This was an interesting read...
I loved the premise when I read the blurb, but the execution was meh. I will give credit where credit is due and say that most characters were well written and I did like the redemption act of Donick, the exploration of the feelings between the main characters is also great, and I loved reading about loving and supportive parents, but overall I didn't enjoy the writing and there were a lot of slurs just thrown in there every other page that made it a bit uncomfortable to read and at times it all felt very repetitive that it took me a while to get through.
I personally didn't enjoy this as much as I wanted to, but I can see why other people, especially theatre kids, would but for me this just wasn't it.

Loved it. LOVED IT.

What do you do if you wake up one day to realize you're a massive jerk? You may not have a reset button, but you can take steps to try and be accountable and become a better you. And that's hard. Donick Walsh and the Reset-Button tackles the really challenging, emotional and visceral process of making amends.

Nick and Michael make such delightful, rich full characters and I was rooting for them from the start. This book was delightful, with more depth and punch than anticipated.

Recommend it for sure!

This was a brutally cringe read, It just really didn't feel authentic to the teenage experience...that's just not how people this age think or act. I had high hopes for this but it fell flat.

In Donick Walsh and the Reset-Button, the titular character is given the space to be who he really wants to be after a football injury benches him for life. After years of tormenting his classmates, he begins to repair the damages he created, especially toward his former best friend, Michael, as he and the recipients of some of his worst bullying work together on the Senior Showcase Revue.

I love a good redemption arc and I was happy to see Donick make amends over the course of the book, but there were times when I questioned his sincerity as he silently judges other characters without examining those judgments. Fortunately, actions speak louder than words and he does put in the work to make things right. A majority of the characters forgive and even befriend him quickly after his apologies, and he doesn’t seem to have to face many negative repercussions of his previous actions.

There is a lot of homophobic language and bullying that might be difficult for some readers, though it’s clear that the homophobic characters are the bad guys. I also didn’t like that the worst of the bullies was the only Latino representation among the major characters. In the end, though, kindness wins.

Redemption? Check

High School Musical? Check

Frenemies? Check

Forgiveness? Maybe

Donick Walsh and the Reset Button will take you on a rollercoaster ride of feelings, from self-doubt to heartbreak to happiness and back again.

Donick's path will not be easy, and the stories behind his past are often deplorable, but he'll find support he hadn't anticipated and a future he couldn't have dreamed of.

My biggest struggle with the book was having a stopping place to sleep! From page one, you're captured in Donick's story and need to know how the story ends. Don't be like me and start the book after dinner, or you're gonna be reaching for the caffeine the next day.

Definitely, of the books I have been able to read thanks to NetGalley this is my favorite.

I really like atonement stories and I think the author knew how to handle that theme very well. Donick takes responsibility for his past actions, not just "feeling bad" but seeking to make amends to those he hurt.

The evolution of her relationship with Michael was also the right one, although I would have liked a kiss at the end and not just the promise of a tomorrow for them.

What I didn't like was the way Michael's friends invalidated his emotions about Donick.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

This was definetly a read I was not expecting to like so much. Early on, I was thinking I was reading 2 different stories with how different Nick & Michael's personalities are like. But with how much trauma they both have, and what they were as kids, and now teenagers/young adults, everything started to piece together properly.

It was so interesting to see Nick own up to his past and try and accept how much hurt he has caused, while also changing as a person and proving to everyone that he is not the same person he was just a few months back. And I like how it was not just like one big goal that takes the entire book, It was more like a lot of smaller goals that lead you on in Nick's self-discovery journey.

And for Michael, I felt like he was going the opposite direction. He is a very nice and has a great personality, but hates Nick, and for good reason too. Holding a grudge from the past is hurting Michael more than helping him. Especially since there is always more to a person's inside that they do not show on the outside, and pushing them away instead of letting them in, is only gonna cause more harm in the end.

This book highlights a lot on eternalized homophobia, toxic masculinity, self-discovery, and accepting your sexuality.

Before you read this, I definitely would proceed with caution because of some topics like some of the ones above, as well as parental abandoment, homophobic slurs, parental abuse, and child abandoment.

I do think this is something people should check out when it gets released. You will love the characters, the plot, and how sometimes, the people you need are the ones who have been with you for a long time.

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book really sucks you in. I enjoyed that the story was written with dual POV. You get to know the characters a little better. I just had a hard time getting behind one of the main characters sadly.

Donick Walsh is your cliched high school footballer. Fit. Attractive. And a massive dick. When a shoulder injury takes him out of the world of football and into the theatre, he comes to realise the impact of bullying and sets out to make amends. But there’s one person he doesn’t know how to apologise to, his old best friend Michael who (along with most of the school) think Donny is a homophobe.

Spending time in the theatre makes Donny the happiest he has been in a long time, he’s a dancer, something he picked up to help with football. But being around Michael all the time is difficult. Throw in the fact that he is coming to realise he is in fact gay, hates his old football buddies, and falls in love with Michael from afar as a secret admirer and you have an absolute joy of a book to read.

Ittrue that parts of the story seem like a cliche, and it is fairly predictable. But the main setting of the theatre as the cast and crew prepare for their last hurrah of their school life makes this stand out.

I really enjoyed the growth of both Donny and Michael throughout the story, and how their friendship rekindled before the necessary conflict that threatened to tear them apart again. Some of the supporting characters were major cliches (see: bully football players and the one stoner on the team, overly flamboyant theatre kids etc) but it honestly didn’t bother me too much as the author found ways to try and make them stand out a bit more.

My one issue with this book is that it probably could have been shorter? There were times throughout where it felt like there were scenes added just for the sake of it, more filler than directing towards something. But overall it didn’t matter

I got a free e-arc through Netgalley, this in no way affected my review.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved how it was written in dual POV and how we could see the events through both Donick and Michael.

I had a bit of a rough start with liking Donick and I’m still not sure if I actually do. The main point of everything he’s doing is to redeem himself for all of the bullying he did when he was younger. And I can sort of get the reason for why he was doing it, but I still had a difficult time excusing his actions, even though he tried his hardest to make up for them. Might be my teen trauma speaking.

Michael was a delight and I totally understand why he was giving Donick the cold shoulder throughout a big part of the book. I liked how he made him work for his forgiveness and didn’t just hand it to him on a silver platter.

The show aspect of this book was amazing and hilarious and it gave me big HSM vibes, which I loveeee

This book was addictive to read. It was nothing to read ten chapters in one sitting. Reading what would happen next and trying to figure out how it will come together in the end. It was fantastic.

The characters were lovable, the friendships were wholesome and had a found family vibe that worked perfectly for them.

I loved seeing Nick change for the better. All the bad things he did, he realized his mistakes and while nothing can change the past he tried his best to be better to apologize to those he could, not to feel better about himself but so they knew he was sorry, that it was wrong and something they didn’t deserve.

Michael’s parents were so amazing. So nice, funny, and kind. I’ve never read about a high school party happening while the parents were there and it be perfectly normal. I absolutely loved it.

I loved the pacing of the story, the hurt/comfort that brought the plot into full color. It was just a great book with a lovely message.

The way things worked, the way Nick found his self confidence and was able to be authentic to himself, the friendships made, were done so well. The ending was beautiful and I’m so happy to have read this.

Going into a book from a “former bully’s” point of view I had…reservations. While I appreciate that Donick was trying to hide behind his bully persona I don’t feel that excuses the things he did, especially the last amends he tried to make (no spoilers). I think this last amends was included as a big reveal that Donick had to amends for, but I’ll be honest I hated it. I was on Donick side because he was doing the right thing but immediately lost my empathy for him when it was revealed what he had done. Some things you can’t come back from and you can’t be redeemed on, I will say, however, I am happy with the character he wronged’s reaction to him attempting to make amends. I didn’t enjoy that physical appearance appeared to be a way the author choice to describe a lot of characters, especially females, and used the dice of their body’s as descriptors either

When a football accident destroys Donnick “Nick” Walsh’s future plans he’s surprised to find that he’s not as devastated as he could be. Maybe this is his chance to hit the reset button on his life and start fresh choosing the things that he wants instead of what his father wants. But trying to reinvent himself isn’t going to come easy. He’s made some terrible choices and hurt a lot of people while keeping his true self hidden. He’s been a monster stalking the halls of his high school, bullying and terrorizing the other students and building a solid reputation as an asshole. His only refuges comes in the form of dance classes that he gets to take because a football coach says it will help his game.
Nick has been raised by a single homophobic and abusive father. When he gets caught kissing his childhood best friend, Michael Penrose, his father explodes into a rage, throwing Michael out of their house and screaming homophobic slurs. Nick is traumatized pushing Michael away violently in an act of self preservation, trying to distance himself from something his father clearly hates. He learns to suppress anything that his father won’t accept, hiding his crushes in hidden computer folders and lashing out at anyone who has any traces of supposed queerness.
All of this comes back to haunt him when as a senior he has to participate in a singing and dancing musical revue in order to graduate. It brings him face to face with Michael again and makes him confront some pretty confusing and dangerous feelings.

I liked hearing about the theater production and it was cool that there’s a set list at the end of the book so you can experience the music along with the story too. That adds a neat multimedia element. I think the relationship between Nick and Liam that I enjoyed the most. It felt the most organic in the story, other relationships sort of felt like development took place off screen. I almost wished that Nick would end up with Liam and just end up being good friends with Michael again.

Michael’s parents were great, I love seeing supportive parents loving their queer kids unconditionally. And supporting their kid’s queer friends.

Michael’s big change of heart kind of happened off screen, which was because it was meant to build anticipation and surprise for the big reveal at the end of the story, but it left me feeling like I’d missed some crucial processing.

This book took on a really ambitious subject matter and I applaud it that effort. It’s a “hurt people hurt people” example brought to life. Nathaniel Shea does a good job of creating main characters that are interesting and fun to read about. It was a very detailed look at the way Michael and Nick’s feelings for each other evolved and changed through out the novel. Unfortunately, it felt repetitive at times, like the characters were going over and over the same thoughts again and again. The book would have benefited from a tighter edit, it didn’t need to be 360 something pages. Nick’s, admittedly well earned, sense of self-hatred was rough. It was a continual litany of “I am an asshole.” and it got to be a lot.

I liked this, mostly due to the characters, who I thought were well written. I do think this is a little too long, though. I hope the broken sentences and missing letters are fixed before the release, as they were definitely a little distracting.

Thanks netgalley for this arc !
This book was a charming ya with a lot of heavy themes. Such as bullying, homophobia, coming out and all of that teenager angst associated to high school in general.
It's a dual pov, both mc have a very different voice: one of them is just anxious and ashamed and the other is mostly angry and stressed.
The story was super interesting and following Donny on his journey to become a better person was refreshing. He knows he did bad thing and he tries his best to right his wrong doings.
Mickley is going through some stuff too and having Donny back in his life is the cherry on top. He have every right to be mad at his ex-friend too !
I really enjoyed seeing Donny making new friends, accepting himself as who he is. It was heartwarming.
Reading this book felt like watching an old teenshow. It was predictable but not in a wrong way!

Now, the reason it's a 3.5 stars for me: I didn't buy the romance happening. I wanted too, but I think that pair would have worked better as friend. But once again it's my opinion!
I think if you like miscommunication this book will be perfect for you!!

Can a bully ever redeem himself and not only discover his true dancing self but even come out? That's the question posed in Nathaniel Shea's wonderful YA novel. Told from the dual perspectives of a side-lined football jock who once kissed his best friend and his former chum who's now a frenemy and nursing both an emotional and physical scar as a result, Shea's novel ventures beyond standard YA fare. It takes its time to show how Donick (or Nick) truly wants to change and to become whole by shedding the shackles of his homophobic father's expectations so he can reconnect with his musically inclined former friend, Michael. Shea has a knack to tap into the emotions and deep-seeded feelings and resentments of both guys. All the characters leap off the pagesd and demand separate novels unto themselves. I do wish "Donick Walsh and the Reset-Button" would have been tightened up since its too long for its own good. That said, a narrative like this takes time and a too-abrupt resolution would have seemed fake and disingenuous. This is a most welcome, much-needed addition to YA literature and is particularly resonant for anyone who is struggling or has struggled with coming out and leading a more complete and fulfilling life. It's a fantastic debut that celebrates our human ability to change. (I received this book as a NetGalley reader)

I really enjoyed the serious undertones of the book but it occasionally felt laboured, especially when related to the reformed bully trope.

I want to thank the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my review

I really wanted to like this book. But between the choppy sentences, missing letters (no fault to the author), and the dislike of the bullies, it was not my kind of book. I really enjoyed the character of Liam though. The others were just okay. And the ending felt abrupt.

Honestly a really phenomenal book! I enjoyed the overall message of the story and I also feel like it wasn't overly saturated with the message. The writing style definitely kept me pulled in, turning pages, and not wanting to put the book down. I feel like, although YA, the book didn't have the typical cliche and corniness of most other YA LGBT+ romance books. Honestly, the entire book really gave off the vibe of being like a Y2k movie with aspects that reminded me of the movie Clueless - which was referenced in the book, A Cinderella Story, High School Musical, and many more of my favorite 2000s movies.

[May contain spoilers below]

This stemmed from one of the main characters injuring himself - Donick "Donny, Nicky" Walsh - and deciding to use that injury as a way to reinvent himself into the better person he wishes he was. Bear with me because this part's a little cliche. No longer having to do the sport he hated and being able to pursue his love for dance, he begins to try to find and apologize to the people he bullied when he was an uber-popular jock. This becomes a task that he is trying to achieve throughout the book which is not easy because some of the things that he has done seem kinda unforgivable. However, Donny knows this as well and says many times that those he is apologizing to do not need to give him forgiveness, and it's more about owning up to his actions and trying to be a better person. All the while dancing and singing in the school revue - a kind of showcase - and trying to become friends with his ex-best friend that he bullied - read: get him to fall in love with him. As I said seems cliche but the book is well-paced enough that it doesn't reach the point of being so platitudinous.

Now for the other main character and love interest - Michael "Mikey" Penrose. Mikey is Donny's ex-best friend whom Donny is trying to become a better person for essentially. However, while Donny becomes a better person, Mikey becomes more and more bitter by this - to the point that everyone calls him out for it - while simultaneously falling for his secret admirer who has been leaving him notes. The actual romance between the two main characters is fleshed out so well and it takes a decent amount of time for anything to happen which is believable for this situation.

Overall, definitely a new favorite of mine that will most definitely be on my shelf in print as soon as it can be and read time and time again for the foreseeable future. Great for a read you won't put down that has you smiling all the way through.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this one. It ended up being a five start book in my opinion. The story focuses on a young man Donick who was a football star and that should have been his entire future but it was a future he did not want. He was good at football but he didn't have a love or passion for it. Donick recently suffered a severe injury that put his football career to rest. Donick has always been a huge bully at school. Along with his jerky football and stoner friends, he makes fun of people and has a complete lack of compassion for anyone. Most of this was to fit in with others but also because his dad has always had a bully-like relationship with him. Also, he likes boys. And it would be awful (He thinks) if anyone knew. His dad would definitely hate him. But after his surgery, Donick starts re-evaluating who he is both in his sexual identity and the kind of person he is. Now he is determined to make up for the bad things he did to his fellow students. Including his former best friend who he's shunned for years. He took dance classes to help with his football and now finds himself in the school show. Right along with his old friend. Will Donick be able to make amends and become the man he wants to be? No spoilers but this story was written extremely well. At first I was afraid there was no way Donick could make up for the stuff he did....really rotten stuff. And by the end of the book my only slight disappointment was that there wasn't enough time in the book to see Donick happy and shining. Great story here.

Link to review on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5338230372