Hunter Drake is a singer and lyricist for a boy band. The boy band (for which the book is named Kiss & Tell) got their start after a funny song about poutine went viral. The band is diverse, both racially and with Hunter being openly gay. They are just setting out on their tour for their second album when Hunter breaks up with his longtime boyfriend.
The format for this book was fascinating. The chapters alternated with set lists and entertainment articles. The timeline of those additions skipped back and forth, so I made sure to pay attention to dates throughout. I especially appreciated the excerpts because they rounded out the story beyond what we learn from Hunter's first person perspective.
There were some heavy themes here: of privacy and consent, homophobia and stereotypes of what it means to be gay, racism, and more. Hunter hopes to use his platform and privilege to help queer youth. But he has to learn more about where others are coming from, as he navigates how to be himself. I appreciated seeing a group of male friends who support each other and would have enjoyed even more conversations with the band members.
The writing is absolutely gorgeous. I am a huge fan of Adib Khorram, and I could not put the book down.
Thank you to Bookish First and Dial for this book. These opinions are my own.
The format for this book was fascinating. The chapters alternated with set lists and entertainment articles. The timeline of those additions skipped back and forth, so I made sure to pay attention to dates throughout. I especially appreciated the excerpts because they rounded out the story beyond what we learn from Hunter's first person perspective.
There were some heavy themes here: of privacy and consent, homophobia and stereotypes of what it means to be gay, racism, and more. Hunter hopes to use his platform and privilege to help queer youth. But he has to learn more about where others are coming from, as he navigates how to be himself. I appreciated seeing a group of male friends who support each other and would have enjoyed even more conversations with the band members.
The writing is absolutely gorgeous. I am a huge fan of Adib Khorram, and I could not put the book down.
Thank you to Bookish First and Dial for this book. These opinions are my own.