Openly Straight

That's how you bait readers into reading your sequel you guys.

Told from the point-of-view of gay, Jewish, teenage Rafe, Openly Straight explores the question: what would happen if I threw away my label? In Boulder, Rafe was an openly gay PFLAG poster boy. Tired of having to represent his people, so to say, he goes away to an all-boys boarding school in New England at the beginning of his junior year. His exploration of identity is something all humans can identity with, choosing who to be or what to be open about with different people. The heartbreak is realizing that figuring yourself out may lead to unexpected casualties. The beauty is realizing that the acceptance you need most is your own.

Tired of being known as "the gay kid", Rafe Goldberg decides to assume a new persona when he suddenly decides to move across the country to an all boys prep school. However, it is going to be more difficult than he thought to keep this secret.

The book overall was good but I found Rafe could be annoying at times, and over-all it never got deep into his mind like I thought it would. It was told him his perspective yet it was all superficial. Also the book ended very abruptly.

funnn

Such a lovely book about lgbtq+! If u haven't read it, do!

I was scrolling through my read books and apparently I've read this almost four years ago?? I literally have absolutely no memory of reading this. I swear I've never seen this cover a day in my life. The synopsis rings no bells. I'm so confused. I've never been more confused. Someone call my FBI agents. I need an explanation.

This book was one of my 15 year old brother’s favorite reads of the year, and I was honored that he lent me his copy. I very much enjoyed this book! It had a very similar feel to Hoot or Flush by Carl Hiaasen, which was witty, informative, and always engaging. A great YA book about the high school experience!

Interesting ideas on the themes of labelling and labels as relevant to sexuality. Then the themes deepen to trust and deception and whether experimentation with identity can harm relationships

I listened to the audiobook version of this and highly recommend it! This is the story of Rafe a teenager who has been openly Gay in his hometown for quite a while. Rage decides he’s tired of being the “gay kid” in his small town and takes the chance to go to all boys boarding school across the country for his Junior year and start fresh. While at this new school he never outwardly admits to being Gay in his mind if he no one asks he won’t tell and it won’t be a lie. (This actually drives me nuts because then he actually does start lying, multiple times and still stubbornly doesn’t see it as a problem or the same as being in the closet. But to each their own I guess) While at school Rafe makes friends with the jocks, kids who would have never accepted him back home, and enjoys being just “one of the guys”. That is until he starts getting close to Ben. Ben is different. Not judgmental like the other guys, and he doesn’t care what anyone else thinks of him. He’s deep and thoughtful and Rafe falls for him hard. That’s of course where all the trouble starts. This book was actually really sweet. And it was hard to not fall for Ben yourself seeing him through Rafe’s eyes. I really enjoyed this book, it had me laughing at times and at others crying and I can’t wait to pick up the sequel.

Thought it was time for a reread of this. I always enjoy this book.

Tengo muchos, muchísimos sentimientos encontrados con esta novela. Pero de una buena manera. Hace rato que un libro young adult no me dejaba pensando al terminarlo. Principalmente porque todavía no tengo bien en claro si Rafe me cayó bien o mal. Además de lo que dice la sinopsis del libro, no hay mucho para contar con respecto al argumento, no hay ningún misterio ni ningún spoiler que pueda llegar a hacerse, es un libro para conocer a los personajes. El eje principal de la historia es la constante búsqueda de Rafe de un bienestar personal basado en el deseo de NO verse a sí mismo con una etiqueta de GAY grande en su cabeza. Si bien es más común conocer historias sobre chicos que lo tuvieron mal en sus hogares a la hora de salir del closet con los problemas familiares y abusos en el colegio y demás, Rafe es lo completamente lo opuesto. Sus padres fueron excesivamente comprensivos, son presidentes de PFLAG y todo su colegio era gayfriendly. Pero todo esto no le generó ningún bien a Rafe porque se sentía una mascota, la viva imagen de lo distinto, que la gente lo miraba y solo veía a una persona gay. Porque, aparentemente, era el único chico gay en todo el colegio y en toda la ciudad (?) El autor jugó mucho con los dos extremos, un chico que teniendo todo para sentirse aceptado y querido de algún modo se termina sintiendo mal. Porque la homosexualidad sigue tratándose como algo distinto. Porque el mundo sigue basándose en las etiquetas. La escena donde el profesor de literatura les explica las diferencias entre tolerancia y aceptación fue muy interesante. En fin, la cosa es que, harto de ser señalado como el gay del pueblo que no tiene otra cosa que ofrecer, se va a otro colegio, solo de varones, donde decide empezar de cero no diciendo nada sobre su sexualidad. Allí, de un momento para otro, el mismo día que llega se hace super amigos del equipo de soccer, blah blah blah se junta con todos los pibes y el se siente uno más del montón. Bien. Hasta ahí vamos bien. El problema es que Rafe, en mi opinión personal, empieza a perder el norte, empieza a perder el punto de lo que sea que estaba haciendo y empieza a perderse en su propio laberinto. Empieza a mentir. Y ahí es cuando todo se va al garete. Hace creer a todos que es heterosexual, se mete demasiado en el papel de "soy uno mas del monton" y pareciera que en realidad lo único que busca es ser el más varoncito de todos y eso me asqueó profundamente. Luego, comienza a tener una especie de bromance - muy bien narrado - con Ben, un chico con que va a ir descubriendo que quizás tenga muchas cosas que descubrir referentes al amor y a su sexualidad. Hasta que, bueno, eventualmente todo tiene que explotar. Y sí. Era obvio. Soy #TeamBen, I'm sorry, Rafe era el boludo que mintió a todo el mundo. Rafe tiene muchísimos monólogos increíbles, bien desarrollados y analizados que reflejan mucho mi forma de pensar, era bueno leerlo. Pero había momentos en que simplemente era un forro, juzgaba mucho a la gente y te sacaba de onda. Creo que a pesar de todo el personaje está bien creado, y si el autor lo hizo de esa manera para a propósito, para establecer un contexto en el cómo y por qué de sus acciones, estuvo bien hecho. Pero en sí, como personaje aparte, no es referente para nada. Sería la persona que saludaría cortesmente en el secundario y seguiría mi camino. El resto de los personajes estuvieron bien, pero me quedo con Ben. Fue el más simpático, sensible y sobretodo honesto. Los compañeros de cuarto de Rafe pasaron sin pena ni gloria porque el autor quiso darles muchísima personalidad de "chicos raros geekies cool con humor propio que solo ellos entienden" muy digno de John Green. Y bueno, los padres de Rafe que son todo lo que está bien en el mundo. Amé esos personajes. Me gustaron las reflexiones finales donde se da cuenta de que fue un reverendo estúpido, y aunque intente justificarse todo el tiempo, la novela es simpática, tiene momentos de reflexión muy intensos, con diálogos geniales e inclusos cómicos que te hacen lanzar una carcajada. El final fue demasiado abrupto y WTF, una mezcla entre final abierto y posible continuación. Hasta que sí, me enteré que va a haber un segundo libro pronto. Y sí, puede que me hayan disgustando muchas partes pero no opacaron las buenas partes, así que no veo la hora de leer el siguiente. Seguime en: Instagram Twitter Mi blog

4.5*

Well this was entertaining. I picked it up on a whim. I didn't even know I was in the mood for contemorary, so, nice surprise there, seeing as I usually tend to avoid it, and all. Getting sidetracked,so, anyway, this books made me feel so warm and fuzzy, and I love it for that. Rafe was so easy to identify with and so, so loveable. While some of his choices are certainly peculiar, I could deffinitely feel where he was coming from. As a member of the LGBT comunity, I understand how labels can be so incredibly hurtful. Thus, Rafe's story hit close to home. I couldn't help but root for him the whole time, hoping his life would get back on track, keeping my fingers crossed so his boy would just forgive him already and get on with the loving. In other words, lotsa feels. This totally makes top 5 on my favourite contemporary reads.

** spoiler alert ** I was very irritated with the main character with his inner homophobia and lying but I am so glad the author made the character realize he cant hide who he was. I also loved the karma with his lies biting him in the ass. Still wish they got together but I loved their romance despite the lies involved.

rafe & i have some issues with each other, but i see that the sequel is called honestly, ben so i’ll definitely be reading that sometime soon.

Actual rating: 4.5 (There will be spoilers) I loved this book. While reading I had a smile plastered on my face, and at times I was actually, laughing out loud. But, I think the reason it wasn't 5 stars was because, i expected more. When i finished the book, I didn't believe it was actually the end. I was waiting for Ben to come back to Rafe. And not necessarily to BE together, but to be friends again. But that didn't happen. Even their small conversation didn't really fix everything. I just felt like the ending really wasn't a good place to actually finish the book. Other than that, though, I adored this book. All the characters were so adorable and funny, and I really couldn't put this book down. The relationship that Ben and Rafe was so interesting to read because they were so open with one another, and that idea of being so honest with one another just made me smile. And Claire Olivia. She was the perfect best friend. I liked how she didn't agree with what Rafe was doing, but went along with it, because thats how good of a friend she is. And Rafe's parents were just too cool. The way that Rafe was so open with his mom was amazing. Overall, i really liked this book, I just wanted more from the ending.