Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads synopsis
Simone Garcia-Hampton is starting over at a new school, and this time things will be different. She's making real friends, making a name for herself as student director of Rent, and making a play for Miles, the guy who makes her melt every time he walks into a room. The last thing she wants is for word to get out that she's HIV-positive, because last time . . . well, last time things got ugly.
Keeping her viral load under control is easy, but keeping her diagnosis under wraps is not so simple. As Simone and Miles start going out for real--shy kisses escalating into much more--she feels an uneasiness that goes beyond butterflies. She knows she has to tell him that she's positive, especially if sex is a possibility, but she's terrified of how he'll react! And then she finds an anonymous note in her locker: I know you have HIV. You have until Thanksgiving to stop hanging out with Miles. Or everyone else will know too.
Simone's first instinct is to protect her secret at all costs, but as she gains a deeper understanding of the prejudice and fear in her community, she begins to wonder if the only way to rise above is to face the haters head-on...
Review
This book was so eye-opening and informative. This was actually the first time I’ve read a book with a main character having HIV and I honestly learnt so much more than I originally knew. This book made me realise how unaware I was about how much people go through and how unaccepting people can be about it!
This is a memorable debut novel with well written character and a large range of diversity. Simone is a strong character which I couldn’t help but love. She accepted who she was, and she accepted that HIV was a part of her life would never change. I loved how passionate she was about musicals and I loved all the references in this book.
This is a book that everyone should read, no matter how knowledgeable you are about HIV. It is also a book that should be read in schools because I learnt more about HIV in this book then I ever did in my years at school. Not only does it talk about a topic a lot of people ignore and don’t want to talk about but it deals with friendships, new found relationships and the importance of family. It’s a coming of age story that everyone should read!
I look forward to seeing what Camryn Garrett writes next.
Rating: 5/5 stars
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