Wow. I really enjoyed this book. What a fun and fresh storyline! I didn’t want it to end! Plus what a stunning cover!

Truthfully, I DNF’ed this book at about 13%. I plan on eventually coming back to, because I love the humor and honesty it has. But the darkness and heaviness of Yami’s problems really weighed on me and I had to step away.

Right away I loved the cover art and knew I had to read this book! Yamilet and Caesar are two siblings grappling with their identity and whether or not they should come out to those they love. In the end, they make the decisions that are best for them and they find support in people they never thought they would find support.
This was such a great read mixed with great dialogue and language that teens can relate to.

I just reviewed The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes. #TheLesbianasGuidetoCatholicSchool #NetGalley

I loved this book. It was so fun and funny and full of great representation and characters that were so vibrant and lively and just filled my whole heart! It was such a great book about a girl finding herself and Yami was such a great MC. She's so fierce and passionate, and honestly a lot like some girls I teach. I think my students would really connect with her, and even if they didn't see a bit of themselves in her, they would just love the charater. I love finding Latinx novels to put in my classroom, but this was a great combination of Latinx and queer rep, and 100% a book I'd recommend to students!

ENGLISH
Sonora Reyes just hit me right in the heart with this story 😭😭.
The way I related to Yammi… Oh God, this book was so emotionally intense.

The story focuses on Yamilet, a teenager who has just transferred to a Catholic school along with her brother Cesar. The plan is to go to this new school and get a better education while Yammi keeps Cesar out of trouble and the school keeps her away from Bianca, her ex-crush and ex-best friend who outed her.

Going to a Catholic school may not be a bad idea, it may be the perfect opportunity to learn how to act like a straight girl, but when Yammi meets Bo, the bravest, most beautiful and funniest girl, her whole world turns upside down. Maybe surviving in this new school is not so easy after all 👀.

OH YAMMI 😭😭
I can't stop thinking that I wish Yammi was in front of me so I could hug her and give her all my support, that poor girl needs a little love 😭💗. She is very creative, very intelligent and empathetic but it seems that she lives surrounded by responsibility that does NOT correspond to her and weights that a girl her age should not carry!

I admire her so much, all the pressure they put on her and STILL she is still happy and surviving 🥺.
All the scenes where Yami talks about the responsibilities she has as an older sister and her relationship with her mother just hit me right in the heart, I felt very identified with her, it was like seeing myself in a mirror and that's why in many scenes I got very sentimental 😭.

For me, the characters that carry the most weight are Yammi, Cesar and Jamal, I adored the three of them with all my heart and all I want is to protect them from everything and everyone!

Cesar is a very intelligent but also very reserved boy who often gets into trouble and acts like it's nothing. In his way, he carries many things although differently from Yammi or Jamal but no less important. The relationship between Yammi and Cesar is extremely beautiful, it's the perfect description of a REAL sibling relationship and that's why I loved it so much~.

As for the romance, I must say that I liked it a lot~ It was very cute the way Bo and Yammi gradually get closer to each other and gain confidence~. Bo is a very smart girl, VERY brave and VERY focused, I can easily see her as an adult having a very bright and happy future, she's just the kind of girl who can survive anything~.

However, although I really liked the romance, I think what I liked the most about the story was the subject of the pressure that Yammi and Cesar have, their relationship, the way they fight to be able to accept and protect themselves from a world that has the tendency to turn its back on them. For me, what made this book wonderful and unique was the depth of character in Cesar, Yammi and Jamal, the way Sonora Reyes presents problems and conflicts to you in a natural way and projects in her narration the emotional disaster of Yami and her tendency to not think about the bad too much.

The only thing that didn't convince me was the ending! It was an appropriate one for the kind of message that Sonora wanted to show us, but because of the topics that it touched on (which, by the way, the book has Trigger Warnings that you should check) I feel that there is a very big contrast in both, I would have liked it to lengthen its story more and delve a little deeper into the development of our little survivors~.

I still loved the book so much and can't wait to get it in physical form!

Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 💗.

ESPAÑOL

Sonora Reyes acaba de darme justo en el corazón con esta historia 😭😭.
La forma en que me identifiqué con Yammi… Oh God, esta lectura fue muy intensa emocionalmente.

La historia se centra en Yamilet, una adolescente que acaba de ser transferida a una escuela católica junto a su hermano Cesar. El plan es ir a esta nueva escuela y recibir una mejor educación mientras Yammi mantiene a Cesar fuera de problemas y si de paso eso la escuela la mantiene a ella lejos de Bianca, su ex-crush y ex mejor amiga quien la sacó del closet.

Entrar en una escuela católica quizá no sea una mala idea, quizá sea la oportunidad perfecta para aprender a actuar como una chica hetero, pero cuando Yammi conoce a Bo, la chica más valiente, hermosa y divertida, todo su mundo se pone de cabeza. Quizá sobrevivir en esta nueva escuela no sea ran fácil después de todo 👀.

AY YAMMI 😭😭
No puedo dejar de pensar en que quisiera que Yammi estuviera frente a mi para poder abrazarla y darle todo mi apoyo, esa pobre niña necesita un poco de amor 😭💗. Ella es muy creativa, muy inteligente y empatica pero parece que vive rodeada de responsabilidad que NO le corresponden y de pesos con los que una niña de su edad no debería cargar!

La admiro demasiado, toda la presión que ponen encima de ella y AÚN ASÍ ella sigue alegre y sobreviviendo 🥺.
Todas las escenas donde Yami habla de las responsabilidades que tiene como hermana mayor y su relación con su madre simplemente me dieron justo en el corazón, me sentí muy identificada con ella, fue como verme en un espejo y por eso en muchas escenas me puse muy sentimental 😭.

Para mi, los personajes que tienen más peso son Yammi, Cesar y Jamal, a ellos tres los adoré con todo mi corazón y lo único que quiero es protegerlo de todo y todos!

Cesar es un chico muy inteligente pero también muy reservado que suele meterse en problemas y restarles importancia. A su manera carga con muchas cosas aunque de forma diferente a la de Yammi o Jamal pero no menos importantes. La relación entre Yammi y Cesar es sumamente bonita, es la descripción perfecta de una relación de hermanos REAL y por eso la amé demasiado~.

En cuanto al romance, debo decir que me gustó mucho~ Fue muy cute la forma en que Bo y Yammi poco a poco se van acercando la una a la otra y agarrando confianza~. Bo es una chica muy inteligente, MUY valiente y MUY centrada, facilmente puedo verla de adulta teniendo un futuro muy brillante y feliz, ella simplemente es el tipo de chica que puede sobrevivir a lo que sea~.

Sin embargo, aunque me gustó muchísimo el romance creo que lo que más me gustó de la historia fue el tema de la presión que tienen Yammi y Cesar, su relación, la forma en que luchan para poder aceptarse y protegerse de un mundo que tiene la tendencia de darles la espalda. Para mi, lo que hizo maravilloso y único a este libro fue la profundidad de personaje que hay en Cesar, Yammi y Jamal, la forma en que Sonora Reyes te plantea los problemas y conflictos de forma natural y proyecta en su narración el desastre emocional de Yami y su tendencia a no pensar demasiado en lo malo.

Lo único que no me convenció fue el final! Fue uno apropiado para la clase de mensaje que Sonora quiso mostrarnos pero por los temas que tocó (que por cierto el libro tiene Trigger Warnings que deberian checar) siento que hay un contraste muy grande en ambos, me hubiera gustado que alargara más su historia y profundizara un poco más en el desarrollo de nuestros pequeños sobrevivientes~.

Aún así amé muchísimo el libro y no puedo esperar por tenerlo en fisico!

Muchas gracias a la editorial por proporcionarme el ARC de esta novela a través de NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta 💗.

DRC provided by Balzer + Bray via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: lesbian Chicane protagonist, bisexual Chicane secondary character, lesbian Chinese secondary character, Chicane tertiary characters, queer Black tertiary character, Navajo tertiary character.

Content Warning: violence, blood, mentions of outings, mentions of deportation, racism, mentions of police brutality, homophobia, alcohol, bullying, homophobic slur, anxiety, stress, suicidal ideation, internalised queerphobia, depression.

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes is a contemporary novel about the hypocrisy of Christianity, familial, platonic and romantic love, mental health and the pressure of being queer under a religious unaccepting roof.

Yamilet is a seventeen-year-old Chicana who starts her new student life at an expensive Catholic school, after being outed at her last one by her ex-best-friend. On top of changing schools, Yamilet needs to act as a guardian angel to her brother who frequently got into fights at the old school, find a new job to help pay for the tuition and save enough money in case everything goes south when she decides to come out to her very Catholic mother; all while mending her broken heart.

Sonora Reyes’s debut is such an important book. It will be the first time young Chicane lesbians will see themselves portrayed on the page and I am sure it will undoubtedly remain close to their hearts forever and that fills my heart with joy. Their voice will be a very marvellous new addition to the young adult literary scene. I enjoyed the pace and mix of family drama, teen drama and real heavy issues. It is a book I strongly suggest to all readers who appreciate young adult novels and especially in this moment because the author has been receiving queerphobic attacks on Twitter since they published a tweet to celebrate their book birthday.

Content Warning: homophobia, outing (in the past), suicide ideation/attempt, religious trauma (catholic), and parental homophobia

The blend of humor and tension in this novel made it perfectly balanced and so very realistic. Each of the characters, from the leads to the folks on the sidelines, felt like fully fleshed out people to me, with complete personalities and desires. I adored every part of this book, and was especially fond of the sibling relationship between Cesar and Yami! Despite their struggles, their bond was undeniable and incredibly true.

This book does go into some potentially difficult topics, including religious trauma, suicidality, and negative relationships with parents, but it does so in a way that is sensitive and ultimately uplifting. It gives an extremely realistic look into some of the struggles faced by many LGBTQ+ teens, while still maintaining a sense of hope and joy for the characters. This book is going onto my list of very favorite six-star reads, and I will be eagerly awaiting what Sonora Reyes will write next!

My Recommendation-
This book is a wonderful and vital read, especially for anyone who is comfortable reading about tougher LGBTQ+ topics like religious trauma and toxic family relationships. If you are a fan of You Should See Me in a Crown or other sapphic contemporary novels, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School absolutely needs to be on your reading radar!

This is a fun read with some heavy subject matter.

Yamilet Flores is 16 and has just been outed by her best friend (and crush). Transferring to a predominantly white catholic school might seem like a crazy idea to some, but Yami refuses to go back to her old school where everyone now knows everything about her…

Upon attending Slayton Catholic, she can keep an eye on her brother and start over where nobody knows who she is. Aside from immediate racism (the kind where people don’t even realize they are being racist, do better white people) Yami connects with Bo, an openly queer girl at school. This both terrifies and intrigues Yami, but she still isn’t comfortable coming out, so she pretends to be straight and suffers her hardcore crush on Bo in silence.

This book was one of those that angers you because you want the best for the characters, so you’re constantly screaming at them internally to NOT do what they are doing. I enjoyed the many different layers to it, too. Yami is such a sweet, caring person, but she is just so scared… scared of the truth, scared of how people will see her, scared of how her parents will see her…

Our main character is Yamilet, who lives with her mom and her younger brother, Cesar. Her dad, who she was very close to, was deported to Mexico when she was ten years old.

When we meet them, Yami and Cesar are about to start a new school year at a new school. Obviously, this always comes with some nervousness… but moreso for Yami, who is gay but not out. In addition to that, she feels like she is poorer than most kids at the private school, and she’s one of very few non-white kids there. Her initial goal is to just stay out of trouble, but that doesn’t last long.

On her first day, she has a class with Bo, an Asian girl who is out and pretty bold about it. This confuses Yamilet, because on one hand she wants to befriend Bo and learn more about her… but on the other, can she do that without outing herself?

So, this brings up an interesting aspect of the book. In so many ways, it’s easier for people of all ages to be “out” now than in previous decades, but that doesn’t mean it’s equally easy for everyone. Of course, the religious nature of her new school is a deterrent, as is the fact that her mom is religious and makes gay jokes. With their dad already deported, Yami and Cesar also have a healthy fear of police or authorities of an “official” variety. There are a lot of reasons these kids want to protect the various identities that they see as being different from their classmates.

I don’t want to give away too much, but a lot happens during the course of the school year. Yamilet definitely gets closer to Bo, and learns that, even though she is more confident about her sexuality, she has her own struggles with her ethnic heritage. She also, unexpectedly, makes a friend of a popular jock who starts the year with a crush on her. She learns some unexpected things about her brother, clashes with a parent, and of course ends up becoming more confident in who she is.

A wonderful reminder of everything I adore about YA novels! I haven't been enticed by many YA books recently but TLGTCS has completely changed that. The second I heard about it I needed to have it. 

Yami is accompanying her brother to a prestigious Catholic school in the name of protecting him, but she is really fleeing a horrific experience at her former school. She only has two things on her mind: making her mother proud and ensuring that she is not outed again.

Reyes beautifully portrays the exploration of identities and the complexities of their intersection, religion, and throws in a friends to lovers arc, which is always appreciated. At times it was heavy but this book broke my heart and put it back together by the end.

I'm in urgent need of more sapphic YA novels, so if you have any recommendations, please send them my way. If you're searching for any, make sure you grab a copy of this one. It comes out tomorrow, May 17th, so grab your tissues and prepare for the experience.

I've been in a toxic relationship with YA contemporary for a while but this is the book that struck true. This is a book about teenagers that felt right, with a good writing and a plot that kept me going.

There are multiple storylines in this book but they were all given some space to develop: Yamilet's relationship with her brother, mother and father, Bo's own struggle with being a transracial adoptee, Cesar's story, displaying Catholic school's inner bigotry, homophobia and racism.

Cesar's story in particular was the hardest for me to read as it rung so true. We are introduced to an angry and sometimes aggressive teenage boy who is shown having issues with sleeping. If you know what this means like I did I could just see his storyline unfold before it even happened. It crystallised my biggest fear for my own brother as I could see in Cesar the same depressed struggle. Oh Cesar I did cry for you. I loved also how is queer storyline existed in addition to Yami's own, it truly changed the dynamics and having Yami and Cesar's realtionship to queerness being so different yet so close was a game-changer.

I will say that the romantic subplot was probably the least interesting part. Bo was really fleshed out as a character and I enjoyed seeing her story but I felt like the romance was just something that added a little flavour at the end to wrap up some things. Yami's problems with her lesbianism did not stem from discovering her queerness by being in a relationship (which I appreciated) but more because she already knew she was a lesbian and had to face rejection and humiliation already as well as her family expectations and view on homosexuality.

Cesar and Yami are very connected to their Indigenous Mexican heritage and it was refreshing seeing them fully embrace what it meant to them

Yes! This is the book I wanted and needed. YA is a competitive space and there are so many good YA books out there, but this isn’t good YA, this is great YA. This is an example of why I read and love this genre so much. I love emotional YA that gives you all the feels and that is exactly what this book did. This book isn’t perfect, there are a few teeny tiny things, but this is Reyes’ YA debut (which makes it more impressive) and I enjoyed the hell out of it so this is an easy 5 stars for me.

This is one of those books that once you start reading it you can’t put it down. It is a good length, but there was no way I could stop reading. Before I go much farther I want to mention some possible triggers that the characters go through like homophobia, racism, and suicide. I’m not kidding but I think the first time I teared up was only 15% into the book. That is pretty impressive when you realize it means that Reyes made me care about the characters that quickly. And while I didn’t actually cry then, I sure was a mess before the book ended. Take my advice and keep a box of tissues next to you, you will need them.

While this book made me an emotional mess at times, it was also heartwarming, sweet, and put multiple smiles on my face. When I say this book had all the feels I truly mean that. The friendships, familiar relationships, and of course the sweet sapphic romance, were all well written and they helped to balance out the harder to read parts.

The rep was great and the characters were wonderful. There were some I loved, others I hated, and even the smallest of secondary characters were fully fleshed out. The sapphic romance just fits perfect with the feel of the book and they make a totally adorable couple. I think the only issue I really had is that I wanted more. I didn’t want the book to be over and I don’t want these characters stories to be over.

TLDR: If you are a YA fan, this book is a must. If you’re not a big YA fan but still appreciate great stories, then this is still a must. Where is all the hype for this book?! Sometimes I just don’t get it, but I sure hope this book gets the readership it deserves.

Thoughts and Themes: The minute that I heard about this book I was so excited to read it. I kept seeing this book all of the social media of some of my favorite authors which is also part of what intrigued me to read it, if they all loved it so much then I think I would too.

Thank you to Books Forward for the chance to read an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

There was so much that I really enjoyed about this book and it was really hard to put down once I started reading. I really enjoyed how Catholicism was tied up in this book, and how we have characters who are really connected to their faith and others who aren’t. I really liked how Catholicism’s views on Gay people are challenged by some of the characters in this story. Books that include queerness and religion, especially Catholic religion, will always have a special place in my heart . This books show me that the two can co-exist and how queer people have made this religion into something that serves them rather than letting it take away parts of them.

Characters: In this book you get introduced to several characters through their interactions with our main character, Yamilet. You get to meet some of her school friends, Hunter, Bo, Amber, and David, along with her brother, Cesar, her “boyfriend”, Jamil, and her mom and dad.

I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters that you meet throughout this book and I really enjoyed the relationships that Yamilet has with each one of them. I really liked the connection between Yamilet and Cesar and how their bond is strengthened because of the secret that they share. I thought this was a great addition to this book as we see how two seperate characters are dealing with similar issues and have similar fears.

I liked getting to see Yami’s relationship with her dad and how much she relies on him throughout the book. I like how she finds him to be the only one she can trust and also how she believes he’s the only one who believes in her. I like how we get to know her dad through her thoughts about him and the brief conversations she has with him.

I also really enjoyed Yamilet and Bo’s friendship throughout the book and how that develops. I love how Yamilet is trying to keep her feelings from Bo a secret throughout this book and how we know exactly why she is scared of revealing those feelings. I also like how her reason to keep those feelings to herself changes throughout the book.

Writing Style: This book is written in the first person and told through the perspective of Yamilet. I really liked getting to see everything through her perspective because we get to see her feelings. I also liked that we don’t get to know what the others are thinking or get to see how anything is affecting them. I think this makes you a lot more interested in reading to know what is going to happen to those relationships. I also liked things being in her perspective because we get a chance to feel what she feels along with her.

When sixteen year old Yamilet transfers to a mostly white private Catholic school, she is determined to keep her younger brother out of trouble and stay in the closet to avoid how she was treated at her former school after being outed by her best friend. But after finding new friends, Yami finds herself struggling with her identity and longing to be the most authentic version of herself.

The premise of this book immediately resonated with me, and for the first half of the book I was hooked. I loved how central Yami’s relationship with her family was.

I struggled with the pacing in the second half of this book. I felt like certain elements were being introduced but not followed through on.

Overall, though, I would recommend this book, and I am interested to see what Sonora Reyes writes next!

"In lak’ech. I know you know what it means. ‘Tú eres mi otro yo.’ I love you, so I love myself. I love myself! And I know you love me, too.”

a wonderfully honest, genuine, and emotional story about family, religion, and love, "the lesbiana's guide to catholic school" will break your heart and put it back together in a new mosaic. yami is such a beautiful character -- her narration is so easy to get lost in, and she conveys her breathless crush, anger and guilt all in such a raw way. cesar, bo and jamal are a cast that i was also immediately enamored with, and they are given the space to grow on their own and with others. i really loved the ending of this, as well -- these kind of stories don't have perfect endings, and books shouldn't mislead readers. this novel shows that while some things might end poorly, and some things might take a while longer to actually resolve, there is so much hope and love to hold onto.

this book is so good and healed my queer latine heart. the representation was SO good i absolutely adored it! this YA novel follows Yamilet with her struggles of accepting herself and to come out. that's very limited though and this book tackles a lot more. the discussions of race and sexuality was also just so good.

the characters in this book were very realistic and relatable. there a few cringey scenes but that's to be excepted. Yami is a great main character and I loved following her journey. Cesar, her brother is also a really interesting character and i enjoyed reading about him. the sibling duo was just *chef's kiss.*

there was a romance in this and it was really cute! i wouldn't really call this a romance book though since there's a lot more then just Yami and Bo's relationship.

i don't usually read coming of ages just because the plot can get boring at times. this was not the case with this at all! despite a "simple" plot it kept me engaged the whole way through and I was always rooting for the characters.

overall, "the lesbiana's guide to catholic school," is an incredible novel with great representation that's perfect for everyone! i definitely recommend.

I knew I would love THE LESBIANA’S GUIDE TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL from the moment I saw the table of contents, which features hilarious, faux “commandment”-style chapter titles. Author Sonora Reyes does a fantastic job of establishing Yamilet’s many facets right from the start. Yami is a funny and insightful narrator, and it is heart wrenching watching her navigate the conflicts between who she feels she has to pretend to be and who she actually is.

One of the things Reyes did exceptionally well was capturing just how much everything can be when you’re a teenager and what it’s like as you become increasingly aware of the weight of your current and future responsibilities. Yami has so much on her plate, from keeping an eye on her brother at their new school to finding a part-time job.

On the more lighthearted side of how much, it was a delight to follow Yami on her rollercoaster adventure of falling for Bo. There were so many great moments between them, both while Yami was in denial and after she finally admitted her feelings to herself. I loved how they opened up to each other, bit by bit—one of my favorite scenes was when Bo talked to Yami about her parents’ décor. I spent the entire book rooting for them to get together.

I also enjoyed the focus on Yami’s dynamics with the various members of her family, especially as everything changed over the course of the book. Many of the major subplots center on Yami’s family, so I don’t want to spoil too much, but I will say that Yami’s relationship with her younger brother, Cesar, was particularly great. I liked how they played off each other, from their banter to their fights to the times they had each other's backs. The Flores family felt real, in their conflicts, celebrations, and disappointments.

Recommendation: Buy it now, especially if you like contemporary romance! THE LESBIANA’S GUIDE TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL is a delightful young adult book that sensitively tackles what it’s like to be a lesbian first-generation Mexican American teen trying to fly under the radar at a largely white Catholic high school. Yami’s relationships with her family and the girl she has a crush on create a solid emotional foundation for a compelling novel.

As a lesbian who went to a private school i really connected with this book. Of course I couldn't connecte with everything as I am white but being a gay women in a religious environment was definitely something I understand.
I definitely adored this book and I can't wait for more people to read and adore this book like I did.

I really really enjoyed this book. It's cute to such such a cute lovey queer story. You can totally empathize with the main characters and I just couldn't put it down. It had all the feels.

Many thanks to Balzer and Bray and Netgalley for an advance reader copy of The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School

This book starts off with a punch. Literally! I knew I was in for a ride from the very first sentence and I was not disappointed. At its heart, this book is about figuring out who you are despite a world that isn't always as accepting as we hope. It's about finding your place, your friends and who you can trust. Sometimes there's heartbreak ahead but if you have people you can really trust, you might just be able to survive it.

The book did not shy away from heavy themes. Be warned of homophobia and racism as well as some plot around a character's cultural identity as an adoptee and also deportation. There is also discussion of suicidal ideation and mental health. Take care of yourself while reading.

Going on this journey with Yami (I feel like she and I are friends now and she'd let me call her that) was truly wonderful. I could feel her struggles, her anger, her passion, her fear and eventually her happiness. I think Sonora Reyes did an amazing job of really bringing us into the story and not letting go.

This is a young adult sapphic contemporary romance at the core but it's also about finding your community and place in the world. The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School publishes on May 17 and is available for pre-order now.