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Ghost Songs
It’s not easy being Todd Williams, a fourteen-and-a-half-year-old gay musical prodigy. The bullies, Bob and Ari, at his fancy private school make his life a living hell. Todd’s drunken, irresponsible mother, Eddie, constantly embarrasses him and puts his artistic future in jeopardy. And now, his best friend, Jennifer, who plays clarinet with him in the orchestra, isn’t speaking to him. Maybe Leroy, Todd’s friendly poltergeist, knows what’s going on with her. To top it off, he can no longer rely on Jennifer's help in the race to solve a puzzle that could lead to a buried treasure. Todd must learn to stand alone. He’s finding out that growing up is far scarier than he ever imagined.
210 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2014
10 people are currently reading
807 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Demcak
13 books170 followersAndrew Demčák is an award-winning, American poet and novelist, the author of six poetry collections and eight Young Adult novels. His books have been featured by The American Library Association, Verse Daily, The Lambda Literary Foundation, The Best American Poetry, Kirkus Reviews, and Poets & Writers. He was selected to be the keynote speaker for the California Library Association's annual conference to celebrate his contributions to LGBTQ+ Young Adult literature.
He has been a finalist for the prestigious Dorset Poetry Prize, the Gloria E. Anzaldúa Poetry Prize, The Crazyhorse Poetry Award, and the Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence in Poetry. He did win the Three Candles Press Open Book Award, selected by the phenomenal poet, Joan Larkin, for his first poetry collection, Catching Tigers in Red Weather (2007).
He has been a finalist for the prestigious Dorset Poetry Prize, the Gloria E. Anzaldúa Poetry Prize, The Crazyhorse Poetry Award, and the Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence in Poetry. He did win the Three Candles Press Open Book Award, selected by the phenomenal poet, Joan Larkin, for his first poetry collection, Catching Tigers in Red Weather (2007).
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 15, 2014
Solid book. I really liked the well-defined characters, particularly the female ones. It's a really touching coming-of-age tale (but not a coming out story, which was very refreshing) of a young gay teen and his best friend (even his mother does a bit of maturing) with a few truly creepy scenes thrown in for good measure. I loved that this was a YA book (though it sometimes read closer to middle-grade) that wasn't a teenage romance. Todd, the main male character and narrator, doesn't spend the whole book pining for some boy or struggling with his sexuality. Ghost Songs is more a story about strengthening relationships, both with friends and family. Nicely done.
May 19, 2014
Ghost Songs took me by surprise. It's driven by character rather than plot – not the norm for a YA novel, but it should be. Todd, the main character, is a gay teenager, but there's no love story for him. In fact, the only thing that starts out resembling a romance turns into a horrible, far too realistic plot about sexual battery involving Todd's best friend, Jennifer. Todd's mother is an alcoholic and his father never makes an appearance – aspects of Todd's life that could overcomplicate the story, or could serve as wallpaper, in a lesser writer's hands. But Todd is a very believable child of an alcoholic: too wise and too worried for his 14 years. When his mother's plot takes center stage, it's heartbreaking.
Todd is also a gifted musician, and the descriptions of him playing the flute were right on the money for this former flute student. I thought it was going to be Todd's orchestra class playing Dido and Aeneas that got through my defenses – I have a soft bit of personal history with that show – but for me it was all over when his orchestra teacher gives Todd an instrument that had once belonged to him. There was tearing up.
And then there's Leroy, the ghost.
This might be my favorite ghost in print. He makes himself known through smells. He bullies your bullies right back. And his motivation turns out to be surprising and satisfying. Best of all, he helps Todd become a hero -- when he stands up for Jennifer, when he helps his mother get sober, and when he takes up the fight for himself.
Todd is also a gifted musician, and the descriptions of him playing the flute were right on the money for this former flute student. I thought it was going to be Todd's orchestra class playing Dido and Aeneas that got through my defenses – I have a soft bit of personal history with that show – but for me it was all over when his orchestra teacher gives Todd an instrument that had once belonged to him. There was tearing up.
And then there's Leroy, the ghost.
This might be my favorite ghost in print. He makes himself known through smells. He bullies your bullies right back. And his motivation turns out to be surprising and satisfying. Best of all, he helps Todd become a hero -- when he stands up for Jennifer, when he helps his mother get sober, and when he takes up the fight for himself.
April 4, 2014
Ghost Songs is a coming of age tale that transcends its genre. Although targeted toward "gay young adult" readers, Ghost Songs contains none of the trappings that befall many books for this age group. It is not a love story. The major characters are depicted with loving care, even the ones we are not supposed to like. Demcak assumes his audience is intelligent, he never panders or substitutes uneasy solutions for cheap sentiment. The pace is fast and the conclusion is full of surprises. It's time to dust off your Ouija Board.
April 10, 2020
3.75
First of all, I was not expecting this story to go where it went. The synopsis does give you lots of little titbits of information, but the main bulk of this book is about abuse.
Yes that is probably a major spoiler, but I think it's important for people going into this book to know what it's about, so click if you need to.
Anyway, I enjoyed this story. It was very easy to read with short chapters. The ghost aspect was something a little different for these sorts of coming of age books. Oh, also don't be fooled by the people who have marked this book 'romance' or 'm/m romance' - yes Todd is gay, but that part of him is so not what is important in this book, and no sort of romantic relationship is formed. It's about friendship and the relationship between mother and son, when the mother hasn't been the best. I think the interactions between Todd and his mum were written really well.
There are several aspects to this book, including being in the school orchestra and trying to solve a puzzle. I liked that it didn't just focus on one thing, people have different hobbies and things going on in their life but so often books can be like 'this guy likes sport...so he can only do sport'. It's refreshing to see young characters having more than one side of their personality. Todd and his best friend Jennifer love playing music, but they also love all things paranormal and they love finding out clues for the puzzle.
One of the things that let this book down was how some plot points fizzled out without an explanation. Don't get me wrong, I like seeing open ended or ambiguous things happen, but having is a bit far fetched. Don't add something that important to the story if you're not going to wrap it up in a believable (or any) way.
Also the ending was a bit rushed and too exposition-y. It was like
All in all a solid, enjoyable book. There were definitely a few problems here and there that could have been ironed out or explained better, but it was a decent read none the less.
First of all, I was not expecting this story to go where it went. The synopsis does give you lots of little titbits of information, but the main bulk of this book is about abuse.
Yes that is probably a major spoiler, but I think it's important for people going into this book to know what it's about, so click if you need to.
Anyway, I enjoyed this story. It was very easy to read with short chapters. The ghost aspect was something a little different for these sorts of coming of age books. Oh, also don't be fooled by the people who have marked this book 'romance' or 'm/m romance' - yes Todd is gay, but that part of him is so not what is important in this book, and no sort of romantic relationship is formed. It's about friendship and the relationship between mother and son, when the mother hasn't been the best. I think the interactions between Todd and his mum were written really well.
There are several aspects to this book, including being in the school orchestra and trying to solve a puzzle. I liked that it didn't just focus on one thing, people have different hobbies and things going on in their life but so often books can be like 'this guy likes sport...so he can only do sport'. It's refreshing to see young characters having more than one side of their personality. Todd and his best friend Jennifer love playing music, but they also love all things paranormal and they love finding out clues for the puzzle.
One of the things that let this book down was how some plot points fizzled out without an explanation. Don't get me wrong, I like seeing open ended or ambiguous things happen, but having is a bit far fetched. Don't add something that important to the story if you're not going to wrap it up in a believable (or any) way.
Also the ending was a bit rushed and too exposition-y. It was like
All in all a solid, enjoyable book. There were definitely a few problems here and there that could have been ironed out or explained better, but it was a decent read none the less.
April 2, 2014
If only a book like this existed when I was in junior high school. The 14-year-old protagonist, Todd, takes his being gay for granted, though he is in no hurry to come out in view of all the other issues he has going on, including an alcoholic mother (no father around), troubles with his best friend, Jennifer, and serious bullying at the prep school he attends. Involved in his life is the benevolent ghost, Leroy, who protects him as he tries to carry on as an A student and excellent flute player in the orchestra. For me it was the violin and, at least for a couple of years, a private Christian school. Yes, I could have used a Leroy in my life and a young adult novel like "Ghost Songs," splendidly written and contemporary in the best sense of the word.
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April 10, 2020I thought this was a pretty good coming of age story. The paranormal aspect was interesting even if the explanation was rushed in the end. It also handles very heavy topics well, including sexual abuse, and alcoholism. As a former band kid I really liked the music bits. However, the ending in general seemed a bit rushed and there were far too many exclamation points throughout the book. I don't know why those bugged me but they did. If you're looking for a book where romance is not at the forefront, I would recommend this book. The main character is gay but there's not a love interest or anything like that. It focuses on friendship instead, which I quite liked.
October 26, 2019
I am not a young person but this story took me right back to my 14 yo self. The one who went to private school on scholarship, who played clarinet throughout childhood, who had to come to grips with always knowing he was gay and who suffered a mother's alcoholism.
I can attest that Andrew got the voices just right for me, the shame, guilt and confusion, the curiosity, fearlessness and hope all rang true. And he reminded me through this clear eyed, multifaceted story of the joy and freedom i was able to find, in music, books and cherished friendships.
Thank you Andrew
I can attest that Andrew got the voices just right for me, the shame, guilt and confusion, the curiosity, fearlessness and hope all rang true. And he reminded me through this clear eyed, multifaceted story of the joy and freedom i was able to find, in music, books and cherished friendships.
Thank you Andrew
February 23, 2016
Sebelumnya aku mengucapkan terima kasih kpd Mr. andrew karena telah memberi ebooknya secara gratis. Untuk review, nanti menyusul. Oh well, aku akan membuat review dalam bahasa karena kemampuan grammar ku blm mumpuni. :'
June 9, 2018
It is 1982 in Southern California, and fourteen-year-old musical prodigy, Todd Williams, is experiencing typical coming of age confusion, conflict, and distress. The otherworldly additions to these experiences, however, are hardly typical. Andrew Demcak’s novel, Ghost Songs, introduces themes of friendship, jealousy, trust, adulthood, abuse, parent-child relationships, and sexuality, all through the perspective of a young teen amid a paranormal plot.
While attempting to solve a mystery that will uncover a hidden treasure, as well as attempts to understand sporadic visits from a befriended ghost, Todd must sift through the harsh realities of having an alcoholic parent, being a closeted teen, experiencing bullying, and dealing with experiences such as rape. This story is set against the backdrop of a supernatural mystery, yet Todd’s story predominantly encapsulates the struggles of the often unrequited and irrational, as well as always conflicting, life of a teenager.
Opinion:
The time period that this book is set in (1982) provides a refreshing take on contemporary teen fiction, in which the reader is not bombarded with mentions of modern technology culture (such as social media). Demcak represents the era subtly, and rather than throwing the decade in the reader's face for the sake of historic interest, he skillfully incorporates it into the narration and conversations, providing a snapshot of the Palo Verdes Peninsula in the early 1980s that may be nostalgic for some and novel to others, yet could be enjoyable for both, regardless of age.
The paranormal elements implemented into this story feel similar to the Bailey School Kids books in terms of the enjoyable amount of spooky mystery present, only with more depth and dimension in regards to the emotional drama depicted. Ghost Songs seems to be intended for an older audience. This story has a young voice yet is filled with intensely mature subject matter.
Demcak’s narration is easy to follow and flows rather well. It’s simple, yet not lazy. The author’s idiosyncratic choices of punctuation as well as a straightforward voice creates a unique and distinct writing style that feels laid back and easy to experience and was likely intentionally constructed to give this impression. This casual realness feels intentionally reminiscent of classics like Catcher in the Rye and The Outsiders, two novels that happen to be mentioned in passing in this story. The narration feels artfully risque and relaxed, which could be dissuading to some or refreshingly candid to others.
Overall, the writing voice in Ghost Songs is unique, providing insightful observations that many could relate to or empathize with, while oversupplying mundane information in other instances that detracts from the plot and character development. While it can become dizzying and disinteresting to follow along, Demcak’s novel is ultimately worthwhile, providing a well-executed portrayal of hard-hitting yet arguably important topics to discuss that can be personally relevant to some readers and socially relevant regardless.
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer Age 20
While attempting to solve a mystery that will uncover a hidden treasure, as well as attempts to understand sporadic visits from a befriended ghost, Todd must sift through the harsh realities of having an alcoholic parent, being a closeted teen, experiencing bullying, and dealing with experiences such as rape. This story is set against the backdrop of a supernatural mystery, yet Todd’s story predominantly encapsulates the struggles of the often unrequited and irrational, as well as always conflicting, life of a teenager.
Opinion:
The time period that this book is set in (1982) provides a refreshing take on contemporary teen fiction, in which the reader is not bombarded with mentions of modern technology culture (such as social media). Demcak represents the era subtly, and rather than throwing the decade in the reader's face for the sake of historic interest, he skillfully incorporates it into the narration and conversations, providing a snapshot of the Palo Verdes Peninsula in the early 1980s that may be nostalgic for some and novel to others, yet could be enjoyable for both, regardless of age.
The paranormal elements implemented into this story feel similar to the Bailey School Kids books in terms of the enjoyable amount of spooky mystery present, only with more depth and dimension in regards to the emotional drama depicted. Ghost Songs seems to be intended for an older audience. This story has a young voice yet is filled with intensely mature subject matter.
Demcak’s narration is easy to follow and flows rather well. It’s simple, yet not lazy. The author’s idiosyncratic choices of punctuation as well as a straightforward voice creates a unique and distinct writing style that feels laid back and easy to experience and was likely intentionally constructed to give this impression. This casual realness feels intentionally reminiscent of classics like Catcher in the Rye and The Outsiders, two novels that happen to be mentioned in passing in this story. The narration feels artfully risque and relaxed, which could be dissuading to some or refreshingly candid to others.
Overall, the writing voice in Ghost Songs is unique, providing insightful observations that many could relate to or empathize with, while oversupplying mundane information in other instances that detracts from the plot and character development. While it can become dizzying and disinteresting to follow along, Demcak’s novel is ultimately worthwhile, providing a well-executed portrayal of hard-hitting yet arguably important topics to discuss that can be personally relevant to some readers and socially relevant regardless.
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer Age 20
June 9, 2018
Todd Williams’ life seems to be falling apart. His mother is spiraling into alcoholism, the bullies at school won’t give him a break, and his best friend, Jennifer, isn’t speaking to him. Todd decides that maybe he should seek the help of a ghost. He befriends a spirit, Leroy, to try and help him figure out his whack life. Follow Todd as he treads the waters of high school and growing up.
When I first read the description of this book, I thought that it was going to be centered on ghosts and that it would have more paranormal themes. While the book did start out with more spirit-centered phenomena, it quickly diverted to a high-school theme. It seems that the ghost aspect didn’t really play an important part of the story. While Leroy, the main spirit in the book and Todd’s friend, was helpful from time to time, he seemed like more of an afterthought than a character who actually did a lot to move the plot forward.
Todd wasn’t what I would call an unlikeable character, but he wasn’t an extremely likeable either. He seemed like a very honest character. I felt that he accurately portrayed your everyday teen in a high school setting. While some of his decisions were questionable, it seemed like they were an accurate representation of what many kids his age would do.
The plot quickly grabbed my attention in the beginning, however, I grew more and more bored the more I read. It quickly turned to a lot of high school drama. Had I known that it was going to be centered more on high school life, I might’ve had a differing opinion. Unfortunately, I was expecting a very ghost-oriented book. Though this book was a bit of a disappointment for me, I did appreciate that the author touched upon many important topics (such as discrimination, depression, and sexual abuse).
Overall, Ghost Songs was a very interesting read. I just think that the summary of the book needs to be updated so that it more accurately portrays what the book is about.
This review was by a 20 year old student
When I first read the description of this book, I thought that it was going to be centered on ghosts and that it would have more paranormal themes. While the book did start out with more spirit-centered phenomena, it quickly diverted to a high-school theme. It seems that the ghost aspect didn’t really play an important part of the story. While Leroy, the main spirit in the book and Todd’s friend, was helpful from time to time, he seemed like more of an afterthought than a character who actually did a lot to move the plot forward.
Todd wasn’t what I would call an unlikeable character, but he wasn’t an extremely likeable either. He seemed like a very honest character. I felt that he accurately portrayed your everyday teen in a high school setting. While some of his decisions were questionable, it seemed like they were an accurate representation of what many kids his age would do.
The plot quickly grabbed my attention in the beginning, however, I grew more and more bored the more I read. It quickly turned to a lot of high school drama. Had I known that it was going to be centered more on high school life, I might’ve had a differing opinion. Unfortunately, I was expecting a very ghost-oriented book. Though this book was a bit of a disappointment for me, I did appreciate that the author touched upon many important topics (such as discrimination, depression, and sexual abuse).
Overall, Ghost Songs was a very interesting read. I just think that the summary of the book needs to be updated so that it more accurately portrays what the book is about.
This review was by a 20 year old student
January 2, 2015
I received a copy of Ghost Songs from the author as part of a Goodreads giveaway, but that does not affect my review in any way!
*5/5 stars*
Ghost Songs is a story about a boy, Todd Williams, who is fourteen years old, plays the flute, has an amazing best friend, Jennifer, and also has a very friendly poltergeist following him and Jennifer around… And they’re on the hunt for treasure.
When I first read the synopsis for Ghost Songs, I wondered how the author would tie everything together, and how he could fit so many different ideas into a story that made sense. However, I found this book very entertaining in all aspects, and the author did a great job of tying everything together. There was a little bit of everything thrown at you throughout the story. There was friendship, hardships, supernatural elements, and most importantly, character growth. The author also did a great job of throwing some curve balls in that were definitely unexpected, for me at least.
Going more into depth with the aspects of this book… The friendship between Todd and Jennifer in this book was, to me, special. They loved each other so much but not in a romantic way and I really enjoyed reading an honest friendship that was nothing more than a friendship. There were a few different hardships that the characters faced in this book. Leroy was the main supernatural element of the book. He was a (friendly) poltergeist who seemed to always be around just when Todd and Jennifer needed him the most. He ended up being a very important character at the end. Finally, the character growth. This was my favorite part of the story. The author did a great job at developing his characters. He didn’t do it too fast or too slow. He did it to where they would slowly change how they acted and what they did. It was a nice pace. The curveballs were very unexpected, and definitely threw me off a few times.
My overall opinion of this book was that it’s a wonderful story with great characters and excellent writing! I will be picking up more of Andrew Demcak’s books in the near future! Amazing writing!
*5/5 stars*
Ghost Songs is a story about a boy, Todd Williams, who is fourteen years old, plays the flute, has an amazing best friend, Jennifer, and also has a very friendly poltergeist following him and Jennifer around… And they’re on the hunt for treasure.
When I first read the synopsis for Ghost Songs, I wondered how the author would tie everything together, and how he could fit so many different ideas into a story that made sense. However, I found this book very entertaining in all aspects, and the author did a great job of tying everything together. There was a little bit of everything thrown at you throughout the story. There was friendship, hardships, supernatural elements, and most importantly, character growth. The author also did a great job of throwing some curve balls in that were definitely unexpected, for me at least.
Going more into depth with the aspects of this book… The friendship between Todd and Jennifer in this book was, to me, special. They loved each other so much but not in a romantic way and I really enjoyed reading an honest friendship that was nothing more than a friendship. There were a few different hardships that the characters faced in this book. Leroy was the main supernatural element of the book. He was a (friendly) poltergeist who seemed to always be around just when Todd and Jennifer needed him the most. He ended up being a very important character at the end. Finally, the character growth. This was my favorite part of the story. The author did a great job at developing his characters. He didn’t do it too fast or too slow. He did it to where they would slowly change how they acted and what they did. It was a nice pace. The curveballs were very unexpected, and definitely threw me off a few times.
My overall opinion of this book was that it’s a wonderful story with great characters and excellent writing! I will be picking up more of Andrew Demcak’s books in the near future! Amazing writing!
September 2, 2015
First i want to thank Andrew Demcak because he gave me this book as a prize on the Goodreads M/M Romance Group Anniversary Celebration.
I Loved this book so much, i dont even know where to begin. The characters, even the ones that start as minor characters were so beautifly written. I fell in love with Todd from the beginig, he its such an amazing kid a you just can't help falling in love with him. the relationship with Jennifer its also very endearing, with ups and downs that made it very credible. Eddie was a great character too, i realy loved the way Todd disqualifies her as a mother by calling her by her name and not mom, it trully portrays the hurful feelings of an alcoholic's relative. The way the story goes its very entertaining and was hard to put the book down.
One of the things i didnt like its the ghost theme, even knowing by the name of the book it would have to be something like that involve, i think the book would be great even without that part, but there was some part of it i did enjoy, and i think most of the readers will also enjoy it.
One of the thing i liked the most was that the book was full of surprises, it doesnt remains only in one problem buy keeps jumping from one to another as it actualy happens on life. There are moments in which its hard not to feel sorry for all the things hapenning around this kids and how hard its for them to handle it. The surprises dont stop apearing even in the last pages of the book.
It was such an amazing reading. Thank you so much to Andre Demcak for creating this lovely characters.
I Loved this book so much, i dont even know where to begin. The characters, even the ones that start as minor characters were so beautifly written. I fell in love with Todd from the beginig, he its such an amazing kid a you just can't help falling in love with him. the relationship with Jennifer its also very endearing, with ups and downs that made it very credible. Eddie was a great character too, i realy loved the way Todd disqualifies her as a mother by calling her by her name and not mom, it trully portrays the hurful feelings of an alcoholic's relative. The way the story goes its very entertaining and was hard to put the book down.
One of the things i didnt like its the ghost theme, even knowing by the name of the book it would have to be something like that involve, i think the book would be great even without that part, but there was some part of it i did enjoy, and i think most of the readers will also enjoy it.
One of the thing i liked the most was that the book was full of surprises, it doesnt remains only in one problem buy keeps jumping from one to another as it actualy happens on life. There are moments in which its hard not to feel sorry for all the things hapenning around this kids and how hard its for them to handle it. The surprises dont stop apearing even in the last pages of the book.
It was such an amazing reading. Thank you so much to Andre Demcak for creating this lovely characters.
March 18, 2015
This is a great coming of age story, mixed in with the sort of ghost story that the Victorians used to do so well.
The characters are very well drawn, especially the lead, who it is near impossible not to like and route for. The same goes for his best friend, his mother (for all her faults), and even the teachers at his school, which is odd for this sort of book.
Of course their has to be some villains in the shape of a couple of bullies and two others, who I won't mention as it's a bit of a spoiler.
The ghost aspect is down nicely, without the shock and awe that some writers would have gone in for but what is most refreshing about this book is that although Todd is gay, that's not what the book is about. Meaning that for once we get to read a book about a gay teenager that is (just) about a gay teenager. He's even okay with it.
In fact, it's barely even got anything to do with the main plot/s all of which would have worked almost as well if Todd had liked girls.
All in all a great read.
The characters are very well drawn, especially the lead, who it is near impossible not to like and route for. The same goes for his best friend, his mother (for all her faults), and even the teachers at his school, which is odd for this sort of book.
Of course their has to be some villains in the shape of a couple of bullies and two others, who I won't mention as it's a bit of a spoiler.
The ghost aspect is down nicely, without the shock and awe that some writers would have gone in for but what is most refreshing about this book is that although Todd is gay, that's not what the book is about. Meaning that for once we get to read a book about a gay teenager that is (just) about a gay teenager. He's even okay with it.
In fact, it's barely even got anything to do with the main plot/s all of which would have worked almost as well if Todd had liked girls.
All in all a great read.
August 21, 2014
A very accessible and good read mainly because of its very likable characters. Thought the story was average and wished Todd's sexuality had been further explored. But that's not really what the book is about, I guess. The novel basically revolves around a ghost, a blackmail, and relationships. In that last aspect, I enjoyed the mother-son relationship much better than I did Jennifer's and Todd's friendship.
October 7, 2015
This will be one of the ten LGBT books I will be reading for #AYearAThon beginning on 5th-11th of October.
September 19, 2014
An early review: "I freaking LOVED this story. Really and truly. Every so often a really beautiful story like Ghost Songs comes along that is primarily about a gay young man but still does total justice to the other people in his life, especially women.
I once read a blog post that mentioned that fleshed-out female characters can exist in M/M novels but not be a primary focus of the book, and I feel like you just turned that right on its head. I’ve been waiting so long for something like this, I can’t even tell you. I LOVED how you wrote Jennifer and Todd’s relationship, how important it was to both of their development into adults and as fully fledged characters. Neither of them was primarily defined by a romantic interest and instead helped one another grow and come of age. The same can be said of Todd’s relationship with his mother, Eddie, which was both heartbreaking and moving. I was so touched by Eddie’s process of recovery and how she and her son came to understand each other by the end of the book. There was no stereotyping in this book at all, especially not of the female characters, and I appreciated that on such a fundamental level.
Thank you so much for letting me read this wonderful manuscript! I truly couldn’t put it down and was so excited by how believable and human your characters were. Just lovely. Congratulations on having written such a great book, and I sincerely look forward to reading more from you in future! - Nan"
I once read a blog post that mentioned that fleshed-out female characters can exist in M/M novels but not be a primary focus of the book, and I feel like you just turned that right on its head. I’ve been waiting so long for something like this, I can’t even tell you. I LOVED how you wrote Jennifer and Todd’s relationship, how important it was to both of their development into adults and as fully fledged characters. Neither of them was primarily defined by a romantic interest and instead helped one another grow and come of age. The same can be said of Todd’s relationship with his mother, Eddie, which was both heartbreaking and moving. I was so touched by Eddie’s process of recovery and how she and her son came to understand each other by the end of the book. There was no stereotyping in this book at all, especially not of the female characters, and I appreciated that on such a fundamental level.
Thank you so much for letting me read this wonderful manuscript! I truly couldn’t put it down and was so excited by how believable and human your characters were. Just lovely. Congratulations on having written such a great book, and I sincerely look forward to reading more from you in future! - Nan"
January 28, 2021
This was rather a sad story and seemed more an advertisement for AA aimed at teens than anything else.
The main character was gay (although he never seemed to be really attracted to anyone) and there was fantasy/paranormal elements. But these elements seemed kinda perfunctory, more to attract readers than to tell a story. There were actually several stories interwoven in this novel in a semi-interesting way. The story of a child dealing with his mother's alcoholism. The story of a teenage friendship torn apart by sexuality (very bluntly told, about her sexuality, not his). The story of a mystery novel and a ghost. The ghost is mostly a Deus Ex Machina device to show up and save the day when needed. There's bullying going on and none of the adults seem to care, even when it causes substantial damage. Yes, the story is set in the 80's, but I think teachers would still care. I think there were some decent concepts in this story, but it was somewhat boring and didn't take the time to really develop any of its parts.
The main character was gay (although he never seemed to be really attracted to anyone) and there was fantasy/paranormal elements. But these elements seemed kinda perfunctory, more to attract readers than to tell a story. There were actually several stories interwoven in this novel in a semi-interesting way. The story of a child dealing with his mother's alcoholism. The story of a teenage friendship torn apart by sexuality (very bluntly told, about her sexuality, not his). The story of a mystery novel and a ghost. The ghost is mostly a Deus Ex Machina device to show up and save the day when needed. There's bullying going on and none of the adults seem to care, even when it causes substantial damage. Yes, the story is set in the 80's, but I think teachers would still care. I think there were some decent concepts in this story, but it was somewhat boring and didn't take the time to really develop any of its parts.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews