If This Gets Out

I think I added this to my list because it was on a banned-book list for "LGBTQ and sexual themes." OK, so it's a young adult romance with a really fun premise: who doesn't want to follow a Boy Band behind the scenes on tour to Europe and see two of the band's lead performers fall in love? This clearly reads like fan-fic for boy band stans, and yet: I found it not only fun but also a great primer for what I would want my middle/high school kid exposed to when thinking about issues of consent, control, identity, authenticity and autonomy. This might feel fluffy because it's a YA romance, but it also does a great job tackling important topics in a relatable way, without it feeling like a lecture. Really fun as an audiobook, and I would shamelessly listen to a sequel.

I have a truly embarrassing amount of feelings about this book. Zach/Ruben 4 lyfe. Honestly, though, this was a fascinating exploration of the dark side of fame, especially for young people, and the characters felt astonishingly real, particularly the two POV characters. I related hard to Ruben's desire to be perfect and Zach's desire to please everyone around him by never expressing what he wants. I love a love story where the characters push each other to be better, and the emotional arc here is so satisfying. Reading this book conveniently coincided with a reignition of my love for the Jonas Brothers, so if anyone has any other boy band media to recommend to me, that's clearly the place I'm at right now lol.