Book Reviews

Book Blurb

"Two best buddies. One new guy. And a whole lot of questions about love, identity, and what it means to be different."

Best friends since kindergarten, Tay and Third have always shared everything. But as their Junior year begins, they start questioning their identities. Tay discovers his attraction to boys, while Third knows he’s not straight - but the rest of his feelings are still a mystery. When Toby, a charismatic new guy, joins their school, Tay develops a crush, adding even more complexity to their already evolving friendship.

Follow Tay and Third as they navigate the challenges of self-discovery, friendship, and young love in this heartwarming coming-of-age story - perfect for fans of BL shows and anyone who’s ever had to figure out what it means to be different. 

Book Review

The primary heroes are sixteen years old and, perhaps, somewhat generic. Perhaps! Oddly, they and other characters are of mixed Asian backgrounds, the significance of which totally escapes this reviewer. They are self-considered as “not so geeky” geeks or “not so nerdy” nerds – which, alas, may just be the author’s economic approach to constructing character.

 

The heroes and their friends are juniors in high school and are volunteering for the crew of the school’s annual play. To effectively further them as adolescents, the author produces thought processes (Where do we sit? How do we blend in?). The dialog is replete with odd slang (i.e., often calling one another “Madame”) – unknown to me but quite intelligible.

 

The characters’ group includes a new straight couple, two long-term friends each of whom is in the stage of questioning their individual sexuality, and a new student whose preferences are as yet unknown. Respective parents, as may apparently be true in life, dwell somewhere in the shadows. We focus on Ta (Taylor) who feels different, but doesn’t know how to label it. He tunes out his classmates’ discussions about girls, not with disdain but merely lack of interest. To complete their broad universe, Tay’s friend, Third, claim to be sexually uninterested in anyone.

 

Assets: The book is short. It is very much to the point and the characters seem genuine and identifiable. Of course, many adult readers may see that merely as interpreting ancient cave paintings! The book is light, easy to read, with minimal conflicts and well-focused social issues. Blessedly, Tay’s parents are enlightened, and support the possibility that Ta is gay. This makes Tay’s strictly intellectual exploration with Third more reasonable.

 

Debits: These principals may or may not be representative of any slice of the population, which makes adult readers at risk for accepting any generalities in a vibrant and developing sub-population – a risk which we regularly apply to others: foreigners, people of color, those of another religion, pick any minority! Third states it succinctly, when changing in the locker room with Ta – “I’ve seen you naked – let’s just say you’re not my type…”

 

Enough. The book is interesting, and perhaps useful. It is not, however, the bearer of any universal truth, as “Gay” means too many people have varied backgrounds and reactions. It is a good read for an exploring mind, and may induce healthy curiosity for many, Adolescence is, in truth, revolutionary, with varied standards. This reviewer’s world expanded at thirteen, with a frequent male sexual companion (who ultimately chose aggressive heterosexuality). Nonetheless, that encouraged me to share my discovery with an available classmate. Good sex, thankfully for society, encourages proselytizing. As one of our novel’s principals states: “Welcome to post-puberty, my friend.”

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by the author for the purpose of a review.

 

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 176 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	15-October-2024
Price	$1.49 ebook, $8.95 paperback
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Good-Until-Realize-Youre-Different-ebook/dp/B0DK615935