I picked this as one of my selections from the InsightOut Book Club; it's described as a coming-out/coming-of-age story but with more complex characters and relationships than usual. [I admit that I was tantalized by the title as well; should there be a support group for "People Who Buy Books Because They Think They Will Look Good on Their BC Bookshelves"? ;-)]

To be read.

[Another of my backlog of to-be-journaled books; I read this one {gulp} almost three months ago!]

This is something of a coming-of-age story, but with some twists. Neill, the main character, a closeted 21-year-old still living at home, is experiencing his first love - he's fallen for Vince, a troubled drug addict. At the same time, Neill's younger brother Peter is battling a serious and disfiguring cancer. Sounds horribly depressing, but it isn't - though the first line of the story hints strongly that something awful's going to happen. (I found the warning helpful in expectation-setting, and as it turned out it wasn't quite as awful as I'd expected.) The story takes some unusual turns, and is more about learning how to love, in a variety of ways, then specifically about coming out or a first romance. Neill's attempts to understand the emotionally scarred Vince are frustrating to read, as I knew they weren't likely to succeed but could tell how impossible it would be for Neill to back away. Still, there is a sense of hope, even for Vince...

I really appreciated the relationship between Neill and his brother. The strain that any family goes through when one member is suffering a catastrophic illness is presented well, and with believable lapses - not everyone is saintly under these circumstances. But Neill and Peter manage to support each other, and I found it quite moving.

I'm offering this on the Gay & Lesbian Relay on CasualReader's relay site.

*** And it's been claimed (bare moments before expiring)! Will be on its way to BCer Greyflank in NJ as of June 20th; hope you enjoy it!

Came in the mail last night, but BC was all wonky and I couldn't journal it. Amazing what a good night's sleep will accomplish! :-)

Thanks, Gory! I look forward to reading this!

Oh! I hope I wasn't a bad relay participant... I kinda forgot how the rules work and CasualReader's page is gone... so, hopefully, I sent out the book I was supposed to who I supposed to and when supposed to. But that was ten ten years ago... wow, how time flies when you've got a room of book shelves!

I enjoyed this very much. The prose was flowery and deep, not at all how I write. The characters were all very real and honest. And there were a few one-liners I am so going to steal. I think you might say this was a writer's book. I will.

Putting this aside for the LGBT bookbox.

Into the BOOKBOX it goes!
Where it'll stop, nobody knows!

http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/20/510307

To the finder of this book, please enjoy it. Please share it with someone. Please help it travel. Thanks!

This arrived in the LGBTQ+ bookbox.

I've read chunks of this book over the last few days, but it just isn't my taste, so I will be letting it move on to the next reader soon. I can't get into the overly ornate, emotionally overwrought writing. It just keeps pulling me out of the story too much as I ponder why the author felt the need to phrase something a certain way.

EDIT: Left on a bench near the old library, but it was journaled before I had a chance to mark it as released.

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