Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass -> Starting March 8th, 2020

[Alaina]

Connor Major’s summer break is turning into a nightmare.

His SAT scores bombed, the old man he delivers meals to died, and when he came out to his religious zealot mother, she had him kidnapped and shipped off to a secluded island. His final destination: Nightlight Ministries, a conversion therapy camp that will be his new home until he “changes.”

But Connor’s troubles are only beginning. At Nightlight, everyone has something to hide from the campers to the “converted” staff and cagey camp director, and it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe. Connor plans to escape and bring the other kidnapped teens with him. But first, he’s exposing the camp’s horrible truths for what they are— and taking this place down.

[Aly]

I'm so excited to read this! Hopefully tomorrow

[Aly]

Okay started this just a bit. The author's note already has me sad and worried for what's going to happen

[Alaina]

oh no! I have like one other ARC that I need to finish before diving into this! I'm hoping I can get into it later today or tomorrow!

[Aly]

Okay no worries!

[Aly]

ch 9 (view spoiler)[ Wow this is fucked up. How can you send your child away to be "fixed"?! I hope the FBI figures out what's happening and can rescue them. Ario seems too experienced for Connor and I don't think they'll be together at the end (hide spoiler)]
ch 22 (view spoiler)[ This is legit crazy. So many former campers work there and obviously are fucked up from what they went through. Drew is sleeping with Briggs as a form of survival, which is awful for him. (hide spoiler)]
ch 33 (view spoiler)[ I'm really sad Drew is dead, but I am glad he didn't give up and kill himself. The reverend is a killer and he'll kill Connor if he has to. This relationship Connor has with Marcos seems really sudden (hide spoiler)]
finished (view spoiler)[ Wow, Bill was Ricky's dad? And he almost killed his own son? I'm glad he's in custody and they don't have to worry about the reverend. Sad that Connor's mom kicked him out, what a sorry excuse for a woman. (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

I'm excited to see what you think!

[Alaina]

Okay starting this one now!

[Alaina]

Ch 10: (view spoiler)[oh my lord. This place. I feel so bad for them all and shame on their parents. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 20: (view spoiler)[ugh so much creepiness is happening at this camp..why is everyone obsessed with Ricky? (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 30: (view spoiler)[holy crap I can’t believe drew is dead. The adults on this island are so creepy. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Finished: (view spoiler)[lord, his mom is awful. I don’t feel bad about their relationship one bit. I mean I feel bad for him because he still wants one but she’s an idiot. God. This book man. (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

It was a crazy book for sure

[☘Misericordia☘]

So, my thoughts:

(view spoiler)[ The Mom! What's her deal? Was she in love with the holier-than-thou Reverend CrappyBrain?
She's a fragging idiot. Even after everything she throws hr kid out of home! (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[ Ario: While he's so very beautiful and saliva0inducing and everything, doesn't he strike one as some sort of non-empathic idiot? What's his deal, forcing, FORCING Connor out?
It can be dangerous and for minors doubly so, because parents have both the possibility and the means to make life crappy right until ... (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[ Marcus - some sort of 'Stockholm syndrome for him? (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[ Wasn't every first old-timer serving out there a bit Stockholmed into craziness? (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[ The Ricky thing... Was everyone on the island subcosciouly wanting to get caught? Anyway, the Ricky line was, frankly, very weak. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[ Reverend - such a doofus. What's his deal, is he trying to get 'The best homophobe of the year prize or what?' (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[ Bill - kill one's son's fiance? Really? Maiming that son for life and hide away? How... manly.
And the mom of Ricky Hannigan? Did she really not know things? She obviously at some point was OK with her son being shipped to some god-forsaken bootcamp for extra boot and no camp. Did she come aeound? Not sure, that she seems to have alerted the FBI doesn't demonstrate that she fully did. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[ Molly the killing machine :) Connor, while he's not busy ogling boys, sounds sensible. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[ Drew line doesn't feel finished: what was he thinking getting it on with Bill? And how old was he when they started it?

The closet scene is priceless!
Q:
It took five minutes to reassure Drew that Molly, Marcus, and I would also prefer Ben Briggs live his whole life never knowing that three teenagers were eavesdropping on him screwing a fourth teenager. (c)

At least his aunt helped poor Connor. Something good came out of the whole Ario situation (if not for his sis, Connor would've probably wound up somewhere sleazy).
(hide spoiler)]