The Rebel’s Guide To Pride is the newest novel from Matthew Hubbard. I loved his debut novel and getting to know him since then has been so amazing. I was so excited when I received an approval for this ARC and even more excited doing this as a buddy read with Jordan.
Zeke is working through a lot having recently come out, including an unsupportive father, not so welcoming teammates, and lower grades. He finds solace with his mother, best friend and attending his first pride event since being out. When the mayor cancels the pride event day of, something awakens within Zeke, something even he didn’t know he had. With the helps of his friends and unlikely allies, he spearheads a movement by creating some hidden celebrations in homage of speakeasies. As their popularity increases, and the pressure of wanting to do more intensifies; Zeke learns the importance of being yourself and proud to be a rebel. This story has such an amazing and important message, now more than ever. It was great seeing these characters go through real situations many of us face and how it’s ok to be scared and unsure of things but we cannot give up. The importance of support systems with family and found families was lovely to see. I went through several emotions reading this but what I left with was hope, hope that this book will reach many people and hope that we continue to fight. One line that resonated with me was “You only lose if you stop.”

A Rebels Guide to Pride is a very necessary and important book written in a very real way. I was originally recommended this book back in October of last year by Erik J. Brown who had said to keep an eye out for when it dropped, and I was not disappointed. This book is very timely and talks about real queer issues that are happening in our world right now and makes those topics accessible to a young audience. Zeke is a very chaotic main character who’s learning to fight for what he believes in real time. The way he stood up to his father and the mayor and never backed down was so motivational and seeing him mom stand up alongside him was incredibly heartwarming. His friends are both relatable and charming and the arguments they have amongst them are handled really realistically for a group of high schoolers. I loved the twist revolving around Zeke’s messages with Mason and I thought his relationship with Cohen was really sweet. With Cohen, there’s a few pieces of his character growth that feel rushed or left out that make his character feel slightly two dimensional to me at times but I enjoyed the role he played in the story regardless. Will definitely be recommending this book in the future!

4/5 Stars
Finished April 26th, 2025

An urgent and powerful story for our times.
When the mayor of his small Alabama town bans Pride events, Zeke refuses to back down. Instead, he secretly organizes a network of underground speakeasies to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. But living openly isn't easy when the people in power are determined to erase you — especially when your own family is divided. Zeke’s mother stands by him, but his father, a vocal supporter of the mayor’s "Family First" campaign, urges Zeke to keep his head down and stay invisible — a message that cuts deep.

At school, Zeke struggles to maintain friendships with classmates who don't understand the battles he’s facing at home. His once-close bond with his best friend Sawyer is tested, and old feelings for Cohen — a boy he pushed away years ago out of fear — resurface. On top of it all, a new relationship with another boy forces Zeke to question what trust and love really mean.

Through it all, Zeke must find the courage to define pride for himself — and decide what it truly means to live bravely.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review A Rebels Guide to Pride early. I have had the opportunity to meet Matthew Hubbard at a few events in the Chattanooga area and have really appreciated his perspective and drive to write authentic stories about being a queer youth in the south. This story while fictional depicted what, unfortunately , for many is their everyday experience. I really enjoyed Zekes growth throughout the story and the development of the relationships around him. Thank you again for the advanced copy! Can’t wait to pick up my physical copy on the 6th.

Matthew Hubbard has DONE IT AGAIN! The Rebel's Guide to Pride is so inspiring, with a clear message and call to action along with an action-packed story, endearing characters, and a sweet coming of age romance. There need to be more books like this one available to younger readers, especially those in the LGBTQIA+ community, because if Matthew's messages of hope, belonging, and support are so needed in the current political climate. AND, in addition to all of that, this book is just FUN. Definitely get this one on your TBR!

Poor Zeke is really struggling throughout much of Rebel. He's conflicted about himself, his friends, and his community, and particularly fixated on being a "bad gay." On the one hand, he acts out as a way to rip away the image his unsupportive father, who wanted him to stay closeted, created for him. On the other, he finally starts trying to become more actively involved in his schools Queer-Straight Alliance Club. He just goes a little overboard in both cases, but honestly, I don't blame him. His entire town is full of real-life villains, and the guy really needs someone to reassure him that he's doing all he can AND MORE. His speakeasy events touch a lot of lives, bring people together, and ultimately create a rallying point for queer people and allies alike.

While the fight for the right for queer people to exist in this small town is front and center throughout this entire book (mirroring real situations happening all over the US right now), there are lighter moments too. Watching Zeke repair his relationship with his mom as she becomes a better ally had me tearing up. Zeke's experience volunteering as a mentor for a local LGBTQIA+ youth group also gave me all the heart eyes. And oh gosh, his second chance, hate to love romance with Cohen was just so sweet I wanted more!

Listen friends, if you want to get fired up about fighting for queer rights, you are going to want to read anything from Matthew Hubbard, the literal King of Pride. So excited for this release so more people can read it as it is just so needed in the world right now!

Hubbard's latest YA novel is timely in a world where current legislation is doing its best to push a certain agenda putting lots of people at risk. Though readers should be aware that there are plenty of moments that could be triggering (unsupportive parents during a teen coming out, a very loud group of homophobic townsfolk protesting there being a Pride parade). With that being said, I think many teen readers will empathize with Zeke's story, or even that of his friends.

And maybe readers will also be inspired by the ways that Zeke and Zelda Fitzgerald pushed back against the status quo to live as their authentic selves.

I love that this is set in the same world and timeframe as Hubbard's previous YA, THE LAST BOYFRIENDS RULES FOR REVENGE. Also YES to having teens obsessed with DOCTOR WHO.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free Arc!

A very timely read! Zeke sets up a series of secret speakeasies around pride in response to the town mayor outlawing Pride events. Set in a small Alabama town, Zeke must figure out how to exist and be who he is when the mayor does not want him to exist. While his mom is supportive, his dad supports the mayor's Family First initiative against gay people. He tells Zeke that if he keeps his head down it wont' affect him. Zeke feels that his dad wants him to stay hidden.

Zeke also must navigate his relationships with people at school who don't know how harsh his dad has been. This affects his friendship with his best friend Sawyer, as well as a boy named Cohen who he avoided a relationship with a few years ago because of his dad. Meanwhile, Zeke also navigates a relationship with a boy that is not exactly what it seems.

This book explores what is means to have pride and what it means to be brave.

Y'all - my HEART when I finished this book.

First of all, Matthew Hubbard continues to do an incredible job of championing queer rights and centering that within his stories. He took what he did in Last Boyfriends and said, "You know what? I can do MORE." He expertly weaves a compelling story with character growth and development while at the same time incorporating for real issues/solutions that queer people (especially teens) come across.

Zeke I think represents a lot of different feelings within the LGBTQ community. Where do I fit in? What does it mean to be a 'good gay'? And the journey he is on to find out where he fits in is beautiful. There's this messaging in the novel that it's perfectly normal to not know yourself fully and to discover the parts that make you uniquely you and what feels right to you when it comes to pride.

I think there's another beautiful message in here around found family. This idea that you can have all of this opposition in your life - people actively opposed to your existence - but at the end of the day there are people in your corner that will stand up for and by you through difficult experiences.

This is another home run for me. I think I may love this one more than Last Boyfriends now.

Ok where to start, I had a really hard time getting through this book, I had to keep putting it down and picking it up again and I found myself really not wanting to pick it up again.

It’s not that it’s a bad book, it’s a good book and well written I just am not a huge fan of the way it’s written .

That being said I love the representation in this book, I wish there had been more books about the lgbt community when I was growing up, books I could of turned to when I was first discovering myself and having lots of questions like the MC in this book.

I feel like this book is so so important for the queer community and I believe it will be loved among a large majority of those who read it even though it wasn’t personally a book I enjoyed.

If you get the chance to read this book I do still recommend picking it up and giving it a try.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for the arc.

🏳️‍🌈📚🌟BOOK REVIEW - The Rebel’s Guide to Pride by Matthew Hubbard🌟📚🏳️‍🌈
🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4/5 stars)

Special thanks to Random House Children's, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Matthew Hubbard’s debut, Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge, was one of my absolute top reads of 2024. It had me fully by the heart, in pieces by the end, and high on the queer teen revolution. So I came into The Rebel’s Guide to Pride with sky-high expectations, which is probably why it didn’t hit quite as hard for me. That said, this book is still an important, adorable, gut-punching read in its own right.

Zeke Chapman is newly out, newly furious, and ready to stage a Pride rebellion in his small-town Alabama community, where the mayor and his father are enforcing homophobic policies. What follows is a whirlwind of underground Pride speakeasies, friend drama, complicated exes, family tension, and a whole lot of messy, glorious queer joy. Zeke’s voice is hilarious and sharp, and while the book is full of fun, it doesn’t shy away from the emotional weight of being queer in a place that tries to silence you. He’s impulsive, sometimes selfish, but always trying.

The Rebel’s Guide to Pride is timely, empowering, and filled with that unmistakable Hubbard charm. Rebellious heart, community power, and a reminder that queer kids are the future. If you need a queer coming-of-age story that’s part protest, part party, and all heart? This one’s for you. 🏳️‍🌈

#TheRebelsGuideToPride #MatthewHubbard #QueerYA #BookReview #NetGalley #ARCReview #LGBTQReads #PrideBooks #QueerTeens #ComingOfAge

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: May 6, 2025

A great coming of age read for queer teens in general, but especially in today’s political climate. Zeke is newly out in his small Alabama town and this follows his journey over the summer before senior year. He’s learning how to stand up for himself and others in spaces that aren’t always kind or welcoming. This serves as a reminder to use your voice, be proud, and remember the power of community.

My first Hubbard book and it did not disappoint one bit. The struggles Zeke goes through with his community and his father is one that many individuals go through when they decide to be their authentic selves.

In an effort to go against the rules that the town's Mayor has created, Zeke starts a series of underground Pride events. By doing so it shows that just because the town's Mayor is close-minded like many of its citizens, does not mean everyone around him is.

Zeke is a fun, messy main character who is truly the best part of the book.

Okay, I’m coking back for this actual review just needed a moment to process it all.

So, I just want to state I begged NetGalley almost every day for I don’t even know how long for this book as an ARC, this in no way shape or form changes my opinion on the book because I was that excited to read it.

Now, on to the actual review.
I loved this. Hands down. T*tty promise. Whatever you wanna say! I love seeing queer teens using their voices and standing up for shit, in fiction and in real life because teenagers now are the people to run things next and I love that Matthew is pouring into them by giving them queer representation and showing them that their voice matters.

On top of that, I loved seeing Zeke’s character development throughout the book from kind of doing things out of spite to realizing hey wait a second this isn’t just about me.

I will say that I thought his best friend was a little bitchy at times and I can understand where she was coming from but the way she was treating Zeke really made me want to claw her eyes out for a moment there. Like so much so I almost put the book down because I was like GIRL PLEASE STAY IN YOUR OWN FUCKING LANE FOR A SECOND. this might be a very unpopular opinion but lol

I also did call how things were going to go with the love interest but it did not ruin the book for me in any way shape or form because I was even more excited to see how things played out and what came of it all.

Lastly, I loved this book because as a queer person in this political climate… I needed this. I needed to be reminded that we aren’t going anywhere. That there are more people to love and support me than those who hate me. That we CAN use our voices and at the end of the day… they made us rebels.

Thank you Matthew so much for writing another book with queer characters and teaching a valuable lesson within the book and within these characters. I continue to look forward to your writing and I cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copy for this book. And thank you NetGalley for letting me be an ARC reader and I’m gonna blame it on being overly annoying even though it probably was not that.

If you’re queer and need queer power and representation please check this book out.

"'What do you do when the rules weren't made with you in mind?' 'You don't follow them then, you break them.'" Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge was one of my favorite books of 2024 and like that, The Rebel's Guide to Pride delivers impactful social commentary in a time where it's needed more than ever.

I think the book does a really good job showing the instability of what it's like to be a teenager in a time where so much around you is changing. Zeke faces so many internal battles in the story: anger at his dad for telling him to stay closeted and going along with the Mayor's homophobic agenda, anger at himself for fitting into the mold his dad crafted for him for so many years, gratitude at his mom for finally leaving his dad but frustration for going along with what he wanted for so many years, growing resentment at his best friend Sawyer for always acting like she knows best and never taking him seriously, and confusion as to why his feelings towards his ex Cohen are starting to change. And I think all of these come together really well and you get to see that Zeke is trying to do the right thing even if he isn't always "right".

In a time where government and society wants everyone to be complicit with their narrow minded ideas, this book tells the story of the importance of fighting back and the ability to find community around you.

Thank you Underlined and NetGalley for an ARC of The Rebel's Guide to Pride!

Zeke Chapman, a newly out gay teen in small town Alabama, is rebelling against his father's obsession with reputation as he finds himself drawn into planning his high school's Pride Day. When the mayor cancels all LGBTQ+ celebrations, Zeke's rebellious streak leads him to organize underground "Pride Speakeasies," which unite some of the community and anger others. Now Zeke is forced to confront his motivations and the true meaning behind the fight for pride before he loses everything.

Well I said I was going to love this book and I was right. Matthew Hubbard is writing novels that would have changed my life as a teenager, and I'm not kidding. Everything about this was so well done and beautiful, and I just loved the characters so much! With the consistent attacks from the government against the Queer community lately, this story is so important for everyone to read. All of the relationships, platonic, familial, and romantic, in this book were complex and meaningful. I laughed out loud, screamed in frustration, and cried tears of glee and pain. I love a quick read, but I actually wish this book was longer, because I never wanted it to end!

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧. 𝐈'𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐰...𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭--𝐭𝐡𝐞 "𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞" 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬, 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐬, 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬--𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬.

My second read from this author, and I either had tears in my ears or a smile on my face the entire time I was reading. As someone who has lived in the Deep South all my life AND worked as a public high school teacher for 26 years, I have seen firsthand what it means to silence a group of people. Policing what they wear, what names and pronouns they prefer, and not allowing certain organizations to exist are all par for the course. While I've seen huge strides being made in acceptance and inclusivity, we still have a long way to go. Matthew Hubbard touches on many of those themes in this book.

Hailed as a joyful queer coming-of-age, Zeke has barely avoided flunking out junior year. He's quit the baseball team, which was one of his passions, he's been involved in fights, and his parents got a divorce. His father's dream of Zeke following in his footsteps to practice law are going up in smoke, and in utter frustration, he urges his son to stay quiet and not attract unwanted attention; in short, stop acting "so gay."

Zeke is newly out and isn't sure how to navigate this new identity. His father's directives are at odds with his friends urging him to be loud and proud. When his best friend begs him to help the QSA plan Pride Day, he's on board, but it's mostly to spite his father. But then the mayor announces an ordinance that cancels all LGBTQ+ celebrations. Angered both by the injustice and his father’s blatant support of it, Zeke plans a series of underground “Pride Speakeasies” that attract huge crowds. But when Zeke realizes he's doing this for all the wrong reasons, he has to dig deep to answer what being a "good gay" even means.

Timely, poignant, and a true coming-of-age that everyone, especially parents of school-age children, should read. Many thanks to Random House/Delacorte Press for the early copy. This title is expected to publish May 6, 2025.

5 ⭐️

Honestly i loved this book. When i found out Matthew had a new book i needed to read it and i had the chance to read this one before release. I loved his other book and if you haven’t read that one you all need too. Matthew is such a great author and i am so happy for him! So let’s start with this review.. I loved the main character in this novel i thought he was such a great lead and we see him find his voice throughout the book. We also find out his father is not supportive of him and it was sad to read because it sounds like so many people in current day and the times we are living in especially with the storyline having an election and one of the nominees spewing such hateful rhetoric just like our recent one.. Very sad times. This novel was showing us how powerful our voice and community is tho and for that i loved it and the message behind it. This novel also had a romance storyline enemies to lovers vibes. I love how supportive zekes mother was we need more parents like her in the world. We also see our main lead and friendships be tested and stuff regarding the speakeasy’s and QSA stuff which is also thought was wholesome because community is very important especially in hard times. Matthew wrote such an amazing book and we all need to stick together during these hard times and support each other. Bravo Matthew! I look forward to all your other work in the future! 🌈

I loved The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge and was excited to receive an e-arc of The Rebel’s Guide to Pride. I was not disappointed since Hubbard knocked it out of the park yet again with this new novel! It had all the charm that I loved about The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge in that it wasn’t just a romance but more of a coming of age story focusing on relationships. Relationships with friends, family, community, and, yes, romantic relationships as well. I loved Zeke and Cohen and the way their relationship progressed. Starting out as frenemies, turned begrudging allies to eventual friends. It felt like a natural progression and made their happily ever after very satisfying. I look forward to whatever Hubbard writes next!

DNF @ 13%

We absolutely need queer Pride and protest stories in this day and age. Unfortunately, I could not connect with Zeke, and I did not like how he was treated, especially by his supposed best friend.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Matthew Hubbard has yet again delivered another book in a time where books like this are desperately needed by queer kids, and to top it all off, is likely to be targeted just like the teens in this book are targeted by their mayor. I will always applaud and uphold the bravery of people who have the chance to make a difference in a time where they're also heavily persecuted for doing so, and for being who they are.

Zeke was my favorite part of this book. He definitely had some flaws, but he grew as a character and he was able to see where his quick decisions may have been a little too rash. But we need more queer rage in this day and age. We need more unapologetic behavior from queer kids. We need queer kids to realize it's okay to be out and loud and proud, but also that they're allowed to be vulnerable, scared, and lean on their friends.

Zeke's friends, however... were not it. I don't think it was Hubbard's intention to make the baseball team seem like a better prospect for a friend group than his friend group but that's how I came away feeling at the end of this book. I don't think he should've been so quick to forgive the girl who used to be his childhood bully and was still calling him "zasshole" by the end of the book despite it clearly hurting him, nor the girl who was basically a bystander and agreed with said bully because she liked her. Don't even get me started on Cohen, who had no clue what Zeke was going through and instead bullied him and told him he was a bad gay, and tried to get him to leave a queer space because he wasn't being queer in the way Cohen wanted him to be. I would've loved to see a moment between Damian and Zeke, actually, and was starting to like them together despite the minimal interactions they had.

Overall, I loved the queer anger and rebellion, and that Zeke was as unapologetically himself as much as he was raw and vulnerable in his fears for his community that he was never allowed to love until he broke free of a toxic family relationship.