This book was phenomenal start to finish. The writing was next level, you really felt for the characters.

Of the three books I DNFed, this is the one I wanted to like the most. I’d really been looking forward to this book and even did an interview with the author. But after reading this book for more than a month and only making it to 28%, I had to be honest with myself. I was not enjoying it.

To be fair, I’m not sure this is really the kind of book that you enjoy reading. It’s about conversion therapy, bullying, and an alcoholic parent. It’s really heartbreaking and it’s just not something that I need in my life right now.

I didn’t really get along with the writing style either. I didn’t mind it at the beginning of the book, but as it continued on, it just got to be way too much for me. Like, when Jonathan slams a door, the description is “whambamthankyouma’amSLAM.” Too much.

A lot of people have rated this book highly, but it wasn’t for me.

This is an excellent debut full of heart. The characters were wonderful, the theme of self-acceptance beautiful, and the author brought in the time period well so the setting almost felt like another character. Will recommend!

James Brandon has created a wonderful, heart-felt depiction of the struggles adolescent, gay boys lived with in the 1970s which translate to what's left over in today's contemporary society. Brandon takes an intense but rich story and weaves heart and soul into Jonathan and makes me want to just hug him. Well done.

In the summer of 1973 in Missouri, sixteen-year-old Jonathan Collins struggles to change who he is in Ziggy, Stardust and Me.

Influenced by an alcoholic and homophobic father and a mental health professional who was taught that homosexuality was a mental illness in need of a cure, Johnathan is desperate to change his very nature.

The author does a great job of making Johnathan a loveable, smart, brave character who initially buys in to the fact that he’s the one with the problem. Given his circumstances, it’s hard to imagine he could come to any other conclusion. He is bullied and, with the almost immediate departure of his best friend Starla, completely alone.

Things begin to change when Johnathan meets Web, a Native American who, with support from his family, accepts and embraces who he is.

James Brandon’s book is a history lesson, a reminder of the vital importance of equality, a suspense-filled pager-turner, and an uplifting story all in one.

Concluding on a hopeful note, the book is also a testament to Johnathan’s depth and strength.

Other things I enjoyed were:

- The author did a great job of bringing us back in time with references to the Vietnam war and the Watergate hearings interwoven into the story. It was a great reminder of the era but also used effectively to bring out nuances in some of the characters, particularly Jonathan’s father.

-I loved the great nicknames Johnathan had for his asthma puffer (PeterPaulandMary) and his bike (StingRayMobile). They were completely in line with who he is as a fun and witty character.

I highly recommend this book and am grateful to the author and to NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.