This was a tough one to start this week given the protests and ICE kidnappings across the country, but I’m so glad I stuck with it.

Matt lives life below the radar, trying to lie low due to being undocumented and struggling with his sexuality. He escapes through his art and his close knit group of friends who all struggle with what will happen when they turn 18 and can’t get a driver’s license, a job or apply to college legally. Everything changes when James, a new student, enrolls in their school and joins their friend group. James was brutally outed by religious zealots at his last school and just wants to start fresh. He and Matt have an undeniable attraction that quickly grows into something more.

There’s a LOT of storylines going on in this one - Matt and James relationship/coming out story, effects of alcoholism, immigration issues, religion/homophobia with mentions of conversion therapy - but Netto carries them all through to the end successfully. This is a fantastic YA novel that explores adult themes that are so very appropriate to current events.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own

This is an incredibly important book on queer undocumentation from a Brazilian American perspective. I really enjoyed Matty's voice throughout and the ways in which the writer deftly brings up issues of living undocumented in the 2010's as well as coming-out.

My favorite parts of the novel were Matty and James' relationship that I strongly resonated with. Matty's friends or The Forbidden Fortress group was extremely well written. The banter within the group was relatable and really added to the pacing of the story. I found myself wanting more of both of these things.

The novel also does a great job of addressing other complex issues such as conversion therapy, religious homophobia, queer found family, and others. Netto does a strong job juggling all these subplots while keeping the core of the story true until the end.

I highly recommend this YA novel especially as undocumentation and immigrant rights are arguably even more important now in the 2020's than they have been in the 2010's.

Thank you to JAB Books for the eARC.

"A face can tell an entire story in a matter of seconds. And eyes are great at telling secrets"

Thank you, J.D for the ARC copy, I absolutely loved reading this book!

I remember when J.D. first came out with the concept of last year, and after reading that first draft, I knew that the final manuscript would be worth the wait—and I was not disappointed.

The Other Side of the Ocean is inspired by true events from 2011 surrounding the mass deportation of immigrants. Somehow J.D. was able to build and go through so many life-changing events in this quick read that I honestly wouldn’t be complaining if it ran a little longer.

The novel follows the story of Matt, a Brazilian teen navigating his senior year as an undocumented immigrant who is also fighting his queer identity. While reading it, I was reminded of the Aristotle and Dante series by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, mostly because of the realness of events and emotions you get from the characters as they all come to terms with their dreams and identity.

Whether you’re gay, undocumented, or struggling with your identity, this book has something that everyone can relate to no matter what your life is like, and I think that’s what makes it an even better option for your next read.

Also props to J.D. for designing and drawing the cover for this book, it came out so well! I can’t wait for physical copies so I can add it to my collection!

Inspired by true events—a thoughtful, timely, and emotionally compelling story about coming of age, coming out, and coming into your own…

^from the publisher!

This book had me tearing up, laughing, and everything in between. What an incredible coming-of-age story and the author put some of his real life experiences with immigration, along with experiences of his loved ones, into this book.

This book takes place over the course of a school year, about Matt and his friends (who call themselves the Forbidden Fortress) who are undocumented teens in their senior year. Matt notices a new boy, James, and starts to be friendly with him. Things go from there….and SO MUCH HAPPENS in this book. Don’t be fooled by the 280 page count. There is family dynamics, found family, religion, abuse, conversion therapy discussion, immigration, first love, and SO MUCH MORE.

Also - there is a scene in the park that had me wiping away tears from my eyes, and JD created art from it. The green beanie got me. It is stunning. The found family is so important along with the sweet and tender romance. I was in love from the very first page.

Don’t miss this one out in June!

A starred Kirkus review saying that this novel is brilliantly executed, threaded through with linguistic gems and deeply rooted in Brazilian culture and the mind of a teenage boy. Blurbs from authors whose writing I admire. An intriguing premise about an undocumented gay teen set in 2011. And yet …

While reading, I kept comparing his story to Daniel Aleman’s Indivisible and found The Other Side of the Ocean felt like a weaker version. Both main characters have a younger sister, both are gay, and their names, Mateus and Mateo, are nearly identical.

I didn’t connect to Matt as much as I hoped. The romance felt rushed (I felt like I barely knew James), the scenes with Matt’s dad didn’t go deep enough (especially the one where he tries to talk with his kids), and there were too many plot threads. The religious storyline felt like too much on top of everything else. Maybe with more revisions, a longer page count, and maybe a bit more focus on that Dreamers part (and less on the religious) this could have hit harder.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad book. It’s a quick read, and I like the last chapters with the realistic ending the most. I just kept thinking it could have been more.

Kirkus and all those authors loved it, so maybe it’s just me. So therefore definitely check out other reviews!