I love this book so much! Very creative and the worldbuilding and the themes were so good and impressive!

Such an important book representing aspects of teens lives that they may not see in other books. Trans representation is here but also neurodivergence such as ADHD. Students with dyslexic rep will also see themselves in the dyslexia representation here, or those without dyslexia will gain an understanding of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

My colleague at Purdue and I both used this book in our young adult literature courses (for preservice teachers), and we asked are students to talk across universities about the text. They fell in love with this book. It's a captivating story. Thank you for publishing it.

This book was just sadly not for me! I was hoping for something different but it turned out to be something I was not expecting, which is okay and I'm sure someone else would love it!

Beautiful rendering of trans life and neurodivergence. Anything McLemore publishes is a delight, and I’m always looking forward to her newest.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

I highlighted this book on my Booktube channel. The video can be accessed here: https://youtu.be/ASWt1KHMGP0

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I really loved the representation and the characters in this book. I also thought the author did a great job describing the experience of having ADHD and dyslexia. You can really tell that the author loved these characters and they felt very real.
Unfortunately, I just didn't really understand the world under the lake part of it. For me personally, it was just too nebulous, I really need things more tangible and spelled out. I just couldn't picture what was happening and it was sort of lost on me.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Might I saw that I am left speechless? As I try to write this review, I cannot quite think of the words to adequately describe what I just read or the feelings I have from reading Lakelore. Lakelore is a story of two Mexican, non-binary, trans, & neurodivergent teens who are navigating a world that attempts to make them feel too much, too weird. and too wrong. And then there is the magical lake that holds the pain and challenges both Bastían and Lore desire to leave behind yet what is below the lake continues to drift to surface, threatening to bring back all that they want to forget. Through notes of honesty, friendship, and utter self-compassion, I am left in awe of this genuine work of art that I have read. Strong character development, quick chapters, and beautiful lessons to be held close to the heart. I have never read a book. by Ann-Marie McLemore before, but I may just be converted to be a true fan of their work. I am excited to continue to read more books by them!

My rating: 3 of 5 stars:

Lakelore is a vibrant, charming teen romance and coming-of-age between two non-binary teens. McLemore's beautiful, descriptive prose felt familiar after just reading their previous YA fantasy romance--The Mirror Season. Unlike the Mirror Season--Lakelore's plot was much less of a driving force. Instead, colorful underworld descriptions and burgeoning relationship between the queer, neurodiverse protagonists took center stage. And indeed, McLemore's excellent and highly relatable portrayal of lived experiences of neurodiversity (ADHD, dyslexia) was my favorite thing about this book. I think many teen and adult readers alike will be able to connect to these characters as they struggle to find beauty in and learn how to communicate to others the ways in which both their gender identities and their brain functioning do not conform to dominant social norms. That said, the slow and minimalist plot let me down on this one, especially for a fantasy novel. I had a hard time staying engaged to the end.

Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group; Feiwel & Friends; and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was never going to be anything BUT a 5 star read, I have loved ever McLemore book I have put my grrbby little hands on. The only flaw is that I was slightly saddened by the fact that the two main characters share one of my neurodiversities (ADHD and dyslexia) but I really did not resonate with either of their experiences. Everyone experiences things differently, and ths is not at all the author’s fault, I was just hoping to relate a little more.

I've read all of Anna-Marie McLemore's published works so far, and a good amount of their short stories in anthologies, and as always, I loved their writing in this book.

This book is somewhat middle of the road for me compared to their other books. I've enjoyed some of them more and others less, and I thought this was a very solid read. I loved the characters, loved the non-binary and neurodivergent rep, and some chapters and passages really spoke to me.

But in others I found myself kind of zoning out and looking for that little bit more. I especially would have like just a little more plot and more of a sense of direction. Parts of this novel felt kind of unfinished to me, and not like a cohesive whole. Still though, I did really enjoy this.

Lakelore is simply the most trans book I've ever read, in a good way. Both of our protags are non-binary and they/them pronouns. I was worried that this might end up being confusing, but it was not! Thankfully! If you like magical realism or are neurodivergent (or would like to know more about the neurodivergent experience) I highly recommend this book. I also learned a lot about alebrijes. All of McLemore's work is great for getting lost in and resurfacing as a new person, and Lakelore is no exception. I really loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley for a preview copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big Anna-Marie McLemore fan and Lakelore did not disappoint. There is beautiful magical elements as Bastian and Lore are reunited after seven years.

Bastián and Lore are both Latine, trans, non-binary, queer, and neurodivergent. They are used to having to hide parts of themselves, and the story explores the mental health of the two characters as their friendship grows.

Lakelore is a dual POV, character driven, Own Voices fantasy that couldn’t come at a better time. It features two neurodiverse, brown, non-binary, queer, trans MCs whose worlds swirl together in dizzying color. While the two see each other clearly and with empathy through their own lenses, neither of them seem to see their own worth as individuals.

McLemore presents each perspective with such empathy, care, and sensitivity, that just can’t come from anyone who hasn’t experienced this kind of discrimination, frustration, and hurt. Yet, rarely does a story blur the lines between mirrors and windows, like this one does.

My hope is that readers will come away with both a newfound strength and insight. They may look inward and reflect on their level of empathy, or finally see through their selves and into the glitter they’ve carried all along.

I also loved the support systems behind each character. While McLemore clearly states that the portrayals in the book stem only from their own experiences, many of us can take a page from the secondary figures in the characters’ and author’s lives.

With so many inspiring passages, I bookmarked over 80 pages in this book! •Research alebrije and Pedro Linares. •Examine your views on ADHD and dyslexia.
•Sign petitions to stop anti-Trans bills.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book helped me learn how to breathe again! Not literally, of course. The way the author writes these neuro diverse characters really drove home that their experiences are relatable, but a lot of people are ashamed to discuss their struggles. This novel was the perfect for anyone who needs to feel seen and accepted or those wanting learn more about what others are experiencing in their inner world. I loved the friendship between Lore and Bastián. They both have their struggles with keeping friends but they overcome and help each other to maintain their friendship. While this does have a fantastical element to it, it fits perfectly within the world and aids in exploring each character's neurodiversity.

This book is the second to touch my heart this year. Not only is the writing so beautiful and enchanting, but I just love how the story revolves around self-love before anything else. Both characters were so charming and this book was just so educational to me in more ways than I expected. I really felt seen and valued

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TL;DR: Anna-Marie McLemore never disappoints, and [book:Lakelore|56978096] does NOT disappoint. While I would classify most of McLemore's other books as firmly magical realism with elements of romance + social commentary, I'd flip it for this book. <I>Lakelore</I> is a story with elements of magical realism -- elements that aren't foregrounded as they are in McLemore's other stories -- where McLemore instead prioritizes the experiences of neurodivergent characters as they find each other and their individual Truths. It's a powerful story that defies categorization and fosters empathy and compassion.
<b><I>I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.</b></I>

Vibes: Honestly? McLemore's books defy comparison; they're unlike much of what I read.

Genre: YA/NA* Magical Realism + Queer Contemporary
*While both Lore and Bastian are young adults (17ish), their story is not *uniquely* YA -- as evidenced by the Author's Note in which McLemore relates her own diagnosis of dyslexia and ADHD later in life. Lore and Bastian's journey's to reconcile their neurodivergent brains in a neurotypical world will resonate with a lot of readers, regardless of age.

Romance Meter: 🖤 🖤 🖤 ♡ ♡
3/5 for love of other people.
5/5 for love of self.

Character MVP: The supporting characters aren't featured as heavily in this story, but I love the accepting and loving community that's in the background of this story (Lore's parents; Bastian's moms and brother and sister-in-law; Abril & Vivienne & Maddie & Sloan). Maybe because I just finished reading a book where everyone was awful to each other and the characters sniped and snapped at each other constantly, it was nice to read about a supportive network.

Verdict: Anna-Marie McLemore is an auto-buy author for me, and I will forever read anything they write simply because they wrote it. They have such a unique, immersive way of storytelling that just draws me in and makes me unable to put the book down.

As I noted above, this is a bit of a different story than McLemore's other work, but one that is no less beautiful or powerful. The magical realism elements which drew me to their writing in the first place take a bit of a backseat here, as McLemore's primary focus is on their neurodivergent MCs.
Lore is queer & nonbinary & dyslexic.
Bastian is trans & nonbinary & has ADHD.
<I>Lakelore</I> is, first and foremost IMO, a story of how they learn to accept & love & value their neurodivergent qualities, and who it makes them as a person.

In the Author's Note, McLemore is pretty transparent in acknowledging that this depiction is just *their* understanding of both ADHD and dyslexic, and it's not universal. Nevertheless, I found it (as someone who is neither) to be a compelling and empathetic description.

I also think that the structure of the book is reflective of those conditions -- the narrative cohesion is a little "loose" (NOT in a negative way), and the story seems to skip along a bit like rocks on the surface of the water. There were moments when I found myself going, "How did we get here? Weren't we just somewhere else?" and I wonder if that was intentional. It didn't make cohesive sense to my neurotypical brain, but perhaps that was the point.

I loved this book, and I already can't wait to read their take on <I> The Great Gatsby</I>.