What if gay teenagers were allowed to be the stars of a romantic comedy? It might look a little something like Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera’s new YA novel. … More What If It’s Us Gives Gay Teenagers the Romantic Comedy Treatment
Any gay man who recently saw Love, Simon in theaters can tell you how incredible it feels to see a teen romantic comedy with a gay protagonist after all these years, and how the experience is bittersweet because even though it feels like we’ve finally arrived, it’s still sad that these stories weren’t around for us … More Transgender Teen Romance is Here! If I Was Your Girl, by Meredith Russo: Book Review
Following a bridge collapse in Boston, four teenagers (well, five) find themselves in the waiting area of a hospital. Skyler is there for her sister, Kate, who has always been there to take care of her even when Skyler screwed things up. Jason and Alexa are estranged siblings trying not to blow up at each … More All We Can Do Is Wait, by Richard Lawson: Book Review
Harry competes in the Triwizard Tournament while Voldemort plans his return. Turns out there is still magic for adults in the Harry Potter books–once Harry gets a little older. … More Rereading Harry Potter as an Adult: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling
Racial tensions erupt in the wake of a police shooting, and the only witness must decide whether or not to go public. Can she make a difference, or will she only end up making herself and her family a target for more violence? … More Race in America: The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas: Book Review
“The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.” Kind of like how The Force Awakens calls back to the first Star Wars, Cursed Child introduces Harry Potter’s next generation with help from old heroes by revisiting all their greatest hits from the original series. And so we begin where Harry Potter … More Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Book Review
The overarching problem of this desperately quirky novel is that is can be summed up thusly: “you were an insanely narcissistic creep who treated me like dirt. That’s why we broke up.” Honey, walk the other way and stop navel-gazing. This boy was never worth your time in the first place. In addition, because this … More Why We Broke Up, by Daniel Handler: Book Review
The Wednesday Wars was an unexpectedly moving delight when I read it. Part of the joy from reading it was that it wasn’t like most other books out there. It felt new and exciting, and when it went for your tear ducts it really earned the tears. Unfortunately, Orbiting Jupiter doesn’t have any of the same … More Book Review: Orbiting Jupiter, by Gary D. Schmidt
I’ve had a curious relationship with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It’s a rollercoaster, really, and it all comes down to the ending of the book and the terrific movie adaptation by Alfonso Cuarón. You see, when I first read Prisoner fifteen years ago I didn’t really like it at all. I thought the ending was … More Book Review: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling
Although it’s the second book in the series, Chamber of Secrets was actually my first experience reading Harry Potter. Fifteen years ago I was 18 years old and attended a birthday party for one of my older sister’s college friends. Everyone spent the night at the friend’s house and in the morning I woke up … More Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling
Supposedly Fun 