Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor

74 reviews

dean196717's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Alright read but at times felt quite dramatic in its topics and could have explored more inner thoughts in a more nuanced way. Loved that there was autistic representation but felt like the character was very one-dimensional in the presentation of their autism and the same thing happened with the other character being trans. It became the only part of them that was every mentioned without actually being fleshed out as a part of them.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Homophobia, and Transphobia

thesvnthsense's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Moderate: Ableism and Death

ximajs's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I likely would have given up on this book if it weren't so queer/trans. I found the two narrators/main characters to be annoying and unlikeable, but kudos to the author for writing them so well.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Homophobia and Transphobia

evanthebooknerd's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit and Car accident

Teenage angst with happy ending.

natlonelyghost's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

0.5

Jeremy made me believe trans people don't deserve rights, and I'm trans.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism and Transphobia

rallly's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Transphobia

Moderate: Ableism, Cursing, Homophobia, Blood, Grief, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

kai_ash's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Note: This is not a rom-com, no matter what it says on the back of the book. It's a coming of age story about two emotionally messy teenage boys who happen to adore each other in a very chaotic way.


Review:

It took me a few chapters to warm to this book. I did not like the main characters at first, particularly Jeremy. But page by page, things shifted, until I felt like I finally got where he was coming from. Understanding him better meant I became far more invested in his journey. Same with Lukas. It's not that I disliked Lukas from the first, but he seemed a bit one-dimensional. That also changed as the story progressed and we saw other shades of him.

I particularly liked the way this book dealt with anger. I feel like not enough queer books tackle the emotion of fury enough.

Note that the story is set in the US and the (very strange) traditions surrounding "homecoming" make up a big part of the plot. There are cheerleaders, homecoming kings and queens, and American Football (i.e., gridiron) players.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Ableism and Violence

fanboyriot's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Read For:

Rivals to Lovers 

Second Chances

Homecoming King

Cheerleader x Football Player

Friends to Lovers to Enemies to Lovers

The only thing that comes to mind when I think of this book is: “I love it and hate it at the same time” and really I kind of do.

The queer kids in this book were amazing, everyone else just kinda sucked.  The trans rep in this was so painfully well written.  The things Jeremy thought and the way he described how he felt was as heartbreaking as it was relatable.

But wow, were these characters so toxic.

Naomi was such a horrible friend it was laughable.  She was jealous constantly and she just goes and asks out her best friend’s ex, who had made it clear he didn’t like her like that??  Like why??  All because of some banters that were messed up, I get being petty but bro have a good reason.

Lukas was so toxic.  One minute he was fine, going through a lot at home and having to always be the best at everything.  He had to get into an amazing college, he had to win homecoming king because if he did that then he would get into a good school, then his family would care about him like they did his dead brother… yeah, because that's how it’s going to work.  So he took his anger out on Jermey.

Jeremy was also toxic, just not as bad in my opinion.  He was selfish and breaking up with his boyfriend when and how he did it was so incredibly messed up but people acted like he was the worst person ever.  He literally had no one.  His mom was so desperate to have a daughter she failed her son in the process.  Jeremy might have been a mess but wouldn’t you be when everyone failed you and had no problem telling you that they hated you, he was bullied, harassed, and misgendered constantly.

The last few chapters were the best.  Everything coming together, the person who got the crown, the drama being resolved finally, and the relationships being settled.

(Switching, First Person POV)

Spice: Lightly Mentioned

Rep: trans (ftm) MC, Autistic MC, Non-Binary SC, Latinx SC

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Biphobia, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

shays's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 Both Lukas and Jeremy are under intense pressure, and the race soon turns into a nasty battle that threatens to destroy friendships and perhaps even Homecoming itself. Jeremy and Lukas are lovers to enemies, and they’re making it everyone’s problem. But the biggest problem of all is that they still have feelings for one another. Unfortunately, it’s hard to root for any character that would go so far for a Homecoming crown, making May the Best Man Win a bit of a slog as their downward spiral intensifies. 

https://shayshortt.com/2023/06/27/mini-reviews-lgbtqia-ya-sports-romances/

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Transphobia

Moderate: Alcohol

While characters do deadname Jeremy in this book, the author elides it from the dialogue, so the reader never learns Jeremy's deadname.

adamparrishlover's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

horrible main character, don’t think ive ever read about such an insufferable person

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Grief