I've read several of these YA novels from Lorimar Publishing (three by this author) and they've all been good, addressing contemporary situations in novels that are interesting and easy to read and not at all condescending to their intended audience. I always recommend them, including Rez Runaway.

I am not sure what I didn't like about this book as I have read similar books which I really enjoyed but I think it was a combination of the characters, the setting and the writing style which put me off and I DNF'd this book at 20%

Not my usual reading choice, but I chose it for a reading challenge. A touching story.

Trigger Warning: Homophobia, Transphobia, Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt, Violent Hate Crimes, 

 

I like it. I like the intent behind it. But there’s a couple of problems. 

Joe uses the word “aboriginal” several times 
There’s no way a cutter would just walk out in front of people without hiding their handiwork. Joe didn’t even give it a second thought. He wasn’t trying to get caught either. 
If he’d never been to the city before, how’d he know where he was so well? 
Don’t ask trans people about their genitals. That IS rude and offensive and none of anyone else’s business. Even if Sid is okay with him asking, doesn’t mean that’s a good policy to have and I’m worried it’s going to embolden people, especially teens reading this. 
I don’t believe for a minute that Joe knew the dangers of Sid, a trans girl doing sex work more than Sid herself. Especially not one that’d been doing it for months. He could’ve had a bad feeling WITH her and still been the hero. No need to reduce her to a naive fool. 
I was originally confused about the term “berdache” and where his mom learned it. I googled the term and my results were different than Joe’s and made more sense than the French 18th century one he found. Reading the Wiki article on Two Spirits really made it click. 
 

Even with the heavy load from all the important topics, it’s a breeze to get through. It’s short and simply written for even the most reluctant readers. I do love the happy ending.

I had trouble getting into this one for some reason. There were a lot of complicated topics involved, and it sounded like an intense read at first. I have to admit, and it's disappointing to say, but I lost the motivation to finish the book.

The lead runs away from the reservation when everyone finds out he's gay. Even his mother doesn't want him around. Things just keep going from bad to worse for him. Eventually, he meets a man who grew up with his grandfather and a trans girl who are also homeless. Everything is going wrong, and they have to lean on each other.

FULL REVIEW TO BE PUBLISHED
There’s one reason for which I prefer not to read realistic fiction so often, and that’s because I start to feel a lot. It is just not fair that such a short book gives you so many feelings, and reading Rez Runaway was the same as an being in an emotional roller coaster, and the bigest flaw of author Melanie Florence in that she worte just not enough pages for this story.
I also have problems with the final scene and its ambiguity, the way it doesn’t specify many spots in Joe’s life and what may happen next, but this is just something about personal taste, as I perfectly know those who prefer open ending will utterly love it. This is simply a warning for more traditional, purist readers like me: do not expect an explicit clousure when you reach the last page.
The only and last thing I have left to say is that I really appreciate that the publisher sent this ARC, along with a huge thanks. I’m defenitely reading something else from Melanie Florence if I have the chance, and will be waiting for something better this time. Reality sucks, but in the hands of this author, it teaches more than it seems to do in our lives.

Melanie Florence’s Rez Runaway offers a tale of self-discovery and exploration of some of the many complex issues a Canadian teen from a minority group faces in a "modern day setting".

Similar to other protagonists, Joe is an average teenager that lives with his mother on a reserve in Ontario, Canada. However, what differentiates him from most protagonists is that he is of aboriginal descent and considers himself “queer”. As per the title of the book, Joe eventually becomes a runaway due to a series of unfortunate events that leads him to a journey of finding his identity and acceptance. The end result being that Joe ends up being more comfortable within his own skin, having a stronger supportive network and making the eventual trip home.

One of the more unique aspects of the book was integration of events in Canadian history and its impact on the characters. More specifically, things such as: residential schools, stereotypes and the dangers of being different. I found this refreshing, as it provides a different perspective that I rarely encounter in novels that I read in my leisure. However, my only wish was that Florence explored these concepts further.

Overall, Rez Runaway is an interesting book that not only tells an interesting tale but does well in increasing awareness in regards to discrimination, stereotypes, marginalized groups and most importantly of all support in unexpected places in Canadian society.

I picked this one cause the blurb sounded interesting, and it had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, the writing was flat and simple, the story made ridiculously little sense at times- too much drama that found a solution in unbelievable ways.

It wasn't a total pain to read, cause the characters were well developed, but I felt less convinced about the positive sides to this tory as I was getting close to the end- adn that didn't help matters cause the ending was too abrupt and too conveniently wrapped.

This story was an emotional rollercoaster. I about cried or wanted to cry every chapter. Because each scene felt so real and I could feel a connection with all the characters. This book doesn't base on romance, it really just focuses on the person and who they are. This was a quick read that might just tear out your heart. I recommend this fully.

3+ stars for a short glimpse into the life of Joe Littlechief and the tribulations associated with being gay on a reservation, along with the, unfortunately, common struggles for being POC with a non-hetero, non-cis identity.

It's a great book to read for someone who's interested in seeing how the First Nations experience is both the same and different to yours, whether white (or not), middle-class (or not), privileged (or not), religious (or not). But it's also a book with purpose. On the one hand, it brings some low-visibility kids and issues to light. On the other hand, it's fairly obvious that the book was written with that purpose. So, it's not a story simply for sake of telling a story and because of how it's written, it's pretty difficult to forget that the reason it was created in the first place.

This is not an in-depth view of life on a reservation but we meet several characters who were indoctrinated in missionary style schools to different ends. There is also a quick-change for Joe as he goes from having friends, family, and a community one day to having to flee before the next starts.

We also get a view of what happens to kids (and adults) on the street who have little recourse for getting a job. Life is gritty.

Joe, Sid, and John are immensely likable characters and despite some truly horrible things that happen to both Joe and Sid, there is a happy ending. It's a bit of a miracle cure. Something bad happens to give them a way out. It's not realistic but, depending on who's reading the book and why, they might really need to see a happy ending.

It's a quick read, interesting, good on diversity, easy to get into -- best for the MG or YA reader. Tough on topics but with a relatively easy reading level.

Heads-up: Scenes and references to gay-bashing, underage prostitution, homelessness, sexual assault, theft, suicide attempt, and rejection by family.

Rez Runaway by Melanie Florence
Dead to Me by Cristy Watson
Dark Side by John Choi
Riot School by Robert Rayner
James Lorimer & Company
Multicultural Interest , Teens & YA

Lorimer & Company is producing some engaging "hi-lo" (high interest, lower reading complexity) titles that you will consider prime reading material for your strongest school library patrons.  That the titles entertain and engage all readers, rather than just the reluctant ones, makes these choices all the more valuable.

These four titles in the "Sidestreets" line are being marketed by Lorimer for their wide diverse appeal and "hot button" topics.  The protagonists are nicely representative of so many young adult readers who don't normally find themselves in the books they read.

That the reading levels of these books are unobtrusively lower than most YA titles is the icing on the cake:  The writing is compelling enough that I soon forgot I was reading hi-lo titles  within the first few pages. 

I am delighted to report that the excellent story telling, yet broad topics and individual strengths, in these books are something I have immediately purchased for my YA patrons.  I'll be eager to share with adults who support those YA patrons as well.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Joe Littlechief is a First Nations teen, living on a reservation in Ontario. He is secretly gay, and makes the mistake one night of drunkenly propositioning one of his friends after a party. As a result, all of his buddies turn on him and his mother rejects him, so he runs away to Toronto. There, he encounters one bad event after another (he's robbed and beaten up multiple times), forcing him to sleep in a park. He eventually meets a Black transgender girl named Sid and together they begin to brave the tough life of the streets.

I liked this book. It's clearly written for young adult readers, and tackles very relevant issues (bullying, homosexuality, street violence) in a way that is understandable to them, specifically reluctant ones. I'd definitely recommend this book.

4.7/5 Just because of the beginning

Firstly, I got this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review, so THANKS NETGALLEY for allowing me to review this!
Honestly, when I began reading this book my first thought was "this will be boring if it continues like this", and then it got a lot better when I got to the fourth chapter (The chapters aren't big, but they have a lot of content).
Suffice to say, it got good, and fast. Not gonna say it got was all "smiles and sunshine", but it gave a good perspective of Joe's emotions, and how he was dealing with who he is, and how he fights it the only way he can. And the use of "Berdache" to describe him is, at the same time, good and horrible, because while it is perceived as a good thing in some indigenous tribes, it was used as a homophobic slur by Christians in the nineteenth century.
This is an amazing book that deals with almost every difficulty a LGBTQ+ minor could experience, from sexual identity, to questioning, as well as good and bad things that happen in life. A sad story, full of suspense, surprises and anxiety, with good things in between. And the epilogue! What an ending! I seriously don't know if it was good, or bad. I just know that I hope there is a sequel, but just because I'm egoistic, because WHAT AN ENDING!!!!

The story was good, albeit basic. Lots of stuff going on in such a short book. I like the upbeat and optimistic tone