Take me with you when you go, by David Levithan & Jennifer Niven

I have read plenty of books by both authors and was happy to learn they were co-writing one. They seem to have been friends for quite some time and it’s amazing when two (or more) authors craft a story together.
I feel the need to issue a trigger warning first: this story tackles abuse, so if this is something that might be sensitive for you, maybe pass this one.

This book is written as an email exchange between a brother and his older sister. Epistolary novels always had a special place in my heart and this one is no different. Modernized by the use of emails instead of pen & paper letters, this makes the story more believable, especially for a Young Adult audience…
The story of Bea and Ezra took me by surprise. Their family story is difficult, as their Mom has been dating an abusive man for a long time; however, contrary to most books dealing with this sensitive topic, the step-father is only violent towards the children. There is a twist I did not see coming. I won’t spoil it for you here but I was not expecting this turn of events that changes things for our protagonists. It was something I could relate to, which often creates a deeper bond between the characters and I. Tell me I’m not the only one feeling like this?

This is not an easy read, we (the readers) learn of the events as they are shared in the emails. This is how we both get their backstories and their current lives, away from each other for the first time.
I am often scared that the ending will just feel weird but this time, it seemed like the perfect way to finish the book. This is not a fairy tale, the characters go through a lot (both in the past and in the present, actually).
I loved some of the suportive ones as well, such as Ezra’s boyfriend, or even Franco.

If this is not a trigger, I highly suggest you pick up this book and give it a try. It was hard for me to put it down and even weeks after I finished it, my thoughts still go back to it now and then…

About the authors

David Levithan is known for his gay young male characters, showcasing their struggles and hopes in his stories. He published more than 20 books and has often co-written some.
Jennifer Niven writes about acceptance, about loss, about these difficult feelings and experiences that happen during the teenage years. She’s an advocate for mental health and is not shy to tackle this subject through her characters’ lives.
Both are award-winning celebrated authors in the Young Adult community. Some of their stories have been adaptated for tv or for movie theatres. Some of the most known adaptations include Nick & Norah’s infinite playlist, Naomy & Ely’s no-kiss list, Every Day, Lily & Dash for David Levithan. All the brigth places, from Jennifer Niven, is currently streaming on Netflix; she is also writing the script for Holding up the universe.

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Chapters-Indigo

Take Me with You When You Go Book Cover Take Me with You When You Go
David Levithan, Jennifer Niven
Young Adult Fiction
Knopf Books for Young Readers
2021
Hardcover
336

Ezra Ahern wakes up one day to find his older sister, Bea, gone. Ezra never expected to be left behind with their abusive stepfather and their neglectful mother. How is he supposed to navigate life without Bea? Bea Ahern already knew she needed to get as far away from home as possible. But a message in her inbox changes everything

Blackout, curated by Dhonielle Clayton

I love it when authors come together on a common project with a nice intention in mind.
Blackout was written in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. When I was a teen, I devoured books but never really found some that I could fully identify as the characters. Not that I did in this book, as I am not a teen anymore, but the Black representation is something important in my life. And these authors did it justice.
At first, I was a bit scared because of the romantic aspect of the stories. To be honest, romance can easily be too cute for my taste. However, I was pleasantly surprised: it was way beyond love between teens.

Blackout features six stories within one bigger storyline. All happening during one single night in New York City. It is not always clear how they fit with each other, but this actually made it good for me. Because nobody likes when things are too obvious in a book (or is it just me?). I appreciated the fact that each intertwined with the others. However, not all were as good.

  • I loved Angie Thomas’ “No Sleep ’til Brooklyn“. But I am biased as, so far, I am truly digging her style and her voice in general.
  • I liked “All the Great Love Stories… and Dust” from Dhonielle Clayton (who actually was the curator of this anthology). I never read anything by this author, so this was my introduction to her writing. I found this story very syrupy. The girl is in love with her long-time best friend and is trying to have the courage to tell him how she truly feels. The one thing I really was entertained by was their habits of betting with each other and how this tied the story in a way that was nice.
  • I need more from Nicola Yoon. Her Uber-ride story, “Seymour and Grace” was sweet but it sometimes fell into some clichés. However, the philosophical talks between the protagonists were a positive touch for me. It elevated the entire book (in my opinion) and did not make it as a young adult novella as the other stories. I am not sure it would happen like this in real life, without feeling a little creepy, but what do I know? 😉
  • In “Mask Off“, Nic Stone tackles what it’s like to be Black and also Gay. There is a stigma about being both in today’s age still and I truly enjoyed how the author wrote about it. There is a strong message in this story that I feel is important to think about. I was glad that some of it tackled claustrophobia as well, as this is something I struggle with.
  • The long walk” by Tiffany D. Jackson is like the red thread connecting all the different stories. It’s divided into several parts all throughout the anthology. I found it pretty nice to have a storyline coming in between the other ones, connecting them even more together.
  • The setting of “Made to fit” by Ashley Woodfolk in a senior home was refreshing. I liked the balance of the young main characters blended with the older residents. The family relationship was a nice touch. Of course, the instant-love part of it felt a bit too forced but it still worked out somehow.

More than just stories about young Black teens in love, this is an ode for the city of New York. I have not visited yet as I wrote this, but this book painted what feels like a true-to-life picture of it.

It’s being adapted for TV!

I just discovered that Blackout is becoming both a TV Show AND a movie, produced by the Obama’s production company. It is a deal with Netflix and from my understanding as I am writing this, some stories will be in the series while others will be in the movie. However, there is not much information about it yet.
There is plenty of potential in how these stories can be adapted for tv. So now, it’s just “wait and see” right now, I guess.

About the authors

“All six authors who contributed to Blackout during the pandemic have written for young people but felt passionate about this particular project because it removes the usual trauma attached to Black American love stories. The characters simply fall in love. […]
Blackout is not just a romance story, although there is plenty of that. It’s a love story to New York City, to being young and Black, to the darkness that hides us and can also set us free. As Clayton writes, “Some stories are better told in the dark.”” (Source: teenvogue.com)

I invite you to read this great interview of the authors from the Publisher Weekly website: “Blackout authors on centering black love

Amazon.com
Chapters-Indigo

Blackout Book Cover Blackout
Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon,
Young Adult Fiction
Quill Tree Books
22 June 2021
Hardcover
256

Six critically acclaimed, bestselling, and award-winning authors bring the glowing warmth and electricity of Black teen love to this interlinked novel of charming, hilarious, and heartwarming stories that shine a bright light through the dark. Beloved authors--Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon--celebrate the beauty of six couples and the unforgettable magic that can be found on a sweltering starry night in the city.

A summer heatwave blankets New York City in darkness. But as the city is thrown into confusion, a different kind of electricity sparks... A first meeting. Long-time friends. Bitter exes. And maybe the beginning of something new. When the lights go out, people reveal hidden truths. Love blossoms, friendship transforms, and new possibilities take flight.

I wish you all the best, by Mason Deaver

This book…. was a beautiful read. I got really attached to Ben and their story. Even though I am not part of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I am by association and it is something I want to learn more about because I feel like everyone should feel safe being themselves.
I wish you all the best is the story of Ben, who lives with their parents after their sister left ten years ago. After finally gather the courage to come out to them as non-binary, they are faced with an unexpected reaction: they are kicked out of their home. Their estranged sister (and husband) take them in, and they start a new life at a new school. But trauma is still there, with a lot of other repressed emotions. Ben meets Nathan, who wants to become instant friends…
This book celebrates being different, family trying to do their best, acceptance. I love the passages with the therapist, too.
Cheers to book focusing on characters that are diverse. I really wish books like this one existed when I was a teenager…

About the author

Mason Deaver is a non-binary author and librarian in a small town in North Carolina where the word ‘y’all’ is used in abundance.
When they aren’t writing or working, they’re typically found in their kitchen baking something that’s bad for them, or out in their garden complaining about the toad that likes to dig holes around their hydrangeas.

https://www.masondeaverwrites.com/

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Chapters Indigo

I Wish You All the Best Book Cover I Wish You All the Best
Mason Deaver
Juvenile Fiction
PUSH
14 May 2019
336

When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they're thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never even met. Struggling with an anxiety disorder compounded by their parents' rejection, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist and try to keep a low profile in a new school.

But Ben's attempts to survive the last half of senior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan's friendship grows, their feelings for each other begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life.

The meaning of birds, by Jaye Robin Brown

Sometimes, I read books back-to-back that have a common theme without knowing it in advance. Does it happen to you as well? Most of the books I read come from the banQ in Montréal. I see a book I think I’d like and borrow it, or I put a reservation until it’s available. This is how I sometimes end up with books like this.
This is my second book by this author, the first one was Georgia Peaches & Other Forbidden Fruits. She is queer herself, so I know that she writes about subjects she actually understands. It’s important to me.

In The meaning of birds, Jessica is our main protagonist. She’s in high school and has been dealing with anger issues for years. They are probably the result of unexpressed grief from her father’s death. Then, enters Vivi. She is passionate about birds, about going to college and lifts Jessica up. Plus, she encourages her to take the doodles Jess’ therapist encouraged her to do to an other level.
The book is created with alternating chapters: Now and Then. This is how we get to understand Jessica’s story better. Because in the Now, she is spiralling out of control, lost in her newest grief. How to continue living when the love of your life just died, even though you’re still a teenager?
This was very beautifully written and I felt for the characters in general, not only Jess. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you, even when you’re done reading the book.

About the author

Jaye Robin Brown, or JRo to her friends, has been many things in her life– jeweller, mediator, high school art teacher–but is now living the full-time writer life. She lives with her wife, dogs, and horses in a sweet house in the NC woods where she hopes to live happily ever after.

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Chapters-Indigo

The Meaning of Birds Book Cover The Meaning of Birds
Jaye Robin Brown
Young Adult Fiction
HarperTeen
16 April 2019
368

“An evocative story of the thrills of first love and the anguish of first loss. This will break you and heal you.”—Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’ Not to be missed by fans of Nina LaCour and Becky Albertalli, this powerful novel—from the acclaimed author of Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit—paints a poignant portrait of love in the past, grief in the now, and the healing power of art. Before: Jess has always struggled with the fire inside her. But when she meets Vivi, everything changes. As they fall for each other, Vivi helps Jess deal with her anger and pain and encourages her to embrace her artistic talent. And suddenly Jess’s future is a blank canvas, filled with possibilities. After: When Vivi unexpectedly dies, Jess’s perfect world is erased. As she spirals out of control, Jess pushes away everyone around her and throws out her plans for art school. Because art is Vivi and Vivi is gone forever. Right when Jess feels at her lowest, she makes a surprising friend who just might be able to show her a new way to channel her rage, passion, and creativity. But will Jess ever be able to forge a new path for herself without Vivi? A beautiful exploration of first love and first loss, this novel effortlessly weaves together past and present to tell a profound story about how you can become whole again when it seems like you’ve lost the most important part of yourself.

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit, by Jaye Robin Brown

I have to admit that I have a thing for books tackling young adult LGBTQ+ characters.
I am not a Christian anymore, however reading about Faith is something I am still very interested in. Especially when coupled with matters like sexuality or more broadly, someone’s identity.
In Georgia peaches & other forbidden fruit, Jaye Robin Brown asks us: is it okay to put aside the core of who you are to fit in a new environment? To please your family wishes.
The main character, Joanna has been openly gay for years now. Her best friend is very exuberant and queer as well. It has never been an issue with her father, who is a Pastor. She’s both gay and a Christian teenage girl and lives with it perfectly…. until her father remarries and they move from Atlanta to a very traditional Christian town in Georgia.
Some parts of the storyline felt wonky to me, but it was not to the point of making me want to walk away from it and overall, I really enjoyed reading about Jo’s journey.

About the author

Jaye Robin Brown, or JRo to her friends, has been many things in her life– jeweller, mediator, high school art teacher–but is now living the full-time writer life. She lives with her wife, dogs, and horses in a sweet house in the NC woods where she hopes to live happily ever after.

Amazon.com | https://amzn.to/2VqRQ9G
Chapters Indigo |Georgia peaches and other forbidden fruits

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit Book Cover Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit
Jaye Robin Brown
Young Adult Fiction
HarperTeen
30 August 2016
432

Joanna Gordon has been out and proud for years, but when her popular radio evangelist father remarries and decides to move all three of them from Atlanta to the more conservative Rome, Georgia, he asks Jo to do the impossible: to lie low for the rest of her senior year. And Jo reluctantly agrees.

Although it is (mostly) much easier for Jo to fit in as a straight girl, things get complicated when she meets Mary Carlson, the oh-so-tempting sister of her new friend at school. But Jo couldn’t possibly think of breaking her promise to her dad. Even if she’s starting to fall for the girl. Even if there’s a chance Mary Carlson might be interested in her, too. Right?