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All Boy
Seventeen-year-old Callie Canter knows all about screwing up—and being screwed over. After her so-called boyfriend publicly humiliated her senior year, taking a fifth year of high school at Beaufort Hills Academy is her second chance to leave behind a painful past. But her need for social acceptance follows, and going along with the in-crowd is the difference between survival and becoming a target. Staying off the radar is top priority. So, falling for an outsider is the last thing on Callie’s “to-do” list. Too bad her heart didn’t get the memo.
With his strict, religious upbringing and former identity far away in Florida, Jayden Morrissey can finally be true to himself at Beaufort Hills Academy. But life as a trans man means keeping secrets, and keeping secrets means not getting too close to anyone. If he can just get through his fifth year unnoticed, maybe a future living as the person he was born to be is possible. Yet love is love, and when you fall hard enough, intentions crumble, plans detour, and secrets are revealed.
From multi-award-winning author Mia Kerick, comes a powerful, timely, and life-changing novel, which follows two teenagers nursing broken hearts and seeking acceptance, and who together realize running away isn’t always the answer.
With his strict, religious upbringing and former identity far away in Florida, Jayden Morrissey can finally be true to himself at Beaufort Hills Academy. But life as a trans man means keeping secrets, and keeping secrets means not getting too close to anyone. If he can just get through his fifth year unnoticed, maybe a future living as the person he was born to be is possible. Yet love is love, and when you fall hard enough, intentions crumble, plans detour, and secrets are revealed.
From multi-award-winning author Mia Kerick, comes a powerful, timely, and life-changing novel, which follows two teenagers nursing broken hearts and seeking acceptance, and who together realize running away isn’t always the answer.
- GenresLGBTYoung Adult
373 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2019
3 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Mia Kerick
42 books538 followersMia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—one in law school, another at a dance conservatory, a third studying at Mia’s alma mater, Boston College, and her lone son still in high school. She has published more than twenty books of LGBTQ romance when not editing National Honor Society essays, offering opinions on college and law school applications, helping to create dance bios, and reviewing English papers. Her husband of twenty-five years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about this, as it is a sensitive subject.
Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships. She has a great affinity for the tortured hero in literature, and as a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with tales of tortured heroes and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to her wonderful publishing houses for providing her with an alternate place to stash her stories.
Her books have been featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine, and have won Rainbow Awards for Best Transgender Contemporary Romance and Best YA Lesbian Fiction, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, an Indie Fab Award, and a Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, among other awards.
Mia Kerick is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology. Contact Mia at miakerick@gmail.com or visit at www.miakerickya.com to see what is going on in Mia’s world.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 14, 2019
I have to be honest and say I wasn't sure what this book was about when I started reading it as I had agreed to do the tour as the cover looked amazing - yes, I am a cover crusher and judge the occasional book by its cover. All Boy started with the main character Callie attending a new college which is created with the idea for those needing to spend another year at high school before going off to "college". It is a place where you can find yourself and discover your strengths. For Callie, she was humiliated and embarrassed by her ex-boyfriend and needed a fresh start. Callie though an athlete has a big butt and is teased for it. In a way, she reminded me of myself as I have been told that for a white girl - I have a black girl's booty which basically means I have a big bum. Genetics - right, can't live with them, can't live without them. During one of her classes, she meets a guy named Jayden Morrisey. He has captured her attention, though quiet and shy - Callie finds herself falling hard for him. The thing though is that Jayden has a dark secret and if it got out, then he believes Callie wouldn't love him for him. What will happen when Jayden's secret is revealed and Callie feels betrayed and hurt? Can she win back Jayden's love and is he willing for Callie to love him for him or is he stuck in the in-between. All Boy was an interesting read and I wondered what I would have done if I was in Callie's position and if I would have been as strong and accepting as her in the end. All Boy features a transgender character and their journey from female to male and trying to be accepted by family and friends.
April 9, 2019
All Boy is a stellar read by Mia Kerick. There's something special about the way Mia Kerick writes transgender teen stories. She excels at writing an honest and realistic character, while placing them into real situations.
All Boy is a novel about fear, fear, and more fear. It's about the fear of living one's truth, the fear of facing those consequences, and the fear of the unknown.
Two teens who struggle with how the world sees them. This is a story of humiliation, shame, and self-loathing.
As 5th year high school students, both Jaiden and Callie have a chance to re-do their senior year. Callie's been abused, and prefers to keep to herself, while avoiding boys. But when she sees Jaiden, she's struck by his beauty, and is instantly intrigued. What she doesn't know is that Jaiden's keeping a secret, as this is the first year he's living as a man. He escaped from his home, trying to live his true self., but the secrets result in pain and guilt.
Jaiden's family are the typical southern Bapists, who'd never be able to accept a transgender child. Thus, Jaiden's even hiding from them.
The dichotomy of the two Jaidens is heart-breaking. He spends most of his time living as Jaiden, but at home needs to live as Jada. It's so damn sad and tough to read at times.
Both teens struggle with body issues; Callie with her weight, and Jaiden with his gender. It's fantastic the way they both have their own fears and secrets. In the end, both Callie and Jaiden learn a lot, about themselves as well as each other.
Their relationship involves misunderstanding, confusion, pain, and hurt. There are plenty of awkward moments, that are written in an excellent manner.
All Boy is a stunning story is two young adults navigating their way through their new normal. Mia Kerick stuns with a tale of discovering what love means, as well as learning what pain and regret are. And at it's heart, Mia writes an accomplished romance that illustrates the loneliness of being transgender.
All Boy is a novel about fear, fear, and more fear. It's about the fear of living one's truth, the fear of facing those consequences, and the fear of the unknown.
Two teens who struggle with how the world sees them. This is a story of humiliation, shame, and self-loathing.
As 5th year high school students, both Jaiden and Callie have a chance to re-do their senior year. Callie's been abused, and prefers to keep to herself, while avoiding boys. But when she sees Jaiden, she's struck by his beauty, and is instantly intrigued. What she doesn't know is that Jaiden's keeping a secret, as this is the first year he's living as a man. He escaped from his home, trying to live his true self., but the secrets result in pain and guilt.
Jaiden's family are the typical southern Bapists, who'd never be able to accept a transgender child. Thus, Jaiden's even hiding from them.
The dichotomy of the two Jaidens is heart-breaking. He spends most of his time living as Jaiden, but at home needs to live as Jada. It's so damn sad and tough to read at times.
Both teens struggle with body issues; Callie with her weight, and Jaiden with his gender. It's fantastic the way they both have their own fears and secrets. In the end, both Callie and Jaiden learn a lot, about themselves as well as each other.
Their relationship involves misunderstanding, confusion, pain, and hurt. There are plenty of awkward moments, that are written in an excellent manner.
All Boy is a stunning story is two young adults navigating their way through their new normal. Mia Kerick stuns with a tale of discovering what love means, as well as learning what pain and regret are. And at it's heart, Mia writes an accomplished romance that illustrates the loneliness of being transgender.
May 16, 2019
4.5 - 5 Stars... Another great read from this author...
The first thing I need to say is that All Boy was not an easy book to read. Sometimes, those are the best books though. That’s one of the reasons why my reading is so eclectic. I love learning about people from all walks of life and “seeing” and “feeling” things from a totally different perspective.
My heart broke for both of these kids, but mostly for Jayden. To be honest, I wasn’t a fan of Callie for a while in All Boy. Given what she went through in her previous school I really expected her to be a little bit more sympathetic. She still made some of the same bad decisions that she made in high school, which is kind of a normal teenage thing, but again, I still felt like she should have known better. She eventually came around, but it was almost too late.
The biggest difference between Callie and Jayden was the fact that Callie had lots of support and Jayden had no one. Jayden was getting there. He knew that keeping his biggest secret was probably going to back fire and getting closer to people that he was trying to keep it from was going to end up hurting someone, he just had no idea exactly how bad it could be…
There were some great supporting characters in All Boy and there were some characters who I really didn’t like. Jayden did have a couple of family members he could rely on, but the others weren’t just unsupportive, they were borderline cruel. This is definitely a book that makes you feel to the point that I wanted to jump in and protect Jayden from the world he felt trapped in. I wasn’t as drawn into All Boy as I was with The Princess of Baker Street, but I can tell you that as far as both stories go, this author seems to be doing an amazing job of enlightening readers to at least some of the struggles kids who just want to be true to themselves have to go through.
I received All Boy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The first thing I need to say is that All Boy was not an easy book to read. Sometimes, those are the best books though. That’s one of the reasons why my reading is so eclectic. I love learning about people from all walks of life and “seeing” and “feeling” things from a totally different perspective.
My heart broke for both of these kids, but mostly for Jayden. To be honest, I wasn’t a fan of Callie for a while in All Boy. Given what she went through in her previous school I really expected her to be a little bit more sympathetic. She still made some of the same bad decisions that she made in high school, which is kind of a normal teenage thing, but again, I still felt like she should have known better. She eventually came around, but it was almost too late.
The biggest difference between Callie and Jayden was the fact that Callie had lots of support and Jayden had no one. Jayden was getting there. He knew that keeping his biggest secret was probably going to back fire and getting closer to people that he was trying to keep it from was going to end up hurting someone, he just had no idea exactly how bad it could be…
There were some great supporting characters in All Boy and there were some characters who I really didn’t like. Jayden did have a couple of family members he could rely on, but the others weren’t just unsupportive, they were borderline cruel. This is definitely a book that makes you feel to the point that I wanted to jump in and protect Jayden from the world he felt trapped in. I wasn’t as drawn into All Boy as I was with The Princess of Baker Street, but I can tell you that as far as both stories go, this author seems to be doing an amazing job of enlightening readers to at least some of the struggles kids who just want to be true to themselves have to go through.
I received All Boy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 17, 2019
This was a very interesting book. It really made me think. I honestly don't even know where to start with this review. There was so much that went on in this book. I feel like we got a good look at the things a transgender person might deal with. That was the part that I really kept turning pages on, to try to learn, to understand. It was easier for me to understand Callie's side. A girl, overweight, worried about food, and people treating her differently, and maybe even seeing herself as overweight, when in reality she wasn't fat, just maybe not waif-like skinny. That strikes a nerve with me, knowing that I felt that way for years. But to see these two come together, even after the horrible things that they'd gone through in the past, and after they slowly got over the things that happened at their school was a wonderful thing to read. I know that it's probably not realistic to have happy endings and things to go mostly smoothly as they end up, but I want it to be more like that for people in these types of situations. Really a great story, and I love the message it contained. I highly recommend this one.
Review first appeared on Lisa Loves Literature.
Review first appeared on Lisa Loves Literature.
July 10, 2019
I received a review copy from Xpresso Book Tours, and I honestly jumped at the chance to get my hands on a book featuring a trans character that didn’t fetishize trans people. I was a little hesitant to read another YA book, because high school was awful enough the first time and I don’t want to relive it, but the subject is incredibly important especially for this age group and I definitely wanted to read more books featuring trans characters.
I wasn’t surprised to find Beaufort Hills Academy to be equally as terrible a microcosm of the world as my own high school was many years ago, just smaller, richer, and whiter. The two main characters have their reasons for trying not to engage more than they have to with the rest of the student body. Callie was grievously traumatized at her prior school. Jayden is trans and the dorms don’t offer him enough privacy.
They meet in class and are able to draw each other out, just a bit. It’s enough to improve both of their lives at Beaufort, but especially Callie’s. Then something terrible happens, and Callie fails Jayden in an exceptionally terrible way. (The way may be triggering to some readers; more on this below.)
This is a romance. There is a happy ending. The dark moment, however, is super dark.
Let’s unpack some of this, because there’s a lot going on in this book and readers should be aware of it.
First of all, the trauma Callie endured at the hands of her ex-boyfriend and the people at her former school was severe. Have people endured worse? Sure. Does that minimize what was done to Callie? Nope. What happened to her colors every aspect of her life now. While she’s been through counseling and it has helped her to some extent, it plays a significant role in how she responds to events around her.
On the one hand, Callie’s trauma makes her somewhat more self-aware than I’d expect from the average high school girl. (She’s definitely more self-aware in many cases than I was.) That said, it’s also given her a distinct sense of paranoia and with good reason.
Let me reiterate. Callie’s paranoia is a perfectly normal, understandable, and almost healthy response to what was done to her.
Why do I bring this up?
I mentioned earlier that Callie fails Jayden in a terrible, awful, no-good way during the dark moment. And it’s bad, and I was pretty disappointed in Callie in that moment. Where I feel the narrative fails Callie, though, is in not making it clear enough that part of the reason Callie fails Jayden in the way she does is as a result of the way she was traumatized the previous year.
I can’t go into it without giving spoilers. But her failure with Jayden happened immediately after a scene that had her fears amped up to eleven. She still should have done better by Jayden, but I feel like there wasn’t enough of a light shined on how Callie’s past affected her responses.
Another thing that had me raising an eyebrow was Callie’s naiveté. The story references current events and Trump voters. How is it possible that Callie doesn’t know what transgender means? It’s 2019. I was in high school in 1992 and while we might have had a lot of foolish ideas, we at least had a vague idea of what the word meant. That part boggled my mind, and I am side-eyeing the hell out of Callie’s mom for letting her out of the house at her age with such a void in her head.
I liked Callie, don’t get me wrong. She was stronger than a lot of people twice her age, and one of the hallmarks of that strength was knowing she had done something terrible. She made the choice to make things right in whatever way she could.
Jayden was an amazing character, almost too good to believe honestly. I loved him, I loved every moment of his portrayal, and part of what I loved was his masculinity. He was every inch a man, and every inch a proper romance hero too.
Definitely pick this one up. It’s intense, don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t call it a “light” read. It’s a worthwhile read, though, and that’s just as good.
I wasn’t surprised to find Beaufort Hills Academy to be equally as terrible a microcosm of the world as my own high school was many years ago, just smaller, richer, and whiter. The two main characters have their reasons for trying not to engage more than they have to with the rest of the student body. Callie was grievously traumatized at her prior school. Jayden is trans and the dorms don’t offer him enough privacy.
They meet in class and are able to draw each other out, just a bit. It’s enough to improve both of their lives at Beaufort, but especially Callie’s. Then something terrible happens, and Callie fails Jayden in an exceptionally terrible way. (The way may be triggering to some readers; more on this below.)
This is a romance. There is a happy ending. The dark moment, however, is super dark.
Let’s unpack some of this, because there’s a lot going on in this book and readers should be aware of it.
First of all, the trauma Callie endured at the hands of her ex-boyfriend and the people at her former school was severe. Have people endured worse? Sure. Does that minimize what was done to Callie? Nope. What happened to her colors every aspect of her life now. While she’s been through counseling and it has helped her to some extent, it plays a significant role in how she responds to events around her.
On the one hand, Callie’s trauma makes her somewhat more self-aware than I’d expect from the average high school girl. (She’s definitely more self-aware in many cases than I was.) That said, it’s also given her a distinct sense of paranoia and with good reason.
Let me reiterate. Callie’s paranoia is a perfectly normal, understandable, and almost healthy response to what was done to her.
Why do I bring this up?
I mentioned earlier that Callie fails Jayden in a terrible, awful, no-good way during the dark moment. And it’s bad, and I was pretty disappointed in Callie in that moment. Where I feel the narrative fails Callie, though, is in not making it clear enough that part of the reason Callie fails Jayden in the way she does is as a result of the way she was traumatized the previous year.
I can’t go into it without giving spoilers. But her failure with Jayden happened immediately after a scene that had her fears amped up to eleven. She still should have done better by Jayden, but I feel like there wasn’t enough of a light shined on how Callie’s past affected her responses.
Another thing that had me raising an eyebrow was Callie’s naiveté. The story references current events and Trump voters. How is it possible that Callie doesn’t know what transgender means? It’s 2019. I was in high school in 1992 and while we might have had a lot of foolish ideas, we at least had a vague idea of what the word meant. That part boggled my mind, and I am side-eyeing the hell out of Callie’s mom for letting her out of the house at her age with such a void in her head.
I liked Callie, don’t get me wrong. She was stronger than a lot of people twice her age, and one of the hallmarks of that strength was knowing she had done something terrible. She made the choice to make things right in whatever way she could.
Jayden was an amazing character, almost too good to believe honestly. I loved him, I loved every moment of his portrayal, and part of what I loved was his masculinity. He was every inch a man, and every inch a proper romance hero too.
Definitely pick this one up. It’s intense, don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t call it a “light” read. It’s a worthwhile read, though, and that’s just as good.
July 17, 2019
Callie is doing a fifth year of school at a private prep school in the hopes of reinventing herself after a disastrous experience in her senior year at her old school. She has the chance to fall in with Shawn and the popular crowd but finds herself more interested in quiet loner Jayden. Jayden is keeping his own secret. He’s given up his family, his home, and his softball scholarship to attend this school. And falling for Callie, or any girl for that matter, isn’t in his plans.
The story is told from the points-of-view of Callie and Jayden. Their voices are so similar it’s, at times, difficult to remember who’s narrating. Both characters have body image issues that they need to overcome. Callie is constantly putting herself down, and this becomes tiresome, especially as there is no evidence that there is anything “wrong” with her. It’s great to see the diversity in the characters – there’s even a Diversity Club at this school! However, there are also bullies, and your heart will ache for both Callie and Jayden, as they struggle to overcome the obstacles placed before them. At its heart, this book asks whether it is okay to keep secrets. It’s also about love – love for our friends and family, romantic love and, most importantly, self-love.
Warnings: mild coarse language, body image issues, sexual references, assault, LGBTQ themes.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Blog post (18 July): https://www.booksdirectonline.com/201...
The story is told from the points-of-view of Callie and Jayden. Their voices are so similar it’s, at times, difficult to remember who’s narrating. Both characters have body image issues that they need to overcome. Callie is constantly putting herself down, and this becomes tiresome, especially as there is no evidence that there is anything “wrong” with her. It’s great to see the diversity in the characters – there’s even a Diversity Club at this school! However, there are also bullies, and your heart will ache for both Callie and Jayden, as they struggle to overcome the obstacles placed before them. At its heart, this book asks whether it is okay to keep secrets. It’s also about love – love for our friends and family, romantic love and, most importantly, self-love.
Warnings: mild coarse language, body image issues, sexual references, assault, LGBTQ themes.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Blog post (18 July): https://www.booksdirectonline.com/201...
July 15, 2019
An intense and worthwhile read, I love books like this and Mia handled the content and characters so well. YA romance and distressing life struggles at it's best.
*Copy kindly given in exchange for an honest review, thank you so much*
*Copy kindly given in exchange for an honest review, thank you so much*
July 15, 2019
An extremely powerful and painful read.
Full review to come on 17th July as part of the blog tour here on My Endless Shelf.
Full review to come on 17th July as part of the blog tour here on My Endless Shelf.
September 20, 2023
All Boy is about two teenagers who both have issues and pasts to deal with. Callie wanted to start anew after an experience at her school. She is not very keen on giving her trust, and also allows herself to fall back into old habits, just to make life easier. Jayden is living on a knife's edge, always afraid that someone will find out his secret.
These two were excellent characters, so rich and full of emotion. They were absolutely perfect for each other, and I loved how they balanced each other out. For Callie and Jayden, they had the best back-up team ever invented in Lauren and Willy. What a cast of characters! Of course, not every character is likeable, and there is one in particular who I took a dislike to (just as I was meant to). For me though, it was Lauren's words of wisdom that made me appreciate her more than I had done up to that point.
For all this is fiction, I am sure it only scratches the surface of what trans-men actually go through. It is a raw, heart-rending story, that will break you down, and build you up again. An eye-opener in so many ways, this is a gritty story filled with hope. I was gripped from the very beginning, and I hope for a HEA for Callie and Jayden. After all, #LoveIsLove.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 15, 2019
These two were excellent characters, so rich and full of emotion. They were absolutely perfect for each other, and I loved how they balanced each other out. For Callie and Jayden, they had the best back-up team ever invented in Lauren and Willy. What a cast of characters! Of course, not every character is likeable, and there is one in particular who I took a dislike to (just as I was meant to). For me though, it was Lauren's words of wisdom that made me appreciate her more than I had done up to that point.
For all this is fiction, I am sure it only scratches the surface of what trans-men actually go through. It is a raw, heart-rending story, that will break you down, and build you up again. An eye-opener in so many ways, this is a gritty story filled with hope. I was gripped from the very beginning, and I hope for a HEA for Callie and Jayden. After all, #LoveIsLove.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 15, 2019
April 9, 2019
Title: All Boy
Author: Mia Kerick
Publisher: Lakewater Press
ISBN: 978-0-6484825-1-2
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/All-Boy-Mia-Ke...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Callie Canter knows all about screwing up—and being screwed over. After her so-called boyfriend publicly humiliated her senior year, taking a fifth year of high school at Beaufort Hills Academy is her second chance to leave behind a painful past. But her need for social acceptance follows, and going along with the in-crowd is the difference between survival and becoming a target. Staying off the radar is top priority. So, falling for an outsider is the last thing on Callie’s “to-do” list. Too bad her heart didn’t get the memo.
With his strict, religious upbringing and former identity far away in Florida, Jayden Morrissey can finally be true to himself at Beaufort Hills Academy. But life as a trans man means keeping secrets, and keeping secrets means not getting too close to anyone. If he can just get through his fifth year unnoticed, maybe a future living as the person he was born to be is possible. Yet love is love, and when you fall hard enough, intentions crumble, plans detour, and secrets are revealed.
From multi-award-winning author Mia Kerick, comes a powerful, timely, and life-changing novel, which follows two teenagers nursing broken hearts and seeking acceptance, and who together realize running away isn’t always the answer.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Callie’s life was almost destroyed when her boyfriend humiliated her in the most public and humiliating way. She goes to Beaufort Hills Academy for a fifth high school year to reclaim her grades that suffered last year. Now Callie luckily gets a great roommate, but her desire for acceptance may find her in another problem when she gains the interest of the leader of their soccer team Shawn. At the same time Callie is drawn towards the loaner Jayden. Jayden has a past and secrets that he is scared that everyone will find out about, but his feelings towards Callie make Shawn feel like he has competition.
Callie has much to learn about her self identity and who she wants in her life. Jayden is forced to face his past as Shawn and his friends a determined to get rid of him at any costs. This was an incredible story about friendship, identity, finding what your heart wants and the strength to fight for your future.
Author: Mia Kerick
Publisher: Lakewater Press
ISBN: 978-0-6484825-1-2
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/All-Boy-Mia-Ke...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Callie Canter knows all about screwing up—and being screwed over. After her so-called boyfriend publicly humiliated her senior year, taking a fifth year of high school at Beaufort Hills Academy is her second chance to leave behind a painful past. But her need for social acceptance follows, and going along with the in-crowd is the difference between survival and becoming a target. Staying off the radar is top priority. So, falling for an outsider is the last thing on Callie’s “to-do” list. Too bad her heart didn’t get the memo.
With his strict, religious upbringing and former identity far away in Florida, Jayden Morrissey can finally be true to himself at Beaufort Hills Academy. But life as a trans man means keeping secrets, and keeping secrets means not getting too close to anyone. If he can just get through his fifth year unnoticed, maybe a future living as the person he was born to be is possible. Yet love is love, and when you fall hard enough, intentions crumble, plans detour, and secrets are revealed.
From multi-award-winning author Mia Kerick, comes a powerful, timely, and life-changing novel, which follows two teenagers nursing broken hearts and seeking acceptance, and who together realize running away isn’t always the answer.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Callie’s life was almost destroyed when her boyfriend humiliated her in the most public and humiliating way. She goes to Beaufort Hills Academy for a fifth high school year to reclaim her grades that suffered last year. Now Callie luckily gets a great roommate, but her desire for acceptance may find her in another problem when she gains the interest of the leader of their soccer team Shawn. At the same time Callie is drawn towards the loaner Jayden. Jayden has a past and secrets that he is scared that everyone will find out about, but his feelings towards Callie make Shawn feel like he has competition.
Callie has much to learn about her self identity and who she wants in her life. Jayden is forced to face his past as Shawn and his friends a determined to get rid of him at any costs. This was an incredible story about friendship, identity, finding what your heart wants and the strength to fight for your future.
July 20, 2019
"Love is love". Imagine not being able to be who you are.
"I couldn’t play softball here, as it’s a women’s sport. And I’m not a woman. I’ve always been Jayden, and I will sacrifice whatever is necessary to live honestly. This isn’t a choice; it’s a necessity for survival."
Jayden has left everything he knew to be himself, but one girl wants him to be all boy. Can he tell her the truth and live with the outcome?
"One humiliating, boyfriend-instigated life disaster later, and everything has changed. I’m a different person. I’m just not sure which version of Callie Canter I prefer."
It's hard for Callie to trust anyone after her devasting past. Can she forgive a boy who wasn't completely honest with her?
Callie and Jayden are perfect together. Though one may not like Callie in the beginning, she realizes she's wrong and is determined to make it right by being true to herself and Jayden. Jayden is a boy full of emotion that grabs you and won't let go. His courage is a model every human being should live by.
It takes a lot of courage for anyone to be ones' self especially when it goes against the "norms" of society. I work at a liberal arts college in the Midwest and have known a few courageous transgendered students who have told me how hard it is to be accepted. Ms. Kerick's story helped me to understand even more about what these students face. Her books are fantastic, eye-opening reads for everyone. One of my top reads of the year!
Thank you to Ms. Kerick, Lakewater Press, and Xpresso Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to review this story with the no expectation of a positive review.
"I couldn’t play softball here, as it’s a women’s sport. And I’m not a woman. I’ve always been Jayden, and I will sacrifice whatever is necessary to live honestly. This isn’t a choice; it’s a necessity for survival."
Jayden has left everything he knew to be himself, but one girl wants him to be all boy. Can he tell her the truth and live with the outcome?
"One humiliating, boyfriend-instigated life disaster later, and everything has changed. I’m a different person. I’m just not sure which version of Callie Canter I prefer."
It's hard for Callie to trust anyone after her devasting past. Can she forgive a boy who wasn't completely honest with her?
Callie and Jayden are perfect together. Though one may not like Callie in the beginning, she realizes she's wrong and is determined to make it right by being true to herself and Jayden. Jayden is a boy full of emotion that grabs you and won't let go. His courage is a model every human being should live by.
It takes a lot of courage for anyone to be ones' self especially when it goes against the "norms" of society. I work at a liberal arts college in the Midwest and have known a few courageous transgendered students who have told me how hard it is to be accepted. Ms. Kerick's story helped me to understand even more about what these students face. Her books are fantastic, eye-opening reads for everyone. One of my top reads of the year!
Thank you to Ms. Kerick, Lakewater Press, and Xpresso Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to review this story with the no expectation of a positive review.
July 15, 2019
This one was powerful y'all. It takes YA angst and bullying issues, and body image struggles to the next level and beyond. It's insightful and well written and just a very different kind of story but also a very important one.
Callie and Jayden seem perfectly matched, from the very beginning. I struggled with Callie because I related to her and her body image issues, but she repeatedly makes some terrible decisions that I was internally yelling at her for. Jayden has so much going on with his own struggles, and falling in love isn't on the agenda. Until it happens. And then because of bullies, everything comes crashing down.
A true YA romance with important discussions and a wonderful love story. Recommend this read!
Callie and Jayden seem perfectly matched, from the very beginning. I struggled with Callie because I related to her and her body image issues, but she repeatedly makes some terrible decisions that I was internally yelling at her for. Jayden has so much going on with his own struggles, and falling in love isn't on the agenda. Until it happens. And then because of bullies, everything comes crashing down.
A true YA romance with important discussions and a wonderful love story. Recommend this read!
June 16, 2019
Callie is attending Beaufort Hills Academy in an effort to put a humiliating high school experience behind her. But, as much as she wants to be her own person, she can’t get past her desire to fit in.
Jayden is also looking for a new start at Beaufort Hills Academy, one that involves living—for the first time—as a boy. With his strict religious upbringing, Jayden has never had the freedom to live the life he feels is true to his inner self.
Callie and Jayden are drawn to each other, and soon discover that keeping secrets isn’t so easy. But love is love--right?
All Boy is an achingly raw story about two teenagers who are looking for the freedom to live their lives, and to be accepted for who they are in a world that isn’t always receptive to the unique spirit of individuals. Mia Kerick has done a flawless job in presenting the pain and isolation of these two characters. The emotions are palpable, the writing is smooth and the story completely compelling.
**I received a copy of All Boy in exchange for an honest review
Jayden is also looking for a new start at Beaufort Hills Academy, one that involves living—for the first time—as a boy. With his strict religious upbringing, Jayden has never had the freedom to live the life he feels is true to his inner self.
Callie and Jayden are drawn to each other, and soon discover that keeping secrets isn’t so easy. But love is love--right?
All Boy is an achingly raw story about two teenagers who are looking for the freedom to live their lives, and to be accepted for who they are in a world that isn’t always receptive to the unique spirit of individuals. Mia Kerick has done a flawless job in presenting the pain and isolation of these two characters. The emotions are palpable, the writing is smooth and the story completely compelling.
**I received a copy of All Boy in exchange for an honest review
March 7, 2019
Disclaimer: I was sent the ARC of this novel by the publisher, so I have no financial involvement in it, and they have not promised to supply me with chocolate or put my children through school.**
I've read Ms. Kerick's work before, and what she excels at, beside offering up smooth prose and, to me, realistic dialogue, is drawing damaged characters. And damaged is what we have here. The story is told from two viewpoints, that of Callie Canter, an overweight young lady simply trying to get through a fifth year of high school without passing out during social situations--anxiety is a pain, to say the least--and Jayden Morrisey, the guy she falls for.
But there are always secrets, secrets and sometimes necessary lies, and Jayden's got one. As a trans-man, he's desperately hoping to get through his fifth year as well with no one noticing, or, at the very least, leaving him alone. Bathrooms are a real hassle. Social confrontations due to his small size are a no-no, although he feels that he should get into a fight at least once for validation, if nothing else.
They are brought together through need and want, and while the relationship may seem unusual at first, for them it works--sort of--although Jayden is the one who breaks it off--sort of--due to massive insecurity. That they do finally connect is a nice thing to read. Ms. Kerick often talks about the love-is-love concept, and here, it holds true.
The supporting characters are somewhat two-dimensional in some cases. Shawn and Ryan are pretty much assholes throughout the entire novel, but then again, didn't we all know at least ONE person in high school who never changed their tune? They give the natural balance to the novel, underscoring the decency of Callie and Jayden.
In contrast to Shawn and Ryan, Lauren is a nicely developed supporting character, and she lends emotional weight to the whole thing, as does Callie's mother.
Overall, a very enlightening read. I'm not well-versed in the difficulties that trans-men face, but I can take a good guess. This novel probably won't be to everyone's taste, but it is recommended due to displaying the very real problem of what transpeople have to deal with in everyday life, not to mention those who aren't the right size or shape. Ms. Kerick has always done fine work. This ranks right up there with her other acclaimed novels.
**Chocolate would have been nice...
I've read Ms. Kerick's work before, and what she excels at, beside offering up smooth prose and, to me, realistic dialogue, is drawing damaged characters. And damaged is what we have here. The story is told from two viewpoints, that of Callie Canter, an overweight young lady simply trying to get through a fifth year of high school without passing out during social situations--anxiety is a pain, to say the least--and Jayden Morrisey, the guy she falls for.
But there are always secrets, secrets and sometimes necessary lies, and Jayden's got one. As a trans-man, he's desperately hoping to get through his fifth year as well with no one noticing, or, at the very least, leaving him alone. Bathrooms are a real hassle. Social confrontations due to his small size are a no-no, although he feels that he should get into a fight at least once for validation, if nothing else.
They are brought together through need and want, and while the relationship may seem unusual at first, for them it works--sort of--although Jayden is the one who breaks it off--sort of--due to massive insecurity. That they do finally connect is a nice thing to read. Ms. Kerick often talks about the love-is-love concept, and here, it holds true.
The supporting characters are somewhat two-dimensional in some cases. Shawn and Ryan are pretty much assholes throughout the entire novel, but then again, didn't we all know at least ONE person in high school who never changed their tune? They give the natural balance to the novel, underscoring the decency of Callie and Jayden.
In contrast to Shawn and Ryan, Lauren is a nicely developed supporting character, and she lends emotional weight to the whole thing, as does Callie's mother.
Overall, a very enlightening read. I'm not well-versed in the difficulties that trans-men face, but I can take a good guess. This novel probably won't be to everyone's taste, but it is recommended due to displaying the very real problem of what transpeople have to deal with in everyday life, not to mention those who aren't the right size or shape. Ms. Kerick has always done fine work. This ranks right up there with her other acclaimed novels.
**Chocolate would have been nice...
July 22, 2019
3.5/5*
Original review
This book was provided by the author through Chapter by Chapter in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Mia Kerick and Chapter by Chapter!
All Boy tells the story of Callie and a transgender boy called Jayden. This book talks about religion, being transgender, and humiliation.
All Boy is the first book I’ve read by Mia Kerick and I liked the story. I love reading books about transgenders because I kind of want to understand what they’re going through and how they feel. Last month I read another book about a transgender and I really liked it. I love reading books with lgbt+ characters and All Boy was definitely a good read!
I really liked Jayden, the transgender boy. I could understand him and I loved reading in his perspective. I also really liked that Mia Kerick decided to give Jayden a religious family because I think that a lot of lgbt+ people struggle even more with their sexuality, etc. because they’re religious or their parents are religious.
I didn’t always like reading in Callie’s perspective but at the same time I did like reading in her perspective. I have some mixed feelings but that’s probably because I couldn’t really relate to her because we’re so different.
I liked All Boy and I cannot wait to discover more books by Mia Kerick!
Original review
This book was provided by the author through Chapter by Chapter in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Mia Kerick and Chapter by Chapter!
All Boy tells the story of Callie and a transgender boy called Jayden. This book talks about religion, being transgender, and humiliation.
All Boy is the first book I’ve read by Mia Kerick and I liked the story. I love reading books about transgenders because I kind of want to understand what they’re going through and how they feel. Last month I read another book about a transgender and I really liked it. I love reading books with lgbt+ characters and All Boy was definitely a good read!
I really liked Jayden, the transgender boy. I could understand him and I loved reading in his perspective. I also really liked that Mia Kerick decided to give Jayden a religious family because I think that a lot of lgbt+ people struggle even more with their sexuality, etc. because they’re religious or their parents are religious.
I didn’t always like reading in Callie’s perspective but at the same time I did like reading in her perspective. I have some mixed feelings but that’s probably because I couldn’t really relate to her because we’re so different.
I liked All Boy and I cannot wait to discover more books by Mia Kerick!
January 3, 2020
What I Loved:
The realness of the characters written by Mia Kerick was just amazing. The struggles and fears that each of these characters live with was described so well. I appreciated that both Callie and Jayden had a physical thing that they were fighting with. Callie struggles with her weight and Jayden struggles with his female body. The author drew me into to both of their stories and I was in awe.
How I Felt:
Jayden’s need to hide his true self from his family is heartbreaking. He must continue to be Jada at home to hide the truth about himself. He did have a few family members that could be supportive, but overall, his family made me pretty angry. I struggled to read his story at times because it was just so sad.
The relationship that develops between Callie and Jayden was wonderful. I was frustrated when Jayden felt the need to hide himself from Callie, but I should have felt that. The truth is that people in real life are hiding their true selves every day and I appreciated a book that gave some light to situations like this.
Overall, All Boy by Mia Kerick is a beautifully written story and I highly recommend it.
To Read or Not To Read: This book is for anyone that is interested in an LGBTQ perspective on transitioning and romance.
What's This Book About Anyway?
Callie and Jayden are students at Beaufort Hills Academy, repeating their 5th year of high school. Callie is looking forward to stepping away from her past, while Jayden is looking forward to his future at their new school.
Callie and Jayden meet at their new school and begin to have feelings for each other. Jayden struggles with keeping his secret from Callie. How will she react when she finds out that Jayden is a transgender man? Will she still love him, or will she run away?
I received a copy of this advanced reader’s copy for free. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
A review of this book will post on my blog on Jan 10, 2020. All of my reviews can be found at: https://shejustlovesbooks.com/
The realness of the characters written by Mia Kerick was just amazing. The struggles and fears that each of these characters live with was described so well. I appreciated that both Callie and Jayden had a physical thing that they were fighting with. Callie struggles with her weight and Jayden struggles with his female body. The author drew me into to both of their stories and I was in awe.
How I Felt:
Jayden’s need to hide his true self from his family is heartbreaking. He must continue to be Jada at home to hide the truth about himself. He did have a few family members that could be supportive, but overall, his family made me pretty angry. I struggled to read his story at times because it was just so sad.
The relationship that develops between Callie and Jayden was wonderful. I was frustrated when Jayden felt the need to hide himself from Callie, but I should have felt that. The truth is that people in real life are hiding their true selves every day and I appreciated a book that gave some light to situations like this.
Overall, All Boy by Mia Kerick is a beautifully written story and I highly recommend it.
To Read or Not To Read: This book is for anyone that is interested in an LGBTQ perspective on transitioning and romance.
What's This Book About Anyway?
Callie and Jayden are students at Beaufort Hills Academy, repeating their 5th year of high school. Callie is looking forward to stepping away from her past, while Jayden is looking forward to his future at their new school.
Callie and Jayden meet at their new school and begin to have feelings for each other. Jayden struggles with keeping his secret from Callie. How will she react when she finds out that Jayden is a transgender man? Will she still love him, or will she run away?
I received a copy of this advanced reader’s copy for free. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
A review of this book will post on my blog on Jan 10, 2020. All of my reviews can be found at: https://shejustlovesbooks.com/
April 20, 2019
Mia Kerick tackles all the hard topics and she does it well. I can’t comprehend what Jayden has to go through as a trans-man, but bullying and high school go hand in hand unfortunately and Jayden cops more than most with his reactions completely believable and understandable. Callie goes through what a lot of girls do in high school purely because she’s not a waif thin model size teenager. Together these two bring something like a feeling of safety to each other. The bullies in this book could be in any school, throwing out the feeling they are invincible and answer to no one. Acceptance is all anyone wants, and yes Callie reacts badly to Jayden’s truth, but with her amazing mother and friend Lauren, she pulls together and stands by the man she loves - fights for him, shows him she’s always there and believes in him and eventually, thankfully, love wins.
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