book but other than that i did enjoy her character very much.
This book also deals with so many issues that are still present issue in our society today and the main thing that i thought was done well was the whole homophobic relative and how Tyler had to go through the motions on dealing with his own father not accepting the fact he's gay and i feel like a lot of teenagers go through this which makes it hard for them to feel comfortable to come out.
I found each of the three main characters all different and unique in their own rights and i found something in each of them that i loved about them and wouldn't change. Tyler is strong, forward and genuine with everyone around him where Aidan was more of the caring, nice and all round nice guy and i feel like these two are both so different in their own right but they also have their distinct personalities which are so fleshed out it makes it easier to read as a reader. Kellie is a funny, caring and wanted what was best for her two friends which also got a little pushy at times but in the end all she wanted was the best for the two and i loved that about her.
Grief is a main topic that is addressed all throughout the book as both Tyler and Aidan are both dealing with the death of someone who was very close to the both of them. I think Jordon really handed and wrote grief really well and i'm pleasantly surprised with how well it came across in a young adult novel. Grief is also something that we all have to deal with at different stages of our own lives and i feel like i could relate to this so much as i've gone through similar periods like these two characters did.
I would have liked to have some characters with Brayden to get to know him a bit because i feel like the whole situation with Brayden was put aside a little bit. So maybe some flashback chapters with all the characters would have been awesome to see.
This story was about ex-friends turned lovers and at the core of the story was about grief and how these friends dealt with the loss of someone close to them and how it affected them all differently. It was a cute and funny book that made it really enjoyable to read and once again thank you to the author Jordon with providing me with an ARC copy to read!
I really enjoyed this book and for me this is my first Jordon Greene book and i was pleasantly surprised how much i really did enjoy it.
So this book centres around two boys Tyler and Aidan who are both mourning the loss of their friend and this takes place before the beginning of the book so we start off with the aftermath of what happened. I myself am not apart of the LGTBQI+ community but i'm always on the lookout for stories with own voices and hopefully come out from a book having learned something new.
I found Tyler standoffish in the beginning of the book and i can kind of get where he's coming from because he's dealing with his ex boyfriend's death and its hitting harder than he thought and than he has his best friend Kallie trying to set him up with Aidan in the process which doesn't make his mourning period any better. I did find however that Kallie was very pushy with the whole trying to get them together at every chance she got which i found the only thing i didn't like that she did in the book but other than that i did enjoy her character very much.
This book also deals with so many issues that are still present issue in our society today and the main thing that i thought was done well was the whole homophobic relative and how Tyler had to go through the motions on dealing with his own father not accepting the fact he's gay and i feel like a lot of teenagers go through this which makes it hard for them to feel comfortable to come out.
I found each of the three main characters all different and unique in their own rights and i found something in each of them that i loved about them and wouldn't change. Tyler is strong, forward and genuine with everyone around him where Aidan was more of the caring, nice and all round nice guy and i feel like these two are both so different in their own right but they also have their distinct personalities which are so fleshed out it makes it easier to read as a reader. Kellie is a funny, caring and wanted what was best for her two friends which also got a little pushy at times but in the end all she wanted was the best for the two and i loved that about her.
Grief is a main topic that is addressed all throughout the book as both Tyler and Aidan are both dealing with the death of someone who was very close to the both of them. I think Jordon really handed and wrote grief really well and i'm pleasantly surprised with how well it came across in a young adult novel. Grief is also something that we all have to deal with at different stages of our own lives and i feel like i could relate to this so much as i've gone through similar periods like these two characters did.
I would have liked to have some characters with Brayden to get to know him a bit because i feel like the whole situation with Brayden was put aside a little bit. So maybe some flashback chapters with all the characters would have been awesome to see.
This story was about ex-friends turned lovers and at the core of the story was about grief and how these friends dealt with the loss of someone close to them and how it affected them all differently. It was a cute and funny book that made it really enjoyable to read and once again thank you to the author Jordon with providing me with an ARC copy to read!
December 11, 2020
TW: homophobia, violence, death (of a friend), casual sexual harassment, homophobic slurs (F-Word), casual mention of conversion therapy
Watching for Comets by Jordon Greene is a story we can all relate to. It’s a coming of age tale about the most basic of human emotions; hope, fear, loss and most importantly, love.
It’s about teenage boys Aidan and Tyler who have both lost the same person: Brayden. Tyler’s ex-boyfriend and Aidan’s best friend has left a hole in their hearts. Even though they are not exactly friends, they turn to each other in a moment of need and solace and grow closer together.
Dealing with their loss, with life that just goes on, with anxiety about their future, unaccepting parents and high school bullies, they try to navigate life in a post-Brayden world together.
I enjoyed reading about the slow budding romance between Tyler and Brayden, who both charmed me with their quirks and personalities. Their friend circle is a group of people every high school student should have by their side and it was wonderful to see everyone interact and be here for each other.
Watching for Comets by Jordon Greene is a story we can all relate to. It’s a coming of age tale about the most basic of human emotions; hope, fear, loss and most importantly, love.
It’s about teenage boys Aidan and Tyler who have both lost the same person: Brayden. Tyler’s ex-boyfriend and Aidan’s best friend has left a hole in their hearts. Even though they are not exactly friends, they turn to each other in a moment of need and solace and grow closer together.
Dealing with their loss, with life that just goes on, with anxiety about their future, unaccepting parents and high school bullies, they try to navigate life in a post-Brayden world together.
I enjoyed reading about the slow budding romance between Tyler and Brayden, who both charmed me with their quirks and personalities. Their friend circle is a group of people every high school student should have by their side and it was wonderful to see everyone interact and be here for each other.
December 11, 2020
I have a confession to make. I read ‘A mark on my soul’ and I liked it, a lot. So when Jordon Greene announced ‘Watching for comets’ I immediately added that one to my TBR and started reading on the day it came out, expecting to read it in a couple of sittings. And then ... there was a bummer ... because ... I didn’t like it. The first chapters felt like jumping from snippet to snippet. I sighed, became nervous and quit reading more than once. Because what if I really didn’t like this story? I hate it when I don’t like an anticipated book as much as I thought beforehand and I hate giving less than 3 stars (but sometimes I do).
Then I started again at 16% of the story and I forced myself to read more. And somehow from about 18% I read on and on instead of sighing and without wanting to throw my ereader away; I just found myself smiling every now and then.
From the moment Tyler and Aidan really started talking, not only the moment in the park, I connected more and more to the story and I dove into it and came out happy at the end. Fortunately!!
I liked the relationship between Tyler and Aidan, hesitant at first but growing more and more into a close friendship, later on liking each as in having a crush. I also liked the way their grief is handled, at first a lot of bad moments, later on more happy moments with bad ones in between. The doubts Tyler had about falling in love again, too soon, and the doubts Aidan had because he really liked Tyler but wasn’t sure Tyler liked him back, were very realistic. In the end I enjoyed the book a lot. Although the story started sad, overall it was fluffy and cute. So this story was a satisfying read. I would have been even more satisfied if I got to know Brayden a little better and if I had read more about the relationship between Tyler and his dad.
And Jordon, did you mention yourself in the book? At the coffee shop I go to down here sometimes, there’s this older bald writer that comes around and writes all the time. Think he writes horror too actually. Not that I think you’re old, and maybe you’re not bald (just shaved your hair on the photo on Goodreads) but this doesn’t seem like a coincidence 😂!
Then I started again at 16% of the story and I forced myself to read more. And somehow from about 18% I read on and on instead of sighing and without wanting to throw my ereader away; I just found myself smiling every now and then.
From the moment Tyler and Aidan really started talking, not only the moment in the park, I connected more and more to the story and I dove into it and came out happy at the end. Fortunately!!
I liked the relationship between Tyler and Aidan, hesitant at first but growing more and more into a close friendship, later on liking each as in having a crush. I also liked the way their grief is handled, at first a lot of bad moments, later on more happy moments with bad ones in between. The doubts Tyler had about falling in love again, too soon, and the doubts Aidan had because he really liked Tyler but wasn’t sure Tyler liked him back, were very realistic. In the end I enjoyed the book a lot. Although the story started sad, overall it was fluffy and cute. So this story was a satisfying read. I would have been even more satisfied if I got to know Brayden a little better and if I had read more about the relationship between Tyler and his dad.
And Jordon, did you mention yourself in the book? At the coffee shop I go to down here sometimes, there’s this older bald writer that comes around and writes all the time. Think he writes horror too actually. Not that I think you’re old, and maybe you’re not bald (just shaved your hair on the photo on Goodreads) but this doesn’t seem like a coincidence 😂!
December 8, 2020
When Jordon Greene offered me an arc, to say I was excited would be an understatement. I was ecstatic to be given the chance to read this book early!
Be aware though, this book includes some content that not everyone will want to read. HOMOPHOBIA, HOMOPHOBIC AND RACIST SLURS, CHARACTER DEATH (The death itself isnt written in detail but it is mentioned A LOT and described a bit)
There were a small amount of things in the book that I didn't enjoy and I'd like to start with them to get them out of the way.
Some comments were made in the book that seemed transphobic. The characters shared their negative feelings about vaginas. They were simple sentences, but that alone is enough. I am not saying the author is transphobic, I am saying that there are many ways a character can express their homosexuality and I do not agree with what the author had chosen to do.
The other thing that I didn't like was how little I felt about Brayden. I'm only speaking for myself when I say that it was hard to miss Brayden, especially in the beginning. I would have preferred to know more about Brayden before he died. As the book went forward, it became easier and more of him was shared, but the book probably would have had me sobbing every second if Brayden was more of a character to me.
Now, let's get into things I liked (LOVED).
The characters in the book are amazing! I could go on and on about their personality and who I think is funny and crap like that, but I want to talk about how REAL they are. Any story can be amazing but if your characters are shit, the effect isn't there. Like watching a movie but the actors are terrible. The characters were so well done and they're very relatable. I've read about many characters who were just names on a page to me but definitely NOT this book!
I also loved Jordon Greene's writing style. For me, his writing changed depending on the scene. Light and happy scenes were easy and simple. Emotional and intense scenes were long and descriptive. Though I didn't feel connected to Brayden, I definitely did cry A LOT. Jordon Greene's writing, in my opinion, is beautiful.
The story is interesting and well-written. The book made me feel and it consumed me completely whenever I was reading. It was happy, sad, funny, and aggravating. It's an awesome story for queer teens who've ever once believed they didn't deserve happiness. Because they do deserve happiness. YOU deserve happiness and this book shows that.
I 100% recommend this book to anyone and everyone! If you're unsure about whether or not you want to read it…. READ IT!!
(Also I'm too tired to edit this so if there's spelling or grammar errors…… I don't care)
Be aware though, this book includes some content that not everyone will want to read. HOMOPHOBIA, HOMOPHOBIC AND RACIST SLURS, CHARACTER DEATH (The death itself isnt written in detail but it is mentioned A LOT and described a bit)
There were a small amount of things in the book that I didn't enjoy and I'd like to start with them to get them out of the way.
Some comments were made in the book that seemed transphobic. The characters shared their negative feelings about vaginas. They were simple sentences, but that alone is enough. I am not saying the author is transphobic, I am saying that there are many ways a character can express their homosexuality and I do not agree with what the author had chosen to do.
The other thing that I didn't like was how little I felt about Brayden. I'm only speaking for myself when I say that it was hard to miss Brayden, especially in the beginning. I would have preferred to know more about Brayden before he died. As the book went forward, it became easier and more of him was shared, but the book probably would have had me sobbing every second if Brayden was more of a character to me.
Now, let's get into things I liked (LOVED).
The characters in the book are amazing! I could go on and on about their personality and who I think is funny and crap like that, but I want to talk about how REAL they are. Any story can be amazing but if your characters are shit, the effect isn't there. Like watching a movie but the actors are terrible. The characters were so well done and they're very relatable. I've read about many characters who were just names on a page to me but definitely NOT this book!
I also loved Jordon Greene's writing style. For me, his writing changed depending on the scene. Light and happy scenes were easy and simple. Emotional and intense scenes were long and descriptive. Though I didn't feel connected to Brayden, I definitely did cry A LOT. Jordon Greene's writing, in my opinion, is beautiful.
The story is interesting and well-written. The book made me feel and it consumed me completely whenever I was reading. It was happy, sad, funny, and aggravating. It's an awesome story for queer teens who've ever once believed they didn't deserve happiness. Because they do deserve happiness. YOU deserve happiness and this book shows that.
I 100% recommend this book to anyone and everyone! If you're unsure about whether or not you want to read it…. READ IT!!
(Also I'm too tired to edit this so if there's spelling or grammar errors…… I don't care)
October 21, 2020
I received a copy of this book to review from the author but all opinions are my own!
This book comes out December 8th!
This was a sweet little book about Tyler and Aidan, two boys in high school mourning the loss of their friend, or in Tyler’s case boyfriend, after he tragically died in a car accident two months before this story takes place. The two didn’t get along before Brayden’s death, but now they’re the only two people at school who can truly understand what the pain of losing someone so close to you feels like, and they grow closer to each other as they grieve and heal together.
There were definitely parts of this that I liked and a few parts of this book I wasn’t too fond of.
I really enjoyed Tyler’s friend Kallie and everything she brought to the table. She was funny and fierce and everything you’d want in a best friend. I also absolutely loved all of the scenes where all of the teenagers were just hanging out, doing laser tag or chilling at Taco Bell or anything that friends do at 17. I have such a soft spot for friend groups and for the nostalgia that comes along with being on the cusp of adulthood but not really being on your own yet, so you and your friends form your own rules and your own family and you hang out at the movies just to get away from home.
I also just appreciated how these teens really felt like teens in the way that they talked and acted. They weren’t too immature or too wise beyond their years.
However I really just wanted more depth from this story. It centers around the death of Brayden but we never fully dive into those feelings, it all feels very surface level and like his death was simply a plot point to get Aidan and Tyler to date each other. I never felt like he was a real character in this story and I never felt emotionally involved as a reader. I also felt there were many side plots in this book that weren’t fully developed and that I needed closure on a bit more, like the high school bully. This book also had quite a bit of telling the reader what was going on instead of showing us via descriptive writing.
I also feel like in ten years time, all of the pop culture references in this book might make it feel a bit dated.
Overall, this was a sweet LGTBQ+ story about friendship, healing, and finding yourself while letting yourself fall in love again. I think there are a lot of small scenes tucked away in this book that are SO full of heart, but the overall story just needed a bit more oomph and editing to make it more cohesive and more fully rounded out. I really do look forward to what this author will do in the future, and I’m so appreciative of the opportunity to read this story early!
TW; homophobia, grief and loss of a loved one.
This book comes out December 8th!
This was a sweet little book about Tyler and Aidan, two boys in high school mourning the loss of their friend, or in Tyler’s case boyfriend, after he tragically died in a car accident two months before this story takes place. The two didn’t get along before Brayden’s death, but now they’re the only two people at school who can truly understand what the pain of losing someone so close to you feels like, and they grow closer to each other as they grieve and heal together.
There were definitely parts of this that I liked and a few parts of this book I wasn’t too fond of.
I really enjoyed Tyler’s friend Kallie and everything she brought to the table. She was funny and fierce and everything you’d want in a best friend. I also absolutely loved all of the scenes where all of the teenagers were just hanging out, doing laser tag or chilling at Taco Bell or anything that friends do at 17. I have such a soft spot for friend groups and for the nostalgia that comes along with being on the cusp of adulthood but not really being on your own yet, so you and your friends form your own rules and your own family and you hang out at the movies just to get away from home.
I also just appreciated how these teens really felt like teens in the way that they talked and acted. They weren’t too immature or too wise beyond their years.
However I really just wanted more depth from this story. It centers around the death of Brayden but we never fully dive into those feelings, it all feels very surface level and like his death was simply a plot point to get Aidan and Tyler to date each other. I never felt like he was a real character in this story and I never felt emotionally involved as a reader. I also felt there were many side plots in this book that weren’t fully developed and that I needed closure on a bit more, like the high school bully. This book also had quite a bit of telling the reader what was going on instead of showing us via descriptive writing.
I also feel like in ten years time, all of the pop culture references in this book might make it feel a bit dated.
Overall, this was a sweet LGTBQ+ story about friendship, healing, and finding yourself while letting yourself fall in love again. I think there are a lot of small scenes tucked away in this book that are SO full of heart, but the overall story just needed a bit more oomph and editing to make it more cohesive and more fully rounded out. I really do look forward to what this author will do in the future, and I’m so appreciative of the opportunity to read this story early!
TW; homophobia, grief and loss of a loved one.
October 12, 2020
Watching for Comets by Jordon Greene
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5
I’m always excited when I get to review ARCs, especially when they are about queer characters and from queer authors. Watching for Comets was a sweet romance story but there were some things that made me find it kind of hard to get into it fully – which is also why it took me so long to finish it.
What I didn’t like: I liked the trope about Brayden and his death and how the characters had to deal with loss but it was not explored much or at all. I would had connected with Tyler and Aiden a lot more if I had actually met Brayden myself, either through flashbacks or having him die on page. His death was kinda forgotten after a while which brings me to another thing I did not like.
Tyler was obviously having a hard time dealing with it and yet Kallie (his best friend) kept pushing him into a relationship and setting him up with Aidan. I get that someone might think their friends would make good couples with someone else and urge them to pursue a relationship but Kallie was very pushy about it. On the other hand, I did not really like how Tyler treated Aidan. In general, Aidan was a character I loved and whose chapters I genuinely enjoyed but I could not connect with the rest characters.
The writing was also a bit off at times and it felt as if the kids were not really acting their age. There was not much of a plot and there were many loose ends. Did Aidan ever confront Christian? Did Tyler ever have an actual conversation with his homophobic father? Things like that. Not to mention that all the pop culture references got a bit annoying at times. It’s fun to see three or four in there but there was such a reference every other chapter.
(Also, adding here a quote that also very much irked me: “I suck at dancing, like royally suck, like it’s as scary as vagina.” Just because a character is gay, doesn’t mean he can make such comments).
Things I did enjoy: while a bit cliche, the kissing scene was cute. The hating to lovers trope could had been further explored but it was also a nice addition to the story and made the slow burn kind of enjoyable. As I said before, I also very much enjoyed Aidan’s character. His chapters were genuinely fun and his character felt quite real and also dorky – which I very much love and appreciate. While I did not exactly root for Tyler and Aidan, the ending left me satisfied after almost scaring me that it could perhaps have a sad ending.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Watching for Comets, but there were some things listed above that left a weird after taste. I would recommend it if you want to read a teenage love story that’s simple and with mild angst.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5
I’m always excited when I get to review ARCs, especially when they are about queer characters and from queer authors. Watching for Comets was a sweet romance story but there were some things that made me find it kind of hard to get into it fully – which is also why it took me so long to finish it.
What I didn’t like: I liked the trope about Brayden and his death and how the characters had to deal with loss but it was not explored much or at all. I would had connected with Tyler and Aiden a lot more if I had actually met Brayden myself, either through flashbacks or having him die on page. His death was kinda forgotten after a while which brings me to another thing I did not like.
Tyler was obviously having a hard time dealing with it and yet Kallie (his best friend) kept pushing him into a relationship and setting him up with Aidan. I get that someone might think their friends would make good couples with someone else and urge them to pursue a relationship but Kallie was very pushy about it. On the other hand, I did not really like how Tyler treated Aidan. In general, Aidan was a character I loved and whose chapters I genuinely enjoyed but I could not connect with the rest characters.
The writing was also a bit off at times and it felt as if the kids were not really acting their age. There was not much of a plot and there were many loose ends. Did Aidan ever confront Christian? Did Tyler ever have an actual conversation with his homophobic father? Things like that. Not to mention that all the pop culture references got a bit annoying at times. It’s fun to see three or four in there but there was such a reference every other chapter.
(Also, adding here a quote that also very much irked me: “I suck at dancing, like royally suck, like it’s as scary as vagina.” Just because a character is gay, doesn’t mean he can make such comments).
Things I did enjoy: while a bit cliche, the kissing scene was cute. The hating to lovers trope could had been further explored but it was also a nice addition to the story and made the slow burn kind of enjoyable. As I said before, I also very much enjoyed Aidan’s character. His chapters were genuinely fun and his character felt quite real and also dorky – which I very much love and appreciate. While I did not exactly root for Tyler and Aidan, the ending left me satisfied after almost scaring me that it could perhaps have a sad ending.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Watching for Comets, but there were some things listed above that left a weird after taste. I would recommend it if you want to read a teenage love story that’s simple and with mild angst.
January 6, 2021
So first off, I relate to Aidan on a deeply personal level. From the personality to the awkwardness to the trying-to-wait-long-enough-to-text-back-and-failing. I see myself in the character and I think a lot of younger people will as well. Jordon did an excellent job portraying a teenager’s inner monologue and personality with this character.
Kallie is the heart of this book as well, she is the center piece in this story and though she is a funny character, she isn’t just the comedic relief. She is the rock for both main characters. She doesn’t take one side or the other, showing that she loves both of her friends equally.
Now Tyler. We see glimpses of his guilt and anguish throughout the book, though he does do a good job of hiding it. Occasionally through his dialogue and inner turmoil we see how much he really blames himself. His character is a realistic grieving teenager who lost his first love and blames himself while still trying to find himself.
Jordon Greene did an excellent job at writing a novel I can only describe as a coming of age/gay romance grieving and healing story. I think many young adults will feel validated and relate to this story as subjects such as unsupportive parents and death are handled in such a delicate and respectful manner.
Bravo, Jordon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2020
”What I do know is that what if had me chasing a comet millions of miles away, when the comet I was looking for was standing right in front of me.
First off, to be 100% transparent, I was sent this Arc in exchange for an HONEST review:
I absolutely loved all of these characters, from Tyler’s initial stand offish nature towards Aidan that slowly filtered away, aidan’s cute shyness, and Kallie being the puppet master in the background bringing the two together.
It’s ADORABLY gay and makes you feel warm and fuzzy, with characters that are so easy to relate to
I also found the authors choice of making the preferred game choice of Tyler & Aiden be Overwatch a nice touch as it is a personal favourite of mine and helped flesh out the characters and made them more relatable.
I appreciated how the author brought up real life issues in the LGBTQ+ community, like conversion therapy, homophobic parents / surroundings & sexual harassment and how well they were handled
First off, to be 100% transparent, I was sent this Arc in exchange for an HONEST review:
I absolutely loved all of these characters, from Tyler’s initial stand offish nature towards Aidan that slowly filtered away, aidan’s cute shyness, and Kallie being the puppet master in the background bringing the two together.
It’s ADORABLY gay and makes you feel warm and fuzzy, with characters that are so easy to relate to
I also found the authors choice of making the preferred game choice of Tyler & Aiden be Overwatch a nice touch as it is a personal favourite of mine and helped flesh out the characters and made them more relatable.
I appreciated how the author brought up real life issues in the LGBTQ+ community, like conversion therapy, homophobic parents / surroundings & sexual harassment and how well they were handled
June 30, 2022
Watching for Comets
By Jordon Greene
Published by F/K Teen, 2020
Four stars
I do like comets. I watched Hale-Bopp in 1997, flying to New Orleans with my two tiny children in my arms and sleeping on my feet. The title alone drew me to this book.
Jordon Greene does a great job channeling the angst and confusion of being a teenager. All these kids, but especially the protagonists, Aiden Molina and Tyler Gentry, jump off the page. The dark little center of this story is the recent death of Brayden—who was Aiden’s best friend and Tyler’s boyfriend. The added complication is that Tyler had stopped speaking to Aiden long before their mutual friends death out of a misplaced sense of jealousy.
So the core of the plot is watching these two boys negotiate their grief and their deeply mixed feelings for each other, much of it coached by their mutual friend, the dominant-yet-loving Kallie.
But it’s not quite so simple, since these boys are in small-town North Carolina, and come from two very different families. In spite of an absent father, Aiden’s Latino family is supportive and loving of his gay self. Tyler, on the other hand, is from an orthodox Baptist clan, which means church three days a week and a marked lack of compassion for his coming out.
Oddly enough, these are not the main difficulties Aiden and Tyler face. Not even the casual, cruel homophobia Aiden suffers at the hands of the school jocks really causes trouble. It is their own demons, their own teenaged idiocy (which is real and painful, even if idiotic and frustrating) that creates their most difficult challenges. It is hard to watch them torture themselves and each other, but I suspect this aspect of the book will appeal more to actual teenagers than to an elder like me (I am apparently the same age as Tyler’s great-aunt Vickie).
The world teenagers inhabit—focused on their devices as an escape from both boredom and family difficulties—is rendered with unnerving precision. It is such a different world, and it’s important to record it in all its tech-enabled intensity. Even fiction is history, and Jordon Green gives us a slice of modern history through the eyes of young people.
By Jordon Greene
Published by F/K Teen, 2020
Four stars
I do like comets. I watched Hale-Bopp in 1997, flying to New Orleans with my two tiny children in my arms and sleeping on my feet. The title alone drew me to this book.
Jordon Greene does a great job channeling the angst and confusion of being a teenager. All these kids, but especially the protagonists, Aiden Molina and Tyler Gentry, jump off the page. The dark little center of this story is the recent death of Brayden—who was Aiden’s best friend and Tyler’s boyfriend. The added complication is that Tyler had stopped speaking to Aiden long before their mutual friends death out of a misplaced sense of jealousy.
So the core of the plot is watching these two boys negotiate their grief and their deeply mixed feelings for each other, much of it coached by their mutual friend, the dominant-yet-loving Kallie.
But it’s not quite so simple, since these boys are in small-town North Carolina, and come from two very different families. In spite of an absent father, Aiden’s Latino family is supportive and loving of his gay self. Tyler, on the other hand, is from an orthodox Baptist clan, which means church three days a week and a marked lack of compassion for his coming out.
Oddly enough, these are not the main difficulties Aiden and Tyler face. Not even the casual, cruel homophobia Aiden suffers at the hands of the school jocks really causes trouble. It is their own demons, their own teenaged idiocy (which is real and painful, even if idiotic and frustrating) that creates their most difficult challenges. It is hard to watch them torture themselves and each other, but I suspect this aspect of the book will appeal more to actual teenagers than to an elder like me (I am apparently the same age as Tyler’s great-aunt Vickie).
The world teenagers inhabit—focused on their devices as an escape from both boredom and family difficulties—is rendered with unnerving precision. It is such a different world, and it’s important to record it in all its tech-enabled intensity. Even fiction is history, and Jordon Green gives us a slice of modern history through the eyes of young people.
December 11, 2020
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Watching for Comets is a story about grief, friendship and a second chance. Tyler is so sick of life giving him the shit cards. First he's born to a family that is ultra-religious and won't accept him for being gay. Then his boyfriend dies and he can't cope with the fact that it could be his fault. And last, he's forced to deal with all this while talking to his arch-nemesis, Aidan, who was also Brayden's best friend.
Aidan is wondering why. Why did Brayden have to die? He's missing him and hoping Brayden is watching him from the stars. But then Tyler starts talking to him again. Could this be a sign? If only Aidan knew why Tyler hated him so much, after all they used to be good friends.
I enjoyed this story, though it did fall short on a couple things for me. Mainly Tyler and why he was so damn angry at Aidan. This is built up to be such a big thing, but we never really know why he hates him. In addition, it's never really discussed in detail. Tyler does admit he was a bit of an ass at one point, but that's about the depth of the conversation. If I were Aidan, I would've demanded an explanation at the very least, especially since Aidan never did anything mean or rude to Tyler.
I liked Tyler enough, but Aidan was the star for me. I loved his character so much. He seemed pretty isolated outside of his friend group with Brayden, but made it work. I also really enjoyed his growing friendship with Kallie, Tyler's best friend. I really liked Kallie's character as well, she was probably my favorite after Aidan. However, the amount of times she literally pushed Tyler and Aidan together or played mediator for them drove me wild. I don't get why she'd want to be that involved in her friends' relationship. Or how to drive her mad, especially Tyler and his lack of communication skills.
The themes of grief, and learning to accept it were very well done. However, it was not balanced well with the blatantly homophobia and attempted conversion. There are several school bullies the two boys must deal with, but while they are background antagonists, nothing really happens to solve this conflict. In addition, we see Tyler's father become increasingly more homophobic with the threat of violence. This was also never resolved, the threat of Tyler's father looms large throughout the whole novel, though his mother seems to be coming around.
Come for the cute gay romance and the star that is Aidan.
Watching for Comets is a story about grief, friendship and a second chance. Tyler is so sick of life giving him the shit cards. First he's born to a family that is ultra-religious and won't accept him for being gay. Then his boyfriend dies and he can't cope with the fact that it could be his fault. And last, he's forced to deal with all this while talking to his arch-nemesis, Aidan, who was also Brayden's best friend.
Aidan is wondering why. Why did Brayden have to die? He's missing him and hoping Brayden is watching him from the stars. But then Tyler starts talking to him again. Could this be a sign? If only Aidan knew why Tyler hated him so much, after all they used to be good friends.
I enjoyed this story, though it did fall short on a couple things for me. Mainly Tyler and why he was so damn angry at Aidan. This is built up to be such a big thing, but we never really know why he hates him. In addition, it's never really discussed in detail. Tyler does admit he was a bit of an ass at one point, but that's about the depth of the conversation. If I were Aidan, I would've demanded an explanation at the very least, especially since Aidan never did anything mean or rude to Tyler.
I liked Tyler enough, but Aidan was the star for me. I loved his character so much. He seemed pretty isolated outside of his friend group with Brayden, but made it work. I also really enjoyed his growing friendship with Kallie, Tyler's best friend. I really liked Kallie's character as well, she was probably my favorite after Aidan. However, the amount of times she literally pushed Tyler and Aidan together or played mediator for them drove me wild. I don't get why she'd want to be that involved in her friends' relationship. Or how to drive her mad, especially Tyler and his lack of communication skills.
The themes of grief, and learning to accept it were very well done. However, it was not balanced well with the blatantly homophobia and attempted conversion. There are several school bullies the two boys must deal with, but while they are background antagonists, nothing really happens to solve this conflict. In addition, we see Tyler's father become increasingly more homophobic with the threat of violence. This was also never resolved, the threat of Tyler's father looms large throughout the whole novel, though his mother seems to be coming around.
Come for the cute gay romance and the star that is Aidan.
December 10, 2020
f t c: The author reached out to me for a review and provided me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.
WATCHING FOR COMETS by Jordon Greene is a debut YA story about two boys - Aidan and Tyler - torn apart by the sudden, too-soon death of Tyler's boyfriend and Aidan's best friend Brayden. The two boys find themselves grieving together, and their former animosity grows into fondness and confusion as they ask themselves, "What if?"
Trigger warning for: Homophobia, death, religion/conversion therapy, sexual harassment/assault
If I had to give a star rating (which I have my own opinions on, but that's for a different post), this book is a solid 3.5/5. I wouldn't say it's one of my favorites, but it was by no means horrible or even average. I think it depends on what you're looking for and what kind of reader you are.
I enjoyed this story a lot. The chapters are short, and while the subject matter is darker, I would still say it's more lighthearted than the books I tend to gravitate toward, and it's message of moving on and remembering and forgiveness certainly bring up the more somber elements. For people that want to add more queer authors/stories to their lists, this is a good one.
I didn't have super strong feelings about the style, but it was very stream-of-consciousness, and the dual POV was written well enough that you could distinguish who was talking without being told. I felt like some parts went over my head and were more like self-insert for the author to talk about things he was passionate about, but for those that like cars/Overwatch/astronomy, you might see these as fun additions.
However, I will make this disclaimer that one of the characters is a Latinx boy, and I cannot comment on the representation as I am not a member of this group.
What really sold me on this story was the ending - literally the last page. What my professors might call the "so what" of the book. This is not a bury-your-gays or angsty book. Queer people deserve happy endings, period, full stop. But it's a realistic story about taking chances, asking yourself "what if", wondering if you're being cautious or paranoid, and the truly awkward maze it is to navigate your friendships when you date within a friend group/when it goes sour.
WATCHING FOR COMETS by Jordon Greene is a debut YA story about two boys - Aidan and Tyler - torn apart by the sudden, too-soon death of Tyler's boyfriend and Aidan's best friend Brayden. The two boys find themselves grieving together, and their former animosity grows into fondness and confusion as they ask themselves, "What if?"
Trigger warning for: Homophobia, death, religion/conversion therapy, sexual harassment/assault
If I had to give a star rating (which I have my own opinions on, but that's for a different post), this book is a solid 3.5/5. I wouldn't say it's one of my favorites, but it was by no means horrible or even average. I think it depends on what you're looking for and what kind of reader you are.
I enjoyed this story a lot. The chapters are short, and while the subject matter is darker, I would still say it's more lighthearted than the books I tend to gravitate toward, and it's message of moving on and remembering and forgiveness certainly bring up the more somber elements. For people that want to add more queer authors/stories to their lists, this is a good one.
I didn't have super strong feelings about the style, but it was very stream-of-consciousness, and the dual POV was written well enough that you could distinguish who was talking without being told. I felt like some parts went over my head and were more like self-insert for the author to talk about things he was passionate about, but for those that like cars/Overwatch/astronomy, you might see these as fun additions.
However, I will make this disclaimer that one of the characters is a Latinx boy, and I cannot comment on the representation as I am not a member of this group.
What really sold me on this story was the ending - literally the last page. What my professors might call the "so what" of the book. This is not a bury-your-gays or angsty book. Queer people deserve happy endings, period, full stop. But it's a realistic story about taking chances, asking yourself "what if", wondering if you're being cautious or paranoid, and the truly awkward maze it is to navigate your friendships when you date within a friend group/when it goes sour.
October 12, 2020
Jordon asked me if I wanted to read his new book - of course I wanted to!
Watching for comets will be on the market in December & you should definitely remember the book.
It's not just a LGBTQ book, it's also a book about growing up in general. About problems with the family, about feelings of guilt and about love.
Our protagonists are Tyler and Aiden.
Their common friend Bryden died in an accident.
Tyler lost his boyfriend.
Aiden his best friend.
Both have to struggle with their emotions and they have to process their experiences over and over again. And although they can't talk to each other at the beginning, a band is forming between them, but how strong it is, they have to find out first.
My opinion:
Wow. Wow. And again, wow! I loved the book! Aiden and Tyler are incredibly close characters in which you can see how much love and time the author has put into the world of thoughts and feelings of his young protagonists. Watching for comets is not just like any other romantic novel, as you might expect at the first moment. He addresses many problems, such as acceptance in the family, conversion therapies, or even fetishization of gay young men. As readers, we always experience the perspective of Aiden or Tyler and always look forward to the next chapter like in a good series. Because of the changing perspectives, you can immerse yourself incredibly well in the protagonists. You share their excitement and you want to drive them forward in their relationship with each other. At the same time, you understand well why they don't always move forward. Why they hesitate and why they doubt. You can experience how they grow emotionally beyond themselves, but also get caught up in their thoughts. Both boys are going through a difficult time. The book doesn't rush anything and raises many inner problems of the two protagonists. As a result, the story is very comprehensible and realistic.
An incredibly beautiful, but at times also tragic love story that is worth reading and leaves you with a good feeling.
A book that I intend to back up as a print edition again, because I would like to highlight some passages.
Watching for comets will be on the market in December & you should definitely remember the book.
It's not just a LGBTQ book, it's also a book about growing up in general. About problems with the family, about feelings of guilt and about love.
Our protagonists are Tyler and Aiden.
Their common friend Bryden died in an accident.
Tyler lost his boyfriend.
Aiden his best friend.
Both have to struggle with their emotions and they have to process their experiences over and over again. And although they can't talk to each other at the beginning, a band is forming between them, but how strong it is, they have to find out first.
My opinion:
Wow. Wow. And again, wow! I loved the book! Aiden and Tyler are incredibly close characters in which you can see how much love and time the author has put into the world of thoughts and feelings of his young protagonists. Watching for comets is not just like any other romantic novel, as you might expect at the first moment. He addresses many problems, such as acceptance in the family, conversion therapies, or even fetishization of gay young men. As readers, we always experience the perspective of Aiden or Tyler and always look forward to the next chapter like in a good series. Because of the changing perspectives, you can immerse yourself incredibly well in the protagonists. You share their excitement and you want to drive them forward in their relationship with each other. At the same time, you understand well why they don't always move forward. Why they hesitate and why they doubt. You can experience how they grow emotionally beyond themselves, but also get caught up in their thoughts. Both boys are going through a difficult time. The book doesn't rush anything and raises many inner problems of the two protagonists. As a result, the story is very comprehensible and realistic.
An incredibly beautiful, but at times also tragic love story that is worth reading and leaves you with a good feeling.
A book that I intend to back up as a print edition again, because I would like to highlight some passages.
October 3, 2021
I couldn’t put this down. I loved the characters and I really felt what they were going through after losing someone they cared about. I could see myself in a little bit of both of the main characters. Definitely check this one out.
January 3, 2021
This book really impressed me. I didn’t know going into it how personal it would be for me. I dealt with a similar loss at this age. Just the story of a teenager losing someone they love and how to grieve and keep living life like a normal high schooler but having experienced something that most high schoolers don’t... wow this was spot on. Tyler and Aiden’s journey of finding comfort in each other and navigating their pain and grief together was really moving.
I definitely had tears in my eyes as I read Tyler’s inner monologue of how could he ever love anyone else?
The pacing of the book is a little slow but it’s worth it to have read and experienced something real and honest.
Oh yeah, and Tyler’s super religious family and all he has experienced in his home life being a gay teen? Ugh infuriating.
This is a great book for LGBTQ+ teens who are battling high school struggles and discovering love. But also a great book for just young people experiencing grief for the first time.
Thank you to the author Jordon Greene for a gifted copy of this book. I look forward to reading more of Greene’s work!
I definitely had tears in my eyes as I read Tyler’s inner monologue of how could he ever love anyone else?
The pacing of the book is a little slow but it’s worth it to have read and experienced something real and honest.
Oh yeah, and Tyler’s super religious family and all he has experienced in his home life being a gay teen? Ugh infuriating.
This is a great book for LGBTQ+ teens who are battling high school struggles and discovering love. But also a great book for just young people experiencing grief for the first time.
Thank you to the author Jordon Greene for a gifted copy of this book. I look forward to reading more of Greene’s work!
July 14, 2021
What a way to start off the New Year!! When I first saw an Instagram ad for Watching For Comets, I saw a gorgeous cover and great reviews. Shockingly (not!), WFC is as magical as I thought it would be. From an endless stream of Tweets to the author narrating each of my thoughts and fanpal moments to ranting even more to my friends and family about the masterpiece that is two oblivious gays, WFC is definitely one of my new favourite books. It’s a feel-good romance with a dash of angst, mixed with a heap of pop culture and hilarious quips. I recommend it to anyone looking for their next go-to comfort book of healing and loving relatable disaster teens ;)
October 25, 2022
DNF. I’m at the point where Tyler and Aiden are becoming friendly again, and I feel nothing. I don’t care about any of these characters. Maybe if the author had given these characters more depth. There were opportunities to do so. Homophobic parents, conversion camp, etc. Instead of details, these were just throw away lines.
On the more positive side, the author has a knack for character conversations and inner thoughts, but the pop culture references were over done, although “Dead Pool pajama bottoms” is cute.
On the more positive side, the author has a knack for character conversations and inner thoughts, but the pop culture references were over done, although “Dead Pool pajama bottoms” is cute.
July 6, 2022
I couldn’t put this book down. It brought all the feels that I needed to feel and was written so beautifully. It’s a dual perspective, which I don’t mind, and the switching off is actually meaningful? If that makes sense. Usually with dual perspectives I feel like it’s rushed or added in there just because but every time it switched perspective it just added more to the story. I thought I was going to be depressed reading this book because of the synapsis, however, it had me giggling and giddy.
November 21, 2020
Thank you, Jordon, for the eARC!
“Watching for Comets” is a super cute, fun and very gay story about friendships, love and loss and it will make you feel all the fuzzy feelings in the world 💙
Be sure to check it when it comes out December 8!
“Watching for Comets” is a super cute, fun and very gay story about friendships, love and loss and it will make you feel all the fuzzy feelings in the world 💙
Be sure to check it when it comes out December 8!
December 19, 2022
Actual rating 4.5 stars! I will preface this by saying A Mark on My Soul is going to be hard to beat. One of my favorite books I've read this year that quite literally left marks on my soul. Any book thereafter was going to have big shoes to fill. I loved this book, but it will be hard to top the first installment in the Noahverse.
It fascinates me how tragedy can bring people together in its aftermath. The shared effects of trauma. That was so much of what this book explored, and it was incredibly emotional. I loved seeing how the boys navigated grief and the associated feelings differently, but also how they helped each other heal in ways they may not have been able to do alone.
Both of our main boys were pretty great. Tyler frustrated me to extremes at quite a few points, but understanding that his behavior came from a place of hurt made me empathize with him. Aidan... Aidan was a complete angel and I am president of his fan club. He handled everything life threw at him with grace and optimism and I loved his chapters. He was the most caring and selfless human and I just fell in love with him immediately.
Jordon's writing is charged with such strong emotion, and it is balanced perfectly with his ability to highlight moments that are completely magical and adorable as well. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I want ALL of that in a book.
I am so excited to read the next two books in the Noahverse series. Thank you for giving us these beautiful stories, Jordon.
"What if can be anything, and like everything it’s uncertain. What I do know is that what if had me chasing a comet millions of miles away, when the comet I was looking for was standing right in front of me."
It fascinates me how tragedy can bring people together in its aftermath. The shared effects of trauma. That was so much of what this book explored, and it was incredibly emotional. I loved seeing how the boys navigated grief and the associated feelings differently, but also how they helped each other heal in ways they may not have been able to do alone.
Both of our main boys were pretty great. Tyler frustrated me to extremes at quite a few points, but understanding that his behavior came from a place of hurt made me empathize with him. Aidan... Aidan was a complete angel and I am president of his fan club. He handled everything life threw at him with grace and optimism and I loved his chapters. He was the most caring and selfless human and I just fell in love with him immediately.
Jordon's writing is charged with such strong emotion, and it is balanced perfectly with his ability to highlight moments that are completely magical and adorable as well. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I want ALL of that in a book.
I am so excited to read the next two books in the Noahverse series. Thank you for giving us these beautiful stories, Jordon.
"What if can be anything, and like everything it’s uncertain. What I do know is that what if had me chasing a comet millions of miles away, when the comet I was looking for was standing right in front of me."
June 25, 2021
This was the first Jordan Greene book I read and I must say he can truly tell a story that captures your attention, is emotionally charged and excellent storyline. The characters well well developed and woven in the story I felt like I was right there in the story. While the reason Tyler and Aiden are brought together by a tragic event, there story is beautiful and felt real.
Definitely look forward to the next Jordan Greene novel. 5 stars and recommend this book to readers.
Definitely look forward to the next Jordan Greene novel. 5 stars and recommend this book to readers.
December 5, 2023
i really wanted to like this book so bad since i loved the first one but this just wasn’t for me😭 i hated the miscommunication and the pop culture references/detailed game paragraphs. also the fact that tyler kept calling kallie a bitch so many times just felt off to me
December 16, 2020
I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. And I was so grateful for this opportunity! :)
First things first, my actual rating clocks in around at a 4.5 instead of a 4 – Goodreads really needs to include those .5 increments.
And also, there may be minor spoilers sprinkled into this review so beware!
I had such a fun time reading Watching For Comets! Admittedly, it took me longer to tear through because of school and other personal obligations, but whether I read it in one sitting or across the span of a month, the pacing of the book, the story as a whole, and the MCs were there for me always!
While this story definitely lives up to the synopsis of History Is All You Left Me and What If It’s Us (arguably two of my favorite LGBTQ+ YA stories), it still poses its own amount of originality. I appreciate how this story serves as a trauma/grief narrative involving LGBTQ+ characters, where the main characters, Tyler and Aidan, have both lost Brayden. Respectively, Brayden was Tyler’s boyfriend and Aidan’s best friend. Both boys demonstrate the grieving process in different ways: for Tyler it is misdirected anger and guilt; for Aidan it is sorrow and a longing for his best friend to come back. I felt that these dealings with emotion were depicted very realistically. Everyone handles loss and death in their own ways, and the range of coping mechanisms used between Tyler and Aidan was very interesting to see played out.
One complaint I do have in regards to Brayden’s off-screen (off-book?) death, is that as the story goes on, I feel as though I don’t really know him enough to experience the same emotions that Tyler and Aidan feel. The only concrete scene I may have felt a tinge of emotion is during Aidan’s graduation where the principal delivers a eulogy in remembrance of Brayden. Beyond that, there are only a few instances where Brayden is brought up in conversation, but even then, there is not that much new information divulged about him.
At the same token, I can appreciate the palpable distance put between Brayden, and Tyler and Aidan’s budding connection. It pairs well with the theme of acceptance, which is after all the last step in the grieving process, as well as the theme of knowing when it’s time to move on. Without saying too much, I love how it takes time for the characters to reach this final step. It is by no means a step that can or should be reached in a short amount of time.
Additionally, I loved the dynamic between Aidan and Tyler, although I have to complain and say that some parts of Tyler’s character irked me. Most of the time, it was a good irk, but sometimes I just wanted to pull a Kallie and shake him senseless! I can definitely understand Tyler’s feelings (as just discussed about the loss of Brayden and the grieving process), but I feel like he was so mean and bitter and neglectful of Aidan throughout the majority of the story. Most of the time, I blamed Tyler’s misdirected aggression as a result of the influences of his father and the church—which makes for a VERY interesting subplot and overall piece of the story—but I can’t really blame Tyler’s actions on the church entirely. His personality is written to be pretty pessimistic; he does not really greet anyone with open arms, except Kallie. And again, while I can understand the emotions he is going through, I feel like there were moments where they were just not necessary. I may be biased in saying this because I saw my own personality and worldview reflected more so in Aidan’s character, but nevertheless, sometimes Tyler was just a meanie without cause.
Besides Tyler and Aidan, Kallie is the only other character I really felt like I knew and wanted to hear from. She is written as a force of nature and I think she delivers as a force of nature. Witty, blunt, encouraging, and ready to give you a good backhand when you need it, Kallie is your girl. I need a Kallie in my life.
After Kallie, I did not really feel any connections with the other secondary characters like Bryce, Katie, and Rhys. They did not really play any significant roles in the story, other than to show up for soccer games or other friend gatherings. However, I do appreciate their presence regardless because they show that they are a supportive bunch for Aidan and Tyler, and we all need supportive friends like that.
Altogether, Watching For Comets is a fun, realistically gritty, heart-breaking (and -warming!) story. It is a story that many will find relatable to their own experiences of loss, love, and finding the strength and courage to move on.
Thank you, Jordon, for the opportunity to read your latest book! I eagerly await the next one!
First things first, my actual rating clocks in around at a 4.5 instead of a 4 – Goodreads really needs to include those .5 increments.
And also, there may be minor spoilers sprinkled into this review so beware!
I had such a fun time reading Watching For Comets! Admittedly, it took me longer to tear through because of school and other personal obligations, but whether I read it in one sitting or across the span of a month, the pacing of the book, the story as a whole, and the MCs were there for me always!
While this story definitely lives up to the synopsis of History Is All You Left Me and What If It’s Us (arguably two of my favorite LGBTQ+ YA stories), it still poses its own amount of originality. I appreciate how this story serves as a trauma/grief narrative involving LGBTQ+ characters, where the main characters, Tyler and Aidan, have both lost Brayden. Respectively, Brayden was Tyler’s boyfriend and Aidan’s best friend. Both boys demonstrate the grieving process in different ways: for Tyler it is misdirected anger and guilt; for Aidan it is sorrow and a longing for his best friend to come back. I felt that these dealings with emotion were depicted very realistically. Everyone handles loss and death in their own ways, and the range of coping mechanisms used between Tyler and Aidan was very interesting to see played out.
One complaint I do have in regards to Brayden’s off-screen (off-book?) death, is that as the story goes on, I feel as though I don’t really know him enough to experience the same emotions that Tyler and Aidan feel. The only concrete scene I may have felt a tinge of emotion is during Aidan’s graduation where the principal delivers a eulogy in remembrance of Brayden. Beyond that, there are only a few instances where Brayden is brought up in conversation, but even then, there is not that much new information divulged about him.
At the same token, I can appreciate the palpable distance put between Brayden, and Tyler and Aidan’s budding connection. It pairs well with the theme of acceptance, which is after all the last step in the grieving process, as well as the theme of knowing when it’s time to move on. Without saying too much, I love how it takes time for the characters to reach this final step. It is by no means a step that can or should be reached in a short amount of time.
Additionally, I loved the dynamic between Aidan and Tyler, although I have to complain and say that some parts of Tyler’s character irked me. Most of the time, it was a good irk, but sometimes I just wanted to pull a Kallie and shake him senseless! I can definitely understand Tyler’s feelings (as just discussed about the loss of Brayden and the grieving process), but I feel like he was so mean and bitter and neglectful of Aidan throughout the majority of the story. Most of the time, I blamed Tyler’s misdirected aggression as a result of the influences of his father and the church—which makes for a VERY interesting subplot and overall piece of the story—but I can’t really blame Tyler’s actions on the church entirely. His personality is written to be pretty pessimistic; he does not really greet anyone with open arms, except Kallie. And again, while I can understand the emotions he is going through, I feel like there were moments where they were just not necessary. I may be biased in saying this because I saw my own personality and worldview reflected more so in Aidan’s character, but nevertheless, sometimes Tyler was just a meanie without cause.
Besides Tyler and Aidan, Kallie is the only other character I really felt like I knew and wanted to hear from. She is written as a force of nature and I think she delivers as a force of nature. Witty, blunt, encouraging, and ready to give you a good backhand when you need it, Kallie is your girl. I need a Kallie in my life.
After Kallie, I did not really feel any connections with the other secondary characters like Bryce, Katie, and Rhys. They did not really play any significant roles in the story, other than to show up for soccer games or other friend gatherings. However, I do appreciate their presence regardless because they show that they are a supportive bunch for Aidan and Tyler, and we all need supportive friends like that.
Altogether, Watching For Comets is a fun, realistically gritty, heart-breaking (and -warming!) story. It is a story that many will find relatable to their own experiences of loss, love, and finding the strength and courage to move on.
Thank you, Jordon, for the opportunity to read your latest book! I eagerly await the next one!
January 30, 2021
If you're looking for a cute, true to the YA genre, book about two teenage boys navigating life after loss and learning that they can trust one another, then look no further.
Jordon didn't disappoint with his second YA book. Although it's not connected to his first, it still maintains that small town NC feeling. As a native to NC, he got that part right. I enjoyed the personal touches from his own life and friends throughout the story.
He reeled me in with the humor spread throughout (there's an incident with a cooler lid on the highway that had me doubled over in laughter) and the pop culture references. The slow burn enemies to friends to lovers trope got me as well. Had me wanting to see where things were going to end up.
The chaotic teen energy the book gives off had me remembering what it was like to be in similar situations...so I laughed, cried, and yelled right alongside the characters for good and for bad.
It's quite the opposite of his first book. Where as that one is a quicker fall into romance, and then is sad at the end, this one is a story about two teenagers healing after a mutual tragic loss. How that shapes them and how it shapes their enemies->friends->lovers arc. An overall enjoyable read. I look forward to seeing what projects Jordon pursues in the future.
Jordon didn't disappoint with his second YA book. Although it's not connected to his first, it still maintains that small town NC feeling. As a native to NC, he got that part right. I enjoyed the personal touches from his own life and friends throughout the story.
He reeled me in with the humor spread throughout (there's an incident with a cooler lid on the highway that had me doubled over in laughter) and the pop culture references. The slow burn enemies to friends to lovers trope got me as well. Had me wanting to see where things were going to end up.
The chaotic teen energy the book gives off had me remembering what it was like to be in similar situations...so I laughed, cried, and yelled right alongside the characters for good and for bad.
It's quite the opposite of his first book. Where as that one is a quicker fall into romance, and then is sad at the end, this one is a story about two teenagers healing after a mutual tragic loss. How that shapes them and how it shapes their enemies->friends->lovers arc. An overall enjoyable read. I look forward to seeing what projects Jordon pursues in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2020
Tyler and Aiden have both lost someone... in fact, they lost the same someone. You would think that might give them a starting place for a friendship, a way to support each other...but it's more complex than that.
Tyler lost his boyfriend, Brayden. Brayden was in a car accident that Tyler feels partially responsible for. Weeks have passed and Tyler is still dealing with his guilt, his grief, and how to move forward. He's pretty convinced that Aiden was more than just Brayden's best friend. Oh, he was confident in his relationship, but he always had the impression that Aiden wanted more.
Aiden has lost his best friend and it hit him hard. He was sure that he and Brayden would be heading off to college together, starting their lives for real. And maybe, he would have liked to have been the one in a relationship with Tyler...but Tyler clearly liked Brayden more. Tyler doesn't even like Aiden... so Aiden has tried to put that behind him.
These two young men have another person in common. They are both friends with Kallie. She's an amazing young woman; outspoken brash, funny and loving. I absolutely loved the relationship between these three friends. They're the Scooby gang that everyone wants! Kallie might be the only girl most of the time but she doesn't have any trouble holding her own. In fact, both Tyler and Aiden turn to her when they need help, advice, or someone to tell them "Like it is".
As these three friends navigate their final years of high school and the lingering grief over losing Brayden they begin new phases of their lives.
One night, when things are too much for Tyler he heads out to a place that he used to watch the stars and comets with his boyfriend. Astronomy isn't really his thing but Brayden loved it... so Tyler did. That's the spot at which his path crosses with Aiden's once more. They are both upset...missing Brayden and manage to actually sit together and talk for once.
As time goes by Aiden realizes that he still has feelings for Tyler... maybe he's never gotten over them. But he can be Tyler's friend, right? Being someone's friend is hard when you have feelings for them and it's even harder when they were dating your best friend. Add to that the fact that Tyler is processing grief that is all mixed up with guilt over the death of Brayden and you've got a mess.
I really enjoyed the way that Jordon Greene captured the way that grief is so fluid. There are times when the characters are happy, thinking about moving on and there are other times when they are stuck and feel the full impact of the loss. I also thought that Tyler and Aiden were great foils for one another in their differences.
Tyler doesn't have the support of his parents as they are extremely religious so losing his boyfriend feels like things are truly sliding backward for him. Combined with Tyler's guilt over possibly causing his boyfriend's death, the lack of support makes him shaky and confused.
On the other hand, even though Aiden is still dealing with the loss of his friend, he's attempting to work through his grief and get on with his life. He has a pretty clear vision of what his friend would have wanted and he embraces that as he tries to befriend Tyler.
Without Kallie, these two boys would be lost ... and I loved that about this book. But, the truly wonderful thing is that it doesn't matter how much Kallie thinks that she knows... the future for Aiden and Tyler rests with them. If they can't get past their issues, move on... grieve and learn to be friends or perhaps more... then that's where their story will end.
This was a lovely book. I liked that Jordan explored some really heavy issues but handles them with the authentic sounding voice of young people. They don't really have all the answers about their lives and their futures...and they shouldn't. I really like that about this book.
Please be aware that the exploration of grief in this novel is very authentic and visceral. Please consider that before choosing to read the book. But, I think that most people will find this story to be uplifting and sweet.
Tyler lost his boyfriend, Brayden. Brayden was in a car accident that Tyler feels partially responsible for. Weeks have passed and Tyler is still dealing with his guilt, his grief, and how to move forward. He's pretty convinced that Aiden was more than just Brayden's best friend. Oh, he was confident in his relationship, but he always had the impression that Aiden wanted more.
Aiden has lost his best friend and it hit him hard. He was sure that he and Brayden would be heading off to college together, starting their lives for real. And maybe, he would have liked to have been the one in a relationship with Tyler...but Tyler clearly liked Brayden more. Tyler doesn't even like Aiden... so Aiden has tried to put that behind him.
These two young men have another person in common. They are both friends with Kallie. She's an amazing young woman; outspoken brash, funny and loving. I absolutely loved the relationship between these three friends. They're the Scooby gang that everyone wants! Kallie might be the only girl most of the time but she doesn't have any trouble holding her own. In fact, both Tyler and Aiden turn to her when they need help, advice, or someone to tell them "Like it is".
As these three friends navigate their final years of high school and the lingering grief over losing Brayden they begin new phases of their lives.
One night, when things are too much for Tyler he heads out to a place that he used to watch the stars and comets with his boyfriend. Astronomy isn't really his thing but Brayden loved it... so Tyler did. That's the spot at which his path crosses with Aiden's once more. They are both upset...missing Brayden and manage to actually sit together and talk for once.
As time goes by Aiden realizes that he still has feelings for Tyler... maybe he's never gotten over them. But he can be Tyler's friend, right? Being someone's friend is hard when you have feelings for them and it's even harder when they were dating your best friend. Add to that the fact that Tyler is processing grief that is all mixed up with guilt over the death of Brayden and you've got a mess.
I really enjoyed the way that Jordon Greene captured the way that grief is so fluid. There are times when the characters are happy, thinking about moving on and there are other times when they are stuck and feel the full impact of the loss. I also thought that Tyler and Aiden were great foils for one another in their differences.
Tyler doesn't have the support of his parents as they are extremely religious so losing his boyfriend feels like things are truly sliding backward for him. Combined with Tyler's guilt over possibly causing his boyfriend's death, the lack of support makes him shaky and confused.
On the other hand, even though Aiden is still dealing with the loss of his friend, he's attempting to work through his grief and get on with his life. He has a pretty clear vision of what his friend would have wanted and he embraces that as he tries to befriend Tyler.
Without Kallie, these two boys would be lost ... and I loved that about this book. But, the truly wonderful thing is that it doesn't matter how much Kallie thinks that she knows... the future for Aiden and Tyler rests with them. If they can't get past their issues, move on... grieve and learn to be friends or perhaps more... then that's where their story will end.
This was a lovely book. I liked that Jordan explored some really heavy issues but handles them with the authentic sounding voice of young people. They don't really have all the answers about their lives and their futures...and they shouldn't. I really like that about this book.
Please be aware that the exploration of grief in this novel is very authentic and visceral. Please consider that before choosing to read the book. But, I think that most people will find this story to be uplifting and sweet.
January 20, 2021
it made me feel so many things. longing nostalgia that doesn’t exist for me i think. the writing wasn’t my favorite but it grew on me (also threw me off i think just bc i finished a different gay high school love story yesterday). I’m curious about some representation but i didn’t grow up in rural north carolina so what do i know. i think Greene did a good job though. and the pop culture references were definitely hitting, he knows his shit.
iprevail being included (and bad omens, among other bands) really did it for me. love my favorite artists appearing in books :) i never get that
*spoiler but only in character description which really isn’t a spoiler*
i can also relate to both tyler and aidan in different ways, and brayden. brayden and i have that love of the stars. i feel disconnected like he is, just because he’s gone but he’s still a big center piece to their lives. aidan and i share that same exact over thinking bullshit of a brain & my hopes that get too high and crash too hard. tyler and i are stubborn to not let ourselves have happiness we think we don’t deserve. so yeah, this book made me go through a lot. didn’t cry tho, i thought i would.
iprevail being included (and bad omens, among other bands) really did it for me. love my favorite artists appearing in books :) i never get that
*spoiler but only in character description which really isn’t a spoiler*
i can also relate to both tyler and aidan in different ways, and brayden. brayden and i have that love of the stars. i feel disconnected like he is, just because he’s gone but he’s still a big center piece to their lives. aidan and i share that same exact over thinking bullshit of a brain & my hopes that get too high and crash too hard. tyler and i are stubborn to not let ourselves have happiness we think we don’t deserve. so yeah, this book made me go through a lot. didn’t cry tho, i thought i would.
January 17, 2021
this was a cute one! ugh, my heart! ❤️
watching for comets is a slow burn enemies to lovers trope and it’s worth every page. i must say that at times the slow burn was killing me. idk how much of a slow burn fan i am, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a cute af book. because it was. i love aiden and tyler together! and i would LOVE to read a sequal with more romance (yes i know! me wanting for romance. typical 😅🤷🏼♂️).
i think my only criticism is that i would have liked more about what happened with brayden. his death is alluded to the read a few times but i want to know exactly what happened. i want to know exactly, in detail, why tyler blames himself. i wanted to love brayden as much as tyler and aiden did.
other than that tho this was a fabulously gay story about loss and overcoming such with the love and companionship of friends, the magic of summer, and a cute af boy. 💫
watching for comets is a slow burn enemies to lovers trope and it’s worth every page. i must say that at times the slow burn was killing me. idk how much of a slow burn fan i am, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a cute af book. because it was. i love aiden and tyler together! and i would LOVE to read a sequal with more romance (yes i know! me wanting for romance. typical 😅🤷🏼♂️).
i think my only criticism is that i would have liked more about what happened with brayden. his death is alluded to the read a few times but i want to know exactly what happened. i want to know exactly, in detail, why tyler blames himself. i wanted to love brayden as much as tyler and aiden did.
other than that tho this was a fabulously gay story about loss and overcoming such with the love and companionship of friends, the magic of summer, and a cute af boy. 💫
January 21, 2021
Im not really into any kind of romance in books or movies... but looking past that it was a good book! I like how it is new. They talk about relevant things and the book is about lgbtq+ and some of the struggles about being gay. It is also about being a teenager and all the things that follows being a teenager. Overall it was a good book and I would recommend!
- It is also a pretty easy book to read, so if you like me haven’t read in a while, it is a good book to start of with.
- It is also a pretty easy book to read, so if you like me haven’t read in a while, it is a good book to start of with.
November 23, 2020
I was so excited to receive an e-arc of Watching for Comets by Jordan Greene. I do not venture into the YA genre often enough and this one made me realize that has just got to change. The fact that there are so many LGBTQ+ friendly YA books in the world today makes me so happy. Today’s youth deserve stories like Watching for Comets to inspire them and make them feel not so alone in this crazy world we live in.
Watching for Comets follows a group of high school friends on the brink of graduation. They are also recovering from a horrible tragedy, each in their own way. Greene does a brilliant job of putting us in the minds of each of these loveable characters and how they, in their own unique ways, handle their grief and support one another. Grief is perhaps, one of the toughest human emotions to sit with. Young adults need to know that grief isn’t something to bury inside and push past as fast as possible, rather it’s an emotion better handled by really sitting with those feelings and relying on a solid support system to truly heal from it. That process does not come easy, especially for young people. Greene does a beautiful job of showing us this hard-fought journey through these characters.
Greene’s writing also paints a heart-warming picture of the joys of being young. I often found myself thinking back to my own high school days. Greene’s characters feel very real and that alone, is refreshing. However, the high school experience does not come without many struggles and heartaches. I love that Greene shows the very real struggles of gay teens with both school, friends, family, and most importantly, the battle with self-identity.
A very refreshing read with some great moments of both humor and struggle. The messages are so relevant to today’s world and both teens and adults would benefit from reading Greene’s story. I could not recommend it enough. Thanks again Jordan for honoring me with an advanced copy and more importantly, for sharing your story with the world.
Watching for Comets follows a group of high school friends on the brink of graduation. They are also recovering from a horrible tragedy, each in their own way. Greene does a brilliant job of putting us in the minds of each of these loveable characters and how they, in their own unique ways, handle their grief and support one another. Grief is perhaps, one of the toughest human emotions to sit with. Young adults need to know that grief isn’t something to bury inside and push past as fast as possible, rather it’s an emotion better handled by really sitting with those feelings and relying on a solid support system to truly heal from it. That process does not come easy, especially for young people. Greene does a beautiful job of showing us this hard-fought journey through these characters.
Greene’s writing also paints a heart-warming picture of the joys of being young. I often found myself thinking back to my own high school days. Greene’s characters feel very real and that alone, is refreshing. However, the high school experience does not come without many struggles and heartaches. I love that Greene shows the very real struggles of gay teens with both school, friends, family, and most importantly, the battle with self-identity.
A very refreshing read with some great moments of both humor and struggle. The messages are so relevant to today’s world and both teens and adults would benefit from reading Greene’s story. I could not recommend it enough. Thanks again Jordan for honoring me with an advanced copy and more importantly, for sharing your story with the world.
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