Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

52 reviews

jeanniea's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted 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

4.75

Love the themes of the book and the conversations held by characters to discuss important subject matters. It was a little slower in the beginning of the book, and the pace and plot picked up close to halfway thru the story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Drug use, Hate crime, Outing, and Transphobia

Minor: Deadnaming, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

sarahlovesbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Minor: Sexual content

arlangrey17's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Medical content, Outing, Racism, Sexual content, and Transphobia

seawarrior's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring tense 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

5.0

This was a lovely book to read. Felix endeared himself to me quickly, he has as many strengths as he does flaws, and felt like a teenager who could realistically exist. I really enjoyed getting to know his perspective and following his journey of self discovery. I also enjoyed that the other characters in Felix's world are given more dimension as the story progresses. Felix's fluctuating relationships with Ezra, with his father, with Leah, with Declan, and with all the other peers and adults in his life who he feels either judged or guided by, powerfully speak to the many types of love we can experience in this world, and how to learn which types of love are worth developing and worth our energy.

Many of the plot elements in this book didn't resolve themselves in the way I was expecting but I found that even more rewarding, since it showed how Felix and his values grew throughout the narrative. Overall I felt that this was a very strong and empowering novel and I love how the ending passages mimic the start, but with a new, more loving light glowing over Felix's world. Transgender youth, especially transgender youth of color, are lucky to have this book to read and relate to on their own journeys of self discovery and acceptance. I highly recommend this title to other readers and am grateful I encountered it myself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Deadnaming, Drug use, Outing, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Sexual content

leni_cant's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Hate crime, Outing, Cursing, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, and Drug use

Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Racism, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Biphobia, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Stalking

jjpope's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, and Outing

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Cursing, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Medical content, and Sexual content

valereads's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

 "It's easier to accept hurt and pain, sometimes, than love and acceptance."

When an anonymous person puts up a gallery of Felix's pre-transition photos in their school's foyer, Felix is pretty sure he knows who's responsible: Declan Keane. Felix has a plan to get revenge: he's going to catfish him, only then Declan confesses that he's falling for Felix's alter ego and Felix might be falling for him too.

This beautiful contemporary novel follows Felix as he deals with complicated friendships, falling in love for the first time and questioning his gender. I absolutely adored this book and cannot recommend it highly enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Transphobia

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Dysphoria

Minor: Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content

emily_mh's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

This book is officially my new favourite book of 2021. I've just finished it and I'm at a loss of what to say; it just means so much to me. I loved the conversations it held, such those about pronouns and transphobic "feminists", but also ones about love and what this feels like and looks like and how you are deserving of it. Felix was an incredible main character. He had so much confusion and hope and I felt so caught up in his journey of self discovery and acceptance. He is a character that is going to stay with me for a long time. 

However, this book deserves 5 stars not just because of how meaningful it was to me, but also because it was just GOOD. The pacing was fantastic; I read it in two sittings. The romance was gorgeous and done so, so well. The book was also just so poetic. I've highlighted so many places, and the ending was perfect. I genuinely love this book so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Abandonment, Bullying, Deadnaming, and Outing

Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Cursing, Gaslighting, Homophobia, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Ableism, Blood, Death, Dysphoria, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Vomit

leahlovesloslibros's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I'm going to start off by saying that I know I am in the vast minority of readers regarding my thoughts/rating of this book. I do believe that there are plenty of people who will read it and really enjoy it. I just wasn't one of those people.

My biggest issue: Felix was an unlikable main character. I thought he was selfish, arrogant, and pretentious. While I can completely understand and sympathize with his struggles as a minority, it just seemed like he never had anything positive to say. Rather than trying to make the best of his situation, he preferred to tear others down. I did not like that he was perfectly fine hurting someone else who had hurt him. I know that revenge is a common storyline - and normally it doesn't bother me - but the execution on this one was just so blatantly mean that I couldn't get on-board with his line of thinking.

Once Felix found out that Declan wasn't behind the gallery and therefore no longer wanted revenge on him, the character became somewhat more palatable. Even so, my opinion of him didn't start changing until about halfway through the book, and by that point the damage had been done.

While I never came around to liking Felix, there were redeeming qualities to the book. The discussion of privilege was a big one. Characters were varied in race, ethnicity, and SES, which sparked several discussions about privilege and how it affects individuals, both positively and negatively. There were also multiple conversations surrounding gender identity and how it can change even after you think you have it all figured out, which I think is so important. 

Overall thoughts: Although I didn't enjoy this book, I can definitely see how others do. I would consider recommending it in certain circumstances but generally would not go out of my way to do so.

Rep: black trans MC, biracial (black, Indian) gay SC, black/Puerto Rican SC, bisexual SC, lesbian SC

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia

Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, and Drug use

Minor: Emotional abuse and Sexual content

Additional TW/CW: Harry Potter references, divorce, underage drinking, parent abandonment

maudsmeets's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.75

This is a really special book that I needed to read. I'm so grateful it exists. This will help so many people. That's all I can say right now. Might write a full review later.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Transphobia, and Deadnaming

Moderate: Sexual content