Spy Stuff - Matthew J. Metzger

[Kaje]

*Link: Spy Stuff by Matthew J. Metzger

*About the book: Anton never thought anyone would ever want to date him. Everyone knows nobody wants a transgender boyfriend, right? So he's as shocked as anyone when seemingly-straight Jude Kalinowski asks him out, and doesn't appear to be joking.

The only problem is ... well, Jude doesn't actually know.

Anton can see how this will play out: Jude is a nice guy, and nice guys finish last. And Anton is transgender, and transgender people don't get happy endings. If he tells Jude, it might destroy everything.

And if Jude tells anyone else ... it will.

*Cautions: bullying

Proposed start date: June 20
Proposed end/full discussion date: June 30

Participating readers:
Kaje
Jason
Mckinlay
Mel

Discussion has begun - possible spoilers after message #18

[Jason]

I think I might like this one. I'm game to buddy-read.

[Kaje]

Cool - with this being a new program, I'll link it in the newsletter June 1 - maybe we can wait till then and see if that gets us a couple more readers...

[Jason]

Sounds good to me :-)

[McKinlay]

i would like to buddy read this too, if that's still an option.

[Kaje]

Absolutely - I'm going to wait a few more days for other takes, since the newsletter just went out. Then we can agree on a start date for reading it.

[McKinlay]

Sounds good!

[Jason]

I'm still on board as well.

[Kaje]

Jason and Mckinlay - I'll PM you if I don't hear from you here. We can consider starting now, or maybe a bit later in June? Jason I know you signed up for Puckawiss as well. Do you want to read that one first? Let me know what time frame works for you (I read a book in a day or two, and own both, so I'm very flexible.)

[McKinlay]

I'm doing a Readathon until the 19th so after that would be better for me.

[Mel]

Kaje wrote: "Jason and Mckinlay - I'll PM you if I don't hear from you here. We can consider starting now, or maybe a bit later in June? Jason I know you signed up for Puckawiss as well. Do you want to read tha..."

This sounds like a good book. Count me in for whenever you decide to do it.

[Jason]

Whenever is good for me, I can read them both at the same time. Just let me know. I was waiting to purchase until I was sure the BR was happening. :)

[Kaje]

Let's plan to do this one after Puckawiss then - Start this around the 20th? Give it 10 days - start discussing the whole book after the 30th?

(Sorry - GR notifications are unreliable - it didn't tell me you guys posted.)

[McKinlay]

Works for me!

[Mel]

That works for me too.

[Jason]

20th to 30th is perfect for me.

[Kaje]

Reading this one now - I'm really enjoying the low-key realism and banter between the teen at the start here.

[Jason]

Gonna finish this one today - What a great read this is. It kind of blindsided me actually. I've never read Metzger and the content is not normally what I would select when looking for potential reads.

So in love with Jude! I imagine him being this carefree, happy-go-lucky boy with no filter and a goofy smile. He just melts my heart <3.

[Jason]

One of the most powerful moments of this read for me:

It didn't freeze, it flexed. The classroom seemed to bend around him, Miss Taylor's voice echoing like she was shouting in a swimming pool. His pulse was suddenly thundering in his ears, deafeningly load and making the entire room shiver in time with it. The hard 'd' and 't' sounds in the phrase, gen-der id-en-ti-ty, repeated themselves in time with his heart, too, getting louder and louder

We've all experienced sudden anxious moments like that, and I thought it was brilliantly written. I think I felt exactly how Anton felt at that moment.

I also felt the release of tension at Jude's joke/jibe at his stepsister. I'm not a fan of using offensive terms in a joke, even if it is used in a context without malice. But that one, I'll admit, had me cracking up, and relieved.

[Kaje]

That was a great passage. I love all of Metzgers stuff I've read so far, YA and adult. Vivaldi in the Dark is one of my favorite YA books.

I also really enjoyed this one. The trans character was naturally pretty believable, and well portrayed - a great choice for a read for someone who is looking to understand what it means to be trans, with a good story underpinning it.

There was a hint of wish-fulfillment to this - Jude only slips up once in being the supportive boyfriend, which for a 15 year old is remarkable. He's such a great character though, that I could just about believe it. The cast of supporting characters was great fun, the banter and teasing felt realistic, and the balance of description, conversation and action always works for me with this author.

Some readers may have a bit of hesitation about the sex (which is off page, but definitely happens between two 15 year olds) - in the Vivaldi series I felt it was totally realistic. Here I had a bit more hesitation - even with Jude's lovely acceptance, I thought Anton would likely be more hesitant, more fumbling and careful and limited. Not that there wasn't some of that, but the speed with which they moved forward seemed optimistic. But Anton had his head together for the most part, and that was kind of cool compared to the angsty and crisis-ridden story it might have been. I'll be recommending this one.

[CR]

Have heard really good things about this one. Might see if I can get the ebook.

[Jason]

I hope you do CR, I certainly enjoyed it myself.