Andy Squared

by Jennifer Lavoie

Seventeen-year-old twins, Andrew and Andrea Morris, have always been close. They share everything—from their friends to a room—and they both enjoy star positions on their high school’s soccer teams. All’s right with the twins...or is it?

When new student Ryder Coltrane moves from Texas to their small New York town, he spins Andrew’s world upside down. All of Andrew’s past relationship troubles begin to make sense and his true feelings start to click into place after Ryder comes out to him. His friendship with Ryder turns secretively romantic, but secrets, they soon find out, are hard to keep. Once rumors start to fly, so-called friends turn on them, and the boys’ relationship turns into a bomb about to explode. But Andrew never expected it would be his own twin, Andrea, holding a lighter to ignite it.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, LGBT, M M Romance, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Queer

264 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2012

About the author

Jennifer Lavoie lives in Connecticut in the same city she grew up in. While growing up, she always wanted to be a writer or a teacher and briefly debated a career in marine biology. The only problem with that was she’s deathly afraid of deep water. Starting during a holiday season as temporary help, she worked in a bookstore for six years and made it all the way up to assistant manager before she left to take a job teaching. Jennifer has her bachelor’s degree in secondary English education and found a job in her town teaching middle school students. Along with another teacher and a handful of students, Jennifer started the first Gay-Straight Alliance at the school. She is also active in other student clubs and enjoys pairing students with books that make them love to read.

Reviews

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 2.75 stars ✰

“Ryder had surprised him when he’d admitted he was gay. He’d surprised him with the kiss.

But the biggest surprise of all? Andrew wanted to kiss him again.”

I honestly can't recall why I had Andy Squared on my reading list for so long, but I figured, as long as it's there - oh well, why not? It had its good moments, it had its equally awkward moments, but still a semi somewhat decent read that I don't regret reading all too much. Even though the story is about a pair of inseparable seventeen-year-old-twins, Andrew and Andrea Morris, the narration is entirely from Andrew's point of view and how his life irrevocably changes with the arrival of one very handsome and openly honest Ryder Coltrane.

“Ryder shrugged and eyed him. “Maybe I am romantic.”

Andrew waited a few moments before saying, “Hey, I have a soccer game next Saturday. It’s at the school. You should come to it.”

“I don’t really know much about the sport, though,” Ryder said, tilting his head to the side.

“That’s fine. It’s the last game before the season ends.”

“Maybe I’ll go just to watch you,” Ryder said.”

Andrew was that kind of guy who everyone knew and loved - someone with a good enough reputation, even if he's known for that guy who likes to casually date, but never settle down. Everyone at school thinks he's awesome - the girls love him, the guys want to be him - and, till Ryder pointed it out, he never realized that some of the guys wanted him, too. But, somehow it's Ryder's brimming enthusiasm, genuine friendliness, candid heart, and kind-hearted understanding of knowing who he really is that gets him to want him. ☺️

Even though, Ryder wasn't exactly subtle in expressing his interest in Andrew, I appreciated the little hints that steadily dawned on Andrew that he was looking at Ryder a little too longer than necessary, or the feelings that would stir in his body '—things that shouldn’t be stirring when he looked at one of his friends. One of his male friends.' I liked his 'awakening' - it felt believable to me how he first rejected his emotions for Ryder, brushing it off as just something natural and it's nothing of concern. 🥺

But, the more time he spends with Ryder, the more he starts to see just how happy and comfortable he is being with him - it suddenly became inevitable for him to act upon these newly discovered feelings. 'Why had Ryder kissed him? Why hadn’t he pushed Ryder away the second he got closer? Why had he waited until Ryder had actually put his hands on him? Why did it feel so damn good?' It was a slow exploration that didn't demand an immediate release, but stemmed from this innate wondering of why. 👍🏻

“I understand. I’ve been in your place before, and I’m not all that out myself. I don’t know what would be harder.

Being like this and not being able to talk to anyone about who you like, or being out and having to worry about people like Charlie,” he murmured.”

As much as he waged that inner tug-of-war in his heart over whether or not he could like Ryder more than just a friend, I liked that Ryder didn't push him into doing anything he wasn't comfortable with. His gentle reassurances that nothing would change if he was suddenly seen with him, that it didn't matter. 🥹 While Andrew was scared to reveal this side of him, his visits to Ryder's house were some of my favorite scenes. I loved their riding sessions, the easy way in which they became friends, the acceptance he received from Ryder's family and how warm and welcoming they were of him with their son. It was at those times he was really happy - times that felt where he was the best and truest version of himself. 💟💟

It was a painful contrast to people's reaction when their relationship did come to everyone's attention. Kids can be so vindictive and just downright mean! 😞 Uff, even here, seeing his own best friend turn against him, I felt bad for Andrew. And to make matters worse, his sister's reaction had me frothing at the mouth - so uncharacteristically bratty and rude and totally not at all willing to accept her brother's feelings. She was desperate to appease to his better nature, and it was just so wrong - where was all the sibling love now? What happened to being the one who you could always turn to? She REALLY got on my nerves! 😡💢 Phew, the restraint that Andrew had not to openly lash out at her for all the so-called decisions she was dictating for the both of them.

“Couldn’t you like…try? You know, just to see?”

“Andrea,” he said, looking at her with a warning in his eyes.

She sighed. “All right, I know. I won’t say it again. I just wanted to check.”

“I really like Ryder, and he likes me, too. And I’m happy for once. I don’t have to fake anything because of who I’m dating. Nothing is fake with Ryder, and that’s what I love the most. I don’t have to pretend anymore. I get to be myself, and so can he.”

Man, it's only true sibling love that kept him silent for as long as he did. And it made me grateful that Ryder came along at such an opportune moment in his life - where all his future decisions would make him the person he is, and it would help clear the path for the two of them. But, as much as I fumed whenever she came into the picture, it would have been interesting to shed a little light into her mind and why she was so fixated on her brother. It was a borderline sister complex, and I didn't like how she was just so determined to dictate his life and expect him to follow up on her decisions. There is a thing about being too close and she was crossing the line way before she was part of the group that targeted Andrew for coming out as being gay. 🤦🏻‍♀️ But, if nothing else, I'm glad you saw sense when she did - albeit rather late. It didn't allow their relationship to be too damaged, and gave them both a chance to grow as individuals.

But, for all that it was, it was just an alright read - it didn't really stand out as anything different from what I have read. The writing was simplistic, at best, and the supporting characters didn't have much backbone to them to merit a mention of being recognizable or having any appeal. So, it's definitely not a story that stands the test of time, but at least it wasn't a complete waste of time. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I don’t like just standing there. I want to be running. No glory in standing still."

Andrew and Andrea Morris are twins. They have a stable home life living with both parents. They do everything together as twins often to but aside from soccer which they both love, but Andy is starting to pull away from his sister wanting his own identity.

Andy is popular, a soccer star who plays the field having a revolving door of female eye candy on his arm for no longer than two months at a time. This works for a while but Andy is getting tired of the same old routine.

Ryder Coltrane is the new kid at school who just moved to New York from Texas. From their first encounter in the office to officially meeting in Mrs. Appleby’s class Andy is pulled towards Ryder. Ryder is different; he is confident, open and with a slight southern accent Andy can’t help be curious about him.

"For the rest of the class, Andrew faded out. He couldn’t get into the lesson. Instead he focused on the guy sitting next to him. Even when sitting quietly, something about Ryder attracted attention. Ryder looked over at him at the moment and grinned. He frowned and tried to breathe, a little confused. What’s wrong with me? Am I coming down with something?"

Andy and Ryder quickly start a friendship and begin to spend a lot of time together at Ryder’s as he teaches Andy to ride a horse. Ryder is intuitive with Andy and his actions/relationships at school. He begins to wonder about Andy "Dating someone slipped your mind? Andy, do you like girls?" and Andy begins to question himself as well. When Ryder comes out to Andy he isn’t disgusted like the thought he would be and this confuses him along with his growing feelings towards Ryder. An almost kiss in the barn after a ride throws Andy for a spin and he begins to wonder just what how he feels about Ryder. Should he be having these feelings and aren’t they supposed to be wrong?

"Why had his body reacted like that to Ryder? It had felt warm and comfortable, but Andrew knew he shouldn’t feet like that."

Andy and Ryder decide to take a chance on their relationship but keep it secret; of course that doesn’t last very long. When they are discovered it was an emotional, sticky and rough situation. I have to say that Andy’s father is amazing as are Ryder’s Aunt and Uncle. Karina and her understanding is wonderful for both Andy and Ryder, she rocks as a friend.

I know that Andrea is a tough character to like and I didn’t at first. By the end of the story you can see where she is coming from and she does redeem herself. Being so close to her twin it was not easy for her to understand that he was not the person anymore and that he couldn’t share this huge part of his life with her. I get it I do, but the urge to slap her and pull her hair is still there for what she did. ..Ugh, how could she do that to her brother?

Andy Squared is a wonderful coming of age and coming out story. The struggle that Andy deals with broke my heart as he tries to decide who he is as an individual. The issues with coming out to your friends and family is not easy and the author does a wonderful job of handling it. The story is honest, eye opening and never condescending.

"I was scared as hell. No one in their right mind would want to face what I have. Look, it’s not like I wanted to be gay. But I am. I can’t change that. I don’t want to change that. I like the person I have become. I realize that now."

[Anncleire · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Andy squared” è capitato per caso nella mia lista delle cose da leggere, non so neanche io per quale motivo. Come capita spesso l’ho scelto ad istinto senza preoccuparmi di nulla, senza leggere la trama e facendomi trasportare dalla copertina. In realtà come al solito non ci avevo capito niente della trama, né del genere, ma sono comunque rimasta piacevolmente colpita, una lettura non impegnativa che tratta comunque di un argomento molto importante al giorno d’oggi.

Andrew e Andrea Morris vivono in Texas nella piccola città di New York e sono fratelli gemelli. Amano giocare a calcio, frequentano gli stessi amici e hanno una famiglia meravigliosa. Tutto cambia quando arriva in città Ryder Coltrane che va a vivere insieme ai nonni in una fattoria. Ryder riesce ad inserirsi nella vita di Andrew con una facilità disarmante e fra di loro nasce subito un affetto speciale. Riusciranno ad essere felici e a superare i pregiudizi di una città di periferia.

Si avete capito bene, il protagonista Andrew, soprannominato Andy come la sorella, si innamora di un ragazzo gay, dopo essere stato per lungo tempo un playboy di quelli accaniti, saltando da una ragazza all’altra senza provare mai niente di troppo profondo. L’argomento viene trattato in modo molto delicato, senza mai infierire e senza mai essere volgare e ci ritroviamo a seguire Andy nella sua scoperta di sé.
Generoso, altruista, capace di perdonare il fatto che viene continuamente attaccato, sa qual è la cosa giusta da fare, ma non sa chi è davvero. Il problema è proprio questo, il capire quello che si vuole e accettarsi per quello che si è, senza farsi gettare per aria da aspettative inutili, senza perdere sé stessi a contatto con gli altri che ci giudicano e cercano di mandarci con i piedi per aria. È questo che spaventa gli adolescenti e che crea l’appiglio per i bulli, la diversità e tutti sono preoccupati di stare al centro dell’attenzione, di scomparire tra la massa di non esporsi in modo oltraggioso se non per essere consacrati come i più popolari. Tutti vogliono essere amati e ricercati da tutti ma quasi nessuno è capace di stare in piedi. Andrew è il primo che accoglie Ryder, che gli diventa amico e lo inserisce nel suo gruppo. Quando scopre cosa nasconde seppur spaventato non scappa e non lo tradisce quando la verità viene sbandierata ai quattro venti si fa forza e non lo abbandona.
Ryder ha una coscienza di sé molto più sviluppata, sa quello che vuole ma non forza in nessun modo Andy anzi gli sta accanto come può e mi è piaciuto molto come personaggio. Molto positivo, se ne frega di quello che pensa di lui la gente e pur se il suo coming out non è definitivo non si vergogna di sé. Ci sono delle scene tenerissime in cui mi sono commossa un po’. Non credevo di riuscire ad emozionarmi così durante la lettura e pensare che durante il primo capitolo avevo un po’ snobbato tutto il libro e avevo quasi intenzione di abbandonarlo. E avrei fatto molto male.
La sorella Andrea? Mi è stata antipatica dalla prima pagina, ma un po’ la capisco pure, ha solo paura di perdere il fratello in un modo che non aveva mai considerato. Si cresce ed è inevitabile allontanarsi l’uno dall’altro e fare scelte differenti, non per questo l’affetto viene meno. Ma è difficile accettarlo, soprattutto quando si è gemelli.

Il particolare da non dimenticare? Un paio di stivali.

Consiglio sicuramente la lettura di questo libro, estremamente tenero, molto romantico e soprattutto istruttivo. In ogni momento siamo costretti a compiere delle scelte. Scelte che non sono sempre facili e immediate, ma che coinvolgono sicuramente ogni aspetto della nostra vita. Prendere coscienza di sé e di quello che si vuole può essere difficile e destabilizzante, ma bisogna farsi forza e compiere le scelte giuste senza farsi condizionare.
Buona lettura guys!


Ringrazio Netgalley e Bold Strokes Books per avermi concesso l’opportunità di leggere questo libro in cambio della mia onesta opinione.


Recensione anche sul mio blog:
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Andy Squared" was my first read from Jennifer Lavoie and I found it to be a well-written story about a high school senior who not only comes to terms with his sexuality, but also stands tall in the face of adversity against his growing relationship with another boy, including opposition from his own twin. Andrew (Andy) and his sister Andrea have been inseparable since they were kids, but as the two have grown through school, and months before their graduation, Andrew realizes that what his sister wants from life is very different from the image he has for his own aims. Further, in terms of his relationships, he can't seem to keep a girlfriend in his life without feeling uncomfortable. When a new boy (Ryder) arrives at Andy's school, Andrew can't stay away from the boy who likes riding horses and has his heart pounding. The two boys become friends, which in time becomes something more, but in a small town where rampant homophobia exists, they have to contend with keeping their relationship secret - at least until it's revealed by the one person Andrew's known his whole life.

This book has a very interesting premise and it had my attention from point one in the book. It took very little time to get to know both Andys, and I found them with very distinct personalities and desires. Andrea had moments where she was overbearing and crude, but that was a distinct part of her characterization in spurts, and one can tell Andrew really cares for her. I don't think I ever came to fully like her or connect with her viewpoint, but I understood her roles in the story where they came across. I really liked the progressive development of Andy's relationship with Ryder - in the scenes where they're riding and caring for the horses, as well as when their relationship becomes more than just a strong friendship. I'll admit that the emotional conflict didn't pop off the page as much as I thought it would have, given the contentions in the town and ultimately Andrew's internal struggles to understand his sentiments and sexuality. I definitely appreciated the supportive cast of characters once Andrew and Ryder were "out" and Andrew's growth in confidence and knocking down the contentions around them made him a much stronger, solid character. I do wish that the intimacy of events to the character perspectives were a little more to the forefront, but it wasn't something that detracted from my enjoyment of the novel. Towards the end, I found the resolution to the conflict buildup came a little too quickly, but was still worth following for what the story aimed for in the coming to terms of sentiments between the characters.

I would certainly recommend this for those who like YA realistic fiction/contemporary stories regarding GLBT characters. It has a few bumps in the progression, but still proves an enjoyable story and worth the time to read.

Overall score: 3/5

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Bold Strokes Books.

[Madison Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel started off strong; I couldn't wait for Andrew and Ryder to meet, and then for Ryder to reveal his feelings for Andrew. The characters were both likable and I was rooting for them the whole time. I thought the premise was interesting--what happens when one sibling rejects the other for being gay? I read a lot about gay men being rejected by parents and friends, but not so much about siblings.

I also enjoy stories that turn stereotypes on their heads. If you had told me in advance that one of the characters is from New York and the other from Texas, I would've thought the the New Yorker would be the one who was more comfortable with his sexuality and less concerned about the reaction of family and friends. New York seems so much more progressive than Texas. But of course, that's a sweeping generalization.

I don't mind characters acting like jerks so long as I understand the motivation behind their actions. I sympathized with Andrea (although I completely disagreed with her, of course) despite how cruel she was toward her brother.

A Q&A thread with the author clarified some confusion regarding the sex scene between Andrew and Ryder. We see them fall on the bed together, exchange a few words, and then fade to black. Initially the scene came across to me as though Ryder refused to bottom for Andrew. I thought it was out of character for Ryder, but the author's actual intent was that Ryder was offering to "bottom from the top." I wish we'd gotten a teeny bit more detail from that scene, because the way the author described it in the Q&A sounded very sweet. Ryder wanted Andrew to enjoy his first experience without the fear of pain or performance anxiety.

The ending left me with a lot of questions. I was glad that Andrew and Andrea resolved their conflict, but there was a lot of uncertainty left surrounding Andrew's relationship with Ryder. Would he tell him he loved him? Would Ryder come out to his parents? Would Ryder leave during the summer? Would he apply to Utica to be with Andrew? Would they eventually find acceptance from the kids at school? I guess I'll have to settle for writing the epilogue in my mind!

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is a smooth, easy-reading YA coming-out story. Andy (Andrew) and Andy (Andrea) are twins who have been close all their lives, but recently Andrew has started changing his mind about the joined-at-the hip future they have planned. When a new student, Ryder, catches Andrew's attention he gradually realizes he is gay. It's hard enough for him to come to terms with his changing feelings, but it's made even harder when Andrea reacts badly to finding out about them.

Ryder and Andrew are likable characters and the development of their relationship is slow and sweet. I'd have liked to see more of the positive side to Andrea who was her brother's best friend - she was unlikeable on several dimensions in the course of this story - but the twin dynamic was a novel twist to the family conflict over coming out. The end was a bit abrupt as the central conflict resolved more easily than I expected. There are a few loose ends though, should the author ever decide to write a sequel.I wouldn't mind seeing more of Andrew and Ryder.

[Jyanx · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Andrew's story of self acceptance, and love. I liked the relationship between him and Ryder, and to me the horses were a nice bonus. I wasn't as wild about Andrew's relationship with his sister Andrea. She was controlling, and nasty, and I think in the end Andrew forgave her way too quickly for the problems she caused. She might have said that's not what she wanted to have happened, but she had to have known what her words would have stirred up considering her school, and their friends. I found, with few exceptions, the secondary cast to be a bit flat. The bullying, and the narrow mindedness felt too stereotypically small town, and I would have preferred a more nuanced view of where Andrew was from. It would have given the story more depth, and richness in my view. I did appreciate both Ryder’s uncle, and Matt’s father for breaking the mold in that respect. Overall a pretty good story that could have used a bit more depth in both setting, and secondary characters.

[RaeLynn Fry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Andy Squared
By: Jennifer Lavoie
Genre: YA (Coming of Age, LGBT)
Rating: Strong PG-13 for closed door sex scene
Spoilers: Heck to the yes. I have to in order to show you why this book failed for me
Coffee Beans: 1 (for the cover)
Cover: Awesome Sauce (if it were a book set on the coast)
Instalove Factor: Not present
My Personal Recommendation: Skip, please
Opening Line: “The neon yellow ball rolled to a stop in front of Andrew.”
Favorite Line: “Andrew left to make the call, standing outside of the living room but close enough for help should his father, say, climb through the phone to kill him.” (Pg 142 of ereader)
Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for this honest review

Publisher’s Summary
Seventeen-year-old twins, Andrew and Andrea Morris, have always been close. They share everything—from their friends to a room—and they both enjoy star positions on their high school’s soccer teams. All’s right with the twins...or is it?

When new student Ryder Coltrane moves from Texas to their small New York town, he spins Andrew’s world upside down. All of Andrew’s past relationship troubles begin to make sense and his true feelings start to click into place after Ryder comes out to him. His friendship with Ryder turns secretively romantic, but secrets, they soon find out, are hard to keep. Once rumors start to fly, so-called friends turn on them, and the boys’ relationship turns into a bomb about to explode. But Andrew never expected it would be his own twin, Andrea, holding a lighter to ignite it.

My Review
I’m giving you all fair warning now: I did not like this book (although there are many others out there who’ve given it 4/5 star reviews who would vehemently disagree with me). In order to show you why I feel this way, there will be spoilers in this review. Which, to me, doesn’t matter as I won’t be recommending it to anybody.

So, if you really liked this book and you don’t want to get upset by what I have to say, or if you’re a sensitive person and don’t want your feelers hurt, I wouldn’t blame you for turning away, but if you’re sticking it out, good for you.
Oh, where do I begin?

How about my first impressions? Those were positive. I read the description and coupled with the cover, I thought this was going to be a pretty cool book. Here’s why:

• The cover’s sweet (although it looks like it belongs more on a book about a beach than upstate, small-town New York)
• There are twins involved. I’m a twin. I write books about twins. I. Love. Twins. As well as the whole family dynamic and how different it can be
• The premise sounded really promising and had the potential to grab a very specific audience
• I thought this could really be a splash in the book-reading world and could maybe be one of those “Well, Andy had the strength to do it, so maybe I can too” kind of experiences for any kid struggling with a situation similar to the MC’s
• It was a short read; on my Nook, only 180 pages

Okay, now down to the nitty-gritty of where my problems were:

The family factor: I thought the dynamic was unrealistic and it really kind of got under my skin. Mom and Dad are there but not, but when they are there, they’re kind of portrayed as being the perfect parents.
Andrea is forceful, belligerent, controlling, and overall a horrible human being. Andrew always mention that he and his twin are BEST FRIENDS but I don’t understand why based on the information I was given in the book. IMO, she’s someone that needed to be ditched at the curb.
The meh factor: This is the most unacceptable of the short comings, especially when dealing with this kind of topic. It’s an important issue. A real issue that carries a heavy impact and to not give it everything it deserves—in the plot, the “lesson” at the end, the writing—is inexcusable. The writing was just meh. The plot was okay, the lesson wasn’t anything powerful, and nothing grabbed me the way I felt it should. Bottom line. The only character I really felt anything for was Andrea and that’s because hate is a strong emotion.

The execution factor: I have noted in my Nook, over and over again: telling. I was told the story, not shown. I wasn’t there. There was far too much narrative that propelled it along. Not enough dialogue (both internal and external) to give me the connection I needed to be invested in Andy’s story. It felt overworked while at the same time, not doing very much. The writing feels “simple”, like it was written for middle-grade readers instead of the high school readers the 17yo characters would attract. Also, I felt like the author was summarizing the scene for us before hand and then telling it to us again through the characters and at times it felt like I was reading a screenplay.

The horse factor: This one’s small, but it’s mine, dang it. I’m a big horse person. Have been since I was about seven. I know a thing or two. Not sure if the author does or not, but when love interest (See, I can’t even remember his name. Oh! Ryder), when Ryder puts Andy in an English saddle THE FIRST TIME HE’S EVER BEEN ON A HORSE, I almost threw my Nook across the room. If you want to know the specifics as to why, let me know and I’ll tell you. But let’s just suffice to say I’ve never seen a first time rider get acquainted with a horse in an English saddle.(Somewhat connected, I’m a little disappointed that the gay love interest is a cowboy. Is that all anyone can think of because of Brokeback Mountain?)

The coming out factor: Here’s my confession: this is the first book I’ve ever read that had gay characters that weren’t the token “stereotypical” gay guys. So, that being said, I know next to nothing about this genre or what I should expect or what the standard is. So, my following comments may be rendered null and void in light of that confession. For the most part, being gay isn’t taboo anymore, but because my brain isn’t wanting to function fully right now, I’m going to use that word because that’s the closest thing I can think of to get my point across.

These kinds of books frustrate me deeply. It almost seems like quality writing is forsaken because the topic that’s being written about is taboo or “shocking” and therefore it’s okay. It’s not. I think with controversial books, quality is in even higher demand; otherwise it’s just another reason to write it off.

The lack of proper punishment factor: There may be a few of you who don’t agree on this next part, and that’s totally a-okay with me. But I’m gonna say it and say it loud. (If you don’t want spoilers, I suggest you stop reading now).

ANDREA IS A SELFISH IMMATURE (FILL IN THE BLANK) WHO NEEDS TO BE SMACKED UPSIDE THE HEAD BY HER BROTHER AND EVERY OTHER DECENT HUMAN BEING ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET.

Here’s why. New Year’s Eve rolls around and everyone goes to a party in the park. Andrew and Ryder sneak off and share a kiss. Andrea sees them and freaks out. I don’t have a problem with that. I’d probably freak out seeing that, too. She demands to be taken home, refuses to sit next to Ryder in the truck (the three of them rode together). Andrew does the right thing and tells her to suck it up and takes Ryder home. All of that is okay.

When Andrea and Andrew get home, Andrea’s pissed and tells their parents everything. Proceeds to badger and verbally abuse her brother, in front of her parents. The mom starts crying, the dad is in shock, Andrea keeps beating the dead horse and Andrew runs away to Ryder’s house to get away from everything.

His parents end up handling everything pretty well , but Andrea refuses to talk to her brother about it, only sparing enough words to notify him that she’s not keeping his dirty little secret and says that everyone has the right to know about him and Ryder and she’s going to tell them.

Witch that rhymes with a B.

I don’t know of any sibling who loves the other that would cause that kind of hurt and spew that kind of hatred. I just don’t. The author did one thing right here: she invoked such a strong emotion from me, I wished Andrea were a real person so I could practice my right hook and upper cuts on her face. (Wow, see! This is bringing it all the emotion back!)

So, until Andrew’s room can finish getting remodeled (he had been bunking with Andrea), he’s staying at Ryder’s. The first day of school comes and both boys are teased, bullied, and whispered about by classmates and friends. Andrew’s pushed around a bit, but other than that, the first day isn’t as bad as they thought it would be.

The second day, though, takes the cake. Apparently, Andrea had gone up to Andrew’s old best friend (I want to call him Peter, but I don’t think that’s right) and tells him her brother’s secret, that he’s gay and sleeping with Ryder, and to give her brother a hard time and teach him a lesson.

W.T.F.

Seriously? You’re calling a hit on your brother because you don’t like who he is and you feel that he lied to you and betrayed to you because he didn’t tell you the minute he maybe kinda thought he could be gay?????

So, it’s lunch. Peter comes over to the table where Ryder and Andy are sitting. Andrea watches with a grin from another table. And Peter and some other goon start to pick a fight. It’s going down Ugly Ass Shite Road and who steps in? Andrea? Hell no. It’s some other girl, a friend that knows what’s happening is wrong. It’s only after that that Andrea freaks out and says, “Stop it! I only told you to give him a bad time and teach him a lesson!” (And yes, I wrote that in a whiny, annoying voice)

Okay, at this point, any logical and normal human being would be pissed at Andrea tell her to “Get the &%@$ off, you told him to do this.
You’re my sister and you told him to hurt me.” Then I’d push past her, tell her she’s as bad as they are and proceed to give her the tongue lashing of a century that she’s due.

But I like to hold grudges. And I still think she deserves it.
And what really makes me mad is that Andrew doesn’t hold his sister accountable for her actions AT ALL. No, I’m sorry. She doesn’t get a free ride because she’s your sister. That fact alone makes her betrayal all the worse. She doesn’t get to say “sorry” and then the two of you get to skip through the snow holding hands singing “tra-la-la-la-la” through fluffy white flakes.

Fail.

Okay, rant over. But I hope I got my point across. Anyway, my standard farewell applies here as well as to all other books: pick it up and read it for yourself. You may feel differently than I did.
But I’m not going to recommend this book to anyone. Ever.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review is based on a copy provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Also posted on my blog here.

Review:
This is a thoroughly enjoyable, cute read about a teenage boy who begins to question his place in the world as well as his sexual identity.

The Morris twins, Andrea and Andrew, share pretty much everything, even down to the nickname Andy (thus the title). They go to the same school in their small town, they both play soccer, they used to do everything together and not keep secrets from one another. If Andrea had her way, they would also go to the same college and continue playing soccer there. For the moment, they even live in the same room because Andrew’s is being remodeled. While their closeness never bothered Andy a lot, he has been growing weary of it as of late. For example, he is no longer sure he wants to continue playing soccer in college or even go to the one Andrea prefers. However, Andrea is deaf when it comes to that topic and blatantly ignores his opinion.

Things change after Andy breaks up with yet another girlfriend and Ryder Coltrane enrolls in the twins’ highschool. Andy does not understand his own reactions to Ryder at first, while Ryder, who has had experience with guys before, appears to catch on quite quickly but doesn’t pressure him and lets him discover the truth on his own. I enjoyed watching their friendship grow as they connected; it made their later relationship so much more real than if they had been instantly deeply in love with one another for no real reason.

Even though the novel is written in the third person, it is mostly focalized through Andy’s point of view and we get insight into his feelings and thoughts. That made it easy for me to empathize with him. I found myself rooting for him and Ryder and was happy to see their relationship develop slowly. The way they handled it was realistic to me. It becomes clear quite early in the novel that their environment isn’t exactly gay-friendly, and I understood that Andy was uncomfortable about coming out to everybody so soon after he realized his own feelings. The situation is slightly easier for Ryder – he is staying with his uncle and aunt because his father, who is in the army, is stationed in Germany at the moment and his mother went with him to live there. So whatever he does here, they are unlikely to hear about it.

The secrecy actually added to their romance for me, but it’s also quite clear to the reader that it cannot last forever. Something’s got to give, and the two of them begin slipping up and cutting it close. Tension mounts as Andrea feels threatened and the twins begin fighting about their college plans more fiercely. When Andrea discovers the leverage she needs, things turn ugly.

Andy and Ryder were well fleshed-out and I found them very likable. Andy’s coming out was realistic to me and I liked how it was woven into his general personal development as he grows more independent and sure of himself and what he wants. I liked that for once, the characters’ families were an active part of the story and their children’s lives. However, I sometimes had trouble understanding Andrea’s motives for her actions. She was extremely controlling and at times I wished Andy would stand up to her more. Nevertheless, the dynamic between the twins was just as interesting as the romantic part of the plot.
Their friends were less fleshed-out than the main characters, but that was okay since most of the story didn’t focus on their interactions that much and it didn’t bother me.

Overall I really enjoyed the story; the writing is fluid and engaging and the characters’ dialogue and actions realistic. One point of critique is that there was not all that much action in the novel. Apart from the blow up near the end, I would have liked it if there had been some more bumps in the road, so to speak. There is growing tension, but hardly any minor eruptions. I only realized that in retrospect though – the focus of the novel is simply more on character development than on plot, which, given the topic, is okay.

Andy Squared is a great story about coming of age and coming out, and I wish there were more LGBT characters in YA literature. The more physical aspect of the story is handled delicately – there are some steamy make-out scenes but nothing graphic. I would thus recommend the story to readers of any age interested in accompanying a gay teen on his journey of self-discovery.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Net Galley and Bella Distribution for providing me with an ecopy ARC for an honest review.
Blurb from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old twins, Andrew and Andrea Morris, have always been close. They share everything—from their friends to a room—and they both enjoy star positions on their high school’s soccer teams. All’s right with the twins...or is it?
When new student Ryder Coltrane moves from Texas to their small New York town, he spins Andrew’s world upside down. All of Andrew’s past relationship troubles begin to make sense and his true feelings start to click into place after Ryder comes out to him. His friendship with Ryder turns secretively romantic, but secrets, they soon find out, are hard to keep. Once rumors start to fly, so-called friends turn on them, and the boys’ relationship turns into a bomb about to explode. But Andrew never expected it would be his own twin, Andrea, holding a lighter to ignite it.

I found this to be an easy, fast and delightful contemporary read. A look at what it means to come into yourself and realize that you are not at all what you thought you were. The characters are endearing and easily relatable. It was interesting to watch Andy as he realized he didn't like the girls he was dating and that it had nothing to do with him getting bored easily as he always thought. You see the relationship between Ryder and Andrew slowly blossom, as the relationship between Andrew and his sister slowly grow apart. You also see Andrew's priorities change: soccer becomes less important as his academic future lies ahead.

I was surprised at how easily Andrew fell into his role as a gay man. I understand the author wanting to show that he was suddenly comfortable with himself, but it seemed too easy. Although, I see that he had difficulty with allowing others into his "new" world. Ryder helps this transition immensely.

I was happy to see how Andrew's father and Ryder's aunt and uncle easily accepted the relationship between Ryder and Andrew, while others reacted in a more angry and upset manner. The different reactions of the characters made helped me understand what Andrew was going through, made it reality.

The author's writing style flows easily. The dialogue between the characters is natural. I have to say that I didn't find the male voices to be genuine. I could tell that the author was female. I felt as if the male voices were feminine and it led me to feel like they were being stereotyped because they are gay men.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Lavoie has a terrific writing style and I can see her going great places in the future. I look forward to her future works.

3 stars out of 5.

Review can also be found on the following sites:
http://thecovercontessa.blogspot.com
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/b...

[Anna Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Morris has a pretty good life in his small town. He gets along almost perfectly with his twin sister Andrea, has some great friends, awesome parents and never lacks a girlfriend. But he's beginning to question whether he wants the same things in life anymore. Than Ryder Coltrane comes to town from Texas to live with his Aunt and Uncle. Andy doesn't understand why he feels so drawn to Ryder at first, but then he finally acknowledges the attraction between them. Once they start a relationship everything finally feels right for once in Andy's life. But he is still hesitant to be open, especially seeing the harrasment that the only openly gay guy at their school deals with every day. But will he have a choice when the one person he always thought had his back, twists the knife into it after finding out? I was a bit hesitant to read this book, but I figured that I would give it a shot since I had a copy from Netgalley. After I got a little bit into it, I was completely glued to my Kindle! I related a lot to Andrew trying to break away from family expectations, Andrea's controlling ones in particular. And the confusion of who he really was kept me reading and sympathizing all the way to the end. I also want a Ryder of my very own - someone who really cares, but is also willing to wait and understands that Andy was not quite going at the same pace as him. The only thing that really grinded on me was how easily Andrea turned on her brother. Her so called twin sensibilities were erased in two seconds flate when she found out about Andy and Ryder. She refused to listen to reason and totally sold them out to the assholes at school. She was a dick and outed Andy to their parents before he was ready. She was also totally homophobic, when it was obvious that the twins' parents HAD NOT raised them to be that way and were apalled by their behavior. I was disgusted that when Andrea and Andrew were making up from their fight, she was still asking him if he could try not to be gay. WTF!!! Other than that big, gaping rage inducer of a characterization this was a very sweet and wonderfully written book. I would recommend this to teens struggling with their sexuality, but maybe not to their family members...

VERDICT: 3.5/5 Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is September 18th, 2012.*

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Andy Squared
Author: Jennifer Lavoie
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
ISBN: 9781602827943e
Buy Link: http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/97816...
Reviewer: Teresa - Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old twins, Andrew and Andrea Morris, have always been close. They share everything—from their friends to a room—and they both enjoy star positions on their high school's soccer teams. All's right with the twins...or is it? When new student Ryder Coltrane moves from Texas to their small New York town, he spins Andrew's world upside down. All of Andrew's past relationship troubles begin to make sense and his true feelings start to click into place after Ryder comes out to him. His friendship with Ryder turns secretively romantic, but secrets, they soon find out, are hard to keep. Once rumors start to fly, so-called friends turn on them, and the boys' relationship turns into a bomb about to explode. But Andrew never expected it would be his own twin, Andrea, holding a lighter to ignite it.




Summary:

Growing up as a twin myself, I could understand the bond between Andrew and Andrea. Having someone with you from before you were born makes the bond almost unbreakable. It was sad how Andrea was willing to do what she had to so that things would not change as they grew older. What she didn't realize that even though their lives wouldn't be the same their love for each other would remain. Deep down Andrew knew that something inside him was different, but he didn't understand what it was until he met Ryder. Andrew never committed to any girl for long, but when he and Ryder became friends the feelings between them couldn't be denied. When he knew that Ryder was gay, his feelings started to change and though he knew that his friends would never accept it and treat them terribly. Andy was afraid of what his sister would say and do if she ever found out. The issues of bullying at school was poignantly portrayed allowing the reader to understand how the victim felt and how they have to survive it one day at a time. Andy, Ryder and Andrea's struggle has just begun and I hope that this isn't the end of their story.

[Book Twirps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew and his twin sister Andrea are pretty much inseparable. They both attend the same school, they both play soccer, and, for the time being, they even share the same room while Andrew’s is being remodeled. They share a lot of the same friends, they will attend the same college (if Andrea has any say in it) and they never keep secrets from one another — for the most part. There is one thing Andrew hasn’t told his sister. Despite the fact that he has never been without a girlfriend, Andrew is gay, and he can’t fight his attraction to newcomer Ryder Coltrane. As Andrew falls for Ryder and begins to deal with who he really is, he expects to face backlash from his peers — he just never expected one of the people who would treat him the worst would be his twin sister.

For some reason I had it in my head that this book was going to be a bit darker than it actually was. I guess I still can’t get the powerhouse that was Kelley York’s Hushed out of my head. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book, I just wasn’t expecting it to be as light as it was (and by light I mean in comparison to how dark and twisty Hushed was.)

That being said, I felt that Ms. Lavoie handles the topic very well, and she’s created a cast of easily likable and relatable characters. Andrew (Andy #1) is a wonderful character and I enjoyed his journey of self discovery. And even though Andrea (Andy #2) was a little psycho and controlling, I could understand where she was coming from, even though her reasons were very selfish.

What I especially liked was that even though Andrew’s attraction to Ryder was pretty much immediate, this wasn’t a case of insta-love. Their relationship happened at a believable pace, growing from a close friendship into a deep attraction and an eventual romance. I never once doubted their feelings for one another or the depth of their relationship.

This is a relatively short book, but I didn’t feel like anything was rushed or underdeveloped. The writing is fluid, and the story engaging. It definitely serves a purpose and is worth reading.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars...

Andy Squared is a coming of age story about 17 year old Andrew and how by him realizing who he really is not only changes him, but affects the people around him as well.

Andrew and Andrea are as close as twins can be. They share the same friends, the same activities, even the same nickname- Andy. Andrew is definitely a playboy. After a few weeks with a girl he starts to find her annoying and breaks up with her. When new kid Ryder moves to town from Texas, things start to change for Andrew. He starts to put certain pieces of his life together and he realizes that he is attracted to Ryder. Never in a million years did Andrew ever think he could be gay, but it is undeniable. He wants to spend all of his time with Ryder and he wants to know what it would be like to kiss him.

I thought Andrew was a very well written character. The emotions he felt where realistic and honest to me. Even though this is something that I will never experience, I felt everything that Andrew felt. I also loved Ryder. He was so sweet and I liked how patient he was with Andrew. He never rushed him, and always made him feel comfortable.

I couldn't stand Andrea though. Her reaction to her brother's homosexuality was disgusting and I couldn't believe she did what she did to him. I thought it was a little unrealistic how easily Andrew forgave her for what she did. I would have been furious! It just goes to show what a great guy Andrew truly is! His parents reaction to him coming out felt very real to me. I liked how it was portrayed.

The only other thing I didn't like about Andy Squared was the cover. When I first saw it, I assumed the book was about some 80's rock singer with a drug problem. Anyone else see that?

Overall, I really enjoyed Andy Squared. It is a raw and honest portrayal about a teenager learning who he is really is and accepting it, despite what others think about it.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read ARC through NetGalley. Review also published on personal blog.

A work of LGBT young adult fiction, Andy Squared tells the story of seventeen-year-old Andrew Morris as he goes through significant changes in his life after the catalytic arrival of new classmate Ryder Coltrane. Ryder, who is gay, opens up to Andrew and helps Andrew realize just what it is that he has failed to understand about himself: that he too is gay. While Andrew adjusts to this revelation and begins a relationship with Ryder, he must also deal with the challenges of his family and friends adjusting to it as well, particularly his twin sister, Andrea.

I found this to be a delightful coming-of-age and coming-out story. I love the characters (and occasionally love to hate them), and I like that many of them, not just Andrew, are so dynamic in fairly dramatic ways. Andrea, for example, goes through her own transformation of understanding her relationship with her twin after he comes out, and, as the title of the book suggests, she is as main a character as Andrew himself. I actually found the Andrew/Andrea relationship slightly more intriguing than the Andrew/Ryder one, despite Ryder being the initial cause of all the change. I think this is because Ryder seems to act mostly as a guide for Andrew, and their relationship ironically allows for Andrew an easy transition that balances the resulting conflicts in the other aspects of Andrew's life. Just as important to the story, but definitely not as painful as Andrew's relationship with Andrea.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The writing is wonderful (especially in the more physical scenes...tasteful yet steamy!), the dialogue feels genuine, and the characters and their motivations are believable. This is Lavoie's debut work, and I very much look forward to reading more by her in the future!

[Holly Frabizio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy Squared by Jennifer Lavoie is the story seventeen-year-old twins Andrew and Andrea. They have shared everything since they were children including a love of soccer; the nickname "Andy" and they even share a bedroom (which was supposed to be temporary). Andrea is filled with excitement over them both attending the same college on full scholarships! Her excitement quickly turns to confusion when Andrew starts behaving strangely. Everything is suddenly different when a new student from Texas arrives at their school. Ryder Coltrane is taller than most of the other boys, has bright green eyes and a mega-watt smile. He is different. He is confident. Everyone is drawn to him, especially Andrew. Andrea doesn't understand why her brother doesn't want to spend time with her and their other friends. He changed girlfriends as often as most people change socks. He even says that he doesn't want to play soccer at college! Andrew promised that they would go to the same college and now he doesn't even want to do that! Something is not right. Andrew is keeping secrets from the one person he swore he'd never keep anything from, his twin sister.
Jennifer Lavoie writes a beautiful story about a boy who is discovering his true sexual identity. It is a realistic tale of a young boy's confusion about whether or not he is gay or straight. Lavoie takes her readers into the minds and hearts of characters and describes the fear, pain, embarrassment and joy of first love. She also explores the close bond that many twins have and their feelings of separation anxiety and grief when they start to grow apart. I was grateful to Lavoie for providing her readers with a realistic experience and for allowing characters to have authentic and believable emotions and reactions in the story. I recommend this book to boys and girls 13 and older.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The twins, Andrew and Andrea, do everything together. They have since they were born. They play soccer, the same position; they plan to go to college on a soccer scholarship; and, until this year, they had most of their classes together.

Something else is different about this year for Andrew: the arrival of a new student named Ryder. Ryder is very handsome, even Andrew thinks so. But Andrew likes girls—he’s a serial dater. However, whenever Ryder touches Andrew he becomes flushed and shivers; what is wrong with him? Could he really like Ryder in THAT way? What would the people at school say? The only person who is openly gay gets harassed every day—what would that mean for Andrew? And how would his sister and family react? His sister wants them to never change and stay on the path they planned as children.

Join Andrew as he learns about himself and his own ability to endure in the face of betrayal.

My Thoughts: I loved Andrew as a character. He felt very real to me as he went through his self-discovery. I liked how the author slowly allowed Andrew to recognize that he is gay—and the author uses this beautiful attraction plot line to reveal Andrew and his feelings. I also appreciated Ryder’s character, as he patiently waited for Andrew to realize for himself what his emotional changes meant. The whole middle part of the story is a lovely romance, but it is held together with the tension of discovery. Once the boys start dating, they slowly expose themselves to people who either choose to accept them or not.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable romance in which other relationships (parents, friends, classmates) were just as important—and just as interesting to follow.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep tossing up between three and four stars for this. Going with four because it was a nice, quick read and the story was interesting enough. (And really, the only reason why I wasn't five-star wild about it was because it's m/m not f/f!)

Twins Andrew and Andrea have always done everything together, and shared everything. Now, while Andrew's room is being fixed up, they're even sharing a bedroom. Then new boy Ryder moves to town and it's boy-Andy who falls for him. Just a simple coming out story, so there's school bullies to deal with and parents - although in both cases (well, Ryder lives with his aunt and uncle) the parents are cool. The major problem is boy-Andy's twin, girl-Andy. SHE FLIPS THE FUCK OUT and turns into a horrible little cretin. Actually, she was already headed that way - she's an incredibly controlling, bossy, possessive sister who just decided that she and boy-Andy should go to the same college since they both got sports scholarships... and instead of listening to his protests that he doesn't want to live his life around soccer, she goes and forges his acceptance letter for him. What the actual fuck! So I guess it was upsetting when she found out about Andy and Ryder and went off at them, but not entirely unexpected that she'd be a total twat.

If you're into m/m romance, you'll love this. If you're like me and just read anything glbt that you can get your hands on, you'll probably enjoy it too. Andrew really is a great character and his coming to terms with his attraction to Ryder is a delight to read.

[Bari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I read by Jennifer Lavoie which I came across on NetGalley.

Andy and Andy, i.e. Andrew and Andrea are fraternal twins who tell each other everything. At least that is what Andrea always thought. That is until a new comer moves to town and joins them at their local, small town, high school. Then the world Andrew and Andrea lived in is turned on it's head and will never be the same again. Andrew comes to the realization that he is gay.

Jennifer Lavoie manages to capture the voice of teens in a small town who have little exposure to people who are different. By different that could mean someone of color, someone bisexual and/or gay just to give you an idea. Change doesn't alwasy come easy for people, even for those we love the most.

In this novel, the author paints a very realistic picture of what it is like for Andy to live with his secret. What ultimatly happens as a result of keeping that secret hidden from his twin sister, his family and friends?

Everyone can relate to this story whether you're gay, straight or transgender. For teens struggling with their identity, they will be able to relate to Andrew and his struggles to fit in. For the friends, classmates, commumity members, teachers, etc of the world. Read this and maybe you will have a little bit more compassion and understand for those that are different from you. Understand that different is not bad.

[dorolerium · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy Squared starts out like a lot of other YA novels – teens in their senior year of high school, just trying to live out the rest of the year before fully figuring out what to do with the rest of their lives. Our main characters are twins Andrew and Andrea, who have always done basically the same thing. Both soccer stars, in the same position on their respective teams, with Andrea seeming to think things are going to remain the same when they go off to college.

Their differences start to show to the reader when Andrew begins thinking he might want something other than what his sister has previously settled upon as a mutual decision. From the start, Andrea seems a little unhealthily attached to doing everything with her brother, but I may be a little biased. It always grated on me growing up when my siblings wanted to do all that I was doing. With that in mind, it annoyed me every time Andrea insisted she and Andrew were going to the same college, to play the same position on the soccer teams, and lead parallel lives indefinitely. I don’t think this is bad writing, in fact I think it does a great job of illustrating how the twins are growing apart even before Andrew really figures out just how different he really is.

To read the rest of my review, please visit my blog.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew and Andrea Morris, seventeen-year-old twins, have always been inseparable, but the popular Andy is starting to feel a need to make his own path in the world. More and more, his goals and his sister's don't mesh. When he meets Ryder Coltrane, a new student who moves from Texas to New York, they quickly become friends and then later, he feels attracted physically to Ryder. Suddenly, his disinterest in his female classmates starts to make sense. Ryder has no problems coming out to his classmates but he dreads letting his parents know. Andy, meanwhile, is sure that he needs to keep their relationship a secret. When Andrea stumbles onto the two of them embracing, she is furious and determined to make things uncomfortable for her brother. In anger, she spreads the word about the couple, and only when things go too far at school does she step to her brother's defense. I liked the honest way in which the author describes the fears and prejudices that often lead to bullying in high schools like the one the Morris twins attend, and I was pleased to see that Andy's search for his own identity led him to stand up to his own sister. Things simmer down a bit too quickly at school and at home to be true, but still, this title is bound to spark plenty of conversations about coming out and why so many teens and adults think someone else's sexuality is their business.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rate this more of a 3.5 or 3.75 stars.

It really starts out slow. You have to give it some time - I think it was about 50 pages or so before it really started to get rolling, but once it did, it really kept my attention.

I read this book because I know one of Ms. Lavoie's students who was telling me about it. I decided I would read it, and in the beginning I thought I was going to have to tell this student how much I disliked the book. I am so glad I kept reading, and was in fact able to let her know how much I enjoyed this book.

The author did nice job of creating different character reactions for when Andrew 'came out'. Although some of it was a bit tidy, it still felt strong and complete.

The one thing I felt wasn't finished was with the character Melissa. She was a very small charater in the book, but was mentioned briefly in a sentence at the end of the book, but I still am unsure how she ended up reacting to the whole thing. Just a minor detail.

Overall, a good story about a high school boy who figures out he's gay, and has to come out in a small town.

Sidenote: The book is actually only 201 pages. I don't know where Goodreads got that it was 264 pages.

[Shai Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book covers what for some could be an uncomfortable but real subject matter. Regardless of one's beliefs or wishes when teenagers are discovering their sexuality some will discover that they are gay. Kudos to Ms. Lavoie for addressing this touchy subject head on.

ANDY SQUARED is very much a character driven book and I do have to say that I liked the character of Andrew. The reader is given the opportunity to really get into his head as he learns to accept that he is gay. Ryder is just a dear as he is so patient with the time that Andrew needs to accept this aspect of himself. I found that all of the secondary characters just as well written including Andrew's sister Andrea who I felt really should have been taught that she doesn't always get her own way.

I very much enjoyed ANDY SQUARED and read it in one sitting. I feel that it is a great book that is perfect for teenagers and adults who enjoy the young adult genre. I rate this book a 4.

*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

[Holly J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit, this is not normally a book I would read, but there was something about the plot that just made me want to read it. I ended up loving it! It doesn't matter if you are straight or not, this book is a good read!

I really enjoyed the characters. Andrew started out not realizing his true sexuality and slowly learned to accept that he is gay. Ryder was just a sweetheart and I loved how he was drawn to Andrew right from the start. I admired how patient he was with Andrew as he learned about his true self. Though a little rough-edged, Andrea really added to the overall outcome of the story and I feel that she played a big part to Andrew's character, from who he was at the start to who he became at the end.

I read this book in one sitting, I enjoyed it that much. My best friend recommended it to me and I'm so happy she did. I would recommend it to everyone, especially teens who are struggling with their sexuality, or have friends in that kind of situation. It is a great addition to the Young Adult section of any bookstore/library.

[Steven Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

ANDY SQUARED is a phenomenal debut! The story follows twins Andrew and Andrea who, at the start of the novel, are as close as any siblings can be. But all that changes when Andy decides he no longer shares his controlling sister's desire to attend the same college together and play competitive soccer.

Andy also seems to be having difficulty sustaining any relationships. A popular jock, he dates a lot of girls. But every time they get too close, Andy pushes them away and moves on to the next.

And then handsome Texas teen Ryder comes to town and awakens feelings in Andy that he's never consciously explored.

I won't spoil the rest. But the story is a fascinating coming of age novel that explores coming to terms with sexual orientation, sibling rivalry, and discovering what true friendship is all about, told in very effective prose.

I would definitely recommend this novel and anxiously await Jennifer Lavoie's next effort!

[Yvonne Heidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not going to wait to put in a comment because if I do - it will never get done. I'm horrible at reviews:) What I will do is give a quick and honest opinion of what I liked about the book.

First of all, I LOVE the title :) I enjoyed the story and truthfully, felt swept away back many, many, moons ago to my own high school clique. Ms. Lavoie did a wonderful job on the dialog and characters.

What I loved most was the way Andy handled himself. There wasn't an overflow of angst - which I really appreciated. I thought there was a wonderful balance to the situation. I also loved the way the adults acted to Andy's coming out. It was touching and very sweet.

I look forward to reading more from Jennifer Lavoie.

[Laurie Lavoie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my typical choice to read off the bookshelves but I enjoyed the storyline and as a teacher in high school found myself really sympathizing for Andy, happy at his parents ultimate response and very upset at his sisters attitude. Readers at the end can make their own determination as to whether Ryder and Andy will remain a couple or as other high school romances simply move on as they grow older.
We have several copies in our school library and its always in demand.
Yes, my last name is the same as the author --because she is my daughter. I'm extremely proud of her accomplishing her dreams of becoming an author. This book is her first child and I look forward to reading many more from her.

[Camille Sea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually a pretty decent first novel and I enjoyed reading through it. There could have been more depth added to the story and characters itself, but it was still something I looked forward to reading. It's cute and it does shed light on an important issue.

Meeting the author, though brief and unknowingly, was also very pleasant! She's an intelligent and kind person with a great passion for literature. I look forward to future works and to see how she improves!

[Don Bradshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

A smooth, low angst story about two friends ,Ryder and Andrew, falling for each other. Andrew's twin sister Andrea had to figure out where she fit in now that it's not just the two of them any longer. Being gay was new to Andrew too although he never felt comfortable with the girls he dated. An easy acceptance from parents make the young men's coming out much easier. It was just a comfortable feel good story.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

A weird read-- a lot of dialogue and action, but not much description. It kind of made the book feel simple and incomplete. Also several times while reading I thought "Real people wouldn't act this way." It took me out of the story. And I never really bought that the twins were all that close. It felt like I was being told that, but never shown it. Also the story ended quite abruptly, as if the author got tired of writing and just wanted it to end.