Cover Image: All the Better Part of Me

All the Better Part of Me

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Member Reviews

All The Better Part of Me follows Sinter Blackwell, a 25 year old aspiring actor temporarily living in London who, at the start of the book, is beginning to question his sexuality and his feelings for his childhood best friend, Andy. The book follows Sinter as he struggles to define his identity, both to himself and those around him, alongside his burgeoning career and personal relationships.

If this book had just been about Sinter exploring his sexuality and coming to terms with it, I think I could have loved it. Sinter was an engaging main character with a great voice, and his relationship with Andy was sweet and one you could easily root for. His antagonistic relationship with his parents was tough to read, but very much an unfortunate reflection of what many LGBT+ kids have to go through, so felt like an honest portrayal, albeit with a happy ending. And explicitly defining bicurious AND bisexual in a book, especially with regards to a male character, is so rarely seen that this book should definitely be celebrated for doing so.

I just.. didn’t gel with the unnecessary drama in what could have been a really poignant identity story. Yes, it was good to show Sinter hooking up with men and women (after all, the whole definition of bisexuality) but the pregnancy added an entire new layer onto this story that I felt it could do without. I felt at points like I was reading two separate stories: one about Sinter exploring his sexuality, and one about Sinter stepping up as a father.

I’m also not ever really a fan of using trauma to advance a romance plot, and especially not when it is your gay character suffering. There are so many instances of this in queer literature that it feels old, and the almost ‘bury your gays’ trope isn’t ever fun to read. There are so many ways to move around a problem (healthy communication!!!!!) that including an almost-fatal car crash for shock value and to kickstart a character into action feels cheap.

So while I enjoyed the characters I have to say I’m a little dismayed that I didn’t totally love this book, especially considering there are barely any queer new adult books out there with a bisexual MC. And, whilst I do appreciate the rep, it is always easy to see when a queer book has been written by someone who is not really part of the community – just the little things, like the idea that you have to figure out your sexuality as a teenager, or the sex scenes – but it is encouraging that these books are written, and will hopefully carve a little niche in the market for openly queer authors to write openly queer characters.

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I don’t know what I expected this book to be, but whatever that was it ended up being so much more. This book reached inside of me and pulled out emotions I haven’t felt in quite some time, and I can’t even tell you what plotline it was that did it.

I found myself reading the second half of this book with a lump in my throat, and tears in my eyes, and yet, it isn’t overly sad. But it, as life is, and family, and friends, is difficult. I finished it at around 1 or 2 am this morning and then lay on my bed staring at the ceiling trying to comprehend what I was feeling.

It is well written, the characters both flawed and fully fleshed out on the pages (digital in my case). Their relationship is amazing. The supporting characters are as well.

The family dynamic is difficult and unfortunately will hit close to home for far too many people.

Just please, if you can, read this book. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

Received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I couldn't finish this book the multiple times I tried! I don't think it's a bad book, just not really my thing, thanks though for the opportunity to review it.

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This book was just not the book for me. While I love getting bisexual representation in stories, I just wasn't a fan of this plot. By that, I mean I felt like the plot took a long time to really get started and then once it did, it went in several directions that made me lose complete interest in the story and its characters. While I read this quickly, I found that most of it was forgettable and the characters that I should've gotten to know over the span of the novel were just flat and uninteresting in most respects.

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Interesting book, but not something memorable. Everything was a bit mediocre, but still an enjoyable read.

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Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A lot of the reviews online were negative for this novel and I’d have to say that unfortunately, I agree. This had the potential to be incredibly successful but ultimately in the end, it didn’t work out and it felt more harmful than anything else. I think when it comes to topics like sexuality, there needs to be consideration and real deliberation about what is being represented and what isn’t. I know this is an own voices novel, but not everyone’s experience either sexuality is the same and it’s harmful to assume that’s the case; not everyone realises their sexuality until an older age and that’s completely okay. It doesn’t mean they’re always in denial about it.

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When I started reading this book I was really enjoying the story. However, once I passed the 50-60 page mark, I stopped liking the book. It was just too predictable for me and unfortunately I really dislike predictable books. Of the book had taken a different direction, I might've enjoyed it more.

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Found this book intriguing and relevant to modern day life. However, as other readers have also commented, I found the characters acted very young.

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I thought this book had so much potential, especially as it was about older characters who I was really interested in but sadly I found them to be acting younger than they were which took me out of the story quite a bit.

I loved the idea of the story and representation but I just wanted more I guess...
thank you for the chance to read this

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

As a few others have said, the characters seem to be on the older end of the age range for a YA novel. The main character is 25 and just realizing he may be bisexual. He finds that he's falling for his gay best friend. And this is journey.

The book was okay. I expected more.. and kept waiting for 'more' to happen.

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Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

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<b>*NOT SPOILER FREE*</b>

This book put me in a coma, and I don’t mean in the “oh my god this book was SO GOOD that I’m dying” kind of way. I mean in the “my blood pressure skyrocketed to Saturn while I was reading it and when I finished this book I was in such a state of anger that I temporarily became the Hulk” kind of coma. I mean it like, if I could sigh any harder, I’m legitimately afraid I would black out from oxygen deprivation.

Here’s a little secret and trick of the trade when it comes to frolicking through the literature field.

Sometimes, occasionally, once in a while, you run into this little voice in your head that has no regard for logic or reasoning, and sometimes it especially jumps out when you see potentially pretty books. Not only is that your inner superficial dumbass talking, but it’s Satan. It’s a form of Satan named Janet with yet another bad idea that involves reading YET ANOTHER book about an LGBT+ character that was very, painfully clearly written by a near to middle-aged straight woman that is so off the pulse, she’s with the cadavers both when it comes to actual representation and any idea of what young people are “like nowadays”.

This all meaning:

When you look at this book with its pretty cover plastered in bi pride colors, Shakespearean title, and read the summary that sounds like it promises the misadventures of a chaotic disaster having a great Bi Epiphany that you feel in your soul, and then think that it sounds like a fantastically fun thing to pick up and commit hours to: that’s Janet talking.

This book was so infuriating that it makes me hate the bi pride colors, my FAVORITE colors, one of my OWN PRIDE FLAGS, for this irrationally livid moment whenever I look at it because it’s an absolute insult to it. This book is an <i>insult</i>. And I don’t care how much the author did or did not intend for this book to be problematic or fetishizing, it <i>is</i> and no desperate grasping of straws and crying “well my couple of queer friends said it was okay so it must be!” will excuse the absolute fuckery I am now frantically trying to bleach out of my brain.

Allow me to demonstrate.

Sinter Blackwell is a twenty-something actor living in England, working whatever job he can get. While he’s working a shift at a bar, a woman named Fiona walks in and she changes Sinter’s world. Because of her, he ends up filming a movie. During the duration of this movie, Sinter develops a flirtation with Fiona whilst maintaining a “that’s not very straight of you, my dude, but to acknowledge that, I would also have to acknowledge that I may have feelings for you” flirtation with his very out and gay best friend back home in Seattle.

This, in theory, is all fine and dandy except Sinter has a brief closet romp with Fiona at a party, realizes it’s not at all what he wants, and decides to go back home to Seattle to see what comes of his curious friendship going on friends-with-benefits with Andy.

That, too, is all hunky fuckin’ dory—except Fiona tells Sinter that she’s pregnant and she doesn’t want the baby, but she wants to carry to full term so someone can adopt the baby. This, in turn, leads to Sinter having a complex about it and throwing his relationship with Andy up in the air, which—of course—leads to turmoil between the two. Which is also fine for the drama except (and here comes my fucking favorite), instead of being patient and understanding of the situation as a whole (putting aside the fuckery of it anyway) because Sinter isn’t as open as Andy wants him to be, Andy gives Sinter an ultimatum.

And honestly, suck a fucking cactus if you really think LGBT+ people force each other out of the closet by giving our significant other’s ultimatums when they’re scared and just learning to explore their sexuality after growing up in a homophobic family that forced them to compartmentalize any chance of figuring it out sooner. Like honestly. Fuck off.

Everything about this book really tested my limits and I’m so extremely done with this. I try really hard to be neutral even when I don’t like a book because I understand the whole “to each their own” and just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for someone else and blah blah blah, but this book is problematic and damaging and quite honestly, disgusting and I don’t adhere to it and to be frank with you, I think only straight people that read Wattpad fanfiction and think they have any clue what it’s like to be queer would actually enjoy this book, so. I said what I said and I’ll stand by it and I would throw this book in a bonfire if I owned a physical copy of it but it lucked out, I happen to like my Kindle (and lack the money to replace it in a fit of rage).

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I adored that the protagonist of this book figured out his sexuality later in life than his teens, and bisexuality is tricky to parse. This novel went from my expectations of a love triangle to so much more, and I adored that it looked at gender roles and tossed them out while thoroughly examining what happens when people can't be shoved into those "typical" places.

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I was surprised by the age of the characters for this to fall into a ya genre, Yes, it literally says on the back cover that Sinter is 25, I know, but still it caught me off guard is all. That being said, I think this book is outstanding. It’s such an important story to have in front of readers especially when bisexual characters are so often poorly written or poorly depicted. Molly Ringle does an excellent job at capturing the complicated feelings involved with discovering you’re bi.

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4.5 Stars

Molly Ringle's All the Better Part of Me is an absolutely riveting friends to lovers romance. It's the story of a friendship that spans two continents and years of being best friends. I love this book.

The story of Sinter and Andy, they are best friends for life, but living apart and some new feelings threaten to distance them. Sinter's an actor who's always been straight, while Andy's his gay best friend. Of course, it's Sinter's secret bicuriousity that leads this part of their story.

Sinter and Andy are two men who absolutely belong together, desperately love each other, but endlessly struggle to be together. They have a relationship with
complications galore.

Their story includes some great first times, along with extreme pain and agony, as fears and doubts keep Sinter closeted. His homophobic family has greatly shaped who he is, not allowing him to be true to himself.

The pace is quick, with a complex and serious plot that includes some surprising twists and turns. Their story is sad, leaving me emotionally gutted at times. I don't want to give anything away, but one of the major complications is both shocking, problematic, and yet also wonderful.

Told in first person pov from Sinter's pov, the reader is fully brought into his mind. And what a mind it is. I am thrilled with the way the author handles him and his internal voice. Otherwise, the writing's okay. I definitely would have loved some more character depth. But the storyline is amazing!! Told with the help of many texts, and a whole lot of reminiscing about the past, this part adds a lot to the writing style.

All the Better Part of Me is amazingly riveting, as I couldn't put it down, needing to know what happens to these best friends. I love this Molly Ringle romance, highly recommending it for when you're in the mood for your next new adult romance.

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A really interesting plot that definitely says with you beyond closing the book. The characters were interesting and well developed

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I just loved this story. You felt their need to be together, but also The difficulty surrounding being gay and being in a relationship. The author did a good job.

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This was an amaing coming-out story, I found myself falling in love with the characters very quickly.

We follow Sinter Blacwell who is an actor, currently based in London who finding himself cast in a BBC film by a stroke of luck. While working on set he finds himself becoming infatuated with the female director. However, he quickly comes to realize that he may be bisexual, and also kind of in love with his best friend Andy who lives back at home in Seattle.

There are so many heart warming, touching moments throughout the book and watching Sinter's journey of discovering his journey and himself. All the Better Part of Me is magical and beautiful, it is an essantial read for anyone looking for a fun and romatic, while sad and dramatic read.

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This was a tough book to rate, because I really enjoyed certain aspects of it, but other aspects I thought fell a little flat, or just didn't quite do it for me? It wasn't a bad book, definitely not, and I'd probably edge it more towards a 3.5.

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DNF at 55%, didn't like the characters and I read rewies with spoilers and I was going to hate this, so I prefer dnf'ing than giving this book 1 star.

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