Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

In honor of banned books week, I will be reviewing books with controversial topics! I READ WHAT I WANT TO READ! 

     Normally I wouldn’t pick something like this up. Although I am in no way against homosexuality, since I’m not into it, I just wouldn’t read something that CENTERS on it. But then I started hearing things from my blogger friends and even other publishers saying that they loved this book and that the writing style was something that had never been done before and naturally, I got curious. And you guys, this  book changed me.

“Freedom is also about what you will allow yourself to do.”
7% (Kindle e-Book)

     Now this was my very first Levithan book and I am so glad I chose this one. From the very beginning I was sucked in to the poetic writing style. It really is narrated by a Greek Chorus. This unique writing had me hanging on every word. Just the writing alone had me so emotional I found myself teary eyed and clutching my heart through out the entire book.

“From a cold distance, we know that confusion is at the heart of this disgust. And into that heart is pumping a steady flow of hate and ignorance.”
16% (Kindle e-Book)

     I never read reviews until I’ve written my own, so determine if I wanted to read this book I went and checked out everyone’s updates and their ratings. In every update I saw “OMG the feels!” or “My heart breaks for them.” This is what made me decide I wanted to read it. And man, after finishing this story I really felt emotionally drained. Every story (because its holds multiple POV’s) broke me. I was smitten with everyone’s story, but it was actually Cooper’s who hit me the most.

“…the magnetism toward kissing is still there, because even when the mind shuts off the romance it sometimes takes a while for the body to get the message.”
26% (Kindle e-Book)

     In this story we see what being gay did to different boys, in different times of their lives, and their loved ones. Some of those loved ones accepted them and others didn’t. I loved that this book doesn’t make it all seem like all sunshine and rainbows, because in reality it isn’t. Sometimes the dark and gritty happens and teens that read this need to know how to handle it.

“It’s Miranda who speaks up. ‘You’re gay,’ she says with complete seriousness. ‘And I love you’.”
68% (Kindle e-Book)

     Lastly, I loved the ending and Levithan’s acknowledgements. The entire story centered around that one very important kiss and in the end the author was able to pull it altogether to that one central location. Not everyone was happy, but they were all there in some way, separate, but still together. I also loved the acknowledgements because in the synopsis it said “based on the true events story” and I was intrigued. I had planned to Google it after wards to see what the real story was, but I didn’t have to. Levithan tells about the real story that inspired this one and I saw that as a thanks for them for being so brave. Again, I was moved to tears. (I really needed a “Use in case of feels tissue box!”)

“Saying the truth out loud makes it more real.”
69% (Kindle e-Book)

     In short, don’t let the title or what this book is about deter you from reading it. It may not be what you normally would read, but I kid you not if you are a reader, certain aspects of it will amaze you. My first Levithan read was filled with emotions and incredible writing and I promise that this won’t be my last book by him. I am already absolutely smitten with him.