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gigi785's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The chapters are written off of one of the main characterâs POV which makes it all very easy to get frustrated by the decisions they makeđ
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Transphobia, Bullying, Deadnaming, and Homophobia
Moderate: Child death, Dysphoria, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Body shaming, and Sexual assault
Minor: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
wooyouknow's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
2.5
âprotecting kids is not politicalâ is such a real statement and thatâs all i have to say to this book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Transphobia, and Deadnaming
abeeg05's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
So this book was not at all what I expected going into it, which is to say it was a lot less focused on the romance and more on the personal development of the main character. While I appreciated the unique trans point of view that this book offered, i found it hard to properly enjoy the storyline because of the main character.
Why? Because he's a straight up asshole. The attempt at making him realize his own flaws and make amends felt very incomplete and unrealistic and I found it near impossible to root for him at all during the book.
All in all this book was not terrible, but it could have been so much better given the message it was trying to convey.
Why? Because he's a straight up asshole. The attempt at making him realize his own flaws and make amends felt very incomplete and unrealistic and I found it near impossible to root for him at all during the book.
All in all this book was not terrible, but it could have been so much better given the message it was trying to convey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Deadnaming
ambaright's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Deadnaming, and Ableism
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, and Dysphoria
ikeastorage's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Dysphoria, Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Homophobia
Moderate: Ableism
samstopher's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
ANGST WITH A HAPPY ENDING ITS PERFECT. literally so angsty. fun ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Homophobia
Moderate: Death, Deadnaming, and Car accident
ree_the_owlgirl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Bullying
Moderate: Ableism, Deadnaming, and Death
rosie_rb13's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Deadnaming
kaabtik's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
you know when you see your deepest fears and insecurities on paper and there's this feeling of dread? yeah, this is how i felt reading this book.
i found myself drawn to this book because jeremy was literally all i wasâan ambitious overachiever with too much glib than necessary. down to the name and his romantic experience, he felt like someone i could relate to. and boy did i relate to him. that much i expected.
what i also expected was for things to be happy. for this fictional jeremy to have what i couldn't: a way out and a happy ending. i expected the rage, the self destruction, and the fear.
what i got, for better or for worse, was a mess.
first off, this is not a lighthearted book. this is not a romantic comedy about a gay transguy falling out of and into (again) with his rival turned boyfriend turned ex. this is about two very messy boys fumbling for a light switch in the dark that is high school.
i bought this book because i wanted that. i wanted that so bad and seeing my name !! my experience !! to be given something i couldn't have made me so excited. instead i had all the darkest parts of being trans constantly thrown into my face every other page.
both jeremy and lukas are terrible peopleâboth as individuals and as a couple. whatever tension they had was completely overshadowed by the fact that they were crossing multiple lines instead of sitting down and having a conversation. and i get it. queer kids don't have to be kind and understanding. but lukas literally sent out a presentation with jeremy's pre-transition photos to the entire student body. jeremy sunk benâa very good friend to both of themâ nearly costing him his shot at university applications.
and i get it. i get what the author is trying to do: to lash out righteous anger at everything that went wrong when they were younger. to stop being the polite queer kid and throw metaphorical and literal knives at everyone who crossed them. i fantasized about this power more times than i could admit and i wanted to cheer for jeremy. i really did.
but i couldn't. not when they were trampling over every good person in their group. not when a lot of their issues were swept under the rug at the final act for them to be back as a couple. not when there was barely anyone in the group who put their foot down and stopped the nonsense they were doing.
there were a lot of other problematic elements that other reviews have covered, as well. and i just. i felt betrayed, because i bought this physically and wanted to enjoy it so bad. but i can't in good faith recommend this to anyone. especially to young trans guys. who also want a love story of being some boy kissin some boy.
i found myself drawn to this book because jeremy was literally all i wasâan ambitious overachiever with too much glib than necessary. down to the name and his romantic experience, he felt like someone i could relate to. and boy did i relate to him. that much i expected.
what i also expected was for things to be happy. for this fictional jeremy to have what i couldn't: a way out and a happy ending. i expected the rage, the self destruction, and the fear.
what i got, for better or for worse, was a mess.
first off, this is not a lighthearted book. this is not a romantic comedy about a gay transguy falling out of and into (again) with his rival turned boyfriend turned ex. this is about two very messy boys fumbling for a light switch in the dark that is high school.
i bought this book because i wanted that. i wanted that so bad and seeing my name !! my experience !! to be given something i couldn't have made me so excited. instead i had all the darkest parts of being trans constantly thrown into my face every other page.
both jeremy and lukas are terrible peopleâboth as individuals and as a couple. whatever tension they had was completely overshadowed by the fact that they were crossing multiple lines instead of sitting down and having a conversation. and i get it. queer kids don't have to be kind and understanding. but lukas literally sent out a presentation with jeremy's pre-transition photos to the entire student body. jeremy sunk benâa very good friend to both of themâ nearly costing him his shot at university applications.
and i get it. i get what the author is trying to do: to lash out righteous anger at everything that went wrong when they were younger. to stop being the polite queer kid and throw metaphorical and literal knives at everyone who crossed them. i fantasized about this power more times than i could admit and i wanted to cheer for jeremy. i really did.
but i couldn't. not when they were trampling over every good person in their group. not when a lot of their issues were swept under the rug at the final act for them to be back as a couple. not when there was barely anyone in the group who put their foot down and stopped the nonsense they were doing.
there were a lot of other problematic elements that other reviews have covered, as well. and i just. i felt betrayed, because i bought this physically and wanted to enjoy it so bad. but i can't in good faith recommend this to anyone. especially to young trans guys. who also want a love story of being some boy kissin some boy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Bullying, and Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming, Alcohol, and Death
Minor: Lesbophobia
kaltenmark24's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Bullying, Deadnaming, Cursing, Sexual assault, Violence, and Homophobia