I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I loved McQuinston's Red, White and Royal Blue and I feel like I may have had overly high expectations for this. It was cute, and by the end I liked most of the characters, but honestly I couldn't really get into the love story between August and Jane. The story itself felt contrived. I really just wanted to hear more about the supporting characters, like the story behind Wes and Isaiah, or even Lucie at the diner. I liked the inclusivity of the story and characters and loved some of their side adventures but I found the beginning and middle to be boring. I think it comes down to August. I just didn't really like her or connect with her, and i'm not sure why.

Representation: Bisexual plus-size MC, Chinese-American love interest, sapphic romance, multiple queer supporting characters across the spectrum,

August is a cynical twenty-three-year-old that moved to New York City to get away from her mother’s obsessive and all-consuming search for August’s missing uncle. She moved to New York to prove that being alone is the best way to go through life, true love and magic is all made-up. August ends up getting a job at a 24-hour pancake diner, even though she has absolutely no experience, thanks to her weird roommates. And she doesn’t expect her subway commute to be anything but boredom, full of strangers, and electrical issues. Until one day, August sees this gorgeous leather-jacket-swoopy-hair-soft-smile girl on the Q. She quickly develops a crush, and learns her name, Jane, and falls for her charming, mysterious persona. August tries to learn more but Jane evades almost any questions about her past, and August eventually discovers that Jane doesn’t just look like someone from the 1970s, she *is* someone from the 70s, trapped on the Q line. August decides she has to help Jane get unstuck, and ends up having to call upon all the skills and knowledge she tried to leave behind with her mother. A whirlwind of a pancake fundraiser slash drag show slash heist planning goes down to help Jane get to where she’s supposed to be.

Rating: 4.5/5 I loved Red, White & Royal Blue and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS. August and Jane are wonderful, I love their relationship and banter, but I also loved the whole supporting cast. August’s roommates, who don’t blink an eye when they’re told Jane is a girl out of time, the neighbor who is also a drag queen, the colorful characters who work at the diner, and just everything. This is a book full of queer characters across the spectrum, with a sapphic romance between two completely useless people at the center. It’s full of aching loneliness in a city full of millions, people finding each other and creating little families out of love, self-discovery, and of course, so much food. There’s a lot that happens in here and I really don’t want to spoil anything! I absolutely recommend this amazing book.

One Last Stop isn't your typical romance or contemporary. It's a story about two women who are lost and up against time, what with Jane being from the 1970s and seemingly trapped on the metro. Which feels like it would be too fantastical, but it works wonderfully in this setting.

CW: death (mentioned), anxiety, homophobia, racism, hate crimes

This is a wonderful story about friends becoming family and support systems. I loved all of the characters that were wild, quirky, and welcoming. One Last Stop gets real about queer history and the pain that many queer people had to live through. It is a book like no other in the best way possible.

I was hooked from the beginning and loved this warm, heartbreaking, whimsical, queer book. I could not put this one down and I cannot recommend this one enough.

I am a huge fan of Red, White, and Royal Blue, so I was ecstatic to receive an early copy of this. There was a lot of aspects that I loved, specifically the representation for people who fall in love with strangers in public. Any book with references to Twilight, Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, and Mamma Mia is a book after my heart. McQuistion plays around with genre here, and I had a lot of fun diving through romance to sci-fi to mystery to heist novel. It's a lot, for better or worse. Not every subplot hit for me, but I appreciate the ambition. I prefer contemporary books, but I honestly found the writing to be a little TOO modern sometimes and it took me out of the story. I am not full fledged obsessed or in love with this one, but I enjoyed the story and the world while I was in it. It has an excellent cast of queer characters, and I loved how real life queer history was weaved throughout. I found the lessons to always appreciate the little moments and memories in life truly beautiful.

I almost can't believe this book is better than McQuiston's first, which I adored. The characters' voices seem so real, and I was fully immersed in the story from about page 5. I don't want to say too much, because I benefitted from not knowing anything about the story and feel like everybody should read it without knowing what's in store for them. Read this!

Headlines:
From odd to quirky
MCs to invest in
Never getting a subway ride again

One Last Stop was very different to my expectations, so much so, this non-blurber went back to look at the blurb and that helped to be honest. This story is LGBTQ+/speculative fiction with a slice of time slip. All this is in the blurb, so no spoilers here.

Things I liked about this book were the two main characters, August and Jane. They stole the show and they were meant to, I'm sure. Both these characters were not immediately lovable but I did grow to like them more and more as the story evolved. Jane in particular was a character slowly revealed.

The story was...odd, it took me ages to get on board with the whole premise for what was going on and even then, it was a bit wacky for my taste. The side characters were just okay for me when I think readers are supposed to love this crew of flatmates and co-workers; I just didn't. I did enjoy the finale of the story but it felt like a long story to get there. However, I was cheering for this couple.

Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy.

I love Red, White & Royal Blue, but, unfortunately, One Last Stop missed the mark for me. I really enjoyed the concept and the mystery of Jane's background, but it felt like there were too many moving pieces that didn't quite come together. I think I would have enjoyed this more if it had been edited down more. Additionally, while I love McQuiston's incorporation of LGBTQ+ representation, the characters' dialogue often felt trite and stereotypical (particularly in the case of Isaiah/Annie).

After reading Red, White and Royal Blue, I fell in love with this author. That story was sweet, funny, cute and with some angst. This story seemed heavier, a bit darker and is just so much more than I expected! I’m an older, straight, white female and yet this book resonated with me whether it was about friends, falling in love, finding your place in the world and more.

August moved to New York City for school and found the most perfect roommates and I fell in love with all of the side characters. They had such unique personalities and talents and gave August a family and the acceptance she needed after being lonely most of her life. I was just so immersed in this story and invested in the compelling characters.

As the story begins, August is rushing to the Q train and meets Jane on the train. She is immediately captivated by her and as they manage to be on the same train over and over, August just thinks its timing or luck. When August realizes that Jane is around her same age but she last remembers the 1970s, that begins numerous conversations to help Jane remember where she was, what she was doing, how to find her family and more. August and Jane have such chemistry that just a kiss is enough for Jane to start remembering bits and pieces. August uses her extensive experience helping her mom with research while growing up and becomes almost obsessed with finding out more and more about Jane.

I could just feel the longing August felt for Jane and yet she tried to keep that to herself to focus on what Jane needed. The sheer intensity of the love and caring was just incandescent, and I felt every emotion.

There is so much going on in this book, I don’t know how the author kept everything together with all of the intricate details. It kept me flipping the pages on my Kindle, reading faster and faster. At times, I was so afraid what might happen, whether in the present or the past, and how it would affect the future.

The history of the 1970s and how the gays were treated wasn’t glossed over and from Jane’s experiences, it was brutal with riots, being cut off from family along with sacrifices, lost lives and fighting for rights.

It was somewhat difficult to believe the paranormal aspects, but it was unique and has such a beautiful ending. The author has written a lengthy novel, but I still wanted more. An epilogue or even two!

It’s a brilliant and magical story and one I won’t forget. I don’t recall the last time I gave five stars for a book, but this has definitely earned as many stars as possible!

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read this beautiful story.

This book was queer, found-family perfection and I loved it with every single fiber of my being!!!!!!!!! It was the perfect mix of hilarious and heartwarming and horny as heck and I just really, really loved it and I cannot wait for all of you to fall just as much in love with August and Jane as I did. Brb while I swoon to the moon and back bc this book was absolutely EVERYTHING

Casey Mcquinston does it again! This is a fantastic book and I enjoyed every second of it. The characters, the romance, the friendship, the probably impossible science, and everything else. There is no other author out there like Casey. Casey is one of my favorite author's and I know that they will never disappoint. I love their writing styles and I adore their comedy and sense of humor as well as their pop culture references. I will absolutely be recommending this book to everyone I know, I can't wait for my physical copy to come so. I can read it again. June can't come soon enough.

A million stars. More. I didn't know if I could possibly love this book as much as Red, White, and Royal Blue, but I should never have doubted. One Last Stop, Casey McQuiston's sophomore effort, solidifies her as an auto-buy author in my book. A love letter to queerness, friendship, and New York City, One Last Stop gripped my heart and squeezed tight, refusing to let go. It is NOTHING like RWRB, but that's part of what makes it (and McQuiston) so amazing. As an author, she refused to let her runaway debut define her. While One Last Stop embraces all things queer with abandon (like RWRB), that's where the similarities end. This one felt more personal, rawer, with such heart that water leaked out my eyeballs. Rude. (And that twist!! Did NOT see that coming!)

So what happens? August falls in love with a girl on the subway, and then things quickly get...complicated. I refuse to give spoilers, so I can't go into specifics, but good grief, if you haven't already preordered this book, what on earth are you waiting for?

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for my complimentary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was elated to receive an ARC of One Last Stop. Admittedly, McQuiston's other book Red, White, and Royal Blue is one of my comfort novels. And I highly suspected this would be too.
One Last Stop follows August, a young bisexual who's moved to New York City for a fresh start. August manages to find a flat and a job, but she still feels a little lost. Then she sees Jane Su, the strikingly badass but sweet woman who's always on the Q train. She adjusts her schedule to start riding with Jane, but eventually realizes that Jane has problems of her own. She's literally from the 70's and she seems well and truly stuck on the subway.

This book was a little bit of everything - love story, sci fi, detective fiction. But it was absolutely worth the read, and will absolutely become one of my comfort stories. From the first few pages, there was no doubt that I was going to love this book. McQuiston is a master of creating characters that feel so real they may walk out of the page.

Besides the powerful character creation, and striking love stories in McQuiston's work, there another detail I've noticed features in both works so far. McQuiston is from the south, specifically Louisiana, like me. And not only do these book feature amazing characters from this state, they always feature this deep love and hope for the south. It can be a rough place to live, especially if your politics or existence don't align with the deep red views down here. But it's always nice to be reminded that the south isn't a lost cause.

With a heavy heart I'm DNFing this book at 42%. I tried my hardest to get into the story and characters, but just couldn't. I don't even think that the books is to blame, it's rather me who is not clicking with the writing. I wished I had better news. This book was one of my most highly anticipated books of 2021. And accepting defeat is something I'm not doing lightly when it comes to this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
August is kind of a drifter, but not in the cool rock n' roll kind of way. She's just trying to find a place that fits her. Hoping the stereotypically cold and busy NYC will swallow her up in anonymity, she finds an apartment. She expects to keep to herself but that proves impossible with her new eclectic roommates in Flatbush, mysterious co-workers, and her instant attraction to a gorgeous chick on the train named Jane. August's infatuation with her doesn't even seem to falter when she discovers that Jane's collection of cassette tapes isn't a quirk. Her crush is from the 1970s and can't seem to leave the train. (So much for going on a date!)

Armed with the investigative skills that her mom taught her, August makes it her mission to figure out how Jane got here and how to get her back.

Review:
Casey McQuiston somehow delivers an adorable love story, within a story of friendship with a supernatural twist without making it cheesy. I'm very impressed! Each character is unique, endearing, and funny. They are a chosen family and I found that comforting. I enjoyed learning more about August's backstory throughout the book and the glimpses into her roommates' backgrounds, too. If McQuiston writes a book from any of their perspectives, that will be an immediate must read for me! I almost felt like I was part of their crew as I read.

Something that sets this book apart from books I've read lately is that the ending didn't leave me with a bunch of questions about what August decides to do with her life or fast forward by a year or more in an epilogue. I have nothing against epilogues, I just found this ending to be unique and satisfying.

Verdict:
If any of what I shared above was intriguing to you, then you'll probably want to get this book. Will I reread it? Probably. This is a great book for those who are looking for a queer romance with a twist.

#Romance #Supernatural #YA #Diverse #WLW #Bisexual #Queer #Mystery

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Publisher - St Martin’s Griffin
Publish Date - 1 June 2021
Rating - 4.5/5

***Thank you to Netgalley, St Martin’s Griffin, and of course, Casey McQuiston, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

ARE YOU EXCITED? YOU SHOULD BE! Casey McQuiston is back with another solid and BEAUTIFUL love story! I adored Red White and Royal Blue (of course!) and knew I would love this one, but to what level, I wasn’t sure. ONE LAST STOP broke me! It is so beautifully written and I am so lucky I was able to get an ARC of it ahead of publication.

In an alternate reality, August, a 23-year-old bi university student has moved her entire life. Lost in her mother’s world (who is fixated on a missing person's case from the 70s), August has always wanted to find her true self, where she belongs. After making it to NYC, she begins that journey. We meet her amazing roommates - who i adored and found perfectly showed off the power of chosen family and explore the NY drag scene. On August’s first day of school, she catches the Q subway line after a morning of bad luck - until it all changes. Jane - oh where do I begin with JANE! A Chinese lesbian who has been displaced from the 70s in some magic-like time warp where she cannot remember much from her past and only has a book bag to her name. August, not being able to stop thinking about the girl she sees day after day on the same train at the same time, takes it upon herself to help solve the mystery of Jane’s past (a hint back to her mother). What ensues is a beautiful love story that leaves you emotionally drained from the beauty.

The romance in this book is a tier above. The steamy steam was very much present and also top tier. In general, One Last Stop was so sex-positive, it made me smile. When you are in your early twenties and learning - it should be like that!

The way Casey is able to communicate her characters, romance, humor, and prose are truly unique and extraordinary. With her first two novels, she has opened the world of Romance well beyond its heteronormative world. Yes, LGBTQIAP+ romance novels have existed before, but Casey has the ability to bring these stories to every corner of every community.

I cannot recommend this enough, and I cannot wait to see what Casey has up her sleeve next!

This book! Seriously though this book! I knew I was going to love it I mean Casey McQuiston writing a saphic book yes sign me up! I was so excited when I heard about this book and then when I got an early copy I actually danced with joy and this book lived up to it all!
I loved everything about this story! I loved the characters, the plot just everything. This book filled me with so much joy I couldn't put it down! I want everyone to read and love this book like I do and I can not wait to be able to recommend this book and put it in people's hands!

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

Oh, this is a delight of a book. August, Jane, Niko, Myla, Isaiah and my personal favorite Wes. Every single character leapt off the page with joy and passion and oh the beauty. This is a lovely book. I loved the setting. I loved the story and plot. I love the details. Oh what a sweet sweet book. You must read this. If you liked RWRB, you will love this. Oh I’m in book-finish-lala-land. This is a dream of a book. So easy to plow through but you don’t feel like you are moving too fast. It is wonderful.

I was THRILLED to receive a copy of this book after absolutely adoring Red, White and Royal Blue. That was a full five star read for me.

I picked this book up when I needed something light, but couldn’t quite get into it due to, what I thought was something going on with me at the current time. However, after picking the book up the second time around, I see that wasn’t the case. I just didn’t enjoy this book.

The plot was a little out there and a bit too unbelievable. I wasn’t into all of the descriptions of the train and the investigative work, including the “news/looking for” ads at the beginning of chapters. I just didn’t find the characters authentic.

What I did appreciate about the novel was such a diverse cast of characters and so many areas of representation across the board. If there had been some believability behind it all (even with the mom!) this has the potential to be a slam dunk.

I DNF at 40%. 2.5 stars. Many may adore this book, I just couldn’t.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved Casey McQuinston's writing. This book was long but i love the Kate and Leopold reimagining, Loved the found family, the mystery, the diversity of the cast. This book had everything.

Casey can't do no wrong.

This was a fun and distracting read in the times of COVID-19, although I did not enjoy it as much as the author's first book. The writing was tighter and more succinct, which I appreciated, but the plot was a bit less capturing. I don't have anything against magical realism, but this book felt sort of half-in half-out of the genre. Having the psychic elements was either too little or too much - I felt the book should have leaned further into the side-plot magical realism aspects of the novel (i.e. those existing outside of Jane's life trapped on the subway line), or let that go entirely.

The romance was sweet and unassuming. It made me smile and had a type of innocence to it that I really enjoyed. I loved the cast of side-characters and the representation of LGBTQ+ relationships. All-in-all this was a fun and diverting read that made me smile on a cozy Sunday.