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Confessions of a Teenage Closet Case
Elliot’s the boy at the back of the class. Smart, kind, and totally invisible—except when it comes to Aimee, his best friend in the entire world, and Hailey and Tommy, the step-sibling twins from hell. A modern-day Cinderella controlled by a monstrous step-father, he dreams of one day having absolute freedom.Justin’s the most popular guy in school. A straight-A student, a rockstar out on the baseball field, and on the fast track to a successful medical career. Only one He dreams of art school in the Big Apple and a life where he can finally be proud of who he is.Will either break free from the chains of who they’re told to be, or will they be forced apart?
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2021
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403 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 23, 2023
A Teenage Closet Case discovers the Future
In spite of all the possible complications to the life of a gay boy with strict parents, few friends, and many dangerous contacts from school and life, somehow fate manages to turn events and situations into opportunities for amazing life experiences with shared emotions that achieve happiness in relationships and life.
In spite of parental demands and school bullies and step siblings after losing his mother to cancer, Elliot develops into an outstanding adult that is making his own way in life and even making it better.
Who knew that gay and happy meant the same thing? Or that friends could influence your wellbeing and sanity when emotions and hormones distract you from reality.
In spite of all the possible complications to the life of a gay boy with strict parents, few friends, and many dangerous contacts from school and life, somehow fate manages to turn events and situations into opportunities for amazing life experiences with shared emotions that achieve happiness in relationships and life.
In spite of parental demands and school bullies and step siblings after losing his mother to cancer, Elliot develops into an outstanding adult that is making his own way in life and even making it better.
Who knew that gay and happy meant the same thing? Or that friends could influence your wellbeing and sanity when emotions and hormones distract you from reality.
January 22, 2021
I had the chance to read this before its release, which I was really thankful and excited about. One of the main characters is called a 'modern-day Cinderella' in the synopsis and even though we got like 4 movies alone by Disney Channel about that, I was excited to read it as a gay reimagining. For the most part, I enjoyed this book but unfortunately wasn't really happy with the ending, which makes this review difficult to write.
To sum up this book I'd call it a Hilary Duff's Cinderella story but gay, with Simon vs the Home Sapiens Agenda vibes. We have two MCs, both of them are gay and in the closet: Elliot lives with his evil step-father and -siblings and spends his time working at a store which is owned by said step-father. He struggles with his family and wants to get out of their small town by going to university in New York.
Justin, on the other hand, is really popular in school, plays sports and wants to do an art program in New York after graduation. He seems to have it easy but is actually pressured by his parents to go to Stanford to become a doctor and feels like he's hiding to all the people close of him.
At the beginning of the book, it's a few months till high school graduation. Elliot (who calls himself Cinderfella) and Justin (who calls himself Milo) have already talked anonymously over email for months and have shared their struggles with being in the closet. We meet Aimee, who's Elliot’s best friend and Vanessa, who's new at school and quickly becomes close to them. There's also Cooper, Elliot's co-worker that he's interested in and naturally suspects of being Milo. Justin has a few sports friends, including Danny - his best friend since childhood.
One thing which I really liked was the diversity: apart from both MCs being gay, Justin is also Mexican, Aimee is bisexual and Asian, and Vanessa is black and lesbian.
I'd say the start of this book is kind of slow. We get to see a few emails between the MCs which apart from one little interaction is the only conversation we see between these two for a while. During the middle we barely get to see even those since Elliot is focused on his interactions with Cooper, while Justin deals with wanting to come out to the people closest to him. I'd say for 2/3 of the book there's not much romance going on between the MCs apart from the expectation on both sides that they should get together because they're two of the only few gay people in this small town.
The pace picks up during the middle though, with the upcoming prom on their minds and Elliot and Justin both thinking about revealing themselves to each other in the future (a la Cinderella Story).
Reading this book actually felt like watching one of those old teenage rom-coms so the atmosphere was great. Even though the plot was kind of cliché, I didn't mind because of the 'gay twist' to the story.
Still, I would've appreciated some variation, especially with the step-father, Michael, and the step-siblings. I totally get why Michael is evil based on what Elliot thinks and says but it still felt pretty one-dimensional. Michael is barely present in the book, so we never really find much out about him. At one point, a friend of Elliot's deceased mother tells him that Michael can’t be that bad because Elliot’s mother must have seen something in him. I wish this would've been explored more.
The step-siblings are much the same. Both Tommy and Hailey are complete assholes, but Hailey at least shows some character towards the end.
The writing was okay, it was easy to follow and understand. The story is written in first person with dual point of views and chapter headers indicating who's POV and what date it is. I didn't struggle with distinguishing between the POVs, because it was always clear who it was through the setting they were in. I can't say that the voices sounded much different though.
I won't say much about the romance since my feelings about it would spoil the ending but I will put my thoughts on that under a Spoiler warning at the end of the review. Let's just say, I feel like the ending was wrapped up too quickly.
All in all, this book was a pretty solid read, but considering how it ended I feel like I went into it with false expectations and was left disappointed. Since I've been struggling with a lot of YA contemporaries lately, this is probably on me and maybe it's just not the right genre for me anymore.
Still, I'm sure there are lots of people who'll love this. If you'd love to read a gay Cinderella Story with a twist at the end, this is the book for you!
!!SPOILER WARNING!!
.
.
.
So there isn't much romance going on between the two MCs until maybe the 60-70% mark, since Elliot kind of has something going on with Cooper. This should probably have been my first warning that this would not end with the two MCs ending up together, so: Don't go into this expecting a HEA between the MCs!!
A thing I really did not appreciate was the time jump right before the last two chapters. Right before the jump, there's this conflict between Elliot and Justin and it ends with Justin storming off, which also ends the chapter.
The next chapter tells us that 7 months have passed and the MCs have not talked once since graduation. This means we go right from 'action' to a time jump that wraps up the book in 2 chapters. I really didn't feel like the two MCs got enough closure, at least not on page.
I can appreciate the twist that the MCs do not end up together. Just because they're both gay in a small town doesn't mean they have to fall in love, I get that. In hindsight, I can see there wasn't much falling in love between the MCs. But when you expect the book to be a love story between the two MCs and you only find out after a time jump in the last few pages that that's not what's happening, it's totally frustrating and unexpected. That's probably on me, seeing as the synopsis never said they'd fall in love but I feel like at the same time, it could've been implied that this is a story about two gay boys, who find friendship and understanding in each other but find love on their own. If I had known that, I could've appreciated and enjoyed the MCs' separate journeys way more.
To sum up this book I'd call it a Hilary Duff's Cinderella story but gay, with Simon vs the Home Sapiens Agenda vibes. We have two MCs, both of them are gay and in the closet: Elliot lives with his evil step-father and -siblings and spends his time working at a store which is owned by said step-father. He struggles with his family and wants to get out of their small town by going to university in New York.
Justin, on the other hand, is really popular in school, plays sports and wants to do an art program in New York after graduation. He seems to have it easy but is actually pressured by his parents to go to Stanford to become a doctor and feels like he's hiding to all the people close of him.
At the beginning of the book, it's a few months till high school graduation. Elliot (who calls himself Cinderfella) and Justin (who calls himself Milo) have already talked anonymously over email for months and have shared their struggles with being in the closet. We meet Aimee, who's Elliot’s best friend and Vanessa, who's new at school and quickly becomes close to them. There's also Cooper, Elliot's co-worker that he's interested in and naturally suspects of being Milo. Justin has a few sports friends, including Danny - his best friend since childhood.
One thing which I really liked was the diversity: apart from both MCs being gay, Justin is also Mexican, Aimee is bisexual and Asian, and Vanessa is black and lesbian.
I'd say the start of this book is kind of slow. We get to see a few emails between the MCs which apart from one little interaction is the only conversation we see between these two for a while. During the middle we barely get to see even those since Elliot is focused on his interactions with Cooper, while Justin deals with wanting to come out to the people closest to him. I'd say for 2/3 of the book there's not much romance going on between the MCs apart from the expectation on both sides that they should get together because they're two of the only few gay people in this small town.
The pace picks up during the middle though, with the upcoming prom on their minds and Elliot and Justin both thinking about revealing themselves to each other in the future (a la Cinderella Story).
Reading this book actually felt like watching one of those old teenage rom-coms so the atmosphere was great. Even though the plot was kind of cliché, I didn't mind because of the 'gay twist' to the story.
Still, I would've appreciated some variation, especially with the step-father, Michael, and the step-siblings. I totally get why Michael is evil based on what Elliot thinks and says but it still felt pretty one-dimensional. Michael is barely present in the book, so we never really find much out about him. At one point, a friend of Elliot's deceased mother tells him that Michael can’t be that bad because Elliot’s mother must have seen something in him. I wish this would've been explored more.
The step-siblings are much the same. Both Tommy and Hailey are complete assholes, but Hailey at least shows some character towards the end.
The writing was okay, it was easy to follow and understand. The story is written in first person with dual point of views and chapter headers indicating who's POV and what date it is. I didn't struggle with distinguishing between the POVs, because it was always clear who it was through the setting they were in. I can't say that the voices sounded much different though.
I won't say much about the romance since my feelings about it would spoil the ending but I will put my thoughts on that under a Spoiler warning at the end of the review. Let's just say, I feel like the ending was wrapped up too quickly.
All in all, this book was a pretty solid read, but considering how it ended I feel like I went into it with false expectations and was left disappointed. Since I've been struggling with a lot of YA contemporaries lately, this is probably on me and maybe it's just not the right genre for me anymore.
Still, I'm sure there are lots of people who'll love this. If you'd love to read a gay Cinderella Story with a twist at the end, this is the book for you!
!!SPOILER WARNING!!
.
.
.
So there isn't much romance going on between the two MCs until maybe the 60-70% mark, since Elliot kind of has something going on with Cooper. This should probably have been my first warning that this would not end with the two MCs ending up together, so: Don't go into this expecting a HEA between the MCs!!
A thing I really did not appreciate was the time jump right before the last two chapters. Right before the jump, there's this conflict between Elliot and Justin and it ends with Justin storming off, which also ends the chapter.
The next chapter tells us that 7 months have passed and the MCs have not talked once since graduation. This means we go right from 'action' to a time jump that wraps up the book in 2 chapters. I really didn't feel like the two MCs got enough closure, at least not on page.
I can appreciate the twist that the MCs do not end up together. Just because they're both gay in a small town doesn't mean they have to fall in love, I get that. In hindsight, I can see there wasn't much falling in love between the MCs. But when you expect the book to be a love story between the two MCs and you only find out after a time jump in the last few pages that that's not what's happening, it's totally frustrating and unexpected. That's probably on me, seeing as the synopsis never said they'd fall in love but I feel like at the same time, it could've been implied that this is a story about two gay boys, who find friendship and understanding in each other but find love on their own. If I had known that, I could've appreciated and enjoyed the MCs' separate journeys way more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2022
Even though Becky Albertali’s, Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,” is one of my all-time favorite LGBTQ YA books, I am now trying to mainly support, purchase, and read only LGBTQ books written by LGBTQ authors. I think that is a direct reason why I have really loved and connected to the last few that I have read (see previous reviews). Alex Blades keeps this streak going with his often marketed “for fans of Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,” book, ``The Confessions of a Teenage Closet Case.” This time, unlike the 50 other books I read with that tagline rubber stamped on it- actually is as good!
The plot of the story is exactly what you would want from any gay m/m rom com. Elliott, a shy,nerdy, but cute Senior, has a loud female best friend, but mostly survives by keeping to himself and flying under the gaydar. He has no father and his mother is deceased so he is being raised by a wicked step-father, who has a boy and girl of his own, both of whom hate Elliot and the feeling is returned. All Elliot wants to do is graduate and move far away from his small town to somewhere where he can be gay and happy.
Also at his school is Justin, a Latino guy who is extremely handsome, very popular, a straight-A student, a jock and being pressured into a medical career by his overbearing parents. All Justin wants to do is move away and go to and art school where he could come out and be gay and happy.
The two boys meet anonymously on an app, and start to flirt and bond over a series of emails without revealing anymore about themselves than where they go to school.
The story here is very sweet and G rated. There are some fairly tough conflicts and issues dealt with in this book, but the tone stays mostly hopeful and light. Both Elliot and Justin are extremely likable protagonists are their family problems will be very relatable to any teen regardless of sexual orientation. Also universal are their struggles and secret desires to fit in, find acceptance, and discover their own identities- sexual and otherwise.
Another aspect of this book that I like, and find important, is that coming out stories still need to be told. Yes, it is easier now than when I did it in the very early 90’s, but just look at what is happening in Florida, Texas, and soon a state near you! Coming out in 2022 stories need to be told so young people understand that they can be met with love, compassion, and understanding- and if they don’t they need to find a new state, family, or tribe!
The plot of the story is exactly what you would want from any gay m/m rom com. Elliott, a shy,nerdy, but cute Senior, has a loud female best friend, but mostly survives by keeping to himself and flying under the gaydar. He has no father and his mother is deceased so he is being raised by a wicked step-father, who has a boy and girl of his own, both of whom hate Elliot and the feeling is returned. All Elliot wants to do is graduate and move far away from his small town to somewhere where he can be gay and happy.
Also at his school is Justin, a Latino guy who is extremely handsome, very popular, a straight-A student, a jock and being pressured into a medical career by his overbearing parents. All Justin wants to do is move away and go to and art school where he could come out and be gay and happy.
The two boys meet anonymously on an app, and start to flirt and bond over a series of emails without revealing anymore about themselves than where they go to school.
The story here is very sweet and G rated. There are some fairly tough conflicts and issues dealt with in this book, but the tone stays mostly hopeful and light. Both Elliot and Justin are extremely likable protagonists are their family problems will be very relatable to any teen regardless of sexual orientation. Also universal are their struggles and secret desires to fit in, find acceptance, and discover their own identities- sexual and otherwise.
Another aspect of this book that I like, and find important, is that coming out stories still need to be told. Yes, it is easier now than when I did it in the very early 90’s, but just look at what is happening in Florida, Texas, and soon a state near you! Coming out in 2022 stories need to be told so young people understand that they can be met with love, compassion, and understanding- and if they don’t they need to find a new state, family, or tribe!
November 3, 2023
3.7*
A good editor (and copy-editor) could have tightened this novel into the book it deserves to be.
That said, the story of Elliot and Justin, told via alternating narrators, needs to be read by LGBTQ teens in rural communities still. Unfortunately.
If you happen to be gay or bi in a family or a community or a school that is hostile to anyone out of the cis mainstream, know that you can escape to higher ground, that nothing is permanent, even and especially the homophobic high school years.
You are not alone. Find your Aimee. Find your Vanessa. Find your allies. Find your posse. Life is worth it. YOU, miraculous, beautiful, amazing grace of a person are worth it!
A good editor (and copy-editor) could have tightened this novel into the book it deserves to be.
That said, the story of Elliot and Justin, told via alternating narrators, needs to be read by LGBTQ teens in rural communities still. Unfortunately.
If you happen to be gay or bi in a family or a community or a school that is hostile to anyone out of the cis mainstream, know that you can escape to higher ground, that nothing is permanent, even and especially the homophobic high school years.
You are not alone. Find your Aimee. Find your Vanessa. Find your allies. Find your posse. Life is worth it. YOU, miraculous, beautiful, amazing grace of a person are worth it!
February 8, 2021
I wanna say a massive thank you to @itsalexblades for letting me read this wonderful E-ARC that had me hooked from page 1 💖
.
.
So, it's an upcoming release and I urge you, if you haven't already, check it out and maybe add it to that ever growing tbr list 😉
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I fell in love with this YA LGBT romance story that tells the story of two teenagers, meeting anonymously online, coming to terms with their gender and identifies and how they fit into the grand picture that is high school.
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This book lovingly tackles so many thought provoking themes, ranging from the death of family, homophobia, bullying, depression and what can happen when we internalise homophobia.
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I found the main characters to be instantly relatable and I felt that I was going on this journey of development and growth with them. I felt every laugh, every tear and every heartache, which rounded of this read into a solid 5 stars from me ⭐
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I really didn't want this book to end, and I now need to go away and get every book Alex has written 😝
.
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If your looking for a loveable, charming, heartwarming YA high school romance with tonnes of drama, then check this book out 😁
.
.
So, it's an upcoming release and I urge you, if you haven't already, check it out and maybe add it to that ever growing tbr list 😉
.
.
I fell in love with this YA LGBT romance story that tells the story of two teenagers, meeting anonymously online, coming to terms with their gender and identifies and how they fit into the grand picture that is high school.
.
.
This book lovingly tackles so many thought provoking themes, ranging from the death of family, homophobia, bullying, depression and what can happen when we internalise homophobia.
.
.
I found the main characters to be instantly relatable and I felt that I was going on this journey of development and growth with them. I felt every laugh, every tear and every heartache, which rounded of this read into a solid 5 stars from me ⭐
.
.
I really didn't want this book to end, and I now need to go away and get every book Alex has written 😝
.
.
If your looking for a loveable, charming, heartwarming YA high school romance with tonnes of drama, then check this book out 😁
June 19, 2021
No. Not a fan of anything in this book. The plot was solid but execution was zero. The MCs had absolutely no chemistry both in their emails, and when they met in person. The ending sequence was a mess. Disappointed.
May 4, 2022
Really great book. So much about the struggle to be yourself and true to who you really are. What an excellent read.
August 13, 2022
This one had it's good points ... but more not-so-good. 😒 Let's start with the fact that it's a blatant rip-off of the brilliant, delicious 'Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda' (aka "Love, Simon") by Becky Albertalli. Seriously ... was there no lawsuit??? One of the protagonists literally referred to his "Simon Spier act" ... so the book itself acknowledges the fact. This is pretty much the weaker Disney Channel Original Movie version of 'Love, Simon'🙄 with all the cliche characters you would expect saying cliche things. Definitely read "Simon" ... then prob'ly pass on this one. There is nothing here you haven't read before.
Another annoying aspect that brought about much eye-rolling from this person ... "I mean, like, are you actually being for real right now?" I mean ... like ... teens don't actually for real talk like that! ���♂️ However, it seems that old people that write teen stories like ... I mean ... actually believe teens actually talk like that for real! (Get the idea?) Annoying af ... page after page! 😖
On the positive side, I did really like Justin and Eliot ... and the best part of the book is the ending. So IF you choose to read this and IF you make it through (I wanted to bail numerous times but persevered because I did want to find out what becomes of Justin and Eliot), the ending will reward your arduous journey.
I would give it 2 1/2 stars with the ending bumping it up to 3.
Another annoying aspect that brought about much eye-rolling from this person ... "I mean, like, are you actually being for real right now?" I mean ... like ... teens don't actually for real talk like that! ���♂️ However, it seems that old people that write teen stories like ... I mean ... actually believe teens actually talk like that for real! (Get the idea?) Annoying af ... page after page! 😖
On the positive side, I did really like Justin and Eliot ... and the best part of the book is the ending. So IF you choose to read this and IF you make it through (I wanted to bail numerous times but persevered because I did want to find out what becomes of Justin and Eliot), the ending will reward your arduous journey.
I would give it 2 1/2 stars with the ending bumping it up to 3.
June 5, 2021
I liked the story, but thought this writer could use a better editor. I found quite a few missing words, missing commas, and indistinct wording. I love to support writers who are LGBTQ and who write for the LGBTQ audience, but I feel that we deserve as high-quality writing and editing as mainstream.
September 7, 2021
A real disappointment, honestly. I liked the concept from the summary, but in execution, the writing was kind of bland and mediocre, the characters weren't all that interesting or new. The idea of combining Love, Simon with a gay Cinderella retelling was interesting, but it didn't quite work for me. Especially the Cinderella aspect; Eliot's stepfather and step-siblings felt way too one dimensional and cartoonishly evil. The sister starts acting normal towards the end out of left field, but up until then, it was hard to buy them as actual, believable characters.
One other thing I didn't like: there was a throwaway bit of internal narration from Eliot at the dance, where he talks about how it's different for gay men to be seen together in public because people view them as disgusting while they view women together as erotic, and like okay yes, there's a point there, but that doesn't mean Aimee and Vanessa had it easier than him, at all. Yes, as gay men, homophobia affects us differently, but people seeing bi and lesbian women as something that's only sexual is still homophobia, just a different form of it, and comparing our struggles like that does nobody any favors, and because it was just some internal dialogue, this attitude was never challenged by the narrative and it really rubbed me the wrong way.
One other thing I didn't like: there was a throwaway bit of internal narration from Eliot at the dance, where he talks about how it's different for gay men to be seen together in public because people view them as disgusting while they view women together as erotic, and like okay yes, there's a point there, but that doesn't mean Aimee and Vanessa had it easier than him, at all. Yes, as gay men, homophobia affects us differently, but people seeing bi and lesbian women as something that's only sexual is still homophobia, just a different form of it, and comparing our struggles like that does nobody any favors, and because it was just some internal dialogue, this attitude was never challenged by the narrative and it really rubbed me the wrong way.
January 17, 2022
“I’ve already taken on the identity of Simon Spier by talking anonymously with some guy in my school…” This quote more or less sums up my thoughts on the originality of the plot. This take on Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda is ok, with some complications thrown in to add extra drama to the two main characters being able to come out. Unfortunately the potential power of the will they won’t they vibe is weakened by a lack of chemistry, meandering, and some need for editing.
Elliot was the best character. His Cinderella parallel was felt on a deep level for me. His step dad being in charge of him and abusing him was a great story. His family abuse pattern hit home and made him sympathetic. The dad was a one note villain with no moment of his own. Maybe that was because there were so many characters roaming this universe.
Justin was typical and cliche. Sportsball star with everything is gay but can’t come out. His Mexican heritage felt false to me in how those attitudes were tacked on. His own sister thought he was crazy for having them. So where was that pressure? There was a lot of other diversity in the book but it felt like check boxes were being ticked on a sheet by the author’s computer. I can’t believe there wasn’t a person in a wheelchair or a visually challenged person! Lol.
I found it funny that the way Elliot is described by Justin is the exact opposite of how Aimee, the best friend, described him in her reasons for being mad at him.
Ok, did I enjoy it? Yes, in parts. Did I care if the two got together? No, they weren’t really into each other anyway. It wasn’t believable. How did they even begin emailing anyway? So the vague ending? Come on. Commit. I felt like at the end we got the ok let me sum up 7 months because that’s where the real story happened. Oh, don’t forget the out of the blue bully transformation of Hailey, with no context or reason for it. Now they live together by choice?
Editing would have saved this and made this more of a 3 or 4 star book for me because there were some really good threads that could’ve turned into something.
Elliot was the best character. His Cinderella parallel was felt on a deep level for me. His step dad being in charge of him and abusing him was a great story. His family abuse pattern hit home and made him sympathetic. The dad was a one note villain with no moment of his own. Maybe that was because there were so many characters roaming this universe.
Justin was typical and cliche. Sportsball star with everything is gay but can’t come out. His Mexican heritage felt false to me in how those attitudes were tacked on. His own sister thought he was crazy for having them. So where was that pressure? There was a lot of other diversity in the book but it felt like check boxes were being ticked on a sheet by the author’s computer. I can’t believe there wasn’t a person in a wheelchair or a visually challenged person! Lol.
I found it funny that the way Elliot is described by Justin is the exact opposite of how Aimee, the best friend, described him in her reasons for being mad at him.
Ok, did I enjoy it? Yes, in parts. Did I care if the two got together? No, they weren’t really into each other anyway. It wasn’t believable. How did they even begin emailing anyway? So the vague ending? Come on. Commit. I felt like at the end we got the ok let me sum up 7 months because that’s where the real story happened. Oh, don’t forget the out of the blue bully transformation of Hailey, with no context or reason for it. Now they live together by choice?
Editing would have saved this and made this more of a 3 or 4 star book for me because there were some really good threads that could’ve turned into something.
February 15, 2021
Imagine a Love, Simon/You’ve Got Mail hybrid directed by John Hughes and you’ve got ‘Confessions of a Teenage Closet Case’, the latest from @itsalexblades, who I must thank for sending me this arc!
This novel follows Elliott and Justin, both gay high school seniors still in the closet, as they get to know each other over email. Through the story, these two boys learn to love themselves and trust each other, becoming more willing to step further and further away from their anonymous virtual identities.
I’m not sure about any of you, but I can certainly relate to the experiences these boys went through. In my early days of self discovery, I created an email address (hanger97@hotmail... it doesn’t work anymore so don’t bother trying it! Haha) specifically to use when communicating with other men I met online. Back then, we didn’t have apps and smartphones, we used the chat rooms on gay.com, first moving into private chat windows, then email (including trading those first impression pics over email... oh the stress as the pics would load, and then waiting for the other guy to react), and then maybe someone would be daring enough to share a phone number. It was a process. So, living with these boys as their relationship evolved over email certainly brought back a lot of memories for me, even though it’s a much more modern tale than my 90s gay boy experience. I have to say, I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the twists, I loved the relationships, I loved the experiences. While there may some moments that felt a little forced, or dialogue that didn’t entirely ring true to me, these small blips certainly appeared nowhere near often enough to prevent me from highly recommending this book to you!
This novel follows Elliott and Justin, both gay high school seniors still in the closet, as they get to know each other over email. Through the story, these two boys learn to love themselves and trust each other, becoming more willing to step further and further away from their anonymous virtual identities.
I’m not sure about any of you, but I can certainly relate to the experiences these boys went through. In my early days of self discovery, I created an email address (hanger97@hotmail... it doesn’t work anymore so don’t bother trying it! Haha) specifically to use when communicating with other men I met online. Back then, we didn’t have apps and smartphones, we used the chat rooms on gay.com, first moving into private chat windows, then email (including trading those first impression pics over email... oh the stress as the pics would load, and then waiting for the other guy to react), and then maybe someone would be daring enough to share a phone number. It was a process. So, living with these boys as their relationship evolved over email certainly brought back a lot of memories for me, even though it’s a much more modern tale than my 90s gay boy experience. I have to say, I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the twists, I loved the relationships, I loved the experiences. While there may some moments that felt a little forced, or dialogue that didn’t entirely ring true to me, these small blips certainly appeared nowhere near often enough to prevent me from highly recommending this book to you!
February 10, 2021
I want to start by saying thank you to the author, Alex Blades, for giving me an e-book copy. I was super excited to get into this book and I’m STILL very excited, even after finishing it.
I don’t think I have anything negative to say about this book. It was a bit hard for me to get into the book, but I think that’s just me. I always have to read a bit before a book really hooks me in. But once I was hooked, I was HOOOOKED.
The characters in this book are amazing. Not only are they well written, but they’re exciting! I loved all the characters that were written to be loved, and I hated all the characters that were written to be hated. Characters can easily make or break a book for someone, and these characters definitely sold it for me.
This book is a rollercoaster of emotions. One moment, the book was so happy and sweet, and the next, it had me crying for like… an hour. This book, in my opinion, had a great balance of happy scenes and sad scenes. It wasn’t unbearably miserable, but it also wasn’t annoyingly upbeat. I love my fluffy romances, but I also love my depressing shit too. It was nice to get enough of both.
It was borderline terrifying how close this book hit to home. Specifically, Justin’s character. I related to him so much in the best way possible. Many of the things he faces in the book, I’m facing myself. Seeing his character thrive and become happy made me want to do the same. Justin was a small beacon of light, and I cannot express how much his character means to me. AND HE'S MEXICAN! It’s just awesome and comforting to look up to a character that is LIKE ME.
I hold so much joy for this story. This book is a gem. A bright, beautiful gem.
I don’t think I have anything negative to say about this book. It was a bit hard for me to get into the book, but I think that’s just me. I always have to read a bit before a book really hooks me in. But once I was hooked, I was HOOOOKED.
The characters in this book are amazing. Not only are they well written, but they’re exciting! I loved all the characters that were written to be loved, and I hated all the characters that were written to be hated. Characters can easily make or break a book for someone, and these characters definitely sold it for me.
This book is a rollercoaster of emotions. One moment, the book was so happy and sweet, and the next, it had me crying for like… an hour. This book, in my opinion, had a great balance of happy scenes and sad scenes. It wasn’t unbearably miserable, but it also wasn’t annoyingly upbeat. I love my fluffy romances, but I also love my depressing shit too. It was nice to get enough of both.
It was borderline terrifying how close this book hit to home. Specifically, Justin’s character. I related to him so much in the best way possible. Many of the things he faces in the book, I’m facing myself. Seeing his character thrive and become happy made me want to do the same. Justin was a small beacon of light, and I cannot express how much his character means to me. AND HE'S MEXICAN! It’s just awesome and comforting to look up to a character that is LIKE ME.
I hold so much joy for this story. This book is a gem. A bright, beautiful gem.
April 15, 2022
This was like two books for the price of one! If you're looking for an easy read about discovering who you are with all the ups and downs that come with it, then this is for you. The ending tied up nicely with a realistic bow, which is something I really enjoyed. Can't wait to see what else Alex Blades has in store!
November 9, 2023
Confessions of a Teenage Closet Case
By Alex Blades
Published by the author, 2021
Four stars
Gah. Teenagers are so awkward. A good young adult book will, of course, drag even elder gays like me back into our teenaged years, and Alex Blades does this. Even though my own children are older than the kids in this book, I found myself unable to just read it with any emotional detachment, as if these teenagers had no relation to me. Now, when I was in high school (prep school), the closet was absolute, even if some of us knew we were gay already. The current received wisdom is that it’s SO MUCH EASIER to be a gay teenager today. Alex Blades reminds us of a different truth. If you think about it, that’s shocking, because supposedly it was different coming out FIFTY years ago than it is now. But, apparently, not quite different enough.
Somewhere in small-town Illinois, Elliot Brown is struggling to survive high school in the closet. He has one bright spot, an ongoing texting relationship under the nom-de-text Cinderfella. The equally closeted boy he’s text-chatting with as Milo is in fact Justin Herrera. They are classmates, but neither of them finds this out until nearly the end of the book.
The book is sort of a semi-epistolary novel, alternating between Milo and Cinderfella’s texts, which are dropped into chapters about their actual lives. Now, these boys have friends—and in particular Elliot has Aimee, then Vanessa, as support. Interestingly, it is not the school itself (which is no more homophobic than most), but their home lives that force them to remain closeted and cause most of the emotional trauma they suffer.
Elliot is a stepchild whose mother is gone (hence his text name). Justin, however, has a loving and supportive family; but they’re too supportive. Elliot’s stepfather doesn’t care about him at all; while Justin’s family cares too much. The details are important, and in the course of the story we learn it all.
And this is what Blades gets brilliantly in this book, along with catching the teenaged voice so vividly that I can hear myself in their words (although my situation, fifty years ago, was much easier, it was still traumatic). Blades understands the wide-ranging context of different kids’ lives, and those contexts are what matters most, not the broad societal trends that supposedly make coming out easier.
What Blades does not do is give us an easy answer. There is no “happy ending,” even though there is positive resolution to both of their stories (boy, that sounds dull, but it’s not, I promise). Blades drags his readers through all the trauma, and then has the nerve to give us a REALISTIC finale. Damn.
As I thought about it, I liked what the author did more and more. Being a teenager is tough, and being a gay teenager is even tougher, even now. This is something we can’t forget, especially today.
By Alex Blades
Published by the author, 2021
Four stars
Gah. Teenagers are so awkward. A good young adult book will, of course, drag even elder gays like me back into our teenaged years, and Alex Blades does this. Even though my own children are older than the kids in this book, I found myself unable to just read it with any emotional detachment, as if these teenagers had no relation to me. Now, when I was in high school (prep school), the closet was absolute, even if some of us knew we were gay already. The current received wisdom is that it’s SO MUCH EASIER to be a gay teenager today. Alex Blades reminds us of a different truth. If you think about it, that’s shocking, because supposedly it was different coming out FIFTY years ago than it is now. But, apparently, not quite different enough.
Somewhere in small-town Illinois, Elliot Brown is struggling to survive high school in the closet. He has one bright spot, an ongoing texting relationship under the nom-de-text Cinderfella. The equally closeted boy he’s text-chatting with as Milo is in fact Justin Herrera. They are classmates, but neither of them finds this out until nearly the end of the book.
The book is sort of a semi-epistolary novel, alternating between Milo and Cinderfella’s texts, which are dropped into chapters about their actual lives. Now, these boys have friends—and in particular Elliot has Aimee, then Vanessa, as support. Interestingly, it is not the school itself (which is no more homophobic than most), but their home lives that force them to remain closeted and cause most of the emotional trauma they suffer.
Elliot is a stepchild whose mother is gone (hence his text name). Justin, however, has a loving and supportive family; but they’re too supportive. Elliot’s stepfather doesn’t care about him at all; while Justin’s family cares too much. The details are important, and in the course of the story we learn it all.
And this is what Blades gets brilliantly in this book, along with catching the teenaged voice so vividly that I can hear myself in their words (although my situation, fifty years ago, was much easier, it was still traumatic). Blades understands the wide-ranging context of different kids’ lives, and those contexts are what matters most, not the broad societal trends that supposedly make coming out easier.
What Blades does not do is give us an easy answer. There is no “happy ending,” even though there is positive resolution to both of their stories (boy, that sounds dull, but it’s not, I promise). Blades drags his readers through all the trauma, and then has the nerve to give us a REALISTIC finale. Damn.
As I thought about it, I liked what the author did more and more. Being a teenager is tough, and being a gay teenager is even tougher, even now. This is something we can’t forget, especially today.
December 28, 2023
This story of two gay boys who start a romance by exchanging emails without knowing each other’s identities channels Simon Vs very strongly. A few major differences: the reader knows the identity of the love interest from the start, which eliminates any mystery. The boys do not get a big romantic scene like in Albert all is great book, and the reader does not get a satisfying ending. Albertalli does not play the game of breaking up the couple and getting them back together, and, unfortunately, this book follows that formula.
I enjoyed reading this even tho it’s nothing great. It reads like it started as a Cinderella retelling but then went astray. There is no story here other than the coming out. That makes it seem like all we are is people who come out. I Really wish the book had more narrative drive. The author captures all the CD angles of coming out well, except maybe where we all get to when we realize that we are going to spend the rest of our lives coming out to Literally every person we meet unless we stop. The long sequence of coming out scenes does get tedious, but coming out to straight ppl is incredibly tedious and repetitive so I guess this is unavoidable.
Mild recommendation then. I
would read more by this author.
I enjoyed reading this even tho it’s nothing great. It reads like it started as a Cinderella retelling but then went astray. There is no story here other than the coming out. That makes it seem like all we are is people who come out. I Really wish the book had more narrative drive. The author captures all the CD angles of coming out well, except maybe where we all get to when we realize that we are going to spend the rest of our lives coming out to Literally every person we meet unless we stop. The long sequence of coming out scenes does get tedious, but coming out to straight ppl is incredibly tedious and repetitive so I guess this is unavoidable.
Mild recommendation then. I
would read more by this author.
January 17, 2022
an enjoyable and entertaining story about growing up, coming out and finding yourself. Told in the point of view of our two protagonist and via their emails to one another.
The set up has been done before, though they do not know who the other is we as the reader do. But the fun comes for seeing them try to bond and get to finally reveal themselves to those around them and to one another. Keeping the plot devices fresh and interesting with twist and divergencies is a difficult feat pulled off brilliantly here.
The set up has been done before, though they do not know who the other is we as the reader do. But the fun comes for seeing them try to bond and get to finally reveal themselves to those around them and to one another. Keeping the plot devices fresh and interesting with twist and divergencies is a difficult feat pulled off brilliantly here.
October 2, 2021
Good, but not what you think.
Had the blurb about this book been accurate I would have given it 5 stars. That's the only reason I gave it 4 stars. Its a good coming of age story. However, despite many similarities between Eliot and Cinderella, it is NOT a Cinderella story. The book actually suffers from the comparison when it could stand well on its own as an enjoyable YA coming of age book.
Had the blurb about this book been accurate I would have given it 5 stars. That's the only reason I gave it 4 stars. Its a good coming of age story. However, despite many similarities between Eliot and Cinderella, it is NOT a Cinderella story. The book actually suffers from the comparison when it could stand well on its own as an enjoyable YA coming of age book.
February 26, 2022
excellent read
Very enjoyable story to read. I don’t want to say too much because I hate giving away the ending. So many relationships and all during the senior year in high school. Parent expectations and discovering who you really are. Makes for a fast paced story that is hard to put down. Read and enjoy.
Very enjoyable story to read. I don’t want to say too much because I hate giving away the ending. So many relationships and all during the senior year in high school. Parent expectations and discovering who you really are. Makes for a fast paced story that is hard to put down. Read and enjoy.
February 14, 2022
Good book but disappointed in the ending
I was really hoping to see Elliot and Justin get together and have a HEA but the story line was fantastic and points out the challenging times teens go through in high school with their sexuality
I was really hoping to see Elliot and Justin get together and have a HEA but the story line was fantastic and points out the challenging times teens go through in high school with their sexuality
March 5, 2022
Beautiful
This is a beautiful story about two boys finally coming to understand who they really are. It’s tough at times reading hoping the best for these two. I certainly hope there is a follow up book to this one to finish the story.
This is a beautiful story about two boys finally coming to understand who they really are. It’s tough at times reading hoping the best for these two. I certainly hope there is a follow up book to this one to finish the story.
April 27, 2022
As they say “timing is everything.” Besides normal level anxiety pile it high with step siblings, minority family, graduation, prom, and gender preference questions….a throughly modern novel exploring all that and…timing. Characters were well-developed and relatable. Look for to the next book.
January 3, 2023
Concessions of a teenage closet case
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was Silk written and thought out. It didn't have major jumped in time. Very good read.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was Silk written and thought out. It didn't have major jumped in time. Very good read.
January 10, 2023
Really cute book about coming of age and sexuality. I hope there's a sequel because I need a more romantic happy ending lol 😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2023
This one was underwhelming for a book i couldnt get on kindle etc and had to try find a way to get it paperback without it breaking the bank. It wasnt really satisfying. It was goos enough to read. But it wasnt anything special.
May 18, 2022
3/5 stars
It was an easy, quick but enjoyable read. Recommended for people who enjoy the Cinderella trope, but with a little bit less of a traditional turn of events. This is not your typical fairy tale. Which makes sense when you think about the fact that it does indeed lay out in a high school. But if you're a sucker for the Cinderella trope, like me, I do recommend giving it a shot.
This book reminded me a lot of Disney's A Cinderella Story with Hilary Duff & Chad Micheal Murray. Which was quite nostalgic, because I’ve watched that movie more times than I can recount. I’m a sucker for all and any queer retellings of Cinderella, so I’ll always give them a chance. Even if I know the classic Cinderella story like the back of my own hand.
There were quite a few spelling errors here and there, but nothing too bad.
My feelings for the book fluctuated a bit throughout, but it stayed steady around the “an okay read” (aka 3 stars in my mind), so that’s what I’ll give it. I liked it.
May 16, 2022
It was an easy, quick but enjoyable read. Recommended for people who enjoy the Cinderella trope, but with a little bit less of a traditional turn of events. This is not your typical fairy tale. Which makes sense when you think about the fact that it does indeed lay out in a high school. But if you're a sucker for the Cinderella trope, like me, I do recommend giving it a shot.
This book reminded me a lot of Disney's A Cinderella Story with Hilary Duff & Chad Micheal Murray. Which was quite nostalgic, because I’ve watched that movie more times than I can recount. I’m a sucker for all and any queer retellings of Cinderella, so I’ll always give them a chance. Even if I know the classic Cinderella story like the back of my own hand.
There were quite a few spelling errors here and there, but nothing too bad.
My feelings for the book fluctuated a bit throughout, but it stayed steady around the “an okay read” (aka 3 stars in my mind), so that’s what I’ll give it. I liked it.
May 16, 2022
September 6, 2022
I'd swear I am coming up with new ways to describe my feelings... and ways to let the books I read down gently. This one? It wasn't bad until some things started towards the end and that kind of... was the problem. Because I am so not built for teenage drama and the book wasn't too YA at first, it was just... it just was, not bad enough to quit, like that piece of candy you can live without but eh, since you're in the mood for sweets, it will do, no?
The "twist" at the end was the most unique thing about the book.
Maybe it's the age? I just finished college, and it wasn't any kind of revelation, I am not a people person and I didn't magically become one because I was "out there" and I thought our version of prom was nothing special (also it was mandatory) but I just didn't care enough about it either way so... basically, what I am saying is I couldn't even identify with either protagonist and the thing that I could relate to were more of a "I have this in my head already, don't need to read it too".
Sigh... I should really stop doing this to myself. But I want to kind of clear up the backlog on my kindle since I no longer use it that much but it has... let me check, 40+ books I can read, not counting my "maybe" (but probably not shelf) that I almost never open and is 130+ books.
And just so you know, this book kind of felt exactly like my review, two guys talking about their feelings and unless you like that and enjoy this, better just skip it, if you do like it, I actually think it's pretty good representation of the genre as long as you are /spoiler alert!!!/ not shipping specific people and expecting a HFN instead of the more dramatic and permanent HEA /end of the spoiler/ which is why I would actually hesitate to call it romance - for me, there was just barely any and all of it was just angst.
Okay, end of rant.
The "twist" at the end was the most unique thing about the book.
Maybe it's the age? I just finished college, and it wasn't any kind of revelation, I am not a people person and I didn't magically become one because I was "out there" and I thought our version of prom was nothing special (also it was mandatory) but I just didn't care enough about it either way so... basically, what I am saying is I couldn't even identify with either protagonist and the thing that I could relate to were more of a "I have this in my head already, don't need to read it too".
Sigh... I should really stop doing this to myself. But I want to kind of clear up the backlog on my kindle since I no longer use it that much but it has... let me check, 40+ books I can read, not counting my "maybe" (but probably not shelf) that I almost never open and is 130+ books.
And just so you know, this book kind of felt exactly like my review, two guys talking about their feelings and unless you like that and enjoy this, better just skip it, if you do like it, I actually think it's pretty good representation of the genre as long as you are /spoiler alert!!!/ not shipping specific people and expecting a HFN instead of the more dramatic and permanent HEA /end of the spoiler/ which is why I would actually hesitate to call it romance - for me, there was just barely any and all of it was just angst.
Okay, end of rant.
April 28, 2022
2.7
(there will be spoilers but i just needed to vent ugh)
i am sorry, i have hardly ever given a book this low rating and i am sorry for being this harsh about it too. but.
one question: ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW??
LIKE SERIOUSLY.
i feel so disappointed right now. and extremely misled by this book.
okay, so good things: it discussed in length about the confusion surrounding our sexuality and the whole process of figuring it out and accepting who you are. the coming out part is important and i am glad it was there. and it dealt with a little racism and family expectations and homophobia and everything like that. that commentary was definitely what made me pull through this book.
but ugh STILL then you shouldn't have sold it as a romance with that whole anonymous emailing trope?! there was entirely no point to that whole thing and the whole book was just us anticipating when they'll meet and see the endgame finally.
SPOILER:
then it never even happens.
I REPEAT: IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. it felt so pointless and DISAPPOINTING.
like, they didn't even have more than a couple of actual interactions. in the whole book. apart from their meeting fiasco and then the other one, they never even talked outside of their emails. the whole book! i felt like i was reading two separate books, one for Elliot and one for Justin.
it wouldn't have been that much disappointing if they had even more real-life conversations between them. but no. nada. and then they don't even get together. i cannot stress how DISAPPOINTING and pointless that felt. i didn't understand any message at all that couldn't have been given with their ending up together too. it was just stringing us along the whole book, dangling this possibility in our face when literally NOTHING HAPPENS.
(there will be spoilers but i just needed to vent ugh)
i am sorry, i have hardly ever given a book this low rating and i am sorry for being this harsh about it too. but.
one question: ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW??
LIKE SERIOUSLY.
i feel so disappointed right now. and extremely misled by this book.
okay, so good things: it discussed in length about the confusion surrounding our sexuality and the whole process of figuring it out and accepting who you are. the coming out part is important and i am glad it was there. and it dealt with a little racism and family expectations and homophobia and everything like that. that commentary was definitely what made me pull through this book.
but ugh STILL then you shouldn't have sold it as a romance with that whole anonymous emailing trope?! there was entirely no point to that whole thing and the whole book was just us anticipating when they'll meet and see the endgame finally.
SPOILER:
then it never even happens.
I REPEAT: IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. it felt so pointless and DISAPPOINTING.
like, they didn't even have more than a couple of actual interactions. in the whole book. apart from their meeting fiasco and then the other one, they never even talked outside of their emails. the whole book! i felt like i was reading two separate books, one for Elliot and one for Justin.
it wouldn't have been that much disappointing if they had even more real-life conversations between them. but no. nada. and then they don't even get together. i cannot stress how DISAPPOINTING and pointless that felt. i didn't understand any message at all that couldn't have been given with their ending up together too. it was just stringing us along the whole book, dangling this possibility in our face when literally NOTHING HAPPENS.
August 1, 2022
This was a really good book!!!
March 5, 2021
Confessions of a Teenage Closet Case by Alex Blades is just what I needed. This little gem is Cinderella meets Simon vs the Homosapien’s Agenda. Did I get you with that?
No joke, A Cinderella Story, the movie with Hilary Duff.. it’s a fav of mine. I mean, yes, it’s cheesy. Full of drama and silly love. But I love it. And I found myself finding very similar vibes in this book to that movie. .. except it’s gay. So, you know, a win for me.
I loved the anonymous pen-pal storyline as well. And seeing the POV of both characters. This book has great side characters as well. I loved the friendships, the journey of their sexuality, and their bond together. It actually ties you down to reality a bit though. Unlike a true Cinderella, “feel good” story. There’s a bit of depth to this.
I laughed a lot. But I felt something at the same time. The ending isn’t what I expected and didn’t meet up to the drive I felt the first half of the book had. But I still definitely recommend this one. 4.5 ⭐️ from me!
Thank you to the tagged author for a gifted copy of this book. Keep an eye out for this one on publish date 6/1/21!
No joke, A Cinderella Story, the movie with Hilary Duff.. it’s a fav of mine. I mean, yes, it’s cheesy. Full of drama and silly love. But I love it. And I found myself finding very similar vibes in this book to that movie. .. except it’s gay. So, you know, a win for me.
I loved the anonymous pen-pal storyline as well. And seeing the POV of both characters. This book has great side characters as well. I loved the friendships, the journey of their sexuality, and their bond together. It actually ties you down to reality a bit though. Unlike a true Cinderella, “feel good” story. There’s a bit of depth to this.
I laughed a lot. But I felt something at the same time. The ending isn’t what I expected and didn’t meet up to the drive I felt the first half of the book had. But I still definitely recommend this one. 4.5 ⭐️ from me!
Thank you to the tagged author for a gifted copy of this book. Keep an eye out for this one on publish date 6/1/21!
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