Book Review: Release, by Patrick Ness

Release by Patrick Ness
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I found the voice of RELEASE, by Patrick Ness, immediately captivating while the story centered on Adam, but found myself at first a bit confused with the secondary storyline, although I quickly understood these two seemingly separate storylines would eventually entwine and cross paths with one another. This structure frames the story well, loosely based on, and giving literary nods to FOREVER by Judy Blume, and MRS. DALLOWAY, by Virginia Woolf. Of course, more contemporary YA works such as THE SERPENT KING, by Jeff Zentner, also come to mind among the triune circle of friends: Ness's Adam, Linus, and Angela characters.
At the heart of Release is Adam Thorn, a young man on the brink of transition between boyhood and manhood. But equally important is the internal journey he takes to identify and embrace, as fully as he knows how, his true self. Adam's true self might be as easy to discover for him as buying a single rose, unsure of his intended recipient. But as Adam wrestles with the facets that make up himself, those which are "good" or "acceptable" to the world, or to his overbearing religiously rigid family, and the other parts of himself, which seem to be "bad" or "unacceptable," parts he has kept from the public eye for fear of the consequences which have imprisoned him much of his life.
The entire story takes place within the confines of one day, and is complicated by a variety of surprises, both alarming and lovely, threats painful and stifling, and the question of how both story threads will inevitably meet. What makes this a pleasure to read, though, is the journey, the discovery, and the risk of living one's truth. Bravo to Ness and to Adam. May we all learn to risk everything for the right reasons, rather than the wrong ones. Highly, Highly recommended.


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Book Review: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Simon Spier. He's adorkable and charming, and the sort of imperfect friend who's still trying to figure himself out and how he fits into the world. I love that he's into music, and theater, and Oreos, and in being as authentic as he can, even if he has to keep a large portion of himself private to protect himself and the boy he loves over email.

I could not put this book down. I literally gobbled it down like Oreo anything and loved every minute of it. Simon has a great group of friends and a surprisingly supportive, yet hipster family. Their love is as fierce as Bieber, their family dog. As Simon navigates the complicated world of coming into himself, he realizes his feelings for his mystery guy, Blue, may be the very thing that makes him brave enough to want to come out and be himself fully with everyone, friends and family and all. Simon makes an important point, the Homo Sapien Agenda, where it seems only those who are gay have to struggle through the additional challenge of coming out or staying closeted in their sexuality. Why shouldn't others have to declare their sexuality, whether straight, gender fluid, LGBTQIA, or other? It would level the playing field and make finding oneself less awkward.

This book will steal your heart, cause your stomach to do all these fluttery, flippy things as you gobble it down shamelessly, and leave you wanting more. This gave me some serious book hangover. I'm still coming back down from that ending, especially the kissing. Thank you, Becky Albetalli, for writing such an important book with such heart and soul and music poured into every page. Also, your grammar is impeccable. Highly, highly recommended.

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