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Social Intercourse
Beckett Gaines, a gay teen living in South Carolina, has his world turned upside-down by a jock in this laugh-out-loud novel that’s Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets The Parent Trap .
The Golden Girls -loving, out-and-proud choir nerd growing up in the “ass-crack of the Bible belt.”
The Golden Boy, star quarterback with a slick veneer facing uncomfortable truths about himself and his past.
When Beck’s emotionally fragile dad starts dating the recently single (and supposedly lesbian) mom of former bully, Jaxon Parker, Beck is not having it. Jax isn’t happy about the situation either, holding out hope that his moms will reunite and restore the only stable home he’s ever known. Putting aside past differences, the boys plot to derail the budding romance between their parents at their conservative hometown’s first-ever Rainbow Prom. Hearts will be broken, new romance will bloom, but nothing will go down the way Beck and Jax have planned.
In his hilarious and provocative debut, Greg Howard examines the challenges of growing up different in a small southern town through the lens of colorful and unforgettable characters who stay with you long after the last drop of sweet tea.
The Golden Girls -loving, out-and-proud choir nerd growing up in the “ass-crack of the Bible belt.”
The Golden Boy, star quarterback with a slick veneer facing uncomfortable truths about himself and his past.
When Beck’s emotionally fragile dad starts dating the recently single (and supposedly lesbian) mom of former bully, Jaxon Parker, Beck is not having it. Jax isn’t happy about the situation either, holding out hope that his moms will reunite and restore the only stable home he’s ever known. Putting aside past differences, the boys plot to derail the budding romance between their parents at their conservative hometown’s first-ever Rainbow Prom. Hearts will be broken, new romance will bloom, but nothing will go down the way Beck and Jax have planned.
In his hilarious and provocative debut, Greg Howard examines the challenges of growing up different in a small southern town through the lens of colorful and unforgettable characters who stay with you long after the last drop of sweet tea.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 5, 2018
71 people are currently reading
3455 people want to read
About the author
Greg Howard
6 books285 followersGreg Howard was born and raised in the South Carolina Lowcountry, where his love of words and stories blossomed at a young age. Originally set on becoming a songwriter, Greg followed that dream to the bright lights of Nashville, Tennessee, and spent years producing the music of others before eventually returning to his childhood passion of writing stories.
Greg is an Edgar Award nominee (The Whispers) and writes young-adult and middle-grade novels focusing on LGBTQ characters and issues. He has an unhealthy obsession with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and currently resides in Nashville with his three rescued fur babies--Molly, Toby, and Riley.
Greg is an Edgar Award nominee (The Whispers) and writes young-adult and middle-grade novels focusing on LGBTQ characters and issues. He has an unhealthy obsession with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and currently resides in Nashville with his three rescued fur babies--Molly, Toby, and Riley.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
June 30, 2018
I read an essay by the author where he talked about the tendency of LGBT YA books to steer away from sex and their protagonists are typically, for lack of a better term, "straightpassing", which I definitely agree with so I thought this book would be a pretty good read. Wrong call.
In the first chapter, apart from casual cissexism and misogyny among other things, there's like a page at the very end of it with a woman who is referred to as "a thing" the whole time and "a whore" a couple times throughout it. That pretty much did it for me to be honest, but I still read the whole book.
Misogyny, cissexism, biphobia, transphobia, racism; you name it, this book probably has it.
The two protagonists are just not likable. Beckett in general is such a hypocritical character. He doesn't like when Jax's mom uses the t slur but is regularly transphobic and never shows any sign of learning not to be. You're supposed to think he cares about women but is constantly incredibly misogynistic towards those he doesn't like. Tracee especially is a constant target of his for the sole reason that she's dating his dad and he really only stops thinking of her as a whore, or "Big Tits" as he calls her in his head, when he starts getting friendly with her son. The fact that Beckett uses a detail from Jax's abusive childhood (that was clearly personal because Jax multiple times lied about not remembering) to make Jax's mother think that his father was abusing him did not help him. Now is this all probably a realistic portrayal of a cis white gay teen? Yeah, but there's just so much bigotry I can look past under that excuse.
Jax is maybe not as awful from what we get on his point of view, but he also fakes a hate crime to scare his mom which is wildly inconsiderate, to say the least, of someone who isn't straight himself.
Also, if the entirety of all that wasn't enough, this book falls into the "closeted gays are the real homophobes" trope by having Beckett shut down the religious protesters of the LGBT prom by exposing their leading pastor for being gay. I'm not sure what that scene was trying to achieve, other than maybe making us laugh at the religious fools who had to leave their hateful protest with their tails between their legs because the pastor turned out to be exactly what he preached against. I don't think I laughed, though.
I'm sure the intentions of this book were good, and I can't say I don't appreciate it for its honest portrayal of gay teenage sexuality, but those few positive details were heavily overshadowed by its flaws.
A few choice quotes:
"... I know my mom is way gay enough that she’ll start missing the vag pretty soon."
I squint at him and drop the pizza crust on my tray. "Okay, ew. I’m eating here."
“I don’t get it. Mom said she’s always been with women. What changed? How can you just switch like that?”
JoJo chuckles. “Well, in my experience, it’s not that cut-and-dry with women. Not in every case, mind you. I’m a gold star lesbian and always will be."
"Gay stink eye is much worse than white girl stink eye. It’s actually more akin to black girl neck roll."
"Or maybe I feel sorry for her, because I know that her wife walked out on her and is now screwing my dad. To be cheated on is one thing, but to be cheated on with someone sporting body parts you can’t fully compete with must be a real kick in the cooch."
"You do know my mom is a lesbian, right?” .... "He takes a deep breath and cocks his head at me. “Well, I don’t think it’s that simple, Jax. I’ve always believed that women are more evolved than men in some ways.”"
"And no, he just can’t decide if he wants dick or pussy, and I’m not playing that game."
In the first chapter, apart from casual cissexism and misogyny among other things, there's like a page at the very end of it with a woman who is referred to as "a thing" the whole time and "a whore" a couple times throughout it. That pretty much did it for me to be honest, but I still read the whole book.
Misogyny, cissexism, biphobia, transphobia, racism; you name it, this book probably has it.
The two protagonists are just not likable. Beckett in general is such a hypocritical character. He doesn't like when Jax's mom uses the t slur but is regularly transphobic and never shows any sign of learning not to be. You're supposed to think he cares about women but is constantly incredibly misogynistic towards those he doesn't like. Tracee especially is a constant target of his for the sole reason that she's dating his dad and he really only stops thinking of her as a whore, or "Big Tits" as he calls her in his head, when he starts getting friendly with her son. The fact that Beckett uses a detail from Jax's abusive childhood (that was clearly personal because Jax multiple times lied about not remembering) to make Jax's mother think that his father was abusing him did not help him. Now is this all probably a realistic portrayal of a cis white gay teen? Yeah, but there's just so much bigotry I can look past under that excuse.
Jax is maybe not as awful from what we get on his point of view, but he also fakes a hate crime to scare his mom which is wildly inconsiderate, to say the least, of someone who isn't straight himself.
Also, if the entirety of all that wasn't enough, this book falls into the "closeted gays are the real homophobes" trope by having Beckett shut down the religious protesters of the LGBT prom by exposing their leading pastor for being gay. I'm not sure what that scene was trying to achieve, other than maybe making us laugh at the religious fools who had to leave their hateful protest with their tails between their legs because the pastor turned out to be exactly what he preached against. I don't think I laughed, though.
I'm sure the intentions of this book were good, and I can't say I don't appreciate it for its honest portrayal of gay teenage sexuality, but those few positive details were heavily overshadowed by its flaws.
A few choice quotes:
"... I know my mom is way gay enough that she’ll start missing the vag pretty soon."
I squint at him and drop the pizza crust on my tray. "Okay, ew. I’m eating here."
“I don’t get it. Mom said she’s always been with women. What changed? How can you just switch like that?”
JoJo chuckles. “Well, in my experience, it’s not that cut-and-dry with women. Not in every case, mind you. I’m a gold star lesbian and always will be."
"Gay stink eye is much worse than white girl stink eye. It’s actually more akin to black girl neck roll."
"Or maybe I feel sorry for her, because I know that her wife walked out on her and is now screwing my dad. To be cheated on is one thing, but to be cheated on with someone sporting body parts you can’t fully compete with must be a real kick in the cooch."
"You do know my mom is a lesbian, right?” .... "He takes a deep breath and cocks his head at me. “Well, I don’t think it’s that simple, Jax. I’ve always believed that women are more evolved than men in some ways.”"
"And no, he just can’t decide if he wants dick or pussy, and I’m not playing that game."
September 20, 2021
Audio - 5 ++++ Stars Michael Crouch and Will Damron are the only reason I didn' t dnf.
Story - 2 Stars
Story - 2 Stars
July 3, 2018
There were a few things about the book that I wasn't thrilled about but overall I enjoyed this YA novel featuring lgbt characters. Teenage boy Beck loves watching The Golden Girls with his straight and single dad. Being out and proud isn't very easy when you live in a conservative Southern town. Jaxon, is the star athlete at his high school and his two mothers have recently split up. When Beck's father and Jaxon's mother, Tracee, start dating, neither boy is very happy about it. They set out to break up the relationship but nothing seems to go according to plan.
I absolutely loved the chemistry between the two boys. And I do like the message of the book which was love who you love and don't worry about labels. While the book tackled lgbt issues there were also other topics brought up including divorce and adoption. I do think the author was overly ambitious and tried too hard to include every single issue a lgbt teen might face. The weakest part was the story line involving the pastor as it just didn't seem to fit in as well with everything else.
There are definitely some things about this book that were hard to read. Beck in particular was very hard to like at times as he was very shallow and misogynistic. I guess you can decide for yourself if it was a realistic depiction of a teenager or he was just a jerk. At the very least there did appear to be some growth by him by the end of the book. I also wasn't a big fan of Tracee and some of the things she said about her son to other people and the scene where she is waiting in Beck's bedroom is a complete wtf moment.
This is the type of book that I would love to hear more from the author about the writing process and it would make an excellent book club selection because I think everyone is going to take away something different. It's also one of the few books in which I would love for there to be a sequel as I felt very invested in the characters by the end and would love to see what the future holds for the both of them.
I won a free copy of this book from a ShelfAwareness giveaway but I was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
I absolutely loved the chemistry between the two boys. And I do like the message of the book which was love who you love and don't worry about labels. While the book tackled lgbt issues there were also other topics brought up including divorce and adoption. I do think the author was overly ambitious and tried too hard to include every single issue a lgbt teen might face. The weakest part was the story line involving the pastor as it just didn't seem to fit in as well with everything else.
There are definitely some things about this book that were hard to read. Beck in particular was very hard to like at times as he was very shallow and misogynistic. I guess you can decide for yourself if it was a realistic depiction of a teenager or he was just a jerk. At the very least there did appear to be some growth by him by the end of the book. I also wasn't a big fan of Tracee and some of the things she said about her son to other people and the scene where she is waiting in Beck's bedroom is a complete wtf moment.
This is the type of book that I would love to hear more from the author about the writing process and it would make an excellent book club selection because I think everyone is going to take away something different. It's also one of the few books in which I would love for there to be a sequel as I felt very invested in the characters by the end and would love to see what the future holds for the both of them.
I won a free copy of this book from a ShelfAwareness giveaway but I was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
June 19, 2018
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I had my 2018 book wishlist all set up, and this was at the top of it. I picked it up at B&N, and put it down unsatisfied. The first five pages of this book are great. They're funny, hilarious, and relatable. Did someone say sassy power bottom? Golden Girls references? An out and proud gay character? I WAS HERE FOR IT!
It lost me at page six, when Beckett refers to his father's new girlfriend as Big Titties, and subsequently calls her a thing and a whore multiple times. It only goes downhill from there. A few pages later, Tracee calls transpeople as a whole tr*nnies (which is a slur used against transwomen), where Beckett corrects her and says transgender. I was like yeah!! Four pages later, and throughout the book, he is insistent that men must have penises and just inherent cissexism and multiple accounts of transphobia. I am a transman. To see a book get published in 2018 where a gay character constantly states real men only have penises fucking sucks.
On the same page as the penis comment, Beckett calls someone a gaysian, a "gay Asian" and earlier in the book says gaycist, in lieu of telling his father to stop stereotyping him. Hate to break it to you, but "gaysians" are...just gay people...who happen to be Asian....shocking. Beckett, who is supposed to be this sassy, flamboyant gay, attaches his actions to those blatantly taken from Black culture and, more specifically, Black women's culture, something that white gays do notoriously in real life.
Jesus Christ, the biphobia in this book is rampant . It's insane. Tracee is the mother of Jax, who also happens to have another mother (and also there to be the in the closet jock stereotype). Tracee has decided to divorce her wife because she no longer feels happy in the marriage, and has come to terms with being bisexual. Here are some lovely quotes about her bisexuality:
"I know my mom is way gay enough that she’ll start missing the vag pretty soon."
I squint at him and drop the pizza crust on my tray. "Okay, ew. I’m eating here." (Jax POV)
“I don’t get it. Mom said she’s always been with women. What changed? How can you just switch like that?”
JoJo chuckles. “Well, in my experience, it’s not that cut-and-dry with women. Not in every case, mind you. I’m a gold star lesbian and always will be." (Jax talking with one of his mothers)
I just??? What the hell??? Is this some weird take on feminism because I for one can say I don't understand it. The biphobia in this book is so bad, that when Jax comes out as bisexual (after denying it the entire book, looking down on it, and saying multiple times he doesn't understand bisexuality because what if your partner just leaves you for the other sex????), it almost feels like a joke.
Let's also talk about Jax himself. It's revealed later in the story that Jax was abused as a child, and his mothers adopted him and saved him. Well, you wouldn't think someone who's been through this would orchestrate a FAKE HATE CRIME just to get his mom to brake up with Beckett's dad, right? You would think wrong, because he actually does that.
In fact, the both of them also out a gay priest when that could leave the priest in potential danger for his goddamn life. Beckett has the gross mentality that people who stay in the closet are the real homophobes because they're not out and proud, when being out could cost them their homes, their lives, and everything they know. Like he's somehow superior to kids who can't come out, instead of understanding being gay is still punishable by death in some countries, and that violence against LGBT people have gone up 80% since the Trump administration has taken over. It's so fucking annoying.
Also, Beckett's best friend, (I forgot her name) is plus size. In the book, they met because someone was picking on Beckett and she punched them, playing into the violent fat girl stereotype. There's also the fact that she literally never stops eating or inquiring about food. Like, okay, we get it, she's fat. Give her some character development already.
I will say, though, that I did like one thing. I liked the open dialogue about gay sex and the differences between losing a straight virginity and a gay virginity. There isn't enough information about gay sex being put out there for gay teens, so I like that this was a very open conversation in the book while managing not to be too cringe and gross to read.
TL;DR: Jax and Beckett are nothing but their closeted jock/flamboyant gay stereotypes, and the racist, misogynistic, transphobic, and biphobic undertones of the book put me off of the narrative.
Honestly, I like Greg Howard's writing style. I think he's funny and I think he has the power to write really good stories about gay men finding themselves through their sexuality, he just has to learn about something other than white gay culture first.
It lost me at page six, when Beckett refers to his father's new girlfriend as Big Titties, and subsequently calls her a thing and a whore multiple times. It only goes downhill from there. A few pages later, Tracee calls transpeople as a whole tr*nnies (which is a slur used against transwomen), where Beckett corrects her and says transgender. I was like yeah!! Four pages later, and throughout the book, he is insistent that men must have penises and just inherent cissexism and multiple accounts of transphobia. I am a transman. To see a book get published in 2018 where a gay character constantly states real men only have penises fucking sucks.
On the same page as the penis comment, Beckett calls someone a gaysian, a "gay Asian" and earlier in the book says gaycist, in lieu of telling his father to stop stereotyping him. Hate to break it to you, but "gaysians" are...just gay people...who happen to be Asian....shocking. Beckett, who is supposed to be this sassy, flamboyant gay, attaches his actions to those blatantly taken from Black culture and, more specifically, Black women's culture, something that white gays do notoriously in real life.
Jesus Christ, the biphobia in this book is rampant . It's insane. Tracee is the mother of Jax, who also happens to have another mother (and also there to be the in the closet jock stereotype). Tracee has decided to divorce her wife because she no longer feels happy in the marriage, and has come to terms with being bisexual. Here are some lovely quotes about her bisexuality:
"I know my mom is way gay enough that she’ll start missing the vag pretty soon."
I squint at him and drop the pizza crust on my tray. "Okay, ew. I’m eating here." (Jax POV)
“I don’t get it. Mom said she’s always been with women. What changed? How can you just switch like that?”
JoJo chuckles. “Well, in my experience, it’s not that cut-and-dry with women. Not in every case, mind you. I’m a gold star lesbian and always will be." (Jax talking with one of his mothers)
I just??? What the hell??? Is this some weird take on feminism because I for one can say I don't understand it. The biphobia in this book is so bad, that when Jax comes out as bisexual (after denying it the entire book, looking down on it, and saying multiple times he doesn't understand bisexuality because what if your partner just leaves you for the other sex????), it almost feels like a joke.
Let's also talk about Jax himself. It's revealed later in the story that Jax was abused as a child, and his mothers adopted him and saved him. Well, you wouldn't think someone who's been through this would orchestrate a FAKE HATE CRIME just to get his mom to brake up with Beckett's dad, right? You would think wrong, because he actually does that.
In fact, the both of them also out a gay priest when that could leave the priest in potential danger for his goddamn life. Beckett has the gross mentality that people who stay in the closet are the real homophobes because they're not out and proud, when being out could cost them their homes, their lives, and everything they know. Like he's somehow superior to kids who can't come out, instead of understanding being gay is still punishable by death in some countries, and that violence against LGBT people have gone up 80% since the Trump administration has taken over. It's so fucking annoying.
Also, Beckett's best friend, (I forgot her name) is plus size. In the book, they met because someone was picking on Beckett and she punched them, playing into the violent fat girl stereotype. There's also the fact that she literally never stops eating or inquiring about food. Like, okay, we get it, she's fat. Give her some character development already.
I will say, though, that I did like one thing. I liked the open dialogue about gay sex and the differences between losing a straight virginity and a gay virginity. There isn't enough information about gay sex being put out there for gay teens, so I like that this was a very open conversation in the book while managing not to be too cringe and gross to read.
TL;DR: Jax and Beckett are nothing but their closeted jock/flamboyant gay stereotypes, and the racist, misogynistic, transphobic, and biphobic undertones of the book put me off of the narrative.
Honestly, I like Greg Howard's writing style. I think he's funny and I think he has the power to write really good stories about gay men finding themselves through their sexuality, he just has to learn about something other than white gay culture first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2020
So, one thing this book does very well is illustrate the huge misogyny problem that is still rife in many cis white gay communities. Misogyny within the cis gay community is a very real thing - gay men calling women bitches and whores, body shaming them, and being bioessentialist and cissexist by talking about how disgusting vaginas are - and every single one of those things happens multiple times in this book.
When I turned to page 10 and the protagonist was already being a gigantic misogynist to his dad's girlfriend, referring to her as a Thing with big tits, I thought this book might be trying to call out the misogyny problem within queer communities.
Nope. The author just finds it really funny, apparently. It's not. Add in a whole bunch of racist jokes and some casual unchecked transphobia, and this book made for an incredibly uncomfortable read. Neither protagonist was even remotely likeable or complex. Both faked a hate crime and one faked parental abuse to manipulate those around them. The plot was paper thin and neither protagonist faces any consequences for being awful. My thoughts on this one are basically just "no, absolutely not, thanks."
When I turned to page 10 and the protagonist was already being a gigantic misogynist to his dad's girlfriend, referring to her as a Thing with big tits, I thought this book might be trying to call out the misogyny problem within queer communities.
Nope. The author just finds it really funny, apparently. It's not. Add in a whole bunch of racist jokes and some casual unchecked transphobia, and this book made for an incredibly uncomfortable read. Neither protagonist was even remotely likeable or complex. Both faked a hate crime and one faked parental abuse to manipulate those around them. The plot was paper thin and neither protagonist faces any consequences for being awful. My thoughts on this one are basically just "no, absolutely not, thanks."
January 15, 2018
Jax is a jock with two moms, but his moms are separated and one of them starts seeing a guy. That guy is the father to Beck, an out gay boy. Set in South Carolina, this is the story of the two enemies getting together to break up their parents.
What I liked: Yay diversity! One of Jax's moms is bisexual, and that's wonderful.
What I disliked: Mostly everything else. Jax is a stereotype: closeted bisexual boy who can't admit he likes guys because he's an athlete. His lesbian mom wears flannel and carries a tool belt. Beck is even less likable, being a stereotyped, ultra-feminine, bitchy gay boy. I'm glad he's out and proud, but that doesn't give him an excuse to be a jerk. The characters are so unlikable that I can't root for them, I didn't sympathize with them, and it was painful to read about them.
Bottom Line: There are better books that tell a similar story. Read those instead.
Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: homophobic and transphobic slurs, language, violence,
Overall Rating: 2/5 stars
Read-Alikes: Crap Kingdom, Drag Teen, Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy
What I liked: Yay diversity! One of Jax's moms is bisexual, and that's wonderful.
What I disliked: Mostly everything else. Jax is a stereotype: closeted bisexual boy who can't admit he likes guys because he's an athlete. His lesbian mom wears flannel and carries a tool belt. Beck is even less likable, being a stereotyped, ultra-feminine, bitchy gay boy. I'm glad he's out and proud, but that doesn't give him an excuse to be a jerk. The characters are so unlikable that I can't root for them, I didn't sympathize with them, and it was painful to read about them.
Bottom Line: There are better books that tell a similar story. Read those instead.
Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: homophobic and transphobic slurs, language, violence,
Overall Rating: 2/5 stars
Read-Alikes: Crap Kingdom, Drag Teen, Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy
August 25, 2019
This book was really funny, there were number of times that I laughed out loud, but the reason I only gave this book two stars was because of the insensitivity.
There is some biphobia that you may not pick up on unless it was already mentioned to you. One of the man character's (Jaxon) has two moms, and they are going through a separation in their lives. One of his moms begins dating a man, and everyone makes a huge deal about it. Basically since she was with a woman, then she is a lesbian no matter what. No one seems to grasp that she can have more than one sexual preference.
AND one of the main characters is struggling with their sexual identity, they believe that they are bisexual, and when they come out to the person they want to be with (another man) he responds by saying: "What happens next week when you start craving vagina again?" Like the idea that someone might enjoy having sex with two people of different genders is SO horrific. Some serious bi shaming was going on.
Also the terminology "scissor sisters" was used to refer to a lesbian couple. Who thought that was okay?
This book also makes it seem like being gay is a contest, like someone can be better at being gay than someone else. That's not how it works. Just because someone doesn't participate in their GSA or their PFLAG chapter, or doesn't know the lyrics to a song, or they don't watch a certain TV show, doesn't mean they're worse at being gay than someone who does do/know those things.
Next, I couldn't find the exact part in the book where this was mentioned, but there's a scene when the boys are talking about sexuality, and one of them say's something to the effect of "being gay is who I am." But it sounded much worse, trust me. And that offended the crap out of me. Yes, of course if your gay it's part of who you are, but it's not your defining characteristic. You shouldn't see someone who you view as different and say: Oh there's the gay kind, or the black girl, or the blind person. Being different is not wrong, but it's not who you are either. People are so much more than one thing, so for a book that is all about equality to blatantly throw that out there, not cool.
Finally, the used of the Bangr app. Bangr is not a dating website, it's not to find someone to have a long term relationship with, it's an application used to have one night stands. The app cheapens gay men as a whole, it stands for everything that a gay male should not want to be seen as. For lack of a better word, it makes gay men look like whores. The app is a punch in the face to the LGBTQIAP+ community, it allows the world to view gay men as people who can't be in dedicated, monogamous relationships, and it should not have been included in this book.
This was not even mentioning the transphobia, fat shaming, closet shaming, use of the word gaysian and many other things the author probably though was funny at the time.
I feel so much better after letting all of that off my chest. *wheezes*
There is some biphobia that you may not pick up on unless it was already mentioned to you. One of the man character's (Jaxon) has two moms, and they are going through a separation in their lives. One of his moms begins dating a man, and everyone makes a huge deal about it. Basically since she was with a woman, then she is a lesbian no matter what. No one seems to grasp that she can have more than one sexual preference.
AND one of the main characters is struggling with their sexual identity, they believe that they are bisexual, and when they come out to the person they want to be with (another man) he responds by saying: "What happens next week when you start craving vagina again?" Like the idea that someone might enjoy having sex with two people of different genders is SO horrific. Some serious bi shaming was going on.
Also the terminology "scissor sisters" was used to refer to a lesbian couple. Who thought that was okay?
This book also makes it seem like being gay is a contest, like someone can be better at being gay than someone else. That's not how it works. Just because someone doesn't participate in their GSA or their PFLAG chapter, or doesn't know the lyrics to a song, or they don't watch a certain TV show, doesn't mean they're worse at being gay than someone who does do/know those things.
Next, I couldn't find the exact part in the book where this was mentioned, but there's a scene when the boys are talking about sexuality, and one of them say's something to the effect of "being gay is who I am." But it sounded much worse, trust me. And that offended the crap out of me. Yes, of course if your gay it's part of who you are, but it's not your defining characteristic. You shouldn't see someone who you view as different and say: Oh there's the gay kind, or the black girl, or the blind person. Being different is not wrong, but it's not who you are either. People are so much more than one thing, so for a book that is all about equality to blatantly throw that out there, not cool.
Finally, the used of the Bangr app. Bangr is not a dating website, it's not to find someone to have a long term relationship with, it's an application used to have one night stands. The app cheapens gay men as a whole, it stands for everything that a gay male should not want to be seen as. For lack of a better word, it makes gay men look like whores. The app is a punch in the face to the LGBTQIAP+ community, it allows the world to view gay men as people who can't be in dedicated, monogamous relationships, and it should not have been included in this book.
This was not even mentioning the transphobia, fat shaming, closet shaming, use of the word gaysian and many other things the author probably though was funny at the time.
I feel so much better after letting all of that off my chest. *wheezes*
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May 23, 2018This definitely had aspects of a fun read and I'm always here for gay rom coms, especially with enemies-to-lovers aspects. Beckett and Jaxon had some really cute chemistry, and the "I want my parents back together" shared goal is always a safe bet. I hope white cis gay boys find this book and love it for being a charming, funny romance with them at the heart. I definitely recommend this one for fans of Perfect Ten by L. Philips, which I decidedly am.
That said, I have Peak White Cis Gay YA feelings I'd be remiss not to mention for other readers. Jaxon has a Black best friend who only exists to constantly be there for Jaxon through homophobia because he understands discrimination too. The two most present female characters who aren't moms are, of course, an undesirable straight girl more invested in Beckett's love life than her own and The Bitchy, Slutty Ex. And the biphobia is pretty brutal. I'm sure a lot rings true for the experience of being a bi teen boy, but that isn't the stuff that irked me; it was that Beckett himself is figuring out his bisexuality for the entire book while literally simultaneously shutting down his mother's and saying she'll "always go back to vag." I'm not a reader who thinks every bad thing must be checked on the page, because sometimes it isn't realistic for it to be, but I honestly think it's more unrealistic that not a single person listening to Jaxon's thoughts on this said, "Hey, fucknugget, do you seriously see no hypocrisy here?"
Anyway, this is a debut, and the author has a Middle Grade novel coming next that I'll definitely be checking out. And I'll check out future YAs too, for sure. I just hope for a little more nuance on that stuff from here on out. Overall, I'm psyched to see an ownvoices gay rom-com and those issues aside, I did enjoy this one.
CW:
That said, I have Peak White Cis Gay YA feelings I'd be remiss not to mention for other readers. Jaxon has a Black best friend who only exists to constantly be there for Jaxon through homophobia because he understands discrimination too. The two most present female characters who aren't moms are, of course, an undesirable straight girl more invested in Beckett's love life than her own and The Bitchy, Slutty Ex. And the biphobia is pretty brutal. I'm sure a lot rings true for the experience of being a bi teen boy, but that isn't the stuff that irked me; it was that Beckett himself is figuring out his bisexuality for the entire book while literally simultaneously shutting down his mother's and saying she'll "always go back to vag." I'm not a reader who thinks every bad thing must be checked on the page, because sometimes it isn't realistic for it to be, but I honestly think it's more unrealistic that not a single person listening to Jaxon's thoughts on this said, "Hey, fucknugget, do you seriously see no hypocrisy here?"
Anyway, this is a debut, and the author has a Middle Grade novel coming next that I'll definitely be checking out. And I'll check out future YAs too, for sure. I just hope for a little more nuance on that stuff from here on out. Overall, I'm psyched to see an ownvoices gay rom-com and those issues aside, I did enjoy this one.
CW:
January 8, 2023
Full review: https://bookpeopleteens.wordpress.com...
It's a Parent Trapesque rom-com with reality checks dropped ever so often. Social Intercourse was a good read, and definitely worth it, but the one thing I didn't really like was the main characters. They were selfish, judgemental, rude, and entitled. While they did have their good moments, most of the time I just wanted them to go away. I did love the secondary characters, the friends and parents. They were silly, and sometimes cliche, but I liked that they seemed to be just as fleshed out as the MCs. This book goes into the category of "I Read It Cause It's Gay, I Probably Wouldn't Have Read It For Any Other Reason." If you too have a theoretical category like that, you'll love it! If not, do whatever you want. Rating: three/five
For fans of: Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg, Becky Albertalli, There Goes Sunday School by Alexander C. Eberhart
Favorite quotes:
- “This prom sounds about as sexy as Vacation Bible School.”
- “Don’t worry so much about labels. Just love who you love and never be ashamed of it.”
- “Shit,” I yell at the stars, and shake my fist at… the moon, I guess, for lack of a better target.”
It's a Parent Trapesque rom-com with reality checks dropped ever so often. Social Intercourse was a good read, and definitely worth it, but the one thing I didn't really like was the main characters. They were selfish, judgemental, rude, and entitled. While they did have their good moments, most of the time I just wanted them to go away. I did love the secondary characters, the friends and parents. They were silly, and sometimes cliche, but I liked that they seemed to be just as fleshed out as the MCs. This book goes into the category of "I Read It Cause It's Gay, I Probably Wouldn't Have Read It For Any Other Reason." If you too have a theoretical category like that, you'll love it! If not, do whatever you want. Rating: three/five
For fans of: Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg, Becky Albertalli, There Goes Sunday School by Alexander C. Eberhart
Favorite quotes:
- “This prom sounds about as sexy as Vacation Bible School.”
- “Don’t worry so much about labels. Just love who you love and never be ashamed of it.”
- “Shit,” I yell at the stars, and shake my fist at… the moon, I guess, for lack of a better target.”
June 27, 2021
tw// biphobia, homophobia, transphobic slurs, graphic sexual imagery, objectifying women, slutshaming, fatshaming
im so disappointed. i really wanted to like this book. but wow biphobia says hi.
there were a few moments that i liked here and there, but overall most of this book just got on my nerves. the characters were really unlikeable and walking stereotypes.
jaxon: a bisexual guy who's afraid to come out because he plays football and he's the most popular guy and his team is homophobic. dating the most popular girl in the school and he doesnt even like her.
oh yeah, he also gets turned on by every single person he sees. because yknow bisexuals have so much choice so they want to fuck everyone who moves.
beckett: an out of the closet gay guy, who wears minimalistic clothing, makeup,acts rlly feminine, and is a complete asshole.
so they pair up to separate their parents new relationship for their own gain. what a dick move.
theres so much biphobia in this books it actually pains me to read it. such as lines like "you say you want me now. what happens next week when you start craving vagina again?" or "how do you know that you're really bi? maybe you were just curious. a lot of horny straight guys experiment when they're young".
this ties in with the bi erasure in this book, when one of jaxons turns out to be bi, they refuse to accept it, "and she'll remember that she's and lesbian", "you do know what my mum is a lesbian right?".
theres also so much slutshaming and slurs like "whore", and objectifying women, like beckett calling jax's mum "big titties".
im so disappointed. i really wanted to like this book. but wow biphobia says hi.
there were a few moments that i liked here and there, but overall most of this book just got on my nerves. the characters were really unlikeable and walking stereotypes.
jaxon: a bisexual guy who's afraid to come out because he plays football and he's the most popular guy and his team is homophobic. dating the most popular girl in the school and he doesnt even like her.
oh yeah, he also gets turned on by every single person he sees. because yknow bisexuals have so much choice so they want to fuck everyone who moves.
beckett: an out of the closet gay guy, who wears minimalistic clothing, makeup,acts rlly feminine, and is a complete asshole.
so they pair up to separate their parents new relationship for their own gain. what a dick move.
theres so much biphobia in this books it actually pains me to read it. such as lines like "you say you want me now. what happens next week when you start craving vagina again?" or "how do you know that you're really bi? maybe you were just curious. a lot of horny straight guys experiment when they're young".
this ties in with the bi erasure in this book, when one of jaxons turns out to be bi, they refuse to accept it, "and she'll remember that she's and lesbian", "you do know what my mum is a lesbian right?".
theres also so much slutshaming and slurs like "whore", and objectifying women, like beckett calling jax's mum "big titties".
August 26, 2016
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Get ready to laugh! This precious and hilarious story of an "out and proud" choir boy in small town South Carolina had me grinning from page one all the way through to the end. Told in dual POV, Beckett's chapters kept me rolling on the floor, while Jaxon's chapters were a bit more pensive, and a little steamy. Oh, and Shelby. I want her as my own sidekick! Bless her heart. She had me laughing the hardest and wanting to give her bear hugs at the same time.
I loved the special relationships each boy had with his family - Beckett with his dad and Jaxon with his two moms. The love and respect each boy gives his parents and the close-knit relationships each boy has with them was so endearing and sweet, and I love how the author didn't fall back on typical YA family tropes.
Social Intercourse is a lighthearted but rich, layered story that will have you clenching your heart and wishing you could know these brilliant characters more. Fingers crossed there will be more books to come with these characters!
Get ready to laugh! This precious and hilarious story of an "out and proud" choir boy in small town South Carolina had me grinning from page one all the way through to the end. Told in dual POV, Beckett's chapters kept me rolling on the floor, while Jaxon's chapters were a bit more pensive, and a little steamy. Oh, and Shelby. I want her as my own sidekick! Bless her heart. She had me laughing the hardest and wanting to give her bear hugs at the same time.
I loved the special relationships each boy had with his family - Beckett with his dad and Jaxon with his two moms. The love and respect each boy gives his parents and the close-knit relationships each boy has with them was so endearing and sweet, and I love how the author didn't fall back on typical YA family tropes.
Social Intercourse is a lighthearted but rich, layered story that will have you clenching your heart and wishing you could know these brilliant characters more. Fingers crossed there will be more books to come with these characters!
April 9, 2021
DNF. You know cis gay men who think they can say the shittiest misogynistic stuff about women but it’s cool because 🌈 they’re gay 🌈!!! Well this book has them as protagonists, plus, you get to enjoy all their inner dialogue!
Reading through the other reviews, it’s not going to get better, and I’d like to miss out on the rest of the sexism, biphobia, and racism.
Reading through the other reviews, it’s not going to get better, and I’d like to miss out on the rest of the sexism, biphobia, and racism.
October 11, 2019
okay i DNF’d at like 20%
1) fuck off with “gold star lesbian” it’s offensive and a fucked up idea.
2) these are two of the most unlikeable people i have ever read about oh my god
3) transphobia, biphobia, lesbophobia, racism, and that was only in the first 20% of the book!!!
4) calling girls whores because they’re dating the guy you like?? grow the fuck up.
i HATE everything about this book.
1) fuck off with “gold star lesbian” it’s offensive and a fucked up idea.
2) these are two of the most unlikeable people i have ever read about oh my god
3) transphobia, biphobia, lesbophobia, racism, and that was only in the first 20% of the book!!!
4) calling girls whores because they’re dating the guy you like?? grow the fuck up.
i HATE everything about this book.
June 20, 2018
There were some things I liked about this, but I couldn't get past the unending anti-bi/bi-antagonistic comments. (There's also, unsurprisingly, a lot of "don't need labels" kind of talk.) One of the two MCs is bi (doesn't start off IDing that way, but is by the end of the book), and even he makes a lot of comments implying he doesn't believe his mom could be bi and not lesbian.
Things I did like:
*Variety of parents of queer people. Support looks different ways, and some things that parents may think are supportive aren't.
*Some of the discussion around Christianity and anti-queerness (though there isn't anything about queer people in the church, just allies). Also, the old lady at the Baptist church.
*The football coach and most of the team, especially Terry (though One Black Friend isn't a great thing).
*Choir and band supporting each other.
*Beck's relationship with his dad.
"Just friends" and "more than friends" were each used at least twice. Also, conflation of arousal, desire for sex, and attraction, though I did appreciate the line "Being gay is who I am. Not who I do." It counteracted a little bit of the conflation.
CW: ableism and ableist slurs, racism (sometimes called out), anti-queer statements and slurs (sometimes called out, but often not in the case of the anti-bi stuff), one trans slur (called out), slut-shaming, mentions and implications of physical abuse, bullying for being queer, mention of panic attacks, mention of queer person committing suicide, WBC-esque protest, catfishing, someone being outed (kind of repeatedly?), lots of frankness about sex (though the sex scenes are fade-to-black or not detailed), masturbation, sexual abuse?, mentions of anti-fat bullying and harassment (including pressure to get lap-band surgery).
Things I did like:
*Variety of parents of queer people. Support looks different ways, and some things that parents may think are supportive aren't.
*Some of the discussion around Christianity and anti-queerness (though there isn't anything about queer people in the church, just allies). Also, the old lady at the Baptist church.
*The football coach and most of the team, especially Terry (though One Black Friend isn't a great thing).
*Choir and band supporting each other.
*Beck's relationship with his dad.
"Just friends" and "more than friends" were each used at least twice. Also, conflation of arousal, desire for sex, and attraction, though I did appreciate the line "Being gay is who I am. Not who I do." It counteracted a little bit of the conflation.
CW: ableism and ableist slurs, racism (sometimes called out), anti-queer statements and slurs (sometimes called out, but often not in the case of the anti-bi stuff), one trans slur (called out), slut-shaming, mentions and implications of physical abuse, bullying for being queer, mention of panic attacks, mention of queer person committing suicide, WBC-esque protest, catfishing, someone being outed (kind of repeatedly?), lots of frankness about sex (though the sex scenes are fade-to-black or not detailed), masturbation, sexual abuse?, mentions of anti-fat bullying and harassment (including pressure to get lap-band surgery).
April 7, 2018
"Don’t worry so much about labels, just love who you love and never be ashamed of it."
My synopsis: When the dad of proudly gay teen, Beckett, starts dating one of the lesbian moms of star football player, Jax, the two starts an alliance to break their parents apart. Their schemes spark an undeniable attraction between them.
Themes: LGBT, bullying, parenting, family, true friendships
wish I had more to say about the book – but I just didn’t think it had memorable enough characters or events. I really wanted to enjoy this more – I’m just glad it’s short enough that I didn’t have to DNF it.
Social Intercourse alternates between Beckett’s and Jax’s POV, and between the two, Beckett seemed to be the more interesting one. Beckett is very sassy, and he knows and is passionate about what he wants. Jax, meanwhile, is attractive yet there is no depth of character – he is extremely indecisive, is confused, and frankly, just not that interesting besides his looks (which is maybe the point, because the whole point of his character is that people often neglect to see beyond his good looks).
One thing I particularly like, though, is the friendship/camarederie between the football players.
Anyway – I’m sure some of you will enjoy it, but I just didn’t feel that invested in the characters nor the plot. Another thing I should mention is The Golden Girls (I have never heard of it, before this book), which was referenced A LOT, so a fan would probably enjoy this book!
FULL REVIEW: https://goo.gl/XZVMmp
My synopsis: When the dad of proudly gay teen, Beckett, starts dating one of the lesbian moms of star football player, Jax, the two starts an alliance to break their parents apart. Their schemes spark an undeniable attraction between them.
Themes: LGBT, bullying, parenting, family, true friendships
wish I had more to say about the book – but I just didn’t think it had memorable enough characters or events. I really wanted to enjoy this more – I’m just glad it’s short enough that I didn’t have to DNF it.
Social Intercourse alternates between Beckett’s and Jax’s POV, and between the two, Beckett seemed to be the more interesting one. Beckett is very sassy, and he knows and is passionate about what he wants. Jax, meanwhile, is attractive yet there is no depth of character – he is extremely indecisive, is confused, and frankly, just not that interesting besides his looks (which is maybe the point, because the whole point of his character is that people often neglect to see beyond his good looks).
One thing I particularly like, though, is the friendship/camarederie between the football players.
Anyway – I’m sure some of you will enjoy it, but I just didn’t feel that invested in the characters nor the plot. Another thing I should mention is The Golden Girls (I have never heard of it, before this book), which was referenced A LOT, so a fan would probably enjoy this book!
FULL REVIEW: https://goo.gl/XZVMmp
December 10, 2018
This is a fast read and the alternating points-of-view between Beck and Jax refreshingly add to the momentum in this novel of first love and community support in Florence, South Carolina. The writing is crisp and the laughs hit you like a right-cross you aren't expecting. The climactic scene at the end feels like a reach for a movie pitch and does not need to be so over-the-top. That aside, the book never drags. If you don't love books that make you laugh aloud no matter where you might be reading them, steer clear of Social Intercourse. Because, trust me, you will!
September 7, 2019
Oh boy. This was supposed to be cute and funny, and perhaps it might have been if it weren't also chockfull of biphobia, transphobia, misogyny and a bunch of other "fun" bullshit that made me want to shred this book into tiny little scraps, and if the protagonists weren't a couple of thoroughly unlikable hypocritical assholes who engage in some absolute asshole tactics in their endeavour to break up their parents' relationship.
May 29, 2020
Doesn't even deserve one star, honestly. DNF at 66/314.
Ableist, mysogynistic, bipbobic, transphobic, homophobic, all-adult-gay-men-are-pedophiles trope, racism, fat-shaming, faked hate crime, faked child abused to break up parents, "gold star" status reference (that shit is toxic and gross, stop it!), You name it. And Beckett, the "hilarious" protagonist is incapable of being funny without being -ist or cruel. Not worth your time and problematic for the genre.
Ableist, mysogynistic, bipbobic, transphobic, homophobic, all-adult-gay-men-are-pedophiles trope, racism, fat-shaming, faked hate crime, faked child abused to break up parents, "gold star" status reference (that shit is toxic and gross, stop it!), You name it. And Beckett, the "hilarious" protagonist is incapable of being funny without being -ist or cruel. Not worth your time and problematic for the genre.
Read
June 24, 2018DNF at 8%.
Not for me.
Not for me.
October 17, 2018
I thought this book was pretty hilarious. It's billed as Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets The Parent Trap, and I agree to some extent, though this book is a lot less wholesome, than either of those stories. Nonetheless, I laughed a ton.
Irreverent at times, but also touching and heartwarming. Jaxon's relationship with his mom and Beck's relationship with his dad were awesome. Their interactions made me smile a whole lot, but it was Beck and Jaxon that gave me the warm fuzzies. I thought they had great chemistry and banter, but honestly, I think it was Jaxson, who won me over the most. He surprisingly wore his heart on his sleeve and was quite the swoony hero.
Overall: A rom-com with a lot of heart and humor, which also challenges readers to reassess some things they thought they knew.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Irreverent at times, but also touching and heartwarming. Jaxon's relationship with his mom and Beck's relationship with his dad were awesome. Their interactions made me smile a whole lot, but it was Beck and Jaxon that gave me the warm fuzzies. I thought they had great chemistry and banter, but honestly, I think it was Jaxson, who won me over the most. He surprisingly wore his heart on his sleeve and was quite the swoony hero.
Overall: A rom-com with a lot of heart and humor, which also challenges readers to reassess some things they thought they knew.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Read
October 9, 2020D N F
July 26, 2018
Social Intercourse
By Greg Howard
Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2018
Five stars
“I touch lives.”
This is the second excellent YA novel with central gay characters I’ve read in the past week, so it seems a good time to compare. Gillian St. Kevern’s “The Biggest Scoop,” like Greg Howard’s “Social Intercourse,” has an out, confident, well-adjusted gay teenager as its key protagonist. Both of these books have a very parallel cast of characters—the expected crew when you’re dealing with a YA story set in high school. You’d think this formula would get very tired, and indeed it often is. But both St. Kevern and Greg Howard do the essential thing to prevent their books from being same-old-same-old: they add twists, which shifts the standard plot and adds a whole new level of interest for the reader.
It’s interesting that YA novels often have families in which one parent is absent. I’m not sure why that’s so common, given the general trauma of being a teenager, but it’s true in both of these books. But in Greg Howard’s book, all four parents play crucial roles in the comedy/drama that unfolds. Beckett Gaines’ mother and father are not together, but they’re both there. Jaxon Parker has two moms, adding a welcome dimension to this story arc. Trouble is, his moms have separated, and he’s terrified that the women who adopted him will break up for good.
And this is the kicker: one of Jaxon’s moms is dating a man. And thus the thorny issue of bisexuality rears its head.
So, Beckett is an out, proud gay boy in his school, which is in small-town South Carolina, not known for its gay-friendly ambiance. He isn’t the only gay student, either. This book is not about his coming out. Jaxon Parker, on the other hand, is the golden boy of the YA trope: gorgeous, blond, blue-eyed, and the captain of the high school football team. But Jaxon has two moms, and has never put up with any crap about his family. Jaxon is also bisexual, something he’s admitted only to his mothers.
And now you see what makes this book special. This is in fact a book about what it is to be bisexual in a culture (not just the Deep South, but in America in general) that is not comfortable with such ambiguity. It is also a book that looks at how culture shapes the way we see ourselves, and how fear can make us cowards when we ought to be brave.
What I particularly loved about this book is that it is not a shallow “bi is good” politically correct embrace of Jaxon and his mom. As Beckett and Jaxon, who have known each other since they were small, get to really know each other, both they and the reader are forced to accept the fact that bisexuality is real, and also how it is seen as threatening to gay folks. There are plenty of sort-of-bi-but-really-gay teenage boys in YA novels, but their bisexuality is generally presented as a stop-gap or a self-delusion that prevents them from embracing their gay selves. Not here: Jaxon is as bi at the end of the book as he is at the beginning. The difference is that Beckett, the gold-star-gay boy, finally understands Jaxon’s dilemma, and has begun to appreciate how hard, and confusing, being bisexual can be for a teenager.
Throughout the book, the tone and the language are funny, sharp, and spot on. For all the dark stuff that hovers in the wings for these kids, they tackle their lives with snark, sass, and a pop-cultural awareness that defines the children of the social media age. Howard’s writing reminds us that even small-town southern kids are surprisingly worldly, even as he makes it clear that they’re still kids trying to figure out what their lives will mean.
Howard, a native South Carolinian, brings his personal truth into the depiction of his southern setting. He doesn’t dodge the deeply-rooted prejudices (either racial or sexual), that can be rooted in religion; but he also calls out the generosity of spirit and more evolved present-day mindset that exists in every part of this country. Howard reminds us that every red state has its blue citizens.
By Greg Howard
Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2018
Five stars
“I touch lives.”
This is the second excellent YA novel with central gay characters I’ve read in the past week, so it seems a good time to compare. Gillian St. Kevern’s “The Biggest Scoop,” like Greg Howard’s “Social Intercourse,” has an out, confident, well-adjusted gay teenager as its key protagonist. Both of these books have a very parallel cast of characters—the expected crew when you’re dealing with a YA story set in high school. You’d think this formula would get very tired, and indeed it often is. But both St. Kevern and Greg Howard do the essential thing to prevent their books from being same-old-same-old: they add twists, which shifts the standard plot and adds a whole new level of interest for the reader.
It’s interesting that YA novels often have families in which one parent is absent. I’m not sure why that’s so common, given the general trauma of being a teenager, but it’s true in both of these books. But in Greg Howard’s book, all four parents play crucial roles in the comedy/drama that unfolds. Beckett Gaines’ mother and father are not together, but they’re both there. Jaxon Parker has two moms, adding a welcome dimension to this story arc. Trouble is, his moms have separated, and he’s terrified that the women who adopted him will break up for good.
And this is the kicker: one of Jaxon’s moms is dating a man. And thus the thorny issue of bisexuality rears its head.
So, Beckett is an out, proud gay boy in his school, which is in small-town South Carolina, not known for its gay-friendly ambiance. He isn’t the only gay student, either. This book is not about his coming out. Jaxon Parker, on the other hand, is the golden boy of the YA trope: gorgeous, blond, blue-eyed, and the captain of the high school football team. But Jaxon has two moms, and has never put up with any crap about his family. Jaxon is also bisexual, something he’s admitted only to his mothers.
And now you see what makes this book special. This is in fact a book about what it is to be bisexual in a culture (not just the Deep South, but in America in general) that is not comfortable with such ambiguity. It is also a book that looks at how culture shapes the way we see ourselves, and how fear can make us cowards when we ought to be brave.
What I particularly loved about this book is that it is not a shallow “bi is good” politically correct embrace of Jaxon and his mom. As Beckett and Jaxon, who have known each other since they were small, get to really know each other, both they and the reader are forced to accept the fact that bisexuality is real, and also how it is seen as threatening to gay folks. There are plenty of sort-of-bi-but-really-gay teenage boys in YA novels, but their bisexuality is generally presented as a stop-gap or a self-delusion that prevents them from embracing their gay selves. Not here: Jaxon is as bi at the end of the book as he is at the beginning. The difference is that Beckett, the gold-star-gay boy, finally understands Jaxon’s dilemma, and has begun to appreciate how hard, and confusing, being bisexual can be for a teenager.
Throughout the book, the tone and the language are funny, sharp, and spot on. For all the dark stuff that hovers in the wings for these kids, they tackle their lives with snark, sass, and a pop-cultural awareness that defines the children of the social media age. Howard’s writing reminds us that even small-town southern kids are surprisingly worldly, even as he makes it clear that they’re still kids trying to figure out what their lives will mean.
Howard, a native South Carolinian, brings his personal truth into the depiction of his southern setting. He doesn’t dodge the deeply-rooted prejudices (either racial or sexual), that can be rooted in religion; but he also calls out the generosity of spirit and more evolved present-day mindset that exists in every part of this country. Howard reminds us that every red state has its blue citizens.
June 6, 2018
Overall I enjoyed this book! It's funny, voice-y, and not shy about cursing or sexuality or masturbation etc., which is great to see in a YA novel (especially a queer YA novel). And it's always good to see more stories about queer boys by queer men get published. Brett and Jaxon are cute, individually and together, and in pretty different ways; their personalities come across well in the writing of their respective POVs. You root for them to understand each other and get together the whole way. Outside of them, most of the other characters feel a bit like props in their story, but their parents have their own things going on.
I had a few nitpicks, which didn't kill my enjoyment but did persistently bug me, so I'll list them here:
- a few of the boys' Parent Trap antics were...not exactly harmless--usually called out, but sometimes not. Don't fake hate crimes, kids.
- race issues--the way all the PoC are handled feels a bit like checking boxes, and several times a character points out that something is racist but it's still treated like a joke :/ I'd really like it if white people stopped doing that.
- I'd have liked it if someone pointed out to Beckett when he's being a dick about bisexuality, b/c the narration is definitely aware that he is. It's one of those unfortunate situations where I'm not sure some readers won't pick up on the biphobia and will assume his concerns are legit...which isn't the book's fault, just. Unfortunate.
- I felt like Beckett's mom didn't get as fair a shake in the end as the other adults in the story, which I don't think would have bothered me much--it's completely legit to decide you no longer need to deal with a person who keeps disappointing and leaving you--if there hadn't been a reference to her needing to deal with mental health issues...which was never addressed again.
I had a few nitpicks, which didn't kill my enjoyment but did persistently bug me, so I'll list them here:
- a few of the boys' Parent Trap antics were...not exactly harmless--usually called out, but sometimes not. Don't fake hate crimes, kids.
- race issues--the way all the PoC are handled feels a bit like checking boxes, and several times a character points out that something is racist but it's still treated like a joke :/ I'd really like it if white people stopped doing that.
- I'd have liked it if someone pointed out to Beckett when he's being a dick about bisexuality, b/c the narration is definitely aware that he is. It's one of those unfortunate situations where I'm not sure some readers won't pick up on the biphobia and will assume his concerns are legit...which isn't the book's fault, just. Unfortunate.
- I felt like Beckett's mom didn't get as fair a shake in the end as the other adults in the story, which I don't think would have bothered me much--it's completely legit to decide you no longer need to deal with a person who keeps disappointing and leaving you--if there hadn't been a reference to her needing to deal with mental health issues...which was never addressed again.
June 11, 2018
Sigh... It's so hard to review this book because I really wanted to love it, but it didn't happen.
There were things that made me change my first impression, even though some parts were incredibily funny.
I didin't enjoy that much the two main characters: Beck was just too much...too much sure of himself, too much comfortable criticizing everything and everyone, he thought that the happiness of his whole family was completely on his shoulders.
Jax was the classic jock, secretly bi but sleeping with the queen bitch of the school, afraid of everything that would damage his popular image, even though he has two mums (how can he date someone that so openly distaste gays?). So yes, probably they were made for each other.
And do we want to talk about the end, which I don't really consider as such? Is it a thing that authors like to finish a book with a too fast and a totally unfinished ending? Because I personally don't like it.
Did Beck finally loose his virginity? Because it looks like that happened but I'm not sure (and is it normal for a single parent to let two 17 yo teens sleep together?). And what about the weird mum/mayor situation? I'm quite sure that he is Beck's biological father... Where did Beck's mum go and what's written in the letter? Is there going to be a second book? Too many questions.
One thing that shocked me is the whole Tabernacle thing. Those religious protests, do they really happen? Being italian I've never witnessed something similar in my country but it seems awful that in 2018 ignorant people are still living among us.
There were things that made me change my first impression, even though some parts were incredibily funny.
I didin't enjoy that much the two main characters: Beck was just too much...too much sure of himself, too much comfortable criticizing everything and everyone, he thought that the happiness of his whole family was completely on his shoulders.
Jax was the classic jock, secretly bi but sleeping with the queen bitch of the school, afraid of everything that would damage his popular image, even though he has two mums (how can he date someone that so openly distaste gays?). So yes, probably they were made for each other.
And do we want to talk about the end, which I don't really consider as such? Is it a thing that authors like to finish a book with a too fast and a totally unfinished ending? Because I personally don't like it.
Did Beck finally loose his virginity? Because it looks like that happened but I'm not sure (and is it normal for a single parent to let two 17 yo teens sleep together?). And what about the weird mum/mayor situation? I'm quite sure that he is Beck's biological father... Where did Beck's mum go and what's written in the letter? Is there going to be a second book? Too many questions.
One thing that shocked me is the whole Tabernacle thing. Those religious protests, do they really happen? Being italian I've never witnessed something similar in my country but it seems awful that in 2018 ignorant people are still living among us.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2018
For a full, spoiler-free review, please go to https://thebookworminmeblog.wordpress...
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this incredible book!
First off, I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars. I absolutely loved this book! It was hilarious and damn near perfection! I love the cast of characters and, for once, I actually enjoyed a book with more than one POV! If you are a fan of LGBTQIAP+ books, you should most definitely check this out. This is definitely a book I will be reading again.
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this incredible book!
First off, I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars. I absolutely loved this book! It was hilarious and damn near perfection! I love the cast of characters and, for once, I actually enjoyed a book with more than one POV! If you are a fan of LGBTQIAP+ books, you should most definitely check this out. This is definitely a book I will be reading again.
November 5, 2021
If you want to read a book filled with ✨ biphobia ✨ ✨sexism ✨ ✨ fat girl stereotype ✨ ✨ slutshaming ✨ ✨ transphobia ✨ ✨ women objectification (the main character actually calls a woman Big Titties for a whole chapter) ✨ ✨ racism ✨then, this book is the perfect fit for you! Featuring two stereotype judgemental, selfish, teenage boys with close to zero character development, you are bound to hate them and wish you could bang their heads against the wall! Enjoy!
— An Asian Bisexual woman who once upon a time was overweight. <3
— An Asian Bisexual woman who once upon a time was overweight. <3
July 28, 2018
I came of from a recent DNF'd read I won't even add to my Goodreads list angry. I picked up Sexual Intercourse in the hopes to lighten my mood, and to read something good. Luckily, it was a good one, not perfect, but definitely a lot better than the disappointment I experienced right before it.
We have an out and proud gay boy Beckett trying to survive in a very small, partly closed minded religious town. His mom has recently left him and his dad, and he suddenly discovers his dad is dating again. And it just happens to be one of the moms of the most popular kid in school, a quarterback of the football team, Jax. Who, just as recently, has more and more started to question his sexuality.
The two form a team of some sorts to pretty much rearrange their parents lives back to where they were, and well, things start to get more complicated.
Social Intercourse is a funny read. Beckett as a character is hilarious, and sassy. Jax is supportive and caring, but just very afraid to show that side of him. The pacing of the book is a little shaky, and what I hoped would be a very romantic ending, was sort of a let down in a way that it ended way too fast for my taste.
The supportiveness of the book though, my poor little heart! It's important to have stories like this, and representation. Sure, there is hate and loathing in the book, but it is outweighed by the support from Beckett's dad, mom as well as his best friend Shelby, and his friends, and Jax's moms as well!
Definitely a good read, but like I said, not the best! Party because I think I will forget a lot about this book fairly quickly, but I will remember the supportiveness this book delivered.
PS: Terry is a precious cinnamon bun!
We have an out and proud gay boy Beckett trying to survive in a very small, partly closed minded religious town. His mom has recently left him and his dad, and he suddenly discovers his dad is dating again. And it just happens to be one of the moms of the most popular kid in school, a quarterback of the football team, Jax. Who, just as recently, has more and more started to question his sexuality.
The two form a team of some sorts to pretty much rearrange their parents lives back to where they were, and well, things start to get more complicated.
Social Intercourse is a funny read. Beckett as a character is hilarious, and sassy. Jax is supportive and caring, but just very afraid to show that side of him. The pacing of the book is a little shaky, and what I hoped would be a very romantic ending, was sort of a let down in a way that it ended way too fast for my taste.
The supportiveness of the book though, my poor little heart! It's important to have stories like this, and representation. Sure, there is hate and loathing in the book, but it is outweighed by the support from Beckett's dad, mom as well as his best friend Shelby, and his friends, and Jax's moms as well!
Definitely a good read, but like I said, not the best! Party because I think I will forget a lot about this book fairly quickly, but I will remember the supportiveness this book delivered.
PS: Terry is a precious cinnamon bun!
January 11, 2018
I received an ARC of Social Intercourse and I LOVED this book! It's smart, amusingly irreverent, touching and wickedly funny. The main characters of Beckett and Jax are instantly relatable, as well as immediately intriguing. Their story is a roller-coaster I want to ride again and again. So glad more stories that focus on LGBT young love are coming to the marketplace. Wish this book would have been available when I was a teen. No one is perfect in this compelling and flawed-like-the-rest-of-us group, but you want to get to know each character better. Howard writes with razor sharp wit and perfectly captures all the angst, hopes, questions and dreams of young life and love. Social Intercourse is one of my favorite reads in ages! Highly recommended.
May 6, 2018
I loved this book and both MCs--it's a perfect YA read! Doused with love, parental issues (but I appreciate the close relationships between the guys and their parents (minus Beck's mom!)), drama, and friendship, SOCIAL INTERCOURSE immersed me back in the high school scene and had me swiping through my Kindle until the wee hours of the morning! I can't wait for more from this talented author, and highly recommend this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 9, 2018
aAaAaGGGhhhhHhh Beck and Jax are sO CUTE. gods. this book really hit all the emotions...and then slapped me in the face with the humor. and then hugged me with how adorable Beck and Jax are. I need more books like this by Greg Howard.
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