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Really enjoyed this fun, sapphic romp through Victorian England. Characters are engaging, plot is pleasantly twisty, historical call-outs are satisfying.

Olivia Waite is one of my favourite authors, but this novella is like a reduced sauce that delivers exactly what I love about Waite in a delightfully small package. The characters are well-drawn, the setting is quaintly realized, the conflicts aren't superficial, and the affection, both between the characters and between me and the characters, is incredible.

My only complaint is that it's so short! :)

A solid blossoming of the world and characters set down in Dreadnought. Danny develops into a more fully realized character in relatively simple and straightforward ways, but the secondary cast absolutely blooms into detail and colour. The worldbuilding deepens appreciably: the Marvel and DC homages are still there, but significantly muted in favour of this world's particularities.

SPOILERS: I do feel like the book could have used a content warning regarding its forced detransition plotline—I was surprised by it and a little shaken for the rest of the day—but these things are difficult to accomplish in print media.

Superheroes aren't even my thing but I really enjoyed Dreadnought. It's got some solid worldbuilding, itself undergirded by a sophisticated but still compassionate worldview. Characters are well drawn and even if they are derived from tropes, their development delves underneath those tropes to reveal complexities underneath.

Deftly told story of a new kid who comes to school, disappointed that there's no gymnastics team, and is convinced to join cheer, instead. Oh, and discovers she's trans along the way.

Super cute teen romance, solid foundation of 90s pop culture and reference landmarks, evocative perspectives from the two POV characters. Heartfelt struggles and satisfying wins.

Looking forward to Book Two!

Sleek and streamlined, this is a story optimized for speed. It's a quick read, but not a vapid one. The characters are deftly rendered in minimalist strokes and the plot moves forward quickly and inexorably, like an endurance run. Crossing the finish line is well worth it.

Zoe Storm writes a great transition-romance story today, and this is one of her earliest forays. Which is to say: it's simple, straightforward, and well-executed. It's light on the startling insights into the human condition but the characters are well drawn, the conflicts paced nicely, and the plot pays off in a wholly satisfying way. It's an early work, but it's still a solid creative effort.