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Fearless
At fifteen, Justin is already a cynic. He’s experienced too many betrayals, too many disappointments. He doesn’t want to be involved in anything. He doesn’t want to be popular. He doesn’t even want friends anymore, since they only ever let you down. He just wants to get through high school and the best way he can come up with to accomplish that goal is to simply be invisible.
His self-imposed exile from high school life is threatened when Liam, the scary stoner, reaches out to him. What starts out as a strange and unsettling encounter with the unnerving, pot-smoking teenager evolves into the sort of friendship that changes the course of a person’s life.
But as Liam drags the reluctant Justin out of his shell, Liam’s own secret is revealed.
Fearless is the story of the myriad shades of love, how to find one’s courage and the transformative power of friendship.
The Novel Approach Reviews
"The author takes a very purposeful aim at the heartstrings and tear ducts in this coming-of-age novel, but he also infuses the story with humor and heart and a sweet friendship to balance it all out. "
50K Words
Young Adult
His self-imposed exile from high school life is threatened when Liam, the scary stoner, reaches out to him. What starts out as a strange and unsettling encounter with the unnerving, pot-smoking teenager evolves into the sort of friendship that changes the course of a person’s life.
But as Liam drags the reluctant Justin out of his shell, Liam’s own secret is revealed.
Fearless is the story of the myriad shades of love, how to find one’s courage and the transformative power of friendship.
The Novel Approach Reviews
"The author takes a very purposeful aim at the heartstrings and tear ducts in this coming-of-age novel, but he also infuses the story with humor and heart and a sweet friendship to balance it all out. "
50K Words
Young Adult
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2013
14 people are currently reading
619 people want to read
About the author
Chris O'Guinn
3 books50 followersI’ve been writing since I was fifteen, not that those stories will ever be allowed out of the dark hole I buried them in. I focused primarily on the Fantasy genre for the first two decades, occasionally diverting into modern fiction. In 2010, I embarked on a self-publishing career, focusing on the young adult novel genre. When I’m not writing, I am contributing to TheBacklot.com, a gay entertainment website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
October 12, 2015
It will kill you, but READ THIS BOOK!
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Ahhhh, bromance.
This has to be the very, very best "gay guy & straight dude meet their platonic soul mates" book out there.
After a bit of a rocky start, there was nothing that one wouldn't do for the other. Literally. (No, they didn't 'go there', so get your mind outta the gutter, you tramps.) :- P
Still, for a story that didn't 'go there' with the 2 main characters, it was a pretty amazing read. These guys were really like long lost brothers, but with a bit of sexual innuendo thrown in to keep things light during some really heavy moments.
Favorite scene from the book: Str8 boy Liam is trying to get gay boy Justin to give him junk food, against Liam's mom's very strict orders...
Str8 Liam: "I'll show you my dick."Freaking priceless.
Gay Justin: "Seen it."
Str8 Liam: "DAMN."
My only (and I do mean *only*) complaint is that when [ 'The Big Event' *SadFace* ] happened, I was left feeling more stunned than anything else. Jaw drop, head scratch, ummm.
If Amy Lane had written that part, there would NOT have been enough Kleenex in a Super Target. But sadly, it was just pretty much over at that point. End scene.
Either way, I did truly love this book and would just about give my left nut for an alternate ending rewrite that gave me more of what I was actually looking for -- be it happier or more sad.
101 *big-ugly-cry* ★'s. And then some...
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** UPDATE: Word directly from Chris is that there will be a sequel to this amazing book. So CAN NOT FREAKING WAIT for it!
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November 30, 2017
Incredibly touching! BREATHTAKING!
So when I first started reading this I thought it was going to be the typical moody teen meets stoner teen and love happens. I couldn't have been more wrong. I'm not going to spoil it for you, that's part of the charm of the book, but I think the whole point of the book is to show just how people influence each other's lives.
Just a quick example as you read the book, compare the influence that Justin's mom and Liam, "the stoner" have on Justin's life and decide which of the two are the most positive? The great thing about that question is the answer would seem so obvious, right?
Seriously, this book had me laughing out loud and crying more than onc before the end of the book... Well, you just NEED to read it to find out! So many people are going to see this is a GLBT novel and turn away from it. What a lose! As is standard with most stories involving minors, there is no more sex than a straight novel. It's just a story about teens trying to come to terms with their sexuality on top of all the other shit they have to deal with in life. The gay storyline is almost secondary to everything else. If you skip this book because if that, you will miss out on something really special!
It's a short read and so very worth it! Depending on how fast you read it will take you maybe a day. Just read it you won't regret it!
September 29, 2014
I absolutely loved this book.....right up until it ripped my heart out and stomped on it. And even then I still want to give it 10 stars. If you like YA, coming out, coming-of-age books, written in such a way that you lose yourself in the story, then I highly recommend this book. On second thought, even if that's not your thing I still highly recommend this book. It's just that good!
February 1, 2025
✰ 3.5 stars ✰
Meet fifteen year old freshman Justin - self-proclaimed Western Valley High’s resident freak — the gay klutz with the glasses and the weird way of talking. Justin who is content to survive his high school days, friendless and invisible, because it's the only means for survival. Justin, who is trying to cut down on using the word awesome to describe his emotions, because it's simply too awesome a word to be assigned for any simple fact of life. 😮💨 Justin, an absolute shark in the water, but who doesn't want to join the swim team, too afraid of taking any risk in the fear of being an absolute failure or being bullied by the swim team, because swimming for me is happiness and freedom and a vacation from being me.'
That is, until he's assigned to help out a fellow classmate, pot-smoking Liam with some of his class assignments. Some low-life druggie with no future (or so he thought) Liam who is really not at all worth his time or attention. Funny Liam, who when he smiled 'it was like this light just burst out of him.' 🥲 Honest Liam, who encourages him to join the swim team and pushes him out of his own shell to make new friends. Artistic Liam, who recognizes all the good that Justin has to offer, even when he doesn't see it for himself. Brave Liam who has his own battles to fight, but is ready to fight alongside him. His best friend, Liam, who shows him what it means to be Fearless. 🥺
“Why would you want to be friends with me?”
“My instincts tell me you’d be a cool friend to have.”
Their beautiful unwavering friendship develops too sudden, too soon, but it was the time of their lives and it felt so real - so precious and unforgettable for how it brought out the best of everything to them in a short time. 💞 So real in how Liam befriended Justin and revealed his dark secret, and how it crumbled Justin's world that someone as bright and beautiful as Liam deserved the world. So precious in the tender sweet moments of vulnerability and trust they shared with each other. 🥹 So unforgettable in their special comedic timing, sharp banter, light-hearted arguments, lovable and laughable moments, even the quiet and heart-wrenching ones that spoke to their souls with such sincerity and heart and love. I don't know what sorcery the author spun - 'so many emotions twisting me up inside that I was trapped.' Liam gave him so much courage, so much trust, so much belief in himself; the strength not to take things lightly, and to see Justin stand up for his rights and for his feelings - beyond a doubt - changed his life, more than he could ever express. He helped him be proud of his identity, embrace his pent-up desires and longings and just come alive. He gave Justin a voice, a purpose, a friend. 🫂
“I was totally in love with him. Even my heart is stupid. Falling in love with my straight best friend, does it get any more cliché?”
It really doesn't, does it! 😭 But, to Justin it meant everything - more than just a boyfriend, but a platonic soulmate, a best friend who shaped his existence into something worthwhile - something to fight for. For entirely different reasons, but they met at the time that would change their lives - when they needed each other the most. Justin's motto may have been - 'me, I’d take “normal” any day' - but Liam wouldn't let him go on, without him knowing just how much he was missing, if he never tried. 😣 And if it was just for Justin's sake that Liam promises 'Okay, Tina. I’ll do it for you'. Yes, there is a reason behind that name, in the context that crushes your heart even more - young and crying and hopeful on wishes for a dream to be brave and beloved - but that will never be enough to cover all that Liam meant to him. 😔💌
“I’m lucky I met you.”
“Nah, I’m the lucky one.”
“Shut up, I’m complimenting you.”
“Sorry.”
“That’s better.”
Totally generic writing. Simplistic story-telling. Stereotypical characters with cliche situations. Pretty basic, predictable and well, quite straightforward that did not quite make it any different from a YA read. And yet, I didn't take it quite to heart. 🤔 Certain subplots that did not develop as well as they could have, and some characters that felt too generic for me to really feel anything towards them. There was an underlying mystery of a hidden identity that alluded to various people, and I was half-afraid it would turn out to be well, someone; thankfully, that did go the other way. Oh, and there's swimming. 🏊🏻♂️ Yes, there's the trials and experiments of first love. 💓 Yes, there's confronting the challenges of being part of a team and recognizing your own inner strength and self-worth to rise above being demeaned. Yes, there's accepting aloud your sexuality and taking a stand for what you believe and who you are. 😥
“I only wanted one friend, you know. Just one, not a whole pack. One guy to hang with. And I found this awesome dude….”
“I’m not awe—”
But, none of it would have happened, if not for Liam. And thank you is just too small a word to describe Justin's love for the most amazing, most incredible guy that taught him what it means to be fearless and believe in yourself because he has so much to give. ❤️🩹 The tidal wave leading up to the ending - those final closing words, damn you, author! 😭 The heartbreak, the sadness, the loneliness, the loss -- I cannot tell a lie. I teared up - it is impossible not to when you're riding that swell of emotions bursting forth - feeling everything - realizing how it all tied together in this absolutely awesome way.... 💔💔
Was it an awesome read? Not entirely. But the ending sure was. 👍🏻
“You owe it to people to let them know you. Because knowing you has changed my life.”
Meet fifteen year old freshman Justin - self-proclaimed Western Valley High’s resident freak — the gay klutz with the glasses and the weird way of talking. Justin who is content to survive his high school days, friendless and invisible, because it's the only means for survival. Justin, who is trying to cut down on using the word awesome to describe his emotions, because it's simply too awesome a word to be assigned for any simple fact of life. 😮💨 Justin, an absolute shark in the water, but who doesn't want to join the swim team, too afraid of taking any risk in the fear of being an absolute failure or being bullied by the swim team, because swimming for me is happiness and freedom and a vacation from being me.'
That is, until he's assigned to help out a fellow classmate, pot-smoking Liam with some of his class assignments. Some low-life druggie with no future (or so he thought) Liam who is really not at all worth his time or attention. Funny Liam, who when he smiled 'it was like this light just burst out of him.' 🥲 Honest Liam, who encourages him to join the swim team and pushes him out of his own shell to make new friends. Artistic Liam, who recognizes all the good that Justin has to offer, even when he doesn't see it for himself. Brave Liam who has his own battles to fight, but is ready to fight alongside him. His best friend, Liam, who shows him what it means to be Fearless. 🥺
“Why would you want to be friends with me?”
“My instincts tell me you’d be a cool friend to have.”
Their beautiful unwavering friendship develops too sudden, too soon, but it was the time of their lives and it felt so real - so precious and unforgettable for how it brought out the best of everything to them in a short time. 💞 So real in how Liam befriended Justin and revealed his dark secret, and how it crumbled Justin's world that someone as bright and beautiful as Liam deserved the world. So precious in the tender sweet moments of vulnerability and trust they shared with each other. 🥹 So unforgettable in their special comedic timing, sharp banter, light-hearted arguments, lovable and laughable moments, even the quiet and heart-wrenching ones that spoke to their souls with such sincerity and heart and love. I don't know what sorcery the author spun - 'so many emotions twisting me up inside that I was trapped.' Liam gave him so much courage, so much trust, so much belief in himself; the strength not to take things lightly, and to see Justin stand up for his rights and for his feelings - beyond a doubt - changed his life, more than he could ever express. He helped him be proud of his identity, embrace his pent-up desires and longings and just come alive. He gave Justin a voice, a purpose, a friend. 🫂
“I was totally in love with him. Even my heart is stupid. Falling in love with my straight best friend, does it get any more cliché?”
It really doesn't, does it! 😭 But, to Justin it meant everything - more than just a boyfriend, but a platonic soulmate, a best friend who shaped his existence into something worthwhile - something to fight for. For entirely different reasons, but they met at the time that would change their lives - when they needed each other the most. Justin's motto may have been - 'me, I’d take “normal” any day' - but Liam wouldn't let him go on, without him knowing just how much he was missing, if he never tried. 😣 And if it was just for Justin's sake that Liam promises 'Okay, Tina. I’ll do it for you'. Yes, there is a reason behind that name, in the context that crushes your heart even more - young and crying and hopeful on wishes for a dream to be brave and beloved - but that will never be enough to cover all that Liam meant to him. 😔💌
“I’m lucky I met you.”
“Nah, I’m the lucky one.”
“Shut up, I’m complimenting you.”
“Sorry.”
“That’s better.”
Totally generic writing. Simplistic story-telling. Stereotypical characters with cliche situations. Pretty basic, predictable and well, quite straightforward that did not quite make it any different from a YA read. And yet, I didn't take it quite to heart. 🤔 Certain subplots that did not develop as well as they could have, and some characters that felt too generic for me to really feel anything towards them. There was an underlying mystery of a hidden identity that alluded to various people, and I was half-afraid it would turn out to be well, someone; thankfully, that did go the other way. Oh, and there's swimming. 🏊🏻♂️ Yes, there's the trials and experiments of first love. 💓 Yes, there's confronting the challenges of being part of a team and recognizing your own inner strength and self-worth to rise above being demeaned. Yes, there's accepting aloud your sexuality and taking a stand for what you believe and who you are. 😥
“I only wanted one friend, you know. Just one, not a whole pack. One guy to hang with. And I found this awesome dude….”
“I’m not awe—”
But, none of it would have happened, if not for Liam. And thank you is just too small a word to describe Justin's love for the most amazing, most incredible guy that taught him what it means to be fearless and believe in yourself because he has so much to give. ❤️🩹 The tidal wave leading up to the ending - those final closing words, damn you, author! 😭 The heartbreak, the sadness, the loneliness, the loss -- I cannot tell a lie. I teared up - it is impossible not to when you're riding that swell of emotions bursting forth - feeling everything - realizing how it all tied together in this absolutely awesome way.... 💔💔
Was it an awesome read? Not entirely. But the ending sure was. 👍🏻
February 16, 2014
Damn it, Chris O'Guinn. I knew you were going to do this to me.
After giving me a light, funny book with the occasional deeper moment in Exiled to Iowa. Send Help. And Couture, this story has a darker theme. And because it's YA, you know there won't be a simple hand-in-hand-into-the-sunset story arc. So this had moments that really made my chest ache. A nice cast of characters, a middle-of-the-road coming out story that didn't go OTT in any direction, a lot of character growth for the MC. There were some great moments of humor, and then he would punch me in the gut again.
A well-written, emotional YA coming of age story, with just a bit of romance.
After giving me a light, funny book with the occasional deeper moment in Exiled to Iowa. Send Help. And Couture, this story has a darker theme. And because it's YA, you know there won't be a simple hand-in-hand-into-the-sunset story arc. So this had moments that really made my chest ache. A nice cast of characters, a middle-of-the-road coming out story that didn't go OTT in any direction, a lot of character growth for the MC. There were some great moments of humor, and then he would punch me in the gut again.
A well-written, emotional YA coming of age story, with just a bit of romance.
February 25, 2014
Buddy Review w/ Jenni
3.5 stars
We both had this book on our radars…and maybe were just a little hesitant because of the FEELZ…the sadness we’d heard about. So, embracing each other as buddies to read along, we put on our big-girl panties and dove in.
Fearless was written from Justin’s POV and it worked. He’s this shy, vulnerable, self-deprecating kid who’s uncomfortable in his own skin. He’s aware of his attraction to guys, but he’s not about to out himself or rock the boat. He’d rather be invisible than get his ass kicked for being gay. Justin is great at one thing, though. He loves swimming, and being in the water is where he soars. In swim class he meets Liam. Liam is, on the surface, a stoner…bad news, hangs out with the wrong crowd. And there you have what seems like the typical opposites attract YA storyline…but it’s so much more.
You see, Liam isn’t what he seems. And we both kinda figured out (guessed) early on what Liam’s secret was. And as much as we both had hoped we were wrong…well…
What’s great about Fearless is that Justin, Liam, really ALL the kids, acted and talked like real teens (where a lot of other YA books miss the mark). And with each new character introduced came added complexity…how does this person fit into the puzzle? Is this one “good” or “bad”, “gay” or “straight”, “friend” or “foe” or “more”?
As the book progressed, so did Justin’s growth. His character shifted from an invisible non-entity, to a confident leader and friend. So much of this was due to Liam, their friendship, Liam’s courage and easy-going nature. We both *loved* what Liam did for Justin--giving Justin the confidence to speak his mind, to stand up for himself. It was the both the tragedy and the gift of the story.
As our greatest fear for this book started to play itself out, as we braced ourselves for the emotion of what would happen…it felt like the book suddenly hit fast-forward and things came together a little too quickly. And that was unfortunate. It felt like the author was in a rush to tidy everything up and get to the end. Every time there was a problem, the solution was right behind. If it had taken time, slowed down to play things out, it would have been that much more effective.
All-in-all, it was a good book, and definitely recommended—IF you’ve got a strong heart and like YA. ;-) Get your tissues ready...
April 29, 2014
Friendship can hold and offer so many emotions and adventures in life. Easy banter, fun, trouble, support, and encouragement. Liam and Justin, two teenagers living and moving in opposite social circles, make friendship feel and look so simple and easy. Once these guys saw past the stereotypes, let their guards down, and opened up—they fit perfectly. Is it that simple?
Justin guides us through this story and I have to tell ya--being in his head is hilarious! I laughed out loud more times than I can count. His fantasies and humor cracked me up! But his fear and insecurity squeezed my heart to bits.
”It wasn’t that I liked working so hard to stay invisible. It was just the easiest path I knew to keep bad things from happening.”
Scared of being hurt and bullied again, Justin separates himself from his classmates--eats lunch alone, works alone, stands alone. Constantly bracing for the next fall, shove, and hurtful comment. That is until Liam. Sometimes all it takes is one word or smile to start up a friendship that will affect your whole life. It sounds silly and exaggerated, but friends are that BIG! They can change your life.
Liam poked and pulled Justin out of his bubble of solitude. With laughs, honesty, and nudity (hehe…), Liam charmed his way right into Justin’s heart and world. I loved these two! The self-professed misfit and a “cover boy for Thug Weekly” made the perfect duo! The banter was spot on! Justin went from fumbling “Uh”s and “Er”s… to hilarious back and forth jokes and jabs that made me snort laugh and giggle. Laughter helps both Justin and Liam conquer and survive challenges and pain. Pain that will…*deep breath* break your heart. The emotions and language felt very real to me here. Making Liam and Justin feel alive and real --all of the characters actually. The adults were overworked and selfish and said the wrong things. Classmates were mean and childish or understanding at times. Real voices readers could identify with, understand, and most likely point to in their own lives.
I read this book in one day. A day filled with laughs and tears. Tears are an understatement actually. I balled like a baby! I knew it was coming too, but I just couldn’t reel in the tears. One of those sob sessions that make you curl up with the book at the end. You don’t want to let it go yet.
Even with the heartache, Liam and Justin’s story inspired me. A friendship that touched my heart and energized me. Pushed me out of my safe routine and bubble. Fearless pushes and encourages readers to just do it even though they’re scared. Say it. Ask. Act. Take the risk! Life is too short not to. I loved watching Justin’s confidence grow and seeing Liam’s courage in action.
”God, I wish I had your balls.”
“Well, I admit, they’re a pretty sweet set, but you can’t have them.”
The ending did feel a bit rushed. Well…more like I needed more time to take it all in, accept it and breathe again. The last line was perfect though. There is so much to love here— humor, friendship, confidence, and life! As I get older, for some reason the search for friends feels harder. Not sure why. Maybe because most days everyone around me seems hell bent on staying in their own worlds. Locked into their phones or screens. We travel to and from work with headphones or a book and scowl. It’s not easy. Reaching out takes courage. Letting someone in to your life takes trust. But the risk is worth it. I needed that reminder. Just look up, smile, and say “Hi”. See what happens. It can change everything.
Come on! Jump in and read. You will fall in love with Justin and Liam and their horrible dance moves, laughter, tears, and fearless-ness.
December 30, 2015
I haven't been reduced to a puddle of tears since Dan Skinner's Memorizing You. And that is the biggest understatement in the entire history. I loved this book down to the last word. Down to my bones. Friendship is really beautiful. To have that one friend whom you can just be yourself with and who understands you and loves you unconditionally -- beyond any kind of judgment -- is simply amazing. Consider yourself lucky to know such a beautiful person inside and out. But to be touched by that person who changes you entirely is a different story altogether. Liam and Justin's friendship should be the friendship to emulate. I'd be the happiest person to simply have that one friend who will walk to the ends of the earth with me. To have something as genuine as what Liam and Justin had is divine. I am floored really. I will not be able to move on for days, I am telling you. I am even writing this while sobbing uncontrollably. This book is beautiful. It has warmed my soul.
June 11, 2013
The author is a friend - full disclosure. Here is some of what I wrote to him about this book:
What a great title, for starters. Justin is the opposite – almost paralyzed by fear. His defensive attitude has virtually cut him off from every good possibility as well as protecting him. It’s also eliminated his ability to see himself as other than in negative terms. His mom isn’t warm (not unkind, but too tired and too resigned to realize this herself) and his father is both self-centered and absent. He has no one to point out to him what’s good about him (and even if your opinions as parents don’t count, your kids do need to hear you say nice things about them!). Justin thinks he’s got it all figured out – but he’s only dug himself into a hole with no way out and a guarantee of loneliness. Other than tall and thin, we don’t really ever get a sense of what Justin looks like – except, eventually, the sense that he must be attractive – through the eyes of people who care about him. I liked that detail, because it lets the reader plug himself in as Justin, to identify with this boy who has no sense of self-worth.
Then Liam pops in – the scary, skin-head looking boy who smokes weed and gives off all the signs of being parental “bad news.” I loved the little dance they do at first – Justin rejecting his overtures out of fear, then relenting when he sees the hurt he causes Liam. That little moment of trust – of risk, of setting aside fear for the possibility of something else. It was painful to feel Justin’s assumption that he could never have a friend, and then his happiness at the emergence of this friendship. It proves that both Justin and Liam are good guys in very few words. It also demonstrates Liam’s fearlessness and vulnerability, as well as suggests to Justin, for the first time, that his fears may be holding him back, preventing happiness.
The sadness you warned me about is surely all-pervasive. I could never forget the dark shadow hovering over the story, and think that’s a good thing. The reader is kept in a constant state of wondering if it is going to turn out badly or not. It keeps a thread of anxiety in your mind. Liam becomes Justin’s defense system, giving Justin the courage to take risks. Liam really transformed Justin, and I’ve never quite read a YA book that did that in the way you do in “Fearless.”’
I loved your earlier “Exiled to Iowa,” but its tone, its protagonist, its intention are so different. That showed me a teenage boy who was the way I’d wished I’d been –sassy, smart, amusing (OK, I was a little that way); but “Fearless” really tapped into my primal teenage memories of insecurity, self-doubt, fear. I never had a Liam, but I did have a series of friends who helped me – we really helped each other – discover our own value as we worked our way through boarding school.
So, have I convinced you? This is as good as any YA book I’ve read. I am proud of you, and envious of you. Maybe someday I’ll write something this good.
What a great title, for starters. Justin is the opposite – almost paralyzed by fear. His defensive attitude has virtually cut him off from every good possibility as well as protecting him. It’s also eliminated his ability to see himself as other than in negative terms. His mom isn’t warm (not unkind, but too tired and too resigned to realize this herself) and his father is both self-centered and absent. He has no one to point out to him what’s good about him (and even if your opinions as parents don’t count, your kids do need to hear you say nice things about them!). Justin thinks he’s got it all figured out – but he’s only dug himself into a hole with no way out and a guarantee of loneliness. Other than tall and thin, we don’t really ever get a sense of what Justin looks like – except, eventually, the sense that he must be attractive – through the eyes of people who care about him. I liked that detail, because it lets the reader plug himself in as Justin, to identify with this boy who has no sense of self-worth.
Then Liam pops in – the scary, skin-head looking boy who smokes weed and gives off all the signs of being parental “bad news.” I loved the little dance they do at first – Justin rejecting his overtures out of fear, then relenting when he sees the hurt he causes Liam. That little moment of trust – of risk, of setting aside fear for the possibility of something else. It was painful to feel Justin’s assumption that he could never have a friend, and then his happiness at the emergence of this friendship. It proves that both Justin and Liam are good guys in very few words. It also demonstrates Liam’s fearlessness and vulnerability, as well as suggests to Justin, for the first time, that his fears may be holding him back, preventing happiness.
The sadness you warned me about is surely all-pervasive. I could never forget the dark shadow hovering over the story, and think that’s a good thing. The reader is kept in a constant state of wondering if it is going to turn out badly or not. It keeps a thread of anxiety in your mind. Liam becomes Justin’s defense system, giving Justin the courage to take risks. Liam really transformed Justin, and I’ve never quite read a YA book that did that in the way you do in “Fearless.”’
I loved your earlier “Exiled to Iowa,” but its tone, its protagonist, its intention are so different. That showed me a teenage boy who was the way I’d wished I’d been –sassy, smart, amusing (OK, I was a little that way); but “Fearless” really tapped into my primal teenage memories of insecurity, self-doubt, fear. I never had a Liam, but I did have a series of friends who helped me – we really helped each other – discover our own value as we worked our way through boarding school.
So, have I convinced you? This is as good as any YA book I’ve read. I am proud of you, and envious of you. Maybe someday I’ll write something this good.
September 2, 2014
4.5 Stars
Great coming of age YA book, even if it let me very sad. It relates the importance of how the real friendship can change your life, and how some things that people take for granted, a lot of times, are not true. Like one of the things I took for granted here.
The book is written in first POV, and is like you really are in a fifteen years old boy mind, the only downside is that I would like that the book had been longer, that the author had deepened in some parts of the history that I found little rushed.
Great coming of age YA book, even if it let me very sad. It relates the importance of how the real friendship can change your life, and how some things that people take for granted, a lot of times, are not true. Like one of the things I took for granted here.
The book is written in first POV, and is like you really are in a fifteen years old boy mind, the only downside is that I would like that the book had been longer, that the author had deepened in some parts of the history that I found little rushed.
January 24, 2016
Awesome! Poignant. Heartbreaking. Painful, horrid punch in the gut. Box of tissues. Romantic. Happily ever after! Excellent writing. Best YA book ever!
June 11, 2013
Someone once said there's nothing new, dramatically, under the sun since Aeschylus. That said, how many people remember Ovid's Pyramus and Thisbe from his Metamorphoses, or Luigi da Porot's Giulietta e Romeo? It took a Shakespeare to make Romeo and Juliet a love story for the ages (and one that's been copied and re-done until the cows not only came home, but eventually died of old age.)
So, also, is that perennial tale of friendship and love redeeming two totally disparate characters. How many After School Specials come to mind to anyone who has ever seen a few? The Odd Couple is a classic example or, in its way, Brian's Story. This is not to say that this sweetly-written story of two apparent losers helping the other toward manhood reaches quite those dramatic heights. Or maybe, within its YA parameters, it does just that, and succeeds totally.
Justin has, by fifteen, realized that the world is shit, and he's been dealt a really shit hand in the game of life. In response, he's boxed everyone he has to deal with, within his world, into roles of either the good, the bad, or the truly ugly. Then he runs across the stoner, and apparent gangsta wannabe, Liam. And his world is rocked; never to be the same, ever.
This is a romance in which the MCs love each other truly and deeply, but in which one is gay and the other straight. Where to go? What to do? The answer is through a total acceptance of one for the other, even as everyone from parents to schoolmates, tell them, in no uncertain terms, that they're heading for the rocks or worse.
I knew, practically from the second chapter, exactly what was going on, and where this story was headed, but I would have had to have been insane to either skim through the novel or, worse, written it off as a DNF. That would have been a truly major loss because, after all the meh-to-ugh reactions I've had to so many deeply-beloved stories in the YA genre, this one finally gives me hope that there really are good ones out there. Ones that don't have to involve earth-shattering storylines or trauma up-the-ass to succeed on an emotionally-lovely level.
This review is written from a totally emotional point of view. I'm sure there may be people out there who will see Fearless as just another cliché coming-of-age story; one which can be skipped in favor of those more histrionic, garment-rending stories that make up so many, particularly m/m, YA stories. If anyone feels that way, I can only say that you're missing one of the best-written, and most emotionally-touching, stories I've come across, in any genre. And I'm truly sorry if you don't give it a chance.
It may be that Chris' works speak, for some reason, particularly to me, and not as much to others. However, I simply cannot let this sweet story of friendship, and what it really means to begin to grow into a man, to pass by. If this were an Amy Lane story, and it easily could have been, for the quality is equivalent, I would probably call the MCs broken. But, like Mrs. Lane's stories, there's that extra something that makes you not just care what happens to the two men in the story, you want it to (please, God!) turn out with a HEA.
To find out just where you're taken in this particular story, you'll have to read it for yourself, or just settle for well-written novels without the sweetness and gut-wrenchng effect of this novel.
Unless you absolutely loathe, hate, and despise YA novels, I can't recommend this story too highly.
And, yes, it made me cry like a little girl.
So, also, is that perennial tale of friendship and love redeeming two totally disparate characters. How many After School Specials come to mind to anyone who has ever seen a few? The Odd Couple is a classic example or, in its way, Brian's Story. This is not to say that this sweetly-written story of two apparent losers helping the other toward manhood reaches quite those dramatic heights. Or maybe, within its YA parameters, it does just that, and succeeds totally.
Justin has, by fifteen, realized that the world is shit, and he's been dealt a really shit hand in the game of life. In response, he's boxed everyone he has to deal with, within his world, into roles of either the good, the bad, or the truly ugly. Then he runs across the stoner, and apparent gangsta wannabe, Liam. And his world is rocked; never to be the same, ever.
This is a romance in which the MCs love each other truly and deeply, but in which one is gay and the other straight. Where to go? What to do? The answer is through a total acceptance of one for the other, even as everyone from parents to schoolmates, tell them, in no uncertain terms, that they're heading for the rocks or worse.
I knew, practically from the second chapter, exactly what was going on, and where this story was headed, but I would have had to have been insane to either skim through the novel or, worse, written it off as a DNF. That would have been a truly major loss because, after all the meh-to-ugh reactions I've had to so many deeply-beloved stories in the YA genre, this one finally gives me hope that there really are good ones out there. Ones that don't have to involve earth-shattering storylines or trauma up-the-ass to succeed on an emotionally-lovely level.
This review is written from a totally emotional point of view. I'm sure there may be people out there who will see Fearless as just another cliché coming-of-age story; one which can be skipped in favor of those more histrionic, garment-rending stories that make up so many, particularly m/m, YA stories. If anyone feels that way, I can only say that you're missing one of the best-written, and most emotionally-touching, stories I've come across, in any genre. And I'm truly sorry if you don't give it a chance.
It may be that Chris' works speak, for some reason, particularly to me, and not as much to others. However, I simply cannot let this sweet story of friendship, and what it really means to begin to grow into a man, to pass by. If this were an Amy Lane story, and it easily could have been, for the quality is equivalent, I would probably call the MCs broken. But, like Mrs. Lane's stories, there's that extra something that makes you not just care what happens to the two men in the story, you want it to (please, God!) turn out with a HEA.
To find out just where you're taken in this particular story, you'll have to read it for yourself, or just settle for well-written novels without the sweetness and gut-wrenchng effect of this novel.
Unless you absolutely loathe, hate, and despise YA novels, I can't recommend this story too highly.
And, yes, it made me cry like a little girl.
February 16, 2016
I read this wonderful book last year and it just ripped my heart out! So what did I do? I had to reread this beautiful YA novel again!
And yes, I'm still a blubbering mess!
So why would I do that to myself? Because it's that good of a story. A story of true friendship, young love, hope and strength.
One of the best YA novels out there. I even purchased the paperback to add to my "best" collection.
Let's hope we get a sequel from Chris O'Guinn with this one.
***** I just heard from Chris O'Guinn and yessss! There is a sequel in the works !!!
And yes, I'm still a blubbering mess!
So why would I do that to myself? Because it's that good of a story. A story of true friendship, young love, hope and strength.
One of the best YA novels out there. I even purchased the paperback to add to my "best" collection.
Let's hope we get a sequel from Chris O'Guinn with this one.
***** I just heard from Chris O'Guinn and yessss! There is a sequel in the works !!!
January 2, 2016
This was, by far, one of the most wrenching and uplifting and depressing and hopeful books I've read in a long, long time.
It ripped my heart out. Totally worth it, though. It's awesome.
Todd - I think you should buy me a drink anyway. This made me ugly cry.
It ripped my heart out. Totally worth it, though. It's awesome.
Todd - I think you should buy me a drink anyway. This made me ugly cry.
November 3, 2016
I should really rate this book 1 star for making me so sad and depressed, but I can't because it was such a awesome book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2015
I went in reading this knowing a bit what would happen, so maybe it didn’t have the same emotional impact non me as for many others...
I loved this author’s style, the book captured me from the first page!
It kind of reminded me of Jumbo, both superficially, with the swimming, the romance (in the way that it wasn’t really a romance, but there is still some in). The story is also about coming out of your shell and finding people who like you for who you are. And of course life as a teenage boy, with crushes galore! In Jumbo the suffering (as in bullying) is however more on page than in this one, so the angst was slightly lighter.
Being a romance reader at heart, I loved the whole Hawaii thing. It kept it very exciting, since I was constantly guessing…
The last 20% pulled down the rating for me. There were a lot of (important) things happening, but they felt rather told than shown
All in all, this is definitely an author I want to read more YA from!
I loved this author’s style, the book captured me from the first page!
It kind of reminded me of Jumbo, both superficially, with the swimming, the romance (in the way that it wasn’t really a romance, but there is still some in). The story is also about coming out of your shell and finding people who like you for who you are. And of course life as a teenage boy, with crushes galore! In Jumbo the suffering (as in bullying) is however more on page than in this one, so the angst was slightly lighter.
Being a romance reader at heart, I loved the whole Hawaii thing. It kept it very exciting, since I was constantly guessing…
The last 20% pulled down the rating for me. There were a lot of (important) things happening, but they felt rather told than shown
All in all, this is definitely an author I want to read more YA from!
September 27, 2013
5 sobbing stars!!!
I need a mountain of tissue please.
What to say about this amazing coming of age YA?
First off, what I've just read wasn't what I expected at all. It was a roller coaster of emotions. AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE!
Second, I love Justin and Liam's character. They are flawed yet so amusing. Their banters are funny that you'll feel good reading this book!
Lastly, The plot. It's kind of refreshing to read this kind of YA. It's different from most I've read in a way that throughout the book (the end not included) the emotional angst and the happy moments balances each other out. Though the end drove me home to my full sobbing episode.
And want to scream......
I am HEA kind of guy but I sure did enjoy this book! If you want to laugh and cry afterwards and laugh and cry again, You should grab this book!
I need a mountain of tissue please.
What to say about this amazing coming of age YA?
First off, what I've just read wasn't what I expected at all. It was a roller coaster of emotions. AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE!
Second, I love Justin and Liam's character. They are flawed yet so amusing. Their banters are funny that you'll feel good reading this book!
Lastly, The plot. It's kind of refreshing to read this kind of YA. It's different from most I've read in a way that throughout the book (the end not included) the emotional angst and the happy moments balances each other out. Though the end drove me home to my full sobbing episode.
And want to scream......
I am HEA kind of guy but I sure did enjoy this book! If you want to laugh and cry afterwards and laugh and cry again, You should grab this book!
January 22, 2022
For all the overly-great alignment of the stars getting things to work out for Justin, the ending of this book was not one of them. Since the happy factors all kept working out during this story, I was fully prepared for an unrealistic, but consistent, ultra-happy ending - but I was viciously denied.
I'm actually a person that likes tragedies, but I was not prepared for this one. I was thinking 3.5/4* per the writing style and a plot where Justin's life trajectory got better on each page. I may need to think about this one a bit more, but this became a very tough book to recommend with two developments late in the book: 1) Justin went to meet an online person at a Starbucks - incredibly stupid move. Miraculously it resulted in a very positive twist (which is a VERY bad message to readers that this action can healthy/good. 2) Don't want to spoil it, but what other reviewers are rewarding with tears and 5* did the opposite for me completely. Not cool!
Maybe I'll re-read this book, knowing from the start about this ending. It's fairly short and I own my book copy. I just don't think the book had enough depth/length to show a proper support for Justin's emotional devastation for what was experienced in this ending. I really can't recommend this book. 2.5* round up
I'm actually a person that likes tragedies, but I was not prepared for this one. I was thinking 3.5/4* per the writing style and a plot where Justin's life trajectory got better on each page. I may need to think about this one a bit more, but this became a very tough book to recommend with two developments late in the book: 1) Justin went to meet an online person at a Starbucks - incredibly stupid move. Miraculously it resulted in a very positive twist (which is a VERY bad message to readers that this action can healthy/good. 2) Don't want to spoil it, but what other reviewers are rewarding with tears and 5* did the opposite for me completely. Not cool!
Maybe I'll re-read this book, knowing from the start about this ending. It's fairly short and I own my book copy. I just don't think the book had enough depth/length to show a proper support for Justin's emotional devastation for what was experienced in this ending. I really can't recommend this book. 2.5* round up
November 4, 2013
4.5 stars
I read this book at the recommendation of a friend, a friend whose taste I totally trust, and he did not let me down this time. Before I even get going with this review though I will warn you, this book has a sad ending, a break your heart ending. Go in knowing this, but don't let it put you off.
Justin is that kid at high school who just wants to get to the end of the day without too many knocks. At the start of this book he has a very low opinion of himself, he literally just tries to make it through the day and considers anyone saying anything pleasant to him a bonus. Now I've read books where self loathing characters are really annoying. The kind where, as a reader, you know they are brilliant or beautiful or witty or fit and it feels so contrived. That wasn't the case with this book. I totally believed in Justin and, rather than being annoying, I found it very true to life. I felt for him, could absolutely sympathise with him and wanted things to get better for him. It seemed, to me, that Chris O'Guinn knew the character of Justin so well, he wasn't just there as a characterisation but a real person, with real feelings - it would have been so easy to make him a stereo-type 'loser', or geek turn jock, but he didn't do this and I absolutely thank him for it.
So Justin started out just getting through the day, written in the first person we hear Justin's internal dialogue, the quirky, funny - and often wrong - observations that he makes to himself, the ones that he doesn't dare say to anyone else, the ones you really, really wish he had a friend to share them with. He's a funny guy, in a cynical, quietly sarcastic, way. And then Liam turns up. Liam is the boy that Justin has stereotyped as a stoner, loser, probably on bail, guy. Yet Liam has a confidence that Justin envies and it comes as a surprise to Justin when Liam doesn't quite fit the pigeon hole that he has ready for him. In fact Liam is nothing like the stone-head burgeoning criminal Justin thought he was, he has confidence and a 'live life' attitude that starts to rub off on Justin and slowly a friendship develops.
With Liam's help, Justin comes out at home and it is Liam who supports him through this rocky time. Liam is the one who encourages him to join the swim team, encourages him to find a boyfriend, encourages him to start becoming the real Justin, instead of the one who thinks getting through the day in one piece is good enough. But Liam has a secret and it is one that could break Justin's world apart.
I loved all the characters in this book, especially Justin. I think Chris O'Guinn did a fantastic job of changing him from the awkward, low self-esteemed boy we first meet, to the captain of the swim team that he becomes. He does it in such a natural way, nothing feels contrived, the story grows organically and works really well. Justin still has his confidence issues, but he learns how to handle them so the change feels very believable and I really appreciated this. While this book is full of great characters, not least Justin's swim team mentor and crush Kanoa, it's the friendship between Justin and Liam that is absolutely key to this story and it is one of the best friendships I have seen between the pages of a book (or in the confines of an e reader). It's the kind of friendship you are desperate to read more about, the kind that grabs you and doesn't let go until the end of the book. The kind that has you reaching for the tissues.
Yep, that kind. Some parts of this story are very sad - I don't want to go into detail because I don't want to spoil it - but I will say that, again, the author handles the story line really well. Real life sucks at times and your heart, I'm sure, will be breaking - mine most certainly was. But please, if you like YA, if you like friendship, if you like believable, loveable characters - read this book. Just have the tissues handy.
As reviewed at
I read this book at the recommendation of a friend, a friend whose taste I totally trust, and he did not let me down this time. Before I even get going with this review though I will warn you, this book has a sad ending, a break your heart ending. Go in knowing this, but don't let it put you off.
Justin is that kid at high school who just wants to get to the end of the day without too many knocks. At the start of this book he has a very low opinion of himself, he literally just tries to make it through the day and considers anyone saying anything pleasant to him a bonus. Now I've read books where self loathing characters are really annoying. The kind where, as a reader, you know they are brilliant or beautiful or witty or fit and it feels so contrived. That wasn't the case with this book. I totally believed in Justin and, rather than being annoying, I found it very true to life. I felt for him, could absolutely sympathise with him and wanted things to get better for him. It seemed, to me, that Chris O'Guinn knew the character of Justin so well, he wasn't just there as a characterisation but a real person, with real feelings - it would have been so easy to make him a stereo-type 'loser', or geek turn jock, but he didn't do this and I absolutely thank him for it.
So Justin started out just getting through the day, written in the first person we hear Justin's internal dialogue, the quirky, funny - and often wrong - observations that he makes to himself, the ones that he doesn't dare say to anyone else, the ones you really, really wish he had a friend to share them with. He's a funny guy, in a cynical, quietly sarcastic, way. And then Liam turns up. Liam is the boy that Justin has stereotyped as a stoner, loser, probably on bail, guy. Yet Liam has a confidence that Justin envies and it comes as a surprise to Justin when Liam doesn't quite fit the pigeon hole that he has ready for him. In fact Liam is nothing like the stone-head burgeoning criminal Justin thought he was, he has confidence and a 'live life' attitude that starts to rub off on Justin and slowly a friendship develops.
With Liam's help, Justin comes out at home and it is Liam who supports him through this rocky time. Liam is the one who encourages him to join the swim team, encourages him to find a boyfriend, encourages him to start becoming the real Justin, instead of the one who thinks getting through the day in one piece is good enough. But Liam has a secret and it is one that could break Justin's world apart.
I loved all the characters in this book, especially Justin. I think Chris O'Guinn did a fantastic job of changing him from the awkward, low self-esteemed boy we first meet, to the captain of the swim team that he becomes. He does it in such a natural way, nothing feels contrived, the story grows organically and works really well. Justin still has his confidence issues, but he learns how to handle them so the change feels very believable and I really appreciated this. While this book is full of great characters, not least Justin's swim team mentor and crush Kanoa, it's the friendship between Justin and Liam that is absolutely key to this story and it is one of the best friendships I have seen between the pages of a book (or in the confines of an e reader). It's the kind of friendship you are desperate to read more about, the kind that grabs you and doesn't let go until the end of the book. The kind that has you reaching for the tissues.
Yep, that kind. Some parts of this story are very sad - I don't want to go into detail because I don't want to spoil it - but I will say that, again, the author handles the story line really well. Real life sucks at times and your heart, I'm sure, will be breaking - mine most certainly was. But please, if you like YA, if you like friendship, if you like believable, loveable characters - read this book. Just have the tissues handy.
As reviewed at
March 30, 2014
11 sobbing stars!
This is utter gem of a story contained one hell of a plot even among the MM romance and YA genre. Seriously, I've haven't read a book that reduced me to soggy noodles since The Fault in Our Stars.
That being said, I'm not even going to attempt to summarize the story for fear of ruining the experience for everyone. Trust me, you're going to have to experience this book for yourself. Fair warning to fans of gay romance looking for heaping servings of sex, this isn't the book for you. And anyone looking for a satisfying happy ending, then move along before you get disappointed. But for those like me looking for a well written story, an amazing plot with equally brilliant main characters, heavy angst and fantastic humor, then I guarantee you will love this book as much as I did.
I have to say that the backbone of this story was the writing behind it. I normally don't like reading a book with the first person's POV but this style of narration absolutely worked here because you could really feel the change in Justin's character going from a recluse into a well rounded teenager. The friendship between him and Liam was beautifully written it would break your heart when they're both hurting. This is one of those books where you know the author loves his/her characters.
I consider this book as one of the very few who deviate from the norm which makes the reading experience refreshing and so worthwhile. And even though it may not deliver everything the reader would want in a story, that for me is a sign of an author's integrity to their craft by not succumbing to others' influence and makes their work unforgettable.
I highly recommend it for MM Romance lovers and YA alike. Definitely worthy of a re-read!
This is utter gem of a story contained one hell of a plot even among the MM romance and YA genre. Seriously, I've haven't read a book that reduced me to soggy noodles since The Fault in Our Stars.
That being said, I'm not even going to attempt to summarize the story for fear of ruining the experience for everyone. Trust me, you're going to have to experience this book for yourself. Fair warning to fans of gay romance looking for heaping servings of sex, this isn't the book for you. And anyone looking for a satisfying happy ending, then move along before you get disappointed. But for those like me looking for a well written story, an amazing plot with equally brilliant main characters, heavy angst and fantastic humor, then I guarantee you will love this book as much as I did.
I have to say that the backbone of this story was the writing behind it. I normally don't like reading a book with the first person's POV but this style of narration absolutely worked here because you could really feel the change in Justin's character going from a recluse into a well rounded teenager. The friendship between him and Liam was beautifully written it would break your heart when they're both hurting. This is one of those books where you know the author loves his/her characters.
I consider this book as one of the very few who deviate from the norm which makes the reading experience refreshing and so worthwhile. And even though it may not deliver everything the reader would want in a story, that for me is a sign of an author's integrity to their craft by not succumbing to others' influence and makes their work unforgettable.
I highly recommend it for MM Romance lovers and YA alike. Definitely worthy of a re-read!
October 14, 2015
I am still crying so I might as well get this review out of my head. I must admit at the beginning the story was hard for me to get into. The story is told on first person POV and at the beginning I felt there was too much "Justin thinking." I wanted more conversation. I didn't have to wait too long and after that the story just rolled.
I knew a quarter of the way where the story was going. That still didn't help any in the end. This book is a great story of friendship, love and coming of age.
I knew a quarter of the way where the story was going. That still didn't help any in the end. This book is a great story of friendship, love and coming of age.
February 26, 2014
I've had Fearless on my radar for a long time, and I do love me some YA, so when I had the chance to do a BR, well, hell yeah! But...boo, the sadness! It’s not fair: why does what’s good for us have to hurt?!?
I really enjoyed the way Fearless was written from Justin’s POV. He’s this shy, vulnerable, self-deprecating kid who’s uncomfortable in his own skin. He’s aware of his attraction to guys, but he’s not about to out himself or rock the boat. He’d rather have no friends at all, thank you! Man, can I remember those days—the awkwardness of desperately wanting to fit in, but wanting to be yourself too; it’s such a double-edged sword...
Justin is great at one thing, though. He loves swimming, and being in the water is where he soars. In swim class he meets Liam. Ahhh, sweet, sweet Liam. We’re supposed to think he’s this tough bad guy, but I knew about five percent into the book where he was headed. And I rode the denial train to the end.
Justin, Liam, really ALL the kids acted like I imagine teens act, and that was big for me (a lot of the YA I've read lately has missed the mark in that regard). I liked that there were things about the story that were a mystery, because as every character that was introduced, I was running the details in my head and trying to figure out how they fit in the puzzle.
So, the further along I got into Fearless, the more Justin changed. This was a good thing, because it was all about him coming out of his shell--with the help of Liam, of course. I *loved* what Liam did for Justin--giving Justin the confidence to speak his mind, to stand up for himself. For me that was the tragedy and gift of the story.
As I approached the end of the book and it became clear what was going to happen, I felt like things came together a little too quickly. Honestly, the entire book felt that way. I liked it so much, but it was just too neat and tidy: every time there was a problem, the solution was right behind, so that’s where Fearless fell short for me. All-in-all, it was a good book, and I’d definitely recommend it--IF you've got a strong heart and like YA. ;-)
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed the way Fearless was written from Justin’s POV. He’s this shy, vulnerable, self-deprecating kid who’s uncomfortable in his own skin. He’s aware of his attraction to guys, but he’s not about to out himself or rock the boat. He’d rather have no friends at all, thank you! Man, can I remember those days—the awkwardness of desperately wanting to fit in, but wanting to be yourself too; it’s such a double-edged sword...
Justin is great at one thing, though. He loves swimming, and being in the water is where he soars. In swim class he meets Liam. Ahhh, sweet, sweet Liam. We’re supposed to think he’s this tough bad guy, but I knew about five percent into the book where he was headed. And I rode the denial train to the end.
Justin, Liam, really ALL the kids acted like I imagine teens act, and that was big for me (a lot of the YA I've read lately has missed the mark in that regard). I liked that there were things about the story that were a mystery, because as every character that was introduced, I was running the details in my head and trying to figure out how they fit in the puzzle.
So, the further along I got into Fearless, the more Justin changed. This was a good thing, because it was all about him coming out of his shell--with the help of Liam, of course. I *loved* what Liam did for Justin--giving Justin the confidence to speak his mind, to stand up for himself. For me that was the tragedy and gift of the story.
As I approached the end of the book and it became clear what was going to happen, I felt like things came together a little too quickly. Honestly, the entire book felt that way. I liked it so much, but it was just too neat and tidy: every time there was a problem, the solution was right behind, so that’s where Fearless fell short for me. All-in-all, it was a good book, and I’d definitely recommend it--IF you've got a strong heart and like YA. ;-)
3.5 stars
August 3, 2015
Good grief. I've been known to tear up watching Super Bowl commercials. I have to fast forward the dvr past those dogs and cats in cages staring forlornly at the camera. This book? Imma MESS
January 29, 2015
This is a tough one to rate. It was ranking at 3stars most the way through, if I'm honest. But then it made me cry so I've rounded up.
Fearless was a well written, beautiful story with a focus on friendship more than romance. I loved the bond between Justin and Liam. Their Bromance was so touching and Liam was a fantastic character.
What held this at around the 3 mark for me was that I didn't especially feel much for any of the other secondary characters. Also, telling rather than showing occurred a smidgeon too often which hampered my acceptance of Justin's character development; and the foreshadowing wasn't all that subtle, leading to some plot points I -although expecting -wasn't entirely a fan of.
Overall, Fearless is a lovely book, well worth reading. And, like I said already, it tapped into my feels and made me cry. So 4stars :)
Fearless was a well written, beautiful story with a focus on friendship more than romance. I loved the bond between Justin and Liam. Their Bromance was so touching and Liam was a fantastic character.
What held this at around the 3 mark for me was that I didn't especially feel much for any of the other secondary characters. Also, telling rather than showing occurred a smidgeon too often which hampered my acceptance of Justin's character development; and the foreshadowing wasn't all that subtle, leading to some plot points I -although expecting -wasn't entirely a fan of.
Overall, Fearless is a lovely book, well worth reading. And, like I said already, it tapped into my feels and made me cry. So 4stars :)
January 4, 2017
I came across a mention of "Fearless" by Chris O'Guinn in a review by Justin (thank you, Justin!) of another book, and I immediately purchased it. When someone you respect makes a claim that this was one of his favorite all-time reads, you need to seize the moment.
What a book! The main characters change before your eyes, for better and for worse. But you are so damned glad you've let these freshmen and seniors in high school into your life. I could have seriously read another 25 chapters transfixed by these incredible kids as they fall in and out of love and life. This one is very close to the top of YA LGBTQ list book, "Dante and Aristotle Discover the Secrets of the Universe." You will not be disappointed.
I reread this book at the start of 2017 and it was just as compelling the second time. Thank you, Chris O'Guinn!
What a book! The main characters change before your eyes, for better and for worse. But you are so damned glad you've let these freshmen and seniors in high school into your life. I could have seriously read another 25 chapters transfixed by these incredible kids as they fall in and out of love and life. This one is very close to the top of YA LGBTQ list book, "Dante and Aristotle Discover the Secrets of the Universe." You will not be disappointed.
I reread this book at the start of 2017 and it was just as compelling the second time. Thank you, Chris O'Guinn!
November 3, 2015
Chris O'Guinn's Fearless lit up my heart, ripped it apart and healed it with love.
March 15, 2018
When I began to read this book, I had very low expectations, and thought it was the story of a stoner trying to bring your typical boring MC to the dark side or your typical boring MC trying to make the stoner your other typical bland MC. Honestly, I don't know what made that idea appear in my head, although the cover doesn't help you think very differently. Idek.
The point is, I wasn't expecting it all.
I wasn't expecting Justin to be so relatable, to have the same worries my friends and I, and a lot of teens, had when we were in high school. I think there are three types of people in HS: those who overestimate themselves, those who underestimate themselves, and those who know better and got over that crap.
Justin, for those who haven't read the book, starts being the second type. It's kind of frustrating at first, especially because I thought he was going to be self-deprecating during the whole book (believe me, I've read lots of books where that's what the MC does from the start and up until the end and I'm TIRED of that), but then enters weird stoner Liam who is a stoner, yes, but not the bad kind (idek), and for some reason he starts encouraging our MC to be better and not to let fear stop him from doing stuff.
One of the not so good things that start to happen when you read lots of books and dozens of thousands of fanfics, is that few plots surprise you, so no, it didn't surprise me, but did that ruin the book? Not really.
I love that baby penguin Justin (which is to say awkward as heck with their itty bitty feet but let them near water and BANG) managed to grow as a person and started to fight for himself and others. If only I had the same determination. Good for him, tbh. Also, darling I need some training tips, pretty please.
I should start researching to get all the lgbtqia+ books statistics because I'm sure that more than 50% of the books of the genre have MCs with shitty parents. Why don't these things happen only to the hets instead is a travesty.
(Kidding. Maybe. Please, don't kill me.)
Yeah, Justin had an awful dad (I feel you, baby penguin), and a less awful mom. Even if mom wasn't very accepting, she will someday be ok with his son being oh no! GAY!, I'd like to think. Well, mom was supporting 90% of the time, so credit to her for giving to her son what she could and credit to Justin for not being a selfish prick about it, but an understanding decent person instead. That put a smile on my face. (Though I want to know what happened with all the food poor Justin cooked before his coming out moment. Sorry, I'm sensitive about food lol).
Kanoa was so cute. If Liam wasn't to be the SO, Kanoa was a lovely option, so 100% approved, although I'd have like to know more about him, but I get that the main storyline was Jus-Liam. And I was so sure from the start that Liam was Justin's virtual boyfriend! Even though I started to realize I was wrong when Justin told sweet stoner about it, and Liam didn't jump out saying, "Ha, it's me!".
So yeah, supermodel super senior Kanoa, who was there supporting Justin, deserves love too. And even with a WTF ending, I was mildly happy because he was there for our MC.
Now, about Liam:
WHY DID HE HAVE TO BE STR8
WHY DID HE HAVE TO BE SICK
WHY DID HE HAVE TO BE SO SWEET
So, yeah.
I'm not gonna lie: from beginning to end, Liam was Justin's SO in my head.
Or maybe Jus could have been with both Liam and Kanoa. I don't like polyamory a lot, I tried it, and it only works with certain authors and certain stories, and this could have been IT, alright?
My brain got all sappy when Jus realized he was in love with his BFF, and even after Aloani started dating Liam, I still had hope. Welp, "hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul and sings without the words and never stops at all..." (I mean, I get obsessed, I admit it)
That's the kind of hope fandom is made of. Impossible is your new possible. And if you don't think so, fight ME.
Back to Liam: I needed to read more about him (and I bet if anyone is reading this and read the book, they agree with me. I feel you, my friend).
It seemed like the author didn't know what to do with Liam at first, at least that's how I felt about it. However, he slowly starts to shine and his resilient self starts to encourage and inspire Justin to stand up for himself and to take risks. This makes Justin's life a lot better. It gives him confidence. It made me tear up way too much.
There were times when the author seemed to skip/forget about Liam and that confused me, because days passed by and we knew nothing about him but suddenly O'Guinn introduces something like "oh, yeah, he and liam have spent all this time together..." but he didn't tell us about it with the due DETAILS. (Where's fairness gone? *sigh*)
Maybe it was because he knew he had to enjoy while he could, but it often appeared to me that Liam loved Justin as much as Justin loved him (perhaps not in the i-wanna-get-in-your-pants sense, but yeaah), and that was beautiful. I mean, he was willing to keep fighting a fight he didn't want to anymore because baby penguin asked him so and he saw how valuable he had truly become to Jus.
It was all beautiful, and kind of hopeful, then fucking hella sad and what's up with that ending.
Good endings are not easy to do, but this was like the author got bored and said "let's end it now" and IT PISSED ME OFF.
TL;DR: nice book; could have (wanted to) read more about Liam and Kanoa; hashtag #stop killing the characters i like 2k18; the ending was sweet but I didn't like it. It's way too rushed.
That's to say, don't stay if you think everything will be 100% solved and you get a HEA at the end because it will only bring you tears and pain.
(Also, I think this is my longest review yet? DUDE!!!!)
The point is, I wasn't expecting it all.
I wasn't expecting Justin to be so relatable, to have the same worries my friends and I, and a lot of teens, had when we were in high school. I think there are three types of people in HS: those who overestimate themselves, those who underestimate themselves, and those who know better and got over that crap.
Justin, for those who haven't read the book, starts being the second type. It's kind of frustrating at first, especially because I thought he was going to be self-deprecating during the whole book (believe me, I've read lots of books where that's what the MC does from the start and up until the end and I'm TIRED of that), but then enters weird stoner Liam who is a stoner, yes, but not the bad kind (idek), and for some reason he starts encouraging our MC to be better and not to let fear stop him from doing stuff.
One of the not so good things that start to happen when you read lots of books and dozens of thousands of fanfics, is that few plots surprise you, so no, it didn't surprise me, but did that ruin the book? Not really.
I love that baby penguin Justin (which is to say awkward as heck with their itty bitty feet but let them near water and BANG) managed to grow as a person and started to fight for himself and others. If only I had the same determination. Good for him, tbh. Also, darling I need some training tips, pretty please.
I should start researching to get all the lgbtqia+ books statistics because I'm sure that more than 50% of the books of the genre have MCs with shitty parents. Why don't these things happen only to the hets instead is a travesty.
(Kidding. Maybe. Please, don't kill me.)
Yeah, Justin had an awful dad (I feel you, baby penguin), and a less awful mom. Even if mom wasn't very accepting, she will someday be ok with his son being oh no! GAY!, I'd like to think. Well, mom was supporting 90% of the time, so credit to her for giving to her son what she could and credit to Justin for not being a selfish prick about it, but an understanding decent person instead. That put a smile on my face. (Though I want to know what happened with all the food poor Justin cooked before his coming out moment. Sorry, I'm sensitive about food lol).
Kanoa was so cute. If Liam wasn't to be the SO, Kanoa was a lovely option, so 100% approved, although I'd have like to know more about him, but I get that the main storyline was Jus-Liam. And I was so sure from the start that Liam was Justin's virtual boyfriend! Even though I started to realize I was wrong when Justin told sweet stoner about it, and Liam didn't jump out saying, "Ha, it's me!".
So yeah, supermodel super senior Kanoa, who was there supporting Justin, deserves love too. And even with a WTF ending, I was mildly happy because he was there for our MC.
Now, about Liam:
WHY DID HE HAVE TO BE STR8
WHY DID HE HAVE TO BE SICK
WHY DID HE HAVE TO BE SO SWEET
So, yeah.
I'm not gonna lie: from beginning to end, Liam was Justin's SO in my head.
Or maybe Jus could have been with both Liam and Kanoa. I don't like polyamory a lot, I tried it, and it only works with certain authors and certain stories, and this could have been IT, alright?
My brain got all sappy when Jus realized he was in love with his BFF, and even after Aloani started dating Liam, I still had hope. Welp, "hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul and sings without the words and never stops at all..." (I mean, I get obsessed, I admit it)
That's the kind of hope fandom is made of. Impossible is your new possible. And if you don't think so, fight ME.
Back to Liam: I needed to read more about him (and I bet if anyone is reading this and read the book, they agree with me. I feel you, my friend).
It seemed like the author didn't know what to do with Liam at first, at least that's how I felt about it. However, he slowly starts to shine and his resilient self starts to encourage and inspire Justin to stand up for himself and to take risks. This makes Justin's life a lot better. It gives him confidence. It made me tear up way too much.
There were times when the author seemed to skip/forget about Liam and that confused me, because days passed by and we knew nothing about him but suddenly O'Guinn introduces something like "oh, yeah, he and liam have spent all this time together..." but he didn't tell us about it with the due DETAILS. (Where's fairness gone? *sigh*)
Maybe it was because he knew he had to enjoy while he could, but it often appeared to me that Liam loved Justin as much as Justin loved him (perhaps not in the i-wanna-get-in-your-pants sense, but yeaah), and that was beautiful. I mean, he was willing to keep fighting a fight he didn't want to anymore because baby penguin asked him so and he saw how valuable he had truly become to Jus.
It was all beautiful, and kind of hopeful, then fucking hella sad and what's up with that ending.
Good endings are not easy to do, but this was like the author got bored and said "let's end it now" and IT PISSED ME OFF.
TL;DR: nice book; could have (wanted to) read more about Liam and Kanoa; hashtag #stop killing the characters i like 2k18; the ending was sweet but I didn't like it. It's way too rushed.
That's to say, don't stay if you think everything will be 100% solved and you get a HEA at the end because it will only bring you tears and pain.
(Also, I think this is my longest review yet? DUDE!!!!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2015
(SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Ryan Yin
3B
12/15/15
This book was able to touch my heart, but at the same time rip it out and stomp on it. I love and hate this story so much and I’d definitely say this is one of my favorite books. The novel Fearless by Chris O’Guinn is about two boys in high school, both with their own share of problems. Justin is nobody. A freak, the skinny kid with glasses that everybody avoids. Other than his problem of being a complete social outcast, he also cannot face his homosexuality. Liam is known as the one of the stoners of the school. However, what everyone doesn’t know is that he actually has Leukemia and the drugs are medicine. In this story, we get the privilege to see how they meet, grow, and say goodbye. This novel alone helped me understand what a gift it is to have friendship. Frankly, this story did devastate me, but it also enlightened me. Trust me, I had nothing to lose before reading this story, but I lost everything when I finished it.
Fearless, I personally believe grants lots of insight into problems that teenagers may face in their life. Through touching and witty story writing, I could see the two protagonists, Justin and Liam, come to life and bring me along their journey. As much as this story hurt me, I would not wanted it to have ended any other way. “Liam sniffled. ‘Lou is really kicking my ass this time.’ The simple mention of that name sent a chill up my spine. ‘Your mom says you’re getting better.’ ‘Doesn’t feel like it.’ He shook against me. ‘I’m lucky I met you.’ ‘Nah, I’m the lucky one’” (Location 1964). When I read this passage, I cried, and let me tell you I usually don’t cry.
Love doesn’t have to be between couples, it can also be between companions. Love between friends is a special type of love. I love my friends, I love that they care for me, I love that I can be myself with them, I love that no matter what happens, we will always be friends. In Looking For Alaska by John Green and Fearless by Chris O’guinn, the novels revolve around friendship; both show how the bonds shared between friends play a vital role in a person’s life. Just one person can completely change your life, they pressure you to stretch to your limits, and they understand you.
In Fearless, the main character, Justin, is a nobody, a freak. The skinny kid with glasses that everybody avoids. But, this was mainly because Justin didn’t have any friends. He had nobody to confide in, laugh with, laze around with, and most importantly nobody he could trust, that is until he met Liam. Liam, the other main character, was in the same position as Justin, at the bottom. Before they met, Justin thought that Liam was the bad kid who took drugs. “Liam scared me. He wasn’t a bully, He just hung out with a really bad crowd- the ones that did drugs and listened to heavy metal and looked like they were looking forward to their careers as criminals” (Location 77). When their friendship blossomed, they both gradually helped each other get back onto their feet and climb to the top. This friendship provided Justin and Liam what they required in their lives. Justin joined the swim team, persuaded by Liam, and his life skyrocketed. Justin helped Liam to catch up on schoolwork, fight Lou, or Leukemia, and enjoy life. In Looking For Alaska, Miles Halter, or Pudge, went to the school, Culver Creek to seek a Great Perhaps, to find what could be. Before he left to Culver Creek, Pudge wasn’t really satisfied with his life, his “school friends” weren’t people he knew that well. When he arrives at Culver Creek, he didn’t think much of it, but then he met his friends. His real friends. Alaska, the Colonel, Takumi, and Lara brought Pudge out of his own world and into their world. He was happy. Just by meeting these people, Pudge’s, Liam’s, and Justin’s life went down a road to happiness. This shows that friendship is a needed relationship in your life.
Peer pressure can be unhealthy, but it can also be what you need in life, if you have the right friends. In Fearless, Justin is unskilled at everything, except for swimming. Swimming is Justin’s salvation from the world, his one true passion, his drug, and he is actually talented at it. Without Liam’s constant nagging, Justin never would have joined the swim team, he never would have met his boyfriend, and he never would have smiled. Justin having a friend was the essence to his happiness, the one missing piece of the puzzle. When Alaska died in Looking For Alaska, sadness was all that was in the air. Lara peer pressured the rest of the group to do something for Alaska, something memorable. This peer pressure helped to boost up everybody’s mood and have fun for a change. From my personal experience, I can’t thank my friends enough for the life I live now. If my friends hadn’t pressured me into joining the musical, I never would have discovered my passion for singing. My friends helped me to discover the one thing in my life that I love. Even during the play, I made lots of new friends and we became a family. It was an experience that I will forever hold within my heart.
It hurts less when a friend shares your pain. Lou, or Leukemia, has been beating Liam down since he was 8 years old. Fortunately, before Justin, Liam had another friend, his dog. “’Sully’s been my best friend for years,’ Liam said, kneeling down and petting the dog. ‘They got him for me when I got sick. Before I found weed, let me tell you, the only thing that made chemo bearable was curling up with Sully’” (Location 911). Sully was Liam’s best friend that helped him through the hard times. As Lou grew stronger, Liam grew weaker, but Justin was there with Liam every step of the way. “Liam sniffled. ‘Lou is really kicking my ass this time.’ The simple mention of that name sent a chill up my spine. ‘Your mom says you’re getting better.’ ‘Doesn’t feel like it.’ He shook against me. ‘I’m lucky I met you.’ ‘Nah, I’m the lucky one’” (Location 1964). Without Justin, Liam would’ve lost his will to fight Lou. He continued till the end with the power of friendship. In Looking For Alaska, Alaska’s death broke everybody. “I walked back into the gym, and everyone seemed to be in various stages of disintegration” (140). To cope with her death, Pudge, the Colonel, Takumi, and Lara, all shared their pain together. They relied on each other to survive the tragedy. Friends will always be there for you in your toughest times, and will help you cope.
Friends. They are the people that bring out your weird side. They are the people who make you laugh until your stomach hurts and your face aches. They are the people who comfort you, the people that push you to do your best, the people that support you in everything you do, the ones that you can rely on. All of this is crucial to being happy. All of this can be achieved through making just one friend. Your relationship with a friend is an extremely unique and special. Cherish it. The next year, they may be leaving somewhere and you may not be able to see them for a long time. Although it may be cheesy, tell your friends how important they are to you. In the end, you never would have been the you that you are now if it weren’t for your friends.
The last paragraph that I wrote was mostly dedicated to my three friends that are leaving after the school year. Of course, there is still about four to five months before you guys have to leave; I’m already missing you guys. It’s hard to face the fact that I won’t see you guys in high school. Without you guys, I never would have been the person I am now. You showed me how to have fun, if I never met you, I probably would be a person who tries too hard and doesn’t have fun. For that, I am eternally grateful. Love you guys.
Ryan Yin
3B
12/15/15
This book was able to touch my heart, but at the same time rip it out and stomp on it. I love and hate this story so much and I’d definitely say this is one of my favorite books. The novel Fearless by Chris O’Guinn is about two boys in high school, both with their own share of problems. Justin is nobody. A freak, the skinny kid with glasses that everybody avoids. Other than his problem of being a complete social outcast, he also cannot face his homosexuality. Liam is known as the one of the stoners of the school. However, what everyone doesn’t know is that he actually has Leukemia and the drugs are medicine. In this story, we get the privilege to see how they meet, grow, and say goodbye. This novel alone helped me understand what a gift it is to have friendship. Frankly, this story did devastate me, but it also enlightened me. Trust me, I had nothing to lose before reading this story, but I lost everything when I finished it.
Fearless, I personally believe grants lots of insight into problems that teenagers may face in their life. Through touching and witty story writing, I could see the two protagonists, Justin and Liam, come to life and bring me along their journey. As much as this story hurt me, I would not wanted it to have ended any other way. “Liam sniffled. ‘Lou is really kicking my ass this time.’ The simple mention of that name sent a chill up my spine. ‘Your mom says you’re getting better.’ ‘Doesn’t feel like it.’ He shook against me. ‘I’m lucky I met you.’ ‘Nah, I’m the lucky one’” (Location 1964). When I read this passage, I cried, and let me tell you I usually don’t cry.
Love doesn’t have to be between couples, it can also be between companions. Love between friends is a special type of love. I love my friends, I love that they care for me, I love that I can be myself with them, I love that no matter what happens, we will always be friends. In Looking For Alaska by John Green and Fearless by Chris O’guinn, the novels revolve around friendship; both show how the bonds shared between friends play a vital role in a person’s life. Just one person can completely change your life, they pressure you to stretch to your limits, and they understand you.
In Fearless, the main character, Justin, is a nobody, a freak. The skinny kid with glasses that everybody avoids. But, this was mainly because Justin didn’t have any friends. He had nobody to confide in, laugh with, laze around with, and most importantly nobody he could trust, that is until he met Liam. Liam, the other main character, was in the same position as Justin, at the bottom. Before they met, Justin thought that Liam was the bad kid who took drugs. “Liam scared me. He wasn’t a bully, He just hung out with a really bad crowd- the ones that did drugs and listened to heavy metal and looked like they were looking forward to their careers as criminals” (Location 77). When their friendship blossomed, they both gradually helped each other get back onto their feet and climb to the top. This friendship provided Justin and Liam what they required in their lives. Justin joined the swim team, persuaded by Liam, and his life skyrocketed. Justin helped Liam to catch up on schoolwork, fight Lou, or Leukemia, and enjoy life. In Looking For Alaska, Miles Halter, or Pudge, went to the school, Culver Creek to seek a Great Perhaps, to find what could be. Before he left to Culver Creek, Pudge wasn’t really satisfied with his life, his “school friends” weren’t people he knew that well. When he arrives at Culver Creek, he didn’t think much of it, but then he met his friends. His real friends. Alaska, the Colonel, Takumi, and Lara brought Pudge out of his own world and into their world. He was happy. Just by meeting these people, Pudge’s, Liam’s, and Justin’s life went down a road to happiness. This shows that friendship is a needed relationship in your life.
Peer pressure can be unhealthy, but it can also be what you need in life, if you have the right friends. In Fearless, Justin is unskilled at everything, except for swimming. Swimming is Justin’s salvation from the world, his one true passion, his drug, and he is actually talented at it. Without Liam’s constant nagging, Justin never would have joined the swim team, he never would have met his boyfriend, and he never would have smiled. Justin having a friend was the essence to his happiness, the one missing piece of the puzzle. When Alaska died in Looking For Alaska, sadness was all that was in the air. Lara peer pressured the rest of the group to do something for Alaska, something memorable. This peer pressure helped to boost up everybody’s mood and have fun for a change. From my personal experience, I can’t thank my friends enough for the life I live now. If my friends hadn’t pressured me into joining the musical, I never would have discovered my passion for singing. My friends helped me to discover the one thing in my life that I love. Even during the play, I made lots of new friends and we became a family. It was an experience that I will forever hold within my heart.
It hurts less when a friend shares your pain. Lou, or Leukemia, has been beating Liam down since he was 8 years old. Fortunately, before Justin, Liam had another friend, his dog. “’Sully’s been my best friend for years,’ Liam said, kneeling down and petting the dog. ‘They got him for me when I got sick. Before I found weed, let me tell you, the only thing that made chemo bearable was curling up with Sully’” (Location 911). Sully was Liam’s best friend that helped him through the hard times. As Lou grew stronger, Liam grew weaker, but Justin was there with Liam every step of the way. “Liam sniffled. ‘Lou is really kicking my ass this time.’ The simple mention of that name sent a chill up my spine. ‘Your mom says you’re getting better.’ ‘Doesn’t feel like it.’ He shook against me. ‘I’m lucky I met you.’ ‘Nah, I’m the lucky one’” (Location 1964). Without Justin, Liam would’ve lost his will to fight Lou. He continued till the end with the power of friendship. In Looking For Alaska, Alaska’s death broke everybody. “I walked back into the gym, and everyone seemed to be in various stages of disintegration” (140). To cope with her death, Pudge, the Colonel, Takumi, and Lara, all shared their pain together. They relied on each other to survive the tragedy. Friends will always be there for you in your toughest times, and will help you cope.
Friends. They are the people that bring out your weird side. They are the people who make you laugh until your stomach hurts and your face aches. They are the people who comfort you, the people that push you to do your best, the people that support you in everything you do, the ones that you can rely on. All of this is crucial to being happy. All of this can be achieved through making just one friend. Your relationship with a friend is an extremely unique and special. Cherish it. The next year, they may be leaving somewhere and you may not be able to see them for a long time. Although it may be cheesy, tell your friends how important they are to you. In the end, you never would have been the you that you are now if it weren’t for your friends.
The last paragraph that I wrote was mostly dedicated to my three friends that are leaving after the school year. Of course, there is still about four to five months before you guys have to leave; I’m already missing you guys. It’s hard to face the fact that I won’t see you guys in high school. Without you guys, I never would have been the person I am now. You showed me how to have fun, if I never met you, I probably would be a person who tries too hard and doesn’t have fun. For that, I am eternally grateful. Love you guys.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2023
Friendship, not romance,
but sweet, true love anyway.
Tearjerking ending.
but sweet, true love anyway.
Tearjerking ending.
December 10, 2016
This book was not at all what I expected on very many levels so it was a huge surprise every step of the way. I'm not sure if I didn't read the synopses well enough or didn't read the reviews. Not sure where that failure actual began but I was completely off base with this book.
I've very mixed feelings here. Since it wasn't the sexy, romantic M/M story of two MC's from completely different social circles falling in love, I would have to say I was disappointed. However, while I didn't get anything near what I was expecting, what I did get was an emotionally charged, sorrowful and beautiful story of two young boys from different worlds that develop a friendship that transcends all boundaries and transforms their lives in ways beyond each of their imaginations. And the coupling I thought this story was about was in fact this unique friendship and not a romantic one at all.
The book begins with Justin mulling over the use of the word "awesome" and what in life really qualifies something to earn the power of this word's true meaning. Enter Liam. WOW! What an amazing boy. His whole life has been a battle with "Lou". It's kept him in a social bubble with a sheltered home life and home schooling. But he's done living like that and wants to start living his life like other kids his age and all he wants is just one friend. And he chooses Justin. Thus begins a friendship that changes the lives of two boys that compliment each other in ways neither dared to hope for. And ultimately teaches Justin the true meaning of "awesome".
This story is very sad and hard on the heart but so exceptionally beautiful. It's about love and friendship and coming of age and living life to its fullest and so many other incredible "life lessons". In ways, it's hard to find words. It's tender and heartbreaking on so many levels. It's tame in the sexual sense but so very powerful in its message and "awesomeness". Funny how you can get so much less than what you expected but be given so much more than you ever imagined. This book is a beautiful gift to the reader.
I've very mixed feelings here. Since it wasn't the sexy, romantic M/M story of two MC's from completely different social circles falling in love, I would have to say I was disappointed. However, while I didn't get anything near what I was expecting, what I did get was an emotionally charged, sorrowful and beautiful story of two young boys from different worlds that develop a friendship that transcends all boundaries and transforms their lives in ways beyond each of their imaginations. And the coupling I thought this story was about was in fact this unique friendship and not a romantic one at all.
The book begins with Justin mulling over the use of the word "awesome" and what in life really qualifies something to earn the power of this word's true meaning. Enter Liam. WOW! What an amazing boy. His whole life has been a battle with "Lou". It's kept him in a social bubble with a sheltered home life and home schooling. But he's done living like that and wants to start living his life like other kids his age and all he wants is just one friend. And he chooses Justin. Thus begins a friendship that changes the lives of two boys that compliment each other in ways neither dared to hope for. And ultimately teaches Justin the true meaning of "awesome".
This story is very sad and hard on the heart but so exceptionally beautiful. It's about love and friendship and coming of age and living life to its fullest and so many other incredible "life lessons". In ways, it's hard to find words. It's tender and heartbreaking on so many levels. It's tame in the sexual sense but so very powerful in its message and "awesomeness". Funny how you can get so much less than what you expected but be given so much more than you ever imagined. This book is a beautiful gift to the reader.
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