What a fantastic book! This book is basically like the show Lost but where everyone is gay. I love a good LGBTQ book!! Its so relatable and relevant. Kudos to the author for capturing what's wrong w our society and supporting gay rights. This book follows a group of young men who are trapped on an island and forced to attend a conversion therapy session. Such a great read and I highly recommend it!

That was one heavy book. I expected that and that's why it took me so long to get to it and quite a while to get through it but it doesn't mean that it hit any less strongly. It's a story of a group of queer teenagers trying to break out from a conversion camp. As the author himself says, it's a story of queer trauma and it's full of violence and queerphobia, so please be mindful going into it.

It is also a very necessary book. So many people think that nowadays we live in some queer paradise but so many queer lives are threatened every day, so many queer people face violence, so many become homeless, so many commit suicide and so many are sent to conversion camps. I'm so thankful this book exists and casts the live on these issues.

So why only 3 stars? I think it's a it's-not-you-it's-me case. The sheer amount of violence and queerphobia made me really cautious while reading it and stopped me from connecting with a story. I didn't let the book resonate with me as much as it should have as a protective mechanism. Also, thriller is not really my genre. I still claim it's a great book and I hope that it will reach a broad audience and make them think.

Now I deserve some sweet and wholesome and overly optimistic queer love story.

I try not to give any spoilers away while writing reviews.

So many tears. I can't say how many times I was scared, hurt or worried for Connor Major. This book brings out sooo many emotions. It hurts because some people doesn't want to ever believe the truth. I had so many theories while reading this book. I'm one that would have a sign waiting that says "Believes and Loves".

Mr. Sass, thank you for writing this book. It will always have me hoping for the best for CM+MC.


Thank you, Mr. Sass and Netgalley for letting me review this book.

SURRENDER YOUR SONS is a gripping, angry, thrilling, exciting story that deals with the real life dangers of Conversion Therapy camps, and the dangerous, toxic mindsets of homophobia. Reading this book is an adventure but it’s also important in the many queer lives it teaches about.

This book is similar to Orpheus Girl, in its subject matter, but unlike that book, this one is a lot more hopeful, which I definitely appreciated. I was surprised by what a short amount of time it took place over, but it really worked for the book.
If you read Orpheus Girl, but thought it was too much pain and not enough hope, I definitely recommend checking this book out. Also, I'm really glad I've been reading the prequel because it really made this book that much better

As someone who has been unfortunately familiar with homophobia, this book gave me so many emotions that I was unable to actually form a review for a good week after reading it. I would definitely recommend it to any YA contemporary reader.
This is a coming-out story that morphs into a thriller after a few chapters, and once you open it, it's impossible to put down. Adam Sass does an amazing job of showing the very real consequences of "conversion therapy" camps on LGBT teens, and conveying the terrible feeling that nothing will ever be the same when you've lived through this kind of experience.
How do you trust your loved ones again, when they're the ones who betrayed you for daring to be who you are ? How do you cope when everyone around you says you're wrong and twisted, and asks you to "Surrender your sins" ?

Okay, so I’m a bit on the fence about Surrender Your Sons. On the one hand, LGBTQ+ kids bringing down their horrible conversion therapy camp is something I need in my life, and the characters/representation this book gives us are all great. On the other, I feel like there are some things that maybe aren’t handled the way they should be, the plot gets a little unbelievable, and the ending is kind of anti-climactic and just… there.

Don’t get me wrong, it was overall a good read. Connor is a great MC, and the relationships he builds with the other campers is great too. I also love the writing style. I definitely recommend reading this one!

The following review will be posted to my blog on 6/6/2020.

I was absolutely floored that I was given the opportunity to read this eARC as it was my first ever NetGalley "wish" from a publisher- I'm very thankful for the opportunity!

*Be warned, I'm somewhat vague in this review- but could be seen as potential spoilers*

This has been on my radar ever since I first heard about it a few months back, I heard that a debut author had penned a story about an actual nightmare that many gay teens may have worried about ever being a possibility. When I came out in high school, gay conversion therapy and gay conversion camps were something I'd heard about, but never really worried about much. To me it seemed to be a concept too messed up to ever actually exist, parents would never actually hate the idea of their own children being LGBT so much as to send them to these types of establishments right? As I grew older, I realized that this wasn't something "cooked up" to scare young gay teens into being straight, and that this was something that apparently still happens today. While the practice is illegal in many states, it still exists in others. What an actual freaking nightmare.

I had a tough time coming up with a genre for this book. Horror? Because why the hell do these things exist? Thriller? Because of the panic the characters go through? Fantasy? Because this shit can't be real, right? I ultimately decided on thriller because I think it more closely aligns with the content of the book, even though horror would fit too.

The book is about a recently (and forcibly) outed gay teen who is unexpectedly and dramatically removed from his normal life and is dumped at a gay conversion camp. Confused and a little freaked out, he immediately attempts to figure out how to get the hell of the island he was brought to. Along the way he realizes that he doesn't just need to escape the island, but to bring it down and stop the whole operation.

Reading this as a teen, I would probably be freaked out that this could happen to me. The details are extremely vivid, no doubt in an attempt to highlight just how messed up these camps can be, and haunting. One event in particular had my jaw on the floor, another had me smiling and hugging my kindle close to my chest. I didn't particularly care for the ending, but you know what? So many gay youth don't get a happy ending like we all want. So many gay youth live traumatic lives and don't get the opportunity to achieve their dreams. So I'm okay with the ending, the realness of this book is powerful. The events that happen are real, have happened, and unfortunately may still happen until something is done to end conversion therapy.

Overall, I devoured this book. Even though some of the subject matter was a bit tough to deal with, I still think it's an important read. I definitely laughed, cried, shook my head, and slammed my kindle down on the bed multiple times, but I'm still so glad I read it. This is one that will be with me for a long, long time. As an educator, I am excited to have this in my classroom library and would happily recommend it to my students.

Thanks again to Flux, North Star Editions, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

~ ARC received in exchange for an honest review ~

'Surrender Your Sons' written by Adam Sass tells the story of gay teenager Connor who is sent to conversion therapy camp by his religious zealot mother. It's a really good read but I'm probably not the intended audience and feel like I'd have enjoyed it a lot more when I was a teenager.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title.

I went into this book without knowing a whole lot about it, but I was immediately captivated by the very first page. I found the plot to be absolutely gripping and the pacing was fast which I really appreciated considering the thriller aspect. I really loved the cast of characters and the intensity of the overall plot. My feels were all over the place and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! I enjoyed this book and am eager for more from the author!

With all the buzz I'd seen about this book on Twitter, I was beyond excited to receive an ARC.

This book isn't for everyone.  It deals with some dark, heavy topics, and parts of it are absolutely gut-wrenching.  The slurs and vitriol spat out by some of these characters is horrific and repulsive - and yet some people in the world still feel this way.  It's unfathomable to me. 

My heart broke for Connor and his friends and the unimaginable circumstances they were forced into.  Despite their grim situations, this group of queer kids stick together and support each other.  The heartfelt bonds, friendships, and romantic relationships they form are one of the best parts of the novel, and I wanted to just hug every one of them.  

With tension-filled moments and layers upon layers of secrets, this book is difficult to put down.  My only critique would be the time frame.  Everything happens on the island in roughly twenty-four hours, and I found that a little tough to swallow.  Trust me - a lot happens.

Although some parts are tough to read, this book is full of heart and hope and one I highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was gifted an eARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.



** Spoiler Alert**
This one was incredibly hard to read, not only because of the story line but because of all of the pain throughout the story. It was painful to read how miss-informed, judgmental and downright evil some people can be. How a mother can sacrifice her son to a conversion camp because of her own fears – fears of being judged by a churchy small town who are so backwards in their ways its borderline tragic. I read this book feeling so angry, and sad, so sad. Adam did an amazing job at telling a story that is so true it could have been a true-life story. Its 2020 and this madness still exists in society where it shouldn’t have a place anymore. There were parts in this story that had me shook to the core, its real, its gritty and needs to be read.

After Conner gets pressured to come out to his mom all hell breaks loose, kidnapped by the Reverend of his small town and shipped off to a conversion camp on a Costa Rica island, a mystery needs to be solved and escape is on all the campers minds. We see bonds formed and friendships made, comradery and fierce connections between the characters I fell in love with.

There is a trigger warning for a reason, there will be parts that are extremely hard to read. But it’s the realness that makes this book worth reading. The writing was exceptional and Conner’s story was told in an absolutely brilliant way.

“My brain can’t comprehend spending the rest of the day on this island, much less a week, three months, or however long...I’m also in a bit of a hurry because, apparently, there’s a gay-bashing maniac on the loose.”

Whew. I haven’t read anything this exhilarating in a long time! This LGBT+ YA suspense thriller about a group of teens who are abducted and sent to an evil conversion therapy island is not only addictive, twisty and suspenseful as heck! This story is also representing a vibrant and stunning, diverse cast of characters, with various sexualities, races, religions...lovable characters you’ll find yourself caring for, not to mention our adorable protagonist Connor Major.

The author crafts his suspense-filled scenes with amazing talent. You never know what happens next and you find yourself just going along for the ride, anxiously racing through the pages to find out what savagery awaits these teens on this evil island! Connor must not only plot his escape, there’s also something in this place that hits close to home - a cold-blooded murder that, strangely, no one will talk about.

In a nutshell, Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass deserves a place on your shelves, and when you get a chance to read it, pay close attention to the dialogue and to the characters, none of it is put there randomly, because everything ties up perfectly in the end. The ending though, it was intense, explosive (literally), and just a really messed-up conclusion that’s connected to some of these characters’ past traumas.

Simply put, Surrender Your Sons is a special and memorable debut with a strong pulse!

SURRENDER YOUR SINS (SONS)

This book is haunting and grips you from start to finish. A perfect, dark escape that will inspire you to get off of your own island that traps you.

"Nightlight has no TV, no running water, no basic necessities... but they're got body bags."

I loved this book. And I don't think it would have exceeded as well as it did without the author. Adam Sass breathed life into this book. Despite the dark concepts, there were still moments of humor and smiles that kept this book afloat. The MC, Connor Major, was 1000% my favorite part of the story.

Connor Major was kickass. A beautiful balance of strength and vulnerability, of grit and fear. He had a smart-mouth and was fearless, but he was still human enough to panic, to feel fear and doubt and guilt in his decisions.

"I finally did the right thing. I didn't leave them. I stayed. Whatever comes next, we're on the same team."

The plot itself was dark. But I'm glad it was written as a YA. If it had been any darker, I don't think my heart could have handled it. I liked that it was dark, and exposed the darker sides of humanity (view spoiler), but it still held hope. I think that's my favorite aspect of the story: hope. Hope for goodness amidst the darkness.

I highly recommend this as a read.

"Nightlight tried to snuff it out, but love grew. Love found its way to the island, and this sanctuary made it possible."

“It was so kind of you to visit me in my loneliness.”

*Thank you to Netgalley and North Star Editions at Flux for giving me this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Wow, this was a wild ride! This story follows Connor Major as he’s taken from his home under his mom’s direction and shipped off to conversion “therapy” on a tropical island where a mystery unfolds. This book was funny at times, but extremely dark at other times. I found myself making the surprised pikachu face often in the second half of this book.

I find it hard to review this without spoiling much, but I was guessing the conclusion of the mystery the entire book and I was STILL wrong! This book does a really good job at portraying people not as good or evil, but as a mix of both. I was truly conflicted sometimes in how I was feeling about certain characters, because we are made to feel sympathy for them without having that excuse their awful actions.

I’m leaving out a star because the pacing felt a little off in this book. The whole story takes place in a short amount of time, but it felt like way longer because of the length of the story. I would have loved to see the storyline stretched out over more days so that the character development made a little more sense. All in all, I highly recommend this book! Just be prepared for some really dark themes such as internalized homophobia, homophobia, suicide, transphobia, and violence.

Whew. I haven’t read anything this exhilarating in a *long* time! This LGBT+ YA suspense thriller about a group of teens who are abducted and sent to a brutal conversion therapy camp is not only addictive, twisty and suspenseful as heck! It’s also representing a vibrant and stunning diverse cast of characters, with various sexualities, races, religions...lovable characters you’ll find yourself CARING for, not to mention our adorable, super cute protagonist Connor Major.

The author crafts his suspense-filled scenes with amazing talent. You never know what happens next and you find yourself just going along for the ride, racing through the pages to find out what savagery awaits these teens on this evil island! Connor must not only plot his and the other campers’ escape, there’s something in this place that hits close to home - a cold-blooded murder that, strangely, no one will talk about.

In a nutshell, SURRENDER YOURS SONS by Adam Sass *deserves* a place on your shelves, and when you get a chance to read it, pay close attention to the all the characters and to the dialogue, none of it is put there randomly, because everything ties up perfectly in the end. The ending though, it was INTENSE, explosive (literally), and just a really messed-up conclusion that’s connected to some of these characters’ past traumas.

Simply put, SURRENDER YOUR SONS is a special and memorable debut with a strong pulse.

So lovely. We need queer books by queer authors. I fell in love with all the characters immediately. The story was harrowing and heartbreaking and so much fun to read. I can’t wait to read more of Sass’s work.

I received this advanced copy from the publisher via netgalley to give my honest review. There are so many things I’d like to say about this book, and the first is that it took my breath away.
Seriously, I had to take some time to catch my breath after i finished reading and process everything.
It's a fast paced thriller, filled with mysterious situations and dubious characters, who are deeply tragic. Nothing justifies conversion therapy, homophobia, hate crime, but it was impossible not to feel pity for these sad, horrible people. They are so limited by their own beliefs, prejudice and hypocrisy, and lack of compassion and love, their lives are empty.
That's a testament of Adam Sass' writing. The story is moving, well crafted, made me feel so many emotions. Anger, fear, sadness, pity, but also hope.
The kids at the camp lean on each other for strength, finding small pockets of joy in such a horrible place, and use the companionship they build to keep themselves sane. The group is a diverse and lively bunch, and I loved them all. Connor is the spark they need to fight back for freedom, his hope even through fear making him a relatable character.
The plot twists and revelations are chocking, not only the big camp conspiracy and the reverend mystery, but also the secrets kept by characters like Briggs, a brainwashed former camper who now works at the camp. His story is so deeply sad and tragic, and he was part of scenes which were some of the rawest and most intense I’ve ever read.
Intense is my key word for this book. I loved it, perhaps specially because of that intensity and the complex themes in it, but I understand it's not for everyone. It deals with LGBTphobia, hate crimes, suicide, harmful language, but it's also about resistance, courage, struggle and hope. There's an author's note before the narrative starts warning about possible triggers, and I thought that was really positive and thoughtful. I was very happy to have had the opportunity to read this amazing book, and i thank the publisher, the author and netgalley.

A conversion therapy thriller in which the kids fight back against their homophobic captors - I didn't realize I needed such a story in my life until I read it.

I love thrillers and this was quite a tense and brutal one. I really appreciate the forewarning in the author's note as well as his statement on how this story is "not about queer pain. It’s about what queers do with pain." It's an important note since there is a LOT of pain and horror in this book - at times, it did get quite tough to read and I had to take some breaks, especially towards the end. But it's not completely bleak - there's a strong thread of hope and resilience that runs throughout the story and it ends on a fairly positive note as well.

The POV of our main character Connor also helps a lot. He's quite a compelling MC; well fleshed out, sympathetic, capable, brave and sweet. It was easy to root for him. The rest of the characters were just as complex and interesting, which is impressive since there is a pretty big cast here. Adam Sass managed to successfully capture entire personalities of characters in just a few snippets. I loved the portrayal of the transgender character and the avoidance of his deadname; sadly, it's still rare to see a cis author portray trans people with respect.

I also liked the moral complexity at work here with the antagonists; a character has been horribly abused as a teen and so continues that cycle of abuse when he grows up, yet the narrative never tries to excuse his cruel actions.

There's a rather sweet romance that happens on the side as well and I really liked the love interest's personality and background. I did think it was a bit insta-lovey but considering the high-stakes and intense situation, understandable.

Overall, this is an extremely well-crafted, fast-paced and gripping read. I would really advise readers to read the author's note - it has very important content warnings, particularly regarding a suicide scene in the middle of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

This was a unique painful story.

I really enjoyed and liked the charges, will read more of this author's books in the future.