Full Disclosure

(3.5) Cute! Definitely for an audience younger than I am, but wholesome and interesting. Wish this book had been around when I was a kid.

3.5

Simone is a normal, everyday teenager trying to make her way through school, with one exception...she has HIV. While directing a play for the drama club she meets Miles and they start dating. Soon after, Simone starts receiving threatening notes telling her to end things with Miles or everyone will know she has HIV. Who would want to hurt her this way? Will this be a repeat of her previous school?

Simone is a great character, strong and personable. Being a teenager is hard enough. Being a teenager and going through what she did...I couldn't even imagine.

When people hear HIV they immediately think AIDS and mesh the two together. Most don't realize that people with HIV can lead normal, healthy lives without ever contracting AIDS. It's this type of thinking that harms more than protects. This is a well written and thought provoking book and shows that knowledge is key to understanding.

3.5 stars
- This has such awesome rep!! A black bisexual main character with HIV, MC is adopted by two gay men (one black, one Hispanic), one of Simone's best friends is asexual & a lesbian while the other is bi, and a black love interest.
- There were some minor writing/plot issues - for example, there were several parts where it felt like lines had been cut out and the moment jumped ahead - but considering this is a debut novel written by a seventeen year old (!!!), these things were easy for me to ignore.
- Author made a point in the authors note to say that this wasn't a story about tragedy but I really felt like it was - a majority of the story was devoted to the secret threatening notes & Simone worrying people would find out she had HIV. I almost wish this was more Emma Mills-esque - more slice of life-y with really fleshed our characters and relationships with Simone being HIV positive still obviously playing a role in that. I would have loved to hear more about Simone's dads and their family, her two best friends and their relationships, and see her relationship with Miles really blossom.
- While I didn't love this as much I hoped I would, I still think it is a really important read and will definitely be interested in more of Camryn Garrett's work in the future.