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Milo and Marcos at the End of the World
As natural disasters begin to befall them the closer they become, Milo and Marcos soon begin to wonder if the universe itself is plotting against them in this young adult debut by the playwright and creator of The Two Princes podcast, Kevin Christopher Snipes.
Milo Connolly has managed to survive most of high school without any major disasters, so by his calculations, he’s well past due for some sort of Epic Teenage Catastrophe. Even so, all he wants his senior year is to fly under the radar.
Everything is going exactly as planned until the dreamy and charismatic Marcos Price saunters back into his life after a three-year absence and turns his world upside down. Suddenly Milo is forced to confront the long-buried feelings that he’s kept hidden not only from himself but also from his deeply religious parents and community.
To make matters worse, strange things have been happening around his sleepy Florida town ever since Marcos’s return—sinkholes, blackouts, hailstorms. Mother Nature is out of control, and the closer Milo and Marcos get, the more disasters seem to befall them. In fact, as more and more bizarre occurrences pile up, Milo and Marcos find themselves faced with the unthinkable: Is there a larger, unseen force at play, trying to keep them apart? And if so, is their love worth risking the end of the world?
Milo Connolly has managed to survive most of high school without any major disasters, so by his calculations, he’s well past due for some sort of Epic Teenage Catastrophe. Even so, all he wants his senior year is to fly under the radar.
Everything is going exactly as planned until the dreamy and charismatic Marcos Price saunters back into his life after a three-year absence and turns his world upside down. Suddenly Milo is forced to confront the long-buried feelings that he’s kept hidden not only from himself but also from his deeply religious parents and community.
To make matters worse, strange things have been happening around his sleepy Florida town ever since Marcos’s return—sinkholes, blackouts, hailstorms. Mother Nature is out of control, and the closer Milo and Marcos get, the more disasters seem to befall them. In fact, as more and more bizarre occurrences pile up, Milo and Marcos find themselves faced with the unthinkable: Is there a larger, unseen force at play, trying to keep them apart? And if so, is their love worth risking the end of the world?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2022
49 people are currently reading
9393 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Christopher Snipes
6 books92 followersKevin Christopher Snipes is a New York-based writer who was born and raised in Florida. He spent his early career in the theater writing such plays as A Bitter Taste, The Chimes and Ashes, Ashes. Later, for Gimlet Media, he created the queer fantasy podcast The Two Princes. He can generally be found watching reruns of Doctor Who and The Golden Girls in his spare time. Milo and Marcos at the End of the World is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews
June 26, 2022
Milo and Marcos at the End of the World is a cute love story, covering heavy topics like anxiety, internal homophobia, and how to acknowledge your sexuality while being gay.
Milo’s almost frantic voice, seeped through with anxiety and humor, was a pleasure to read, and I loved how both boys felt they were different when they met as fourteen-year-olds, developing feelings for each other while watching Golden Girls. Marcos, as an atheist but with very religious parents, and Milo, who had always been the reliable and responsible church-going boy.
The tone of the first part of the book reminded me of Simon James Greene’s books and Fin & Rye & Fireflies and therefore, will put a smile on the faces of those authors’ fans while the same tone downsizes all the bad things happening in this story simultaneously. But even though this story feels hysterical and humorous at times, the bad things do happen, and the second part of the book is grimmer and frightening. I felt for Marcos, who wanted to come out so badly, and sometimes I wanted to scream at Milo. But it’s so easy for me to judge him as I’ve never been in his situation, and I hate knowing there are still so many people in the world who feel they can’t come out because of their religion or conservative/judgmental family/people.
Don’t expect this story to be a dystopian one. Yes, Mother Nature seems out of control, but it’s not a major plotline. In my opinion, Milo and Marcos at the End of the World is a classic queer contemporary story, more or less using a metaphor to show us that despite what happens, it’s okay to be who you want to be and who you want to be with.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to those who love a rather sweet, sometimes feverish, and even funny story, wrapping heavy stuff, and don’t get triggered that easily by life dominated by (toxic) religion.
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Milo’s almost frantic voice, seeped through with anxiety and humor, was a pleasure to read, and I loved how both boys felt they were different when they met as fourteen-year-olds, developing feelings for each other while watching Golden Girls. Marcos, as an atheist but with very religious parents, and Milo, who had always been the reliable and responsible church-going boy.
The tone of the first part of the book reminded me of Simon James Greene’s books and Fin & Rye & Fireflies and therefore, will put a smile on the faces of those authors’ fans while the same tone downsizes all the bad things happening in this story simultaneously. But even though this story feels hysterical and humorous at times, the bad things do happen, and the second part of the book is grimmer and frightening. I felt for Marcos, who wanted to come out so badly, and sometimes I wanted to scream at Milo. But it’s so easy for me to judge him as I’ve never been in his situation, and I hate knowing there are still so many people in the world who feel they can’t come out because of their religion or conservative/judgmental family/people.
Don’t expect this story to be a dystopian one. Yes, Mother Nature seems out of control, but it’s not a major plotline. In my opinion, Milo and Marcos at the End of the World is a classic queer contemporary story, more or less using a metaphor to show us that despite what happens, it’s okay to be who you want to be and who you want to be with.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to those who love a rather sweet, sometimes feverish, and even funny story, wrapping heavy stuff, and don’t get triggered that easily by life dominated by (toxic) religion.
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June 14, 2022
This book just didn’t do it for me. I still think other people could enjoy it, though, so don’t let my review deter you from reading it.
The romance:
Yeah, the romance was not good. 💀 Sorry.
Basically, Milo and Marcos meet at a summer camp. Marcos’ bed ends up soaked and instead of telling the camp counselors about it, they decide to share Milo’s bed… Literally, why????? You could NOT convince me to sleep with a complete stranger on a tiny bed for weeks for *literally no reason* 🥴. Why did they do that??? Oh, I know why! Because the author needed a reason for them to get closer (in this case, *literally* get closer lol). 😑😑😑
If that wasn’t stupid enough, turns out these 2 weeks at camp were enough for them to fall deeply in love with each other (mind you, *WE* barely saw them together, so it made no sense why they even *liked* each other, let alone *fell in love* with each other) (and yes – it is stated multiple times that they were deeply in love after these 2 weeks 😑).
There was no development. Their “love” (if you can even call it that) literally came out of nowhere. Plus, WE barely even saw them interact, so it was impossible to believe in their ~super deep love~.
If them literally falling in love after knowing each other (and barely interacting) for 2 weeks wasn’t enough, there’s also the fact that they don’t even hear from each other for 3 YEARS but *somehow* are still in love. 💀💀💀💀💀 Yeah, there’s no way I would ever believe that, but especially not after literally not seeing them get closer and fall in love in the first place lmao. 🥴 If the author really wanted me to believe their love was *this strong*, he really should’ve tried to develop their relationship better (no offense 💀).
They quickly got together, even though there was no development, no buildup and no romantic tension. And they were kinda cute, I guess. 🤷🏻♀️ I like that they communicated, apologized for their mistakes, cared about each other and verbally asked for consent during intimate moments (👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 !!!!!); but because we never saw their relationship develop, it was impossible to believe there were any feelings there at all. 😐
I literally felt nothing about them. Them getting together? Nothing. Their 1st kiss? Nothing. Them breaking up in the ~3rd act conflict~? Nothing. Them having sex? Nothing (actually – that’s a lie – I did feel something: astonishment. Y’all seriously decided to ??? Plus you didn’t even use a condom???? JAIL!!!!! 😭😭😭).
The sci-fi element:
Honestly, I barely understood the sci-fi part of this book (was it even sci-fi??????? I genuinely don’t know). Basically, whenever Milo and Marcos were together, bad shit happened. I never saw any explanation, but then again, I skimmed the last half of this book bc I was tired of it, so I might’ve missed it 🥴.
The dumbest part to me was at the end, when
So, yeah. I never understood why all that weird stuff was happening (was it a coincidence, or was it actually sci-fi shit? Could this book even be considered a sci-fi dystopian? I wouldn’t say so, but okay. Whatever 😪).
Religion:
Milo was super religious, so he really struggled with being gay. I feel like this book does a decent job showing how awful religion can be for LGBT people – the fear and guilt that comes with it is honestly heartbreaking. Milo literally thought that god was punishing him for being gay. So sad!! ☹️
Both Milo and Marco’s parents were mega religious, too, and very homophobic – they literally hated their kids and tried to keep them apart. In the end they kind of come around, but personally I don’t feel sympathy for grown ass adults who choose to discriminate against people for no reason, and only *slightly* change their mind when their kids almost die. 😐 (I say “slightly” bc they were still homophobic in the end. They were “trying” not to be, though, which to me is not enough. Perhaps I’m just not as forgiving, though. I just can’t empathize with bigots. Maybe that’s just me. 🤷🏻♀️).
Additionally, I feel like the author wanted me to empathize with Marcos’ mum, and don’t get me wrong, she was in a bad situation: a brown woman who married into a racist family, and her own husband didn’t want her to teach their kid to speak Spanish, because he’s a bigot. That obviously sucks!
However, she was still a homophobe! Sure, Marcos’ dad was worse – he literally tried to send Marcos to conversion therapy, and the mum had to stop that from happening (literally the bare minimum lol). But I’m not gonna sympathize with a parent who keeps their child in that environment. Like, protect your kid, wtf???? Also, she literally pretended her gay brother was straight and had a “roommate” instead of a husband. Plus, it took her child almost dying for her to even think about not being a bigot? Okay, homophobe. 🙄🙄🙄
Anyways. I’m not religious, so I related much more to Marcos and Van (Milo’s bff). Perhaps if you grew up in this kind of environment and struggled to accept yourself because of religion you’ll enjoy this book more than I did.
The romance:
Yeah, the romance was not good. 💀 Sorry.
Basically, Milo and Marcos meet at a summer camp. Marcos’ bed ends up soaked and instead of telling the camp counselors about it, they decide to share Milo’s bed… Literally, why????? You could NOT convince me to sleep with a complete stranger on a tiny bed for weeks for *literally no reason* 🥴. Why did they do that??? Oh, I know why! Because the author needed a reason for them to get closer (
If that wasn’t stupid enough, turns out these 2 weeks at camp were enough for them to fall deeply in love with each other (mind you, *WE* barely saw them together, so it made no sense why they even *liked* each other, let alone *fell in love* with each other) (and yes – it is stated multiple times that they were deeply in love after these 2 weeks 😑).
There was no development. Their “love” (
If them literally falling in love after knowing each other (and barely interacting) for 2 weeks wasn’t enough, there’s also the fact that they don’t even hear from each other for 3 YEARS but *somehow* are still in love. 💀💀💀💀💀 Yeah, there’s no way I would ever believe that, but especially not after literally not seeing them get closer and fall in love in the first place lmao. 🥴 If the author really wanted me to believe their love was *this strong*, he really should’ve tried to develop their relationship better (no offense 💀).
They quickly got together, even though there was no development, no buildup and no romantic tension. And they were kinda cute, I guess. 🤷🏻♀️ I like that they communicated, apologized for their mistakes, cared about each other and verbally asked for consent during intimate moments (👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 !!!!!); but because we never saw their relationship develop, it was impossible to believe there were any feelings there at all. 😐
I literally felt nothing about them. Them getting together? Nothing. Their 1st kiss? Nothing. Them breaking up in the ~3rd act conflict~? Nothing. Them having sex? Nothing (actually – that’s a lie – I did feel something: astonishment. Y’all seriously decided to ??? Plus you didn’t even use a condom???? JAIL!!!!! 😭😭😭).
The sci-fi element:
Honestly, I barely understood the sci-fi part of this book (was it even sci-fi??????? I genuinely don’t know). Basically, whenever Milo and Marcos were together, bad shit happened. I never saw any explanation, but then again, I skimmed the last half of this book bc I was tired of it, so I might’ve missed it 🥴.
The dumbest part to me was at the end, when
So, yeah. I never understood why all that weird stuff was happening (was it a coincidence, or was it actually sci-fi shit? Could this book even be considered a sci-fi dystopian? I wouldn’t say so, but okay. Whatever 😪).
Religion:
Milo was super religious, so he really struggled with being gay. I feel like this book does a decent job showing how awful religion can be for LGBT people – the fear and guilt that comes with it is honestly heartbreaking. Milo literally thought that god was punishing him for being gay. So sad!! ☹️
Both Milo and Marco’s parents were mega religious, too, and very homophobic – they literally hated their kids and tried to keep them apart. In the end they kind of come around, but personally I don’t feel sympathy for grown ass adults who choose to discriminate against people for no reason, and only *slightly* change their mind when their kids almost die. 😐 (I say “slightly” bc they were still homophobic in the end. They were “trying” not to be, though, which to me is not enough. Perhaps I’m just not as forgiving, though. I just can’t empathize with bigots. Maybe that’s just me. 🤷🏻♀️).
Additionally, I feel like the author wanted me to empathize with Marcos’ mum, and don’t get me wrong, she was in a bad situation: a brown woman who married into a racist family, and her own husband didn’t want her to teach their kid to speak Spanish, because he’s a bigot. That obviously sucks!
However, she was still a homophobe! Sure, Marcos’ dad was worse – he literally tried to send Marcos to conversion therapy, and the mum had to stop that from happening (
Anyways. I’m not religious, so I related much more to Marcos and Van (Milo’s bff). Perhaps if you grew up in this kind of environment and struggled to accept yourself because of religion you’ll enjoy this book more than I did.
maybe
November 16, 2021Sounds promising! 😁
Blurb not posted on GR yet, so here it is from NetGalley:
-----------------------------------------------
When Marcos moves to town, Milo is forced to acknowledge the feelings he's kept hidden, especially from his religious parents. But as natural disasters begin to befall them the closer they become, Milo and Marcos soon begin to wonder if the universe itself is plotting against them in this young adult debut by playwright and creator of The Two Princes podcast, Kevin Christopher Snipes.-----------------------------------------------
Milo Connolly has managed to survive the first three years of high school without any major disasters, so by his calculations, he’s well past due for some sort of Epic Teenage Catastrophe. Even so, all he wants his senior year is to keep his head down and fly under the radar like the quiet, well-behaved, churchgoing boy that everyone thinks he is.
Everything is going exactly as planned until the dreamy and charismatic Marcos Price saunters back into his life after a three-year absence and turns his world upside-down. Suddenly Milo is forced to confront the long-buried feelings that he’s kept hidden not only from himself but also from his deeply religious parents and community.
To make matters worse, strange things have been happening around his sleepy Florida town ever since Marcos’s return—sinkholes, blackouts, hailstorms. Mother Nature seems out of control, and the closer Milo and Marcos get, the more disasters seem to befall them.
In fact, as more and more bizarre occurrences pile up, Milo and Marcos find themselves faced with the unthinkable: Is there a larger, unseen force at play, trying to keep them apart? And if so, is their love worth risking the end of the world?
From debut author Kevin Christopher Snipes, Milo and Marcos at the End of the World is a new coming-of-age novel about finding the courage not only to love others but also to love ourselves.
July 23, 2022
My favourite genre, confused anxious gays having to deal with their problems. This story deals with the anxiety of parental exceptions and homophobia when you're part of a Christian Church, which isn't something I've read before but it was really interesting.
Adding in the strange weather, earthquakes and literal meteors that keep happening whenever Milo and Marcos, this book makes for strange reading which I always love. Milo met Marcos a couple of years ago at camp, but Marcos left suddenly without explanation, and the question of why haunted Milo until Marcos suddenly turned up at his school.
Milo is a little annoying, he's almost painfully gay and he actually worries that Marcos, the guy who willingly watch Golden Girls with him every single night, might actually be straight. I both loved him but also could understand why Marcos found him so frustrating at times, as Marcos is further along in his journey than Milo.
Although the blurb talks only about the natural disasters, this story is really about coming to terms with being gay, the Christian Church, and homophobic parents. It's angsty, a little painful, but ultimately heartwarming and uplifting.
Adding in the strange weather, earthquakes and literal meteors that keep happening whenever Milo and Marcos, this book makes for strange reading which I always love. Milo met Marcos a couple of years ago at camp, but Marcos left suddenly without explanation, and the question of why haunted Milo until Marcos suddenly turned up at his school.
Milo is a little annoying, he's almost painfully gay and he actually worries that Marcos, the guy who willingly watch Golden Girls with him every single night, might actually be straight. I both loved him but also could understand why Marcos found him so frustrating at times, as Marcos is further along in his journey than Milo.
Although the blurb talks only about the natural disasters, this story is really about coming to terms with being gay, the Christian Church, and homophobic parents. It's angsty, a little painful, but ultimately heartwarming and uplifting.
December 11, 2021
As a queer person with religious trauma, this book is interesting to say the least. The main character's devotion to christianity is a little much at times, so I'd steer clear if you aren't comfortable reading about that stuff. The love interest and the best friend aren't super religious and there are talks about how religion isn't great or isn't for everyone, so that's something it keep in mind.
Other than that, I really enjoyed it. It reeled me in and I literally read it in like six hours because I just needed to know what happened next. There were discussions of internalized homophobia and racism and how problematic organized religion can be. I can't speak on how the racism was addressed, but I do think these explorations of internalized homophobia and seeing the main character's progression in that and how getting out of that mindset isn't a linear progression.
For the apocalypse aspect, I think I got the wrong impression on what that would look like? I feel like the beginning was a little misleading in that aspect, but as the story progressed I understood what was really happening. It was definitely a very creative route to go and it certainly kept things interesting.
The story almost had a Shakespeare vibes to it. Like a mix of Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest which was great for me as a Shakespeare enthusiast. Maybe that's why I read it all in one go. Either way, I do think that people will have a Time reading this book. It's a lot different from the Two Princes Podcast (which the author also apparently wrote), but I'd say it's still pretty good.
Other than that, I really enjoyed it. It reeled me in and I literally read it in like six hours because I just needed to know what happened next. There were discussions of internalized homophobia and racism and how problematic organized religion can be. I can't speak on how the racism was addressed, but I do think these explorations of internalized homophobia and seeing the main character's progression in that and how getting out of that mindset isn't a linear progression.
For the apocalypse aspect, I think I got the wrong impression on what that would look like? I feel like the beginning was a little misleading in that aspect, but as the story progressed I understood what was really happening. It was definitely a very creative route to go and it certainly kept things interesting.
The story almost had a Shakespeare vibes to it. Like a mix of Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest which was great for me as a Shakespeare enthusiast. Maybe that's why I read it all in one go. Either way, I do think that people will have a Time reading this book. It's a lot different from the Two Princes Podcast (which the author also apparently wrote), but I'd say it's still pretty good.
June 8, 2022
4.5/5
I don’t want to say this took me by surprise since I didn’t really have any expectations going in, but it did. The examination of internalized homophobia here is what really makes this stand out from other YA contemporary books, for me at least. It’s honest and sad.
But the book balances itself well, because even despite that struggle, there is a tenderness present in the pages, in Milo and Marcos’ romance, in the friendship and support of Van, and in the learning to accept and be proud of who you are even if it seems like the world is against it.
A fantastic debut, and I hope this author writes more!
I don’t want to say this took me by surprise since I didn’t really have any expectations going in, but it did. The examination of internalized homophobia here is what really makes this stand out from other YA contemporary books, for me at least. It’s honest and sad.
But the book balances itself well, because even despite that struggle, there is a tenderness present in the pages, in Milo and Marcos’ romance, in the friendship and support of Van, and in the learning to accept and be proud of who you are even if it seems like the world is against it.
A fantastic debut, and I hope this author writes more!
June 28, 2022
This book is good, but it's just not really the book for me. I know the synopsis mentions religious parents, but I had no idea how huge of a role religion would play in this story. Not only are both sets of parents extremely religious/traditional, Milo is also staunchly Christian, and since Milo is the narrator, I found that a difficult barrier for me. Yes, I grew up Christian and have my own religious trauma, I guess I just don't care much to read about it. I recommend this if you're looking for a contemporary m/m romance that centers on religion with a natural disaster side-plot, but if you think that sounds weirdly specific...you're right.
July 14, 2022
This is a very cute love story that covers mental health issues, religion, love, and ultimately reminds us to just be ourselves. It’s okay to be whoever you want to be. I’m not going to lie, I fell in love with Milo INSTANTLY. He’s adorable and I just want to hold him and tell him that it’s all going to be okay. I think this book will be a crutch for a lot of queer people that come from a strong religious background/household and are looking for answers on how to balance religion and sexuality. Loved it. Definitely add this to your summer reading list!
TW: strong religious beliefs in the characters/religious trauma.
Thank you to Pride Book Tours for having me on the tour for this one!
TW: strong religious beliefs in the characters/religious trauma.
Thank you to Pride Book Tours for having me on the tour for this one!
February 4, 2022
Note: My english review will be at the end, just scroll down
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"You and me. Because whatever happens next, whatever you decide to do or wherever you want to go, I am here for you. I'm not leaving your side. Not now. Not ever. You and I are in this together. I promise"
Español: Uff, no sé ni por dónde empezar con todas las cosas que sentí con este libro, son varias que espero explicarme en esta reseña pero desde ya puedo anticipar que definitivamente recomiendo este libro, siempre y cuando te sientas cómodo con las advertencias que tiene, porque a pesar de que es una historia muy linda siento que puede llegar a lastimar emocionalmente a alguna persona que tal vez esté pasando por una crisis de fe/sexualidad debido a todo por lo que pasa el personaje principal.
Milo and Marcos at the End of the World es una historia de amor, aceptación y crecimiento; una historia donde veremos reflejados los problemas que de seguro la mayoría de personas Queer que forman o formaron parte de una religión sufrieron, y yo personalmente puedo dar mi afirmación de esto.
Resumiendo un poco, Milo Connolly está listo para empezar su nuevo año escolar, donde quiere pasar nuevamente inadvertido y sin relevancia entre sus compañeros, pero todo su plan se irá a la basura con el regreso de Marcos Price a su vida tras un ghosting total de 3 años; con su regreso traerá consigo todos los sentimientos que Milo pensaba haber enterrado muy en lo profundo de su ser, después de todo aquellos sentimientos van en contra de todas sus creencias y su religión.
Pero y si se diera una oportunidad? Que podría salir mal, no es como si el mundo se fuera a acabar, verdad?
Primero quiero decir que la relación de Milo y Marcos se me hizo demasiado adorable, cada momento que ellos tenían juntos (los buenos, claro) me hicieron muy feliz y llenaron de amor a mi corazón, ver como Marcos podía sacar de su "caparazón" a Milo fue muy bonito y definitivamente quien no quisiese tener algo así.
Pero no todo fue lindo en este libro, hubo momentos muy oscuros donde la homofobia interiorizada, auto-comentarios homofóbicos e insultos fueron las cosas por las que Milo tuvo que pasar en este libro, y aunque al principio pude ver esto como annoying poco a poco fui dándome cuenta que todo lo que Milo pasó y pensó en cierto punto yo también lo viví, y específicamente en 2 situaciones fueron las que me rompieron totalmente que sentí que las lágrimas podrían venir, porque damn enserio fue tan... real, y tal vez algunas personas no puedan relacionarse con este libro y tachen de inmaduro a Milo, pero personalmente creo que las personas Queer que crecimos dentro de un espacio religioso tóxico y con todos los prejuicios que esto conlleva fácilmente podrán ver su adolescencia reflejada, como lo fue en mi caso.
En cierto punto llegué a pensar que todos los adultos en este libro eran muy malos y que los odiaba a todos, pero luego conocí a dos personajes que me hicieron volver a recuperar la fe en los adultos dentro de este libro, y en especial del último pues su actitud y postura no me la vi venir para nada y me dejó bastante sorprendido, definitivamente se ganó mi confianza dicho personaje.
Con respecto a la metáfora del "fin del mundo" que se nos presenta tengo que admitir que me dejo confundido y creo que al terminarlo no lo comprendí del todo, en cierto modo me gustó el concepto que planteo el autor y tal vez supo manejarlo bien y solamente fui yo el que no lo entendió por estar concentrado más en otros aspectos de la historia.
También debería agregar que algunas de las cosas que no me gustaron, que fueron muy pocas, fueron algunas actitudes del protagonista pues sí, algunas me parecieron algo exageradas, y en cierto punto lo entendía, pero luego pasaba algo y aparecía un poco de drama innecesario a mi parecer, aun así siempre quería ir a abrazarlo.
Ahora un poco sobre el final, fue un lindo final pero, aparte de la gran confusión por la que estaba pasando en los últimos capítulos, siento que pudo haberse extendido un poco más con un epílogo, y ojo que tal vez en la versión final si lo agreguen, pues recordemos que tuve un acceso temprano a este libro, pero en fin, me gustó la manera con la que se concluyó la historia.
Finalmente, obviamente recomiendo este libro para todas las personas, siento que el mensaje que da es muy lindo y la historia te hace empatizar con sus personajes y agarrarles cariño. Eso sí, antes de hacerlo te recomiendo que veas estos TW (Bullying, Homofobia, Racismo, Daño Emocional y Psicológico causado por Padres) y si te sientes seguro de tolerar eso, pues en algunas partes se llega a sentir fuerte algunos de esos temas, adelante y espero disfrutes mucho de esta historia.
No olviden agregarlo a su calendario pues el libro oficialmente saldrá el 24/05/2022
Calificación Final: 4.5 estrellas
English: Uff, I don't even know where to start with all the things I felt with this book, there are several that I hope to explain in this review but I can already anticipate that I definitely recommend this book, as long as you feel comfortable with the warnings it has, because although it is a very nice story I feel that it can emotionally hurt someone who may be going through a crisis of faith/sexuality due to everything that the main character goes through.
Milo and Marcos at the End of the World is a story of love, acceptance and growth; a story where we will see reflected the problems that surely most Queer people who are or were part of a religion suffered, and I can personally give my affirmation of this.
Summarizing a little, Milo Connolly is ready to start his new school year, where he wants to go unnoticed again and without relevance among his classmates, but all his plan will go down the drain with the return of Marcos Price to his life after a total ghosting of 3 years; with his return he will bring with him all the feelings that Milo thought he had buried deep inside, after all those feelings go against all his beliefs and his religion.
But what if he were to give himself a chance? What could go wrong, it's not like the world is going to end, right?
First I want to say that Milo and Marcos' relationship was too adorable to me, every moment they had together (the good ones, of course) made me very happy and filled my heart with love, seeing how Marcos could bring Milo out of his "shell" was very nice and definitely who wouldn't want to have something like that.
But not everything was cute in this book, there were very dark moments where internalized homophobia, homophobic self-comments and insults were the things Milo had to go through in this book, and although at first I could see this as annoying little by little I was realizing that everything Milo went through and thought at a certain point I lived it too, and specifically in 2 situations were the ones that totally broke me that I felt the tears might come, because damn, it was so ... real, and maybe some people can't relate to this book and will label Milo as immature, but personally I think Queer people who grew up in a toxic religious space and with all the prejudices that comes with it can easily see their adolescence reflected, as it was in my case.
At a certain point I came to think that all the adults in this book were very bad and that I hated them all, but then I met two characters that made me regain faith in adults in this book, and especially the last one because his attitude and position I did not see it coming at all and left me quite surprised, he definitely won my trust.
With respect to the metaphor of "the end of the world" that is presented to us I have to admit that it left me confused and I think that when I finished it I did not fully understand it, in a way I liked the concept that the author raised and maybe he knew how to handle it well and it was only me who did not understand it because I was more focused on other aspects of the story.
I should also add that some of the things I didn't like, which were very few, were some of the main character's attitudes because yes, some of them seemed a bit exaggerated, and at a certain point I understood it, but then something would happen and some unnecessary drama would appear in my opinion, even so I always wanted to go and hug him.
Now a little bit about the ending, it was a nice ending but, apart from the great confusion I was going through in the last chapters, I feel it could have been extended a little more with an epilogue, and beware that maybe in the final version they will add it, because let's remember that I had an early access to this book, but anyway, I liked the way the story was concluded.
Finally, I obviously recommend this book to everyone, I feel that the message it gives is very nice and the story makes you empathize with the characters and get attached to them. Of course, before doing so, I recommend you to see these TW (Bullying, Homophobia, Racism, Emotional and Psychological Damage caused by Parents) and if you feel confident to tolerate that, because in some parts you can feel strong some of those issues, go ahead and I hope you enjoy this story a lot.
Don't forget to add it to your calendar as the book will officially be released on 05/24/2022.
Final Rating: 4.5 stars
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"You and me. Because whatever happens next, whatever you decide to do or wherever you want to go, I am here for you. I'm not leaving your side. Not now. Not ever. You and I are in this together. I promise"
Español: Uff, no sé ni por dónde empezar con todas las cosas que sentí con este libro, son varias que espero explicarme en esta reseña pero desde ya puedo anticipar que definitivamente recomiendo este libro, siempre y cuando te sientas cómodo con las advertencias que tiene, porque a pesar de que es una historia muy linda siento que puede llegar a lastimar emocionalmente a alguna persona que tal vez esté pasando por una crisis de fe/sexualidad debido a todo por lo que pasa el personaje principal.
Milo and Marcos at the End of the World es una historia de amor, aceptación y crecimiento; una historia donde veremos reflejados los problemas que de seguro la mayoría de personas Queer que forman o formaron parte de una religión sufrieron, y yo personalmente puedo dar mi afirmación de esto.
Resumiendo un poco, Milo Connolly está listo para empezar su nuevo año escolar, donde quiere pasar nuevamente inadvertido y sin relevancia entre sus compañeros, pero todo su plan se irá a la basura con el regreso de Marcos Price a su vida tras un ghosting total de 3 años; con su regreso traerá consigo todos los sentimientos que Milo pensaba haber enterrado muy en lo profundo de su ser, después de todo aquellos sentimientos van en contra de todas sus creencias y su religión.
Pero y si se diera una oportunidad? Que podría salir mal, no es como si el mundo se fuera a acabar, verdad?
Primero quiero decir que la relación de Milo y Marcos se me hizo demasiado adorable, cada momento que ellos tenían juntos (los buenos, claro) me hicieron muy feliz y llenaron de amor a mi corazón, ver como Marcos podía sacar de su "caparazón" a Milo fue muy bonito y definitivamente quien no quisiese tener algo así.
Pero no todo fue lindo en este libro, hubo momentos muy oscuros donde la homofobia interiorizada, auto-comentarios homofóbicos e insultos fueron las cosas por las que Milo tuvo que pasar en este libro, y aunque al principio pude ver esto como annoying poco a poco fui dándome cuenta que todo lo que Milo pasó y pensó en cierto punto yo también lo viví, y específicamente en 2 situaciones fueron las que me rompieron totalmente que sentí que las lágrimas podrían venir, porque damn enserio fue tan... real, y tal vez algunas personas no puedan relacionarse con este libro y tachen de inmaduro a Milo, pero personalmente creo que las personas Queer que crecimos dentro de un espacio religioso tóxico y con todos los prejuicios que esto conlleva fácilmente podrán ver su adolescencia reflejada, como lo fue en mi caso.
En cierto punto llegué a pensar que todos los adultos en este libro eran muy malos y que los odiaba a todos, pero luego conocí a dos personajes que me hicieron volver a recuperar la fe en los adultos dentro de este libro, y en especial del último pues su actitud y postura no me la vi venir para nada y me dejó bastante sorprendido, definitivamente se ganó mi confianza dicho personaje.
Con respecto a la metáfora del "fin del mundo" que se nos presenta tengo que admitir que me dejo confundido y creo que al terminarlo no lo comprendí del todo, en cierto modo me gustó el concepto que planteo el autor y tal vez supo manejarlo bien y solamente fui yo el que no lo entendió por estar concentrado más en otros aspectos de la historia.
También debería agregar que algunas de las cosas que no me gustaron, que fueron muy pocas, fueron algunas actitudes del protagonista pues sí, algunas me parecieron algo exageradas, y en cierto punto lo entendía, pero luego pasaba algo y aparecía un poco de drama innecesario a mi parecer, aun así siempre quería ir a abrazarlo.
Ahora un poco sobre el final, fue un lindo final pero, aparte de la gran confusión por la que estaba pasando en los últimos capítulos, siento que pudo haberse extendido un poco más con un epílogo, y ojo que tal vez en la versión final si lo agreguen, pues recordemos que tuve un acceso temprano a este libro, pero en fin, me gustó la manera con la que se concluyó la historia.
Finalmente, obviamente recomiendo este libro para todas las personas, siento que el mensaje que da es muy lindo y la historia te hace empatizar con sus personajes y agarrarles cariño. Eso sí, antes de hacerlo te recomiendo que veas estos TW (Bullying, Homofobia, Racismo, Daño Emocional y Psicológico causado por Padres) y si te sientes seguro de tolerar eso, pues en algunas partes se llega a sentir fuerte algunos de esos temas, adelante y espero disfrutes mucho de esta historia.
No olviden agregarlo a su calendario pues el libro oficialmente saldrá el 24/05/2022
Calificación Final: 4.5 estrellas
English: Uff, I don't even know where to start with all the things I felt with this book, there are several that I hope to explain in this review but I can already anticipate that I definitely recommend this book, as long as you feel comfortable with the warnings it has, because although it is a very nice story I feel that it can emotionally hurt someone who may be going through a crisis of faith/sexuality due to everything that the main character goes through.
Milo and Marcos at the End of the World is a story of love, acceptance and growth; a story where we will see reflected the problems that surely most Queer people who are or were part of a religion suffered, and I can personally give my affirmation of this.
Summarizing a little, Milo Connolly is ready to start his new school year, where he wants to go unnoticed again and without relevance among his classmates, but all his plan will go down the drain with the return of Marcos Price to his life after a total ghosting of 3 years; with his return he will bring with him all the feelings that Milo thought he had buried deep inside, after all those feelings go against all his beliefs and his religion.
But what if he were to give himself a chance? What could go wrong, it's not like the world is going to end, right?
First I want to say that Milo and Marcos' relationship was too adorable to me, every moment they had together (the good ones, of course) made me very happy and filled my heart with love, seeing how Marcos could bring Milo out of his "shell" was very nice and definitely who wouldn't want to have something like that.
But not everything was cute in this book, there were very dark moments where internalized homophobia, homophobic self-comments and insults were the things Milo had to go through in this book, and although at first I could see this as annoying little by little I was realizing that everything Milo went through and thought at a certain point I lived it too, and specifically in 2 situations were the ones that totally broke me that I felt the tears might come, because damn, it was so ... real, and maybe some people can't relate to this book and will label Milo as immature, but personally I think Queer people who grew up in a toxic religious space and with all the prejudices that comes with it can easily see their adolescence reflected, as it was in my case.
At a certain point I came to think that all the adults in this book were very bad and that I hated them all, but then I met two characters that made me regain faith in adults in this book, and especially the last one because his attitude and position I did not see it coming at all and left me quite surprised, he definitely won my trust.
With respect to the metaphor of "the end of the world" that is presented to us I have to admit that it left me confused and I think that when I finished it I did not fully understand it, in a way I liked the concept that the author raised and maybe he knew how to handle it well and it was only me who did not understand it because I was more focused on other aspects of the story.
I should also add that some of the things I didn't like, which were very few, were some of the main character's attitudes because yes, some of them seemed a bit exaggerated, and at a certain point I understood it, but then something would happen and some unnecessary drama would appear in my opinion, even so I always wanted to go and hug him.
Now a little bit about the ending, it was a nice ending but, apart from the great confusion I was going through in the last chapters, I feel it could have been extended a little more with an epilogue, and beware that maybe in the final version they will add it, because let's remember that I had an early access to this book, but anyway, I liked the way the story was concluded.
Finally, I obviously recommend this book to everyone, I feel that the message it gives is very nice and the story makes you empathize with the characters and get attached to them. Of course, before doing so, I recommend you to see these TW (Bullying, Homophobia, Racism, Emotional and Psychological Damage caused by Parents) and if you feel confident to tolerate that, because in some parts you can feel strong some of those issues, go ahead and I hope you enjoy this story a lot.
Don't forget to add it to your calendar as the book will officially be released on 05/24/2022.
Final Rating: 4.5 stars
July 8, 2022
I think this book is perfect for fans of Shaun David Hutchinson's We Are the Ants. It has the ambiguous sci-fi mixed with contemporary romance thing going on, which admittedly, does not hugely work for me (I'd much rather it not be ambiguous, thank you), but I do find it symbolically appealing if done well.
Honestly, the weird sci-fi, is the world ending? is it God? is it happening or not? thing only kind of worked for me here (and I really struggled with the ending bit, and the ) but what worked for me less was the all over the place character development.
I struggled a lot with Milo's character, mostly because on an emotional level, I relate to him very heavily, and I think a lot of his actions, especially toward the end, were out-of-character. For how closeted and uncomfortable he was coming to terms with his sexuality, he was very quick to do certain things and while these things moved the plot along and gave the story momentum, realistically, they didn't make sense. For someone so deeply uncomfortable with his sexuality to be okay making a I just didn't buy it.
I understand that I shouldn't put my own experiences onto a character because we're not the same, but I struggled to wrap my head around Milo's decisions and sudden confidence in certain situations where I think it would have been more realistic for him to be terrified. I just feel like the characterization was off, and never fully developed enough for the book to reach the pinnacle at the end.
I don't know, for awhile I was really loving this, and enjoying the characters' romantic dynamic and the discussions of religion and internalized homophobia, but by the end, I was lost a bit with how we got from point a to b, and I think this book could have done with a few extra rounds of editing to polish it off.
But it was still fun and cute and kept me sane while at my desk "working" all day, so there we go.
Last thing I'd like to say is that this is not a comfy, cozy book. It's not about an apocalypse, like the summary suggests, nor is it a sweet, easy romance. I think it's been poorly marketed as such. It's about two boys falling in love while dealing with intense religious homophobia and internalized homophobia. For people who have experienced that, this book could be really triggering, so I want to make sure people are aware of the subject matter before going into it. There is the use of slurs, talk of conversion therapy, and general hateful rhetoric throughout the book. Read with caution and care <3 (Though, I will easily say that I think Snipes handled the religious aspect excellently, and I appreciated the nuanced way he introduced religion, never saying Milo had to give up his faith to be himself, and even having the pastor tell him he couldn't be "fixed".)
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly, the weird sci-fi, is the world ending? is it God? is it happening or not? thing only kind of worked for me here (and I really struggled with the ending bit, and the ) but what worked for me less was the all over the place character development.
I struggled a lot with Milo's character, mostly because on an emotional level, I relate to him very heavily, and I think a lot of his actions, especially toward the end, were out-of-character. For how closeted and uncomfortable he was coming to terms with his sexuality, he was very quick to do certain things and while these things moved the plot along and gave the story momentum, realistically, they didn't make sense. For someone so deeply uncomfortable with his sexuality to be okay making a I just didn't buy it.
I understand that I shouldn't put my own experiences onto a character because we're not the same, but I struggled to wrap my head around Milo's decisions and sudden confidence in certain situations where I think it would have been more realistic for him to be terrified. I just feel like the characterization was off, and never fully developed enough for the book to reach the pinnacle at the end.
I don't know, for awhile I was really loving this, and enjoying the characters' romantic dynamic and the discussions of religion and internalized homophobia, but by the end, I was lost a bit with how we got from point a to b, and I think this book could have done with a few extra rounds of editing to polish it off.
But it was still fun and cute and kept me sane while at my desk "working" all day, so there we go.
Last thing I'd like to say is that this is not a comfy, cozy book. It's not about an apocalypse, like the summary suggests, nor is it a sweet, easy romance. I think it's been poorly marketed as such. It's about two boys falling in love while dealing with intense religious homophobia and internalized homophobia. For people who have experienced that, this book could be really triggering, so I want to make sure people are aware of the subject matter before going into it. There is the use of slurs, talk of conversion therapy, and general hateful rhetoric throughout the book. Read with caution and care <3 (Though, I will easily say that I think Snipes handled the religious aspect excellently, and I appreciated the nuanced way he introduced religion, never saying Milo had to give up his faith to be himself, and even having the pastor tell him he couldn't be "fixed".)
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2023
This book kept my eyes glued to its pages from start to finish !
Milo and Marcos at the End of the World wasn't what I was expecting. I knew it would include religious brainwashing and homophobic parents, but I wasn't expecting the religion-related conversations to take such a big part of the story. It was also a window to the absurd (for me) life of American Evangelicals, the ones whose whole life revolves around their church.
The book isn't too dark or opressive, despite the ominous background. Marcos is the main reason for it: I loved him, he is optimistic, defiant, funny, hides his insecurities behind humor and determination, and is not willing to allow his horrible father to dictate his life. Val is another character who made me smile: a force of nature, she broke away from the religious indoctrination of the church and doesn't let anyone mess with her.
Milo was a love/hate character. I liked how he started adjusting his worldview and breaking away from his chains as his feelings for Marcos grew, but sometimes he was so hesitant, scared and prioritizing his parents' "beliefs" that made me want to scream at him. I know it isn't his fault, he is a kid brainwashed from birth essentially. And that's important to the story, that these horrible people become parents and pass down their hate to their kids.
The relationship between Milo and Marcos is wholesome. Cute, swoony, teen love, but also messy, full of mistakes. Despite that, it's honest and their feelings for each other come out every time on top of every obstacle life (or to be precise, their parents) put in their way.
I liked the ending. It didn't give a redemption arc to the parents (which would be unrealistic), but made the stakes so high for them (after the hurricane incident and what nearly happened to their kids) to understand that they should be grateful their kids are happy and try to understand them a bit more. It's not perfect, it's not even good, but it's a baby step. Well, at least for three of the four parents. Marcos' dad is irredeemable and the final chapter is also the end of his marriage.
I loved this story, and I'm curious what Kevin Christopher Snipes will write next !
Milo and Marcos at the End of the World wasn't what I was expecting. I knew it would include religious brainwashing and homophobic parents, but I wasn't expecting the religion-related conversations to take such a big part of the story. It was also a window to the absurd (for me) life of American Evangelicals, the ones whose whole life revolves around their church.
The book isn't too dark or opressive, despite the ominous background. Marcos is the main reason for it: I loved him, he is optimistic, defiant, funny, hides his insecurities behind humor and determination, and is not willing to allow his horrible father to dictate his life. Val is another character who made me smile: a force of nature, she broke away from the religious indoctrination of the church and doesn't let anyone mess with her.
Milo was a love/hate character. I liked how he started adjusting his worldview and breaking away from his chains as his feelings for Marcos grew, but sometimes he was so hesitant, scared and prioritizing his parents' "beliefs" that made me want to scream at him. I know it isn't his fault, he is a kid brainwashed from birth essentially. And that's important to the story, that these horrible people become parents and pass down their hate to their kids.
The relationship between Milo and Marcos is wholesome. Cute, swoony, teen love, but also messy, full of mistakes. Despite that, it's honest and their feelings for each other come out every time on top of every obstacle life (or to be precise, their parents) put in their way.
I liked the ending. It didn't give a redemption arc to the parents (which would be unrealistic), but made the stakes so high for them (after the hurricane incident and what nearly happened to their kids) to understand that they should be grateful their kids are happy and try to understand them a bit more. It's not perfect, it's not even good, but it's a baby step. Well, at least for three of the four parents. Marcos' dad is irredeemable and the final chapter is also the end of his marriage.
I loved this story, and I'm curious what Kevin Christopher Snipes will write next !
June 2, 2022
The only thing I knew going into this was the title, so I was hoping it was a dystopian novel. Unfortunately it isn't, but there are some crazy disasters that happen and they just might be cause by Milo and Marcos. There is quite a bit of focus on Christianity in this, with both characters reckoning their faith with their sexual orientations. I wouldn't classify this as Christian fiction though, it's more showing what a lot of people go through when their religion doesn't support who they are.
I found Milo a bit frustrating at times, he tends to choose the easier path even if it hurts himself or others and cries rather than talk to his loved ones or come up with a plan on how to handle things. I do understand that he's in an incredibly difficult position and it's possible that he could be in danger if his feelings for Marco get out. I just wanted him to stand up for himself more when people treated him poorly.
I wish we'd gotten Marcos' point of view in this. He's bold and brash and won't apologize for his feelings. I like that he stood strong even when his father was a homophobic jerk and refused to apologize. Marcos was definitely needed to bring Milo out of his shell.
The disasters were interesting and gave the book something to set it apart. I'm glad I was able to snag a copy of this, especially during Pride month!
I found Milo a bit frustrating at times, he tends to choose the easier path even if it hurts himself or others and cries rather than talk to his loved ones or come up with a plan on how to handle things. I do understand that he's in an incredibly difficult position and it's possible that he could be in danger if his feelings for Marco get out. I just wanted him to stand up for himself more when people treated him poorly.
I wish we'd gotten Marcos' point of view in this. He's bold and brash and won't apologize for his feelings. I like that he stood strong even when his father was a homophobic jerk and refused to apologize. Marcos was definitely needed to bring Milo out of his shell.
The disasters were interesting and gave the book something to set it apart. I'm glad I was able to snag a copy of this, especially during Pride month!
April 13, 2022
Rating: 2.5
I kind of liked the characters, but they would have been better if they had more personality. One character was a feminist, one was battling with internalized homophobia and religion, one was an atheist, and that was pretty much each of their personalities. The friendship in this book seemed like it wouldn't even exist without The Golden Girls. I thought this was going to be more about an apocalypse and it really wasn't. Maybe if you have ever struggled with religion and your identity existing within it, you might like this, or you might want to stay away from it.
I kind of liked the characters, but they would have been better if they had more personality. One character was a feminist, one was battling with internalized homophobia and religion, one was an atheist, and that was pretty much each of their personalities. The friendship in this book seemed like it wouldn't even exist without The Golden Girls. I thought this was going to be more about an apocalypse and it really wasn't. Maybe if you have ever struggled with religion and your identity existing within it, you might like this, or you might want to stay away from it.
June 20, 2022
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
They say to never judge a book by its cover. But I did. I instantly knew I would love this book and the gorgeous cover didn't lie to me.
I won't lie: Milo and Marcos at the End of the World was not what I expected. I legitimately thought that this was going to be an apocalyptical novel of epic proportions. But what it dealt with was religion, friendship, love, and family.
I felt like I understood Milo so much. There were parts of this book that made me tear up, especially when he was talking about his anxiety and his ability to catastrophize situations. And despite feeling lonely, Marcos and Van are always by his side and on his team and I loved that. The actual catastrophes that occur in this book are both hilarious and terrifying. Like, a sinkhole, a blackout, a meteorite strike, a lightning strike, a fire, and a hurricane? Talk about bad luck. Or... is someone trying to ensure that Milo and Marcos stay apart? Are these signs?
I basically read this in one day and I couldn't put it down. It does talk about religion a lot, but it's an important part of the story and didn't detract from the plot, the characters, or the romance at all. If you read this, let me know what you think!
They say to never judge a book by its cover. But I did. I instantly knew I would love this book and the gorgeous cover didn't lie to me.
I won't lie: Milo and Marcos at the End of the World was not what I expected. I legitimately thought that this was going to be an apocalyptical novel of epic proportions. But what it dealt with was religion, friendship, love, and family.
I felt like I understood Milo so much. There were parts of this book that made me tear up, especially when he was talking about his anxiety and his ability to catastrophize situations. And despite feeling lonely, Marcos and Van are always by his side and on his team and I loved that. The actual catastrophes that occur in this book are both hilarious and terrifying. Like, a sinkhole, a blackout, a meteorite strike, a lightning strike, a fire, and a hurricane? Talk about bad luck. Or... is someone trying to ensure that Milo and Marcos stay apart? Are these signs?
I basically read this in one day and I couldn't put it down. It does talk about religion a lot, but it's an important part of the story and didn't detract from the plot, the characters, or the romance at all. If you read this, let me know what you think!
November 9, 2023
This absolute masterpiece has put all my other 5 star reads this year to shame
May 30, 2022
4.5*
**TW for homophobia and religious trauma
This was such a lovely story! At first, I was a bit surprised because it is decidedly contemporary, and not really the apocalyptic fare I'd assumed. But that ended up being just fine, because I really fell in love with the story I got!
Milo has spent three years trying to forget he ever met Marcos. He's also been spending those years denying any feelings he experiences, namely those that have to do with his attraction to men. He mainly sticks with his bestie Van, and his church crowd, and the denial has been... well I wouldn't say it's working, obviously, but he's been existing, for the most part. But who pops up as the town new kid? Marcos, of course! Forcing Milo to deal not only with the hurt he faced when Marcos left camp without a word to him three years prior, but also the reemergence of the feelings he had for Marco, too.
I could probably spend a full year writing about why I am so seethingly angry at Milo's family and church. But I am sure most of you get the gist. Milo has spend a large portion of his life feeling like he's doing something wrong, that he's "sinning", just because he likes guys. Milo's family and church should be thrilled that he is a kind person who contributes a lot to their communities. But Milo is doing everything in his power to make sure no one ever finds out that his feelings exist.
Easier said than done, of course. Marcos is such a wonderful guy, such a light, that Milo ends up forgiving him, and he and Van welcome Marcos into their social circle. Soon, those old feelings are back, and bigger than ever. But every time Milo seems to acquiesce to his feelings just a little, disaster strikes. Literal, natural disaster. Milo, because of all the absurd religious rhetoric he's been fed his entire life, can't help but think perhaps this is the doing of his deity, smiting both boys for loving each other.
The overarching message of this story is, of course, a good one. I'd not be enamored with this story otherwise, so you can rest assured that the religious trauma that Milo is going through is handled with care. Milo coming to terms with how he wants to move forward is obviously the biggest plot point here. He knows, despite his best efforts to deny it, that he will eventually have to either abandon hope of a future with Marcos, or come to terms with incurring his parents' (and potentially his church's) wrath.
And here's the biggest thing to take away: no person should ever have to make those decisions. But they do, because a lot of parts of society are still complete and total garbage, and this is the unfortunate world we live in. My heart broke over and over and over for Milo and Marcos both. There are a lot of issues with both of their families (again, these are handled very well and delicately), as well as faith crises for both. I loved that they had Van to count on too, as she had already figured out the toxicity of the church, and therefore didn't worry about the ramifications.
The ending was... a little out there for me, but still, the story as a whole was wonderful. It was a love story, yes, but also a great story about two young men growing up and being able to have their own agency.
Bottom Line: Absolutely lovely and heart wrenching story about... well, like the quote says, two boys falling in love.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
“I’m going to prove to you once and for all that God doesn’t care if two boys fall in love.”
**TW for homophobia and religious trauma
This was such a lovely story! At first, I was a bit surprised because it is decidedly contemporary, and not really the apocalyptic fare I'd assumed. But that ended up being just fine, because I really fell in love with the story I got!
Milo has spent three years trying to forget he ever met Marcos. He's also been spending those years denying any feelings he experiences, namely those that have to do with his attraction to men. He mainly sticks with his bestie Van, and his church crowd, and the denial has been... well I wouldn't say it's working, obviously, but he's been existing, for the most part. But who pops up as the town new kid? Marcos, of course! Forcing Milo to deal not only with the hurt he faced when Marcos left camp without a word to him three years prior, but also the reemergence of the feelings he had for Marco, too.
I could probably spend a full year writing about why I am so seethingly angry at Milo's family and church. But I am sure most of you get the gist. Milo has spend a large portion of his life feeling like he's doing something wrong, that he's "sinning", just because he likes guys. Milo's family and church should be thrilled that he is a kind person who contributes a lot to their communities. But Milo is doing everything in his power to make sure no one ever finds out that his feelings exist.
Easier said than done, of course. Marcos is such a wonderful guy, such a light, that Milo ends up forgiving him, and he and Van welcome Marcos into their social circle. Soon, those old feelings are back, and bigger than ever. But every time Milo seems to acquiesce to his feelings just a little, disaster strikes. Literal, natural disaster. Milo, because of all the absurd religious rhetoric he's been fed his entire life, can't help but think perhaps this is the doing of his deity, smiting both boys for loving each other.
The overarching message of this story is, of course, a good one. I'd not be enamored with this story otherwise, so you can rest assured that the religious trauma that Milo is going through is handled with care. Milo coming to terms with how he wants to move forward is obviously the biggest plot point here. He knows, despite his best efforts to deny it, that he will eventually have to either abandon hope of a future with Marcos, or come to terms with incurring his parents' (and potentially his church's) wrath.
And here's the biggest thing to take away: no person should ever have to make those decisions. But they do, because a lot of parts of society are still complete and total garbage, and this is the unfortunate world we live in. My heart broke over and over and over for Milo and Marcos both. There are a lot of issues with both of their families (again, these are handled very well and delicately), as well as faith crises for both. I loved that they had Van to count on too, as she had already figured out the toxicity of the church, and therefore didn't worry about the ramifications.
The ending was... a little out there for me, but still, the story as a whole was wonderful. It was a love story, yes, but also a great story about two young men growing up and being able to have their own agency.
Bottom Line: Absolutely lovely and heart wrenching story about... well, like the quote says, two boys falling in love.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
May 24, 2022
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: casual racism/colonialism, internalized homophobia (religious), conservative religious prejudice/homophobia, bullying/harassment, slurs, hate crime, threat of conversion therapy
4.6
Milo is a good, quiet Christian boy ready to finish out his senior year the same way- unnoticed and simple. But that plan seems to go up in smoke when someone from his past suddenly, impossibly reappears. Because once, three years ago, Milo learned something about himself that could have ruined everything, and pretending it never happened is the only thing keeping him moving forward. Marcos, and the time they spent together, is enough to fill Milo with terror- and something else better ignored- but there's more danger too. Because it seems like every time they get close, a natural disaster happens.
This book! Oh my God. This book. This book is so well written, so emotional, so heart wrenchingly real. I loved every single second of getting to read this story- the upsetting, the hopeful, all of it.
The energy of this story, the vibe of the characters and their insurmountable odds, it all felt timeless. It reminded me a lot of the queer theatre scene in the 80s, and I think that's a testament to how human, how connected this whole thing is. These are issues that aren't quite as in vogue to parade about anymore, but it doesn't mean that this messiness, the fear, doesn't still permeate the queer community. It felt lived and it felt human, and I think this book will resonate with so many people, of so many ages.
And what keeps that heavy, old soul energy from bringing this book into solidly weighty territory is the beautiful, adorable romance between the characters. The romance too feels genuine, and from the start it truly feels earth moving, because it's more than just a romance arc, it's discovery, it's exploration, it's choice.
I also really loved how the pacing was done. With the romance, I liked the decision to show the flashback all in one chunk, and the way that it breaks up the past and the present. And beyond that, the drama and the stakes are dealt with well, and the story moves along at a constant rate that means things never lag.
The only thing for me, was that I wanted it just a little more heavy and disaster filled. The ending felt a tad Wizard of Oz, and I was holding out for even more disaster- though what we do get is pretty intense. But that's me.
"Maybe a God who roots for love is the only God worth believing in."
I loved this book! What a fantastic exploration of these characters and their internalized biases, what a fabulous, heartbreaking story. I honestly want everyone to read this one.
Pre-review comments
Can I just say: 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
TW: casual racism/colonialism, internalized homophobia (religious), conservative religious prejudice/homophobia, bullying/harassment, slurs, hate crime, threat of conversion therapy
4.6
Milo is a good, quiet Christian boy ready to finish out his senior year the same way- unnoticed and simple. But that plan seems to go up in smoke when someone from his past suddenly, impossibly reappears. Because once, three years ago, Milo learned something about himself that could have ruined everything, and pretending it never happened is the only thing keeping him moving forward. Marcos, and the time they spent together, is enough to fill Milo with terror- and something else better ignored- but there's more danger too. Because it seems like every time they get close, a natural disaster happens.
This book! Oh my God. This book. This book is so well written, so emotional, so heart wrenchingly real. I loved every single second of getting to read this story- the upsetting, the hopeful, all of it.
The energy of this story, the vibe of the characters and their insurmountable odds, it all felt timeless. It reminded me a lot of the queer theatre scene in the 80s, and I think that's a testament to how human, how connected this whole thing is. These are issues that aren't quite as in vogue to parade about anymore, but it doesn't mean that this messiness, the fear, doesn't still permeate the queer community. It felt lived and it felt human, and I think this book will resonate with so many people, of so many ages.
And what keeps that heavy, old soul energy from bringing this book into solidly weighty territory is the beautiful, adorable romance between the characters. The romance too feels genuine, and from the start it truly feels earth moving, because it's more than just a romance arc, it's discovery, it's exploration, it's choice.
I also really loved how the pacing was done. With the romance, I liked the decision to show the flashback all in one chunk, and the way that it breaks up the past and the present. And beyond that, the drama and the stakes are dealt with well, and the story moves along at a constant rate that means things never lag.
The only thing for me, was that I wanted it just a little more heavy and disaster filled. The ending felt a tad Wizard of Oz, and I was holding out for even more disaster- though what we do get is pretty intense. But that's me.
"Maybe a God who roots for love is the only God worth believing in."
I loved this book! What a fantastic exploration of these characters and their internalized biases, what a fabulous, heartbreaking story. I honestly want everyone to read this one.
Pre-review comments
Can I just say: 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
July 27, 2022
I don't feel that this was ground breaking, but I did identify with a lot of the religion/shame issues that both Milo and Marcos had to deal with. That probably enhanced my enjoyment. I did expect this to be a kind of dystopian/sci-fi sort of thing, however it's not that at all. I thought we were going there at one point, but it's really a contemporary YA romance.
Read
June 4, 2024
Trigger & Content Warnings
Hate crime
Racism
Internalised religious homophobia & threats of conversion therapy
Fire
Hurricane
Sinkhole
Bullying
Hate crime
Racism
Internalised religious homophobia & threats of conversion therapy
Fire
Hurricane
Sinkhole
Bullying
January 13, 2023
this book is like no other love story i have read.
milo is a very religious teenage boy obsessed with the golden girls and pleasing his parents. marcos is a sweet but rebellious, charismatic atheist.
they meet at church camp and hit it off immediately, until one day marcos abruptly leaves. three years later, marcos comes back and the world turns. literally.
as the two reconnect and start to fall in love, random natural disasters with no explanation start happening. sinkholes, meteors, and a hurricane, oh my. is there a greater force trying to keep them apart? and if so, is what they have worth the potential end of the world?
this is a beautiful contemporary with some underlying apocalypse-esque events. it is heavy with religious guilt and trauma, anxiety, and homophobia. but it is also heavy with hope, humor, friendship, and love.
i couldn’t recommend it more.
milo is a very religious teenage boy obsessed with the golden girls and pleasing his parents. marcos is a sweet but rebellious, charismatic atheist.
they meet at church camp and hit it off immediately, until one day marcos abruptly leaves. three years later, marcos comes back and the world turns. literally.
as the two reconnect and start to fall in love, random natural disasters with no explanation start happening. sinkholes, meteors, and a hurricane, oh my. is there a greater force trying to keep them apart? and if so, is what they have worth the potential end of the world?
this is a beautiful contemporary with some underlying apocalypse-esque events. it is heavy with religious guilt and trauma, anxiety, and homophobia. but it is also heavy with hope, humor, friendship, and love.
i couldn’t recommend it more.
September 2, 2022
I enjoyed the characters in this novel, and coming from a conservative religious and cultural background could relate quite well to the internal strife that that creates. Although it does actually deal with dark topics, Snipes is able to offset it very well with humour, not always in the direct sense, but it is very effective. I was engaged throughout the novel.
I am looking forward to this author hopefully producing some more works in the future.
I am looking forward to this author hopefully producing some more works in the future.
February 14, 2025
insert the [what the hell sure] meme here
June 17, 2022
This book is pretty amazing, hilarious and I loved every single thing.
When Marcos, a boy Milo met at Bible Camp three years before and first crush, moves in his city, school and church his world is turned upside down. While Milo struggles with internalized homophobia and Marcos with an abusive father, they can't deny their mutual feelings. When weird things start happening like a meteor crushing Marcos's father' car, sinkholes and hurricanes, the boys start to wondering if their love is doomed from God Himself. But they are not ready to give up on each other.
With delicate themes like bigotry and abuse hidden behind religion, threats of conversion therapy, dealt with care and sensitivity, the author wrote an intense and intriguing book about two teenagers finding each other a second time and falling in love again.
Interesting and heartwrenching is following Milo battling against his internalized homophobia, his fear of disappointing his religious parents, while on the other side Marcos is a bit more confident of his sexuality, but still facing his father's abuse and his mother's impotence in fighting back against her own abuser.
Fortunately they have the support of Van,Milo's best friend, against bullying, abuse and religion used to hurt people.
With ups and downs, fights and lies and growth, Milo and Marcos grow, learning to support, love and help each other and choosing one other and their happiness, fighting against bigotry and abuse.
Milo's voice is brilliant and refreshing and it was a pleasure following him growing up, dealing with anxiety and fears, with his humor and sarcasm, trusting Van and then Marcos, accepting his own sexuality and embracing it fully, without, in the end, hiding any part of himself. Marcos' fierce stubborness and love, Milo's cautious opening up and Van's support were some of the things I loved the most in this book.
When Marcos, a boy Milo met at Bible Camp three years before and first crush, moves in his city, school and church his world is turned upside down. While Milo struggles with internalized homophobia and Marcos with an abusive father, they can't deny their mutual feelings. When weird things start happening like a meteor crushing Marcos's father' car, sinkholes and hurricanes, the boys start to wondering if their love is doomed from God Himself. But they are not ready to give up on each other.
With delicate themes like bigotry and abuse hidden behind religion, threats of conversion therapy, dealt with care and sensitivity, the author wrote an intense and intriguing book about two teenagers finding each other a second time and falling in love again.
Interesting and heartwrenching is following Milo battling against his internalized homophobia, his fear of disappointing his religious parents, while on the other side Marcos is a bit more confident of his sexuality, but still facing his father's abuse and his mother's impotence in fighting back against her own abuser.
Fortunately they have the support of Van,Milo's best friend, against bullying, abuse and religion used to hurt people.
With ups and downs, fights and lies and growth, Milo and Marcos grow, learning to support, love and help each other and choosing one other and their happiness, fighting against bigotry and abuse.
Milo's voice is brilliant and refreshing and it was a pleasure following him growing up, dealing with anxiety and fears, with his humor and sarcasm, trusting Van and then Marcos, accepting his own sexuality and embracing it fully, without, in the end, hiding any part of himself. Marcos' fierce stubborness and love, Milo's cautious opening up and Van's support were some of the things I loved the most in this book.
June 1, 2022
Way more Jesusy than I thought.
May 24, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
This story took a lot of unexpected twists, what with the natural disasters, revivalist showdowns, and a rather traumatic coming-out experience. There are moments that really made me pause, because Milo is such a heart-on-his-sleeve narrator and his pain is so acute. I was honestly scared that this was all going to go very wrong. I was also worried about the internalized homophobia Milo suffers and how that might affect young and questioning readers. Milo’s journey was one of necessary self-love, and once he fully embraced himself, he became a much more powerful character. Marcos is the rock he needs, a bulwark of acceptance and love that will allow Milo to climb up, stand higher on his own two feet. I loved how Van supported and held Milo’s hand, sometimes literally, as he rose beyond the darkness of his self-hate.
I feel like this is a good, but tough read. It’s YA, and has age-appropriate situations, including alcohol use. Expect affection and some light physicality, but none of it graphic in a “romance” way. There is definite emphasis on the emotional journey, especially for Milo, and the ending is decidedly happy.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
This story took a lot of unexpected twists, what with the natural disasters, revivalist showdowns, and a rather traumatic coming-out experience. There are moments that really made me pause, because Milo is such a heart-on-his-sleeve narrator and his pain is so acute. I was honestly scared that this was all going to go very wrong. I was also worried about the internalized homophobia Milo suffers and how that might affect young and questioning readers. Milo’s journey was one of necessary self-love, and once he fully embraced himself, he became a much more powerful character. Marcos is the rock he needs, a bulwark of acceptance and love that will allow Milo to climb up, stand higher on his own two feet. I loved how Van supported and held Milo’s hand, sometimes literally, as he rose beyond the darkness of his self-hate.
I feel like this is a good, but tough read. It’s YA, and has age-appropriate situations, including alcohol use. Expect affection and some light physicality, but none of it graphic in a “romance” way. There is definite emphasis on the emotional journey, especially for Milo, and the ending is decidedly happy.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
May 15, 2022
I got an arc from @harper360ya, so thank you so much!!! 🥰
I started and finished this in the same day, i was definitely not so sure about it at the start following Milo's point of view. But he grew on me like Van and Marcos do as well!!
The friendship Milo and Van have was so lovely to see, and the way they are friends and the way they are good and trying to be better people.
Milo's Christianity is a whole point to this book so if you have religious tramua, this might be a trigger for you as it is does double down on it a few times. There is internalised homophobia as well.
I did not expect the world things were happening the way they went down. But i was not disappointed to say the least. It was a lovely read to have and i am so glad i got the opportunity to read this!!!
There is miscommunication where they do not talk about their feelings and assuming it all.
I loved the growth we got to see with Milo.
I started and finished this in the same day, i was definitely not so sure about it at the start following Milo's point of view. But he grew on me like Van and Marcos do as well!!
The friendship Milo and Van have was so lovely to see, and the way they are friends and the way they are good and trying to be better people.
Milo's Christianity is a whole point to this book so if you have religious tramua, this might be a trigger for you as it is does double down on it a few times. There is internalised homophobia as well.
I did not expect the world things were happening the way they went down. But i was not disappointed to say the least. It was a lovely read to have and i am so glad i got the opportunity to read this!!!
There is miscommunication where they do not talk about their feelings and assuming it all.
I loved the growth we got to see with Milo.
July 19, 2022
I started this thinking it was going to be another “love while the world is ending” type stories and that’s definitely not what this is. This is far from that.
Aside from it being the opposite of what I wanted/was expecting, this was just a solid three stars for me. There was internalized homophobia/homophobia. Radical Christian views are talked about A LOT! Which isn’t a bad thing in itself because it is a problem many have to deal with, but I almost felt like that was what the book was about instead of these two boys just trying to understand themselves and their feelings.
Milo’s best friend Van was my favorite part of this. She is the moment and kept this story moving forward.
Aside from it being the opposite of what I wanted/was expecting, this was just a solid three stars for me. There was internalized homophobia/homophobia. Radical Christian views are talked about A LOT! Which isn’t a bad thing in itself because it is a problem many have to deal with, but I almost felt like that was what the book was about instead of these two boys just trying to understand themselves and their feelings.
Milo’s best friend Van was my favorite part of this. She is the moment and kept this story moving forward.
December 5, 2022
Keine Ahnung, wann ich zuletzt ein Buch in einem Rutsch weggelesen habe, aber hier ging es nicht anders. Die Figuren waren super und die Story hat mich einfach gefangen genommen. Obwohl ich die Thematik um Religion immer sehr schwierig finde, wurde das hier gut und nicht allzu unrealistisch umgesetzt. Natürlich hasse ich trotzdem 95% der Erwachsenen in dem Buch.
CW: (internalisierte) Homophobie, religiöser Fanatismus, Mobbing
CW: (internalisierte) Homophobie, religiöser Fanatismus, Mobbing
July 5, 2022
"And when you think about it—I mean really, really think about it—maybe a God who roots for love is the only God worth believing in."
July 2, 2023
moral of the story: don't live in florida
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