A.M. BurnsRecensioni

Must be read right before other books in the series. 4 stars.

High school can be a confusing time of anyone’s life, and Finn has a few extra challenges: his family has moved from Texas to Colorado just before his senior year and everything is different, he is not exactly a jock nor has he ever been popular, and he is not interested in girls. As he settles in and begins to make friends, he finds out that on the one hand life isn’t as bad as he expected, but on the other it is much worse. His story is one of dealing with a teenager’s everyday obstacles, the realization that he is even more different from others than he suspected, and a lot of new experiences, both good and bad. This story focuses on the emotional side of growing up and beginning to define one’s place in the world. There is not much action or external conflict, but the inner conflict Finn faces is challenging.

Finn’s expectations around living in a small town are not high. He doesn’t even know how he’ll spend his time – until he meets Ivan at the farmer’s market his parents drag him to, and things change. Ivan is involved in the wolf and wild dog refuge his parents run, and Finn is fascinated by the creatures. He soon begins to volunteer at the center, helping out with the animals’ care and getting to know Ivan and Ivan’s friend, Adrian. Finn discovers that he is interested in Ivan, maybe as more than a friend, and hesitantly begins to admit he has feelings for him.

The confusion Finn feels when he realizes that Adrian is almost always around when he wants to do something with Ivan is considerable. Much of the novel deals with the three young men figuring out how they all relate to each other, what attraction means to them both emotionally and physically, and how being asexual (in Adrian’s case) changes a lot of what Finn and Ivan take for granted. The slow blossoming of their three-way relationship is beautifully written, and how they end up deciding and defining who they are to each other was both agonizing and a joy to watch.

I think that the supporting characters also deserve a mention. From the school bullies, who are after Adrian at every opportunity, to Finn’s parents and his younger sister, each of them were as real to me as Finn, Adrian, and Ivan. They each have their own issues to deal with, and whether it was one of the bullies beginning to realize what effect his actions had on Adrian, or whether it was Finn’s sister starting to grow up, they all had a contribution to make.

If you like reading about teenagers discovering the world and defining who they are, if you want to see a three-way relationship develop between young men who are just beginning to explore their sexuality, and if you’re looking for a read that is emotionally intense and heartwarming, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It’s a fantastic exploration of what it means to be “different” on more than one level.


NOTE: This book was provided by Harmony Ink Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

2.5 stars

This is a really sweet book about three teenage boys having a best friend and romance relationship. There are bullies and other teen problems, but mostly everything is fluffy and ideal. I like how the authors worked polyamorous, bisexual and asexual characters into the story. Although Running with the Pack has a lovely cast, it was unable to keep my attention. I think it's a good read for teens.

***copy given in exchange for an honest review***

2.5 stars

This is a really sweet book about three teenage boys having a best friend and romance relationship. There are bullies and other teen problems, but mostly everything is fluffy and ideal. I like how the authors worked polyamorous, bisexual and asexual characters into the story. Although Running with the Pack has a lovely cast, it was unable to keep my attention. I think it's a good read for teens.

***copy given in exchange for an honest review***

Finn and his family just move to Colorado right before he starts his last year of high school. Little does he know that this move would change his life. While Finn and his family are at the farmers market, he meets Ivan and they have an instant connection. So Finn and his mom start to volunteering at he wolf center that Ivan's parents own. The more time they spend together, the more the attraction is there. But Finn is fighting his attraction to Ivan because of his best friend, Adrian. Finn thinks that Adrian has strong feelings for Ivan until the learns the truth about Adrian. Now the three of them are inseparable once everything is out in the open. That is until one night, one of the bullies that pick on Adrian takes is bulling to a whole new level. Shortly after this incident, Adrian goes missing. Will Finn and Ivan find him before something bad happens to him?

I really liked reading this book. I could not put down once I started reading it. I can't wait to read more books by author. And maybe there will be a sequel to this book. Th story had me from the beginning all the way to end. And there are not a lot of books that capture me like this did. I recommend this book to others.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review via NetGalley.

Rating: 3

This book is very easy to get into. It's paced well; the events gradually unfold while allowing the characters to react to them in a believable way. Though this book did not make me laugh or cry, it did tug at my heart strings. Dillon is a likable character. He's mature and he doesn't dwell on things too much.

At the start of this book, Dillon is accused of being part of a gang that robbed a store. The gang members have been trying to recruit him for ages, but he wants no part of it. Even so, his mom thinks that he does, so she sends him to live with his uncle. While there, he falls for Scott, who is openly gay.

All of the main characters, except Dillon's mom, are gay. This is a bit unrealistic, but I like it. If you reverse the ratio to straight vs gay, it'll be pretty accurate. Making the characters gay also eliminates most of the drama that comes with other "LGBT" books. I say "LGBT" in quotes because this book is so much more than that. By taking away most LGBT issues (difficulty coming out, isolation, bullying), this story is able to focus on how the characters develops (rather than their sexual orientation) and the more important topic of gang violence.

The romance in this book was intimate in the way that Dillon and Scott got to know each other before going at it. They also showed respect by asking their partner what they were comfortable doing, which I think is a lesson to be learn by all couples. If you haven't explored the world of LGBT literature, this is a save place to start. While there are some heated moments, nothing is overly graphic or crass.

I love the family dynamic between Dillon and his uncle. They are both open and communicate with each other. Then you have Scott, who has two very loving dads. Most would say both of these families are unconventional, yet they show what a family should be. They communicate and love one another unconditionally.

On top of all this, there is the subplot with the birds which gives the characters a reason to interact. Every element of this book is so beautifully woven that it's impossible not to love these characters and the world around them. If you're looking for a diverse book about a mixed, gay, intercity teen--with an unconventional family--who's trying to rise above his roots while falling in love for the first time, you won't find anything better than this. I don't have any books with gang violence as a plot line, so I will recommend one with LGBT themes instead. I haven't read [b:More Happy Than Not|19542841|More Happy Than Not|Adam Silvera|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1437759419s/19542841.jpg|27669922] [bc:More Happy Than Not|19542841|More Happy Than Not|Adam Silvera|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1437759419s/19542841.jpg|27669922] yet, but the blurb looks promising, and I may have it reviewed before you read this, so feel free skim my other reviews.