Scan barcode
americattt's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.25
“You always point out the problems with the paintings or the drawings. But what about the things you got right?”
“What about them?”
“Don’t they mean something?”
His words make my stomach drop. I don’t know, maybe he’s right. But I don’t think he realizes how difficult it can be to forget all the mistakes when I know they’re my fault. When I know I should have caught them. “It’s hard to be proud of something you messed up, even if everything around it is perfect.”
“Don’t ignore the problems,” he says. “Learn from them. But also, don’t knock what you get right. Every success deserves a celebration.”
“What about them?”
“Don’t they mean something?”
His words make my stomach drop. I don’t know, maybe he’s right. But I don’t think he realizes how difficult it can be to forget all the mistakes when I know they’re my fault. When I know I should have caught them. “It’s hard to be proud of something you messed up, even if everything around it is perfect.”
“Don’t ignore the problems,” he says. “Learn from them. But also, don’t knock what you get right. Every success deserves a celebration.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Dysphoria
Minor: Child abuse
asipofcozy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
4.0
At the end of I Wish You All the Best I was left wanting more. More of Ben, more of Nathan, more of the dynamic between everyone because I absolutely adored this book. That beginning left me feeling so many things - anger, connection, frustration, hurt, jarred. And throughout the book I felt like I was being swept away with so many emotions and following along with Ben and their feelings.
What I think this book does really well at is showing the other side of reality and coming out. We are starting to really see an uptick in LGBTQIAP+ literature (which I am very grateful for). However, many of the books out there portray a lot positive coming-outs, which we need to feel hopeful, but at the same time we also need the ones where there isn't a positive coming out, like in the case of Benji coming out to their parents and being kicked-out.
I am not saying we shouldn't have all the positive examples of coming-out but for some of us coming-out was not a positive experience and we are left wondering, hoping will it get better? How can we move on from this? Can we still be accepted? Benji feels all of this and more, struggling through anxiety and depression and fear of coming out ever again. I connected with them on such a large scale.
My only critique would be that I wanted more, I wanted more of the characters, of the ending plot, of Nathan and Benji. More of Benji growing and gaining confidence. However, it seems like there is a Novella that is available to us so definitely picking it up :).
What I think this book does really well at is showing the other side of reality and coming out. We are starting to really see an uptick in LGBTQIAP+ literature (which I am very grateful for). However, many of the books out there portray a lot positive coming-outs, which we need to feel hopeful, but at the same time we also need the ones where there isn't a positive coming out, like in the case of Benji coming out to their parents and being kicked-out.
I am not saying we shouldn't have all the positive examples of coming-out but for some of us coming-out was not a positive experience and we are left wondering, hoping will it get better? How can we move on from this? Can we still be accepted? Benji feels all of this and more, struggling through anxiety and depression and fear of coming out ever again. I connected with them on such a large scale.
My only critique would be that I wanted more, I wanted more of the characters, of the ending plot, of Nathan and Benji. More of Benji growing and gaining confidence. However, it seems like there is a Novella that is available to us so definitely picking it up :).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Transphobia, Homophobia, Abandonment, Mental illness, and Outing
Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Also contains some body dysmorphiaroxanned's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.25
Ben De Backer's story is necessary and important. It is also emotional and beautiful.
In this book important topicslike identity, sexuality, family, therapy, anxiety and how to recover from a terrible event are addressed respectfully and in a way everyone can understand them. It is about what it means to be nonbinary, people being different than expected and different types of love (among other things) .
I'm not nonbinary so it's not my place to say something about the quality of Ben's representation. The intentional imperfect portrait of their support system seems realistic though. Hannah, Thomas and Nathan are trying their best but also make mistakeswith pronouns and other gendered words . It is one of the possible situations that could happen in real life.
Deaver calls attention to things that make Ben uncomfortablelike gendered clothing, gendered toiletries, coming out , which shouldn't be an issue in modern society but they still are. Thus, the book invites reflection and discussion.
Overall a cute and meaningful story, that isn't romance heavy but has a lot to do with love.
In this book important topics
I'm not nonbinary so it's not my place to say something about the quality of Ben's representation. The intentional imperfect portrait of their support system seems realistic though. Hannah, Thomas and Nathan are trying their best but also make mistakes
Deaver calls attention to things that make Ben uncomfortable
Overall a cute and meaningful story, that isn't romance heavy but has a lot to do with love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Abandonment, Homophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Alcohol, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Pregnancy, Outing, Body shaming, and Eating disorder
lotoblanco's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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: Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, and Emotional abuse
non binary-phobiamegb64's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Mental illness, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Outing
axel_p's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
I really like it at first, but after a while it got boring to hear the main character complain so much.
Content Warnings
Minor: Physical abuse, Vomit, Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Transphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Outing
anna_17793's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Homophobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Dysphoria
Minor: Physical abuse
danielle2121's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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? No
4.75
This was exactly what I needed right now, and I loved every second of it.
Me and probably 90% of my friends all fall into the lgbtqia+ spectrum somewhere so, sooo much of this book was extremely relatable in many ways, but also very educational too! I love learning new things about this beautiful community I’m in and I will never say no to a queer book about a non binary character written by a non binary author too! You could really tell the authenticity of every word written, it was wonderful to read.
Ben and Nathan please get in my pocket so I can protect you and let you be happy for the rest of eternity. I adore them both.
Me and probably 90% of my friends all fall into the lgbtqia+ spectrum somewhere so, sooo much of this book was extremely relatable in many ways, but also very educational too! I love learning new things about this beautiful community I’m in and I will never say no to a queer book about a non binary character written by a non binary author too! You could really tell the authenticity of every word written, it was wonderful to read.
Ben and Nathan please get in my pocket so I can protect you and let you be happy for the rest of eternity. I adore them both.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment
Minor: Child abuse
brenn_a_boo's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Ben, nonbinary, comes out to their parents and is kicked out. Fortunately, Ben has an estranged older sister who gladly takes them in. While enrolled at a new school, Ben meets Nathan, who is boyfriend-material. I found this book to be both informative and compelling regarding being nonbinary, but do think that half the conflict is due to Ben overthinking everything. Very happy to see a positive portrayal of therapy, which was sorely needed-- it felt like Ben's issues had issues. A little too relatable on the depression/anxiety side of things for me to consider this book for a reread. A very sweet relationship between Ben and Nathan.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
tahsintries's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Dysphoria and Transphobia
Minor: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia