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.

Heart-warming, inspiring, and adorable!

Matthew Hubbard delivers a powerful reminder - the first Pride was a riot! The Rebel’s Guide to Pride focuses on powerful themes of identity, chosen family, and nuclear family relationships. Zeke, the main character, is relatable to any reader. He is figuring out who exactly he wants to be, what his priorities are going to be, and what he wants to fight for. These are unifying aspects that each person has to decide for themselves, but the way that Hubbard writes made it even more relatable. I think this identify development definitely hit home with me based on some of the relationships that Zeke works through so I really loved this story for tackling this theme.

Family is another big component of this story. Chosen family and nuclear family relationships take the spotlight within these pages. Zeke has a tenuous relationship with his father, which isn’t a spoiler, but it does inform major parts of the plot. It’s a raw and emotional component of this story that I really loved. It made this story come to life in a way that I will readers are going to connect with. Chosen family is the other part of this story that really stole my heart. Seeing Zeke develop new queer relationships while maintaining others, was something I personally struggled with at this time of my life. Hubbard writing this as a relatable experience really made me feel seen and it just speaks to the talent of Hubbard’s writing!

This is a fantastic reminder of a book in the face of our complicated political climate. I loved this story and I think readers of all ages should read this and find themselves reminded that Pride should be fought for no matter what! Check this out!

If you have ever struggled with your identity as a queer person, or wondered about a loved one/friend's struggle, this book is for you. It's a rollercoaster of emotion that you'll get tangled up in- especially if you've gone through anything similar in your life.

I wish this book had existed when I came out ten years ago. This is the kind of thing I would have loved to read, and I'm so glad I chose to pick it up and read it now. Zeke is a wildly complex and funny character, and I found myself laughing out loud several times throughout my reading journey. I definitely recommend giving this book a try!

A rebel with a cause. That’s who Zeke is now. As the son of James Anthony Chapman, aka JACass (I laughed out loud), he’s spent his life hiding, always dancing to his father’s tune. Until one day, he decides he wants to dance on his own, and with people who truly understand him. Because Zeke is done hiding.

Some stories aren’t just funny, beautiful, or thought-provoking. Some are also incredibly important. A Rebel’s Guide to Pride is one of those books. It’s a timely story that reflects the current situation in the US all too well: a father who wants to erase his son’s sexuality, a program that claims to “put families first” (as in, man, woman, kids) to keep children “safe,” and a mayor determined to wipe out anything that even looks queer. It feels eerily familiar, doesn’t it? It also left a brick in my stomach.

These days, I hold my breath every time I watch the news. But stories like Matthew Hubbard’s also make me smile. Because even in difficult times, there’s always hope.

When the mayor of a small town in Alabama attempts to shut down #Pride events organized by his school’s QSA, newly out bad boy Zeke Chapman won’t suffer in silence. Since coming out a year ago, he nearly flunked out of junior year, forcibly quit the baseball team, and shattered his relationship with his father. Zeke isn’t sure how to be a ‘good gay’ but knows it’s not by standing by and letting the mayor censor the queer community. With the help of his best friend, Sawyer, and frenemy, Cohen, Zeke is reminded why the first Pride event was a riot.

As the author puts it, this is a book so many wished they would have had in small town high schools across the country. While it’s written for teens, even adults can enjoy Zeke’s journey from coming out, to falling out, to coming into oneself, and to falling in love. This book feels more timely than ever in the current sociopolitical climate working to stifle LGBTQ communities and their visibility. It is equal parts valiant and vulnerable, Zeke’s story and spirit will leave you smiling and ready to rebel rouse.

Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley. Many thanks to Penguin Random House/Penguin Teen for the opportunity to read and review.

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This review will be posted to Instagram on or around publication date.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this novel!

3.5 Stars

The Rebels guide to Pride is a need for today’s world. This book talks about and deals with topics and situations that are scarily similar to real life experiences. Our main character Zeke is struggling to figure out where he fits in the world that we live in today being a queer individual. Is what he is doing enough or does he need to step up? Zeke’s journey is very similar to a lot of people’s today. He faces whether or not he is a “good gay” or a “bad gay”. Which many LGBTQIA+ folk go through. There are many people in society today who want people to fit into a mold and a box. But Zeke’s story shows that you can be anyone you want to be and still be queer. The book is a must read for young queer people but also any person figuring out where their place is in the world.

This is a beautiful story about teenagers creating speakeasy’s when their town’s Pride is cancelled. A beautiful book for our times on resistance. It was heartwarming and encouraging.

A fiery, rebellious take on coming-of-age and queer resistance, packed with messy emotions, community, and just the right amount of romance. Zeke’s journey from reckless defiance to real activism is compelling, and the Pride speakeasies are a brilliant touch. A little open-ended, but the heart and energy make it shine.

I loved this book. It’s so important to have books like this that help our LGBTQ youth have a voice. To stand up for what they know is right. I loved the story and the characters. Matthew does a phenomenal job with his books I can’t wait for his third.

I will always be running to the front of the line for Matthew Hubbard books. He has such a beautiful way of telling real, brutally honest stories about what it is like to grow up queer in the south, while still leaving the reader with hope for the future. His characters don't sit back - they do everything they can to take down "the man." I hope that queer kids in the south read this and are inspired to take action in their communities - after all, the first pride was a riot.

Zeke lives in a small town in Alabama, and his coming out didn't go well. His mom left his dad and the two of them have started over, but he realizes he doesn't really know what to do now that he is out from his father's control. When the mayor bans pride celebrations, he views it as the perfect way to get back at his dad. Zeke and his school's QSA plan "Pride Speakeasies" throughout the month of June, but the mayor is doing everything he can to stop it. Add in a messy love life and the struggle to find oneself, and we have a beautiful coming of age story.

All of the romance was messy and swoony and adorable. I loved seeing the way Zeke was able to finally accept himself and finally open himself up to real connections with others - especially since his ex/crush was fat. There are not enough fat characters in romance!

This book felt so timely. Everything in the news makes me so depressed, and it was so lovely to read about young people standing up and doing something about it.

Thank you, NetGalley & Random House / Delacorte Press, for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

An incredibly timely and swoony young adult romance following a QSA's quest to SAVE PRIDE MONTH by throwing a series of clandestine speakeasies after their small town mayor outlaws ANY pride celebrations in town. Zeke is a newly out teen who had previously lived in his dad's oppressive household, where he was not free to express himself or even think or act for himself. Finally free from his controlling lawyer dad, Zeke finds that not only does he not know who he is or what he wants, he also has no idea how to be a "good gay". I thought Zeke captures perfectly the character of a teen who is a bit confused but still trying his best, even if he keeps messing it up.

I loved Zeke's journey of figuring out what is happening in his town as well as figuring out himself, and the more he accepts himself, the more the people around him grow to accept and appreciate him for who he is. I also loved the community of this small town and how they each came together to help with pride. This book truly shows how anti-LGBTQ+ hate affects everyone in the community, not just Queer people being forced to quell or hide their identities. This book is full of mothers, fathers, aunts, public servants, and community members, who truly demonstrate what good allyship is.

The romantic beats here are a bit more predictable with a fun, enemies-to-lovers plot with former crush and fellow QSA member Cohen. The only issue I took with the book is the somewhat ambiguous ending. <spoiler>I would've loved a triumph over evil moment with every homophobic villain getting their comeuppance like we got in the previous book, while this book kept things a bit more open ended (although perhaps more realistically so.)</spoiler>

Big thank you to Delacorte Press for gifting me an eArc of this one! Thoughts are my own.

I requested and received an eARC of The Rebel’s Guide to Pride by Matthew Hubbard via NetGalley. After coming out and facing criticism from his father, Zeke Chapman is willing to do anything it takes to the tarnish the man’s reputation. He quit basketball, has been starting fights, and his grades have definitely seen better days. When his best friend, Sawyer, asks for his help in planning the QSA’s community Pride Day, he’s happy to help — anything to piss his dad. When the town’s mayor steps in and cancels their Pride Day, Zeke steps forward and urges the community to celebrate anyway.

The Rebel’s Guide to Pride features an awesome cast of characters. Zeke is a very well-written character for a young adult audience. His feelings toward his father and the way he reacts to him felt very natural and reflects a difficult relationship I’m sure many queer readers can identify with. Zeke is brave, but takes too many risks. Like a good YA protagonist, he character has a need to grow and is given the proper space and appreciation to do just that in Hubbard’s novel. I also really loved both Sawyer and Cohen. I like the way that they both challenge Zeke and the struggle over what it means to be a “good gay.”

This was the first book that I’ve ready Hubbard and I have to admit that I really quite enjoyed it! I think the messaging in this book, sadly, is more important than ever. So many young folk continue to live in fear and uncertainty, which is something that Hubbard doesn’t shy away from. What The Rebel’s Guide to Pride shows the reader, however, is the importance of community. Learning from one another, supporting each other, even if that means being afraid together. The novel remains faithful to the idea of pride, to resisting and protesting, and finding joy along the way.

This book was very important and a good way of spreading the message to the Young Adult audience it was written for. It shows how to fight and stand up for what you believe in and even how to show up for yourself. It held important and revolutionary messages that reflect our society today.
However, as much as I really wanted to like this book, some parts of it towards the end just felt like it fell flat, especially compared to the first book that held the same values. While everything wasn't completely tied up in a nice, happy bow, there were times where the relationships felt forced. While it shows the importance of standing together and did dive into the differences and arguments held in some relationships, it could have gone farther into exploring the depths of how sometimes not every person changes for the better.

What a creative idea that I wish I had thought of myself! If pride speakeasies aren't already a thing, they probably will be soon, as unfortunate as it is that we are in a place of such political and social upheaval where we need to have secretive pride events in some states. This book reminds us that the first Pride was NOT peaceful; it was a riot, a protest, a fight for our right to exist. It brings us back to the idea that pride is rebellious.

Zeke is a flawed main character who starts with a huge main character complex (in this case, he actually is the main character, LOL, but you know the type). The words "we" and "our" don't seem to be in his vocabulary; it's all "I" and "my." As annoying as this trait is, it's also endearing because he's trying to be a "better gay." For years, he felt suffocated by his dad forcing him to stay in the closet (under the guise of "safety"). When his parents separate and divorce, he finally feels comfortable enough to join his school's Queer Straight Alliance, where his best friend, Sawyer, is the president. He decorates his new room with a huge rainbow flag. He doesn't know the first thing about politics or pride, but he wants to try, at first to stick it to his dad, but then because he finds a real community in the space. When the mayor cancels Pride Day (he only lets the QSA have three hours, instead of thirty days) and launches his new "Family First" initiative (sponsored by none other than Zeke's dad and his law firm), Zeke comes up with the idea of having it in secret. The first pride speakeasy gives him such a rush that he immediately begins planning the next one.

This is a book about finding your voice, even and especially when others try to silence you. It's about choosing not to live in fear. It's about pushing back against the systems that oppress us, sticking it to the man. While there is a lot of homophobia, it's not about that. It's about opposing the hate, but it also doesn't fault any queer people who don't feel safe enough to do so.

Pick up a copy of this book when it comes out in May, right in time for Pride Month!

Thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC of this book! All thoughts are my own.

very cute, very empowering, i love the activism and the strong themes for fighting for your rights and your identity. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Zeke Chapman used to be his father’s perfect son. Newly out, Zeke quit the baseball team, where he had been the star, and almost flunked his junior year. Zeke now feels torn between the pressure from his father not to draw attention to himself and from his friends to do more to support the LGBTQ+ community in their town. When the mayor cancels all Pride celebrations, Zeke’s rebellious streak kicks in and he starts a serious of underground events to celebrate Pride.

Zeke’s events take off, and soon Zeke is spending almost all his time planning the events, especially after people begin referring to him as the “King of Pride.” But his efforts are creating tensions with both his friends and his ex and now rival, all while Zeke seems to be developing a new relationship with a mystery person. When the final party goes awry, Zeke has to confront what he really wants to accomplish — and who is most important in his life.

This was a charming and well-written story, exploring timely themes. The author perceptively portrays Zeke’s journey to figure out his place among his friends, his community, and his family.

Highly recommended.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the early copy of Hubbard’s sophomore novel! I had the opportunity to read and review his debut as well (which I loved) and I can confidently say that this author has yet another success on his hands. With plenty of hope to share in a tumultuous time— both in between the pages and outside of the novel itself— The Rebel’s Guide to Pride is a rallying cry to all of us who are saddened and scared by the current state of the world. It teaches us how to be brave and bold and exist outside of the box that ‘powerful’ people, our own families, or even we ourselves try to shove us in.

We follow Zeke (formerly Anthony) Chapman as he navigates his way through his parents’ messy divorce. Losing his father means gaining the ability to be himself for the first time… and it feels daunting. How can he be a ‘good gay’ when he has kept his true self in a shoebox for most of his young life? He tries to follow in the footsteps of his best friend, Sawyer, who has been out and proud for years. What he learns, however, is that pride is something you must instill within yourself.

A wrench is thrown in the gears of this process as the mayor of Zeke’s small Alabama town starts the ‘Family First’ initiative that will, at least outwardly, silence the thriving LGBTQ+ community of Beggs. Zeke has two choices— lay down and be shoved back into the strange shape he became trying to fit in, or to raise his voice and inspire the gays and allies around him to do the same. When he chooses the latter, he not only finds the courage to become more than the Zasshole he was, but also falls into and explores relationships that threaten to change his life forever.

As a pansexual woman who came out later in life, I both relate to and envy Zeke. I know what it’s like to be stuffed into a category that does not fit me, and how an outwardly disapproving father can absolutely tear you down and leave you in a state of perpetual imposter syndrome. I also wish I had been able to be myself at a young age with the support system I have now. Like Zeke, I have my mom, my friends, and the beautiful likeminded people of my community. Even so, we are in a state of emergency with our current administration. So the love that I feel is quickly being overrun by hate, but it’s works like Hubbard’s that gives me hope for the future. I will hold on to Zeke’s story as a light in the dark.

Matthew Hubbard's second novel is a strong sequel to his first. The characters are extremely relatable and the development that they go through throughout the story is strong. The conflict drives the plot and it's fun to see how all of the characters interact with each other based around the events.

Thank you SO much to @delacorteromance @loveunderlined @getunderlined for this amazing ARC of @matthewhubbard’s latest book! Enjoy my photoshoot with the book as I carried it around with me today.

Y’all, we KNOW that Matthew always brings the political realness to his stories. I am HERE for it. I absolutely adored this story and had to force myself to set it down a couple of times so I wouldn’t fly through it in one sitting.

Matthew knows JUST how to tug at all of my heartstrings. He always gives me characters that are real. Flawed. A little messy. Romantic. Full of ideas. Thoughtful. Kind (who also can be a little mean). But ALWAYS true to themselves.

I found myself captivated by the kids, particularly Zeke and Cohen (enemies to lovers realness). I also really loved Zeke’s relationship with his mom. It was lovely.

Also guys gals and non-binary pals, Matthew gave us the *swooniest* most romantic scene. Ah hell. Several scenes. But one in particular had me cheesin’ at the coffee shop.

He also made me as a millennial (ily Matthew) feel old with Spice Girls jokes. 😅😅 (and then old Great Gatsby from 2013!!!)

I am so in love with this book and can’t wait to add the finished copy to my shelves (PS order from @parnassusbooks and get a signed/personalized copy!!)

Look, the fact is, we are in a wild time in the US. Stuff that happened in this book is happening everywhere. It’s up to us to fight for our pride. Will you? 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

[Thank you to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.]

Andrew 'Zeke' Chapman has spent his whole life being molded by his image-obsessed dad. But when Zeke comes out, everything changes: his parents divorce, he quits baseball, and start intentionally failing classes just to prove he's nothing like his dad. When the mayor cancels the QSA's Pride Day and any future LGBTQ+ gatherings, Zeke and his friends refuse to stay silent. Through a series of underground Pride speakeasies, a community of rebels is formed.

This book is *everything*.

Zeke struggles to figure out how to be a "good gay", which is hard when you're being told so many different things. Not only is he trying to figure out who he is, he's trying to stand up for what's right, a feeling I'm sure many people can relate to. 

There are moments where the characters are fearful and feel hopeless. But there are also moments of vulnerability and growth. Ultimately, we don't know what others are going through, and what may seem like a small act of kindness to you may inspire someone else to be brave. That's how communities are built. 

The overall message of just showing up and doing your best is so important. We can all be rebels if we work together.