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Brent Hartinger

Goodreads Author

Born

in Washington State, The United States

Website

http://www.brenthartinger.com/

Twitter

brenthartinger

Genre

Young Adult, Gay & Lesbian, Suspense

Member Since

November 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/brenthartinger

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I am Brent Hartinger, a novelist and screenwriter. I’ve published fourteen novels and had two of my books turned into feature films — with several more movies still in the works. One of my movies even co-starred SUPERMAN's David Corenswet.

I try hard to write books that are page-turners and commercial (and movies that are fast-paced and accessible). If I had to describe my own writing projects, I would say, “Strong central concept, strong plot, strong character and voice. Not artsy, self-indulgent, or pretentious, but still thoughtful and smart with something to say.”

I mostly write YA books — LGBTQ and thrillers, sometimes LGBTQ thrillers. My first novel, GEOGRAPHY CLUB (2003) was one of the first in a new wave of break-out LGBTQ young adult ...more

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Brent Hartinger’s books

Average rating: 3.72 · 36,062 ratings · 3,350 reviews · 28 distinct works • Similar authors

	Geography Club (Russel Middlebrook, #1) 3.75 avg rating — 15,723 ratings — published 2003 — 23 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Order of the Poison Oak (Russel Middlebrook, #2) 3.95 avg rating — 3,545 ratings — published 2005 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Three Truths and a Lie 3.41 avg rating — 1,946 ratings — published 2016 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Double Feature: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (Russel Middlebrook, #3) 3.74 avg rating — 1,573 ratings — published 2007 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Elephant of Surprise (Russel Middlebrook, #4) 3.85 avg rating — 1,168 ratings — published 2013 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know (Russel Middlebrook The Futon Years, #1) 3.91 avg rating — 972 ratings — published 2014 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Grand & Humble 3.62 avg rating — 907 ratings — published 2006 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Last Chance Texaco 3.78 avg rating — 808 ratings — published 2004 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams (Russel Middlebrook: The Futon Years #2) 3.91 avg rating — 529 ratings — published 2015 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Road to Amazing (Russel Middlebrook: The Futon Years Book 3) 4.10 avg rating — 421 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Brent Hartinger…

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Brent Hartinger's Blog

I Wrote a Book Set in a Place I’d Never Been To, Then I Visited That Place. How’d I Do?

My last novel, The Otto Digmore Difference, was a road trip story about Russel Middlebrook and his friend Otto Digmore traveling from Los Angeles to New Orleans, so that Otto, an actor, can get to an all-important movie audition on time.

Here’s a little secret that I shouldn’t be confessing: I’d never actually driven most of the roads that Otto and Russel travel. I once lived in Los Angeles (where

Series by Brent Hartinger

Russel Middlebrook (4 books)
by

Brent Hartinger (Goodreads Author)

3.79 avg rating — 22,454 ratings

Russel Middlebrook: The Futon Years (3 books)
by

Brent Hartinger (Goodreads Author)

3.95 avg rating — 1,922 ratings

Otto Digmore (2 books)
by

Brent Hartinger (Goodreads Author)

4.13 avg rating — 500 ratings

Brent is Currently Reading

Brent Hartinger is currently reading

Castle of Wizardry (The Belgariad, #4)

by David Eddings

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jan 17, 2024 01:05PM

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A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence, #1)

by Rebecca Ross (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 17, 2024 01:03PM

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The Winter People

by Jennifer McMahon (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 17, 2024 01:03PM

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Brent’s Recent Updates

Brent Hartinger rated a book it was ok We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I've read this same plot many MANY times, and this is among the worst versions. Very predictable and disappointing. Ended up hate-reading it. ...more
Aug 29, 2026 10:45AM · 1 like · like · see review
Brent Hartinger rated a book liked it Whalefall by Daniel Kraus (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 25, 2026 08:32PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Whalefall by Daniel Kraus. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Whalefall by Daniel Kraus <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brent Hartinger rated a book really liked it The Girl with a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 09, 2026 06:31PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Girl with a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Girl with a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brent Hartinger rated a book liked it Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 01, 2026 10:36PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brent Hartinger rated a book really liked it Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 05, 2026 10:16PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brent Hartinger rated a book it was amazing The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 28, 2026 10:54PM · like
Brent Hartinger rated a book it was amazing The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club (Mad Scientists' Club, #2) by Bertrand R. Brinley	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 13, 2026 08:07PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brent Hartinger rated a book it was amazing The Mad Scientists' Club (Mad Scientist Club Book 1) by Bertrand R. Brinley	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 13, 2026 08:06PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brent Hartinger rated a book really liked it The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 27, 2026 10:06PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brent Hartinger rated a book liked it The Core (The Demon Cycle, #5) by Peter V. Brett (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 26, 2026 09:36PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Core by Peter V. Brett. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Core by Peter V. Brett <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Brent Hartinger (?)

“Why can’t there be just one place for gay kids, where we don’t have to hide who we are? Hell, straight people have the whole rest of the world! They go around holding hands and kissing and talking about ‘my-girlfriend-this’ and ‘my-boyfriend-that.’ And they say we shove our lifestyle in their faces? That’s a laugh!”
― Brent Hartinger, Geography Club

8 likes

“people make mistakes. If there was no such thing as forgiveness, there wouldn’t be any friendships left in the world.”
― Brent Hartinger, Geography Club

7 likes

“The fact is, there's a difference between being alone and being lonely; I may not of been completely alone in life, but I was definitely lonely.”
― Brent Hartinger, Geography Club

7 likes

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Polls

What randomly selected book would you like to read in April??

Vixen by Jillian Larkin

26 votes, 26.5%

Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs

16 votes, 16.3%

Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

10 votes, 10.2%

The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer

9 votes, 9.2%

The 10 P.M. Question by Kate de Goldi

9 votes, 9.2%

Second Star to the Right by Deborah Hautzig

9 votes, 9.2%

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

8 votes, 8.2%

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger

7 votes, 7.1%

Betsy and the Emperor by Staton Rabin

3 votes, 3.1%

Black Horses For the King by Anne McCaffrey

1 vote, 1.0%

98 total votes

2 comments

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Young Adult Book ...: Purely female protagonists!	26	261	Jun 01, 2010 02:32PM
Young Adult Book ...: Top 10 Teen/YA Authors You'd Like To Meet!	42	271	Apr 12, 2011 05:44PM
Wild Things: YA G...: Reading Challenge #7 - Report Points Here	480	223	Apr 14, 2011 09:58PM
YA LGBT Books: favorite story lines	10	74	Aug 20, 2011 11:38AM
Avoca Book Club: Nook Freebies and deals	14	19	Jan 28, 2012 08:20PM
The Seasonal Read...: Winter Challenge 2011: Completed Tasks -DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC	2866	793	Feb 29, 2012 09:03PM
2026 Reading Chal...: April Showers Make May Flowers-Mini Challenge	11	69	May 01, 2012 11:41AM
2026 Reading Chal...: April's No Spring Chik(en) Challenge	57	53	May 03, 2012 06:22AM

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Brent’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-4) post a comment »

date

newest »

message 4: by Brent

Sep 11, 2015 12:16PM

Rick wrote: "Brent, I love your books. Reading them has given me insight into the young gay life that I was never able to experience. As a bonus, Seattle holds a special place in my heart."
Fantastic! Thanks for letting me know. And yeah, I think I *write* the books to relive a life I wasn't quite able to experience myself.

P.S. I loved writing about Seattle. It's a great city (even if it's getting, uh, crowded and expensive!)

reply | flag

message 3: by Rick

Sep 11, 2015 11:24AM

Brent, I love your books. Reading them has given me insight into the young gay life that I was never able to experience. As a bonus, Seattle holds a special place in my heart.

reply | flag

message 2: by Brent

Oct 31, 2012 06:59PM

Eric wrote: "Hey there, Brent! Good to see you here."Hey Eric! You get around. ;-)

reply | flag

message 1: by Eric

Oct 31, 2012 04:15PM

Hey there, Brent! Good to see you here.

reply | flag

Brent’s Year In Books

Brent Hartinger’s Followers (812)

Brent’s Bookshelves

Brent’s Friends (563)

Brent Hartinger

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Combine Editions
Brent Hartinger’s books

158 posts
Brent Hartinger's Blog

I Wrote a Book Set in a Place I’d Never Been To, Then I Visited That Place. How’d I Do?

Series by Brent Hartinger

Brent is Currently Reading

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Brent’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

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Preview — Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

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Preview — The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley

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Brent’s Groups

Brent’s Friend Comments

Brent Hartinger’s Followers (812)

Brent Hartinger

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See a Problem?

Preview — Whalefall by Daniel Kraus

See a Problem?

Preview — The Girl with a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson

See a Problem?

Preview — Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena

See a Problem?

Preview — Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

See a Problem?

Preview — The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley

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Preview — The Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley

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