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emotional
reflective
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Gaslighting, Alcohol
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Outing
Moderate: Stalking, Abandonment
Minor: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Classism
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
Kacen Callender is just an amazing author!!! I really love their writing style, it's so beautiful, and also so affirming. I've wanted to read "Felix Ever After" for years and I'm glad I got around to it!
One of the things I like about Kacen's writing is that their characters are always complex and two-dimensional - like human beings, they make mistakes. And yes Felix does make some pretty big mistakes in this, but he also learns from it and takes accountability and grows. I love so many of the messages at the end, and I think that's what tipped it over to five stars for me, the messages of self love and acceptance and not chasing people's love who only hurt you.
I will say that this book is also sadder than I thought it would be! Felix goes through some really tough things, including horrible transphobia and bullying. I found that a bit hard sometimes, but I promise the end is worth it.
I also liked that Felix is questioning his identity throughout the book, as this is not something that is frequently talked about, but is something I've experienced and I know many others have to. A lot of this book as really relatable. The guilt, the confusion, the trying his best. It's just really well done.
I also loved Ezra and Felix's dynamic. Ezra was just such a good ally to felix and always so ready to defend him and celebrate his trans identity. I loved this!
I also thought the sub-plot with his mom was interesting. As someone who has some family in my life that I no longer talk to/no longer talk to me, I know how hard it is, and how much of a hole it rips into your being. I thought this was handled sensitively.
The discussions on privilege were also interesting, particular in relation to Ezra who is super- rich but has neglectful parents.
Overall it's just a great read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA/romance and wants to learn more about trans issues 🏳️⚧️❤️
Also, about who the transphobe is: I am putting this here as I am the kind of neurodivergent where sometimes I need to know a spoiler to help me get through something, which was the case here; after I was about halfway through I skipped ahead to find out who it was as it was killing me, so if you're like me and would like to know, then the answer is: Austin
One of the things I like about Kacen's writing is that their characters are always complex and two-dimensional - like human beings, they make mistakes. And yes Felix does make some pretty big mistakes in this, but he also learns from it and takes accountability and grows. I love so many of the messages at the end, and I think that's what tipped it over to five stars for me, the messages of self love and acceptance and not chasing people's love who only hurt you.
I will say that this book is also sadder than I thought it would be! Felix goes through some really tough things, including horrible transphobia and bullying. I found that a bit hard sometimes, but I promise the end is worth it.
I also liked that Felix is questioning his identity throughout the book, as this is not something that is frequently talked about, but is something I've experienced and I know many others have to. A lot of this book as really relatable. The guilt, the confusion, the trying his best. It's just really well done.
I also loved Ezra and Felix's dynamic. Ezra was just such a good ally to felix and always so ready to defend him and celebrate his trans identity. I loved this!
I also thought the sub-plot with his mom was interesting. As someone who has some family in my life that I no longer talk to/no longer talk to me, I know how hard it is, and how much of a hole it rips into your being. I thought this was handled sensitively.
The discussions on privilege were also interesting, particular in relation to Ezra who is super- rich but has neglectful parents.
Overall it's just a great read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA/romance and wants to learn more about trans issues 🏳️⚧️❤️
Also, about who the transphobe is:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Drug use, Hate crime, Transphobia, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Outing, Gaslighting
emotional
informative
tense
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
The exact book I needed as a teenager. It’s nice that I felt like I was reminiscing on something I didn’t experience, which is a testament to the good writing. Only thing I didn’t like: I felt like the romance between the besties was rushed. I would’ve appreciatetd more of Felix having the thoughts and feelings for Ezra, instead it just felt like everyone told them they wanted to be together so Felix was like oh okay wait actually maybe I do like him. Kids / teens should know its okay for someone else to like you, it's very possible your best friend might be in love with you, but if everyone's mature about it you can still have a relationship with that person and not be IN a relationship. Everything else was well done!
im so sick of harry potter being a feature in modern books. jk rowling has been openly transphobic for like 10 years now. sincerely a person who never read harry potter but thinks people need to actually develop their own personalities
im so sick of harry potter being a feature in modern books. jk rowling has been openly transphobic for like 10 years now. sincerely a person who never read harry potter but thinks people need to actually develop their own personalities
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Transphobia, Stalking, Outing, Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Medical content, Classism
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
A profound exploration of self-discovery, self-awareness, and personal growth, this book delves into the complexities of gender identity, privilege in the context of race, sexuality, and gender expression. It addresses the experiences of individuals both within and outside the LGBTQ+ community, examining the impact of societal judgments, transphobia, and disrespect towards pronouns. This multifaceted and multicultural narrative offers valuable insights into the challenges of self-discovery, the weight of making life choices, and the struggles of family acceptance and acknowledgment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Classism
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
ugh this book was AMAZING !!
I adored just about every part of it. There wasn't a single point during this book where I was bored at all. It was so fun, so perfectly paced, so awesome.
This book follows our main character Felix, who is a Black, queer, and trans 17 year old just trying to navigate his way through life. He has his best friend, Ezra, and rival, Declan. He attends an arts school, and is currently in the run for a scholarship at Browns College.
He's going through an art block, and in between submitting a portfolio on time, as well as Declan competing against him for the same scholarship - not to mention the messy past they have - Felix is a bit overwhelmed.
But it all goes downhill when one day, he arrives at school only to find the gallery filled with photos of Felix before he transitioned and his deadname, plastered for the whole school to see.
Immediately, he goes into a spiral, trying to find who did it. He creates a fake account to try and catch someone in the act. When his first suspect doesn't turn out to be the culprit, he finds himself still talking with them anyway.
The story is a coming-of-age with a love triangle romantic subplot. Though, the main story is about the importance and expression of love. It is about Felix going through a beautiful journey of self-discovery, and I absolutely loved it.
The plot was great, character and their development was great, the setting was really vibrant and fun, and I loved the main themes of the book. Honestly, there isn't anything I dislike about the story. I think my only real complaint was that I wish this book was just a little bit longer? Just in order to tie up some of the ends a bit more neatly, because I think the ending was a little rushed. But that's just me.
Overall, I love this book, and you should definitely go check it out.
I adored just about every part of it. There wasn't a single point during this book where I was bored at all. It was so fun, so perfectly paced, so awesome.
This book follows our main character Felix, who is a Black, queer, and trans 17 year old just trying to navigate his way through life. He has his best friend, Ezra, and rival, Declan. He attends an arts school, and is currently in the run for a scholarship at Browns College.
He's going through an art block, and in between submitting a portfolio on time, as well as Declan competing against him for the same scholarship - not to mention the messy past they have - Felix is a bit overwhelmed.
But it all goes downhill when one day, he arrives at school only to find the gallery filled with photos of Felix before he transitioned and his deadname, plastered for the whole school to see.
Immediately, he goes into a spiral, trying to find who did it. He creates a fake account to try and catch someone in the act. When his first suspect doesn't turn out to be the culprit, he finds himself still talking with them anyway.
The story is a coming-of-age with a love triangle romantic subplot. Though, the main story is about the importance and expression of love. It is about Felix going through a beautiful journey of self-discovery, and I absolutely loved it.
The plot was great, character and their development was great, the setting was really vibrant and fun, and I loved the main themes of the book. Honestly, there isn't anything I dislike about the story. I think my only real complaint was that I wish this book was just a little bit longer? Just in order to tie up some of the ends a bit more neatly, because I think the ending was a little rushed. But that's just me.
Overall, I love this book, and you should definitely go check it out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Outing
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
It took me a while to get invested in this book, I was unsure on the narrative voice and where I thought that the story was going. However, the more I read, the more I fell in love with the characters and the more I could see myself in the journey they were going through. I love this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia
Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexual content
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Dysphoria
Minor: Biphobia, Abandonment, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
I listened to this book with Libby through my library.
Brief Summary: Felix Love is a 17-year-old dreaming of attending Brown University to become an artist. As he navigates his high school summer art program and spends time with his friends, Felix's life is turned upside down when someone steals his old Instagram images and plasters them across the school lobby with his dead name. As Felix tries to uncover the person behind the heinous act, he finds himself in a complicated relationship triangle. While Felix navigates the bullying and his feelings Felix also begins to learn more about himself than he thought possible.
Thoughts: Callender captures the chaos of high school. The heightened emotions, the volatile friendship dynamics, the hope of what college will open up for you, and the awful nature of being on the cusp of adulthood with no idea who you are. All of that Callender is displayed on the page.
Felix is such a sweet and real teenage character on the page. Callender accurately describes the terrifying nature of being on the cusp of adulthood. Felix wants to go to Brown so badly that he is so paralyzed by his fear of not achieving his goal that he is self-sabotaging himself by not working on his art portfolio. This interwoven with Felix's journey to greater self-discovery also felt so natural.
I also appreciated how Felix's love interests experienced fear about their desire to pursue art for their careers too. The way that Callender integrated the uncertainty of youth with the larger socioeconomic dynamics was an interesting discussion throughout the book.
Felix is my favourite character in the book. I was emotionally invested in his story and once I started listening I did not want to stop. My second favourite character was Leah. She was entertaining and so supportive. I love how her and Felix's relationship developed throughout the book.
I enjoyed the romantic relationship triangle throughout the book. I am also overjoyed that Felix ended up with Ezra and not Declan. I did appreciate Declan's arc throughout the book, but it wasn't a relationship I was rooting for. Callender did an excellent job of bringing that arc to a close without it feeling forced or making either Felix or Declan out to be the villain of that dynamic.
However, I wished we had another chapter at the end that focused a bit more on how Ezra and Felix's relationship developed. Callender gave us a lovely discussion about Felix and Ezra's fight, but it just felt that the romance sort of dropped off.
The ending of this book, like the entirety of this book, was beautifully written. If you love coming-of-age, first-love books with messy friendships and love triangles this book is for you.
Brief Summary: Felix Love is a 17-year-old dreaming of attending Brown University to become an artist. As he navigates his high school summer art program and spends time with his friends, Felix's life is turned upside down when someone steals his old Instagram images and plasters them across the school lobby with his dead name. As Felix tries to uncover the person behind the heinous act, he finds himself in a complicated relationship triangle. While Felix navigates the bullying and his feelings Felix also begins to learn more about himself than he thought possible.
Thoughts: Callender captures the chaos of high school. The heightened emotions, the volatile friendship dynamics, the hope of what college will open up for you, and the awful nature of being on the cusp of adulthood with no idea who you are. All of that Callender is displayed on the page.
Felix is such a sweet and real teenage character on the page. Callender accurately describes the terrifying nature of being on the cusp of adulthood. Felix wants to go to Brown so badly that he is so paralyzed by his fear of not achieving his goal that he is self-sabotaging himself by not working on his art portfolio. This interwoven with Felix's journey to greater self-discovery also felt so natural.
I also appreciated how Felix's love interests experienced fear about their desire to pursue art for their careers too. The way that Callender integrated the uncertainty of youth with the larger socioeconomic dynamics was an interesting discussion throughout the book.
Felix is my favourite character in the book. I was emotionally invested in his story and once I started listening I did not want to stop. My second favourite character was Leah. She was entertaining and so supportive. I love how her and Felix's relationship developed throughout the book.
However, I wished we had another chapter at the end that focused a bit more on how Ezra and Felix's relationship developed. Callender gave us a lovely discussion about Felix and Ezra's fight, but it just felt that the romance sort of dropped off.
The ending of this book, like the entirety of this book, was beautifully written. If you love coming-of-age, first-love books with messy friendships and love triangles this book is for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Grief, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Sexual content
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Misogyny, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief