12/24/2020 0 Comments Call Me Him by River BraunCall Me Him is one of the most beautiful, heart-wrenching and raw coming-of-age stories I’ve ever read. It’s such an honest, thought-provoking and important ownvoices-story about the struggles of a transgender teen boy that deserves to be read by everyone! Born Willow, 14-year-old SoCal skate-punk Wylie Masterson, struggles not only with the problems most teens do with puberty, self-discovery and finding your directions, but with so much more. When you’re a transgender male whose body, family and society insist that you are female, the struggle to break out and live the life you were meant to live become a matter of life and death. Every day in Wylie’s life is a fight to be who he is and to not let his overly-religious and judgmental mother, narrow-minded teachers, abusing policemen or mean high school peers pull him down and break him. Luckily, his new friend Alex and his parents become a big support, letting him feel safe and not like a freak for struggling with his identity, and guiding him to get the support he needs. Until one final letdown pushes him over the brink.
I completely rooted for Wylie from the very first second in this raw, honest and emotional story that reflects the harsh realities of life for members of the LGBTQ+ community. I just wanted to hug him and tell him that everything would be alright, and yell at the mean people surrounding him, protect him and make sure he would get the life he deserved. This story didn’t shy away from any of the realities, and there were some really difficult scenes that might trigger some readers, involving for example transphobia, misgendering, body dysphoria, sexual assault, violence, bullying, self-harm, anxiety, depression and drug use. But it was nevertheless a hopeful and inspiring story about self-discovery and acceptance, about making it possible to live out your true self and to be loved for who you are. “Why do you think you’re a freak?” I made an outline of my self with my hands, from head to toe. “Hello? Do you not see this?” “I see a transgender boy. One of many who have sat on that same couch. I see a smart, resourceful young man who is letting other people’s words define him. And I see him ready to define himself.” This is such an important book, that I know many young persons will feel empowered and seen by and that will show them that no one should have to conform to anyone else’s standards of sexual identity or gender, but that we are all free to be who we are and how empowering it is to be true and open about it. To never let anyone believe we are freaks or not worth fighting for because they are not exactly like everyone else. I just have two minor complaints. The first one is that the romance part felt a bit rushed. It played such an important role in the story and I’m so happy it was there to show the realities of being intimate with someone when you don’t feel good about yourself and all parts of your body, but I just wished there would have been some more build-up to it. The second one is the way Wylie was first presented as close to a school drop-out, taking drugs and ditching classes, but to later apparently have a photographic memory that helped him be Valedictorian. I think it would have been better for the story if the photographic memory and the fact that Wylie was doing fine in school had been mentioned much earlier and made into a bigger part of his persona. But all in all, this was an absolutely wonderful and heart-wrenching story with an important message and authentic and relatable characters to root for. I recommend this book with all my heart and am so glad that River Braun decided to write the book he would have needed himself growing up. Thank you NetGalley and Smith Publicity for the opportunity to read this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review! Rating: 4.5 heartfelt stars rounding up to 5 Get your own copy: Amazon Book Depository Author info: River Braun
0 Comments
|
CategoriesAll 1 Star 2 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars 5 Stars Abbi Glines Abdi Nazemian Adam Silvera Adib Khorram Aiden Thomas Aisha Saeed Aislinn Brophy AJ Collins Alexandra Christo Alex Beltran Alexene Farol Follmuth Alexis Hall Alex Kelly Alex Sanchez Alice Dolman Alice Oseman Ali Hazelwood Alison Cochrun Al Riske Alwyn Hamilton Amanda Ferreira A. Meredith Walters Amy Aislin Amy Harmon Amy S. Foster Amy Spalding André Aciman Andy V Roamer Angie Thomas Annabeth Albert A. Poland Ashley Poston Ashley Woodfolk Ashlyn Kane Audrey Coulthurst Becca Fitzpatrick Becky Albertalli Benjamin Alire Saenz Beth Bolden Bill Konigsberg B.L. Maxwell Briar Prescott Bri Spicer Brooke Skipstone Cale Dietrich Casey McQuiston Cassandra Clare C.F. White C.G. Drews Charli Meadows Chris Bedell Ciara Smyth Clarissa Pattern C.L. Beaumont Colette Davison Colleen Hoover Crystal Frasier C.S. Pacat Daven McQueen David Biddle David Yoon Dean Atta Debbie McGowan Debbie Rigaud Debbie Schrack Deborah Harkness Delia Owens D.G. Carothers Dhonielle Clayton Douglas Stuart Dustin Thao Elisa A. Bonnin Elizabeth Acevedo Elizabeth Arroyo Elle Kennedy Elle Wright E. Lockhart Emily M. Danforth Emily Mims Erin Watt Ernest Cline Evan J. Corbin Eve Morton Everina Maxwell Evie Dunmore Felice Stevens Grace Williams Gwen Martin Hanya Yanagihara Hayden Stone Heather Truett H.E. Edgmon Hettie Bell Holly Black Hope Irving Hudson Lin Ingrid Sterling Jacqueline Lee Jacqueline Woodson James L. Sutter Jamie Deacon Jandy Nelson Jax Calder Jay Hogan Jeanette Winterson Jeff Zentner Jen Bailey Jenna Evans Welch Jenn Burke Jennifer E. Smith Jennifer G. Edelson Jennifer Gilmore Jennifer Iacopelli Jennifer Kropf Jennifer Niven Jenny Downham Jenny Han Jeremy Ray Jesse H. Reign Joelle Lynne John Green Jonny Garza Villa Julianne Donaldson Julian Winters Kacen Callender Kami Garcia Kara Leigh Miller Kasie West Kate Larkindale Katharine McGee Kathleen Mareé KD Casey Kendall Grey Kevin Van Whye Kiley Reid Kim Fielding Kim Holden Kim Liggett Kitty Bardot Kris Ripper K.S. Marsden Laura Hall Laura Pavlov Laura Silverman Lauren James Laurie Frankel Leah Johnson Lee Matthew Goldberg Leigh Bardugo Leylah Attar Lisa Henry Lisa Williamson Lisa Wingate Liv Rancourt Liz Plum Lola Noire Lynn Michaels Mackenzi Lee Madeline Miller Magdalena Di Sotru Maggie Doolin Maggie Stiefvater Malin Persson Giolito Malorie Blackman Margaret Stohl Marie Lu Mary E. Pearson Mason Deaver Matthew R. Corr Melina Marchetta Meredith Russo Miel Moreland Mila Gray Miranda Kenneally Moa Backe Astot Morgan James M. Tasia Nancy Garden Natalie Haynes Nicholas Sparks Nicola Yoon Nic Starr Nic Stone Nina Kenwood Nita Tyndall Nora Sakavic N.R. Walker Owen Lach Penny Aimes Phil Stamper Quinn Anderson Rachael Brownell Rachael Lippincott Rachel Hawkins Rainbow Rowell Ray Stoeve Renée Dahlia Rhiannon Wilde Riley Hart River Braun Roan Parrish Robin Gow Roseanne A. Brown Rowan MacKemsley Ruby Moone Ruta Sepetys Ryan La Sala Sally Green Sally Rooney Sarah J. Maas Sarah Waters Sarina Bowen Sasha Laurens Saundra Mitchell Saxon James Serena Bell Shannon O’Connor Sidney Bell Simone Elkeles Siryn Sueng Sophia DeRise Sophia Soames Sophie Gonzales S.R. Lane Stephen Chbosky Stephenie Meyer Steven Salvatore Susan Mac Nicol Suzanne Collins Tahereh Mafi Tal Bauer Tamara Girardi Teagan Hunter Terry J. Benton-Walker Tiffany D. Jackson Timothy Janovsky T.J. Klune T.L. Bradford Tobly McSmith Tomasz Jedrowski Tomi Adeyemi Tracy Deonn Val Wise Veronica Rossi Veronica Roth V.E. Schwab Victor Dixen Victoria Aveyard V.L. Stuart Wesley Chu Xan Van Rooyen Yamile Saied Méndez Archives
December 2022
|