Review of All Boy by Mia Kerick

If you follow me at all, you'll know that I am a longtime fan of Mia Kerick and her books. So I was excited to be able to hop on this tour. Read on for an excerpt from her latest book, All Boy, and my thoughts on it. Please leave her comments and questions and then follow the tour for even more. And don't forget the giveaway at the end!

All Boy

Seventeen-year-old Callie Canter knows all about screwing up—and being screwed over. After her so-called boyfriend publicly humiliated her senior year, taking a fifth year of high school at Beaufort Hills Academy is her second chance to leave behind a painful past. But her need for social acceptance follows, and going along with the in-crowd is the difference between survival and becoming a target. Staying off the radar is top priority. So, falling for an outsider is the last thing on Callie’s “to-do” list. Too bad her heart didn’t get the memo.

With his strict, religious upbringing and former identity far away in Florida, Jayden Morrissey can finally be true to himself at Beaufort Hills Academy. But life as a trans man means keeping secrets, and keeping secrets means not getting too close to anyone. If he can just get through his fifth year unnoticed, maybe a future living as the person he was born to be is possible. Yet love is love, and when you fall hard enough, intentions crumble, plans detour, and secrets are revealed.

From multi-award-winning author Mia Kerick, comes a powerful, timely, and life-changing novel, which follows two teenagers nursing broken hearts and seeking acceptance, and who together realize running away isn’t always the answer.

Read an excerpt:

Jayden

Just what I need—Shawn Heck and his goon, Carlos Luna. Either they snuck up on me, or I was so caught up in worrying about bathroom issues that I didn’t notice they were already here. My best bet is to ignore them, so I bend in half to touch my toes as if I didn’t hear the taunt.

Carlos apparently doesn’t appreciate my show of disrespect to his crime boss. He steps up beside me, sticks his foot on my lower back, and presses. When my nose touches my knee, the muscles in the back of my legs scream. “He asked you a question, pansy.”

I roll out of the painful position. “I’m not bothering you guys, so why don’t you take a hike?”

“I think he wants us to pick on somebody our own size.” Shawn grabs me by the neck of my sweatshirt and pulls me to my feet. “You’re such a freakin’ lightweight. I’ve got no clue what she sees in you.”

“He’s probably one of those sensitive guys,” Carlos suggests. “Girls get into that shit.”

They both laugh, but Shawn doesn’t let go of my sweatshirt.

“Stay the hell away from Callie.” Shawn issues his demand, and then shakes me so hard my teeth chatter. “She’s mine.”

I hate that he just claimed ownership of another human being. And I hate being so terrified of this Neanderthal that I momentarily consider keeping my distance from Callie. I guess I like Callie too much for my own good. But I hate it most that my greatest fear is he’ll find out about my body—his hands are too close to my chest for comfort.

I want to fight back so badly I can taste it. These guys have no right to do this to me. But the risk of exposure is too great if I get into something physical with them. I twist out of Shawn’s grasp, snatch my water bottle from off the floor, and head for the exit, glancing back just once to see if my escape is successful. He straddles a stationary bike, plugs in his ear phones, and starts to pedal. Carlos has something more to prove. He follows me.

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**My thoughts**

Mia Kerick brings another book that really made me sit down and think. Many times I have wondered how I would react if I was dating someone and found out later that they were trans. I like to think that I am open-minded. I have had many friends and acquaintances in the LGBTQ community over the past couple of decades, but have always known their stories or was there during the transitions. Would I feel betrayed at first? How much would it hurt to have not been privy to their secret? I don't think we can really know unless we are in the situation. So it is interesting to see how each of the characters respond when they find out the truth.

I also think of how hard it is for those who are trans, trying to decide whom to trust and struggling to live their most authentic lives. Is it easier for those of us who are adults? These kids are teenagers. I remember being 18, trying to figure out who I was. These are even more difficult identity issues than I dealt with all those years ago.

Callie and Jayden both have a lot of secrets in their past and a lot of hurt. They cannot help but be drawn to each other. And as Callie's wise roommate Lauren says, "Love is love." I think it is because they are both broken that they are attracted to each other. Somehow their broken pieces fit together to make a whole. And both of them have so much to sort out. They don't come to a magical perfect ending, because life doesn't work that way. It's always a roller coaster. But they definitely grow a lot over the course of this book and you can see the trajectory they are going to take after we leave their world.

The bullying issues make me ill. Callie was treated horribly in high school, which is part of the reason she is attending this post-high school program. I can completely relate to her. And Jayden experiences a horrific bullying incident at the school, one which unfortunately has happened to many a trans person time and time again because of our society that does not and will not see people for who they are and be understanding, loving, and respectful. And there is one quick scene in North Carolina that particularly stands out and is worth noting.

A lot is being said in this book, both outright and subtly to provoke your thoughts. I think it would be a great launching point for some good discussions with teenagers, and even adults. It was a little long and drawn out and I didn't necessarily fly through this one as quickly as I usually do with Mia's books. But it is still worth reading and reflecting on, to better understand both points of view. I continue to admire Mia's work and will keep on reading as long as she keeps writing.



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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—one a recent graduate of law school, another a professional dancer, a third studying at Mia’s alma mater, Boston College, and the baby finally off to college. (Yes, the nest is empty.) She publishes LGBTQ fiction and romance when not editing National Honor Society essays, offering opinions on college and law school applications, helping to create dance bios, and reviewing English papers. Her husband of twenty-five years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about this, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of young people who are challenged by the circumstances of their lives and relationships. She has a great affinity for the tortured hero in literature, and as a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with tales of tortured heroes and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. Now she publishes her work—it’s an alternate way to stash her stories.

Her books have been featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine. They have won a 2019 IPPY GOLD award for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction, Rainbow Awards for Best Transgender Contemporary Romance and Best YA Lesbian Fiction, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, an Indie Fab Award, a First Place Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, a First Place Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Award for YA Fiction, and a category finalist for the Eric Hoffer award, a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards for Young Adult Fiction and more.

Mia Kerick is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Contact Mia at miakerick@gmail.com or visit at http://www.miakerickya.com to see what is going on in Mia’s world.

http://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick

https://twitter.com/MiaKerick

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6474518.Mia_Kerick

Mia Kerick will award a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner during the tour.

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