A very rare situation is happening today at Love Bytes reviews.
All 4 reviews today got the maximum rating of 5 hearts!
As I said this is very rare for us and when I found out I thought let’s do something nice for our readers.
Comment on all 4 of the reviews and give us your opinion if you have read the book or tell us why
you would like to read the book, and one randomly selected commenter will win one of the 4 books reviewed today.
Good Luck 🙂
Reviewed by Donna
TITLE: Lucky Linus
AUTHOR: Gene Gant
PUBLISHER: Harmony Ink Press
LENGTH: 96 Pages
BLURB:
Is the possibility of fulfilling your heart’s desire worth the risk of breaking it?
Fourteen-year-old Linus Lightman is understandably reluctant to trust his newest foster family, the Nelsons, after he’s bounced through the system since being being taken from his neglectful mother. He’s certain they will reject him when they find out he’s gay, and getting to know them will only lead to hurt later. Trying to cope, he builds a friendship with Kevin Mapleton, and it quickly grows into romance, despite Linus’s fears. Then a video of Linus and Kevin having sex is posted online, and Linus knows from past experience exactly what’s going to happen. This sort of scandal will cost him his new home and Kevin’s love, snatching away his fragile hopes of belonging.
REVIEW:
Does it make sense if I say that this book was pretty much what I expected but at the same time was completely unexpected? No, probably not, it doesn’t really make sense to me when I read that back but whether it makes sense or not, it’s exactly what I mean.
Linus Lightman is a fourteen-year-old foster kid who has been shuffled between seven different homes in eight and a half years. From the time he was taken from his negligent, uncaring mother at age five the only constant in his life has been his case worker, whose appearance usually heralds another change of address. After so many disappointments he refuses to even consider that his latest home, with the Nelson family, may actually be permanent. Eventually they’ll decide they don’t want him anymore and he’ll be moved to another place to stay. When he meets Kevin on a GLBT youth website and discovers that the hot sixteen year old only lives one town over, he believes his prayers have been answered. But, as I’m guessing you read in the blurb, a sex tape of Linus and Kevin finds its way into the hands of a high school bully, causing a greater uproar than even Linus could have predicted.
I like to read a bit of young adult every now and again but what drew my attention to this book in particular was the fact that these very young teens are having sex. Because in real life, they do. Well, at least a vast majority of them do, and I’m not saying that it’s right, but it happens and there’s no point pretending that it doesn’t. The author writes it in a completely suitable for young adult, detail free way. And while the sex here isn’t glorified like you may find in books aimed at adults, I appreciated that Linus wasn’t treated with disgust or made to feel ashamed of what he’d done.
Linus was such a brilliantly written character. I can’t say that a young teenage boy is someone I would often identify with, but I felt that I completely understood what Linus was thinking and feeling. Even while I knew he wasn’t seeing things clearly, or reacting in the best way, I totally got why he believed and acted as he did. Considering how messed up this kid’s life was, the author did a great job of making Linus’s positive nature completely credible. And he does have a positive nature, no matter how much he might wish he could just stop hoping for the best. Man, I just wanted to wrap that boy up in a great big hug and keep him safe from the cruelties of the world. I should probably add here that the book includes themes of child sexual abuse.
This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and I was extremely impressed by what I found. In my opinion the author has a perfect understanding of teenage mentality and writes a realistic interpretation of the foster system – the good and the bad. Although the story is targeted at young adults I believe that most adults would enjoy reading this and even perhaps benefit from giving it a try. Oh, and the cover. I really love that cover.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
I don’t normally read young adult books, but this one sounds really good and I will be reading it for sure.
Thanks for the review!
Just the cover makes me want to read it. 🙂 I do often enjoy YA stories and, thanks to your review, just added this to my TBR list. I applaud the author for being realistic about teenagers and sex.
Thanks for the review 🙂
I agree, teens have sex. A lot of sex if they can. And for most YA/NA authors to ignore that fact is unrealistic.
I recently read my first book by Gene Gant Always Leaving and really enjoyed it, so I am looking forward to reading Lucky Linus.
Thanks for the review. I have read some YA/NA books. The authors I have read are wonderful. This book looks like one I would enjoy.
Thanks for the great review. I don’t read too many YA books, but this review definitely makes me want to read this particular one. I am new to Gene as a writer, which also appeals to me. I love finding new authors.
Thank you for the review. I like reading YA, although I haven’t read many handling teenagers and sex. It’ll be an interesting change from my normal stuff.
That cover is seriously freaking cute! I get on kicks where I like YA, partly because it’s fun to remember being a teen and all the emotions and experiences that go with that, but also, sometimes I get bored with lots of sexy times in books. This one sounds pretty darned good. Definitely TBR!
I don’t usually look at YA books. The review of this one however makes it sound very promising!
I’m really not the biggest fan of YA, but this one has a unique spin. The review perfectly encapsulates what I’m for in a story.
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