Patches

by Valicity Elaine

Michael Bull Jr. is best friends with the most popular guy in school, his father is a famous politician, and he's just started his last year in high school. He is the perfect student with the perfect life ... except for his face.

When you've got a disease that changes the color of your skin, turns your hair grey, and threatens to blind you, high school can be tough. It also doesn't help when your crush decides to blackmail you and expose your secret. But hey, what can you do except try to survive?

Genres: Young Adult

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2020

About the author

I love fantasy and magic and quirky high school stories. Writing is my passion, Jesus is my life.

Reviews

[Angie Thompson · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF after the first few pages.

Maybe I misjudged the genre of this one, but mentions of teenagers drinking, weird talk about "biological" attraction to people of certain races coupled with even weirder comparisons to pedophilia, use of Jesus' name as an expletive, and talk about an ongoing affair between a couple characters' parents put it way over the line for me. :(

[E.B. Roshan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced, funny and tragic...an impressive first novel from a young author. I really enjoyed the plot, the glimpses it gave into the unfamiliar worlds of exclusive prep school and young man with vitiligo, a harmless condition that causes the skin to lose pigmentation. Most of all, I enjoyed the depth of the vivid, unique and sometimes excruciating characters. Shay was lovely--exactly the kind of friend I'd love to have--and it was fun to watch Michael grow into his skin. I do wish that Danny had been allowed more significant time on-stage, since he was such a pivotal character, and I think the author would have treated him well. (can't say more because I don't want to spoil anything.)
However, since Patches is a story for and about young adults, I was quite disappointed to see sexual relations portrayed as a normal component of a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. This is the second Christian YA novel I've read recently where this is the case. It's disturbing to see this portrayed as inevitable and healthy in such a relationship in a Christian Fiction novel.
However, I should note that the characters in Patches are not themselves Christians, nor does the book attempt to present a specifically Christian worldview. In the context of Michael and Shay's environment, pre/extra-marital sex is definitely the norm.
That caveat aside, so many plot threads and character stories came together so seamlessly in Patches, I'm truly impressed that this is Valicity's first book. Will definitely look for more by this author!

[Angelena · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent story! It’s an easy read that keeps you laughing the whole way through. With relatable characters who express themselves in colorful ways. I believe this author definitely got into the heads of teenagers and really presented a well rounded view of them at this tender and impressionable age. The books brought on laughs and worry, compassion and hope! We stay so connected to all the characters and that’s vital in good story telling. We also are able to identify with these characters as we all have secrets about ourselves we sometimes want to hide. But in reading this, I have learned to be a little bolder. Lastly, I want to add that this story is meaningful to say the least, and very insightful into this disease. I was rooted our Bull the whole way, and the ending was as tasteful as the sweetest donut I have ever had! What a way to give us an ending that is fitting and suitable for all of our own imaginations and versions of the story. Very well written.

[Leshante Garris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good story!
Really informed me about the trials of people with vitiligo. A sweet heartfelt story with very fun, believable characters. I loved the way we delved deep into Michaels psyche and how his family traumas actually worsened his condition. I think we can all learn about loving ourselves for who we are from Michaels journey, such a great read, I can’t say enough!
Looking forward to more from this phenomenal young author!

[Yliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

alright y'all lets do this.

first thing I want to say is that this book for me, teeters between a 3, a 3.5, and a 4. there are many different aspects of the book that I either disliked or liked but those things changed for me if I changed the way that I viewed that part of the book if that makes sense.

I think the major thing that bothered me about this book was brad's character. he is just a plain and terrible person. at the beginning of the book, he is just blatantly racist, talking about jungle fever and shit. its wrong to say stuff like that at all but especially wrong in front of your "best friend" who's literally half black. he's also just an incredibly abusive and violent friend and by the end of the book, it felt like we were trying to be convinced that he could be redeemed. if he ever got any redemption, it should be far far away from Michael.

I liked Michael and Shay together and I really do like Shay as a character despite her manipulation. I think that part can definitely be justified and I adored the love that she has for her brother. However, Michael was just so insensitive of her brother at times that I couldn't stand him. I get he was going through horrible mental things and was angry but he shouldn't have gone there in his fight with shay.

I also absolutely hated his dad and that horrible woman who screamed when she saw his face. Like he literally just has vitiligo, it's not a fucking virus hon, stop being a psycho. Them two and tbh brad's mom are all also unredeemable in my eyes. Brad's mom did treat Michael nicely towards the end but she's still horribly ignorant and definitely has racist views of people.

Overall, I though this book was pretty good. I had no idea that people with vitiligo can go through hair and eye color changes and that they can even go blind. so I definitely learned something with this book. Obviously some parts (like brad's gross sort of redemption that he got from Michael even after every disgusting thing he's done) could have been handled so much better but it's a pretty good read.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspiring! Anyone, no matter their struggles, can relate to and be inspired by this story.

[Amber Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good story.

[Melody Tyden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Bull Jr lives his life in the shadows – the one cast by his politician father, the one cast by his best friend/bully, and the one cast by the condition that makes him put on a mask every day, covering his face in makeup. He thinks he’s happy enough until he meets Shay who makes him question everything he thought he knew about who he was and what he wants.

This an exceptionally well written book that takes us on a deep dive into Michael’s thoughts and feelings as he struggles to find a place where he belongs and the confidence to let others see him for who he really is. I liked and sympathized with Michael a lot, even when he made frustrating choices… I wouldn’t have been so frustrated about the choices he made if I didn’t care about him in the first place! 😊

Shay was a tougher character for me to warm up to. Although she is overall a force for good change in Michael’s life, she’s also got some murky motivations and questionable methods as well. And both Michael’s father and Bradford, Michael’s friend/tormenter, made me see red – most of my frustration with Michael came out of his interactions with these two characters.

The ending hit some strong notes but also left me with quite a few questions... who actually won the election that makes up the primary action book? Does Michael’s father go public with his relationship with Bradford and his mother? The point is made in the last chapter that the story wasn't necessarily about those things, but I still wanted to know!

There was a habit early in the book of getting into some good action towards the end of the chapter, and then at the beginning of the next chapter, it would jump to a flashback or unrelated event that would disrupt the flow of the narrative a bit. This happened less and less as the book went on.

I also really liked the info points about vitiligo that were included at the beginning of each chapter and how these tied into the plot.

Overall, this was a solid 4 star read for its excellent writing and memorable characters. I would be happy to read more from this author!

[Nina Diab · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an inspiring, heartfelt story. It also taught me a lot about vitiligo- a skin condition where patches of skin lose pigment and appear whitish in color. A teenager's life can be hard enough without a condition that sets you apart. Michael's skin condition and two different colored eyes doesn't make his any easier. For years he's covered up his skin with make-up, and his eyes with contacts, but he's still very self-conscious over certain things and hypersensitive to the way his father looks at him. "For the last five years, I’ve managed to cover up the vitiligo— but I cannot cover up the way my father looks at me. I cannot hide my fear of crowded places, or close relationships, or of what my friends would think if they ever saw me without the makeup or the contacts." I really felt for him and that he didn't feel comfortable in his own skin or around the people who [should be] closest to him. Through this book we really get insight into the life of a young person dealing with this condition in addition to life itself. This book was very well written and kept me invested. I recommend it. 4 stars.

[Grayson Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an inspiring, heartfelt story. It also taught me a lot about vitiligo- a skin condition where patches of skin lose pigment and appear whitish in color. A teenager's life can be hard enough without a condition that sets you apart. Michael's skin condition and two different colored eyes doesn't make his any easier. For years he's covered up his skin with make-up, and his eyes with contacts, but he's still very self-conscious over certain things and hypersensitive to the way his father looks at him. "For the last five years, I’ve managed to cover up the vitiligo— but I cannot cover up the way my father looks at me. I cannot hide my fear of crowded places, or close relationships, or of what my friends would think if they ever saw me without the makeup or the contacts." I really felt for him and that he didn't feel comfortable in his own skin or around the people who [should be] closest to him. Through this book we really get insight into the life of a young person dealing with this condition in addition to life itself. This book was very well written and kept me invested. I recommend it. 4 stars.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I've read by this author. I wasn't sure what I was getting into to when I started but I enjoyed the book much more than I thought.

Michael is a senior in high school with a disease that changes the color of your skin, turns your hair gray and threatens to blind you. Michael was a favorite character of mine not because of his disease but because of who he becomes later on. I loathed Michael Sr, his father, a bully and a jerk. That man just irritated me. The election was an exciting time in the book! I enjoyed the whole story, the drama, the secrets, the love interest.. It all ended really well..

[Steve Maxwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read of a young man who suffers from Vitiglio, a skin condition that causes him a lot of stress. He partly overcomes this by wearing lot of make-up when he's at home and outside.

This is a story of teenage angst amidst an extremely dysfunctional family life, as well as a story of understanding and self acceptance.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being Yourself

Michael had a hard time trying to figure out who he was mostly because his father couldn't accept him that way. His best friend Brad accepted him for who he was and his girl friend did also. I really enjoyed this book and learned something new also.

[Andrea Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the feels

Such an amazing book! Laugh, cry, get angry, but you'll be rooting for Michael all the way. I recommend this to anyone who needs to feel all the feels.

[Ifeoluwa Shobande · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good read. Thank you, Valicity Elaine

[Furschee Roper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

This book was a good and quick read. I'm not entirely sure I liked the ending, but it was good otherwise