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Straight Boy
When I first met Carter King, I knew he was something special. I imagined us being together, and we are, but only as friends. Best friends! I’m trying to be cool with that, even though I know he has secrets, and there have definitely been mixed signals. I don’t want a crush to ruin what we already have. Then again, if there’s any chance that we can be together, it’s worth the risk, because Carter could be the love of my life. Or he might be the boy who breaks my heart.
Straight Boy is Jay Bell’s emotional successor to his critically acclaimed Something Like… series. This full-length novel tells a story of friendship and love while skating the blurry line that often divides the two.
Straight Boy is Jay Bell’s emotional successor to his critically acclaimed Something Like… series. This full-length novel tells a story of friendship and love while skating the blurry line that often divides the two.
290 pages, ebook
First published October 18, 2018
287 people are currently reading
1022 people want to read
About the author
Jay Bell
47 books2,214 followersJay Bell is a proud gay man and the award-winning author behind dozens of emotional and yet hopelessly optimistic stories. His best-selling book, Something Like Summer, spawned a series of heart-wrenching novels, a musically driven movie, and a lovingly drawn comic. When not crafting imaginary worlds, he occupies his free time with animals, art, action figures, and—most ardently—his husband Andreas. Jay is always dreaming up new stories about boys in love. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can get the kettle boiling by visiting www.jaybellbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
June 8, 2020
Audio – 5 Stars
Story - 4.25 Stars
This book doesn’t come close to what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a fluffy GFY YA story. Um..no. It turned out to be a very emotional and darkish story. I loved it.
Story - 4.25 Stars
This book doesn’t come close to what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a fluffy GFY YA story. Um..no. It turned out to be a very emotional and darkish story. I loved it.
November 18, 2019
Read it, hated it, regretted it. This was just click-bait.
The author sold an idea in the first half of the book, and then drastically changed it all out of nowhere. I felt betrayed just for the fact that it was very misleading to what it strongly suggested and hinted in the entire first half of the story. It makes you wonder why the author felt the need to misled the reader like this. I even considered the possibility of being just an attempt to sell the book, since the path they actually chose to go in the end isn't interesting at all (quite the opposite actually).
To answer your question: No. The two main characters never get together. Even with the author spending more than half of the book trying to make you believe that they will. If they wanted to try some kind of plot-twist... Well, it was a terrible one. Not a smart choice at all. It was just ridiculous, exhausting and a waste of the reader's time, that's all.
My problem is not with what the author did, but with how he did it. I would be okay with it if they had sold the book differently from the very beginning, instead it was just disappointing.
The plot gets overly-dramatic, and it still lacked chemistry between the two characters they actually chose to stay together. the whole thing was just a big no for me.
I would have given zero stars for it. But it's not possible if you want to write a review, so one not-deserved star it is.
The author sold an idea in the first half of the book, and then drastically changed it all out of nowhere. I felt betrayed just for the fact that it was very misleading to what it strongly suggested and hinted in the entire first half of the story. It makes you wonder why the author felt the need to misled the reader like this. I even considered the possibility of being just an attempt to sell the book, since the path they actually chose to go in the end isn't interesting at all (quite the opposite actually).
To answer your question: No. The two main characters never get together. Even with the author spending more than half of the book trying to make you believe that they will. If they wanted to try some kind of plot-twist... Well, it was a terrible one. Not a smart choice at all. It was just ridiculous, exhausting and a waste of the reader's time, that's all.
My problem is not with what the author did, but with how he did it. I would be okay with it if they had sold the book differently from the very beginning, instead it was just disappointing.
The plot gets overly-dramatic, and it still lacked chemistry between the two characters they actually chose to stay together. the whole thing was just a big no for me.
I would have given zero stars for it. But it's not possible if you want to write a review, so one not-deserved star it is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2020
Wow this book was a rollercoaster of emotions. Melancholic, happy, intense, funny, bittersweet, with a nice smidgen of angst.
Straight Boy tells a story of a boy, Andrew, who falls in love with a straight boy, Carter. Now when I first read the synopsis, I gave an eyeroll. I thought off all the cheesy ways it could go, I thought of a way I wanted it to go. Well, it didn't go anyway I expected, and it was brilliant.
Friendship, unrequited love, going out with somone when you're both hung up on someone else but having that realationship develope into something more. This story also deals with conflict and how to deal and try to handle someone who is very aggressive and homophobic.
There was a short epilogue that jumps a few decades into the future, to show us where Andrew and Carter and some other characters are at. While I normally prefer an open ending (because it allows for the chance of a sequel), I liked what it did here. The epilogue was near perfect, it wasn't some perfect ending where the characters lifes were wrapped up with a neat bow. It was realistic, and it had some things that I really liked, which made the story more real.
I loved this book and I can't wait to read more of Jay Bell's work!
Straight Boy tells a story of a boy, Andrew, who falls in love with a straight boy, Carter. Now when I first read the synopsis, I gave an eyeroll. I thought off all the cheesy ways it could go, I thought of a way I wanted it to go. Well, it didn't go anyway I expected, and it was brilliant.
Friendship, unrequited love, going out with somone when you're both hung up on someone else but having that realationship develope into something more. This story also deals with conflict and how to deal and try to handle someone who is very aggressive and homophobic.
There was a short epilogue that jumps a few decades into the future, to show us where Andrew and Carter and some other characters are at. While I normally prefer an open ending (because it allows for the chance of a sequel), I liked what it did here. The epilogue was near perfect, it wasn't some perfect ending where the characters lifes were wrapped up with a neat bow. It was realistic, and it had some things that I really liked, which made the story more real.
I loved this book and I can't wait to read more of Jay Bell's work!
April 5, 2019
MISS ME WITH THAT PEOPLE WHO SUFFER WITH PTSD AND TRAUMA ARE ENTITLED FOR WANTING A HEADS UP. MISS ME WITH OH IF YOU CAN'T COPE WITH YOUR TRAUMA THEY DON'T GO OUTSIDE. WHAT IN THE UTTER F***
November 7, 2018
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS BY JAY BELL!! (contains minimal spoilers)
Seriously, this book made me happy, cry, tense, and angry at the same time. This was the first book I've read that was by Jay Bell and written in 1st POV. Since most the people here review the book in formalistic sense, I'm going to approach this in reader's response.
I personally connect with Andrew. I know how hard it is to fall for a straight guy. Been there at least five times my whole life. I also know the feeling of being bullied, but not to the point where lives are threatened. I think that most of the LGBT people, not only the gay males, can relate to this story.
Bullying and unrequited love were always part of a daily life of gay person. The good thing about this book is that Jay Bell did not address these things as mere inconveniences (like most of the LGBT books I've read) but as a real struggle and battle for expression. Jay Bell gave the characters the might and bravery, which I rarely see in most of the works in this genre.
Overall, this is good. This is not just some fictional work. This is also a testimony. <3
Seriously, this book made me happy, cry, tense, and angry at the same time. This was the first book I've read that was by Jay Bell and written in 1st POV. Since most the people here review the book in formalistic sense, I'm going to approach this in reader's response.
I personally connect with Andrew. I know how hard it is to fall for a straight guy. Been there at least five times my whole life. I also know the feeling of being bullied, but not to the point where lives are threatened. I think that most of the LGBT people, not only the gay males, can relate to this story.
Bullying and unrequited love were always part of a daily life of gay person. The good thing about this book is that Jay Bell did not address these things as mere inconveniences (like most of the LGBT books I've read) but as a real struggle and battle for expression. Jay Bell gave the characters the might and bravery, which I rarely see in most of the works in this genre.
Overall, this is good. This is not just some fictional work. This is also a testimony. <3
Read
April 6, 2019Trigger Warnings: rape, assault
(Removed my lame review that had the tw to just post this instead)
(Removed my lame review that had the tw to just post this instead)
Read
November 6, 2018Sigh. I love Jay Bell, but I’m not sure I can fairly rate this book. It starts out heading full steam in one direction and heads that way for over half the book. Then it does a complete about-face, and throws in several random curve balls along the way. Going into detail would take too much effort without spoilers, but after trying to right itself towards the end, it goes to a complete other dimension. Nothing resembles the start of the book by the end. Add a 20+ year later epilogue to all of that with a whole bunch of random details, and I’m not even sure what I just read.
Sad thing is, I adored the relationship between the two MCs. I mean, ADORED it. And the writing was so good! I just didn’t even recognize it as the same story by the end. :(
Sad thing is, I adored the relationship between the two MCs. I mean, ADORED it. And the writing was so good! I just didn’t even recognize it as the same story by the end. :(
October 21, 2018
3.5 stars.
This book is not what I thought it would be. It's better. Less cliché, less predictable, more interesting to read. The epilogue, in particular, has let me quite satisfied. I'd have liked to read more about the relationship between two specific characters but maybe it is better to only have mentioned it.
This book is not what I thought it would be. It's better. Less cliché, less predictable, more interesting to read. The epilogue, in particular, has let me quite satisfied. I'd have liked to read more about the relationship between two specific characters but maybe it is better to only have mentioned it.
November 6, 2018
I should probably give this more stars because the story was really well developed and the characters were interesting. And despite the fact that the ending was random af, it was not a bad book.
I just didn't like how things went down in the story.
I just didn't like how things went down in the story.
April 12, 2023
Orientation is not as important as friends
Jay Bell has been one of my favorite authors for years. He makes characters come alive in my mind as I read his stories about boys, friends, family, and relationships that bring back memories of my own life, especially as a dumb teenager that was a tackling dummy for the bullies in my schools and neighborhood.
I somehow survived the "accidents", broken bones, knives, beatings, target practice dummy, 33 years of Army, 22 years of college, world travel, teaching, and just caring for others, especially young people. I lived through good and bad, including many situations that felt like Jay Bell was writing to and for me.
Family, neighborhood, school, friends, and enemies do so much to shape your life and love life that to realize that it can happen to you makes reading a great book so important, but you get to pretend about the scars and tattoos of book life and just share the real ones. I wish I had a group of friends like this instead of some of the real "friends" that were not the best.
Thanks, Jay.
Jay Bell has been one of my favorite authors for years. He makes characters come alive in my mind as I read his stories about boys, friends, family, and relationships that bring back memories of my own life, especially as a dumb teenager that was a tackling dummy for the bullies in my schools and neighborhood.
I somehow survived the "accidents", broken bones, knives, beatings, target practice dummy, 33 years of Army, 22 years of college, world travel, teaching, and just caring for others, especially young people. I lived through good and bad, including many situations that felt like Jay Bell was writing to and for me.
Family, neighborhood, school, friends, and enemies do so much to shape your life and love life that to realize that it can happen to you makes reading a great book so important, but you get to pretend about the scars and tattoos of book life and just share the real ones. I wish I had a group of friends like this instead of some of the real "friends" that were not the best.
Thanks, Jay.
November 7, 2018
Awesome, as always
If you've read Jay's stories before--any or all (me = all)--then you won't be surprised at all that this is a gay author who gets it right, all of it.
His storylines are always twisting and sort of sneaky but it's his characters that are the best parts. I love dialog, and his characters--main or minor--speak to us, yes. The coolest part of that for me, though (as an English teacher, I do love words) is that Jay uses his character's thoughts inside also speak to us, if that makes sense?
The only drawback to reading this is that probably means I'm gonna' have to wait awhile for another book...boo.
Btw, another thing about his stories that as a gay man I appreciate is that there is zero time spent describing sex, a point that seems to elude most female M/M writers. Then again, if you're a regular Jay Bell reader, you knew that. ;-)
If you've read Jay's stories before--any or all (me = all)--then you won't be surprised at all that this is a gay author who gets it right, all of it.
His storylines are always twisting and sort of sneaky but it's his characters that are the best parts. I love dialog, and his characters--main or minor--speak to us, yes. The coolest part of that for me, though (as an English teacher, I do love words) is that Jay uses his character's thoughts inside also speak to us, if that makes sense?
The only drawback to reading this is that probably means I'm gonna' have to wait awhile for another book...boo.
Btw, another thing about his stories that as a gay man I appreciate is that there is zero time spent describing sex, a point that seems to elude most female M/M writers. Then again, if you're a regular Jay Bell reader, you knew that. ;-)
October 3, 2018
I had the pleasure to read an early finished draft of the novel, and the story of Andrew and Carter is so amazing and natural and common it will resonate with everyone. Andrew is just your regular gay boy who falls in love with the straight best friend. Seem cliché at first but the reality is that it goes deeper, as their friendship is tested by shameful pasts and a dangerous individual that shows how the teenage world is full of perils. Andrew and Carter love each other so much, but whether they can put their sexuality difference aside is going to be a question they'll have to ask themselves.
June 7, 2023
He did it again! He wrote a 3AS: an adorable, amazing, and admirable story! The characters are SO real they leap off the page the moment you visualize them, straight into your heart. I instantly fell in love with them! An honest story aches your heart but also feels it with unusual warmth and a totally good feeling. Brilliant is all I can say and then shout out, “BUY this book!” If all Bell’s books are superb like this one, I may be in a huuuuge trouble.
March 18, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
The blurb for Straight Boy delivers only one side to this story. Sure, it is about Andrew and his crush on Carter, but then it becomes a lot more. To start off with, there is Andrew as he is about to start his senior year of high school in a new school. He is confident and embraces who he is, but his first day also draws unwanted and homophobic attention.
The first part of the book focuses on the friendship and developing relationship between Andrew and Carter. They are both good guys trying to get through high school. Carter is also new to the area and his story plays out alongside his friendship to Andrew. Bell was able to capture all of the high school drama of Andrew’s crush and then him not knowing if Carter is interested in being with a guy. Bell also excels at single point of view as the story is told through Andrew’s eyes, yet all of the other characters, even minor ones, have a strong presence and we get to know them as well. But Andrew remains the focus and you will absolutely want him to find happiness and also a way out as life takes a dangerous turn.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
The blurb for Straight Boy delivers only one side to this story. Sure, it is about Andrew and his crush on Carter, but then it becomes a lot more. To start off with, there is Andrew as he is about to start his senior year of high school in a new school. He is confident and embraces who he is, but his first day also draws unwanted and homophobic attention.
The first part of the book focuses on the friendship and developing relationship between Andrew and Carter. They are both good guys trying to get through high school. Carter is also new to the area and his story plays out alongside his friendship to Andrew. Bell was able to capture all of the high school drama of Andrew’s crush and then him not knowing if Carter is interested in being with a guy. Bell also excels at single point of view as the story is told through Andrew’s eyes, yet all of the other characters, even minor ones, have a strong presence and we get to know them as well. But Andrew remains the focus and you will absolutely want him to find happiness and also a way out as life takes a dangerous turn.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
October 3, 2019
This book sells itself as the very kind of book it not so subtly criticizes. That's the only reason I am leaving this review - I decided against reviewing other Jay Bell works because they're ok, just strongly not my cup of tea. The presentation of this one is downright disingenuous, though.
Jay Bell has the incredible talent of pairing a perfect relationship dynamic with a deeply unsatisfying ending. It was the reason I did not like Something Like Summer (gasps from the crowd) and avoided the following books of the series. I decided to give it another chance with Straight Boy, just to end up upset and disappointed once again.
Which is not to say that jay Bell is a bad writer, far from it. If you are the kind of person that likes your books to be unpredictable, go for it. Reading the synopsis (damn, reading the first half of the book) you really don't know what you've gotten into. But it is my opinion that life sucks enough that I don't need that kind of buzz-kill, real-life-comes-knocking wake-up call on my romance novels.
Jay Bell has the incredible talent of pairing a perfect relationship dynamic with a deeply unsatisfying ending. It was the reason I did not like Something Like Summer (gasps from the crowd) and avoided the following books of the series. I decided to give it another chance with Straight Boy, just to end up upset and disappointed once again.
Which is not to say that jay Bell is a bad writer, far from it. If you are the kind of person that likes your books to be unpredictable, go for it. Reading the synopsis (damn, reading the first half of the book) you really don't know what you've gotten into. But it is my opinion that life sucks enough that I don't need that kind of buzz-kill, real-life-comes-knocking wake-up call on my romance novels.
May 5, 2021
Uwielbiam kończyć książki z łzami w oczach, jestem zachwycona 🧡
November 3, 2018
Straight Boy is another awesome novel by Jay Bell. When Andrew's family moves, he meets and eventually falls for his new best friend, Carter. There are times that he hopes that their friendship will become something more. Andrew is so lovable that I rooted for him, cringed for him at times, and worried for him.
This story is chock full of realistic characters, problems and subplots, and various relationships. As always, I love the way Jay creates his characters; with humor and a healthy dose of reality. Like life, the book has light-hearted parts and some heavier situations which come together for a very lifelike story.
I loved this book and most of its characters. I recommend that you embark on this journey with Andrew.
This story is chock full of realistic characters, problems and subplots, and various relationships. As always, I love the way Jay creates his characters; with humor and a healthy dose of reality. Like life, the book has light-hearted parts and some heavier situations which come together for a very lifelike story.
I loved this book and most of its characters. I recommend that you embark on this journey with Andrew.
May 14, 2024
I have opinions.
Title is not inaccurate per se, but it's misleading. I thought this was going to be a quick read with dumb feel-good fluff and I'd move on within a day. The first half of the book definitely builds that up, but it turns out to be a bait-and-switch for a much darker story than you'd expect from the cover. It almost feels like the plot about the gay narrator falling for the straight boy-next-door is actually an expositional subplot that entirely takes a backseat to the real plot 200 pages in. Not what I was expecting, but it's not that I didn't enjoy it.
I'm currently grappling with a conflict over how I actually feel about this book. It's the perfect example of an "idiot plot" (one which is "kept in motion solely by virtue of the fact that everybody involved is an idiot"). Andrew's first interaction with Bobby should have been enough for any reasonable person to think, "Hey, maybe I shouldn't go near this guy because God knows what will happen if I stick around." You could say hindsight is 20/20 and that I'm only saying they should've seen the signs now, but let it be known that the FIRST TIME Andrew voluntarily went to a party he knew Bobby was hosting, I would've been out immediately. He called him the F-slur and pulled a knife. What sane person decides to tolerate someone like that?
Answer: High-school kids. I would be giving this book a 3 out of 5 if these people weren't minors. I think Bell did a great job creating deep characters, each with their own backstories and motivations. Not one of these people has a fully developed frontal lobe. If they had, maybe there wouldn't have been a story to tell.
The only thing that really got me was the fact that Jackson let Bobby do what he did at the very end. How fucking stupid can you be?
That said, I did tear up at the climax. Epilogue was kind of dumb though.
Title is not inaccurate per se, but it's misleading. I thought this was going to be a quick read with dumb feel-good fluff and I'd move on within a day. The first half of the book definitely builds that up, but it turns out to be a bait-and-switch for a much darker story than you'd expect from the cover. It almost feels like the plot about the gay narrator falling for the straight boy-next-door is actually an expositional subplot that entirely takes a backseat to the real plot 200 pages in. Not what I was expecting, but it's not that I didn't enjoy it.
I'm currently grappling with a conflict over how I actually feel about this book. It's the perfect example of an "idiot plot" (one which is "kept in motion solely by virtue of the fact that everybody involved is an idiot"). Andrew's first interaction with Bobby should have been enough for any reasonable person to think, "Hey, maybe I shouldn't go near this guy because God knows what will happen if I stick around." You could say hindsight is 20/20 and that I'm only saying they should've seen the signs now, but let it be known that the FIRST TIME Andrew voluntarily went to a party he knew Bobby was hosting, I would've been out immediately. He called him the F-slur and pulled a knife. What sane person decides to tolerate someone like that?
Answer: High-school kids. I would be giving this book a 3 out of 5 if these people weren't minors. I think Bell did a great job creating deep characters, each with their own backstories and motivations. Not one of these people has a fully developed frontal lobe. If they had, maybe there wouldn't have been a story to tell.
The only thing that really got me was the fact that Jackson let Bobby do what he did at the very end. How fucking stupid can you be?
That said, I did tear up at the climax. Epilogue was kind of dumb though.
November 1, 2018
The first Jay Bell book I read outside of the "Something Like" series and I wasn't at all disappointed. A refreshing story of a gay character who can't instantly turn his straight crush gay.
September 28, 2019
Jay Bell must be a teenager at heart since his characters act like them with sincerity and realism. Andrew moves to Chicagoland and has such a miserable time in his new school from day one. Then he starts what every gay boy does; he falls for a straight boy, even though he knows it will end in heartbreak.
Then it takes a different turn as Andrew deals with a bully and complicated friendships and then the unspeakable bully gone crazy scenario every parent and every teen fears will happen. How Andrew and all the other teens react to the bully is so wrong from the mind of an adult reading it, but so right on how kids think and solve problems sometimes. There were scary moments for sure.
And of course Carter has a complicated past of guilt and shame to work through. He is so sweet and caring. And the mystery from his past crashes into he and Andrew’s present in important ways, especially if you read the epilogue.
I am always wondering about epilogues, and whether to read or count them. I like to make up my own. Bell is an epic story guy, taking us in leaps of years. So we find out some sad and some amazing things. I don’t know about Andrew’s love life here but am happy nonetheless.
Not a side note, but the audiobook narrator was very fun to listen to.
This book was different than the long running Something Like series and I loved it.
Then it takes a different turn as Andrew deals with a bully and complicated friendships and then the unspeakable bully gone crazy scenario every parent and every teen fears will happen. How Andrew and all the other teens react to the bully is so wrong from the mind of an adult reading it, but so right on how kids think and solve problems sometimes. There were scary moments for sure.
And of course Carter has a complicated past of guilt and shame to work through. He is so sweet and caring. And the mystery from his past crashes into he and Andrew’s present in important ways, especially if you read the epilogue.
I am always wondering about epilogues, and whether to read or count them. I like to make up my own. Bell is an epic story guy, taking us in leaps of years. So we find out some sad and some amazing things. I don’t know about Andrew’s love life here but am happy nonetheless.
Not a side note, but the audiobook narrator was very fun to listen to.
This book was different than the long running Something Like series and I loved it.
May 31, 2020
I hated this ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
June 9, 2020
5 stars audio
5 stars story. Another YA story that took me by surprise. Loved it.
5 stars story. Another YA story that took me by surprise. Loved it.
May 13, 2020
Cũng dễ thương, nhưng không còn hợp với mình nữa
May 6, 2019
Spoilers for Straight Boy.
The ending of this one didn't work for me. Up until the 50-60% mark, I really enjoyed the plot line. Despite not fitting the demographic, I've always been a big fan of Jay Bell's works. Thinking back on it, he's incorporated violence and torment before in order to drive the storyline, but here it feels like a step too far.
This is the story of Andrew and Carter, both new to Chicago, who move in next to each other and become best friends. Andrew has feelings for Carter, Carter feels something back but can't be anything but heterosexual, despite wishing he could change who he was. Explorations of their friendship, their road trip to learn more about Carter's past, and even the beginnings of Andrew's relationship with Jackson feel right. Then the story loses me. Bobby is introduced early on as a bully and tormenter to Andrew, and then we find despite being Jackson's best friend, he's abused Jackson, and his ex-girlfriend Olivia, and Carter's sister Vicki. Gerald, their teacher, is the Vulcan-inspired, after-school special of a mentor who tells them all the right things about dealing with bullies and doing the right thing, and near the climax tells them they have to press charges and not let fear of the consequences stop them from stopping Bobby.
They take Gerald's advice, and Bobby continues to threaten the other kids and seems one step ahead of the police. The kids share their GPS locations with each other for their protection, which works until Jackson gives Bobby his phone, Bobby pretends to have murdered Jackson, lures Andrew into the woods and nearly kills him and Carter. We're then left with an epilogue where Jackson never gets over Bobby, where Carter marries and has a family, and Andrew marries Carter's best friend and remains good friends with his "straight boy."
All I can think of is, if you’re fearing bullies, this story teaches you unintentionally that if you go to the police, if you go to adults you respect, the bully is going to get away with it and nearly kill you and everyone you care about in a bog. I don't feel the violence and the number of pages devoted to defeating the bully were a good use of plot or space. There was so much more that could have been covered. Previously, Bell used character violence as a way to advance the relationships we care about. Here it only really impacts the character of Jackson, who stubbornly continues to not let go of Bobby. I absolutely understand this is someone he has history with and pities the circumstances of Bobby's childhood, but Bobby literally raped someone, and that’s before it goes to shit. I can't recall if Jackson knows that Bobby continued to threaten Andrew, but he gave his cell phone to Bobby that was capable of tracking Andrew and all of his other friends. That's inexcusable.
That Jackson and Andrew's relationship fizzled and that they were proven incompatible was not surprising. It just didn't make stellar reading. My high school relationships involved me dating people I cared about, and it eventually not working. That's the way it usually works out, and that's true to life, but I'm not sure if that's a book you'd want me to write. The only real impact of Bobby's storyline, that teaches us or shows us something that we didn't otherwise have, is Andrew got to kiss Carter. At a hospital. While performing CPR in a foyer. That's just not enough.
If this wanted to be a story about dealing with bullies, it didn't need to be so over the top. A kid pulling a knife on you in class is terrifying. That the bully is charming and can flummox school administrators and the police is far more powerful as a threat to Andrew. Gerald's advice was solid, but it didn't work, and that needed to be addressed. His character is never seen again. What would he say at the hospital? Would he give the same advice to the next group of kids? What's the message here? The storyline became about Bobby's impact on the group, and I feel like we didn't get a lot of discussion or interpretation about it, which is a shame, because all the players were more than capable.
I love the potential for this story. I would have loved if it went in a different direction about halfway in. Bobby the psychopath was not compelling enough.
The ending of this one didn't work for me. Up until the 50-60% mark, I really enjoyed the plot line. Despite not fitting the demographic, I've always been a big fan of Jay Bell's works. Thinking back on it, he's incorporated violence and torment before in order to drive the storyline, but here it feels like a step too far.
This is the story of Andrew and Carter, both new to Chicago, who move in next to each other and become best friends. Andrew has feelings for Carter, Carter feels something back but can't be anything but heterosexual, despite wishing he could change who he was. Explorations of their friendship, their road trip to learn more about Carter's past, and even the beginnings of Andrew's relationship with Jackson feel right. Then the story loses me. Bobby is introduced early on as a bully and tormenter to Andrew, and then we find despite being Jackson's best friend, he's abused Jackson, and his ex-girlfriend Olivia, and Carter's sister Vicki. Gerald, their teacher, is the Vulcan-inspired, after-school special of a mentor who tells them all the right things about dealing with bullies and doing the right thing, and near the climax tells them they have to press charges and not let fear of the consequences stop them from stopping Bobby.
They take Gerald's advice, and Bobby continues to threaten the other kids and seems one step ahead of the police. The kids share their GPS locations with each other for their protection, which works until Jackson gives Bobby his phone, Bobby pretends to have murdered Jackson, lures Andrew into the woods and nearly kills him and Carter. We're then left with an epilogue where Jackson never gets over Bobby, where Carter marries and has a family, and Andrew marries Carter's best friend and remains good friends with his "straight boy."
All I can think of is, if you’re fearing bullies, this story teaches you unintentionally that if you go to the police, if you go to adults you respect, the bully is going to get away with it and nearly kill you and everyone you care about in a bog. I don't feel the violence and the number of pages devoted to defeating the bully were a good use of plot or space. There was so much more that could have been covered. Previously, Bell used character violence as a way to advance the relationships we care about. Here it only really impacts the character of Jackson, who stubbornly continues to not let go of Bobby. I absolutely understand this is someone he has history with and pities the circumstances of Bobby's childhood, but Bobby literally raped someone, and that’s before it goes to shit. I can't recall if Jackson knows that Bobby continued to threaten Andrew, but he gave his cell phone to Bobby that was capable of tracking Andrew and all of his other friends. That's inexcusable.
That Jackson and Andrew's relationship fizzled and that they were proven incompatible was not surprising. It just didn't make stellar reading. My high school relationships involved me dating people I cared about, and it eventually not working. That's the way it usually works out, and that's true to life, but I'm not sure if that's a book you'd want me to write. The only real impact of Bobby's storyline, that teaches us or shows us something that we didn't otherwise have, is Andrew got to kiss Carter. At a hospital. While performing CPR in a foyer. That's just not enough.
If this wanted to be a story about dealing with bullies, it didn't need to be so over the top. A kid pulling a knife on you in class is terrifying. That the bully is charming and can flummox school administrators and the police is far more powerful as a threat to Andrew. Gerald's advice was solid, but it didn't work, and that needed to be addressed. His character is never seen again. What would he say at the hospital? Would he give the same advice to the next group of kids? What's the message here? The storyline became about Bobby's impact on the group, and I feel like we didn't get a lot of discussion or interpretation about it, which is a shame, because all the players were more than capable.
I love the potential for this story. I would have loved if it went in a different direction about halfway in. Bobby the psychopath was not compelling enough.
December 17, 2018
Not even going to finish. Didn’t realize it was set in high school and the first half of the book hints at one thing then ends with something else. It’s like a huge build up, then you get shot down and stuck with second best. Just not my thing.
September 17, 2020
unnecessarily messy for me but what do I know, a lot of people liked it
March 12, 2022
I didn't like this. Just every issue you could think of given a character. The audiobook reader was reading everyone except the main character with an extra slow deep simpleton voice.
December 10, 2018
I've originally had the honor of reading this through Jay Bell's Pateron page. Seriously? Did you not know this? You should sign up!
This was different compared to the usual works of Jay Bell. This is not a bad thing. I felt like I was binge watching an incredible TV show. It was hard to put down. Not to mention this takes place in Chicago! It brought something really close to home with that.
Now I hate spoilers, especially when it comes to any of Jay Bell's work. This is kind of why my review has been so vague. But seriously, place your order. Give it a try.
This was different compared to the usual works of Jay Bell. This is not a bad thing. I felt like I was binge watching an incredible TV show. It was hard to put down. Not to mention this takes place in Chicago! It brought something really close to home with that.
Now I hate spoilers, especially when it comes to any of Jay Bell's work. This is kind of why my review has been so vague. But seriously, place your order. Give it a try.
January 19, 2021
I can’t recommend this book enough!!!
This is NOT the typical love story. In this novel we get to explore what is been referred to as a “landscape of emotions” while we analyze the complexities of all the different kinds of love life has to offer.
I always loved Bell’s writing style, I believe his characters have incredible depth and are very loveable from the first page. This book is no exception. You are glued to each word until the epilogue, and then you breath!
This is NOT the typical love story. In this novel we get to explore what is been referred to as a “landscape of emotions” while we analyze the complexities of all the different kinds of love life has to offer.
I always loved Bell’s writing style, I believe his characters have incredible depth and are very loveable from the first page. This book is no exception. You are glued to each word until the epilogue, and then you breath!
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