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Pride High #2

Pride High, Book 2: Orange

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Welcome back to Pride High, where the delicious drama continues! Ricky tries to sort through his feelings for Diego—the hot guy who has been bullying him—and ends up in the middle of a feud. Anthony and Cameron, now a couple, must navigate first times and coming out. Silvia finds herself questioning her feelings for Omar when someone else catches her eye…and it’s a girl.

Mindy finally gets to go on a date with a boy who isn’t gay. Love is in the air, but so are the holidays, pressure from parents, drunken parties, and way too many well-meaning lies. It’s going to be an interesting year!

Jay Bell successfully mixes playful banter, memorable characters, and mature issues in the continuing Pride series, as a group of queer teenagers try to figure out who they are and who they love.

The Pride series is intended for mature teenagers and nostalgic adults who enjoy sex-positive stories, realistic relationships, and gorgeous guys.

Audible Audio

Published August 4, 2023

96 people are currently reading
206 people want to read

About the author

Jay Bell

47 books2,214 followers
Jay Bell is a proud gay man and the award-winning author behind dozens of emotional and yet hopelessly optimistic stories. His best-selling book, Something Like Summer, spawned a series of heart-wrenching novels, a musically driven movie, and a lovingly drawn comic. When not crafting imaginary worlds, he occupies his free time with animals, art, action figures, and—most ardently—his husband Andreas. Jay is always dreaming up new stories about boys in love. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can get the kettle boiling by visiting www.jaybellbooks.com.

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5 stars
180 (56%)
4 stars
99 (31%)
3 stars
37 (11%)
2 stars
2 (<1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
Profile Image for Cyndi (hiatus).
750 reviews45 followers
June 16, 2023
Ah, the trials and tribulations of reviewing the second book in a series. This one picks up right where the last one left off, so there is very little I can say without giving anything away. I loved seeing all of the characters progress through friendships, relationships, firsts, family drama (and trauma) and a whole lot of learning things the hard way. And in a complete turn of events, my interest landed heavily on Diego in this book. Another stereotype shattered by Jay Bell and I could not be more surprised or happy about it.

I have to say, this author knows how to write about teenagers. His characters make dumb mistakes, often act before thinking, and unintentionally hurt people they care about and get called out on it. They're also fiercely protective of their friends (which was reflected really beautifully on multiple occasions) and are experiencing so many things for the first time that you can actually feel their heads spinning as if it's your own. As an adult, it hurt my heart to see some of their hopes and dreams get tempered by outside forces, specifically parents. I get it. We all want what's best for our kids. But I remember my dad telling me that I'd obviously be stuck in a desk job after high school and how flattened I felt by that thought. He wasn't wrong and I wasn't wrong to think I'd hate it, because I do. It's hard not to resent him a little for planting that seed in my brain and making me think I couldn't dream bigger. If only parents had to adhere to the Hippocratic Oath, amiright?

The next book doesn't come out until September, so let the impatient waiting game ensue!

PS - I'm dying to know who Charles is married to. I think I have a decent guess?
Profile Image for Guy Venturi.
1,081 reviews1 follower
September 18, 2023
Pride in relationships. Pride in family and friends.

Discovery of dreams and self during high school is a challenge for everyone. Some have living and caring families. Some have drugs, alcohol, and abuse. Everyone is different, but they should all be treated the same in life. It just doesn't happen that way.

Adults claim responsibility for their kids in home, family, activities, school, church, sports, farms, parks, pets, bicycles, cars, skateboarding, jobs, studying, video games, and music. Yet the adults often do the wrong things in dealing with the young adults. They set bad examples, falsely accuse or threaten the kids, use mental, emotional, physical, and sex abuse as an excuse for punishment.

It is no wonder that so many young adults are messed up before they become terrible adults and parents. Then they blame the police and justice system for all of their problems.

Just getting together to talk about what has happened or is happening and who should do what to help fix it without blame can help get things on a better path to a better life.
Profile Image for Aimee Lou.
762 reviews219 followers
September 9, 2023
Loved it! I love following these kids around. Set in 1992. They are in their Sophomore year. Just trying to figure out who they are and who they love.

Anthony and Cameron explore new areas of their relationship. And they both face their families about their sexuality.

Omar and Silvia also move forward in their relationship. Although Silvia is questioning her sexuality when she meets Keisha. Keisha is open about being a lesbian and is falling for Silvia. Silvia also goes to extreme lengths to protect her family. While Omar is just trying to prove himself to his family.

Rickey and Diego's friendship also evolves. Diego is presented to us as a bully in the first book. But there is something about him that makes Rickey want to stay close to him and help him with whatever it is that is making him so angry and acting out.

Mindi is just going with the flow hoping one day she'll find her prince. And she almost does.

I can't wait to find out more about our teens in book 3.

The audio for this series is also amazing.
31 reviews
April 24, 2023
Another fantastic read.

I love Jay's character development and the way their stories interweave each other. Love to read more of Ricky and Diegos adventures and Cameron and Anthony.
Profile Image for Michael.
729 reviews
May 31, 2023
This series is growing in complexity and the character story arcs keep changing and intensifying, which is wonderful. I am enjoying where it is going even when I want to shout at Ricky to run for the hills, or at Omar to calm his obsession down a little bit and protect his heart. The setting of the early 90’s also adds the complexities of information gaps and communications delays that the internet “solved” for us.

For me, Anthony is as close to the Ben protagonist as we have, and I am here for it. I want Cameron to make him happy. I’ve also read all of Jay Bell’s books, so I know there will be tears coming before there is joy.
Profile Image for Ian Schaefer .
29 reviews1 follower
January 4, 2025
I don’t understand the chokehold this series has on me right now but I’m not mad about it. Taking a little break from the series but will be ready to dive back in soon! Also Silvia get it together, and Keisha needs to slow down. Poor Mindy get her some love man! These are literally my candid thoughts while reading don’t get too bent out of shape about it ya little Diegos. It’s fun it’s emotional it’s great!
Profile Image for Alan Villafana.
191 reviews1 follower
August 16, 2023
I just finished the Audible version of this book. I love Talia Carver's narrations in this series. I didn't think Jay Bell could create another addicting series after Something Like, but he has, and I look forward to the others in this series.
258 reviews4 followers
May 22, 2025
2.5 rounded up.

Once again, I find myself with the same mixed feelings I had in the first book. The plot isn't bad, it's just so much more melodramatic than I expected from Jay Bell. This soap-opera style isn't what I associate with his writing, and it's not really what I was hoping for either. That's not to say it's poorly done, but compared to his other books that left me emotionally wrecked and completely absorbed, this one just doesn't have the same depth. I wanted to be fully immersed, to feel the story, but instead, I'm just watching it happen.

It's frustrating because the characters aren't bad or boring, they just feel... flat? Like I mentioned in my first review, this series has major soap-opera energy. There's constant drama, but none of it really lands emotionally. The characters are always in some messy situation, and yet I rarely actually feel for them. One conflict resolves only for another to immediately begin, and it's not just the main characters, everyone gets dragged into these situations. It becomes exhausting after a while.

Another example is the way this book handles its characters. Anthony, who, if I remember right, was the first character introduced, just vanished by the end of this book. And honestly, with so many characters crammed into the story, it's no surprise some get lost in the shuffle.

The multiple perspectives from the first book are still an issue, though slightly less annoying now. But with every new character introduced, we get stuck in their head. I don't mind multiple POVs when they add depth, but here it seems more about quantity than quality. Maybe trimming some characters would help rather than adding more? The author keeps piling on drama for every single one, as if that's the only way to keep things moving.

Another thing that bothers me is how most "twists" are obvious from miles away. Sylvia's storyline being a perfect example. Her doubts were obvious from the first book. Maybe this is that kind of book where you know what's coming and you're just waiting to see how it plays out. While that approach can work sometimes, it's not what I expected from Jay Bell based on his other works. His previous books made me think and feel deeply, with moments that really stuck with me. This series is just not hitting the same way. Maybe he's trying a new style, which is fine, but it's not working for me personally. I keep reading hoping something will click, but so far... I'm still waiting for that connection to happen.

So while I wouldn't call this a bad read, it's definitely not what I wanted from Jay Bell. Here's hoping the next one pulls me in the way his other books have.
Profile Image for Derreck.
294 reviews12 followers
April 30, 2023
As per usual, whenever Jay Bell comes a knockin' with a new release, I can not resist.

I'm kind of amazed actually, because I always thought nothing could truly take the place of the Something Like series. Sure, it will always hold a special place in my heart but this new series has become a favorite. There's plenty of reasons why.

Character development, it always comes with character development. You'll see a good portion of that in this entry. Most of which might spoil things, so I can't go into detail. Previously, I was much more into Omar and Anthony, they became my forbidden fruit. Because you know, friendship is often the foundation of a healthy relationship. However, this new series provides layers and some complex issues. Which is always a plus in my book.

Jay Bell doesn't create under-developed plots. He doesn't make them too complex either, so it's not hard to follow. I do feel highly invested in these characters. I didn't think I would care so much about a bully named Diego, who was introduced in the last book. Just when you think you kind know everything you need to know about Anthony and Omar, there's a connection between them and Diego. Yikes.

That aside, I'm really rooting for Mindy. Which was another character I didn't think I would've been so easy won over by. I do hope in the near future that we get a lot more focus on her. Like, more good things start to happen. She's still growing and developing into a character that could easily become powerful one day.

I just can't be bored with the ever shifting narrative. Each character, though vastly different bring something fresh to the table. Especially Keisha, who I feel like needs a little more spotlight in the near future. This is feels far from the end. What a ride this is going to be.
Profile Image for Daniel Ricken.
65 reviews
May 11, 2023
I liked this book a lot. It was a great continuation of the story set out in the first book with nuanced characters, some more of the backstory coming out, and more complications to the overall plot of the series. It does seem that in many ways most of the book sets up the rest of the series rather than stands alone as its own text. The final twist at the end made sense in some ways but involved two of the main characters behaving in ways that did not feel authentic to the sense of self that have been created for them in the first two books. I am hoping that is addressed and somewhat adjusted moving forward. Bell, as always, writes characters wonderfully and captures experiences and feelings so well in writing and I am very excited to see what comes next.
Profile Image for Ben Pound.
63 reviews4 followers
June 12, 2023
I hope this series goes on for a long time

As a big fan of both Jay Bell and the "Something Like..." series, I didn't know if I could fall in love with a new set of characters in a new setting in a different time, but I absolutely have. Jay is a very talented writer and his creativity allows him to create entire worlds, and those characters that inhabit them, as good as some of the best fiction writers out there. In two books now, Jay has created and developed some of his best characters since Benjamin Bentley and Marcello Maltese.

This series is worth reading from the beginning and continuing as long as Jay continues to write them. Read this series, take a chance on falling in love again, and you won't be sorry.
346 reviews6 followers
May 2, 2023
And the story goes on.

I am not really sure what to say. I absolutely love Jay Bell’s books. I have read everything that he has written and I have absolutely enjoyed every book except this one. His books have always had a wonderful flow. It feels like you are sitting across from him and he is telling you about an adventure he has been involved in. I got that feeling in some places in this book, but way too often the story just didn’t flow. If this is your first Jay Bell book, rest assured, you can read any of the others and get a great story. I will read the whole series and I will be waiting, excitedly for the next book.
Profile Image for Wayne.
46 reviews1 follower
July 27, 2023
Jay Bell's High School Peyton Place Book 2

Another memorable book in the High School saga from the Master story teller, Jay Bell. I swore that I was only planning to read the first 4 books of the "Something Like Series" and wound up reading all 12 books and everything else Mr. Bell has written because he is a great story teller and continues to transport me back to my youth! Its all there for me, the pain, the bullying, the isolation, the misunderstandings and a glimmer of love with eternal friendship. The excitement for me will be to see these characters grow up and become adults in future books! Mr. Bell never disappoints.
Profile Image for Krissi.
397 reviews1 follower
August 28, 2023
This was such a great continuation of the series. I love that this picked up right where Red left off. I absolutely love the fact that we got to learn more about the mysterious Diego and watching his friendship develop with Ricky. Again, in this one, the topics and trials that the characters go through are so realistic to teenage life and I appreciate how things were represented. I loathed part of the ending, solely because of the conflict that occurs, but I also love the ending of this, and I absolutely cannot wait for Yellow to come out.
Profile Image for Bianca.
71 reviews
July 11, 2024
Mindy and Ricky are still my faves

I love Ricky and Mindy. They're my favorites, followed close by Cameron.

I was so worried for Mindy. I'm glad she told a friend who told the rest and they rallied around her. She should kept and pracriced with what Diego gave her though.

I'm loving Sylvia's journey. I disagree on how she handled this last thing. A conversation with X instead of blackmailing Y would have been better. But I guess as a teen, her actions made sense to her. It's going to be messier and more painful this way.
1 review
May 12, 2023
I hate Jay Bell

Ok jay, that’s fine keep me wanting more. This is another amazing book. No spoilers but I LOVE Diego. I Love every character. I also enjoyed some crude themes discussed. A very wholesome story. Don’t want to ruin anything so sorry for keeping it vague. All I’ll say is I hate Jay Bell for not having 5 books continuing this story readily available.

To Jay: thank you for these amazing stories.
12 reviews1 follower
May 14, 2023
Pride High Series is excellent

Jay Bell never fails to deliver! The Pride High books, two so far, introduce us to the students at Pride High, and what I love most is the authors ability to create characters that you will truly care about and feel connected to! I only take the time to write a review about stories that are really good and that is this series! I hope I don't have to wait too long for the third, because I know how good it will be!!
Profile Image for Mark Williams.
5 reviews
August 17, 2023
I enjoy the world Jay Bell has created here. The cast of characters are diverse and complicated. Jay is great about taking what seem to be mean characters and displaying the complexities that make them the way they are and why they too deserve love. The pacing of this series is much slower than the Something Like series; you get a chronological story that progresses with all characters prospectives alternating from chapter to chapter. I look forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Anthony.
Author 6 books15 followers
August 22, 2024
3½/5

Follow-up to Pride High: Book 1 - Red (#53, 4/5). As 1992 becomes 1993, students at the Kansas high school - and their relationships - grow and change.

Book 2 continues the story from where book 1 left off, adding more narrators and plotlines and continuing existing ones. The plausibility is dropping, on the whole. Still fun, and I'm enjoying the development of Diego in particular. I'll finish the trilogy soon.
Profile Image for Michelle.
146 reviews
May 3, 2023
Pride High: Book Two is the second installment of Jay Bell's new series. It is an engrossing story of a group of friends, and in some case, enemies, as they continue to make their way through high school while navigating friendships and relationships. So many well-developed characters who are interconnected into a world that feels very real and relatable. It's like hanging out with friends.
Profile Image for Chris.
272 reviews
November 17, 2023
This, the second in what is proposed as a multi volume series, did not have the immediate impact that the author's iconic "Something like...." series had for me. Never-the-less many of the issues addressed are from a more modern chronological context, if still from a very liberal (little L/ Woke, sic), sociologically privileged place and time.
Profile Image for Matthew.
35 reviews
April 1, 2024
While I continue to find the slow burn, many perspective style less engaging at times than some of Jay’s work, (Im adhd, what can I say) I’m equally invested in this group of characters and highly addicted to seeing them develop, open up and connect with one other. Jay sure knows how to make you care about characters.
Profile Image for Shannon Everyday.
317 reviews5 followers
May 9, 2023
Jay Bell writes such fantastic characters. I loved this return to the characters of Pride High.
Each character gets spotlighted, as they navigate their friendships and relationships. Each character is relatable and you root for all of them.
Profile Image for Eric.
Author 2 books5 followers
September 14, 2023
I love the continuing character development. I was rooting the whole time for some sort of movement on the friendships between Anthony, Omar, and Diego. I enjoyed a step towards resolution and can only hope that the author continues to explore the mending of those old wounds.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
554 reviews7 followers
November 26, 2023
What is in the Water!

The gang is back and so is the drama. Jay is creating a High School we all wish we could attend. Pop culture referenced take me back to my school days. 4.0 for Ricky getting answers.
Profile Image for Samantha Dhanda.
68 reviews
December 17, 2023
This is a great book and a great series but I think I’m gonna move on at least for now. Because it takes so long to read and I’m not as invested as you’d want to be invested in a book.

Hope this helped🖤
Profile Image for James Hovland.
66 reviews3 followers
September 2, 2024
I cannot say it enough or louder, I absolutely love Jay Bell and the worlds he can create.

I so which I had these character in my high school when I grew up! As we move through their lives, I feel like I’m the third wheel with them along the ride.

I can’t wait to read book 3!
72 reviews
September 27, 2023
Great Story

Another great story by Jay Bell. It's fun getting to know the characters better from the first book and meeting the new characters in this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews

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