Review: Phoenix by Joey Hook

M/M - Novel
TBR Reviewer: Amanda

Review

Four friends dealing with an odd combination of issues wonder if it is true that college should be the best time of your life. Blake, a pre-operative transgender, is dealing with body issues and bullying which just make his problems worse. His new roommate, Devon, starts out on the wrong foot as he enters the college in January and tries to find his place among established groups. Riley, a football player and frat-boy type surprises Blake by becoming
friends with them all. And Ethan, Blake's best friend since high school, may be becoming something more.
 
Although this story had interesting moments and covered unusual issues, with Blake's dysphoria and the bullying he received because of his transitional state, there were too many contradictions within the story. I felt like Riley and Devon's relationship felt rushed and unreal, although Blake and Ethan's rang true. Their background of having been there for each other for several years made their developing relationship realistic. However, there were details that contradicted each other (Blake talks about his old boyfriend at one part of the story, then later says he's never been in a relationship, for example), and that combined with the strangeness of the narrative kept me from fully enjoying the book.

I think it had potential, but either needed to be two seperate stories, one for each couple, or needed more length to flesh out what was happening.

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