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marissagoodell92's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
ladyleigh's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Incest, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
autismandniamh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Sexual assault, Violence, Racism, Outing, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
Moderate: Physical abuse, Incest, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug use
lousnewchapter's review against another edition
This memoir centres around the life of George M Johnson, activist and writer, and the struggles that he faced growing up as a queer black person.
Johnson writes in such an emotive and honest way, he talks of trying to find his identity in a society that continously tries to put us into boxes. And there are also themes of family, brotherhood, consent, toxic masculinity and marginilisation throughout. I also loved that whilst this was a personal account of Johnson's experiences he also directed this at a wider audience in the hopes that by telling his story it could help other people. Whether it be to help those who may be in the same situation as him feel as though they're not alone, to understand better and have this resource available to them that he never had himself or even if it's just for someone to become a better ally.
And its for that reason that I think it's great that this is marketed as a young adult memoir (although it can be read by people of any age) it deals with some tough topics and there are trigger warnings which are listed at the start of the book but as Johnson said these were things that he experienced as a teen himself so it's necessary that they are told especially because there are some teens that may have to navigate through these same things. In my eyes this is a must read and it should be a book that teachers encourage their students to read across schools. I feel as though this book could be a companion to those who are perhaps experiencing similar things but also for others to learn how to become a better ally to the LGBTQ+ community.
An honest and beautifully written memoir that will stay with me and one that I believe everyone should read.
TWs: sexual assault, homophobia, racism, death and racial/homophobic slurs
Thankyou so much to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Johnson writes in such an emotive and honest way, he talks of trying to find his identity in a society that continously tries to put us into boxes. And there are also themes of family, brotherhood, consent, toxic masculinity and marginilisation throughout. I also loved that whilst this was a personal account of Johnson's experiences he also directed this at a wider audience in the hopes that by telling his story it could help other people. Whether it be to help those who may be in the same situation as him feel as though they're not alone, to understand better and have this resource available to them that he never had himself or even if it's just for someone to become a better ally.
And its for that reason that I think it's great that this is marketed as a young adult memoir (although it can be read by people of any age) it deals with some tough topics and there are trigger warnings which are listed at the start of the book but as Johnson said these were things that he experienced as a teen himself so it's necessary that they are told especially because there are some teens that may have to navigate through these same things. In my eyes this is a must read and it should be a book that teachers encourage their students to read across schools. I feel as though this book could be a companion to those who are perhaps experiencing similar things but also for others to learn how to become a better ally to the LGBTQ+ community.
An honest and beautifully written memoir that will stay with me and one that I believe everyone should read.
TWs: sexual assault, homophobia, racism, death and racial/homophobic slurs
Thankyou so much to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
btothebooks's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
A few sweet and moving book - I wasn’t quite sure the “goal” of writing it at first, but it all comes together at the end and I enjoyed the wildly different perspective to my lived experiences.
wooyouknow's review
such empathy. it truly feels like a love letter to the people around him as well as his younger, present and future self