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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
*hands in gay membership card*
I don't want it anymore
I don't want it anymore
funny
lighthearted
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
In Straight Expectations by Callum McSwiggan, Max is one of a handful of LGBT+ students at Woodside Academy. The dating pool for the high school’s LGBT+ community leaves a lot to be desired. Max is also pretty sure that his crush, Oliver Cheng, doesn’t know that he exists.
One day Max and his best friend, Dean, had a fight in which Max wished that he wasn’t gay. Everywhere he looked there were straight couples in love. It looked so easy for them. Why was finding love so difficult for Max?
The next morning Max wakes up and feels different. He soon realizes that he might be straight and also has a girlfriend. Everything should be great now, right? Max got what he wanted but it isn’t what he imagined. He has a girlfriend but the whole relationship feels weird. Dean, the one person that he misses, cannot be found. Dean seems like the most talented, awesome friend that anyone could have. We all need a Dean in our lives.
How many times have we wished to have a different life? Max spends some time reflecting on how he got to this upside down world. He wants to get back to his other life with some necessary changes. He’s sure that he doesn’t want a girlfriend. He is still sure that he’s actually and factually gay.
Most of the characters were likable, except for the one horrible teacher that mistreats the LGBT+ students. There was a student that bullied Max when he was younger. Now the kid is trying to make amends. It takes a while for Max to see that he should give the kid a second chance at friendship. I was glad that he was finally willing to forgive the kid.
Max does get to know Oliver Cheng while in the alternate universe. There could be a chance for love between them if only Max could return to his other life and make amends with Dean.
If you are a fan of LGBT+ romances that are reminiscent of Freaky Friday, then you will probably enjoy Straight Expectations. If you are a cruel gym teacher or a relentless bully, then I would suggest reading some anti-bullying books before reading this book.
Thank you to The Write Reads and NetGalley for letting me participate in this book tour. All opinions are my own. Obviously.
One day Max and his best friend, Dean, had a fight in which Max wished that he wasn’t gay. Everywhere he looked there were straight couples in love. It looked so easy for them. Why was finding love so difficult for Max?
The next morning Max wakes up and feels different. He soon realizes that he might be straight and also has a girlfriend. Everything should be great now, right? Max got what he wanted but it isn’t what he imagined. He has a girlfriend but the whole relationship feels weird. Dean, the one person that he misses, cannot be found. Dean seems like the most talented, awesome friend that anyone could have. We all need a Dean in our lives.
How many times have we wished to have a different life? Max spends some time reflecting on how he got to this upside down world. He wants to get back to his other life with some necessary changes. He’s sure that he doesn’t want a girlfriend. He is still sure that he’s actually and factually gay.
Most of the characters were likable, except for the one horrible teacher that mistreats the LGBT+ students. There was a student that bullied Max when he was younger. Now the kid is trying to make amends. It takes a while for Max to see that he should give the kid a second chance at friendship. I was glad that he was finally willing to forgive the kid.
Max does get to know Oliver Cheng while in the alternate universe. There could be a chance for love between them if only Max could return to his other life and make amends with Dean.
If you are a fan of LGBT+ romances that are reminiscent of Freaky Friday, then you will probably enjoy Straight Expectations. If you are a cruel gym teacher or a relentless bully, then I would suggest reading some anti-bullying books before reading this book.
Thank you to The Write Reads and NetGalley for letting me participate in this book tour. All opinions are my own. Obviously.
A fun take on the classic 'be careful what you wish for'. Max is having one of those days - nothing's going right, his crush doesn't even know he exists, and in a fit of hopelessness he wishes he was one of the straight kids. After all, everything is always so easy for them, right? They never have any problems!
If I have any complaints about this book - and this is such a petty thing I shouldn't even be saying it! - it's how slowly things happen; we're a fifth of the way in before Max even makes his wish. This is fine if you want the extra time to get to know the characters, but as they're all a bit different in the 'new' reality anyway, it felt odd to me. But that's absolutely a personal thing and shouldn't affect anyone else's enjoyment.
I loved the descriptions of the outfits Max puts together, and the shows - I wish my school had done that version of Little Shop of Horrors! There are some genuinely heartfelt moments in both realities too - I loved, although it's a tiny thing, the fact that Darius shows up without complaint to collect his more-than-slightly drunk daughter and doesn't seem upset about it, even checking with her boyfriend - whom he doesn't much like at the time - to make sure he's safe and doesn't want a lift home as well. That's great parenting, and it's treated as totally normal by everyone.
This is a great read that people are going to really enjoy.
If I have any complaints about this book - and this is such a petty thing I shouldn't even be saying it! - it's how slowly things happen; we're a fifth of the way in before Max even makes his wish. This is fine if you want the extra time to get to know the characters, but as they're all a bit different in the 'new' reality anyway, it felt odd to me. But that's absolutely a personal thing and shouldn't affect anyone else's enjoyment.
I loved the descriptions of the outfits Max puts together, and the shows - I wish my school had done that version of Little Shop of Horrors! There are some genuinely heartfelt moments in both realities too - I loved, although it's a tiny thing, the fact that Darius shows up without complaint to collect his more-than-slightly drunk daughter and doesn't seem upset about it, even checking with her boyfriend - whom he doesn't much like at the time - to make sure he's safe and doesn't want a lift home as well. That's great parenting, and it's treated as totally normal by everyone.
This is a great read that people are going to really enjoy.
To be fair, I only got about three chapters in. I requested it from the library. I tried reading it. My loan expired. I requested it again! Tried again, and realized I was incredibly bored. I might have been really into this about 30 years ago but I don't think I'm at a place in life where a fantasy story about a teenage boy's love life holds a lot of appeal.
This book was very meh. I don't really have much to say other than the POV changes were really confusing at first and also I love Dean.
funny
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
Cuando leí la sinopsis estaba segura de que sería una historia divertida...y definitivamente no me lo pareció. En múltiples momentos pensé en abandonarlo porque nada que me interesaba lo que estaba pasando y en realidad lo sentía como una carga, pero por ahí del 60% me generó el suficiente interés para concluirlo.
Los personajes son planos y los únicos que gozan de cierto encanto son Ollie y Dean. La narración tampoco es que sea una maravilla.
Los personajes son planos y los únicos que gozan de cierto encanto son Ollie y Dean. La narración tampoco es que sea una maravilla.