mylovelybookstack's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I literally cried every few page. Such well written, bittersweet book. I loved every moment with this one even though it was also a hard story. The storytelling was grounded and the dual pov was handled really skilfully.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Death, Grief, Homophobia, and Terminal illness
julelaurine's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Medical content, and Homophobia
mayajouy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is such an important read. Every second of this book was amazing, the characters and the story. I learned so much through reading this book, it taught me things i didn’t know before. It showed me reality of the HIV Epidemic, and it wasn’t pretty. this book is so beautifully written, i will never stop talking about it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness, Homophobia, and Death
bruhbruh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Excrement, Grief, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
fcg's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Alcohol, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, Terminal illness, Homophobia, and Violence
jakemitton's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I went into this book thinking there was no chance it would be a five star read. After 50 pages I was still sure it couldn’t be a five star read but by the end there was no way for me to give it anything less then five stars. This book is beautiful, devastating and impossible to put down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death
rondasue27's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
#bookreview When You Call My Name by Tucker Shaw
🤔where did ya come from?🤷🏼♀️
- The publisher was kind enough to gift me an eARC of this book via NetGalley.
😍the good stuff😍
- This book is historical fiction for the gays and everyone who has ever cared about them. I don’t know what I was expecting going into this book, but I can’t believe the impact it’s left on me.
- Ben and Adam have such different stories and I enjoyed both of them. They both made me cry. They both left me with a hopeful feeling for them. I was frustrated at the beginning that they seemed to have nothing to do with each other, but after finishing, I really love how the author crafter the twin timelines.
- Gil. What a great brother.
- Rebecca. What a fantastic woman.
- Lily. Best. Just the best best.
- Jack and Victor. Gayfathers every kid deserves.
🫢my complaints🤫
- It takes a while to get into this book. Not because it isn’t good, but it’s just a little confusing at first with the different POVs that don’t interact for a while.
- Calling this YA is really impossible to encompass what this book really is. Historical fiction. A mini history lesson. A heartbroken man. There’s just so much in this book.
⚠️the warnings⚠️
- It’s YA so there’s no explicit sex at all, but there is discussion of AIDS and safe sex practices and grief/mourning and death.
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
🤔where did ya come from?🤷🏼♀️
- The publisher was kind enough to gift me an eARC of this book via NetGalley.
😍the good stuff😍
- This book is historical fiction for the gays and everyone who has ever cared about them. I don’t know what I was expecting going into this book, but I can’t believe the impact it’s left on me.
- Ben and Adam have such different stories and I enjoyed both of them. They both made me cry. They both left me with a hopeful feeling for them. I was frustrated at the beginning that they seemed to have nothing to do with each other, but after finishing, I really love how the author crafter the twin timelines.
- Gil. What a great brother.
- Rebecca. What a fantastic woman.
- Lily. Best. Just the best best.
- Jack and Victor. Gayfathers every kid deserves.
🫢my complaints🤫
- It takes a while to get into this book. Not because it isn’t good, but it’s just a little confusing at first with the different POVs that don’t interact for a while.
- Calling this YA is really impossible to encompass what this book really is. Historical fiction. A mini history lesson. A heartbroken man. There’s just so much in this book.
⚠️the warnings⚠️
- It’s YA so there’s no explicit sex at all, but there is discussion of AIDS and safe sex practices and grief/mourning and death.
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, and Death
minke's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime and Homophobia
Moderate: Death
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Such an important story, capturing the AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s. I think teens who are interested in learning more about that particular time period will appreciate this story because Shaw includes a lot of details to make that aspect of the book authentic.
That being said, Shaw also includes a lot of details about the 90s in general, so much so that it sometimes overtakes the rest of the story. Both Ben and Adam didn't have disntinct enough voices for me, so their narratives often blurred together and I forgot who was who.
All in all, know this is a pretty heavy book going in, but still such an important story to tell.
That being said, Shaw also includes a lot of details about the 90s in general, so much so that it sometimes overtakes the rest of the story. Both Ben and Adam didn't have disntinct enough voices for me, so their narratives often blurred together and I forgot who was who.
All in all, know this is a pretty heavy book going in, but still such an important story to tell.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, and Homophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, and Medical content
Minor: Outing, Sexual content, and Alcohol
borgit's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Terminal illness, and Death