I was able to listen to the audio recording of this book. As someone who listens to a lot of books, this one was exceptional. The youthful quality of the narrators voice was a perfect fit for our protagonist and the tone of the novel. He was also able to create a cast of characters with his voice unlike any other title I have listened to. As far as the story goes, I loved it. The author did so well capturing the complicated feelings, emotions and anxieties of a 17 year old queer boy trying to navigate emotional and physical relationships for the first time. The behavior of his characters was spot on and sent me back in time in my own head with the inner monologue of our main character. Extremely sex positive and honest, this is a must read.

This one was very emotional and very relatable despite the fact that the only thing I have in common with Quique is that we're both Latinos.
The story of not being sure of who you are or how people will react to the real you is infinitely relatable, not to mention the teenage drama of not knowing if someone is as into you as you're into them. Add the fact that Quique is bi but not out to anyone but his best friend and that he has mental health problems he's at first trying to ignore into disappearing, and you've got a very compelling story.
Aceves does a fantastic job of balancing out the lowest points with some very funny scenes, and I particularly loved how he handled not only the parts where Quique comes out but the mental health elements. Seeing Quique get the support he needed from his parents almost immediately and showing how talking to someone really helps him is such a positive thing that I'm glad it's a big part of the plot.
The narration by Alejandro Ruiz is making me want to recommend this as an audiobook because he does a great job of giving the perfect emotion to each scene and of making each character distinguishable from one another.
Overall, a very enjoyable and emotional read that I'm highly recommending for anyone on the lookout for a good end of summer read/listen.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the great early listen!

This Is Why They Hate Us is a tender, coming of age story about teen Enrique “Quique” Luna’s journey to self love and acceptance. This book takes you on a wild ride, you move through the summer with Quique as he grapples with his feelings for one of his close friends Saleem while trying to find love in other places. This is why they hate us is a beautifully written, honest love letter to bisexuals trying to find their place in the world. I loved that this story Quique got a happy ending. I loved that he searched for support when he realized he couldn’t handle things by himself and I loved that he got the support he needed. This book took me back to my first kiss, the butterflies the hesitation, the overthinking, the does he like me or not. Aaron tackled heavy topics like thoughts of suicide, racism, homophobia and biphobia with grace. The characters were not perfect, they were human and I loved meeting them all. This is Why they hate us is a easy five star read. This book is a treat to be read and listened because Voice Actor Alejandro Ruiz brought every character to life. I forgot I was listening to one person the way they slipped in and out of different accents. I usually get distracted when I listen to audiobooks but they kept me engaged.

This is a great contemporary coming-0f-age story. The cast is mostly POC and LGBTQ+ which is all I needed to hear to request a copy. Enrique has decided that this summer he's going to get over his crush on his friend Saleem and find another guy to share experiences with and date. He's also keeping his bisexuality a secret from everyone but his best friend Fabiola, but is toying with the idea of coming out.

Enrique, "Quique", really dives in and meets three guys that might be interested in him. As he navigates his sexual awakening, his mental health starts to suffer and he begins to be overwhelmed. This was a really emotional story and had a good balance of some cute and funny parts and deeper, darker parts. There were a couple moments that I thought were a bit too ridiculous and didn't quite fit, but for the most part I think many people can relate to Quique's journey.

The audiobook is well narrated and brings the listener into the story. I definitely recommend checking out this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the copy.

Beautiful prose and a striking insight to the bisexual experience that can only have been written by someone who has lived it. It’s also clear that the author is Latino, as is the main character, Enrique aka Quinque.

This book puts you through the ringer emotionally but ultimately feels like getting a hug from the person you feel at home with, your safe space. It’s about friendships, queer identity, relationships, mental health, consent, predatory relationships, family, cultural identity and acceptance. A truly remarkable queer coming of age novel.

I enjoyed that this book was unabashedly bisexual whilst breaking down stereotypes, like no not all bisexual people have a 50/50 split of being attracted to their own gender and others and many indeed do have a preference, and that bi erasure can come from negative self talk as well as external elements.

I enjoyed seeing both Quinque and Fabiola both exploring their queer identities and always remaining friends at the end of the day. I also enjoyed seeing the interpersonal relationship blossom and be reflected on by Saleem and Quinque develop over the course of this novel.

Every young queer person needs a mentor as supportive and safe as Mr. Chastman. I’d 100% read a companion adult novel about his journey.

The narrator was excellent and was the perfect choice for this audiobook.

5 stars and beyond. This book made me, a bisexual, feel very seen.

‘Im so happy this book exists, I just wish that it had sooner.

Also, can I talk about how ethereal, radiant and eye catching this beautiful bisexual colored book cover is?! Wow. 😍

💜💖💙

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Shuster YA, and Dreamscape Media for the Audio- ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars
The beginning was compelling. Fabiola’s personality brought much life to the page. She has some good one liners. I looked forward to Quique’s interactions with her. The introduction of all these potential romantic interests helped keep my attention. I appreciated the discussions about suicidal ideation and bisexuality. The way he talked about how his preference for men was linked to the discovery of his queerness and his insecurity in maintaining a lasting relationship was very relatable. I wish I had the words to further delve into that but you’ll just have to read the book.

• Bi MC
• Depression Rep
• Coming Out

Quique is a teen boy with a crush on his best friend, Saleem. He wants to get over that crush by finding a different boy to date, while Saleem goes on a family trip. Therefore, he and Fabiola (the only other person who knows he’s bisexual) compile a list of guys that seem as equally interested in Quique. There’s senior class president, Ziggy: Manny, who keeps catching his eye; and Tyler, the pothead jock who is also interested in Fabiola. We get to see into the ups and downs of a summer of love, depression, coming out, surprises, and acceptance.

This is such a realistic teen coming out and mental illness story. I felt for Quique at every page. It’s hard not knowing who to trust, whether it’s a breakdown or telling people you love who you really are. Aaron H. Aceves did a brilliant job at giving us a peek inside of Quique’s mind. The narrator, Alejandro Ruiz, deserves so much praise for their narration of this book. They really immersed me into it with the voices being so different from one another and the emotion in their voice at appropriate times.

#ThisIsWhyTheyHateUs #AaronHAceves #AlejandoRuiz #NetGalley #DreamscapeMedia #ARC #AudioARC #BookReview

<i>Thank you to Aaron H. Aceves, Alejandro Ruiz and Dreamscape Media for the Audio ARC in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.<i>

This book follows bisexual teen Quique Luna as he spends the summer before his senior year trying to get over his massive crush on his best friend, Saleem, who is going away to LA for the summer with his family. Quinque thinks Saleem is straight and that he needs to get over him, so he spends the summer trying to get to know other romantic prospects. But what if none of them make sense for him?

This is a beautiful story about sexuality, mental illness and first love. Despite its dark subject matter, it's ultimately a happy story that is bound to be highly relatable to an older YA audience. Quique, Saleem and Fabiola all felt so real, I really loved these characters, and I have no doubt that others are going to love them just as much as I did. I'll be keeping an eye out for this author's next book.

This is a stunning bi coming of age novel! It features out bi MC who is struggling with feelings for his best friend, so he sets out to investigate three other potential partners over the course of the summer.

I really really liked this book. I loved that we had a bisexual male main character and bisexual female character who both navigate biphobia and bierasure within their own relationships. I loved Enrique's relationship with his other best friend and was really happy to see their relationship flourish. I think it's really important to have stories like this and young adult books where characters are allowed to explore sexually and romantically. There are a couple on page explicit scenes where our MC is testing the waters for certain things and figuring out what he likes and doesn't.

Books like this always throw me off just a little bit because as I'm well over the age of young adult audience intended, I'm always thrust back into my own high school experience when I read YA and I cannot even fathom what Enrique was going through. For some reason I can read about adults and their sexual attraction or whatever, but it always makes me feel like the odd one out when I read about teenagers being so open in their sexuality. I so wish that I had books like this and books with other queer characters as a teenager because maybe I would have been able to figure my own things out. Being asexual, everything that Enrique does in this book is something that I would not have even thought about at 17 which makes it even more vital for it to be in the hands of young adult readers.

Definitely a perfect summer read and one I will be recommending to many!

Thanks Netgalley and Dreamscape for this audiobook eARC, these opinions are my own. I very much enjoyed listening to this book. I spent all day doing so because I couldn’t put it down! Quique has feelings for his best friend Saleem, who he doesn’t think returns those feelings. With encouragement from his other best friend Fabiola he decides to try moving on from him by finding someone new over the summer. He has three prospects what results his an adventure for him! He’s also bisexual and has had a breakdown in the past so he’s navigating what those mean to him. Can he find what he’s looking for? Can he tell the people in his life the truth? Will he ever get over Saleem? Aaron H Aceves story was beautifully written! I loved everything about Quique and how things were portrayed in the book! Mental illness can be tough and I love that that’s been portrayed well in the books I’ve been reading recently! It was funny, touching, heartwarming, and had me crying at parts too! Alejandro Ruiz brought Quique to life for me! One of the best audiobooks I’ve listened too! I’m super excited to read this again in just a few weeks and highly recommend you read it and listen to it!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of the Audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I have never felt more seen and understood when reading a book than I did while reading ‘This Is Why They Hate Us’. An absolute tearjerker, and so amazingly written. I was hooked from beginning to end, and I devoured this book in less than a day. I couldn’t put it down! As a queer bi male, ‘This Is Why They Hate Us’ was everything I could have wanted and more. It exceeded all my expectations.

It felt like the author broke into my brain, found my younger self, and presented him with this beautiful and impactful book. It was everything that I wish younger me would have had to read, and I’m so thankful that other queer kids these days have it now. ‘This Is Why They Hate Us’ spoke to my soul, and it felt like a big hug to my younger self. Not just a hug, but also a sense of understanding. Seeing that I wasn’t alone and that someone else out there went through something similar and wrote this book to show that I and many others are not alone. That we are seen, and that we are understood and loved.

I’m sure the author wrote this for their younger self, but it feels like it was written for my younger self as well, if that makes sense. I’m so happy and thankful after having read this book that even right now, as I’m typing this review, I’m tearing up and trying to keep myself from crying. I just cannot thank Aaron H. Aceves enough for writing this masterpiece and sharing it with the world. It’s an instant favorite that I will never forget.

I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed every second of ‘This Is Why They Hate Us’. A phenomenal book that I will urge everyone I can to read. The audiobook is also fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator and thought they did an amazing job!

4 stars

A young adult novel featuring a cast of intersectionally diverse characters in LA? Yes. I was thrilled to dive into this, and I'm certain that folks who are interested in the subject matter will also walk away feeling pretty solid about this reading choice.

Quique, the m.c., is in the thick of exploring his bisexuality all while getting into the usual high school antics with friends, authority figures, and especially romantic interests. This fellow is extremely likeable, so it's easy to want the best for him. While he's out to some folks, that circle is quite limited when readers meet Quique, so it's obvious that he'll be grappling with both his changing relationships and with revealing this personal information in different circumstances. I'm always cautiously optimistic that a bisexual teen character's identity will be handled realistically and appropriately in YA, and while that doesn't always materialize, for me, it absolutely does here. For this reason primarily (but there are others, too), I'll be recommending this read to my students.

At times, I did find myself wanting a bit more of other parts of Quique's life. He's fully consumed by this part of his identity, and that makes for a great exploration of romance and sex, but I wanted to know him better outside of this.

There's a lot to like here: great representation, character growth, changing relationships, family dynamics, and more. I'll definitely be back for more from Aceves and go out of my way to suggest this read to students for various purposes.

I'd also like to give a special plug for the narrator (I listened to the audio version) who brings a lot to Quique's journey.