Snarky, sassy, sweet and so full of soul, Jason June’s Jay’s Gay Agenda kept me smiling from the very start! I’m thoroughly impressed by the pace this talented author keeps up as Jay takes us along for the ride of a lifetime.

Growing up as the only out gay student in a very small town, Jay’s culture shock is understandable when he’s plunked down in sophisticated Seattle at the start of his Senior year in high school. In the process of crossing items off of his to-do list, Jay finds out that growing up has more to do with being human, than it does with how one identifies.

Issues like loyalty, understanding, honesty, and feeling wanted and accepted, are universal. And learning how to function in society has its challenges, no matter where you call home. We all can relate to some of the things Jay faces, and just watching Jay navigate his way through them is a pleasure.

A beautifully written, heartfelt story, I absolutely adored Jay’s Gay Agenda.

This book follow's Jay as he moves into a new town and into himself. It has amazing representation of all kinds and speaks in a sex positive way that I think all books should take a note about. But, I found the main character, Jay, to be a character I wouldn't want my kids to look too. He lied on numerous occasions, he was forgiven for things way too easily, and while this book was definitely sex positive- Jay became sex-obsessed at times. I understand teenagers are filled with hormones but I also think this felt a bit too much. I do truly hope this finds the right audience, I just find that I was not it.

Super sex positive with some great characters. I think this is the first time I've seen a character who specifically identifies as genderqueer in a YA book. I enjoyed this a lot, even when the characters were frustrating as hell, which happened quite a bit.

DNF @ 31%

I was so excited to read this book, but I can't keep going. I am bored with the plot at this point, and there are too many things that have been irritating me to keep going. This spelling of god as "gawd" seems gimmicky and irritating and I'm not sure why the author chose to do it, but every time it comes up it just completely takes me out of the story. The same with "frack" instead of fuck. Also, the incessant, repetitive lists! They were cute at the beginning but the fact that a third of the way through the book I've seen the gay agenda no less than 6 times is really just way too much. I stopped reading them altogether.

I also read other reviews that mention that Jay cheats on Albert later in the book, which I am not okay with. I have no interest reading a cheating plot line, no matter how it's resolved. And the fact that Jay is already lying to his friends at this point in the book doesn't bode will for the rest of it, so I won't be finishing it.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

DNF @ 20%

Unfortunately, this wasn't my cup of tea. I wasn't a massive fan of the writing style, I found it repetitive and I was a little bored. Though I definitely understand why people like this one and I'd still recommend checking out other reviews!

I loved Jay's Gay Agenda so much. It's so voicey and hilarious, definitely an author I'll read again! Jay's checklist and priorities are relatable in a way that many teens will relate to. Thank you for the early look at this wonderful book.

Jay's Gay Agenda is a fun, quirky, YA novel that's packed with queer romance and representation.
With a cute cover and an amusing premise, I had high expectations for this book that unfortunately, did not follow through.
My main issue with this novel is the main character, who I found to be extremely unlikable. I understand that Jay is supposed to be flawed, but he lacked any redeeming qualities that could outweigh the lying and cheating that takes place. In the end, it was difficult for me to feel sympathetic for his character.
Another thing that I didn't love were the lists that are constantly brought up and repeated. It got to a point where I was too tired to actually read them and felt that they were unnecessary.
Overall, I think that this book could be an important story for many lgbtq+ readers. Jay's Gay Agenda had many sweet moments and lovable side characters, but it was too messy for my taste.

Jay's Gay Agenda is a breath of fresh air. The book lets the reader be a part of Jay's gay rom-com coming of age story. Readers will want to warn him against making certain bad romantic decisions and cheer for him when he tries to get the boy in the end. The ensemble cast of characters are delightful, realistic, and downright lovable. Surprisingly you even love the very masculine football team. Lu, Jay's best friend, is complex and her story breaks your heart while giving you hope that her life will get better. Max, Jay's gender-fluid gay guru, doesn't always give Jay the best advice, but he is always trying to help. Albert is the quirky, nerdy, boy next door that you just want to protect and have Jay pick in the end. The adult characters are also portrayed as realistic characters that have humor, flaws, and the kids best interests at heart. There is little language (Jay likes to say frack), but there is some tactful sex talk and experiences that are honest and true to life. Although the reader may be able to predict the some of the plot outcomes, you still can't put this book down wanting to see Jay get his chance at romance!

YES YES YES!! What a perfect book to read during pride month. Jay and all his lists made me laugh so much throughout this book. There is such a need for more sex positive YA books, and "Jay's Gay Agenda" is a step in the right direction.

I went in knowing nothing other that this books is a YA gay romcom, at first I thought we would stay in the small town, but was happily surprised with the move to Seattle. Seattle is one of my favourite places to go for a weekend getaway, and I could fully picture Pike Place Market, the Seattle Needle, and all the fun adventures Jay and Albert go on.

Defs one of my faves of the year!

Jay's Gay Agenda follows the titular character as he moves from a small town to Seattle and meets other gay and queer folk for the first time. There are lists, high school hijinks, and more than a little drama. Hearts are broken, lessons are learned, giant butts show up. There's a lot.

The plot moves quickly enough and, while the story has predictable moments, there are many interesting characters. To be honest, I was more interested in the side characters and their stories than in Jay's foray into the complex world of interpersonal relationships. Albert, Lu, and Max were characters I wouldn't mind reading more about. That's a hint.

Jay's Gay Agenda is a good read. Three stars.

I came into this with absolutely zero expectations - it was pretty much a spontaneous choice. And, as someone who sucks at reading, this is a light, fast-paced, comprehendible story! I liked the representation, and many of the characters are colorful and vivid. I was actually somewhat enjoying the first 30% of the book.

But, it began to get rough for me after that. Phrases I found funny at first grew increasingly annoying through their repeated use. Many of the decisions the characters made did not sit right with me (ESPECIALLY Jay), even after they supposedly learned from them. There was also such a large emphasis on SEX. Jay could barely go a couple of pages without mentioning his or at least a penis. I understand how disorienting falling into romance can be, but I genuinely don't think I've ever read such a horny character in my entire life. Overall, there were way too many ridiculously cringe-inducing moments for my mind to handle.

This is good to pick up if you're looking for a quick, occasionally comical read. However, it was definitely not for me.

This is a very joyous and funny book about all of the excitement and awkwardness that happens after coming out. Beyond finally telling people who you are, what finally happens when you get to go to a gay bar for the first time or kiss someone of your same gender? If you're Jay, things get messy pretty quickly, but you definitely learn some things along the way too. I love all of the messages and heart in this book, including how wonderfully sex positive it is. Please more queer stories like this in YA!

Read my full review and interview with the author for Culturess at the links below.

<i>"For years, I had thought of the Gay Agenda as a way to fit in, to be part of the group that could talk about hand-holding and kissing and someday having sex. But seeing Albert look at me like that, I realized the Gay Agenda was so much more. It was about connecting with another person. I'd always felt like this overlooked, sexless, invisible thing that just had to stand by while everyone else was noticed. [...] But I never knew that I'd feel more like a complete person when someone else recognized me as somebody they could want. Sexually, romantically, flirtingly, all of it. The Gay Agenda made me feel more complete. Like a human being worthy of love and connection instead of some lonely sideshow."</i>

TL;DR: Not the fluffy, feel-good, rom-com I was expecting to fall in love with -- more of a promising, but ultimately hormonally messy story -- that conveniently wraps up neatly at the end, kinda undoing the message about messiness.

Vibes: Seems to be a trend in the books I'm reading/that are published lately to have important notebooks full of secret lists. Also LGBTQ teens moving to a new place and being dicks to their female best friend back at home -- but I have to say that Jay is infinitely more likable than other protagonists I've read this summer.

Character MVP: Albert, hands-down. This poor, sweet, adorable boy was probably the only likable character in the book and did *not* deserve the shitshow going on around him.

Verdict: This was a book that I was super excited to read and thought I would 100% love...and didn't.

Here's the thing. To me, YA books tend to fall into 1 of 2 categories:
(1) The First -- books with teenage/high-school protagonists which are pretty much for *actual* teens and maybe advanced middle schoolers.
(2) The Second -- books with teenage protagonists which transcend age and appeal to broader audiences -- I'm thinking <i>These Violent Delights</i> or <i>Ashlords</i> or <i>Six of Crows</i>.

This book is definitely in the former category; which means I'm not in the target audience, so
you can take my review with a grain of salt if you *are* in the target audience.

Because, if nothing else, this book has *fantastic* representation: our MC is a gay teen; his best friend is a virtual orphan living below the poverty line; his other best friend is genderqueer; and his crush is a gay Asian teen. And I think one of the strengths of this book is the way Jason June acknowledges that someone can exhibit some stereotypical traits -- e.g., a gay guy who loves theater and drag -- and (1) not be defined by those stereotypes and (2) those stereotypes are not true for *everyone* who identifies that way.

And the other thing that I think this book does well is, well, two things actually.
The first -- and the stronger, IMHO -- is the way it acknowledges that life is messy* and idealized first relationships (first...everythings, really) don't go the way they're scripted on TV shows. And that's important -- especially when it comes to sex. After all, not every first time involves excessive amounts of candles (fire hazard) and rose petals (which actually stain comforters) and perfectly choreographed execution.
*But I did feel like the ending was undercut a bit because *everything* worked out in the end -- it was like a Disney ending. Couples got back together, friendships were repaired, and wrongs were righted. Which...I'm not saying *couldn't* happen, but for *all* of it to work out? Ehhh...It reminded me of <i>Meet Cute Diary</i> where *everybody* forgave Noah, except Noah was far more unlikable and oblivious and entitled. Here, at least, Jay did agonize over (most) of his decisions and seemed to know that what he was doing wasn't okay. I get that we need to see happy endings for LGBTQ characters, and I'm definitely not advocating for unhappiness. But I guess if you're going to make "messiness" a central theme of your story, and the idea that real-life doesn't always play out the way you want it to, maybe there should be some messiness in your ending too.

The second thing is the sex positivity* of the story -- which isn't something that gets acknowledged a lot in YA books (and I'm imagining not as often in LGBTQ YA fiction, although I freely admit I'm not super well-read in that area).

*But, and here's one of my main issues with the story -- *everything* was about Jay and his relationships. Every arc in the plot and character relationship revolved around that -- which leaves it feeling a bit flat to me. I mean, yes, we know that Jay loves math and stats and being organized, but that doesn't really factor into the story -- except for the random statistics thrown in. The only club he belongs to is the QSA, even though he's allegedly really good at math. Similar thing with the costume design: his interest is not independent of his relationships; it's all done in service of relationship drama. Which...is fine, I guess, but doesn't make a story "next level" for me. (The way something like <i>Red, White and Royal Blue</i> does.)
I know that Jay says he feels he needs to figure out who he is in the queer community before he can understand himself but...I would have liked to see more of that, even at the end. I'm not okay with female characters spending their entire existence obsessed over relationships and needing to be in to feel fulfilled, and I'm not okay with that here.

✘ -- Pacing/Timing: apparently the whole story takes place in one month? It starts after Labor Day (September 3/4 and wraps up by October 9). Which is a *very* short time for someone to acclimate to a new school, date two guys, blow up their life, and fix it, undergoing a really deep self-actualization in the process.

✘ -- Style/Voice: Something about Jason June's style didn't quite vibe with me...Jay's voice seemed...inconsistent? I know Jason June has written several picture books, and I think some of that cutesiness carried over here, to mixed effect.
The "facepalms" and "fracks" and "ohmigawds" were unique at first, but got cringey after a time.
Also, Jay would go from someone saying they wanted "fun nakey-time" to discussing the implications of drag in deconstructing gender binaries to being accountable for his actions (after...3 weeks?). It was a very inconsistent voice for me.

✘ -- Random Covid references: There were 2 or 3 randomly sprinkled in which...yeah. Were random and could serve to date the book. They only come up a few times, so it just casts murkiness on when this is all occurring, and I'm not sure they add much to the story.

✘ -- I did *not* understand Tony's character. He read as straight-up creepy to me the *entire* time, and maybe that's the vibe I was supposed to get, but. Ick.

Which leads me to my final issue:
So, I know that Jay is 18 and supposed to be a n00b at the relationship thing -- because he's never been in one himself. BUT. He repeatedly references CW TV shows and other rom-com media, so he's familiar with the tropes, AND he makes a big point about how he's surrounded by couples in his old high school and has had to listen to his BFF navigate her relationship.
So, my issue is: how does Jay NOT know that hooking up with one guy and dating another isn't okay? I know some people see this as cheating, and I get that, even if I'm not quite sure it's as cut-and-dry as that. It's more that Jay apparently needed Max to tell him the rules of dating, as if Gay Dating is somehow different than Straight Dating...? Which, no. If you're falling in love with one guy who makes your heart flutter it is *not* okay to be secretly hooking up with another one -- which I'm pretty sure has come up on, like, every single CW show at least once. I know that in "hindsight" this made sense to Jay, but...I'm pretty sure that, at 17/18, I knew it was not cool to be falling for one person and hooking up with another.

I think the things that bothered me wouldn't bother other people -- and I know people will love and adore this book, and they should. There was enough here to make me check out Jason June's other non-picture books in the future, but I don't think this is one I'll be revisiting.

**I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

For Jay Collier, falling in love with a cute boy is extremely difficult in his small little town. Since he is jealous of his friends experiencing firsts while he is stuck on the outskirts, he creates a “gay agenda” of all of the romantic things he wants to accomplish when he finds someone he connects with. Suddenly, his family has to move to Seattle at the beginning of his senior year, and shocker...he is thrilled. He is thrust into a setting where he is just one of many in the gay community. He finally doesn’t feel like he stands out. And with this acceptance comes a revised gay agenda where he can start crossing off experiences from the list with the help of his new friend and self-proclaimed Gay Guide, Max.

I really enjoyed Jay’s story. It was nice to read a story from someone in the LGBTQIA+ community that wasn’t focused on their coming-out story and wasn’t painful. Although those stories are important, it is easy to forget that some people don’t have that experience and are thankfully accepted very easily in their communities. This was a super quick and fun read that was very enjoyable. Sure, it was predictable, but it was nice to see Jay get to experience typical teenage mistakes when it comes to experiencing romance for the first time. Miscommunication will always be a pet peeve of mine in books, however, I am less critical of it in YA because that’s just what teens do. I do think the sexual experiences were a bit overly explicit for a YA book; they just felt a bit new adult in moments, but maybe I am just getting old lol.

After being the only gay kid in his town for his whole life, Jay is moving to Seattle and will finally be able to complete his gay agenda. Among some of the items on his list are: meet other queer teens, date and kiss a VSB, and find a queer family. Jay is finally seeing what it's like to belong, but he may be trying to do too much too soon, and he ends of alienating his best friend, his gay guide, and Albert, the VSB who has boyfriend potential.

Super cute and super fun; I can't wait to read the next in the series!

There's one thing Jay Collier knows for sure—he's a statistical anomaly as the only out gay kid in his small rural Washington town. While all this friends can't stop talking about their heterosexual hookups and relationships, Jay can only dream of his own firsts, compiling a romance to-do list of all the things he hopes to one day experience—his Gay Agenda.
Then, against all odds, Jay's family moves to Seattle and he starts his senior year at a new high school with a thriving LGBTQIA+ community. For the first time ever, Jay feels like he's found where he truly belongs, where he can flirt with Very Sexy Boys and search for love. But as Jay begins crossing items off his list, he'll soon be torn between his heart and his hormones, his old friends and his new ones...because after all, life and love don't always go according to plan.

A super-relatable coming-of-age story, full of sex positivity, awkward moments, and questionable teen choices. The LGBTQIA+ book we all needed as teenagers.

This book is about Jay as he moves from rural Washington to Seattle and begins to live out his queer desires. It explores themes of friendship, desire, and living your best life.

I really didn't vibe with this book. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with it. The writing is good and I like the aspects of exploring identity and sex-positivity. Yes, Jay is annoying and a liar, but that doesn't bother me so much. People are annoying and liars and having that in literature is not a bad thing. We don't have to like the main character to enjoy their story or character arc. What didn't work for me is I just didn't care about his story. I was more interested in the side characters and their stories. Jay just seemed like someone in the way of the more interesting stories happening in the background.

There is definitely a need and an audience for this kind of book, but I don't think I'm it. Jay's Gay Agenda is a light, quick read about a gay high schooler figuring things out and having new experiences. It was...fine, I guess. I think it would probably be a good read for high schoolers wanting to read something that they could see themselves in. As a queer adult woman, perhaps it just wasn't relatable to me.

I think the characterization of most of the characters was fairly one-dimensional. Jay is horny and likes lists. Max is fabulous. Lu is hardworking. Albert is sexy and nerdy. Tony is horny and...that's it. It never gets very deep, and I wasn't invested in any of the relationships happening. The author also chose to make Jay fairly stereotypical, which is fine, because that's some people's personality and it's totally valid. But having his characterization be the horny gay guy who watched Bravo and RuPaul...doesn't tell me much about him other than that the author wanted to reference as many gay things as possible. He also does some pretty insensitive things, and while he apologizes, I honestly found it hard to root for him. I don't know. I don't want to slam this book, because it wasn't bad, it just wasn't for me.

I loved this book for its authenticity and its slight fairy tale beginnings; not everyone in real life gets as lucky as Jay with the supportive and loving family and healthy community where they feel like they belong. It's also a sex-positive LGBTQIA+ YA book, which is rare but getting better at not being rare. I also love how adorable Jay is! He's a lovable character from the beginning, and I think part of that is because he's so new to the community he finally gets to be a part of in the book.

Jay Collier lives in a small town in eastern Washington where he’s the only LGBTQ kid he knows. While the other kids accept him him, Jay can’t help but feel like he’s missing out. All the other kids at school are experimenting with hookups and dating and relationships, but with no other gay boys around, Jay doesn’t get the chance to have any similar experiences. So Jay makes a list of goals in his “Gay Agenda,” including kissing and losing his virginity, but also simple things like going on dates and having a group of close LGBTQ friends.

When Jay’s mom gets a new job and the family moves to Seattle, it’s finally a chance for Jay to meet other LGBTQ kids. He is sad to be leaving his best friend, Lu, but he is also thrilled to have new experiences. Things start off super well for Jay in his new school. He joins the Queer-Straight Alliance and quickly meets a great new friend in Max, a genderqueer teen. And while his introduction to Albert (a VSB or “Very Sexy Boy” as Lu would say) is awkward and involves a lot of stammering, the two definitely have a connection and Albert seems interested in Jay. Plus, Max introduces Jay to Tony, a hot college student who, to Jay’s surprise, also seems interested in him.

Things are going well for Jay and it seems like he is finally getting everything that he wants — good friends, potential boyfriends, and real teen gay experiences. But life is getting much more complicated than that. First, an event Lu wants him to attend with her is on the same night as Jay’s school homecoming dance, so now he is forced to decide between his old best friend and his new ones. Not to mention that things with Lu are super complicated, between the distance, her boyfriend that makes Jay feel like a third wheel, and major financial problems she is having a home. On top of that, while Jay’s falling for Victor, he can’t help the sexual attraction he has to Tony, and he is trying to divide his time and attention between the two guys. And Max has his own drama that Jay ends up involved with as well. Before Jay knows it, what was looking like a promising year and the start of a lot of great relationships is all beginning to fall apart. Now Jay has to look at himself and figure out whether he’s making the right choices, or whether he’s so focused on his own agenda that he’s not taking the time to really consider the people in his life. If Jay can’t do some self reflection and figure out how to properly apologize to those he wronged, he might lose his boyfriend and his friends as well.

Jay’s Gay Agenda is a cute and fun young adult romance featuring a main character that’s really learning to find himself. Jay is our POV character and this is really his journey as he breaks free of his small town and suddenly everything he wants is right there at his fingertips. But he is also 17 going on 18 and doesn’t really know how to handle it all well, and he definitely makes mistakes. Author Jason June does a great job really setting Jay up and giving us a chance to understand his perspective as a lonely student and the only out LGBTQ kid that he knows. He’s watching all of his friends have experiences that he longs to also have, but with nobody out there to date, he’s feels like he’s being left behind. So even when Jay makes bad choices, and he does make bad choices, I could understand the position he was coming from and I think June really frames him well.

Jay ends up in two relationships, one a purely sexual one with Tony that gives him a chance to have those sexual experiences that he’s been longing for, and the other with Albert, a sweet student at his school. It is clear that Albert is the one with whom Jay has a romantic connection, but Jay is also still figuring himself out and learning about dating and relationships and is eager to experience the sexual side of things as well. On top of that, Jay is trying to maneuver through things with Lu, and balance being there for her with things happening in his own life in Seattle. Jay doesn’t always handle things well; in fact, he handles a lot of things badly, as do most of the other teens in the story (except Albert, who is adorable and pretty much perfect). I’ll admit, at times the teen behavior made me a bit nuts because they make bad decisions and give bad advice and just generally stumble around. But I also had to remember that they are teenagers and teenagers sometimes do stupid things and part of this story is watching Jay realize his mistakes and make up for them. So there is a nice growth arc for Jay here and I think it works well.

Jay is an interesting character and he gives this story a very specific tone in his narration. Jay is a list maker and, in addition to his Gay Agenda, he is constantly making lists of everything from what he would like to do with Albert, to why going to homecoming is a better choice than the dance with Lu (ie “Homecoming is the Lead Ho Because…”). He is also super into statistics, so he comments on the probability of things happening quite a lot throughout the book, like the odds that out of a school his size, he’d be the only out gay kid. I found the set up fun and enjoyed Jay’s voice (even when I was exasperated with him), but I did find the lists got a bit much after a while. Jay repeats his full Gay Agenda many times throughout the book, adding and updating and crossing things off, and I feel like I was reading the same thing over and over, trying to find the subtle changes he had made each time. I think it was super cute, but also maybe too much of a good thing.

In the end, I found this one fun and charming. These teens make some mistakes, but they also learn from them and the growth makes up for the bad decisions. Victor and Jay are sweet together and things come together nicely in the end.