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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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Transphobia
Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
Minor: Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Outing, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Dysphoria
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
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.
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, and Alcohol
Minor: Emotional abuse and Sexual content
Additional TW/CW: Harry Potter references, divorce, underage drinking, parent abandonmentmaudsmeets'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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Outing
Moderate: Sexual content
darkmattersoybean's review against another edition
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content and Abandonment
missreadbeforebed's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.0
I really appreciated the many discussions it brought up about a lot of different social issues and the representation of many LGBT and racial backgrounds but overall I felt like a lot of these conversations were inorganic to the plot and that maybe the story would have flowed better if it felt like some of the side elements (while important and definitely need to be discussed more in YA books) fit the core of the story better. I love what it’s trying to do, I just think the execution was lacking. Too much trying to be touched on in one book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Transphobia, and Outing
Moderate: Sexual content
alouette's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
0.25 stars off but only because i wasn't really on board with the writing style in the first few chapters, and the introduction confused me because it threw the reader right in. other than that? amazing, show-stopping, awe-inspiring, etc.
seriously, this is a very important and very good novel. the characters felt very real- honest and messy and full of depth and wonderfully queer. i especially loved the dialogue on how labels can feel restraining, but can also lead you to the validation of being able to put an experience that connects you with a whole group of people into words. the character interaction dialogue in general was very flirty and funny as well :)
and that ending was so incredibly cute. loved it. idc if it's cheesy queer people deserve happy endings too. also best friends to lovers trope better than enemies to lovers trope, confirmed? hehe
seriously, this is a very important and very good novel. the characters felt very real- honest and messy and full of depth and wonderfully queer. i especially loved the dialogue on how labels can feel restraining, but can also lead you to the validation of being able to put an experience that connects you with a whole group of people into words. the character interaction dialogue in general was very flirty and funny as well :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Transphobia, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Sexual content
loandbeholdx's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
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
3.0
The cast of characters in this book is so diverse, and it's so refreshing to see transgender, non-binary, and people of colour as main characters. The journey that the main character goes on to try and discover their identity was what made this book. I felt the discussions and topics raised about gender identity and sexuality were dealt with well, and could be very helpful and relatable to anyone going through a similar struggle trying to work out their identity.
However, I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style, and I didn't fall in love with any of the characters personalities.
However, I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style, and I didn't fall in love with any of the characters personalities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug use, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Alcohol
Minor: Racism, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
yvonne_cl's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Outing, and Abandonment
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Drug use
Minor: Sexual content
lena_and_her_books's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Transphobia
Moderate: Sexual content and Religious bigotry
off page deadnaming. Drug use/abuse: minors drink heavily and smoke weed regularly