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Prom Changed Everything
Eric was a small, unassuming boy who simply wanted to be left alone to pursue his dreams within the art of ballet. He never expected to be dragged into a terrifying series of events that culminates in a single moment of horror, one that would forever change his life in a way no teenager should have to endure. Now Eric must face an uncertain future while combating the ghosts of the past that threaten to rip away any happiness in his life.
485 pages, Paperback
Published December 6, 2017
49 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 9, 2021
I loved this book. Very thought out. The book took me back when I was young.
I anger at the young men for they did to this wonderful person. (Eric) They were rich and above the law. They had to pay for this reason. Ericka is a wonderful young girl that had her life turned up side down. Her mother and father knows about she had to do and did it because they loved this wonderful child before them.(Ericka)She had a long road before her to get a sense of peace in her life. This was inspiring story that had to told. Like any of transgender young and old has a story. I have my own experience of my life. Ericka is a wonderful young lady who had the people and friends who loved her and family. Ericka had problems to solve but she young girl not afraid to go forward. Like the football team said she was there inspiration to win. But when you think you OK life has something else in store for you. THAT LIFE.. But I was tired of hearing that to. Ericka had a wonderful boyfriend and above all was her dog.
I anger at the young men for they did to this wonderful person. (Eric) They were rich and above the law. They had to pay for this reason. Ericka is a wonderful young girl that had her life turned up side down. Her mother and father knows about she had to do and did it because they loved this wonderful child before them.(Ericka)She had a long road before her to get a sense of peace in her life. This was inspiring story that had to told. Like any of transgender young and old has a story. I have my own experience of my life. Ericka is a wonderful young lady who had the people and friends who loved her and family. Ericka had problems to solve but she young girl not afraid to go forward. Like the football team said she was there inspiration to win. But when you think you OK life has something else in store for you. THAT LIFE.. But I was tired of hearing that to. Ericka had a wonderful boyfriend and above all was her dog.
April 1, 2019
Didn't really think I would like this book much,,,,, I WAS SO WRONG !!!
Great book full of heartfelt feelings from start to finish. You fall in love with the character "Erik/Erika" along the way. The trails that he/she goes through in life are amazing. You can't help but cheer for her to win in the end ! Thank you for a great story ! It made me laugh, worry, fear, love and even cry a few tears. I could never expect to understand what it would feel like to go through what all she went through, but your story let me live it step by step. Through her eyes I felt all the sadness and happiness along with her. Great Book !!!! Highly recommend reading !!!
Great book full of heartfelt feelings from start to finish. You fall in love with the character "Erik/Erika" along the way. The trails that he/she goes through in life are amazing. You can't help but cheer for her to win in the end ! Thank you for a great story ! It made me laugh, worry, fear, love and even cry a few tears. I could never expect to understand what it would feel like to go through what all she went through, but your story let me live it step by step. Through her eyes I felt all the sadness and happiness along with her. Great Book !!!! Highly recommend reading !!!
May 10, 2017
Story of perseverence
Little mushy, but well written story about someone who endured tortures of hell and came out a different and stronger person. Great storyline and a host of memorable characters complete the whole thing.
Little mushy, but well written story about someone who endured tortures of hell and came out a different and stronger person. Great storyline and a host of memorable characters complete the whole thing.
March 15, 2019
Whooo boy. This is an offering by N. L. Paradox and it starts off with a bang. A teen boy is violently forced to appear as a girl, and as he suffers indignities that no woman…no person…should experience, he is left without a choice but to become a girl for life. After that bombshell, the story develops as we follow her adjustment to her new life…the highs and lows of being a young woman, dealing with hormonal changes, questioning her identity in every sense of the word, and dealing with PTSD from the trauma she experienced…all while navigating one of the most challenging crucibles on earth: High school.
That’s the non-spoiler summary of the book. You can find out more specific teasers by reading the book jacket, or you can read the whole book and enjoy the roller coaster ride designed by Paradox…and it is quite a ride. To describe my emotional reaction to the book, I would have to say that it had me holding my breath from when things started all the way through to the climax. Seriously, once I passed the climax of the book, I felt myself take a deep and shaky breath from the anxiety I had been holding on to all throughout. It’s not so much that every page was a nailbiter…but every page was begging to be turned to find out what happened next, even for the mundane activities and experiences that the protagonist, Erika, was navigating. The pacing of the story was superb. The interpersonal and intrapsychic dynamics explored by the author were masterfully managed. The characters felt real, even if a bit idealized. And the struggles…the struggles were visceral. Every smile, every tear, every panic attack…I hesitate to use the word “perfect” because nothing is perfect, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t feel as though I was right there listening to Erika (the protagonist) tell her story, hanging on every word. One of the biggest challenges I found, as a reader, was traveling the journey with the characters, wanting things to work out for the best but knowing that there still had to be some major dilemma that had to happen before the story could be resolved. And Paradox could not have handled that push/pull any better.
One of the smart things Paradox did was take sex out of the equation. By writing about teens, you know it's not going to be a book focused on sex with a transgendered person. That both relieves the pressure and elevated the writing. Story became paramount and it was easy to get sucked in to the tale she told. This doesn't mean that there's no sex at all. I mean, hello…teenage hormones and all. (And an unfortunate but necessary “bang” to start the story.) It's just that it becomes…tertiary to the internal experiences and social adjustments of the protagonist.
Perhaps might biggest critique of the book was that the support offered, from friends, from parents, was almost too perfect. There were other elements, like finances needed for medical treatments, that also were not a factor thanks to the success and hard work of Erika’s parents. It doesn’t mean that these factors were unrealistic. They just didn’t feel like they reflected some segments of society as fully. That is, if Erika wasn’t coming from a privileged background, how would the outcome have been different? That’s not a ding on the book or on the author’s writing however. It simply reflects a different script that exists in MY head as the reader based on my experiences and interactions with people who struggled and would see this type of writing as purely fictional, fantastical, and something they couldn’t identify with because it didn’t capture some of the realism that they had to navigate in their daily lives.
When it came to the mental health experiences of someone with PTSD, that was where Paradox’s research really showed and it paid off wonderfully. I mean, it’s not wonderful that a teenage girl had to deal with PTSD so severe that she needed a service animal to manage. But it IS wonderful that Paradox did not shy away from the topic…from describing the emotional and mental experiences of someone that had been severely traumatized, from addressing family and community support to the importance of therapy (which she also did superbly in “High Heels in a Minefield”), from triggers to treatments and everything in between. The way Paradox handled PTSD, even comparing it with the typical association of the illness to those that have survived combat or other violent situations, made me consider this as a book I would consider using with some of my clients. It’s something I’m definitely considering because even though everyone may not be comfortable with transgender characters, the emotional struggles transcend gender and person and exemplify an illness that is often misunderstood.
All that being said, Paradox creates a world that I would want to live in. A world grounded in love and support, communication and understanding. A world where intolerance and ignorance is unearthed and not excused or overlooked. It's not an ideal world, but it is perfect in its imperfections and in the communication that allows everyone to learn and grow and live and love. And I want to thank her for creating it, for sharing it, and inviting the readers to join her there. Thank you Paradox…with all my heart.
That’s the non-spoiler summary of the book. You can find out more specific teasers by reading the book jacket, or you can read the whole book and enjoy the roller coaster ride designed by Paradox…and it is quite a ride. To describe my emotional reaction to the book, I would have to say that it had me holding my breath from when things started all the way through to the climax. Seriously, once I passed the climax of the book, I felt myself take a deep and shaky breath from the anxiety I had been holding on to all throughout. It’s not so much that every page was a nailbiter…but every page was begging to be turned to find out what happened next, even for the mundane activities and experiences that the protagonist, Erika, was navigating. The pacing of the story was superb. The interpersonal and intrapsychic dynamics explored by the author were masterfully managed. The characters felt real, even if a bit idealized. And the struggles…the struggles were visceral. Every smile, every tear, every panic attack…I hesitate to use the word “perfect” because nothing is perfect, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t feel as though I was right there listening to Erika (the protagonist) tell her story, hanging on every word. One of the biggest challenges I found, as a reader, was traveling the journey with the characters, wanting things to work out for the best but knowing that there still had to be some major dilemma that had to happen before the story could be resolved. And Paradox could not have handled that push/pull any better.
One of the smart things Paradox did was take sex out of the equation. By writing about teens, you know it's not going to be a book focused on sex with a transgendered person. That both relieves the pressure and elevated the writing. Story became paramount and it was easy to get sucked in to the tale she told. This doesn't mean that there's no sex at all. I mean, hello…teenage hormones and all. (And an unfortunate but necessary “bang” to start the story.) It's just that it becomes…tertiary to the internal experiences and social adjustments of the protagonist.
Perhaps might biggest critique of the book was that the support offered, from friends, from parents, was almost too perfect. There were other elements, like finances needed for medical treatments, that also were not a factor thanks to the success and hard work of Erika’s parents. It doesn’t mean that these factors were unrealistic. They just didn’t feel like they reflected some segments of society as fully. That is, if Erika wasn’t coming from a privileged background, how would the outcome have been different? That’s not a ding on the book or on the author’s writing however. It simply reflects a different script that exists in MY head as the reader based on my experiences and interactions with people who struggled and would see this type of writing as purely fictional, fantastical, and something they couldn’t identify with because it didn’t capture some of the realism that they had to navigate in their daily lives.
When it came to the mental health experiences of someone with PTSD, that was where Paradox’s research really showed and it paid off wonderfully. I mean, it’s not wonderful that a teenage girl had to deal with PTSD so severe that she needed a service animal to manage. But it IS wonderful that Paradox did not shy away from the topic…from describing the emotional and mental experiences of someone that had been severely traumatized, from addressing family and community support to the importance of therapy (which she also did superbly in “High Heels in a Minefield”), from triggers to treatments and everything in between. The way Paradox handled PTSD, even comparing it with the typical association of the illness to those that have survived combat or other violent situations, made me consider this as a book I would consider using with some of my clients. It’s something I’m definitely considering because even though everyone may not be comfortable with transgender characters, the emotional struggles transcend gender and person and exemplify an illness that is often misunderstood.
All that being said, Paradox creates a world that I would want to live in. A world grounded in love and support, communication and understanding. A world where intolerance and ignorance is unearthed and not excused or overlooked. It's not an ideal world, but it is perfect in its imperfections and in the communication that allows everyone to learn and grow and live and love. And I want to thank her for creating it, for sharing it, and inviting the readers to join her there. Thank you Paradox…with all my heart.
April 28, 2017
Action tale mixed with true love
Eric is taken by four footballers and forced to dress as a girl. All so a psychotic can have a prom fate. With lips glued and surrounded by guys that hate him he is forced to cooperate. At an abandoned house his date rapes him and another player tries to kill him by cutting up his scrotum and penis. Eric awakens to find himself a girl. With the help of parents and a therapist Ericka learns to live slowly again. Saddled with PSTD Ericka meets Tristan who trains service dogs. The story continues with who is still following Ericka and the threats against her. The wonderful part of the story is the love story that develops around Ericka. A good mystery and a girl finding true love . Read and enjoy this wonderful and interesting story.
Eric is taken by four footballers and forced to dress as a girl. All so a psychotic can have a prom fate. With lips glued and surrounded by guys that hate him he is forced to cooperate. At an abandoned house his date rapes him and another player tries to kill him by cutting up his scrotum and penis. Eric awakens to find himself a girl. With the help of parents and a therapist Ericka learns to live slowly again. Saddled with PSTD Ericka meets Tristan who trains service dogs. The story continues with who is still following Ericka and the threats against her. The wonderful part of the story is the love story that develops around Ericka. A good mystery and a girl finding true love . Read and enjoy this wonderful and interesting story.
June 21, 2025
Wow
Ok, there may be some spoilers in this review. You’ve been forewarned.
This is an excellent book. Very well written and the subjects were handled well. It was also very hard to read because I’m a trauma survivor. Those sections of the book were triggering and hard to get through. Despite that it was written well and as such was able to make it through those hard parts.
The premise that the protagonists genitalia were so mutilated their only option was to make female genitals is far fetched. (There are many boys and men out there without a penis). It also would have turned into an even more horrible tragedy than it already was had the protagonist not been trans themselves though still very much an egg. This is well demonstrated by the J. Money “experiment/years of torture” perpetuated on a little boy who was forced to be a girl. Spoiler, that little boy eventually died from depression and likely CPTSD. Forcing someone to be the gender they aren’t never ends well. I’m still trying to heal from the abuse my parents put me through and it’s been nearly three decades since they threw me away for being trans.
Anyway, I digress. I do wish the author made those points a little clearer and definitive. But the fact that the protagonist was always a girl is in there, but not dwelled on heavily. So at least it’s there.
Regardless, I really like this book and would recommend it very much. Just steel yourself for the traumatic stuff.
Ok, there may be some spoilers in this review. You’ve been forewarned.
This is an excellent book. Very well written and the subjects were handled well. It was also very hard to read because I’m a trauma survivor. Those sections of the book were triggering and hard to get through. Despite that it was written well and as such was able to make it through those hard parts.
The premise that the protagonists genitalia were so mutilated their only option was to make female genitals is far fetched. (There are many boys and men out there without a penis). It also would have turned into an even more horrible tragedy than it already was had the protagonist not been trans themselves though still very much an egg. This is well demonstrated by the J. Money “experiment/years of torture” perpetuated on a little boy who was forced to be a girl. Spoiler, that little boy eventually died from depression and likely CPTSD. Forcing someone to be the gender they aren’t never ends well. I’m still trying to heal from the abuse my parents put me through and it’s been nearly three decades since they threw me away for being trans.
Anyway, I digress. I do wish the author made those points a little clearer and definitive. But the fact that the protagonist was always a girl is in there, but not dwelled on heavily. So at least it’s there.
Regardless, I really like this book and would recommend it very much. Just steel yourself for the traumatic stuff.
January 20, 2020
Ericka
Brilliantly written and amazing in its storyline this book is quite honestly one of the best novels I have ever read. The characters portrayed were just like normal high school kids and the horror, emotion and romance involved were essentially marvellous. From all the characters I have to say apart from Ericka that Tristan with his wholehearted support and Julia the big were my favourites.
Brilliantly written and amazing in its storyline this book is quite honestly one of the best novels I have ever read. The characters portrayed were just like normal high school kids and the horror, emotion and romance involved were essentially marvellous. From all the characters I have to say apart from Ericka that Tristan with his wholehearted support and Julia the big were my favourites.
April 26, 2021
Prom Changed Everything, by N.L. Paradox tells the story of Erika, Erik before the prom. It relates her trial by PTSD and an unwanted but accepted sex reassignment surgery. The story was heart wrenching in places and humorous in others. It's a different kind of story, but one I enjoyed reading. I've already stated three spoilers so I'll just state those and be silent about the rest. They are yours ti discover as you read the story.
July 26, 2021
this was such an emotional ride, a harrowing event completely upends the live of our main character. this story takes us on a ride about the road she takes and about her day-to-day struggles. This is book is a definite recommend.
February 26, 2021
Nice story, liked it a lot.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews