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Jack's on Fire: A Modern Queer Fairy Tale
"Jack’s on Fire is a charming, triumphant tale of a queer boy’s journey to find acceptance, community, and love."
-Queerspace Magazine
What if you were a queer teenage musician outed by his vengeful ex-boyfriend and not a fairy tale princess trapped in a castle tower? What if your wicked stepmother was your ordinary, thoughtless, uncaring mother? What if your fairy godmother was your older brother? What if your Prince Charming was captain of the JV soccer team? Maybe you’d be forgiven for not realizing you were living in a sort of fairy tale.
Faced with the impossible choice of staying home to risk being sent away to Father Sullivan’s special school for exceptionally happy boys or moving in with his older brother in California, 16-yr-old Jack Martin leaves behind everything he knows in Minneapolis to go to San Francisco. He finds himself at a new school with new friends and the freedom to be himself. Then sparks fly when Jack meets Damon, his Geometry tutor (and captain of the JV soccer team.) But Jack wonders if Damon feels those sparks, too. And does their budding friendship have a chance to become something more?
Jack’s On Fire is a heartwarming, modern, queer fairy tale about friendship, chosen family, and young, queer love perfect for fans of Heartstopper. Sure, there aren’t any fairies or wands. But what else would you call it when everything starts magically going your way?
-Queerspace Magazine
What if you were a queer teenage musician outed by his vengeful ex-boyfriend and not a fairy tale princess trapped in a castle tower? What if your wicked stepmother was your ordinary, thoughtless, uncaring mother? What if your fairy godmother was your older brother? What if your Prince Charming was captain of the JV soccer team? Maybe you’d be forgiven for not realizing you were living in a sort of fairy tale.
Faced with the impossible choice of staying home to risk being sent away to Father Sullivan’s special school for exceptionally happy boys or moving in with his older brother in California, 16-yr-old Jack Martin leaves behind everything he knows in Minneapolis to go to San Francisco. He finds himself at a new school with new friends and the freedom to be himself. Then sparks fly when Jack meets Damon, his Geometry tutor (and captain of the JV soccer team.) But Jack wonders if Damon feels those sparks, too. And does their budding friendship have a chance to become something more?
Jack’s On Fire is a heartwarming, modern, queer fairy tale about friendship, chosen family, and young, queer love perfect for fans of Heartstopper. Sure, there aren’t any fairies or wands. But what else would you call it when everything starts magically going your way?
Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2023
64 people are currently reading
1272 people want to read
About the author
Owen Lach
7 books56 followersBest-selling author Owen Lach writes tales of queer love and adventure for YA sci-fi and romance readers. His passion for diverse voices shines in worlds where characters find their power and embark on unforgettable journeys. When he’s not writing, Owen seeks inspiration in the works of other queer, femme, trans, and POC authors or unwinds in the vibrant worlds of anime and video games. For Owen, stories are more than words. They’re bridges to understanding, windows to new experiences, and the beating heart of human connection. Join him in exploring imagination’s boundless possibilities.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
June 12, 2023
Well, this book was lovely, and that’s all there is to say! Okay, maybe there’s a couple of other things to say. First of all, it opens similarly to I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver, but after a couple of chapters, as per the title, it’s mostly Jack flourishing. That’s honestly one of the reasons why I liked this so much. Sometimes a simple story where a queer character finds happiness is important too. Besides, it does say “fairy tale” in the title. Other than that, the diversity presented in the book is wonderful and is a real breath of fresh air. You really get a sense of community and solidarity between the characters. It just warms my heart.
Alright, now I want to talk about the brother character, Isaac. He’s the fairy godmother of the story (is this a retelling of Cinderella?) and is super nice and super understanding to everyone. Most of the time it’s fine but I think it goes overboard every now and then. For example, there’s a part where he starts to defend his and Jack’s mother despite her all but kicking Jack out because of his sexuality. He pulls the whole, “family has to stick together and she loves you in her own twisted way,” schtick… nah shut up dude. Sorry, but you can’t be kind to all without being cruel to some. Oh yeah, also Isaac calls Jack “bro” in almost every one of their interactions, so that was a little annoying. Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve literally never called my brothers “bro” or any variation of the word.
Otherwise, I enjoyed how the book wasn’t only romance focused, but also about Jack’s friendships in a way that’s reminiscent of The Inexplicable Logic of my Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Also, the music discussions had in the book are pretty fun, It’s very Seattle-esque… I don’t know how to describe it in any other way. I really wish I could have read this when I was younger, but I’m just glad I can read it now. Anyway, this was an absolute joy to read, all that’s really missing is the ending scene in those early 2000’s romcoms where everybody is dancing and grooving to happy music. Personally, I’m thinking (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher by Jackie Wilson.
Alright, now I want to talk about the brother character, Isaac. He’s the fairy godmother of the story (is this a retelling of Cinderella?) and is super nice and super understanding to everyone. Most of the time it’s fine but I think it goes overboard every now and then. For example, there’s a part where he starts to defend his and Jack’s mother despite her all but kicking Jack out because of his sexuality. He pulls the whole, “family has to stick together and she loves you in her own twisted way,” schtick… nah shut up dude. Sorry, but you can’t be kind to all without being cruel to some. Oh yeah, also Isaac calls Jack “bro” in almost every one of their interactions, so that was a little annoying. Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve literally never called my brothers “bro” or any variation of the word.
Otherwise, I enjoyed how the book wasn’t only romance focused, but also about Jack’s friendships in a way that’s reminiscent of The Inexplicable Logic of my Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Also, the music discussions had in the book are pretty fun, It’s very Seattle-esque… I don’t know how to describe it in any other way. I really wish I could have read this when I was younger, but I’m just glad I can read it now. Anyway, this was an absolute joy to read, all that’s really missing is the ending scene in those early 2000’s romcoms where everybody is dancing and grooving to happy music. Personally, I’m thinking (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher by Jackie Wilson.
May 3, 2023
DNF around 80%. This was supposed to be the kind of book were at the end you exclaim “Awwwww, such a cute book”. Unfortunately it isn’t because one, the writing is clunky and choppy and second the author failed to make me care for the characters. I think the only characters who moved me in this book was Isaac and his gf because they were wonderful to Jack and everybody deserves a brother like Isaac, especially queer ppl. Other than that there’s not much I can say about this story. Jack was ..ok I guess. Damon was ok too. The other characters were bla bla bla I didn’t care about. There was no beautiful prose, no feelings no depth, nothing, the book reads like a movie script, matter-of-factly and blunt. And of course, there’s the BFF’s twist and where I threw the towel because it was unnecessary and I didn’t care enough for that character (or for Jack for that matter) to go through the horrors of that twist.
May 17, 2023
MOM: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!" 🤨
DANIEL: 🙊
DANIEL: 🙊
August 22, 2022
Owen Lach’s Jack’s on Fire is a charming, triumphant tale of a queer boy’s journey to find acceptance, community, and love.
I immediately fell in love with Jack Martin, the story’s eponymous main character. Jack’s biting wit and tendency toward hyperawareness, products of his trauma and possible neurodivergence, spoke to me so profoundly that I wondered if Lach had somehow climbed into my head when he crafted this tale. I appreciated that Lach mostly left Jack’s experiences of trauma off the page. Jack is hurt, but the story isn’t about that. It’s about how he recovers to eventually thrive and shine. The blurb’s description of the book as a “modern queer fairytale” is entirely accurate.
Lach thoughtfully depicted Jack’s anxiety and the struggles he faces in coming to terms with his new environment. Then he surrounded Jack with a delightful set of characters, including his loving older brother to his funny, supportive new friends Frankie and Red. But, beyond Jack, Lach saves the most love for Damon (pun intended,) Jack’s seemingly too-good-to-be-true love interest. Damon is such a grounded, down-to-earth character, showcasing an enlightened depiction of modern masculinity and tenderness. The sweetness of Jack and Damon’s relationship dynamic melted my heart more than once. And the will they or won’t they tension in the slow-burn romance is delicious.
By focusing on queer love and joy, Lach has created a wonderfully hopeful story that any questioning or newly-out queer teen will almost certainly want to read.
This book contains light descriptions of racism, homophobia, physical violence, verbal abuse, loss of a parent, and mild, age-appropriate teen sexuality.
I immediately fell in love with Jack Martin, the story’s eponymous main character. Jack’s biting wit and tendency toward hyperawareness, products of his trauma and possible neurodivergence, spoke to me so profoundly that I wondered if Lach had somehow climbed into my head when he crafted this tale. I appreciated that Lach mostly left Jack’s experiences of trauma off the page. Jack is hurt, but the story isn’t about that. It’s about how he recovers to eventually thrive and shine. The blurb’s description of the book as a “modern queer fairytale” is entirely accurate.
Lach thoughtfully depicted Jack’s anxiety and the struggles he faces in coming to terms with his new environment. Then he surrounded Jack with a delightful set of characters, including his loving older brother to his funny, supportive new friends Frankie and Red. But, beyond Jack, Lach saves the most love for Damon (pun intended,) Jack’s seemingly too-good-to-be-true love interest. Damon is such a grounded, down-to-earth character, showcasing an enlightened depiction of modern masculinity and tenderness. The sweetness of Jack and Damon’s relationship dynamic melted my heart more than once. And the will they or won’t they tension in the slow-burn romance is delicious.
By focusing on queer love and joy, Lach has created a wonderfully hopeful story that any questioning or newly-out queer teen will almost certainly want to read.
This book contains light descriptions of racism, homophobia, physical violence, verbal abuse, loss of a parent, and mild, age-appropriate teen sexuality.
August 16, 2022
The blurb describes Jack’s on Fire as a heartwarming, modern, queer fairy tale, and that’s exactly what it was. Don’t look for a lot of tension or plot twists here. Reading the book felt like a long, comforting hug. It’s full of diverse, enjoyable, supportive characters I would’ve loved to have surrounding me as a teen. I saw a lot of myself in the main character Jack, a young boy of color who has to deal with all the problems of being brown and queer. He’s got a religious mother who doesn’t understand or accept his queerness. He’s got a last name that everyone mispronounces. He lives in a world that continuously discounts or ignores him because of his appearance. It felt so good to see how much Jack thrived when he was allowed to be himself. And it was so relatable when Jack’s experience and anxiety prevented him from outright accepting things were going well. I especially appreciated the author’s inclusion of gentle but honest discussions of real-world issues like bullying, homophobia, racism, misogyny, and death, even in the idealized world of Jack’s on Fire. The author does a lot of handholding here, but it felt right to me. This isn’t a story where the characters get thrown to the wolves. It’s evident that the author cared about these characters as much as I do.
August 9, 2022
3.5 rounded up (although it could be rounded down).
When I think fairy tale, I think giant pumpkins, beanstalks, and peas. With the tagline "A Modern Queer Fairy Tale," you would expect Jack's On Fire by Owen Lach to feature shoes that force you to dance or a wicked stepmother or sister at the very least. Yet it really doesn't have that... or does it? A brief summary: Jack, who has experienced one too many homophobic beatings at school and general disregard from his single mother, moves in with his older brother in San Francisco and starts to fall for his geometry tutor-slash-captain of the soccer team, Damon. Shenanigans occur.
So yeah, I found myself curious about what to expect from this book; and while reading it, I spent a lot of time just thinking, "Geez, what a complete and utter Gary Stu." Upon arriving in San Francisco, Jack is basically perfect and everything in his life goes swimmingly well. Issues are resolved quickly; he is successful and happy and flourishing in this new world. Gross. It took me until about the 75% mark in the book to realize that that's the point.
Let me explain. If we were to distill traditional fairy tales to their most basic conceit, it's that a minor - or major - change leads to an unexpected ending: sometimes good, sometimes bad, typically depending on who you are as a person; and along the way good and bad things may occur. So in a modern queer fairy tale, a change in your life can lead to success and happiness. That's pretty heartening and extremely queer, and I instantly like the book that much more for possessing such a meaningful message.
Now, I do want to clarify that this book has its flaws. First of all, it could be a solid 50-100 pages shorter; the book spends a lot of time meandering through every single little action when a lot of that could have been edited out. Second, the timeline is absolutely insane - most of the action happens in what, two, three weeks? I guess that makes sense for a fairy tale, but it doesn't seem very realistic in the real world. Third, the entire romance between Jack and Damon confuses me? Like, I know that it's meant to fulfill this fairy tale conceit, but... they're teenagers. Some of what happens just strikes me as very unrealistic and kind of weird. I dunno. Maybe that's just me.
All together, this is actually a pretty solid solid book and I actually appreciate it a lot for what it is. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But it hit the right place for me. Recommended if you like books with very good representation; books that tackle heavy topics like bullying, racism, homophobia, and misogyny; books that heavily revolve around music; and very supportive friend groups.
Thank you to NetGalley and Jetspace Studio for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When I think fairy tale, I think giant pumpkins, beanstalks, and peas. With the tagline "A Modern Queer Fairy Tale," you would expect Jack's On Fire by Owen Lach to feature shoes that force you to dance or a wicked stepmother or sister at the very least. Yet it really doesn't have that... or does it? A brief summary: Jack, who has experienced one too many homophobic beatings at school and general disregard from his single mother, moves in with his older brother in San Francisco and starts to fall for his geometry tutor-slash-captain of the soccer team, Damon. Shenanigans occur.
So yeah, I found myself curious about what to expect from this book; and while reading it, I spent a lot of time just thinking, "Geez, what a complete and utter Gary Stu." Upon arriving in San Francisco, Jack is basically perfect and everything in his life goes swimmingly well. Issues are resolved quickly; he is successful and happy and flourishing in this new world. Gross. It took me until about the 75% mark in the book to realize that that's the point.
Let me explain. If we were to distill traditional fairy tales to their most basic conceit, it's that a minor - or major - change leads to an unexpected ending: sometimes good, sometimes bad, typically depending on who you are as a person; and along the way good and bad things may occur. So in a modern queer fairy tale, a change in your life can lead to success and happiness. That's pretty heartening and extremely queer, and I instantly like the book that much more for possessing such a meaningful message.
Now, I do want to clarify that this book has its flaws. First of all, it could be a solid 50-100 pages shorter; the book spends a lot of time meandering through every single little action when a lot of that could have been edited out. Second, the timeline is absolutely insane - most of the action happens in what, two, three weeks? I guess that makes sense for a fairy tale, but it doesn't seem very realistic in the real world. Third, the entire romance between Jack and Damon confuses me? Like, I know that it's meant to fulfill this fairy tale conceit, but... they're teenagers. Some of what happens just strikes me as very unrealistic and kind of weird. I dunno. Maybe that's just me.
All together, this is actually a pretty solid solid book and I actually appreciate it a lot for what it is. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But it hit the right place for me. Recommended if you like books with very good representation; books that tackle heavy topics like bullying, racism, homophobia, and misogyny; books that heavily revolve around music; and very supportive friend groups.
Thank you to NetGalley and Jetspace Studio for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2022
Thanks you NetGalley and Jetspace Studio for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This was a cute book! I enjoyed Jack’s journey through his trauma and I liked that Jack continues to struggle with anxiety throughout as well. As someone with anxiety it was very realistic and relatable! Jack, after getting in another fight at school and not having the support of his mother, leaves his Midwest town to go live with his brother in San Francisco. Once there he meets a variety of people, who show him the world can be way more accepting then he’s used to and that he can live life as an out gay kid with no one really caring. Once of these people is his tutoring Damon as Jack finds himself falling for Damon he struggles with know if Dame returns those feelings. Can he figure it out? Is he meant for a happy ever after? This story had a lot of cute moments and I loved Jack trying to figure out where Damon was at! One thing I will say with the book is that sometimes I got dragged down by the details. Some details throughout the story just felt unnecessary. That said the bulk of the story was really sweet and charming and I throughly enjoyed reading about Jack and the gang! I’m excited to read this again when it comes out!
August 10, 2022
thanks to netgalley for the arc -
A modern fairy tale is the perfect way to describe this book, because it's (prince) charming as hell. There are plenty of things to like about this book, and really only a few minor flaws that might not even be flaws to certain readers.
The characters are wonderful, and the simmering romance is palpable through the entire book. Jack is adorable, Damon is a heartthrob, and everyone lives happily ever after. The book is, maybe surprisingly, low stakes. There is the element of bullying and homophobia, but once Jack moves his life completely turns around and the things he has to deal with pale in comparison.
That may be a deal breaker for some people though, and I can see someone not enjoying this if they need a high amount of angst in the things that they read. I love some good angst, but it was honestly refreshing to just see two dudes just be...happy. They have problems, things go wrong, but they're not devastating and they're not piled upon with darkness. I caught myself thinking "this is entirely unrealistic" about halfway through the book, and then I realized that was the point.
It's a fairy tale. It was in the title.
It's like the happy version of don't open, dead dove inside.
My biggest complaint is that maybe it was slightly too long, I think probably fifty or so pages could have been trimmed out or cut down in some way, but in the end that's not enough to even put a dent in any score I'd give this book.
It's fun, it's cute, and it's delightfully happy. I fully recommend.
A modern fairy tale is the perfect way to describe this book, because it's (prince) charming as hell. There are plenty of things to like about this book, and really only a few minor flaws that might not even be flaws to certain readers.
The characters are wonderful, and the simmering romance is palpable through the entire book. Jack is adorable, Damon is a heartthrob, and everyone lives happily ever after. The book is, maybe surprisingly, low stakes. There is the element of bullying and homophobia, but once Jack moves his life completely turns around and the things he has to deal with pale in comparison.
That may be a deal breaker for some people though, and I can see someone not enjoying this if they need a high amount of angst in the things that they read. I love some good angst, but it was honestly refreshing to just see two dudes just be...happy. They have problems, things go wrong, but they're not devastating and they're not piled upon with darkness. I caught myself thinking "this is entirely unrealistic" about halfway through the book, and then I realized that was the point.
It's a fairy tale. It was in the title.
It's like the happy version of don't open, dead dove inside.
My biggest complaint is that maybe it was slightly too long, I think probably fifty or so pages could have been trimmed out or cut down in some way, but in the end that's not enough to even put a dent in any score I'd give this book.
It's fun, it's cute, and it's delightfully happy. I fully recommend.
May 17, 2023
Disappointed!
A fairy tale style love story between a musician and a soccer boy should have been perfect. This started mediocre and finished up a total hot mess. The plot device used to get Jack back home to confront a mother who didn’t deserve a second chance was horrific and unnecessary. I held out high hopes for this through 40% and by 60% those hopes started going downhill. By 80% I was annoyed and skimming. By 90% I was wishing I’d DNF’d 😝 anyway…. I’d say 3 stars for the first half and 1 star for the second half… 2 stars… and NOT recommended.
A fairy tale style love story between a musician and a soccer boy should have been perfect. This started mediocre and finished up a total hot mess. The plot device used to get Jack back home to confront a mother who didn’t deserve a second chance was horrific and unnecessary. I held out high hopes for this through 40% and by 60% those hopes started going downhill. By 80% I was annoyed and skimming. By 90% I was wishing I’d DNF’d 😝 anyway…. I’d say 3 stars for the first half and 1 star for the second half… 2 stars… and NOT recommended.
August 30, 2022
Jack’s on Fire centers on sixteen-year-old Jack Martin (pronounced “mar-teen”), a young musician who ends up being outed by his vengeful ex, resulting in extreme homophobic bullying and abuse at his high school. It doesn’t help that his mother — a bigoted and religious zealot — is threatening to send Jack to a “correction camp."
Thankfully, Jack’s older brother, who lives in San Francisco, offers to take Jack in, and suddenly Jack finds himself in a new environment where he’s free to be himself and doesn’t have to constantly look over his shoulder. What follows is a delightful story as Jack finds himself falling for Damon, his heartthrob math tutor. The question is: Does Damon feel the same, or is he simply being friendly?
This ended up being such a sweet and endearing queer young adult romance that utterly warmed my heart. The narrative is lighthearted, including an ensemble cast of delightful characters who end up being an essential support group for Jack, including his loving older brother, who supports Jack every step of the way. The souls of the supporting characters beam through like a bright light that zinged straight to my heart.
I loved watching Jack’s journey as he moves from an abusive environment to a free and open one and how he utterly blossomed at his new school. I enjoyed watching Jack as he learned to trust others again after being treated so poorly by everyone in his past.
Now, if you typically go for books with high angst, high tension, and plenty of drama, you might be disappointed with Jack’s on Fire. Though there is light angst throughout and certainly some difficulties to overcome, most of the drama is internal, leading to a sweet, gentle slow-burn of a story rather than a high-stakes one. I personally thought it was refreshing and had just enough angst to make me happy without shattering my heart into a million pieces — it’s the perfect story if you’re looking for a sweet and tender romance.
I felt that the author Owen Lach really nails the teenage soul in this story—the self-awareness, the confusion, the challenges, the raging emotions, and the longing. In this way, Jack’s on Fire is a love letter to anyone who has felt uncomfortable in their own skin and wondered where exactly they belonged in the world. This quirky, heartwarming queer romance will make you believe in love again
All in all, I loved this big-hearted novel and look forward to reading more by this author.
A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book.
Thankfully, Jack’s older brother, who lives in San Francisco, offers to take Jack in, and suddenly Jack finds himself in a new environment where he’s free to be himself and doesn’t have to constantly look over his shoulder. What follows is a delightful story as Jack finds himself falling for Damon, his heartthrob math tutor. The question is: Does Damon feel the same, or is he simply being friendly?
This ended up being such a sweet and endearing queer young adult romance that utterly warmed my heart. The narrative is lighthearted, including an ensemble cast of delightful characters who end up being an essential support group for Jack, including his loving older brother, who supports Jack every step of the way. The souls of the supporting characters beam through like a bright light that zinged straight to my heart.
I loved watching Jack’s journey as he moves from an abusive environment to a free and open one and how he utterly blossomed at his new school. I enjoyed watching Jack as he learned to trust others again after being treated so poorly by everyone in his past.
Now, if you typically go for books with high angst, high tension, and plenty of drama, you might be disappointed with Jack’s on Fire. Though there is light angst throughout and certainly some difficulties to overcome, most of the drama is internal, leading to a sweet, gentle slow-burn of a story rather than a high-stakes one. I personally thought it was refreshing and had just enough angst to make me happy without shattering my heart into a million pieces — it’s the perfect story if you’re looking for a sweet and tender romance.
I felt that the author Owen Lach really nails the teenage soul in this story—the self-awareness, the confusion, the challenges, the raging emotions, and the longing. In this way, Jack’s on Fire is a love letter to anyone who has felt uncomfortable in their own skin and wondered where exactly they belonged in the world. This quirky, heartwarming queer romance will make you believe in love again
All in all, I loved this big-hearted novel and look forward to reading more by this author.
A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book.
January 21, 2023
A cute, engaging, young queer romance that highlights the highs over the lows featuring a broadly diverse cast including two boys of color as the lead characters. I adored how Lach revived the fairy tale format with a thoroughly modern, deeply queer story about love, friendship, and joy. I wanted to wrap myself in Jack and Damon's chemistry like a blanket. And there are so many engaging supporting characters it's hard to decide on my favorites.
December 19, 2023
While I did like this book, for me it was just way too long and had far too much happening, so by the time I got to the end I was relieved to be done, and I don't think that's the mark of a great book.
Jack's journey to feeling more comfortable in who he is kind of got overshadowed by side characters and what was happening with them. I might sound heartless, but there was far too much of his friendship with Paige that just felt like filler content - I get that it was showing that even if you move away you can maintain friendships, but then what happened to Paige just made the entire subplot feel like it had been added for additional drama and difficulty that felt unnecessary. It felt like Jack was already dealing with enough, but then he had all this extra stuff heaped on top and he was portrayed as being able to deal with everything that came his way. It felt like a kind of dangerous message to send to younger readers that they should be able to deal with everything that comes their way, but not everyone has the support Jack does... My nieces are the target age for this book, but knowing them I feel like reading about all of these events happening to one person in such a short time period would just cause them anxiety!
I also started getting irritated by how often pet names and nicknames were used - I mean I'm all for them but there would be pages where literally every single time Jack spoke to either Paige or Damon in a conversation 'princess' or 'babe' were used! I'd actually be curious to see how many times both of those words appeared because it felt like it would never stop!
What I did really love about this book though was Isaac's total acceptance and support for his brother, and the way Jack just went for it with getting a job, making new friends, putting his music out there and knowing his own mind and the pace at which he wanted to move in his relationship with Damon. I feel like if the focus had been more on how to find your people and how you can take charge of your life instead of 'watch Jack deal with everything but the kitchen sink being thrown at him in the span of six weeks', this would have been so great.
Jack's journey to feeling more comfortable in who he is kind of got overshadowed by side characters and what was happening with them. I might sound heartless, but there was far too much of his friendship with Paige that just felt like filler content - I get that it was showing that even if you move away you can maintain friendships, but then what happened to Paige just made the entire subplot feel like it had been added for additional drama and difficulty that felt unnecessary. It felt like Jack was already dealing with enough, but then he had all this extra stuff heaped on top and he was portrayed as being able to deal with everything that came his way. It felt like a kind of dangerous message to send to younger readers that they should be able to deal with everything that comes their way, but not everyone has the support Jack does... My nieces are the target age for this book, but knowing them I feel like reading about all of these events happening to one person in such a short time period would just cause them anxiety!
I also started getting irritated by how often pet names and nicknames were used - I mean I'm all for them but there would be pages where literally every single time Jack spoke to either Paige or Damon in a conversation 'princess' or 'babe' were used! I'd actually be curious to see how many times both of those words appeared because it felt like it would never stop!
What I did really love about this book though was Isaac's total acceptance and support for his brother, and the way Jack just went for it with getting a job, making new friends, putting his music out there and knowing his own mind and the pace at which he wanted to move in his relationship with Damon. I feel like if the focus had been more on how to find your people and how you can take charge of your life instead of 'watch Jack deal with everything but the kitchen sink being thrown at him in the span of six weeks', this would have been so great.
May 16, 2023
2.5-3 stars since it started out strong but then lost steam and I found myself trudging uphill to finish.
May 17, 2023
Jack's on Fire was so delightful. The characters were well-written and multi-dimensional, and I appreciated the diverse representation in the story. The slow-burn pacing was perfect, and the romance was swoon-worthy. Overall, a lovely and enjoyable read that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a feel-good story.
May 18, 2023
Such a breath of fresh air. Even in a context of a book about queer joy, the queer characters felt genuine and honest. The writing was fun and engaging, making it a quick and easy read. I appreciate how relatable Jack's anxiety was without demonizing it. It was simply a sweet and enjoyable YA romance.
May 17, 2023
This book was an absolute joy to read! The characters were so relatable and real. It's a sweet and heartwarming story that had me grinning from ear to ear. I love how it was written for young adults and didn't try to be something it's not. It's just a simple, beautiful story about two boys falling in love. Highly recommend!
September 9, 2022
Jack’s On Fire is about Jack, a queer musician who gets outed by his vengeful ex-boyfriend after their breakup. And now his world is being flipped upside down, shipped off after he’s gotten into one too many altercations with the school bully.
Now we’re on a bus from Minnesota to San Fransisco California -- somewhere Jack's brother thinks will be more welcoming. A new school, a new friend group, and a potential new love interest all blossom fast, as Jack finds his place amongst like-minded individuals. It’s crazy how the right environment can truly enable someone to thrive.
I thought Issac — Jack’s brother was a great addition to this story, and really found him to coax Jack past some of the endured trauma of the past, and got him to open up about things happening and how to overcome them, which really dialed down the majority of the teenage angst and problems that I typically find overbearing in YA books.
I found this to be a cute book full of friendships, hope, new beginnings, and how sometimes the most important family members are the ones we choose. Overall, the inclusion and wide array of characters made this book a welcoming and enjoyable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Jetspace Studio for providing an advance copy of this book for me to enjoy. As always, this book was read and reviewed voluntarily, and the above opinions are entirely my own.
Now we’re on a bus from Minnesota to San Fransisco California -- somewhere Jack's brother thinks will be more welcoming. A new school, a new friend group, and a potential new love interest all blossom fast, as Jack finds his place amongst like-minded individuals. It’s crazy how the right environment can truly enable someone to thrive.
I thought Issac — Jack’s brother was a great addition to this story, and really found him to coax Jack past some of the endured trauma of the past, and got him to open up about things happening and how to overcome them, which really dialed down the majority of the teenage angst and problems that I typically find overbearing in YA books.
I found this to be a cute book full of friendships, hope, new beginnings, and how sometimes the most important family members are the ones we choose. Overall, the inclusion and wide array of characters made this book a welcoming and enjoyable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Jetspace Studio for providing an advance copy of this book for me to enjoy. As always, this book was read and reviewed voluntarily, and the above opinions are entirely my own.
August 15, 2022
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher/author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The story centers around 16 year old gay high schooler Jack , who has been outed at school by his ex boyfriend. This leads to him being bullied and getting into fights. His mother isn’t very supportive or loving and pretty much blames him for the fighting and hates that he’s gay. While she wants to ship him off to a conversion camp, he decides to move to California with his older brother so he doesn’t get expelled. He is gifted in music and writing and is accepted into a prestigious school for his musical abilities. He meets hot pizza delivery boy Damon who is captain of the soccer team and happens to be his geometry tutor.
I’ll start with the things I really liked about this book. It’s very cute. I loved how supportive and accepting everyone was here. There seemed to be a great community for Jack in California. His older brother and his brother’s gf are sweet. He’s able to make a lot of good friends and connections through his friends. I appreciated this book being about too boys of color as well. It’s nice to get a romance that isn’t all about white folks. We also got some non-binary rep in there. There was also the difficult discussions of racism, homophobia, and bullying which is good for books like this. I also like how they deal with a lot of different types of death both parental and of a friend. That can be hard for anyone to process.
Now I’ll talk about the other things. This book happened so fast. I was blown away when Jack said he had only been friends with Damon for 2 weeks before they started dating. 2 weeks?! It felt like it was going on forever. I also felt like Jack was too perfect. He was gifted in every single thing he did and even when he was bad at geometry Damon showed him how to improve and he took to it like a fish to water. Damon wasn’t far off with being perfect either. Actually everyone seemed way too perfect to me. There’s no just average joe in this universe? Also this was so cheesy. I don’t mind that but it felt like a lot sometimes. The bad things that happen to Jack and Damon felt like they came out of nowhere just to move the plot along. Also if I see the word “babe” one more time I’m going to bite someone.
I can see how this was set like a fairy tale story. This was very cute and full of wonderful characters you really want to like and get attached to. I genuinely wanted everyone to be happy at the end. Definitely an adorable easy read. I noticed a lot of people saying their review was a 3.5 rounded up and I’m going to have to piggyback mine as well.
The story centers around 16 year old gay high schooler Jack , who has been outed at school by his ex boyfriend. This leads to him being bullied and getting into fights. His mother isn’t very supportive or loving and pretty much blames him for the fighting and hates that he’s gay. While she wants to ship him off to a conversion camp, he decides to move to California with his older brother so he doesn’t get expelled. He is gifted in music and writing and is accepted into a prestigious school for his musical abilities. He meets hot pizza delivery boy Damon who is captain of the soccer team and happens to be his geometry tutor.
I’ll start with the things I really liked about this book. It’s very cute. I loved how supportive and accepting everyone was here. There seemed to be a great community for Jack in California. His older brother and his brother’s gf are sweet. He’s able to make a lot of good friends and connections through his friends. I appreciated this book being about too boys of color as well. It’s nice to get a romance that isn’t all about white folks. We also got some non-binary rep in there. There was also the difficult discussions of racism, homophobia, and bullying which is good for books like this. I also like how they deal with a lot of different types of death both parental and of a friend. That can be hard for anyone to process.
Now I’ll talk about the other things. This book happened so fast. I was blown away when Jack said he had only been friends with Damon for 2 weeks before they started dating. 2 weeks?! It felt like it was going on forever. I also felt like Jack was too perfect. He was gifted in every single thing he did and even when he was bad at geometry Damon showed him how to improve and he took to it like a fish to water. Damon wasn’t far off with being perfect either. Actually everyone seemed way too perfect to me. There’s no just average joe in this universe? Also this was so cheesy. I don’t mind that but it felt like a lot sometimes. The bad things that happen to Jack and Damon felt like they came out of nowhere just to move the plot along. Also if I see the word “babe” one more time I’m going to bite someone.
I can see how this was set like a fairy tale story. This was very cute and full of wonderful characters you really want to like and get attached to. I genuinely wanted everyone to be happy at the end. Definitely an adorable easy read. I noticed a lot of people saying their review was a 3.5 rounded up and I’m going to have to piggyback mine as well.
January 6, 2023
Jack's On Fire is a charming contemporary YA romance story following Jack, a gay teen from Minneapolis whose life suddenly changes when he has to move to San Francisco to live with his older brother.
The background of the story is bleak: Jack was not happy back home. His father died years ago, his mother is homophobic, he faced bullying at school and his only escape was his best friend Paige.
Then he moves to California, and we witness his journey of disbelief and amazement at the totally different environment surrounding him. He has support from his bother, new friends, a new part-time job, a much more inclusive school. Jack is an anxious person and very often he seems to panic and doubt himself for no apparent reason - it highlights how not used he is to an accepting environment.
He makes new friends (Frankie is a scene-stealer), encounters people who share his love for music, and of course he meets Damon, his student tutor and high-school soccer team star, a sweet prince charming, whose chemistry with Jack was off the charts. A slow-burn romance with many satisfying moments, while not shying away from the self-doubt teenagers have.
The final part of the book is a rollercoaster, reminding us and Jack that even fairytales aren't always smooth sailing - but in the end, life goes on, and it's easier to swim alonside someone you love.
Thank you NetGalley and JetSpace Studio for the ARC!
The background of the story is bleak: Jack was not happy back home. His father died years ago, his mother is homophobic, he faced bullying at school and his only escape was his best friend Paige.
Then he moves to California, and we witness his journey of disbelief and amazement at the totally different environment surrounding him. He has support from his bother, new friends, a new part-time job, a much more inclusive school. Jack is an anxious person and very often he seems to panic and doubt himself for no apparent reason - it highlights how not used he is to an accepting environment.
He makes new friends (Frankie is a scene-stealer), encounters people who share his love for music, and of course he meets Damon, his student tutor and high-school soccer team star, a sweet prince charming, whose chemistry with Jack was off the charts. A slow-burn romance with many satisfying moments, while not shying away from the self-doubt teenagers have.
The final part of the book is a rollercoaster, reminding us and Jack that even fairytales aren't always smooth sailing - but in the end, life goes on, and it's easier to swim alonside someone you love.
Thank you NetGalley and JetSpace Studio for the ARC!
September 27, 2022
I finally understand what people are asking for when they say they want more 'queer joy' because this book is the perfect example of that. Sure, Jack has to go through some awful things before his fairy tale story can begin, but there is so much joy and happiness in the story that those moments of darkness can't keep Jack down.
Poor Jack lives his life in fear of beatings by the homophobic people of his school in Minneapolis and his home life is no better with a mother that rejects him and continually puts him down. When he finally fights back and finds himself in danger of being shipped off to a "camp for exceptionally happy boys," his older brother comes to his rescue and moves Jack to live with him in San Francisco. The life Jack makes for himself in San Francisco is not easy, but it gives him the chance to open himself up to new friendships and relationships that show him life can be pretty cool if you put yourself out there and take chances surrounded by those who truly love you.
I don't know how realistic it is because I have nothing in common with Jack besides being Mexican, but I can honestly say that I don't care because this story is a joyful tale of happiness that lives up to the fairy tale promised in the title.
Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Jetspace Studio for the joyful read!
Poor Jack lives his life in fear of beatings by the homophobic people of his school in Minneapolis and his home life is no better with a mother that rejects him and continually puts him down. When he finally fights back and finds himself in danger of being shipped off to a "camp for exceptionally happy boys," his older brother comes to his rescue and moves Jack to live with him in San Francisco. The life Jack makes for himself in San Francisco is not easy, but it gives him the chance to open himself up to new friendships and relationships that show him life can be pretty cool if you put yourself out there and take chances surrounded by those who truly love you.
I don't know how realistic it is because I have nothing in common with Jack besides being Mexican, but I can honestly say that I don't care because this story is a joyful tale of happiness that lives up to the fairy tale promised in the title.
Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Jetspace Studio for the joyful read!
February 20, 2023
The amazing part of this book was the queer and diverse representation.
But. I couldn't connect with the main characters like I would have liked, like I often do in other ya-books with 16-year-old queer MCs (surprisingly, haha, since it's been decades for me). Maybe I didn't feel the writing style that much.
I liked the storyline well enough up until 80-85%, but then the story took a turn I didn't expect and could have done without.
But I even would have accepted the tragedy that unfolded, IF it would have been handled in an appropriate way. I didn't like the way the emotional aspect of said drama was shown, or better: wasn't shown. The obviously heartbreaking impact of what happened wasn't there as it should have been (in my opinion).
3,5 stars.
But. I couldn't connect with the main characters like I would have liked, like I often do in other ya-books with 16-year-old queer MCs (surprisingly, haha, since it's been decades for me). Maybe I didn't feel the writing style that much.
I liked the storyline well enough up until 80-85%, but then the story took a turn I didn't expect and could have done without.
But I even would have accepted the tragedy that unfolded, IF it would have been handled in an appropriate way. I didn't like the way the emotional aspect of said drama was shown, or better: wasn't shown. The obviously heartbreaking impact of what happened wasn't there as it should have been (in my opinion).
3,5 stars.
May 20, 2023
Jack's On Fire was so much fun to read! I loved the characters and their chemistry. It's a low angst, feel-good story about the queer joy that gave me a big smile. And it's refreshing to see such compelling queer representation in YA literature. I appreciate how this story didn't shy away from honestly exploring the complexities of race, gender, and queerness without piling on the oppression drama.
February 12, 2023
Cute story, overly long, good characters.
But, I dunno, could two 16-year-old boyfriends be any less horny for each other, especially considering the amount of time they spend in bed?
But, I dunno, could two 16-year-old boyfriends be any less horny for each other, especially considering the amount of time they spend in bed?
January 28, 2023
A cute, engaging, young queer romance that highlights the highs over the lows featuring a broadly diverse cast including two boys of color as the lead characters. I adored how Lach revived the fairy tale format with a thoroughly modern, deeply queer story about love, friendship, and joy. I wanted to wrap myself in Jack and Damon's chemistry like a blanket. And there are so many engaging supporting characters it's hard to decide on my favorites.
November 27, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Jetspace Studio for a copy of Jack's on Fire in exchange for an honest review.
This was a cute YA story. Two queer, POC characters fall in love as if they are living in a fairy tale. Jack's life is anything but, that is until he moves cross country to live with his older brother, Isaac, and meets school idol, Damon. Damon is sweet and kind, not to mention super hot and Jack develops an instant crush on him. But with everyone around him saying Damon is definitely straight, Jack accepts the fact that his crush will remain one-sided. Despite this, Jack and Damon keep finding ways to spend time together, and slowly Jack starts to question what everyone was so sure to be a fact: is Damon, in fact, straight?
Jack's on Fire was a cute, queer romance with lots of LGBTQ+ rep, fluffy romances, but also touched on some more series topics (TWs: homophobia, bullying, neglect/abuse, cancer, grief/loss). My only complaint was that the story was, at times, somewhat unrealistic, but it was always a delight to read.
Lastly, this story definitely reads very YA, so if that's a genre you're not very into, you may want to skip this book.
This was a cute YA story. Two queer, POC characters fall in love as if they are living in a fairy tale. Jack's life is anything but, that is until he moves cross country to live with his older brother, Isaac, and meets school idol, Damon. Damon is sweet and kind, not to mention super hot and Jack develops an instant crush on him. But with everyone around him saying Damon is definitely straight, Jack accepts the fact that his crush will remain one-sided. Despite this, Jack and Damon keep finding ways to spend time together, and slowly Jack starts to question what everyone was so sure to be a fact: is Damon, in fact, straight?
Jack's on Fire was a cute, queer romance with lots of LGBTQ+ rep, fluffy romances, but also touched on some more series topics (TWs: homophobia, bullying, neglect/abuse, cancer, grief/loss). My only complaint was that the story was, at times, somewhat unrealistic, but it was always a delight to read.
Lastly, this story definitely reads very YA, so if that's a genre you're not very into, you may want to skip this book.
November 17, 2022
This is a warm romance of a teenage gay boy's efforts to find the acceptance and love he needs. It's an easy read with an uplifting vibe. The characters (especially Jack) are great and there's a positive feel to the message.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
November 12, 2022
This is an amazing feat, a wonderful tale of young love, overcoming homophobia, growing up with little love from your selfish, bitter Mother, but mostly it is a rite of passage. This story is painful at times, sweet and touching at times and now and then funny. It's a honker of a book, hours of reading but so worth it. Also at the end is a very short but sweet acknowledgment from the author briefly explaining this story had rattled around in his/their head for a while, well, didn't he/they do well in the end!
September 29, 2022
Jack’s on Fire is an adorable love story full of well-drawn characters, triumphant moments, and a touching romance. Buoyed by a supportive brother and a great new circle of friends, the MC Jack is able to look past his perceived shortcomings and overcome the trauma of being raised in a harmful environment. This is a solidly queer story with excellent representation (queer, bi, enby, POC). Despite its heartwarming nature, Lach still includes sensitive discussions of heavy topics (homophobia, bullying, bad parenting, racism, misogyny, teen sexuality). But this isn’t your typical YA trauma fest. The thing about an adorable love story is that you don’t really mind the lack of plot. The romance is the plot, and Jack and Damon’s slow-burn romance absolutely sizzles.
December 15, 2022
The first few pages of this novel made me feel like it was going somewhere…. Then, NOTHING HAPPENED for 400 pages (except for the author repeating the word “Wow” 70 times and the phrase, “Are you sure?” 20). Yes, I know it’s a coming of age novel for teens, but c’mon! This was a 2%-Sugar-Free-Low-Carb-Diet watered down Degrassi episode! And not even the good Degrassi with Manny, and JT, and Jimmy Wheelchair, this was one the new ones where nothing really makes sense and in order to have some conflict they resort to giving cancer to the straight white friend that lives 2,000 miles away….like, WTF! Anyway, thanks for thinking of me when you were reading this, Allison! Still love you, babes! 😘
November 12, 2023
Jack's on Fire is a happy LGBTQ young adult romance perfect for young (or young at heart) readers looking for a heavy dose of queer joy. It was so refreshing to read a queer story that focuses on love, healing, and found family. Top marks for an inclusive cast of characters and their heartfelt, nuanced discussions of heavy topics like racism and homophobia. I can't wait to read this again!
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