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emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
How I enjoyed this book! I highly recommend that you listen to the audiobook if you are able. Logan Rozos did such an incredible job bringing the characters to life, especially Felix.
Felix has never been in love. He is Black, transgender and queer and feels that his identities count against him in this regard. We follow Felix as he experiences love for the first time, questions his relationships and gender identity.
Kacen Callender created a cast of wonderfully diverse characters that feel real and aren't without flaws. The book was insightful and inspiring, painful at times and unapologetically queer. Also, I absolutely adored the friendship relationships in this book!
Felix has never been in love. He is Black, transgender and queer and feels that his identities count against him in this regard. We follow Felix as he experiences love for the first time, questions his relationships and gender identity.
Kacen Callender created a cast of wonderfully diverse characters that feel real and aren't without flaws. The book was insightful and inspiring, painful at times and unapologetically queer. Also, I absolutely adored the friendship relationships in this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Transphobia
Minor: Deadnaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racism, Medical content, Alcohol
Content warnings:
Transphobia, bullying, cyberbullying, abandonment, underage drinking, weed, medical content (surgery, injection), deadnaming, misgendering, outing, catfishing, cursing
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Rep:
Black queer trans protagonist, biracial Bengali mlm love interest, lesbian side character, mixed, black, Puerto Rican, and white gay side characters, POC sapphic side character,non-binary side character
Black queer trans protagonist, biracial Bengali mlm love interest, lesbian side character, mixed, black, Puerto Rican, and white gay side characters, POC sapphic side character,non-binary side character
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Transphobia, Outing, Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Racism
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
The cast of characters in this book is so diverse, and it's so refreshing to see transgender, non-binary, and people of colour as main characters. The journey that the main character goes on to try and discover their identity was what made this book. I felt the discussions and topics raised about gender identity and sexuality were dealt with well, and could be very helpful and relatable to anyone going through a similar struggle trying to work out their identity.
However, I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style, and I didn't fall in love with any of the characters personalities.
However, I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style, and I didn't fall in love with any of the characters personalities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug use, Homophobia, Transphobia, Alcohol
Minor: Racism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Outing, Alcohol
Moderate: Deadnaming
Minor: Emotional abuse, Racism
Heavy topics but handled very well. Though Felix is deadnamed, we are never told what the deadname is. Felix's friends support him and don't minimize the harm that's being done to him.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Deadnaming, Homophobia, Transphobia
Minor: Racism, Religious bigotry
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
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
Wow. I read this book in two days and it was incredible. I laughed and cried while reading it. It’s definitely a book that can help to get you out of a reading slump, given that it’s not difficult to read. The only thing that annoyed me a bit is how quickly Declan told Felix that he loved him. That felt really rushed, but maybe that’s just to show what kind of person Declan is. I loved the friendship between Leah and Felix, how she supported him unconditionally. When I found out that Austin was the transphobe I gasped. HOW Felix found out it was Austin honestly so smart. I did suspect there to be something between Ezra and Felix when I started reading, but after a while I didn’t see them together. Although it does still make sense that they end up together. I think they are really cute. I’ll definitely be reading more books by this author in the future. This may be one of my new favorite books :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Racism, Transphobia, Abandonment
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism
emotional
hopeful
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
An extremely cute, not-heteronormative book focused on finding one's identity and letting love in. What shines in this book are the characters; completely developed, they grip you and make you root for them even when they screw up. While there is a love triangle, it is relatively well-handled (and not irritating).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Transphobia
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Homophobia, Racism
The main character is transgender. A very explicit and public transphobic incident is towards the main character is the inciting incident for a major plot of the book. The main character's father is not quite transphobic, but isn't exactly supportive, either. While never explicitly mentioned, descriptions of the main character's reaction towards said incidents could be interpreted as a panic attack.
Racist and homophobic incidents never occur, but are discussed by primary and secondary characters in the abstract.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Transphobia, Outing, Gaslighting
Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying
Minor: Deadnaming, Abandonment
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
‘I guess it must be a rush of power for you, attacking someone and making them feel like they don’t belong. But I know who I am. I know that I’m trans. Transgender people has always existed. Trans people are everywhere throughout history, even if society tries to erase us. We’re not a trend, even if it makes you feel good to pretend that we are.’
I’m glad this book exists because I have never read anything like this. It’s powerful and honest. It shows a real insight into identity. A story about love, acceptance and understanding yourself.
I’ve been wanting to read this for so long. So many books with trans characters focus on coming out, and end not long after. I want more trans characters who are already out and living life. Not to say that this is a light read, Felix deals with transphobic abuse as he is publicly dead-named and then harrassed online.
The plot overall seemed quite simple. This seemed much more character driven than plot. Some of it was over quickly and other parts just fell quite flat for me. However, the character development through out was well done.
I’m not a huge fan of romance in books and I know this is a personal preference, however I have never read a book with a love triangle in that involves a trans character. I feel like the struggles that Felix go through are honest and raw. As a trans man, I relate to Felix a lot in the way that he feels that he is unloveable due to his identity. He both wants and doesn’t want to be loved. The fear of rejection or that no one will love you because you’re trans is a very real feeling, it’s conflicting and confusing. It’s so hard to feel like someone will love you for who you are. So many romances that involve trans characters feel like they are being fetishised instead of loved. Although, I’m not a huge fan of the catfish situation but this is probably just a personal thing.
Felix as a character is flawed, and human. He isn’t perfect and I feel like some people forget that trans people are just like cis people, no one is perfect. He is quite judgemental, and he complains about the privileges that other people have, especially his friends who go to the school because they are well off. But often forgets his own privileges. He goes to a good school, and yes, him and his dad struggle with money, but for some people the opportunities that he has are impossible. His dad helped him to get on hormones and have surgery. So at 17, Felix is already on hormones and a year post top surgery. Again, this is something that most trans people dream about. Very few people can have their parent pay for their transition, and very few people transition as a teen.
He complains about his dad occasionally dead-naming him, I do understand the frustration, however it seems like he almost resents his dad for it. But again, his dad helped him with his transition so it’s not coming from his dad not accepting him. But Felix can’t seem to see this.
Felix messes up a lot throughout the book, but he is a teenager. Some of it really annoyed me, as it seemed like he had no regards to anyone else. But he is 17 so it could just come from a place of immaturity.
But don’t get me wrong, I did really like how Felix grew throughout the book and how not everything ended up exactly perfect. Some of the things that Felix thought were important to begin with, turn out to not mean so much. Is it perfect rep, no, but no single book will ever have perfect representation. To expect that from any book is impossible, because every single person and character is different.
I loved that his dead-name is never revealed. I always feel a bit odd when it’s revealed in books, just because it always make it seems like it’s something that others should know. When in fact, it’s something that isn’t important and it shouldn’t be. Not unless the person wishes to reveal it.
Some of the writing is very repetitive, especially early on. I didn’t really like this as sometimes I felt like I was reading the same section over again.
Overall, a powerful book about identity. It covers the very real emotions and thoughts that come along with being trans.
I’m glad this book exists because I have never read anything like this. It’s powerful and honest. It shows a real insight into identity. A story about love, acceptance and understanding yourself.
I’ve been wanting to read this for so long. So many books with trans characters focus on coming out, and end not long after. I want more trans characters who are already out and living life. Not to say that this is a light read, Felix deals with transphobic abuse as he is publicly dead-named and then harrassed online.
The plot overall seemed quite simple. This seemed much more character driven than plot. Some of it was over quickly and other parts just fell quite flat for me. However, the character development through out was well done.
I’m not a huge fan of romance in books and I know this is a personal preference, however I have never read a book with a love triangle in that involves a trans character. I feel like the struggles that Felix go through are honest and raw. As a trans man, I relate to Felix a lot in the way that he feels that he is unloveable due to his identity. He both wants and doesn’t want to be loved. The fear of rejection or that no one will love you because you’re trans is a very real feeling, it’s conflicting and confusing. It’s so hard to feel like someone will love you for who you are. So many romances that involve trans characters feel like they are being fetishised instead of loved. Although, I’m not a huge fan of the catfish situation but this is probably just a personal thing.
Felix as a character is flawed, and human. He isn’t perfect and I feel like some people forget that trans people are just like cis people, no one is perfect. He is quite judgemental, and he complains about the privileges that other people have, especially his friends who go to the school because they are well off. But often forgets his own privileges. He goes to a good school, and yes, him and his dad struggle with money, but for some people the opportunities that he has are impossible. His dad helped him to get on hormones and have surgery. So at 17, Felix is already on hormones and a year post top surgery. Again, this is something that most trans people dream about. Very few people can have their parent pay for their transition, and very few people transition as a teen.
He complains about his dad occasionally dead-naming him, I do understand the frustration, however it seems like he almost resents his dad for it. But again, his dad helped him with his transition so it’s not coming from his dad not accepting him. But Felix can’t seem to see this.
Felix messes up a lot throughout the book, but he is a teenager. Some of it really annoyed me, as it seemed like he had no regards to anyone else. But he is 17 so it could just come from a place of immaturity.
But don’t get me wrong, I did really like how Felix grew throughout the book and how not everything ended up exactly perfect. Some of the things that Felix thought were important to begin with, turn out to not mean so much. Is it perfect rep, no, but no single book will ever have perfect representation. To expect that from any book is impossible, because every single person and character is different.
I loved that his dead-name is never revealed. I always feel a bit odd when it’s revealed in books, just because it always make it seems like it’s something that others should know. When in fact, it’s something that isn’t important and it shouldn’t be. Not unless the person wishes to reveal it.
Some of the writing is very repetitive, especially early on. I didn’t really like this as sometimes I felt like I was reading the same section over again.
Overall, a powerful book about identity. It covers the very real emotions and thoughts that come along with being trans.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia