Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Kiss & Tell

What a cute read! I didn't expect to fall in love so quickly with this book, but I did. And it was so damn cute. I also loved how this handled teen sexuality and how the media treats LGBTQ+ celebrities. Not to mention white privilege of celebrity. Just a very good read that I enjoyed a lot.

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shamelesslyash's review against another edition

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emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Once again Khorram grabs me by the heart and won't let go! His writing is just so prefect. This was his first book out without Darius and it doesn't disappoint. The book is written through traditional chapters, interviews, gossip sites, and social media. It's a fun way to read the story of Hunter Drake.

Khorram doesn't shy away from what it's like to be young, gay, and famous. He brought out the truth and how it's not all sunshine and rainbows. I really like that Khorram also doesn't shy away from mental health in this book. I know in his Darius books there is talk of depression, so I wasn't sure if this book would also talk about mental illness, but it is brought up. Along with racism and some homophobia.

I really enjoyed this one. It's one of my top reads of the year.

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aus10england's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Another great book by Adib! I went in with pretty high expectations, considering how strong their first two books were, and for the most part I was satisfied. I think that the book is in its prime in the first half, as we get to see the boys on tour, and the drama that ensues. I appreciate that the main character is allow to be a #messygay, and I feel was realistically portrayed for somebody in that position. I also HEAVILY enjoyed the bits between chapters, (email exchanges between managers, text messages, tabloid articles, etc.) they really added to the story, and contextualized the fame of the characters involved. Where the book fell flat for me was the romance elements, I just didn’t buy the attraction and the actions that transpired. It is successful in the sense that it is VERY melodramatic. If you enjoy boy bands, flawed characters, and Canadian culture references, I would highly recommend!

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sarahmreads's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Five Canadian boys come together to form one of the world's biggest bands, Kiss & Tell, after a video of their first song "Poutine" goes viral. Now as they head off on the tour of their second album, Hunter Drake, the only opening gay member of the band, has to deal with heartbreak after his first major breakup and the repercussions that come with it. Will Hunter find a way back to who he authentically is, or will he crack under the pressure of the world watching his every move?

This story is very much authentically raw in its portrayal of marginalized communities within the public eye and the impacts on those marginalized and it really leaves an impact with you long after you finish. There were a few parts with Hunter being handled in ways he didn't approve of by fans that was so painful to read and I was convinced I couldn't get through it. Other parts included some hate speech even unsolicited pictures, and it really goes to show the brutal reality of being a member of a marginalized community while also being very much in the public eye.

There were a few really important discussions highlighted over the timeline of the main discourse of the story, that being how you can authentically be yourself when there are so many societal expectations pushed on you? The label that the boys play for (which is literally called The Label, could have had a better name) kept trying to force Hunter to be more feminine in his attire, or even present himself in an entirely different light just so the label and the band wouldn't go under. All the while, people from the LGBTQ+ community in various articles express concern that Hunter isn't owning his queerness, although he donates seats for each show to LGBTQ+ shelters. It really emphasizes double standards, and we even see that in Kaivan's story as a recently out gay with Iranian-American heritage. I can't speak to the accuracy of that representation as I am not of this ethnicity, but it was a really good discussion to be had.

Furthermore, Khorram isn't afraid to put it bluntly that white people don't need to be saviors for people of color or even attempt to fight their battles for them. POCs face much more difficult struggles that white people can't even comprehend, and it's up to them to figure out how they can be a good ally while also not stepping on their toes. It was wrapped up a bit too nicely at the end, but I'll get to that later.

The characters are messy, but they also work really well throughout the story when it comes to the overall plot. Hunter is definitely working through a lot, and at times has a tendency to focus on himself and shut out the rest of his friends and even his ex. While he was not the cleanest character I've read, I still really liked him through his struggles and his passions. It highlighted the best and worst parts of him, and that's why I liked him so much. I do wish we saw some more of the other band members, however, since a lot of the time is focused on Hunter's "relationship" with Kaivan and Hunter dealing with all the things the world expects of him.

Some things I was a bit iffy on while reading. First, the ending was too neat, as in it ended on a high note but absolutely no clue as to what happened after the end of the last chapter. We know the epilogue is them still on tour, but that's it. There's no clue as to what The Label (I'm sorry it's such a dumb name) is doing to make up for what they've done, or the band, or what happens between Hunter and his love interest. Yeah it circles back to the very beginning, but give us a better idea of the outcome of the story.

Next, some conversations about self-pleasure were had, primarily through Hunter's perspective, but it was kind of just forced at the beginning and not really talked about since? For me, it could have been a discussion on positive reinforcement and normalization of masturbation but read as another typical teenage boy needing to get off. I know it adds to Hunter's messy character, but it was uncomfortable for me to read.

Despite its flaws, Kiss & Tell is a fast-paced and beautiful story that my former One Direction fan self fell in love with. It's brutal and honest and passionate and absolutely addicting.

I received a copy of this story as an e-ARC from NetGalley and Penguin Teen. Any and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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