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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
I decided to choose a book about a nonbinary person for the Transrights Readathon because that’s probably the identity that’s hardest for me to wrap my head around. And reading is a great way to gain understanding. I Wish You All the Best is a young adult novel about Ben, who is kicked out of their house when they come out to their parents as nonbinary. Like, kicked out so fast they don’t even have time to grab their phone or their shoes! Luckily, Ben finds a pay phone and calls their older sister to come to get them. She left their parents’ oppressive household ten years ago and never looked back.
Ben starts a new high school in the town their sister lives in but is still afraid to come out to their new friends, in part because of how traumatizing coming out to their parents was. They have panic attacks and are in therapy. Eventfully, they start medication as well.
This book was so well done. The author is nonbinary as well and their author’s note explains how they have drawn on their experiences as well as the experiences of others to tell this story. This book will lead to greater understanding for those people who want to learn more about what it means to be nonbinary and will make any nonbinary readers feel like they are not alone. Highly recommended.
Ben starts a new high school in the town their sister lives in but is still afraid to come out to their new friends, in part because of how traumatizing coming out to their parents was. They have panic attacks and are in therapy. Eventfully, they start medication as well.
This book was so well done. The author is nonbinary as well and their author’s note explains how they have drawn on their experiences as well as the experiences of others to tell this story. This book will lead to greater understanding for those people who want to learn more about what it means to be nonbinary and will make any nonbinary readers feel like they are not alone. Highly recommended.
I Wish You All the Best is the most honest and unflinching novel I've read this year. Ben De Backer's journey of self-discovery is lovingly written and never shies away from how complex and painful life can be for non-binary teens seeking acceptance; however, beneath the story's adversity, Deaver weaves an affirming and crucial thread of hope, stitching together their readers' heartache with continuous healing. This is the first YA book I've read told from an own voices non-binary perspective and, as a cisgender reader, I was especially appreciative for the moments that made me reflect on the privilege of my gender identity and how I can continue to learn and grow as a person and in my understanding of the experiences that Deaver portrays.
All the best books I've read not only carried me through an engaging and emotional story but also left me changed in some personal, essential way once I reached the end. I Wish You All the Best did both of those things. Its discussions of mental health, identity, sexuality, friendship, and family struck home for me in ways that I didn't always expect, and it has real potential to foster necessary conversations about understanding and respecting gender identity. This book is going to be important and life-changing for so many people when it hits shelves and I hope everyone who sees it gives it a chance.
Thank you to the author for being gracious enough to provide me with an ARC. I'm grateful to know you, honored to work with you, and ecstatic to witness your rising success. I wish you all the best.
All the best books I've read not only carried me through an engaging and emotional story but also left me changed in some personal, essential way once I reached the end. I Wish You All the Best did both of those things. Its discussions of mental health, identity, sexuality, friendship, and family struck home for me in ways that I didn't always expect, and it has real potential to foster necessary conversations about understanding and respecting gender identity. This book is going to be important and life-changing for so many people when it hits shelves and I hope everyone who sees it gives it a chance.
Thank you to the author for being gracious enough to provide me with an ARC. I'm grateful to know you, honored to work with you, and ecstatic to witness your rising success. I wish you all the best.
“I've been mentally preparing myself to come out all over again, but I've been doing that for a while now. That was one of the things I realized early. If you're queer, your life has the potential to become one long coming-out moment. If I ever want to be called the right pronouns, I'll have to correct people and put myself out there first and who knows what could happen.”
I am a retired librarian who selected materials for our local public library. I had a private motto that if you couldn’t find something in our library to offend you, I wasn’t doing my job correctly. The public library is for the community and the people in that group are diverse. Therefore we need to have a diverse set of material.
Apparently, Deaver’s novel is offending a lot of people. I am guessing the motivation is fear. Because I see no other reason for keeping this story from high school students. It is a well-told novel about Ben De Backer’s coming out as non-binary. It is not racy, it is not explicit either about sex or the changes that Ben may want to make as he transitions. Ben, himself, is still figuring things out. The fact that you get to witness Ben’s thought process makes this a good story for others who are figuring out where they are on the LGQTIA+ spectrum.
I am grateful to those who want to ban this novel. I would not have picked it up without them. I am glad I met Ben, his sister and all the other supportive people in Ben’s life. It would be good if the people who wanted to ban this book would actually read it before banning it. They might decide that it isn’t so bad.
I am a retired librarian who selected materials for our local public library. I had a private motto that if you couldn’t find something in our library to offend you, I wasn’t doing my job correctly. The public library is for the community and the people in that group are diverse. Therefore we need to have a diverse set of material.
Apparently, Deaver’s novel is offending a lot of people. I am guessing the motivation is fear. Because I see no other reason for keeping this story from high school students. It is a well-told novel about Ben De Backer’s coming out as non-binary. It is not racy, it is not explicit either about sex or the changes that Ben may want to make as he transitions. Ben, himself, is still figuring things out. The fact that you get to witness Ben’s thought process makes this a good story for others who are figuring out where they are on the LGQTIA+ spectrum.
I am grateful to those who want to ban this novel. I would not have picked it up without them. I am glad I met Ben, his sister and all the other supportive people in Ben’s life. It would be good if the people who wanted to ban this book would actually read it before banning it. They might decide that it isn’t so bad.
I'm really glad I read this book. I liked the queer representation and the genuine exploration of family and relationships and how reactions can ruin relationships. I enjoyed watching the characters heal. I also really connected with the sister, being an older sister myself. I understand the responsibility of being the one to parent the kids and comfort them when the parent does something messed up. That being said, this book made me really sad. (The writing was also subpar which lost it a star). But I'm glad I read it.
This book was fantastic! I don't think I've actually read any young adult books with non-binary characters before this, and in all honesty, I wasn't expecting much. I've read a solid amount of LGBT+ YA books that were mediocre, and went into this assuming it'd just be okay. I was pleasantly surprised by how well-written, emotional, and realistic this book was. I loved the narrator and every one of their friends, and thought this book did a great job of including serious, upsetting moments without making the tone of the book dark. This book felt hopeful, and romantic, and just made me really happy overall. If you're looking for a book with non-binary characters that you'll love, or a YA book where the main character is actually likable and relatable, then check this out. Also, bonus points for having a character with anxiety whose anxiety is portrayed in an accurate, realistic way.
Very sweet and a good representation of the trials and tribulations queer youth go through as they seek acceptance. You can tell that the happy ending is coming, but there’s sure a lot of heartbreak and stress along the way. That’s a realistic depiction of reality for many queer youth, to be sure, but at times the story gets caught up in just how awful reality can truly be. Overall, still a good book with an excellent plot.
This book made me cry. The plot is quite dramatic, but I thought it was well balanced by a low-key main character POV. It was a nuanced YA (not as common in my experience) but still managed to get major lessons across without overly earnest soliloquies by the characters. I especially liked the focus on apologizing for pain you caused people you care about, even if it wasn't something you "did wrong" and came from total ignorance. I think that's a beautiful lesson to teach young adults (and adults, really).
I also thought the first person POV was very helpful to illustrate the gender affirming euphoria that I wish was more of a focus in correct pronoun discussions. (I'm probably being too optimistic to think talking about gender affirming euphoria rather than getting pronouns wrong would change the tone of pronoun & gender discussions. But I can hope!)
I also thought the first person POV was very helpful to illustrate the gender affirming euphoria that I wish was more of a focus in correct pronoun discussions. (I'm probably being too optimistic to think talking about gender affirming euphoria rather than getting pronouns wrong would change the tone of pronoun & gender discussions. But I can hope!)
dark
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:
Yes
Well-paced story of family dysfunction, self-acceptance, growth, and friendship.
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
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