it's built to be an action/adventure gay 'spy' romance with a social justice heart. and so in that respect, it accomplishes just that. there were many times however, that the action was uneven and one character's arc was moving much slower than the other's, making me wish we had stayed rather than shifted. there's also a few dropped plot threads, but overall it's all in good fun, and in many ways quite a refreshing gay narrative. definitely recommend

*I received a free arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review

this was SO good. i rarely read ya because it somehow feels rather immature at points, but this is how ya should be done. this was breathtakingly real and poignant at points and i just.... enjoyed it so much and got fully immersed.

Lee Wind does a great job in writing this, it had a great overall feel and the characters were realistic for the story. It really deals with the dark elements of religious gay institute. I was invested in the story and how it worked with everything going on. The characters felt like real people and thought it was a thrilling journey.

2024 reads:54/124

oops i accidentally missed the publication date (still thanks to netgalley and independent publishers for the arc)
I don't even know why I was putting off reading this for a while because IT WAS SO GOOD
and cute, and sweet, and slightly heartbreaking. how were these conversion therapy things EVER legal?!??!?
i literally love nico and sam sooo much, I was just waiting for them to meet (sam is such an adorable cinnamon roll)
I wish I knew about james bond because I feel like it would make this even more amazing?
the format was SO GOOD like sams journal entries and the whole action/spy language at the beginning of each chapter.

also, when the title dropped I gasped SOO CUTE
"'there;s lots of ways to be brave'
...
'a different kind of cliff'
'or maybe...it was a different kind of brave'"

ANYWAYS 5 stars and highly recommend!!

Nico Hall was dumped by his foster family and sent to a religious “reprogramming” facility in California, led by the pseudo-preacher, Dr. H. There, Nico and 69 other young LGBTQ teens, some as young as 11, have been tortured and abused all in an attempt to make them straight. The teens are being held captive, and Nico is determined to escape and bring back help for the others. When he manages to break out of the facility, Nico goes on the run and heads south of the border, but he knows Dr. H and his henchmen are hot on his trail.

Sixteen-year-old Sam Solomon is a wealthy and privileged New Yorker, but with parents who barely pay him any attention. Sam idolizes James Bond and imagines what his life would be like if he was smooth and confident like Bond, rather than his awkward and sometimes needy self. Sam’s recent break-up with a guy who in hindsight wasn’t really into him at all has made Sam even more out of sorts.

When Sam ends up on vacation at the Mexican resort where Nico is working, the boys meet and strike up a friendship and a romantic connection. The two end up spending days and nights together and forming a real bond, one that Sam would like to turn into something more. But Nico is still on the run, still desperate to find a way to help his friends, and he knows pursuing anything more serious with Sam is just not possible. However, when both young men are threatened, Sam and Nico realize that they will need to fight for each other and their friends in order to stop Dr. H from ruining even more lives.

A Different Kind of Brave by Lee Wind is a really engaging and entertaining young adult story. I wavered a little with how to rate this, as there are parts of this story I found just incredibly compelling and I couldn’t put down, and other places that didn’t work quite as well, but I think overall there is really a lot to enjoy here and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the book.

The story is told in dual POVs from Sam and Nico. We open with Nico as he is about to break out of Dr. H’s reprogramming institute and we are thrust right into the action. We see Nico making his daring escape and fleeing from Dr. H’s men. It gives us a chance to see Nico’s cleverness, as well as his compassion. He knows others are sacrificing to help him escape and he is determined to find a way to get everyone else free too. Even as Nico is running for his life, he feels guilty about stealing someone’s mountain bike out of their garage (and sends them money later to pay them back). It is just a great introduction to not only the intensity of the situation, but also to Nico as a character.

We then follow along as Nico goes on the run in South America, eventually ending up a stowaway on a luxury cruise ship taking a month-long sail. There he meets a man named Warren, who is in end-stage ALS and taking the trip as sort of a last bucket list item. Warren is using a wheelchair and traveling with his sister, who is overprotective and coddling out of fear for him. Nico ends up befriending Warren and becomes sort of a friend/companion/caretaker, helping Warren enjoy these amazing places and have some wonderful experiences. Warren also becomes a confidant for Nico and the two just have this incredibly lovely relationship. I just adored Nico and loved his friendship with Warren, and I found Nico’s portions of the story really compelling and wonderfully written.

We also get POVs from Sam and I struggled a little here, as I didn’t find myself connecting with him in nearly the same way as I did with Nico. Wind does a great job making it clear just how neglectful Sam’s parents really are. They give him every material possession he could want and more, but they have no time for him and can barely be bothered to parent — right down to taking off on a many-months-long world vacation without Sam, leaving their 16-year-old son alone to care for himself for half a year. I could really feel for Sam and understand where he struggled, and why he used James Bond as a symbol to himself of the strength and confidence he wishes he had. That said, Sam is so rich and privileged, it got to be a lot. Sam’s parents buy him everything he wants and there is just this non-stop name dropping of every designer brand and every fancy thing he has. When combined with Sam’s obsession with all things Bond (up to and including apparently buying his entire wardrobe and accessories out of things worn by Bond in various movies), it just overwhelmed me and made him less sympathetic, particularly in comparison with Nico, who has literally been kidnapped and tortured. Just as some examples:

Five minutes before landing, Sam pulled out the Montegrappa James Bond 007 Spymaster Duo rollerball pen and his journal.

—

Sam tilted his head to the side and hooked a finger under his Craig-Bond Quantum of Solace black leather Prada belt with silver buckle.

—

…slid them into the neckline of his No Time to Die Craig-Bond blue Brunello Cucinelli Oxford button-down shirt.

I also think this story suffers a little from a misleading blurb. It seems to indicate that this book is about Nico and Sam working together to take down Dr. H and, while that is part of it, it’s an extremely small part. The guys don’t even meet one another until

Spoiler
of the way through the book; prior to that, they have totally independent storylines. They spend a short time together at the resort in Mexico, then are separated again for most of the book. After meeting, their journeys are connected (with each trying to help the other), but they don’t really come back in contact with each other until almost the
Spoiler
mark. And that is the point they start taking action to help stop Dr. H once and for all. Just to be clear, Nico is desperate all along to help his friends and is doing whatever he can within his limited means and influence. But the actual “band together and fight the bad guys” doesn’t come along until later. While I really enjoyed the story, I think the blurb sets up expectations for how it will proceed that aren’t met.

Also, I did find myself frustrated that Sam’s concern about all this mostly comes as a way to win Nico back, versus wanting to help these imprisoned kids. After the boys have a relationship stumble, Sam figures if he can help Nico, he will have a better chance for them to get back together. In fact, when a sobbing Nico originally tells Sam the whole story, Sam response is basically “well, not much you can do about it.” In the end, Sam steps up, both financially and with his own actions, even at great risk to himself. But everything he does is something he could have done when Nico first brought it up, and so it just soured me a little that his motivation was so focused on impressing Nico. And last thing, the very ending just didn’t work for me, as it seemed very far fetched, even by the standards of this sort of wish-fulfillment style “take down the bad guys” type of story.

So as I said, I had some small issues here, mostly concerning Sam’s storyline. But at the same time, I just could not put this book down. Nico’s journey is so stellar and he is such a fascinating character that he more than carried the story for me overall and it makes this a book I can definitely recommend. The writing is well done, the story is exciting, and there are some really compelling moments, particularly in the Nico/Warren storyline. I enjoyed this one a lot and will look for more of Wind’s work.

This book is narrated by two seventeen-year olds: Nico, who has just escaped a conversion therapy "prison" for LGBTQIA+ teens thrown out of the foster system and is on the run, very cleverly putting as much distance as he can from the dangerous doctor running the prison while being forced to take on a different name and identity. And Sam, who comes from a wealthy New York family and is obsessed with everything James Bond, even wearing the same exact outfits worn by the different Bond actors in the movies and driving luxury cars. He's grappling with the fact that their parents' marriage might be on the rocks and he takes on the Bond-style mission to rescue their marriage.

Their fates take Nico and Sam to a beach destination in Mexico where they meet unexpectedly under assumed names and have a romance, as they both struggle with their feelings and secrets. Ultimately, their time together comes to an end and become separated. Nico's past threatens to come back to get him, putting both him and Sam in danger, so they must work to meet again and save each other in a race against time, while Nico also works to expose the doctor and his conversion therapy institute, and rescue the teens who are still imprisoned there.

I have to say I found Nico's perspective was way more entertaining to read than Sam's was, by miles, and that Sam's character was a little underwritten outside of his obsession with James Bond. It felt like Nico's perspective was making better and faster progress. Another thing is that the boys don't meet until halfway into the book. At that point I was beginning to question if the book would've been better with Nico's story alone because I couldn't believe Sam's perspective was of any importance to the story since it dealed with a drastically more mundane situation, his character wasn't exactly likeable (the Bond references got tired very quickly and his rich lifestyle as the only child of a rich family didn't help), and Nico was just easier to root for. After they meet though, is when the book starts to pick up a more exciting pace. The third act... oh boy. Let's just say for a novel in which the author is determined to make spy references as dramatic as James Bond movies, the conclusion felt a little flat for me. Overall, the book is a quick read with swoon-worthy moments that takes the reader over various destinations across North and South America and demonstrates the boys's determination to be their own version of brave and stand up for what they believe. 3.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Chicago Review Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"A Different Kind of Brave" by Lee Wind offers a unique blend of adventure, drama, and queer representation that will captivate readers from start to finish. This book is centered around an introspective journey the two main characters, Nico and Sam, are on as they learn more about each other and who they are becoming after both dealing with significant trauma. While the book summary makes it sound like this book is more of an action thriller with heists and daring escape, the book is more focused on the character growth of Nico and Sam.

Nico's chapters, in particular, stand out for their emotional depth and tension as he navigates life on the run after escaping from a conversion-therapy institute. His struggles with guilt and inadequacy, coupled with his determination to rescue his friend, Bec, add layers of complexity to his character. On the other hand, Sam's chapters, while engaging, initially lack the same level of intensity. However, his unique voice and personality shine through, drawing readers into his world of family drama; I also liked the look into his James Bond obsession, making him feel like an authentic teenager, and these little, consistent details throughout made me really start to connect with his character.

While the strength of the book lies in its exploration of friendship, identity, and the importance of being true to oneself, the romance is one aspect that needed more development. It develops extremely fast, and the insta-love aspect was a bit lacking in plausibility. Though I do admit this kind of fast-paced romance feels authentic in connection to the strength of teenagers’ emotions.

Despite some pacing issues and convenient plot twists, "A Different Kind of Brave" remains a thoroughly enjoyable read. Nico's daring escapes and Sam's charming naivety make for a compelling story that will have you finishing this book in just one sitting.

Sweet romance and a fun adventure!

A Different Kind of Brave is a thoroughly enjoyable teen adventure which brings two boys from different worlds together in the most unlikely circumstances!

As is the case with Sam's movie hero, James Bond, you have to suspend your disbelief for several parts of the plot, which are too convenient or downright unrealistic (Is Ari working for CIA at high school to be able to do all that?).

Nico's POV is the superior narrative of the book: Nico had a rough life but he has an iron determination, is quick on his feet and makes the most unlikely allies with his charm and his wit. From daring escapes to breathtaking stunts, Nico is the Bond of the story as an enamored Sam proclaims.

Sam is obsessed with the famous spy and wants to have his own happy ending in his personal life, which feels like it's going down the drain. His mindset is very cute and his meeting with Nico and all the time they spend together will make you smile. His chapters are slower at the start and feel a bit dragged on, but the outcome is totally worth it.

If Nico and Sam live their own movie, Lee Wind is a writer from who I would like to read future "scripts". Nico and Sam, like Bond, could have more than one adventure. Right?

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

DNF at 30%. The story hasn’t progressed enough for me to keep interested, and the 2 storylines make no sense together, leading me to feel obligated to keep reading them excited to

A Different Kind of Brave is a split-POV, fast paced novel about two boys with very different lives. Nico is locked up in a conversion-therapy institute, a shock collar around his neck. But now he's escaping and is determined to come back to save his best friend, Bec. Sam, however, is a rich Bond-obsessed teen who is dealing with his parents failing marriage and a break up from the boy he loved.

I really enjoyed reading through Nico's chapters, they were emotional and had a good amount of tension and depth. As he digs himself deeper and deeper into a hole, I found myself wondering how he was going to find his way back to rescue his friend and the other kids in the institute. Sam's chapters, especially in the beginning, lacked the pull that Nico's had although I enjoyed his voice and personality.

I had some issues with the pacing, since some of it felt choppy and too convenient. If the characters needed to be somewhere, everyone dropped what they were doing to fly/drive to help without question. Especially when it came to Sam, who seemingly just had a lot of things on hand when they needed them, and he had virtually no parental supervision the entire novel.

There were hints of additional plots at various times that seemingly dropped once the scene was over, and the ending felt rushed and out of place. I enjoyed this book for the first ~65% percent and then started to become frustrated at how quick things were moving.