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Hold
Luke Aday knew that his sister’s death was imminent—she had been under hospice care for months—but that didn’t make her death any easier on him or their family. He returns to school three days after the funeral to a changed world; his best friends welcome him back with open arms, but it isn’t the same. But when a charismatic new student, Eddie Sankawulo, tries to welcome Luke to his own school, something life-changing happens: In a moment of frustration, Luke runs into an empty classroom, hurls his backpack against the wall—and the backpack never lands. Luke Aday has just discovered that he can stop time.
255 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2016
About the author
Rachel Davidson Leigh
2 books36 followersRachel Davidson Leigh is a teacher, a writer, and an avid fan of young adult LGBT fiction. Her hobbies include overanalyzing television shows and playing Yenta with book recommendations. Currently, she lives with her family and two deeply neurotic little dogs. Her debut novel, Hold, recently won the Arthur Tofte/Betty Ren Wright Children’s Literature Award from the Council for Wisconsin Writers. You can also find her work in the Summer Love Anthology from Interlude Press (2015).
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I only review books when I think they deserve to be read. There is an art to crafting a beautiful critique, but I'm better at gushing about the books I love.
Here's what my reviews mean:
3 stars: I'm really glad I read this book. There are parts that I loved and you should see if it's a good fit for you.
4 stars: Dude, you should buy or borrow this book. It's legit worth your time.
5 stars: Buy this book right now. Read this book right now. No wait, read it out loud so I can hear it ALL OVER AGAIN. *wails*
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I only review books when I think they deserve to be read. There is an art to crafting a beautiful critique, but I'm better at gushing about the books I love.
Here's what my reviews mean:
3 stars: I'm really glad I read this book. There are parts that I loved and you should see if it's a good fit for you.
4 stars: Dude, you should buy or borrow this book. It's legit worth your time.
5 stars: Buy this book right now. Read this book right now. No wait, read it out loud so I can hear it ALL OVER AGAIN. *wails*
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
October 19, 2016
Delightful, sweet book about a kid finding his way through grief, falling in love, and figuring out how to balance his friends, family, and crush. Oh, and also he just figured out he can stop time? Davidson Leigh's prose crackles with humor and emotion, and the depth of heart and acknowledgement of the singular difficulties of experience AND talent and joy in love for queer guys of color is wonderful. The supporting characters are likewise lovely. I really enjoyed this book.
October 25, 2016
A Must Read YA novel with a diverse cast of characters and POSITIVE portrayal of LGBTQ young adults. I LOVED IT!!!!
Rachel Davidson Leigh deftly drew me into a high school group of friends that I would have loved to have had as friends. The novel is fast paced, yet manages to affirm and embrace a multitude of characters who are diverse, complex and lovable. This is a wonderful book that shows kids from many different racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as well as positively portraying kids who identify themselves by different letters on the LGBTQ spectrum.
At the same time, it is not just a book about growing up. Instead, it tells the story of the main character, Luke, who has been grieving the death of his beloved sister and struggling with school bullies when he suddenly discovers he has the superpower of being able to "stop time." As Luke begins to experiment with his newfound powers, the use of his power begins to have very real consequences in the lives of other people. Leigh creates some very unique "butterfly effect" consequences which are suspenseful and disturbing. The superhero/ superpower plot is enough of a story to carry a novel by itself so it is amazing the number of high school and plain-old human experiences that Leigh touches upon.
Recently, I started reading a different book set in a happy town in which the "gay and straight" partied together in happy disco clubs. That did not ring true to me. I started thinking, What would a fictional high school look like if the kids were representative of real-life LGBTQ identities? Rachel Davidson Leigh creates one that works for me. The main characters are generally comfortable with their orientations and life is just...life. Life with many other serious issues. Sexual orientation is not the overwhelming focus or struggle of the book. It also is not glossed over.
Rachel Davidson Leigh artfully touches on so many life issues of growing up (first loves and crushes, navigating the high school social scene, being a person of color or of a minority culture or nationality in a white city, adoption, loving family members with severe disabilities or mental health issues). She does this without being preachy or heavy handed and the end of the story left me feeling satisfied and happy. She had me worried for awhile there, but at the end I was left with a warm glow about how lovingly she portrayed Luke and his friends. I LOVE how she sensitively portrayed the first crushes, first kisses, first loves, and, above all, the love of your family and friends.
I finished this book tonight and I hope to be able to follow up with a more detailed review... But I wanted to post a review as soon as possible because this is such a positive book for young adults and I would love to see people read it! I love reading YA literature for myself and it is because, even as a grown up, I still look for portrayals of real people getting along and accepting themselves to teach me what life *can* be like. I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review and I am very grateful that I got a chance to read this! I will definitely buy my own copy and put it on my list for books that I would be happy for my kids to read about growing up. It makes me happy to see such a positive depiction of LGBTQ kids. It has just the right amount of gravity mixed with love, acceptance and hope.
You can find some of my other favorite reviews which I post at irregular intervals at SheWritesSheRoars dot com.
Rachel Davidson Leigh deftly drew me into a high school group of friends that I would have loved to have had as friends. The novel is fast paced, yet manages to affirm and embrace a multitude of characters who are diverse, complex and lovable. This is a wonderful book that shows kids from many different racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as well as positively portraying kids who identify themselves by different letters on the LGBTQ spectrum.
At the same time, it is not just a book about growing up. Instead, it tells the story of the main character, Luke, who has been grieving the death of his beloved sister and struggling with school bullies when he suddenly discovers he has the superpower of being able to "stop time." As Luke begins to experiment with his newfound powers, the use of his power begins to have very real consequences in the lives of other people. Leigh creates some very unique "butterfly effect" consequences which are suspenseful and disturbing. The superhero/ superpower plot is enough of a story to carry a novel by itself so it is amazing the number of high school and plain-old human experiences that Leigh touches upon.
Recently, I started reading a different book set in a happy town in which the "gay and straight" partied together in happy disco clubs. That did not ring true to me. I started thinking, What would a fictional high school look like if the kids were representative of real-life LGBTQ identities? Rachel Davidson Leigh creates one that works for me. The main characters are generally comfortable with their orientations and life is just...life. Life with many other serious issues. Sexual orientation is not the overwhelming focus or struggle of the book. It also is not glossed over.
Rachel Davidson Leigh artfully touches on so many life issues of growing up (first loves and crushes, navigating the high school social scene, being a person of color or of a minority culture or nationality in a white city, adoption, loving family members with severe disabilities or mental health issues). She does this without being preachy or heavy handed and the end of the story left me feeling satisfied and happy. She had me worried for awhile there, but at the end I was left with a warm glow about how lovingly she portrayed Luke and his friends. I LOVE how she sensitively portrayed the first crushes, first kisses, first loves, and, above all, the love of your family and friends.
I finished this book tonight and I hope to be able to follow up with a more detailed review... But I wanted to post a review as soon as possible because this is such a positive book for young adults and I would love to see people read it! I love reading YA literature for myself and it is because, even as a grown up, I still look for portrayals of real people getting along and accepting themselves to teach me what life *can* be like. I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review and I am very grateful that I got a chance to read this! I will definitely buy my own copy and put it on my list for books that I would be happy for my kids to read about growing up. It makes me happy to see such a positive depiction of LGBTQ kids. It has just the right amount of gravity mixed with love, acceptance and hope.
You can find some of my other favorite reviews which I post at irregular intervals at SheWritesSheRoars dot com.
August 29, 2018
It could have been a good look into Luke's life with superpowers after losing his sister, but the plot was all over the place. Lizzy was barely mentioned after the first three chapters. Eddie's storyline was a mess. I don't need sixty billion plot lines to keep me entertained.
September 25, 2016
Had the pleasure of being a sensitivity reader for this novel, and it's so good! I think everyone will love it
March 29, 2017
2.5 stars
It took me a good two months of starting and stopping this book to finally finish it. Hold has a very interesting blurb, and I was really intrigued. But for all of its stellar reviews, I failed to understand the purpose of the book. WHY could Luke stop time? What was the whole point of his ability? It seemed really strange that an ability so huge was introduced and that there was nothing really life altering about it. I kept waiting for something to happen, but there were just more Shakespeare rehearsals. I found neither the story nor the characters to be particularly captivating. I'll give Rachel Davidson Leigh full points for ingenuity. There's also a powerful message of not judging books by their covers in there which is worth noting. But on the whole, I found the book to be quite disappointing.
It took me a good two months of starting and stopping this book to finally finish it. Hold has a very interesting blurb, and I was really intrigued. But for all of its stellar reviews, I failed to understand the purpose of the book. WHY could Luke stop time? What was the whole point of his ability? It seemed really strange that an ability so huge was introduced and that there was nothing really life altering about it. I kept waiting for something to happen, but there were just more Shakespeare rehearsals. I found neither the story nor the characters to be particularly captivating. I'll give Rachel Davidson Leigh full points for ingenuity. There's also a powerful message of not judging books by their covers in there which is worth noting. But on the whole, I found the book to be quite disappointing.
October 31, 2016
*This review was originally posted on Spun!
Disclaimer: This review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3 REASONS WHY HOLD IS AWESOME:
Reason #1: Hold is a queer YA book with a great cast of characters.
Luke Aday, the main character, is an adopted Indian boy. Since Hold is told from his perspective, we really get to know Luke inside and out. Between his sister's death and discovering his power to stop time and crushing on cute boys, Luke has a lot going on. He also has a lot of...thoughts. His mind is all over the place and this is one of the reasons why he reminded me of myself. He can be very awkward in social situations and freezes more often than not.
Apart from Luke, there's Marcos and Dee of course. They're both pretty laid-back and are the kind of friends who back you up no matter what. That was evident to me from the way they choose to believe Luke when he tells them he can stop time. I probably would have decided Luke is crazy if he'd told me.
As for my favorite character, that was probably Eddie Sankawulo, the new student and Luke's latest obsession.
So Luke sees Eddie as this really bright cheerful guy who is constantly smiling. Eddie reminded me of people in my life who always seem so happy but like most people, there seems to be another side of him..and this naturally complicates his relationship with Luke.
I found the tension between Luke and Eddie slightly frustrating at times because I just wanted them to talk it out. But I know if I was in their situation, I'd be acting just as weird, if not more.
Reason #2: Luke has powers but they don't completely take over his life.
You go into the book knowing that the main character has the power to stop time and it's interesting to see how discovering this ability changes his life. But Luke doesn't immediately go from grieving brother to ass-kicking superhero. Hold isn't the kind of book where characters with powers fight crime and save the day – it's a little more realistic. Luke has these cool abilities but he's also your average high school student with other responsibilities and cute boys to think about.
Reason #3: Hold is messy.
I don't want to be cheesy but life is messy and so is this book. Hold is a short book but I spent three (four?) weeks reading it to really draw out the experience. I fell in love with these characters and even now, I'm wondering what Luke is up to.
Hold drew me in and wouldn't let go. And so I found myself completely immersed in a book that continued to surprise and delight me as I read. I know my review is late (and I'm sorry for that) but I'm glad I took my time. And huge thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy!
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT? Yes!
Disclaimer: This review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3 REASONS WHY HOLD IS AWESOME:
Reason #1: Hold is a queer YA book with a great cast of characters.
Luke Aday, the main character, is an adopted Indian boy. Since Hold is told from his perspective, we really get to know Luke inside and out. Between his sister's death and discovering his power to stop time and crushing on cute boys, Luke has a lot going on. He also has a lot of...thoughts. His mind is all over the place and this is one of the reasons why he reminded me of myself. He can be very awkward in social situations and freezes more often than not.
Apart from Luke, there's Marcos and Dee of course. They're both pretty laid-back and are the kind of friends who back you up no matter what. That was evident to me from the way they choose to believe Luke when he tells them he can stop time. I probably would have decided Luke is crazy if he'd told me.
As for my favorite character, that was probably Eddie Sankawulo, the new student and Luke's latest obsession.
So Luke sees Eddie as this really bright cheerful guy who is constantly smiling. Eddie reminded me of people in my life who always seem so happy but like most people, there seems to be another side of him..and this naturally complicates his relationship with Luke.
I found the tension between Luke and Eddie slightly frustrating at times because I just wanted them to talk it out. But I know if I was in their situation, I'd be acting just as weird, if not more.
Reason #2: Luke has powers but they don't completely take over his life.
You go into the book knowing that the main character has the power to stop time and it's interesting to see how discovering this ability changes his life. But Luke doesn't immediately go from grieving brother to ass-kicking superhero. Hold isn't the kind of book where characters with powers fight crime and save the day – it's a little more realistic. Luke has these cool abilities but he's also your average high school student with other responsibilities and cute boys to think about.
Reason #3: Hold is messy.
I don't want to be cheesy but life is messy and so is this book. Hold is a short book but I spent three (four?) weeks reading it to really draw out the experience. I fell in love with these characters and even now, I'm wondering what Luke is up to.
Hold drew me in and wouldn't let go. And so I found myself completely immersed in a book that continued to surprise and delight me as I read. I know my review is late (and I'm sorry for that) but I'm glad I took my time. And huge thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy!
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT? Yes!
October 21, 2016
5.0 stars ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
A SPELLBINDING NOVEL WRAPPED IN A VEIL OF MYSTERY
Before anything else, I'd like to say a HUGE THANK YOU! to the author & everyone else who made this book possible. *kisses* *hugs*
I can hardly find the words to describe this ASTONISHING novel. I'm in AWE! It's all you will ever want in a book. It's one of the YOU-CAN'T-PUT-IT-DOWN-BOOKS until you've reached the end. It TOUCHED me to the core. It's the EPITOME of a relationship that goes beyond romantic. Something that will make you feel like you're floating in the air. And it could be a bit tormenting. It was a GOOD torment, though. That's actually given because that's the natural reaction to novels wrapped in mystery. Like you want to go sprinting towards the end to make everything connect.
You would really love everyone in this WONDERFUL story. You'd feel Luke's grief. You'd fall in love with Eddie so fast you wouldn't know what hit you. Last but not the least, you would grow to love Dee's & Marcos's antics. I just wish I could have someone like Marcos. <3 Lav yah, man! ;)
You would notice that my review is kinda clipped. I really wouldn't want to spoil the story. This is truly GREAT and I think you should find it yourself. ;)
P.S. This is the very first review I did on Goodreads. I hope you understand my not-so-articulate comments. LOL. Enjoy!
A SPELLBINDING NOVEL WRAPPED IN A VEIL OF MYSTERY
Before anything else, I'd like to say a HUGE THANK YOU! to the author & everyone else who made this book possible. *kisses* *hugs*
I can hardly find the words to describe this ASTONISHING novel. I'm in AWE! It's all you will ever want in a book. It's one of the YOU-CAN'T-PUT-IT-DOWN-BOOKS until you've reached the end. It TOUCHED me to the core. It's the EPITOME of a relationship that goes beyond romantic. Something that will make you feel like you're floating in the air. And it could be a bit tormenting. It was a GOOD torment, though. That's actually given because that's the natural reaction to novels wrapped in mystery. Like you want to go sprinting towards the end to make everything connect.
You would really love everyone in this WONDERFUL story. You'd feel Luke's grief. You'd fall in love with Eddie so fast you wouldn't know what hit you. Last but not the least, you would grow to love Dee's & Marcos's antics. I just wish I could have someone like Marcos. <3 Lav yah, man! ;)
You would notice that my review is kinda clipped. I really wouldn't want to spoil the story. This is truly GREAT and I think you should find it yourself. ;)
P.S. This is the very first review I did on Goodreads. I hope you understand my not-so-articulate comments. LOL. Enjoy!
November 7, 2016
This book was somehow nothing I expected and everything I wanted at the same time. For one, I couldn't put it down. RDL has an amazing ability to keep you turning the page. Her chapter breaks are the best/worst kind: the ones where you can't go to sleep because you have to read the next chapter to find out what happens.
I also really loved the characters, especially Eddie, who was well-developed, despite the mystery surrounding him for the majority of the book. Marcos was another favorite (this seems to be a consensus) and Luke was a great POV character.
Overall, I think this book is a masterpiece; it's layered and meaningful and entertaining. Definitely one of the best books I've read this year.
I also really loved the characters, especially Eddie, who was well-developed, despite the mystery surrounding him for the majority of the book. Marcos was another favorite (this seems to be a consensus) and Luke was a great POV character.
Overall, I think this book is a masterpiece; it's layered and meaningful and entertaining. Definitely one of the best books I've read this year.
December 23, 2016
Original review on Molly Lolly
Four and a half stars!
This story was adorable. Right from the start I could tell Luke was a teen I could relate to and wanted to see happy. His friends are so amazingly supportive and his budding relationship with Eddie was beautiful. The storytelling pulled me in and didn’t let me go.
Eddie was a fabulous character that was shrouded in a tiny bit of mystery and mysticism. Throughout the story you could tell there was a little bit of magic behind Eddie. Some of it you could tell was Luke’s starry eyed smittenness. But the rest was all the mystery of Eddie. I adored how vibrant and full of life Eddie was. He was unashamed of who he was and didn’t care too terribly much what others thought of him. I felt for him and some of the things he had to put up with from the school jerk. But overall Eddie was someone I would love to spend time with and be friends with.
Luke was beautifully written. He was tentative at times and so insecure. He was devoted to his friends and you could tell he was genuinely torn about what to do about telling them things. He constantly worked to try and make the right choices and make things right for those around him. It may not have worked out how he wanted at times but at least in his mind he was helping. His pure heart was such a great part of him. His emotions in regards to his feelings for Eddie came through loudly as I read. I felt them with Luke.
These two together are lovely and I adored watching them slowly work towards being together. The storyline with Luke’s Hold powers was completely fascinating. The descriptions of how it feels to Luke and how he perceives his ability were on point and I could visualize what Luke was thinking and feeling. I was intrigued on the why and the how but ultimately they wound up being not important. There’s a big question mark on one time aspect of the story that plays a pretty big role in fixing some things. But the unknown felt like it had a purpose and also wasn’t something the characters could regularly find out. I adored Dee and Marcus. I would love to see more stories with all of these characters. I want to see them grow up into adults that stay friends and continue to support each other into old age. I would love for Marcos to have his own story and I need to read it the moment it comes out.
Four and a half stars!
This story was adorable. Right from the start I could tell Luke was a teen I could relate to and wanted to see happy. His friends are so amazingly supportive and his budding relationship with Eddie was beautiful. The storytelling pulled me in and didn’t let me go.
Eddie was a fabulous character that was shrouded in a tiny bit of mystery and mysticism. Throughout the story you could tell there was a little bit of magic behind Eddie. Some of it you could tell was Luke’s starry eyed smittenness. But the rest was all the mystery of Eddie. I adored how vibrant and full of life Eddie was. He was unashamed of who he was and didn’t care too terribly much what others thought of him. I felt for him and some of the things he had to put up with from the school jerk. But overall Eddie was someone I would love to spend time with and be friends with.
Luke was beautifully written. He was tentative at times and so insecure. He was devoted to his friends and you could tell he was genuinely torn about what to do about telling them things. He constantly worked to try and make the right choices and make things right for those around him. It may not have worked out how he wanted at times but at least in his mind he was helping. His pure heart was such a great part of him. His emotions in regards to his feelings for Eddie came through loudly as I read. I felt them with Luke.
These two together are lovely and I adored watching them slowly work towards being together. The storyline with Luke’s Hold powers was completely fascinating. The descriptions of how it feels to Luke and how he perceives his ability were on point and I could visualize what Luke was thinking and feeling. I was intrigued on the why and the how but ultimately they wound up being not important. There’s a big question mark on one time aspect of the story that plays a pretty big role in fixing some things. But the unknown felt like it had a purpose and also wasn’t something the characters could regularly find out. I adored Dee and Marcus. I would love to see more stories with all of these characters. I want to see them grow up into adults that stay friends and continue to support each other into old age. I would love for Marcos to have his own story and I need to read it the moment it comes out.
November 19, 2016
Not only does this book have all the elements of a book that is enjoyable to read (a diverse and dynamic cast of characters? Check! Beautifully written prose? Check! A little superhero-esque fun? Check!) but it also approaches YA in exactly the way that YA should be approached: by addressing serious, realistic issues in a way that fits into the story and the lives of the characters, and without shying away from them under the pretence of them being part of the quote-unquote "adult" world. The thing I always want from YA is books that help bridge the gap for that period of your life in which you're not quite a child anymore, but you're not quite an adult—and this book fits the bill perfectly. (That's not to say that an adult wouldn't find this as equally enjoyable a read!) A fantastic debut novel that I cannot recommend enough.
November 2, 2016
What an incredibly special and well realised novel. I am somewhat in awe of this story. I love Luke, Dee, Marcos, and Eddie. They are complex and real and their relationships work so beautifully. The way this story handles grief feels so true to life to me but not in a way that makes the book unbearable to read? Because it is always there but there is also the good. And the change. This stories features geeky people who feel like actual geeks, theatre nerds who feel like actual theatre nerds.
I admit that I wish the disabled characters in this book didn't exist purely off screen. I feel like work is attempted to make them more than simply motivational, but I would have liked to have also had someone actually present be disabled.
I really love the Fantastic element of the time stopping. It is used in a way that suits the story perfectly. I imagine some readers may feel frustrated by the lack of explanation and technical elements but that is one of my favourite things about it. What is important is what it does, how it affects these characters, not why or how it does it.
The second half of this novel is especially gripping. I could not put the book down for the last few hours I was reading as I just had to stay with it, see where it took me.
I am so glad I read this books. It is a rare treasure to read something so good, even more rare for such a thing to be about queer nerds of colour! I thoroughly recommend it.
I admit that I wish the disabled characters in this book didn't exist purely off screen. I feel like work is attempted to make them more than simply motivational, but I would have liked to have also had someone actually present be disabled.
I really love the Fantastic element of the time stopping. It is used in a way that suits the story perfectly. I imagine some readers may feel frustrated by the lack of explanation and technical elements but that is one of my favourite things about it. What is important is what it does, how it affects these characters, not why or how it does it.
The second half of this novel is especially gripping. I could not put the book down for the last few hours I was reading as I just had to stay with it, see where it took me.
I am so glad I read this books. It is a rare treasure to read something so good, even more rare for such a thing to be about queer nerds of colour! I thoroughly recommend it.
November 13, 2016
Reviewed for From Top to Bottom Reviews.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in return of an honest review
I don't know what to say or how to review this book because I was expecting something completely different. It just wasn't what I expected and therefore I had a bit of a hard time getting through. I still liked it but I didn't love it is probably the most accurate statement.
Looking from the outside, this book has everything I love, an awesome group of friends, the "new guy" who is a bit of a mystery and of course the super powers. And super-powers that aren't used that often at that! So I should be over the moon and recommend it to everyone but Hold and I just didn't click.
The whole time I was reading I was waiting for the moment when I understood why Luke suddenly has those super-powers. What made it awaken or show up? Why now? What changed that he needed them? But I didn't get answers and apart from a scene were his powers are life-saving it didn't feel like they added anything to the plot. Of course it's nice to see him test them and play with them, but apart from that he doesn't really do anthing with it.
Most of the book is Luke and Eddie together working on a school project, but the reader still never really gets to know Eddie. He's a mystery throughout the story and only at the end do we get to know more about him.
The constant questioning who he was and why Luke had his super-powers unfortunately made the book feel slow at times. Overall the story had a lot of potential but just didn't live up to it.
But a big thumbs up and extra star for the aro-ace and the openly bisexual character! Even if just a side character, but I loved Marcos and loved to see it stated on page that he's aro-ace. I think that was also the first time I've seen this in a book.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in return of an honest review
I don't know what to say or how to review this book because I was expecting something completely different. It just wasn't what I expected and therefore I had a bit of a hard time getting through. I still liked it but I didn't love it is probably the most accurate statement.
Looking from the outside, this book has everything I love, an awesome group of friends, the "new guy" who is a bit of a mystery and of course the super powers. And super-powers that aren't used that often at that! So I should be over the moon and recommend it to everyone but Hold and I just didn't click.
The whole time I was reading I was waiting for the moment when I understood why Luke suddenly has those super-powers. What made it awaken or show up? Why now? What changed that he needed them? But I didn't get answers and apart from a scene were his powers are life-saving it didn't feel like they added anything to the plot. Of course it's nice to see him test them and play with them, but apart from that he doesn't really do anthing with it.
Most of the book is Luke and Eddie together working on a school project, but the reader still never really gets to know Eddie. He's a mystery throughout the story and only at the end do we get to know more about him.
The constant questioning who he was and why Luke had his super-powers unfortunately made the book feel slow at times. Overall the story had a lot of potential but just didn't live up to it.
But a big thumbs up and extra star for the aro-ace and the openly bisexual character! Even if just a side character, but I loved Marcos and loved to see it stated on page that he's aro-ace. I think that was also the first time I've seen this in a book.
November 3, 2016
This book is not just for Young Adults !!!
Luke spoke to me on so many levels, appearing in my life when I needed him (and Dee. And Marcos) to help me make sense of things.
Leigh really does a brilliant job in creating a rich tapestry of characters and situations, which makes it very difficult to even put the book down !!
Luke spoke to me on so many levels, appearing in my life when I needed him (and Dee. And Marcos) to help me make sense of things.
Leigh really does a brilliant job in creating a rich tapestry of characters and situations, which makes it very difficult to even put the book down !!
January 17, 2017
As a poet-turned-fictioneer who is also crazy about crosswords and prone to avalanches of language when emotionally moved, I was drawn immediately to HOLD by Rachel Davidson Leigh for its slippery, too-full, deceptively simple title. “Hold” can mean a lot of things—it’s a verb and a noun, and it can mean “grasp” or “detain,” “contain” or “remain secure.” I think, in this novel, it comes to mean all of those.
In simplest terms, this is the love story of high school kids Luke and Eddie. It’s a schoolmates-to-friends-to-boyfriends story at its heart: there are other love interests, dangers, and intervening concerns that threaten to keep them apart, but the reader knows at their first meeting that they belong together.
Luke is a high school student who has just returned to school after a long absence to mourn the death of his younger sister. When he returns, he finds high school life has moved on without him. He also finds a new kid who’s appeared during his absence, Eddie, popular guy, smiler, lacrosse player and—before long—love interest. One thinks of that phrase “to put on hold,” as in, “Luke’s life has been put on hold while he left school and mourned with his family, but now he’s back and trying to get his life un-stopped.”
It’s the not-so-simple terms that really draw on facets of “hold,” though.
For one, Luke discovers that he has the strange power to freeze time and everyone in it—a “hold,” he calls it—and this is in part the story of a teenager discovering his power and figuring out what to do with it. That motif is why, I think, superpower stories are most interesting in teens—it’s a super-magical magnification of what “normal” young folks go through. In fact, there’s lots of lore about powers (like psychokinesis… think CARRIE… or werewolfiness… think GINGER SNAPS) bubbling up in girls at the advent of menarche (the start of menstruation). Many cultures have histories of sending teens out into the wilderness (my mom used to threaten that, but I think she meant it differently) or staging other coming-of-age rituals (think quinceañera, confirmation, bar/bat mitzvah, sweet 16 celebrations, or even the conferral of voting rights in the U.S. or alcohol-drinking privileges in much of Europe).
What I mean to say is that the moment (teenhood) is fraught, a time we both fear (think of those roving bands of “wilding” teens in the news a few years back) and desire (need I bring up Springstein’s “Glory Days”?). Hold sets itself right down in the middle of that mess: high school kid learns to manage his newly-found superpower while resolving a bully situation (a jerk called Wes), loving his best friends Dee and Marcos despite difficulties (for two, Wes is Dee’s brother and Luke has a crush on Marcos), and struggling into first love with Eddie.
It’s also a story about gossip, and the kind of hold it can have over people (see? there’s that word again). When word spreads that Eddie has a gun (and no spoilers here, but the kid isn’t exactly Capone), things start to really spiral, from whispers and ostracism to real dangers, like cops and more guns and rooftop escapes.
So “hold” is about wanting to grasp onto people (a new love interest, a sister who’s recently died, one’s friends) and grasp onto a moment (the innocence of pre-adulthood, before the fall). It’s about wanting to remain secure at a moment when everything seems to be shifting, and when guns start rumbling around the edges of the plot. It’s about the desire for detention (for holding back) and the desire for containment (for being held), for safety and for everything to just slow down and let me catch up already.
It’s a nicely complex story that’s still easy to follow and easy to get sucked into. I tore through this one almost nonstop, because I loved the world so. I’d decide to read a bit, and when I looked up, hours had somehow passed and my dogs were doing the Pee Dance and yelping to be taken out already. It was almost as if time had stopped, and I got to keep reading while the rest of the world was on hold.
In simplest terms, this is the love story of high school kids Luke and Eddie. It’s a schoolmates-to-friends-to-boyfriends story at its heart: there are other love interests, dangers, and intervening concerns that threaten to keep them apart, but the reader knows at their first meeting that they belong together.
Luke is a high school student who has just returned to school after a long absence to mourn the death of his younger sister. When he returns, he finds high school life has moved on without him. He also finds a new kid who’s appeared during his absence, Eddie, popular guy, smiler, lacrosse player and—before long—love interest. One thinks of that phrase “to put on hold,” as in, “Luke’s life has been put on hold while he left school and mourned with his family, but now he’s back and trying to get his life un-stopped.”
It’s the not-so-simple terms that really draw on facets of “hold,” though.
For one, Luke discovers that he has the strange power to freeze time and everyone in it—a “hold,” he calls it—and this is in part the story of a teenager discovering his power and figuring out what to do with it. That motif is why, I think, superpower stories are most interesting in teens—it’s a super-magical magnification of what “normal” young folks go through. In fact, there’s lots of lore about powers (like psychokinesis… think CARRIE… or werewolfiness… think GINGER SNAPS) bubbling up in girls at the advent of menarche (the start of menstruation). Many cultures have histories of sending teens out into the wilderness (my mom used to threaten that, but I think she meant it differently) or staging other coming-of-age rituals (think quinceañera, confirmation, bar/bat mitzvah, sweet 16 celebrations, or even the conferral of voting rights in the U.S. or alcohol-drinking privileges in much of Europe).
What I mean to say is that the moment (teenhood) is fraught, a time we both fear (think of those roving bands of “wilding” teens in the news a few years back) and desire (need I bring up Springstein’s “Glory Days”?). Hold sets itself right down in the middle of that mess: high school kid learns to manage his newly-found superpower while resolving a bully situation (a jerk called Wes), loving his best friends Dee and Marcos despite difficulties (for two, Wes is Dee’s brother and Luke has a crush on Marcos), and struggling into first love with Eddie.
It’s also a story about gossip, and the kind of hold it can have over people (see? there’s that word again). When word spreads that Eddie has a gun (and no spoilers here, but the kid isn’t exactly Capone), things start to really spiral, from whispers and ostracism to real dangers, like cops and more guns and rooftop escapes.
So “hold” is about wanting to grasp onto people (a new love interest, a sister who’s recently died, one’s friends) and grasp onto a moment (the innocence of pre-adulthood, before the fall). It’s about wanting to remain secure at a moment when everything seems to be shifting, and when guns start rumbling around the edges of the plot. It’s about the desire for detention (for holding back) and the desire for containment (for being held), for safety and for everything to just slow down and let me catch up already.
It’s a nicely complex story that’s still easy to follow and easy to get sucked into. I tore through this one almost nonstop, because I loved the world so. I’d decide to read a bit, and when I looked up, hours had somehow passed and my dogs were doing the Pee Dance and yelping to be taken out already. It was almost as if time had stopped, and I got to keep reading while the rest of the world was on hold.
February 9, 2017
I love Duet Books, and this one sure as hell did not disappoint.
Luke is an interesting character, who realises he can stop time. He's still grieving his sister's death. He knew it was coming, but that doesn't make it any less awful. One thing that I also love is that he is adopted into a white family like me!
And one day, Luke meets Eddie, and everything changes.
The book is about misunderstanding and not knowing enough. Luke sees and hears things and turns it all in a story he sees as reality. It starts with Eddie's gun.
As a reader, you know you don't get all the information, but you start creating your own stories in your head too about everyone except for Luke. Your views on Wes and Eddie (especially him) are not, uhm, final. You don't know the full stories, you cannot explain their behaviour.
This book shows you what can go wrong if you don't know the full story. Not only Luke acts out of ignorance, but also Dee, and because of those actions this book took a turn I did not expect at all.
Hands up, don't shoot.
I read this book in one go around midnight, and even though it was too late for this shit, I completely lost it at that part.
Oh, I do not recommend reading books around midnight. I also don't recommend reading books that are very Star Wars heavy the day after Carrie Fisher died (*sigh*).
Aside from the amazing stories, all the characters were great. As a theater fan, I loved how involved they all are in theater. Luke is a bit naïve, but the moment he realises things aren't always as they seem, he vows to protect his friends.
Eddie is sweet and characters like him is something we need more in YA lit. I also love how Leigh doesn't ignore the racial identities of both boys.
Dee might be my favourite, but that's because I live for (bisexual) strong female characters, who aren't afraid to speak their minds, but who are also flawed and who acknowledge their flaws and mistakes.
AND MARCUS HOLY SHIT THAT WAS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED- WHAT A PLOT TWIST. Marcus and Luke actually talked about Marcus being ace or are. When Marcus described what he was feeling, I already thought in the back of my mind: "Yep, aro/ace headcanon."
First of all, maybe this doesn't have to be a headcanon. Maybe this will be canon. (He's still figuring it out, so give him time y'all.) (Despite that, should I talk about this in the Ace Book Club?)
Second of all, I may have shredded a tear or two when they actually named the terms.
Honestly, apart from this I don't have much to say. There's only one downside to this book: I want to know more about the Hold. Luke is gifted with this abitily, but it's out of nowhere, and sure he and his friends are curious, but it never gets explained in this book why he can do this and what the Hold actually is, and after a while, no one questions it anymore.
I guess I still do, but I'm not part of the story.
Luckily, this doesn't stop you from enjoying and loving this book.
Luke is an interesting character, who realises he can stop time. He's still grieving his sister's death. He knew it was coming, but that doesn't make it any less awful. One thing that I also love is that he is adopted into a white family like me!
And one day, Luke meets Eddie, and everything changes.
The book is about misunderstanding and not knowing enough. Luke sees and hears things and turns it all in a story he sees as reality. It starts with Eddie's gun.
As a reader, you know you don't get all the information, but you start creating your own stories in your head too about everyone except for Luke. Your views on Wes and Eddie (especially him) are not, uhm, final. You don't know the full stories, you cannot explain their behaviour.
This book shows you what can go wrong if you don't know the full story. Not only Luke acts out of ignorance, but also Dee, and because of those actions this book took a turn I did not expect at all.
Hands up, don't shoot.
I read this book in one go around midnight, and even though it was too late for this shit, I completely lost it at that part.
Oh, I do not recommend reading books around midnight. I also don't recommend reading books that are very Star Wars heavy the day after Carrie Fisher died (*sigh*).
Aside from the amazing stories, all the characters were great. As a theater fan, I loved how involved they all are in theater. Luke is a bit naïve, but the moment he realises things aren't always as they seem, he vows to protect his friends.
Eddie is sweet and characters like him is something we need more in YA lit. I also love how Leigh doesn't ignore the racial identities of both boys.
Dee might be my favourite, but that's because I live for (bisexual) strong female characters, who aren't afraid to speak their minds, but who are also flawed and who acknowledge their flaws and mistakes.
AND MARCUS HOLY SHIT THAT WAS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED- WHAT A PLOT TWIST. Marcus and Luke actually talked about Marcus being ace or are. When Marcus described what he was feeling, I already thought in the back of my mind: "Yep, aro/ace headcanon."
First of all, maybe this doesn't have to be a headcanon. Maybe this will be canon. (He's still figuring it out, so give him time y'all.) (Despite that, should I talk about this in the Ace Book Club?)
Second of all, I may have shredded a tear or two when they actually named the terms.
Honestly, apart from this I don't have much to say. There's only one downside to this book: I want to know more about the Hold. Luke is gifted with this abitily, but it's out of nowhere, and sure he and his friends are curious, but it never gets explained in this book why he can do this and what the Hold actually is, and after a while, no one questions it anymore.
I guess I still do, but I'm not part of the story.
Luckily, this doesn't stop you from enjoying and loving this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2022
Most people who know me know that YA literature, especially LGBT YA literature, is totally my jam. I’ve read a lot. A LOT. I’m guilty of neglecting to write many reviews for what I read for pleasure, because of time restraints and because I do a fair amount of writing about books in my day job. But this book! From the moment I first heard about it quite a while ago, I knew it was going to strike a chord with me. What’s not to love about queer high school kids who love theatre and Star Wars, right?
Rachel Davidson Leigh is a writer who has an extraordinary ability to weave words into sentences that are sometimes magical, sometimes witty, and always engaging. When reading her writing, I very often find myself in awe simply of the way she uses words, as though her writing language is completely new to me.
Hold is a novel that explores themes of self-discovery, grieving, racism, and teenage romance, with a couple of chapters that had me on the actual edge of my seat. I tend to include an often lengthy plot summary in my reviews, but I actually think I’m going to skip that this time around. This novel hits several genres including romance and both realistic fiction and fantasy – you could call it magical realism – and absolutely has a very engaging plot, but for me the strength of this story is in its characterization. All four main characters, primarily Luke but also Eddie, Marcos, and Dee, experience such incredible and realistic character growth all throughout the novel. Never is it contrived, and never is it typical – instead, each character stays true to their own individual realities and struggles. As well, while the story definitely contains angst, the focus is not on the problems of coming out.
Another aspect of this novel that really sets it apart from others in YA literature is its ability to represent many cultures, many sexualities, many truths, and stages of self-awareness. It never, ever feels like the author is trying to hit some sort of benchmark by including several different minority groups in her story. I’ve read books by authors who have done this, and this is definitely not one of them. Each character, each person’s identity, experiences, and background, is completely authentic. This, combined with Rachel’s incredible talent at wordsmithing and phrasing, makes this novel absolutely beautiful and so, so relevant.
Rachel Davidson Leigh is a writer who has an extraordinary ability to weave words into sentences that are sometimes magical, sometimes witty, and always engaging. When reading her writing, I very often find myself in awe simply of the way she uses words, as though her writing language is completely new to me.
Hold is a novel that explores themes of self-discovery, grieving, racism, and teenage romance, with a couple of chapters that had me on the actual edge of my seat. I tend to include an often lengthy plot summary in my reviews, but I actually think I’m going to skip that this time around. This novel hits several genres including romance and both realistic fiction and fantasy – you could call it magical realism – and absolutely has a very engaging plot, but for me the strength of this story is in its characterization. All four main characters, primarily Luke but also Eddie, Marcos, and Dee, experience such incredible and realistic character growth all throughout the novel. Never is it contrived, and never is it typical – instead, each character stays true to their own individual realities and struggles. As well, while the story definitely contains angst, the focus is not on the problems of coming out.
Another aspect of this novel that really sets it apart from others in YA literature is its ability to represent many cultures, many sexualities, many truths, and stages of self-awareness. It never, ever feels like the author is trying to hit some sort of benchmark by including several different minority groups in her story. I’ve read books by authors who have done this, and this is definitely not one of them. Each character, each person’s identity, experiences, and background, is completely authentic. This, combined with Rachel’s incredible talent at wordsmithing and phrasing, makes this novel absolutely beautiful and so, so relevant.
February 26, 2017
The first few chapters of this book just about ripped my heart out, and I wanted to slap Wes in the face for bugging Luke :-(
Luke is at a point where even discovering superpowers isn't exciting to him because he's so numb to the world. Thank heavens he's got Dee and Marcos. Is it weird that I love these side characters even more than Luke? Because I do. Marcos is a dorky breath of fresh air, and Dee is that energetic extrovert you hope will adopt you as a friend, and I love them both so much.
And Eddie... I totally get why Luke finds him fascinating. His sparkle and energy just jump off the page. Add to this that he's beautiful and immune to Luke's 'Hold' and that Luke misunderstands what Eddie is like at first, and the mystery captivating Luke is complete.
Luke is about the most self-doubting, messing-everything-up kind of superhero I've ever read about - which makes his journey in this book uncomfortably relatable at times. I have a tendency to do and say exactly the wrong thing, too. Thank heavens it all turns out all right in the end :-)
Luke is at a point where even discovering superpowers isn't exciting to him because he's so numb to the world. Thank heavens he's got Dee and Marcos. Is it weird that I love these side characters even more than Luke? Because I do. Marcos is a dorky breath of fresh air, and Dee is that energetic extrovert you hope will adopt you as a friend, and I love them both so much.
And Eddie... I totally get why Luke finds him fascinating. His sparkle and energy just jump off the page. Add to this that he's beautiful and immune to Luke's 'Hold' and that Luke misunderstands what Eddie is like at first, and the mystery captivating Luke is complete.
Luke is about the most self-doubting, messing-everything-up kind of superhero I've ever read about - which makes his journey in this book uncomfortably relatable at times. I have a tendency to do and say exactly the wrong thing, too. Thank heavens it all turns out all right in the end :-)
December 28, 2016
4.5 stars- Unique storyline with fantastic YA characters
I generally steer clear of YA books, and yet this one caught my eye. I was first intrigued by the title and cover, then reeled in with the positive reviews echoing the same sentiment- "better and very different than expected". I completely agree. The first third of the book I was sure I once again stumbled upon a well- written YA book I'd struggle to connect with. The main character, Luke, is the awkward theater kid who's adjusting to life after the death of his sister. Then there's this sci-fi addition to the plot in which he can stop time. It appeared as though there would be a lot of storylines introduced, the writing felt a little stilted, and I wasn't convinced everything would come together. And then it did, and I couldn't stop reading. The story, the characters, their struggles- I was completely sucked into the story.
The stoppage of time does play a central role to the story, but it's not really a sci-fi book. Rather, Hold focuses primarily on Luke and his relationships with his two best friends, a newcomer to the school, and his classmates. Miss Leigh does a wonderful job creating and embracing Luke's awkwardness. The pacing, his internal thoughts, and dialogue all reinforced that feeling of not quite feeling comfortable in one's skin. I thought the dialogue and reactions reflected the age group well, but it never felt too immature for me to enjoy. I really liked that the characters were different than what I've typically seen in the romance genre, YA or contemporary. Luke is Indian and adopted. The other main character, Eddie, is a refugee from Liberia. Luke is gay and Eddie is bisexual. There's a secondary character who is on the aro-ace spectrum. It's a unique set of characteristics and the author handles those elements and how they impact the relationships and personalities really well. The romance is focused on a blooming young relationship, so there isn't heat, but the attraction and pull towards another is written really well. Most intriguing were the conflicts and resolutions. They were so different than I ever anticipated. There were twists, but they made sense and drew together all the different elements that initially felt unrelated. The resolution was satisfying but didn't feel overwritten, more of a happy-for-now ending. I think any fans of m/m YA or readers looking for something a bit different will enjoy this book. It certainly will stick with me for a while, and I'll be watching for more from the author.
I generally steer clear of YA books, and yet this one caught my eye. I was first intrigued by the title and cover, then reeled in with the positive reviews echoing the same sentiment- "better and very different than expected". I completely agree. The first third of the book I was sure I once again stumbled upon a well- written YA book I'd struggle to connect with. The main character, Luke, is the awkward theater kid who's adjusting to life after the death of his sister. Then there's this sci-fi addition to the plot in which he can stop time. It appeared as though there would be a lot of storylines introduced, the writing felt a little stilted, and I wasn't convinced everything would come together. And then it did, and I couldn't stop reading. The story, the characters, their struggles- I was completely sucked into the story.
The stoppage of time does play a central role to the story, but it's not really a sci-fi book. Rather, Hold focuses primarily on Luke and his relationships with his two best friends, a newcomer to the school, and his classmates. Miss Leigh does a wonderful job creating and embracing Luke's awkwardness. The pacing, his internal thoughts, and dialogue all reinforced that feeling of not quite feeling comfortable in one's skin. I thought the dialogue and reactions reflected the age group well, but it never felt too immature for me to enjoy. I really liked that the characters were different than what I've typically seen in the romance genre, YA or contemporary. Luke is Indian and adopted. The other main character, Eddie, is a refugee from Liberia. Luke is gay and Eddie is bisexual. There's a secondary character who is on the aro-ace spectrum. It's a unique set of characteristics and the author handles those elements and how they impact the relationships and personalities really well. The romance is focused on a blooming young relationship, so there isn't heat, but the attraction and pull towards another is written really well. Most intriguing were the conflicts and resolutions. They were so different than I ever anticipated. There were twists, but they made sense and drew together all the different elements that initially felt unrelated. The resolution was satisfying but didn't feel overwritten, more of a happy-for-now ending. I think any fans of m/m YA or readers looking for something a bit different will enjoy this book. It certainly will stick with me for a while, and I'll be watching for more from the author.
October 30, 2016
Like Hermione and her time turner, or Bernard and his watch, I think most of us can relate to wishing for the magical ability to control time. Whether that be to travel backwards or forwards, to have a do over, or simply to press pause and catch your breath amidst the chaos of a fast paced world that steams on regardless of what’s happening in your life. Therefore the premise of Rachel’s Hold was immediately one that caught my eye.
I expected a fun, slightly angsty (because it’s never easy to mess with time) adventure set in a school looking at how time manipulation can work in your favour. What I got instead was a highly original, bittersweet, heartache of a book with a beautiful exploration of grief, life as a minority and intersections between race and sexuality, the bullying and bullheaded posturing of the privileged, unconditional friendships being tested, and a romance born of lies, hope and miscommunication.
Luke’s fear born from years of being a target based on the colour of his skin, coupled with the recent and tragic loss of his sister, makes him an interesting protagonist. He spends a lot of time in the book stuck inside his own head, sluggish in his observations, dwelling on aspects of the plot which others might not think were there most relevant. He neglects to trust his friends when it counts, disappearing into his own world and the secrets he keeps.
In his relationship with Eddie, he forms a secret connection which explores their shared experiences as well as his inexplicable need to please. This factors into their shared theatrical dreams, with Luke taking on the reluctant role of director to Eddie’s actor. Hold is a very clever metaphor for overcoming the instinct to shy away from decision making. Whilst the time freeze aspect does fall slightly into the background behind the exploration of the emotions it evokes and the moral complications it triggers, it is none the less a driving force behind the way the boys see each other. And the climax is a heart pounding race to fix the issues that arise because of interference. Issues that may be deadly.
Hold is a book which puts time on a limit and demands you live life without holding back. It’s angry and fierce, pushing the boundaries of YA in bold and unexpected ways.
I expected a fun, slightly angsty (because it’s never easy to mess with time) adventure set in a school looking at how time manipulation can work in your favour. What I got instead was a highly original, bittersweet, heartache of a book with a beautiful exploration of grief, life as a minority and intersections between race and sexuality, the bullying and bullheaded posturing of the privileged, unconditional friendships being tested, and a romance born of lies, hope and miscommunication.
Luke’s fear born from years of being a target based on the colour of his skin, coupled with the recent and tragic loss of his sister, makes him an interesting protagonist. He spends a lot of time in the book stuck inside his own head, sluggish in his observations, dwelling on aspects of the plot which others might not think were there most relevant. He neglects to trust his friends when it counts, disappearing into his own world and the secrets he keeps.
In his relationship with Eddie, he forms a secret connection which explores their shared experiences as well as his inexplicable need to please. This factors into their shared theatrical dreams, with Luke taking on the reluctant role of director to Eddie’s actor. Hold is a very clever metaphor for overcoming the instinct to shy away from decision making. Whilst the time freeze aspect does fall slightly into the background behind the exploration of the emotions it evokes and the moral complications it triggers, it is none the less a driving force behind the way the boys see each other. And the climax is a heart pounding race to fix the issues that arise because of interference. Issues that may be deadly.
Hold is a book which puts time on a limit and demands you live life without holding back. It’s angry and fierce, pushing the boundaries of YA in bold and unexpected ways.
December 9, 2016
Luke Aday is grieving the death of his sister from illness, learning again how to live in the world, just trying to make it through high school. There’s enough story there for any person. But instead he discovers he can pause time.
This novel immediately engaged my heart and mind. The writing is uncomplicated and lovely, with layered humour and sweetness. Davidson Leigh understands ordinary truths about loss and friendship and growing up. She had me nodding and saying “yes, that exactly,” as I read. And yet despite that depth it was never work to read. I wanted to know, wanted to watch Luke wake up to everyday feelings, geek about his unexpected superpower, enjoy his adorable friends and theatre and movies and food and crushes, find he’s still breathing, still going to be breathing for years.
The characters are innately human. Luke is the POV character and we know and love him all the way through. But his best friends and charming new kid Eddie reached out of the page fully formed and existed for me beyond their immediate story. Dee is ferociously bossy, smart and caring and valuable; Marcos is the sweetest person ever and way too laid back to live in the world; Eddie is delightful, secretive but never reserved somehow, comfortable in his skin and a warm light for Luke. Each of them is fascinating because they’re ordinary. I love that heir reactions or feelings are sometimes deeply understandable and other times slightly inexplicable, just a human reaction, like we all have. And oh the friendships and kindness and willingness to risk and forgive between these young people.
It’s a superhero YA book. Exciting things happen. I was on tenterhooks at times hoping it all worked out and not sure how it would. Yet in a way, the book is not about the plot. Or... the narrative of the story is more far reaching than the plot.
I highly recommend this. I have not read a book like it, it made me giggle and tear up and think and it defied my expectations as it explored grief and friendship and new young love. It's revelatory in telling things about life that we already know.
This novel immediately engaged my heart and mind. The writing is uncomplicated and lovely, with layered humour and sweetness. Davidson Leigh understands ordinary truths about loss and friendship and growing up. She had me nodding and saying “yes, that exactly,” as I read. And yet despite that depth it was never work to read. I wanted to know, wanted to watch Luke wake up to everyday feelings, geek about his unexpected superpower, enjoy his adorable friends and theatre and movies and food and crushes, find he’s still breathing, still going to be breathing for years.
The characters are innately human. Luke is the POV character and we know and love him all the way through. But his best friends and charming new kid Eddie reached out of the page fully formed and existed for me beyond their immediate story. Dee is ferociously bossy, smart and caring and valuable; Marcos is the sweetest person ever and way too laid back to live in the world; Eddie is delightful, secretive but never reserved somehow, comfortable in his skin and a warm light for Luke. Each of them is fascinating because they’re ordinary. I love that heir reactions or feelings are sometimes deeply understandable and other times slightly inexplicable, just a human reaction, like we all have. And oh the friendships and kindness and willingness to risk and forgive between these young people.
It’s a superhero YA book. Exciting things happen. I was on tenterhooks at times hoping it all worked out and not sure how it would. Yet in a way, the book is not about the plot. Or... the narrative of the story is more far reaching than the plot.
I highly recommend this. I have not read a book like it, it made me giggle and tear up and think and it defied my expectations as it explored grief and friendship and new young love. It's revelatory in telling things about life that we already know.
November 9, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
2.5 stars
I had high expectations as this book opened to the scene of Luke returning to school after his sister’s death. He didn’t tell his friends he was returning to school, but the bullies are there waiting to torment Luke about everything from the color of his skin to his sexuality. In an extreme moment of frustration, Luke discovers he can stop time. The time stopping aspect was the main draw for me here with this book, but it was not developed and the overall story was not at all engaging to me. I couldn’t find one area of this story that opened up for me to get into it and at any moment I could have closed it and walked away.
After the initial shock of Luke realizing that he can stop time, he tells his friends and they test him to prove it. It’s during one of these tests that Luke stumbles over something that he wasn’t supposed to see. This is then not developed further until it becomes the pinnacle focus at the end of the book.
There was a lot added into this story, but nothing was developed. Eddie and Luke work on a drama project together and there were endless pages of them going over the same monologue. Luke becomes attracted to Eddie, but the journey of that storyline wasn’t handled well for me either. There were also many pages of characters discussing a movie they went to see and there was not much to hold my attention. Luke has always been attracted to his friend Marcos and then that story is worked in. However, Marcos wasn’t a prominent on page character until, again, toward the end, where his sexuality then became a focal point, but there was no true exploration of his character.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
2.5 stars
I had high expectations as this book opened to the scene of Luke returning to school after his sister’s death. He didn’t tell his friends he was returning to school, but the bullies are there waiting to torment Luke about everything from the color of his skin to his sexuality. In an extreme moment of frustration, Luke discovers he can stop time. The time stopping aspect was the main draw for me here with this book, but it was not developed and the overall story was not at all engaging to me. I couldn’t find one area of this story that opened up for me to get into it and at any moment I could have closed it and walked away.
After the initial shock of Luke realizing that he can stop time, he tells his friends and they test him to prove it. It’s during one of these tests that Luke stumbles over something that he wasn’t supposed to see. This is then not developed further until it becomes the pinnacle focus at the end of the book.
There was a lot added into this story, but nothing was developed. Eddie and Luke work on a drama project together and there were endless pages of them going over the same monologue. Luke becomes attracted to Eddie, but the journey of that storyline wasn’t handled well for me either. There were also many pages of characters discussing a movie they went to see and there was not much to hold my attention. Luke has always been attracted to his friend Marcos and then that story is worked in. However, Marcos wasn’t a prominent on page character until, again, toward the end, where his sexuality then became a focal point, but there was no true exploration of his character.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
February 11, 2018
For months, I told people to read my friend Rachel's book. "It's an LGBTQ YA novel!" I informed them, which was true enough. But now that I have finally read it, it's so much more than that!
This book is about a nerdy group of queer theater high school kids who love science fiction and the worlds they create with each other. When Luke's sister dies, he struggles to find his way at school and discovers he can stop time. Meanwhile, he forms a new friendship that will change his life.
What really impressed me about this book was how easily it slipped from being fast-paced dialogue among witty, nerdy friends about science fiction movies to an incredibly canny on-the-nose look at race, the police, and being a refugee -- some of the hardest issues teenagers deal with, which many of the adults in their lives are really good at pretending don't exist -- yet without being heavy-handedly about those issues. As a teenager I had to deal with none of those things and still came away from many of the books I read feeling like the adult who wrote this lived in an alternate universe where everything was fine and I just had to suspend disbelief and enjoy the book. This book feels current, real, and resonant -- like someone is listening.
Buy this book! Buy it for the teenagers in your lives! Support authors who can write like this!
This book is about a nerdy group of queer theater high school kids who love science fiction and the worlds they create with each other. When Luke's sister dies, he struggles to find his way at school and discovers he can stop time. Meanwhile, he forms a new friendship that will change his life.
What really impressed me about this book was how easily it slipped from being fast-paced dialogue among witty, nerdy friends about science fiction movies to an incredibly canny on-the-nose look at race, the police, and being a refugee -- some of the hardest issues teenagers deal with, which many of the adults in their lives are really good at pretending don't exist -- yet without being heavy-handedly about those issues. As a teenager I had to deal with none of those things and still came away from many of the books I read feeling like the adult who wrote this lived in an alternate universe where everything was fine and I just had to suspend disbelief and enjoy the book. This book feels current, real, and resonant -- like someone is listening.
Buy this book! Buy it for the teenagers in your lives! Support authors who can write like this!
January 11, 2017
A compellingly written book. I found the dialogue and characters to be the highlights of HOLD. Luke and his friends chat, banter and cope with the challenges of life together in a way that feels deeply substantive. They’re funny, smart and enjoyable to spend time with, whether they’re dealing with love and grief or with the development of a surprising new superpower. It’s a great exploration of life as a high school kid – a theater kid – twisted with the addition of a little bit of magic. Fun to read and emotionally gripping.
October 27, 2016
For whatever reason, this book took me a couple of chapters to really get into it. In the beginning, it felt, I dunno…a little…busy? Like, it wasn’t easy to immediately grasp what was going on. That being said, however, once it clicked, Hold had my attention all the way through. I love YA books, and Rachel Davidson Leigh perfectly captured the mood, energy, and mannerisms of high school age teens. All of the characters were relatable in some way. From the bullies to the drama geeks, these were all kids you knew in school, and I would place bets that readers are going to completely fall for Hold’s main trio: Luke and his two best friends, Dee and Marcos.
In the story, Luke is just returning to school after a month-long absence preceding the death of his sister, and now, just a few days past the funeral, clearly still grieving, he isn’t in the mood to take anyone’s shit—least of all Wes’s. Wes is the bullying brother of one of Luke’s best friends, and has been a thorn in Luke’s side for years. Wes is an ass, plain and simple. He isn’t that bright, and certainly isn’t at all original with his jabs—calling Luke, who is Indian, ‘Punjab’, for example. See what he did there? [insert eye roll] But, as I said, Luke isn’t in the mood for Wes’s shit, and escapes to an empty classroom after a hallway encounter with him and his jackass buddies.
Enter the discovery of the superpower. Dun, dun, dunnnnnnnn.
The detailed description in the scene where Luke’s backpack ends up frozen in midair is pretty damn cool. As the catalyst to Luke discovering he can stop time, the scene had to be done right, and the author definitely delivered—as she did with all of the following scenes where Luke uses the Hold. The frozen people and objects, the individual wide-eyed blank stares, I was able to vividly picture each scenario. Extremely cool stuff. I did have one issue with the Hold, though…I would have liked to have more explanation as to why Luke was able to stop time, or how he all of a sudden has this power. I suppose it’s possible he was born with it but is just now finding out about the ability. That seems unlikely, though, and unfortunately, it was never discussed. Also, I would have liked to know if there is any sort of ‘objective’ or higher reasoning regarding using the power: i.e., what is the purpose? But, other than those puzzlements, I was down with it.
I was also down with all of the mystery and suspense surrounding Eddie Sankawulo, who Luke keeps bumping into with nerve-wracking frequency. Eddie is a great character. Fun, popular, smart, and protective of his parents, particularly his mother, Eddie sets his sights on befriending Luke, and sort of tricks him into working on a theatre project with him. The friendship that Luke and Eddie form isn’t an easygoing one. They fight quite a lot, and things are pretty strained, for the most part. Some of which has to do with the burgeoning and confusing crush that Luke has on Eddie, and some of which has to do with the things Luke knows about him. Things he shouldn’t know. Luke makes assumptions based on this miniscule knowledge he thinks he has about Eddie, and it definitely colors his view.
I was also completely on board for the friendship between Luke and Dee and Marcos. These three were so amazingly fun and likeable together. I loved what they had going on. Their dynamic was fantastic. One hilarious example:
She shrugged. “What about tests? You could take a potentially infinite amount of time on all of your tests, and no one would ever know.”
Marcos’s eyebrows shot skyward as Luke dropped the notes back into his hand. “Wow! And here Luke was planning to misuse his powers to save the universe. Thank goodness you reminded him to cheat on tests.”
“I can hear sixty years of superheroes crying into their capes,” Luke said, his hand to his ear.
“I dunno, Luke. She might be right. They are worth forty percent of your grade.”
I especially adored the bromance between Luke and Marcos, who Luke has had a crush on since Marcos “walked into his life in seventh grade, like a human ray of sunshine who made Luke forget how to spell his own name.”
There is no doubt that the author has a way with words. The writing is so lovely and fresh. Phrases like “The February wind hit him like an accusation…” just jump out at you with their awesome. She has a smooth, easygoing style that I really enjoyed. And, I LOVED the excellent representation of sexual and cultural diversity. There are not enough books with queer people of color, but Davidson Leigh has given us three to celebrate here. Go check this one out, guys! I’ll for sure be keeping an eye out for more from this author.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach Reviews
In the story, Luke is just returning to school after a month-long absence preceding the death of his sister, and now, just a few days past the funeral, clearly still grieving, he isn’t in the mood to take anyone’s shit—least of all Wes’s. Wes is the bullying brother of one of Luke’s best friends, and has been a thorn in Luke’s side for years. Wes is an ass, plain and simple. He isn’t that bright, and certainly isn’t at all original with his jabs—calling Luke, who is Indian, ‘Punjab’, for example. See what he did there? [insert eye roll] But, as I said, Luke isn’t in the mood for Wes’s shit, and escapes to an empty classroom after a hallway encounter with him and his jackass buddies.
Enter the discovery of the superpower. Dun, dun, dunnnnnnnn.
The detailed description in the scene where Luke’s backpack ends up frozen in midair is pretty damn cool. As the catalyst to Luke discovering he can stop time, the scene had to be done right, and the author definitely delivered—as she did with all of the following scenes where Luke uses the Hold. The frozen people and objects, the individual wide-eyed blank stares, I was able to vividly picture each scenario. Extremely cool stuff. I did have one issue with the Hold, though…I would have liked to have more explanation as to why Luke was able to stop time, or how he all of a sudden has this power. I suppose it’s possible he was born with it but is just now finding out about the ability. That seems unlikely, though, and unfortunately, it was never discussed. Also, I would have liked to know if there is any sort of ‘objective’ or higher reasoning regarding using the power: i.e., what is the purpose? But, other than those puzzlements, I was down with it.
I was also down with all of the mystery and suspense surrounding Eddie Sankawulo, who Luke keeps bumping into with nerve-wracking frequency. Eddie is a great character. Fun, popular, smart, and protective of his parents, particularly his mother, Eddie sets his sights on befriending Luke, and sort of tricks him into working on a theatre project with him. The friendship that Luke and Eddie form isn’t an easygoing one. They fight quite a lot, and things are pretty strained, for the most part. Some of which has to do with the burgeoning and confusing crush that Luke has on Eddie, and some of which has to do with the things Luke knows about him. Things he shouldn’t know. Luke makes assumptions based on this miniscule knowledge he thinks he has about Eddie, and it definitely colors his view.
I was also completely on board for the friendship between Luke and Dee and Marcos. These three were so amazingly fun and likeable together. I loved what they had going on. Their dynamic was fantastic. One hilarious example:
She shrugged. “What about tests? You could take a potentially infinite amount of time on all of your tests, and no one would ever know.”
Marcos’s eyebrows shot skyward as Luke dropped the notes back into his hand. “Wow! And here Luke was planning to misuse his powers to save the universe. Thank goodness you reminded him to cheat on tests.”
“I can hear sixty years of superheroes crying into their capes,” Luke said, his hand to his ear.
“I dunno, Luke. She might be right. They are worth forty percent of your grade.”
I especially adored the bromance between Luke and Marcos, who Luke has had a crush on since Marcos “walked into his life in seventh grade, like a human ray of sunshine who made Luke forget how to spell his own name.”
There is no doubt that the author has a way with words. The writing is so lovely and fresh. Phrases like “The February wind hit him like an accusation…” just jump out at you with their awesome. She has a smooth, easygoing style that I really enjoyed. And, I LOVED the excellent representation of sexual and cultural diversity. There are not enough books with queer people of color, but Davidson Leigh has given us three to celebrate here. Go check this one out, guys! I’ll for sure be keeping an eye out for more from this author.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach Reviews
March 13, 2021
That was a bit weird.
Spoilers for Hold.
Hold is a book that very much wants to be many things, but it all jumbles out in a bit of a confused manner. This is the story of Luke, who recently lost his disabled sister to a lifelong illness. She showed the doctors up, lasted far longer than expected, and his backstory with her is shown in retrospectives that are very nice. Luke’s an artist and would sketch his sister as beyond her limitations, would sketch himself as a stick figure so she could identify him in a way that was very connective for her. One day he got distracted on a street and lost control of her wheelchair and that haunted him. It was a grounded, moving relationship told following her passing. Very nice.
Luke is bullied by Wes and his gang, the brother of his best friend Dee, has a crush on his other friend Marcos, and during the earliest pages of the book discovers he has an ability to stop time. As one does.
I’m organizing my thoughts as I type this review. I was frequently confused by the writing style. It wasn’t always clear what was happening, or why, and I frequently had to re-read paragraphs a couple of times to grasp a point. Perhaps I was a distracted reader, but I usually don’t have that issue. Why could Luke stop time? I don’t mean cosmically why. There’s great dialogue in here about superhero origin stories and heroes versus villains and all of that was great stuff. It wasn’t clear to me how he implemented the process. Originally it was strong emotion. Then it seemed like he could stop time by repeating words in his head. Perhaps it was always strong emotions? I feel like he could do it more at will later. That bit wasn’t clear to me and it felt glossed over, or was shown and not told, but I didn’t pull enough details from the narrative.
So early in the book, Eddie tries to intervene and stop Wes and his gang from bullying Luke, and later that night Luke breaks into what turns out to be Eddie’s house on a dare while time is stopped, finds Eddie in his bedroom with a gun and a whole lot of money, and Eddie seems to be able to move within the hold. Eddie later comes to Luke and says the drama teacher is letting Luke get credit helping Eddie prepare for his class project, and we spent much of the book with Luke helping, or failing to help, Eddie get his acting on.
Luke eventually finds out Eddie is lying about everything, hooks up with Marcos, reconciles with Eddie, goes to his game (I thought this took place in the United States but I believe their football team has a goalie, and I’m less sports oriented than Luke, so letting that go...) and stops time, somehow distracting Eddie on the field, whose mother is badly insulted by Wes, who attacks him and causes a nearly fatal head injury, which was somehow Luke’s fault because they have this mind meld connection within the hold because they’re soulmates or something. Dee tells the police about the gun, the police almost shoot Eddie on the roof of a theater (acting while black) and Luke saves him with the Hold, Dee straightens everything out after hearing what Wes said, Marcos is asexual so no hard feelings, and all is good.
I had a hard time finding out what type of book this wanted to be. There’s a lot about death and loss, mental illness, race relations and sexual identity, but there’s this superhero comic book plot line about the literal ability to freeze time which feels like it should be more than an aside in this story.
If the connection between Luke and Eddie is why Eddie can unfreeze in the Hold, why was it present in Eddie’s bedroom before they “truly” met.
And why did Eddie have more cash than Luke has ever seen in his bedroom?
I love the friendship between Luke and his friends. I love the description at the end, that Eddie will have theater friends and Luke will have his friends and they’ll meet in diners eating a plate of fries and meld their worlds. I love the school theater descriptions, specifically Dee as Madam Stage Manager.
I didn’t love page after page of play practice not knowing if Eddie was an alien about to teach Luke about the hold, or if this was the story of a grieving brother, or a coming of age story. I again feel it tried to be everything and wasted some time in the middle and buried its lead. I think I felt disoriented reading this, if truth be told, and that can be wonderful or not, and it feels like more the second.
I’m truly interested in those with opposing views.
Spoilers for Hold.
Hold is a book that very much wants to be many things, but it all jumbles out in a bit of a confused manner. This is the story of Luke, who recently lost his disabled sister to a lifelong illness. She showed the doctors up, lasted far longer than expected, and his backstory with her is shown in retrospectives that are very nice. Luke’s an artist and would sketch his sister as beyond her limitations, would sketch himself as a stick figure so she could identify him in a way that was very connective for her. One day he got distracted on a street and lost control of her wheelchair and that haunted him. It was a grounded, moving relationship told following her passing. Very nice.
Luke is bullied by Wes and his gang, the brother of his best friend Dee, has a crush on his other friend Marcos, and during the earliest pages of the book discovers he has an ability to stop time. As one does.
I’m organizing my thoughts as I type this review. I was frequently confused by the writing style. It wasn’t always clear what was happening, or why, and I frequently had to re-read paragraphs a couple of times to grasp a point. Perhaps I was a distracted reader, but I usually don’t have that issue. Why could Luke stop time? I don’t mean cosmically why. There’s great dialogue in here about superhero origin stories and heroes versus villains and all of that was great stuff. It wasn’t clear to me how he implemented the process. Originally it was strong emotion. Then it seemed like he could stop time by repeating words in his head. Perhaps it was always strong emotions? I feel like he could do it more at will later. That bit wasn’t clear to me and it felt glossed over, or was shown and not told, but I didn’t pull enough details from the narrative.
So early in the book, Eddie tries to intervene and stop Wes and his gang from bullying Luke, and later that night Luke breaks into what turns out to be Eddie’s house on a dare while time is stopped, finds Eddie in his bedroom with a gun and a whole lot of money, and Eddie seems to be able to move within the hold. Eddie later comes to Luke and says the drama teacher is letting Luke get credit helping Eddie prepare for his class project, and we spent much of the book with Luke helping, or failing to help, Eddie get his acting on.
Luke eventually finds out Eddie is lying about everything, hooks up with Marcos, reconciles with Eddie, goes to his game (I thought this took place in the United States but I believe their football team has a goalie, and I’m less sports oriented than Luke, so letting that go...) and stops time, somehow distracting Eddie on the field, whose mother is badly insulted by Wes, who attacks him and causes a nearly fatal head injury, which was somehow Luke’s fault because they have this mind meld connection within the hold because they’re soulmates or something. Dee tells the police about the gun, the police almost shoot Eddie on the roof of a theater (acting while black) and Luke saves him with the Hold, Dee straightens everything out after hearing what Wes said, Marcos is asexual so no hard feelings, and all is good.
I had a hard time finding out what type of book this wanted to be. There’s a lot about death and loss, mental illness, race relations and sexual identity, but there’s this superhero comic book plot line about the literal ability to freeze time which feels like it should be more than an aside in this story.
If the connection between Luke and Eddie is why Eddie can unfreeze in the Hold, why was it present in Eddie’s bedroom before they “truly” met.
And why did Eddie have more cash than Luke has ever seen in his bedroom?
I love the friendship between Luke and his friends. I love the description at the end, that Eddie will have theater friends and Luke will have his friends and they’ll meet in diners eating a plate of fries and meld their worlds. I love the school theater descriptions, specifically Dee as Madam Stage Manager.
I didn’t love page after page of play practice not knowing if Eddie was an alien about to teach Luke about the hold, or if this was the story of a grieving brother, or a coming of age story. I again feel it tried to be everything and wasted some time in the middle and buried its lead. I think I felt disoriented reading this, if truth be told, and that can be wonderful or not, and it feels like more the second.
I’m truly interested in those with opposing views.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2017
I guess it's just me because nobody else mentioned in their reviews how strange the dialogue and narrative was. I felt like I had been in suspended animation for a hundred years and awoke to find the English language had morphed into some kind of weird-speak. Who talks like this?
Ok, that said, I enjoyed the sci-fi addition to a (expanded abbreviation) LGBT story about a teenager who discovers he can freeze time. But, then I was let down because he never really puts his superpower to any real purpose and it's never explained how it came about.
I just didn't share the enthusiasm that other reviewers did. Color me disappointed.
Ok, that said, I enjoyed the sci-fi addition to a (expanded abbreviation) LGBT story about a teenager who discovers he can freeze time. But, then I was let down because he never really puts his superpower to any real purpose and it's never explained how it came about.
I just didn't share the enthusiasm that other reviewers did. Color me disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2017
Fascinating
I wasn't sure where this book would take me. A boy who discovers he can freeze time and everything. "The Hold" as Luke, Marcos, Dee and Eddie called it. What I thought was the beginning of a superhero story turned out to be a complicated journey of finding love. 4.25 for selfies
I wasn't sure where this book would take me. A boy who discovers he can freeze time and everything. "The Hold" as Luke, Marcos, Dee and Eddie called it. What I thought was the beginning of a superhero story turned out to be a complicated journey of finding love. 4.25 for selfies
February 7, 2017
After a thousand years, I finally finished this book... I must confess I'm a little... disappointed may not be the right word... I was just expecting something different? Maybe I would change the synopses a little bit ... :D
There are a lot of things that I loved about the book, but It was somehow hard to get focused on it. I kept missing something... I think maybe I was missing some... more complex writting? This book, like Simon Vs the homosapiens book, has a very light style, even if it talks about serious issues, it talks about it in such a direct way, that it doesn't really open doors to second interpretations (not that this is a bad thing!) or thoughts. It is what it is.
But, no matter how i kept losing my interest, there are a few points that made me keep reading:
1. Indian Main Character
I TOTALLY LOVE that our main character, Luke, is indian. CLEARLY, CANONLY indian (Luke keeps saying it), not fancasted indian... He is an adopted son, living in America. So, we get to read a lot of situations where people make ignorant comments that are quite realistic!
I loved the scene where he describes the cultural situation with his teacher:
"In third grade, a teacher asked him about “his culture” and got mad when he talked about Spider-Man."
2. Diverse Characters
And we don't stop with Luke. We have Eddie, an African boy, who is described as the "most beautiful boy" to luke lol... and Marcos (I TOTALLY LOVE MARCOS, FIGHT ME), who compares himself with "Manny from Modern Family".... It is just refreshing to have diverse canon characters where they are so easily described... and see, my dear authors? It is so easy to make it without really having to change the story, i mean, you can even add deeper meaning. Man, Harry Potter would make so much more sense if Harry was described as POC.
3. The Friendship
I really love that we get the three friends. They have a strong relationship... I just wish we could see more about them. I love their familiarity around each other... and how they consider themselves as family. I also love that Luke struggles to meet them, even when they are important to him. It just shows how he is dealing with all the things that are happening... but at the same time, I hate how easy it was for them to not be present.
Also, I LOVE THAT THEY ARE ALL GEEKS... SO MANY MARVEL AND STAR WARS REFERENCES!
4. Grief
We can see Luke is grieving. Luke, who withdraws from his friends, who keeps feeling disconnected... who keeps just... going AWOL as he says. I like how present the feeling is, even when it is not that addressed in the book... you can just... see it.
5. Mental illness
Oh dear, I love how how he defends her and, at the same time, feels guilty about some situations. I thought it was very realistic.
6. Racism
Man, this is a big issue, especially at the end of the book... and it really broke my heart. How suddenly Luke gets so scared because what puts Eddie in danger is the fact that he is black (Or as Eddie would say: the reaction of people to the fact he is black aka RACIST).
7. Bullying
We get to see it... in a strange way. There is a character who keeps harassing them and... he just knows how to push the buttons... It is almost background noise... you see the consequences, and there is some scenes where it is clear what is happening... I just wished it was addressed in a different light... but this is what happens in real life... things happen and get lost to a lot of people around you. And when things get quite dramatic (book and real life), it is easy to blame the victim for exploding.
8. Sexuality
This may be one of my favourite topics of the book... Well, we have a gay main character, two bisexual characters, and... MY TOTALLY FAVOURITE, an Aro-Ace character (and boy, did i cry when I read that). I think this was the first book I read acknowledging an aro-ace character.
"This might not make sense to you, but I don't get crushes on people. I just don't." and suddenly, I couldn't get mad at the failed attempt of romance between because it helped them understand how they wouldn't work... and I TOTALLY loved the comparison to Luke and Leia! :)
THINGS I was expecting to be different
Why, people, why does Luke have a superpower?????? Why, how, for what?For kissing his boyfriend
Does it have side effects? I mean, the balance of the universe or something.
Why can It was really confusing?
Also, COMMUNICATION, people. I feel like everything could get solved if they just...talked to each other? like??? It's kinda realistic tho lol
I feel like... nothing really ... got developed? I mean, it did but... I didn't really got the point of the story? Like... We get an open window to a part of Luke's life and that's it? It's just... maybe too young adult for me.
Oh wow, I'm surprised i ended up writing this much! This book just easily talked about a lot of things .... it may be interesting to younger readers, tho.
There are a lot of things that I loved about the book, but It was somehow hard to get focused on it. I kept missing something... I think maybe I was missing some... more complex writting? This book, like Simon Vs the homosapiens book, has a very light style, even if it talks about serious issues, it talks about it in such a direct way, that it doesn't really open doors to second interpretations (not that this is a bad thing!) or thoughts. It is what it is.
But, no matter how i kept losing my interest, there are a few points that made me keep reading:
1. Indian Main Character
I TOTALLY LOVE that our main character, Luke, is indian. CLEARLY, CANONLY indian (Luke keeps saying it), not fancasted indian... He is an adopted son, living in America. So, we get to read a lot of situations where people make ignorant comments that are quite realistic!
I loved the scene where he describes the cultural situation with his teacher:
"In third grade, a teacher asked him about “his culture” and got mad when he talked about Spider-Man."
2. Diverse Characters
And we don't stop with Luke. We have Eddie, an African boy, who is described as the "most beautiful boy" to luke lol... and Marcos (I TOTALLY LOVE MARCOS, FIGHT ME), who compares himself with "Manny from Modern Family".... It is just refreshing to have diverse canon characters where they are so easily described... and see, my dear authors? It is so easy to make it without really having to change the story, i mean, you can even add deeper meaning. Man, Harry Potter would make so much more sense if Harry was described as POC.
3. The Friendship
I really love that we get the three friends. They have a strong relationship... I just wish we could see more about them. I love their familiarity around each other... and how they consider themselves as family. I also love that Luke struggles to meet them, even when they are important to him. It just shows how he is dealing with all the things that are happening... but at the same time, I hate how easy it was for them to not be present.
Also, I LOVE THAT THEY ARE ALL GEEKS... SO MANY MARVEL AND STAR WARS REFERENCES!
4. Grief
We can see Luke is grieving. Luke, who withdraws from his friends, who keeps feeling disconnected... who keeps just... going AWOL as he says. I like how present the feeling is, even when it is not that addressed in the book... you can just... see it.
5. Mental illness
Oh dear, I love how how he defends her and, at the same time, feels guilty about some situations. I thought it was very realistic.
6. Racism
Man, this is a big issue, especially at the end of the book... and it really broke my heart. How suddenly Luke gets so scared because what puts Eddie in danger is the fact that he is black (Or as Eddie would say: the reaction of people to the fact he is black aka RACIST).
7. Bullying
We get to see it... in a strange way. There is a character who keeps harassing them and... he just knows how to push the buttons... It is almost background noise... you see the consequences, and there is some scenes where it is clear what is happening... I just wished it was addressed in a different light... but this is what happens in real life... things happen and get lost to a lot of people around you. And when things get quite dramatic (book and real life), it is easy to blame the victim for exploding.
8. Sexuality
This may be one of my favourite topics of the book... Well, we have a gay main character, two bisexual characters, and... MY TOTALLY FAVOURITE, an Aro-Ace character (and boy, did i cry when I read that). I think this was the first book I read acknowledging an aro-ace character.
"This might not make sense to you, but I don't get crushes on people. I just don't." and suddenly, I couldn't get mad at the failed attempt of romance between because it helped them understand how they wouldn't work... and I TOTALLY loved the comparison to Luke and Leia! :)
THINGS I was expecting to be different
Why, people, why does Luke have a superpower?????? Why, how, for what?
Does it have side effects? I mean, the balance of the universe or something.
Why can It was really confusing?
Also, COMMUNICATION, people. I feel like everything could get solved if they just...talked to each other? like??? It's kinda realistic tho lol
I feel like... nothing really ... got developed? I mean, it did but... I didn't really got the point of the story? Like... We get an open window to a part of Luke's life and that's it? It's just... maybe too young adult for me.
Oh wow, I'm surprised i ended up writing this much! This book just easily talked about a lot of things .... it may be interesting to younger readers, tho.
February 23, 2019
Actual rating 3.75
So I think I liked it? There was a lot going on in the space of 250 pages, and I think maybe it could have done with another 50-100 to flesh things out and give the pacing a bit more of a break? But overall I enjoyed it.
So I think I liked it? There was a lot going on in the space of 250 pages, and I think maybe it could have done with another 50-100 to flesh things out and give the pacing a bit more of a break? But overall I enjoyed it.
December 27, 2019
Hold your dog away. You know where it shoud be tided, simply not my head !!!. With out all this effort, busy work , try to take it in a simple easy way. Ĺeave the others alone.....who is in charge..???.
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