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I loved the first book about Darius, set in Iran, the special (non-romantic) relationship with Sohrab, and a very interesting exploration of depression and mental illness. I didn’t like the second novel as much. I was struggling to connect with Darius as a character. He seemed to have everything going for him, but he wasn’t ever happy, and only thought of himself. His boyfriend would make dinner for his family, got him a job at a tea shop and wanted to take things to the next level, but Darius just seemed to whine the whole time. With the introduction of another potential love interest without any real connection who also was a former bully, I just didn’t understand. The specific references to Star Trek and tea were fun in the first book, but I found the constant details distracting. I feel this book, and the main character of Darius, was too safe. The author didn’t want to risk too much pain (maybe because this is based on him) so the novel is free of much drama, substance, interest. This isn’t a terrible book to spend a weekend with, but I was disappointed overall. ★★★☆☆ • Hardcover • Fiction - Young Adult, LGBT • Published by Dial Books on August 25, 2020. ◾︎

I was blown away by this novel. In the first part, the writing is cold, detached, almost unemotional as we see the world through Benson. But the second part changes the point of view to Mike and we get a different writing style, and a different view of the world. Capturing each character and telling their stories through two different lenses shows how good Washington is. At times neither of these characters are very likable or sympathetic, but it’s hard not to feel their pain and still cheer for their successes. The other characters provide some really fun, humorous notes in this occasionally sad story. The way Washington weaves the past and the present together and develops both Benson and Mike at the same time was masterful. The writing is spare and direct, but so full. Do yourself a favor and preorder this book right now. You will not be sorry.

This novel is a fable, a parable, a warning. In some ways it’s a scathing indictment of parents who are addicted to technology, drugs, comfort, leaving the children to deal with their problems. I thought this book might go into “Lord of the Flies” territory, but it never did. The children had a fun and funny rapport and they generally cared for and protected each other. Though way more precocious than most teens, you can see these teen reflecting young activists like Malala, Greta, and the kids from Parkland. In many ways, this extended allegory is very heavy handed. It reminded me of the film “Mother” which beats you over the head with its message. But for the most part the novel works. The writing is at once serious and irreverent, capturing the view of tragedy through the eyes of the children. I couldn’t stop reading the book, though I wish it was a little less “The Walking Dead” and a little more subdued in some ways. I liked the ending a lot. If you are not a fan of high concept books, or you don’t like any ambiguity in your stories, this is not for you. But if you’re looking for a fast, engaging, quirky read, I highly recommend this novel.

"Will Grayson, Will Grayson" is the perfect Young Adult novel. It's interesting, funny, moving, tragic and compelling. I couldn't put it down and I read it in one night. The premise itself is interesting. Both authors decided on a name and each would write alternating chapters about different characters with the same name and at some point they meet. I feared this could be just a gimmick but from the first chapters I was persuaded that this was a real story of two people connected by more than their names. The stories are different in style and tone. Both characters have a specific voice as do the secondary characters that are pulled in and held in the orbit of the two parallel stars. I would recommend this for teens and adults alike. The story is harks of the depression and anxiety that so many teens have in their youth and at times though heartbreaking rewards the reader with an affirmation of resilience and strength. After reading this novel, you quickly realize that though the details maybe slightly different this is everyone's story. We are all named Will Grayson.

"The Lover's Dictionary" probably isn't for everyone, but I fell in love with this novel immediately. Presented as a series of words that are defined by the prose of the novel itself, the story is immediately mysterious yet riveting. Nouns, verbs, adjectives each move the plot along in a non-chronological way. The characters are unnamed and pronouns are rarely used. One is unsure whether the narrator is male or female and the same with the narrator's lover. The book reads quickly. Some definitions consist of a word or sentence. Others continue for paragraphs. Accordingly, there is a lot of "white space" which makes this novel easy to read. In some ways the chronology is confusing, but not enough where one won't be able to follow along. This novel didn't feel like a typical romance novel. The prose is more fluid and blurs the line between a straightforward novel and epic poetry. A times the story feels shallow. One doesn't have the luxury of long descriptions, the slow building of suspense, the grounding of a setting, or the camaraderie of characters. Yet, these definitions are intense, emotional and universal. The characters are shells that envelope the role of reader and lover. The characters could be anyone. The strength of this novel is to convey emotion in such an interesting way it's difficult not to devour it in one sitting. The writing itself is beautiful. The sentences and dialogue are precise, neat and layered with depth of emotion. The word choice is perfect. There are so many romance stories available. This is a simple story in an unconventional way that will flood it's readers with emotion.

The author chronicles the first months after having moved with his partner from St. Louis to a cottage in rural Michigan just outside the gay-friendly resort town of Saugatuck. The pages are filled with witty prose in short segments that extoll how a gay couple uproot their lives and transition from an urbane life to a more rural, and hopefully, improved existence. I sought this book based on a recommendation from a friend. It appealed to me because of the humor in hearing of a gay couple moving to the middle of nowhere. In addition, being from Michigan myself, I wanted to hear another person's perspective on the Great Lake State. The memoir is both touching and humorous. The author recounts many humorous experiences with local neighbors, wildlife and the wide-ranging weather of Michigan. The reader really cheers for the author who is trying to find his “Walden” and improve himself, his relationship and his world around him. He is a sympathetic character who you really want to morph into a new being and yet he is his own enemy. The author spends endless pages explaining his former life of designer labels, non-fat lattés, tanning and teeth-whitening. He appears to be another stereotypical, vapid homosexual who is so self-absorbed it's surprising that he doesn't walk around with a hand mirror all day à la Vanity Smurf. The author describes this vain lifestyle so much, that one believes he may using this hyperbole simply to contrast with the rural, agrarian Michigan to get more laughs. Despite the excessive descriptions of what shoes he is wearing at every possible moment, the author has filled with book with heart and emotional depth which is the real pearl inside this oyster of a memoir. By the end of the book, the reader is closely connected to what the author has experienced and feels the changes he has gone through. My biggest problem with the book is that I have a hard time believing that the author who grew up in the Ozarks and moved from St. Louis would have such a difficult time in rural Michigan. I would expect such culture shock from one who grew up in New York City and had lived their his or her entire life. However, I don't think of St. Louis as the culture capital of mid-America and I have a hard time believing the transition was so great. For that reason, I feel the descriptions the author gives and the reactions to be exaggerated. Perhaps, none is exaggerated and there is a larger cultural gap between urban and rural living than I expected. I laughed openly several times throughout this book. Many of the scenes and incidents are very funny. In my opinion the book really shined at the more serious parts even making my eyes water. The growth of the author and the interaction with his partner are touching and a welcome contrast to the comedic interaction with the outside world. By the end of the book, I found the memoir inspirational and heartwarming and the desire to seek out my own Walden.

“Dead Until Dark” is the first in a series of books by Charlaine Harris that are currently all the rage thanks to the success of the TV Series based on the novels, “True Blood”. I have seen the first season of “True Blood” on HBO and I thought it was excellent. I decided to read the first book to see if I would like the entire series of novels. The main premise of the series is that synthetic blood has been created and since it's advent vampires around the globe have come “out of the closet” so to speak. The main character is Sookie Stackhouse who falls in love with one such vampire. The first season of “True Blood” closely followed the novel. A string of murders have occurred in Bon Temps, Louisiana and the intrigue surrounding who may have committed these murders propels much of the plot. Unlike the television series, the novel does not have as rich a cast of characters and the book does not follow the lives of the other supporting characters as closely. The plot in the novel is very linear where the series is rich with stories and action surrounding the lives of different characters such as Jason Stackhouse, Tara (absent completely from the novel) and Lafayette. If you've seen the first season of “True Blood” you know how the book will end. You could practically skip this book and go right to the next without missing anything. I thought the book was difficult to read. The writing is too colloquial and too fractured to be a smooth read. However, the book is only about 300 pages long and the story is easy to follow because it is so linear. I didn't find the novel very suspenseful but I attribute part of that to knowing the ending. I also did not enjoy the more graphic parts describing sex acts. They distract from the flow of the story and in my opinion belong only in romance novels. But in reality these passages are the only parts that keep this book from being just another “tween” vampire novel. By the end of the book though, I found this to be just another vampire romance novel. If you find the love between a woman and a vampire alluring then this may be the book for you. If you're looking for more of a thriller, or a horror story, or a fantasy series or all three, I suggest you go elsewhere. Otherwise “Dead Until Dark” is sure to disappoint.

After hearing about the huge European sales of the book, the blockbuster movie, recommendations from friends and the untimely death of the author, I decided to dive into “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”. In summary, the plot concerns a journalist with nothing to lose who is hired by a rich old guy to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his niece 40 years earlier. Fortunately, I was told that the first one hundred pages are slow but then the plot really picks up. I can safely say that based on the plot summary I wrote above you can start reading half way through the book and still understand what's going on. In fact, my paperback book had 644 pages and the main protagonist didn't even meet the title character until page 322, exactly halfway through. I don't think it was until almost page 400 that the sleuths find the first clue regarding the niece. Seriously, the first half of the book is really boring and has a lot of uninteresting information. The pace quickens around the half-way point but the main intrigue stops about 100 pages short of the end. The reason is that the author has to tie up all the boring stuff he talked about in the beginning. For me this could have been written in 250 pages and I would already be done with the sequel. Another disappointing aspect of the book is that the characters are somewhat interesting, but not sympathetic. I walked away not liking any of the characters. Even though I have many problems with the book, I thought it was well written and I read the book fairly quickly. I didn't mind the Swedish names as much as I thought. I thought the suspenseful part of the plot was interesting and highly compelling. I am interested in seeing the movie, just to see how well this translates to film. However, I'm not in a hurry to jump into the sequel and the threequel to this thriller. I am leery of spending so much time again on a book where only one third was suspenseful.

Out of the ashes of the former United States arises a new nation consisting of twelve districts under the strict, harsh control of the Capitol. As punishment for a rebellion, the name of one boy and one girl from every district is drawn in a lottery and these children are placed in an arena to fight to the death. These are the Hunger Games. The author jumps immediately into the suspenseful plot that weaves it's way through an alternate future reality of a dystopian America. The main character is Katniss, a resourceful young woman who is instantly likable. The prose is well written and flows smoothly as the reader is sucked into this experience of the Hunger Games. The author subtly reveals information keeping the reader interested the entire time. The story is full of suspense and thrills which makes it difficult to put the book down. I thought that the Hunger Games was an excellent novel and I would recommend it to anyone. I was recommended this book by many friends. I was interested but the dark theme of the book made me leery of experiencing such harsh circumstances in a book for young adults. However, the material is handled deftly. The author evokes emotions ranging from sadness to rage to joy without excessive detail and an abundance to gore. This novel is written to be suitable for most tweens and teens, but can easily be enjoyed by adults of all ages.

This thoughtful and entertaining novel has great characters and great writing that pulls you in and drags you through without having a chance to come up for air. Written as a journal by high school senior Charlie the Second, the reader experiences everything Charlie does through his eyes during a very eventful semester. The reader becomes immediately invested in Charlie, feels his pain and cheers for his triumphs. The author has an excellent writing style and splatters the novel with pop culture references and quirks (a father called First, a best friend called Bink). The descriptions of Charlies sex life (or lack of it) are both very detailed but realistic for a teen aged boy. By the end of the novel, the reader knows Charlie and is left craving more. Highly recommended.

From most of the reviews of “Band Fags!” I’ve read it seems like the two things that readers comment on are High School Band and the 80s. While both are a part of the book, the novel is so much more. This novel is about finding yourself and the friendships you gain and lose along the way. It examines the complexities of relationships in the turbulent high school years. This is the coming-of-age and coming-out story of a high school "band fag" who grew up with his best friend in the suburbs of Detroit in the 80s. The plot tracks a typical high school experience from year-to-year. The novel examines characters that might be gay, don't want to be gay, think that they may be gay, are gay-for-a-day, and every other way a kid can questions his sexuality. High school for many is an isolating and confusing time for many teens as brilliantly illustrated by the novel. “Band fags” Jack and Brad try to avoid the negative aspects of those years and while trying to navigate through their own issues and problems. A cast of interesting characters unite and divide equally the two friends as they try to figure out which are "like that" and which are not. The story ranges from sweet and touching to heartbreaking and hilarious. The novel is easy to read as it is told from the perspective of a high school boy who is writing exactly what he’s thinking at the time. This book will appeal to many different readers and will disappoint few. Anyone who was raised in the 80s will enjoy all the 80s references. Anyone in high school band will remember being called a “band fag” whether gay or not. Anyone from the Detroit area will know exactly all the places the author describes. Anyone who has been through high school will understand exactly what Jack goes through in this novel. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a good, interesting book that drags you in and keeps you there.