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Can't Take That Away

Steven Salvatore (Goodreads Author)

4.74 · Rating details · 128 ratings · 59 reviews

An empowering and emotional debut about a genderqueer teen who finds the courage to stand up and speak out for equality when they are discriminated against by their high school administration.

Carey Parker dreams of being a diva, and bringing the house down with song. They can hit every note of all the top pop and Broadway hits. But despite their talent, emotional scars fro ...more

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Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: March 9th 2021 by Bloomsbury YA

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[ATY 2021] - Published in 2021

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· 128 ratings · 59 reviews

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Aug 26, 2019 Kai added it

Shelves: queer, owned

A genderqueer icon punching bigotry and ignorance to Mars? We can only stan

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Jan 29, 2021 daph pink ♡ marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2021-tbr

I LOVE MY B'DAY MONTH.

YESS TO MORE QUEER BOOKS!!!!!!! ...more

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Aug 26, 2019 leo | 飛べ marked it as to-read · review of another edition

GENDERQUEER PROTAGONIST WHO USES THEY/THEM PRONOUNS => I’m sold.

give me all the enby characters you cowards

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Nov 11, 2020 Anniek rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 1-2021-releases, depression, lgbtq, non-binary-mc, trans-mc, 2-ya, 3-contemporary, mental-illness

My new goal in life is to do whatever it takes to protect Carey.

This is such a messy contemporary, and brilliantly so. It just feels so incredibly real, and at the same time all of the bad things are balanced out by all the good, affirming, supportive things. Really, there's even on-page therapy!! Which means that even though this has its hard moments, it was ultimately a really comforting and empowering read.

CWs: suicidal ideation, depression, assault, transphobia, misgendering, homophobia/quee ...more

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Oct 20, 2020 Nenia ✨️ I yeet my books back and forth ✨️ Campbell marked it as to-read

This sounds AMAZING

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Jan 20, 2021 Adri added it

Shelves: arc, ownvoices, queer-lit, buddy-read

CWs: instances of homophobia, bullying, and misgendering; use of homophobic slurs; exploration of gender dysphoria; mentions of suicide ideation; allusions to depression and anxiety; exploration of familial death and grief; descriptions of degenerative illness (Alzheimer's); homophobic attacks and hate crimes; physical assault; graphic description of injury

This is a tough book for me to review, because I enjoyed it and I see its importance, but I also struggled with it a bit. It's described ...more

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Feb 15, 2021 laurel [the suspected bibliophile] rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ownvoices, contemporary, ya-books, 2021-read, arcs, lgbtq

Trigger Warning: Assault, Misgendering, Homophobia, Transphobia, Car Accident, Family Death

Respect My Existence or Expect My Resistance

Carey Parker dreams of being a diva. They have the talent. They have the voice. But they're scared—of rejection, of homophobic and transphobic assholes—and they are dealing with a lot at home, with their grandmother's worsening dementia. Then they meet Cris, and their world opens. Inspired to try out for the lead role in Wicked, Carey auditions and nails the role ...more

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Feb 12, 2021 The Nerd Daily rated it really liked it

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Mimi Koehler

A mix of powerful anthem and heartfelt call for equality, Stephen Salvatore’s debut Can’t Take That Away is a celebration of community activism and depicts the messy, difficult yet encouraging reality of growing up queer and how letting your voice be heard can change everything.

Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily ...more

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Oct 22, 2020 cossette rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: other-arc, fiction-coming-of-age, fiction-contemporary, released-in-2021, fiction-ownvoices, fiction-lgbtq, age-category-young-adult

Trigger warnings: Alzheimer’s, Assault (Verbal, Physical, Sexual), Blackmail, Bullying, Cancer, Death (Death of a parent, death of a grandparent), Emetphobia, Forced Outing, Gender Dysphoria, Grief, Hate Crime, Homophobia, Medical Complications, Queerphobia, Sexual Assault/Harrassment, Shooting (Threat), Suicide Attempt, Suicide Ideation, Transphobia

RTC.

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Oct 03, 2020 Lea (drumsofautumn) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: to-be-released, most-anticipated-2021

I had honestly never heard about this book until I saw it pop up on Edelweiss but.. a genderqueer main character featuring in a musical? Hello, it is buzzword galore for me!

Instagram | Blog | Booktube Channel | Twitter ...more

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Jun 24, 2020 Nicolas DiDomizio rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I was lucky enough to read early drafts of this manuscript, and let me just say... this book is EVERYTHING. Insanely lovable protagonist Carey Parker's journey is full of heart, humor, queerness, activism, feels, Mariah Carey worship (#Lambily4Life), and so much more. This is an instant YA classic about the power of finding and owning your authentic voice! ...more

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Dec 14, 2020 Jordan rated it really liked it

I adore this book! It's got Broadway references, well rounded characters all over, and it's so so so queer it's lovely! Carey is fantastic and I love how the chapter titles start with how Carey identities at the time. Some of the queer stuff is a bit heavy handed at first, but lessens up once the setting is established and you settle into a wonderful story.

Carey's story isn't your typical YA meet cute romance. Yes, it has that. And it's adorable, but the romance is kind of left on the back burne ...more

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Mar 01, 2021 Ocean rated it it was amazing

There is so much to love about this book! I am overjoyed to see a genderqueer person as the main character. Carey has such a great support system, from their loving mother and the incredible twins Monroe and Joey - their chosen family, to their other fierce friends and their inspirational teacher, Mr Kelly. Having all of this support unfortunately doesn't stop Carey from being bullied, not only by their peers but also by a teacher who should be protecting them instead of causing harm. However, C ...more

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Oct 25, 2020 Lisa Pineo rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: gender-roles, e-book, contemporary-fiction, 2021-pub, lgbtqia2, young-adult, arc-review, read-2020, 5-star, social-justice

*I received this eARC from Bloomsbury YA via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
My ratings: * I hated it ** It was okay *** I liked it **** Really good ***** Great
TW (trigger warnings): homophobia, transphobia, physical/verbal/emotional abuse, death, suicidal ideation, discrimination, misgendering, bullying

Sure to become a favorite of LGBTQIA+ people and allies everywhere, "Can't Take That Away" by debut author Steven Salvatore takes your breath away with it's amazing characters and heart *I received this eARC from Bloomsbury YA via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
My ratings: * I hated it ** It was okay *** I liked it **** Really good ***** Great
TW (trigger warnings): homophobia, transphobia, physical/verbal/emotional abuse, death, suicidal ideation, discrimination, misgendering, bullying

Sure to become a favorite of LGBTQIA+ people and allies everywhere, "Can't Take That Away" by debut author Steven Salvatore takes your breath away with it's amazing characters and heartfelt writing. 5 stars

Description from the publisher:
Carey Parker dreams of being a diva, and bringing the house down with song. They can hit every note of all the top pop and Broadway hits. But despite their talent, emotional scars from an incident with a homophobic classmate and their grandmother's spiraling dementia make it harder and harder for Carey to find their voice.
Then Carey meets Cris, a singer/guitarist who makes Carey feel seen for the first time in their life. With the rush of a promising new romantic relationship, Carey finds the confidence to audition for the role of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the school musical, setting off a chain reaction of prejudice by Carey's tormentor and others in the school. It's up to Carey, Cris, and their friends to defend their rights--and they refuse to be silenced.

OH MY GOD. I have read books that have become favorites and have felt the aftereffects of reading them but this book is even better. This novel is EVERYTHING. I am not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community but am a fierce ally and mother to a trans preteen. This author made me cry, laugh, want to lash out in anger and hug everyone around me. I loved the main character, Carey Parker, as well as their friends and family. All the characters in the book were well-crafted and believable, and the action was well-paced while still having moments to breathe.

It was little things in this book that really sold it for me. A gift from a teacher that helped Carey show everyone what gender he was identifying with that day; the myriad of Mariah Carey facts he always had running through his head to get him through stressful times; the description (while extremely heartbreaking and raw) of Carey's suicidal thoughts brought on by horrible bullying; the relationship between Carey and his grandma; the joy Carey gets ever time he performs.

I can't recommend this #OurVoices novel enough. I really believe this can and will save some readers' lives by just being written and out in the word for people to read. I am already looking forward to the author's next book (a follow up to Can't Take That Away I think) and will be buying this novel to read again when published next month. ...more

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Mar 02, 2021 Dom rated it liked it

Can’t Take That Away by Steven Salvatore was one of my most anticipated 2021 releases. A genderqueer diva using the power of song for self exploration and affirmation? Yeah, that’s my brand. Plus, I’m always on the lookout for books with genderqueer and genderfluid representation since it’s still one of those identities rare to see discussed and explored within the LGBTQIA2S+ umbrella. However, I ended up with really complicated feelings about this novel that I will do my best to outline below.

F Can’t Take That Away by Steven Salvatore was one of my most anticipated 2021 releases. A genderqueer diva using the power of song for self exploration and affirmation? Yeah, that’s my brand. Plus, I’m always on the lookout for books with genderqueer and genderfluid representation since it’s still one of those identities rare to see discussed and explored within the LGBTQIA2S+ umbrella. However, I ended up with really complicated feelings about this novel that I will do my best to outline below.

First, let’s start with the good, since there were absolutely awesome things about Can’t Take That Away. The genderqueer representation was one of my favourite things about this novel. Each chapter opens up with the set of pronouns the MC Carey uses for the period of time discussed in the chapter, and there are tons of introspective and thoughtful interrogations by Carey of their gender. The fact that their friends are, by and large, accepting and affirming of their gender is really sweet and cool to see. Carey definitely exists outside the binary authentically, and that was wonderful for me to see, as I’m sure it will be for others.

Queer characters being allowed to be messy and flawed is another favourite of mine, and we got to see so much of that in Can’t Take That Away. The romance, while I’d maybe dispute the ‘swoonworthy’ adjective on the cover copy, definitely felt raw and vulnerable. Neither Carey nor Cris had to perform or hide parts of themselves, for better or for worse, and when so many stories involving queer romance rely on those sorts of interactions, it was good to see the realism. Therapy is incredibly normalized in this book to help support Carey through their struggles, and we do love to see that. Frankly, I’d love to see it in so many more contemporary YA novels, particularly ones where marginalized voices of all sorts can be supported and affirmed in a professional sense. There’s also lots of found family and strength of community in this novel.

However, there can be such a thing as an overwhelming amount of trauma. I want to make it clear that I fully support queer and marginalized voices writing about their lived experiences of trauma. For so long, BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ creators (and especially those who are both) haven’t been given the space to tell those stories, whether they are painful or joyful or everything in between, and I try to cultivate mindfulness of that reality.

That being said, the ratio of queer joy to queer pain in Can’t Take That Away is… a lot. I’m a trans, non-binary adult with years of therapy under their belt at this point, and this novel was a tough read for me—let alone a young adult in the intended audience looking for an empowering queer story. There are definitely moments of validation, joy, empowerment, and triumph, but the amount of trauma the reader is asked to endure to get them feels wildly unbalanced. The novel starts with an instance of bullying and misgendering on page two, and that pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the story. Homophobia, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, hate crimes, and gender dysphoria predominate, along with a side plot revolving around familial illness and grief. Is this “realistic” for the world we live in? Unfortunately, yes. Do I think those are important subjects to explore and do authors have the right to do so? Absolutely. But when I think of a young, questioning genderqueer teen picking this up looking for affirmation and empowerment, my heart breaks at how much they would have to go through to get to what is, in my opinion, not nearly a big enough payoff.

Another thing that really made me uncomfortable is how much onus was put on two women of colour for the #LetCareySing movement. Without the driving action of the side characters Phoebe, a talented Black pansexual actress, and Blanca, a Latinx lesbian journalist, the movement centering Carey wouldn’t have happened. Though Carey did take some action on their part as well, the bulk of the labour felt like it was done by Phoebe for most of the novel, and later Blanca. It mirrors the real life issue of white members of the queer community receiving and/or taking and/or stealing credit for labour done by BIPOC of the queer community, often without compensation of any kind. I loved Phoebe and Blanca, especially Phoebe since she got more screen time, but I really wished they hadn’t felt like accessories to “Carey’s” movement despite doing so, so much work for it.

The last topic I want to discuss may be more of personal issue, but it bothered me while I was reading so I’m going to include it. I’ll preface this by saying labels are by and large a tool for individuals; I support using whatever labels make you feel safe, affirmed, and comfortable. But I thought it was incredibly strange and a little uncomfortable that Carey, a genderqueer protagonist who introspects at length about gender identity concerns, uses he/she/they pronouns, and exists loudly outside the binary, never identifies as trans on page at any point during the novel. (Again, I realize not all non-binary/genderqueer/genderfluid individuals identify as trans and their reasons are their own). Not only that, but all of their friends are cisgender (to my knowledge). In a novel so full of gender-related discussion and violence, and especially in a novel where queer activism is a key feature, I found it jarring to see such a stark distance from the trans community—or even any other non-binary or genderfluid or genderqueer character—in its pages. In my own journey, it is through seeing the lived experiences of trans folks that I have gained a sense of community and helped affirm my path, and I would have loved to see that for Carey since I think they could have used that kind of support.

These are my personal reflections and not an absolute judgment of whether or not this book is Good or Bad (if such a thing exists at all). Overall, I feel this book will be impactful and mean so much a lot to many people. Carey’s identity is explored beautifully on its pages, there are lots of meaningful and affirming interactions between the community that builds around Carey, and it is great to see activism among queer teens being shown to have a real world, positive effect. There is value to be found and I hope for those who decide to give this one a shot, they find the affirmation and catharsis they need. I’ll be keeping my eye on what Steven Salvatore writes next for sure.

Thank you to Bloomsbury YA and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ...more

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Feb 11, 2021 Shelf Blame rated it it was amazing

Thank you so much to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

I literally just got done reading this, and I couldn't get to my computer fast enough to write a review.

Carey Parker is a genderqueer teenager with the soul of a Diva. They dream of being their true self, able to sing their heart out and feel comfortable with their identity. Unfortunately, there are people in the world who like to pick the wings from butterflies, and that's who Carey has to deal with. After they score a tradi Thank you so much to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

I literally just got done reading this, and I couldn't get to my computer fast enough to write a review.

Carey Parker is a genderqueer teenager with the soul of a Diva. They dream of being their true self, able to sing their heart out and feel comfortable with their identity. Unfortunately, there are people in the world who like to pick the wings from butterflies, and that's who Carey has to deal with. After they score a traditionally female-presenting role in their school musical, those people come out in protest. With their wings plucked and a feeling of being pinned down, Carey has to decide if it's worth it to be themself. To stand up and use their voice for what they believe in. Together with their friends and with a boy who makes Carey's heart sing, they try to do just that.

This story is so emotional and heartfelt and raw. I'm not genderqueer and I'm not a teen, and the way this book spoke to me is incredible. We've seen books where the lead has to fight to be who they are, but the thing that separates Salvatore's book from the rest is the realness they brought to Carey's character. They deal with depression and suicidal ideation, they get so wrapped up in their own head that they forget about what's important outside of it, they feel alone and scared and broken and I love them so, so much. I wanted to wrap Carey in a blanket and let them sing to me.

I really appreciate the way this book shows all aspects of the queer journey. It's absolutely uplifting. It gives a voice to the queer kids in the book. It tells us that even when the stage is dark, there's always a light we can step into, whether that's finding a queer space for yourself or wearing something that's true to your identity or a pair of sparkly red shoes. But it doesn't shy away from the hard stuff. It doesn't shy away from the absolute loneliness that can come with questioning. Really amazing job here, bringing the two together into a powerful narrative that both educates and uplifts.

I'm not a Mariah superfan, but I do love music and I've always let music express how I'm feeling. This book showed what that's like. Sometimes you can't find words, but you can find music. The music, of course, was not the main point of this story. The music was a tool for us to be able to get a deeper understanding of Carey's characterization, to let us know how deeply artistry can affect us. But the music deserves mentioning, because sometimes when we don't have anything else, we still have the music. Carey always had Mariah, and I think that's something a lot of people can relate to.

The writing in this book is gorgeous, and I can't wait to see what this author does with the NA book they've been teasing. Small things like the description of a bird with a berry, taking it to its nest, and Carey wondering if it has a family to protect -- and then later Carey seeing their grandmother as a bird. Powerful imagery and wonderful prose. I'm a sucker for bits like this, and Steven really sold me on them in this book.

The surrounding characters were all fantastic and I felt connected to all of them. Even Carey's grandmother who we don't see that much in the book made me weepy just in the way Carey loved her so fiercely, and how we got to know her through their memories. Cris was adorable as a love interest and I had faith in him the entire time. Carey's best friends were funny and charming and ride or die, which is always what I'm here for. Their mother is an angel, and I don't know their singing coach that well but he seems hot so he's okay by me. :)

Overall, job incredibly well done. I can't wait to read what Steven has for us next! ...more

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Nov 06, 2020 Brittany Zimmerman rated it it was amazing

Shelves: best-books-i-ve-ever-read

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Not many books have truly affected me down to my core. Only one comes to mind (besides nonfiction) and that’s The Hate U Give. Until I read this. Can’t Take That Away brought me to my knees and shook me to my core. Thank you Steven, for this beautiful book. Although I don’t just think a thank you is enough.

When I first heard about this book I was so excited and I immediately added it to my TBR. When I got t Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Not many books have truly affected me down to my core. Only one comes to mind (besides nonfiction) and that’s The Hate U Give. Until I read this. Can’t Take That Away brought me to my knees and shook me to my core. Thank you Steven, for this beautiful book. Although I don’t just think a thank you is enough.

When I first heard about this book I was so excited and I immediately added it to my TBR. When I got the ARC, I did a little happy dance. I made sure I was in the right headspace to read a highly likely emotional contemporary. It did not disappoint.

I’m bisexual. Something I didn’t know at Carey’s age. Truthfully, I didn’t fully come out until I was 27, after 3-4 years of a lot of internal conflict. I’m sure it’s always been inside me, but it took a while for my brain to catch up. Unlike Carey, I haven’t faced a lot of what they did within the novel. The entire time I just wanted to hug them and tell them they were valid and valued. Something this book absolutely made me feel.

Following Carey, as they get the lead in the school musical, this book explores a journey of overcoming adversity as a genderqueer person and embracing your voice. The amount of times I went from tears to laughter should be criminal. The prose flows beautifully, the characters grow and learn at a fantastic pace, and the plot is fully developed and resolved. The way Steven words this novel is nothing short of magic. My heart has never felt more full than it does right now. (Yes I’m only 5 minutes post read and there may still be tears in my eyes). Watching some of the characters struggle with their identities the way I did made me feel seen in a way I’ve never felt before. It’s stunning.

While Carey’s story isn’t the same as mine, it shows that anyone can find their voice and use it. If i could give this more than 5 stars, I would. It’s absolutely brilliant and i beg of you to read it when it comes out March 2021! ...more

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Dec 31, 2020 Jason June rated it it was amazing

There really aren't the right words to describe how much reading about Carey and their journey meant to me. As a genderqueer person, there were so many times Carey describes their gender and I was like, "YES!" Carey gets me, and I feel seen, and this book is for sure going to boost the hearts of so many readers. ...more

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Jun 29, 2020 Berry marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: queer, covers_love, i_must, ya

Berry A genderqueer, Troye Sivan looking mc who will falsetto the bigotry away? Yes ma'am, thank you. ...more

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Sep 11, 2020 asena rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtqia, release-2021

CAN I JUST SAY THAT THIS IS THE BOOK I NEED. THIS IS A MUST READ. CAN IT BE 2021 ALREADY

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Jan 25, 2021 BrieflyGorgeous rated it it was amazing

This book is fucking phenomenal!

Updated review (?):
Warning! Kinda chaotic review ahead. Forgive me for I am incapable of expressing my thoughts on a book I so intensely loved.

Where do I start with this book? Which part of it should I try to explain first and tell you why it's amazing and why it's brilliant and why it's "another basic ass positive as hell adjective but in caps"? I'm trying not to convince myself to start from the ending. Because that's what is vivid in my head. From the part it m This book is fucking phenomenal!

Updated review (?):
Warning! Kinda chaotic review ahead. Forgive me for I am incapable of expressing my thoughts on a book I so intensely loved.

Where do I start with this book? Which part of it should I try to explain first and tell you why it's amazing and why it's brilliant and why it's "another basic ass positive as hell adjective but in caps"? I'm trying not to convince myself to start from the ending. Because that's what is vivid in my head. From the part it made me cry to the part where I was rightfully pissed off at... well, you'll read it and you'll know it.

It feels like it was just two days back when I came to know the characters, their names slipping like water between my fingers because I - I am embarrassed to admit this so bear with me - am very bad at remembering names. Fast forward few days and I'm wishing and hoping the characters were real so that I can be their friend.

Carey is Genderqueer and their dream is to be a diva, to make it huge on stage and their not-so-subtle love for Mariah Carey only manages to add shades and layers to the story. I was (being blatantly honest) worried about their love for Mariah Carey overpowering their story (most of which came from people convincing me that I always talk about one direction and somehow that's bad??) Ignoring harsh past memories and focusing on Carey, I was genuinely loving every second of Carey deriving hope from Mariah's story. Making it completely realistic, it is often difficult to cut ourselves some slack and look at things from a different perspective but we find that turning the situation around and looking at it in the light of people we love and admire never ceases to make us see the truth (woah, didn't expect that philosophical moment there. Look at me, feeding yall knowledge AND a book to add to your TBR), so Carey looking up at Mariah and her story to find answers looking back at them might be exactly what you all need to read right now.

For all things we see Carey doing in this book (I am convinced that they are out there, living their life and that they are (obviously) real), we do get to see that they are not always sure of what they're doing, not sure of what they are capable of. Everything so obviously screaming "I don't know what the fuck I'm doing but you cannot fucking silence me, bitch" and that is every inch of the vibe that I'm rooting for through and through.

There were moments where Carey was talking about their identity and I had to look up at the ceiling and sniff my nose particularly hard to not let the tears fall. I wouldn't say that it's exactly tear inducing but what they manage to do is speak a magnanimous amount of truth when it comes to being Genderqueer.

I realised I wrote a lot and still cannot entirely explain the intensity of my love for this book. I'm not sure if I did communicate how a-fucking-mazing this book is but one thing I hope is you all do is add it to your TBR, sob with it as I did, laugh with it and hold your breath with it and find between the pages friends and people you didn't know you needed in your life but you so definitely did.

CW: Queerphobia, off page life ending thoughts (there are mentions of it but does not exactly happen on page)

Thank you netgalley, Bloomsbury publishing and the author! Steven Salvatore! for the e-arc! ...more

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Jan 27, 2021 R added it

so I'm super glad I stopped rating books because I have no idea how to rate this book. our main character has to go through so much trauma (suicidal ideation, misgendering, bullying, and family death to name a few) and so much of it is displayed right on the page that it doesn't necessarily feel all that uplifting, even when good shit does happen. however, you know I'm all about genderqueer characters and I really thought this was great representation, but it begs the question of it is all the t ...more

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Jan 09, 2021 Alexis rated it really liked it

I received a free egalley of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read quite a few YA books with protagonists who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, but this is my first book with a genderqueer protagonist. I think that’s because this book may be one of the first to ever amplify a gay genderqueer voice, and it is an #OwnVoices story. I cannot tell you strongly enough how important I think that representation is, both for informing people about identities they may not k ...more

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Dec 16, 2020 Alex Richards rated it it was amazing

I cannot say enough good things about this book!!! I have been dying to read it ever since I read the synopsis and it did not disappoint!

I absolutely loved the main character, Carey, and was totally there for their journey. As a genderqueer, Mariah Carey-loving, diva-in-training, Carey goes through a lot, and encounters a few very small-minded people in their small town. Carey's struggles were so real and well-written. I felt each emotional punch deep into my core, and wanted to jump off the pag ...more

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Feb 02, 2021 Jake Andino rated it it was amazing

I got an early copy of this book from the author and even though I’m a sloooowww reader and it’s hard to find the time to read lately, when I actually got the chance to read it I couldn’t put it down!

What I loved about it is how real it felt. It took me back to being a teen and having to juggle friends and family (the mom character and the grandma were two of my favorites. It’s so rare to see parents in YA and the family bond was really beautiful) and feeling like the weight of the world was on ...more

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Mar 01, 2021 Amber added it

Shelves: debut-2021, contemporary, review-ish, read-2021

RTC. I need to sit with this one.

I received an ARC of this book through the publisher; however, all opinions are my own.

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Sep 10, 2020 J.Paul Thunders marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Mariah Carey?? I AM AUTOMATICALLY SOLD

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Jan 15, 2021 Will Skrip rated it it was amazing

What starts as an overly-syrupy, seemingly predictable high school romance becomes something much more profound in Steven Salvatore's timely and evocative CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY. Reminiscent of the recent Broadway hits THE PROM and DEAR EVEN HANSEN, Salvatore taps into the viral social justice that seems to pervade the lives of young people today. As a lifelong theatre kid, I'm particularly supportive of Salvatore's assertion that finding the confidence to get up and sing in front of an audience r ...more

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Jan 18, 2021 Charlie Murphy rated it it was amazing

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book through work and I’m so happy I took a chance on it. Salvatore takes such great care of their characters and makes them all instantly relatable. It is insane that this is their debut book, I can’t wait to see more from them.

We all have a little Carey in us. When I was growing up, I was Carey. Whether it be mustering up the courage to audition for the school musical, trying to figure out who I was or even just calling 107.9 to request Mariah Carey’s “ ...more

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Dec 25, 2020 Books That Burn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: clear-ur-shit

*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.

CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY Is about being true to yourself, following your dreams, and making your small slice of the world a little safer for the ones who come after.

The plot rotates between focusing on the MC's inner struggles and musical aspirations, the queerphobic treatment they encounter at school, and their relationships (both platonic and romantic). Early on these sections felt a little more divided, but as the book *I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.

CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY Is about being true to yourself, following your dreams, and making your small slice of the world a little safer for the ones who come after.

The plot rotates between focusing on the MC's inner struggles and musical aspirations, the queerphobic treatment they encounter at school, and their relationships (both platonic and romantic). Early on these sections felt a little more divided, but as the book continues these facets of the MC's life bleed into each other as the MC figures out how they're actually interrelated and how solutions in one arena can lift up every other part of their life.

This is a book I wish I'd had as a teen, it's got a good balance between explaining the MC's queerness and just showing them living it. Part of that experience is dealing with homophobia, queerphobia, and transphobia as a genderqueer high schooler, and part of it is a sweet but tumultuous romance as the MC keeps getting in their own way. The friendships (and friend list) change and grow throughout the story in a way feels appropriate without being rushed, and I had time to really get to know their friends and how they are around each other. The chapter headings keep the reader up to speed on their oscillating pronouns, coupled with a simple and effective method for the characters in the book to keep track too (color coded bracelets). I really appreciated this because it meant I could relax and not constantly be bracing for them to be misgendered. This book also made me wish I knew more about Mariah Carey; the MC's passion for her music and their enthusiastic knowledge about her life was woven throughout the book in a blend of allegory and coping mechanisms which are foundation to the story. As someone who doesn't know much about Mariah, I was grateful that references to her were given enough context to make the parallels and inspiration clear without distracting from the story. I learned more about her via the MC, which in turn connected me even more to the MC as they processed their experiences and emotions via their passion for the singer, rather than being emotionally isolated from the MC due to my minimal knowledge of Mariah.

CW for racism (minor), microaggressions, misgendering, panic attacks, bullying, transphobia, homophobia, queerphobia, suicide attempt* (backstory), parental death (backstory), major character death*.
*The suicide attempt and the death are unrelated. ...more

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About Steven Salvatore

Steven Salvatore

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Steven Salvatore is a queer (gay and genderqueer, using he/him and they/them pronouns -- please default to they/them) writer who lives in New York with their husband. Steven has worked in higher education since 2011, teaching composition courses across curriculums. When not writing or teaching, you can find Steven rewatching any and all Star Wars media or listening to Mariah Carey's extensive and ...more