This is a thought-provoking and inspiring queer YA book that's perfect for Pride month. I was so frustrated with the love interest's gatekeeping, but all of the issues are discussed thoroughly and handled beautifully.

First off, all the Doctor Who references gave me life!

This book was filled with so many good things and touched on so much going on in the USA right now. It was truly inspiring and I think it could really help encourage teens (and adults) who feel hopeless right now.

I also enjoyed the little touch of romance. It wasn't the center focus but it rounded out the story well. Also big yay for such a supportive and caring mom.

4.5 stars rounded up

Matthew Hubbard did it again. He wrote a deeply important book that I can tell was written with a lot of heart. This book is extremely important with what is happening in the US right now. Rebel's guide is powerful and beautifully written. It shows readers that we still have a voice no matter how much people try to silence the LGBTQIA+ community. I seriously just loved everything about this book from the writing to the message to the characters, both main and side, and the ending. I highly recommend checking this one out. I also recommend listening to the playlist the author created for the book. It enhances the reading experience.

Content warning: homophobia, emotional abuse, fatphobia

Once again, Matthew Hubbard delivers an impressive work. He excels at taking current issues and presenting them in a way that makes it easy for everyone to grasp the impact of anti-LGBTQIA+ policies. "The Rebel’s Guide to Pride" perfectly blends humor with thought-provoking topics. This novel is particularly timely, given the ongoing events we are witnessing across America. It serves as a reminder that every struggle for visibility has someone being a rebel.

I particularly loved the concept of a speakeasy as a venue for the community to celebrate after the Mayor canceled their pride event. Additionally, Matthew skillfully navigates the complex father-son relationship concerning queerness and expectations. Overall, this was an outstanding novel! I highly recommend it to everyone.

If you’ve ever lived in a small town, chances are you might find this story very relatable. And if you haven’t, never fear, because Matthew Hubbard gives a glimpse into small town life complete with the challenges, struggles, and constructs often found there. He paints a clear picture of the homophobia that can be woven into the very fabric of a community, making it difficult for members of the LGBTQIA+ community to feel like they belong. THE REBEL'S GUIDE TO PRIDE is a sobering reminder that these places and discriminations exist, yet it also serves as a beacon of hope for a better tomorrow. It voices a message celebrating diversity, inclusion, and acceptance that we really need right now.

While the majority of the story centers around Zeke, his friend, and their community’s fight for Pride and justice, it delves deeply into Zeke’s personal life and struggles with identity. It’s also a coming of age classic about letting go of the toxic narrative and expectations someone else set for you to reach deep inside yourself and find your light. The toxic family dynamic really hits hard, particularly with Zeke’s dad.

Matthew Hubbard has a gift for inspiring action and empowering readers through his amazing storytelling. REBELS GUIDE is a book that feels like a vital lifeline to anyone who’s ever felt trapped by circumstances or silenced by societal expectations. If this book doesn’t make you want to stand up and speak out, I recommend reading it again.

As a queer kid who grew up in a small town that was a lot like Briggs (but worse because it was 10+ years ago), this book touched me in ways I wasn't expecting. I came out at 15 in a place surrounded by intolerance and casual homophobia. I didn't have a QSA at my school or a LGBT+ mentorship program like the ones shown in this novel, but I wish I did and I'm glad they exist now and that people, much like Zeke and his friends, continue to fight for them.

With the current politics surrounding LGBT+ livelihoods, this book could not be coming at a better time. It shows that no matter how old you are or where you live, you can always fight back and push through whatever life throws at you. Because at the end of the day, we will still be here and no one can take that away from us.

Loved this book and saw a lot of myself (unfortunately) in Zeke. The way he talked about himself and the anxiety he feels about being perfect and not making any mistakes was a little too relatable.

I also very much enjoyed all of the roaring 20s, Zelda Fitzgerald, and Great Gatsby references! Funnily enough, I just re-read that book for the first time in ten years.

It’s been a difficult few months for Zeke. First, he decided to stop being ashamed of being gay, to stop letting his father dictate how he lived his life, and second, his parents divorced. Because of him, yes, but also because his mother was also tired of having every moment of her life decided for her, rather than being free to make her own choices. Now, she and Zeke live in a small, shabby apartment — a far cry from the home his father owns — and Zeke has been kicked off the baseball team, his grades have taken a nose dive, and he has no idea what to do with himself.

When the mayor cancels the Pride event that the Queer Student Alliance has been working on for so long — the group started by Zeke’s best friend, which he was only brave enough to join recently — Zeke has a target for all of his anger, all of his nervous energy, all of his need to do something to make it clear he’s no longer his father’s son. His efforts, though, only earn him scorn from the QSA members: Cohen, his first crush, his first kiss, and the first boy to ask him to be his boyfriend, only to have Zeke drop him and shut him out; his best friend, Sawyer, who sees Zeke as a screw up; and Kennedy, Cohen’s friend and Sawyer’s girlfriend who has no high opinion of Zeke at all.

But hell if he’ll let anyone take Pride away from him when he only just found it.

Zeke’s father, a successful lawyer who wanted his son to follow in his footsteps and join his firm, is controlling, domineering, and manipulative. When Zeke came out to his parents Zeke’s father instilled in his son a fear of being gay, a fear of what the outside world would to do him if they found out. He expected obedience from his son, and Zeke gave it to him. But ever since his mother stood up for him, and the divorce, Zeke has felt free to be more himself. However, without his father telling him who he is, who he’s supposed to be — and what he can’t be — Zeke is adrift.

Zeke’s smart, used to a life of activities and work, of covering up and finding loopholes because of the way his father raised him, and when the mayor shuts down Pride, Zeke comes up with the idea to keep Pride going anyway. His best friend, Sawyer, though, isn’t thrilled with it. Isn’t thrilled at the success, or the fact that it’s Zeke being heralded as the hero of the day, the clever one who came up with the plan, and she starts to pull away from him, going so far as to bail on events because she wants to both be with her new girlfriend … and to punish Zeke. Cohen, Zeke’s first ex, is an utter asshole to Zeke. Again and again, he calls him a bad gay who only joined the QSA when it was convenient, not when he could actually help. When Zeke wants to help mentor queer children, Cohen tells him he can’t. Cohen, who has been a mentor for years, doesn’t want Zeke to screw it up. He accuses Zeke of being “out and proud because it fits [his] personality.” But Zeke keeps pushing through because he’s angry, angry that Pride is being taken away from him when he just found it, angry that the people who were supposed to understand him look at him like he’s scum, and angry that his father is supporting the Family First movement that wants to remove queer people from celebrating, from having books in the library, and businesses that cater to them.

Zeke’s hard work — both at his underground Pride events and his efforts to be friendly to the people who hate him — pay off. Cohen starts to look at Zeke in a new light, to see him as a person who wants to help, who may not be gay the way Cohen is but is still very much a confused, lonely, and hurting young gay man who needs support. Who needs a friend. Cohen and Zeke’s conversations, the long ones and the quiet ones, begin to build a bridge over the past hurts, and that friendship slowly starts growing into a romance.

Sawyer, though, gives a token apology (with Zeke still trying to take the weight of the guilt by claiming it’s all his fault when, really, it isn’t), which felt more like they were both willing to overlook how much of a bad friend she’d been and focus instead on how Zeke started it. Through the whole book, Sawyer is always down on Zeke, insulting him, letting him know she’s better than he is — that everyone is — because he’s a Zasshole, a user, a flake, and a jerk. And he forgave her, which … I wanted more of an indication that Sawyer was more than just a mean girl and was someone who could actually be a friend.

Another relationship that I didn’t feel was thoroughly addressed is Zeke’s relationship with his father, someone he is very afraid of. While there are confrontations, there’s never any real development of the relationship between them, and the token scene that there is felt obligatory on the part of the story rather than a natural interaction between Zeke and his father. While I understand there isn’t always room in a book for everything, this lack of attention to a character who very much shaped Zeke was notable.

All that said, the writing is good, Zeke is a charming character, and I appreciate that the book ended where it did. This book may be a little too rooted in the real world for someone who wants an escapist romance, dealing as it does with religious fundamentalists stripping away rights from the gay community because of hate and cruelty; there’s no happy ending, no suddenly they all changed their mind moment. It’s simply a hopeful ending, with the idea that the queer community is stronger together than apart, that small efforts can have extraordinary outcomes, and that one person can make a difference.

I enjoyed this book, and hope you give it a try.

Zeke is a newly out teenager, estranged from his controlling father and dealing with it all in rebellious new ways. When the mayor of his small Alabama town doubles down on his anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, Zeke and his friends must find it within themselves and each other to fight back. This is a really enjoyable and though-provoking YA novel. At times, I wanted to shake these teenagers and tell them that a lot of miscommunication could be solved if they just let each other finish their sentences. Overall, this is a book that I will recommend to the teens and the adults in my life. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

ARC REVIEW
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up

Oooof this story hit home for me in a lot of ways! Zeke’s internal battle is something I struggle with as well at times but overall this book is so powerful and very needed in this day and age.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book comes out May 6th and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

Consider my heart warmed.

This was truly a joy to read. There were times it felt very after school special, maybe even enough to have me rolling my eyes a little, but always with an inescapable fondness. By the end, I couldn't help but smile and even shed a tear or two. This is unfortunately timely and resonated even as an adult who has managed to build a found family and the queer life I once could only dream of. I can't imagine what this would have been to me had I read it as a teen.

This is a YA coming of age romance with a YA coming of age romance formula, yes, but more importantly it's a reminder that there is queer life outside of the big blue cities, that you can always find people who care even in the darkest corners, that no one can legislate away your pride, and that we always have and always will be here.

Ahhh! This book is so good! Much like his previous novel, this is a battle cry for all young queer people. This book gives teens the courage to stand up for themselves and fight injustices. I loved the fact that Zelda Fitzgerald was a muse for the main character. This book has great representation, friendship, and fun. I highly recommend this!

This book sounded like it would be a lot of fun, and it really was. I like Zeke’s story and journey to figuring out who he is and who he wants to be. The romance arc was really sweet and I liked his dynamic with Cohen. There was so many moments I wanted to shake some sense into Zeke with the choices he made, and I’m glad he never really go into any real trouble. The ending is also very positive and hopeful. It’s a very timely book, but with all the things Zeke was able to get away with it feels further removed from reality than I think I wanted? I dunno what I mean cuz I like that this was a sweet, overall light book, but maybe it’s that all the stress didn’t really get an outlet on those points? Overall I enjoyed this book and think it’s an important story, especially with Zeke being a queer character who doesn’t already know and feel secure in queer history and identity. This kind of story is important and I’m glad it exists.

Matthew Hubbard brings current policital chaos into YA fiction in the best way. I titty promise you are going to love this book.

A Rebel’s Guide to Pride will make you feel equally angry and hopeful. Zeke is a gay teen who recently came out and joined his bff in the school’s Queer Straight Alliance. The Pride Day Parade they organized is canceled at the last moment by the hateful mayor. Taking inspiration from Zelda Fitzgerald and the Roaring 20’s, Zeke and the QSA continue to celebrate Pride with underground speakieasies and help to create permanent change in their town.


Matthew Hubbard is an auto-buy author. I’ve loved both of his books and will read everything he publishes.

This is such a timely book right now, with so many places banning books and basically anything that remotely looks gay, Zeke and company fight to be allowed to be was powerful and touching.
Zeke too trying to come to terms to who he was and what he wanted and how it reflected on who he presented to be, and how important it is to have a support system, hopefully your parents, but your found family too.
The romance was cute too, although I didn’t think it was as important as Zeke’s journey of self-acceptance and discovery.

Matthew Hubbard wrote another slam dunk YA story centered around queer discovery, joy, and resilience in a time where LGBTQ+ people, specifically youth, are under attack.

The Rebels Guide To Pride takes real world issues like anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that targets the queer community and tells a beautifully story where our main character Zeke is forced to find out who he is as a gay boy, find out what pride is for, and how to fight back when people try to silence and erase us.

The characters are easy to root for even though the teenage angst is pretty high in this book but that is highschool kids for you. But Matthew does a wonderful job taking serious real world issues and weaving it into a hopeful and powerful YA gay contemporary story.

As a sophomore novel and follow up to The Last Boyfriends Guide to Revenge, The Rebels Guide to Pride makes a significant stance in this new universe and gives the reader the hope we need to remind us that the LGBTQ+ community may be under attack now, but we endure and we always overcome.

Rounding to 5 stars because this was a 4.5 star read!

★★★★★

With all the new laws going into effect targeting the LGBTQIA+ community, this book couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. It serves as a reminder that as long as we keep fighting for our rights there will always be hope.

The Rebel’s Guide to Pride is a heartwarming read with realistic and lovable characters who will make you fall in love with this book. Also, Zeke’s nickname being “Coco” is adorable.


Thank you, Matthew, for writing this book and giving me hope when you hear about attacks against the LGBTQIA+ community every day in the news and politics. And thank you, NetGalley and Delacorte Press, for the Arc.

I’ve never needed this book more than I do right now.

Zeke is newly out and he feels no one understands him; not his homophobic father and especially not his town. When pride is shut down and a family first ordinance is put into action, Zeke and his friends have no choice but to rebel. What will it take to get people to listen?

This book, much like the author’s first, was a home run!! Zeke was a multidimensional character and was incredibly relatable. His struggles with coming out in the first place and then not being recepted were written beautifully. I loved his friends and the journey they all went on together, even when they felt like they were fighting for different things.

With everything going on in the world, it’s so easy to turn away and hide. But we can’t. We have to stand up for what’s right and let our voices be heard.

Thank you, once again, Matthew Hubbard. Not only for this book, but for continuing to fight for us and our basic human rights. Love always wins. 🌈

“You never know who’s listening, so be proud.”

Fight for Your Rights!

Brief synopsis:
Zeke Thompson has never thought of himself as a "good gay." He's felt forced to hide his sexuality by his Dad, a prominent attorney in their small Alabama town. He's not been able to be a full member of his high school's Queer Straight Alliance (QSA), whose president is Sawyer, his best friend for years--after their initial relationship was that of bully (Sawyer) and bullied (Zeke). Zeke's just never been able to be his true authentic self...until his parents' divorce is finalized and he and his mother move to their own place in town. His mother opens her own mechanic shop--something she's always wanted to do--and uses Zelda Fitzgerald, the first American flapper (and ex-wife to a famous American author) to inspire her. Zelda is also the inspiration for Zeke's name--and what he chooses to be called after the divorce. No longer Anthony, like his Dad, whom he refers to as JACass.
Zeke wans to be a "bad gay," i.e., all the stereotypical things associated with a young gay male.
He's now able to be a part of the QSA, and just in time to help Sawyer and the other members, Cohen--a former flame of Zeke's--and Kennedy, a popular, African-American cheerleader and graphic artist, and Sawyer's girl-crush/wannabe girlfriend, to organize Beggs, Alabama's first official Pride celebration.
Unfortunately, on the date--actually a few minutes prior to the start of the official first Pride event--Beggs' mayor puts a stop to the event, with Zeke's Dad there at the mayor's side, with a proclamation that the Pride event will go against the Mayor's newly introduced "Family First" initiative.
This upheaval leads Zeke to suggest the idea of speakeasies (again, using Zelda Fitzgerald and the 1920s as inspiration) in the month of June to allow those LGBTQIA+ people of Beggs and their supporters to celebrate....Mayor-initiative be damned!

Matthew Hubbard does an amazing job of writing diverse and related characters--both the main LGBTQIA+ teens and adults at the center of the story and those on the opposite side: the Mayor, the "anti" townspeople. Even secondary characters are relatable and likely trigger every reader to an "I know someone just like them" (in real life).

Zeke is not a "perfect" main character--his aforementioned want to be a "bad gay" to mostly get under his Dad's skin and sully his reputation, but also to figure who he is & just "be."
Zeke's want to live an authentic life leads him to speak up (to his own and others' surprise) at the Pride event, after it is cancelled, with that speakeasy idea. Though, at the time of that outburst, he has no idea how it will happen!
There are many trials and roadblocks--BUT through the support of Sawyer, Kennedy, and reluctantly, Cohen (also affectionately called Coco by Zeke), and MORE through his own guile and determination, the town of Beggs is changed from Zeke, his courage, and his desire for a life out loud.

This story of Pride-bans, stripping LGBTQIA+ individuals of rights or flat out refusing their rights, unfortunately continues to take place--not just in small-town Alabama, but everywhere.
Matthew's story, Zeke's story and journey, are important, timely, powerful and inspiring!

Rebel's Guide is relatable and fun, and addresses the hard-hitting discrimination, hate, and more head-on--No shying away from that in Matthew's book.
The "relationship" with Zeke's Dad is quite tennuous and strained. Watch out for the billboards, ya'll!!
Zeke's relationship with his Mom is strained at times; however, Matthew does show their relationship evolve and grow--pre- and post-divorce--and she becomes a major source of stability and LOVE for Zeke. I love that Matthew's characters have at least one, if not both, supportive and caring parents and MANY adult figures and role models in their lives. The adults aren't perfect & shouldn't be, and they often grow and evolve with the main characters--BUT that the majority are loving and supportive and reasonable is just so amazing to have in these stories, and we need more of these people in real life...EVERYWHERE!!

This book also offers a little more romance than Matthew's first book! A welcomed edition--not too spicy, now, but hints and openness regarding sex, for sure!

This book and story is very much a Pride/queer positive-story for teens, YA, adults--everyone!

Look forward to more writing and stories from Matthew Hubbard!!

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this eARC of Matthew Hubbard's second novel, "The Rebel's Guide to Pride."

This was a fun and timely coming-of-age story about the importance of Pride, both for individuals and the LGBTQ+ community. Zeke was lovable but flawed, and I enjoyed his journey to figuring out who he was and what (and who) he wanted. I definitely related to his struggles with his JACass father, the type of person who thinks the solution to homophobia is staying in the closet, rather than working towards a better, more tolerant world. The speakeasies were so much fun, and I wish I could attend one (even though it’s nice not to need to). I felt like there was a dash of Love, Simon to this with the unknown instagram buddy (though their identity wasn’t too difficult to suss out). I loved the Zeke’s relationship with his mother, who was a much better parent than his father in every possible way, but I wish there’d been a little more of Sawyer and her girlfriend, since I really love the gay guy with a sapphic best friend dynamic.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

Sophomore slump? Defeated. Because Matthew Hubbard’s second novel, The Rebel’s Guide to Pride, is an absolute home run. Filled with so much heart, so much introspection, and so much hope, it is a story that is engrossing, timely, and necessary.

Why is this book such a knockout? I’m glad you asked!

- The premise is unique and topical, and takes inspiration from LGBTQ history. Modernizing the concept of speakeasies was an excellent idea that really stuck its landing.

- The plot never once lagged, and every chapter seemed to have its own purpose — which meant I did not want to put it down.

- The book is stacked with complex characters, all of whom demonstrate so much change throughout the story. If I had to single out just ONE of Matthew Hubbard’s talents as a writer, it would be his ability to craft vivid characters that are real, lovable, flawed, and human — characters that you want to root for.

Much like The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge, The Rebel’s Guide to Pride delivers a message of hope and resilience. With the current political climate, this is a book we need now more than ever.

This is on track to my favorite YA novel of the year, and I don’t foresee that changing.

Matthew Hubbard is an absolute gift to YA literature. His passion for advocacy and his fearless writing shine through and bring an authenticity to his work that is one of a kind.