Rating: 
Summary: A familiar subject made fresh with great writing
Review: "Rainbow Boys" is the first book I have read in some time where, only 5 pages into the novel, I liked and felt for the characters so much, I knew already I would like the book. That is rare.This novel of three teenaged boys is set during a senior year in high school. Jason is the star basketball player with a girlfriend of two years named Debra and a dream to get a full scholarship to a college far away from his alcoholic and abusive father. His life seems ideal, with one exception: though he loves his girlfriend dearly, Jason cannot get over the attraction he has also had to other boys for years, an attraction that only grows as he gets older. Kyle, also seventeen, a senior, and a member of the swim team, is recently out of the closet; for the first time in his life, he is becoming comfortable with himself and who he is, largely due to his best friend Nelson, another senior out of the closet to the point of activism. Now if Kyle could only find a way to tell his parents, an over-nurturing mom and his sports-minded father, who has been pushing Kyle into athletics and machismo for years. Oh, and then there's the crush Kyle has on Jason Carrillo, star basketball player and incredible hunk - who one day shows up for a meeting at Kyle's gay youth group . . . Nelson paints his fingernails, has multiple piercings in his ears, dyes his hair with colors not found in nature, flaunts his flamboyant mannerisms to the point of caricature, and has a mother who not only supports his being gay, but downright pushes the cause to other parents and organizations. His parents are divorced, and Nelson's father is all but invisible in his life except for paying his child support payments on time. The shool punching bag, Nelson is always the subject of teasing and name-calling and even physical violence at school -- sometimes he isn't sure what he'd do without the support of his best friend, Kyle, who he also happens to secretly love. But all Kyle can talk about is Jason . . . These three boys remind me so much of the thoughts and feelings I had myself when coming out - though I didn't do it until I was 20 - and whether you are gay or not, these are characters you can come to like very much, grow with, and care about. The storyline between Jason and Kyle seems predictable, but still has a couple of twists in it. Most importantly, for his first novel Alex Sanchez has written an involving story with real and very likeable people; his style is simple, from the heart, very genuine. It's a great read, and unless you're a complete homophobe, you'll enjoy it. If you're young and coming out of the closet yourself, consder it a MUST-read. A great novel, and I look forward to Sanchez's next one.
Rating: 
Summary: Wish this book existed when I was in high school.
Review: I bought this just to see an example of what books are available for gay or questioning youth. As expected, it reads like an after school special, touching on all the major issues that gay youth might encounter. It has its endearing moments however, and there are characters specifically crafted to appeal to a broad spectrum of readers. I certainly think my high-school days would have been easier if this had been available.
Rating:
Summary: Gay teens, straight teens, and educators should read -
Review: This may not be the most fabulously written book ever, but it is very readable and quite realistic, although simplified in some areas. One of the sets of parents could have been my own - Mom who acts sorry for you, Dad who doesn't speak. I wish I had had this book to read while I was struggling with my own sexuality and reading everything I could get my hands on about homosexuality just to prove to myself that what I was going through was normal.
Rating:
Summary: Endearing Characters, Well-Styled Writing
Review: A very well-written and engaging book. Each of the three teenage boy protagonists are diverse, well-developed and most of all, believable. Sanchez is careful not to carry any stereotypes to extremes which helps to endear each of the boys to the reader. The plotline is interesting and moves quickly.
A drawback is the fact that Sanchez tried to work in every major issue facing gay teens today, which, to some degree, showed he had an agenda when writing the text. Nonetheless, a very enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: It's All There, For This Generation, Gay & Non-Gay....
Review: One story does it all? Seems like. The content is all here--and the style is even better. The sissy kid harrassed since kindergarten, but he's his own fey self... The blond jock exhibiting out-and-back-in, Revolving-Closet-Door syndrome, until finally... The regrettably-real risk of HIV right in the midst of youth today... Parent-reactions: macho-explosive dad, tearful-bewildered mom (then PFLAG-founding mom!)... Knee-jerk harrassment of "different" kids by their "peers," and worse, the risk that school authorities will senselessly crush the emerging Gay-Straight Alliance (that would be "child abuse," but we're on the cusp of social change here)... The understandable ire, rage, then resolution of the jilted girlfriend... The friendship issue: can "best friends" have sex, or experience love?... The lively dynamics of the Rainbow Youth Group, something new today, risky and rewarding... Overall, Coming Out: those first steps (or oops, did circumstances push you?!) are the hardest... Oh, and sex, or no, delightfully, Romance! Two boys hold hands in the movie, later kiss deeply--The Way It Spozed To Be... Does my synopsis of the book, reveal and ruin it for readers? No way. I simply preview the good content, which is even better styled by the author. Made into true fiction, with dynamic conflict, action, suspense, believable characterizations. "We" needed this book!
Rating:
Summary: Well Written - Believable!
Review: In my quest to read and make available in local schools the literature of diversity I purchased and read this book. Being a middle school teacher I read get to read a lot of adolescent literature and this is notable, not only for it's realistic treatment of the topic - love between teenage boys - but also quality of prose. Never trite and it doesn't attempt too hard to use the lingo of the generation - it reads real. The three primary characters are representative of kids i work with daily.
Rating:
Summary: Insparational, Outragious and just plain GReat!!
Review: When i got this book i was very curious what it was going to be about, not knowing how good it would end up being, these 3 boys made a HUGE impact on how i looked at people. I LOVED this book and i recomend it to EVERYONE! i have told all of my friends to buy it, which they have and they loved it also. I have never ever read a book a great as this one...10000000000000 stars from me. its one of the only books that i really got into, and wanted to read twice. i accurally could picture the boys, and everything reminds me of them, its kinda scary but i feel like i no them. READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read! Absolutely Amazing!
Review: I must admit that I was skeptical when I picked up this book. So many of today's gay novels seem to lack any real literary style or substance - very much like those cheap romance novels they sell at your grocery store. I began reading Rainbow Boys intending to read just one chapter - just to see if it was any good. That was Friday evening around 11. I would not go to sleep that night until nearly 4 in the morning - I couldn't put the book down. Rainbow Boys is by far the best gay novel I have read to date! With its rich characters and engrossing story line, its a pleasure to read and so very difficult to put down. If your skeptical like I was, begin by reading just the first chapter - I'm confident that you too will get hooked!
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant: I see a TV series in the making here
Review: Alex Sanchez has written a book that is a real page turner. This has to become an insightful and compelling, dramady series on television. It is serious and humorous in the same way that all of our lives reveal themselves to us. The plot and characters live in the complex culture of American adolscence with all of its usual challenges of family, friends, and future decisions about college and life choices. Jason, Kyle and Nelson have the added challenge of uncovering that they are gay in a primarily straight world. As a former high school teacher I could relate to all of the "usual" challenges of students. As a straight person I had never had the privilidge of being invited to examine the angst and strenght that young people experience in coming to terms with their gayness during these already quizzicale years. Mr. Sanchez writes about the tender affections and great concern of the boys parents for their sons, so touchingly. He shows the struggle for acceptance from self and school friends with great diginity. And he walks us so honestly through the interior lives of the main characters and the supporting cast with the solemnity and humor that breathes life into the page. This novel presents us with a slice of life that is real in many families. It shows us that it is time that we all work on learning much more about all life choices in order to understand and love each other more as the complex human beings that we truly are. Bravo and thank you, Mr. Sanchez. I look forward to your next novel with great anticipation.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Book on Friendship and Coming Out!
Review: This is a wonderful book! It tells the story of High School students, Nelson, Jason, and Kyle. Jason is the Jock, Kyle is the Brain, and Nelson is the 'Out and Proud' Gay boy. This wonderful story follows them through a period of time of Coming Out and the implications of that. Jason has been dating the same girl for several years and begins to question his Sexuality. Kyle has accepted his 'gayness', but has not told his parents yet. And there is Nelson... known to the jerks at school as 'Nelly'. He is Out and Proud with a mother who is the Vice-President of the local Chapter of P-FLAG. The author takes each chapter and rotates the vantage point from each of the characters while still moving the story along. It allows you to really be able to get into the heads of each of the characters. The Friendships that are lost and gained in this book make it a truly wonderful addition to anyones library collection! I highly recommend getting this book! You will NOT be sorry!!!
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