Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: The Scarecrow & George C

AUTHOR: Mia Kerick

PUBLISHER: Ninestar Press

LENGTH: 214 pages 

RELEASE DATE: June 3, 2019

BLURB:

High school senior Van Liss is barely human. He thinks of himself as a scarecrow—ragged and unnerving, stuck and destined to spend his life cold and alone. If he ever had feelings, they were stomped out long ago by his selfish mother and her lecherous boyfriend. All he’s been left with is bitter contempt, to which he clings. 

With a rough exterior long used to keep the world at bay, Van spooks George Curaco, the handsome new fry cook at the diner where he works. But George C senses there is more to the untouchable Van and refuses to stop staring, fascinated by his eccentricity. When Van learns that George C is even more cold, alone, and frightened than himself, Van welcomes him to his empty home. And ends up finding his heart. 

Their road to trust is rocky and, at times, even dangerous. And looming evil threatens to keep them apart forever. 

Fair warning: You may want to strap in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

REVIEW:

Wow. If you guys don’t get anything out of this book, if you don’t READ this book, you are missing. It’s a dark story. It’s about the harsher sides of life. For kids who are gay or different, it’s often quite awful. Hell, adults have it hard enough, but kids….breaks me every time. There is some dark things talked about, so if anyone has a trigger be careful.

Donovan, Van, has learned to hide himself away. He’s become a human version of a scarecrow so people will leave him alone and he won’t be hurt. It started at the age of 10, when someone tried to do something bad to him. When he told his mom, she turned him away. And not in a good way. So he learned to steer clear of her and create a self that people would stay away from. In front of everyone, he seems cold and was often called the Ice Queen. But nothing was farther from the truth. He wanted love. But he was scared as hell. And when George C entered his life, that snide, sneering attitude somehow starts to disappear. George C made him feel. Made him want to try and try new things. Try having friends. And he did. Life wasn’t perfect but it was getting better until George’s past came calling and threatened Van on top of it. George knew he had to run. And did. And what pieces of Van’s finally warm heart, shattered and blew with the wind. Until a message from someone made him realize George was somewhere but he didn’t know where. And he couldn’t come home and risk Van’s life. How could life end when it’s just starting?

Sometimes I wish I would have thought up the scarecrow thing like Van did. Maybe I could have been left alone like he was. But I broke for him. A ten year old boy trying to deal with horrors of life he never should have had to. And George wasn’t any better off. Why parents kick their children out for being gay still baffles me. You’re SUPPOSED to love your kids no matter what. And the homophobia he had to deal with in his home at that time was ridiculous. When these two found each other, after the snark died down from Van, I was so happy for them to have each other. Even if they never became anything more, they both needed the friendship they had. They got it. They got each other and dealt accordingly.

There are days I wish I could just take all the teens rejected and bring them home. Hell, every day I do. So they can see someone loves them no matter what. This is a really good book. It will make you cry but in the end it’s worth it.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

ninestarpress

amazon