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I will never get sick of Hubbard's books exposing the system and their unfair treatment of the LGBTQIA+ community!

Hubbard writes stories that are REAL. Sure, fiction in nature. But REAL issues that youth in the LGBT community face in today's real world. And what does this do? 1.) Exposure. Books like this highlight the trials a marginalized community faces. This allows those who do not face these same issues to see life through a different, more challenging lens. And 2.) Provides a home. People will ABSOLUTELY see themselves and find solace in Hubbard's books. Perhaps illuminating a light at the end of seemingly bleak tunnel :)

This book honestly couldn't come at a more perfect time. We in the LGBT community are under heavy fire from our government. So to have a book like this put these injustices in a spotlight feels correct, to be quite frank. Especially with the amount of representation in this book. Like Oscar Wilde said, "The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame." This book, these characters, and this community are being targeted in this sense. And Hubbard's here to expose it.

This book is a masterclass in character development. Our MC struggles to determine what Pride means to him. Even struggling to embrace his own queerness. A father with political standing wanting him to hide his sexuality. Voices in his head telling him he isn't good enough to obtain happiness. An ex telling him he screws everything up. Yet rallies his community through a series of Pride speakeasy's to fight back against the oppression, finding himself along the way. It was honestly just so reassuring and personable watching his journey, while also allowing for reflection on my own journey, especially at that age.

Super appreciative to Hubbard and Netgalley for early copies of this book!

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"Pride is about being heard. But to me Pride felt like a fight. A war between who I should be and who I was."

I've been wanting to read this book since I read The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge last year and the wait was so worth it. Matthew Hubbard has a gift for queer stories that we need with protagonists who feel so relatable and real in everything that they do.

"There was a place for me here, and I finally felt like I belonged."

Zeke is at a crossroads in life. He's trying to reinvent himself while also trying to figure out his identity as a queer person and what that means to him. When some harsh comments hit close to his heart and celebrating Pride is cancelled in his hometown, he sets out to prove that he can be the "right kind of gay" by hosting secret Pride speakeasies.

“It’s okay to be afraid, Zeke. I’m afraid too, but knowing that I’m not the only one… That makes me feel like I’m not alone.”

Zeke's never had the opportunity to figure himself out. When he impulsively throws himself into running the speakeasies, he goes down a path that he's not sure he deserves. Being crowned "King of Pride" and being a source of inspiration is daunting and scary. But he soon realizes that while fear can tear down friendships, relationships and himself, it can also build something great. When you share your fears with people, it gives you the strength to fight and rebel and can power an entire revolution.

"The speakeasies brought together fighters who would continue their efforts no matter what happened. They were in town all along, and now they were here because of us."

There are a lot of amazing things about this book but my favorite has to be Zeke's journey of figuring out what Pride means to him. We see so many things in social media and the people around us and while it can be joyful, it can also get intimidating. I love the message of how Pride doesn't have to mean just one thing for everyone. It can mean being fearless or brave or being heard. But regardless of all that, it really just means that you get to be who you are. And just like Zeke, everyone deserves the freedom to figure out who that is on their own time and no one else's.

"Our story began today, and we would be the ones to write it."

Zeke and Sawyer and Cohen and Kennedy and every person who took part in the speakeasies built something that matters. They created a community that makes every person feel like they matter and that they have a voice. This story was painful and emotional and made me cry, but it's also hopeful and joyous and needed. I loved everything about this book and I truly cannot wait to see what comes next from Matthew!

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I really enjoyed getting to read this book by Matthew Hubbard, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The characters felt like real people and had that overall journey that I wanted from this setting.

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Rating: 5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press/Get Underlined for access to this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Another five star read from Hubbard! Gosh, I knew I was going to enjoy this book going in, but it still exceeded expectations. I loved Zeke and Cohen and watching them realize the idea they have of the other person is so wrong. They are truly enemies to lovers, and it had me in my FEELS. Speaking of feels, Hubbard always seems to know how to say something in a way that I needed to hear, and how to get me so emotionally invested into his characters. I loved that this wasn't just about Zeke and Cohen, but also Zeke's friendship with Sawyer and how he overall wasn't the same person he was just a few months ago. I could relate to Zeke so much, though we sadly do not agree on our favorite Doctor (sorry, I'll always be a Tennant stan). Being able to read (and watch in my head, because a little movie plays in my head while I read) about Zeke coming into himself and realizing that "the perfect gay" doesn't exist was so heartwarming. And Hubbard also does a fantastic job at bringing topics into his books that are real life scenarios happening in the US right now. This book (and my recent read of Imogen, Obviously) has reminded me that even within the LGBTQ+ community, there is discourse and lack of understanding. But Hubbard also reminds us in this book that you can't stop fighting. Even if you don't "win," that doesn't mean you lost. Lost the battle, win the war (can't go wrong with a Paramore lyric). But seriously, this book is not just funny and romantic, it's powerful, inspiring, and can make or break the difference to teenagers who are too scared to speak up for themselves yet. If it isn't obvious, I 100% recommend this book to EVERYONE, not just queer people. It's a guide for rebels, both in the LGBTQ+ community and their allies surrounding them.

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I was lucky enough to receive an e-arc of Matthew Hubbard's sophomore title, The Rebel's Guide to Pride, via NetGalley. This is my first time reading Hubbard, but I know it won't be my last. The writing is quick paced and easy to get sucked into. While the MC came off as a bit self-centered through a good portion of this story, as we learn about his past and what he has endured, we definitely come to understand why he is the way he is. I loved the found family aspect in this one as well - always one of my favorite parts of queer stories. Check this one out for a quick, fun, queer romcom.

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4.5 stars

Oh, I really enjoyed this one. The issues I had with Matthew Hubbard's previous book were not present here. This book is easily one of my favorites at the moment. The young queer experiences are so real, and the political climate around LGBTQIA+ existence is so relevant. The writing is gripping, the characters are very real and relatable, and the story itself is an emotional journey. Zeke is finally able to be himself and accept himself, but it takes him a while to really get there, which is something I think a lot of people can empathize with whether they are queer or not. I also really loved the exploration of all the different relationships in this story. Zeke and his friends, Zeke and the town of Beggs, Zeke and his mom, Zeke and his dad, and Zeke and his love interest. While some points felt predictable, it didn't diminish my enjoyment in the slightest. I really enjoyed this and powered through it in a day. I loved the story and its relevant messages of living as a queer person. I highly recommend checking this out!

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“The Rebel’s Guide to Pride” by Matthew Hubbard is such a sweet and powerful book. It follows Zeke Chapman, a teen who is newly out as gay and trying to figure out who he really is. His dad wants him to be quiet and perfect, but Zeke wants to rebel and be true to himself. When the town cancels all LGBTQ+ events, Zeke decides to fight back by throwing secret Pride Speakeasies to bring the community together. What starts as a small act of rebellion grows into something meaningful. This story shows how fear can be turned into strength and how standing up for yourself can inspire others. In today's world, where queer youth are often targeted, this book feels like a bright light of hope.

Zeke is a messy character, but in a good way. He feels real and relatable, making mistakes and learning from them. I especially loved the relationship between Zeke and Cohen. They start off as rivals, but slowly grow closer in a way that feels natural and heartwarming. Watching their connection go from sharp and guarded to soft and caring was really nice. Even though the twist near the end was pretty easy to guess, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the story. This book made me happy, and I’m so thankful that queer teens today have stories like this that show them they are seen, loved, and strong enough to change the world.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

Matthew Hubbard is now an auto read author of mine. He hit it out of the park again with this book. Full of heart, humor, and lovably messy characters. This feels like such an impactful and important book that we really need right now. Pride was a riot!!

Zeke is someone that even though he’s showed to be extremely “flawed” I was really rooting for. It’s so obvious he’s masking his pain. I enjoyed seeing him grow and find himself in his community.

The messages here are ones that I think everyone can take with them. There’s no way to be a “bad” gay and there’s no one way to celebrate pride. Helping each other and making sure that everyone is represented and seen is the most important thing. Matthew’s books are ones to watch and always going to read them!

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Gay teen Zeke Chapman is struggling to be out and proud in his small Alabama town when his father wants him to stay in the closet and the town cancels its Pride festival. Determined to rebel against the growing homophobia and anti-LGBTQIA+ action in his town and state, Zeke organizes a series of underground speakeasies.

Full of heart, romance, friendship, a mix of supportive and unsupportive parents and a hopeful message about the power of resistance, this was a great YA coming of age novel that is highly recommended for fans of books like Dragging Mason County, Shampoo Unicorn or Let them stare. A perfect read for Pride month! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

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Narrative: 📕📘📗📓📒
Angst: Moderate
Spice: 🌶
Humor: 😆😆😆
Heart: 💧💧💧💧💧
Romance: ❤️❤️❤️
Burn Time: Slow

I don't normally place reviews with personal feelings but this book is causing me to just by how it hit. The story of a high school student trying to figure himself out even though external forces keep trying to lessen him, it's a story that crosses all age boundaries and this one does it so well. As a 40 something gay male I'm still trying figure myself out, find my tribe, and exist in this ever changing world trying to hold us down.

This one is empowering in the best way. I will say I kinda wish the end had a bit more to it, but I can't say why without a spoiler.

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From the opening lines, The Rebel’s Guide to Pride is a wild adventure. I want to preface this with you by saying I’m not the target audience, and I think this would definitely appeal to teenagers. As a mid-30s adult, I was stressed by these teenage antics despite my ability to understand why Zeke was acting the way he was.

Hubbard has a unique ability to capture teenage angst, heartbreak, and a generalized feeling of being mad at your parents with ease that felt relatable to the young 16-year-old inside my heart. I appreciate next.

I appreciated the way he approached divorce and I especially thought Zeke‘s relationship with his mother felt realistic and as a parent I couldn’t help think about how even when you do the right thing timing matters.

I will admit I put this book on pause for a bit because I had hard time
Getting invested but once I hit about 15%, I became significantly more invested and was able to continue.

I definitely would go back and read Hubbard‘s other book and look forward to what he comes out with next. I will admit I place this book on pause but once I hit about 15% I became significantly more invested and was able to continue along. I definitely would go back and read Hubbard’s other book and look forward to what he comes out with next.

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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.”

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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

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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