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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
I love Adib Khorram. I love how vulnerable he is with his writing. And I love how true everything he writes rings in this horribly false world.
But I still was looking at a 4 for this book. The pacing or something just felt off for me for most of the book. But, when Hunter got real? When his friends got real with him? It became a 5. And also, how could I not love a book that has a Canadian boy band with a break-out hit called “Poutine?” That’s just too good!!!
But I still was looking at a 4 for this book. The pacing or something just felt off for me for most of the book. But, when Hunter got real? When his friends got real with him? It became a 5. And also, how could I not love a book that has a Canadian boy band with a break-out hit called “Poutine?” That’s just too good!!!
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book largely about the public perception of queerness and how it's supposed to look like, and I loved that we got so many snippets of interviews, tabloid articles, and internet responses. Adib Khorram does a great job of making you angry over the public's entitlement but root for the main character characters even when he messes up.
My issue is that the central romance felt rushed and superficial. Slightly dishonest, even. I also wanted more out of the plethora of the diverse side characters. Now, you could argue that this was necessary for our MC Hunter's character development, but I felt like we only really heard them (the band members besides Ashton honestly blend together) when Hunter needed to be called out.
My issue is that the central romance felt rushed and superficial. Slightly dishonest, even. I also wanted more out of the plethora of the diverse side characters. Now, you could argue that this was necessary for our MC Hunter's character development, but I felt like we only really heard them (the band members besides Ashton honestly blend together) when Hunter needed to be called out.
Adib Khorram has done it again! This book came in today and then suddenly I was already finished. Whoops? I love the incorporation of social media, newsletter articles, interview transcripts, and so forth. It worked so well and made the read so fast and fun. (And at times, excruciating, as intended.)
The romance at the core of it all is very beautiful. Though off to a fast start, which isn't always my favourite, the development was so wonderful to watch unfold. And more than that, this book shone in the way it balanced a coming-of-age story in the spotlight with deeply poignant musings about social media, the entitlement of fans towards artists, and the way sexuality or ethnicity or race - anything that could make you different - are expected to be performed.
Tackling that kind of topic while still telling a heartwarming story isn't easy, but I found it balanced out very nicely, which is no surprise from one of my favourite writers. It also struck a chord very deeply within me that I did not expect, but then again, I was a fool to think I could read an Adib Khorram novel without undergoing an emotional journey that leaves me slightly changed, and for the better.
The romance at the core of it all is very beautiful. Though off to a fast start, which isn't always my favourite, the development was so wonderful to watch unfold. And more than that, this book shone in the way it balanced a coming-of-age story in the spotlight with deeply poignant musings about social media, the entitlement of fans towards artists, and the way sexuality or ethnicity or race - anything that could make you different - are expected to be performed.
Tackling that kind of topic while still telling a heartwarming story isn't easy, but I found it balanced out very nicely, which is no surprise from one of my favourite writers. It also struck a chord very deeply within me that I did not expect, but then again, I was a fool to think I could read an Adib Khorram novel without undergoing an emotional journey that leaves me slightly changed, and for the better.
Boy bands and queer stories, two of my favorite things! This was a fun, easy read that also had a lot of depth. I enjoyed the articles and text threads mixed in with the chapters.
All the gay stuff I remember reading when I was in secondary school was so g.d. grim, just homophobia and coming out and AIDS, etc. And obviously that has its place. But always so nice to read just gay fluffery. Escapism.
And so, while Kiss & Tell won't be revolutionizing language or giving LOST style puzzles to solve, it was exactly what it should be: formulaic with a happy ending. It brings up some more "important" ideas (bottom shaming, racial privledge, tensions between palatability and authenticity) in a genre and age appropriate way. Very sex positive.
And so, while Kiss & Tell won't be revolutionizing language or giving LOST style puzzles to solve, it was exactly what it should be: formulaic with a happy ending. It brings up some more "important" ideas (bottom shaming, racial privledge, tensions between palatability and authenticity) in a genre and age appropriate way. Very sex positive.
3.5 stars
rep: gay protagonist, gay Iranian-American love interest, Vietnamese-Canadian side character, Indian-Canadian side character, Brazilian-Canadian side character; (gay Iranian-American author)
The boy band premise of this book first caught my eye, especially with a gay protagonist. It delved into a lot of interesting topics, about being a boy band member and famous and gay. Kiss & Tell examined the weight of being a gay celebrity in the spotlight.
After a video of Hunter and his friends singing goes viral, they now form the members of the beloved boy band Kiss & Tell, with two successful albums and a current world tour. Hunter himself has gone recently gone through a rough break-up with his bandmate Ashton‘s twin brother Aiden. When Aiden leaks their explicit texts, Hunter is forced to go under a rebranding from The Label. Part of this rebranding entails a relationship with Kaivan, one of the members of Kiss & Tell’s opening act.
This book examined the scrutiny boy band members undergo, twice-over in Hunter’s case, as he is the only gay member of their group. It pointed out how boy band members are expected to be celibate, good role models for the kids, Hunter, especially because of people’s dislike of hearing about LGBTQ+ people’s sex lives and people’s preconceptions about bottoms. After Hunter and Aiden’s texts make headlines, The Label strongly suggests Hunter dress more femme, in line with what people associate with bottoms.
Hunter has to be “a good gay,” something he’s stomached for years but is increasingly becoming more and more uncomfortable with. He also is either fetishized or villified; there are news articles in between chapters, which emphasizes how Hunter is simultaneously a bad role model for having sex and for hiding his sex life. We also get a few fanfiction snippets, which emphasized how people have a complete disregard for celebrities’ lives, even if Hunter and his ex were (and still are) minors.
The romance was cute. Hunter and Kaivan obviously like each other a lot from the very beginning, and their dates and getting to know each other moments were very cute. I also liked how Kaivan calls out Hunter’s privilege. As much as Hunter has to play it safe in the media, he is white and isn’t subject to the scrutiny that his bandmates and Kaivan undergo.
I also liked the characters. As I mentioned, Kaivan proves to be a good support system for Hunter, who is grateful to have a gay person his age on the tour. The other band members of Kiss & Tell—Ethan, Ian, Owen, and Ashton—are also always there for him, even if he refuses to see their support sometimes.
As far as representation, Hunter is gay, as I mentioned. Kaivan is gay and Iranian-American. The other members are Vietnamese-Canadian, Indian-Canadian, and Brazilian-Canadian.
Kiss & Tell was a cute story that also examined the pressures of being gay and famous. I liked the characters, and the romance was cute. If you’re looking for a cute contemporary, you should check out Kiss & Tell!
interesting take on the spotlight of boy band members + gay celebrities
read on my blog
rep: gay protagonist, gay Iranian-American love interest, Vietnamese-Canadian side character, Indian-Canadian side character, Brazilian-Canadian side character; (gay Iranian-American author)
**I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley (thank you, Penguin Teen!). These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
The boy band premise of this book first caught my eye, especially with a gay protagonist. It delved into a lot of interesting topics, about being a boy band member and famous and gay. Kiss & Tell examined the weight of being a gay celebrity in the spotlight.
After a video of Hunter and his friends singing goes viral, they now form the members of the beloved boy band Kiss & Tell, with two successful albums and a current world tour. Hunter himself has gone recently gone through a rough break-up with his bandmate Ashton‘s twin brother Aiden. When Aiden leaks their explicit texts, Hunter is forced to go under a rebranding from The Label. Part of this rebranding entails a relationship with Kaivan, one of the members of Kiss & Tell’s opening act.
This book examined the scrutiny boy band members undergo, twice-over in Hunter’s case, as he is the only gay member of their group. It pointed out how boy band members are expected to be celibate, good role models for the kids, Hunter, especially because of people’s dislike of hearing about LGBTQ+ people’s sex lives and people’s preconceptions about bottoms. After Hunter and Aiden’s texts make headlines, The Label strongly suggests Hunter dress more femme, in line with what people associate with bottoms.
Hunter has to be “a good gay,” something he’s stomached for years but is increasingly becoming more and more uncomfortable with. He also is either fetishized or villified; there are news articles in between chapters, which emphasizes how Hunter is simultaneously a bad role model for having sex and for hiding his sex life. We also get a few fanfiction snippets, which emphasized how people have a complete disregard for celebrities’ lives, even if Hunter and his ex were (and still are) minors.
The romance was cute. Hunter and Kaivan obviously like each other a lot from the very beginning, and their dates and getting to know each other moments were very cute. I also liked how Kaivan calls out Hunter’s privilege. As much as Hunter has to play it safe in the media, he is white and isn’t subject to the scrutiny that his bandmates and Kaivan undergo.
I also liked the characters. As I mentioned, Kaivan proves to be a good support system for Hunter, who is grateful to have a gay person his age on the tour. The other band members of Kiss & Tell—Ethan, Ian, Owen, and Ashton—are also always there for him, even if he refuses to see their support sometimes.
As far as representation, Hunter is gay, as I mentioned. Kaivan is gay and Iranian-American. The other members are Vietnamese-Canadian, Indian-Canadian, and Brazilian-Canadian.
Kiss & Tell was a cute story that also examined the pressures of being gay and famous. I liked the characters, and the romance was cute. If you’re looking for a cute contemporary, you should check out Kiss & Tell!
original review:
interesting take on the spotlight of boy band members + gay celebrities
funny
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is probably a 4.5/5 star book for me, rounding up.
I loved it. It was so wildly different from Khorram's previous books, a little lighter and frothier, more fun, but still carried the same sort of introspective thoughtfulness that I feel has become his hallmark as a writer.
As always, the characters were so easy to get on board with and root for, and while the romance at times felt a little half-baked, it was overall incredibly sweet and just...lovely is the best word I can think of to describe it.
Khorram's writing is some of the best YA writing I've read in recent years, and reading something so different from his previous books, I'm even more excited to see what he writes next and see how else he continues stretching his skill.
I loved it. It was so wildly different from Khorram's previous books, a little lighter and frothier, more fun, but still carried the same sort of introspective thoughtfulness that I feel has become his hallmark as a writer.
As always, the characters were so easy to get on board with and root for, and while the romance at times felt a little half-baked, it was overall incredibly sweet and just...lovely is the best word I can think of to describe it.
Khorram's writing is some of the best YA writing I've read in recent years, and reading something so different from his previous books, I'm even more excited to see what he writes next and see how else he continues stretching his skill.
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's refreshing to read a book that approaches topics around queerness and queer sexuality with so much frankness. Like, teenage queers send spicy texts and have messy awkward sex and, critically for this book, don't always make fully logical, cool-headed decisions when under a lot of pressure. At times I would think to myself "just fucking communicate!!!" and then I would remember myself at 17 and how I thought I had it so together but was actually thoroughly incapable of articulating my feelings and needs, and would then think "ah... nevermind." Just like Darius the Great, I think that this book does a great job of exploring the weird little nuances of a bunch of teenagers who have had fame thrust upon them trying to navigate their interpersonal relationships and the challenges and intersections of their respective identities, and it does it all with such a wry and heartfelt narrative voice. Charming, funny. My only gripe is that I feel like we didn't get quite enough time spent on the reconciliation at the end, but I guess also the relationship itself wasn't the whole point of the book, so I can forgive it.
I loved Adib Khorram's Darius the Great books but this one just wasn't hittin the same for me. The message was cool and I'm glad there's more YA out there talking about queer relationships and sex. It just didn't reel me in like his other books. I found myself just wanting to know what happens at the end and getting a little bored. Also descriptions of teenage steamy sex scenes felt kinda weird to read as an adult lol.