Buddy Read Chat: Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (ft. Zoe @ Sunny Chapter One + My Very First Collab Post!)

I think you can all agree with me when I say that Red, White and Royal Blue is one of the most hyped releases of the year.

After hearing about it from the enormous amount of hype it received (and deservedly so), I decided to buddy read it during Pride Month with the lovely Zoe @ Sunny Chapter One.

Upon finishing it, we decided to create a collaborative post of sorts where we both answered a variety of original discussion questions relating to the book, and subsequently posting it to our blogs. Therefore, this post will have Zoe’s answers to the questions, while Zoe’s post will have my answers on it, which went up a few days ago. Also, you all need to check out Zoe’s blog, like yesterday. It is a lovely blog run by an equally, if not more lovely human ❤

This post is going up later than scheduled because I’m currently on vacation right now, and I didn’t manage to finish this before I left.

This is a very different post to the ones I normally post, but I hope you all enjoy it!

ONE: What made you love Red, White and Royal Blue so much? The LGBTQ+ rep? The politics?

Um, all of the above? I think that the beauty in RWRB is that neither felt much like tokenization. In so many books, you have the token latinx character or the token suppressed LGBTQ+ identity character and in RWRB, it just flowed naturally. The characters felt like real life (as much as a first son and prince can!) and i really wonder if McQuiston took the time to make it seem coincidental rather than deliberate.

TWO: Favourite quote?

Um, well honorable mention to “history, huh?” of course! But, i think my favorite would have to be “someone else’s choice doesn’t change who you are”, because i think a lot of people needed to hear it, and it is a simple fact that is so often forgotten in the FOMO in the decisions that other people make.

THREE: Who would you be BFFs with? Henry or Alex?

Alex hands-down. He is super into american politics like i am. He’s also crazy ambitious and I feel like he and I would just complement one another really well. So he and I would definitely be best friends.

FOUR: How did you discover Red, White and Royal Blue?

One of my favorite booktubers, Whitney Atkinson of whittynovels was raving about the arc she received of RWRB and I generally agree with her opinions. (Except on the shatter me series, sorry Whitney!) So, I bought it on the day it came out. 🙂

FIVE: Slow burn romance or insta love? Which is your preference?

Um, por que no los dos? Hahaha. I love both. But, I think I love insta-love in real life– no matter how rare it is. But, in books, I think I would have to go with slow-burn romance. Because, it’s always fun to root for someone. even if they’re fictional. 🙂

SIX. Favourite tropes in Red, White & Royal Blue?

So many!! I love the enemies-to-lovers, the long distance relationship, and of course–because I’m a nerd– the royalty and first family trope.

SEVEN. Will you read another McQuiston book?

i think i would because i don’t think that she’s a one-hit-wonder. but, also, i’m bearing in mind the fact that i generally despise new adult because i’ve always viewed it as simply smut and little character development, but RWRB did turn that around for me.

EIGHT. Did you get what you expected out of it?

I did! I got what I expected out of it and more!

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Have you read Red, White and Royal Blue yet and if so, what are your thoughts on it? Do you buddy read, and how do you find the experience? And of course, what are some of your favourite LGBTQIAP+ reads?

I would love to know!

 

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