Love Drugged (edition 2010)

This is a good book to add to high school collections - the story started out with a nice teaser, that Jamie didn't set out to be a villian, but that's how he felt by the time the story would end. The reader wants to know what will happen between Celia and Jamie, as he tries to convince the world and himself that he's not gay. The reader wants to know just how the drug will work - will it turn him straight? An enjoyable, quick read with an actual villian, and not the one Jamie promises in the beginning. ( )

This book was interesting. Jamie's dire quest to be like everyone else kinda' broke my heart. I will say that I'm not gay, but I think fitting in is a universal struggle. Everyone, at one time or another has the desire to want to fit in. And let's face it, love is love regardless of who it's between.

At what price does that blending come at? Is it really worth it if it completely changes who you've become? How sad to let the person you are slip into oblivion so that you may become someone like everyone else.

Jamie is a great character. I feel his pain and his uncertainty. I was always surprised at what he was going to do next. I'd recommend this book and I like the cover. It's pretty cool. 3 1/2 fabulous kisses for this one! ( )

Love Drugged, is quite amazing. The plot is not only interesting, but it conveys the message to always be yourself, to not let anyone change you, or to fit their idea of perfection. If that alone doesn't make you want to read it, there's also the fact that it's written about a gay boy, by a gay man. It's interesting to see things from that point of view.
4.5Q, 5P; Cover Art: Awesome!
This book is best suited for highschoolers.
It was selected due to first being interesting in the cover, then an interest in the gay protagonist.
Grade (of reviewer): 10th
(SM-AHS-NC)

High school freshman Jamie has a big secret - he's gay - and when someone at his school finds out, he'll do anything to change who he is, to become "normal". When Jamie discovers a new miracle drug that promises to "cure" homosexuality, he jumps at the chance to take it. But when the side effects get worse and worse, Jamie has to decide whether it's worth it.

The main character has a lot of heart and I was rooting for him the whole way through. I also loved the tone of the book, which strikes a nice balance between funny and serious. I wish secondary characters had been more three-dimensional, but overall I really enjoyed this debut novel.

More on the blog: http://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2010/09/love-drugged.html ( )

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

TAKE A DOSE OF "LOVE DRUGGED"! Side effects include: laughing out loud, insomnia (from wanting to finish), and being one step closer to finding your identity.

Jamie Bates may seem like any other teenage guy on the outside, but deep down he knows he is far from it. His constant attraction to other guys could be a huge hint that he's gay, yet Jamie does not want to come to this conclusion. In a world where phrases like "no homo" and the word "queer" can be thrown around jokingly, guys like Jamie fear it, understanding the torment and consequences that would result if their peers knew of their sexuality.

At first, Jamie finds solace with his homosexuality in an online forum, being able to discuss his interests without being ridiculed. Unfortunately, his one escape is nixed once he discovers a fellow user just so happens to go to the same school. Panicked, Jamie tries to find a way out of the island he and his online friends would be exiled to once everyone knew the truth.

Jamie's savior comes in the form of his fellow service club member, Celia Gamez. Extremely gorgeous, rich, and smart, Celia is the girl every guy would want. Jamie and Celia eventually are paired up to work on the Valentine's Day Carnation sale. With her flirtatious manner towards him, Jamie takes this as an opportunity to be put on the straight path. The idea seems to backfire in an instant though, as the physical attraction is absent, at least for Jamie.

Out of the blue, Jamie is introduced to a pill called Rehomoline, a drug that is meant to suppress the feelings one has for the same sex. When all else fails, Jamie takes this second chance to live like every other guy, without knowing the side effects that will ensue. Before he knows it, Jamie's relationship with Celia veers in a direction that he never expected, his actions become completely out of character, and the drugs begin to have serious consequences. And yet, is this all okay if it means he will end up being straight?

With having to worry about his best friend, Wes, and his own pill problem, dreams that haunt his mind, crushing on a blue-eyed classmate, and having a family that is all too plain and unsuccessful, Jamie must quickly figure out if this drug is what will cure him and give him the life he so desperately yearns for.

Every now and then a novel is published that will change the lives and minds of whoever reads it, and LOVE DRUGGED just so happens to be the one. James Klise creates a realistic character who some will fear because he is all too easy to relate to. Just like Jamie, those who are gay are sometimes unsure whether they will be accepted, mainly because a picture of a perfect, normal guy who is meant to play sports and marry a woman is painted and loved by family and friends. Little do they know that they will still be loved for who they really are.

An intriguing, perceptive, and heartwarming novel, LOVE DRUGGED may seem like any other simple coming-of-age novel, but with its twists and page-turning effect, it will ultimately leave a lasting impression. ( )