Gender-fluid teen, Riley comes to terms with the one thing that tends to be pretty solid, ones sexuality. Yet Riley never really has the compass needle pointing to one solid gender….it bounces back and forth, depending on the day, mood and events around them. In hopes of coming to an understanding of who they are, and to fulfill their therapist’s request of possibly starting a blog, Riley starts an online journal that takes on a life of its own. Dealing with contemporary issues, Garvin adds to the novels of the new teen. — Jeanette
Riley is a teen struggling with moving to a new high school, being the child of a congressman during a busy election season, and coming to terms with being a gender fluid individual. This is a book every teenager should read to learn compassion and understanding for others who fall outside of the socially accepted norm. A compelling read that will keep you hooked from the very first page! — Laura Knapp
Starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist * YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers * ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults List * 2017 Rainbow List
A sharply honest and moving debut perfect for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Ask the Passengers.
Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. But Riley isn't exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in über-conservative Orange County, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley's life.
On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it's really like to be a gender fluid teenager. But just as Riley's starting to settle in at school—even developing feelings for a mysterious outcast—the blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter discovers Riley's real identity, threatening exposure. And Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has created—a lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe in—or stand up, come out, and risk everything.
From debut author Jeff Garvin comes a powerful and uplifting portrait of a modern teen struggling with high school, relationships, and what it means to be human.
Before becoming a writer, Jeff Garvin acted in films and TV and was the front man of a nationally touring rock band. He is the author of Symptoms of Being Human, which was a Lambda Literary Award finalist and was also named one of the YALSA Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, was an ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, and was on the 2017 Rainbow Book List, and The Lightness of Hands. Jeff lives in Southern California, surrounded by adorable, shedding beasts.