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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 dysmorphiakristenreads'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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, and Abandonment
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
disclaimer if you’ve read other reviews by me and are noticing a pattern: You’re correct that I don’t really give starred reviews, I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless if I add stars or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
I thought this was a heavy but precious read about an 18-year-old senior year student who comes out to their parents as nonbinary. Mason explains that they needed this story when they were younger & I hope that young readers who may be questioning the road ahead in coming out to those they love find some hope and comfort in this book.
Are there challenging and heartbreaking parts of Benji’s journey? Absolutely, and I’m sure there’s still more to come as they grow up beyond the epilogue of this book (of what I’d imagine haha) but I really enjoyed this coming-of-age and reunited sibling story so much. I appreciated the representation of going to talk therapy, and normalizing medication, rather than demonizing and stigmatizing it.
Thank you for a lovely read and sweet characters who are trying their best, Mason!
I thought this was a heavy but precious read about an 18-year-old senior year student who comes out to their parents as nonbinary. Mason explains that they needed this story when they were younger & I hope that young readers who may be questioning the road ahead in coming out to those they love find some hope and comfort in this book.
Are there challenging and heartbreaking parts of Benji’s journey? Absolutely, and I’m sure there’s still more to come as they grow up beyond the epilogue of this book (of what I’d imagine haha) but I really enjoyed this coming-of-age and reunited sibling story so much. I appreciated the representation of going to talk therapy, and normalizing medication, rather than demonizing and stigmatizing it.
Thank you for a lovely read and sweet characters who are trying their best, Mason!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, and Transphobia
Minor: Pregnancy
roxanned'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-phobiapotion96's review against another edition
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Abandonment
megb64'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
nniamhh's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Abandonment
pineappleliquid's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
I really related to the book, and it was written in a way that made it understandable and relatable. It was also realistic, because event though not everyone gets thrown out for being queer, we cant forget about those that do. And to be able to have a story where this happens and to show the real struggles that we often face, its important.
The one thing i disliked a little bit is like how some of the conversations was written. Like, it sometimes felt awkward and unnatural.
The one thing i disliked a little bit is like how some of the conversations was written. Like, it sometimes felt awkward and unnatural.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Dysphoria and Transphobia
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