bayleereads's reviews
150 reviews

Wow. Easily one of the best books I've ever read.

First off, it should be noted that I read this entire book in one glorious sitting. It was THAT good. One day. 5-6ish hours with one break to eat. I could not put this down.

George's story is empowering while also being educating-- to not only Black queer people, but also people who are LGBTQIA+ allies, those struggling with gender identity themselves, those raised in large families, and a plethora of other "labels."

This book talks about race, gender, sexuality, abuse, loss, and more. It has it all.

This book would be super beneficial to all Black American teens, as Johnson talks about race and the struggles of living as a Black American teen in the 90s.

This book would also be super beneficial to any teen, or adult, struggling with their gender identity, or anyone who wants to learn about the different genders (girl, boy, non-conforming, etc.).

Seriously, y'all. I can't recommend this one enough. Go read it. Now.

I am not a Black male living in America, so I cannot write a review based on my experiences and/or relations to this book.

HOWEVER, I will say that the writing is beautiful and it’s a gorgeously-written book.

The stories Coates writes are heart-wrenching and eye-opening.

This book is heavy and I had to put it down several times in order to fully comprehend and reflect on the stories and writing.

Overall, 10/10 recommend. This should be a required reading!

This was one of the only mysteries/thrillers I've read and I'm pleasantly surprised!!!

I was hooked from the very beginning and it only took me two nights to read. I was so invested!

This feels like The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars meets Riverdale. Such an interesting concept, but it definitely works!

I have two things that just didn't sit right with me though:

I wish there would have been more talk about domestic abuse-- both physical and emotional. This book explores it, but I think there should have been some type of take-away for the audience (what are the signs, what are the consequences, etc.).

THIS NEXT PART CONTAINS A SPOILER, SO DON'T CONTINUE IF YOU PLAN ON READING THIS BOOK:

I wish the author would have included signs to look out for when someone is contemplating suicide. Simply stating "depression" as a symptom is super stereotypical and only adds to the stigmas surrounding mental health.

I am a huge mental health advocate and it's hard when books talk about/explore suicide, but don't actually give any learning points and/or take-aways from it.

This rom com was simply phenomenal.

I struggle with a lot of the same chronic illness/pain symptoms Chloe has, so I related to her throughout the entire book.

There were times I was in literal tears because I felt so seen, understood, and not alone— which I never really have felt with a book before.

From her abandonment issues, to her social anxiety, to her messiness from chronic fatigue... amazing.

This book is funny, emotional,