Somewhere in Nowhere

by Steven Gellman

Coming out is hard, especially when you have two gay moms. At least it is for Simon Bugg. He doesn’t want the world to think that having gay parents has turned him gay. And he certainly doesn’t want anyone to know about the alien in his stomach that’s trying to kill him.

It’s Simon’s senior year and his world just turned upside down. When his mom scores a dream job, Simon lands at a new school away from the only friends he has ever known. Now, his mom is overworked and chronically stressed, and his deadbeat dad is back on the scene. Navigating a new school and new friends is a challenge for a neurotic overthinker, and Simon finds himself turning to his rescue cat and a local barista for support. But when Simon meets the handsome PJ in drama class, he gets talked into a date that he derails in spectacular fashion.

With a little help from his friends—new and old—Simon finds his way back to PJ. But how can he have a real relationship with the boy of his dreams when he’s convinced he’s going to die? No one knows about the nightly alien attacks at 11:22. Why then, and why do they keep getting worse? Simon must face a dark secret inside before he loses his chance with the boy he loves.

Genres: Young Adult, Gay, LGBT

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 14, 2026

About the author

“…moments of winning humor, and the sincerity of the diverse cast is endearing.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Steven Gellman is an award-winning songwriter turned author. Inspired by his early reading of Judy Blume’s groundbreaking stories, Steven has found his passion for writing coming-of-age fiction that centers LGBTQ+voices and the real-life challenges of navigating adolescence in an ever-changing world.

Steven has long championed authentic queer storytelling — first through song, now through fiction. Billboard Magazine once praised him as one of the ‘out-queer tunesmiths [...] making waves along the coffeehouse circuit.’ His debut album Photobook was nominated for Debut Album of the Year by the Gay/Lesbian American Music Awards (GLAMA). His latest release, All You Need, was a finalist for four Wammie Awards and earned a silver from the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest for “Twenty-Nine.”

When he’s not writing, Steven can be found sipping a cup of Dark Rose tea and plotting new adventures for his book club, Tea & Peril. Now in its tenth year, the club has hosted a growing number of New York Times bestselling authors including Travis Baldree, Sarah Beth Durst, Emily X.R. Pan, Eleanor Brown, and William Kent Krueger.

His debut novel Somewhere in Nowhere will be published by NineStar Press (April 14, 2026). Steven lives in Maryland’s Piedmont region with his husband and a houseful of rescued companion animals.

Reviews

[Livvy 𝜗ৎ {matching with Shy!!} · Rating 2 out of 5]

𝕊𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕣 𝔽𝕣𝕖𝕖

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝟑𝟎%

୨ৎ 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 <3

˙ ✩°˖👽 ⋆｡˚꩜

.𖥔"𝐇𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝐫𝐢 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐢 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐫" ݁ ˖

⋆⭒˚.⋆🔭

"𝐼 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒶 𝓅𝒽𝑜𝓉𝑜 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒾𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝒷𝑒𝒹, 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝐼 𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒶𝓉 𝒾𝓉, 𝐼 𝓈𝓂𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓈𝒸𝑒𝓃𝓉"

⋆˙⟡ 14+

✴︎ Romance 4/10 {Crushes, innuendo, this kid talks about feeling… things… I’ll go into more detail later}
✴︎ Cussing 3/10 {F*ck, sh*t, a*s, d*mn, h*ll}
✴︎ Violence 2/10 {He has a alien in his stomach}
✴︎ Tw’s {Absent parent}

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

"𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝓃𝑒𝒸𝓀, 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓎𝑜𝓊'𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝒾𝑔𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝒸𝒽𝑒𝓈𝓉"

🛸 ୭˚. ᵎᵎ 𝓞𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀

⋆˚࿔🌕⋆˚࿔Oh boy guys 😮‍💨 I had such a hard time with this one. I was REALLY wanting to like this one but I was ALARMED by the things that this kid thought and felt. I get that people might actually feel this but the way it was described made me want to chuck myself off the face of the earth. I had my sister come in to tell me I wasn’t crazy for feeling disturbed and I was not crazy it was SO cringy 😭🔫 he was always talking about how “things were moving in his pants” and I’m just sitting here reading it trying SO HARD to see it for what it is and get around it but then it happened AGAIN. I get that this kid was trying to figure out his sexuality and I don’t know how that feels cos I’m not a guy but IF A MAN FEELS THIS AROUND ME ISTG I WILL KMS. Like we get it the kid is hot but the amount of times he felt horny after seeing him made me feel so icky *gags*



I did like kinda how he had 2 moms! I thought that was a cool way to represent and I really liked how he met the guy in the coffee shop but other than that I was utterly confused and I was trying to not die from the fact that he was CONVINCED he was going to die at 11:22 pm. That was so freaking insane to me because he was practically spazzing out over the fact that it was 11:22 and I get it bro you have an alien inside of you but… calm down. I don’t really see how that was really necessary to him coming out and stuff and I thought that was supposed to be a big part and the alien distracted us from that idea! But since I didn’t read the whole thing I can make up my own ending: “Boy falls in love with alien that tries to eat him alive” and I literally hear Casual by Chappel Roan playing in the background 💀 I really REALLY think that this book had SUCH GREAT POTENTIAL and some people will love this but it just wasn’t for me! I wasn’t totally sold by the alien idea and his horniness was scary to me haha….⋆｡°✩

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

"𝐼 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒶 𝓅𝒽𝑜𝓉𝑜 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒾𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝒷𝑒𝒹, 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝐼 𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒶𝓉 𝒾𝓉, 𝐼 𝓈𝓂𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓈𝒸𝑒𝓃𝓉"

🛸 ୭˚. ᵎᵎ 𝓟𝓵𝓸𝓽

⋆˚࿔🌕⋆˚࿔This plot was so um interesting… I didn’t read it all so I am not a super great judge but I think I got this from it: “horny boy has an alien in his stomach and he is trying not to smash guy from school” so… I don’t know I feel SO BAD cos I genuinely think I was the issue here but I was just not feeling it. I had a hard time deciding what plot we were going to stick with. It is SOOO hard to have two main things that will contribute to the plot and for a debut author it is especially hard! There was the aspect of Simon finding his sexuality and also Simon growing an alien in his stomach. Atp wtf was Simon eating!? It was the tea 😫 I knew it. It was just very confusing for my mind to comprehend what I should focus on! If I had finished this book I might have a different view but I felt pulled to put it down because it wasn’t for me. Overall, it was just very confusing. ⋆｡°✩

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

"𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝓃𝑒𝒸𝓀, 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓎𝑜𝓊'𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝒾𝑔𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝒸𝒽𝑒𝓈𝓉"

🛸 ୭˚. ᵎᵎ 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼

🪐 ⋆⭒˚.⋆ 𝓢𝓲𝓶𝓸𝓷

⋆˚࿔🌕⋆˚࿔I didn’t really connect with him for obvious reasons and imo he was annoying asf sometimes 😫 He really scared me with all the talk of his horniness this is th main thing I can’t get over cos it was so disturbing 😭 like its ok if he says that he feels things but THE WAY HE DESCRIBED THEM 😭🔫⋆｡°✩



He was ok when he was with his friends but that was really the only time I liked him. When he was texting the coffee shop guy I was so pissed because of the way that he texted him!? It was very abrupt and not very emotionally in depth. I love books that have a lot of emotional maturity and Simon did not have that. He was just not my ideal character! I also have a hard time with books from a guy's pov. ⋆｡°✩

🪐 ⋆⭒˚.⋆ 𝓟𝓙

⋆˚࿔🌕⋆˚࿔Ok I think it was so cute how he introduced himself and I think he was a really cute and sweet guy! All up until Simon started talking about his leg hair in a sexual way… EWWWWW help guys I have ptsd. He was WAY better than Simon imo but he wasn’t there a whole lot of what I read. He was kinda insane for making a move on him the day he met him… I was like oh no lets not please 😭 He wasn’t there enough for me to fully judge him.⋆｡°✩

🪐 ⋆⭒˚.⋆ 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓰𝓾𝔂 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓫𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓼

⋆˚࿔🌕⋆˚࿔I stayed for him istg. He was a really chill and emotionally there character! He wasn’t there a whole lot but I loved his story about how he wasn’t accepted and now he wanted to help people feel accepted. It was so cute! He is why this is rated 2 stars! I love him.⋆｡°✩

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

"𝒲𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝒶𝓎 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝒶𝓉 𝓃𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉, 𝒹𝑜 𝐼 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒸𝓇𝑜𝓈𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒹?"

🛸 ୭˚. ᵎᵎ 𝓦𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰

⋆˚࿔🌕⋆˚࿔This writing was not for me. It was very Gen Z esque and even though I’m part of the Gen Z era I literally could not stand the way that Simon talked 😭🔫 it wasn’t ATROCIOUS tho. So we have that for us…⋆｡°✩

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

"𝒞𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒸𝓇𝑜𝓈𝓈 𝓂𝒾𝓃е, 𝒹𝑜 𝐼 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒸𝓇𝑜𝓈𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒹?"

🛸 ୭˚. ᵎᵎ 𝓞𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓵

⋆˚࿔🌕⋆˚࿔This book was not for me but I ENCOURAGE others to try it out! Thank you so much to the author and congratulations on the publishing of your book!!!⋆｡°✩

˙ ✩°˖👽 ⋆｡˚꩜

2★

💫💜 Pre Read:

Omg so I was so excited for this one at first but now I'm actually terrified cos um... alien attacks? Wish me luck guys I'm trying to be positive 😭

[Queerbookdad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to start by saying thank you to Steven for letting me be one of your arc readers, I feel really grateful.

I really enjoyed this read. There was a lot of big items talked about in this book, including the information we learn near the end. I personally felt like they were handled well. The way Simon’s anxiety is portrayed felt very real, it often does feel like an attack from the inside out and with what he is grappling with it makes so much more sense.

His senior year which is supposed to be the best year for Simon sure isn’t easy, although there are some extremely high moments he also has to deal with a lot of trauma and grief that some adults struggle to get through, thankfully he does have a pretty great support system

This book will have you feeling. Some thoughts happy, some sad and some furious but you will definitely feel. You should definitely pick it up if you enjoy young queer stories that feel like you could hear it from a friend as their real life story.

I also love that there are not only help line numbers for the USA but also for Canada and the UK

You also get two cute recipes from the book and I think that is just a really sweet touch

TW: there is a character death with no graphic details or anything though, also non graphic mention of CSA, there is also substance abuse from one character but it’s just briefly mentioned


Character breakdowns:

Simon: Simon is a young guy starting his senior year in a new place, he feels younger and more naive than I feel like fits a 16/17 year old but some kids really are that sheltered I guess. He doesn’t seem to understand stuff like anxiety which most kids at that age do seem to know about through other kids or tv or even parents, it’s hard to think he had never been around or met anyone with anxiety. As a character he’s simple, he loves his parents, his cat and his friends and a specific boy called pajamas.

PJ: PJ is a sweet young guy who is the first one to connect with Simon at his new school, he’s a seemingly out and proud kid who knows what he wants but unfortunately that doesn’t reflect his home life where his parents believe his queerness is a phase and don’t even allow him to talk about himself when he’s there. He’s struggled with bullies and losing friends over coming out which is an unfortunate reality for many people. He is very supportive of Simon and the people he cares for. He was a great character, probably my favourite if I’m being honest. I just wanted to scoop him up in my pocket and protect him from bad things.

Mags and Neel: I’m lumping these two together because they are a package deal, Simon’s original friends from Columbia. Neel seems pretty chill and laid back except for when he’s talking about girls then he’s like a rocket fuelled up with redbull. He doesn’t feel that significant to the story but he’s a good side side quest character. Mags is very bossy and opinionated and honestly other then an adult couple, mentioned below, she is my least favourite character. Shes just really unlikable imo, her family seems amazing so I’m not sure how they have such a self righteous kid but she really just rubbed me the wrong way the whole book.

Mom Lindsey and Carole: Simon’s sweet lesbian moms who love their son and each other very much. There is some conflict between them regarding Lindsey’s work life vs the basically nonexistent home life she now has since moving in the summer. Carole is a little bit of a health nut and she works at the library.

Dad Daniel: Simon’s dad, kind of a typical dead beat, doesn’t really see Simon much and hasn’t for a handful of years, basically since the divorce, he definitely is a redeeming character in the story which is really nice to see.

Paul and Laticia: A couple of weirdos that Simon meets at his new school, they start just hanging out as friends and by the end they are a part of the friend family. Paul is a very stereotypical autistic character, he’s never actually labeled as autistic but as an autistic person with autistic friends and family it’s kind of what you’d expect to see. Laticia is a very soft spoken shy girl still figuring out her life and her sexuality.

Aunt Sarah and Brian: Aunt Sarah seems like one of those housewives on lots of pills to deal with how her life turned out, she doesn’t seem like a very caring person unless it serves her but that’s just how I read her. Her husband Brian on the other hand can’t be read as anything other than a gross, creepy sleezeball loser from the first moment he is brought into this book. Brian is a straight to the garbage can, easy to loathe piece of excrement, be prepared to have such a fiery anger for this douche canoe.

[Louis Muñoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW, what a great story, with a lot of heart. I was rooting for our main character right from the first sentences, and could relate to so much of what he had to navigate. I found the story so compelling that I essentially finished the book in two readings, which doesn't happen very often. I strongly recommend this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

[CJ Enfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️s
‘To my surprise, he spoons in behind me, wrapping his arm across my chest, but the tears won’t stop. I shake, and he holds me tighter. I feel loved.’

A beautiful and heartfelt story about finding yourself and choosing to surround yourself with the people who will help you get there, and will choose you too. It was wonderful to follow Simon as he did this for himself, slowly building a bigger support network to lean on and then getting to see those people be there for him in a way that truly warmed my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press for providing me with an ARC!

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere in nowhere is an emotional YA of a teen and his struggles to "come out"

Having moved towns for his mum new job Simon struggles with moving schools for his final year and having to form new friends. We go on a journey with Simon, with the "Alien" in his tummy, making new friends, meeting PJ and realising he is gay. We see the moment he finally opens up to hes friends and comes out to his mum and step mum. We go through the heart ache of losing his mum. Life starts moving forward for Simon and then with PJ's help he gets help for the "alien" and finds out what is really going on.

I loved how moving this story was, how supportive everyone in Simons life is.
I loved how Hector instantly took on a big brother role for Simon giving him the relationship help and advice he needed.

While at first the "Alien" felt odd to me by the end it all made sense. Although I feel like that part of the story felt rushed for me. I can understand why the "event" wasn't dug to deep into, I would have loved to have seen justice and an understanding to the Aunts silence when told about the "event".

All in all it was still a very enjoyable story and would read more by Steven Gellman in the future.

Thank you to Steven Gellman and netgalley for a copy of this arc to review.

[Roger Hyttinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to personally thank whoever decided to put this story into the world), and I’m still carrying that weird mix of happy/sad/fearful-for-teen-boys-on-new-schedules.

This book is basically: what if senior year is already hard, you move towns, you’re figuring out your sexuality, and your anxiety… shows up as an actual alien in your stomach trying to murder you. Like, no pressure.

And somehow it’s not just a quirky gimmick—it’s *so* relatable that I felt my own stomach do that “ugh” drop whenever Simon’s stress ramps up.

Simon Bugg: the main character I wanted to put in my pocket
Simon Bugg starts senior year feeling like the universe is one wrong move away from humiliating him in front of everyone. He’s got anxiety that’s loud and physical, and on top of that his life is complicated in the most teenager way possible: he’s trying to stay “him” while also not letting people decide what his identity “means.”

The plot kicks off hard when his mom (Lindsey) lands a dream job and the family moves to Rockville. Simon is leaving behind the friends he actually knows how to be around. New school = new everything. New cafeteria energy. New awkward walkways. New people who don’t know your history and will absolutely judge you based on vibes alone.

And then Simon meets PJ in drama class, and—because this is a queer story and also because romance in teen brains is feral—things get intense fast.

Simon’s brain is the kind that overthinks everything: what people think, what he feels, whether he’s “allowed” to want things, whether his feelings make him too different from who he wants to be. Sometimes he’s a little sheltered in a way that made me go “buddy, you’ve never heard of anxiety before?” but honestly… that’s also real. Some people go through life without having language for what’s happening until it hits them in the face. Or in his case: 11:22 pm in the form of an alien attacker.

The alien in his stomach (aka anxiety, but make it sci-fi)
I actually loved how the book handles Simon’s anxiety as an alien. It’s funny, gross, and terrifying in that “why is my own body acting like this” way.

It also makes the stakes feel personal. This isn’t just “Simon is anxious.” It’s “Simon is being hunted from the inside, and he has to pretend he’s fine because everyone expects him to be fine.” That combination? Brutal. But it worked for me.

When the story starts revealing what’s really going on (and how the nightly attacks connect to everything), I felt like the book was taking Simon seriously—like his fear and panic weren’t random, they were information. Bad information, but still information.

PJ: sweet, supportive, and secretly dealing with a whole lot
PJ is the kind of character that makes you want to be like, “Okay, yes, I will be normal around you,” and then immediately realize that’s impossible because you’re a human who has feelings.

He’s out at school, he’s warm, he gets Simon’s nervous energy, and he shows up in a way that feels gentle instead of pushy. I also really liked that PJ isn’t just “the love interest.” He has his own real life problems, especially at home, where his queerness isn’t treated like it’s real. More like: phase until further notice.

And yes, there’s a part where Simon panics and derails a date in spectacular fashion. I felt that. Not the alien part. The other part. The “I like you and now I’m scared and I just made it weird” part. Simon’s reactions are messy but believable, and PJ’s feelings aren’t treated like they’re optional. That matters.

Honestly, if I’m being totally honest, PJ was probably my favorite character. I just wanted to scoop him up and protect him from the kind of disappointment that usually shows up in books when you’re rooting for someone.

Secondary characters: beautifully rendered, not just background noise

One of my biggest compliments for this book is that the secondary characters don’t feel like decorative NPCs. They feel like people.

- Hector is an early mentor figure for Simon (and yes, that “older gay barista who sees you” energy is *so* comforting). He becomes a big-brother-ish presence in a way that doesn’t feel fake or performative. You can tell he’s there because he cares, not because the plot needs him.

- Mags and Neel (Simon’s original friends) are memorable in different ways. Neel cracks me up because he’s got this… rocket-fueled energy whenever girls come up. Mags, though? I didn’t vibe with her as much. Her personality reads like “bossy and righteous” even when her family situation seems genuinely loving. It left me slightly side-eyeing her choices and attitudes the entire time.

- Lindsey and Carole (Simon’s moms) are the emotional center of a lot of the story. You can feel how much they love him, and you can also feel the stress and strain of adult life trying to land in a household with a teen who’s falling apart in slow motion. Lindsey’s work situation and Carole’s vibe are different flavors of caring, and I liked how the book let them both be complicated instead of turning them into perfect cardboard parents.

- Daniel (Simon’s dad) could’ve been a throwaway “deadbeat who magically improves” character, but the book gives him more texture. He shows up late and imperfect, but he’s also not totally absent—he’s part of what shaped Simon’s understanding of relationships and safety.

- Aunt Sarah and Brian? Yeah, Brian is exactly as gross as you think he is. Like, from first mention I was already ready to throw hands. Aunt Sarah felt harder to read—there’s a vibe of someone who’s coping in a way that doesn’t include being emotionally kind. The book hints at more, and I’ll admit I wanted a clearer explanation of some choices, especially around silence and what people refuse to say out loud.

- Paul and Laticia add a lot of warmth and realism. Paul especially feels like a character whose neurodivergence isn’t used as a “funny trait,” it’s part of his way of existing and connecting. Laticia is softer, shy, and still sorting herself out—which made her feel real instead of “perfect side character energy.”

And I really appreciated that the book doesn’t treat Simon like he’s the only person with a full interior life. Everybody else has history, opinions, tension, sweetness. It makes the whole world feel lived-in.

The pacing: some bits move fast, some bits slow down (and it’s noticeable)
Now, I’ll be fair: the pacing can feel a little uneven. There were sections where it felt like we were doing normal life stuff—laundry, conversations, everyday moments—and I could feel the plot chill for a second. Other times, once Simon realizes he’s into PJ, the emotions and obsession spiral so quickly it can feel like you’re getting sprinted into romance before your brain’s fully caught up.

But even with that, I didn’t stop reading. I was too invested in Simon’s emotional survival to bail.

What the book made me feel
This book really does the thing where you start out with humor and weirdness and then—surprise—you’re hit with grief and fear and the messy truth that “moving forward” is not a straight line.

It made me feel protective of Simon. It also made me angry on his behalf at the moments where people misread him or act like his identity is a convenience problem. There’s also a tenderness to the way the support system grows over time: different people, different types of help, and Simon learning how to accept it without feeling like he has to earn basic care.

Also: I loved that the book includes crisis resources not just for the USA, but for Canada and the UK too. That small detail told me the author/book team actually thought about real readers, not just imaginary “audience.”

My final take
Somewhere in Nowhere is a coming-of-age story with romance, friendship, grief, anxiety, and a genuinely creative way of making internal fear visible (the alien thing is honestly the best metaphor I’ve seen in a while). It’s funny in places, heartbreaking in others, and the secondary cast is one of its biggest strengths.

If you like queer YA that feels like it could’ve come from someone’s real life—like conversations you’d overhear in a hallway, panic you’d recognize, love that makes no sense but still matters—then I think you’ll have a good time here.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a 2.75/5 stars for me - it's a book I could recommend to others, but there were qualms I had with it that mean I likely won't reread it.

"Somewhere in Nowhere" features awkward teen Simon Bugg as he navigates senior year, first queer loves, and loss. I'd requested the arc because its blurb reminded me of "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson. After having read it, I'd comp it to WATA and "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," with slight hints of Becky Albertalli and L.C. Rosen.

It was enjoyable, although I did predict the big twist. That's a good thing, though, I think - it didn't feel out of the blue. Honestly, that was the best foreshadowing in the book. I would feel comfortable recommending this to upper YA readers, as discussions of a more sexual nature were obviously more educational/meant to display healthy behaviours vs. meant to gratify the reader. They were handled well, in all honesty.

There were quite a few issues where we were shown instead of told. Like, when Simon comes out to Hector, there was a lot of dumping of information we could have found out naturally, instead of having it dumped on us at the 25% mark. It also weakened some of the effects of the big reveal later, in specific regard to Simon's sexuality. Not a huge fan of insta-love either, which this felt like. Simon new PJ for a DAY and said he loved him (I feel like this isn't a spoiler; the blurb introduces him as a RI). The GSA scene also felt off to me (Spanglish and crying), but I appreciated the characters introduced there and the long-lasting relationships they apparently formed - although I wish the characters there were more fleshed out, less 2D semi-caricatures.

My main issues lie with the voice in this book. Simon speaks like he's much younger with a voice I feel would be more suited to Middle Grade than YA. It follows the characters into their dialogue, too. A lot of dialogue felt awkward and bulky in an unintentional sort of way, and it frequently broke my immersion in the story. At first, it was Simon who felt remarkably young (which immediately made me think of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," somehow), but after seeing more characters speak, I realized it wasn't a POV voice issue but an every-character issue, adults included.

There were also a few times where Spanglish didn't feel natural or forced - calling Simon "mijo" makes plenty of sense to me, but multiple characters dropping "loco" didn't feel as real. Still, I appreciate Gellman's drive to bring a diverse cast into the story, and all in all, I feel he did admirable work in that regard.

I was also confused somewhat by Simon's age, as I don't know any seniors who turned seventeen after the start of the New Year, especially seniors who were born on U.S. soil and never attended school elsewhere. I love a good "Edge of Seventeen" bit as much as the next girl, but I couldn't figure out why. In Maryland, students must be "5 years old on or before September 1st of the year they enroll in kindergarten," so his age didn't make much sense to me, unfortunately. Simon might have made more sense as a junior.

For the debut novel of someone who only started writing in COVID, "Somewhere in Nowhere" is a great start in writing Queer YA. I'd be happy to recommend this book to friends or acquaintances I think would benefit from/enjoy it. Gellman shows a lot of promise as a writer - there are just certain elements of his craft that need sharpened before he publishes again. This book was well-plotted and, in all honesty (aside from a few points), well-paced (when you consider the build-up to the twist, at least, which is really the backbone of the story), which is difficult for a lot of newer writers. I think a couple more books under his belt, and he'll master some of the dialogue issues that made it hard to sink into the story.

Also, TW for trans readers: there were a couple of Harry Potter references in the text.

~~~

Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press for the ARC!

[Roroblu'sMum]

3.5* Surprisingly heartwarming despite the sadness, though it skimps on some detail.

This is a tale that gives an impression of a rebellious teen at the start, only to show him as someone a little insecure; a little out of place; a little bit of a stranger to himself; and a decent boy, son, friend and boyfriend. He grows during this tale that feels like it takes place over a few weeks, 2-3 months at most, and we find out about the alien and the significance of 11:22pm and why he thinks he's going to die. The latter is where the book falls a little apart, as a bombshell is dropped, a visit to a place of...'potential reparation' - trying not to spoiler here - takes place, then the tale cuts out. I'm not too sure I believed that part of the tale, as the author didn't make it feel organic enough, maybe because of rushing? It felt like this couldn't be left on a cliffhanger.

What was nice, though, is that parents mostly lived and let live: the Hindu mum, the Italian doctor father, the English dad and the lesbian mums. Maybe because this book feels far away from the influence of the toxic tangoed twat that's currently supposedly in charge in the USA. The loss of someone close to the lead felt abbreviated, yet the traditions went on and on, almost as if the author was out to educate, but for me as a non-Jewish person, it was a bit 'lots of words and descriptions but not telling me about the whys'. I'd have liked to know more about the traditions, not just hear about the copious amounts of food. I'd have liked to learn about the job shrouded in secrecy that meant the lead's mum spent very little time at home, but there was only an anticlimactic partial reveal.

It felt like the tale needed a little fleshing out in parts and a little reining in in others. But it's got the bones of a feel-good one.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Ninestar Press for my reading pleasure.

[Horace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first time writing an official book review so here we go.

3.5 stars.

I love this book. It was such a riveting read. When the file was sent to me I was a bit apprehensive to read it (i do this every time with a book i pick up to read idk why). Then i got invested and I was like: I want to see the ending of this story. I knew straight away i would like it. There is a bit of a hitch tho where the book felt rushed through out. I've read a lot of books so i usually feel when a book is rushed or its just right. This book felt rushed. It could do with a bit of an extension in some chapters/parts. These extensions would help us to connect more with simon but alas this book is out for preorder so its probably too late to do it now. The themes of teenage sexuality coming out was THE main theme but it felt like there was too much of a heavy spotlight being shown on that theme. it would have elevated the story even more if the other themes were explored in the book as it would make the book feel more like a 5 star delicious meal instead of an easy comfort meal you can eat any time. I love that the mc had so much support because it made me feel when he struggled. if he didn't have that much support i would have been bitting my fingers; having red angry eyes and cursing either the MC or the ppl he surrounds himself with (hahaha).

Thank you Netgalley and Steven Gellman So So SO SOOO much for giving me a new beta reader the opportunity to read this book. I loved it. I love forward to seeing future works by Steven Gellman in the future bc whatever he cooked in that mind of his to create this book, let him cook it again to create an even better book.

[Thach P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for giving me access to Advanced Reader Copy for a review:

I really liked this one. I went in expecting a cute, sweet coming-of-age story, but I was completely wrong—and I’m glad I was. The book caught me off guard several times. Just when it seemed like the main character was finally enjoying his life, everything would take a turn for the worse. I really appreciated those unexpected shifts; they added emotional depth and kept me invested.
That being said, I did have a few issues at the beginning. I would have preferred more time with Simon and PJ together—a slower burn instead of having Simon declare his love after just one afternoon of hanging out. It felt a bit abrupt, and I think a more gradual development would have made their relationship even more impactful.

Aside from that, this was a really strong read. I especially loved the metaphor of the alien anxiety attack—it captured exactly what an anxiety attack feels like. PJ is adorable and flawed, which made him feel real and relatable.

Overall, the book explores a wide range of themes, including some darker ones, and it truly took me on an emotional journey—at times a depressing one. It came very close to being a four-star read for me.

[Badger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somewhere in Nowhere is a sharp, tender coming-of-age novel that blends humor, anxiety, food, and first love with a lot of heart. It's a novel that captures how disorienting it can be to be seventeen, when feelings are loud, fear feels physical, and connection feels both terrifying and essential. This is an honest, queer, and quietly hopeful story that will stay with you long after the final page.

A hallmark of the book is the sensitive way it addresses the complex intersections of teen identity—family, friendships, culture, sexual identity, and mental wellness to name a few. When LGBTQ+ representation is under attack as being “woke,” Somewhere in Nowhere is a breath of fresh air that shows how wonderful, and messy, it is to be young and finding one’s way in a beautifully complex world.

Thoughtful, heartfelt, and achingly human, Somewhere in Nowhere is a meaningful read for anyone who has ever felt out of step with their own life and wondered how to find solid ground again.

Disclaimer: I read an advance copy of this novel.

[Bookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buckle your seatbelt! Rarely does a book capture all my emotions but Somewhere in Nowhere had me laughing, crying and feeling the emotions right along with Simon Bugg. Simon’s coming of age story shares his experiences through his senior year in High School. The serious family and medical challenges of this year help him grow and reinforce the importance of family, friends - and love..

In addition, I loved the cat dinkuses, geographic references, and Mags.

A great read. It will touch your soul. It surely touched mine..

[_Kayreads_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Thank you Netgalley and Ninestar press for allowing me to read this arc!

An engaging, heartfelt read that I truly enjoyed! The plot was interesting, and I loved seeing a story where a kid is scared to come out despite having supportive same-sex parents—it made the character journey feel authentic. The characters were well-developed, and the first-love aspect was sweet. While a few plot points felt a little rushed, it’s a wonderful short read that I highly recommend. I look forward to picking up more by this author.

[BLK · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book, full of quirky details, colorful characters, and a compelling story. I especially loved the interplay between Simon and his friends, which adds a genuine quality to the narrative. You really feel the love and support they offer Simon (and each other), and you get to tag along on their adventures and watch as their unique personalities unfold. The story has twists and turns, ups and downs, and will keep you engaged until the very end. This book was truly a pleasure to read.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somewhere in Nowhere is a book that demonstrates relentless faith in our ability to be good to one another, even in the face of trauma and loss. It’s a book about friendship and, yes, love, in that word’s most multifaceted sense. Most of all it’s a book that I love for reminding us to accept hope from the people we choose to be our family.

[Steven Gellman · Rating 5 out of 5]

My debut novel. A bit biased, obviously!

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic portrayal of anxiety and a really fun main character. it's a fantastic book in general. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.