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To the Boys Who Wear Pink
"We are the boys who wear pink. We eat trauma for breakfast, we puke it out to fit into our skinny jeans and leather jackets."
High school reunions were always a bitch. Especially if you're one of the boys invited to Ryan's party. Do you live it up with King and the Trouble Twins? Are you still cool enough to chug beer with basketball jocks Si and Badger? Or do you cower in the corner with mild-mannered Reyes and Angelo, the social outcast?
Also, who hired the stripper?
The night is endless. Watch twenty-four stories tangle as the boys reconnect, fight, reminisce, fall in love, fall out of love, get drunk, get high, get laid, and deal with a shared tragedy in their past.
High school reunions were always a bitch. Especially if you're one of the boys invited to Ryan's party. Do you live it up with King and the Trouble Twins? Are you still cool enough to chug beer with basketball jocks Si and Badger? Or do you cower in the corner with mild-mannered Reyes and Angelo, the social outcast?
Also, who hired the stripper?
The night is endless. Watch twenty-four stories tangle as the boys reconnect, fight, reminisce, fall in love, fall out of love, get drunk, get high, get laid, and deal with a shared tragedy in their past.
284 pages, ebook
Published August 7, 2020
1 person is currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Revan Badingham III
2 books11 followersRevan Badingham III is a queer Filipinx multidisciplinary artist.
As a theatre creator, they are the founding artistic director of Voices of Asia International, a Filipinx theatre company based in Montreal. Their last major production was Beats Around the Bush: The Word Opera, which ran in Newfoundland to critical acclaim. They have done work for Tuesday Night Theatre Café, Theatre NDG, and Sigaw ng Bayan CKUT.
Revan has also been involved in the spoken word scene. They were part of Spoken Word St. John’s and Throw Poetry Collective. As a poet-performer, they have performed in stages across Canada, including McSway, The Words & Music Festival, and the 100 Thousand Poets for Change. They have also facilitated workshops, including the Axana Poetry Spa.
In addition, Revan is a trained actor, musician, and designer. They can also speak ten languages.
To The Boys Who Wear Pink is their debut novel.
As a theatre creator, they are the founding artistic director of Voices of Asia International, a Filipinx theatre company based in Montreal. Their last major production was Beats Around the Bush: The Word Opera, which ran in Newfoundland to critical acclaim. They have done work for Tuesday Night Theatre Café, Theatre NDG, and Sigaw ng Bayan CKUT.
Revan has also been involved in the spoken word scene. They were part of Spoken Word St. John’s and Throw Poetry Collective. As a poet-performer, they have performed in stages across Canada, including McSway, The Words & Music Festival, and the 100 Thousand Poets for Change. They have also facilitated workshops, including the Axana Poetry Spa.
In addition, Revan is a trained actor, musician, and designer. They can also speak ten languages.
To The Boys Who Wear Pink is their debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 11, 2020
5 stars. Many feelings while reading this.
« Jesus, lord, sodomites, and bedwetters! ».
The first sentence.
When I started this book, I thought it will be about a "light" adn fun book about friends reunited years after college. I thought it will be about bragging social statues, success, families, etc... I was not prepared to this incredible and heartbreaking book.
This book begins with these eight friends who haven't seen each other for years, gathered for a birthday party. So far so good.
Everyone of them had his chapter. All backstories are explained. Flashbacks then present time. I struggled a lot with this type of writing. POV changed every chapter. You can't lose focus haha.
The party started slowly, small talk, laugh, drinking...until we learned something important : the birthday party is for one of them. Except this one is dead. At this point, this book takes another turn.
This is not about a reunion post college.
This is a reunion years after a "trauma". Accident. Death.
« We loved you. You were our friend. You were one of us. Then you died. You know how long it’s been since I’ve seen some of these guys? Years. Years! Years that you weren’t here!
We see everyone's POV of this hurtful night. Some of them were in the car, others in another car, at home, at some rendez-vous. The impact was the same. Everything changed.
What marks me the most in this book is the fact that not everyone really appreciates each other. They are all together and we wonder why until the end. There are subgroups in the group. Some hate others. Some are really hateful.
This group? One word: toxic.
You find everything in this: jealousy, envy, hatred, anger, resentment, regret, love (sort of), grief. But there's something. I can't put a finger on that thing. It binds them.
« We are the boys who wear pink. We eat trauma for breakfast, we puke it out to fit into our skinny jeans and leather jackets. We’ve been bullied, harassed, homeless, destroyed. But boys who wear pink laugh. Boys who wear pink never change. Boys who wear pink salute tomorrow with two middle fingers. »
They are all suffering through years. Each in his corner. Trying to move on.
« We’re all coping. Vyn with his depression, Long with alcohol, Sugar with drugs, King with games, Percy with love, El ironically with politics, and then there’s me. For me, it was you. Jesus, lord, sodomites, and bedwetters. You are my trauma. Why the bloody hell did you leave us, Eyes? We were gonna conquer the world ».
This party brought them to face each one of them. Truth came out.
A mess.
- complicated friendships (love? friendship? fuckbuddies?)
- suicide attempt
- rape, attempt of rape
- twin's bizarre relationship
- drugs, alcohol, addiction.
- self-love, self-destruction
- social statue
- mental illness
I know I'm forgetting a lot of things but this book is so rich. I was struggling all along. It's hard to read about this.
An interesting book.
The end is f****** great. Confusing as always.
«... Raise your glass if you don’t care what people say: bitch, slut, whore, prude, freak, but the words stick and words hurt because sticks and stones may break my bones, but words are fucking words.
“Raise your glass if you have a perm, or you dye your hair, or you wear a skirt, because you are twice the man your haters are. Raise your glass if you dance in sequins and boas, if your kisses are teases, and the night is your home. Raise your glass if a ‘happy ever after’ is a dream that you’ll fight for knowing you’ll lose. »
Ryan just end this book perfectly:
« We are the people you never get the best of. We are the family portrait. We are the Lady Marmalade. We are trouble. We are sluts like you. We are the beautiful trauma. We are the fistful of glitter in the air. We are just like fire. We are stupid boys. We are fucking perfect. »
People you need to read this "beautiful" trauma.
« Jesus, lord, sodomites, and bedwetters! ».
The first sentence.
When I started this book, I thought it will be about a "light" adn fun book about friends reunited years after college. I thought it will be about bragging social statues, success, families, etc... I was not prepared to this incredible and heartbreaking book.
This book begins with these eight friends who haven't seen each other for years, gathered for a birthday party. So far so good.
Everyone of them had his chapter. All backstories are explained. Flashbacks then present time. I struggled a lot with this type of writing. POV changed every chapter. You can't lose focus haha.
The party started slowly, small talk, laugh, drinking...until we learned something important : the birthday party is for one of them. Except this one is dead. At this point, this book takes another turn.
This is not about a reunion post college.
This is a reunion years after a "trauma". Accident. Death.
« We loved you. You were our friend. You were one of us. Then you died. You know how long it’s been since I’ve seen some of these guys? Years. Years! Years that you weren’t here!
We see everyone's POV of this hurtful night. Some of them were in the car, others in another car, at home, at some rendez-vous. The impact was the same. Everything changed.
What marks me the most in this book is the fact that not everyone really appreciates each other. They are all together and we wonder why until the end. There are subgroups in the group. Some hate others. Some are really hateful.
This group? One word: toxic.
You find everything in this: jealousy, envy, hatred, anger, resentment, regret, love (sort of), grief. But there's something. I can't put a finger on that thing. It binds them.
« We are the boys who wear pink. We eat trauma for breakfast, we puke it out to fit into our skinny jeans and leather jackets. We’ve been bullied, harassed, homeless, destroyed. But boys who wear pink laugh. Boys who wear pink never change. Boys who wear pink salute tomorrow with two middle fingers. »
They are all suffering through years. Each in his corner. Trying to move on.
« We’re all coping. Vyn with his depression, Long with alcohol, Sugar with drugs, King with games, Percy with love, El ironically with politics, and then there’s me. For me, it was you. Jesus, lord, sodomites, and bedwetters. You are my trauma. Why the bloody hell did you leave us, Eyes? We were gonna conquer the world ».
This party brought them to face each one of them. Truth came out.
A mess.
- complicated friendships (love? friendship? fuckbuddies?)
- suicide attempt
- rape, attempt of rape
- twin's bizarre relationship
- drugs, alcohol, addiction.
- self-love, self-destruction
- social statue
- mental illness
I know I'm forgetting a lot of things but this book is so rich. I was struggling all along. It's hard to read about this.
An interesting book.
The end is f****** great. Confusing as always.
«... Raise your glass if you don’t care what people say: bitch, slut, whore, prude, freak, but the words stick and words hurt because sticks and stones may break my bones, but words are fucking words.
“Raise your glass if you have a perm, or you dye your hair, or you wear a skirt, because you are twice the man your haters are. Raise your glass if you dance in sequins and boas, if your kisses are teases, and the night is your home. Raise your glass if a ‘happy ever after’ is a dream that you’ll fight for knowing you’ll lose. »
Ryan just end this book perfectly:
« We are the people you never get the best of. We are the family portrait. We are the Lady Marmalade. We are trouble. We are sluts like you. We are the beautiful trauma. We are the fistful of glitter in the air. We are just like fire. We are stupid boys. We are fucking perfect. »
People you need to read this "beautiful" trauma.
June 6, 2020
This novel is about quite an interesting core group of friends and other men who are associated with them in various ways. The focus is around one of their circle and a tragedy that befalls him and the resulting trauma on the others. I can't say I liked most of them but I was definitely intrigued and I did get to understand them and who they were. I have to say that there were so many characters and points of view that I became lost at times and had to backtrack a bit to get my bearings again. I think the story would have been more effective with fewer points of view. Nonetheless, this character driven novel was compelling and often moving to read. I'm rounding up to 4 stars from 3 1/2.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 13, 2020
This lovely little gem of a book just came out of nowhere and hit me right in the feels. It's got that perfect, powerful, poignant, achingly beautiful bittersweet mixture of love, pain, friendship, tragedy, and so many more ugly and beautiful things, woven together into a stunning tapestry of what it is to be human.
The core of this story is easily told: A once tight-knit group of high school friends along with various partners, friends and others who have wandered into their orbit over the years reunite for a party. Through a series of flashbacks and moving through the POVs of each person present in turn, their entangled relationships, love, hate, lust, jealousy, hurt, resentments and lingering traumatic experiences are explored.
While that is a broad, accurate description of what this book is about, it by no means does it justice. There is just so, so much - in story, in characters, in emotions, in impact - packed into a deceptively small amount of pages that this book feels at once larger than life and perefectly true to life.
It's hard to believe this is a debut novel - the writing is exquisite, each single word choice, piece of dialogue, and sentence structure pitch perfect. There is not a single superfluous scene in this book. In fact, there isn't so much as a single superfluous sentence. Each tiny piece only enhances the whole.
Also, if you'd asked me before I read this if it is possible to capture something like one of those perfectly choreographed, immersive, sensual and hot as fuck scenes from Sense8 on the page, I'd have said no - this amazingly talented author just proved me wrong. (If you've seen the show, you know which scenes I mean... if you haven't, what are you waiting for??)
An outstanding and extremely impressive debut that went straight to my favourites shelf - please, please write more.
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
The core of this story is easily told: A once tight-knit group of high school friends along with various partners, friends and others who have wandered into their orbit over the years reunite for a party. Through a series of flashbacks and moving through the POVs of each person present in turn, their entangled relationships, love, hate, lust, jealousy, hurt, resentments and lingering traumatic experiences are explored.
While that is a broad, accurate description of what this book is about, it by no means does it justice. There is just so, so much - in story, in characters, in emotions, in impact - packed into a deceptively small amount of pages that this book feels at once larger than life and perefectly true to life.
It's hard to believe this is a debut novel - the writing is exquisite, each single word choice, piece of dialogue, and sentence structure pitch perfect. There is not a single superfluous scene in this book. In fact, there isn't so much as a single superfluous sentence. Each tiny piece only enhances the whole.
Also, if you'd asked me before I read this if it is possible to capture something like one of those perfectly choreographed, immersive, sensual and hot as fuck scenes from Sense8 on the page, I'd have said no - this amazingly talented author just proved me wrong. (If you've seen the show, you know which scenes I mean... if you haven't, what are you waiting for??)
An outstanding and extremely impressive debut that went straight to my favourites shelf - please, please write more.
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
August 31, 2023
To The Boys Who Wear Pink is a standalone novel that details the lives of seven (sometimes eight) men from individual points of view through current times and flashbacks. Most of them were at the same school and we find out what their lives were like, who they were with etc. And then they grow up and a tragedy occurs. It is only about three-quarters through the book when you actually get the full picture, but the hints are definitely enough to keep you turning the pages.
This is a dark story, with many subjects such as being overweight, drug use, excessive drinking, self-harm, and rape being covered in personal histories. Although I personally didn't like some of the characters, I thought the way they were written was simply brilliant.
There is no HEA in this book. It would be wrong to have one. I'm not actually sure about the ending. It was right in one way but... I don't know. Some of the characters I was happy with how their story ended (for now), and some I wanted more for them. I'll leave it to you to figure out which was which.
This is a great read, told from many differing perspectives, and no, it doesn't always make sense. What does if you are drunk or on drugs? However, the overall effect was one I thoroughly enjoyed and therefore I have no hesitation in recommending this book.
* 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!
Mar 31, 2020
This is a dark story, with many subjects such as being overweight, drug use, excessive drinking, self-harm, and rape being covered in personal histories. Although I personally didn't like some of the characters, I thought the way they were written was simply brilliant.
There is no HEA in this book. It would be wrong to have one. I'm not actually sure about the ending. It was right in one way but... I don't know. Some of the characters I was happy with how their story ended (for now), and some I wanted more for them. I'll leave it to you to figure out which was which.
This is a great read, told from many differing perspectives, and no, it doesn't always make sense. What does if you are drunk or on drugs? However, the overall effect was one I thoroughly enjoyed and therefore I have no hesitation in recommending this book.
* 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!
Mar 31, 2020
June 25, 2020
I received the book as an ARC for a honest review.
I really tried to get into this book and understand what the other reviewers saw that I was missing. It just didn't happen.
Most of the time, if I don't like the characters, I won't like the book. I couldn't stand the characters. They all came across as stereotypes of gay men. There wasn't a real person in the bunch. I think the reader was supposed to see past their many flaws but it wasn't written well enough for this for me.
I thought the author's use the titles of Pink's songs was clever at first. "Dear Mr. President", the name of the fourth chapter, is one of my favorite Pink songs. I was interested in seeing how the author was going to use the song. The chapter is about the rich member of the group. The song, a direct reference to George W. Bush, asks if he was a lonely boy. The author asks the same thing about the character El. The chapter parallels the song so much that I really thought the author was using the song as more of a template than inspiration. Insert line about how lonely El is to mirror the line about how lonely Bush was.
It just really lost me and I almost quit reading, but I felt an obligation to read the rest. I thought maybe it would improve. I was wrong.
The party was a big old mess. The author pulled out every gay cliche he could find. The book ends in an orgy among the characters. It wasn't sexy to me. I was like thank goodness this book is over and I can put it down without feeling bad.
There were several cultural touchpoints that confused me. I thought the book was set in the UK because Badger worked at some ministry. But then it was mentioned that he got his job through his fraternity brothers. There is one college fraternity chapter in the UK. I thought maybe it was a fraternal organization like the Freemasons, but it was never clear to me at least.
I was confused as to why these men would be in school together in the first place. El and Percy were very rich. The Twins, Eves, and his brother certainly weren't. In such a country with a rigid social hierarchy, I didn't believe that they would ever go to school together let alone be friends.
I wish I liked the book, but it just didn't happen. The writing could have been so much better. I wanted the author to say something worthwhile about the characters. I like flawed characters as much as the next person, but I didn't see a redeeming quality among any of them.
I wouldn't waste my time reading this. Sorry
I really tried to get into this book and understand what the other reviewers saw that I was missing. It just didn't happen.
Most of the time, if I don't like the characters, I won't like the book. I couldn't stand the characters. They all came across as stereotypes of gay men. There wasn't a real person in the bunch. I think the reader was supposed to see past their many flaws but it wasn't written well enough for this for me.
I thought the author's use the titles of Pink's songs was clever at first. "Dear Mr. President", the name of the fourth chapter, is one of my favorite Pink songs. I was interested in seeing how the author was going to use the song. The chapter is about the rich member of the group. The song, a direct reference to George W. Bush, asks if he was a lonely boy. The author asks the same thing about the character El. The chapter parallels the song so much that I really thought the author was using the song as more of a template than inspiration. Insert line about how lonely El is to mirror the line about how lonely Bush was.
It just really lost me and I almost quit reading, but I felt an obligation to read the rest. I thought maybe it would improve. I was wrong.
The party was a big old mess. The author pulled out every gay cliche he could find. The book ends in an orgy among the characters. It wasn't sexy to me. I was like thank goodness this book is over and I can put it down without feeling bad.
There were several cultural touchpoints that confused me. I thought the book was set in the UK because Badger worked at some ministry. But then it was mentioned that he got his job through his fraternity brothers. There is one college fraternity chapter in the UK. I thought maybe it was a fraternal organization like the Freemasons, but it was never clear to me at least.
I was confused as to why these men would be in school together in the first place. El and Percy were very rich. The Twins, Eves, and his brother certainly weren't. In such a country with a rigid social hierarchy, I didn't believe that they would ever go to school together let alone be friends.
I wish I liked the book, but it just didn't happen. The writing could have been so much better. I wanted the author to say something worthwhile about the characters. I like flawed characters as much as the next person, but I didn't see a redeeming quality among any of them.
I wouldn't waste my time reading this. Sorry
April 8, 2020
To The Boys Who Wear Pink is a character-driven slice-of-life story that examines the lives of several gay friends who have gathered together for a reunion party. As we move through the evening, we get a glimpse of not only the current evening through their eyes but, through flashbacks, we learn about their history and about what links them to each other. Through these various perspectives, it's slowly revealed that there's one specific tragic event that ties many of them, together and as the evening unfolds, we learn bit by bit what that event was.
First off, I loved the format of the book. I enjoyed how each chapter follows the thoughts and actions (both current and past) of each of the guys at the party. Some of these vignettes were more powerful and eye-opening than others, but each was riveting in its own right.
At first, I thought it was going to be challenging to keep track of so many characters, but surprisingly, I was easily able to figure out pretty quickly who's who. Some of the characters I liked, some I adored, and some I didn't particularly care for, all of which made the novel even more compelling for me. What was fun for me was turning the page to see whose story we were going to be introduced to next and how they fit in with the others.
There are so many themes in this sometimes dark story, including rape, incest, body shaming, drug and alcohol addiction, self-harm, cheating, sex workers, and transphobia. Throughout the evening, we follow the partygoers as they argue, fistfight, get drunk, take drugs, smoke weed, deal drugs, shag and for some of them, share with each other the tragedy of their past. It was interesting to note that almost everyone at the party was going through a particularly rough patch in their lives at the moment. However, I will say that some of their stories were exceptionally inspiring.
What's fun about this book is how flawed and diverse all the characters were. Each was compelling in their own way and left me wanting to learn more about their lives. I loved the premise of the story — of how they gathered together once again for this one evening to reflect upon not only their current lives but contemplate who they used to be and how they ended up on their current life path. To say this book is entertaining is to do it a disservice as it is not only entertaining but also intriguing and emotive on so many levels. It's a hard-hitting story with a hopeful ending.
To The Boy Who Wore Pink was a subtle blow-me-away kind of book. It got its hooks into me so quickly, and I didn't want to let go at the end; I'm still mulling it over many days later. This volatile and unpredictable novel wrecked me in the best and most unexpected ways. It's a story full of melancholy and charm, and I'm so happy I picked it up.
First off, I loved the format of the book. I enjoyed how each chapter follows the thoughts and actions (both current and past) of each of the guys at the party. Some of these vignettes were more powerful and eye-opening than others, but each was riveting in its own right.
At first, I thought it was going to be challenging to keep track of so many characters, but surprisingly, I was easily able to figure out pretty quickly who's who. Some of the characters I liked, some I adored, and some I didn't particularly care for, all of which made the novel even more compelling for me. What was fun for me was turning the page to see whose story we were going to be introduced to next and how they fit in with the others.
There are so many themes in this sometimes dark story, including rape, incest, body shaming, drug and alcohol addiction, self-harm, cheating, sex workers, and transphobia. Throughout the evening, we follow the partygoers as they argue, fistfight, get drunk, take drugs, smoke weed, deal drugs, shag and for some of them, share with each other the tragedy of their past. It was interesting to note that almost everyone at the party was going through a particularly rough patch in their lives at the moment. However, I will say that some of their stories were exceptionally inspiring.
What's fun about this book is how flawed and diverse all the characters were. Each was compelling in their own way and left me wanting to learn more about their lives. I loved the premise of the story — of how they gathered together once again for this one evening to reflect upon not only their current lives but contemplate who they used to be and how they ended up on their current life path. To say this book is entertaining is to do it a disservice as it is not only entertaining but also intriguing and emotive on so many levels. It's a hard-hitting story with a hopeful ending.
To The Boy Who Wore Pink was a subtle blow-me-away kind of book. It got its hooks into me so quickly, and I didn't want to let go at the end; I'm still mulling it over many days later. This volatile and unpredictable novel wrecked me in the best and most unexpected ways. It's a story full of melancholy and charm, and I'm so happy I picked it up.
July 26, 2020
So, first of all, I loved the overall setting and story. It felt like a movie about a group of close friends coming back for a re-union where flashbacks of every character give more insight into each personal history. The characters are all diverse and well-developed; even though I didn't like all of them, it was easy to understand their behavior and make a connection to them.
The problem was that there were just too many characters. And once I though I got used to some of them, there came the next character to be introduced. There was not enough space to "digest" each character information. Yes, the story was loud, fast and shiny (which was also what I really liked) but it was also too short to introduce all characters properly. Maybe, it would have been better to leave out certain characters or just create other books to go deeper into some of the side characters. For example, Vyn felt weaker compared to the other characters and his personality change felt kind of forced. Or why was the character Ambrosio needed at all?
The book has so much potential and had great loveable characters with wonderful dialogue. But what started strong in the beginning, unfortunately could not keep up until the end. But I would really love to read more about some of the side characters like Lee as an additional story or book.
**I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens for leaving an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**
The problem was that there were just too many characters. And once I though I got used to some of them, there came the next character to be introduced. There was not enough space to "digest" each character information. Yes, the story was loud, fast and shiny (which was also what I really liked) but it was also too short to introduce all characters properly. Maybe, it would have been better to leave out certain characters or just create other books to go deeper into some of the side characters. For example, Vyn felt weaker compared to the other characters and his personality change felt kind of forced. Or why was the character Ambrosio needed at all?
The book has so much potential and had great loveable characters with wonderful dialogue. But what started strong in the beginning, unfortunately could not keep up until the end. But I would really love to read more about some of the side characters like Lee as an additional story or book.
**I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens for leaving an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**
February 29, 2020
This book was extremely diverse. The way this author put this into a story was just amazing. The players in this story were all individually unique yet all shared a past of love, tragedy and youthful history. Reading the participants thoughts as they were laid out for the reader formed a connection to each one. They each had elements and situations in their lives that made them ho they were today. As the story evolved you began to see why each ones past was so important as to why and who they were. It was so easy to become invested in each one, individually and collectively. This story was superbly told and incredibly good.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 30, 2020
I received an ARC through BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.
I actually did not enjoy this book. I know that I should let characters be imperfect, and be happy that the author managed to capture some wonderful real-life scenes and emotions, but I mostly just was bored sick. None of these characters are my friends, none of these characters were very different from the others fundamentally. I would say, if you’re looking to be depressed and indulged in the nitty-gritty, this could be a book for you. 3.5 stars.
I actually did not enjoy this book. I know that I should let characters be imperfect, and be happy that the author managed to capture some wonderful real-life scenes and emotions, but I mostly just was bored sick. None of these characters are my friends, none of these characters were very different from the others fundamentally. I would say, if you’re looking to be depressed and indulged in the nitty-gritty, this could be a book for you. 3.5 stars.
May 13, 2022
Introduction of friend's names at the beginning was a bit confusing and hard to follow. As the story progressed, each friend gave parts of the story which helped clear it up.
August 26, 2020
Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of To the Boys Who Wear Pink for free through the author in exchange for an honest review.
Hints: drug abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, transphobia, homophobia, domestic violence, self harm, incest
Revan offered me to review this book a while ago and I was really intrigued by the title of the book: To the Boys who Wear Pink. I was thinking whether the male characters wear something pink or they bet into the pink team. Anyhow, the book turns out to be beyond my expectation.
My full review on To the Boys Who Wear Pink by Revan Badingham III
March 15, 2020
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this book from the author. Thank you to Revan Badingham III for the opportunity to provide an honest review.
Trigger warnings: fatphobia, drug addiction, homophobic slurs, femme-phobia, cheating, self harm, domestic violence, excessive drinking, rape, drug use, incest, discussions about death, cancer, drunk driving, ableism, mental illness, transphobia, body diaspora, sexual molestation of a minor, derogatory terms against sex workers, mild sex scenes
When I stop to think about it, P!nk’s music really did influence me throughout my life. I’ve been listening to her stuff since I was a shy, socially awkward kid and even during times when I’d forget about her, my phone would shuffle to one of her oldies or the radio would play her newer stuff, and I’d just jam out. So when Revan approached me with this book–about a reunion between gay friends/rivals/acquaintances/lovers where each chapter is set to a P!nk hit–I jumped on the chance.
What I Liked
--I really liked the style of the book! Each chapter follows the thoughts and actions of one of the guys at the party, and you’ll catch glimpses of what the others boys are doing in the background. Then the next chapter will follow one of the background boys, and so on. It made me curious about each character and what they must be feeling in certain situations.
--This was a very character driven novel. One of the boys I found myself deeply identifying with was Ryan, an artist who is the whole reason the party was organized in the first place. His nervous energy and desires to reconnect with friends spoke to me as an adult who doesn’t want to lose the friendships that were developed since elementary school. Plus, I cared about Ryan and his relationships. Maybe Eyes was the queen and Sugar was the heart, but Ryan was like a combination of both. And I know it’s not the point, but I really shipped him and CC; I want them to work out ;A;
--Another character I became (unhealthily?) attached to was Sugar (it’s impossible to dislike Sugar). How he always volunteers to be the one to take care of others first before himself hit so close to home. His compassion and his nonchalance at people’s reaction to his more feminine aspects were glowing parts of his personality, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get to see the loneliness around him. Plus, he’s ace (possibly aro?) and I’m definitely biased. And again, I know it’s not the point, but…I think I definitely shipped him and Badger, though Badger is the kind of problematic person the queer community deals with a lot.
--I didn’t really identify with Long but I still found his simple, sweet nature to be so refreshing, despite the trauma he also experienced. As the book went on, I was highly anticipating his chapter.
--Among all the characters, I was most interested to see Vyn’s POV and I wasn’t let down. It was very eye-opening and sobering, almost to the point of being too much of a downer. It’s probably one of the more powerful vignettes in the whole novel.
--I loved Reyes and how no-nonsense he is about his boundaries and moroseness. In a way, I identified with his desires to be left alone with his books and his studies. I had people to hang out with in high school but there were definitely moments when I would want to step away. When he punched Timmy, I had to stan.
--I fell for Angelos’ story so much, oh my gosh. My darling, my son! Reading from his perspective made me realize how much I want more books about fat queer people. I’d have to agree with King, though; Angelos could do better than Joules. Or maybe I’m just very protective. IDK, Angelos deserves happiness ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
--The biggest surprise was how much Wallace’s story touched me. I legit was tearing up reading about his experiences in high school. He’s another character I became deeply protective of.
--Ambrosius was…so damn random! Like he’s not even anyone’s friend or ex or anything; he’s just weird and clearly out of his mind. It was hilarious, though! I can’t say I hate the way he tried to sneak into the party and failed miserably. It cut through the tension.
What I Didn’t Like
--I got turned around by all the names, as unique as they are, and it took me a good while to figure out who was who, and who did what and when. I need a character sheet apparently; there’s 23 of these suckers!
--There were times when the lyrics were used, particularly in dialogue, and it didn’t blend in very well. It felt awkward and a little out of place in a conversation, especially when it rhymed.
--No spoilers, but I thought the way the book ended was unnecessary. I would have much rather had everyone leave the house, individually reflecting on the night and themselves.
--Like I said before, this was a character driven novel, so when I liked a character, I really liked them. But when I didn’t like a character, I really didn’t like them. And the honour of that falls on Precious Percy. He was such an asshole and not in a charming way. How he even still had friends who answered his calls is a mystery to me, especially with how insensitive he’s apparently always been. Also, I hate cheaters and I hate people who string along their partners. I didn’t care about his happiness or who he would choose. I may not have hated Si as much as I hated Percy, but he’s a serial cheater and up his own ass, so maybe they deserve each other. Naveen deserves better than these two (he should be with Angelos, all things considered…).
Conclusion
I absolutely flew through this book. It was charming, raunchy and deeply sensitive, touching on a whole heap of traumas and issues but still remaining light-hearted during some parts. I’m excited for it to be published and I hope you all will check it out!
My Rating: 4/5
Trigger warnings: fatphobia, drug addiction, homophobic slurs, femme-phobia, cheating, self harm, domestic violence, excessive drinking, rape, drug use, incest, discussions about death, cancer, drunk driving, ableism, mental illness, transphobia, body diaspora, sexual molestation of a minor, derogatory terms against sex workers, mild sex scenes
When I stop to think about it, P!nk’s music really did influence me throughout my life. I’ve been listening to her stuff since I was a shy, socially awkward kid and even during times when I’d forget about her, my phone would shuffle to one of her oldies or the radio would play her newer stuff, and I’d just jam out. So when Revan approached me with this book–about a reunion between gay friends/rivals/acquaintances/lovers where each chapter is set to a P!nk hit–I jumped on the chance.
What I Liked
--I really liked the style of the book! Each chapter follows the thoughts and actions of one of the guys at the party, and you’ll catch glimpses of what the others boys are doing in the background. Then the next chapter will follow one of the background boys, and so on. It made me curious about each character and what they must be feeling in certain situations.
--This was a very character driven novel. One of the boys I found myself deeply identifying with was Ryan, an artist who is the whole reason the party was organized in the first place. His nervous energy and desires to reconnect with friends spoke to me as an adult who doesn’t want to lose the friendships that were developed since elementary school. Plus, I cared about Ryan and his relationships. Maybe Eyes was the queen and Sugar was the heart, but Ryan was like a combination of both. And I know it’s not the point, but I really shipped him and CC; I want them to work out ;A;
--Another character I became (unhealthily?) attached to was Sugar (it’s impossible to dislike Sugar). How he always volunteers to be the one to take care of others first before himself hit so close to home. His compassion and his nonchalance at people’s reaction to his more feminine aspects were glowing parts of his personality, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get to see the loneliness around him. Plus, he’s ace (possibly aro?) and I’m definitely biased. And again, I know it’s not the point, but…I think I definitely shipped him and Badger, though Badger is the kind of problematic person the queer community deals with a lot.
--I didn’t really identify with Long but I still found his simple, sweet nature to be so refreshing, despite the trauma he also experienced. As the book went on, I was highly anticipating his chapter.
--Among all the characters, I was most interested to see Vyn’s POV and I wasn’t let down. It was very eye-opening and sobering, almost to the point of being too much of a downer. It’s probably one of the more powerful vignettes in the whole novel.
--I loved Reyes and how no-nonsense he is about his boundaries and moroseness. In a way, I identified with his desires to be left alone with his books and his studies. I had people to hang out with in high school but there were definitely moments when I would want to step away. When he punched Timmy, I had to stan.
--I fell for Angelos’ story so much, oh my gosh. My darling, my son! Reading from his perspective made me realize how much I want more books about fat queer people. I’d have to agree with King, though; Angelos could do better than Joules. Or maybe I’m just very protective. IDK, Angelos deserves happiness ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
--The biggest surprise was how much Wallace’s story touched me. I legit was tearing up reading about his experiences in high school. He’s another character I became deeply protective of.
--Ambrosius was…so damn random! Like he’s not even anyone’s friend or ex or anything; he’s just weird and clearly out of his mind. It was hilarious, though! I can’t say I hate the way he tried to sneak into the party and failed miserably. It cut through the tension.
What I Didn’t Like
--I got turned around by all the names, as unique as they are, and it took me a good while to figure out who was who, and who did what and when. I need a character sheet apparently; there’s 23 of these suckers!
--There were times when the lyrics were used, particularly in dialogue, and it didn’t blend in very well. It felt awkward and a little out of place in a conversation, especially when it rhymed.
--No spoilers, but I thought the way the book ended was unnecessary. I would have much rather had everyone leave the house, individually reflecting on the night and themselves.
--Like I said before, this was a character driven novel, so when I liked a character, I really liked them. But when I didn’t like a character, I really didn’t like them. And the honour of that falls on Precious Percy. He was such an asshole and not in a charming way. How he even still had friends who answered his calls is a mystery to me, especially with how insensitive he’s apparently always been. Also, I hate cheaters and I hate people who string along their partners. I didn’t care about his happiness or who he would choose. I may not have hated Si as much as I hated Percy, but he’s a serial cheater and up his own ass, so maybe they deserve each other. Naveen deserves better than these two (he should be with Angelos, all things considered…).
Conclusion
I absolutely flew through this book. It was charming, raunchy and deeply sensitive, touching on a whole heap of traumas and issues but still remaining light-hearted during some parts. I’m excited for it to be published and I hope you all will check it out!
My Rating: 4/5
July 11, 2022
There are a lot of ways in which the book just really missed the mark for me.
I would *not* recommend this book. I read the entire thing—only because I don’t like to stop reading a book once I’ve started—but the end couldn’t come soon enough. Honestly, I spent most of the book counting down the number of pages I had left because I wanted it to be over.
A few of my main issues…
- Characters: I feel like most, if not all, of these characters are stereotypes—mere caricatures—of gay men. There were a few points where the characters came across a little closer to three-dimensional/multifaceted, such as when they discussed trauma and grief/loss, but those moments felt short-lived to me. To me, it seemed the book relied on sex, lust, and desire to move the story forward, rather than the stories of each of the young men as their full selves. This was frustrating, to see each person reduced down to their sexual prowess and desirability.
- Theme: The running theme of using titles of P!nk songs for each chapter is clever in and of itself. I think there are a lot of ways to make that exciting and make it work, and a couple of chapters did make it work well enough. For the most part, though, it felt gimmicky…the need to insert the title into the actual text of the chapter sometimes felt forced and disingenuous to a specific character’s normal communication and speech patterns.
- Communicating info: There are a ton of italicized phrases throughout the book and I could never truly get a feel for whose voice those were in…sometimes it seemed as though it was from whichever character was the focus of that chapter, but other times it felt much more distant, like a narrator, and the lack of consistency was confusing.
- Phrasing: There are some phrases that took me completely out of the book—I’m guessing they were supposed to elicit some sort of laugh or maybe even an eye roll or cringe or something, but for me, it just took away my ability to suspend my disbelief in the existence of the world in which this book exists. The opening sentence, “Jesus, lord, sodomites, and bedwitters!” is just one of numerous examples of this.
I would *not* recommend this book. I read the entire thing—only because I don’t like to stop reading a book once I’ve started—but the end couldn’t come soon enough. Honestly, I spent most of the book counting down the number of pages I had left because I wanted it to be over.
A few of my main issues…
- Characters: I feel like most, if not all, of these characters are stereotypes—mere caricatures—of gay men. There were a few points where the characters came across a little closer to three-dimensional/multifaceted, such as when they discussed trauma and grief/loss, but those moments felt short-lived to me. To me, it seemed the book relied on sex, lust, and desire to move the story forward, rather than the stories of each of the young men as their full selves. This was frustrating, to see each person reduced down to their sexual prowess and desirability.
- Theme: The running theme of using titles of P!nk songs for each chapter is clever in and of itself. I think there are a lot of ways to make that exciting and make it work, and a couple of chapters did make it work well enough. For the most part, though, it felt gimmicky…the need to insert the title into the actual text of the chapter sometimes felt forced and disingenuous to a specific character’s normal communication and speech patterns.
- Communicating info: There are a ton of italicized phrases throughout the book and I could never truly get a feel for whose voice those were in…sometimes it seemed as though it was from whichever character was the focus of that chapter, but other times it felt much more distant, like a narrator, and the lack of consistency was confusing.
- Phrasing: There are some phrases that took me completely out of the book—I’m guessing they were supposed to elicit some sort of laugh or maybe even an eye roll or cringe or something, but for me, it just took away my ability to suspend my disbelief in the existence of the world in which this book exists. The opening sentence, “Jesus, lord, sodomites, and bedwitters!” is just one of numerous examples of this.
April 17, 2020
3.6/5 stars
Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of To the Boys Who Wear Pink for free through the author in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Book CWs: drug abuse, alcohol abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, transphobia, homophobia, incest, domestic violence, weight talk, intrusive thoughts, self harm
This book and I went on a journey. I loved it, I hated it, I loved it some more... I suppose it wasn’t the book itself I was ever put off by, but the POV of certain characters. Timmy is the first to come to mind, in that regard. Ugh, the Trouble Twins! They certainly live up to their nickname.
As you can tell from the trigger warnings above, To the Boys Who Wear Pink deals with some truly heavy stuff. Every character has a unique backstory and each one is more heartbreaking than the last. It got pretty dark, which I was not mentally prepared for. There were times where I had to set down my screen and simply...sit with my feelings.
Sugar was by far my favourite, but it's impossible to dislike Sugar. Ryan, Drew, Long, and Vyn are up there, too! With such a big cast and a wide range of personalities, there are going to be some you love and some you can't stand. Yet they all attended the party, regardless of their personal reasons, and came together in the end.
Without spoiling it, I wasn't sure how I felt about the ending. However, when I compare it with the rest of the book, I can’t think of any reasons why it shouldn’t have ended the way it did. The entire book made me uncomfortable, but maybe that was the point. The characters were unapologetically themselves, even those who didn’t like who they saw in the mirror. So I think I was supposed to be uncomfortable. I was supposed to take a step back and examine my own reflection. When a story does that, when a story shakes you to your core, it’s powerful and raw and beautiful and messy. Which is exactly how I’d describe To the Boys Who Wear Pink.
Do I recommend this book? Yes, but read the content warnings above.
Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of To the Boys Who Wear Pink for free through the author in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Book CWs: drug abuse, alcohol abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, transphobia, homophobia, incest, domestic violence, weight talk, intrusive thoughts, self harm
This book and I went on a journey. I loved it, I hated it, I loved it some more... I suppose it wasn’t the book itself I was ever put off by, but the POV of certain characters. Timmy is the first to come to mind, in that regard. Ugh, the Trouble Twins! They certainly live up to their nickname.
As you can tell from the trigger warnings above, To the Boys Who Wear Pink deals with some truly heavy stuff. Every character has a unique backstory and each one is more heartbreaking than the last. It got pretty dark, which I was not mentally prepared for. There were times where I had to set down my screen and simply...sit with my feelings.
Sugar was by far my favourite, but it's impossible to dislike Sugar. Ryan, Drew, Long, and Vyn are up there, too! With such a big cast and a wide range of personalities, there are going to be some you love and some you can't stand. Yet they all attended the party, regardless of their personal reasons, and came together in the end.
Without spoiling it, I wasn't sure how I felt about the ending. However, when I compare it with the rest of the book, I can’t think of any reasons why it shouldn’t have ended the way it did. The entire book made me uncomfortable, but maybe that was the point. The characters were unapologetically themselves, even those who didn’t like who they saw in the mirror. So I think I was supposed to be uncomfortable. I was supposed to take a step back and examine my own reflection. When a story does that, when a story shakes you to your core, it’s powerful and raw and beautiful and messy. Which is exactly how I’d describe To the Boys Who Wear Pink.
Do I recommend this book? Yes, but read the content warnings above.
August 6, 2020
Thanks to BookSirens and the publisher for a free e-book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Release date: 07 August 2020.
* Warnings *: Homophobic slurs, self-harm, rape, sexual abuse of a minor, violence, abuse, death, profanity, sex, incest
WOW. This was one of the most touching books I've had the privilege of reading. It's about a group of queer men who meet up for a high school reunion, years after a tragedy. Each chapter focuses on a different character, and at first I thought I would get confused with the characters since there are so many of them, but luckily that wasn't the case, as each character is so different from the rest.
As we follow each character through the night of the party, there are also flashbacks to various times in the past, which helps with understanding the group dynamic.
In terms of writing, it isn't a literary masterpiece, but it manages to get the point across and give you all the feels. Besides, this book is definitely not about writing or plot. It's about the characters and their journeys.
The author is a queer Filipinx artist, and this is their debut novel. I was blown away by the representation of the queer community. There are bisexual, gay, asexual and transgender characters represented, as well as numerous polyamorous relationships. With regards to the gay characters, instead of the stereotypical gay characters I see all too often in books, this book represents all kinds of gay people. Masculine, feminine, bending gender roles, ashamed of their identity, proud of their identity . . . I loved it, to say the least.
This is such a necessary book. If you're looking to diversify your queer reads, this should be at the top of your list. It's one of those books that will stay with you long after you've read the last page.
* Warnings *: Homophobic slurs, self-harm, rape, sexual abuse of a minor, violence, abuse, death, profanity, sex, incest
WOW. This was one of the most touching books I've had the privilege of reading. It's about a group of queer men who meet up for a high school reunion, years after a tragedy. Each chapter focuses on a different character, and at first I thought I would get confused with the characters since there are so many of them, but luckily that wasn't the case, as each character is so different from the rest.
As we follow each character through the night of the party, there are also flashbacks to various times in the past, which helps with understanding the group dynamic.
In terms of writing, it isn't a literary masterpiece, but it manages to get the point across and give you all the feels. Besides, this book is definitely not about writing or plot. It's about the characters and their journeys.
The author is a queer Filipinx artist, and this is their debut novel. I was blown away by the representation of the queer community. There are bisexual, gay, asexual and transgender characters represented, as well as numerous polyamorous relationships. With regards to the gay characters, instead of the stereotypical gay characters I see all too often in books, this book represents all kinds of gay people. Masculine, feminine, bending gender roles, ashamed of their identity, proud of their identity . . . I loved it, to say the least.
This is such a necessary book. If you're looking to diversify your queer reads, this should be at the top of your list. It's one of those books that will stay with you long after you've read the last page.
April 2, 2020
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book - a group of gay friends attending a high school reunion, with each chapter focused on one guest. It sounded fresh and original, plus I'm a big supporter of LGBTQ+ books/characters.
Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.
There were some parts that I thought were great ideas but I wasn't a fan of the execution:
- Each chapter revolves around a song by P!nk which I loved - it had Mamma Mia vibes and I thought this was quite a unique way to approach each person's story. However, some chapters felt that they were forcing the lyric into the story and this made it too obvious.
- The catchphrase 'Jesus, Lord, Sodomites, and Bedwetters' was original but too much of a mouthful.
- The character development was good but there were just too many people. The short and similar names (El, Long, King, Vyn, Eyes, Si) made it hard to remember who was who. I would have preferred the story to revolve around the main group of friends with the others as secondary characters. This would have given us more insight into their backgrounds rather than people who I felt didn't have as much presence.
- Many parts of the book were too crude for my liking (especially the ending). The twins' behaviour especially. I'm absolutely LGBTQ+ friendly but there was way too much detail. It also made it feel unrealistic. It might have worked if they were still in high school, but I struggled to picture the characters as grown men.
Although this book wasn't for me, that's not to say that it was a bad book. I'm sure others will love it and I hope they do!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a digital copy of 'To The Boys Who Wear Pink' in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.
There were some parts that I thought were great ideas but I wasn't a fan of the execution:
- Each chapter revolves around a song by P!nk which I loved - it had Mamma Mia vibes and I thought this was quite a unique way to approach each person's story. However, some chapters felt that they were forcing the lyric into the story and this made it too obvious.
- The catchphrase 'Jesus, Lord, Sodomites, and Bedwetters' was original but too much of a mouthful.
- The character development was good but there were just too many people. The short and similar names (El, Long, King, Vyn, Eyes, Si) made it hard to remember who was who. I would have preferred the story to revolve around the main group of friends with the others as secondary characters. This would have given us more insight into their backgrounds rather than people who I felt didn't have as much presence.
- Many parts of the book were too crude for my liking (especially the ending). The twins' behaviour especially. I'm absolutely LGBTQ+ friendly but there was way too much detail. It also made it feel unrealistic. It might have worked if they were still in high school, but I struggled to picture the characters as grown men.
Although this book wasn't for me, that's not to say that it was a bad book. I'm sure others will love it and I hope they do!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a digital copy of 'To The Boys Who Wear Pink' in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2020
"To All the Boys Who Wear Pink" by Revan Badingham III is a novel that centers around one tragedy that a group of friends was involved in or affected by, and the trauma comes back years later to haunt them.
This is a very tough novel to read. Each character is struggling through life with some really deep and scarring mental issues. When a group of friends reconnects at a party, it's clear their mental health has driven a wedge in their friendship, creating an awkward and self-consciousness that wasn't there years prior. The perspective changes and time jumps create a fascinating storyline that fabricates an air of mystery around how everything went downhill for these characters and whether there can be redemption for any of them.
The story is highly intense and comes with a lot of trigger warnings. It's a very emotionally heavy novel as the storyline is very character-based, meaning it follows the events and mental spaces of all these characters who undergo severe suffering. Besides the heaviness of the material, I truly enjoyed the depth and development that went into the characters that created a very surreal experience while journeying along through past and present with each person.
There are some places in the story where I felt the dialogue needed a bit of extra work, where Eyes' "my dear's" felt a little too repetitive and certain scenes of conflict didn't come off as genuine, but a little cliched. Still, it didn't ruin or take away from the experience of diving into a novel of shared and individual trauma that made for a heartbreaking and sorrowful story where one cannot help but hope each character finds a way to pull through and find happiness for themselves.
Thank you to Booksirens for providing me with a free advance review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very tough novel to read. Each character is struggling through life with some really deep and scarring mental issues. When a group of friends reconnects at a party, it's clear their mental health has driven a wedge in their friendship, creating an awkward and self-consciousness that wasn't there years prior. The perspective changes and time jumps create a fascinating storyline that fabricates an air of mystery around how everything went downhill for these characters and whether there can be redemption for any of them.
The story is highly intense and comes with a lot of trigger warnings. It's a very emotionally heavy novel as the storyline is very character-based, meaning it follows the events and mental spaces of all these characters who undergo severe suffering. Besides the heaviness of the material, I truly enjoyed the depth and development that went into the characters that created a very surreal experience while journeying along through past and present with each person.
There are some places in the story where I felt the dialogue needed a bit of extra work, where Eyes' "my dear's" felt a little too repetitive and certain scenes of conflict didn't come off as genuine, but a little cliched. Still, it didn't ruin or take away from the experience of diving into a novel of shared and individual trauma that made for a heartbreaking and sorrowful story where one cannot help but hope each character finds a way to pull through and find happiness for themselves.
Thank you to Booksirens for providing me with a free advance review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2020
To the Boys Who Wear Pink by Revan Badingham III (they/them/their) is about the reunion of 7 LGBTQ+ boys (and a few orbiting friends, partners, exes, and acquaintances) who grapple with the loss of Eyes, their 8th, after a car crash several years prior. The group unraveled after the trauma of that night, and over the years many lose touch or keep each other at arm’s length. On the night of their reunion, they gather for the first time since the death of their friend, and through the night their various traumas (often beyond the loss of their friend) play out differently for each of them, but ultimately culminate in the most complete form of reconnection.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Badingham explores a multitude of traumas in the novel through the diverse characters and a vast landscape of personalities. Any of these characters could be any hetero human, but their traumas are uniquely sculpted by their sexuality and gender identities.
The last several chapters were completely outrageous to me, which felt a bit alienating. Up until that point, I was completely invested in the book, but those last few chapters left me wondering if Badingham was at all interested in connecting with readers like me. It turns out, that for at least this part of the novel, they weren’t. (And that’s okay.) The author offers an explanation of the alienation I felt, and it is completely legitimate. The connection I felt with several characters throughout the novel and the intrigue of learning what really happened the night of the fatal accident made this a favorite of my recent reads.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Badingham explores a multitude of traumas in the novel through the diverse characters and a vast landscape of personalities. Any of these characters could be any hetero human, but their traumas are uniquely sculpted by their sexuality and gender identities.
The last several chapters were completely outrageous to me, which felt a bit alienating. Up until that point, I was completely invested in the book, but those last few chapters left me wondering if Badingham was at all interested in connecting with readers like me. It turns out, that for at least this part of the novel, they weren’t. (And that’s okay.) The author offers an explanation of the alienation I felt, and it is completely legitimate. The connection I felt with several characters throughout the novel and the intrigue of learning what really happened the night of the fatal accident made this a favorite of my recent reads.
August 8, 2020
To the boys who wear pink is about a group of boys who have come together for a party and through this party we get to know 24 stories of 24 boys who are homosexual and what life is for them and what ties them together. This book took me into a world of LGBTQ community characters and how this book more is more than the individual stories but also stories of their struggle, their love and many other things.
I really liked how each and every character gets their space in the book and the entire book takes shape from their stories. Though I felt at some places I felt it was repetitive but as you near the end you realise why is it so.
I really liked this world where for once there was no heteronomativity in the book and the characters could express themselves as they wanted. It's an 18+ book, graphic but the emotion that come with it makes you dig deeper into yourself and question the make of this life an heterosexual lives and the life an heterosexual lives.
When one reads this book it compels you to get out of your comfort zone and read and understand the stories of the boys who wear pink.
Thanks to Booksirens. I received this copy as an ARC from them for free and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
I really liked how each and every character gets their space in the book and the entire book takes shape from their stories. Though I felt at some places I felt it was repetitive but as you near the end you realise why is it so.
I really liked this world where for once there was no heteronomativity in the book and the characters could express themselves as they wanted. It's an 18+ book, graphic but the emotion that come with it makes you dig deeper into yourself and question the make of this life an heterosexual lives and the life an heterosexual lives.
When one reads this book it compels you to get out of your comfort zone and read and understand the stories of the boys who wear pink.
Thanks to Booksirens. I received this copy as an ARC from them for free and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
May 18, 2020
I have no idea what this book is all about. I just learned that this is an LGBT book which is my current genre in series and books. This book focuses on one night where seven boys had a reunion together with the people in their lives.
I didn't really gripped the story at first but hitting almost half of it, I finally able to get it. I know one of the reason I was stunned is the character names. There's just so many names that my memory can't handle it at once but yes, it goes better.
There are several parts of the story that made me sad and hurt. I have few chapters that I love! There are few that made me smile. There are some I uhm, can I say hate because of the pain I felt especially about break ups :( Sudden break ups is not my forte, it is too painful.
But I love the quotes I have highlighted in the whole book. It's an eye opener, the philosophy inside this book. So i'm going neutral to my feelings about this book, i'm giving this a 2.5 rating.
Disclaimer: I got this e-ARC for free from Book Sirens, a site where in you can request e-ARCs in exchange of an honest review.
I didn't really gripped the story at first but hitting almost half of it, I finally able to get it. I know one of the reason I was stunned is the character names. There's just so many names that my memory can't handle it at once but yes, it goes better.
There are several parts of the story that made me sad and hurt. I have few chapters that I love! There are few that made me smile. There are some I uhm, can I say hate because of the pain I felt especially about break ups :( Sudden break ups is not my forte, it is too painful.
But I love the quotes I have highlighted in the whole book. It's an eye opener, the philosophy inside this book. So i'm going neutral to my feelings about this book, i'm giving this a 2.5 rating.
Disclaimer: I got this e-ARC for free from Book Sirens, a site where in you can request e-ARCs in exchange of an honest review.
August 7, 2020
Wonderful Story
Badingham pens a remarkable story in To The Boys Who Wear Pink. First, I loved the references (track list) to the music artist P!nk. And second, I loved all of the characters. Ryan and Percy along with their friends were amazing, and non-stereotypical. I just loved this story. There is a great chemistry between the characters, and a depth that makes them realistic and flawed. This isn't a story that is for the faint of heart, as there are curse words and other situations in this book. This is a story that needs to be read. This book deserves a second read! (and maybe more). Magnificent story, kept this reader turning the pages. A definite attention grabber. The author makes this reader want to learn more about the characters and follow their journey of life. Yes, it's an LGBT story, and this one definitely needs to be read. This story is realistic, the characters have triumphs and tragedy, and are all connected in a way that makes sense. I have fast become a big fan of (this author). I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
Badingham pens a remarkable story in To The Boys Who Wear Pink. First, I loved the references (track list) to the music artist P!nk. And second, I loved all of the characters. Ryan and Percy along with their friends were amazing, and non-stereotypical. I just loved this story. There is a great chemistry between the characters, and a depth that makes them realistic and flawed. This isn't a story that is for the faint of heart, as there are curse words and other situations in this book. This is a story that needs to be read. This book deserves a second read! (and maybe more). Magnificent story, kept this reader turning the pages. A definite attention grabber. The author makes this reader want to learn more about the characters and follow their journey of life. Yes, it's an LGBT story, and this one definitely needs to be read. This story is realistic, the characters have triumphs and tragedy, and are all connected in a way that makes sense. I have fast become a big fan of (this author). I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
August 20, 2020
I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens.com, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the story of spinning around and around and around until everything in the whole world is dizzy and you fall down.
This feeling was in part because of the large number of characters whose stories kept intertwining with each other in love and friendship and maybe most importantly memory.
I would say this is more a book you feel than a book you read and sometimes I felt that this was not a space for me and that I was a kind of voyeur to these lives intertwining. Seeing these characters' trauma and know them better than they knew each other was challenging to read and made me consider my own coping mechanisms in my own life.
This was a story of a party I would never feel comfortable going to but sitting with that uncomfortableness was important.
(Also as a personal note I was glad to see an asexual included in this community of friends and lovers)
This is the story of spinning around and around and around until everything in the whole world is dizzy and you fall down.
This feeling was in part because of the large number of characters whose stories kept intertwining with each other in love and friendship and maybe most importantly memory.
I would say this is more a book you feel than a book you read and sometimes I felt that this was not a space for me and that I was a kind of voyeur to these lives intertwining. Seeing these characters' trauma and know them better than they knew each other was challenging to read and made me consider my own coping mechanisms in my own life.
This was a story of a party I would never feel comfortable going to but sitting with that uncomfortableness was important.
(Also as a personal note I was glad to see an asexual included in this community of friends and lovers)
May 12, 2020
You can find the rest of the review on my blog: https://dailydooseofbooks.wordpress.c...
'Jesus, Lord, sodomites, and bedwetters.'
Honestly, when I started this book, I didn't know what to expect. The title and the cover, both suggested being a Coming of Age novel and, as I've never read one before, I was eager to start this one. As it was a short piece of writing, the length of it also made me choose this book. It seemed like a light read, and oh boy, it wasn't (I am not saying this in a wrong way, I enjoyed this novel).
Overall, this book has been something I have never expected. While reading, I felt like slapping some of the characters, hug others and cry for the rest. This is why this lecture has been one of the best books I have ever read. I need to mention that the book contains a lot of sensitive content and if you don't have a problem with it, you should give this book a try. I highly recommend it!
'Jesus, Lord, sodomites, and bedwetters.'
Honestly, when I started this book, I didn't know what to expect. The title and the cover, both suggested being a Coming of Age novel and, as I've never read one before, I was eager to start this one. As it was a short piece of writing, the length of it also made me choose this book. It seemed like a light read, and oh boy, it wasn't (I am not saying this in a wrong way, I enjoyed this novel).
Overall, this book has been something I have never expected. While reading, I felt like slapping some of the characters, hug others and cry for the rest. This is why this lecture has been one of the best books I have ever read. I need to mention that the book contains a lot of sensitive content and if you don't have a problem with it, you should give this book a try. I highly recommend it!
May 19, 2020
**I received a complementary copy of this ebook from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.**
Oh, where to start with this one?
Here is what I liked:
The characters broke my heart. The author did a wonderful job of making you feel sympathetic toward all 24 of their individual stories. I could see myself in parts of everyone of their insecurities, even as a hetero girl.
Here is what I didn’t:
There were so many characters, that I had a hard time keeping them straight (no pun intended 😆) most of time. It would have almost read better as a collection of short stories.....I also didn’t care for the ways the characters spoke, saying “Dear” and “Sweetie” with every breath. It just didn’t seem realistic.
The bottom line:
This isn’t typically the kind of book I go for, but had enough characterization to keep me interested. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh, where to start with this one?
Here is what I liked:
The characters broke my heart. The author did a wonderful job of making you feel sympathetic toward all 24 of their individual stories. I could see myself in parts of everyone of their insecurities, even as a hetero girl.
Here is what I didn’t:
There were so many characters, that I had a hard time keeping them straight (no pun intended 😆) most of time. It would have almost read better as a collection of short stories.....I also didn’t care for the ways the characters spoke, saying “Dear” and “Sweetie” with every breath. It just didn’t seem realistic.
The bottom line:
This isn’t typically the kind of book I go for, but had enough characterization to keep me interested. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 25, 2020
Title: To the Boys Who Wear Pink
Author: Revan Badingham III
Publisher: Riley Palanca
Format: e-book
Release Date: April 17, 2020
Genre/ Trope/ Themes(s): Contemporary LGBTQ+ Romance; Friends Reunion; hurt/ comfort; drug use; bullying; multi-POV; reminiscing (flowing from past memories to present situations); grief
Listening Length/ Pages: 284p.
SteaMMy Swordplay: 3 out of 5 ⚔
Sharonica-Stars: 4.50✨
MMy Thoughts, Confessions, and Review🍹:
For anyone who has ever remembered their teen or young adulthood and wished they could have done it differently...RAISE YOUR GLASS!
For anyone who ever got left behind by those who promised to always have your back...RAISE YOUR GLASS!
For anyone who is still living in these times and are currently feeling the despair, know this too shall pass. While the scars remain, so you always remember, the pain will lessen even if the ghosts stay behind. YOU will love this story! Now...RAISE YOUR FUCKIN GLASS!
This story on the surface might at first seem like a bunch of spoiled friends getting together for a much overdue birthday celebration. If you dive under the surface of the happy party waters you see these men struggling to stay afloat. Legs kicking wildly, some have part of their limbs bloody and or missing from the predators circling unseen around them. Still, they smile and act as if they are happy and life is perfect.
These men do love each other, but they have not seen each other for years. Some have not even spoken for that long. Secrets, trauma, and tragedy caused their life raft to sink and now it is only the thin thread of hope that keeps their heads above the choppy waters.
I must confess, the Pink references went over my head at first (I'm old, don't judge), I found the usage(s) clever. I loved the blends of so many character dynamics, and I took quite a few strolls down memory lane during my time with The Boys Who Wear Pink.
I highly encourage you to grab a copy of this unique and original story and meet this group of men. See if you spot yourself among them and when you do, as you are smiling on the past, raise your glass to the author! I did! 🍸
4.50 raise-your-glass-stars🌟🌟🌟🌟🔸✨
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review. 🍷
Author: Revan Badingham III
Publisher: Riley Palanca
Format: e-book
Release Date: April 17, 2020
Genre/ Trope/ Themes(s): Contemporary LGBTQ+ Romance; Friends Reunion; hurt/ comfort; drug use; bullying; multi-POV; reminiscing (flowing from past memories to present situations); grief
Listening Length/ Pages: 284p.
SteaMMy Swordplay: 3 out of 5 ⚔
Sharonica-Stars: 4.50✨
MMy Thoughts, Confessions, and Review🍹:
For anyone who has ever remembered their teen or young adulthood and wished they could have done it differently...RAISE YOUR GLASS!
For anyone who ever got left behind by those who promised to always have your back...RAISE YOUR GLASS!
For anyone who is still living in these times and are currently feeling the despair, know this too shall pass. While the scars remain, so you always remember, the pain will lessen even if the ghosts stay behind. YOU will love this story! Now...RAISE YOUR FUCKIN GLASS!
This story on the surface might at first seem like a bunch of spoiled friends getting together for a much overdue birthday celebration. If you dive under the surface of the happy party waters you see these men struggling to stay afloat. Legs kicking wildly, some have part of their limbs bloody and or missing from the predators circling unseen around them. Still, they smile and act as if they are happy and life is perfect.
These men do love each other, but they have not seen each other for years. Some have not even spoken for that long. Secrets, trauma, and tragedy caused their life raft to sink and now it is only the thin thread of hope that keeps their heads above the choppy waters.
I must confess, the Pink references went over my head at first (I'm old, don't judge), I found the usage(s) clever. I loved the blends of so many character dynamics, and I took quite a few strolls down memory lane during my time with The Boys Who Wear Pink.
I highly encourage you to grab a copy of this unique and original story and meet this group of men. See if you spot yourself among them and when you do, as you are smiling on the past, raise your glass to the author! I did! 🍸
4.50 raise-your-glass-stars🌟🌟🌟🌟🔸✨
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review. 🍷
July 21, 2020
I really struggled with this one. I like the premise, but the execution just didn't work for me. Try as I might, I couldn't find a connection with any of the characters, which I think has a lot to do with the fact that I didn't find any of them particularly likable. I'm sure it didn't help much that the story was choppy and felt like it bounced around. I did like the chapter titles, and there were a few scattered scenes that I liked, but the whole thing just failed to come together for me. Quite possibly, it's just me, but I feel like this premise did have potential. It just needed some tightening up and maybe a tighter focus on fewer characters to allow for good development. I do think this book has a target audience, and I'm sure than many will enjoy it. It just missed its mark with me.
August 23, 2020
For the majority of the book, I was planning to rate it three stars. While I found each chapter enjoyable enough, there were just too many characters to follow. By the time I was halfway through, I couldn’t remember the background story of several of the guys and didn’t feel like flipping back to remind myself.
Things really went downhill quickly for me at around the 90% mark. Without giving too much away, I found the conversation with the “absent” friend trite, tired, and embarrassingly sentimental. I thought the toast at the end was a bit ridiculous; more like an over-indulgent sermon. And the orgy was just disappointing and unnecessary.
Thanks to #booksirens for this ARC of #totheboyswhowearpink in exchange for an honest review.
Things really went downhill quickly for me at around the 90% mark. Without giving too much away, I found the conversation with the “absent” friend trite, tired, and embarrassingly sentimental. I thought the toast at the end was a bit ridiculous; more like an over-indulgent sermon. And the orgy was just disappointing and unnecessary.
Thanks to #booksirens for this ARC of #totheboyswhowearpink in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2020
Wow! What an interesting read. Very well-written, and just a little bit different from the usual MM books. I loved everything about this book, and couldn't put it down. The characters are diverse, but also complement each other really well. This was a highly anticipated book for me, and it exceeded expectations. I'd love to read more about these characters,
April 2, 2020
There's a lot in this to process review tba
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