Tag: sexuality

REVIEW: If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich

REVIEW: If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Saturday is one of the hottest pop groups around. Angel is the fun one; Jon is the sexy one. Zach is the “bad boy.” And Ruben is the blank slate. The label wants him to be the “every guy” who can fit any niche a fan might want that the other three don’t. And that means there is NO room for him to share that he’s gay.

Everything from the boys’ images to their off-stage wardrobes to their choreography is dictated by the label. They want what they want, and they expect the guys to stand and deliver.

But in a moment of vulnerability, Zach acts on feelings he’s been trying to ignore. He kisses Ruben. And everything changes – Zach’s self-concept and identity, the band’s dynamic (even though no one else knows what happened), and the friendship between Zach and Ruben.

If this gets out? It will shake the foundation of everything – the group, their fan base, their record deal, and their future.

Review

This was such a great read! For me there were two aspects of the story – the romance and the band life. Both were so well done.

I liked Ruben and Zach as individuals and also as a couple. All four guys in the group are fascinating, and I loved their fierce devotion to one another. Ruben and Zach get to tell their own stories, which is powerful. Readers are along for the ride as Zach wrestles with his sexual identity and Ruben waffles between his determination to be fully himself and the pressure to give in under all of the gaslighting, manipulation, abuse, and coercion from the adults around him.

The psychology of the novel was my favorite part, though. The manipulation from the label. The identity journey for Zach and for Ruben to a lesser degree. The group dynamics in the “band.” One character’s “merging” behavior (losing himself as he tries to accommodate everyone else first). It’s all SO well done and a joy to dig into.

Come for the romance and the behind-the-scenes look at the music business. Stay for the fantastic characters and the brilliant, insightful moments throughout the story! (Language, sex, alcohol/drug use, LGBTQ+, TW: gaslighting/manipulation/verbal abuse)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn

REVIEW: Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Meg discovers everything she thought was true was a lie, it’s like the rug has been pulled out from under her feet. Her plans for the summer and for a gap year before college don’t even feel right any more. So she heads north looking for the family she never knew existed – and looking for her sense of self as well.

Meg meets Micah early on in her stay – and they click! Sure, he’s cute and built. But he also seems to know how it feels to have your world – your foundations – upended. Micah’s dad is in jail. A pastor, he had been Micah’s hero before he found out the truth about what his father was hiding behind his perfect Christian façade.

As each of the young adults explores the potential in their relationship, they also process the upheaval from their family secrets and consider how those secrets impact their faith.

Review

Wow. This is outstanding!

I have followed the author, Erin Hahn, online for years. I’ve always been intrigued by her faith story. You can see evidence of it in her online interactions, and in her books, but she doesn’t fit the stereotype of a “Christian public figure” or “Christian author.” This book feels like a peek into some of that story. And I was here for every page.

Meg and Micah hooked me from the beginning. They are characters I would hang out with, people I would want to know. And they wrestle with faith and the Church and the rules of Church in ways that felt honest – and familiar.

I found the faith pieces of this so engaging and compelling. Honestly, this is one of the best examples I can think of for how to weave faith into a story in a way that feels natural – something I can struggle to find in “Christian fiction.” Yet, the faith pieces aren’t the most important parts of the book. This is a coming-of-age story for both Meg and Micah. It’s also a swoony romance. And it’s a story about family, identity, and emotional healing in addition to the parts about faith, “purity,” sex, sexual identity, and more.

It’s amazing to think of how many ideas the author wove into this story. And it felt like a story – not like a sermon or like a vehicle to carry forced messages from the author. The story is never short-changed for the issues and questions raised. The whole is truly greater than the sum of the parts.

Do not miss this romantic, engaging, and thought-provoking novel! I adored it. (Language, LGBTQ+, references to sex, references to teen pregnancy, references to abuses in the Church)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

REVIEW: Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Amulet Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

On the morning of Brian’s 13th birthday, his dad disappears leaving only a cryptic note, and his mom overdoses and is rushed to the hospital. Before the day is over, Brian and his little brother are in foster care. The pressure starts mounting, Brian’s anxiety starts growing, and he starts pushing back at everyone around him. He strikes back at his bully. He runs away from his foster home.

Ezra is one of the only guys at school who treats Brian like a friend. But as Brian starts to spiral, Ezra realizes that he’s never stood up for Brian to his other friends. Lately it seems like Brian might need a buddy to lean on, and Ezra is the one person he might trust enough to help him. The complication is that Ezra has a crush on Brian. And he’s not quite sure what to do with those feelings.

Review

I adored this! Brian and Ezra will quickly become kids you want to hang out with – and hug. There are so many exceptional character pieces in this – Brian’s evolution through the story, Ezra’s fierce desire to help Brian, Gabe – my favorite character – and Brittany, Brian’s family dynamics… It’s all perfection. I quickly became attached to these characters. And I would have happily kept reading another book’s worth of pages with them.

There’s a lot of heavy content in this one – the overdose/suicide attempt, Brian’s panic attacks and social anxiety, some of Brian’s choices in the story, Ezra working through his understanding of his sexuality and the impact of it on his friendships, grief and loss – which is why this is an older middle grade story for readers 10 and up. All of the content is handled beautifully. But it’s still a lot, especially when you remember that Brian and Ezra are only 13. (The story reminds me of A List of Cages in some of the content, although more “mild” in some ways for the younger audience.)

This would be a great book for discussion with kids – both to help them process some of the more serious pieces of the story, but also because it’s such a rich and meaty story with great characters and an engaging plot. I think kids will love Brian and Ezra (and Gabe!). And the story here will leave readers with lots to think about. (LGBTQ+, TW: Panic attacks/anxiety, suicide attempt, bullying)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!