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toofondofbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Full Disclosure is a brilliant novel about what it is to be a teenager living with HIV. Simone contracted HIV from her birth mother so she has lived her whole life with it. She takes her antiretroviral medication every day and she goes for regular check-ups at the hospital. She lives her with two dads and now she’s at the age where she might start dating they’re concerned about how she will deal with that along with HIV. Simone has already had to move schools when everyone found out about her medical status and her dads understandably want to protect her.
This is such a brilliant book that really explores what it must be like to have had a diagnosis your whole life and to have managed it well, only to reach an age where you’re thinking of boyfriends and perhaps becoming sexually active and all of a sudden it’s an issue you have to confront. Simone worries about how she would tell a boy, and if it would put them off her. She worries at which stage of a relationship she would have to start the conversation. I loved that she comes across as really mature in many ways but also as an ordinary teenage girl who fancies boys and hangs around with her friends.
Simone is shocked to find out that the boy she fancies likes her back and they end up going on a date. Her friends are so happy for her until she starts putting him first and they feel left out and let down. So Simone is dealing with all of this when she gets a note threaten to expose her medical status if she doesn’t break up with her boyfriend. She has no idea who could have written it but it sends her into a tailspin and she doesn’t know who she can trust or who she can turn to.
I loved this book, it’s so well-written and it’s full of diversity. The characters are diverse but none feel like they are there for the sake of diversity, all are there and we learn about them in a very matter of fact way – just like in real life. I really appreciated that there aren’t any token characters, there is just a mix of people as in any social group.
Full Disclosure is a book for everyone, it really brings awareness about living with HIV in such a believable way. This book impacted me in a similar way to The Hate U Give, it’s a great read that makes you think and it stays with you after you’ve read it.
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
This is such a brilliant book that really explores what it must be like to have had a diagnosis your whole life and to have managed it well, only to reach an age where you’re thinking of boyfriends and perhaps becoming sexually active and all of a sudden it’s an issue you have to confront. Simone worries about how she would tell a boy, and if it would put them off her. She worries at which stage of a relationship she would have to start the conversation. I loved that she comes across as really mature in many ways but also as an ordinary teenage girl who fancies boys and hangs around with her friends.
Simone is shocked to find out that the boy she fancies likes her back and they end up going on a date. Her friends are so happy for her until she starts putting him first and they feel left out and let down. So Simone is dealing with all of this when she gets a note threaten to expose her medical status if she doesn’t break up with her boyfriend. She has no idea who could have written it but it sends her into a tailspin and she doesn’t know who she can trust or who she can turn to.
I loved this book, it’s so well-written and it’s full of diversity. The characters are diverse but none feel like they are there for the sake of diversity, all are there and we learn about them in a very matter of fact way – just like in real life. I really appreciated that there aren’t any token characters, there is just a mix of people as in any social group.
Full Disclosure is a book for everyone, it really brings awareness about living with HIV in such a believable way. This book impacted me in a similar way to The Hate U Give, it’s a great read that makes you think and it stays with you after you’ve read it.
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
adnanwijayarso's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
crystalroses68's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ciuli's review against another edition
5.0
5/5
(every time I find out I haven't written a review months after finishing the book, I hate myself a bit more uuugh)
I loved this book, listened it on audio and once I started it I just couldn't stop listening!
Simone is HIV positive and she had to keep it a secret her whole life, for her own safety. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of stigma and misinformation surrounding this disease, and the last time someone found out that Simone was positive, she was forced to change schools. In her new school, she has finally found her place again, she is assistant director for the school play, she has made new friends and she is crushing hard on Miles. So what will she do when her safety is threatened by someone who knows her secret and starts blackmailing her?
The main theme is already something to applaud because it's the first time ever that I see HIV being represented in YA. I think it's very important and it explains some things that teens might be wondering about being HIV positive and to which they couldn't find the correct answers.
I love when authors try to close the gap between information and their readers. There are many people who might be afraid or embarassed to go look for answers to their questions, and that often ends up in them having false or incorrect or no answers. So, for the author to go as far as to explain so many things in a book, it's something I deeply appreciate and recognize. I had a similar experience when I read "Golden Boy" by Abigail Tarttelin, which also became one of my all time favorites. In that case as well, the author made such an effort for the information she put in the book to be as "medical" as possible, you could easily understand that those were real facts, not just something thrown in there.
There is also lots of good and healthy LGBT+ representation: Simone's dads are gay, Simone herself is questioning whether she is bisexual, Lydia is bisexual and Claudia is lesbian and asexual, and there are also non-binary side characters mentioned!
It's a very good book and it made me cry and laugh out loud a lot, 100% recommended if you're looking for a lovely high-school romance with depth!
abbystapleton's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
dreaming_ace's review against another edition
5.0
This is simply a wonderful and moving novel. Filled with Love and Musicals and the Challenges of young adulthood. There have to be more stories like this one, written about issues such as being HIV positive and which have good endings.
I also loved how there was an ace character (I love seeing aces like me in stories) and how the book also made the fact that other people actually like the idea of sex make more sense.
Overall a really touching book.
I also loved how there was an ace character (I love seeing aces like me in stories) and how the book also made the fact that other people actually like the idea of sex make more sense.
Overall a really touching book.
bookschaosnart's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 Stars
It's great when YA reads feel like it's not adults saying how high school should be. Add in a necessary story line about HIV as well as questioning rep and well. It's got a bit of something that everyone needs to see
It's great when YA reads feel like it's not adults saying how high school should be. Add in a necessary story line about HIV as well as questioning rep and well. It's got a bit of something that everyone needs to see
tfortilney's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25