I absolutely adored the content of this book!

Jasper Sanchez is an #ownvoices author as a transmasculine queer man. So this story is SO important coming from his fingertips! I also don't see trans stories told a ton in YA novels, and would love to keep seeing more and more of them!

Synopsis:
Mark is a transmasculine teenager with a Congressman as his father. His father, who plans to run for California governor, is in denial, still referring to Mark as his daughter... mostly to keep his public imagine up (but he's a Democrat???). Mark's agreement with his father is that he will go to a brand new school where no one knows him to transition, and Mark will never tell anyone who his father is.

Mark is a blooming politician in his own right. He has dreams of occupying the Oval Office, and he is genuinely a do-gooder. While living as an assumed "cis man" at his new high school, Mark has come out as Pansexual, but no one knows his "big secret." After an incident with one of Mark's friends where the school administration turned a blind eye to bullying, Mark decides to start a campaign to run for student body president and be a voice for change in the school.

Great! However, his father is pissed that he may be "found out." Mark also builds some guilt that he is lying to the student body. Mark is unknown in his new school, so his winning is a long shot, but he won't let anything stop him in his quest to better Utopia High School. Is his message strong enough to win the "Unpopular Vote?"

“Unflinching support is exactly what you deserve. Unconditional love. Unequivocal acceptance. It’s what we all deserve. Every queer kid in America.”

Thoughts:
I loved that this book is SO QUEER. In a TON of ways. While Mark is a white "passing" male, his friends are very diverse racially, and in their gender identities and sexualities. I found it fascinating that each of these queer characters still found that they have more to learn about their community and how to be an ally for those who are different from them. That is an amazing lesson that I'm still working on as well!
I loved the importance of this story, however, the book, in general, was a tad long for me when it comes to a YA novel. I also don't think everyone will like how much "political talk" this book contained, but I very much enjoyed that aspect. The plot seems unlikely, but I think the amazing thing is that we can imagine a better world for the younger generations. I hated the father with an absolute passion, and I wouldn't recommend this book if transphobia or homophobia is a trigger for you. All in all, I loved the message of this book and I think it would be a great book for every young (and old) person to read. There are messages of love, acceptance, perseverance, bravery, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness!

"But in my mind, it wasn't simple patriotism but critical love, a reminder that dissent itself is patriotic, and a call for the country to do better. When you're queer in America, you have to learn to love your country for what it could be, or not at all. You're always feeling forward, reaching, leaning toward a future that doesn't yet exist. That might next exist."

A high school story with a cast of BIPOC and LGBT+ characters and the political policies that are relevant today. I enjoyed learning the appropriate language of LGBTQ community through the lens of a group of high schoolers trying to school their school’s injustices and inequalities of all people.

This was a solid, middle of the road, enjoyable read for me. I didn’t feel like DNFing at any point, but I also won’t be raving about it.

Things I really enjoyed- the found family, a trans MC, the awkward pseudo-GSA

If you enjoy other fictional political stories, I think you will greatly enjoy this! That’s just not entirely my thing, and there was very little plot outside of that. These characters didn’t read so much high school to me as much older, and I say that as someone who went to an IB high school.

Massive TW- there was SO MUCH deadnaming in this book, if that is something you are sensitive to, I would skip this one.

Despite the serious themes covered, this book was overall a heartwarming read. I enjoyed every last second of my time with these characters, as I sped through Mark's world. The diversity was refreshing and realistic. Jasper Sanchez writes in enough humor to keep the novel feeling light and fun. I cannot think of a single criticism for this piece of literature. Have already ordered a copy for my own personal library. This is an absolute must read for anyone who enjoys diverse YA contemporary and/or books surrounding discussions on politics!
TWs/CWs: repetitive deadnaming of a trans person, discussions on racism/xenophobia/Islamophobia/anti-semitism, homophobia, transphobia, bullying, physical assault, etc.

The French Club isn’t so much about French. For Mark, it’s become the unofficial hangout for himself and his friends: Rachel and Nadia, Jewish and Muslim respectively, and in love; Pablo, allosexual, and one of Mark’s best friends; along with Jenny, who is aromantic; and then there’s Benji, who is loud, proud, and high-femme and a late, unofficial entry to their friend group. When Mark finds Benji being bullied, shoved around, and insulted by a pair of football players, he tries to help … but help comes too late. Benji takes a swing at his attackers, breaking a nose, and no matter that he as the one being bullied, Benji is the one asked to apologize or be suspended.

Mark suggests, reluctantly, that Benji apologize. It isn’t right and it isn’t fair, but it will make the least noise. A suspension on Benji’s record could hurt his college applications (Mark, himself, hopes to get into Harvard). But Benji isn’t willing to back down. With a blaring public op-ed in the school blog, Benji tells the school exactly what he thinks of them and their zero-tolerance policy. He takes the suspension and Mark wishes he were half as brave.

For Mark, Benji’s act of defiance becomes a rallying cry. What happened was wrong. The fact that Benji has been bullied for months, for years, is inexcusable. It’s time for someone to do something about it, and for the son of a congressman who hopes to go in to politics — who loves Shondaland series and the West Wing — there is no choice but to take this fight the full distance. Mark is going to run for student body president and bring change to Utopia Heights.

Mark, along with his friends, is in the International Baccalaureate program. Think of it as AP’s bigger, more intimidating sibling. There’s community service, extended essays, honor’s classes, and a mandatory high GPA. Mark’s mother is an oncologist, his father a congressman. He has an extensive vocabulary and a very decided voice. Mark pontificates and many of his conversations — even with his friends — can sound like mini-speeches. It’s because he’s been training himself to, like his father, have a career in politics. He intends to be a voice for the people. He watches CNN religiously. He cares. But … he also gets in his own head, and in his own way.

Running for student body president puts Mark squarely in the spotlight, and that comes with more pressure than even his friends can imagine. Because Mark is transgender. When he told his parents, Mark’s mother accepted him, unconditionally. His father … did not. So Mark and his Mother moved to Santa Julia so that Mark could start in a new school with his name, his gender, and his hormone treatment. It’s a separation, not a divorce, because Mark’s father doesn’t want anyone to know about Mark — who he dead names every time they talk. The relationship between Mark and his mother, Mark and his father, and even the glimpses of Mark’s parents … hurts. I have hopes that one day the wounds between Mark and his father can heal, even if they will inevitably leave scars.

This is a book with a message. It’s standing proud and tall on a soapbox, and I for one am more than willing to buy the soap. There seems to be this thought in popular culture about people being “different” in the right way. A person can be quirky — you know, the funny one, the sassy one, the geeky one, the alternative one — so long as it’s digestible in it’s pop culture approved packaging. Or, as Mark’s dad says it:

“… if you want to grow up to make the world a better place for other people, you don’t get to be one of them. You have to be better. Not normal, but perfect. Above reproach.”

Mark isn’t above reproach. He’s a bit of a jerk to his friends, being lost in his own head and his own feelings, something exacerbated by hormones. He struggles with dysphoria, with his need for his father’s approval, with his crush on Ralph, who happens to be the twin of one of his French Club friends … and who he charms into running as his VP. Mark hasn’t told his friends that he’s trans, and when one of them comes out as genderfluid, Mark has a moment to share his truth with them. But it’s hard. Every time someone assumes he’s male, compliments him for being able to fit in it feels like a success, even while the truth eats at him.

Being transgender is as much a part of Mark as his hair. He’s more focused on the campaign, on his boyfriend, on the lies he told and the truths he wants to tell. This book is light on the angst and heavy on the characterization. The pacing is very fast, with the story taking place over a few weeks, and the writing is wonderful. If you want a book filled with hope, optimism, heart, and love, read this book. It’s also just a really, really good book. Mark’s careful romance with Ralph, and his relationship with his mother, his father, and even himself is so well done … and I have added this author on my “to stalk” list.

3.5 stars = Good+

Fascinating story. There were a lot of things I learned from this. I loved Mark's references to The West Wing as well as the delightful romance that started during the course of the book. There's a lot of wrangling here over motives and goals and political philosophies for those who are interested in politics. This could be a good selection for a book group, too - lots to discuss. (Language, pot smoking/underage drinking, LGBTQ+ TW: coming out stories and parental disapproval)

** I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley.

Mark Adams understands politics. His father, congressman from California has taught Mark everything he knows. However, Mark must keep himself hidden and not draw attention to his past in order to protect his father's image. But when a candidate for student body president steps forward on a platform of hate and dangerous rhetoric, Mark knows he has to run against him and win. Except running for student body president will give him a much higher profile than he's allowed to have. But no one at school really knows who Mark is, so it's an uphill climb to become a frontrunner. His friends are more than ready to help him accomplish his goal and surprise everyone.

The (Un)Popular Vote was such a fun ride of discovering who you are and being able to tell everyone and feel accepted. The cast of characters that we meet come from every side of the LGBTQIA spectrum. It was a fun read to feel the passion that Mark and his friends have about being accepting to everyone and making the school that they attend the same way. There is a spark of romance between Mark and another boy that is central to the book.

The struggle that I had with the book came from our main character's father. Unfortunately, and also fortunately, he was written very well. Graham gave the self centered politician vibe a run for its money. It was difficult to understand where he was coming from as a parent with so much hate. I did not like aspects of the story that included him, but knew that they were central to the story.

I 100% recommend this book for anyone who loves politics and shows like Scandal. But also those who want more stories that follow trans teens, those questioning who they are, and allies.

Thank you NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm honestly at a loss for what to say about this book. It's certainly special, and I'm sure it'll be an important book for many people (myself included). I picked up this book for the trans representation, and was pleasantly surprised to find other queer characters as well, specifically asexual, aromantic, and non-binary characters, which are few and far between in YA literature. The characters were written with such care and thought, and it's so easy to fall in love with all of them. It can be cheesy at times, but there's also a lot of heart throughout this story and I'd say it's definitely worth picking it up.
It did take me a few chapters to get into it, but once I was hooked I couldn't put it down. I'd also recommend checking content warnings, specifically for homophobia (physical and verbal harassment, use of slurs, etc.) and transphobia (deadnaming, verbal abuse, etc.).

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3921689631

Rating: 2.5/5 ☀️

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to get an eARC of this! Unfortunately, this book really didn’t work for me, but I feel like a slightly younger audience will get more out of it, and ultimately it was a pretty heartwarming story.

I think the strongest point was the characters and the representation. It was a really diverse cast between the main character, Mark, and his friends, and I adored the relationships and what they all brought to the group and the support system they built for themselves. I feel like I never see asexual or aromantic representation, so that was really cool, too. And I also appreciated how the story had a number of interesting POC characters. It was just done pretty well overall.

However, I don’t think having the right representation was a substitute for progressive writing, which is what this story aimed for with its politics but really missed the mark on. It was so steeped in liberal politics while claiming to be leftist that there was a weird disconnect. For example, there was the whole love for CNN. And the attitude towards college applications especially made me really uncomfortable. A significant number of the main cast come from wealthier backgrounds and are legacies, and Mark himself is a son of a notable enough political figure that he would probably be fine. So the lack of self-awareness about how college admissions work and are not a meritocracy and how many of the characters were relatively privileged despite how much they were talking about systemic injustice was kind of upsetting.

And really, that was just exacerbated with how much of the story was dominated by Mark’s future political ambitions, even beyond the school election. At times, it felt like he didn’t have a personality beyond that and appreciating America’s political foundations. It got weirdly preachy about it at times, too, which was especially uncomfortable since the book was in the perspective of a white character.

The other thing was that the storyline felt like it was stuck in a 2004 high school teen movie at times. Like how Amber, the one who runs the high school’s main source of news, is somehow verified on Twitter? Or how Clary was such a typical mean girl, including a villain speech. And then Jenny’s sex scandal and the slut-shaming article published for the whole school to see is such an overused plot, and again, very 2000s. Even the way the school cliques were divided by jocks, athletes, nerds, stoners, etc. Also, maybe I misinterpreted, but was it implied that Henry, a.k.a pseudo-Trump, popular jock, and local bully was actually repressing his own queerness? Because that is definitely a tired trope.

To be fair, there was enough that worked that made me stay until the end. Again, there were interesting characters and relationships. And I liked how the romance developed between Mark and Ralph. The storytelling and pacing was pretty good. Mark’s experiences with coming out and transitioning and his relationship with his father was a lot at times, but it was genuine and I really got him. And I was rooting for him throughout, both with his election and in letting his expectations of his father go.

So, yeah, I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this. I keep flipping back and forth between 2 and 3 stars for my rating because the parts that really bothered me were rough, but it wasn’t a terrible story overall and I’m sure others out there will appreciate this more and see themselves in it. The politics are a sticking point for me though, so it just was not to my taste. This might be one that readers really have to decide for themselves.

First of all, THANK YOU to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book. I don't think I've ever been more glad to have won an early copy of a book than I am after reading this.
If I had to describe this book as another to make it make sense to someone else, it's basically and insanely diverse YA Red, White, & Royal Blue mixed with Parks and Rec. If that doesn't sell you on this book, then I can't help you.
BTW, when I say insanely diverse I mean it. Off the top of my head there were: Hispanic, Muslim, Asian, Jewish, asexual, aromantic, biromantic, pansexual, lesbian, nonbinary, trans, and gay characters. And I'm probably forgetting some of them. I have never read a book with so much diversity in it that didn't feel like the author was checking off a diversity checklist or that the character's minority status was their whole personality. Every single character had a well-developed personality beyond just their sexual/romantic orientation or race/ethnicity/religion. It was amazing, and it's a large part of what has made this book reach the top of my list of books I've read so far this year.
And the characters themselves! There wasn't one that I didn't love and perhaps best of all... they were all high school students who talked like actual teenagers! It was so refreshing, I can't even begin to describe it.
I've been so stressed out lately (exams and the end of the school year is kicking my ass), but I read this in less than 2 days because I couldn't put it down. It was addicting from start to finish, and it was so so endearing. I love reading books like this because it makes the world feel just a little bit better. This book gave me the same feeling RW&RB did when I finished it -- that maybe the world isn't completely screwed over and everything will be okay.
The plot of this is pretty simple -- Mark (our protagonist) decides to run for president of the school, chaos ensues. But despite the simple premise, I never got bored. This book is (as an e-book on my phone) almost 700 pages long (400 on paper, I think). I should have reached a point where I got a little bored of reading high schoolers play politicians. But I never did, and I think that's a testament to how well Jasper Sanchez crafted his characters and the world they live in.
I will say, the story was a little predictable (but that's not a bad thing!) and I got a little annoyed by the miscommunication trope used. And I can't truly comment on what is okay for a trans author to write, because I'm cis, but I think the constant misgendering of Mark (a transmasc boy) by his father could be triggering to some. Other than those few criticisms, I think this was a pretty perfect book, and I can't wait for everyone to get to read it.
(Also, the phrase "aro spidey senses" was used in this book, and I think that might be my favorite thing ever.)

What I originally heard about this book was that it was a YA version of the West Wing with a trans student running for student body president. That was enough to sell me on it. What this book turned out being was so much more.

The (Un)Popular Vote tells the story of Mark Adams, the trans son of a Congressman who refuses to accept his son’s gender and decides that for his own campaign and political future, needs to act as though his child is not… who he is. This immediately sets the tone for this book. Mark is not only trying to do right by his family and his friends at school but he’s doing it while silently carrying the burden of a father who continuously deadnames him and misgenders him.

But beyond the discussion of Mark and his father, there is the politics of a school mixed with school politics. Mark decides to run for class body president when a friend is bullied for being gay and what his campaign turns into is beautiful. He doesn’t run on a platform of sunshine and doing the right thing. He runs on a platform of fighting back and creating a lasting change to the student handbook.

What a powerful thing to teach to readers, especially teens. There will be times in life where the rules are against you and instead of thinking that eventually, someday, it will get better… the only way that it CAN get better is if you do the work to bring about change. Will they all be wins? No. But the fight is what is more important. At a time right now when trans rights are being attacked every day, this book felt especially poignant.

If I had any quibbles, it was that sometimes these teens seem a little too well-worded, but they are IB students and boy, do I remember being a high school senior and using fancy language to seem smart. I think I needed a little more of teens being teens and not teens being Formal Teens Running For Class Office.

I loved this book. I loved the characters that Jasper Sanchez has created. I want to follow Mark’s story as he goes to college and eventually runs for congress and president. A novella set in the future would be the best.

Also, there was a phenomenal Two Cathedrals part that was emotionally powerful so what else could you want from a queer YA political novel?

5 stars!

Unbeknownst to his high school classmates, Mark is the trans son of a US congressman. When his friend is suspended for fighting back against a bully, Mark decides to run for student body president. His father, afraid that his political ambitions will be jeopardized if Mark's status becomes known, opposes the move. Mark is forced to confront his own privilege as an affluent white male who can pass for cis and straight, even while being marginalized in his own home.

This book deals with serious issues facing LGBTQ youth in a high school environment. At times, the characters felt like mouthpieces for the author's worldview, rather than fleshed-out human beings. As a result, I found it difficult to connect emotionally with the story. There were more characters than I could keep track of, and they weren't well differentiated. The plot, though, was tense and well-developed.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Content warning: drug use, alcohol use, fighting.

In what might be called an #OwnVoices read, I was so impressed with how Jasper Sanchez helped me to understand the experiences of transmasc students in high school. I was impressed with how he seemed to convey the thrill of passing as well as the guilt in being able to do so when others struggle to blend in - or don't want to - and are often targeted as a result. Additionally, I thought it was very interesting to use a progressive politician as somewhat of a villain here, showing the disconnect between actions and words as well as avoiding the easy path of making a conservative, who we'd already expect to be anti-LGBTQ, the bad guy. Readers will feel the joys and pains of Mark's life, and my trans students need more visible protagonists like this.

I loved this one, especially because I share the love of Scandal and The West Wing so I felt connected to these kids. I loved that Mark was standing up for himself and what was right. I think it's important that LGBTQ+ teens have the courage to stand up and also have the knowledge that there will be people there to stand up for them too.

The (Un)Popular Vote was refreshingly diverse and dynamic with a heart of gold. It's got heart and wit while still tackling tough topics and actually being really inspiring. There's a lot of diversity in representation, not just in gender but in sexuality as well and that was much appreciated. Throw in political references galore, nods to the west wing and you've got yourself a hit. The dialogue is well written and the relationships and characters are really well developed.
*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review*

Tw: homophobia, transphobia

This book follows Mark, who is a transgender teen who after seeing acts of homophobia in his school, decides to run for student body president.

If you like politics and diverse reads, this is the book for you. It has trans, bi, pan, asexual, aromantic, lesbian, non-binary, and poc representation and I felt it was aimed at queer people everywhere who feel like they’re underrepresented in media.

I really liked this book and what it represented. The author is also a trans man so I can trust the transgender representation is well written.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for an early copy of this book

I will admit, this was a lot more political than I anticipated, but I truly enjoyed this story. I rooted for Mark from the beginning, and I absolutely love their little queer French club band of friends. I love the way the queer kids always find each other and flock together and this group showed that beautifully.

And Ralph. My sweet, sweet, anxious Ralph. I love this character and his bowties with my whole heart. Bless him.

There was just so much great representation and diversity in this story. It was a fun read, even if a lot of the political references went over my head. It was also super interesting to me that the Democratic candidate was the one seen as.... less than supportive. I thought that was important as hell, because let's be real, there are shitty people on over side.

I will say, though, as a warning- there was a LOT of dead-naming in this one. Keep that in mind that if that's something that might upset you.

"[...] it wasn't simply patriotism but critical love, a reminder that dissent itself is patriotic, and a call for the country to do better. I've always found it hopeful, it a bittersweet kind of way. When you're queer in America, you ahve to learn to love your country for what it could be, or not at all. You're always feeling forward, reaching, leaning toward a future that doesn't yet exist."

What a phenomenal debut!! WHAT A ROLLERCOASTER! I loved this book so much, quite possibly my favorite m/m and my favorite trans MC book since Cemetery Boys. For real, the romance was immaculate and made my heart swell; such a lovely development of the bond between the two boys as they each grow as individuals. Some delightful mutual pining with one of my fave character types, "adorable and endearingly awkward love interest does not realize how likeable they are."

May I offer you another quote that made me full in love with this book?

"God, this boy's laugh could eclipse the sun. It's just as rare but all the more magical for it, and oh. Oh. [...] I didn't realize I was falling until I broke my bones on the ground."

This romance was even better than I expected, and I felt it was well-balanced along with the student presidential campaign and Mark’s dad issues. Hopefully this isn’t too spoiler-y, but, Mark’s love interest was so sweet and reminded me of the standout love interest in “Meet Cute Diary” 👀 Definitely my fave character.

Despite all the political and philosophical references I didn’t understand, this book was very quick to read through; I really struggled to put it down even when I had to go to work, and I also looked forward to getting to read more. I think the writing style makes this an accessible and engaging read.

Themes of privilege, inequality, etc are woven throughout in a meaningful way as Mark navigates conflicting feelings around his privilege, his ego, his family history, and his genuine desire to help the student body. This story deals with a lot of important social and political themes in a way that felt organic and balanced with the character growth and plot of the story.

Overall I’d say the tone of the book is *relatively* light... or perhaps more accurately, there is certainly weight given to the issues that demand it, including instances of bigotry happening at the school in addition to Mark's struggles with his dad, but the author infuses the book with so much queer joy and chosen family and hope and resilience. This made the book a really pleasant and feel-good read overall, despite the sections that made me really angry... like, truly-wanting-to-punch-a fictional-character-in-the-face type of angry...

Because there is a looot of deadnaming and misgendering of Mark by his dad, which is the only ‘criticism’ that comes to mind rn. I do feel like there didn’t have to be SO am any instances of deadnaming. Over books have successfully been able to describe instances of deadnaming without the deadname actually being printed on the page, and I wish that some of that had been utilized here as well, because I think this is unnecessarily more triggering for trans readers. I understand why it is included, though, because it did hammer home what a shitty parent he is. However, the father feels more and more of a Disney-cartoon-esque villain as the book goes on — eventually his dialogue seemed rather over the top, to the point it broke immersion for me a liiiittle bit.

HOWEVER, the rest of the book more than makes up for that. There is thankfully NO forcible outing, no transphobia from anyone within Mark’s circle, and no homophobia directed at Mark and his love interest. Mark’s friend group includes such a great variety of rep that felt organic, not tokenized, and are nothing but supportive of each others’ identities. There are quite a few of them, and while I got a little confused at the beginning as I tried to keep track of names, I soon was able to distinguish each character because they felt like individual people.

Mark makes mistakes in his relationships that I found relatable and understandable, creating enough conflict to move the story & character growth along without making me too frustrated at Mark. (I mean, with what a shitty dad he has, I think it’d be hard for the reader not to empathize or at least sympathize with him.)

Last but not least, I want to say how much I appreciated the queer (specifically pansexual) transmasc rep of this book. Mark is already out to himself, his parents, and his two best friends, and he’s read as a cis male at his new school. He gender-related arc is not about figuring himself out, or dealing with internalized transphobia, or even about coming out; it’s about the promise he made to his dad to remain stealth in his transition. Mark wears a packer, and this is normalized. Mark wears a binder and tries to practice binding safely, and this is normalized. There are really great parts (that I may edit to include in here later) about toxic masculinity, feminism, avoiding gender essentialism while recognizing the changes that hormones do result in, and more. While Mark is a binary trans man, a lot of these passages resonated with me (a nonbinary transmasc). Like “Cemetery Boys,” this book goes much farther than entry-level trans stories that deal with identity questioning or wondering if trans people are loveable (bc guess what: we are!!)

All in all, this was SUCH a pleasure to read aaaaand I might have to go ahead and join the preorder campaign myself. I will definitely be submitting a purchase suggestion for my library! Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for granting me an eARC.

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(Vague spoilers below)
TW include but are not limited to...
...
a parent repeatedly using their child’s deadname & variation of it, along with other feminine-coded words and accusations that transition is “playacting” / a phase / a childish act of rebellion / other transphobic shit...
homophobic bullying & threats of violence (with vague implication of SA) against a femme gay male ... verbalization of homophobic & misogynistic religious beliefs, including use of f*g, d*ke, wh*re...
reclamation of f*g by a femme gay male....
public slut-shaming of a character who is aromantic...
references to past instances of anti-Latino and anti-Muslim harassment...
references to neo Nazis, the Holocaust, anti-semitism...
Anxiety/panic attacks...
Slight peer pressure regarding underage marijuana use...
Normalized underage drinking...
Brief references to underage sexual relationships (including hooking up)

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for an early copy of this novel!

I was so excited to read this when I first read the blurb that I basically cried happy tears when my request for an ARC was accepted.
And boy, this did not disappoint!


I'm always amazed by how much queer representation we're getting nowadays compared to, say, four of five years ago. The [Un]popular Vote is an awesome example, with a diverse set of characters, of all gender identities, sexual orientations, and ethnicities.
Boy, am I glad that teen queers get to read so many awesome books where they can see themselves represented in a positive light.

In the [Un]popular Vote, we read about the touching story of Mark Adams, a young trans boy whose life has always revolved around politics – can't escape it when your father is a famous politician.
Unfortunately, his relationship with his dad is catastrophic ever since he came out as trans, and Mark now has to pretend like he's someone he's not, and must absolutely not get himself noticed by anyone.
Which he's great at doing – at least until he witnesses getting bullied because of his sexual orientation. Suddenly, Mark wants to change things, and there's one thing he can do: run for school president.

This is a really well-constructed story, that picks up about a third of the way through – I felt as if the first few chapters were a bit unclear, with a lot crammed into only a few pages. This soon becomes better, though, and the plot picks up soon.

Mark is a really endearing character, who's far from being perfect and has a lot of flaws, but those just make him somehow more credible and likeable. All of his friends are pretty awesome too, and it's hard not to completely fall in love with nerdy Ralph.
Kudos also for making the whole process of a school election quite clear – I'm guessing this is something that not every reader is familiar with, and it's always a great sign when you don't feel lost with something you're not used to.

Apart from the first confusing chapters, the only other downside would be the dialogue, which is quite stilted at times, and very much not what you'd imagine teenagers would speak like.
But then again, this is a novel, and I wasn't really bothered by it, it was just something I noticed.

All in all, then, a really great novel with awesome representation and a great, original plot. I'm excited to see what else Jasper Sanchez will write!

NetGalley review- Although I know very little about the multitude of political references and philosophy tidbits within this book, I do know that I love this story! The MCs are real and refreshing and show the struggle of living against the mold that society dictates. There is a happy ever after in this story that so many trans youth don’t enjoy, but it gives us hope that one day the world will be that better place where love wins and people can be their authentic selves. So worth your time to read- highly recommend!