South of Sunshine by Dana Elmendorf

* * * *


What is Kaycee willing to risk for the sake of love? 
And what will she risk for acceptance?

In Sunshine, Tennessee, the main event in town is Friday night football, the biggest party of the year is held in a field filled with pickup trucks, and church attendance is mandatory. For Kaycee Jean McCoy, life in Sunshine means dating guys she has no interest in, saying only “yes, ma’am” when the local bigots gossip at her mom’s cosmetics salon, and avoiding certain girls at all costs. Girls like Bren Dawson.

Unlike Kaycee, Bren doesn’t really conceal who she is. But as the cool, worldly new girl, nobody at school seems to give her any trouble. Maybe there’s no harm if Kaycee gets closer to her too, as long as she can keep that part of her life a secret, especially from her family and her best friend. But the more serious things get with Bren, the harder it is to hide from everyone else. Kaycee knows Sunshine has a darker side for people like her, and she’s risking everything for the chance to truly be herself.

South of Sunshine was one of those books I noticed on the library's display shelf because of its cover. But underneath the endearing title and picturesque cover is a troubling story about how denying your true self can be destructive.

Kaycee is in her senior year of high school and itching to get out of her small town so she can drop the pretence. She has dated guys but mostly to deflect attention away from the fact that she really likes girls. This is a community that hasn't met the 21st century yet. Their narrow minds about different ethnicities and homosexuality keep Kaycee in the closet. When Bren shows up at the high school she's like a shiny, exotic new toy. She's automatically different because she's part Hispanic and she also happens to be gay. Kaycee feels a strong pull towards her but tries her best to deny any of it. 

"Because once again, just like I did last night and like I've done for all these years of denial, 

I think if I ignore it, it doesn't exist. That's what I have to do to survive this town."

~ Kaycee, p. 174

Reading this book was both maddening and eye-opening. Thank goodness Kaycee is a charming and sweet kid, otherwise this read would have been harder. Sunshine is a judgmental town, superficial to the core. You know it's bad when the churches are segregated and then there's segregation within the church based on social status. Here, within this dysfunction, is where Kaycee has to come to terms with who she is. No wonder her head and her heart are a mess! Religious bigotry is one of my few triggers. I can't ever grasp how any institution that should stand for love and caring can be so cruel to those who are at their most vulnerable. The town's bigoted attitude about anything they're unfamiliar with had me in a foul mood so imagine my surprise when Kaycee's mom and her best friend take the story in a different direction by making important revelations! It taught me an invaluable lesson that I don't always know where someone's fears stem from. It's easy to assume that intolerance can be boiled down to ignorance but those two showed me that there's more to that theory. 

"I remind myself that God loves me ..."

 ~ Kaycee, p. 123

That passage from self-awareness to self-acceptance can be intimidating depending on the level of support that is available. Elmendorf wrote Kaycee's gradual coming out so beautifully. She also gives us a glimpse of what coming out means to a teen - the joy it can bring, the toll it can levy, the love it can let in but also the weight of disappointment and hurt when someone you love refuses to acknowledge your truth. I hate that anyone has to even go through this simply because they want to be true to who they are. And it's unfair to have that person carry the guilt for anyone's lack of acceptance or understanding. When it comes to LGBTQ novels, I find it's the coming of age ones like this that I respond to the most. Therefore, I'm so glad I picked up South of Sunshine.  

~ Bel

How We Began by Alexis Hall, Delphine Dryder, Vanessa North, Amy Jo Cousins, Annabeth Albert and Geonn Cannon

* * * * *

How does love begin? 

A glance, a gesture, an unexpected offer of help from a stranger…or from a good friend. A smile across a counter at a coffee shop or video store. A secret revealed in a song from another place and time. Or in a love ballad crooned at a high school dance. 

In this anthology of never-before-published sweet LGBTQ+ stories, six authors explore the beginnings of love between young and new adult couples. All proceeds will support The Trevor Project's work with crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.

Review

When we started our blog, I was skeptical of short stories and novellas.  With the exception of the stories forced on me in high school and college, I had never read one that was very good.  And yes, I did read a lot of them.  Mostly of the romance variety.  But since we started blogging?  Every single book of short stories I have read has been absolutely stellar.  How We Began might be tied with The Curiosities as an all-time favorite.  The stories are sweet and the writing is spectacular.  But that shouldn’t be a surprise when you have contributing authors like Alexis Hall, Annabeth Albert and Amy Jo Cousins. Just to name a few.  I was familiar with these authors within the adult romance genre.  They blew me away with these Young Adult stories and I can only hope that I might see full length YA novels from some of them in the future.  

Since these are short stories I am limiting myself to just a few sentences on each story in an effort to not spoil any of it for you.  In the end I hope you guys give this one a try.  It’s a book full of beautiful and diverse stories that include characters from all over the LGBT spectrum.  And to top it off, proceeds from the sale of this book go to The Trevor Project.  So you not only get a great book but you also contribute to a wonderful organization.

TruNorth by Alexis Hall – This is the story of Noah, the least visible member of the boy band TruNorth.  In a future world where management tracks members every movement, it’s impossible for Noah to explore and be who he really is.  When he spies fellow bandmate and crush, Callum, sneaking out, he follows him to discover a secret club where no one has to hide their secrets.  Alexis Hall never fails to write characters that are hyper-realistic and draw you in emotionally.

Unexpected Dragons by Delphine Dryder – Zev is afraid that he will never figure out how to shift to his dragon form.  But when it finally and unexpectedly happens he has to face a future of still being different and a possible future without his friend Rook.  Because Rook hasn’t changed form yet either. I rarely pick up fantasy anymore and I have never read a dragon-shifter story (please don’t hurt me, Bel and Shel) but this story was simply amazing and visually beautiful that I’ll probably add some dragon-shifter amazing-ness to my TBR this year.

A Song for a Sweater-boy by Vanessa North – Jamie lives with autism and is known as the Sweater-boy at school because he knits during class to help keep him focused and to control his ticks.  When Jamie’s classmate, Ash, shows up at his aunt’s yarn shop as part of his probation (it’s a long story), they form an unexpected friendship that Jamie hopes might grow into something more.  Gah!  This story was so darn adorable I could barely stand it.

A Taste of Coffee and Cream by Amy Jo Cousins – Saturday’s are the best day of Jude’s week.  Those are the days she can escape town and be who she really is.  Owen is the barista at the coffee shop where Jude changes her clothes for the day.  Jude doesn’t necessarily want any connections but Owen not only wants to be her friend but also might have access to the resources that could allow Jude to be who she is all the time and not just on Saturdays.  She’ll have to decide if she can take the necessary leap to trust Owen chase after her future.  Amy’s combination of empathy and reality always works for me.  Perfection is overrated when you are handed honest characters like the ones in this story.

First in Line by Annabeth Albert – Ethaniel has finally arrived at school and he can finally step out of the closet.  But something that he thought would be easy once he was away from home is extremely difficult.  It would seem, even across country, his parents’ opinion on things can affect him. But, as he navigates campus, he finds allies in the most important places, including campus GSA member, Nesto.  Annabeth Albert writes the best geek romances and this one is no exception.

Extinction Level Events by Geonn Cannon – Cassandra’s list of things to do before she leaves for college include, having a garage sale, putting in her two weeks’ notice, telling her parent’s she’s gay and telling her best friend, Natalie, that she’s in love with her.  Yeah, those last two are eating her up a bit.  But she won’t be a coward and she will get it done.  I really loved this story.  Cassandra is one of those rare girls that has really taken advantage of her teen years to discover who she is.  This story contains a now favorite book quote of mine.  Cassandra’s mom tells her, “High school is your fitting room stage.  Try on everything and see what fits.  Otherwise how will you know who you really are?” And Cassandra really takes that advice to heart.  I’ve never read anything by Geonn Cannon before but, based on this story, I will definitely  be reading her books in the near future.

Nat

Awkwardly Ever After by Marni Bates

***

From Kensington:

It's prom season at Smith High School and love is in the air. . .for some people.

Melanie Morris knows she shouldn't keep flirting with her best friend's brother, Dylan Wellesley, even though the last thing she feels is "sisterly" around the cute soon-to-be freshman. But attending prom with somebody else might mean losing him for good. . .

Isobel Peters accepts the fact that she's a huge geek, but she never expected renowned player, Spencer King, would want to get his hands on. . .her reputation. What begins as a bargain could turn into something real--or a Notable disaster!

Corey O'Neal is dating the boy of his dreams, rockstar Timothy Goff. But it isn't easy to trade in anonymity for instant celebrity status, especially now that swarms of protesters want them both banned from prom. Dating Prince Charming in real life is a whole lot harder than it sounds in fairytales.

Happily ever after? Try awkwardly ever after!

The Bad:

There were just a couple little things that got in the way of my loving the final installation… Awkwardly was told through multiple POVs, which I love, but because of it, there were times when the transitions were abrupt and a little jarring. Also, Corey and Tim's drama seemed rushed to the finish line. I needed it fleshed out a little more, but also because I love Corey & Tim!

The Good:

Thank god that's over, now we can get on to the awesome in Awkwardly! 

First Melanie and Dylan – seriously, how cute are these two? Poor Melanie can't open up about her traumatic home life and all she wants is to lean on Dylan. But Dylan is off limits – the girl code says "thou shall not lust after your friends little brother" especially when said little brother is still in junior high. But Dylan's survived his own drama and is strong enough to help Melanie and just might benefit from Melanie's TLC when his long lost, jerkface dad makes a reappearance. These two will give you a toothache they are so sweet!

Isobel and Spencer are our bad boy and girl who are just too ridiculous to admit that they might be great together. The fro-yo shop scene is awesome!

And finally Corey and Tim. Sigh. Corey's been bullied and tormented for refusing to hide who he is, but his reward is the dreamy boy-band rocker Tim. But while it's hard to be openly gay in high school, it's an entirely different story to come out with Tim and the ensuing chaos of being thrust into the international news cycles with paparazzi watching your every move. They are really put to the test when the school decrees that the two boys cannot attend prom together. Corey just wants to spend some alone time with his boyfriend, not be a poster child for bullying and discrimination. Tim's mad as hell and willing to use all his influence to fight for their rights. Can Corey and Tim survive prom?

Besides feeling a little rushed with Corey and Tim and the crazy POV transitions, Awkwardly is fantastic. If you guys haven't read this series you should! It's all about a group of socially awkward and hilarious students at Smith High trying to find their places in the world, and hopefully a little love and acceptance along the way. This series is perfect for a little laugh out loud light reading!

~Shel

Fan Art by Sarah Tregay

* * * *

When the picture tells the story…

Senior year is almost over, and Jamie Peterson has a big problem. Not college—that’s all set. Not prom—he’ll find a date somehow. No, it’s the worst problem of all: he’s fallen for his best friend.

As much as Jamie tries to keep it under wraps, everyone seems to know where his affections lie, and the giggling girls in art class are determined to help Jamie get together with Mason. But Jamie isn’t sure if that’s what he wants—because as much as Jamie would like to come clean to Mason, what if the truth ruins everything? What if there are no more road trips, taco dinners, or movie nights? Does he dare risk a childhood friendship for romance?

This book is about what happens when a picture reveals what we can’t say, when art is truer than life, and how falling in love is easy, except when it’s not. Fan Art explores the joys and pains of friendship, of pressing boundaries, and how facing our worst fears can sometimes lead us to what we want most.



Review:

Jamie Peterson is on the committee for the school’s literary magazine, Gumshoe.  He is in charge of reviewing pieces of art that have been submitted by students for possible publication in the magazine.  The committee (Jamie included) tends to play it safe.  But when a new friend from art class convinces Jamie to consider her graphic short – a sweet romance between two boys – Jamie has a fight on his hands trying to convince the rest of the committee to approve the story.

Jamie is emotionally invested in this story in a way that no one at school could possibly know.  He came out to his family a while ago.  And he has the full support of his mom and step-dad.  But that’s where it ends.  He hasn’t come out at school.  And worst of all, he hasn’t come out to his best friend, Mason.  He’s been keeping his secret for so long that his silence feels too heavy to break.  Just when he thinks he can finally do it.  He can finally tell Mason his big secret.  Jamie begins to realize exactly how attracted he is to his best friend.   As publication of the magazine nears, Jamie struggles to find the courage to come out to his friend before the graphic within the magazine outs him first.

There was so much to love about this story.   Watching Jamie find a safe haven among the girls in his art class was highly amusing.   He was so uncomfortable at first.  What I enjoyed most about his relationship with these girls was watching the evolution of Jamie and Eden’s friendship.  Eden came out to her family and was immediately forced back into the closet by her very conservative parents.   She and Jamie quickly become each other’s support system.   The portrayal of their friendship was heartfelt and honest with plenty of painful bumps along the way.

Jamie and Mason’s interactions are wonderful too.  They are truly best friends.  They have known each other so long that it’s impossible to tell if Mason’s actions are those of a best friend or someone trying put the moves on said best friend.  I think Tregay perfectly captures Jamie’s fears. The fears we have all experienced at one point in our lives.  The fear that your friend turned crush could never return your feelings.  The fear and hope of being found out so that you can either jump for joy or pick up the pieces of your broken heart.  And then add to that emotional turmoil the extra layer of fear that Jamie is experiencing:  the fact that he is gay but not out at school AND he is in love with his best friend.  The awkwardness was both uncomfortable and adorable at the same time.

This is easily one of the best gay YA romances I have read.  It’s a sweet love story that will make you smile.  And that’s my favorite kind.

Nat

One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva

* * * 1/2

Funny and heartfelt, One Man Guy brings to mind the raucous family humor and gentle romance of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, as told with David Sedaris–style wit

Alek Khederian should have guessed something was wrong when his parents took him to a restaurant. Everyone knows that Armenians never eat out. Between bouts of interrogating the waitress and criticizing the menu, Alek’s parents announce that he’ll be attending summer school in order to bring up his grades. Alek is sure this experience will be the perfect hellish end to his hellish freshman year of high school. He never could’ve predicted that he’d meet someone like Ethan.

Ethan is everything Alek wishes he were: confident, free-spirited, and irreverent. He can’t believe a guy this cool wants to be his friend. And before long, it seems like Ethan wants to be more than friends. Alek has never thought about having a boyfriend—he’s barely ever had a girlfriend—but maybe it’s time to think again.



Review:

The synopsis provided is a bit misleading.  This book is about so much more than coming out.  This ended up being a story about a young teenager’s desire for freedom and the things he does and does not do to earn it.

Since Alek is attending summer school, he will not be allowed to join his family on their annual summer vacation.  When he suggests that he be allowed to stay home with out the sitter his parents had planned on hiring, his parents decide that this is a wonderful opportunity for him to have some freedom.

Alek takes the opportunity and makes the most of it.  Making decisions that will both challenge his parents trust but will also help him forge an identity separate from the one his rather controlling parents have tried to create for him.

Alek is a wonderfully intelligent and sarcastic character.  He embraces his Armenian heritage while at the same time openly showing his derision at some of his family’s more unattractive traits.  But even with all his outward confidence he’s just a typical insecure teenager that is trying to find himself while at the same time find a way to let the world know who he is.  Although a rather shallow character, Ethan does play a significant role in Alek’s journey.  He is Alek’s gateway to the city that symbolized the metaphorical freedom that Alek desires.

But the real gem in this book is Alek’s snarky, movie loving, roller skating best friend, Becky.  She is wonderfully energetic and my only complaint is that there wasn’t more of her.  A character like that just begs for her own story.  In my opinion, of course.

I don’t agree with the blurb when it compares One Man Guy to the writing of David Sedaris.  But I will agree that if you enjoyed the overwhelming cultural family humor of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, then you will probably enjoy Alek’s story.

One Man Guy will release on May 27, 2014.  You can pre-order your copy here.

Nat

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Children's Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this title.

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

* * * *

You only hurt the ones you love.

Logan Witherspoon recently discovered that his girlfriend of three years cheated on him. But things start to look up when a new student breezes through the halls of his small-town high school. Sage Hendricks befriends Logan at a time when he no longer trusts or believes in people. Sage has been homeschooled for a number of years and her parents have forbidden her to date anyone, but she won’t tell Logan why. One day, Logan acts on his growing feelings for Sage. Moments later, he wishes he never had. Sage finally discloses her big secret: she’s actually a boy. Enraged, frightened, and feeling betrayed, Logan lashes out at Sage and disowns her. But once Logan comes to terms with what happened, he reaches out to Sage in an attempt to understand her situation. But Logan has no idea how rocky the road back to friendship will be.





Review:

It’s been months and Logan is still nursing a broken heart thanks to his 3 year girlfriend that cheated on him.  That is until Sage walks into his first hour Biology class.  Logan and Sage immediately hit it off.  Their mutual attraction is unmistakable; which makes it all the more confusing when Sage continuously fends off Logan’s quiet advances.  Then on New Year’s Day they unexpectedly share their first kiss. Sage is forced to share her secret…the fact that she was born a boy.  Logan is disgusted and runs away.  But their connection is too strong for him to stay away.  Before long they renew their friendship which sends them both on an emotional ride that neither of them are prepared for.

This story is a great lesson in showing us how it’s never easy to read from the POV of a character that hurts someone.  It’s even more difficult when that character is confused and hurting as well.  The entire story is told in the first person from Logan’s POV.  Be prepared for an uncomfortably honest portrayal of a straight young man raised in a small rural town.  A teenage boy whose experiences are too narrow and whose insecurities are too deep to give the total acceptance and celebration that Sage needs.  Logan messes up spectacularly.  Multiple times.  His desire to be friends with Sage makes her feel like she can be accepted for the girl that she truly his.   But the discomfort he feels in his attraction to Sage and his subsequent selfish and cruel actions make Sage truly comprehend the giant hurdles she has ahead of her and makes her wonder if she can even face them.

The only complaint I had with this novel was that Sage’s voice was rather wooden.  When I SAW her through Logan’s eyes, I saw a young vibrant woman full of fear and hope.  But when I heard her speak, it felt as if the author didn’t (or maybe couldn’t) fully encompass the voice of Sage.  I can understand this dilemma though.   Five years after this book was published and we are still fighting to hear the voices of transgender men and women.  I can only imagine how difficult it would be to portray their voice.   In the end, though, that did not stop Sage from being a completely beautiful and engaging character.

It also didn’t diminish the power of the message contained in this story.  That our actions have the power to both negatively and positively impact those around us. We can use the power of our actions to show acceptance and celebrate the diversity around us.  To give others the freedom to be who they are without fear.

Nat

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg

* * * * *

A funny, honest novel about being out, being proud . . . and being ready for something else.

Rafe is a normal teenager from Boulder, Colorado. He plays soccer. He's won skiing prizes. He likes to write.

And, oh yeah, he's gay. He's been out since 8th grade, and he isn't teased, and he goes to other high schools and talks about tolerance and stuff. And while that's important, all Rafe really wants is to just be a regular guy. Not that GAY guy. To have it be a part of who he is, but not the headline, every single time.

So when he transfers to an all-boys' boarding school in New England, he decides to keep his sexuality a secret -- not so much going back in the closet as starting over with a clean slate. But then he sees a classmate breaking down. He meets a teacher who challenges him to write his story. And most of all, he falls in love with Ben . . . who doesn't even know that love is possible.

This witty, smart, coming-out-again story will appeal to gay and straight kids alike as they watch Rafe navigate being different, fitting in, and what it means to be himself.



Review:

I first heard about Openly Straight when David Levithan wished Bill Konigsberg a Happy Launch day and recommended it by saying,  ”If you are looking for a pride-month read that you can most definitely take pride in, look no further.”  I actually WAS looking for some Pride-month reads and since I will pretty much do anything David tells me to do, I hopped onto my library account to reserve it and found myself picking it up only a few days later.

Rafe is a teen that has everything going for him.  He’s active and smart.  He has parents that actively support and encourage him in everything.  His mom is the president of their local PFLAG chapter and through her encouragement and passion Rafe has become a spokesperson for the LGBTQ teen community.  But Rafe isn’t nearly as thrilled about that as some may think.  He’s tired of everyone identifying him as the gay kid.  He wants people to see the other parts of him.  So many people are so focused on the gay that they don’t see that the rest of what makes up Rafe.

Rafe’s solution is to attend a private all-boys school on the east coast.  His reasoning to friends and family is that he wants a better chance to get into an Ivy League school – which is partially true.  But the other and more important reason is that he wants to go to school with people that don’t know he is gay.  A place where he can make friends without anyone judging him.  A place where he can just be one of the guys.

At first everything is exactly as he wished.  But as his first semester progresses he finds that being just one of the guys by hiding an important part of himself may not be the easiest or truest thing he has ever done.

I read this book over a month ago and I am still trying to find a way to express my feelings.  Much like The Fault in Our Stars, it left me breathless and without words.  This story makes you laugh and makes you think.  It will make you realize that there is nothing more fulfilling than openly celebrating who we are.  It will teach those that haven’t learned it yet that no matter our mistakes life goes on, it does get better and we will survive.  And most importantly it will teach us that CELEBRATING is so much better than meager acceptance.  Yes, it was a wonderful Pride-month read but it is also so much more than that.  This is a story that EVERY teen and adult can relate to at any time of the year.

This is, hands down, my favorite read of 2013.  I recommend that EVERYONE read Openly Straight and celebrate the amazing writing of Bill Konigsberg.

Nat

Rainbow Trilogy by Alex Sanchez

* * * 

Kristin @ Blood, Sweat and Books was
awesome enought to point out that the
cutie in the back is a young Matt Bomer!

Rainbow Boys

Jason Carrillo is a jock with a steady girlfriend, but he can't stop dreaming about sex...with other guys.
Kyle Meeks doesn't look gay, but he is. And he hopes he never has to tell anyone -- especially his parents.
Nelson Glassman is "out" to the entire world, but he can't tell the boy he loves that he wants to be more than just friends.
Three teenage boys, coming of age and out of the closet. In a revealing debut novel that percolates with passion and wit, Alex Sanchez follows these very different high-school seniors as their struggles with sexuality and intolerance draw them into a triangle of love, betrayal, and ultimately, friendship.











Rainbow High

Jason Carrillo, the best-looking athlete in school, has had his eyes on the prize from day one: a scholarship for college.
But then his eyes turn to love -- and Kyle.
Kyle Meeks, swim team star and all-around good guy, is finally in the relationship he wanted. Being in love feels so good, in fact, that he can't imagine giving it up to go to Princeton.
Something he's worked for his entire life.
Nelson Glassman, outgoing and defiant, might be HIV positive. Jeremy, the boy he loves, is HIV positive. Although Nelson fears testing positive, if he is infected Jeremy might stop protecting him and pushing him away.
They can be together.
High shool's almost over. Graduation is ahead. Life's a bowl of cherries, right? Right...




Rainbow Road

Jason Carrillo came out to his basketball team senior year and lost his university scholarship. Now, with graduation behind him and summer ending, he's asked to speak at the opening of a gay and lesbian high school across the country. But after spending years in the closet and losing his scholarship dream, what message can he offer?

Kyle Meeks is getting ready to go to Princeton in the fall and trying to see as much as possible of his boyfriend Jason before they have to separate. When Jason tells him about his speaking invitation, Kyle jumps at the chance to drive across country with him. Yet he can't help worrying: Will their romance survive two weeks crammed together in a car?

Nelson Glassman is happy his best friend Kyle has found love with Jason. Now he's looking for his own true love -- and hopes he might find his soul mate during the road trip. But will being the "third wheel" in a trio ruin his friendships with Kyle and Jason?

During an eye-opening postgraduation summer road trip, each of the three very different boys also embarks on a personal journey across a landscape of love, sexuality, homophobia, and above all, friendship.



Review:

Over a year and a half ago I went in search for gay YA titles.  One of the first things that came up in my search was the Rainbow Trilogy by Alex Sanchez.  I added them to my Nook wishlist but then ended up getting distracted by the gazillion other titles that I couldn’t (and didn’t want to) say “no” to.  Then last week I was at the library signing me and the kiddos up for the summer reading program.  Before we left, I made the requisite trip to the Teen Room (yeah, my library has a Teen Room – how COOL is that?) and started browsing.  Because, you know, I need more on my TBR pile.  Some how, The Rainbow Trilogy jumped out at me from the bottom row.  Actually the audio books jumped out at me which made me think, “Hey, I’m finally going to read these!”  And then I turned the corner and grabbed the printed books.

So I brought them home. And I read them.  And they were alright.  I could (and would like to) go into a long discussion about these books and my thoughts on them but it would be one sided and not nearly as fun as it would be to discuss them with someone else that has read them – hint, hint to anyone that has read them.  I would love to discuss these in the comment section so don't be afraid to engage.  I really want to know how others feel about this trilogy.

To make this a little easier for me, I have decided to break this down Shel-style.

The Good:

These books address a number of issues that gay teens might experience – coming out, parental abuse, bullying, insecurity, tolerance/acceptance, sex, the intricacies of gender identity…just to name a few.  They are fast and easy reads and are a great educational resource for teens. I would actually recommend this to most teenagers and use it to open dialogue.

The Bad:

I loved that these books were educational.  The problem is that so much is covered that some issues were not given enough detail.  But then what is covered might make someone ask enough questions that they will look for further detail in another book.  The one other thing I did not like about these books was the writing style.  It made me feel like I was watching an after school special.  The dialogue left me feeling completely un-connected to the characters.  And we all know how much I love to be connected to my imaginary book friends.

The bad aside, I can’t deny that these books are a wonderful resource for teens and many will identify with the characters and the issues they face day to day.

Nat

Waiting on Wednesday (67)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

This week's choice is no surprise.  We love Mr. Levithan and we can't think of a greater way to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of his first novel, Boy Meets Boy, than the publication of a new Levithan title geared towards a new generation of gay teens.

By David Levithan
Publication Date: August 27, 2013

New York Times  bestselling author David Levithan tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record—all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS.

While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teen boys dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out, navigating gender identity, and falling deeper into the digital rabbit hole of gay hookup sites—all while the kissing former couple tries to figure out their own feelings for each other.

This follow-up to the bestselling Every Day showcases David's trademark sharp-witted, warm-hearted tales of teenage love, and serves as a perfect thematic bookend to David's YA debut and breakthrough, Boy Meets Boy, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2013.

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

*** 1/2

Have you ever been interested in an author but then put their books off in favor of something that more suit your immediate mood.  And then when you finally got around to reading that author you wonder to yourself "Why on earth did I wait this long?!?".  If you have done this then you know how I feel about David Levithan.  I had been interested for quite some time but just never got around to it.  Then Shel and I had the opportunity to see and meet him at a YA  panel at Anderson's Bookshop and we both were absolutely charmed.  Before the panel began I had bought his latest novel Every You, Every Me.  Of course after meeting him I put it at the top of the "To Read" pile.  And enjoyed it immensely.  Since then I have had the opportunity to read a couple more of his books (Boy Meets Boy and The Lover's Dictionary) and he continued to charm me even more.  Now I have added all his other books to my BN Wishlist...hint, hint Mr. Executive Officer.

So now that I have shown you how much of a fangirl I have become let's get on with this review. 

Boy Meets Boy takes place in an unnamed utopian town.  A place where the LGBT community both young and old live openly with little to no social censure. A town where "P-FLAG is as big a draw as the PTA."  Our hero, Paul is a gay teen who has always known who he is and has never doubted it for instant.  He knows what he wants out of life and love and he isn't afraid to grab it. 

The story is fairly simple.  Paul meets Noah at a bookstore concert.  They have an instant connection.  Unfortunately the joys of first love are quickly put to the test with the re-entrance of a past bi-sexual boyfriend, a gay friend from another town that is struggling with how his parents view his sexualtiy, and a female BFF that is ignoring Paul for her new narrow minded boyfriend that is responsible for cruelly breaking the heart of the transgender star quarterback. 

Hey, I told you it was a Utopia of sorts.  But it works.  It really does.  I finished this book feeling upbeat and hopeful which is always a wonderful feeling to have when finishing a book.

Don't grab this book if you are looking for emotional read with high drama.  This is a lighter read meant to make you smile, meant to show us how we should and should not be as a society and meant to give a little hope and sunshine to teens out there that struggle everyday with coming out.

Nat

Boys of Summer

* * * * 

Walt Whitman referred to a "Mad, naked, Summer Night!" In the pages of Boys of Summer, acclaimed editor Steve Berman's latest anthology, talented authors and fresh voices reveal the allure and excitement of the season for gay teens. June always promises romance. July entices with its raw heat, and August offers a languid fire that will burn out before autumn's approach. These are stories of young love and adventure, when the sky's ceiling is a bright blue marvel, when another boy's laughter at the beach can distract from dull summer jobs.

I am usually wishy-washy on short stories. Particularly romantic short stories. They tend to lack the character development necessary to make the romance believable.  But I am huge fan of m/m romance and was intrigued by a collection of short m/m romantic stories written for teens.   

You need to know is that I ended up loving this book.  Truly loving it.  But it took me a few stories to get there.  I was very put off by the very first story – Portrait of the Artist as a Young Swamp Thing by Ann Zeddies.  Our two heroes (15 and 16 years old) know each other for less than a weekend.  This was a perfect example of why I don’t like romantic short stories.  But the bigger reason this particular story put me off was the fact that they didn’t really know each other.  They knew of each other but they didn’t know each other.    And at the end of the story, before the weekend was over, they were hitching it to Hero #2’s empty house to have sex.   I was buying the budding romance but I was not buying that it developed enough that they would jump immediately to sex.  I do get it.  All teens are interested in sex.  Teen boys are especially interested in having sex.  And most of the time they are being ruled by their hormones and aren’t thinking logically about it.  But just because they aren’t thinking about the importance of it doesn’t mean it’s NOT important and that it’s NOT a big deal.  It’s both of those things.  And I think as adults we have a responsibility to remind teens of this.  I am not going to tell teens to not have sex.  But I am going to tell them that it is a huge decision and they need to be sure that they are truly ready when they finally make that leap.  Because that’s a pretty big leap that requires a significant amount of trust that you are just handing over to another person.  I always think of the “sex talk” Kurt and his dad had on Glee (I seriously need to save that entire speech and save it for why my kids are older).  The talk where Kurt’s dad tells him that sex is important and that Kurt MATTERS.  Teens to know that they MATTER and because they matter they need to be sure they are ready to trust another person with something that is so very precious. 

“You’ve got to know that it means something. It’s doing something to you, to your heart, to your self-esteem, even though it feels like you’re just having fun…. When you’re ready, I want you to be able to do everything, but when you’re ready, I want you to use it as a way to connect to another person. Don’t throw yourself around like you don’t matter. Because you matter, Kurt.”  - Burt Hummel in Glee

Wow, I just went on a tangent about teen sex.  Sorry about that.  That’s what I get for being overly opinionated, I guess. Please keep reading though.  There is a reason I gave this book a 4 Star review.  I promise.  And to put any possible parent fears to rest, this is not a graphic book by any means.  Like all YA romance, each character has their level of experience but that experience is never the highlight as it would be in an adult romance.   

So now you know I didn’t like the first story and why.  But let me tell you about some of my favorites.   

Breakwater in the Summer Dark by L. Lark is a romance between two boys that have attended summer camp together since they were eight. Their relationship in this story is strained because of an unexpected kiss that happened between them the summer before. The appearance of a mysterious creature in the lake brings them together and forces them to face their feelings for each other.  I loved this story.  This is one that I would love to be either novel or novella size in length.  I think it would be an even more amazing read. 

Brass by Marguerite Croft and Christopher Reynaga is a romance after my own heart.  Two band geeks that are both out and they are friends and they both have a thing for each other.  But, of course, neither of them realizes it.  Finally our narrator decides to make his move and I am not going to lie.  It was probably one of the sweetest kisses I have ever read in the numerous YA books I have read this past year and a half.   

Leap by ‘Nathan Burgoine was an absolutely lovely summer romance.  Ryan has been spending 3 weeks a summer in a cabin with his parents.  Two other cabins are inhabited by family friends.  Ryan, Angie and Barb (daughters of the family friends) get along great and love spending the summer together.  Then Will and his parents show up for their first summer at the lake and the three-some becomes a four-some.  This was a perfectly paced story with a perfectly paced romance.  I had a mile-wide smile reading this story that ended with a wonderful amount of hope. 

Wheat, Barley, Lettuce, Fennel, Salt for Sorrow, Blood for Joy by Alex Jeffers was pure magic.  Who doesn’t love a story set on a boat in the Mediterranean?  Add some magic, sexual tension and a loving family and you have a serious winner of a story. 

Those were my favorites but they aren’t the only good stories in this book.  If you are a fan of romance and/or are interested in reading something that gives gay teens a voice, I highly recommend this collection.  It was truly wonderful.

Nat