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Straight #1
Straight
Henry Morgan is a beer-drinking, arm-wrestling, 100% heterosexual American male who is still a little numb after a rough breakup from his longtime girlfriend. Ty Stanton is a bohemian arts student who has been openly, and uncomplicatedly, gay ever since he asked for his first wig for Christmas. After a chance, butterfly-inducing encounter one autumn day, Henry starts to realize something he might not be quite as straight as he’d always assumed. What follows is a breakneck adventure that upends both Ty and Henry’s lives for the long haul. Sexy, fun and thought provoking, Seth King’s Straight is about all the love we can let into our lives when we dare to jump off the beaten path and veer a little off course.
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 27, 2016
184 people are currently reading
916 people want to read
About the author
Seth King
53 books1,870 followersSeth King is a twenty-eight-year-old American author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 280 reviews
December 6, 2016
First, I want to say that I have mad respect for this author and his personal story, his struggles and for the message he tried to convey. I wanted to love this, really, really wanted to love it. I know a lot of avid MM readers don’t like the GFY trope, but some of my favorite MM books are actually GFY stories so I was extremely excited for this one. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed with this one, extremely. I loved the concept of the book, yet the book falls short on execution. This is obviously an unpopular opinion, and it might as well be me and not the book, but it’s my opinion nonetheless.
So, I loved the beginning, the first encounter between Ty and Henry, the rush, the anticipation, that first hook up. I loved all of that.
““Okay,” I say, swallowing the word. Rather than making me scared or filling me with dread, though, the word fills me with a weird excitement that warms my whole body from my toes to my ears. I cannot wait for this, a voice says somewhere in my head. I really cannot wait for this. What is going on?”
But then the book started rubbing me the wrong way, at every turn. There’s not much of a story here, this “straight” guy -Henry- bumps into this gay guy -Ty- in a bus and is instantly attracted to him, then said “straight” guy almost immediately hooks up with this guy, while going back and forth for the next 200 pages (that honestly felt like 400) about whether he should pursue this gay relationship or not, etc.
The book is solely told in Henry’s POV, and his POV is extremely tiring and frustrating, and also very, very redundant, he often repeats the same thoughts over and over again, he second guesses every decision he makes, and he is extremely ambivalent. In my mind, it had nothing to do with him being gay or straight or bi or just questioning, he was just a weak character, very poorly developed. At times, it was tiring being in his head, he gave me whiplash. He also goes into these long-winded essay type explanations and research finds about sexuality that sometimes enter into soapbox territory, Ty does this as well. It might be because I’m an avid MM reader or because I’m very immersed in the gay world via very important people in my life, but they just took from the story. There are many ways of delivering a message without lecturing people.
There were a lot of inconsistencies throughout the story. I’m not sure if it was that the main character just couldn’t make up his mind or that the book just wasn’t quite edited well and those things just fell through the cracks. For example, in the beginning, the main character makes references to working in the present tense.
“not since college and work and bills took that away from me…”
“He’s making me realize just how boring my life is. School, work, gym, repeat.”
But he doesn’t really work, he’s just a student at the same school as the other character, which confused me greatly. It was kinda hard to follow, I’m very detailed oriented so I lose my concentration if timelines don’t match. I had to read and reread to see if I even understood what was going on.
The main character also contradicts himself, sometimes in the same page:
“I know I’m totally single, but still”
“I basically have a boyfriend at this point”
Which is it?
They also declare that they are a couple in a few different places, while turning around and saying they’re NOT a couple. Still not sure which is it:
First:
“Because I think I want to be official.” He smiles. “I thought we already kind of were?” “Let’s not label it, actually,” I finally say. “This is beyond some cheesy ‘dating’ thing. You’re just my dude. Let’s keep it at that.”
But then a little bit farther down:
“You were right – I don’t have that much of a right to be mad at you. We weren’t really officially together…”
But later on:
“You mean…be together? I want to.”
And then:
“Can we be together now?” he asks. “For real, this time?”
There were a few more of those inconsistencies throughout the book. Also a few other mistakes like the characters calling each other the wrong name. Ty calling Henry Ty for example (location 2486) or Caroline calling Henry Ty (location 2757), here I actually though Caroline was talking about Ty, and I had to read it a few times to understand it was a typo.
Another issue I had, perhaps the biggest one, was the constant comparisons between being straight and gay, the constant straight and women bashing and the constant gay stereotypes. All of which actually defied the purpose of the book and in my opinion devaluated the message of the book that all people are created equally and that sexuality is a fluid concept.
Here’s a few examples that made me roll my eyes or just plain made me mad:
On the topic of drinking:
“Let’s take a shot,” I say out of nowhere. My head is spinning and my stomach is burning and I really just need something to calm myself before I faint. He nods, smiling, and I get a bottle of whiskey. “Wait, what is that?” “The Glenlivet. What’s wrong?” He scrunches up his face. “That, my dude, is what we call ‘straight guy booze.’ We definitely don’t take shots of that at Club One.” “Club One?” “The gay bar.” “Oh. Of course. Um…let me check my mom’s cabinet.” I search around and finally find some Fireball from an old party, the whiskey that tastes like candy.
Um ok, so I guess gay guys only drink fruity drinks…
Girl/ straight bashing and ridiculous comparisons and stereotypes:
“Girls were always bitching when I tried to get too sexual with them, anyway, and so this talk is refreshing to me. What if I could date someone and fuck them all the time?”
“The texture is different from a girl, too, and grainier somehow. It is a hundred times better, though, and I am mesmerized.”
“But dating girls wasn’t much different from this. The affection feels the same. If anything, they were just more possessive and dramatic.”
“That weekend my “gay lessons” really kick in. I have no idea how I’m going to learn, as before this I was a khaki-wearing straight dude who thought watching SNL was pretty metrosexual of me, but I’m game nonetheless. First we go to the Savannah Outlets, a huge shopping complex on the highway. (More new sex positions like the 69 and the reverse cowboy have thankfully been involved in the lessons, too, but that’s another story.) When I ask him why we have to go shopping, he glances at my outfit with a slight cringe, and that tells me everything I need to know. Then he tells me that according to That weekend my “gay lessons” really kick in. I have no idea how I’m going to learn, as before this I was a khaki-wearing straight dude who thought watching SNL was pretty metrosexual of me, but I’m game nonetheless. First we go to the Savannah Outlets, a huge shopping complex on the highway. (More new sex positions like the 69 and the reverse cowboy have thankfully been involved in the lessons, too, but that’s another story.) When I ask him why we have to go shopping, he glances at my outfit with a slight cringe, and that tells me everything I need to know. Then he tells me that according to his friends, I dress “like a straight guy.” “What’s the problem with that?” I ask him. “Well, nothing, except for the fact that straight guys have no taste.”
What the what? This is just plain wrong! Why does he needs “gay lessons”? Why does he have to change? And um, since when is 69 exclusive to gays? My husband totally disagrees with this.
I also start learning new “gay words”
“…even drop into a gay engagement party. It’s way more fun than any straight party I’ve been to…”
“he personalizes with his bedazzling gun”
“I skip my class and decide to do something that came to me last night, during the hatred-fest: I want to get a little gayer. I don’t want to look in the mirror and see someone who looks like Shepard anymore, so I head back to that outlet mall from before. This time I dive in headfirst, though, and get a leather jacket, some tighter pants, and some shirts that are in size small instead of medium or large. Before I would have associated the act of caring about style as feminine, but now I know the truth – you can be whatever you want to be, and I want to look hot. I don’t want to dress like a boring old accountant simply because of the fear that I’ll look “gay” anymore. And by the way, what’s wrong with gays? Nothing at all.”
No Henry, there’s nothing wrong with being gay. There’s also nothing wrong with dressing up the way you want to!!!! You can be gay and wear khakis FFS.
“Hey,” he says. “Your gay lessons are officially over. Look at you – your hair is better, your clothes are perfect, even your skin is better. You’re so different already.”
“Near us is a table of jock-ish dudes with numerous mimosa jugs spread about, and as we sit there I hear one of them shout “yassss,” a common gay term used by all Ty’s gay friends all the time. “Typical bro culture,” Ty sighs. “Stealing our words and giving us none of the credit.”
On tv shows:
I realize I still have a few “straight” impulses I’ve retained from having so many buddies over before – I grab a beer and put on SportsCenter, but soon I glance over and realize who I’m with. Oops. Ty’s my lover, not my bro, so I fumble with the remote and find the Bravo network. “Yes!” he calls. “Keep it here! There’s a dinner party fight in this episode that I’ve been waiting months to see.” I wrap myself up in him and watch the Housewives do their thing. The women get drunker and more hysterical as the dinner goes on, and soon one of them tosses a glass of Pinot Grigio into another’s face. At first I think it’s kind of dull, but eventually I’m on the edge of my seat. When the episode ends, I grab him by the leg. “How was your first gay show?”
Ugh, Are you serious with this? This one just made me plain mad. I know all sorts of gays, all sorts, this is just plain ridiculous. My cousin (who is a guy) and his husband are huge jocks, they actually travel from PR to Miami just to see NBA basketball games. They would always rather watch ESPN, there’s no argument there. They’re gay as they come, and they’ve never watched the Housewives FFS! When I read this, I actually had to stop. I have many gay friends that love sports, this is just ridiculous.
On movies:
The next free day we have, he takes me to a movie theater in the artsier part of town to watch what he calls a “movie for the gays.” Honestly, it’s not bad. Then we stop by what he calls a “gay housewarming party,”
Also, the purple prose is very strong with this one:
“So he felt the magic, too. Somehow this makes me feel warm and toasty inside.”
“His body is like a carnival, with all of the lights turned on at full brightness.”
“He is a big bubbling fountain of love, and nothing he ever says is caustic or hateful.”
“He is inside me, he is splashed all over the walls like Technicolor vomit, he is painting the inside of my skull like a demented watercolorist.”
“He makes my heart explode with joy again and again in an endless love-supernova, and I can’t let that go.”
“Ty Stanton was my awakening, my saving grace. He was my hallelujah.”
However, even though he was always confessing his magical love in his head, Henry was so wishy-washy and such a coward, up till the very end of the book. Well, actually the book suddenly ends so I guess we have to assume he finally decided to confess his undying love (although even at the end he was wavering and even considered picking up some random dude at a bar!!!). He’s by far one of the worst characters I’ve ever read.
Overall, I totally understood the message, love everyone, be kind to everyone, being gay in this world is extremely hard, coming out is hard, living as a gay person in the south is hard, homophobia is real, sexuality is fluid. Like I said before, mad props to the author for being a great advocate for this cause. But the book itself, it just didn’t work for ME. I found too many problems in the delivery that just turned me off to the book in the worst possible way and so I do not really recommend, unfortunately.
So, I loved the beginning, the first encounter between Ty and Henry, the rush, the anticipation, that first hook up. I loved all of that.
““Okay,” I say, swallowing the word. Rather than making me scared or filling me with dread, though, the word fills me with a weird excitement that warms my whole body from my toes to my ears. I cannot wait for this, a voice says somewhere in my head. I really cannot wait for this. What is going on?”
But then the book started rubbing me the wrong way, at every turn. There’s not much of a story here, this “straight” guy -Henry- bumps into this gay guy -Ty- in a bus and is instantly attracted to him, then said “straight” guy almost immediately hooks up with this guy, while going back and forth for the next 200 pages (that honestly felt like 400) about whether he should pursue this gay relationship or not, etc.
The book is solely told in Henry’s POV, and his POV is extremely tiring and frustrating, and also very, very redundant, he often repeats the same thoughts over and over again, he second guesses every decision he makes, and he is extremely ambivalent. In my mind, it had nothing to do with him being gay or straight or bi or just questioning, he was just a weak character, very poorly developed. At times, it was tiring being in his head, he gave me whiplash. He also goes into these long-winded essay type explanations and research finds about sexuality that sometimes enter into soapbox territory, Ty does this as well. It might be because I’m an avid MM reader or because I’m very immersed in the gay world via very important people in my life, but they just took from the story. There are many ways of delivering a message without lecturing people.
There were a lot of inconsistencies throughout the story. I’m not sure if it was that the main character just couldn’t make up his mind or that the book just wasn’t quite edited well and those things just fell through the cracks. For example, in the beginning, the main character makes references to working in the present tense.
“not since college and work and bills took that away from me…”
“He’s making me realize just how boring my life is. School, work, gym, repeat.”
But he doesn’t really work, he’s just a student at the same school as the other character, which confused me greatly. It was kinda hard to follow, I’m very detailed oriented so I lose my concentration if timelines don’t match. I had to read and reread to see if I even understood what was going on.
The main character also contradicts himself, sometimes in the same page:
“I know I’m totally single, but still”
“I basically have a boyfriend at this point”
Which is it?
They also declare that they are a couple in a few different places, while turning around and saying they’re NOT a couple. Still not sure which is it:
First:
“Because I think I want to be official.” He smiles. “I thought we already kind of were?” “Let’s not label it, actually,” I finally say. “This is beyond some cheesy ‘dating’ thing. You’re just my dude. Let’s keep it at that.”
But then a little bit farther down:
“You were right – I don’t have that much of a right to be mad at you. We weren’t really officially together…”
But later on:
“You mean…be together? I want to.”
And then:
“Can we be together now?” he asks. “For real, this time?”
There were a few more of those inconsistencies throughout the book. Also a few other mistakes like the characters calling each other the wrong name. Ty calling Henry Ty for example (location 2486) or Caroline calling Henry Ty (location 2757), here I actually though Caroline was talking about Ty, and I had to read it a few times to understand it was a typo.
Another issue I had, perhaps the biggest one, was the constant comparisons between being straight and gay, the constant straight and women bashing and the constant gay stereotypes. All of which actually defied the purpose of the book and in my opinion devaluated the message of the book that all people are created equally and that sexuality is a fluid concept.
Here’s a few examples that made me roll my eyes or just plain made me mad:
On the topic of drinking:
“Let’s take a shot,” I say out of nowhere. My head is spinning and my stomach is burning and I really just need something to calm myself before I faint. He nods, smiling, and I get a bottle of whiskey. “Wait, what is that?” “The Glenlivet. What’s wrong?” He scrunches up his face. “That, my dude, is what we call ‘straight guy booze.’ We definitely don’t take shots of that at Club One.” “Club One?” “The gay bar.” “Oh. Of course. Um…let me check my mom’s cabinet.” I search around and finally find some Fireball from an old party, the whiskey that tastes like candy.
Um ok, so I guess gay guys only drink fruity drinks…
Girl/ straight bashing and ridiculous comparisons and stereotypes:
“Girls were always bitching when I tried to get too sexual with them, anyway, and so this talk is refreshing to me. What if I could date someone and fuck them all the time?”
“The texture is different from a girl, too, and grainier somehow. It is a hundred times better, though, and I am mesmerized.”
“But dating girls wasn’t much different from this. The affection feels the same. If anything, they were just more possessive and dramatic.”
“That weekend my “gay lessons” really kick in. I have no idea how I’m going to learn, as before this I was a khaki-wearing straight dude who thought watching SNL was pretty metrosexual of me, but I’m game nonetheless. First we go to the Savannah Outlets, a huge shopping complex on the highway. (More new sex positions like the 69 and the reverse cowboy have thankfully been involved in the lessons, too, but that’s another story.) When I ask him why we have to go shopping, he glances at my outfit with a slight cringe, and that tells me everything I need to know. Then he tells me that according to That weekend my “gay lessons” really kick in. I have no idea how I’m going to learn, as before this I was a khaki-wearing straight dude who thought watching SNL was pretty metrosexual of me, but I’m game nonetheless. First we go to the Savannah Outlets, a huge shopping complex on the highway. (More new sex positions like the 69 and the reverse cowboy have thankfully been involved in the lessons, too, but that’s another story.) When I ask him why we have to go shopping, he glances at my outfit with a slight cringe, and that tells me everything I need to know. Then he tells me that according to his friends, I dress “like a straight guy.” “What’s the problem with that?” I ask him. “Well, nothing, except for the fact that straight guys have no taste.”
What the what? This is just plain wrong! Why does he needs “gay lessons”? Why does he have to change? And um, since when is 69 exclusive to gays? My husband totally disagrees with this.
I also start learning new “gay words”
“…even drop into a gay engagement party. It’s way more fun than any straight party I’ve been to…”
“he personalizes with his bedazzling gun”
“I skip my class and decide to do something that came to me last night, during the hatred-fest: I want to get a little gayer. I don’t want to look in the mirror and see someone who looks like Shepard anymore, so I head back to that outlet mall from before. This time I dive in headfirst, though, and get a leather jacket, some tighter pants, and some shirts that are in size small instead of medium or large. Before I would have associated the act of caring about style as feminine, but now I know the truth – you can be whatever you want to be, and I want to look hot. I don’t want to dress like a boring old accountant simply because of the fear that I’ll look “gay” anymore. And by the way, what’s wrong with gays? Nothing at all.”
No Henry, there’s nothing wrong with being gay. There’s also nothing wrong with dressing up the way you want to!!!! You can be gay and wear khakis FFS.
“Hey,” he says. “Your gay lessons are officially over. Look at you – your hair is better, your clothes are perfect, even your skin is better. You’re so different already.”
“Near us is a table of jock-ish dudes with numerous mimosa jugs spread about, and as we sit there I hear one of them shout “yassss,” a common gay term used by all Ty’s gay friends all the time. “Typical bro culture,” Ty sighs. “Stealing our words and giving us none of the credit.”
On tv shows:
I realize I still have a few “straight” impulses I’ve retained from having so many buddies over before – I grab a beer and put on SportsCenter, but soon I glance over and realize who I’m with. Oops. Ty’s my lover, not my bro, so I fumble with the remote and find the Bravo network. “Yes!” he calls. “Keep it here! There’s a dinner party fight in this episode that I’ve been waiting months to see.” I wrap myself up in him and watch the Housewives do their thing. The women get drunker and more hysterical as the dinner goes on, and soon one of them tosses a glass of Pinot Grigio into another’s face. At first I think it’s kind of dull, but eventually I’m on the edge of my seat. When the episode ends, I grab him by the leg. “How was your first gay show?”
Ugh, Are you serious with this? This one just made me plain mad. I know all sorts of gays, all sorts, this is just plain ridiculous. My cousin (who is a guy) and his husband are huge jocks, they actually travel from PR to Miami just to see NBA basketball games. They would always rather watch ESPN, there’s no argument there. They’re gay as they come, and they’ve never watched the Housewives FFS! When I read this, I actually had to stop. I have many gay friends that love sports, this is just ridiculous.
On movies:
The next free day we have, he takes me to a movie theater in the artsier part of town to watch what he calls a “movie for the gays.” Honestly, it’s not bad. Then we stop by what he calls a “gay housewarming party,”
Also, the purple prose is very strong with this one:
“So he felt the magic, too. Somehow this makes me feel warm and toasty inside.”
“His body is like a carnival, with all of the lights turned on at full brightness.”
“He is a big bubbling fountain of love, and nothing he ever says is caustic or hateful.”
“He is inside me, he is splashed all over the walls like Technicolor vomit, he is painting the inside of my skull like a demented watercolorist.”
“He makes my heart explode with joy again and again in an endless love-supernova, and I can’t let that go.”
“Ty Stanton was my awakening, my saving grace. He was my hallelujah.”
However, even though he was always confessing his magical love in his head, Henry was so wishy-washy and such a coward, up till the very end of the book. Well, actually the book suddenly ends so I guess we have to assume he finally decided to confess his undying love (although even at the end he was wavering and even considered picking up some random dude at a bar!!!). He’s by far one of the worst characters I’ve ever read.
Overall, I totally understood the message, love everyone, be kind to everyone, being gay in this world is extremely hard, coming out is hard, living as a gay person in the south is hard, homophobia is real, sexuality is fluid. Like I said before, mad props to the author for being a great advocate for this cause. But the book itself, it just didn’t work for ME. I found too many problems in the delivery that just turned me off to the book in the worst possible way and so I do not really recommend, unfortunately.
dnf
February 12, 2017Okay, I finally give up at 50%. The start was interesting; I was curious to know how this story will unfold. But after painfully reading the crawling narrative by a very weirdly confused narrator and figuring out that I feel no connection whatsoever with the voice/character, I am finally stopping here. If you ask me how the book was until this point, the only thing I can say is that I felt nothing. The entire time, my own reading voice felt confused. Some things were just brushed over, while the sex bits (and especially the word 'sexy' was encountered more times than I have ever thought that word!) were overly detailed. If I read that word one more time, I am going to break something!!!!!
I get that these are young boys we are talking about, but... I don't know. I really struggled with this one, and that is not counting the things my own life threw at me this week. I have no comments about the story.
Most of my friends who have read this have ended up enjoying it, but I just couldn't feel this one. It doesn't usually happen this way--my reading tastes match a lot of my friends'--but I'm just as stumped as anyone would be after they see my review.
I get that these are young boys we are talking about, but... I don't know. I really struggled with this one, and that is not counting the things my own life threw at me this week. I have no comments about the story.
Most of my friends who have read this have ended up enjoying it, but I just couldn't feel this one. It doesn't usually happen this way--my reading tastes match a lot of my friends'--but I'm just as stumped as anyone would be after they see my review.
February 8, 2017
Well, that was a ride, for sure.
Sweetness and total adorability, then the finish went a bit too off the rails for my personal tastes.
The Good:
I absolutely loved Henry and Ty together, when they were actually talking and on roughly the same page, whether it was flirting, developing their friendship or moving toward physical intimacy.
The story did have plenty of feels and had me laughing a good bit. I loved how Henry started out by jumping into uncharted waters with both feet, totally okay that he was attracted to another guy.
The sexy scenes were pretty hot and steamy, not to mention entertaining, as Henry worked his way through his complete naïveté in regards to his first male attraction and getting down and dirty with a partner who was also packing the pene.
The Not So Good:
The monologuing. Jesus, save me. Yes, you made your point. No need to expand on that same thought for 5 more pages, thanks.
The indecision. At nearly every single point of action, Henry would sit on his ass, until someone advised him to actually 'do' something. Then he was all gung ho and got a move on. Until the next time. Then the next.
The PREACHING. Several parts of the book felt like I was sitting through a sermon at the Political Correctness Church of Gay Gaga.
The running. Henry was a master and Ty forgave him way too easily, after being left holding his (proverbial) dick, time and time again. Doormat, anyone?
The Big Break Up Scene. Again, Jesus, save me. Pure, unadulterated fuckery with how that went down. Hated. It.
The contradictory thoughts and near infidelity. A few times in the story, Henry was voicing his desires to fully be with Ty, then the next moment, he's
Overall, this book had a lot going for it, but the points mentioned above severely lessened my enjoyment, especially in (roughly) the last 40% of the book.
Before that point, I would've rated the story at a solid 4.5 stars; however, when the feel and tone of the story changed, I wasn't remotely amused, so by the time I hit The End, it was closer to 3 stars.
Read
February 9, 2017This book started out very sweet and cute, and the writing is good. Early on I thought I was really going to enjoy this. But while there are some sweet moments, the story began to come across to me as preachy and judgmental. To be honest, some parts of this book left me feeling belittled and upset
Being someone who identifies as pan/bi, I'm on board with sexual fluidity and with not seeing people only as their gender and this seemed as if it was heading there, but instead it seemed to paint everyone who was not gay as boring and missing out. As if gay male sex is the only truly fulfilling/explosive sex. It also attempted to pigeonhole what it means to be gay when one MC gives the other gay lessons on how to talk and dress and act. IMHO, gays are as much individuals as anyone else and don't have to fit into a mold. Also for anyone that feels their sexuality is not a choice... well, this book might rub you the wrong way.
Being someone who identifies as pan/bi, I'm on board with sexual fluidity and with not seeing people only as their gender and this seemed as if it was heading there, but instead it seemed to paint everyone who was not gay as boring and missing out. As if gay male sex is the only truly fulfilling/explosive sex. It also attempted to pigeonhole what it means to be gay when one MC gives the other gay lessons on how to talk and dress and act. IMHO, gays are as much individuals as anyone else and don't have to fit into a mold. Also for anyone that feels their sexuality is not a choice... well, this book might rub you the wrong way.
March 21, 2018
This was pure horrror. HORROR. And trust me, I don't get shaken up easy. I don't just toss around the word "horror" lightly. But this surely deserves it.
The cheesy writing I could have done with (albeit grudgingly); the stupid and cartoonish stereotyping alone would have had me snickering, but nothing too bad. The indecisive/incoherent/inconsistent MC would have mildly annoyed me. The unhealthy codependent relationship would have had me bitching some. But no. It wasn't one characteristic from this list that the book contained. It was ALL. OF. THE. ABOVE. Reading this was painful.
I'd like to take the opportunity to give a special mention to the babe, Sasha, because, even though she didn't properly read this with me, I still consider this a buddy reading of sorts, cause she definitely didn't deserve to read the nonsensical fragments I kept sharing with her. So, thank you babe, for making this journey slightly better for me.
This book was bad, folks. I was expecting a sweet, fluff, fun love story between two guys (one that had previously considered himself straight), but I encountered a shitstorm of bad stereotypes and a mysoginistic, straight-bashing political disertation of what it means to be gay; also, apparently there's just *one* "right" way to be gay. Sorry, but according to this "Gay Bible"- the book doesn't claim to be, I'm just pissed off right now and I tend to get annoyingly sarcastic- that's just how it is, and anything that doesn't fall into that category isn't worthy of a Gay Card or whatever.
I just hated the style of the story. I hated the discourse. I hated the MC for being a weak, bland pushover and I hated the love interest for being a childish, black-and-white, judgemental dick.
I hated that this was just a huge fucking letdown, cause this had the potential to be such a fun story, but it was just pure fucking shit (and I don't say that lightly either). I'm so mad right now, folks. I'm so terribly pissed off. This sucks.
The cheesy writing I could have done with (albeit grudgingly); the stupid and cartoonish stereotyping alone would have had me snickering, but nothing too bad. The indecisive/incoherent/inconsistent MC would have mildly annoyed me. The unhealthy codependent relationship would have had me bitching some. But no. It wasn't one characteristic from this list that the book contained. It was ALL. OF. THE. ABOVE. Reading this was painful.
I'd like to take the opportunity to give a special mention to the babe, Sasha, because, even though she didn't properly read this with me, I still consider this a buddy reading of sorts, cause she definitely didn't deserve to read the nonsensical fragments I kept sharing with her. So, thank you babe, for making this journey slightly better for me.
This book was bad, folks. I was expecting a sweet, fluff, fun love story between two guys (one that had previously considered himself straight), but I encountered a shitstorm of bad stereotypes and a mysoginistic, straight-bashing political disertation of what it means to be gay; also, apparently there's just *one* "right" way to be gay. Sorry, but according to this "Gay Bible"- the book doesn't claim to be, I'm just pissed off right now and I tend to get annoyingly sarcastic- that's just how it is, and anything that doesn't fall into that category isn't worthy of a Gay Card or whatever.
I just hated the style of the story. I hated the discourse. I hated the MC for being a weak, bland pushover and I hated the love interest for being a childish, black-and-white, judgemental dick.
I hated that this was just a huge fucking letdown, cause this had the potential to be such a fun story, but it was just pure fucking shit (and I don't say that lightly either). I'm so mad right now, folks. I'm so terribly pissed off. This sucks.
December 22, 2016
Be proud, be Loud
This is a book all people should read. While I normally can't get into stories written in first person POV, present tense..this story demands your attention. This is not a fluffy romance. This is a story, about a guy who meets his soulmate- his same sex soulmate- and from that moment on, his life changes. He has to decide if he is brave enough. Strong enough. Can he go from being, straight..to bisexuality? What is straight anyways? Is sexuality more fluid than society accepts? Why do we put people in categories? Who decides which group of people should have basic human rights? Yes, this book deals with a lot of deep subjects. The author- who wrote this story due to his own personal journey, in reaction to The Pulse massacre in Orlando, and the 2016 Presidential election - created a story that will make you think. There is no room for inaction when dealing with human rights, hate crimes, equality and people's lives. This story will open your eyes to the daily struggles, oppression, hate, hostility, discrimination and more that people of the LGBTQ rainbow deal with each day of their lives. So be ready and enjoy the story...when you're done, think about what you just read and the many ways you can help make this world a better place.
This is a book all people should read. While I normally can't get into stories written in first person POV, present tense..this story demands your attention. This is not a fluffy romance. This is a story, about a guy who meets his soulmate- his same sex soulmate- and from that moment on, his life changes. He has to decide if he is brave enough. Strong enough. Can he go from being, straight..to bisexuality? What is straight anyways? Is sexuality more fluid than society accepts? Why do we put people in categories? Who decides which group of people should have basic human rights? Yes, this book deals with a lot of deep subjects. The author- who wrote this story due to his own personal journey, in reaction to The Pulse massacre in Orlando, and the 2016 Presidential election - created a story that will make you think. There is no room for inaction when dealing with human rights, hate crimes, equality and people's lives. This story will open your eyes to the daily struggles, oppression, hate, hostility, discrimination and more that people of the LGBTQ rainbow deal with each day of their lives. So be ready and enjoy the story...when you're done, think about what you just read and the many ways you can help make this world a better place.
December 11, 2016
I think I am obviously in the minority about this book. I did not like it, I wanted to, the premise is really interesting, and I love a good MM story. Very straight guys, meets gay guy and falls for him......good right....Yeah not so much.
Henry annoyed me to tears, he thought he was very open about his feeling for Ty (he kept bringing up how liberal his upbringing was), until he actually thought about it.....he didn't want any one to know about Ty, he went back to his "psycho stalker ex girlfriend" twice just to see if he felt anything.
I didn't get Henry and Ty's relationship at all. There were times when I thought I was dealing with 15 year olds. Ty gave Henry "gay lessons", ....really. Once minute they were saying they were in a relationship, the next, there was questioning what their relationship was....it gave me a headache, the constant back and forth.
I am sorry to say, I didn't enjoy this book at all.
Henry annoyed me to tears, he thought he was very open about his feeling for Ty (he kept bringing up how liberal his upbringing was), until he actually thought about it.....he didn't want any one to know about Ty, he went back to his "psycho stalker ex girlfriend" twice just to see if he felt anything.
I didn't get Henry and Ty's relationship at all. There were times when I thought I was dealing with 15 year olds. Ty gave Henry "gay lessons", ....really. Once minute they were saying they were in a relationship, the next, there was questioning what their relationship was....it gave me a headache, the constant back and forth.
I am sorry to say, I didn't enjoy this book at all.
Read
September 27, 2017DNF en el 2%, no le doy rating porque no sé cómo será el libro, pero la primera conversación me ha parecido tan poco creible que no me apetece seguir.
September 25, 2017
1.5 stars
I just...*sigh* This book was just...:/
The book started out cute, and I was like "yay! a story about a guy falling for another guy when he's thought he was straight his whole life! There'll be some angst with him coming to terms with it, sure, but it'll be a good story!"
It felt more like a political statement, to me. And political statements are great, they need to be said, but do they need to be made into a story? I'm not talking them just talking politics, which would have been fine, it would have been great. But there was literally almost a page long paragraph from Ty talking about this, monologuing to Henry about it. Every scene seemed more like they were used to get a statement across than to tell the story of these two guys falling in love.
Honestly, they felt like props to tell the real life struggle of the LGBTQ community, and again, there's nothing wrong with focusing on that, but maybe this book should have been an article or a non-fiction biography instead of a fictional story. Because in the end these characters felt like props instead of people. Basically every scene had at least one conversation about LGBTQ politics. And I feel like that would be fine, but it literally felt like the only thing they talked about, and as important as politics is - it is believe me, AND this issue is important - there is more to life than just that, you know?
Where of the scenes of them hanging out? We get told it more than shown it. Where are the scenes of them getting to know each other instead of just getting to know each other politically? We're told about them but never really shown them.
There were stereotypes handed out to all these characters at the same time characters were saying "you shouldn't stereotype." Like Ty would lecture Henry about sexualities being fluid and how society puts people into boxes - true - but then after sex, they hang out on the couch and Henry turns on sports and then is like "wait this isn't my bro, this is my lover, oops!" and then turns on Bravo, because two guys watching sports is just a straight bro thing, right? And Ty doesn't comment on Henry's stereotyping, even though he'd previously lectured Henry about this shit. And it isn't that Ty can't love Bravo because he does, but it's the thoughts Henry has and how its treated as normal, how Henry doesn't even ask, he just assumes that Ty wouldn't like any sports - even though Ty says he played sport in high school? Idk.
Then saying shit like "woman don't like sex as much as guys" and Henry being like 'I'm gonna have sex all the time now with Ty, yes!'??? Nah, usually straight men are so self centered and entitled that it's all about them during sex, not the women. There are PLENTY of women who love sex as much as men. It felt like it was coming from the author, too. All of these statements made by the characters felt like they were coming from the author. It never felt like the characters were saying it but not the author, because again, this felt like a political article more than a fictional romance story.
Also, at one point on a blog post that Henry is reading, a guy says that bottoming is awesome but it will always make him feel "helpless and needy and dependent" and that rubbed me the wrong way. Because the bottom is often viewed as the "submissive" one - 'cause, gotta keep those heteronormative ideals alive *sigh* - that view is obviously meant for the one on the bottom to be the more "feminine" one and there is just sexism rooted in that statement, for me. Like...that's why women have been oppressed since forever, because they are looked at as helpless and needy and dependent on men, and their sexual "position" just proves that to sexists. Idk, that's what it felt like to me.
Also, statements like this "I want him to invade me and possess every cell of me without my permission, like he's an entitled white guy and I'm a foreign land full of innocent natives" WHAT? This...this is an actual line in the book. WHAT even??? I'm not even sure what this is supposed to mean for Henry. It made me cringe. So he wants to be colonized by Ty? Really? This is Henry while he's bottoming for the first time, and again, it is putting the bottom in a place of subservience, of getting their autonomy and free will taken away. I just did not like this.
And honestly, I started skimming pretty soon after 60%. I was just done with this book. It was so enjoyable at first too, it was so promising. And I'm not saying this book couldn't have made a political statement, or included politics - sometimes when books completely ignore politics when a moment or situation would call for it, that can also be frustrating - but this wasn't a love story with politics included in it, it was a political story with some romance, I guess? I felt Henry's feelings for Ty at first, but then I never really felt his love for Ty when he got to that place. And even though we didn't get Ty's POV, we still could have gotten a feeling that he loved Henry as well, and I didn't really get that.
The sex scenes weren't that great either, I thought. Very rushed and glossed over. They could have been fade to black and it wouldn't have made a difference.
Idk, this book just didn't do it for me at all. And I don't know if I explained myself particularly well about WHY I didn't like it, but I tried. This just didn't do it for me.
Also, the ending? Totally abrupt. We were short changed with
I just...*sigh* This book was just...:/
The book started out cute, and I was like "yay! a story about a guy falling for another guy when he's thought he was straight his whole life! There'll be some angst with him coming to terms with it, sure, but it'll be a good story!"
It felt more like a political statement, to me. And political statements are great, they need to be said, but do they need to be made into a story? I'm not talking them just talking politics, which would have been fine, it would have been great. But there was literally almost a page long paragraph from Ty talking about this, monologuing to Henry about it. Every scene seemed more like they were used to get a statement across than to tell the story of these two guys falling in love.
Honestly, they felt like props to tell the real life struggle of the LGBTQ community, and again, there's nothing wrong with focusing on that, but maybe this book should have been an article or a non-fiction biography instead of a fictional story. Because in the end these characters felt like props instead of people. Basically every scene had at least one conversation about LGBTQ politics. And I feel like that would be fine, but it literally felt like the only thing they talked about, and as important as politics is - it is believe me, AND this issue is important - there is more to life than just that, you know?
Where of the scenes of them hanging out? We get told it more than shown it. Where are the scenes of them getting to know each other instead of just getting to know each other politically? We're told about them but never really shown them.
There were stereotypes handed out to all these characters at the same time characters were saying "you shouldn't stereotype." Like Ty would lecture Henry about sexualities being fluid and how society puts people into boxes - true - but then after sex, they hang out on the couch and Henry turns on sports and then is like "wait this isn't my bro, this is my lover, oops!" and then turns on Bravo, because two guys watching sports is just a straight bro thing, right? And Ty doesn't comment on Henry's stereotyping, even though he'd previously lectured Henry about this shit. And it isn't that Ty can't love Bravo because he does, but it's the thoughts Henry has and how its treated as normal, how Henry doesn't even ask, he just assumes that Ty wouldn't like any sports - even though Ty says he played sport in high school? Idk.
Then saying shit like "woman don't like sex as much as guys" and Henry being like 'I'm gonna have sex all the time now with Ty, yes!'??? Nah, usually straight men are so self centered and entitled that it's all about them during sex, not the women. There are PLENTY of women who love sex as much as men. It felt like it was coming from the author, too. All of these statements made by the characters felt like they were coming from the author. It never felt like the characters were saying it but not the author, because again, this felt like a political article more than a fictional romance story.
Also, at one point on a blog post that Henry is reading, a guy says that bottoming is awesome but it will always make him feel "helpless and needy and dependent" and that rubbed me the wrong way. Because the bottom is often viewed as the "submissive" one - 'cause, gotta keep those heteronormative ideals alive *sigh* - that view is obviously meant for the one on the bottom to be the more "feminine" one and there is just sexism rooted in that statement, for me. Like...that's why women have been oppressed since forever, because they are looked at as helpless and needy and dependent on men, and their sexual "position" just proves that to sexists. Idk, that's what it felt like to me.
Also, statements like this "I want him to invade me and possess every cell of me without my permission, like he's an entitled white guy and I'm a foreign land full of innocent natives" WHAT? This...this is an actual line in the book. WHAT even??? I'm not even sure what this is supposed to mean for Henry. It made me cringe. So he wants to be colonized by Ty? Really? This is Henry while he's bottoming for the first time, and again, it is putting the bottom in a place of subservience, of getting their autonomy and free will taken away. I just did not like this.
And honestly, I started skimming pretty soon after 60%. I was just done with this book. It was so enjoyable at first too, it was so promising. And I'm not saying this book couldn't have made a political statement, or included politics - sometimes when books completely ignore politics when a moment or situation would call for it, that can also be frustrating - but this wasn't a love story with politics included in it, it was a political story with some romance, I guess? I felt Henry's feelings for Ty at first, but then I never really felt his love for Ty when he got to that place. And even though we didn't get Ty's POV, we still could have gotten a feeling that he loved Henry as well, and I didn't really get that.
The sex scenes weren't that great either, I thought. Very rushed and glossed over. They could have been fade to black and it wouldn't have made a difference.
Idk, this book just didn't do it for me at all. And I don't know if I explained myself particularly well about WHY I didn't like it, but I tried. This just didn't do it for me.
Also, the ending? Totally abrupt. We were short changed with
November 23, 2016
'Straight' by Seth King, is a love story like no other, and just like a lot of Seth's other books, I will never be the same after reading it.
This is the story of a chance encounter of 2 people on a bus and the mutual attraction is there from start. You are probably thinking 'I've read lots of insta-love stories', but believe me when I tell you, this is a love story like nothing I've ever read before. Ty is gay and Henry is straight, or so he thought. 'Straight' gives us an insight into the mind of Henry, who has dated women and has never been attracted to men, until now. He is confused at first, but can't fight his feelings for the very loveable, Ty. The way Seth has written this story from Henry's point of view is nothing short of brilliant. I felt what Henry was feeling. His confusion, his lust for Ty, his thinking, you know how he is feeling in every situation and it's like you're sitting in the same room as the characters while the book is being told. I literally couldn't get enough of this captivating story, staying up late to finish it, because I HAD to know what the outcome was for these 2 beautiful characters.
Let's face it, if you aren't part of the LGBTQ community, you can't possibly understand everything about it. We may be totally accepting of the culture, and have no problem with it, but can never fully know how hard it is for some. This is where this book taught me so much and I will take this knowledge with me forever.
The part that really stood out for me, and what I will never forget, is when Henry is confused about his feelings. How could he fall for a gay guy when he's been straight his whole life? When Seth writes, do we really fall for a gender or a 'type'. Do we actually look for personality or tall brunettes, regardless of the gender? I was captivated. It was written so beautifully, I couldn't stop reading, and I reread this part over and over, several times. There was just so much honesty there.
Speaking of honesty, this is where Seth's books set him apart from any other author I have read. He writes with honesty, pure and simple honesty and it's what keeps me coming back for more and more of his stories. In every single book I have read of his, I feel like he is giving another piece of him to us and I am always emotional reading his books, because I know, this is Seth. He writes from the heart, with a piece of his own life as the theme, and that is what keeps us readers so invested in his work.
I will say, I haven't read an M/M book before and if this book is anything to go by, it definitely won't be my last. I loved that the genre was new to me and those sex scenes are HOT!!! Mr King can write a sex scene like no other. Don't get me wrong, this book isn't full of sex scenes, there is so much more to this story, but the ones that are there, are absolutely brilliant!
I believe Seth could write any genre and always bring out the emotions in the reader, even without trying. I haven't stayed up late to finish a book for a very long time, but 'Straight' had me finishing it in a day. I just couldn't get enough of this beautiful story and I plan to get home from work tonight and reread it immediately (that never happens to me either).
I want everyone I know to read this book. I promise, it will change you in the best possible way and you'll fall in love with 2 of the most beautiful characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
Enjoy.
xx
This is the story of a chance encounter of 2 people on a bus and the mutual attraction is there from start. You are probably thinking 'I've read lots of insta-love stories', but believe me when I tell you, this is a love story like nothing I've ever read before. Ty is gay and Henry is straight, or so he thought. 'Straight' gives us an insight into the mind of Henry, who has dated women and has never been attracted to men, until now. He is confused at first, but can't fight his feelings for the very loveable, Ty. The way Seth has written this story from Henry's point of view is nothing short of brilliant. I felt what Henry was feeling. His confusion, his lust for Ty, his thinking, you know how he is feeling in every situation and it's like you're sitting in the same room as the characters while the book is being told. I literally couldn't get enough of this captivating story, staying up late to finish it, because I HAD to know what the outcome was for these 2 beautiful characters.
Let's face it, if you aren't part of the LGBTQ community, you can't possibly understand everything about it. We may be totally accepting of the culture, and have no problem with it, but can never fully know how hard it is for some. This is where this book taught me so much and I will take this knowledge with me forever.
The part that really stood out for me, and what I will never forget, is when Henry is confused about his feelings. How could he fall for a gay guy when he's been straight his whole life? When Seth writes, do we really fall for a gender or a 'type'. Do we actually look for personality or tall brunettes, regardless of the gender? I was captivated. It was written so beautifully, I couldn't stop reading, and I reread this part over and over, several times. There was just so much honesty there.
Speaking of honesty, this is where Seth's books set him apart from any other author I have read. He writes with honesty, pure and simple honesty and it's what keeps me coming back for more and more of his stories. In every single book I have read of his, I feel like he is giving another piece of him to us and I am always emotional reading his books, because I know, this is Seth. He writes from the heart, with a piece of his own life as the theme, and that is what keeps us readers so invested in his work.
I will say, I haven't read an M/M book before and if this book is anything to go by, it definitely won't be my last. I loved that the genre was new to me and those sex scenes are HOT!!! Mr King can write a sex scene like no other. Don't get me wrong, this book isn't full of sex scenes, there is so much more to this story, but the ones that are there, are absolutely brilliant!
I believe Seth could write any genre and always bring out the emotions in the reader, even without trying. I haven't stayed up late to finish a book for a very long time, but 'Straight' had me finishing it in a day. I just couldn't get enough of this beautiful story and I plan to get home from work tonight and reread it immediately (that never happens to me either).
I want everyone I know to read this book. I promise, it will change you in the best possible way and you'll fall in love with 2 of the most beautiful characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
Enjoy.
xx
January 20, 2017
ღ´¨)5 achingly awesome stars.
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•` ღ I was floored. I saw the post to the "original" story on Facebook then saw the tag by the author for his story and in that moment I knew, just KNEW I needed this in my life. There was never a moment while reading that I just had to check social media or do something else. No, the exemplary writing style, the flow of words and sentence structure, the realness just drew me in and kept me glued. I am so glad I picked up this book and wish others would too because it speaks to us all. Beyond self discovery, there is the realization that prejudice still exists and it is going to take more than just saying, but action to get us all to the next level.
I was straight as an arrow, actually, and suddenly I am falling apart at the hands of another dude.
Eyes meet across the room. The hitch of breath. The tingle of the skin. That first touch of attraction, that unsureness.
Meet Henry. Very straight. Recently separated from his girlfriend who seemed to be a leech.
Meet Ty, the über gay Justin Bieber whom everyone knows. His friends called him "the emo Abercrombie model." Unashamed of who he was, Ty exuded confidence and made no doubts about his want of Henry. He was willing to show the older man just what he was missing and how to love himself because of it.
Somehow, someway, their lives clicked and intertwined and then just happened. Was Henry really just the Q in the LGBT letters? Or was he well and truly seeing life as he never imagined it? Could Ty really be with a man who now identified as bi, but who was putting his all into Henry while said man still seemed to be riding the straight fence? "My life only clicked into place when you came into it. Maybe I was always waiting for you. Maybe my whole life, I was waiting for you to happen. For twenty-something years I could've been waiting for you to walk onto that bus." --Henry
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•` ღ I was floored. I saw the post to the "original" story on Facebook then saw the tag by the author for his story and in that moment I knew, just KNEW I needed this in my life. There was never a moment while reading that I just had to check social media or do something else. No, the exemplary writing style, the flow of words and sentence structure, the realness just drew me in and kept me glued. I am so glad I picked up this book and wish others would too because it speaks to us all. Beyond self discovery, there is the realization that prejudice still exists and it is going to take more than just saying, but action to get us all to the next level.
I was straight as an arrow, actually, and suddenly I am falling apart at the hands of another dude.
Eyes meet across the room. The hitch of breath. The tingle of the skin. That first touch of attraction, that unsureness.
Meet Henry. Very straight. Recently separated from his girlfriend who seemed to be a leech.
Meet Ty, the über gay Justin Bieber whom everyone knows. His friends called him "the emo Abercrombie model." Unashamed of who he was, Ty exuded confidence and made no doubts about his want of Henry. He was willing to show the older man just what he was missing and how to love himself because of it.
Somehow, someway, their lives clicked and intertwined and then just happened. Was Henry really just the Q in the LGBT letters? Or was he well and truly seeing life as he never imagined it? Could Ty really be with a man who now identified as bi, but who was putting his all into Henry while said man still seemed to be riding the straight fence? "My life only clicked into place when you came into it. Maybe I was always waiting for you. Maybe my whole life, I was waiting for you to happen. For twenty-something years I could've been waiting for you to walk onto that bus." --Henry
January 4, 2017
I quit...for a book that is supposed to challenge everything that you thought you knew about being straight, it was just one huge stereo type after another. I mean really, the fact that straight people only have boring sex and all gays have act a certain way is bull shit. That was awful.
November 22, 2016
How do you review a book that is not a book? That is the ultimate question. Because Straight isn't a book. It is life. Seth King took his heart and he poured it onto the pages. He broke through so many barriers, he asked so many questions. There's a reason I believe Seth King is a God. Because no one, can make me feel like he does.
Straight tells the story of Henry Morgan and Ty Stanton. But it does more than that, it opens the reader to a whole new world.
We might think we are accepting of everyone and everything. We might think that we are progressive, but in the truth of things, we are not.
I feel like the female version of Henry, I don't judge or have any prejudices about any one race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual status. But, does that make me a bystander? Am I uneducated, even though I try to stay on top of issues I really care about?
With Straight, you don't just get the romance, you get the hardship of a new relationship, of a new culture. The LGBTQ community is a culture that those of us who aren't in it, we could never understand. Because we are hard-wired to believe what society tells us is acceptable. Even if we think we don't, or aren't.
Seth King used his book to help bridge that gap, to help open our eyes, to help those who are struggling.
Many controversial topics are brought up in this book, and they are all relevant. I didn't understand a lot of the impact that recent events have brought about, I knew of some of it of course, but I never knew the full extent. While I was dying for Straight so I can read the love story, I realized that I am a different person with different feelings now that I've read it.
I've enjoyed everything from high-school romance, to PNR, to M/M. And I've read almost all of Seth's books, He's made me feel in every single one. But never like this one.
Straight isn't just about Henry questioning his sexuality and where he fits into the world. It's everyone trying to figure out where we stand now.
Straight will make you wonder. It will make you love. It will make you hurt. Seth King has brought life into his words, and he has slayed me. Between working and having to start and stop a few times, it took me approximately eight hours to read Straight. Those are eight hours I never want back.
I want to read Straight again and again. I want everyone to read this book, so they can understand, even a fraction of what this book is.
Do not pass this up. If you do, you will be missing out on a valuable life lesson.
If you feel like this world is too full of hate, too full of uneducated people, too full of sorrow. Then pick up Straight. It will hurt, it will make you question yourself, but it will be worth it.
All the tears I have shed are worth it.
Straight tells the story of Henry Morgan and Ty Stanton. But it does more than that, it opens the reader to a whole new world.
We might think we are accepting of everyone and everything. We might think that we are progressive, but in the truth of things, we are not.
I feel like the female version of Henry, I don't judge or have any prejudices about any one race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual status. But, does that make me a bystander? Am I uneducated, even though I try to stay on top of issues I really care about?
With Straight, you don't just get the romance, you get the hardship of a new relationship, of a new culture. The LGBTQ community is a culture that those of us who aren't in it, we could never understand. Because we are hard-wired to believe what society tells us is acceptable. Even if we think we don't, or aren't.
Seth King used his book to help bridge that gap, to help open our eyes, to help those who are struggling.
Many controversial topics are brought up in this book, and they are all relevant. I didn't understand a lot of the impact that recent events have brought about, I knew of some of it of course, but I never knew the full extent. While I was dying for Straight so I can read the love story, I realized that I am a different person with different feelings now that I've read it.
I've enjoyed everything from high-school romance, to PNR, to M/M. And I've read almost all of Seth's books, He's made me feel in every single one. But never like this one.
Straight isn't just about Henry questioning his sexuality and where he fits into the world. It's everyone trying to figure out where we stand now.
Straight will make you wonder. It will make you love. It will make you hurt. Seth King has brought life into his words, and he has slayed me. Between working and having to start and stop a few times, it took me approximately eight hours to read Straight. Those are eight hours I never want back.
I want to read Straight again and again. I want everyone to read this book, so they can understand, even a fraction of what this book is.
Do not pass this up. If you do, you will be missing out on a valuable life lesson.
If you feel like this world is too full of hate, too full of uneducated people, too full of sorrow. Then pick up Straight. It will hurt, it will make you question yourself, but it will be worth it.
All the tears I have shed are worth it.
maybe
March 4, 2019Freebie at the zon.com right now: https://smile.amazon.com/Straight-Set...
December 11, 2016
I understand why this book was written, but feel like the kind of people who would read MM romance are either gay or CIS allies so are already familiar with the struggle and injustices minority groups face, in particular the LGBTQIA community. I don't want to minimise it, erase it or not give the struggle credence, but this felt like a SJW rant (NB, I have claimed SJW as a badge of honour so am not using it in a derogatory sense).
I agree with absolutely everything said in the book (via Henry's inner monologue) and the issues that were raised by Ty, but was just a little sad that I didn't get a romance to go with it. It felt more like someone's diary of coming to terms with their changing sexuality and very few gooey feel good moments.
I agree with absolutely everything said in the book (via Henry's inner monologue) and the issues that were raised by Ty, but was just a little sad that I didn't get a romance to go with it. It felt more like someone's diary of coming to terms with their changing sexuality and very few gooey feel good moments.
February 7, 2017
I loved this book so much!! Really snuck up on me. Had no idea it would pull me in hard as it did. Truly connected. Will do a full review asap!
November 29, 2016
My heaven is anywhere.. we are..together.
I read "Straight" by Seth King as soon as this was released in Kindle format mid-day today. I'd been waiting as I knew that this would be of some significance to me personally, as a 'mainstream' reader but I was not certain to what degree or exactly how this would affect me.
I'm still a little shell-shocked because as much as this is a love story and I mean BIG LOVE, with fictional characters, it is powerful and true-to-life set in the South today. The setting is Savannah and the College of Art and Design. The time is 'now'.
The author speaks in the Forward "To my brother, who told me that marriage is for straight people and that I need to "shut the fuck up about it." This book is the author's truth as much as it is the love story of a straight young man named Henry who fell in love with a young man named Ty. Ty who was comfortable in his own orientation and clearly gay. Henry looked up while riding on the bus and met the eyes of a handsome guy who was looking for a seat. There there was something strange about that first visual acknowledgment. He seemed to be hitting on Henry but why? Even more confusing, Henry didn't mind and in fact liked it... This is how it began; the push-pull intoxicating relationship that grew and enchanted and confused and hurt and yet it was necessary. Entirely necessary.
As Henry began to question his orientation and was faced with the homophobic and entirely obnoxious behavior of some of his friends, he questioned "what really is masculinity, and why does it seem to be so fragile?".
Ty, an art student and a work of art himself, suggested that , "gay relationships and straight relationships are like sports bras and workout tops – they’re the same exact thing, it’s just that one of them is accepted out in public and one isn’t". To Henry it wasn't quite that simple because there are the opinions and strongly held feelings of family and friends to consider yet the attraction grew and even though Henry still didn't consider himself gay he definitely was the "Q" of LGBTQ, questioning his feelings and his orientation and his life. When he was with Ty, Henry felt that intimacy was "like our bodies are singing to each other, and every movement is a hymn. I feel a warmth, an affection, for him that I’ve ever known."
I want everyone to read this beautiful, painful, wonderful narrative that points us to possibilities and scope and beauty of the human condition. The author's voice speaks to the reader and shares the backlashes to his own coming out story as he urges us all to make beautiful noise and hold strong in the face of today's rejection of acceptance and equality by those who call themselves the 'right'. The book ends with a deeply moving dedication to the 49 victims of the Orlando Pulse massacre.
~ for Tom
I read "Straight" by Seth King as soon as this was released in Kindle format mid-day today. I'd been waiting as I knew that this would be of some significance to me personally, as a 'mainstream' reader but I was not certain to what degree or exactly how this would affect me.
I'm still a little shell-shocked because as much as this is a love story and I mean BIG LOVE, with fictional characters, it is powerful and true-to-life set in the South today. The setting is Savannah and the College of Art and Design. The time is 'now'.
The author speaks in the Forward "To my brother, who told me that marriage is for straight people and that I need to "shut the fuck up about it." This book is the author's truth as much as it is the love story of a straight young man named Henry who fell in love with a young man named Ty. Ty who was comfortable in his own orientation and clearly gay. Henry looked up while riding on the bus and met the eyes of a handsome guy who was looking for a seat. There there was something strange about that first visual acknowledgment. He seemed to be hitting on Henry but why? Even more confusing, Henry didn't mind and in fact liked it... This is how it began; the push-pull intoxicating relationship that grew and enchanted and confused and hurt and yet it was necessary. Entirely necessary.
As Henry began to question his orientation and was faced with the homophobic and entirely obnoxious behavior of some of his friends, he questioned "what really is masculinity, and why does it seem to be so fragile?".
Ty, an art student and a work of art himself, suggested that , "gay relationships and straight relationships are like sports bras and workout tops – they’re the same exact thing, it’s just that one of them is accepted out in public and one isn’t". To Henry it wasn't quite that simple because there are the opinions and strongly held feelings of family and friends to consider yet the attraction grew and even though Henry still didn't consider himself gay he definitely was the "Q" of LGBTQ, questioning his feelings and his orientation and his life. When he was with Ty, Henry felt that intimacy was "like our bodies are singing to each other, and every movement is a hymn. I feel a warmth, an affection, for him that I’ve ever known."
I want everyone to read this beautiful, painful, wonderful narrative that points us to possibilities and scope and beauty of the human condition. The author's voice speaks to the reader and shares the backlashes to his own coming out story as he urges us all to make beautiful noise and hold strong in the face of today's rejection of acceptance and equality by those who call themselves the 'right'. The book ends with a deeply moving dedication to the 49 victims of the Orlando Pulse massacre.
~ for Tom
Read
January 16, 2017Well, crap.
I can't rate this one as I'm too conflicted about how I feel about it. If I were to focus only on the story and the execution, it would be a rather low rating, but then I read the author's note at the end. And now I just can't even.
Seth King has an important, meaningful story to tell, a story that needs to be told. I'm just sorry it was told in a such a way I nearly put it down several times before reaching the end. There were sweet moments, beautiful moments, lovely prose and touching words. Sadly, it was all mixed amongst some rather heavy-handed and preachy blocks that had the odd quality of not carrying the message of the story, but detracting from it. Personally, if you're trying to make a point, you shouldn't contradict it in the next breath.
Ty's fight for equality, for the right to live his life and love whom he loves is admirable (and terrible in that he has to fight at all, let alone so hard). However, he claimed that a big hurdle was all the 'straight' men who hooked up with gay men secretly. If these men--the epitome of 'straight'--would just admit their bisexuality or homosexuality then a lot of the stigma would vanish. Yes, good, I agree. Ty should not then take one of these men, who's willing to admit and explore his bi/homosexuality, and teach him how to be gay. The whole point is made moot by Ty telling Henry he had to dress a certain way, talk a certain way, go to certain places, in order to be gay. That's enforcing the stereotype he's trying to break down.
The 'gay lessons' aren't the only problems here. There are other issues as well. Grand, sweeping statements concerning women, heterosexual life and gay versus straight all make an appearance. For a guy who doesn't want to be discriminated against for one element of his life, Ty is happy to pigeonhole everyone else.
Honestly, if you're reading this book and get to the point where you think you just can't continue with it, skip to the end and read the author's note. It will explain so much.
I can't rate this one as I'm too conflicted about how I feel about it. If I were to focus only on the story and the execution, it would be a rather low rating, but then I read the author's note at the end. And now I just can't even.
Seth King has an important, meaningful story to tell, a story that needs to be told. I'm just sorry it was told in a such a way I nearly put it down several times before reaching the end. There were sweet moments, beautiful moments, lovely prose and touching words. Sadly, it was all mixed amongst some rather heavy-handed and preachy blocks that had the odd quality of not carrying the message of the story, but detracting from it. Personally, if you're trying to make a point, you shouldn't contradict it in the next breath.
Ty's fight for equality, for the right to live his life and love whom he loves is admirable (and terrible in that he has to fight at all, let alone so hard). However, he claimed that a big hurdle was all the 'straight' men who hooked up with gay men secretly. If these men--the epitome of 'straight'--would just admit their bisexuality or homosexuality then a lot of the stigma would vanish. Yes, good, I agree. Ty should not then take one of these men, who's willing to admit and explore his bi/homosexuality, and teach him how to be gay. The whole point is made moot by Ty telling Henry he had to dress a certain way, talk a certain way, go to certain places, in order to be gay. That's enforcing the stereotype he's trying to break down.
The 'gay lessons' aren't the only problems here. There are other issues as well. Grand, sweeping statements concerning women, heterosexual life and gay versus straight all make an appearance. For a guy who doesn't want to be discriminated against for one element of his life, Ty is happy to pigeonhole everyone else.
Honestly, if you're reading this book and get to the point where you think you just can't continue with it, skip to the end and read the author's note. It will explain so much.
July 6, 2020
2 and 1/2 stars. I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t love it either. I read it because a Goodreads friend loved it. It was not an easy read for me. As a gay man I’m insulted by someone saying my being gay is a choice. I didn’t have a choice, this is who I am. I’ve been with my husband for 48 years. We met in college when I was 19. We got married in 2015 when it became legal in Illinois.
I usually love gay for you stories, and could understand Henrys difficultly in sharing his newfound love. It was the other stuff that bothered me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think most people are straight, some of us are truly gay and some are bi. I’m sorry but Ty hurt my feelings.
I usually love gay for you stories, and could understand Henrys difficultly in sharing his newfound love. It was the other stuff that bothered me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think most people are straight, some of us are truly gay and some are bi. I’m sorry but Ty hurt my feelings.
November 21, 2016
Straight by Seth King is a touching, feel good look inside the LGBTQ community verses the Straight life in Savannah. Seth King never stops amazing his readers and Straight is not going to be an exception. I was lucky to win this copy of Straight and truly enjoyed reading it. There are poignant moments and Gay bashing in the story, but Love is the focus.
Henry is Straight never any questions about that and he has no problems with the Gay community. Ty is & has been OUT always never any questions about that. Then one day a city bus ride starts a whole new learning experience for both men.
Seth King’s ability as a wordsmith is so gentle and telling in this story. The Gay lessons are the best thread through this story; it makes the reader feel the lessons are for them not just Henry. Seth King gives the reader a look into a world you might have thought you understood. Readers are going to be surprised with what they learn- be it the language, the method to being ready for sex- the way one looks at Love no matter which gender -- the inter struggles & real fear; boy am I glad to see deeper.
Ahhh thank you Seth King for this Holiday story (yes it is this too) -- I believe in LOVE even more right now. Straight by Seth King is a page-turner you really must read, I am glad I read it. In the end it is a Happy/Happy glow story.
Thanks Seth King & Good Writing
Henry is Straight never any questions about that and he has no problems with the Gay community. Ty is & has been OUT always never any questions about that. Then one day a city bus ride starts a whole new learning experience for both men.
Seth King’s ability as a wordsmith is so gentle and telling in this story. The Gay lessons are the best thread through this story; it makes the reader feel the lessons are for them not just Henry. Seth King gives the reader a look into a world you might have thought you understood. Readers are going to be surprised with what they learn- be it the language, the method to being ready for sex- the way one looks at Love no matter which gender -- the inter struggles & real fear; boy am I glad to see deeper.
Ahhh thank you Seth King for this Holiday story (yes it is this too) -- I believe in LOVE even more right now. Straight by Seth King is a page-turner you really must read, I am glad I read it. In the end it is a Happy/Happy glow story.
Thanks Seth King & Good Writing
November 25, 2016
"I decide I am never again going to let the world make me feel bad for something I feel. Because choosing to love is never wrong."
Once again I'm left thinking long after I've turned the last page of one of Seth's books. The subjects of his books are each different, but they all share a common theme of love and acceptance. Which is something this world could use a whole lot more of these days.
Henry's story made me realize the enormity of coming out in today's society. Even though he had a sudden case of insta-love with Ty, he was too scared to move ahead in a relationship with him. He kept going back and forth, and was more concerned with what everyone else would say than allowing himself to follow his own feelings. Which is really sad, because I truly believe that everyone should love who they want to love.
Probably my favorite quote of the book: "People who don't think about dick have absolutely no reason to care about people who do."
I loved the intensity and passion of Seth's writing particularly in the last 10% or so of the book, and I could feel the emotion pouring off of the pages. That is what I love about his writing, and what I'd been looking for (and what I felt was missing a little) here and there while reading the book. Because when Seth King hits his stride, I'm in awe of his words. And that is why I will forever read anything he ever writes.
Once again I'm left thinking long after I've turned the last page of one of Seth's books. The subjects of his books are each different, but they all share a common theme of love and acceptance. Which is something this world could use a whole lot more of these days.
Henry's story made me realize the enormity of coming out in today's society. Even though he had a sudden case of insta-love with Ty, he was too scared to move ahead in a relationship with him. He kept going back and forth, and was more concerned with what everyone else would say than allowing himself to follow his own feelings. Which is really sad, because I truly believe that everyone should love who they want to love.
Probably my favorite quote of the book: "People who don't think about dick have absolutely no reason to care about people who do."
I loved the intensity and passion of Seth's writing particularly in the last 10% or so of the book, and I could feel the emotion pouring off of the pages. That is what I love about his writing, and what I'd been looking for (and what I felt was missing a little) here and there while reading the book. Because when Seth King hits his stride, I'm in awe of his words. And that is why I will forever read anything he ever writes.
June 23, 2019
3 Stars
Read this and other review here: Brina and the Books
What I really enjoyed about the book was the authencity of the story. I'm certain that Seth King who is a member of the LBGT community himself took some of his own experiences and put them into this story. It's admirable how he turned those bad experiences into somethimg good which is this book. He didn't let comments, looks, and hatred define his life, he didn't back down, he wanted to share his experiences and sensitize the oblivious people to what's happening right in front of their eyes.
"What if people are just attracted to certain characteristics, no matter the sex of the person in question?"
It's beyond my understanding how so many people in the 21st century, in 2018, are still having those old-fashioned and conservative opinions about gays (and women and black people and and and...), especially in the Unites States. I live in Germany and although we have some conservative people around as well (because what country doesn't?), the situation here is not as bad as in the United States - at least that's my perception. No offence but the US claims to be so progressive but in truth, they are not. People, be more thoughtful, open, loving, understanding, and supportive.
"Humans deserve acceptance and respect, because they're humans."
I had some issues with Henry Morgan, though, the main character in this novel. Before he met Ty he seemed to live in this bubble, he lived in his own little Henry world and didn't take notice of the world around him at all. I mean, how can you be so oblivious? Do those people really exist? Maybe I am the oblivious one here, not noticing the oblivious ones. :D
There were quite a few other things that bothered me like the gay lessons or learning gay words for that matter. It made no sense to me at all.
And why would they both refer to the other as 'kid' in front of other people and in their minds? They were in their mid-twenties and definitely not kids anymore.
I also think that the ending was too rushed.
Straight is a real provocative read and should definitely get more attention. Although there were things I didn't like, Straight delivers a very important message which is why I give it 3 Stars.
"Love does not exist between men and women. Love does not exist between blondes and brunettes. Love does not exist between Caucasian people and Asian people. Love exists between humans.
**********
I'm not sure what to think. 🤔
RTC!!
Read this and other review here: Brina and the Books
What I really enjoyed about the book was the authencity of the story. I'm certain that Seth King who is a member of the LBGT community himself took some of his own experiences and put them into this story. It's admirable how he turned those bad experiences into somethimg good which is this book. He didn't let comments, looks, and hatred define his life, he didn't back down, he wanted to share his experiences and sensitize the oblivious people to what's happening right in front of their eyes.
"What if people are just attracted to certain characteristics, no matter the sex of the person in question?"
It's beyond my understanding how so many people in the 21st century, in 2018, are still having those old-fashioned and conservative opinions about gays (and women and black people and and and...), especially in the Unites States. I live in Germany and although we have some conservative people around as well (because what country doesn't?), the situation here is not as bad as in the United States - at least that's my perception. No offence but the US claims to be so progressive but in truth, they are not. People, be more thoughtful, open, loving, understanding, and supportive.
"Humans deserve acceptance and respect, because they're humans."
I had some issues with Henry Morgan, though, the main character in this novel. Before he met Ty he seemed to live in this bubble, he lived in his own little Henry world and didn't take notice of the world around him at all. I mean, how can you be so oblivious? Do those people really exist? Maybe I am the oblivious one here, not noticing the oblivious ones. :D
There were quite a few other things that bothered me like the gay lessons or learning gay words for that matter. It made no sense to me at all.
And why would they both refer to the other as 'kid' in front of other people and in their minds? They were in their mid-twenties and definitely not kids anymore.
I also think that the ending was too rushed.
Straight is a real provocative read and should definitely get more attention. Although there were things I didn't like, Straight delivers a very important message which is why I give it 3 Stars.
"Love does not exist between men and women. Love does not exist between blondes and brunettes. Love does not exist between Caucasian people and Asian people. Love exists between humans.
**********
I'm not sure what to think. 🤔
RTC!!
April 17, 2020
Un capolavoro di denuncia sociale e un grido di libertà. La storia d'amore tra Henry e Ty passa decisamente in secondo piano, anche se è un romance a tutti gli effetti, grazie alle disquisizioni e al processo di maturazione mentale di Henry, la sua presa di coscienza, il suo aprire gli occhi su cose che ha sempre ignorato per pigrizia, disinteresse, estrazione sociale. E' un libro che va letto e amato in tutte le sue parti, anche quelle spinose.
January 8, 2017
Seth King blew my mind with this powerful story of love, self acceptance and really bravery. The note from the author at the end is a must read (thank you for not changing the tone of this amazing book). Highly recommended!!!
Read
January 16, 2017DNF 42%
This was just so boring.
This was just so boring.
June 7, 2018
2-2.5 stars.
When I first saw the blurb for this I thought it was a sweet idea. I thought it was gonna be a nice story about two guys who meet and fall in love. Well, colour me so fucking wrong.
I'll say first up that I definitely felt the passion the author had for this story. The writing was really well done. It was like he was fighting a fight for his characters lives with every word and I respect that. But honestly, the overall the message of the book was about as subtle as a sledgehammer being repeatedly bashed over your head. To me, this book was angry and political and that is not my bag for any type of romantic fiction.
This book was heavy handed. I honestly felt uncomfortable reading parts of it because it felt like it was saying that if I wasn't gay then I wasn't living a full life. And the sentiment is repeated throughout the whole book whether the author meant it or not.
I could go on, but ultimately the romance portion of this story was lacking for me. Ty was a great character. He was funny and passionate, the life of the party and so bloody forgiving he was almost a doormat. But Henry. Omg. Henry was a big hot mess.
Look, I understand confusion, naivety and fear. But underneath it all Henry was just plain old selfish. It was all about him. So much so that his ex-girlfriend calls him out on it, but he still doesn't change. He spends the majority of the novel flip-flopping between choosing to be with Ty and then changing his mind. It's like he's hedging his romantic bets. One minute he's caveman possessive "this cock is all mine and no one else's" towards Ty and then he's flirting with his ex-girlfriend 5 min later because he's 'totally single and maybe the gay thing is just a phase'. He goes between being absolutely sure Ty is the one for him to being embarrassed and unsure and denying Ty all together. After the 5th time I was rolling my eyes but it still kept happening.
I liked Henry in the beginning. But hated him towards the end. Yes, he was on a huge personal journey, but I didn't respect him. He never really committed to Ty. He never spoke to him about his true feelings. He spoke to everyone else about what he should do. He even took the world's worst advice from strangers online, but he shut everyone else out. Not even in the end did he really redeem himself in my eyes. Seriously. WTF??? Yep. Total boyfriend material, right there. Not.
And if you want a HEA? Yeah, fuck that.
Maybe it's a satire. I'd feel a heck of a lot better about it if it was...
When I first saw the blurb for this I thought it was a sweet idea. I thought it was gonna be a nice story about two guys who meet and fall in love. Well, colour me so fucking wrong.
I'll say first up that I definitely felt the passion the author had for this story. The writing was really well done. It was like he was fighting a fight for his characters lives with every word and I respect that. But honestly, the overall the message of the book was about as subtle as a sledgehammer being repeatedly bashed over your head. To me, this book was angry and political and that is not my bag for any type of romantic fiction.
This book was heavy handed. I honestly felt uncomfortable reading parts of it because it felt like it was saying that if I wasn't gay then I wasn't living a full life. And the sentiment is repeated throughout the whole book whether the author meant it or not.
I could go on, but ultimately the romance portion of this story was lacking for me. Ty was a great character. He was funny and passionate, the life of the party and so bloody forgiving he was almost a doormat. But Henry. Omg. Henry was a big hot mess.
Look, I understand confusion, naivety and fear. But underneath it all Henry was just plain old selfish. It was all about him. So much so that his ex-girlfriend calls him out on it, but he still doesn't change. He spends the majority of the novel flip-flopping between choosing to be with Ty and then changing his mind. It's like he's hedging his romantic bets. One minute he's caveman possessive "this cock is all mine and no one else's" towards Ty and then he's flirting with his ex-girlfriend 5 min later because he's 'totally single and maybe the gay thing is just a phase'. He goes between being absolutely sure Ty is the one for him to being embarrassed and unsure and denying Ty all together. After the 5th time I was rolling my eyes but it still kept happening.
I liked Henry in the beginning. But hated him towards the end. Yes, he was on a huge personal journey, but I didn't respect him. He never really committed to Ty. He never spoke to him about his true feelings. He spoke to everyone else about what he should do. He even took the world's worst advice from strangers online, but he shut everyone else out. Not even in the end did he really redeem himself in my eyes. Seriously. WTF??? Yep. Total boyfriend material, right there. Not.
And if you want a HEA? Yeah, fuck that.
Maybe it's a satire. I'd feel a heck of a lot better about it if it was...
November 27, 2016
Straight by Seth King
We ask ourselves each day, what is love? Love can be anything you want it be in my opinion. It can be the love of your child, the love of the planet, the love an inanimate object. Love is love anyway which way you put it. The love story of Henry and Ty is one of those that in today’s society is still trying to be accepted.
Here we have Henry, straight as straight can be. College student, had plenty of girlfriends, dressed preppy. Until he meets this adorably good looking man on the bus that turned his world on its axis. Henry is a very liberal minded person, never having issues with anyone of race or gender so when this cute guy hits on him on the bus, he’s both confused and curious. Henry’s curiosity makes him question his life’s choices.
Ty was ever so patient with Henry. Ty knew that Henry would be giving up a lot of the person he once was to start off a relationship with a man. Yet, Henry’s fears and the stories he would see on the television or read in the paper made him even more scared for venturing into a same sex relationship, yet his mind and body always craved Ty. My heart did go out for Henry and his struggles with his sexuality.
You will see the author’s words coming through towards the end of the book, the emotions, the prose which I wanted more throughout, but I get what I can from Seth King because he always leaves me wanting to read his words. If you follow him on Facebook, you know he’s a big advocate for the LGTBQ community and more so now with the election that we all do not like discussing anymore. I especially loved how he dedicated his book the the victims of the Pulse nightclub. Seth, continue voicing yourself. You and the millions of others who just want to be loved are here to stay. On November 27, 2016 pick up your copy of Straight and see Henry and Ty’s love story unfold.
For more reviews, visit
*An ARC was provided for an honest review.
We ask ourselves each day, what is love? Love can be anything you want it be in my opinion. It can be the love of your child, the love of the planet, the love an inanimate object. Love is love anyway which way you put it. The love story of Henry and Ty is one of those that in today’s society is still trying to be accepted.
Here we have Henry, straight as straight can be. College student, had plenty of girlfriends, dressed preppy. Until he meets this adorably good looking man on the bus that turned his world on its axis. Henry is a very liberal minded person, never having issues with anyone of race or gender so when this cute guy hits on him on the bus, he’s both confused and curious. Henry’s curiosity makes him question his life’s choices.
Ty was ever so patient with Henry. Ty knew that Henry would be giving up a lot of the person he once was to start off a relationship with a man. Yet, Henry’s fears and the stories he would see on the television or read in the paper made him even more scared for venturing into a same sex relationship, yet his mind and body always craved Ty. My heart did go out for Henry and his struggles with his sexuality.
You will see the author’s words coming through towards the end of the book, the emotions, the prose which I wanted more throughout, but I get what I can from Seth King because he always leaves me wanting to read his words. If you follow him on Facebook, you know he’s a big advocate for the LGTBQ community and more so now with the election that we all do not like discussing anymore. I especially loved how he dedicated his book the the victims of the Pulse nightclub. Seth, continue voicing yourself. You and the millions of others who just want to be loved are here to stay. On November 27, 2016 pick up your copy of Straight and see Henry and Ty’s love story unfold.
For more reviews, visit
*An ARC was provided for an honest review.
November 29, 2016
This is a journey of self discovery for Henry who always considered himself straight and always dated women. But one encounter with Ty on a bus has sparks flying and an immediate attraction developing...which is new and confusing to Henry.
Ty is funny, charming, artsy, and has an eclectic style. He has always embraced his sexuality and the fact that he is gay. Henry feels boring in comparison and his world seems more close minded and stifled. Their blooming friendship and relationship open up Henry's eyes to things he never really thought much about before. He is trying to navigate new feelings, but is open to exploring a relationship with Ty even though he is also confused, afraid, and it is a new world to him. Ty serves as both an object of affection as well as an educator for Henry as he gently guides Henry through the process of being with a man and also about issues that affect the LGBT community.
Many relevant topics are weaved into this story as they are part of the world we live in. It deals with the social ramifications the LGBT community faces. It brings up topics of homophobia, hate, and violence. It touches on politics and equality. Even some current events are layered in.
I read a lot of M/M books and have gay friends that are willing to have frank discussions with me, so I do know more than some other readers might about some of the issues. But this brings them really home as described through the voice of the more experienced gay man and seen through the eyes of a man still coming to terms with his own sexual identity. The way it was written made it easy to empathize and identify with the fears, doubts, insecurities, and unfairness that people can endure from the negative influences in our society.
It was thought provoking, funny, sweet, emotional, frustrating, and eye-opening. It encourages acceptance, understanding, unconditional love, and action. And illustrates the fact that we all need to hope that it gets better and do our part to make that happen.
I have to say that something did really interfere with me loving this book. I was disappointed in the abrupt ending. I stayed up late to finish because I was interested in the resolution of the love story of Ty and Henry and getting some more big swoons. I could not believe it when it appeared to be just about to have a pivotal moment that I had been waiting for...and then...just ended. This book had interesting and likable characters, a good story line, passion, humor, and important messages, but I feel like their romance did get cheated in the end.
Ty is funny, charming, artsy, and has an eclectic style. He has always embraced his sexuality and the fact that he is gay. Henry feels boring in comparison and his world seems more close minded and stifled. Their blooming friendship and relationship open up Henry's eyes to things he never really thought much about before. He is trying to navigate new feelings, but is open to exploring a relationship with Ty even though he is also confused, afraid, and it is a new world to him. Ty serves as both an object of affection as well as an educator for Henry as he gently guides Henry through the process of being with a man and also about issues that affect the LGBT community.
Many relevant topics are weaved into this story as they are part of the world we live in. It deals with the social ramifications the LGBT community faces. It brings up topics of homophobia, hate, and violence. It touches on politics and equality. Even some current events are layered in.
I read a lot of M/M books and have gay friends that are willing to have frank discussions with me, so I do know more than some other readers might about some of the issues. But this brings them really home as described through the voice of the more experienced gay man and seen through the eyes of a man still coming to terms with his own sexual identity. The way it was written made it easy to empathize and identify with the fears, doubts, insecurities, and unfairness that people can endure from the negative influences in our society.
It was thought provoking, funny, sweet, emotional, frustrating, and eye-opening. It encourages acceptance, understanding, unconditional love, and action. And illustrates the fact that we all need to hope that it gets better and do our part to make that happen.
I have to say that something did really interfere with me loving this book. I was disappointed in the abrupt ending. I stayed up late to finish because I was interested in the resolution of the love story of Ty and Henry and getting some more big swoons. I could not believe it when it appeared to be just about to have a pivotal moment that I had been waiting for...and then...just ended. This book had interesting and likable characters, a good story line, passion, humor, and important messages, but I feel like their romance did get cheated in the end.
November 18, 2016
From the beginning this book grabbed me and did not let me go. Henry's story of self discovery and watching him come to terms with who he is was amazing to witness. Ty was so sweet and honest, and truly genuine and I loved that about him! This story had so many great one liners. I literally laughed out loud and cried too. This needed to be written. It's an important and much needed view into the LGBTQ community.
Make no mistake this is a get weak in the knees kind of love story. Everything you would expect from a Seth King book and more. To the swoon worthy characters and beautifully written words. Straight is one of the most important books our generation could read. Hopefully teaching all of us, even those that may not understand at this time that love is love is love.
Make no mistake this is a get weak in the knees kind of love story. Everything you would expect from a Seth King book and more. To the swoon worthy characters and beautifully written words. Straight is one of the most important books our generation could read. Hopefully teaching all of us, even those that may not understand at this time that love is love is love.
April 7, 2019
Straight is a beautifully written, thought provoking read. I’ve always been of the opinion that love is love. Doesn’t matter if you love a goldfish, a mini metro, boy or girl. Love makes the world a better place to be. Hatred and bigotry cause pain, conflict and upset - no one wants that shit.
Henry made me cross so many times in this book. He was like Judas, denying Ty and each time Ty forgave him. Closed the door on it. Moved on. STOP IT HENRY! You’re hurting him and hurting yourself in the process.
Ty with his captivating eyes and open heart owned me. I want to share his sparkle and proudly take his hand and be his friend.
Although Straight preaches a message about acceptance it didn’t feel preachy, it just felt like something that has to be said.
“Humans deserve acceptance and respect, because they’re humans - why would that even be under debate?”
“I wonder if he knows the strobe lights are jealous of the colors in his soul; I wonder if he is aware the DJ is envious of the songs his eyes make when he smiles.”
“Ty Stanton does not need the light of the moon to prove he is better. He would be breathtaking in a new moon and at high noon, too. He is moonproof.”
“Love does not exist between men and women. Love does not exist between blondes and brunettes. Love does not exist between Caucasian people and Asian people. Love exists between humans,”
Great book Seth King. Ignore the haters and just feel the love instead.
Henry made me cross so many times in this book. He was like Judas, denying Ty and each time Ty forgave him. Closed the door on it. Moved on. STOP IT HENRY! You’re hurting him and hurting yourself in the process.
Ty with his captivating eyes and open heart owned me. I want to share his sparkle and proudly take his hand and be his friend.
Although Straight preaches a message about acceptance it didn’t feel preachy, it just felt like something that has to be said.
“Humans deserve acceptance and respect, because they’re humans - why would that even be under debate?”
“I wonder if he knows the strobe lights are jealous of the colors in his soul; I wonder if he is aware the DJ is envious of the songs his eyes make when he smiles.”
“Ty Stanton does not need the light of the moon to prove he is better. He would be breathtaking in a new moon and at high noon, too. He is moonproof.”
“Love does not exist between men and women. Love does not exist between blondes and brunettes. Love does not exist between Caucasian people and Asian people. Love exists between humans,”
Great book Seth King. Ignore the haters and just feel the love instead.
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