Random fun fact: Every time I see this book, I get the song "I Know Him" from Hamilton stuck in my head :)

This book is very important and well written, and I highly recommend it to bisexual readers!

Unfortunately I've just lost interest in this book. I just don't think it's a book I need to spend time on anymore, and I don't think my review would be positive.

So this one took me a little longer to read. I slogged through the first chapter and tossed it on the back burner. I find the whole jealous, pushy girlfriend annoying. Once I picked it up again and got to the first meeting, things quickly improved, and I really enjoyed it. It’s a coming out story, with a lot to sort out before graduation.

When he’s not pretending to be someone else, Jules is a teenager struggling with who he is, but coupled with Sky he’s sweet and happy. I liked the support all around. Didn’t like Will. No sex but plenty of kissing. I liked the play stuff as well.

Generations of queer historians and literature fans have speculated that there’s homoerotic tension between Hamlet and Horatio from Shakespeare’s Danish tragedy. While I Knew Him isn’t a retelling per se, it does feature a blossoming romance between the actors who play these two characters in their high school production. Both characters are cisgender men who are just starting to figure out their queer identity. Julian’s storyline in particular grapples with coming out to himself, let alone others, as well as how to deal with biphobia.

Ugh, NineStar Press has some of the best queer YA books out there. It’s a small publishing house, but it deserves more recognition than it gets. I think that because they seek out authors who are themselves LGBTQ, the issues explored in their books feel quite nuanced. If you’re looking for some nice #OwnVoices LGBT YA, I’d recommend checking them out for sure.

This is going to sound silly, but I mean it in the best way possible: I Knew Him kind of reminded me of a queer High School Musical but without the singing and even more lovable characters. I feel like if the Bard was still around, he’d be happy to see that a book reimagined his characters into such a wholesome love story. Julian and Sky’s budding relationship doesn’t feel rushed or forced, and for theater students, they have a lot of natural chemistry (insert joke about how art gays don’t understand science here).

What I enjoyed most about this book was its exploration of what it means to come out as bisexual. Coming out as anything on the LGBTQ spectrum takes courage, but bisexual people (and bi men in particular) often face harassment from the straight and queer communities alike. Julian is no stranger to this conflict and experiences biphobia from another gay character who sees anything between gay and straight as invalid. As a bisexual person myself, I appreciated how Julian stood by his identity despite how easy it would have been to internalize the conflict he feels and put himself into either a “gay” or “straight” box.

If you’re a Shakespeare nerd like me who’s always looking for a good romance I’d recommend I Knew Him wholeheartedly. Even if you know nothing about Hamlet, though, Julian and Sky’s love story explores a ton of complex issues within the queer community while ultimately still remaining hopeful.

This book, I felt it in my bones, and I wished that I had something like this to read when I was in high school. To have something like this to relate to would have made it a little easier getting through the school day surrounded by people who didn’t have to fear being true to themselves.
Julian has a plan during his final year I high school. He’s going to pass his classes, play basketball, and not tell anyone that he’s bisexual. The best laid plans never work. He is talked into auditioning for Hamlet and it brings him down a path he didn’t expect. He lands the part of Hamlet, meets a boy who sparks feelings in him, comes to terms with why his father left his mother, and comes to realize that his happiness matters just as much.
I want to say how much I related to Julian. I’ve had friends who couldn’t believe in bisexuality. You either are, or you’re not gay. There’s nothing else. This was before I knew there was more than gay, lesbian or bisexual identifiers (I live in the deep south and still haven’t come out completely – gotta do this in my own time right?). I felt his fear at coming out to a friend who had a track record of calling him a coward or a liar for not ‘picking’ the gender he wanted to be with. It hurt seeing Julian struggle with all the feelings revolving around Will, but it was one hundred percent real.
Sky was such a beautiful, creative character. I was intrigued with his first appearance on page. He’s smart, kind, sensitive and is everything that Julian needs at this moment of his life. They were so great to each other. Listening, reassuring, understanding, supportive. It’s what everyone needs in a relationship and they had it.
Julian’s relationship with his Dad was touching. They were unsure of where they stood with each other but they learned how to be father and son again. Julian learned that family doesn’t have to be traditional, but happiness is important. To lie to yourself is to set yourself up for some pretty tough times. His mother’s reaction broke my heart. Like damn, why did it have to happen that way. I was pretty close to crying at one point and that isn’t an easy feat with me.
This book left me feeling hopeful, happy and excited for the possibilities that life could bring. I thoroughly enjoyed this, plan on buying a physical copy, and making sure I recommend this to everyone I think needs this in their life. If you are a YA fan, this is definitely worth a read – an possibly a reread.

Thanks to NetGalley and NineStar Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Abigail de Niverville's I Knew Him is a book I wish I had in my teen years. Julian, a bisexual boy in his last year of high school, is trying to stay invisible. He doesn't want to come out to his mom or his friends and thinks it will be easier to wait until he leaves for university. The book really hit at the heart of some of the same feelings I had in high school, when I was a bisexual girl in my first relationship with another girl in my senior year of high school. It might be easier to hide your identity and feelings, but it doesn't feel good.

Julian and the cast of characters feel like real people, with realistic dialogue and interesting things to say. Julian's slow realization that he deserves to be loved for who he is, not who he pretends to be, is something I think a lot of LGBT+ kids will learn from.

I really loved this book.

I wish I had a book like this when I was fifteen. This book would have made that little bisexual bookworm so seen and safe, and showed her that she was normal. This book is a reminder as to why we need -- and deserve -- to have #ownvoices books written and published.

I Knew Him follows Julian, a seventeen-year-old boy who's only goal is to get out of his hometown the second he graduates so he can finally come out as bi. At the moment, he doesn't feel as though its safe for him to be himself, so he hides his queerness as deeply as he can ... until he meets the new kid, Sky, and begins to fall for him.

My heart just ached for Julian this entire book. I saw so much of myself in him when I was a teen, and there were many moments I was on the verge of tears ... both good and bad. Julian struggles so much with his sexuality, but every time he questions himself, you can also see him get a little stronger and a little more happier. He starts off the book being unable to even say the word "bi" to acknowledging it to himself, to saying it someone, and to slowly telling more people and fully embracing his identity. It's a beautiful, heartwarming journey, and one I know will resonate with so many readers.

The main theme of this book is understanding when it is safe for a queer person to come out, and that just because someone has shared a part of themselves with you does not entitle them to the same thing from you. I Knew Him is a quiet book but it has so many strong and powerful moments from discussions about accepting yourself, to coming out, to moving on from toxic people.

Although, overall, it's a soft novel, there are moments of homophobia and biphobia that are always called out -- scenes that highlight what so many queer people endure on a daily basis.

I highly encourage people to read this book. If you're looking for a quiet YA book that will still pack a punch, then look no further. Also, this book acknowledges that Hamlet and Horatio were probably queer and into each other, WHICH I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS.

This is a book of finding oneself, to accepting oneself and living life to the fullest. It is a light-hearted yet heart touching read and deals with a teen boy accepting what he feels. Julian, a sweet boy living with his single mom, has just realized that he likes both girls and boys. Not sure how the world will view him, how his mother would accept him after his father's debacle, whether his friends would understand him, this young boy keeps living each day with conflicting feelings.

As if things were meant to be, he lands a pivotal role in Hamlet, meeting his Horatio in Sky and things begin to turn for the better. Julian realizes what falling in love means and he is not rushing into things. Himself and Sky begin as friends move on to crushes and then to relationship. This world we live in is so cynical, and the brunt of that has to be faced by our children who are struggling to find normalcy in being different.

Imagine putting yourself out there for people to judge you at such a small age, and judge you they do ! Julian's daily struggle with accepting himself is so emotional to me as a mother. It is so important as parents that we provide a safe and secure environment to our kids, where we can encourage them to accept themselves, to support them at all costs, even when we don't know how. The first step to face the world, is to accept the truth yourself and own it. Easier said than done, definitely ! But, this is the point where we have to start believing in ourselves. I liked the scenes with his dad and his partner too. Looks like that there is hope at the end of the fight ! Huge appreciation for Julian's mom as well. She is not all that sure of the future, but she stays strong for her son. Will, seemed to be a hypocrite.. My way or the high way, kinda.. Jesse seemed intriguing as well..

Sky and Julian fit together like a perfect puzzle and that was the highlight of the story. Just two normal teens falling in love, discovering their bond, their true friends, meeting the families for the first time..and all that jazz.. I was in awe at the maturity shown by Sky's character, in giving time and space for Julian to deal with his feelings. Grown up women can learn from him !

Sweet and full of emotions, this story is targeted for the teens still trying to find their feet in this big bad world. As for me, this story was a little too young for me, but it was a good one.

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and NineStar Press for approving my request and sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


3,5 stars, to be precise.

What drew me in at first was the resemblance with “Diamond Heart” by M.A. Hinkle: high school, a scholastic play of Shakespeare, a M/M romance. That, and the vague reminder of “Autoboyography” by Christina Lauren, given its bisexual main character and how this would be a problem in town if someone ever finds out the truth.
Julian is in that moment of life – the one when you don’t know exactly who you are or, even if you know, it’s not always simple to accept it. His inner conflict leads him to feel wrong and it makes difficult for Julian to accept the fact he can be attracted to both girls and boys. It gets worse: all the lies and omissions feel like a weight on his heart since he doesn’t have anyone he trusts enough to confide in.
Despite the fear of someone finding out he’s not a typical jock and making assumptions due to his liking of theatre and the growing attraction to Sky, it’s exactly Sky the one Julian begins to open up to.

I liked how the author included topics such as the conflict between parents and teenagers when kids somehow disappoint those expectations parents have about them, being outed when you’re not ready, toxic and abusive relationships, how much patience is essential within a couple, feeling misunderstood and the paralyzing fear of being ourselves with delicacy.
I liked how the author underlined the need to be safe in a relationship – that being romantic or platonic – because secrets aren’t something you owe to someone, no matter what.

We keep hearing about homophobia, but we tend to forget bisexual people suffer a discrimination of their own: someone says bisexuality doesn’t exist, someone says they’re cowards because they don’t want to admit they’re gay, someone says they’re inconstant when it comes to love.
“I Knew Him” leads us inside Julian’s head and psychology and along his path to acceptance, through parental crisis and helping friends.

It wasn’t all flowers and unicorns, though.
It’s one of those books that makes me wanna shout “show, don’t tell” – a precise timing is lacking, but it’s clear so little time passes between Julian and Sky’s first meeting and the first sharing of their feelings. We are told weeks have passed where they had seen each other everyday, but at first we don’t really see their relationship growing into something more – and this sadly tasted a bit like an instalove. I appreciated though the lack of drama because Julian and Sky have a healthy relationship based on communication and I liked how it was told many times sex could wait until both of them were ready – Sky was so sweet when Julian feared the pressure of a step he wasn’t ready to take.

Even if parents make their presence known because they’re essential within Julian’s story, other secondary characters aren’t so much developed – it’s true the book is about Julian’s journey, but at first Will is his best friend and a few seconds later it seems like Julian can’t stand his presence and feels like their friendship is doomed. Later we get why Julian feels this way, but in the beginning this sudden change is baffling.

The same goes with Lucy: at first Julian said he loved her, later it almost seemed like he was denying those feelings when acknowledging all their latest fights and their breakups. Now, I’m straight so I don’t really know what it’s like and I don’t wanna look like someone who thinks she knows everything, but I got the feeling that now that Sky is in the picture and Julian begins to feel something for him, Lucy lost all her significance along with their past together – like the same Lucy was a part of the lie Julian told himself for years.
Don’t get me wrong, relationships end and I know it, but you can’t deny the feeling that led you to that person in the first place – female o male, it doesn’t matter.
Feel free to tell me if I missed something or if I misunderstood everything about this.

The pacing is sometimes a little too fast and relationships are shown in a way at first and then they suddenly change – I don’t mean it in a bad way exactly, it’s just that the reader gets a little whiplash before everything is explained along the way.
Still, I believe this book is extremely important because of its topics – teenage confusion and sexual orientation, the relationship with ourselves and the others, the acceptance of who we are in order to live a good life.

Bisexual people needs more stories like this one.

Abigail de Niverville’s I Knew Him is a great YA read with lots of Hamlet, a sweet romance, and an interestingly complex bisexual protagonist. I breezed through this novel but I wish that some characters and the writing were stronger.

Julian is a high school senior who just needs to pretend to be straight for one more year. He’s reluctant to come out as bisexual, especially to his mom and best friend. Julian is also dealing with the fallout from his parents’ divorce. When his friend talks him into auditioning for the school production of Hamlet, he’s hesitant but is drawn to the play. Then, mysterious Sky moves to town and Julian becomes fascinated with this smart and sensitive boy. When Julian wins the part of Hamlet and Sky is cast as Horatio, the boys grow closer. As Julian begins to fall for Sky, he is forced to confront parts of himself that he has buried.

This is a moving story which looks at many relevant issues. de Niverville presents a refreshing take on bisexuality. She doesn’t shy away from repeatedly using the term. She deftly explores coming out and bisexual erasure. There’s a range of well-written and poignant responses to Julian’s bisexuality, including some painful biphobia from a gay character. There are also several other interesting and different LGBT characters.

Julian’s relationships with his parents are well-written and authentic. de Niverville also realistically explores the changing landscape of friendships and relationships. I also love the inclusion of Hamlet and the parallels between the play and the storyline.

Julian is an interesting and authentically written protagonist. I like his maturity and his willingness to learn and grow. I particularly like how well his sexuality is handled.

I just love Sky! He’s sweet, sensitive, and realistic. Sky is half Filipino and I like that his ethnicity isn’t just a throwaway gesture.

I love the sweet and supportive relationship between Julian and Sky. There’s some angst but thankfully no unnecessary drama. The somewhat slow-burn development of their relationship feels real. I like that the boys get to know each other before the romance happens. I particularly like the unique way that the issue of intimacy is handled.

However, Julian’s friends could have been better written. I sometimes struggled to tell them apart. I wanted to like Kelsey because she seems interesting but I feel like I barely know her. Julian’s ex-girlfriend Lucy also lacks sufficient characterization. Additionally, Julian’s best friend Will is one-dimensional. I also wish the friendship between Will and Julian was more developed given Will’s role in Julian’s life.

I also wish that the writing was stronger. Some of the characters unnaturally pop in and out of the narrative. Additionally, while I like the quiet character-driven story, the plot could have been a little more exciting. The story sometimes drags and the beginning is especially slow. de Niverville hints at several things that could have made the plot more interesting but she does not follow through.

I Knew Him is a solid and moving book. While I wish the writing and some of the characters were more developed, I enjoyed this gentle story. de Niverville’s refreshing presentation of bisexuality as well as the wonderful relationship between Sky and Julian make the book really memorable.

🌈 🌈 🌈 🌈 bisexual rainbows out of 5!

Look. Look. This is like when you hand someone a bag of a plastic cookie cutters and a log of rainbow sprinkle sugar cookie dough and somewhere, in the process, the shapes got messed up and came out being only a vague similarity to the shape they were meant to be. They’re still sweet, still edible, but not at all what was planned or meant to be.

Which is to say that I didn’t hate this book, not even close, but I didn’t really like it, either.

Julian is a high school student trying to get through his last year with his head down so he can graduate and go off to college and be the person he feels he’s meant to be—and that involves being openly bi and proud, a thing he refuses to let himself be in his small town around his mother, his best friend, and his ex-girlfriend that he’s been off and on with for years that he has now officially called it quits with.

So it throws a massive wrench into his plans when not only does he get roped into doing the school’s reenactment of Hamlet by a couple of friends as one last hoorah for the nostalgia to come, but he ends up meeting Sky, one of the two new kids in school, and they develop an intimate connection that forces Julian to come to terms with the fact that he might not be able to escape everyone first.

In concept, this book was monumental for kids that deal with biphobia of close-minded and/or religious varieties and it deals a heavy hand in reminding LGBT+ kids that you owe absolutely no one your coming out of sexuality or identity; not even someone you’ve been friends with since you were kids, especially if you don’t feel safe by any means.

The problem is that like the other book I recently read and nitpicked for the exact same problem (so it’s fresh on the mind), the characters and their relationships lacked any depth or development, jumping from point A to point F in one big, clumsy leap. There’s a couple of time skips meant to add weight and time that are really just haphazard trips through the plot that should have been used to develop Julian and Sky’s budding relationship, at the very least. The pacing doesn’t do them any favors either considering the author implied near in-love feelings within the first week of meeting. The only redeeming thing about this was that despite the scattered jump into the relationship, Julian and Sky have no real angst between them. They have a very healthy and communicative dynamic that lends to a solid, unconditional support system between them, which was extremely sweet.

So. Like I said, in theory, this book holds a lot of weight and importance because not only does it deal with biphobia and what it means to deal with that even from someone that’s also part of the LGBT+ community, but it shows happy and healthy and functioning LGBT+ adults that have gone through hardship and have seen the other side, too. It’s something of a promise. It has a gay couple that instead of struggling with angst between them, they take on the outside forces together without missing a beat. It has friends and family that do accept their loved ones. It is a good book in concept.

It’s just that the book itself, the overall plot and execution, was a little… flat and disappointing because it felt rushed and underdeveloped in many ways. It felt an awful lot like reading the outline. I like the back and forth, the slow burn, the ‘will they, won’t they’ between two characters that aren’t together when the book starts. I like watching the relationship blossom and grow into something pure and tender and passionate, I like watching the characters fall in love so I can, too. So it’s very hard for me to connect to and enjoy a book that doesn’t have this and instead has something that’s very, very close to insta-love and makes the whole book feel awkward and forced.

But.

If you don’t mind that, if the lack of that isn’t a huge deal-breaker for you like it is me, then you might really and truly like this book because. Really, honestly, I would still recommend it if you want a quick read that covers a lot of bases in exploring bisexuality and how even other LBGT+ members have biphobia due to an unhealthy social stigma (there’s a world of psychology and a whole essay behind that), has a healthy and supportive lead gay relationship and side relationship, that also deals with learning how to be wholly yourself when you’ve spent so long fighting it.

It just wasn’t for me due to that one huge deal-breaker so it’s about a solid two stars.

I didn’t know that I received this book. It was to late when I realized, it’s now archived. If I had known sooner I would have loved to be able to read this.

This book was short but oh so sweet. I loved Julian, the main character, a confused high school student who is trying to figure out who he is. Julian has had a girlfriend for a long time but has broken up with her a bunch of times and each time he has, he has been drunk and kissed boys while at different parties. He is not sure what to make of his own situation thinking he is bisexual. He finally breaks up with his girlfriend for good. the he feels even more lost when his best friend Will tell him that people who are bi are not real. That people can only be one or the other. Then Julian meets Sky and falls for him really hard. Sky is adorable, too. Funny, smart, artistic, honest and he and Julian become really close very quickly. Julian wants more with Sky but is afraid to act on his feelings. Finally he gives in and their loves story is so adorable. Kind of a quick, fluffy heart-warming YA read but definitely worth it for the wonderful love between Julian and Sky. Loved the story, characters, setting and writing. Don't miss this one! ***The only issue I have with this book is the name! I kept expecting something really bad to happen because the word KNEW means to me, at least, that someone was going to die or disappear or something and I kept worrying that something bad was going to happen to Sky the whole time! I was glad nothing did because he was so sweet!!! Same with Julian!***

I really enjoyed this book a lot. Sky and Jules were very likable characters. I definitely found myself rooting for them. I liked that it was a low angst story. It was a quiet and relaxing read even though it had some heavier themes.

This book deals with bisexual awareness and bisexual erasure. One of the characters, Will, is very much a "bi people are people who are too much of a coward to admit they are actually gay". I almost felt like Will was inserted into the story just to cause problems. We really never get to know anything about him and why he feels the way he does. I know sometimes it is just ignorance but I wish the author would have made me understand him a little more. I didn't really care that him and Jules were losing their friendship despite them having been best friends for a long time before this. And I don't really feel the situation was completely resolved. It was almost like Jules didn't even want to try and fix things with Will and was relieved to be done with him, like this was the excuse he needed. Which he did say several times during his narrative. I dunno, I didn't hate the way everything was handled, I just wish there was some feelings there.

I want a Jesse book. Jesse was a well built side character who slid in and out of the story and I really want a resolution for him. I assume that Jesse is the boy Will was having problems with and I really want to see how his story hashes out. My hope is that he realizes that what he is doing is wrong and comes to terms with his sexuality. I want to see him happy.

Overall, this was a very good read. It was sweet and lovely with just the right amount of angst. I look forward to any other books this author writes.

I wish there were more characters like Julian in YA-- completely aware of his own identity and how the events in his life have affected his behavior and feelings. He still needs to grow, and he does, but it's refreshing that he doesn't come off as someone completely unaware of these basic parts about himself at the beginning of the novel, which is somewhat common in the books with similar content I have previously read. The emphasis on coming out being completely about Julian not owing that information to anyone, even his best friend who came out to him first years earlier, and ensuring safety as a priority was particularly important to me. Characterization and bisexual representation is what really makes this book shine!

You know those books that just make you feel safe? As if someone you love gave you a long, warm hug? As if for a brief moment you knew with absolute certainty that everything is going to be okay?
That’s how I Knew Him made me feel.

This is very much a character driven story, even though I can tell you it lowkey hinges on a high school production of Hamlet . But first and foremost, this is a story of Jules. He’s a senior in a small Canadian town, has his group of friends, some of them being people he has known basically since he was a little kid, and all he’s waiting for is graduation. He’s waiting for the opportunity to move out, start his life over again in some big city and finally, finally be himself! A sentiment most of LGBT kids share, right? Because yeah, Jules is bi.

We get to see him struggle with accepting his identity, with the mere thought of coming out. And it’s handled beautifully. Really, it just shows why it’s so important to have ownvoices books with LGBT characters. They offer a unique kind of understanding that no cishet author will ever give their readers. I’m a little bit overwhelmed with how much I loved the representation in this book. We not only have the bi mc, but there are five gay characters as well - all of them different, all of them sharing with us another coming out & acceptance story. So many voices and all of them honest.

There was this one piece of dialogue that I know will stay with me for a long time and that I’m really happy LGBT kids everywhere will get to read:


"I don't know how I'll tell Will."
"Then don't," he whispered. He gently tilted my head so I was facing him. His eyes were wide and insistent. "You don't owe him that."
"Don't I? He told me he was gay."
He shook his head. "No. You gave him safety. He doesn't do the same for you."


It’s not often that we see coming out framed like this. Time and time again it’s actually just shaming a character for not wanting to come out; like it’s easy, like it’s something we owe to the world, like we’re living a lie otherwise. I Knew Him also puts the emphasis on the fact that as long as you came out to yourself, as long as you’re honest with yourself, there is no lie in your life. You’re the person who matters the most here.

I Knew Him does a lot of little, but really major things like this. Like highlighting how important it is for your romantic partner to also be your best friend. Again, not a lot of media out there would make that connection, instead trying to convince you that an Epic Love Story is all that you need. I’m glad we’re finally over those unhealthy archetypes... The book also talks about other aspects of friendships and relationships, of how they change and dissolve, and how it’s normal and not necessarily a bad thing. And most importantly, even with how much light it shines on relationships between people, it never claims that love is what will "cure" you, that every single person needs romantic love to feel whole.

But then, is I Knew Him just a collection of warm, loving sentiments? Is that all there is to it? No, of course not! Like I said, it’s a character driven novel and so all the characters in it are brilliantly fleshed out. It’s a fabulous group of teenagers with very real problems and insecurities, but the adults in it? Amazing as well and will make you cry (at least if your heart is as weak & gay as mine is). Frankly, all of them very fast became my favourites, especially Jules himself.

Obviously, there is some homophobia in the book, because we (still) don't live in a perfect world. But it's not there to make you miserable, to break your spirit. Rather, it just shows the struggle with face in everyday life, while still giving some hope to the readers & the characters. It's not just a gay tragedy porn, like a lot of books by straight authors try to paint someone facing homophobia. I would even venture to say those are somehow turning points for Jules to try and figure out how he wants to live his life.

Ultimately, I Knew Him is an incredibly well written book that feels a little bit like a gift to the LGBT community & all the teens who might not even know they needed to read something like this. It forms this intimate connection with you very quickly, from the first pages basically and doesn't let you down even once. Not one thing was handled badly here! Just do yourself a favor, guys. Read it.

This was a great read! I really connected with the two main characters of the story and kept rooting for them.

This book tackles bisexuality as well as bi-erasure within the lgbt+ community.

To be honest, I found myself really invested in a side character (Jesse) and am actually hoping for the author to maybe publish a story about him too!

But this story was sweet and the relationship between the two boys was an almost quiet & tentative slowburn that I could lose myself in over and over again.

I Knew Him by Abigail de Niverville is the story of Julian, or as his friends call him Jules, a young man trying to get through his senior year without revealing his deepest secret, one that is his barely able to come to terms with in his own mind. Julian is bisexual, but afraid of what that will mean. When he agrees to audition for the school production of Hamlet, he meets Sky, a new student, and the attraction between them is obvious. Can Julian overcome his fears to find the freedom and love he longs for? It's a decision made even more complicated by the fact that his parents have separated because his father is gay, and his best friend believes that bisexual people are just lying to themselves. As he sees the parallels to his own story in Hamlet, he begins to feel like he may be ready to come out after all.
This is a sweet romance, between two characters who care for and are kind to each other, and just happen to both be male. The early, at times awkward, flirting is cute and funny and I really enjoyed the development of their relationship over the course of the book. I also liked that the author took pains to portray a relationship where there is sexual attraction, but still some doubt about how to act on it, this really fits with the characters.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher,all opinions are my own.

*I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was cute!
Admittedly, I haven’t read a whole lot of books with bisexual rep. They’re kinda hard to find, even in the YA audience, so to read this story about Julian and his journey to accept who he really is was rather cute. There’s a lot of internal struggling, especially as the book is told in first person POV, but overall this was a cute, fluffy, quick read.
The plotline itself is rather simple, as Julian is just a kid who decides to audition for a play his Senior year of high school, but I rather liked how Shakespeare was specifically chosen, and Hamlet especially for the supposed Hamlet/Horatio relationship. I had to read three Shakespeare plays during my high school career, and Hamlet in 12th grade was one of them. To this day there are rumors of Shakespeare (and most of his characters) being gay — or at the very least, Not Straight — so to use that alongside a boy’s struggle to accept his bisexual identity was rather clever, I think.
One of the things that stuck out the most to me regarding this book was definitely the biphobia coming from a fellow member of the LGBT+ community and a former friend of Julian’s. I, myself, am asexual and am currently questioning whether I’m heteroromantic or biromantic, so I’ve DEFINITELY seen gate-keeping from supposed members of the community — despite their supposed claims that only “cishets” are discriminatory. Julian’s friendship with this biphobic dude was absolutely toxic (and I fucking hate “cancel culture,” so that’s not a term I throw around loosely), and I think this is the first and only time I’ve ever seen such a thing in a book. Applause for that. Just because you’re LGBT+ doesn’t mean you get a free pass to hate on things you don’t understand.
I also really like how Julian’s relationship with his mother was explored. His mother is a character wary of the LGBT+ community — for reasons I won’t spoil here, but it’s not because of any bullshit “religious” reasons — and, even though many would see that as a flaw, enough was given about her background to be understanding. I loved Julian’s relationship with her, and his very real hesitance to let her know of his sexuality, and I thought that that, too, was a topic that isn’t really explored in YA without making the parent automatically come off as a total asshole.
Overall, this was quite a cute read and I enjoyed it! Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC — I highly recommend this little story to anyone looking for a realistic approach to exploring bisexuality as a high school student!

This book conquered my heart! This is exactly the kind of queer contemporary YA that I needed right now.

I really loved Julian. His struggles of accepting his bisexuality were very relatable, like him wondering if he should even bother telling people he's bi, if he might find a girl he'll end up marrying. But then he meets Sky and everything changes! I really enjoyed reading about their first interactions, I'm glad that their conversations were actually quite awkward at times. Reading about Julian and Sky getting to know each other was such a treat! A lot of romance books seem to skip over that part, but these two learn about their different hobbies, favorite movies, their taste in music and much more. The development of their relationship felt really natural. This book also refrained from a lot of annoying clichees and Sky and Julian were always honest with each other, could always lean on each other.

A different aspect that I really enjoyed reading about were Julian's struggles with his family. His worries about his dad moving on from him and his mother and he having a sort of reunion with his dad and his new boyfriend (and wasn't that just the cutest chapter ever?). And also his anxiety about coming out to his mom, which was very understandable, considering the reasons his dad left.

Overall, this book was just a lot of fun to read and I definitely recommend it!!