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Pride High #3
Pride High: Book 3 - Yellow
Another year is winding down for the students of Pride High, but the drama is just ramping up!
Ricky is finally dating dangerous Diego Gomez, but when they keep getting into trouble, he wonders if he’s bitten off more than he can chew. Anthony has decided to come out to his school in a big way and faces backlash, not just from his fellow students, but the principal as well. Cameron’s mom is still drinking and his dad remains absent. Can he turn to his boyfriend for support? Mindy has the hots for a guy who is most certainly taken, a predicament that intensifies when they're paired for a project. Silvia’s secrets are catching up with her, Keisha struggles to set aside her feelings for a girl she can’t have, and Omar’s dreams are about to crash and burn.
Join the endearing cast of Pride High as they navigate relationships and romance while aiming for that coveted teenage summer break.
Ricky is finally dating dangerous Diego Gomez, but when they keep getting into trouble, he wonders if he’s bitten off more than he can chew. Anthony has decided to come out to his school in a big way and faces backlash, not just from his fellow students, but the principal as well. Cameron’s mom is still drinking and his dad remains absent. Can he turn to his boyfriend for support? Mindy has the hots for a guy who is most certainly taken, a predicament that intensifies when they're paired for a project. Silvia’s secrets are catching up with her, Keisha struggles to set aside her feelings for a girl she can’t have, and Omar’s dreams are about to crash and burn.
Join the endearing cast of Pride High as they navigate relationships and romance while aiming for that coveted teenage summer break.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 4, 2023
50 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
Jay Bell
47 books2,217 followersJay Bell is a proud gay man and the award-winning author behind dozens of emotional and yet hopelessly optimistic stories. His best-selling book, Something Like Summer, spawned a series of heart-wrenching novels, a musically driven movie, and a lovingly drawn comic. When not crafting imaginary worlds, he occupies his free time with animals, art, action figures, and—most ardently—his husband Andreas. Jay is always dreaming up new stories about boys in love. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can get the kettle boiling by visiting www.jaybellbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 8, 2023
I love this series! The characters are messy and endearing and naive and brave and I just adore each and every one of them. This book basically picked up where book #2 left off, on the day before Valentine's Day and the start of the second half of their freshman and sophomore years at Pride High. I can't even begin to express how much I appreciated the "previously on" synopsis before the first chapter. This series juggles a handful of characters who are all connected yet dealing with very different issues and circumstances, so the brief reminder of where we last saw them was extremely helpful.
While all of the characters got fairly equal page time, I felt as though this was Diego and Ricky's story. Diego was such an anomaly to me. His reactions and responses, though guarded, were always authentic which, for some reason, made me trust them less. I mean, what teenager doesn't care what other people think of them? But Diego honestly didn't, which was baffling for me. He liked Ricky because he liked Ricky. He didn't care what assumptions that brought about or feel the need to explain or label himself. For better or worse, he followed his impulses and, unfortunately, Ricky tended to follow them too. Their path in this book resonated deeply for me. I was 14 when I met who would eventually become my husband and let's just say he was not a family favorite back in the day. He was the inspiration behind a lot of my more questionable behavior, which led to friction between my parents and me. That personal connection made it pretty hard for me to pick a side. I've been in Ricky's position so I could sympathize with his actions, but I'm a parent now so I could also understand his parents' fears and instincts to protect at all costs. It was such a weird way to feel and made me really emotional at times.
While the tone of the storytelling remained light in this book, there were so many important and thought provoking themes explored. As a teen in the 90's, I had no idea how much information I was being deprived of because I didn't have technology at my fingertips. We were taught to avoid everything adults considered harmful, but were never given any explanations as to why. In school we learned to say no to drugs, to abstain from sex, to do what we were told because the grown-ups said so, but all the warnings did was make us more curious about those "taboo" things and less educated when it came to navigating them if we chose to "break the rules". If you were anywhere on the LGBT+ spectrum, things were even harder because your straight parents didn't have the knowledge base to offer guidance, your peers had as many questions as you, your teachers were too scared of losing their jobs to even touch the subject and there were no positive representatives or available resources unless you knew where to look. These issues were explored in a very real and natural way in this book. The author managed to offer perspective to the often fragile nature of adult/teen relationships while also pointing the finger at some of the more problematic policies and sources of authority in our society. I loved the depiction of parents as allies instead of just another hill for these kids to climb. And don't even get me started on Mr. Finnegan, who was the teacher that every young person deserves to have in their corner. All of that combined with a lot of exclamation marks, goofy dancing, high school bullies, DRAMA and a gender bending rendition of West Side Story made this book not only fun to read, but also incredibly insightful.
As a lover of all things 90's pop culture, my kindred spirit in this series has definitely been Anthony. His taste in music brought up so much nostalgia for me and I'm 100% convinced that we would have been the very best of friends. And even though he did erroneously predict that Radiohead would be a one hit wonder (I mean, Pablo Honey did suck), his love of the song "In Your Room" by Depeche Mode more than made up for it. I'm very interested in where his story is going. His activism was inspiring and his moments of gender euphoria warmed my heart. His relationship with Cameron continued to be adorably sweet and I loved the thoughtful and respectful way they treated each other. They were both wise beyond their years and, of all the characters, I found myself looking forward to their perspectives the most.
I truly hope the author continues with this series. I'm so invested in these characters now and want to stick with them through graduation and beyond. My assumption has been that each book will be a color from the rainbow flag so, if true, my question is - pride or progress?
While all of the characters got fairly equal page time, I felt as though this was Diego and Ricky's story. Diego was such an anomaly to me. His reactions and responses, though guarded, were always authentic which, for some reason, made me trust them less. I mean, what teenager doesn't care what other people think of them? But Diego honestly didn't, which was baffling for me. He liked Ricky because he liked Ricky. He didn't care what assumptions that brought about or feel the need to explain or label himself. For better or worse, he followed his impulses and, unfortunately, Ricky tended to follow them too. Their path in this book resonated deeply for me. I was 14 when I met who would eventually become my husband and let's just say he was not a family favorite back in the day. He was the inspiration behind a lot of my more questionable behavior, which led to friction between my parents and me. That personal connection made it pretty hard for me to pick a side. I've been in Ricky's position so I could sympathize with his actions, but I'm a parent now so I could also understand his parents' fears and instincts to protect at all costs. It was such a weird way to feel and made me really emotional at times.
While the tone of the storytelling remained light in this book, there were so many important and thought provoking themes explored. As a teen in the 90's, I had no idea how much information I was being deprived of because I didn't have technology at my fingertips. We were taught to avoid everything adults considered harmful, but were never given any explanations as to why. In school we learned to say no to drugs, to abstain from sex, to do what we were told because the grown-ups said so, but all the warnings did was make us more curious about those "taboo" things and less educated when it came to navigating them if we chose to "break the rules". If you were anywhere on the LGBT+ spectrum, things were even harder because your straight parents didn't have the knowledge base to offer guidance, your peers had as many questions as you, your teachers were too scared of losing their jobs to even touch the subject and there were no positive representatives or available resources unless you knew where to look. These issues were explored in a very real and natural way in this book. The author managed to offer perspective to the often fragile nature of adult/teen relationships while also pointing the finger at some of the more problematic policies and sources of authority in our society. I loved the depiction of parents as allies instead of just another hill for these kids to climb. And don't even get me started on Mr. Finnegan, who was the teacher that every young person deserves to have in their corner. All of that combined with a lot of exclamation marks, goofy dancing, high school bullies, DRAMA and a gender bending rendition of West Side Story made this book not only fun to read, but also incredibly insightful.
As a lover of all things 90's pop culture, my kindred spirit in this series has definitely been Anthony. His taste in music brought up so much nostalgia for me and I'm 100% convinced that we would have been the very best of friends. And even though he did erroneously predict that Radiohead would be a one hit wonder (I mean, Pablo Honey did suck), his love of the song "In Your Room" by Depeche Mode more than made up for it. I'm very interested in where his story is going. His activism was inspiring and his moments of gender euphoria warmed my heart. His relationship with Cameron continued to be adorably sweet and I loved the thoughtful and respectful way they treated each other. They were both wise beyond their years and, of all the characters, I found myself looking forward to their perspectives the most.
I truly hope the author continues with this series. I'm so invested in these characters now and want to stick with them through graduation and beyond. My assumption has been that each book will be a color from the rainbow flag so, if true, my question is - pride or progress?
November 14, 2024
I can't wait for the audiobook realease of book #4!
This is such a unique YA series with adorable, realistic, and flawed characters who also really act like teenagers. I love them all so much, Diego in particular, see below and you know why! 😍 😂
“What did you call him?” Diego growled.
“The—” Graham swallowed and glanced around for support. The only person still at his side was Troy, who was standing in front of Anthony and glaring like they were about to square off. “The Asian guy,” Graham finished lamely.
“That’s my boyfriend,” Diego said. […]
“It’s fucking disgusting,” Troy spat.
“Nobody asked you to watch,” Diego replied easily, as if they were having a casual conversation. “Get your own piece of ass instead of chasing after mine.”
Graham made a face. “We weren’t—”
“Get your own!” Diego growled.
Troy looked to Graham. So did the others. They all seemed nervous.
“Whatever,” Graham said. “You’re both gonna burn in Hell.”
“I’ve already been there,” Diego replied. “They made me their king.”
This is such a unique YA series with adorable, realistic, and flawed characters who also really act like teenagers. I love them all so much, Diego in particular, see below and you know why! 😍 😂
“What did you call him?” Diego growled.
“The—” Graham swallowed and glanced around for support. The only person still at his side was Troy, who was standing in front of Anthony and glaring like they were about to square off. “The Asian guy,” Graham finished lamely.
“That’s my boyfriend,” Diego said. […]
“It’s fucking disgusting,” Troy spat.
“Nobody asked you to watch,” Diego replied easily, as if they were having a casual conversation. “Get your own piece of ass instead of chasing after mine.”
Graham made a face. “We weren’t—”
“Get your own!” Diego growled.
Troy looked to Graham. So did the others. They all seemed nervous.
“Whatever,” Graham said. “You’re both gonna burn in Hell.”
“I’ve already been there,” Diego replied. “They made me their king.”
September 13, 2023
When Jay Bell started this series, he said he wanted to write a book that allowed him to spend more time in the world of the characters in a way that his “Something Like…” series did not. In those early books the characters were only in high school for part of the time before jumping ahead in time to adulthood. But with the Pride High series he slows down the pace and centres the story around high school teens, following them in their day to day lives. As such the first 3 books take us through the first academic year of the 8 main characters as they navigate high school and their journey towards adulthood. We get to see them deal with the challenges in their personal lives, their love lives and school life, in a way that delicately straddles both the YA and Queer Adult genres. Dealing with subjects of suicide, alcoholism, homophobia, assault and drug taking, Jay Bell does not shy away from the real issues that teens face and does this through the authentic voices of the characters he has created. Sure there may be a little mature wisdom thrown in that you might argue would not come out of the mouth of a 15 year old from the 90s, but on the whole he gets away with creating a voice of the youth which sounds like it’s from that time.
And what a set of voices he has created. Juggling 8 points of view in each book may seem like a daunting challenge and one where you might expect to see “character bleed” across the pages, as is so often the case with many other authors, but not here. These characters feel so unique and real, you instantly slip into the mind of each one as he flips POV effortlessly throughout the book. Each of the characters has their story and each one is as engrossing as the next. Of course you will find your favourite character emerging from time to time as the story progresses (I am sure everyone loves Ricky and his incredibly brave heart) but on the whole you will find them all so endearing you will end up loving them equally.
When writing about teens you are bound to include a lot of teenage angst, but there’s plenty of humour in here too. And the humour is genuinely funny and naturally follows the progress of the story and never really feels forced, for the most part. When Anthony pushes his way between 2 children at a craft table, his interactions with the children there will have you chuckling away as his smart mouth keeps the preschoolers in their place. And so will Ricky as he spars with his counsellor as she attempts to get him to see why his mother grounded him for a month. It’s this sprinkling of humour throughout the book that balances some of the darker, less palatable plot points and deepens your affection towards the characters.
But Jay Bell has not neglected the adult characters in these books and we have been introduced to some great ones across the series. In previous books we have read more about all the different family members looking at their structure and dynamics. Here he focuses in on a few in particular exploring them in more detail. This gives him a chance to examine the changing mindset of one of the characters towards his mother’s alcoholism, and another’s affect of parental neglect. But he does let slip a little preachiness when writing a couple of the characters that feels somewhat forced. Sure we get told some of the history of the gay struggle through the 60s and 70s, and the author does get his view across about people being more accepting of differences in sexuality, sexual identity and race. However sometimes I feel this could have been written so we see it more from the characters interactions rather than having things explained to us. But this is a minor point and he still manages to throw some humour in on those few occasions when that happens.
In book 3 we do get to see a lot more bullying and prejudice, and not just from the kids but from adults too. We also see them deal with insecurities in their relationships, jealousy and even experimentation, all the typical things you would expect at that age. But it’s those little sweet moments that stand out for me. A romantic evening spent in candle cave. A gesture of love shown in sacrifice. Even a note left on the windscreen of a car. Each showing the kindness and love that exists even within the most troubled soul. These are the traits we see in so many of Jay Bell’s characters, and this series is no exception.
So now, after 3 books, I am well and truly hooked but I’ll have to wait a while for book 4. Not least because the author is still tinkering around with another Ben and Tim story. I so wish he would put that series to bed as he has a fantastic one here with so many incredibly rich characters and so much more to explore in their world. But who am I to stifle his creative muse… only someone who is hungry for more Pride High.
And what a set of voices he has created. Juggling 8 points of view in each book may seem like a daunting challenge and one where you might expect to see “character bleed” across the pages, as is so often the case with many other authors, but not here. These characters feel so unique and real, you instantly slip into the mind of each one as he flips POV effortlessly throughout the book. Each of the characters has their story and each one is as engrossing as the next. Of course you will find your favourite character emerging from time to time as the story progresses (I am sure everyone loves Ricky and his incredibly brave heart) but on the whole you will find them all so endearing you will end up loving them equally.
When writing about teens you are bound to include a lot of teenage angst, but there’s plenty of humour in here too. And the humour is genuinely funny and naturally follows the progress of the story and never really feels forced, for the most part. When Anthony pushes his way between 2 children at a craft table, his interactions with the children there will have you chuckling away as his smart mouth keeps the preschoolers in their place. And so will Ricky as he spars with his counsellor as she attempts to get him to see why his mother grounded him for a month. It’s this sprinkling of humour throughout the book that balances some of the darker, less palatable plot points and deepens your affection towards the characters.
But Jay Bell has not neglected the adult characters in these books and we have been introduced to some great ones across the series. In previous books we have read more about all the different family members looking at their structure and dynamics. Here he focuses in on a few in particular exploring them in more detail. This gives him a chance to examine the changing mindset of one of the characters towards his mother’s alcoholism, and another’s affect of parental neglect. But he does let slip a little preachiness when writing a couple of the characters that feels somewhat forced. Sure we get told some of the history of the gay struggle through the 60s and 70s, and the author does get his view across about people being more accepting of differences in sexuality, sexual identity and race. However sometimes I feel this could have been written so we see it more from the characters interactions rather than having things explained to us. But this is a minor point and he still manages to throw some humour in on those few occasions when that happens.
In book 3 we do get to see a lot more bullying and prejudice, and not just from the kids but from adults too. We also see them deal with insecurities in their relationships, jealousy and even experimentation, all the typical things you would expect at that age. But it’s those little sweet moments that stand out for me. A romantic evening spent in candle cave. A gesture of love shown in sacrifice. Even a note left on the windscreen of a car. Each showing the kindness and love that exists even within the most troubled soul. These are the traits we see in so many of Jay Bell’s characters, and this series is no exception.
So now, after 3 books, I am well and truly hooked but I’ll have to wait a while for book 4. Not least because the author is still tinkering around with another Ben and Tim story. I so wish he would put that series to bed as he has a fantastic one here with so many incredibly rich characters and so much more to explore in their world. But who am I to stifle his creative muse… only someone who is hungry for more Pride High.
September 19, 2023
I had the privilege of reading the advanced copy of Jay Bell's newest saga of LGBT life in the 90's. This is Book 3 of a nine part series and this book delivers great characters and episodic chapters going back and forth between the various characters -- A style different from his previous saga: "Something Like...." and just as engrossing! Mr. Bell is the master story teller and the excitement of these books is how he will develop his characters in their youth and in later young adult years. I would love to see these books put in Florida, Texas, and Tennessee public libraries and shake the homophobes from the magnolia trees!
February 19, 2024
I'm so stressed.
Thank god that Jay is putting the chapters for Pride High 4 up on Patreon starting this past Sunday. I'm not going to read them all but I definitely read the first chapter to see what happened next lmao.
Thank god that Jay is putting the chapters for Pride High 4 up on Patreon starting this past Sunday. I'm not going to read them all but I definitely read the first chapter to see what happened next lmao.
September 28, 2023
I liked this book, I did, and Bell's character development continues to be top notch. I think I started feeling the pressures of having realistically eight main characters to follow. Plotlines sometimes felt a bit muddier than I would have preferred and many important events happened in the time between chapters for the reader to learn bits and pieces about later through other characters' recaps, rather than in the narrative itself. The second half of the book definitely picked up the pace from the first, which was nice. Personally, I would love it a bit more if the books were longer and spent more time in each character's world (or if some were relegated to more supporting roles and the books remained the current length). Regardless, Bell's writing is wonderful, his characters are lovely, his relationships are nuanced, and I will continue to read anything this man ever writes.
September 17, 2023
These characters keep growing more lovable with each page!
I admit, I do not like Diego. I feel for him though. His life is awful and all too real. His negative impact on Ricky is hard to take. However, the line Ricky says about what if he can have a positive impact on Diego seems to be a powerful one. Who knew Diego had it in him?
To watch Omar grow more mature is incredible as well as evident as he and Anthony watch their beginning of the year video and reflect on what one year in a teenager’s life can do. His relationship with Silvia is interesting and fun to watch change. I worried he was a weird, obsessive kid and he grew out of that stereotype.
Anthony and Cameron are my favorites. I wish I related more to them than I do Diego probably because they are who I wished I could have been in high school. Their story is the most powerful to me.
I can’t wait for the next color of the rainbow book!
I admit, I do not like Diego. I feel for him though. His life is awful and all too real. His negative impact on Ricky is hard to take. However, the line Ricky says about what if he can have a positive impact on Diego seems to be a powerful one. Who knew Diego had it in him?
To watch Omar grow more mature is incredible as well as evident as he and Anthony watch their beginning of the year video and reflect on what one year in a teenager’s life can do. His relationship with Silvia is interesting and fun to watch change. I worried he was a weird, obsessive kid and he grew out of that stereotype.
Anthony and Cameron are my favorites. I wish I related more to them than I do Diego probably because they are who I wished I could have been in high school. Their story is the most powerful to me.
I can’t wait for the next color of the rainbow book!
October 11, 2023
The series keeps getting better
As the characters keep developing in Jay Bell's new Pride High series, the stories keep getting better and better with each book. I'm a fan of Jay's writing style and his wonderfully crafted stories. I like how this series is set in a particular place and time; one that I myself grew up in. I'm already looking forward to seeing where true next installment leads.
As the characters keep developing in Jay Bell's new Pride High series, the stories keep getting better and better with each book. I'm a fan of Jay's writing style and his wonderfully crafted stories. I like how this series is set in a particular place and time; one that I myself grew up in. I'm already looking forward to seeing where true next installment leads.
May 27, 2025
3.5 rounded up
When I started this series, I was conflicted about the many points of view it had. At first, I even thought I preferred it over the Something Like series, which felt too repetitive. But now I kind of want to take it back.
The real issue with the Something Like series wasn’t the POV structure. It was the repetition. If it had that cut out, it would have been great. Pride High doesn’t have the repetition problem, but I can't make myself like the excessive POVs.
Another big struggle I had with this series was how superficial everything felt, making it hard to connect. Fortunately, this third book improved in that aspect. But the multiple POVs are still a problem.
Honestly, I loved Ricky and Diego’s drama way more than anyone else’s. If their story had been its own book, it would have been one of my favorites. But here, I have to sit through everyone else’s drama just to get back to their POV, and that kills the enjoyment for me.
I wish this series had been structured as separate stories, keeping the good parts like no repetition while ditching the bad parts like too many POVs. That way, I could have enjoyed Ricky and Diego’s story without interruptions.
When I started this series, I was conflicted about the many points of view it had. At first, I even thought I preferred it over the Something Like series, which felt too repetitive. But now I kind of want to take it back.
The real issue with the Something Like series wasn’t the POV structure. It was the repetition. If it had that cut out, it would have been great. Pride High doesn’t have the repetition problem, but I can't make myself like the excessive POVs.
Another big struggle I had with this series was how superficial everything felt, making it hard to connect. Fortunately, this third book improved in that aspect. But the multiple POVs are still a problem.
Honestly, I loved Ricky and Diego’s drama way more than anyone else’s. If their story had been its own book, it would have been one of my favorites. But here, I have to sit through everyone else’s drama just to get back to their POV, and that kills the enjoyment for me.
I wish this series had been structured as separate stories, keeping the good parts like no repetition while ditching the bad parts like too many POVs. That way, I could have enjoyed Ricky and Diego’s story without interruptions.
April 25, 2024
The third in the series, that cannot live in isolation from the two novels before it. This story is certainty starting to feel like a soap opera streaming teen romance that dominates so much of social media these days; and while maybe gaining some inspiration from, is not comparable to the more groundbreaking mores of the "Something like...." series. You can relax in the lazy enjoyment of familiar characters and settings once again. While there are plot twists and story progression very few new concepts will challenge the reader.
August 8, 2024
This series has captivated me completely! Just prior to finishing Book 3, I learned there is another book in the series due out in September 2024. Of course, I pre-ordered it! I feel like I know each of the characters. I am a retired high school teacher who has worked throughout my career with alternative students. These students in the Pride High series are not “alternative”. These students are so normal. Some adults in their lives need some help. Think GLSEN! I highly recommend this series of books. Be sure to read them in order.
September 17, 2023
It Just Gets Better!!!!
Book 3 of this series continues the stories of Jay Bells characters and dives deep into who they are and who they are becoming.
I am sad where Diego is at the end of this book and so look forward to the next installment to see where he goes from here.
My favorite character is definitely Anthony. He is everything I wished I had had the courage to be in high school way back when.
Do not miss this book, or this series!
Book 3 of this series continues the stories of Jay Bells characters and dives deep into who they are and who they are becoming.
I am sad where Diego is at the end of this book and so look forward to the next installment to see where he goes from here.
My favorite character is definitely Anthony. He is everything I wished I had had the courage to be in high school way back when.
Do not miss this book, or this series!
September 21, 2023
I am really loving this series. Pride High follows a group of friends as they navigate their friendships and relationships throughout high school. This series contains a great group of characters.
In Yellow, a lot of the characters hit crossroads in their relationships, and it's all handled so well.
I fell in love with Jay Bell's writing with the Something Like series and my love of his writing continues into Pride High.
In Yellow, a lot of the characters hit crossroads in their relationships, and it's all handled so well.
I fell in love with Jay Bell's writing with the Something Like series and my love of his writing continues into Pride High.
October 5, 2023
book 3 the story goes on.
I have read everything that I can get my hand on, that is written by Jay Bell. He has become one of my favorite authors. This story started in a small town called Pride and the story continues as we dive deeper into the lives of all the characters. This book focuses a lot on Ricky and Diego, though for sure Omar and Sylvia is prominent as well. Jay really helps you get to his characters, through their actions. Great book.
I have read everything that I can get my hand on, that is written by Jay Bell. He has become one of my favorite authors. This story started in a small town called Pride and the story continues as we dive deeper into the lives of all the characters. This book focuses a lot on Ricky and Diego, though for sure Omar and Sylvia is prominent as well. Jay really helps you get to his characters, through their actions. Great book.
January 24, 2024
I have the other two entries in the series 5 stars because I LOVED most of the charters and plots for each of them. And for the most part that held true for this one, but I have to be honest I HATE Diego and Ricky’s relationship. It feels so creepy and borderline inappropriate. I also just really find Ricky to be so annoying as a character and usually I can ignore it but this book seemed to mainly focus on him and Diego’s story. Hoping th next entry is better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2024
3½/5
Follow-up to Pride High: Book 2 - Orange (#71, 3½/5). The school year continues, and the relationships between the pupils continue to evolve. There's some standard 90s homophobia.
I think this series is starting to step aboard the struggle bus, as if the author is scrambling for plotlines. It's getting more than a little soapy. I'm still enjoying it, despite the implausibly diverse and tolerant cast for the time.
Follow-up to Pride High: Book 2 - Orange (#71, 3½/5). The school year continues, and the relationships between the pupils continue to evolve. There's some standard 90s homophobia.
I think this series is starting to step aboard the struggle bus, as if the author is scrambling for plotlines. It's getting more than a little soapy. I'm still enjoying it, despite the implausibly diverse and tolerant cast for the time.
January 6, 2024
Another great continuation of the Pride High Series. I love the character development of all the characters, especially the development of Diego and Ricky's relationship throughout this book. I listened to the audiobook on Audible, and Talia Carver is doing so well bringing these characters to life.
July 7, 2024
So far for me, this is the best in the series. I really enjoyed the other books, but this one pulled at my heartstrings. There were several times I was in tears as I was reading. I almost like this book better than "Something Like Summer". Almost, it is very very close. Looking forward to Book 4 - junior year.
May 16, 2025
I don't know how my review never went through but let's try this again.
This for sure felt like an ending, even though we're nowhere near that yet. The emotions feel higher and I had not expected to like Diego, but that's Jay Bell for you. He has a way of making the unlikable... into the opposite.
Just beware of the cliffhanger. You'll want to dive straight into the next novel!
This for sure felt like an ending, even though we're nowhere near that yet. The emotions feel higher and I had not expected to like Diego, but that's Jay Bell for you. He has a way of making the unlikable... into the opposite.
Just beware of the cliffhanger. You'll want to dive straight into the next novel!
February 6, 2024
Drama Club
These boys and girls sure know how to keep it interesting. I’m rooting for Diego. He’s got some good in him. This one has everything; farms, record stores and caves. 4.0 for cookies.
These boys and girls sure know how to keep it interesting. I’m rooting for Diego. He’s got some good in him. This one has everything; farms, record stores and caves. 4.0 for cookies.
April 10, 2024
The best Pride High yet, with satisfying resolutions and developments to a lot of threads from the series so far, Jay continues to deliver characters you’ll long to return to when Pride High 4 finally drops later this year.
September 21, 2024
I love this series, however this book slowed down a bit for me which I understand.
I really do wish this was a high school I could have attended and a friend group I would thrive in.
Looking forward to see how book 4 will continue.
I really do wish this was a high school I could have attended and a friend group I would thrive in.
Looking forward to see how book 4 will continue.
October 14, 2023
Book 2 was.ok but really the author could have stopped at Book 1. Its.just getting messy and unnecessary now.
October 19, 2023
I Love Jay Bell Books
Another great series of books by Jay Bell! I want Junior Year at Pride High book series to enjoy the characters' adventures even more 😊
Another great series of books by Jay Bell! I want Junior Year at Pride High book series to enjoy the characters' adventures even more 😊
December 31, 2023
Great book to end the year on! Such a new and interesting look at sexuality I've never seen before. I can't wait to see what he does next with these characters.
June 8, 2024
I have to tell you I lost interest in several of the characters and by the end I was only interested in the Cameron and Anthony storyline. Reading is like that, sometimes.
June 26, 2025
the story goes on
Intense, well written and really well constructed characters. Can’t wait for book 4 to find out how the character’s fare,
Intense, well written and really well constructed characters. Can’t wait for book 4 to find out how the character’s fare,
April 9, 2024
Fantastic
November 8, 2023
Such a good continuation of the series! I loved getting to see even more of the characters and learning more about each of them. The bullying in this got me so irrationally angry with a book, but rationally angry for the content. I CANNOT believe what happened as the 3rd act conflict and I am so looking forward to more books in this series!
July 21, 2024
It took me much longer than normal to get through this book, but that was real world related and nothing to do with the work.
With this, we conclude a full school year in Pride, Kansas. The Something Like series would spend a few chapters in a time period before advancing, but this gives us the opportunity to really commit to these characters over a long period of time. I’m still trying to work out the Something Like connections, but what I did appreciate here was, at least in this book, the characters didn’t fall too far, but did grow along the way.
Looking forward to Book 4!
With this, we conclude a full school year in Pride, Kansas. The Something Like series would spend a few chapters in a time period before advancing, but this gives us the opportunity to really commit to these characters over a long period of time. I’m still trying to work out the Something Like connections, but what I did appreciate here was, at least in this book, the characters didn’t fall too far, but did grow along the way.
Looking forward to Book 4!
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