Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--In a follow-up to The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School, after going inpatient last year, Cesar Flores is ready to win back his ex-boyfriend Jamal, embrace being out as a bisexual, and continue with his meds and therapy. Except The Thoughts keep reminding Cesar that maybe Father John is right that being queer means going to hell. As Cesar struggles to reconcile his faith with his heart, he experiences a manic episode that convinces him everyone would be better off without him. Forever. Grounded in their own experiences with severe mental illness, Reyes presents a nuanced story centering Cesar's unreliable narration of his healing journey once he is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and can see his symptoms (including suicide ideation) for what they are. VERDICT This companion novel is a perfect entry point for the Flores family and a lovely continuation of their story.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this stand-alone companion toThe Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School (2022), Cesar Flores heads into the new year with confidence and high hopes--but things don't go as smoothly as expected. Cesar has great friends and a lovingly overbearing sister, Yami. There's also Jamal, his "ex-boyfriend/current best friend." Kissing Jamal had crossed his mind, but when things go wrong with the New Year's Eve fireworks they bought, and they end up in each other's arms again, they're forced to address the elephant in the room: the fact that they still love each other. But it's complicated--last year, Cesar, who's bisexual, confessed their relationship to a priest at school, accepted that being with Jamal was a sin, and broke up with him as his penance. He doesn't want to go to hell. Although he has many sources of support, his religious struggles bubble up as intrusive thoughts. Still, he's going to therapy and taking his meds, so he's fine...until he stops taking his meds and isn't so fine anymore. Cesar's father, who was deported to Mexico, reaches out after a long silence to say that he believes that a "brainwashed" Cesar has chosen "this lifestyle over family, and over God." This harsh judgment affects all aspects of Cesar's life, including his relationship with Jamal and his own inner narrative. In this immersive tale that looks unflinchingly at difficult truths, readers struggle alongside Cesar on his heart-wrenching journey to self-acceptance and self-love. Deeply cathartic. (author's note)(Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
