Fan Art: An Uplifting LGBTQ YA Romance About Love, Friendship, and the Courage to Tell the Truth Paperback – June 7, 2016

Fan Art is one long, long build over the course of almost the entire book to a single climactic moment that is either make it or break it (I won't tell) for the main character, a high school senior struggling to come out of the closet. Jamie is creative and friendly, and it seems like a lot of his classmates already know he's gay without him saying. He's got a huge crush on his best friend, Mason, and he yearns to say something, but he's halted by crippling doubt. The characters in this book, both young and old, are realistic and well-drawn. And the long, slow build is frustrating at times because you are rooting for Jamie. Fan Art is a great example of successful gay YA coming out/coming of age fiction. I heartily recommend it.

"It’s not about being gay or straight. It’s about finding an ally in a sea of bullies, finding love in a storm of hatred."It isn’t. And Fan Art isn’t solely about fanart or even just about love. It is about life. What to do when all you’ve dreamed about and anticipated is the future, and what happens when that unforeseeable future is catching up. When you have to make choices to either let life define you or having the choice to define the kind of life you’ll live.When I choose books this days I’ll read a couple of reviews, the balance for the good reviews outweighing the bad ones, but I tend to read two or three one star reviews. In this particular instance, something popped out-you know the whole highlighted bolded parts. It was talking how the whole book was about the MC coming out to the Love Interest, and another comment regarded to how oblivious the MC was in regards to the love aspect.The MC in question is Jamie Peterson. He’s a senior, part of the Gumshoe and he’s out. Except only to his parents. Although, it seems, everyone knows. Excluding Jamie’s best mate, Mason. Jamie at one point does mention that he didn’t play with dolls, and I didn’t take it as-oh I’m masculine because I didn’t. Sometimes his character did irk me, dare I say? Merely because he tended to judge quite a bit. For instance with Eden, and how he kept going on about how she was annoying, but still wanted to confide in her and he thought she was the only who understood. But want to know what I discover? This books are meant to portray characters in a fresh and unique way, as to how some of us are at one point in our lives. Maybe were in the characters age, or maybe, and some people might have a problem with this, we are in our twenties or thirties or even fifties reading young adult books, because of whatever reason.The thing is that with this characters they are flawed, at least some. Because human beings are flawed. How many of use judge, get annoyed at our friends, make it all about us? Think that we are the only ones with problems? Guess what? That is okay because we are the only ones living our lives. You aren’t living your friends, or the teacher, or your sister, etc. And so, here we read about Jamie, whose mom accept him, yet he is embarrassed by it. “He should feel grateful!” some ( some people hate generalization) people yell, as they ready their lynches. Do I feel grateful that my parents accept I’m straight? Well, I never had to think about it, but I do get rather embarrassed if they ask me if I have a boyfriend every time I see a relative. So, why is it different because Jamie is gay?Jamie’s whole dilemma is about Mason. WRONG. Perhaps, I’ve just read a different book. Personally, I almost shouted but not enough Mason x Jamie scenes. They go days without a scene together (days, I’m treating it like an episode blame Orphan Black) and, I, for one back in high school I use to see my best friends every single day. Except Sundays. Family Day. I wanted to know why he fell for him. How they interacted. Admittedly, that fell a tiny bit flat. Why? Because they barely interacted together. So for other who are saying it was all about Mason? Point it at me. Was it because he kept thinking about coming out to him? Reasonable, and even though there is no indication that he’d reacted badly, guess what it is a sound fear. There are people out there with loving parents, best friends from childhood, that are being turned away, homeless, because of their sexuality.As to how Jamie didn't see Mason interest in him? Readers, I'm the type to be oblivious when it comes to me knowing if my crush likes me or not. I'm fine with everyone else, but come to it being the one I like and he can be winking and I'd think he got something in his eye. I need the "I LIKE YOU!" so....calm down. Not everyone can be as awesome at reading people as you. Remember that.To reinforce this not being a revolving story on Mason, which is okay if it was (lot’s of YA contemporary fiction is), we have interaction with the Twins, with the staff at Gumshoe with Eden, Challis, the guys, and on and on. The most prominent and the one that I want to talk about is this comic book. About the banning of gay comic book, and how just because it was two guys kissing at the end the voted it off. Stating no plot, had it been a straight couple, would it have been a different scenario? And it was about Jamie standing up to his fears.All wasn’t resolved, but I’ve learned that we get a part of a characters life. We interrupt and get a glimpse and hope to be entertained, take something from it. We can’t know every little aspect and nuance, event that a character goes through. Just as someone wouldn’t be able to summarize or compartment our lives into a 300+ page book.A thought a day, younglings.Check out more of Fan Art pictures at: www.Keepholdingontobooks.Tumblr.com

Apart from being very pleasantly surprised that this story took place in Boise, Idaho. Being an myself Idahoan I was ecstatic, especially they went to McCall a place that I have visited for camping trips since I was a baby. All of the books I've read this summer either take place in Seattle or Arizona there is no in between so when the book mentioned McCall I was so surprised I didn't know what to do but put down the book and stare at my wall. Overall that really helped along my appreciation for this book as I could genuinely see the environment since some of the locations I've actually visited. Which is a first for me. May I also say that the author nailed Idaho high school life on the head.Aside from that I loved the story a lot and the poems that were shared in the story were beautiful. I especially loved Mason's 'at night I dream' (at least I think that is the name). It really struck a chord within me.100/10 potatoes

I loved the realistic aspects of this novel and that they didn't try to sugarcoat homophobia or any kind of fear. Jaime caught me from the first few pages. The struggles he faces are nothing short of funny, awkward teen who happens to be in the closet. It's cringe worthy at times, and yet you don't dare stop reading. The climax at graduation was twisted, though captivating. But it was an all or nothing situation. A bit anticlimactic as it's a short bit which buzzed my excitement but still a good build nonetheless. I would definitely read it again in the near future as the characters were excruciatingly loveable in their trudge through surging high school.

Loved how sweet and cutesy this story was. I was totally rooting for Jamie. I, like the fan girls in the book, really wanted him to have a happy ending. I liked how there was just enough angst to keep the story going and just enough fluff to keep it romantic. I simply adored all of the characters. The author did a fantastic job making realistic characters who are likeable.

A quick, easy read. The writing is sometimes a little oversimplified, which made it a little difficult to get invested in the story in the beginning. The interim does sort of drag a bit, but I found the details to be interesting enough to distract from their frequent irrelevance to the plot. A little predictable as well, but I still enjoyed the journey towards the conclusion. I wish the main characters had been a little bit more described (or explained?). Lots of small hints about certain characters lead me to feel like the author was struggling to condense a much bigger world, which left me with a lot of questions.All that aside, I liked the story, with all its nooks and crannies. I liked the characters too, despite the limited details we got about some of them. I found a lot of the highschoolisms too be funny and nostalgic for me as well. The story also didn't consume itself with the romance element, too, which I appreciated since it left a lot of room for a bigger message.

This was a cute book if you can get past the major contrivances that it takes to get to the final resolution. Some of the things the characters try to keep in denial about are completely obvious to the reader and I would have appreciated a little more subtlety for the sake of keeping me in suspense.

I liked the book, but it was clear it was written by a woman. The meddling "fangirls" irritated me, and the story felt more like the writers fantasy than an actual story about two boys finding each other. But I read the whole thing anyway and in the end it was more enjoyable than not. I would not necessarily recommend this book to lgbt+ youths as it did not feel something real you can relate to, but more like something a "fangirl" would enjoy.

I loved this book its not a book you need to think to hard about its just a lovely break from the real world

Its awesome