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elisanataf's review against another edition
4.0
this was a nice little fun romance. it was predictable and nothing out of this world but it was really enjoyable. it was a fine book, with good characters, writing and plot. it’s nothing out of this world, or life changing but its fun fantasy. if you’re looking for a nice little pallet cleanser i highly recommend:)
sarahjfloyd's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
Delightful and sweet. I wish all queer kids could go to a place like Camp Outland, meet their people, with trusted and supportive adults, and learn to love themselves.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
marigolds3's review against another edition
5.0
I found this book second-hand and just knew I needed to read it. I’m someone grew up in a non-affirming household and religion, and didn’t even know I was gay until adulthood. Reading queer YA novels and queer memoirs and consuming queer tv has been SO healing to my inner child.
This book was so beautiful and just made me happy. It was lighthearted but also really contained super important themes of internalized homophobia, safety, trans issues, etc. I would urge anyone of any age to read this. (I’ve read many other LGBTQ books and sometimes they are too dark and heavy for me to take in- but this one was very healing).
This book was so beautiful and just made me happy. It was lighthearted but also really contained super important themes of internalized homophobia, safety, trans issues, etc. I would urge anyone of any age to read this. (I’ve read many other LGBTQ books and sometimes they are too dark and heavy for me to take in- but this one was very healing).
saffron42's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.5
femermel's review
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.5
elfduchess's review
4.0
Maybe more of a 3.5 rounded up.
So, I'm not going to get into the whole toxic masculinity, straight passing stuff this book looks at. (Or how wonderfully parents can screw up their kids.) I honestly don't have the energy for it and I'm sure that there's reviews on here that examine that much better than I ever could.
Instead I am going to talk about myself and enjoyment level.
I knew going into this book that Randy/Del and I had nothing in common. Honestly, he likes more traditionally femme things than I do. (Make-up, nail polish, coordinating your outfits…) But that's kind of part of the reason I wanted to read this book so badly. I like the take of 'stereotype gay' vs. 'straight gay' that comes to play with Randy/Del and how Del likes things that Randy would never have tried. (Not Randy's biggest fan because of what he does, but I knew that I disagreed with him from the synopsis, so I went into the book taking it with humor and didn't hate him.)
I, surprisingly enough, like Hudson, liked him right from the start because he said all the right things for me and by the time things start getting revealed about him, I was already invested in his character. I also feel really sorry for him both for his parents, and because of Randy. (Because, really, that's not how you go about getting someone's attention when you like them.)
I knew from the synopsis that Randy's whole plan to lie to get a boy to like him was one that I not only couldn't understand, I side-eyed with a great amount of worry. I went for the book anyway, because I thought this was going to implode early on and then it would be about dismantling toxic masculinity. (And probably the patriarchy.)
It's not. In fact, it's focused a lot more on the romance than I thought it would be.
Instead of all that, I wound up with Randy lying through his teeth (or by omission, like that makes it better) to a boy he professes to love, manipulating Hudson and even going so far as wanting to change this so called 'perfect boy' so he's more like him. Which, even with a happy ending, I still didn't really like the romance because of all the lies. (Though, I suppose if they're both okay with it, more power to them. It just felt a little too…fairytale for me.)
All that being said, I did enjoy the book. I never got angry with it, except a little close to the end when things just seemed way too easy, and actually enjoyed it.
So, I'm not going to get into the whole toxic masculinity, straight passing stuff this book looks at. (Or how wonderfully parents can screw up their kids.) I honestly don't have the energy for it and I'm sure that there's reviews on here that examine that much better than I ever could.
Instead I am going to talk about myself and enjoyment level.
I knew going into this book that Randy/Del and I had nothing in common. Honestly, he likes more traditionally femme things than I do. (Make-up, nail polish, coordinating your outfits…) But that's kind of part of the reason I wanted to read this book so badly. I like the take of 'stereotype gay' vs. 'straight gay' that comes to play with Randy/Del and how Del likes things that Randy would never have tried. (Not Randy's biggest fan because of what he does, but I knew that I disagreed with him from the synopsis, so I went into the book taking it with humor and didn't hate him.)
I, surprisingly enough, like Hudson, liked him right from the start because he said all the right things for me and by the time things start getting revealed about him, I was already invested in his character. I also feel really sorry for him both for his parents, and because of Randy. (Because, really, that's not how you go about getting someone's attention when you like them.)
I knew from the synopsis that Randy's whole plan to lie to get a boy to like him was one that I not only couldn't understand, I side-eyed with a great amount of worry. I went for the book anyway, because I thought this was going to implode early on and then it would be about dismantling toxic masculinity. (And probably the patriarchy.)
It's not. In fact, it's focused a lot more on the romance than I thought it would be.
Instead of all that, I wound up with Randy lying through his teeth (or by omission, like that makes it better) to a boy he professes to love, manipulating Hudson and even going so far as wanting to change this so called 'perfect boy' so he's more like him. Which, even with a happy ending, I still didn't really like the romance because of all the lies. (Though, I suppose if they're both okay with it, more power to them. It just felt a little too…fairytale for me.)
All that being said, I did enjoy the book. I never got angry with it, except a little close to the end when things just seemed way too easy, and actually enjoyed it.
Spoiler
(Though, I have to admit, while I am happy for Hudson being able to at least see his true self, even if he can't be him yet, I really wish this didn't have every important young male character wearing nail polish.) (I mean, yeah, we don't get many, but all four that we know wear nail polish at least once and I feel like…like the message that you should be true to yourself kind of got lost in the message that gay men wear nail polish.) (Like, yeah, some gay men are not interested in wearing nail polish, that don't mean that is an exhibit of toxic masculinity, it just means they aren't interested in nail polish.) I don't know. I'm probably not explaining it very well.thisqueerreadstoomuch's review against another edition
I don't want to read about 16 year olds changing themselves just so they can have sex.
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
A cute, swoony read about an LGBT camp and all the fun that happens there.
A boy goes to an LGBT camp and has changed himself so the guy he likes will like him. This sounds a bit eh, but I kind of fell in love with the idea. Plus, hello LGBT camp? That sounds AMAZING!
It had many sweet moments, a couple of frustrations for instance I just wished he was honest sooner because he kept delaying it, even when the guy told our MC his secret.
There was tons and tons and tons and tons of pride and camp activities that I just adored to bits. I loved seeing the various people at camp and what they liked, loved, and seeing so many LGBT identities together. Mingling and mixing and having the best of time. It sounds so amazing.
I loved the romance, and not just between our MC and his lover, but also others. Like his best friend who finds a girl to love/like, and his other best friend who start flirting and having a wonderful glittery romance with another boy he never thought he would go with. I loved it.
Of course the biggest romance is between Randy and Hudson and OMG those two were just the cutest, sweetest, and I was squeeing and hoping for them to get together. I loved seeing the two of them open up more and find out things about each other, about their families, about how they came out. We know that Randy is out and fabulous, but we do find out some things about Hudson that had me just wanting to hug him and talk to him.
I also loved the counsellors and how awesome they were.
I loved the ending, I loved the glitter, I loved seeing all those kids having a ball and feeling happy. I would love to see another book or even a novella with them making it through the year between the camps.
Big plus points to the fun cover that matches the book perfectly.
BUT as with this author’s other book, and with another book, stop bashing straight people. Not all of them are bad or evil. I see it happen more often in LGBT books, and while I understand that there are straight people who are bitches and harm you, there are ENOUGH people who are sweet, understanding, and caring. Or don’t bother you at all. Please. Respect everyone.
Also I wasn’t happy with how they treated that lifeguard woman when they heard she kissed a girl and liked it. HO boy. Let people explore and experiment. She isn’t harming anyone and NOT EVERYONE KNOWS FROM THE START WHAT THEIR PREFERENCES ARE. Congrats if you know from young age that you are gay or lesbian or trans or otherwise, but there are enough people who don’t. Who figure it out through experimenting, or other means. It took me until I was an adult before I figured out that I was bi (or maybe even pan, see even now I am finding myself).
All in all, despite that last part, I would highly recommend this book to all.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
A boy goes to an LGBT camp and has changed himself so the guy he likes will like him. This sounds a bit eh, but I kind of fell in love with the idea. Plus, hello LGBT camp? That sounds AMAZING!
It had many sweet moments, a couple of frustrations for instance I just wished he was honest sooner because he kept delaying it, even when the guy told our MC his secret.
There was tons and tons and tons and tons of pride and camp activities that I just adored to bits. I loved seeing the various people at camp and what they liked, loved, and seeing so many LGBT identities together. Mingling and mixing and having the best of time. It sounds so amazing.
I loved the romance, and not just between our MC and his lover, but also others. Like his best friend who finds a girl to love/like, and his other best friend who start flirting and having a wonderful glittery romance with another boy he never thought he would go with. I loved it.
Of course the biggest romance is between Randy and Hudson and OMG those two were just the cutest, sweetest, and I was squeeing and hoping for them to get together. I loved seeing the two of them open up more and find out things about each other, about their families, about how they came out. We know that Randy is out and fabulous, but we do find out some things about Hudson that had me just wanting to hug him and talk to him.
I also loved the counsellors and how awesome they were.
I loved the ending, I loved the glitter, I loved seeing all those kids having a ball and feeling happy. I would love to see another book or even a novella with them making it through the year between the camps.
Big plus points to the fun cover that matches the book perfectly.
BUT as with this author’s other book, and with another book, stop bashing straight people. Not all of them are bad or evil. I see it happen more often in LGBT books, and while I understand that there are straight people who are bitches and harm you, there are ENOUGH people who are sweet, understanding, and caring. Or don’t bother you at all. Please. Respect everyone.
Also I wasn’t happy with how they treated that lifeguard woman when they heard she kissed a girl and liked it. HO boy. Let people explore and experiment. She isn’t harming anyone and NOT EVERYONE KNOWS FROM THE START WHAT THEIR PREFERENCES ARE. Congrats if you know from young age that you are gay or lesbian or trans or otherwise, but there are enough people who don’t. Who figure it out through experimenting, or other means. It took me until I was an adult before I figured out that I was bi (or maybe even pan, see even now I am finding myself).
All in all, despite that last part, I would highly recommend this book to all.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/