Welcome to Litsy!

Others have already provided plenty of reviews about how this is a visceral look at gay masculinity in a claustrophobic rural city. Three boys at a Catholic school - a nerd, a jock, and a punk - have different journeys toward dealing with their sexuality. (An older farm-boy features, too).

I'm mostly here to provide a couple content notes completely missing from most/all other reviews: there's a rape scene, and gross, unchallenged fatphobia.

This local YA LGBTQ+ book has been well reviewed. It's set in regional WA and is described as a "raw, confronting" book tackling "homosexuality, masculinity, anger and suicide ". #booked2022 #comingout

‘I got it wrong,‘ I say. ‘This whole thing was just a phase after all.‘

It‘s really difficult to breakaway from the “homophobic bully” stereotype, but actually writing from his point of view can bring up some real life internalised homophobia that I‘ve not seen from this archetype before, really beautifully done

I'm enjoying my library being open again! They were closed several months for renovation. #bookhaul #loveozya #weneeddiversebooks

It‘s a beautiful quiet spring morning and I‘m sitting out in the garden. I heard Holden on the radio and knew I had to read his YA book. I got it yesterday and finished it this morning. Holden lives in the city now but grew up in the regional centre of Geraldton. This story must have been painful to write. It‘s about 3 very different boys , in a country town, coming to terms with their sexuality. Brave, powerful and inspiring. @MrsMalaprop