Sam doesn't plan to fall for anyone in the weeks before his birthday. The Weyward family has been haunted by a curse for generations-if a Weyward falls in love before their seventeenth birthday, the person they love dies.

VERDICT Though this novel is funny and highly readable, the tragic trans narrative makes it one to skip.'I'm pretty sure I'm the only guy in my school who can replace a faulty kick-down switch and also create the perfect smoky eye.' Tom is miserable, angry, rejected, lacking support, and ultimately forced to present as female-a painful trajectory without much hope. Sam and the rest of the cast get to be vibrant and complex, with Sam supported and loved both by his biological family and his chosen family of drag queens who are helping him find his drag identity.

The fixation on Tom’s body and transition feel voyeuristic and turn him into a one-dimensional character just used for Sam’s own development. Tom is repeatedly deadnamed, misgendered, and outed (with Sam, among others, committing these offenses). While there is a lot to enjoy about this book, like the vivid setting and appealing premise, the unhealthy relationship between Sam and Tom, and the often-unchecked transphobia make this a troubling, offensive, and potentially harmful story. As his friendship with Tom, who is straight, grows more complicated, Sam wonders if the curse can be broken. But he finds distraction with drag queens at the gay bar Shangri-La, the family ice cream stand, mysterious phone calls, and Tom Swift, a trans boy staying at the lake this summer. Living with his magic-practicing grandma, great-grandma, and great-great-grandma (the Grands) and his 1980s metal–loving father, he can never forget about the curse. Gr 9 Up-Sam Weyward, a gay teen in rural New York, knows that if he falls in love before his fast-approaching 17th birthday, the generations-long family curse will kill his love interest.

Love & Other Curses by Michael Thomas Ford (ISBN-13: 9780062791207 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Publication date: ) I’m always really excited once a review comes out to be able to talk about the book, finally! Here’s one of my most recent reviews, which originally appeared in an issue of School Library Journal. When I’m reviewing books for professional publications, I stay quiet about them on social media.

Michael thomas ford love & other curses