I thought this was an amazing book! Katcher has written a book that is truly unique, although the story is not. He has written the characters in a way that made me feel that I understood where everyone was coming from and was proud of both Logan and Sage at the end. It wasn't exactly a happy ending, which would have made me feel better, but it wasn't a sad one either.....just realistic. I cannot wait to read other titles by Katcher. This is a book that not only transgender teens should read but all teens, in my opinion, to help give them a little understanding about the condition. ( )

Logan's girlfriend of three years has cheated on him. He could barely even get on base with her and she went off and did it with some guy. Logan thought she was "the one" though, so he has been moping around. But when a new student (which never happens in Boyer's small high school) breezes into biology Logan gets a new optimistic feeling. The more Logan starts to talk to the new student, Sage, he realizes that there are many things that she is keeping from him. She won't tell him why she was home schooled or why she's not allowed to date. When Sage does unload her big secret, Logan gets angry and almost hits her. Can Logan overcome something this big? Is he up to the challenge of being Sage's boyfriend or even just her friend?

At first I was really annoyed at how quickly Logan cycled through emotions, how completely unstable he seemed. Then, I realized that he's a teenage boy, he has no idea how to handle the situation he's been thrust into and all he is is raw emotion. After that I started to enjoy the book much more, thinking "Hey, he's just reacting the way he knows how.". This was the first book I have read that dealt so immediately with gender issues, and in such a real unflinching voice. Sage was who she was and Logan wanted to understand. I loved the passion that was printed on every page. Be it anger or love or lust everything was heightened emotions as I imagine it must feel to be in a situation similar to theirs. There was also a great joke in this book, let me share.

"'Well, my church is doing some major renovations. Painting the whole building.'
'Since when do you go to church?" I asked. He ignored me.
'We didn't think we were going to have enough money, so we bought some cheap paint and watered it down. Didn't look the greatest, but it got the job done.'
'What the hell are you talking about?' Jack never got up before three p.m. on Sundays.
'Well, we spent all last Saturday painting the outside. Unfortunately, right when we were finished, this rain started. Washed everything away.'
'Oh, no,' said Sage, sounding genuinely concerned.
'The funny thing is, right when we were all running inside, I could swear I heard a voice from the clouds.'
I sighed 'Saying what, Jack?'
'Repaint! Repaint and thin no more!'"

Well, I enjoyed it at least, quite clever.This was a great book about being yourself and knowing that it's okay if you are confused about how you feel in certain situations. A book about how we don't always make the right decisions, but they are our decisions and they all come with consequences.

First Line:
"Everyone has that one line they swear they'll never cross, the one thing they say they'll never do."

Favorite Line:
"Well, more like gouging a piece of shrapnel out of my stomach, pouring a bottle of gin into the wound, lighting it on fire, and sewing my guts up with a dirty bootlace." ( )

Logan is devastated after his girlfriend Brenda breaks up with him, but that starts to change when he meets the new girl Sage in his biology class senior year. Sage is unlike anyone Logan has ever met and he's instantly attracted to her. But when Logan finds out that Sage is transgendered and has male genitalia, he'll have to decide whether he's capable of loving her the way she is.

I loved Logan's realistic voice and the well-developed characters. It's also interesting to see a book about a transgendered person through the eyes of a heterosexual partner. The book was a touch too long and dragged slightly in places, but it's a worthy addition to the YA GLBT shelves. I'd recommend for fans of Julie Anne Peters's Luna and Ellen Wittlinger's Parrotfish or anyone interested in GLTB lit.

Read my full review on my blog: http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/200... ( )