496BC (Apollos' Men #1.5), Kayla Jameth

496BC is a nice, short follow-up to Alexios' Fate and is part of the anthology Lust in Time.

Review by Kazza K

So now I'm on a Kayla Jameth-a-thon having finished both Alexios' Fate and 496BC in the same day and enjoying the hell out of them both.

496 BC is part of an anthology, Lust in Time, and gives you a nice little vignette on one of my favourite complicated couples? Alexios and Galen. I say couples? as King Lykos is Alexios' mentor and therefore sexual partner as well. Galen was Alexios' slave and lover being freed by Alexios as of the end of Alexios' Fate. It is only weeks after the end of book #1 that 496BC takes place.

In this book Galen is the narrator and he was a bit...uncertain. I understood his feelings. At the end of Alexios' Fate, Galen had been made a freedman by Alexios. Now Galen is caught between feeling like he is still a slave, he belonged to Prince Galen for over a decade, not quite knowing where he fits into this new world as Alexios' lover and still not having much say over what goes on. They are now on one of Lykos' triremes, and Alexios is learning military strategy and current politics.

Galen is feeling very insecure of Alexios and Lykos' relationship. The problem is Galen  is jealous. He doesn't know for sure whether he will be left behind by Alexios in favour of Lykos. He doesn't have a skill set, apart from being a personal slave to a prince. Lykos commands a fleet, is older, infinitely more powerful, and worldly. The problem is Galen is having difficulty keeping his jealousy to himself and some crew members of Lykos' fleet decide to show him how they feel, compounding Galen's fear of his position and stature.

However, it is clear that while Alexios has respect and fondness for the older Lykos, Alexios loves Galen. Oooh, and wasn't that made clear in the tent in a camp they were in. I do love voyeurism/exhibitionism. Yes. I. Do.

496BC is only small, and I won't say anymore. You could certainly read 496BC as part of the anthology, Lust In Time, but it is so much better knowing everything that preceded it in Alexios' Fate. There is definitely some nice, sexy reading here and you could read it just for that alone. The author, Kayla Jameth, has let me know that there are more coming out in this series so start at book #1, Alexios' Fate, and then read 496BC in preparation for the next in the series.

Alexios' Fate(Apollo's Men #1), Kayla Jameth

A very enjoyable piece of Ancient Greece and mythology. Well researched and pretty darn sexy!

Review by Kazza K

Prince Alexios of Dicaea is turning eighteen. As per coming-of-age custom his father, King Demetrious, has invited men who would be fitting mentors for his son. Kings with daughters who can marry Alexios in the future. Alexios is only interested in men but it matters little as a) all their daughters are young and won't be ready for marriage until at least another ten or so years, but the betrothal forms a good alliance for the two kingdoms involved, and b) having a wife did not mean you did anything more than have children with them, you could have a male lover easily in Ancient Greece. The Kings who arrive for Alexios' celebration all have good qualities bar one, Theocritus. Theocritus abuses his position and is an all around bastard. But it is King Lykos that Alexios has the most attraction to in all aspects -


The main sail on the lead trireme bore Lykos' symbol, a clenched fist.
What would Lykos be like? He vaguely remembered the king from a visit years ago. Lykos had seemed like a big bear of a man  -huge! - with a hearty laugh...
Why had he thought of the man whose name meant 'wolf' as a bear?

Mentoring in Ancient Greece meant many things, usually a sexual relationship was involved between the older man and the younger male, amongst other life, military and religious education. And the Greeks did not look down on same-sex relations. Intercrural relations were most common and Ms Jameth portrayed the hierarchy of sexual behaviour/activities very well. So, Alexios was interested in his mentoring coming from the older, bear-like, Lykos. I enjoyed that aspect of the book a lot. I liked the relative freedom to take to bed who you liked, within certain bounds.




Meanwhile, Alexios has noticed his slave, Galen, and he is developing an attraction to the handsome young man, two years his senior. Galen is happy to serve Alexios and has been holding back his attraction to the prince. When Alexios lets his feelings be known it turns from oral buddies to so much more. Alexios takes Galen under his wing and his protection, even if it means pissing off one of his father's esteemed guests, Theocritus. Even if it means pissing off his father, as it is one thing to fuck your slave another altogether to have feelings for him. So there is a budding romance between Alexios and Galen. It started out a bit roughly for me as Alexios was taking and not giving, which is typical of someone born to his station in life, but that soon changes and I loved the way Alexios marked him for all to see and protected him. The way he cared for him after Theorcritus abused him. The way Galen was kind, gentle, and loyal.


King Lykos and Alexios are also getting to know one another in more than one way. There is a mutual attraction that both act on in a typical mentoring way. However, as the book progresses, there is a bit of a rivalry between Galen and Lykos. At the ceremonial games Lykos sends expensive almond oil for Alexios to wear for wrestling matches, but it is Galen who anoints his body and makes sure Lykos knows he's getting great pleasure oiling Alexios up. Oh, yeah strike one Galen. Yum, that scene was very sensual. The ceremonial games were to showcase the young men looking for mentors but here it was mainly for Alexios in light of his eighteenth birthday and for his father to gain a political foothold. The games were held in the nude to show the young men off in all their glory. They're also for the kings to get to see the young men in action, for their perusal and entertainment. To see the best, who would win a laurel crown.


Another part of this book, and the reason the series is called Apollo's Men, is that Apollo is using a scrying pool to watch the events going on on earth with his people. He has a particular interest in Cyrus. Until recently Cyrus was a slave, now he is prophet of Apollo. He is of Apollo's lineage and has come to Dicaea as part of Lykos' entourage. Apollo uses Cyrus as a vessel for his visions, and he delivers several prophecy's to Alexios at Apollo's behest. Alexios is a beautiful young man, which Apollo does not fail to miss, at all. He also recognises that Alexios has good intentions - he looks after Galen, his daughter's love the relationship between Alexios and Galen as they watch with their father, he is loyal, and has taken Cyrus on as a friend, even though he was originally a slave. All favourable things in Apollo's eyes, making Alexios even more attractive..

The other back story is that Alexios' father has become increasingly disdainful of Alexios. He compares him unfavourably to his mother, who has been cast out, calling him a whore like his mother. He is angry that Alexios is growing increasingly interested in King Lykos and his slave Galen. The whys of his dislike of Lykos are revealed. Hmm, talk about complicated. And, to add to that, Apollo takes an active part when a dire prophecy is delivered by Cyrus to Alexios.

I really enjoyed Alexios' Fate. I found it thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end. I loved the feeling of being in Ancient Greece - the marketplace, the ceremonial games, think first Olympics, the mentoring of young men by an older well born man, the slave dynamic, and the impact the Gods had on the daily lives of the people. It was all well covered here, and it was brought to life well by Kayla Jameth. Yes, the writing is more on the contemporary side and seemed so laid back and easy to read you could easily be fooled and not realise the depth of research that must have gone into writing this book accurately. The writing makes it appeal to a broader base of readers who like some mythology, some history, but don't want to be hit over the head with dry facts. The writing style makes it an enjoyable ebook. It's a nice homage to a bit of Greek theatre, a soap opera, that the Greeks loved so much in those days. Not to mention there is some very hot sex and this palpable sensuality thrown into the writing. If you like some history, some mythology, with particular interest in Apollo, and how the Gods played a role in this time, not to mention a nicely developed sexual...square?  with a good outcome, then I highly recommend the well named Alexios' Fate.

There is a very detailed glossary at the back of this ebook including a lexicon of the names, terminology and mythos.

See, Jackie Nacht

There was nowhere to go. No escaping. This hate was everywhere, even in my bedroom. I choked out a sob and wondered why everyone thought I was so horrible just for being born this way. There was no way to change myself.

- Review by Kazza K 

A beautiful and apt cover.

I picked out the above quote because it is so true of the hopeless thoughts that engulf young ones being bullied. It certainly makes someone feel there is nowhere to be safe, particularly given the (ab)use of social networking. Jackie Nacht has done a nice job here with this ebook. It's around eighty five pages and it is very easy to read and so relevant.

See is about a fourteen year old boy, Drew, who has had the courage to come out, both at home and at school. Good for him for knowing who he is and being brave. Well, the problem is his parents don't appear enthused, they haven't said anything bad, they're adjusting -

This summer I had decided I wanted to be honest with myself. First, I told my parents that I was gay and then I told my friends. My parents seemed pretty surprised and it was now awkward at home.

That's not unusual. Better if parents can be open and supportive rather than appear conflicted but everyone has their own process to go through, so long as it is helpful. His friends have proved to be downright nasty and he is relentlessly bullied at school. And now he has pictures on line with nastiness attached for the world to see. He has had enough and, after one last act of violence, he decides to take his own life. He grabs a kitchen knife and heads off into the woods out back to commit suicide.

When he's there knife to his wrist, asking for strength to go through with it, another young male the same age appears to him. He's been allowed, via guardian angels, to come to Drew in a dream to help him see what the consequences of taking his own life would mean. What life will be like in the not too distant future.The young man is Mason and says he will be his husband when they are older. Drew finds it all hard to believe so in a somewhat Dickensian way Drew is shown his future by Mason.


This is a very nice book, the meaning clear - it does get better - and Ms. Nacht makes several invaluable points in this ebook 1) There are people to reach out to, even when it seems so hopeless. If you talk to someone they can help - your family, a counsellor, an adult you trust, a friend  2) Parents need to make sure they enquire more about their children. Don't just accept monosyllabic answers to your questions about your child's school, their friends, about your child's life and 3) Love your child and support them. Let them know you care, even if you aren't sure. Good communication and positive actions make a difference.

See is right. Life does get better. We lose too many precious children to suicide every year who lose sight of that. They can only see the hurt in the here and now. It seems so overwhelming. We need to be aware and vigilant. We need to raise compassionate children ourselves who don't bully others. Males are much more likely to take their own lives, and teenage boys even more so.

This book should be picked up by libraries and parents. It is an excellent resource to help open dialogue between teenagers and their families, and possibly some friends. It is fiction and a lovely way to get through to someone feeling low and fragile. I'd like to make a well intended suggestion, some typos need editing first. Even Ms Nacht's surname is spelt incorrectly in the author bio at the end (Knacht) which is a shame.

Jackie Nacht is to be applauded for such a compassionate book. It is entertaining, as a book should be, but above all else it has meaning and is sensitively written. There is nothing inappropriate here for a teenager to read, or for a parent to read with their teenager. Highly recommended reading for everybody.

The Vampire's Partner, Benjamin Cole

I guess I should start with Jeremy. Everything for me starts with Jeremy. It seems like my life started with him.

Review by Kazza K

 

 

Just because I like Ian Somerhalder.
 And vampire is the common thread.

This is a short ebook. MLR Press have a vampire theme going on and I've bought a couple of them. Although I wanted more length - this is very short - I really enjoyed it.

 

I have not heard of Benjamin Cole before, there is nothing on MLR Press and he is not on Goodreads so I shall review the Vampire's Partner here.

 

The narrative is through Tom's eye's. His partner of eight years, Jeremy, is out of town so Tom goes out for a drink at a local bar and is literally mesmerised by a man he can't remember, waking up in a motel room with puncture marks to his neck and inner wrist. He's also feeling the worse for wear. When he checks with the motel clerk he discovers he has been out cold from Wednesday to Friday with sixteen missed calls from Jeremy.

 

And....Jeremy is a red head :)

From here it's a journey of becoming aware of what he now is, a vampire, and how to deal with it. He's been turned and left to his own devices. Why he was turned, as opposed to just a snack or drained dead, is covered. The vampire of Tom's world is described - he can handle small amounts of sun, it makes him lethargic (homage paid to the original vampire novels), he seems to be able to eat food, he craves blood, but mainly from his partner, or what he would consider to be his type.

 

There's not much else to say without covering the whole book but suffice to say there is one sex scene, Tom and Jeremy are determined to make it work, and it ends on a positive.

 

I would love to see Benjamin Cole revise this and make it longer. It could/would make for quite an interesting novella, for example. There is much promise in his writing. This book was edited very well, including grammar and typos. The writing was concise and I liked it. It was quite sensual and interesting but way too short for what I wanted it to be and for full characterisations. I hope this is the start of an interesting career for Benjamin Cole or, if this is a pseudonym, I would like to know what other name he writes under. Consider my interest well and truly piqued.

 

Icicle, Natalie Vale



**This review contains spoilers**

"I think maybe I already had what I wanted, at home. But I didn't see it for what it was. There was always somewhere else to be, and if I got there, something great would happen, or everything would seem different, but...."

 "But," he says, "there was nothing. Only changes in scenery...."

- Review by Kazza K 

This short ebook covers several themes I like - a contemporary M/M romance, paranormal, in this case via a ghost, and some history.

When we first meet Sean he is on the road, travelling, looking back at his life and a significant relationship through somewhat regretful eyes. Sean was in a committed relationship with Zack. There was nothing wrong with their relationship, yet Sean had a need to go elsewhere, leave his job, his partner and travel. Zack was happy and content doing simple things but he'd accommodated Sean in his wanderlust. Sean didn't see that as enough, it was time for him to move on again. Only this time on his own. He felt like there's much he was missing out on. Although what it is he wasn't sure -

"What's wrong with being here?"
"I don't want to be here. I've seen it all already. There's nothing new."
"Why does it have to be new to be worth anything?"

Which is a pretty fair question posed by Zack. Something that Sean starts to appreciate more after ten months of travelling to new towns, new 'adventures' that aren't so great. Searching so hard that the little things, that can be so great, may just pass you by, and you can risk missing something special and worthwhile. This time Sean is on the road, again, thinking of Zach - how they watched movies together, laughed at little jokes, or how Zack felt when they made love - when a snow storm blows in leaving Sean stranded on the road and freezing cold -

The wind pummels him, shoves him this way and that, sends him stumbling to his hands and knees. He knows he has to get up, but they might as well be a thousand pounds holding him down. He's a sieve for the snow to pass through....It's hard to breathe and harder to think....
An icicle hangs from one small branch, perfectly sculpted. This is what he'll be by the end of this storm. He'd like to conjure up a worthy final thought. Something beautiful to focus on....He sees Zach on an afternoon ages ago...When it was still about the two of them, not Sean and his whims.

But as he is slipping into sleep a dark figure appears in a long black coat and much needed heat, even though his hands are not gloved they are warm. Next thing you know Sean awakens in a cabin in the snow with a distinguished looking older man, Ezra.  Ezra is helpful, yet has a sadness, a loneliness that Sean can relate to. Yet Ezra looks after Sean, feeds him and keeps him warm in this little cabin in the snow.

It's not long before Sean works out that Ezra is a ghost. A ghost who fought and died in the Civil war. He still wears the Union blue trousers with an officers stripe. Ezra tells Sean of his experiences with a young man, William, and his heartache at what becomes of him. How he enlisted so he, too, could die and be with his William. He is also unsure why he hasn't passed over to another plane, felt sure he would have found his William before now -

"William was buried near the field where he died. Everywhere we fought, I wondered of I'd found my grave, and I'd estimate the distance to his. Being only one state away was reason to be glad. The closer we were, the sooner I'd find him in the next world, I was certain."

I won't go into anymore detail, as it is a lovely read and I've already written enough. Needless to say Ezra is a huge catalyst in Sean's life, causing a significant shift in his attitude about what/who constitutes something important....and wandering aimlessly is not it. Sean also brought much to Ezra as well. They both needed one another to be able to move on.

Icicle is not a long ebook, however it is a lovely, romantic one. With some meaning. Loneliness can be there for the taking easily enough. but happiness is something that starts with your own outlook. I have come to enjoy stories where there is a ghost in them recently, and this is another that I very much enjoyed. Ezra was kind and wise. I was glad to see Sean have a change of heart, and I liked the ending very much.  

I would have loved this ebook to have been longer. I really think it could have been something really special with extra length. I would have liked to have seem more of Sean, Zach, Ezra, and I would have liked to have met William.

I highly recommend Icicle for those who enjoy a quick, sweet book with a contemporary setting, but with  a paranormal theme involving a ghost. Also for those who like the concept of second chances with a nice ending.

The Delaneys, My Parents and Me (The Delaneys Book #6), Anne Brooke

 

Witty, offbeat, charming and sexy. I can totally relate.

-Review by Kazza K

 

 

 

This is one of the best covers for a series.
Just look at Liam's eyes.

Liam O'Connell is taking his twins, Mark and Johnny Delaney home to meet the parents. Knowing the dynamic it's the Delaneys insisting on meeting Liam's parents. Sounds pretty official - meeting the folks. Being the art appreciators that they are, the Delaneys like the sound of Liam painting again. Liam's dad is an artist, there could be some inspiration springing forth for their boy, Liam, from his dad.

I must say that eating lamb casserole became a, er, hard task for Liam, but Mark took it in hand. Johnny did his usual -pointing out they were at Liam's parents place so no brutality should occur -

"Don't forget," Johnny murmured in his brother's ear, "this is a social call, not a business meeting. No need for any confrontation. Not with Liam's family."
Mark sighed. "Yes, I know. I was only going to talk. I'm not armed, you know. Not tonight."

The dialogue was sharp and witty and I loved Liam's father and mother -

"We've heard so much about you, but none of it from Liam."
Mark snorted. "We don't allow him a lot of time for talking."

"Sit down," Mark said, the shadow of a snarl in his voice. "I was talking with your mother." I sat, clutching the wine bottle like a comfort blanket. Both parents stared at me, but, as per usual, it was my mother who recovered first. "Goodness me," she said. "I think it must be the first time my son has obeyed a command since he was five years old and even then I'm sure it was a mistake. I  must say, Mark, I'm impressed."

So, Liam was...inspired...to, um, paint - I shall never look at blue, red and green art in the same way again. Liam's mother was an absolute hoot and his dad was often in 'full creativity mode.'

There were declarations of affection from Mark, big step -

Mark snorted and shifted so he was gazing straight at me again. "Liam teases me just by being who he is," he said. "Always and in every way." His tone was deadly serious , and I couldn't look away. 

And encouragement from Johnny -

"It's all right," Johnny whispered, so close his breath drifted over my forehead and somehow cleared my thoughts. "Mark will take you places, Liam, but I won't let you fall."

This is the last in the six book series/serial of The Delaneys and I'm so very sad to see my lads leave me. Every ebook was a joy to read. Never long but each one was beautifully written, perfectly edited, and used the English language the way it was meant to be used.  Never once did they fail to make me laugh out loud, and there were some incredibly erotic times - I'll will never see promos for, or watch, the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral again without thinking of Liam's adventure in the movie theatre with his deliciously creative twins. It was this series that introduced me to Anne Brooke and it is with great sadness that I say farewell to Liam, Mark and Johnny.

One Boy's Shadow, Ross A McCoubrey

 

A contemporary LGBTQ YA with a paranormal mystery theme. 

- Review by Kazza K

 

This is an incredibly hard book to review for a multitude of reasons. If I say too much it gives away a number of things that are best read. Some of it is so every day yet reading it makes you  see how lovely it is, how meaningful, and definitely how important. It also has a paranormal element, a ghost, yet it isn't ever anything but gentle, kind, and sweet. That is the best way for me to describe the whole book, the writing style - gentle, kind, and sweet.

One Boy's Shadow has two main threads running concurrently that meet and have a profound impact on all involved. One is about Caleb Mackenzie and his family. Caleb becoming consciously aware that he is gay, dealing with that  himself initially, marking time on coming out. A loving family unit, the best older brother in the universe, first love, a first kiss, good friends. The other is about the tragic history attached to the house Caleb's family have just purchased in their new town, Stapeton. Wakefield House. Wakefield House has much speculation attached to it. What happened to sixteen year old Toby Everett who mysteriously disappeared when out hunting in the snow with his father over sixty years ago?

Caleb's dad has just received a promotion and his family are moving from the city to a smaller town, Stapeton, in Nova Scotia where there is less hustle and bustle. The boys locate a nice sounding house on the outskirts of town whilst on line. The family go to check the property out, staying at the local motel. Caleb gets to meet the owner's son, Shane. Caleb and Shane hit if off and become firm friends right from the get-go.  Caleb's family offer on Wakefield House, apart from the tragic and haunted history the house has so much going for it - it's spacious, on a good size acreage, complete with a barn, woods, clearing, trails and a waterfall. An idyllic life for a family with two teenage boys.

Thread one - Caleb and Shane start a relationship, which is tastefully handled, everything is fade to black and sensibly age appropriate for a book featuring fifteen year old characters. Shane reveals that he once stayed at Wakefield house on a dare, as it were, and Toby saved him at a very dark point in his life. It also builds on the Mackenzie family, the relationship Caleb has with is brother, Blake, which is a very good one. it looks at how happy the family in general are in their new home.

Thread two - is looking at what happened to Toby, with Toby's help, and the persistence of Caleb, Shane, Blake and Ryley, their mutual friend. The trips to the barn, when Caleb's voice is whispered or when lights are on, are always briefly revealing. But most of all the woods hold a lot of answers and much goes on there, always seemingly focused around Caleb -

What are you trying to tell us, Toby?" Shane asked the woods. "What are we not seeing?"
The air grew cold, and the four of us could see our breath in front of our faces. There was a crunching sound of footfalls on twigs, and then silence. My ears rang. Nobody moved.
CALEB

The book takes place over the period of a year and is told from Caleb's POV. Little by little information is unravelled about what happened to Toby and why. It is very well done. Closer to the end all is revealed. It is very touching and also bittersweet. I have to say I knew the way things were going, what was likely to happen, but the journey was a lovely one. I actually cried like a baby at several points in the book. Particularly to do with the rose thicket.

The book is beautifully named. Toby is a ghost, a shadow, who, even though most in sync with Caleb, significantly touches four individual boys lives - Caleb, Shane, Blake and Ryley. Caleb and Blake are brothers, Caleb is fifteen/sixteen and Blake is seventeen/eighteen. Toby is the catalyst for change and people entering each others lives that may not had he not been around otherwise. It looks closely at the how times have changed and there is more hope and positivity for LGBTQ youth.
 
This book definitely looks at current/timely issues in a gentle yet sure manner - being young and gay, losing a parent, family, friendships, relationships, a first kiss, a first love, teenage suicide. All real and important topics in their own right. And for any adolescent reading this review who may be feeling a little down or dark - know that life does get better. There are people to talk to who care. Toby helped people in this book, in your life there are people to help you through the dark times if they come your way. Please reach out to them.

I want to add something else. This book does come off a little shiny at times. Everyone is easily accepting of Caleb, and Caleb and Shane. I know that the author touches on the fact that not every child has such accepting parents/friends. He touches on Caleb's fear of coming out. Nobody has a cross word, which is not true of life, and relationships in general. It is a lovely sentiment, but I would have liked to have seen a bit more on the fact that it isn't always this easy. Caleb doesn't have much angst over being gay, many teenagers do. I know this from personal and professional experience. However, you can say that the parallels between two era's is a way of looking at the fact that things have been extreme without the author being harsh in the here and now. Things have improved, but there is a way to go. If you have the support of family and good friends it counts for a lot. That is a very significant point made here.. 
.
Overall the writing is so strong, the characters so beautiful, that I rated this book as a five star read. Caleb and Shane will forever stay with me, such was their depth of character, and the pureness of their hearts and love. Toby was gorgeous and a reminder that love has lasting power. His story was equally poignant and played well off the contemporary setting.

Caleb and Shane say the most endearing things to one another and I teared up at some of their experiences and declarations -

I don't have my mother's eyes."
"Not in colour, no, but in depth, you sure do. If anything yours are deeper. Sometimes when you look at me, it's like, I dunno, like everything else in the world has stopped, and I just...I get lost in there." Shane was trembling a little. I sat down next to him, and he put his head on my shoulder. "When I look in your eyes, I can see how much you love me, and I never thought anyone would ever be in love with me....I think of how close I came to killing myself and how I would never have known you. I love you so much, Caleb. You're better than anything I could ever have imagined, and you're here....and you're mine. And I'm just so grateful to be alive."
I held him close and whispered gently in his ear, "I'm grateful you're alive, too."

Here the writing touches on the difficulty of being same-sex attracted. It's time to recognise that  love is love -

On Monday night, Shane called me. It felt nice to be able to talk to my boyfriend again like I imagined most couples talked, but it was hard too, as I realized most couples never had to be afraid to let anyone else know they were together. At school I watched kids kissing  and holding hands all the time without so much as a singe thought. Straight couples never worried that they might be called names or get beaten up, or worse, merely for displaying affection and being themselves. For me, it was always at the back of my mind, and when I was with Shane, it was front and centre. I hated that I  couldn't be myself with him, that I had to act like we were friends. I wanted more than anything to hold his hand and let people see us together - but only if there wouldn't be any kind of negative reaction. I felt like coward. 

I believe this is the author's first book, and he should be proud of the end result. Ross McCoubrey has infused so much love into these charming characters. The writing is terrific for gay, bi, or questioning teenage males, in particular. This book should be in community libraries and school libraries for easy access. There is much need for LGBTQ youth to feel that they are not alone. The sheer numbers of male teen suicide is horrendous and when you take the stats of gay teen males who commit suicide this book has much to say that can help and is positive. I highly recommend One Boy's Shadow for lovers of well written LGBT YA.