Synopses & Reviews
From William C. Morris YA Debut Award nominee Carrie Mesrobian,
Cut Both Ways is an unflinching look at a high school senior who must come to terms with his attraction to both his girlfriend and his male best friend.
It took Will Caynes seventeen years to have his first kiss. He should be ecstatic…except that it was shared with his best friend, Angus, while they were both drunk and stoned. Wills not gay, but he did sort of enjoy whatever it was he felt with Angus. Unsettled by his growing interest in Angus, Will avoids his friend, and even starts dating a sophomore, Brandy. When hes hooking up with her, hes totally into it, so he must be straight, right? Then why does he secretly keep going back to Angus?
Confusing as Wills feelings are, theyre a welcome distraction from his complicated home life. His father has started drinking earlier each day when he should be working on what seem like never-ending house renovations. And his mom—living in a McMansion with her new husband—isnt much help, just buying Will a bunch of stuff he doesnt need. Neither feels like much of a parent—which leaves Will on his own in figuring things out with his girlfriend and best friend. He loves them both, but deciding who to be with will ultimately hurt someone. Himself probably the most.
Review
“Mesrobian writes about sexwhat it feels like, its power to satisfy and confuse-bluntly and effectively.” Publishers Weekly
Review
“Mesrobian once again employs a fearless and honest tone. Her portrayal of bisexuality is thoughtful, and realistic. The respect with which Mesrobian speaks to her teen audience adds weight and validity. A great addition for most libraries, and perfect for older teens looking for nuanced and realistic fiction.” School Library Journal
Review
“In Wills unapologetic voice, Mesrobians raw, sympathetic coming-of-age story uncovers the messy, painful, yet vitally important, process of self-discovery. A unique, imperative novel.” Booklist (starred review)
Review
“Pitch perfect, raw, and moving.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Review
“Mesrobians second novel is brutally honest and unsentimental. A rare examination of bisexuality in fiction for teens.” Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Review
“Arresting and raw, Mesrobians deft prose cuts to the quick, shining a light on the limbo so many of us feel-both inside and out-assuring us that we are not alone.” Aaron Hartzler, Lambda Award finalist for Rapture Practice
Synopsis
A TOP 10 RAINBOW LIST BOOK
William C. Morris YA Debut Award nominee Carrie Mesrobian delivers a "raw, sympathetic coming-of-age story that] uncovers the messy, painful, yet vitally important process of self-discovery" (Booklist, starred review) when a high school senior comes to terms with his attraction to both his girlfriend and his male best friend.
It took Will Caynes seventeen years to have his first kiss. He should be ecstatic...except that it was with his best friend, Angus, while they were both drunk and stoned. Will's not gay, but he did sort of enjoy whatever it was he felt with Angus. Unsettled by his growing interest in Angus, Will avoids his friend and even starts dating a sophomore, Brandy. When he's hooking up with her, he's totally into it, so he must be straight, right? Then why does he secretly keep going back to Angus?
Confusing as Will's feelings are, they're a welcome distraction from his complicated home life. His father has started drinking earlier each day when he should be working on never-ending house renovations. And his mom--divorced and living in a McMansion with her new husband--isn't much help, unless she's buying Will a bunch of stuff he doesn't need. Between the two of them, neither feels like much of a parent--which leaves Will on his own in figuring things out with his girlfriend and best friend. He loves them both, but deciding who to be with will ultimately hurt someone. Himself, probably the most.
Synopsis
Will Caynes never has been good with girls. At seventeen, he's still waiting for his first kiss. He's definitely not expecting it to happen in a drunken make-out session with his best friend, Angus. But it does and now Will's conflicted—he knows he likes girls, but he didn't exactly hate kissing a guy.
Then Will meets Brandy, a cute and easy-to-talk-to sophomore. He's totally into her too—which proves, for sure, that he's not gay. So why does he keep hooking up with Angus on the sly?
Will knows he can't keep seeing both of them, but besides his new job in a diner, being with Brandy and Angus are the best parts of his whole messed-up life. His divorced parents just complicate everything. His father, after a series of half-baked business ventures and endless house renovations, has started drinking again. And his mom is no help—unless loading him up with a bunch of stuff he doesn't need plus sticking him with his twin half sisters counts as parenting. He's been bouncing between his mom and dad for years, and neither one feels like home.
Deciding who to love, who to choose, where to live—whichever way Will goes, someone will get hurt. Himself probably the most.
About the Author
Carrie Mesrobian teaches writing to teens in Minneapolis, where she lives with her husband and daughter. She has also worked as a teacher in both public and private schools. Her debut novel, Sex & Violence, was named a Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, in addition to being nominated for the William C. Morris YA Debut Award. She has also written another young adult novel, Perfectly Good White Boy.