Adam Sass

More frightening than I expected, which was a very nice surprise! I think it was a combination of the long and creepy moments of suspense when the primary characters were in imminent danger, the scenes in which there was no suspense because death were practically jump-scaring the victims and survivors, and the incredibly visceral fear I had for the Latino character Cole, who was in dual danger from both the serial killer and from a system that would have presumed and prejudged him to be the show more killer at least in part because of his race.

I was a bit disappointed that the foreshadowing was blatant enough to let me immediately figure out that Grover was alive and killing, well before the final reveal of that fact. Thankfully, there were enough moments of misdirection after those couple of information drops that I was distracted along the way to the end, and there were plenty of key pieces of the story that caught me by surprise.

I was quite gratified, I must say, that Benny wasn't a killer or allied with them, as I suspected initially--thinking Grover and Benny were obsessed with Dearie and Cole, respectfully, enough to find a twisted logic in joining forces as Sandman copycats with the goal of establishing themselves as the only choice if they wanted to stay alive and out of prison. It could have made narrative sense, but the way the plot went instead was much more satisfying for me. show less

"I wish being gay was more fun."

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley. Content warning for homophobic violence, including conversion "therapy," child abuse, suicide, and murder.)

Boyishly proud of his discovery, Marcos beams, but where his heart has lifted, mine weighs heavier.

It’s another Winner’s Wall.

Instead of pictures, our sanctum’s black wall is covered with chalk-drawn hearts, and at the foot of the wall lies a pile of powdery-white limestones. show more “Have you ever seen this before?” I ask, approaching with the same awe and trepidation as when Marcos brought me to the Winner’s Wall. He doesn’t respond. His smile fallen, he presses his hand to one of the chalk hearts. Inside it are four letters: MK + CR. “Initials?”

Each batch of initials is different: TB + KW, KS + DA, MR + ASZ On and on, they fill dozens of hearts, climbing the cave into darkened corners that even our tiki lamp can’t reach. [...]

Nightlight tried to snuff it out, but love grew. Love found its way to the island, and this sanctuary made it possible. Whoever first transcribed their initials into a heart started a chain reaction that led to an entirely different Winner’s Wall. In the cabin, the Winner’s Wall of “successful” Nightlight graduates is a depressing monument to control and domination. But this wall is an anthem of wild, unchained resistance.

###

They’re soaking wet in their swim trunks, pure joy in their eyes, unmarred by time, unaware of the savage future waiting for them. They were friends. The cruelty singes my lungs black. My eyes burn with tears. They’re dead. They don’t need to be, this didn’t need to happen. I wrestle with the unfair weight and constraints of time—I’m furious at my body for not being able to instantly travel back in time, right now, and rescue those boys on the dock.

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YA novels centered around conversion therapy camps are an insta-read for me, if only because I'm appalled (though not entirely shocked) that such places still exist. Euphemistically referred to as "reparative therapy," conversion "therapy" purports to "cure" its LGBTQ "patients" of their sexual "deviancy" (read: queerness) using a variety of methods that range from emotional and psychological to outright physical abuse. On the "milder" end, you have psychological "counseling" (read: bullying), religious indoctrination, visualization, and gender role performance; among the more extreme abuse that's been documented is chemical castration, aversive treatments (e.g., the pairing of electric shocks or drug-induced nausea with same-sex pornography), and even ice pick lobotomies. Though it's been rejected by nearly every reputable medical and psychological organization as pseudoscience and child abuse, currently only twenty US states ban conversion therapy on minors.

Conversion therapy is a horror story that all but writes itself - and yet Adam Sass delivers a cleverly unique take on the story with his debut novel, Surrender Your Sons. Part The Miseduaction of Cameron Post (hey, it's the gold standard! The Summer I Wasn't Me works too.), part murder mystery (Agatha Christie? idk, I don't read a ton from this group. The nonfiction Unfinished Lives or Indecent Advances: A Hidden History of True Crime and Prejudice Before Stonewall might be better points of comparison.), with just a touch of Billy Porter's flair sprinkled throughout (the author's name is kind of perfect, because his MC can be sassy AF, providing much-needed moments of levity), Surrender Your Sons is equal parts frightening and funny.

It's the summer before senior year, and Connor Major's life is not going according to plan. He recently came out to his parental unit Marcia, a single mom and the most evangelical of the zealots residing in his adopted home town of Ambrose, Illinois. She was okay-ish, if a bit icy, at first - but when she found out that Connor also had a boyfriend, a real-life, flesh and blood partner with whom to have sexyfuntimes, Marcia straight up lost her shit: she confiscated Connor's phone, followed by his laptop and Wifi. He's effectively grounded for the duration of the summer, except for his Meals on Wheels deliveries, helpfully coordinated by the Majors' only neighbor (and Marcia's doomed crush), Reverend Packard. He's resorted to stealing minutes with Ario, who's headed off for college in the fall, between deliveries. Even that plan goes kaput when Connor's remaining client, Ricky Hannigan, dies suddenly of an infected bedsore.

And then Marcia arranges Connor's kidnapping, and things really go sideways ... but not before Ricky leaves Connor an old playbill etched with a cryptic warning in his will. WTF is going on here!?!

First by van, then by plane and boat, Connor is disappeared to small island off the coast of Costa Rica, to a rugged camp operated by Nightlight Ministries - and ruled over by none other than Reverend Packard. He forms a quick bond with his fellow campers Molly, Marcos, Darcy, Lacrishia, Vance, and Jack, one that's only cemented when it becomes clear that their missions dovetail in some surprising ways. Connor wants - no, needs - to find out what happened to Ricky Hannigan all those years ago, while the long-term residents aim to escape the island - but not before gathering enough evidence to shut it down for good. With the clock ticking and a murderer on the loose, can they emerge from Nightlight unscathed?

From start to finish, Surrender Your Sons is pretty spectacular: Sass has the creepy, ominous vibe down pat, and the murder mystery part of the story will keep you guessing until the end. The Nighlight captives represent a scrappy, resourceful group of kids from a variety of backgrounds, and you can't help but root for them - and hard. (I'll admit, I was hoping for more stabby stabby revenge, but the logic presented against it is - sadly - sound.) I wasn't totally on board with the Pastor's motivation - which is why I gave this one five stars, and not five stars plus a "favorite" - but otherwise the story line is as believable as it is compelling.

I think what I love most, though, is the ending: naturally everyone wants a happy ending, but the happiness never sits well when it feels forced or unrealistic. At first, it looks like the characters in Surrender Your Sons are barrelling towards this fate, but Sass throws us for a loop in the final chapters. This story doesn't have a happily ever after - but it's brimming with hope nonetheless. Connor's victory is bittersweet, but it's all the more plausible for its ambiguity.

Also worth mentioning is Sass's wry, audacious sense of humor. Connor's one-liners, sometimes bandied at the most inappropriate times, are tiny masterpieces of their own.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2020/09/15/surrender-your-sons-by-adam-sass/ show less

First of all, please read the warnings for this book. The author and the publisher have done a fantastic job of highlighting things within this book that may be triggering for some people.

This book opens with Connor desperate to see his boyfriend, Ario. He's had his phone taken away which is painful... but not the most painful thing that's going on in his life. Connor's boyfriend was encouraging... well, let's just say it... pushing him to come out. What he doesn't realize is that Connor's show more very devout mother is going to be a problem. And BOY is she a problem.

She definitely doesn't accept that her son is gay... even to the point of insisting that he's the father of his ex-girlfriend's baby. He isn't...but he's not going to throw his friend under the bus by letting everyone know who is the baby's father. So, he's got no internet, no phone, and he has a very angry mother.

When he's taken in the middle of the night by a huge man and shoved into a black van... the journey is just beginning. Connor has been sent to a gay conversion camp. And it's run by someone he already knows. This is the point at which the novel becomes a mystery, a thriller, a drama, and a love story. I admire Sass for his ability to pull this all off without losing the sense of humor and spirit of the main character.

Connor's inner voice is everything I didn't know I needed. He's quirky and fun, funny and despite his youth, he's pretty aware of who he is becoming. He's unapologetic in some ways and self-deprecating in others... he claims responsibility for things that aren't his fault and acknowledges the weight of things that are. I loved the way that Connor navigates everything that is thrown at him and how he picks himself up time and again. Truly a testament to the human spirit. Best of all... he has the voice of a 17-year-old! It's surprising how often that doesn't happen in YA books!

The cast of characters in this book is fantastic and diverse. All of their voices are unique and despite the fact that there was an army of queer teens, I feel like I got to know them all enough to care about them. There are layers of story in this book... Sass handles it all really well. There is a story going on in the past that rivals the one in the present. These are complex characters and it was a real adventure to get to know them.

And let me say... This is how you write a trans character people! Sass writes about a feisty supporting character who is trans without ever dead-naming the character or using the incorrect pronouns! I can't tell you how much I appreciated that when I read it!

Oh, and the priceless and perfect use of the word "differenter" made me so happy I could have cried.

Please read this book. Not only is it about a very important and timely topic - even now we are only just beginning to ban conversion therapy because of the damage it can do to a person's psyche, but this book is charming, tear-jerking, heart mashing and adorable. I absolutely loved it. show less

I picked up this book because three of my favorite authors (Ryan La Sala, Aiden Thomas, and Terry J. Benton-Walker) all had quotes on the cover, and they did not let me down!

Cole and Dearie are two gay besties at a high school in Arizona. As some copycat murders start targeting the other members of the queer club at their school, Cole and Dearie are the immediate suspects. They are forced to find the real killer to clear their own name while still navigating bullies, relationships, and show more everything else that comes with being alive these days.

This book has all the fun camp of my favorite 90s movies like Scream with witty comebacks you’d expect from reality tv. There was a perfect balance of clues and red herrings to keep me guessing until the end. Looking forward to reading more from Adam Sass! show less