YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Two boys. Two secrets.

David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl.

On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that plan.

When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long…

I'm currently reading this book with Oakward :)

Chapter 5 (view spoiler)[

So far, here's what I think of the book:

1. Livvy is a really annoying little sister,
2. It's a bit heartbreaking that David takes his mesuarements every week to make sure his male body hasn't developed further... and he's 14, he's gonna be going through puberty and that's gonna feel horrible to him, isn't it ?!
3. David has this all speech on how he's gonna tell his parents that he is a girl, but still hasn't been able to. He has told his 2 friends, though... it's good that he has some support, at least.

4. Leo's mam sucks! She is comming along as this drunk, imatture, doesn't-care-about-her-kids, neglective mother!
5. Leo has a twin :)

So I'm guessing the boys will meet at school, soon, and become friends?! We'll see... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[

So, it was really mortifiying that Harry the bully got a hold of David's mesuaresments notebook! I'm glad Leo put a stop to it :)

And that punch on the nose... Harry deserved it!

I like Leo as a character, I'm wondering why he was expeled from Coverdale highschool?! ... Leo's home life is kind of messed up... he and his sisters are basically raising themselves up alone! His mother, while still there, is very neglective of them!

And about love interests... leo likes Alicia, David likes Zachary (but feels something for leo?!) ... are they gonna be friends only or more?! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[

So, Leo clearly has anger issues and his mam is just nasty (what is even the point in telling your 15 yo son that the world isn't fair so he wont amount to anything? What's the point in crushing him like that, when he is a math advanced student who could very well go to College and get a degree, and get a good Job on something he actually likes)

Now the big question is: what happend in February?! ... As Leo has said something really BIG happend! I wonder what it was? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 24 (view spoiler)[

So, Leo and Alicia are dating and I guess David and Leo are gonna stay just friends.

And... I think I know what Leo's secret is! ... we've been getting little hints through out the book. Here goes nothing...

[(EDIT: I did get the secret right! SO IF YOU DON'T WANNA KNOW THE SECRET YET, DON'T READ! ) ---- SPOILER FOR THE SECRET! ---(view spoiler)[]

I think Leo is in fact a GIRL dressed as a boy, as in, he is a transgender girl, like David is a transgender boy... and that's why they kind of were pulled together, they've been through similar experiences, they identify with each other on a subconscious level (hide spoiler)]. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 25 (view spoiler)[

I fricking Knew it! ... poor Alicia didn't see that comming in a milion years! Now comes the hard part, does Alicia love Leo enought to go through this? To accept him as he is and be with him, as he slowly turns into the boy he so wants to be?

They're only 15, they're in no way mature enought to handle a relationship and go throught this, I guess... so, is she going to break up with him?! ... we'll see... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 34 (view spoiler)[

Leo has really been through a hard time. People have been treating him pretty badly for something he feels, something he has no control of! It's not like he asked to be born this way: in a girl's body, but with a boy's mind!

I'm glad Leo has David! David is such a good friend and I'm so glad he's gonna be going with Leo to see Leo's dad. I have a feeling it's not going to go well ... And Leo‘s gonna be very dissapointed.
I hope I'm wrong... we'll see. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[

I really liked this book, and I think it's absolutely Great to be able to read diverse books like this! :)

The Art of Being Normal is a very important and eye-opening book, as it talks about what it's like to be a transgender teen; but it's so much more than that...

It's a book about 2 teens who have their own secrets and hardships they have to deal with. It's about their struggles to be "normal", to fit in, to find their own place in the world... and it's about their relationships with others, it's about family, it's about friendship and it's about accepting that there is no such thing as "normal" really! ... that we're all different, but still equal at the same time.

I really adored David as a character! And the Friendship in this book is the BEST! ... and I really liked Leo, also.

And the feels! ... I felt so much in this book! There were parts that were just so heartbreaking, raw and real!

I Really enjoyed the last couple of chapters of the book, they were so good! It was getting so good towards the ending, that I have to say I didn't want it to end... I wanted more! :)

I do Hope we get a 2nd book in the future (maybe?!). I definitely would want to read it. (hide spoiler)]

Starting this sometime either today or tomorrow. This has been on my TBR list for way too long :|

Ch3

(view spoiler)[Really interesting start, and explains really well (to me at least) how someone who is transgender might feel in their "biologically natural" (i.e. how they were born) body in comparison to how they feels psychologically or mentally.

I've always had so many questions regarding transgender topics, so I'm hoping this novel will help answer some of those questions.
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Ch7

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So far the only thing I don't like about this novel is that it seems to occasionally switch POV between Leo and David without telling me when it does so (like a handy name at the top of the chapter :P).

I do like that the two main characters are so different from each other though. I'm curious to see how this is going to go in the long run.

But that first interaction between David and Leo? Awkwarddddd >.>
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Ch12

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Holy CRAP. Is bullying really like that in the states? I was bullied in school for a bit but it never got that bad - with physical violence, stealing of belongings and reading of personal material (granted I didn't keep a diary or anything, but still!). What HORRIBLE individuals. If this is how bad things are when they just think David is "weird" how bad would they react if they realised he wanted to be a girl?

This is horrifying ._.
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I'm up to 25%.


(view spoiler)[Harry really is a horrible person. I'm so glad that Leo hit him. It will be interesting to see how David's family will react when he tells them he wants to be a girl. (hide spoiler)]

Ch19

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Okay, bonding during detention over math and drawings is adorable. I love that.
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I'm up to 50%.


(view spoiler)[I was surprised to find out that Leo was born a girl. Hopefully Leo can help David with his problems. Since Leo knows what it's like. (hide spoiler)]

I'm up to 75%.


(view spoiler)[I'm glad that David wouldn't stop trying to be Leo's friend. They both can really help each other. I just hope this trip they take will go well. I'm afraid of what might happen when Leo meets his dad. (hide spoiler)]

I'm finished.


(view spoiler)[It sucks that Leo's dad acted that way. However, not surprising since they tried to tell him he was a jerk. I'm glad that David finally came out to his parents. I was happy and yet surprised that they took it so well. I'm happy for Leo that Alicia was willing to be friends and hopefully in time it will become more. (hide spoiler)]

Ch25

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I am SO glad that sex scene didn't turn into... well sex. They're teenagers and underage and I just do NOT want to read about that AT ALL.
---
Also, LEO WAS BORN A GIRL?

Nice right hook. Seriously. Even more impressive that you basically knocked the guy out now.
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Ch28

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OH MY GAWD. Were they going to RAPE him? O.O
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Ch35

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David's finally had the chance to dress as himself in public! Yay!
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Ch40

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David/Kate (is she going by Kate yet, or still David. I'm not sure) has just told her parents and they're supportiveeeeeee <3

I love that the only real issue with that whole conversation (and aftermath) is the fact that David/Kate was doing some underage drinking ;D
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DONE

(view spoiler)[Absolutely beautiful ending, what with the "alternate ball", Kate coming out to her parents, Alicia coming to see Leo...

Loved it c: (hide spoiler)]