The Prom

Admittedly I have never seen the musical or listened to the soundtrack so I went into this blind. I was NOT disappointed! Emma is the only out teenager at her high school. It's tough being the only openly gay kid in a small Indiana town. She isn't exactly the most accepted kid, even her parents kicked her out. Her girlfriend, the super popular class president, Alyssa, is still in the closet, as her mother is the head of the PTA. All they want to do is go to prom together and dance, but that's about to be a lot harder now that Alyssa's mother has started meddling. As a conservative Christian she is aghast when she finds out Emma plans on bringing a female date (can you imagine how much more upset she would be if she knew that date was her own daughter!), she swiftly changes the rules so that only boy/girl dates are allowed. Once the news picks up on it, two Broadway stars lend themselves to Emma's cause. They want to fight for justice (and a little free publicity too). Soon the whole situation has spun out of control. All Emma and Alyssa wanted to do was dance together. Wonderfully written, this is a must read for teenagers. It shows just how harmful discrimination is and begs readers to be more open minded and empathetic. Prom is for everyone! I definitely want to see the musical now!

Fiddler on the Roof

Reading this made me want to watch the movie so bad! This book is the complete script for the original musical, it's awesome. I found myself humming along to the songs while I was reading. Reading the script made me appreciate how brilliant this musical really is. It's timely and continues to speak to people. The human drama and raw emotion shown in the dialogue and songs are still prevalent today nearly fifty years after it debuted on Broadway. Full of historical drama, Jewish identity, tradition, and love this tale will continue to last for many decades more.

For fans of the original musical, American theater, and Jewish history.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Listening to the audiobook version of this was a real treat. It made me appreciate both John Green and David Levithan's writing talent even more. Usually I can't get into stories written by more than one author because I find them too choppy, by Green and Levithan play beautifully off of each other. Each chapter alternates between a different Will Grayson. The first Will Grayson (and obviously John Green's creation) is a quiet, no- nonsense kid who just so happens to be best friends with a massive hulkng, flaming gay teen called Tiny. Always hiding in the shadows behind Tiny's massive spotlight he yearns to be more than a safety net. The second Will Grayson is an angry, sulking, teen who pretty much hates everyone and everything, that is, except for his internet boyfriend Isaac. One Friday evening the Will Graysons cross paths in a porn store in Chicago. It seems to be no mere coincidence for their lives will both ultimately change.

A great poignant story that touches on friendship, sexuality, and the complexities of life. A great read (and listen!). For fans of young adult and LGBT literature.