A Very, Very Bad Thing

September 11, 2017
A love story turns tragic, and a gay teen’s relationship catapults him to fame he may not deserve. “I’m a nobody who wanted to be a somebody,” claims Marley as he prepares to receive a major LGBTQ community award, after months of talk shows and interviews. In flashbacks, he reveals how he, “just another snarky gay kid from Winston-Salem, North Carolina,” meets out and proud Christopher Anderson, a new transfer student and the son of a famously anti-gay televangelist. Their initial flirting turns into a whirlwind romance, complete with subterfuge to fool Chris’s family, “like one of those bad nineties gay movies we never watch on Netflix.” When Chris dies, Marley, as the only witness, must decide what to tell the world, in order to make Chris’s memory and his own loss mean something. Self (Drag Teen) offers a thought-provoking tale of narrow-minded parents, media circuses, and stories that spin out of control, though it can also be overwrought and shallow at times, despite the intensity of the situation. However, the emotions are genuine, the characters are relatable, and the story feels sadly of the moment. Ages 14–up.

October 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-What if you do the wrong thing for a good reason? Marley is just drifting through high school without much of a plan or purpose until he meets Christopher, the new kid in town. Christopher is cute, funny, and also happens to be the gay son of America's most famous homophobic preacher. The two boys quickly fall for each other-but when Christopher's parents send him on a conversion retreat, things get out of control very quickly. Marley is left with fame he never imagined and some tough choices to make about what really matters. A skilled combination of humor and heartbreak, quick pacing, and an intriguing opening paragraph will draw in readers. The author authentically captures the impulsiveness and idealism of the teen years as Marley, Christopher, and their friend Audrey search for their places in the adult world. The adults that make up the supporting cast are wonderfully imperfect and reinforce the concept of life as a series of choices. VERDICT A quick read but solid choice for fans of Jeff Zentner and John Corey Whaley. Recommended for all but the smallest high school and public libraries.-Elizabeth Saxton, Tiffin, OH

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2017
An acidic gay teen succumbs to a sappy love story, subsequently grappling with an unfurling lie for the greater good. Seventeen-year-old Marley of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is without purpose. His grades are subpar, hereditary creativity has skipped a generation, and he has no particular talent beyond snark. Enter: Christopher, a beautiful, blond, sleek, and gay (finally!) additive to amend Marley's homosexuality from theoretical to practicing. One tiny hitch...Christopher's father is an infamously rich, right-wing, bigoted televangelist with a distinct anti-gay agenda. Though Marley is a contemporary teenager, his voice could easily be transferred to a campy narrative starring a middle-aged, martini-swilling, South Beach-er. The underlying tragedy and resulting lie that envelop Marley evolve as chapters alternate from documented past time stamps to "Now." Though there is a tragic component to this largely white love story (as well as a firm reminder of the ways despicable, closed-minded parents and general bigotry can adversely affect LBGTQIA youth--i.e. conversion camps), the narrative is on the fluffy side. The presence of conflict is without question. But the ease with which Marley meets Christopher, falls in love, and surmounts said conflict--all in 225 pages--defies credulity. In fact, it's Christopher on the periphery who faces more domestic adversity (albeit with blond hair, white skin, and millions of dollars) than Marley. A reminder of the decrepitude of parental bigotry in an insubstantial, candy-coated narrative. (Fiction. 13-17)

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September 15, 2017
Grades 8-12 Being gay is not just a part of a person's identity; it can also be an intentionally political act, especially if you end up falling in love with a guy whose parents are at the forefront of Christian anti-gay sentiment. Self (Drag Teen, 2016) refuses to shy away from hard truths in this story of love, loss, romance, heartbreak, and recovery from mistakes. Told in alternating past and present chapters, the book is full of humorous, verbose, and exaggerated descriptions of people and life that are befitting of the novel's outspoken narrator, Marley. When Christopher shows up to Marley's school, the two embark on a whirlwind romance that is ultimately complicated by Christopher's uber religious parents. The emotional tenor shifts considerably in the second half of the novel when tragedy strikes and everyone's lives are inextricably changed. A timely commentary on religious intolerance, teen suicide, and the ways we react to tragic circumstances, this is a thoughtful and necessary addition to the existing body of LGBTQ fiction for teen audiences.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)