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The Gene Pull
Sixteen-year-old Noah Fletcher has a lot on his mind. He’s gay, and his best friend hates him for it. So does the rest of his high school. What they don't know is that he has the ability to talk to and understand all the animals on earth.
Despite his mother’s full support and his animal friends, he can’t help but feel lonely until popular cheerleader, Candy Bloom, sticks up for him publicly. He is happy to have her on his side, but there’s something strange about Candy. She seems to know more than she should. Somehow, she knows about his secret power and warns him about what's coming next...an alien invasion.
The question is, how are they going to stop it? And who else will join them on their mission?
Despite his mother’s full support and his animal friends, he can’t help but feel lonely until popular cheerleader, Candy Bloom, sticks up for him publicly. He is happy to have her on his side, but there’s something strange about Candy. She seems to know more than she should. Somehow, she knows about his secret power and warns him about what's coming next...an alien invasion.
The question is, how are they going to stop it? And who else will join them on their mission?
192 pages, Paperback
First published April 14, 2013
About the author
Benjamin Shepherd Quiñones
6 books16 followersBenjamin Shepherd Quiñones is an author, educator, translator, and advocate for LGBT equality. Currently, he is a graduate student at Lehigh University, where he studies Counseling & Human Services in the hopes of becoming a licensed professional counselor. In his free time, he enjoys reading urban fantasy novels and X-Men comics, listening and dancing to Latin music, swimming, and eating spicy food.
He wrote his first novel, The Gene Pull, when he was only 18 years old, originally for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Shortly after, he competed in Harmony Ink Press's Young Authors Challenge and won with his short story, Glitterhead (see Harmonious Hearts anthology). He hasn't stopped writing since and plans to release another novel within a year or two. Stay tuned!
You can also reach him by email at benjimon4427@gmail.com.
He wrote his first novel, The Gene Pull, when he was only 18 years old, originally for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Shortly after, he competed in Harmony Ink Press's Young Authors Challenge and won with his short story, Glitterhead (see Harmonious Hearts anthology). He hasn't stopped writing since and plans to release another novel within a year or two. Stay tuned!
You can also reach him by email at benjimon4427@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 17, 2013
This story was a pleasant surprise. The Gene Pull is a debut novel by twenty-year-old aspiring author Benjamin Quinones. I probably shouldn't admit this, but when I purchased the book, I had rather low expectations. It's published through a self-publishing company, and I figured that since the author was so young, the writing wouldn't be all that great.
What a pleasant surprise! With the exception of some annoying POV shifts, the word-crafting was brilliant and felt very seasoned. I loved the characters, the plot, and infusion of humor throughout the story. Granted, this is a YA story about a high school kid who just came out of the closet as gay the same day he gets abducted by aliens. The events and characters are at times over the top, but it was such an entertaining read.
I loved the main character Noah. He was self-deprecating enough to be viewed sympathetically, yet he didn't have a victim mentality (in spite of some pretty harsh bullying and homophobia from his peers). He ends up falling in love with another gay kid who's absolutely adorable--kind of a nerdy bookworm who's really sweet and lovable.
I really hope readers will support this author, and I hope he goes on to write a lot more really cool books. I'm adding him to my auto-buy list and will be on the lookout for more of his stories.
What a pleasant surprise! With the exception of some annoying POV shifts, the word-crafting was brilliant and felt very seasoned. I loved the characters, the plot, and infusion of humor throughout the story. Granted, this is a YA story about a high school kid who just came out of the closet as gay the same day he gets abducted by aliens. The events and characters are at times over the top, but it was such an entertaining read.
I loved the main character Noah. He was self-deprecating enough to be viewed sympathetically, yet he didn't have a victim mentality (in spite of some pretty harsh bullying and homophobia from his peers). He ends up falling in love with another gay kid who's absolutely adorable--kind of a nerdy bookworm who's really sweet and lovable.
I really hope readers will support this author, and I hope he goes on to write a lot more really cool books. I'm adding him to my auto-buy list and will be on the lookout for more of his stories.
April 30, 2013
This book. Just. Wow. I CANNOT wait for more from Benjamin S-Q! Good lord that was fun.
June 14, 2013
Before I start this small review, I just have to say that this book is unique. When most people say "unique," they usually explain it with an adjective and defeat the purpose of the word itself, meaning that it's a standalone. "Pretty unique" or "very unique" doesn't really jive with me, as unique encompasses an event, occurrence, or creation that is stylized in a way that no other has touched upon. That's what this book was.
I haven't seen so much plot movement honed into 180 pages in a long time, which made this a fun and quick read. However, its greatest perdition is not so much inside of its pages as it is out (no pun intended). The summary gives out way too much, in all honesty. Because of a quick glance at the back cover's long description, I already knew about important names and relationships that should have been left to discovery. Not that it made the read much less enjoyable, but it certainly took away a considerable amount of suspense that was supposed to supplement the story and give the reader the optimal experience with this unique story. Some revelational parts in the book should also have been left for the reader to figure out, too, instead of having to come across the answers as to why they happened virtually a paragraph after their introductions.
The insertion of some scientific facts and some quirks to Noah and some other characters made them memorable too, and I'm hoping that in the sequel, their development will be expanded on to really give us a sense of whom we're taking a journey with (galactic or terrestrial). I won't dissect the events of the story, as I don't like to write reviews with spoilers, but this is a coming-of-age book that I think grows along with the type of reader whom this book is intended for. That's what makes it unique to me.
I haven't seen so much plot movement honed into 180 pages in a long time, which made this a fun and quick read. However, its greatest perdition is not so much inside of its pages as it is out (no pun intended). The summary gives out way too much, in all honesty. Because of a quick glance at the back cover's long description, I already knew about important names and relationships that should have been left to discovery. Not that it made the read much less enjoyable, but it certainly took away a considerable amount of suspense that was supposed to supplement the story and give the reader the optimal experience with this unique story. Some revelational parts in the book should also have been left for the reader to figure out, too, instead of having to come across the answers as to why they happened virtually a paragraph after their introductions.
The insertion of some scientific facts and some quirks to Noah and some other characters made them memorable too, and I'm hoping that in the sequel, their development will be expanded on to really give us a sense of whom we're taking a journey with (galactic or terrestrial). I won't dissect the events of the story, as I don't like to write reviews with spoilers, but this is a coming-of-age book that I think grows along with the type of reader whom this book is intended for. That's what makes it unique to me.
April 24, 2013
I may be a bit biased, considering I wrote it. ;)
May 25, 2013
The Gene Pull by Benjamin Shepard Quinones is a young adult gay Sci-fi story.
Noah has always felt like his life was a lie because he felt he had to hide his sexuality. His mother knows and loves him, but he wants to tell his best friend Chris. They have been friends for as long as he can remember, so he will definitely understand right? The conversation ends with Noah awakening naked in a corn field with Chris who hits him and threatens him before he takes off. Noah is shocked when Candy, a cheerleader, not only approaches him, the school pariah, and talks him out of confronting Chris saving him from another beating. Chris ditches soccer practice and is stunned when he learns that he understands what all the animals are saying. The surprises keep coming when Candy isn’t shocked by Noah’s abilities because she has one of her own! On top of all the problems Noah is facing, he learns from Candy that aliens a searching for them and if they want to survive they will have to band together with Chris as they begin of their lives. Will they be strong enough to save themselves and the world?
This was a fast paced story with many different twists that kept the reader riveted from the very beginning. It was terrible how Chris reacted when Noah told him he was gay, but when Chris outed him at school Noah didn’t think their friendship could ever recover. The way many people at school mistreated Noah was horrible, but it was unacceptable that the teachers or school administration didn’t stop them. The visual descriptions of the aliens and their abilities brought them to life. It was fascinating how Cindy, Noah and Chris began to trust each other as they fought against what seemed like overwhelming odds. I was inspired by the way Chris, Candy, and Noah overcame their differences and learned that friendship is worth fighting for.
Noah has always felt like his life was a lie because he felt he had to hide his sexuality. His mother knows and loves him, but he wants to tell his best friend Chris. They have been friends for as long as he can remember, so he will definitely understand right? The conversation ends with Noah awakening naked in a corn field with Chris who hits him and threatens him before he takes off. Noah is shocked when Candy, a cheerleader, not only approaches him, the school pariah, and talks him out of confronting Chris saving him from another beating. Chris ditches soccer practice and is stunned when he learns that he understands what all the animals are saying. The surprises keep coming when Candy isn’t shocked by Noah’s abilities because she has one of her own! On top of all the problems Noah is facing, he learns from Candy that aliens a searching for them and if they want to survive they will have to band together with Chris as they begin of their lives. Will they be strong enough to save themselves and the world?
This was a fast paced story with many different twists that kept the reader riveted from the very beginning. It was terrible how Chris reacted when Noah told him he was gay, but when Chris outed him at school Noah didn’t think their friendship could ever recover. The way many people at school mistreated Noah was horrible, but it was unacceptable that the teachers or school administration didn’t stop them. The visual descriptions of the aliens and their abilities brought them to life. It was fascinating how Cindy, Noah and Chris began to trust each other as they fought against what seemed like overwhelming odds. I was inspired by the way Chris, Candy, and Noah overcame their differences and learned that friendship is worth fighting for.
April 29, 2013
The Gene Pull is an honest exploration of the pros and cons of coming out, with a sci-fi twist. Geared toward young adults, this short (180 pages) novel follows 16-year-old Noah Fletcher through a small window of his coming of age, including his coming out process. Noah is met with varying levels of acceptance from family, friends, and school peers when they learn that he is gay. LGBT teens will especially appreciate the recognition of the challenges that many face when they come out, especially bullying from peers. On top of handling the stress of coming out, Noah is also plagued with a superhuman power that pits an alien race against him. As Noah learns to handle both situations, the novel expresses an obvious "It Gets Better" theme that all young teens can relate to and gain hope from.
April 30, 2013
I recieved The Gene Pull as a r2r by Mr. Quiñones and had a lot of fun reading it. It's ultimately a great story about acceptance and kind of a cross between Galaxy Quest and I Am Number Four with a couple of very brave gay teens thrown in for good measure. Would love to see it as a movie, cool aliens and great possibilities with FX! Thanks for letting me read Benjamin!! :)
July 7, 2014
Before the review begins, I want to say that I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to receive this copy from Goodreads First Reads. I love being able to read books that I normally wouldn't pick up and review them.
Benjamin Shepherd Quinones does a wonderful job in The Gene Pull of creating a totally believable situation incorporating both the main character's homosexuality and his sci-fi talents. I loved the overall plot and the aliens. The only two complaints that I have are that the grammatical errors in the book (I found a lot) really distracted me from enjoying the plot. That is just one of my really big pet peeves! I cannot focus on the book when my brain has to keep thinking about the errors. The other is that the book jumps around so much! I think that if it was just a little bit longer, BSQ could have done a much better job of transitioning from one scene into the other.
***SPOILERS***
I remember when I was still in the first chapter of the book, I was so confused because it was just like oh by the way I'm gay and then boom a yellow flashing light and then oh yeah I'm naked. Other than that, I enjoyed the storyline and hope to hear more from Noah in the future!
I would especially recommend this book to the lgbt community because although I am straight, I imagine that real life is very similar to what this book portrays. I think that it would be especially good for someone who is struggling to accept and be accepted by others for their preferences.
Benjamin Shepherd Quinones does a wonderful job in The Gene Pull of creating a totally believable situation incorporating both the main character's homosexuality and his sci-fi talents. I loved the overall plot and the aliens. The only two complaints that I have are that the grammatical errors in the book (I found a lot) really distracted me from enjoying the plot. That is just one of my really big pet peeves! I cannot focus on the book when my brain has to keep thinking about the errors. The other is that the book jumps around so much! I think that if it was just a little bit longer, BSQ could have done a much better job of transitioning from one scene into the other.
***SPOILERS***
I remember when I was still in the first chapter of the book, I was so confused because it was just like oh by the way I'm gay and then boom a yellow flashing light and then oh yeah I'm naked. Other than that, I enjoyed the storyline and hope to hear more from Noah in the future!
I would especially recommend this book to the lgbt community because although I am straight, I imagine that real life is very similar to what this book portrays. I think that it would be especially good for someone who is struggling to accept and be accepted by others for their preferences.
November 4, 2013
I received this book in exchange for a review and it’s been a really good surprise. I just loved it. This book was completely unique. First of all, it was the first time I read a book about aliens because I don’t usually like that subject but it was well mixed with the rest of the story. Also, it’s about a gay teenager coming out. And about superpowers, and at the same time about daily life at school. So yeah, I can say it’s unique and very original.
I loved the characters, especially Noah (the main character), the plot and the way it was written. It’s too bad so much was revealed in the book description, it takes away all the suspense because we already know what’s going to happen and we can’t guess anything. It was still nice to read of course, but the description of the book should be shorter and should reveal less things.
There was a lot of action during this short book and you can’t be bored for even a second. It’s the first book of the author and he’s quite young so this is a really good start. I hope he goes on writing because he’s talented. I got into the story very fast and I was sad when it was the end. Thanks again for letting me read this book.
I loved the characters, especially Noah (the main character), the plot and the way it was written. It’s too bad so much was revealed in the book description, it takes away all the suspense because we already know what’s going to happen and we can’t guess anything. It was still nice to read of course, but the description of the book should be shorter and should reveal less things.
There was a lot of action during this short book and you can’t be bored for even a second. It’s the first book of the author and he’s quite young so this is a really good start. I hope he goes on writing because he’s talented. I got into the story very fast and I was sad when it was the end. Thanks again for letting me read this book.
July 3, 2013
After reading the first chapter, I almost didn't continue because the story/writing seemed too juvenile. However the second chapter was better and story wasn't bad as the first chapter lead me to believe.
I liked most in this story how characters learned from their mistakes and grow up. For example, I was really annoyed how Noah treated animals but he soon understood why it's wrong to order them around.
I was relieved that Chris wasn't a douchebag to Noah because he secretly was confused about his sexsuality. (I still can't get over Glee's Karofsky.)
It was more interesting to read about Noah dealing with homophobia than aliens. These aliens were like from B-movie.
Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I liked most in this story how characters learned from their mistakes and grow up. For example, I was really annoyed how Noah treated animals but he soon understood why it's wrong to order them around.
I was relieved that Chris wasn't a douchebag to Noah because he secretly was confused about his sexsuality. (I still can't get over Glee's Karofsky.)
It was more interesting to read about Noah dealing with homophobia than aliens. These aliens were like from B-movie.
Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2013
I'm only giving this book 4 stars not 5 because it was too short! I wanted more! Normally I wouldn't read a book about aliens or anything sci fi, so for me liking this book is extremely rare. Honestly it was really good and I enjoyed that not only was it sci fi but it had a little love in it too. And as hard as it is for someone who's gay to come out, to his best guy friend at that, you can't help but fall in love with Noah through his journey. And his journey doesn't just involve coming out and being ostracized by his class mates.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews