Autoboyography by Christina Lauren is a YA contemporary romance that follows Tanner, a bisexual teen who moves to Mormon Provo, Utah, where he falls for Sebastian, the Bishop's son. Their love story is portrayed as electrifying and tender, exploring the challenges of being in a homosexual relationship in a conservative religious community. The book delves into themes of faith, sexuality, and acceptance, while also highlighting the supportive relationships Tanner has with his family and friends, especially Autumn.
The narrative is described as thought-provoking, honest, and sweet, with a focus on first love and self-acceptance. The book skillfully portrays the struggles of coming to terms with one's identity and navigating relationships in the face of societal and religious expectations, all while maintaining an engaging and emotional storyline that resonates with readers.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of internalized homophobia, family rejection, and the impact of strict religious beliefs on personal identity.
Has Romance?
The romance is a central element, focusing on the developing relationship between Tanner and Sebastian.
From The Publisher:
"This book is epic." -Cosmopolitan
"A hopeful and moving love story." -Publishers Weekly
Fangirl meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in this "sensitive and complex" (BCCB) coming-of-age novel from New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren about two boys who fall in love in a writing class-one from a progressive family and the other from a conservative religious community.
Three years ago, Tanner Scott's family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.
But when his best friend Autumn dares him to take Provo High's prestigious Seminar-where honor roll students diligently toil to draft a book in a semester-Tanner can't resist going against his better judgment and having a go, if only to prove to Autumn how silly the whole thing is. Writing a book in four months sounds simple. Four months is an eternity.
It turns out, Tanner is only partly right: four months is a long time. After all, it takes only one second for him to notice Sebastian Brother, the Mormon prodigy who sold his own Seminar novel the year before and who now mentors the class. And it takes less than a month for Tanner to fall completely in love with him.
Ratings (26)
Incredible (3) | |
Loved It (13) | |
Liked It (3) | |
It Was OK (4) | |
Did Not Like (2) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (69):
Read It (29) | |
Want To Read (28) | |
Not Interested (12) |
5 comment(s)
This is a sweet teen love story. Tanner, a bisexual teen from Palo Alto, went back in the closet a few years ago when his family moved to Provo, Utah. Now he finds himself falling for a Mormon boy. I loved the open-handed approach the book takes to the LDS church -- showing it as having some very caring members who do a lot of good in the world while also being deeply traumatizing to some of its members, including queer ones.
I’m not sure quite what I can say about this book to do it justice. I just know I’m glad to have found it in my many searches amongst the internet for new books. It is written so beautifully and the heart and soul of Tanner and Sebastian are captured and laid out in words for the reader to soak up as if it were the last glass of water in a desert. It is a love story, full of heartbreak and happiness. I couldn’t put it down, hence why it was finished in a day. (Would’ve been a few hours but alas I had to get up and do the adult thing). This book is almost a sweeter version of one of my favourite films, Latter Days. I am grateful to have read the beauty on each page. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves an honest story.
4.5*
Loved loved loved.
Themes, questions posed, earnest vulnerability of characters
What can you read after
Autoboyography?
About the Author:
Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of longtime writing partners and best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, the New York Times, USA TODAY, and #1 internationally bestselling authors of the Beautiful and Wild Seasons series, Dating You / Hating You, Autoboyography, Love and Other Words, Roomies, Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, My Favorite Half-Night Stand, The Unhoneymooners, Twice in a Blue Moon, and The Soulmate Equation. You can find them online at ChristinaLaurenBooks.com, @ChristinaLauren on Instagram, or @ChristinaLauren on Twitter.
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