Tag Archives: bisexual

If This Gets Out By Book Review

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Book Information

Eighteen-year-olds Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are two members of the boy-band Saturday, one of the biggest acts in America. Along with their bandmates, Angel Phan and Jon Braxton, the four are teen heartbreakers in front of the cameras and best friends backstage. But privately, cracks are starting to form: their once-easy rapport is straining under the pressures of fame, and Ruben confides in Zach that he’s feeling smothered by management’s pressure to stay in the closet.

On a whirlwind tour through Europe, with both an unrelenting schedule and minimal supervision, Ruben and Zach come to rely on each other more and more, and their already close friendship evolves into a romance. But when they decide they’re ready to tell their fans and live freely, Zach and Ruben start to truly realize that they will never have the support of their management. How can they hold tight to each other when the whole world seems to want to come between them?

Review

CW: coming out, closeting, parental abuse, excessive drinking, substance abuse, psychological abuse, car accident

Thoughts and Themes: I had heard so many great things about this one on Booktok and Bookstagram so I was so happy to get access to it on Netgalley. I really enjoyed so much about this book and how there are so many different pieces to it. I loved the boy band aspect to it, the coming out story, the romance, and the friendships throughout this book.

There was so much in this book to examine which made there just so much to love about this book. I really enjoyed the romance in this book but also how that romance was complicated by Saturday’s management not allowing Ruben and Zach to be out. I thought that it was great to see what being out meant for both of them and how it meant different things for both of our characters. I also liked how management tried to make it seem that them coming out would affect the other band members and to have Angel and Jon disregard management’s concerns.

Something else that I really enjoyed in this book was the push back that you get from each of these characters with their parents as well as their management team. I thought it was great to see how these characters developed through the story as they first try to please everyone but then they realize that to be happy they have to do what is important to them.

Characters: In this book you are introduced to our main characters, Ruben and Zach as well as the other two band members, Angel and Jon. You also get to meet each of their families as well as some of the people who are involved in the band.

I loved getting to know each of the four band members both as themselves but also when they were with each other. I loved the romance that occurred between Ruben and Zach and how supportive the whole band was of this. I also really liked how their friendship develops into this romance and how they each push each other respectively to be better for themselves. I like that Ruben has had time to be out and figure out who he is but Zach has just come to the realization that he is bisexual. I liked the way that Ruben wanted to protect him from what the reality of being out meant but he also wanted Zach to stand up for what he wants.

I loved Angel as a character and all that he added to this story. I thought it was great that we got to see him struggle with the image others wanted him to project of himself and the person he wanted to be. I thought the storyline of him turning to drugs and alcohol was done well and that resolves itself nicely as well. I thought it was great to show how his friends played into getting him the help he needed when management wasn’t being very helpful.

Writing Style: This story is told in a dual perspective through the eyes of Ruben and Zach. I liked that we got both of their perspectives as they each have different thoughts as the story takes place. I like that we got to see Zach not knowing how to navigate his queer identity and Ruben just wanting to be allowed to embrace his queer identity publically. I thought it was also great to get both perspectives as they each have different relationships with the other members of the band.

Author Information

Sophie Gonzales writes young adult queer contemporary fiction with memorable characters, biting wit and endless heart.

She is the author of THE LAW OF INERTIA, ONLY MOSTLY DEVASTATED and PERFECT ON PAPER. IF THIS GETS (co-written with Cale Dietrich) is forthcoming in Fall 2021 from Wednesday Books / Macmillan.

When she isn’t writing, Sophie can be found ice skating, performing in musical theatre, and practicing the piano. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia where she works as a psychologist.

She is represented by Molly Ker Hawn of The Bent Agency.

Cale Dietrich is a YA devotee, lifelong gamer, and tragic pop punk enthusiast. He was born in Perth, grew up on the Gold Coast, and now lives in Brisbane, Australia. His debut novel, The Love Interest, was named a 2018 Rainbow List Selection. He can be found on Twitter.

Magic Mutant Nightmare Girl by Erin Grammer Book Review

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Author Information

Erin Grammar writes about horrible things happening to good people—while looking as cute as humanly possible. When she isn’t working on her latest novel, she likes to hunt for gemstones and Hello Kitty collectibles, spend time with her family (including two real and very demanding cats), craft, watch horror movies, and style wigs big enough to hold tons of secrets.

She lives in Southern California because she’s an actual lizard, and without constant heat she’ll die. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @eringrammar

Book Description

Fight like a magical girl in this paperback original contemporary fantasy in which a Harajuku fashionista battles mutants—and social anxiety—by teaming up with an elite group of outcasts. Perfect for those obsessed with the technicolor worlds of Sailor Moon, The Umbrella Academy, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Book One of the Magic Mutants Trilogy.

Holly Roads uses Harajuku fashion to distract herself from tragedy. Her magical girl aesthetic makes her feel beautiful—and it keeps the world at arm’s length. She’s an island of one, until advice from an amateur psychic expands her universe. A midnight detour ends with her vs. exploding mutants in the heart of San Francisco.

Brush with destiny? Check. Waking up with blue blood, emotions gone haywire, and terrifying strength that starts ripping her wardrobe to shreds? Totally not cute. Hunting monsters with a hot new partner and his unlikely family of mad scientists?

Way more than she bargained for. 

You can find this book at:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ IndieBound ~ Book Depository

Review

Thank you to the author for providing me with a advanced copy of this book so that I could partake in the street team for this book.

Thoughts and Themes: I was so pleased to get to be a part of the street team for this book even prior to reading it and then was even happier once I finished reading the book. I really enjoyed getting the chance to read this book and it felt like I was getting a chance to be in this world. It was really nice to feel like I was a part of this world especially since I missed conventions, cosplay, etc. because of the pandemic.

This book manages to mix Sci-Fi elements with the contemporary world which had me hooked right from the start. It took me into a time in which the pandemic didn’t exist and I got to enjoy my favorite activities through immersion into Holly’s world. Similarly to how Holly now has people she would protect at all costs to her, this book gave me a character that I hate to love and would defend to the end. This book has the theme of found family all throughout it and that is something that I really enjoy especially when it comes to queer characters.

I really liked how the author gave us the trigger warnings for this book ahead of time so I knew what to expect in terms of that. One thing I really liked was how much of Holly’s social anxiety we see in the way she speaks to others and her actions. I really did like how that was displayed throughout the story because it felt so real to me. I can understand why others would not find Holly to be a likeable character but when you see so much of yourself in a character it’s hard not to like them.

The more I think about this book and the characters, the more I really love it. I can’t wait for my pre-order to arrive so that I can just go ahead and give the whole thing a re-read. I love the twist at the end of the story that really makes me unable to wait for the next book. I need to know what happens to my favorite character and new son who I will protect at all costs.

I recommend this to those of you who enjoy Harajuku fashion, Lolita, Cosplay, science fiction, messy queer characters, and strong female protagonist.

Characters: Throughout this story you get to meet Holly, who is our main character and several of the other members of N.E.R.D. You also briefly get to meet Holly’s friend along with one of the mutants. Our main characters include Holly, Nunez, Brannon, Chi Ho, Kyle, and Dr. Laura. I really love that most of our main characters have some kind of queer identity and that we really get a diverse cast of characters.

I really want more of these character’s backstory and am hoping that we will get more of that in the next book. I liked that we got some of Nunez’s backstory and got to learn how he became a part of N.E.R.D. I felt that we also got a bit of that from Kyle and that really added to the whole story. I can’t tell you much about any of their backstory because it really would ruin parts of the plot so you’ll just have to read to find out.

I really enjoyed the way that the relationships between Holly and the others developed and liked the idea of a found family for her. I liked how that aspect was written into this story and how this new found family adds to her character development. I really want to read more to see how this found family helps Holly develop and if it eases her social anxiety at all.

Writing Style: The story is told in first person through Holly’s perspective which is something I really enjoyed. I liked how much of the story is taking place in her head and how we follow along with her thoughts. The way that this is written really allows the reader to see how anxiety driven her thoughts are and how her response is driven by those thoughts. I’m really hoping that we get to see more of the other characters throughout the other books and that we may get some of their thoughts too. I love seeing everything through Holly as a unreliable narrator but I need to know what the others feel about this whole situation.

Something to Talk About Book Review

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GoodReads Summary: Hollywood powerhouse Jo is photographed making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet, and just like that, the tabloids declare them a couple. The so-called scandal couldn’t come at a worse time–threatening Emma’s promotion and Jo’s new movie.

As the gossip spreads, it starts to affect all areas of their lives. Paparazzi are following them outside the office, coworkers are treating them differently, and a “source” is feeding information to the media. But their only comment is “no comment”.

With the launch of Jo’s film project fast approaching, the two women begin to spend even more time together, getting along famously. Emma seems to have a sixth sense for knowing what Jo needs. And Jo, known for being aloof and outwardly cold, opens up to Emma in a way neither of them expects. They begin to realize the rumor might not be so off base after all…but is acting on the spark between them worth fanning the gossip flames? 

Thoughts: Thank you to Berkley books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

As I decided I would give romance books a try this year, when I saw this book I knew I had to read it. Its a romance book with a F/F couple and there is diversity with the main characters in this book. You have a Jewish bisexual woman in her late 20s and a Chinese American lesbian in her early 40s as the main characters in this book.

What I loved about this book is that it is a slow burn romance so nothing really happens between the two for the majority of the book. I find their back and forth banter and really charming. I actually really enjoy that this book has no sexually explicit material for the majority of the whole book. It really allowed me to focus on Jo and Emma’s stories apart from each other and enjoy it when they came together.

I also really enjoy the way that this book is written. You get to see the story from both Emma and Jo’s perspective. I like how you get to see their inner thoughts at every point of the book as I thought some of those moments were humorous. It also allowed you to feel a lot more tension between the characters and also be angry at how they wouldn’t just get together.

I also really enjoyed the other characters that are introduced throughout the book. I liked reading how Jo develops a friendship with Emma’s sister and how that complicates her relationship with Emma. I also liked reading about Jo’s friendship with Evelyn and how that friendship spanned over time and distance. It was nice to see the parts of Jo’s past that had stuck as she gained fame.

Something that I do enjoy is that this book does touch on the topic of sexual harassment in Hollywood and what that means for woman who are just starting out their careers. I really enjoy the response that Jo had when she found out that someone had harassed one of her employees and while Jo says that this would have been her response regardless of who the employee was, I didn’t find that believable.

I recommend this to those of you who are looking for a book with F/F representation. I think that those of you who like slow burn romance books would also really enjoy this book.

You can get pre-order this book at Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, or look for it at your local library starting May 26.