I had a very hard time reading the scenes about the bullying and hazing that went on in the hockey locker room and in school. I loved watching that relationship grow and progress. Sharing a room, sharing secrets - it made them closer and helped them protect each other throughout the book. They’re twins, so it’s not like they didn’t love each other from the start. The way that Tristan and Robbie grew to care for each other so fiercely. No spoilers, but Robbie’s coming out was exactly what I hoped it would be - an olive branch, a hand reaching toward his brother so they could save each other. And a plus - it was an interracial relationship that was acknowledged as such!Ģ. No insta-love, is what I’m saying! I’ve had enough of insta-love. So when Heather was removed from the picture, Tristan was finally able to see things in a different light, and the relationship progressed naturally. I could tell from very early in the book (basically when Keisha was introduced) that she had a crush on him, but he was too blinded by Heather to notice. I loved this mostly because it was just so sweet. Tristan’s budding relationship with Keisha. I finished it in 3 days, and I regret nothing.

LET THEM LIVE! Anyway, Jerkbait! I was hooked from the very first sentence and could hardly stand to put the book down to work, to eat, to sleep. These types of stereotypes and assumptions need to be done away with, especially when you consider how some sports (ahem, women’s soccer, ahem) are handling the fact that some of the players are queer exactly the way they should - but just letting them live. Not only has homophobia in sports been a thing for way too long, but the assumption that men in musical theater must be LGBT is another thing that needs to be quashed ASAP. Jerkbait is a book that I needed a long time ago.

Jerkbait by Mia Siegert