Wow. I don't even know if I have words for this one, to be honest. I loved Lesbiana's Guide, so when I saw Cesar was getting his own book I was stoked. Then I saw it was about bipolar and I was even more excited. I've been searching for good queer romance bipolar rep for a long time. And let me tell you, this is wonderful representation.

The forward from Sonora already had me hooked. I love how open and honest they are and you can tell their experience shines through in the story. Cesar is a wonderful character. He's warm, friendly, and kind. He sets others at ease and makes friends easily. But he's also struggling with getting his correct diagnosis, taking his medication, and navigating his mental illness. That makes him irritable, moody, and self destructive. It's all so real and relatable.

Not only is Cesar struggling with mental illness, but his ongoing struggle with bullying continues AND his struggle with his faith and his sexuality. He's got a lot going against him and I feel for him. It hurts to see how much he hates himself because of what his priest and his religion tells him.

I absolutely adored our new characters: his abeula and Moni. They're delightful and they add some levity while also helping him when he needs it most. It's great to see Yami and his mom again, too. I love their love for Cesar, even if it's sometimes flawed in the way they show it. And finally, Jamal. He's so sweet and patient. I love how much he loves Cesar so unconditionally. He really struggles too, because of Cesar and his actions, but he can see there's something more going on there.

I thought the depiction of Cesar's Bipolar disorder was so well done. The descriptions of how he felt during mania and his dark depressive episodes were so relatable and realistic. I spent a lot of time crying over this book, whether it was from feeling so seen, Cesar's struggles, or small things like his Abuela trying to reach out in any way that would work best for him. This was an amazing, amazing story.

This was a solid book. Very emotional and thought provoking. It had a lot of drama and was very heavy and was a bit much for me sometimes but the premise was super good.

4.75 stars

I absolutely loved The Lesbiana's Guide To Catholic School and fell in love with Cesar's character. I was so happy for him to get his own book. Sonora Reyes really encapsulates the realities of mental illness and the complexities of religious guilt alongside accepting your sexuality. The reader really goes on a journey with Cesar's. We love him and hate him, but understand why he is doing what he is doing. His actions can be frustrating, but anyone who has struggled with mental illness understands that sometimes logic doesn't drive your actions. This was an emotional read, but it was also very enjoyable. My only issue is that it felt like it dragged a bit at times, like the story could have been trimmed down in places to make the pacing a little more concise. That said, it didn't detract from my love of this book. I was so looking forward to this and it did not disappoint.

This book is not just a favorite of the year but an all time favorite.
The way Sonora Reyes brought us into the mind and life of Cesar was and experience all on its own . We were in this book with Cesar rooting for him, empathizing with him, angry with him and for him.
The mental health representation way woven into every aspect and we got to see it all the good and the bad. We got see Cesar deal with his Bipolar diagnosis and everything that came along with it. I loved how raw and real this book was and in true Sonora Reyes fashion it was always down with such grace and care.
This book is so impactful and will definitely reach audiences far and wide beyond YA.
I could probably talk forever about this book , if you loved The Lesbianas Guide to Catholic School you need to come back into this world and follow Cesars story.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's for the ARC!

Sonora Reyes writes such incredible books, and I think this one is probably my favorite book of theirs after lesbiana's guide. I loved getting Caesar's story and perspective. The bipolar representation felt very authentic and I really appreciated that aspect of the story. As someone without bipolar, this book helped me to understand my loved ones a little more. Though Caesar's spiraling was difficult to read at times, but that is part of what makes this book so necessary. Very few authors are able to write books of young adults that can transcend the YA scene and bring comfort and understanding to adults as well, and Sonora Reyes is one of those authors.

Caesar and Yami's stories felt pretty wrapped up after this book, but I'm curious if we'll ever see another companion to this series; featuring Moni perhaps?

So let me start by saying I also have bipolar disorder. I am still learning how to cope ( I say like I’m not back in IOP) and my heart broke for this incredibly relatable character.

“ But like everyone other night, The Thoughts bleed through the fabric,” states Cesar. He has a lot going on at the moment- his gorgeous ex, his overbearing mother, his status as resident golden child. Oh, add his deteriorating mental health in. Cesar can only handle so much, so he chooses to ignore his mental health. “ What’s the harm in missing a dose?” he asks himself. As Cesar starts to spiral he slowly loses control all he holds dear. Will he get it back?

While I read The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, it was some time ago and I have to admit I didn't remember that Cesar Flores existed, much less that he was bisexual, waved off from his sexuality by a priest, or experienced either mental health issues or academic excellence. Given that, this was a bit of a confusing read as it clearly is a direct outgrowth of the first book. If I had had any connection with Cesar (or indeed any of the characters, I honestly only remembered there was a lesbian at a Catholic School and that's in the title!) I probably would have liked this book more. As it stands, it's a solid story that does exactly what is described on the blurb (although I'm not entirely sure the "golden boy" thing was well described, unless this is covered in the other book I didn't see anyone but Cesar using this title). I don't have BPD and I've only, so far as I know, have met one person with it, but other more informed reviewers report this was an accurate depiction. It certainly felt as confusing and illogical as interacting with a manic person can be, at least in my own experience.

It's been a few days since I've read this and I still don't have the words to explain. This absolutely exceeded all my expectations (and they were already high).

Since Yami's story in The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School, I'd been interested in seeing how Cesar's story continues. I love that both books showcase their family and we still get to experience the other sibling without subtracting from the POV of each story.

Cesar goes through a lot of growth and healing in his story, but it's not all linear. It's not perfect. It's him figuring out his life as he goes, to some extent, and we get to see this real, raw experience as he's experiencing it. We get to feel his highs and his lows right alongside him and see how it's affecting himself and his loved ones.

Since this book does center on mental health, it's important to have good representation, but also understanding that there are going to be struggles. It's very clear when he's struggling and how he is struggling, and it is so raw and real, and will relate to a lot of people.

The romance was also so beautiful, but heartbreaking at times. Cesar getting his second chance with Jamal is special, but it takes some time to get there. There's so much love between them, and it's so obvious, but sometimes love needs to take a backseat to other life events, but it'll always be there.

This book also continued the theme of religion and how that affects Cesar, in all of his identities. We get a dive into his mind and how religion is a part of his life. We saw the start in Lesbiana's, but get to see it from his own thoughts and experiences.

Absolutely highly recommend this book (and the first!) and cannot wait to reread them both in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Are we surprised this is an absolute 5 star read?? Well we shouldn’t be because Sonora Reyes literally never misses!

How they are able to create/showcase YA characters while simultaneously transcending a YA story(meaning even as an adult being able to relate heavily) will always be amazing to me.

Cesar’s story is so difficult to read. He is navigating the pressure of being the smart kid who his family/friends don’t have to worry about while coming to terms with the fact that he has bipolar disorder. I felt like his mental illness was depicted so realistically. The manic episodes were especially hard to read due to how accurate they were, but I think that’s why this story was so powerful.

I could heavily relate to all of his faith/religious thoughts and feelings. It was comforting to read about someone else who also feels the way I do about so many things.

FANFUCKINGTASTIC book!

Thank you Netgalley and Harpercollins for the ARC!

Ngl Cesar's story was really hard for me to get through as someone who deals with mental illness. But it was REALLY well done (which is not surprising because Sonora Reyes literally never misses). I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to read this book early (thanks to the author and publisher!). Sonora is one of my absolute favorite writers. They knock it out of the park every single time. That being said, this book won't be for everyone due to its content (please read the warnings and take care of yourself!).

Cesar's character is so complex. He does a lot of shitty things, but you can't help but root for him anyways. As someone who has also done a lot of shitty things because of unregulated mental illness (not an excuse, obviously), it was nice to see Cesar's redemption arc and that nobody is ever truly unforgiveable or unlovable (though somebody doesn't owe you their forgiveness or love if you have wronged them, especially multiple times). Even seeing Avery's redemption arc was fantastic. I wish we got to see more of Cesar's therapy group friends.

I loved the chapter titles and how they all related to symptoms of Cesar's bipolar disorder.

Raise your hand if you wanna start a fan club for Jamal ✋🏻✋🏻✋🏻

My thoughts are still all over the place since I just finished this but I'll come back to add more reflections. I'm sure I will be thinking about this one for a while.

I absolutely loved this book. It is heavy and has some moments that some readers may find frustrating because of the main character's decision. But Sonora Reyes has done it again -- and in this case, she beautifully portrays a teenaged boy who is struggling with mental illness and, for a time, in denial of it all. It is also a coming to terms with sexuality and feeling worthy of romantic love story. Reyes gets inside Cesar's head well. She also beautifully depicts his support network, who are there for him even when he does things that aren't good for himself or tries to push them away., So, this book has romance and love, but it it first and foremost a book about mental health. And you will (hopefully) be rooting for Cesar during his journey. I highly recommend this book.

Sonora Reyes delivers another powerful story in this sequel (kind of) to The Lesbiana’s Guide, this time centering on Cesar. Filled with emotional depth, the novel explores themes of self-worth, mental health, and religious conflict. I loved this book and I can't wait to read more from Reyes :)

This was a heavy novel. Even heavier than Yami's story.

I think Reyes wrote Cesar as an unreliable narrator in a really skillful way. The reader knows he's reading into things and seeing "signs" that aren't actually there because of his mental illness and is just along for the ride as he makes really harmful choices. As a reader, it's frustrating to see him hurting so many of his loved ones, but Cesar himself continuously wishes for them to not treat him with kid gloves and be super forgiving of his behavior. It makes for a story that's hard to read, but incredibly necessary.

I really loved the addition of the abuela and seeing more of Doña Violeta's story. The scene where Cesar's grandmother gives him her email address actually made me tear up. She was such a great character in terms of representing the older queer community and someone surviving with bipolar disorder. Moni wasn't a character I connected to as much, but I liked that she was there for Cesar.

Jamal is a gift. I loved him in the first book and he was extremely forgiving and understanding here. I wasn't sure, but I thought there were hints that he may be autistic here. Unless I missed a confirmation or something in the first book.

I thought Hunter and Avery's story was interesting. The religious guilt was the heaviest part of this book for me. It was handled with a lot of sensitivity, though.

Overall, I enjoyed so much of this book. There were points that I lost interest because I felt like we were going in circles a bit. Not behavior wise - from what I studied in university, the symptoms of bipolar disorder and the cycles were conveyed very well. However, I felt like some of his inner monologue's could've been trimmed a bit, personally. Definitely a recommend from me though. This was an emotional ride, but the story is so important and I liked what it said about living for the little moments of heaven.

Thank you, Sonora Reyes and HarperCollins, for the ARC! I've loved Sonora's writing since I read "The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School" and was so excited to get this Arc because of the representation! I will add a trigger warning that there are mentions of suicide in the book. 

Reading about Cesar's struggle with his mental health and then trying to be this perfect student, son, brother, friend, and keep a relationship with God hit me so hard. I couldn't help seeing some similarities between him and me, and some of the things I went through in high school and after graduating. I understood it so much, and as he spiralled even more, I couldn't help but think about my experience and how bad it was for me. I also really loved that Sonora gave voices to Cesar's friends and family to see how they handled what was happening. But once everything came out and Cesar finally talked, it was such a huge relief seeing all his friends and family talk and have conversations about what they needed from each other. It's so cheesy, but communication is so important and being there to listen and talk is sometimes overlooked. 

What hit my feelings when Cesar's therapist told him that living to keep someone else from grieving is much more painful than living for the things that make you happy- It just hit me like a ton of bricks and brought me back to conversations that I had with others after I started getting more help and talking more, which brings me to the end. I'm so happy that Cesar finally accepted that he should talk about what he is going through instead of hiding. I know it took him forever to get there and accept that, but glad that he did and was working to change how he felt before. 

I 100% would read this again, and know a few people who would love to read this as well.

I love Cesar, I love Jamal, I loved revisiting Yami and her story. I loved the representation. I love how beautiful and messy these characters are. I love their love and I love the queer and mental health rep. Can’t wait for more by Reyes 🩷

4.5 stars. I appreciate Sonora Reyes' THE GOLDEN BOY'S GUIDE TO BIPOLAR in a deeply personal way. As a recovering Catholic and gay guy that was diagnosed with bipolar five years ago, this hit differently. I felt seen and understood by Reyes, and I'm just so happy that they are opening up such an important dialogue around mental illness, especially in the YA space. If I'd gotten my diagnosis at 17, I would've been WAY ahead of the game when it came to my own journey with bipolar - the meds, the self-acceptance, and all of the ups and downs that come with the territory. As Cesar discovers, embracing every facet of you is the real blessing, and as a former Catholic and someone who ate shame for breakfast, I also struggled to accept my own sexuality and mental issues for the longest time. Luckily, I've done the work to better myself, and I'm so glad that Cesar did too.

I loved to see the bisexual rep, and I thought that the bipolar rep was quite accurate. Feeling like everyone is walking on eggshells around you. Feeling like you're a burden to everyone, and believing people are secretly resenting you. (The lies our mental illness tells us.) What happens when anger boils up in you, and you just wanna lash out. Not showing up for yourself or not showering. Self-sabotaging because you believe that you don't deserve happiness or peace. It's all painfully true. But let Cesar's story be a hard lesson in what happens when you stop taking your meds. There's a reason why therapy and medication is at the forefront of easing bipolar symptoms, and let's just say that I can tell when I've missed my own dose. Like Cesar says, some brains are mentally stable for free, and some are stable with the help of a pharmacy, and it's nobody's f*cking business!

I hated to see Cesar struggle with accepting self-love and love from others, but I knew it was a part of his journey. I'm glad he had a strong support system around him, and I'm relieved he had authority figures with bipolar like his Abuela to help normalize the experience. It was nice to see that he eventually learned that he can be a brilliant golden boy, AND also struggle with his brain - it doesn't mean he's a head case, he's human. Cesar's story should give every bipolar and or queer person hope for a better life. Things might get dark and heavy, you might feel crazy, but at least you're crazy...and ALIVE. I still think it's absurd how society teaches us to judge those with mental illness, and how religion preaches that God would rather smite us than be our authentic selves. That's certainly not a God I want to ever pray to. There should be no shame about who you are, or discussing important matters like mental illness.

This is an excellent teaching tool in understanding what the bipolar experience can be like for any of the people in your life that are coping with it. A very special thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!
I advanced read this book on Netgalley and it was an extremely emotional read. Reyes gives a voice to boys with mental health issues—something which is extremely under addressed—as well as queer people dealing with internalized homophobia everywhere. I was also very startled by the decisions Cesar made in this book regarding Bianca, but it was kind of overwhelming to see Yamie get some closure with her. If you enjoyed We Can Work It Out by Elizabeth Eulberg, chances are very likely you'll enjoy this book as well.

I appreciate Sonora Reyes so much. To write about the queer community, those who struggle daily with disabilities and mental health with such care and respect is so important.
✨✨✨✨
Also, what an amazing follow up to The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School. The Golden Boy’s Guide to Bipolar, Cesar Flores is coming to terms with his sexuality and his mental health diagnosis.
✨✨✨✨
“Seventeen-year-old Cesar Flores is finally ready to win back his ex-boyfriend. Since breaking up with Jamal in a last-ditch effort to stay in the closet, he’s come out to Mami, his sister, Yami, and their friends, taken his meds faithfully, and gotten his therapist’s blessing to reunite with Jamal.
Everything would be perfect if it weren’t for The Thoughts—the ones that won’t let all his Catholic guilt and internalizations stay buried where he wants them. The louder they become, the more Cesar is once again convinced that he doesn't deserve someone like Jamal—or anyone really.
Cesar can hide a fair amount of shame behind jokes and his “gifted” reputation, but when a manic episode makes his inner turmoil impossible to hide, he’s faced with a stark choice: burn every bridge he has left or, worse—ask for help.”
Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy!! Out September 16, 2025.


Goodreads: Brenda (jadore_2read)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The companion book to The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School (which is definitely worth checking out) touches on some of the same issues, but raises some entirely new ones as well. Cesar is very similar to his sister in some ways, but very different in others.

As a queer individual who began my mental health journey in my teens, I found this book to be particularly relevant. It touches on a lot of aspects of learning about having a serious mental illness, therapy, hospitalizations, feeling you're a burden on friends and family, and difficulty with medications. It was an intense read and I had to put it down a few times to recenter myself. People who've gone on this journey will want to be prepared for some reminders. Same for those who had a difficult coming out journey. While the characters feel very real and honest, it can bring up some things you weren't necessarily thinking about day to day.

I'd recommend this book to just about anyone who has an interest in stories about living with mental illness and the journey to self acceptance, whether as someone with mental illness, someone who is queer, or those who have made similar journeys with disabilities and other life defining issues.

This is a wonderful book and Sonora Reyes does a fabulous job of weaving great storytelling with the symptoms of bipolar disorder. This book is told from the point of view of Cesar, a bi teen attending a Catholic high school and struggling with his mental health. Cesar has already been institutionalized once, and he's hoping to get his life back on track, reconnect with his ex boyfriend, and not let anyone tell him that he's "crazy". That would be well and good if Cesar was taking his meds regularly, and being open with the people in his life, his therapist included. Instead, he stops taking his meds after he doesn't think they're helping, and that they might actually be brainwashing him. Then there's the issue of his Catholic guilt. Cesar was told during confessionals that he's a sinner because he loves a man, and that if he doesn't change his ways he'll go to hell. Cesar decides that the only way to save his soul and go to heaven is to push everyone in his life away by making them hate him. Then when God calls him home, he can die without hurting anyone. Sounds like a simple plan right? What could possibly go wrong?

This book takes readers on a journey into Cesar's mind as he deals with all that is going on inside his head and out. I highly recommend this book.