Amazing, heart-wrenching work of YA fiction about the stigma of living with HIV. Incredible character development, I couldn't put this book down - but also didn't want it to end. Beautifully told story.

Loved this book. It hit on so many subjects that are rarely talked about in novels and i felt like it was never forced. I loved the same sex parenting - I wish that were more common throughout popular novels. Important YA and I’ll be recommending! Instagram post to come.

I read 27% of this, and just wasn’t feeling it. It was fine, and really informative at times which I enjoyed. For my current reading mood, it just wasn’t working - however I would consider giving it another go when I’m craving a YA book. The sex positivity, anti-slut-shaming, and strong emphasis on female friendships were a breath of fresh air. I only wish I were 15 (instead of 35) reading this, and I’m thrilled this book exists.

Simone wants to fall in love. She's sixteen, she feels she's ready. But there are complications. Simone is, through no fault of her own, HIV positive.

This is a big secret for Simone. She's had to transfer schools since when she confided her condition to a classmate at her last school, the girl told others, who told others, and before long, there was practically a witch hunt to remove her from the boarding school. So her dads (Pops is a teacher, Dad's a doctor) move her to a co-ed public school and she's expected to keep her condition a secret.

And she does. Her two best friends don't even know. But when she finds herself falling for a handsome boy working stage crew for the school musical Rent, which Simone is student-directing, notes start turning up in her locker telling her the writer knows she is HIV positive and will tell the whole school if Simone doesn't stop hanging out with her love interest.

I love so much about this book - from its hugely diverse cast (Asian, Muslim, Latino, African-American) to its sex-positive messaging (lesbian, bi, and asexual characters, Dad and Pops are a couple, Simone is not discouraged from having sex if she's careful by her doctor) - and would recommend it without reservation. Camryn Garrett's novel is just amazingly awesome and tackles a topic not heavily covered in YA to date.

I really loved this story. So informative and so sweet. Simone is a role model to follow your dreams and don’t let anyone get in the way or make you feel less than. Great job, Camryn. Loved it.

This timely tale by is just what we needed here in the YA reading world. A teen who was born HIV-positive schools us (and her love interest) on what exactly this looks like in the present day for a girl her age and in her circumstances... and then there’s SO much more! Very impressive for a debut novel, to be sure.

Much thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing an advance copy for review.

This is a YA story about a teenager Simone, who is HIV positive, and her social struggles surrounding her positive status.
Simone struggles with trust issues as she starts a new school to escape the prejudices and ignorance of her last high school, where her status was disseminated against her wishes and all of the worst kinds of responses ensued.
This story has a lot of great representation of LGBTQ as Simone’s parents are two married men, and Simone and her friends also represent sexual ambiguity, discovery, and expressions.
This story is so important to read for everyone that isn’t HIV positive, to be in the shoes of someone who is, to understand their fears and hesitations about things related to sex and trust.
It also taught me a few things that I didn’t know about those living with the virus today, some basic facts that everyone should know - like if your levels are undetectable the virus is virtually impossible to transmit to another, and that for those who are not vigilant with taking their meds every single day - AIDS can still develop! I did not ever think of this when I take for granted my own self abuse of skipping my own meds in my life. Such casual disregard for an HIV person could literally risk their life.
As for the story itself, Simone makes new friends at her school, catches the eye of her crush, but someone there knows her secret, and leaves her threatening notes in her locker - threatening to expose her secret of her positive status if she does not break up with her crush (who soon becomes her bf). The little mystery of this made the story move along and created conflict for Simone to overcome. I enjoyed her resolution to this dilemma and this story was really heartfelt as I (for once) actually enjoyed the dialogue of these teens and believed their very real friendships and cares.
Anyone looking for a new perspective on families, sexuality, and people living with HIV would benefit from and truly enjoy this book!

This book was definitely unique with its storyline! It’s not often you read about HIV, let alone in a YA book. I thought this was beautifully written. Simone has a lot on her shoulders. She has bounced from school to school and dealt with people thinking she’s diseased and contagious. She deals with everything so well. She is responsible and asks the right questions to her doctor about being sexually active and having HIV. Most teenagers would not be able to be that mature and responsible. Miles is wonderful and so accepting. It was wonderful to read about their relationship and how supportive he was. Simone’s Dads were wonderful. I am glad she had the support of family and friends to get her through some tough times. This book will bring great discussions on HIV and consent.

I knew this was going to be an important and memorable story from the very first chapter. This was my first time reading about an HIV positive character and their struggles so I was paying very close attention to everything that was being said about the virus and how it affected Simone’s daily life. I did feel overwhelmed in the beginning because the author does not wait long to explain Simone’s situation to us and so it feels as though we are info-dumped. At the same time, I am really glad I know more about HIV and the U=U rule (undetectable = untransmittable) today. This book made me realize my own ignorance and corrected it.

It tells the story of Simone, an HIV positive girl who is faced with a dilemma: tell the boy she is crushing on about her condition and risk being rejected and having the whole school find out about her virus or give in to her blackmailer who wants her to leave Miles alone. I completely related to Simone because I think we all have a little something we don’t want other people to know but not telling them can sometimes equal keeping them at a distance so it’s not easy either way. I also think the author did a magnificent job of making us feel sympathetic towards Simone without pitying her. She’s a strong girl and the fact that she is HIV positive does not make her any less real and able than someone else.

This is a really great debut novel. Not perfect, seeing that it feels as though we are thrown into a story that started a while ago, but everyone in this story deserves getting to know, especially Simone and her family and friends. Oh and Miles, of course.

In the past 15 or so years, HIV has sort of fallen off the radar. So I was interested to read the experience of a modern HIV positive teen, in a world where we should have a better understanding of the virus and where there are effective medications. But, as we quickly discover, the fear and stigma remain, where a person whose illness is really no more dangerous than, say, measles, can quickly become a pariah and have to reveal details of their lives that are really nobody's business to quiet protests. The relationships were a bit unrealistic but I was very much on board for the portrayals of racial and sexual issues.

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett addresses several difficult topics with boldness and knowledge. Simone was born HIV positive and she lives with her loving, adoptive parents, Dave and Paul, who she calls Dad and Pops. Simone recently moved to the school she's now attending, after being tormented and shunned at her previous school when her best friend told everyone that Simone has HIV. She wants a fresh start and her junior year is going well, at first. She's been assigned as the high school musical director for the school production of "Rent" because Broadway is one of her passions and her teacher believes she has what it takes to follow her dreams and make a career out of directing. Simone meets this amazing guy, Miles, and they form a healthy relationship and she shares her secret with him. Miles handles it kindly and with empathy and treats Simone the same as before. Someone starts leaving threatening notes for Simone, warning her to break up with Miles or else. Everything escalates after that and blow up. Simone finds out who her true friends are and she has to decide whether to hold her head up high and persevere or run away from the same problem all over again.

Be aware that Full Disclosure freely talks about sexual issues and questions, so not for sexually squeamish readers.

Impressive and bold young adult debut!

Full Disclosure, was so amazing! I haven't had a good cry like that in a long, long time. Simone is such a lovably characters. Being a teen is tough as it is but being a teen with HIV!! I couldn’t image. This book is brilliant! I just don’t know how else to describe it. All I will say it get those tissues ready. Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for putting out an AMAZING book and gifting me this copy. It’s a must read. 4/5 stars for me.

I absolutely loved this. This opens a bunch of discussions on HIV and brings awareness to what people go through., especially if they're a teenager.
The characters were very well developed and I loved the MC's support system.
The family dynamic in this is something I really loved, a lot of YA has broken homes or just absent parents but her dads were very supportive and sweet and just good parents.
I gotta admit, this one got me a couple times and made me cry. I'm definitely going to be picking it up once it comes out!

Review of Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett:
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(3.5 stars)
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Simone has lived with HIV since she was born. As any other high school teenager, she is exploring her sexuality but with that comes risks. An anonymous note is found in her locker threatening to expose her HIV-positive status. Simone is already hesitant to enter into any relationships with a partner for fear of their reaction. Will they stay or run away? Will they share her medical history with everyone or keep it a secret? Not only does she have to face prejudices because she is black, but she is also bisexual and HIV-positive.
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A topic that is rarely discussed; a population of people whose reality is much harder than those who do not have a blood disease; and an ignorant community. In all the years that I have been reading, I have yet to read a book about HIV. This debut novel is informative in a way that high school health classes fail to be. Misinformation leads to fear and people choosing not to talk about it leads to misinformation. Full Disclosure delves into a taboo topic that people simply choose not to acknowledge. Those that do are either accepting or fearful. It’s the fearful ones that bully, harass, and ostracize others. In a world where people hide behind their social media handles, harassment and bullying is now more prevalent than it ever was. If only there was a way for everyone to gain more insight to HIV. Oh wait...
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Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for an advanced readers copy of Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett in exchange for an independent and honest review. Happy publication day tomorrow, Camryn Garrett and congratulations! This book hits shelves tomorrow, 10/29/2019!

What a great debut! A story focusing on someone living with HIV is something I haven't come across in my reading adventures. I think it added such an unique and interesting layer to what could have been just a quintessential YA contemporary romance. It also wasn't relying on the disease to move the plot forward. This was truly about a girl figuring out her sexuality, tackling issues with friends, and finding her first love.

I loved how sex positive this story was, especially in terms of young women. The girls go to a sex shop! The kinds of topics that were being discussed were done in such a supportive and inclusive manner. Speaking of inclusivity, this book was filled with a ton of different kinds of representation, regarding orientation and race. Our main character Simone, wasn't afraid to ask the difficult and embarrassing questions, even in front of her two dads. She was so responsible when it came to her disease and wanted to be as informed as possible for when she did become sexually active. She can't be reckless when it comes to something like HIV. 

I really loved the relationship between Simone and Miles, I just wish we saw more of the times that they were hanging out together. They were discussed, even used as a point of contention between Simone and her friends, but as a reader, I didn't think they spent enough time together to make it such a big deal within the plot. That was really the only thing that prevented me from giving a full five stars. 

This was such a strong debut for Camryn Garrett and I'm really excited to see what she comes out with next. 

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full Disclosure is so authentically high school. There are the trials of starting a new school, drama club rehearsals, finding time to hang with friends between classes and club meetings. What this book also adds is the layer that Simone lives with HIV. Her experience at her last school left her with some emotional walls built up, but Sacred Heart offers a fresh start with new friends and a cute new boy to flirt with. Until someone starts leaving threatening notes in her locker to expose her status.

I loved all the relationships present in this book. There was such a queernorm aspect to it, between Simone having two dads and her friends being so casually queer. It reminded me of one of my friend groups in high school. It felt so authentic, and yet so casual. Moreover, all the musicals references were delightful. The deep knowledge there felt come from a place of fandom and reverence, which was also nice to see, instead of having it shoe-horned in throughout.

In addition, the balance between educating the reader about having HIV in the current decade and leaving it as part of Simone's reality was done really well. I don't want to say it took a backseat to the plot, but it wasn't the plot. Her budding relationship with Miles and the mystery behind the note-sender definitely took center stage.

Absolutely heartwarming and delightful.

This book was incredible and what the world needs right now.

The diversity, the approach to the HIV-positive main character, and how she gradually fell for the hero in the story (without ever giving up her role as the true heroine)... .this book was written beautifully and I've told multiple people about it as the plotline is so unique and such a great lesson to be taught.

First, the characters: I love the relationship between Simone and her parents. I love that Dad is naturally awkward about the idea of Simone having sex, and I love that Simone feels comfortable enough to push back against him and get the information that she needs from her doctors. I love the familial relationship between Dr. Kahn and Simone. Miles and Simone are such a great couple, and I just love them so much.

I've seen this book compared to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, and that's definitely a fair comparison. First, there's the obvious: someone blackmails the main character with their secret, threatening to expose them to the whole school. But also the dynamics between the characters, The friendships were so loving and so charming, and I just want to hug everybody.

This story does an amazing job of taking on the stigma around HIV and around sex and sexuality. I highly recommend it!

Full Disclosure is a coming-of-age story about an HIV-positive teen who is navigating a new relationship, in a new environment, after having to change schools due to discrimination. Garrett writes a wonderful story about a character who has had bad experiences with both friendships and relationships in the past, who is curious about sex and is doubtful yet hopeful of having a regular life even with her status, and fears over being ostracized the moment someone knows. Her portrayal is treated with sensitivity and nuance, and the relationships in her life, be it family or friends or romance, are all given their due. Theater nerds will also love the frequent references to musicals; it is not my thing, though.

The thing about the book is that at a concept level, and with regards to plot, it is quite good. I love the attention to small things like the arc about her dads' relationships, the Support Group kids who turn out to be good friends, discussion of masturbation, safe sex, and sex drive. The representation of diverse experiences, including that of the secondary characters was done well. What I did have issues with in this book was the writing style itself - it felt dry and the dialogue was stilted. At times, it felt more like a public service announcement, the way the characters would discuss certain topics; it didn't feel organic, is what I am saying. I deeply cared for Simone and was cheering on the sweet romance, but the writing made me wonder when the book would hurry up and get to its conclusion.

Verdict: good story and content, but execution didn't inspire.

All children and young adults living with chronic illnesses know that it is a struggle. However, few chronic illnesses carry the same stigma as HIV/AIDS. People could claim that it is because HIV/AIDS used to be a death sentence. The same could be said about Type 1 diabetes, though. A more honest explanation for the stigma is probably that HIV/AIDS was long believed to be a disease of the gay community and drug addicts. We now know that this is not the case, but the stigma has remained.

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett is an incredibly important story of a young woman who is living with HIV. Simone contracted HIV from her biological mother and was adopted by her two, loving fathers. She has always been told that remaining abstinent is the best way to prevent the spread of the virus, but she wants to be sexually active. Simone is a relatable character to teenage readers who are probably also interested in sex.

Sexuality and sex are difficult enough for teenagers to figure out. Simone has an additional burden, but Garrett has written a book that demonstrates how normal the life of an HIV positive person can be. While it requires taking medicine on a daily basis, so do many other chronic illnesses. This book provides a great education in the minutiae of living a normal life, including having sex, with HIV. But it does so in a way that is entertaining and appealing to young readers. It never reads as didactic.

The only criticism that I have of this work is that some of the important supporting characters are not developed at quite the level that I think they could be. There were a few story lines that I wish had been carried a bit further, but this in no way impacts the exceptional story of the protagonist. Full Disclosure is an excellent story of love and also a powerful reminder that HIV positive individuals can live exquisitely full lives.