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Gay Wizard #1
I'm a Gay Wizard
You do magic once, and it sticks to you like glitter glue...
Gay angsty teen Johnny and his goth best friend, trans girl Alison, spend their summer dabbling in magic.
When they use spells to defend themselves from bullies, they suddenly find themselves whisked away to the Marduk Institute, a school for wayward wizards. Johnny and Alison must now adapt to a new world of spells, fraternities, and cute boys like Hunter and Blake...
But Marduk isn't as safe as it seems. Johnny and Alison are pulled into a supernatural fight for their lives and must find the strength to battle the monsters lurking in the shadows of the school - and the demons that only exist inside their head.
Gay angsty teen Johnny and his goth best friend, trans girl Alison, spend their summer dabbling in magic.
When they use spells to defend themselves from bullies, they suddenly find themselves whisked away to the Marduk Institute, a school for wayward wizards. Johnny and Alison must now adapt to a new world of spells, fraternities, and cute boys like Hunter and Blake...
But Marduk isn't as safe as it seems. Johnny and Alison are pulled into a supernatural fight for their lives and must find the strength to battle the monsters lurking in the shadows of the school - and the demons that only exist inside their head.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2017
51 people are currently reading
2731 people want to read
About the author
V.S. Santoni
5 books95 followers"V.S. Santoni is a Latinx, gay, nonbinary guy who spends way too much time daydreaming. When he isn’t thinking up queer dreampunk stories and scouring YouTube for retro-anime movies, he’s sobbing to sad, old punk songs with his best friend, a Chihuahua named Darla. He lives in Nashville with his husband."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
August 8, 2019
INTERESTING PREMISE, POOR EXECUTION
Actual rating: 2.5 ⭐️
I was so excited for this book mainly because if the title - I mean, how can you not get excited about a book about a gay wizard who so openly claims his sexuality that the books is named after it?! Sadly, it had a lot of issues that made it hard to love this book as much as I wanted to.
THE THINGS I LIKED
Queer representation: Johnny is gay. Alison is transgender. Hunter is a little unsure of his sexuality at first. Blake is probably pansexual though it is never voiced. I loved how each of these were represented.
THE THINGS I DISLIKED
Magic?: What magic? Though this is a book about magic and wizards, there is actually very little magic in it...
Pace: The pace was just all over the place, making the story feel oddly patchy and fragmented.
Writing: Sorry, but the writing felt almost amateurish, there were simply too many unnecessary descriptions.They hindered the story instead of driving it forward.
World building: Yeah, this part was REALLY lacking. Everything was super confusing because it was unexplained. And the different fantasy elements just didn't seem to go together somehow, it was as if there were too many ideas. They were left un-executed and almost seemed like three different fantasy-worlds patched together into one.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Actual rating: 2.5 ⭐️
I was so excited for this book mainly because if the title - I mean, how can you not get excited about a book about a gay wizard who so openly claims his sexuality that the books is named after it?! Sadly, it had a lot of issues that made it hard to love this book as much as I wanted to.
"Just two guys riding a unicorn. Nothing gay about that."
THE THINGS I LIKED
Queer representation: Johnny is gay. Alison is transgender. Hunter is a little unsure of his sexuality at first. Blake is probably pansexual though it is never voiced. I loved how each of these were represented.
THE THINGS I DISLIKED
Magic?: What magic? Though this is a book about magic and wizards, there is actually very little magic in it...
Pace: The pace was just all over the place, making the story feel oddly patchy and fragmented.
Writing: Sorry, but the writing felt almost amateurish, there were simply too many unnecessary descriptions.They hindered the story instead of driving it forward.
World building: Yeah, this part was REALLY lacking. Everything was super confusing because it was unexplained. And the different fantasy elements just didn't seem to go together somehow, it was as if there were too many ideas. They were left un-executed and almost seemed like three different fantasy-worlds patched together into one.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
FOLLOW MY BLOG FOR MORE BOOK GOODNESS
June 14, 2019
As a queer reader, one of the most significant problems in modern YA is the lack of own voices, gay, fantasy novels. That doesn't mean that none exist, but LGBTQ novels have leaned toward being contemporary and issue-based. V.S. Santoni goes a long way in correcting this error. Historically gay fantasy has been dominated by people that by their very orientations can't understand, not truly, what it means to be a gay person. This is embodied by Rainbow Rowell's Carry On. I get why some people enjoy the novel, but I felt that V.S. Santoni truly captured something that Rainbow Rowell was incapable of capturing, an actual gay romance set in a fantastical (and horrifying) world.
The most poignant scenes in the book are the chapters where we see our Latinx character (Johnny) being brutally kidnapped and thrown in the back of a van and taken to a school for other "wizards." There's something strikingly modern about this, and echoes of Trump's America are felt throughout the book. The institute, a place where magic is forbidden, despite being a supposed magic school, where only the elite are allowed to practice, doesn't feel like Hogwarts, it feels like prison. The fact that the main character is Latinx shouldn't be ignored.
Santoni handles his characters with care and love. These kids are put in a horrible situation, removed from everyone that loves them, and create a family within the walls of the institute. As a gay person this hits me in my core. I think it's one of those things that if you aren't LGBTQ you don't understand. You don't understand that coming out often means losing your family, being alone, and building your family of choice. To cis, straight readers, this isolation can't be understood, but as a gay person I fully lived it.
There were times when Santoni meandered on a scene, like when Johnny and Hunter are in Misthaven, but those were so wonderfully meditative, and helped both to build Santoni's world, and to build the relationship between Johnny and Hunter. It's so rare that I see these tender moments in LGBTQ novels, and I was thrilled to see them here.
I've read the other reviews on here, and was particularly struck by calling Santoni's sex scene "twee." What does that actually mean? According to definition twee is "quaint, pretty, or sentimental." Okay. First, are gay relationships not allowed to be those things? Second, I've read the scene. I don't know what's exactly quaint about getting head, and found the page that said boom to be completely fantastic. I often worry that reviewers, especially YA reviewers, forgot how earth shattering their first orgasm was. Maybe they should try to recapture that feeling, or maybe they should stop reading YA.
This is a noble debut novel filled with interesting characters, a dynamic setting, and diverse rep. What excites me, is that even where there are the typical errors of a debut novel, the overall novel is fun, exciting, and refreshing for a gay reader. If this is Santoni's debut effort, I can't wait to read the follow-up.
The most poignant scenes in the book are the chapters where we see our Latinx character (Johnny) being brutally kidnapped and thrown in the back of a van and taken to a school for other "wizards." There's something strikingly modern about this, and echoes of Trump's America are felt throughout the book. The institute, a place where magic is forbidden, despite being a supposed magic school, where only the elite are allowed to practice, doesn't feel like Hogwarts, it feels like prison. The fact that the main character is Latinx shouldn't be ignored.
Santoni handles his characters with care and love. These kids are put in a horrible situation, removed from everyone that loves them, and create a family within the walls of the institute. As a gay person this hits me in my core. I think it's one of those things that if you aren't LGBTQ you don't understand. You don't understand that coming out often means losing your family, being alone, and building your family of choice. To cis, straight readers, this isolation can't be understood, but as a gay person I fully lived it.
There were times when Santoni meandered on a scene, like when Johnny and Hunter are in Misthaven, but those were so wonderfully meditative, and helped both to build Santoni's world, and to build the relationship between Johnny and Hunter. It's so rare that I see these tender moments in LGBTQ novels, and I was thrilled to see them here.
I've read the other reviews on here, and was particularly struck by calling Santoni's sex scene "twee." What does that actually mean? According to definition twee is "quaint, pretty, or sentimental." Okay. First, are gay relationships not allowed to be those things? Second, I've read the scene. I don't know what's exactly quaint about getting head, and found the page that said boom to be completely fantastic. I often worry that reviewers, especially YA reviewers, forgot how earth shattering their first orgasm was. Maybe they should try to recapture that feeling, or maybe they should stop reading YA.
This is a noble debut novel filled with interesting characters, a dynamic setting, and diverse rep. What excites me, is that even where there are the typical errors of a debut novel, the overall novel is fun, exciting, and refreshing for a gay reader. If this is Santoni's debut effort, I can't wait to read the follow-up.
August 12, 2019
I would warn any person who reads this novel that the language and behaviour of multiple characters within this novel will be triggering. It features homophobia, horrendous bullying, fat shaming, transphobia and child abuse among other things.
Having seen the whirlwind involving this novel prior to requesting, I was so excited to be able to read it. After around the first 5%, that excitement was extremely quickly dwindling. The frequent use of homophobic slurs and constant bullying of the main character began to really grate on me and started to make me extremely angry. So I put it down thinking maybe another day and a different mood would make me love it as much as so may had before.
Unfortunately, when I started reading it again, it continued to attract my ire. Within the first 10-15% of the novel, the MC had been called various homophobic slurs including 'faggot', there was constant taunting and abuse towards the MC and his best friend and there had also been a scene whereby the two had beaten to a pulp by some nasty teenagers. Had this been advertised as a contemporary, I could have understood but unfortunately it was not.
By the time the MC is kidnapped and taken to 'wizarding school' I had developed so a uncomfortable feeling towards the novel that I struggled to get any further. Usually one to take maybe a week or two to read a novel, this took me more than a month of reading small portions just to tamp down the rage that steadily built inside with every sitting.
So, I found the MC to be superficial and unlikable (usually I like unlikable characters - Lila Bard is the bomb but so not a 'nice' character). I found him to have very few redeeming features despite the fact that he has been abused which is extremely unfortunate as he should have been a person I could at least pity.
The writing was extremely simple. While it is a young adult novel and one would not expect a writing style similar to that which would win a Pulitzer, I at least expected some better than basic vocabulary.
The story line felt tedious and provided me endless frustration despite the fact the blurb makes it feel fantastical and wonderous. I also felt that there were so many similarities between I'm A Gay Wizard and many different popular franchises that I felt I was reading a poorly disguised fanfiction rather than an independent work.
I was extremely hopeful for this novel as it was own voices. Unfortunately the 'own voice' seemed more like the author hates his own identity rather than someone who I felt should be celebrating his own sexuality.
Overall I found this novel to be a disappointment. I find it extremely difficult to find a redeeming feature however I am sure many will find it an enjoyable novel - It simply was not for me.
I received an advanced reading copy of this novel from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Having seen the whirlwind involving this novel prior to requesting, I was so excited to be able to read it. After around the first 5%, that excitement was extremely quickly dwindling. The frequent use of homophobic slurs and constant bullying of the main character began to really grate on me and started to make me extremely angry. So I put it down thinking maybe another day and a different mood would make me love it as much as so may had before.
Unfortunately, when I started reading it again, it continued to attract my ire. Within the first 10-15% of the novel, the MC had been called various homophobic slurs including 'faggot', there was constant taunting and abuse towards the MC and his best friend and there had also been a scene whereby the two had beaten to a pulp by some nasty teenagers. Had this been advertised as a contemporary, I could have understood but unfortunately it was not.
By the time the MC is kidnapped and taken to 'wizarding school' I had developed so a uncomfortable feeling towards the novel that I struggled to get any further. Usually one to take maybe a week or two to read a novel, this took me more than a month of reading small portions just to tamp down the rage that steadily built inside with every sitting.
So, I found the MC to be superficial and unlikable (usually I like unlikable characters - Lila Bard is the bomb but so not a 'nice' character). I found him to have very few redeeming features despite the fact that he has been abused which is extremely unfortunate as he should have been a person I could at least pity.
The writing was extremely simple. While it is a young adult novel and one would not expect a writing style similar to that which would win a Pulitzer, I at least expected some better than basic vocabulary.
The story line felt tedious and provided me endless frustration despite the fact the blurb makes it feel fantastical and wonderous. I also felt that there were so many similarities between I'm A Gay Wizard and many different popular franchises that I felt I was reading a poorly disguised fanfiction rather than an independent work.
I was extremely hopeful for this novel as it was own voices. Unfortunately the 'own voice' seemed more like the author hates his own identity rather than someone who I felt should be celebrating his own sexuality.
Overall I found this novel to be a disappointment. I find it extremely difficult to find a redeeming feature however I am sure many will find it an enjoyable novel - It simply was not for me.
I received an advanced reading copy of this novel from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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February 5, 2023This was a fun read! I was cheering for the main couple throughout and I loved Allison a little bit too much, haha. It wasn't a five star read, and I had originally intended to read it in June (which didn't happen), but it was fun to read!
October 6, 2019
I'M A GAY WIZARD is a magical coming-of-age love story about finding love, and finding yourself, in the worst of circumstances.
The story follows our protagonist Johnny, and his best friend Alison, as they navigate the troubling seas of identity after being kidnapped by the menacing Marduk Institute, an organization billing itself as a magic school.
Sometimes, the greatest monsters we face are the ones in our own hearts, and sometimes, the greatest magic we can wield is love.
Content warnings. I'm going to include the pages:
Graphic depiction of kidnapping Pg. 1-2, Pg. 33-36
Homophobic bullying Pg. 10
Homophobic bullying with sexual harassment component Pg. 11
Divorce Pg. 12
Homophobic slur Pg. 14
Graphic depiction of hate crime, transphobia, homophobia Pg.18-20
Fatphobia Pg. 100
Transphobia Pg. 138-139
Child abuse Pg. 254-259
Character Death Pg. 331-332
The story follows our protagonist Johnny, and his best friend Alison, as they navigate the troubling seas of identity after being kidnapped by the menacing Marduk Institute, an organization billing itself as a magic school.
Sometimes, the greatest monsters we face are the ones in our own hearts, and sometimes, the greatest magic we can wield is love.
Content warnings. I'm going to include the pages:
Graphic depiction of kidnapping Pg. 1-2, Pg. 33-36
Homophobic bullying Pg. 10
Homophobic bullying with sexual harassment component Pg. 11
Divorce Pg. 12
Homophobic slur Pg. 14
Graphic depiction of hate crime, transphobia, homophobia Pg.18-20
Fatphobia Pg. 100
Transphobia Pg. 138-139
Child abuse Pg. 254-259
Character Death Pg. 331-332
November 15, 2020
I received a netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I adored this book! It was everything I could have ever wanted from a book called “I’m a Gay Wizard”. I loved the characters and I enjoyed their growth throughout the story.
This book really made me want more and I was excited when I saw that it will continue! I cannot wait for more Hunter and Johnny! They are so sweet and awkward and I love them so much!
I adored this book! It was everything I could have ever wanted from a book called “I’m a Gay Wizard”. I loved the characters and I enjoyed their growth throughout the story.
This book really made me want more and I was excited when I saw that it will continue! I cannot wait for more Hunter and Johnny! They are so sweet and awkward and I love them so much!
June 16, 2019
This concept had a lot of potential, but it didn't live up to it. While not tagged as a YA book, it really felt like one. The single sex scene was particularly childish and just didn't feel like it felt in a novel for adults. The writing was uneven. Sometimes good and sometimes less so. I would assume there's still some rounds of editing to go after the ARC I read considering there were s scattered throughout. The pacing was all over the place as well but was mostly just way too fast. It felt like it was written for someone with a much shorter attention span. That's not unusual with fanfic and other stories on places like wattpad, but for a published novel I personally expect more. I liked the characters so it was sad not to have them given as much depth as they deserved.
June 16, 2019
Read an arc of this book on net galley.. it was tagged as adult which doesn’t seem to fit right. It seems to me to read as a YA novel and when I googled the title it came up as YA fiction so that what I’m going to judge it as. The world building is wonderful and the story is a fun and hopeful romance. I loved Johnny and the novels frank honesty about the Awkwardness of adolescences and first loves. I’ve read some commentary about the dialogue being there for jokes. I like the dialogue being pithy it’s reminiscent of Joss Whedon's dialogue style. All in all it’s a novel that I would have been happy to put along side sailor moon manga and buff novels as a teen.
June 27, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced by this opportunity.
This was such a fresh and fun read that I wanted to do for pride month. I loved the writing style since it wasn't too pretentious (in a very good way). I found the characters likeable and overall interesting.
It's not the book of the year by all means. It did entertain me though!
This was such a fresh and fun read that I wanted to do for pride month. I loved the writing style since it wasn't too pretentious (in a very good way). I found the characters likeable and overall interesting.
It's not the book of the year by all means. It did entertain me though!
September 15, 2019
I can't but compare any book featuring a magic school to Harry Potter. Sorry, it's just how my brain works. But I quickly realized bot books have very little in common. Instead of "yay, magic school" it's "oh no, magic school", since it's clear from the beginning that the people at the school are not the good guys. I really liked the MC, wish we could've seen a bit more of his best friend Alison. Curious to see what happens next.
October 13, 2019
I’m a Gay Wizard is a delightfully creative book about so many things: high school drama, bullies, prejudices, discrimination, first love, best friends, angst, and, of course, wizardry.
The author has skillfully written a book that creates a real world for teens who are different. Johnny is gay and Alison, his best friend, is a trans. They face harassment every day at school and ends when the bullies beat them up at a bus stop. Alison finds a spell book that will give them the means to take their revenge. Unfortunately, their spell causes an earthquake in Chicago. When they are kidnapped in the middle of the night from their homes, they find themselves at the Markuk Institute, and are told they’ll never see their families again, but their burgeoning talents for wizardry will be fostered.
This well-written, hard-to-put-down book is a page turner. Johnny and Alison are both well drawn main characters who you’ll be rooting for from page one. You’ll find your stress levels a bit elevated as they try to figure out what’s going on at Markuk. While this is a YA book, it’s appropriate for adults of every age.
This book is written in the first person from Johnny’s point of view and as such, it can be seen to be simplistic, but it is from a teenaged boy’s perspective. It captures his awkwardness, his wanting to be different but not so different as to attract the school’s bullies. It captures his wanting to be loved for who he is, and when Hunter comes along, Johnny can hardly believe Hunter likes him. At no point, does the book devolve into maudlin preachiness.
Thanks to Wattpad and Edelweiss for an eARC.
The author has skillfully written a book that creates a real world for teens who are different. Johnny is gay and Alison, his best friend, is a trans. They face harassment every day at school and ends when the bullies beat them up at a bus stop. Alison finds a spell book that will give them the means to take their revenge. Unfortunately, their spell causes an earthquake in Chicago. When they are kidnapped in the middle of the night from their homes, they find themselves at the Markuk Institute, and are told they’ll never see their families again, but their burgeoning talents for wizardry will be fostered.
This well-written, hard-to-put-down book is a page turner. Johnny and Alison are both well drawn main characters who you’ll be rooting for from page one. You’ll find your stress levels a bit elevated as they try to figure out what’s going on at Markuk. While this is a YA book, it’s appropriate for adults of every age.
This book is written in the first person from Johnny’s point of view and as such, it can be seen to be simplistic, but it is from a teenaged boy’s perspective. It captures his awkwardness, his wanting to be different but not so different as to attract the school’s bullies. It captures his wanting to be loved for who he is, and when Hunter comes along, Johnny can hardly believe Hunter likes him. At no point, does the book devolve into maudlin preachiness.
Thanks to Wattpad and Edelweiss for an eARC.
July 15, 2019
OK, so I wasn't completely sure what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised that this book didn't rely on some of the wizarding tropes that exist out there. Sure, the main character gets sucked inside a wizarding world and ends up attending a wizarding academy, but this place is no Hogwarts.
The reading was delightful and kept me guessing what would happen next. In this regards, it's similar to another famous wizarding series. In many respects, the central character's sexuality is almost a backdrop rather than the focus of the story itself. One of my biggest critiques of a lot of LGBTQIA literature is that coming of age stories are all angst and coming out and no story. Instead, the characters in this book deal with coming out and their sexualities and gender identity, but those issues are hung on the backdrop of the crazy wizarding world the characters are sucked into. For this reason, I'm really glad this book is getting published and will hopefully be read by a lot of people.
As a note, I did get the opportunity to read this book prior to publication. However, the opinions of this review are 100% mine and were not affected by the publisher or author in any way.
The reading was delightful and kept me guessing what would happen next. In this regards, it's similar to another famous wizarding series. In many respects, the central character's sexuality is almost a backdrop rather than the focus of the story itself. One of my biggest critiques of a lot of LGBTQIA literature is that coming of age stories are all angst and coming out and no story. Instead, the characters in this book deal with coming out and their sexualities and gender identity, but those issues are hung on the backdrop of the crazy wizarding world the characters are sucked into. For this reason, I'm really glad this book is getting published and will hopefully be read by a lot of people.
As a note, I did get the opportunity to read this book prior to publication. However, the opinions of this review are 100% mine and were not affected by the publisher or author in any way.
September 1, 2019
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The title of this book really says it all.
I'm a Gay Wizard focuses on Johnny and his best friend Alison. After accidentally causing an earthquake the pair are kidnapped and taken to an institute for wizards where they meet new people and try to escape.
This book was pretty entertaining. The world building could do with a little work but the magic system is pretty interesting and I liked the characters. There are some hard hitting scenes to do with homophobia and transphobia that should be warned about. But...when writing a novel set in a world that's mostly based off our own... It's an unfortunate but realistic addition.
I did really enjoy this book though. It was a bit of a slow start but once it gets going, it's really easy to get through it.
I'd definitely recommend this book.
The title of this book really says it all.
I'm a Gay Wizard focuses on Johnny and his best friend Alison. After accidentally causing an earthquake the pair are kidnapped and taken to an institute for wizards where they meet new people and try to escape.
This book was pretty entertaining. The world building could do with a little work but the magic system is pretty interesting and I liked the characters. There are some hard hitting scenes to do with homophobia and transphobia that should be warned about. But...when writing a novel set in a world that's mostly based off our own... It's an unfortunate but realistic addition.
I did really enjoy this book though. It was a bit of a slow start but once it gets going, it's really easy to get through it.
I'd definitely recommend this book.
August 28, 2019
3.5⭐️. got an ARC of this from netgalley—and I gotta say I have some pretty strong mixed feelings here! let me be verryyy clear that this is a WATTPAD Original and so, I feel like you kinda know from the beginning what kinda cringe you might be encountering! that said, it’s own voices, a very original and engaging concept, and easy to read (it’s also, obviously, very gay). the very effusive depiction of the romance in this is actually probably my least favorite part tbh, and I found myself starting to skim over it every time it felt too Much to get back to the Plot. I do think teens will enjoy it though!
July 30, 2019
Fun read! Wish it was a bit longer because it really didn't explain all I would have wished but hopefully there is a sequel.
August 19, 2019
I loved the book! Can't wait for the next piece of work From this author.
November 11, 2019
This came as a surprise. It started as „Why not?“ and surprised me with it’s fine writing and intriguing story. Well done!!
October 1, 2019
TW: homophobia and transphobia (and related bullying and violence)
"I'm a Gay Wizard" is a really fun book and definitely something that YA (and fiction in general) needs more of-- people not being white, cis, and hetero and that being an integral part of the story but not the main plot point. Johnny is very much not straight and there are issues in the book relating to him being gay but the plot of the book is that he and his friend Alison (mtf) have accidentally become wizards. After doing one spell Johnny and Alison are kidnapped and taken to a school for people for wizards and navigate what it means to be a wizard. Them being gay and transgender respectively is a part of who they are and how they handle the world, but the book takes such care to make sure that while the ideas of gender and sexuality are always present, the characters and their lives have other issues. Alison is mentioned as trans *after* the fact that she dresses all in black and I think that's marvellous as she is written as a stereotypical quirky female best friend-- the being trans does not change the fact that she is both quirky and female.
The wizardry in this book is quite fascinating as it relies on knowing math and science and not an ability to speak Latin or other arcane phrases. As the story develops Alison and Johnny get love interests and have to deal with their conflicting feelings about staying for said love interests and leaving a place that a dangerous class system and mind-wiped everyone they love.
My one issue with this book is that sometimes the writing can be a bit off. There is a lot of characters saying exactly what they mean which limits some nuance in the writing and makes the beginning of the book less enticing than the rest of it as it is a bit on the nose. The same can be said for the end of the book in that it seemed a bit abrupt and rushed. The ideas were there but the execution of them could have used an extra few pages.
Overall, "I'm a Gay Wizard" was such a fun book and it is so great to see better representation in YA! I look forward to seeing what else VS Santoni brings to the writing world in future!
"I'm a Gay Wizard" is a really fun book and definitely something that YA (and fiction in general) needs more of-- people not being white, cis, and hetero and that being an integral part of the story but not the main plot point. Johnny is very much not straight and there are issues in the book relating to him being gay but the plot of the book is that he and his friend Alison (mtf) have accidentally become wizards. After doing one spell Johnny and Alison are kidnapped and taken to a school for people for wizards and navigate what it means to be a wizard. Them being gay and transgender respectively is a part of who they are and how they handle the world, but the book takes such care to make sure that while the ideas of gender and sexuality are always present, the characters and their lives have other issues. Alison is mentioned as trans *after* the fact that she dresses all in black and I think that's marvellous as she is written as a stereotypical quirky female best friend-- the being trans does not change the fact that she is both quirky and female.
The wizardry in this book is quite fascinating as it relies on knowing math and science and not an ability to speak Latin or other arcane phrases. As the story develops Alison and Johnny get love interests and have to deal with their conflicting feelings about staying for said love interests and leaving a place that a dangerous class system and mind-wiped everyone they love.
My one issue with this book is that sometimes the writing can be a bit off. There is a lot of characters saying exactly what they mean which limits some nuance in the writing and makes the beginning of the book less enticing than the rest of it as it is a bit on the nose. The same can be said for the end of the book in that it seemed a bit abrupt and rushed. The ideas were there but the execution of them could have used an extra few pages.
Overall, "I'm a Gay Wizard" was such a fun book and it is so great to see better representation in YA! I look forward to seeing what else VS Santoni brings to the writing world in future!
August 18, 2020
I was finally able to finish 'I'm a Gay Wizard by @vssantoni such a sensational book.
☆
The representation of the #lgbtqia community was well rounded. There were a few characters that had me questioning them but over all they are all well written and I enjoyed watching their character growth.
☆☆
Mr. Santoni did an amazing job world building I can only imagine having to build 2 different worlds in one book. Many people struggle with this concept but he did an amazing job.
☆☆☆
The pace of the book was steady and it definitely won the race, There were a few moments when I felt certain scenes should of been a little longer and dived more in depth but thats just me myself and yo (I) , Being that I love when things go into details and have huge explanations and back stories.
☆☆☆☆
The relationships in the book were amazing i love every single one, I would of enjoyed being able to see more into the relationship building it felt a little fast but it definitely helped the book move along and I enjoyed what we did receive. They were definitely magical. The magic and the craft in the book were definitely there and yes maybe it could of had a little more but I do appreciate the way he added the magical elements it allowed the fantasy aspect to be there without it overwhelming the book.
☆
The representation of the #lgbtqia community was well rounded. There were a few characters that had me questioning them but over all they are all well written and I enjoyed watching their character growth.
☆☆
Mr. Santoni did an amazing job world building I can only imagine having to build 2 different worlds in one book. Many people struggle with this concept but he did an amazing job.
☆☆☆
The pace of the book was steady and it definitely won the race, There were a few moments when I felt certain scenes should of been a little longer and dived more in depth but thats just me myself and yo (I) , Being that I love when things go into details and have huge explanations and back stories.
☆☆☆☆
The relationships in the book were amazing i love every single one, I would of enjoyed being able to see more into the relationship building it felt a little fast but it definitely helped the book move along and I enjoyed what we did receive. They were definitely magical. The magic and the craft in the book were definitely there and yes maybe it could of had a little more but I do appreciate the way he added the magical elements it allowed the fantasy aspect to be there without it overwhelming the book.
July 18, 2019
Really don’t know what to say about this novel except that I had fun reading it. It’s one of those types of books that was like a carnival. It’s fun, made me smile, and I’d like another go next time it arrives in town. That’s what I expected from a book with a neon unicorn on the cover. Gay cotton candy.
4.5
4.5
October 18, 2020
I read I’m a Gay Wizard for my book club and didn’t expect to like this book so much. But I loved it. This is not typically my style of book, with all the magic and monsters. But Mr.Santoni writes in a way that swirls magic and reality so deliciously perfect that it pulled me in and kept me there until the very end. I’m giving it 5 starts because 10 was not an option.
September 1, 2019
This book was a fun one. Read quick, characters were engaging, and lived up to the name.
April 9, 2020
RTC. Thanks Wattpad for posting gay content. I'm living.
October 19, 2020
LGBTQ+ high schoolers discover they are magic and so many things happen!
This is the epitome of LGBTQ+ representation and it doesn’t sugarcoat the how some cultures view LGBTQ+ people.
But really it’s a big rainbow cannon that is magic-filled and filled with supportive friends. The main character is so adorable and shy and I want to shrink him down and put him in my pocket to protect forever.
The supporting characters make an impact and you root for them the whole time. Only one is slightly blah… but I think it’s due to the lack of page time rather than the character itself.
Also. Allison is my life. Addicted to imaginary worlds and believing with all her heart. And her compassion for her mother is heartwarming. I want to meet her in Everwhen and explore!
I cannot wait to dig into book 2, which I have an ARC of thanks to the publisher through NetGalley so expect a review of it soon!
This is the epitome of LGBTQ+ representation and it doesn’t sugarcoat the how some cultures view LGBTQ+ people.
But really it’s a big rainbow cannon that is magic-filled and filled with supportive friends. The main character is so adorable and shy and I want to shrink him down and put him in my pocket to protect forever.
The supporting characters make an impact and you root for them the whole time. Only one is slightly blah… but I think it’s due to the lack of page time rather than the character itself.
Also. Allison is my life. Addicted to imaginary worlds and believing with all her heart. And her compassion for her mother is heartwarming. I want to meet her in Everwhen and explore!
I cannot wait to dig into book 2, which I have an ARC of thanks to the publisher through NetGalley so expect a review of it soon!
April 26, 2020
It was alright. I disliked the fact that it turned into a romantic plot towards the end and just ended so abruptly. The action scenes were well don't tho. Really enjoyed those.
September 25, 2021
Okay, how do I say it?
This book is an okay read. The worldbuilding is neat, the characters are likeable.
But it has many teething troubles of a debut. Like the character's motivation are only superficially distributed and they are lacking depth. The author has a lot of worldbuilding done but didn't transfer in many places. You're told names or stuff exactly one time and then you have to remember what is everything called.
Problems are addressed in a sketchy way which is a bit disappointing.
This book is an okay read. The worldbuilding is neat, the characters are likeable.
But it has many teething troubles of a debut. Like the character's motivation are only superficially distributed and they are lacking depth. The author has a lot of worldbuilding done but didn't transfer in many places. You're told names or stuff exactly one time and then you have to remember what is everything called.
Problems are addressed in a sketchy way which is a bit disappointing.
September 27, 2020
I like the magic system here because it's both thought-based and mechanical in a way. There's a dream world, which is always trippy fun. I was also all-in when I found out the magic boarding school fantasy was flipped on its head, and the school is sinsiter and scary.
I'm sure this last part won't be a surprise considering the title and cover, but this book is full of humor and bluntness. If this book were a person, it would be my best friend. I hooted with laughter at a few of the one-liners.
I found this book on a random list, and I'm very glad I did. It was the exact funny adventure I needed.
I'm sure this last part won't be a surprise considering the title and cover, but this book is full of humor and bluntness. If this book were a person, it would be my best friend. I hooted with laughter at a few of the one-liners.
I found this book on a random list, and I'm very glad I did. It was the exact funny adventure I needed.
November 26, 2019
Note: I received an ARC (unedited, with some errors) in exchange for my review.
This is one of the most creative books I've read in a long time. Almost everything about this book delighted me, and so much of it delighted me in completely new and surprising ways.
I'm a Gay Wizard follows Johnny (a gay teenage boy) and his best friend Alison (a trans teenage girl) after they cast a spell and end up at the Marduk Institute, an intimidating school for wizards. There they befriend Blake, Hunter, and Linh.
What I loved: Johnny's character development, Hunter's backstory. The world-building. The writing.
How can you not love lines like:
Just two guys riding a unicorn. Nothing gay about that.
Author Santoni also does this wonderful writing through Johnny's POV that mingles the real world, the dream world, and metaphors so that you're not sure at first if things are actually happening or just imagined. This is all the more brilliant the more the reader learns about the power of dreams and imagination for wizards.
The book doesn't quite end on a cliffhanger, even though there are unanswered questions. The book still feels complete by itself, while still leaving the reader wanting more.
Overall, this is an incredible debut novel, and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to read an ARC! I can't wait to see what Santoni writes next.
This is one of the most creative books I've read in a long time. Almost everything about this book delighted me, and so much of it delighted me in completely new and surprising ways.
I'm a Gay Wizard follows Johnny (a gay teenage boy) and his best friend Alison (a trans teenage girl) after they cast a spell and end up at the Marduk Institute, an intimidating school for wizards. There they befriend Blake, Hunter, and Linh.
What I loved: Johnny's character development, Hunter's backstory. The world-building. The writing.
How can you not love lines like:
Just two guys riding a unicorn. Nothing gay about that.
Author Santoni also does this wonderful writing through Johnny's POV that mingles the real world, the dream world, and metaphors so that you're not sure at first if things are actually happening or just imagined. This is all the more brilliant the more the reader learns about the power of dreams and imagination for wizards.
The book doesn't quite end on a cliffhanger, even though there are unanswered questions. The book still feels complete by itself, while still leaving the reader wanting more.
Overall, this is an incredible debut novel, and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to read an ARC! I can't wait to see what Santoni writes next.
November 18, 2020
When I first picked up this book I was attracted to its name. "I'm a gay wizard". Sounds like a dream to me. When I first got to reading it I was taken aback by the use of slurs alot, not because they were used in the book, but because its something that's been thrown to my head so many times. I guess it could be triggering for some who are dealing with these kind of situations but for me, it made me feel understood. I was hoping that this book wouldn't just be about romance and it for sure wasn't. It exceeded my expectations and made me quickly place it high up in my favorites list. The book is perfect for YA and a must read for Carry on and Harry Potter fans. Once I got through the first chapters I couldn't stop reading it. I'm glad I picked this book up and read it in one go. Can't wait for the sequel.
Read
June 12, 2019Cool concept, not so cool execution. While I know that this is an advanced reading copy and things will be more ship-shape in the final copy, this still read like something pulled straight from Wattpad.
DNF
DNF
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