Thoughtfully written LGBTQIA representation. As someone who grew up in a religious and conservative community, I think this would be helpful for readers from similar backgrounds.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

I enjoyed this book much more than I originally thought! I LOVE Yami and her dedication to her family is admirable. Watching her grow throughout the book was so special, with a flavor and style all her own. I wish things could have been resolved with her dad, but hopefully in Yami’s world, they got to that point. Thanks for the opportunity to read this one!

After Yami is outed as a lesbian by her former best friend and secret crush, she transfers to a Catholic school where a set of new problems await. Yami just wants to live her life, but now she is navigating being gay while at a conservative religious school, and she feels like she is constantly watching her brother to keep him out of trouble as well.

As a catholic lesbian, this was the novel I needed in high school! First of all, this was adorable. I loved how this book managed to hit all my wants for a cute YA but also touched on important topics of religion and sexuality. I appreciated the varied focus of the book - that there were more plot points than just Yami's sexuality and how her exploration/romance enhanced the novel but wasn't the sole focus. This book was also just fun! It was one of those books you walk away from feeling genuinely warm - such a comfort read for me.

"The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School" by Sonora Reyes is a hilarious and candid young adult novel that navigates the complexities of identity, friendship, and the challenges of being true to oneself in a unique setting. Reyes' storytelling wit shines as she crafts a tale of humor, self-discovery, and the clash between tradition and personal authenticity. The book's relatable characters and humorous plot create an engaging reading experience that resonates with LGBTQIAP+ and teen readers. Reyes skillfully explores themes of self-acceptance, friendship, and the power of standing up against societal norms, adding depth to the narrative. "The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School" is a refreshing reminder that laughter and resilience can be powerful tools for navigating life's ups and downs, leaving readers with a sense of empowerment and a renewed appreciation for stories that celebrate diverse identities and perspectives.

This book was he story I wish I had as an LGBTQ+ teenager who didn't understand herself or how her faith and sexuality could fit together. It was heartbreaking, tender, and wonderfully warm.

An absolutely stellar pick for anyone who loved Casey McQuiston's "I Kissed Shara Wheeler".

The pacing was kind of off, which I think really negatively impacted the story. Yamilet was very much in her own head throughout, which also really kept us from getting the whole picture - and while I support her setting boundaries, we didn’t get much closure on some of the things that she didn’t want to or couldn’t deal with (like the ex best friend).

I really liked Bo and the complex feelings that came with being adopted “out” of her culture and how she talks about it. But also with Bo being the outspoken activist getting herself in trouble - while also being soft and squishy and scared of being hurt.

The biggest missed opportunity here was in the sibling relationship. Yamilet consistently claims how close they are, but it also feels like they don’t have real conversations with each other until the last 1/4 of the book.

<I>"Mom has made us go twice a year ever since we were seven, but it's not like I can stop being gay after confession. I wonder how the rules work when your 'sin' is a constant thing. If confession is supposed to absolve me, it's not working. The day after every confession, I'm always gay all over again."</I>

TL;DR: A super important book re: representation -- queer lesbian Latina MC + her queer Asian-American girlfriend and gay brother -- but which ultimately lags in terms of pacing. Much of the action occurs in the last 20% of the book, leaving the first 80% a bit flat.
<b><I>I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.</b></I>

Vibes: Saved (that 2004 movie starring Jena Malone + Mandy Moore), but make it queer and Latinx

Genre: Queer True-YA Rom-Com

Romance Meter: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 ♡
Lots of angsty teen romance (0/5 for spiciness tho)

Character MVP: Umm. Bo, I suppose. Despite being a secondary character for most of the book, I felt like I knew the most about her.

Verdict: 3 stars, and I recognize I'm in the minority here.
Look, this is a book that will mean the world to some readers -- and I understand that. Some readers will need to read this story, and the impact of seeing themselves represented on the pages of a book is something I don't under-estimate.

But I am not one of those readers...and that's okay!

There are lots of important topics that Reyes covers here, and I appreciate that. But there was way too much telling-not-showing for me that just kept the characters at a distance for me. I don't feel like I really knew any of them all that well, besides one defining characteristic of their character.
For example: Bianca = Mean Girl; Karen = Mean Girl; Emily = Former Mean Girl; Amber = supportive best friend; David = Native American; Hunter = Virgin Football Player.

I was, unfortunately, bored during a good portion of the plot, mainly because I didn't feel connected to the characters or invested in their plots. It was a really easy book to put down for me, and I didn't really look forward to picking it back up.
The most intriguing parts, I thought, were where Reyes really got into the Catholic Guilt aspect, and started to explore how it impacted the characters, and given that it drives a pretty important plot point in the last 25% of the story, I thought that should have been the focus. There was too much extra "stuff" -- too many extra plot points -- going on that lessened the impact this thread had, as well as the narrative time Reyes spent with. All the Mean Girl drama, aside from being a Teen Media Trope, didn't really further the plot, except to create an antagonist for the MCs to...not even fight with. Keep the principal the antagonist, and you have a more streamlined story, IMO.

I do look forward to reading Reyes' future work though!

Nearly a year late on this one that has won many awards and been praised by so many folks I know. Yamilet's courage in simply trying to exist as a closeted queer teen in a Catholic school was so well drawn and beautifully evolved. Her relationship with her brother is relatable as she feels both responsible for him and a little bit resentful. Witnessing their comic out stories and the trauma that comes from feeling the weight of hiding oneself makes this an essential read.

I really liked the way this book didn't focus on just Yumi's sexuality like a lot of LGBT focused teen books do. This book was funny, tender and sweet. I’m so glad this books exist and can’t wit to get a physical copy

This was so cute and I really liked the way it didn't focus on just Yumi's sexuality like a lot of LGBT focused teen books do. Don't get me wrong, that's an important issue, but in books like that it makes it seem like teens are walking around with lives that would be perfect if not for the whole being gay thing. This wasn't like that. It was, in fact, what I would really consider intersectional and I will definitely be adding it to my personal school library and making it available to my kids.

This was so tender, silly, sweet, and I loved it. It’s definitely not a 5 star read but it was really good and sweet and complicated. The cover SOLD ME immediately and the title is fantastic. I loved the family dynamics. It was really good I love lesbians

Absolute essential reading, full stop. Funny, voicey, wise, tender, and unapologetic, this book is an experience in and of itself.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

This was a really really great read on so many fronts. As someone who was identifying (at the time) a lesbian in Catholic high school, it definitely rang true. All of the characters felt like fully fleshed humans and not flat. Yami's relationships with her brother, her mother, her father, were all so well done and realistically complex. I saw the suicide attempt by her brother coming and appreciated the ways his mental health was subtly woven into the story throughout so it did not feel like a plot twist for shock and awe reasons, but rather a realistic depiction of how difficult it can be to see depression in young people; especially as a young person who is caught up in your own struggles. Everything felt so well-rounded and real; this is really a mastery of realistic teen fiction.

4.5 stars! I thought this book was very well-written and sweet while dealing with some important issues.

I loved this book. The characters were interesting and the story was gripping enough to keep me reading. I read a LOT of YA and this is a standout.

This is definitely one I will keep on my shelf for my students. This is a good book for young queer kids to read, especially those struggling with their identity. The character development is something I look for in YA books because it's important for teens to see that they can contain multitudes, that one element of themselves is not ALL of them. This story and main character, Yamilet, delivered. A solid story and I will definitely go back for more from this author.

I loved this book. I felt like the author tackled a bunch of complexities of being young and queer and latinx and did well with all of them. these books are so important for young adults these days and I wish I had had access to publications like this when I was younger. Senora treats her characters with care and they all fealt like real people.