Potluck

by A.J. Colher

Jesse Minkin is a study-mad Harvard hopeful. Anything that could possibly distract him from this goal is just petty teenage drama to him, including romance. His two best friends since childhood—the popular jock and the intimidating bad boy—have created the perfect shield for him, behind which he can safely practice his nerdy ways without harassment from bullies. However, when he meets the openly gay target of a violent hate crime, Jesse begins to see beyond his textbooks; perhaps there’s educational merit in petty teenage drama after all, and not all learning leads to Harvard.

(contains mature language and references to drug use)

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Gay, Queer

168 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2016

About the author

Writer of Potluck, available on Amazon.

Currently battling writer's block and chipping away at a fantasy series.

Reviews

[Line · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! Maaan, this book... I will start by saying: there are no smexy times, I repeat (for all you pervs out there;-) NO smexy times and this is a 'coming-of-age' more than anything else.

The thing is: I didn't really care for Jesse like AT. ALL. I sort of thought I was getting there, but he kept going back to being a total teenage dickbag with questionable decisions and a HORRIBLE attitude!

And yet... Yet I got it! I got that 'oblivious-ness' and that teenage 'self-centered-ness'.
I understood the all-consuming NEED to get out, but to fit in. And the dickbag-behavior resonated with me, in a way that had me clutching my Kindle and my imaginary pearls chest.
I still don't quite understand, though, why this book worked so well. Normally a horrible MC, will have me cursing and eyerolling and grumbling, so hard, but... But...I got it!

It wasn't just Jesse's dickbag behaviour making me question why I could not put this book down. There were a few other UNSETTLING things, and for you guys with triggers, here is a list of issues that was sort of fucked up in this book:

-We have horrible parents.
-We have excessive drug-use.
-Under-age drinking.
-The mention/'description' of an assault.
-One of the MCs are regularly getting beaten/neglected by his parents.
And one of the 'MCs' commit suicide, maybe by accident?!?
-An okay HFN, but could definitely use a "more finished ending".

And yet at the same time I really didn't...

The further we get in the story, the more "explanation" we get for Jesse's attitude and his behaviour and it doesn't excuse it, but it is so very... realistic!
I really did not expect to love this book as much as I did (when I was 5% into it), but the humour, Jesse and ROBBIE totally won me over, though I still can't pinpoint exactly why!? (I know why Robbie won me over, that dude was just amazing<3)

So yeah, definitely rough! Definitely not a "light read" and still, STILL I gobbled this up and rooted for Jesse and his band of misfits and for his enlighment and for his 'growing-up'.

My final comment: can we please, PLEASE have a sequel? And Robbie's story? PLEASE! I will do EVERYTHING for him to get the most amazing, fantastic, unicorn-filled life! EVERYTHING!

I really need to know that Robbie gets all of the wonderful things that he deserves!!

[Leyna]

Free on Amazon 01/30/2018

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...

[D.C. Triana · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC….Jesse Minkins is a stressed out study fanatic who is about to get expelled from school if he doesn’t take it easy on his life. His friends think he’s suicidal, and who wouldn’t when he sleeps on piles of trash and looks like death. The pressure of getting into Harvard is finally getting to him and his obsession over studying may be the end of him. Enter the Diversity club, a bunch of misfits that open his eyes up to friendship and to the question of sexuality. Teen angst, funny awkwardness and the reality of how screwed up life could be, and how love can change everything, surrounds this poignant story. A wondrous story of life, loss, love and true friendship. A great read!

[Astrea Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book blew me away. I was sucked into the story from the beginning -- the narrator's voice was very clear and compelling. I could empathize with Jesse, a hardcore student with a sarcastic bite and a gang of interesting friends who were more than their stereotypes. His troubled home life and need to study at the cost of social interactions and friendships were very relatable. Although parts of this book were unexpected, it kept my attention all the way through. This coming of age tale will surely rivet fans of The Catcher in the Rye, The Secret History, and The Goldfinch. The author captures the energy, uncertainty, and angst of teenagers. On top of this, the author created a world sprinkled in unique world-building words and character-soaked descriptions. Jesse's mom is such a strong and believable character that she nearly jumps off the page every time she speaks. This is actually the first book I've finished in a couple of months, and I found myself wishing for more when it was over, even though the conclusion was quite satisfying. Highly recommended.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/14/2020)! 🎁

[Shawna (endemictoearth) · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you have to ask people "Am I an asshole?" multiple times over the course of a narrative, chances are, you ARE.

I didn't necessarily mind Jesse being an asshole. Unreliable teenage narrators are pretty much always assholes; I just wish we'd gotten a better reason for why he was one, and some more direction for his story overall. (Yeah, his mom kind of sucks. But why he couldn't even TALK to his friends who seemed very nice to hang around after being ignored for YEARS was baffling. He ignored them so hard he didn't even notice when one of them got all but disowned from half his family for dating a dude, which was sort of the fault of his other best friend. I mean, there's solipsistic and there's . . . wow.)

There's a rainbow on the cover, and there's a kiss and a sort of coming out, but that doesn't feel like this is what this book is truly about. In the end, Jesse decides to take a gap year, but definitely plans to go back to Harvard later, so it also doesn't feel like the book is truly about forging your own path. There's a lot of drug use mentioned and a character dies of . . . an overdose? Intentional overdose? Accident caused by drugs/overdose? It's never really made clear, but it also doesn't feel like that is the focus, either. It seems more like a deus ex machina to get him home to confront other people.

There was also some annoying fatphobic shit about his friend's dad, who was horrible, sure, but he was horrible whether or not he had a gut. (I'm just so tired of characters being pointed out as fat and that's supposed to be shorthand for evil and lazy and lecherous. Even if the fat doesn't MAKE them those bad things; it's supposed to like, intensify the badness.)

And the town they live in is so bad that apparently Jesse has to take a gun with him when he decides to talk a walk around his neighborhood? That seemed kind of thrown in, and if that was the environment he was growing up in, it would have been interesting to explore that more.

Maybe I'm being too harsh, but the story wasn't very satisfying to me. I also kept reading bc it was supposedly only 160-ish pages, but it felt way longer.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed "Potluck" by A.J. Colher. This is the first book I've read by this author having received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and I'm so glad I took a chance on this author. The story started off a little slow for me. It took me a couple of chapters to fully invest in the characters and story line, but once I did, I was hooked. The writing of such heavy topics with bullying and marginalization can be tough, but this author did a great job tacking them. I couldn't hold back the tears at some of the tougher parts but felt resolved and entertained when I finished the last page. Thanks for the beautiful story to add to my collection.
Happy Reading...enjoy!

[Christina Coad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, good diverse group of friends

I read it in one day, it's teen fiction or young adult I guess, more grown than "tween" books but written from a high schoolers perspective while not being obnoxiously simple. An easy read, but the characters are all really cool (except the awful parents) also nice that most of the teens were Christians but weren't goodie goodie stereotypes like in a lot of Christian type fiction yet if you aren't Christian you won't get any scripture shoved in you or lectures about God. Just Characters who are Christian and most all but one family very kind. It's a book I think most would enjoy.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t describe in words how good this book was. I couldn’t put it down for a single minute, I just loved the plot and how the characters to on such a relatable role. As readers, we would see the ideas presented in the plot every day in our own lives and that’s what I loved about it. A.J. Colher has written a story that would live on with the reader long after the book has finished. I would definitely read this story again for sure and even recommend it to anyone.

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is entertainment personified right from the get go but also tackles some very serious subject matter. The writing and dialogue are written in quick, witty prose. The book examines all the things that today’s teenagers might face. Highly recommend and look forward to more from this author! Eye opening and edgy.

[Muriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Best book I've read so far this year. Would have loved a sequel failing that a second book by the author. If I could have given it 6 stArs I would, it's funny and thought provoking and emotional.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmm...this was a very unusual coming-of-age story with a very unusual protagonist. I wish there was a sequel!

[Az · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 !
It was suuuuuuuch a good book oh my god !
It's funny yet also heart wrenching.
I read it in one sitting.
For a deeper review you can read my article : https://readingandwritingwithklh.word...

[Joel Crofoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Up until his senior year of high school, Jesse had remained oblivious to everyone’s personal lives, including his own. He managed this by burying his head in school books and studying with a perfectionistic motivation, to the exclusion of his own self-care, until the school staff finally takes matters into their own hands and attempts to force him into mandatory fun. But when he joins the Diversity club, Jesse is suddenly ejected from his comfortable pretense and begins to notice the suffering of those around him. The painful realization forces him to look inward and challenge his own set of beliefs and values, creating an internal struggle that is the crux of his coming of age.

This book is unquestioningly the best thing that I have read in years! The author’s hilarious use of sarcasm, and bold declaration of the thoughts most people dare not speak aloud, are coupled with avid descriptions of emotional turmoil that will wring from you all of your own conflicting feelings as you come to see each character as a unique and complex person.

On the surface, this book is about the coming of age, and the coming out process, but even those are superficial to ultimate messages conveyed. What this book really is comprised of are messages about self-acceptance, compassion for others, morality, the conflict between attempts to control and inability to help, and ultimately the human condition we all experience.

If it were up to me this book would be on the mandatory reading list of high schools everywhere. It is right up there with To Kill a Mockingbird.

[T.J. Lantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Potluck is a dynamic look at the life of the modern, highly stressed teen coming to grips with their place in life. It examines sexuality, drugs, and personal identity in a world in which success is measured in limited ways. The pace is solid, and the characters undergo enormous development despite the relative short length of the book.
While Potluck sounds from the description like it should be a YA book, the extreme language, sexual questions, and glorification of drugs make this read far more like a New Adult despite the younger protagonist.
Definitely a strong read for teens that are moving out of traditional YA and looking for an edgier, more realistic category to try out.

[D.S. Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite part about reading Potluck was the voice with which it was written. It's impersonal, it's funny, and, most importantly, it's consistent and handled well.

The protagonist, Jesse, is equal parts likeable and frustrating -- and reminded me in that way of Holden Caulfield. Actually, that comparison works in many ways as Jesse seems frustrated with the world *as he sees it*. It's these layers that made the book so interesting; it wasn't black or white, or two-dimensional.

All in all, it's a well written book written using a clear, tight voice, and with believable characters and dialogue. The gay theme is handled well, and the story moves along at a happy pace.