Author: Julian Winters
LGBTQ+ Representation: Main character is gay.
What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Remy Cameron is pretty well-known at school: he is out and proud, surrounded by friends, and is confident that he wants to attend Emory after he graduates. However, when he is asked to write an essay defining himself, Remy does not know where to start. Gay? Black? Adopted? Single? When he meets a surprising new person and starts a new romance, Remy is more confused than ever. How should he define himself?
What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I read a lot of young adult literature--years of working with teenagers and happy memories of reading as a teenager fuel my love of books for teenagers. Every once in a while, I read a book in which the character's voice is extremely realistic: it hits that happy, confusing, hormonal, mature-yet-immature medium of teenage-hood.
How to Be Remy Cameron is that book.
Remy is such a relatable character. Reading his story took me back to my senior year, right before my friends and I went to different colleges. We thought we had it all together: scholarships, essays, senior awards, college majors decided, career paths--but we were actually so clueless that we didn't even know how clueless we were.
And yet, the relationships, friends, family, school, activities, parties, jobs--those were so important when we were juniors/seniors. It's cliche to say that 18-year-olds know everything, but man, I wish I knew as much now as I thought I knew when I was 18.
But enough about me. Let's talk about Remy. The story covers his junior year and his AP English essay, which is very important to not only his grade but his college future. During the story, Remy tries to figure out his identity: he grows closer to and apart from friends, meets a surprising new family member, and learns the surprising identity of a mysterious graffiti artist.
Remy's also awkward as hell around the boy he has a crush on. Again, relatable.
This book is too new to be on The Rainbow Books list--watch this space!
My final takeaway (in 75 words or fewer): I just love Remy and would 100% read a sequel to this book, set twenty years in the future, in which Remy reflects on the man he has become.
I definitely recommend this book to teenagers who want a realistic fiction read without too much heavy drama--and for those who want more drama in their stories, I would recommend they read this story anyway. The discussions of identity would be great in a book club.
Memorable quotes/passages from the book:
- "Sweet tea is the devil's juice. I know it's a southern tradition, but it's sadistic. Iced tea shouldn't be sweetened. It shouldn't even exist. The tangy-sugary mixture of sweet tea and lemonade in an Arnold Palmer is against what I represent" (pg. 60). Editor's note: YES. PREACH ON, REMY!!!
- "Life inspires art, but don't forget our art inspires life too. It's an endless circle" (pg. 137).
- "Labeling sexuality is simply a way for closed-minded people to keep everyone in these neat, tidy boxes. Sorry, I'm not about to conform. I already have enough checkmarks on job applications. What happens in my bedroom isn't going to be monitored too" (pg. 201).
- "Discovery is in the journey, not the destination" (pg. 281).
Other reviews: Kirkus and Leigh Kramer: Reveling in the Now.
If you liked this book, you should read Out of the Pocket, Openly Straight, and Simon Vs. The Homosapiens Agenda.
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