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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape
Moderate: Suicide
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-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
Type: Audible - Audio
Why: Voted in by Local bookclub for Love to Read Local theme
Thoughts: I am so glad this got chosen!! What an amazing book! If you are from a small town like myself the themes resonate. The impact of all the issues faced by the main characters I feel are still very common and very real today. I loved each and every character and the story. Very much looking forward to bookclub discussion.
Why: Voted in by Local bookclub for Love to Read Local theme
Thoughts: I am so glad this got chosen!! What an amazing book! If you are from a small town like myself the themes resonate. The impact of all the issues faced by the main characters I feel are still very common and very real today. I loved each and every character and the story. Very much looking forward to bookclub discussion.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book broke my heart and made it soar. What an incredible text about the power of friendship and community and the ways people fail each other. This definitely goes into my top ten reads for the year.
3.5 stars
Beautiful and important story of growing up gay in conservative Australian towns. So many different emotions that touched me deeply. I loved Zeke and Charlie and they definitely carried the book. Every other character was horrific. I don't think I've had so much fury for so many people. And I guess that's a credit to the author for taking me out of my liberal bubble and saying not everyone thinks the same as you. People are hateful, vengeful, mean and hypocritical and they will hurt people who are just trying to be themselves. There was no way you could read this book through rose-tinted glass because life isn't always like that.
Beautiful and important story of growing up gay in conservative Australian towns. So many different emotions that touched me deeply. I loved Zeke and Charlie and they definitely carried the book. Every other character was horrific. I don't think I've had so much fury for so many people. And I guess that's a credit to the author for taking me out of my liberal bubble and saying not everyone thinks the same as you. People are hateful, vengeful, mean and hypocritical and they will hurt people who are just trying to be themselves. There was no way you could read this book through rose-tinted glass because life isn't always like that.
Amazing emotional journey.
Amazing emotional journey reading this book, remembering the anguish of understanding and accepting my sexuality. The I’m only looking at the guys shirtless to see how I can improve my gym physique phase.
This book really gets the teenage angst and had me crying at many stages and laughing and loving the friendships made by the invisible boys.
A truly amazing book except there was a lot of Aussie slang that only the Aussies seem to use. Had to look up and Google a number of slang words that made reading a bit disrupted at places.
Amazing emotional journey reading this book, remembering the anguish of understanding and accepting my sexuality. The I’m only looking at the guys shirtless to see how I can improve my gym physique phase.
This book really gets the teenage angst and had me crying at many stages and laughing and loving the friendships made by the invisible boys.
A truly amazing book except there was a lot of Aussie slang that only the Aussies seem to use. Had to look up and Google a number of slang words that made reading a bit disrupted at places.
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book broke me.
The way Charlie, Zeke and Hammer are written makes them feel tangible in my hands. Like there were some points in the book that I wanted nothing more then to give them all a big hug and beat them up for their stupidity.
And the fact that it is an Australian author warms my heart, they are honestly so great.
I don’t really have much else to say because I’m still reeling from the surprise reveal at the end.
All I have to say is that I loved the book and Holden Shepard now owes me therapy hours.
The way Charlie, Zeke and Hammer are written makes them feel tangible in my hands. Like there were some points in the book that I wanted nothing more then to give them all a big hug and beat them up for their stupidity.
And the fact that it is an Australian author warms my heart, they are honestly so great.
I don’t really have much else to say because I’m still reeling from the surprise reveal at the end.
All I have to say is that I loved the book and Holden Shepard now owes me therapy hours.
Incredibly true to the small town religious school closeted Western Australian experience, even from a different place on the spectrum. The casual vitriol. The nights in the car, wanting to drive off the pier. Leaving the shithole for solitude.
Some things change, but rural Australia takes longer than most.
While it would be nice to have all the queer characters survive, 1/4 feels actually pretty close to the death rate out in the regions for queer kids.
This is for everyone else who got out alive, and for everyone who lost someone who didn't.
Some things change, but rural Australia takes longer than most.
While it would be nice to have all the queer characters survive, 1/4 feels actually pretty close to the death rate out in the regions for queer kids.
This is for everyone else who got out alive, and for everyone who lost someone who didn't.