I adored this one! Very funny and satirical. If you grew up reading Sabriel, Chrestomanci, The Once and Future King, and Discworld, or if you're looking for things to read similar to Running Close to the Wind or Someone You Can Build a Nest In, you'll love it. I immediately added it to my Staff Picks shelf.

I loved every bit of this! The familiar enemies to lovers trope—with second chance romance thrown in, too—feels fresh here. I found the story inventive and sweet, and I couldn’t put it down. An easy 5 star rating from me!

Emotional and really fun read — the band of characters were entertaining too. I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would!

So, first of all, if you want to read this book, I recommend checking the trigger warnings. The beginning of this book packs a punch and is almost uncomfortable to read at times. Then it turns into a wild ride with a cat (or..?), ex husbands, a lot of humor but also a lot of heavy themes. It's definitely very unique and I'd check out this author's next book! There just was a bit missing for it to be a full five star read- perhaps it was too weird and convoluted at times, or the pacing wasn't perfect- I'm honestly not sure.

So, first of all, if you want to read this book, I recommend checking the trigger warnings. The beginning of this book packs a punch and is almost uncomfortable to read at times. Then it turns into a wild ride with a cat (or..?), ex husbands, a lot of humor but also a lot of heavy themes. It's definitely very unique and I'd check out this author's next book! There just was a bit missing for it to be a full five star read- perhaps it was too weird and convoluted at times, or the pacing wasn't perfect- I'm honestly not sure.

I unabashedly loved this.

Do not let the Legend&Lattes comp deter you (or fool you, if you liked that book). This is a contained, character-driven time-travel fantasy with plenty of adventure, tight plotting, and high stakes - though it never feels particularly stressful, and it's got the cheesiest ending you could think of.

The first half of this was genuinely immaculate. I loved watching Cyrus travel back in time to try and fix the world which his ex-husband king, turned tyrant, had essentially ruined, only to re-live the most difficult days of their lives. The characterisations, the painful nostalgia, the romantic tension!! The elderly witch auntie! Phenomenal.

It is let down by its twee streak, which makes it so its bite (and there are seriously dark themes here) is always sanded off by cutesy statements&moments which make its characters (all very much adults) act like teenagers.

Still, incredibly engaging, borderline unputdownable, great atmosphere, and it felt like a big hug.

4.5

I am unfamiliar with illustrator and author Mariiana Costa's previous works, but was eager to read this story as it sounded intriguing:

A middle-aged mage, Cyril, is devastated and alone after years together with his husband, Eufrates, the king of their country. The king was crowned after his sister Tigris, the Queen, died unexpectedly of a wasting disease. Eufrates only ever wanted to be a bard, and was unhappy ruling, gradually becoming harsh and paranoid, to the point that Cyril no longer recognized the man. Cyril hatches a risky plan to kill Eufrates by sending his consciousness back to the time when Tigris was still alive, in an effort to prevent Eufrates from ever becoming the king.

Of course things go wrong almost immediately, and Cyril discovers that not only has he sent himself back, but he's also sent middle-aged Eufrates back into his twentyish-year-old body, thanks to a spell Cyril created at their future wedding to bind them together, forever.

Eufrates is cruel tp Cyril, and upset to be back, and Cyril is unsuccessful in his attempt to kill Eufrates. Cyril is eventually forced to tell Tigris what is going on, and there are numerous conversations between the pair. Cyril makes no progress on figuring out what is really going on politically and what happened between Cyril and Eufrates till late in the book.

The story is cozy, in that the stakes felt mostly pretty low. But, I found the pacing to be uneven, and sometimes felt that scene transitions and even character motivations were a little clunky. I also did not understand why Cyril loved Eufrates (beyond the fact that Eufrates was gorgeous and used to be kind), while Tigris seemed to come across as a more fully-realized person. That may be because of the back-and-forth between her and Cyril throughout the novel.

I also found Cyril to be repeatedly stupid (which he eventually admits) but I found this trait incredibly irritating in a main character. I could not understand how this person could be seen as the best grand mage of his generation, much less why Eufrates loved him. I also did not care that much about Eufrates, either. But I loved Tigris, and her love for adventure.

I think there are things to like about the book, in the sense that
-Cyril and Eufrates love each other deeply,
-Cyril's grand aunt is the freaking best, and her familiar, which is a crow, LOVES raisins,
-Cyril's familiar's name
-Tigris.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for my review.

An intriguing premise gives rise to a sweet, if at times overly complicated romance novel.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters, and Cyril was easy to like as he is so desperate for a chance to do things over. I liked his romance with his husband and seeing them fall in love was really cute. I'm not the biggest fan of time travel, but this was a sweet romantic do-over.

Soft DNF at 35% in.

When I started reading this, I was in the right headspace to read it, but then I suffered a bereavement so I had to pause reading it.

I will be back to read it in the future.

Shoestring Theory is a queer time travel romance. The book opens on a present world that is dying because of the decisions of King Eufrates Margrave. The kingdom of Farsala lies broken and former Grand-Mage of the High Court, Cyril Laverre, has spent the last decade in isolation (with his beloved cat) in a crumbling seaside shack waiting for the world to end as he bares immense guilt for not trying to stop the kingdoms downfall. When Shoestring dies, Cyril decides to try one more spell and travels back in time, to before the tragic events to try to prevent Eufrates from becoming king.
Shoestring Theory is about second chances, love in any form, and redemption. This is a treasure of a book with compelling characters and story, and an immersive, beautiful, and interesting world, and an emotional and heartfelt story.

"A queer, madcap, friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers time travel romance" is the perfect tagline for this book!

t Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa is a queer, madcap, friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers time travel romance with the future of the world at stake. This is a humorous, emotional, and hopeful story with complex relationships and a touch of magic, that I enjoyed reading.

Shoestring Theory is emotional but also funny, with strong character development and very lovable characters. One of my favourite characters was Tigris and I loved her banter with Cyrill and Eufrates. It is a very cosy read without missing its plot twists.

Ended up mainlining this over the last few days of the year, and it's honestly a pretty damn well executed time loop to try to fix the shitty ending you come from and maybe not fuck up so much this time, except maybe everyone's strings are being pulled by something else. Does have the feeling of a serial you might find on AO3, but it's still fascinating to watch everything unfold, and the tropes it does have, it does well. Worth your time.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Angry Robot for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: suicide, animal death, death, blood, violence, panic attacks, body horror, toxic relationships

Cyril Laverne has spent the past ten years hiding in a hut by the sea, trying to catch fish for his cat familiar, Shoestring, and avoiding the mistakes of his past as a former grand high mage of Farsala. The kingdom lies in ruins, and Cyril blames himself because it was his husband- King Eufrates- who destroyed it through madness and violence while Cyril stood by and let it happen. Now an old man, Cyril can’t help but think back on the life he once had and what he would change if he could. When Shoestring wanders away and dies, Cyril knows he doesn’t have long left without that piece of his soul. With his remaining lifeforce, Cyril casts a spell that propels him back through time and into the body of his younger self to a much happier time- when twenty two years old Cyril and bard prince Eufrates were still side stepping their feelings and Eufrates’ brilliant sister Tigris was alive and destined to become Queen. If Cyril can stop Eufrates from taking the throne of Farsala, he might just be able to save the entire kingdom from its doomed fate. However, the vows that Cyril made on his wedding day mean that he and Eufrates are forever bound, and soon enough it becomes clear that the modern Eufrates has also been pulled back through time. Trapped together in their own history alongside their husband turned enemy, Cyril and Eufrates are forced to relive the worst year of their lives- and what they both know is the beginning of the end unless they try to change the future.

This book starts out in rough and distressing circumstances after the end of the world but Cyril’s old man narration adds to the dark humour and unique, beautiful vibe so perfectly that it doesn’t feel wrong. The amount of times I laughed was ridiculous considering how it started but ‘Shoestring Theory’ is ultimately a lighthearted time travel story I couldn’t put down once I started. As he grows comfortable in his younger self again, and more focused on changing things now he knows the end, Cyril is such a delightful main character. His relationship was the end of an entire kingdom, Eufrates never used to be like this and the reader can see why the two fell in love. I loved getting to see all the different sides of it, from first love to just married to pure enemies, especially when it becomes clear that old man Eufrates is also here because of Cyril’s magic based wedding vows. Shoestring might die at the beginning but his younger self, no longer Cyril’s familiar but just a regular cat, is a complete delight, as is Eufrates’ doomed sister Tigris and Cyril’s legendary mage aunt Helene. Time travel is one of my favourite tropes, especially when it’s done with originality and heart, and this book has that in abundance. I’m so glad I read this one.

There were parts I really enjoyed, but it also had some elements I really don't like reading about. The climax also felt too easily obtained. I'd definitely recommend it for someone who doesn't mind certain tropes and reads it mostly for the romance. It just wasn't right for me.

thanks to netgalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for a review!

this had alllll the fun tropes in it. time travel, friends to lovers to enemies to lovers, kind of a second chance romance, so much angst and pining. this story had a lot of revealts/revelations and sometimes that can tire me out, but this one did not do that at all. it was well constructed, the characters are all morally gray but understandable. highly recommend if you like romantasy with a little more serious plotline.

What a fun plot and engaging characters. Friend to enemies to lovers. Cozy fantasy. Time Travel. Oh what a fun read this was! The set up was heavy in the first couple chapters, but overall what a great story! 4 stars

Shoestring Theory is one of those fantasies that focuses more on the characters than building a lush world for them to inhabit. A map of the kingdoms would have been quite helpful. The time travel aspect and its inevitable surprises kept my interest. It seems like a sleepy, cozy fantasy, but also quite twisty and surprising. Hefty topics and certain events (especially in the beginning) had me leaning away from really considering this to be a cozy fantasy. They did lend more depth to the characters and the situations they found themselves in.

I didn’t feel particularly drawn to any of the main characters but I would have loved to learn more about Cyril’s grandmother. I love that each character has flaws. Those flaws weren’t just tossed out into the story without exploration, growth, or grumbling from other characters either. The character dynamic was one that I hadn’t seen in a while – where they had all known each other for their entire lives.

Overall, I enjoyed this quirky little fantasy. The characters and their relationships with one another paired with the seemingly straightforward (it’s not haha) plot made for quite the read. The pacing could be massaged a little bit to help keep the story flowing but it didn’t break it for me. Many thanks to Angry Robot Books for the gifted copy to read and review – all opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book! Friends to lovers, time travel AND CATS!!! 5 stars for the cats alone.

I had a suspicion I would enjoy this book, but I hadn't realized how much! I fell in love with the main characters and miss them already. It was fun that the story had an element of mystery to it. And despite the heavy beginning, there was actually quite a bit of hope in this story. I'd love to read more books by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the ARC.

While enjoyable, I feel that this book was rather marketed wrongly. I wouldn’t call this lite fantasy at all. With war threatened between the two nations and threats of torture from Cyril’s former husband, it kind of felt too dark to be called anything like cosy.

I also was very disappoint by the lack of the cat. While it says in the blurb that the cat dies early on, I assumed that since it was a time travel fantasy that the cat would be alive in the earlier time. But it was not. And that was honestly very disappointing. It lent a very dark air to the start of the book. I also didn’t buy Cyril as an over fifty-year-old master mage. He seemed a lot younger than that personality-wise.

What this book was though was chaotic. Cyril was a disaster queer and that led to quite a few hijinks. I enjoyed how queer this book was and how pretty much every character was a walking disaster. It added a fun element to the book that was otherwise lacking.

I think if this book had been marketed differently, I might have enjoyed it a lot more. It’s unfortunate really.