Reviews

This was such a fantastic read of a transgender teen finding his self and that they are worthy of love. There is drama of a high end high school art school, friends, loves, more drama, teen age "fun" and art.
I really enjoyed the story line, friends, side characters, high school part of it, NYC, the awkward dad moments and the HEA!
Great own voices book that gives a view into a world that is "new" for most people!

whatchareadingheather's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad 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? No

4.25

Definitely YA but also discusses important aspects of identity and doesn’t sugarcoat the existing prejudices in the queer community in a way that is easily digestible.

buer's review against another edition

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4.0

Felix is weighed down by many of the problems of a teenager. He can't seem to put his art portfolio together for college, he wants desperately to find love, and he's also struggling to come to terms with who he is. When an anonymous classmate creates a gallery of images of Felix before he transitioned it sets off a series of events, painful as they may be, that helps Felix refine his vision of himself, finally find love, and rediscover his optimism for his future.

I can see this being a great book for teenagers who are grappling with any of the many questions Felix is grappling with, but as an adult who lived a much more G-rated childhood than than Felix, some of this book felt a little off to me. The frequency of sex, drugs, and drinking seems excessive to me but maybe that's just how teenagers are in New York or at art schools? That said, as a non-binary person I found his explorations of gender identity really nuanced and refreshing.

I recommend this for current teenagers, queer folks, and anyone who likes a good coming of age story.

katiearcher's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.5

First, I really ended up enjoying this book. I am not the target audience and I try to keep that in mind when I read YA. It is very well written YA book but because I’m so far removed from the experiences Felix is going through I found him very whiny and annoying at times. I will say that is true of teenagers, they cannot see past their own emotions. Now that’s not to say Felix didn’t have real issues going on and real things to be upset about but he also couldnt appreciate the good things in his life or acknowledge that he was holding himself back. All of that aside, the characters in this story felt very real and well developed and the story was incredibly impactful.

Content Warnings

adas_library's review against another edition

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4.0

I think my heart just grew a little 🥲

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