Local Heavens took a little time to get into, but once I did, I was hooked. The world is immersive, the characters are layered, and the more I read, the more I wanted to know what was really going on.

One of the things I appreciated most was how nothing in the book is exactly what it seems. Whether it’s the characters, their motivations, or even the futuristic setting, there’s always something deeper beneath the surface. It keeps you questioning - who’s really telling the truth, and what are they hiding?

Overall, Local Heavens is a slow burn that really pays off. It’s a thoughtful, well-written story that challenges your assumptions and keeps you thinking long after the last page.

A beautiful, sprawling, atmospheric adventure through the future and past. Broke my heart into a million pieces and still made me feel hopeful and optimistic. Highly recommend!

Ah I wanted to love this SO bad but I just couldn’t get into it from the jump. I dislike when so many futuristic and important things are introduced with minimal explanation, it just leaves me feeling confused and not wanting to continue.

"I wasn't supposed to want you like that."

Local Heavens, K.M. Fajardo's debut novel, is a cyberpunk retelling of a timeless classic: The Great Gatsby. It's been over a decade since I read the classic and watched the film adaptation. I believe someone who is more fluent and familiar with Fitzgerald's work would be able to appreciate or notice the metaphors/easter eggs than I do.

This retelling is unique on its own, a reader wouldn't need to read TGG beforehand unless they want to further understand the storyline and nuances better. Fajardo stated on Goodreads that while TGG is about Gatsby, Local Heavens is about Nick Carraway, and I felt that deep in my bones.

As a Southeast Asian, it's absolutely refreshing to see this take on Carraway as a Filipino-American. As the narrator, his voice is clear and the world-building doesn't feel like an info-dump at all. The prose is crisp; it's satisfying to be able to read Fajardo's writing after a long time following her journey in writing and publishing through her YouTube channel.

It's also worth mentioning that I love how the dialogues in Tagalog are not italicized, nor did they come with translations. It's unapologetic. It adds depth to Nick's character and the way he speaks to the people back home in Manila. And I had fun trying to translate the dialogues myself.

The characters in this book, as experienced through Nick's POV, are so distinctive and real. I especially adore Nick's dynamic with Jordan as much as his relationship with Gatsby puts me on the edge of my seat (read: bed). Though no labels are attached, Nick being bisexual feels right. The differences in dynamic and relationship between Nick and Jordan vs Nick and Gatsby are stark, painted clearly through clever dialogues and Nick's train of thought.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly not just as a reader, but also as a writer myself. I strive to deliver each scene in a book as continuously impactful and significant as Fajardo had done with Local Heavens. The format of the book is intriguing—I especially liked that the transcripts are included in between chapters to provide nuanced insights and foreshadowing for the storyline alongside the linear narrative of Nick's recounting of the events.

The complexity of the world-building and the technology that exists in this book is astounding. I wonder what Fajardo's process was like when creating things like the mods and Happy Sleep during her planning stage. They remind me of Black Mirror episodes! I love that. The interwoven themes of capitalism; the rich getting richer and the poor poorer; the expectations society has for women and the blatant disregard when in Jordan's storyline where she is expected to step down from being an athlete because the people want a younger woman, a shiny new toy—everything falls perfectly into place. It's almost envious, how easy it was to read Local Heavens.

Some parts did get confusing, especially at first when I was still familiarizing myself with the world and their technology. The ending also left a hanging, almost wrenching feeling deep in my chest because I flipped the pages and found only the acknowledgements. I need more!

Major kudos to K.M. Fajardo! I'm proud of her journey, and I can't wait for this book to hit shelves on 14 October. This is one hell of a debut 🖤

I can see this book hitting big. It was so unique and so fun and I can't believe it's a debut but I'm excited to see what comes next.

I really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down! The character development and world building were magnificent. It has been awhile since I read the original Great Gatsby. I wondered how this would impact my perception of Local Heavens. I found that distance from the original novel was not an issue at all and made for an interesting reading experience. The characters and storyline—along with new and exciting elements—came back to me as I read Local Heavens.

THIS BOOK!!!!! I haven't read Gatsby since I was in school, and I don't remember much about it except that I liked it. But K.M. Fajardo's translation of Nick Carraway's world into a futuristic America is SO well thought-out and explored - it feels like the perfect mirror to the New York of the 1920s. And the writing—I'd read it over and over again for the writing style itself, it's so immersive. I also adore how Fajardo explored Nick's inner workings. That said, my favorite part remains how Fajardo's writing style transcends time and explores Gatsby through a contemporary/futuristic lens. I'll definitely keep my eye on the author's future works.

Wow!!! What a beautiful debut!! Absolutely loved this book from start to end! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for opportunity to read it early!!

Firstly, i would like to thank Bindery Books for lending me this copy even though the epub is yet to be available and i'm so grateful to get the chance to talk bout things i love and people supporting that dream!♡

In Local Heavens, we follow Nick Carraway who is a diver and works for a company which is adamant to find all the things there is to know about Mr. Gatsby, multi-millionaire who lives in his mysterious tower up in the sky full of extravagant parties and hidden floors. We follow Nick as he tries to infiltrate his tower and try to get to know Jay Gatsby for his new assignment. As well all know, this a queer sci-fi retelling of The Great Gatsby's so it was pretty clear that they would fall of each other.

This story had a great start, amazing adventures and all the sci-fi elements were very easy to read and understand (to a person who can't read sci-fi) and we were introduced to so many characters with diverse characteristics but after a while it went downhill? After 50% it felt like a drag and I did not like the plot twist and I think the ending was rushed and it did not fulfill my expectations.

All in all i think this is a great and very strong debut novel and i'm really looking forward to more works by this author because it was a new experience, I'm always looking to read something which is exciting and would knock the socks out of my feet and it did fall into that category ;)

I will buy the physical copy when it gets published in October and re-read it maybe I'll feel abit different at that point

I would recommend this if you don't have that much experience in sci-fi and help to equip all the brain cells you need (or maybe it's jus me haha) to start reading core sci-fi reads.

3.5 starts for now ;)

4.5 stars. This book prompted so many mixed feelings from me I consider it to be remarkable just for that! But all in all, I really did enjoy Local Heavens and I can imagine that if you like cyperpunk/sci-fi/speculative fiction AND The Great Gatsby this is a wet dream of a book waiting to happen to you. As it is, I don't particularly seek out those genres (although that is changing thanks to books like this!) and I was a little underwhelmed by TGG when I first read it, but I have enjoyed retellings before and this was no different. In fact, I really enjoyed the loyalty to the text while also creating a drastically different setting. That was incredibly clever. My small criticism was that the pacing felt slow at times, and I think what I remember most about TGG was how it was a short and fast-paced and that was somewhat lacking in Local Heavens. But I will absolutely be recommending this book to those who I think will enjoy its many richly woven elements and I am very curious what the author comes up with next. Also EXTRA BONUS POINTS for making this book so deliciously bisexual.

calling this THE GREAT GATSBY retelling is a disservice to this book.

gorgeously written, LOCAL HEAVENS is a gay cyberpunk reimagining of THE GREAT GATSBY with the same familiar cast but each with fresh take and new agency. coming to this book initially, i had my reserve since it’s pretty much GATSBY, even with the prose—i think it was good, but it might not be a strength for a debut author, because now i keep wondering if it’s really her prose or it’s Fitzgerald’s. what really reeled me back was the massive world building, the way emotions werrle written so intimately, and the way Fajardo incorporated tech into this story we all know by heart and love so dearly. LOCAL HEAVENS derives off the main story toward the end to become its own thing, like they become Fajardo’s entirely.

i still think i’d have liked this book more if it had been set in the Philippines instead of New America. i loved the Filipino take to the story and wished she had run with it more. But overall, an impressive debut!!

3.5

Some people will love this book, but I am not one of them. The world-building shone, and I appreciate what was trying to be done with the thematic writing. I also loved the callbacks to the original Gatsby! However—I was not a fan of the prose, I felt I could’ve gotten more out of the characters, and the payoff for the romance, which I was so excited for, just did not work for me; that was honestly the biggest disappointment. I’ll be reading more of Kris’ work—I just came away feeling largely Meh about Local Heavens.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery Books/Inky Phoenix for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

A reimagining of The Great Gatsby with a cyberpunk twist. The world in this story feels alive, layered with meaning and emotion. It reflects the core themes of wealth, control, and personal identity in a way that feels both fresh and thoughtful. I hadn’t read the original Gatsby before this, but I was excited to dive into KM Fajardo’s take, and I was hooked from the start.

The MC, Nick, is observant, a little lost, and full of contradictions. That made him feel really real and added depth to the story. The rest of the characters are also complex. They're flawed, morally gray, and compelling. The mix of genre and emotion made this a unique read.

Fajardo’s writing is really good. I think it was emotional, layered, and full of intention.

This one’s perfect for fantasy and sci-fi fans. If you liked The Great Gatsby... but want a cyberpunk twist...this one is definitely for you

Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Aren’t we all just in love with the worst people?” I hate Tom with all my heart, but in this one line, he sums up Local Heavens' love square in one devastating swing.

Swathed in neon greens, pinks and blues, Local Heavens is the queer cyberpunk Gatsby story I didn’t know I needed. Fajardo builds a unique world that is still as close to the Roaring Twenties as it is to both the current landscape and the distant future, breathing new life into a classic tale about ambition and the so-called American Dream.

Local Heavens is a tribute and a great transformation, honouring its source material while carving out something wholly original with its reimaginings. With Nick, Jordan and Daisy being people of colour, they are given an extra layer of dimension that deepens their flaws and desires, making their interactions with Gatsby and Tom (as well as the wider world) all the more impactful. The prose is a perfect marriage of Fitzgerald’s languid decadence and Fajardo’s nostalgic yet contemporary lyricism, Walking alongside Nick, you feel his perspective stronger than ever as his fascination, his frustration, and his inevitable heartbreak bleeds through the page, and makes you wish for a 'happier' end to his story.

Fajardo never loses sight of the human story at its core, but there were moments I noticed myself glazing over the world-building amid the spectacle, which is likely a fault of my own. Still, Local Heavens is an ambitious and electrifying retelling, one that respects its origins while fearlessly forging ahead. It’s a love letter, a warning, and a neon-soaked fever dream all at once. If Fajardo's work is this strong now, then I can't wait to see what she has in store for the future.

I hadn’t read The Great Gatsby before getting into Local Heavens so I didn’t know all that much about what to expect and I’ll have to say I was pleasantly surprised! Honestly, I’m pretty sure I prefer this version than the classic. I love queerness.

The world building particularly was very engaging, it took me a while to get into it and understand it but that may be personal.

Nick was a very interesting character in the way that he didn’t have the personality of a "savior" and the standard hero persona of protagonists in dystopian-ish scenario. It was refreshing that the characters all felt very realistic, some rather morally grey or straight up bad people as well.

The romance was pretty well-written as well although somewhat questionable at times in my opinion but i won’t elaborate because I want to remain spoiler-free. It definitely got me very invested at times, I loved the tension.

Some parts of the book got me way more engaged than others which is why i didn’t give it a 5-star rating but it was definitely a read I will remember for a long time due to its originality.

Nice world building and an engaging story. Objectively a good book, would recommend, just not really my thing. Unfortunately, I didn't love the prose itself, and the book felt too long. But the futuristic themes were interesting and well-handled, and I loved the aesthetics of the world.

Read if: you love the Great Gatsby, cyberpunk, or tragic love stories that will make you feel something

There's something about knowing the way a story ends and just hoping that maybe this time it will be different. The characters in this book were so amazing and the reimagining of their stories was so masterfully done. K.M Fajardo wrote those characters with so much love that I couldn't help but love them as well. The writing in this book was so good. There were so many sentences I wanted to annotate and I will absolutely be picking up a physical copy upon release just to have this on my shelves.

This story revisited and expanded on the themes of The Great Gatsby but also had so much more to say and to add, and I treasured every addition. The amount of work and passion that the author put into this book is evident. The cyberpunk elements were so well done and added so much to the story.

Without giving to much away, this book was great on so many levels but the relationship between Nick and Gatsby was the highlight for me. The building of their relationship was a masterclass in show don’t tell and has cemented Fajardo as an auto buy author for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books/Inky Phoenix Press for the e-ARC one exchange for an honest review. Review posted on Goodreads and rating posted on storygraph. Review linked on twitter.

3.75 stars!

I have many thoughts, most of them very positive! I can't say I needed a queer sci-fi retelling of The Great Gatsby in my life but I'm glad I live in a world where I can have it.

One day, corporate hacker Nick Carraway gets an unusually new assignment which leads him into the sparkling, new-money world of the mysterious Jay Gatsby. With massive dueling corporations looming over him and an increasingly chaotic social scene around him, Nick must navigate the tangled truths of the New York City elite even as he begins to fall for the man he's meant to be hunting. I'm one of the few people who were overachievers in English class in high school and don't like the original Great Gatsby. This, of course, is a lot more up my alley and even if I'm not a fan of the original, there were definitely points where I was excited to be reminded of it (I knew some gay shit was happening in that elevator!!). I have to applaud the writing because it is gorgeous and I like how fleshed out the setting was, even if some of the details of netdiving and the corporations kind of went over my head. The characters are all slightly more likable version of the ones in the original, except for Tom of course, but still have some grit and irrationality for flavor. One general downside of retellings is that the story ends up being pretty predictable, but I don't think most people mind that and there's enough added here that it doesn't feel beat-for-beat. The slow burn on Nick and Gatsby's relationship was great and I liked the little transcriptions between chapters. I think the messaging about class is a little heavy handed, but that's true even more so in the original in my opinion, so I'm not mad.

Admittedly, I think the premise of this book isn't really for me but it is really well executed. This is also the first book I've read from Bindery although I've been following them since day one, so I'm happy to be a part of a kind of publishing experiment, I think it's going great!

Thank you to K. M. Fajardo and Inky Phoenix Press for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

Finished this book and immediately had to go back to the first page and read it all over again because of how intimately this story touched my soul. The only way I can describe the feeling of reading this is that the entire time, it felt like an incorporeal wisp of greatness that I spent the entire time trying to grasp and never got close enough to it.

Local Heavens paints a gorgeous picture of the dark, unsavory truths of capitalism while also creating a complex sea of relationships that perfectly illustrate the deep desires of love and connection inherent to human nature. Fajardo's cyperpunk New Americas is a perfectly opulent and ghastly backdrop for a story that interrogates greed and capitalism, questioning what it means to benefit from a corrupt system and how much culpability we hold in the wake of it.

Truly, one of the few retellings that stands its own against the original source material.

Thank you, NetGalley for an arc! To start, as someone who has never read The Great Gatsby, (yes, I’m just as confused as you are, my English class’s reading material was different), but has seen the movie a million times and considers it a comfort favorite; this was a DELICIOUS (queer) retelling of the classic story—though I probably missed a few references but I’ll read the original (one day).

“Aren’t we all just in love with the worst people?” I hate that I’m quoting Tom but in this circumstance, this quote comes off as a faraway observation of the unlikely foursome that is Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, Nick Carraway, and Jordan Baker. The tragedy of it all, the woes of falling in love under a ruse and setting plans but the heart gets in the way, the longing in hopes for a different outcome! And all of it against the most unlikely backdrop—a cyberpunk future, which was a bit hard to chew in the beginning but the world-building was so lush and the high-tech was so cool, namely the ocular mods and that food simulation place (cannot get that whole sequence out of my head). The cyberpunk world building cranked the politics and power of the upper and lower class on high and it was very interesting to see the many ways NYC took a toll on Nick. 

Careful and awe-striking writing too, here’s a couple of my favorite quotes: “No, in fact, I’ve just left it all behind in search of a better beverage,”  (I do just love Nick and Jordan’s relationship in this book), “Because, Because, Because—”. 

All in all, as close as I was to giving this only 4.5 stars, I absolutely had to go five stars for this fantastic debut (first 5 star read of the year down 🙂‍↕️)! I will be running to get my physical copy when this is released! For some reason now, I want to rewatch La La Land just as much as I want to rewatch The Great Gatsby and that’s probably saying something.