Tag: Gillian Doyle

Posted on by

Review: Kiss & Tell by Adib Khorram

Kiss & Tell

Adib Khorram

Dial Books, March 2022

Paperback, $11.50

ISBN 9780593463116

Hunter Drake, acclaimed lyricist for boyband Kiss & Tell, has recently broken up with his first love, the brother of his best friend/bandmate. The two decided to keep the details of their break-up private, but that hasn’t stopped the public from speculating. On top of headlining a North American tour, struggling to write for the band’s upcoming third album, and dealing with a controlling label, Hunter’s under a lot of pressure. Things start to look up when he meets Kaivan, a member of the band opening for him and his friends, but Hunter’s ex isn’t done with him yet.

Every chapter of Kiss & Tell is punctuated by interviews with band members, social media chatter, and think-pieces, emphasising the cacophony of voices Drake and the other characters have to appease. For the most part these come off as accurate representations of celebrity-focused internet culture, and the book is better for them, as they help the reader understand just how Drake is able to internalise some of the crueller things said about him in the media. The romance in the book is sweet and realistic, and though moments in the necessary climactic fight seems slightly forced, it’s difficult not to root for the pair. Author Adib Khorram manages to explore the media’s simultaneous commodification and erasure of gay men through Drake without sacrificing specific characterisation, keeping Kiss & Tell both thought-provoking and entertaining. Good for fans of Mackenzi Lee’s The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and Ngozi Ukazu Check, Please!

Gillian Doyle

Posted on by

Review: The Lake by Natasha Preston

The Lake
Natasha Preston
Delacorte Press, 2021
Paperback, $10.99
ISBN 9780593124970

Esme and Kayla haven’t told anyone what happened at Camp Pine Lake all those years ago. But now that they’ve
returned as counsellors, it seems that somehow somebody knows — and they want everybody else to know too. The
Lake is a gripping read that isn’t afraid to get dark, not letting the protagonists off the hook for a second. Although some of the twists in the novel are too frequently telegraphed to be particularly surprising, the last fifty pages pack punch after punch and are worth the wait. Preston has a knack for knowing exactly what her characters
would watch and listen to. This helps the reader understand them, and helps distract from the dialogue that at times feels written rather than said. Set at a summer camp for eight- to ten-year-olds, Camp Pine Lake provides the perfect mix of a sunny home-away-from-home and a stifling settlement of strangers.

At times it becomes difficult to know who to root for as the specifics of the girls’ secrets are revealed layer by shocking layer. Again and again Preston asks the reader to interrogate the girls’ actions, whether their age or understanding of the situation absolves them of guilt, and these answers don’t come easily. The complexity of Esme and Kayla’s situation is compelling enough to recommend the book despite its flaws. This book is perfect for thriller fans.

Gillian Doyle