Fangirl meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in this funny and poignant coming-of-age novel from New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren about two boys who fall in love in a writing class—one from a progressive family and the other from a conservative religious community.
Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.
But when his best friend Autumn dares him to take Provo High’s prestigious Seminar—where honor roll students diligently toil to draft a book in a semester—Tanner can’t resist going against his better judgment and having a go, if only to prove to Autumn how silly the whole thing is. Writing a book in four months sounds simple. Four months is an eternity.
It turns out, Tanner is only partly right: four months is a long time. After all, it takes only one second for him to notice Sebastian Brother, the Mormon prodigy who sold his own Seminar novel the year before and who now mentors the class. And it takes less than a month for Tanner to fall completely in love with him.
Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.
But when his best friend Autumn dares him to take Provo High’s prestigious Seminar—where honor roll students diligently toil to draft a book in a semester—Tanner can’t resist going against his better judgment and having a go, if only to prove to Autumn how silly the whole thing is. Writing a book in four months sounds simple. Four months is an eternity.
It turns out, Tanner is only partly right: four months is a long time. After all, it takes only one second for him to notice Sebastian Brother, the Mormon prodigy who sold his own Seminar novel the year before and who now mentors the class. And it takes less than a month for Tanner to fall completely in love with him.
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3
bennettgavrish
(Grade: B) This author team knows how to write a unified voice, carrying their teenage protagonist through high school drama and high-stakes heartbreak. He’s comfortable with his own sexuality, so the focus here is smartly on the community around him - those hiding their truths and those refusing to see them. The narrator is full of passion but lacks a degree of personality, which limits the impact of the central relationship. A little more time spent on the love triangle could have boosted the third act.
(Grade: B) This author team knows how to write a unified voice, carrying their teenage protagonist through high school drama and high-stakes heartbreak. He’s comfortable with his own sexuality, so the focus here is smartly on the community around him - those hiding their truths and those refusing to see them. The narrator is full of passion but lacks a degree of personality, which limits the impact of the central relationship. A little more time spent on the love triangle could have boosted the third act.(Rated on May 8, 2018)
2
RemusLupin
(Grade: A–) This book was compelling and the characters were heart-breakingly real. The conflicts between religion, family, and identity felt genuine and there was no easy, obvious choice for any of the characters. The ending seemed a bit scattered and confusing, but I still sincerely enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
(Grade: A–) This book was compelling and the characters were heart-breakingly real. The conflicts between religion, family, and identity felt genuine and there was no easy, obvious choice for any of the characters. The ending seemed a bit scattered and confusing, but I still sincerely enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. (Rated on Dec 17, 2017)
1
taylorjess
(Grade: A–) I am typically not a great audience for YA romance, but this was so sweet. Read it in the space of a single night.
(Grade: A–) I am typically not a great audience for YA romance, but this was so sweet. Read it in the space of a single night.(Rated on Jan 13, 2018)
1
bookishbunny (Grade: A) This book blew me away. I still have so many thoughts that it's difficult to condense them to a few hundred characters. If you want to read a book that addresses the complexity of sexuality and religion, the struggle of those within the religion who struggle with being who they are - which doesn't agree with the stated norm of the religion, and still manages to be fair to the adherents, then pick this up.
(Grade: A) This book blew me away. I still have so many thoughts that it's difficult to condense them to a few hundred characters. If you want to read a book that addresses the complexity of sexuality and religion, the struggle of those within the religion who struggle with being who they are - which doesn't agree with the stated norm of the religion, and still manages to be fair to the adherents, then pick this up. (Rated on Jun 21, 2018)