Sending Love Letters to Animals and Other Totally Normal Human Behaviors
by Chase Connor
Coming December 3rd, 2021
Preorder it on Amazon
Blurb:
When Ms. Tabatabai, his English teacher and Journalism Club mentor, announces to the class that there will be a project where students pair up, Ryan and his best friend, Jules, assume they will work together. Ms. Tabatabai has other plans. Students will be paired off randomly. Ryan is left without a partner since his English class has an odd number of students. However, Ms. Tabatabai assures him that he will have a partner since a new student is enrolling. It’s not an ideal situation for Ryan since he is used to working with Jules on every project, but it’s not the worst.
Until the new student shows up and Ryan realizes this isn’t their first time meeting.
Ms. Tabatabai announces to the students that they are to get to know each other and write a paper about their partner. An oral report in front of the class will be expected once the project deadline arrives. There’s just one caveat—the pairs must get to know each other without speaking. How they do this is up to them. Points will be given for creativity.
Ryan’s partner does everything he can to make the project impossible, Ms. Tabatabai assigns Ryan to a new project in Journalism Club, his friends want to occupy all of his time, and, if all that wasn’t enough, he’s tasked with helping the Drama teacher, Mr. Melvin, organize the spring singing recital, A Night on Broadway.
Unless Ryan can confront his history and right a wrong, his whole world could fall apart. Will he choose to confront his past, or will history repeat itself?
My review:
★★★★★
"A human being's biggest wish is to just be themselves and have someone else just... get it. To see them for who they are. To feel a kinship. To not feel so alone."
Reading a Chase Connor book is always a big gulp of fresh air. No matter what the book is about, it's a guarantee you will enjoy it. This time SLLTA is a YA book with little to no romance but rather deep friendships in a high school settings.
The story was really slow for me but I didn't mind it at all. I just enjoyed seeing Ryan how he is the way he is. I loved the different character setup (but clearly, it's not a new thing, Chase always has a very colorful character list with unique backgrounds and not one of his character is ever boring!). Loved how easily the story was flowing and the characters' connections were really great.
Davud was the biggest surprise. I was rooting for him from the very first moment. No matter what Ryan wanted, I was shipping him with Davud soooo hard! They were so cute together, I really liked their friendship (and no matter of the end result, I would have been happy for them either way). Loooooved how Ryan tried to help Davud and be his best friend, he always invited him over for movie nights, and always sought out to help his life to be easier.
Then came one dark secret from Ryan's juniour high and everything got messed up. I liked the school project they needed to do and the added surprise in Chris' person was really great. The 'no talk' policy was exciting and I was looking forward to see how Ryan and Chris' relationship will end. (Oh and don't forget, GO DAVUD lol).
I really enjoyed reading this book and I loved how it was a 'hidden romance'. I recommend this book!
About the Author:
Chase Connor currently lives in the American Midwest with his husband, his dog, and spends his days writing about the people who live (loudly and rent-free) in his head when he’s not busy being enthusiastic about naps and Pad Thai. Chase started his writing career as a confused gay teen looking for an escape from reality. Ten years later, one of the books he wrote during those years, Just A Dumb Surfer Dude: A Gay Coming-of-Age Tale, was published independently. Now with The Lion Fish Press (and more than 20 books later), Chase has numerous projects in various stages of completion lined up for publishing.
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