joey_schafer's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
averyprettyboy's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
coops456's review against another edition
3.0
Nancy Garden saved my life.
I read [b:Annie On My Mind|34532059|Annie On My Min (Upstarts)|Nancy Garden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1489246738l/34532059._SX50_.jpg|274128] as a young gay teen and it gave me hope. For the first time, I found my feelings, my dreams in print. Amid the dark days of Thatcherite Britain and Section 28, it was a lifeline.
This is not that book.
But it does show that however far we've come, our human rights must be guarded closely as some will always seek to erase them.
For a more uplifting read for modern teens, I'd recommend [b:Just Juliet|32069603|Just Juliet|Charlotte Reagan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1474201702l/32069603._SX50_.jpg|50887447].
I read [b:Annie On My Mind|34532059|Annie On My Min (Upstarts)|Nancy Garden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1489246738l/34532059._SX50_.jpg|274128] as a young gay teen and it gave me hope. For the first time, I found my feelings, my dreams in print. Amid the dark days of Thatcherite Britain and Section 28, it was a lifeline.
This is not that book.
But it does show that however far we've come, our human rights must be guarded closely as some will always seek to erase them.
For a more uplifting read for modern teens, I'd recommend [b:Just Juliet|32069603|Just Juliet|Charlotte Reagan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1474201702l/32069603._SX50_.jpg|50887447].
beesneysbooks's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.0
this book was… an experience. i think it’s important to read queer media from time periods that aren’t here and now, as it’s important to see the growth but also see (sadly) how similar things are. this book is heavy in some places, but i think it reflects the time period well.
go into this book expecting to be hurt by some of the things being said, and you’ll experience all kinds of emotions.
(i was raised religious, but have distanced myself from that as i’ve grown and been allowed to find my own path, so i’m grateful i never experienced anything like the religion in this book.)
go into this book expecting to be hurt by some of the things being said, and you’ll experience all kinds of emotions.
(i was raised religious, but have distanced myself from that as i’ve grown and been allowed to find my own path, so i’m grateful i never experienced anything like the religion in this book.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
wayfarer_0's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
katiem0201's review
4.0
"People, no matter what they believe or what their differences are, have to be able to live together without hurting each other."
I loved this book a lot more than what I was expecting to. I originally picked it up so I could catch up on my arcs (even though I don't know if I should consider this an arc since it was published years ago), but I really enjoyed it in the end.
This book follows Jamie, an editor-in-chief on her school's newspaper. After writing an editorial piece on making condoms available at school, it creates a divide between the school and the town.
I really liked Jamie. I really liked how she stood up for her views and for her actions. She never gave up on reporting the truth. I also really liked how you see her accept her sexuality over the course of the story. But my favorite character was Terry. I thought he was really funny and an overall great character. What I really admired about him though was how much he respected other people's boundaries. He was very understanding and patient.
This book deals heavily with censorship and homophobia. The book also touches on free speech vs hate speech and prejudice. And Nancy Garden doesn't shy away from the topics. And with these topics being discussed, you really get into the debates. I found myself getting riled up at the logic in some of the arguments, which was something I didn't expect to happen. Even though this was originally written nearly two decades ago, there are still topics and debates that are still discussed to this day.
Though I did enjoy this book, there was something that I didn't like. Early on in the book, Jamie gets invited to a debate at one of the churches in the town after the article was published. I was excited to read about this debate, even though it's an argument that is stated repetitively, I was excited to see an actual debate going on. But that part total gets skipped over. Instead we hear about what happened through Jamie's journal. I would've really loved to see how it went down instead of reading a little summary from her journal.
Something that did confuse me was the cover. On the new cover, there is a guy standing in front of a girl. Now I am assuming that this is Jamie and Terry. But why is Terry standing infront of Jamie? Jamie is the main character who we follow, so why is she standing behind him? Even in the original cover she is front and center. This is something that didn't affect my rating but I noticed it and was genuinely confused.
I really liked this book. It covers extremely important and relevant topics. And is one that a lot more people should read.
I loved this book a lot more than what I was expecting to. I originally picked it up so I could catch up on my arcs (even though I don't know if I should consider this an arc since it was published years ago), but I really enjoyed it in the end.
This book follows Jamie, an editor-in-chief on her school's newspaper. After writing an editorial piece on making condoms available at school, it creates a divide between the school and the town.
I really liked Jamie. I really liked how she stood up for her views and for her actions. She never gave up on reporting the truth. I also really liked how you see her accept her sexuality over the course of the story. But my favorite character was Terry. I thought he was really funny and an overall great character. What I really admired about him though was how much he respected other people's boundaries. He was very understanding and patient.
This book deals heavily with censorship and homophobia. The book also touches on free speech vs hate speech and prejudice. And Nancy Garden doesn't shy away from the topics. And with these topics being discussed, you really get into the debates. I found myself getting riled up at the logic in some of the arguments, which was something I didn't expect to happen. Even though this was originally written nearly two decades ago, there are still topics and debates that are still discussed to this day.
Though I did enjoy this book, there was something that I didn't like. Early on in the book, Jamie gets invited to a debate at one of the churches in the town after the article was published. I was excited to read about this debate, even though it's an argument that is stated repetitively, I was excited to see an actual debate going on. But that part total gets skipped over. Instead we hear about what happened through Jamie's journal. I would've really loved to see how it went down instead of reading a little summary from her journal.
Something that did confuse me was the cover. On the new cover, there is a guy standing in front of a girl. Now I am assuming that this is Jamie and Terry. But why is Terry standing infront of Jamie? Jamie is the main character who we follow, so why is she standing behind him? Even in the original cover she is front and center. This is something that didn't affect my rating but I noticed it and was genuinely confused.
I really liked this book. It covers extremely important and relevant topics. And is one that a lot more people should read.
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
4.0
When I studied journalism, in college, this was before personal computers became common. There were computers in the work room, where we could enter our stories, but these were before the mouse, and you had to code bolds, and italics, and fun stuff like that. This was before what became known as Desktop Publishing, so all the text were printed out and pasted onto the sheet, and then sent off to the print shop to put together.
I bring this up, because, kids-these-days™ probably think all the discussions about layout and printing and such might seem out of date, and since this book was written in the 90s, it does feel a bit out of date. It was before the Internet had become so big, before Wikipedia, before most of the websites that are out there today. That is why the kids, in this book, have to go to the library to research newspapers. It seems like another world, and yet, it was less then a quarter century ago.
But, while the technology might be old fashioned, the message of this book, is, unfortunately still around, that there is a group of conservatives who feel they have to impose their brand of morality on the rest of the world.
And their version of morality says that teens should not have sex, should not be gay, and should not even know about either sex, or homosexuality, because that will protect them.
I wish I could say the fight is old, and doesn't happen any more, but it does.
There is a great line in the book, after the majority of parents vote to not offer sex education or "certain" books in the library.
Great book, though it started a little slow. By the time I got half way through my heart was breaking for the closeted teens, and their fight with the family-values parents.
If you want to read other books with teens, censorship, and "morality" minded parents, I would suggest Americus.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
I bring this up, because, kids-these-days™ probably think all the discussions about layout and printing and such might seem out of date, and since this book was written in the 90s, it does feel a bit out of date. It was before the Internet had become so big, before Wikipedia, before most of the websites that are out there today. That is why the kids, in this book, have to go to the library to research newspapers. It seems like another world, and yet, it was less then a quarter century ago.
But, while the technology might be old fashioned, the message of this book, is, unfortunately still around, that there is a group of conservatives who feel they have to impose their brand of morality on the rest of the world.
And their version of morality says that teens should not have sex, should not be gay, and should not even know about either sex, or homosexuality, because that will protect them.
I wish I could say the fight is old, and doesn't happen any more, but it does.
There is a great line in the book, after the majority of parents vote to not offer sex education or "certain" books in the library.
"The opinion of the majority is important," Mr. Just said. "But the majority must never be allowed to tyrannize the minority–nor must the minority be allowed to tyrannize the majority."
Great book, though it started a little slow. By the time I got half way through my heart was breaking for the closeted teens, and their fight with the family-values parents.
If you want to read other books with teens, censorship, and "morality" minded parents, I would suggest Americus.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
angelaocmon's review against another edition
5.0
I think Nancy Garden had a grasp on the human experience that none of us will ever have. Her writing is always so powerful whether it’s a love story or a story about fighting for justice. A story from 1999 about censorship in schools shouldn’t still be so relevant but it is and that makes it that much more important. Don’t burn books! Especially this one!
sammah's review against another edition
2.0
Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
I really thought that I would love this book, but the honest truth is that I didn't. It just didn't resonate with me the way that I had hoped. The premise was very interesting, and the characters could have been great, but it just...didn't work for me. It all felt so jumbled, and the characters bounced around so much that I sometimes couldn't remember who was who. Maybe that was just me as a reader, but it just threw me off. I also have to remind myself that this book was published quite a long time ago now, and since then so much more progressive and important books have come along. For it's time it was probably pretty ground breaking to an extent, and maybe if I had read it then (going into high school) I would have felt differently. It just wasn't what I thought it would be though, and that was a let down.
I really thought that I would love this book, but the honest truth is that I didn't. It just didn't resonate with me the way that I had hoped. The premise was very interesting, and the characters could have been great, but it just...didn't work for me. It all felt so jumbled, and the characters bounced around so much that I sometimes couldn't remember who was who. Maybe that was just me as a reader, but it just threw me off. I also have to remind myself that this book was published quite a long time ago now, and since then so much more progressive and important books have come along. For it's time it was probably pretty ground breaking to an extent, and maybe if I had read it then (going into high school) I would have felt differently. It just wasn't what I thought it would be though, and that was a let down.
bowienerd_82's review against another edition
3.0
It has one of the most god awful covers I've seen on a book that isn't from the 80s, but don't let that dissuade you.
Garden deals quite deftly with censorship, homophobia, and coming out. The book came off as a bit naive at times, but overall, it was well done and thoughtful.
Garden deals quite deftly with censorship, homophobia, and coming out. The book came off as a bit naive at times, but overall, it was well done and thoughtful.