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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
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
Close to tears at several points while reading this book. What a fantastic and realistic experience this was, I felt so understood and seen and I’m 21 lmao. A masterpiece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Transphobia, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria
Moderate: Deadnaming, Religious bigotry
Minor: Medical content
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Minor spoiler I am disappointed that the romance didn’t go along the polyamory route because the issues against being with Declan were really non existent to me, lucky was still felix in the end, he did start with a facade but they did truly care about each other, Declan broke up with ezra because he got disowned by his parents and because Ezra had feelings for felix I did really enjoy the narration of this audiobook, I was invested in finding out who made the gallery and whether the characters would get into the universities of choice (we don’t find out the latter) not five stars simply because of how the romance turned out and the hopes I had for it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
LOVE FLAWED QUEERS. I feel like in a lot of queer teen media, writers can fall into the trap of trying to make the characters perfect so that the audience has nothing to dislike them for, and so that they won't be flagged as "bad representation". Callender doesn't do that. The protagonist, Felix, is flawed. He's childish, careless, acts on impulse, and barely ever made a good decision. He was so human. It was such a breath of fresh air to read about an imperfect queer, trans, black protagonist- someone who is just a normal human being trying their best.
Felix's character development was so satisfying for this reason and the reader is cheering for him to grow and improve through the whole book.
The side characters were equally as complex and flawed, which I greatly appreciated.
In addition to Felix being a fabulously realistic character, his journey with his identity and learning that he deserves love was also great. It's just so nice to see a trans, queer, black character succeed and be happy and proud and love himself. Being trans isn't something that's widely celebrated in the world today so reading about a trans character celebrate himself was so comforting to me. I think stories like this are so important. Just seeing characters like Felix love themselves is so important.
This book was also just such a fast and easy read. The writing is descriptive enough to set the scene and fully imerse the reader, while also being casual enough that the pages just flew by.
(I think this book would make a great TV series also, like a kinda Heartstopper-esque show yk)
One think I disliked was that there were a few too many Harry Potter references for my liking😔 Leave JKR out of my queer media please and thanks, her books don't need to be included in a book about trans identity in my humble opinion. Especially because the protagonist then goes on to discuss the importance of the artists morals in art- "it does matter if the artist is an asshole."
But apart from that, solid book =)
Felix's character development was so satisfying for this reason and the reader is cheering for him to grow and improve through the whole book.
The side characters were equally as complex and flawed, which I greatly appreciated.
In addition to Felix being a fabulously realistic character, his journey with his identity and learning that he deserves love was also great. It's just so nice to see a trans, queer, black character succeed and be happy and proud and love himself. Being trans isn't something that's widely celebrated in the world today so reading about a trans character celebrate himself was so comforting to me. I think stories like this are so important. Just seeing characters like Felix love themselves is so important.
This book was also just such a fast and easy read. The writing is descriptive enough to set the scene and fully imerse the reader, while also being casual enough that the pages just flew by.
(I think this book would make a great TV series also, like a kinda Heartstopper-esque show yk)
One think I disliked was that there were a few too many Harry Potter references for my liking😔 Leave JKR out of my queer media please and thanks, her books don't need to be included in a book about trans identity in my humble opinion. Especially because the protagonist then goes on to discuss the importance of the artists morals in art- "it does matter if the artist is an asshole."
But apart from that, solid book =)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Transphobia, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
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
A bold and open story about identity, prejudice, understanding, and learning to focus on yourself. A really cool look at the lesser-know areas of transness (figuring yourself out as nonbinary and coming out for a second time) alongside some messy relationship drama and a hopeful look at art as self-expression. Definitely more towards the upper end of YA (evident from the first chapter, though not necessarily from the cover and blurb), but an important coming of age story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Hate crime, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Classism
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
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Outing, Alcohol
Moderate: Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Homophobia, Transphobia, Outing