Reviewed by Karin Librarian for TeensReadToo.com

Billy Bloom has been forced to move to Florida for his senior year of High School. His mom, a little on the bi-polar side, couldn't take his flamboyant attitude toward life anymore. Billy is a self-proclaimed "Gender Obscurist," a fabulously creative drag queen and a character that is resilient, lovable, and stronger than anyone ever would have imagined, including himself.

After enduring unspeakable torture and bullying from his shell-shocked classmates, Billy ends up in the hospital and has a month-long recuperation period. During this time, Billy develops a deep friendship with Flip Kelly, the star and golden boy of the high school.

Flip, the one who saved Billy from the angry mob of students and whisked him to the hospital. Flip, who is feeling the pressure to be the best from his family and the entire school. Flip, the guy Billy falls head-over-heels in love with.

Billy relates his experiences at Eisenhower Academy with brutal honesty and laugh-out-loud humor. His decision to run for Homecoming Queen proves to be a true test of his character, strength, and resolve. Billy's message of tolerance and acceptance is important for everyone to hear. After all, "Gender is a choice, not a life sentence."

No matter your gender persuasion, FREAK SHOW by James St. James is a delightful story of bravery, trust, love, and friendship. So put on your tiara and platform shoes and settle in for a FABULOUS ride. ( )

Freakin' good. ( )

Billy Bloom is a fabulous drag queen of a teenager who finds himself out of luck when his mother sends him off to live with his rich father in the rural Florida swamps for his last year of high school. Surrounded by a family who doesn't accept him, students who are horrified by him or praying on his behalf, and constant physical threats, Billy decides to take it upon himself to shake up his private institution and make progress for the GLBTQ community.

The bright pink cover with the cross-dressing boy doll really grabs your attention. This book is definitely meant for the older teen sector; there is a fairly graphic part describing a group attack on Billy that leaves him nearly dead, as well as a fair amount of blue language scattered throughout. Billy himself is 100% over the top (swap queen and Carrie themed outfits, a homecoming float that is literally a 13 foot high purple platform shoe), but as someone who had a Billy of her own as a close friend through the high school years I find his voice to be very authentic of a serious teen queen. The book is able to explore the raw nature of bigotry but still be upbeat. Billy is a drag queen and the focus of the book is on how this community comes to terms with it, but the focus is not as much on gay relationships or sexuality. It's just one eccentric boy's coming of age story. ( )

Yet another quick YA read, but this one was excellent. James' writing style is quite unique and takes some getting used to, and I'm not sure I ever did get used to it. But don't let that put you off the book. Freak Show is a brilliant near stream-of-consciousness book about, simply put, what it means to be different. Obviously, it's more than just that. It's a brilliant examination of the horrors of high school, specifically one a young, cross dressing gay boy. He's truly adorable, someone I'd probably like to be friends with. While much of the book seems to be quite unrealistic, focusing on that aspect would completely miss the point. What matters is the interactions, the way Billy feels, beneath all the glamor he embraces. Freak Show is more than just a coming of age story, it's a story to all of us who were picked on in high school and what it means when we fight back (even if we never had the courage to). ( )

Billy Bloom, teen drag queen, has just moved in with his father in Florida to attend the ultra-white, ultra-rich, ultra-conservative Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy. Unfortunately, Billy’s new classmates are not as accepting of his fashion and exuberant attitude as his previous school in Darien, Connecticut. However, he is sure that his swarthy pirate outfit for the first day of school will win them all over.Billy’s unfailingly positive outlook on his new situation is heartbreaking to say the least. When Billy gets a crush on the school quarterback, it becomes positively tragic. When it finally becomes obvious to Billy that he will never be accepted by those in control of Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy, after some very serious beatings that land him in the hospital, Billy decides on the perfect revenge, and beings his campaign to be elected Prom Queen. Billy, encourages other “freaks” to come out of the woodwork and take what is rightfully theirs from the undeservingly popular. ( )