Garrett’s debut novel not only successfully tackles discrimination through the lenses of race, sexuality, and having HIV, but also shows the possibility of living a full life despite it all.

Simone is just trying to navigate high school like a regular teenager--directing the school play, finding friends, crushing on a boy, being embarrassed by her parents. Simone has an extra component to deal with, however, because she's HIV positive and no one at her new school knows. She must decide who and when to tell, and how she will handle her health.

Full Disclosure was an interesting read because of it's diversity and how it deals with a little discussed topic, HIV. I don't think this one will work well for Gateway because the discussions about sex and masturbation are abundant and a bit much, but the other elements made it an important read.

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.

Seriously. I loved that this book was about a black queer girl with HIV and, while she certainly deals with more than her fair share of drama, it wasn't a book about suffering. It was happy and angsty and filled with references to so many amazing musicals and it made me sigh and giggle so many times. I don't have immediate plans for a class that I can use this in in the near future, but if I end up teaching sociology of identity or sociology of sexualities or sociology of HIV/AIDS any time in the future, I will definitely use this book for an assignment.

Did i mention that I LOVED this book???

Not a spoiler-free review.

Unfortunately, this book fell very short for me. I was pulled in by the premise—a teenage girl, born with HIV, navigating disclosure, sex and high school in general. For me, the negatives outweigh the positives.

I was uncomfortable from the very first page, when one of Simone’s fathers accompanies her to her first gynecologist appointment. As in, he was in the room when she changed into a gown, asked questions about her sexual health and had a breast exam performed. It’s fantastic that she’s close with her dads, but even my pediatrician asked my mom to step out of the room sometimes. I doubt any GYN would allow this, even if they were close personal friends of the dad.

Also with regards to the hospital scenes, Simone often asked questions that she should already know the answers to. She’s lived with this disease since she was born, so it is illogical that the doctor would have to tell her what numbers qualify a high or low viral load. I get that those questions were asked as a way to give information to the audience. It was just a lazy and unrealistic way to do it.

Next, there is Miles. There is very little tension with him. This isn’t a romance novel. It’s a novel with a romantic subplot that fuels the main plot (blackmail). There was no struggle in them getting together or when she told him she was HIV positive. She didn’t even really contemplate not seeing Miles when she got the first letter. It also seem unrealistic that teenage boy would react so calmly to being told his girlfriend is positive. Adults don’t understand HIV, let alone kids. He just sat there, let her talk, and asked questions. It’s what should be done, but it’s really not what would be done.

Speaking of things that should be done: following your doctor’s medical orders. (Minor spoiler) Simone and Miles have oral sex. Simones viral load is undetectable, and therefore untransmitable. However, her doctor told her not to engage in sexual activity until she had been undetectable for at least six months. The whole novel takes place in two months. They also discussed protection (dental dams were specifically mentioned by her doctor), but they did not use any.

The Drama Club aspect and Simone’s obsession with musical theatre were also strange. If you don’t have an understanding of these musicals already, I feel like you’re going to miss a lot of the references. Furthermore, I don’t know any high school in America, let alone one called Sacred Heart (re: Christianity), would put on Rent. There is sex and drug use and prostitution. I feel like the outrage over the show would have occurred before opening night and for different reasons than it did in the book.

********Major spoiler********
My last major grief is that the author presented gay men as predatory. The person who left the notes for Simone is a gay student with a crush on Miles. This narrative that gay men are always preying on straight men, or younger men, is damaging to the community and has been a point of contention for as long as there has been a gay community. I’m severely disappointed that an author who self-identifies as queer would put this in her book. I don’t know if this was an oversight or if it was calculated, but it did not sit well with me.
********end spoiler********

There was also the issue of the writing. It was very dull to me, and seemed like it lacked an editor. There is a scene where Simone is in a group therapy session for kids with HIV and they have a guest who previously attended the group. She recently had a baby and refers to her partner as both her husband and her boyfriend. There is another scene where Simone is supposed to go with Miles to watch a lacrosse game, but Miles is on the lacrosse team, so that seems weird. It was a bunch of little things like that, that took me out of the story and had me going back pages to re-read for something I missed.

This one is just a pet peeve, but goes along with the writing. She wrote at great length about Javier Muñoz (who is a Broadway actor, I guess), but only briefly mentioned Ryan White (who died from HIV/AIDS when he was a teenager after contracting it from a blood transfusion. His story mirrors Simone’s very well, and it was missed opportunity).

I know I’ve been hard on this book, but that is because it is about such an important and misunderstood topic. The author did give a lot of valuable information. She talked about PrEP, U=U, safe sex (even if her characters didn’t practice it) and HIV overall.

Does a great job of shedding light on the experience of an HIV positive person, dispelling popular misconceptions but without making the picture entirely rosy - portrays the risks and difficulties and how to manage and even overcome them. I did not feel overly invested in the characters or the romance, however - they mostly felt like a cast created to support Simone and her story rather than having full lives and stories of their own. I thought Miles was a fine if slightly bland romantic interest, but the declarations of love had me shrugging instead of celebrating. I I was also disappointed that the rich vein of half-brother Dave and his relationship with the family was not explored as thoroughly as it might have been. I did think that Simone was a wonderful lead, flawed but still likable, clear-headed and perseverant without seeming unrealistically adult. A valuable and enjoyable, if slightly imperfect, read.

Before coming into this book, I knew nothing about HIV, but now I feel like I know enough to help educate other on the subject as well. The book was very well written, would definitely suggest even if you don't care about HIV. Also, the copious amounts of theatre references is a plus. The book as a whole feels like an update "Simon VS.", in a good way.

An incredible book that truly feels so very teen. I'm so excited for this book to come out very soon, and I'm so glad that Camryn Garrett wrote this book.

I wanted to love this one - the premise of it was fantastic - but the reality of it fell kind of flat for me. I did love the diversity of the characters and I'm always happy to see teenage characters living with HIV in books because that seems so rare in publishing but the "normalizing" of it is a great thing. However, as a theatre director myself, the school musical subplot was unrealistic in a lot of ways that kept taking me out of the story. I also had a hard time connecting with Simone and was uncomfortable with some aspects of her story, like her father accompanying her into a gynecological exam. This book had a lot of positives but there were enough parts that took me out of it to make this not especially high on my classroom library purchasing list.

I actually almost teared up at one point, which is surprising because it wasn't at a particularly sad scene; it just made me feel things.

I'll be honest and say that this book was weird for me, not because of the topics it handles, but because of how explicitly it talks about sex. I can't entirely say I was comfortable with that, but I do accept that it was both positive and informative, which is how these talks should be in young adult literature.

But the topic—HIV and AIDs—was something I wasn't weird about. I am extremely passionate about the AIDs crisis, so much so that I've been reading whatever comes my way about that period. While this book doesn't take place in the 80s or the 90s, it addresses the stigma that AIDs and HIV still carry, and how it affects people in the contemporary.

I do wish the novel had addressed the association between sexuality and the stigma around AIDs/HIV more (it did, just not a whole lot), but the discussion about HIV and AIDs was still incredibly important as is.

I'm very grateful I was allowed to read an ARC of this. Even though some parts of it didn't jive with me (and there were so many writing inconsistencies that I kept hyper-focusing on—probably because it's an ARC, I hope), I really enjoyed my time in Simone's world. Also can I have Miles, please? He's such a sweetheart, the world doesn't deserve him.

-Book Hugger

What a topic that needed to be written about! This book touches on a sensitive yet important topic, and the storyline of how it played out was perfect.

Totally worth reading. Everyone needs to read this fantastic debut. I'm trying to find the words to do this one justice but I'm not sure that's possible right now.

The Quick Cut: A teen girl born with HIV finds her life in upheaval when a blackmailer threatens to tell everyone about her status if she doesn't stay away from a boy.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Knopf Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Your health can be such a big part of who you are, but it's an area that stays relatively private. So if someone were to use it against you by threatening to make it public, what would you do? How would you feel? This is the mental headspace that Simone finds herself in.

Simone is a teen girl who was adopted by two loving, gay dads. Although she is surrounded by love, there is a part of her life that is a struggle: she was born with HIV. After an unfortunate encounter at the last high school she attended, she is hoping for a fresh start in San Francisco. All seems well with her new friends, the student director position in the school play "Rent", and her budding romance with Miles when a note appears in her locker. It threatens to out her HIV status unless she creates some distance from Miles. Who found out and why are they doing it?

Simone's story is such a brilliant one and not just for the tale. This book manages to not only say such a powerful story about taking your own power back, but it also sheds a lot of light and education on how HIV actually works. I would like to think I'm an educated person, but even I found my mind blown by the facts in this book.

Her struggle with when to tell someone her HIV status felt very genuine in the angst and terror. Considering the horrifying past circumstances, it frightens me that anyone could have experienced something similar to this in reality. The nuanced look at how someone in her shoes looks at the people in her life and who she can trust with the ultimate secret about herself is so essential. I felt her pain, that weighing decision, and the heaviness of that choice in its impact.

With a powerful story that tells an important tale about HIV, this one is gripping.

My rating: 4 out of 5

A delightful story about being truthful to yourself.
I would recommend this book.
Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I had been looking forward to reading this book for months, and it did not disappoint! I LOVE this book and I can't wait until it's available so I can tell everyone to read it!!! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book! I'll have a full review closer to the publication date at kaitplusbooks.com :)

This book needs to be hyped up more than it is. Why aren't more people talking about it?

4.5/5 stars, round up!

I started and finished this book in just a few hours. Once I opened it up, I couldn't put it down!

Clocking in at just under 300 pages, this is a quick read that delves into the serious subject of HIV. This book follows Simone, a 17-year-old high school girl who was born HIV-positive. She was adopted by her two gay fathers as a baby, who are literally some of the best parental figures I've seen in a novel. We follow her months after she transfers to a new school in San Francisco, where she has started fresh after her secret was outed in her previous school. Here, she seems much happier with her 2 best friends and her new relationship with Miles, the guy she's been crushing on. Everything seems to be looking up for her, but all that gets put in danger when someone leaves a note in her locker telling her to stay away from Miles. If she does, she can live her life like nothing happened, without Miles of course. If she refuses? Her HIV status will be exposed to the entire student body. From here on, we see Simone struggle to hold onto her happiness and find the confidence in those closest to her in order to rise against the prejudice she faces.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I fell in love with our 4 characters, and Simone is seriously such a badass. She knows her worth, and her determination to just live a normal live, regardless of her HIV status, was so powerful. Her relationship with Miles is just the sweetest thing, even though it happened a lot faster than I expected it to. I adored the heartfelt scenes she had with her friends. I also loved that her fathers played an active role in her life and not just shadows in the background. Everyone had a purpose, and it all worked wonderfully. My only issue was the the culprit was someone I suspected from the beginning, so scenes accusing of others around her were annoying to me. Besides that, and some of the insta-love in the beginning, I had no further issues.

This is seriously a really good book, and I highly recommend giving this one a shot!

Thank you so much to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Simone Garcia-Hampton is starting over at a new school, and this time things will be different. She's making real friends, making a name for herself as student director of Rent, and making a play for Miles, the guy who makes her melt every time he walks into a room. The last thing she wants is for word to get out that she's HIV-positive, because last time . . . well, last time things got ugly.

Keeping her viral load under control is easy, but keeping her diagnosis under wraps is not so simple. As Simone and Miles start going out for real--shy kisses escalating into much more--she feels an uneasiness that goes beyond butterflies. She knows she has to tell him that she's positive, especially if sex is a possibility, but she's terrified of how he'll react! And then she finds an anonymous note in her locker: I know you have HIV. You have until Thanksgiving to stop hanging out with Miles. Or everyone else will know too. 

Simone's first instinct is to protect her secret at all costs, but as she gains a deeper understanding of the prejudice and fear in her community, she begins to wonder if the only way to rise above is to face the haters head-on..- Goodreads

What I loved about this book is that it touches upon well focuses upon a topic that is rarely discussed. Children who are born with HIV do not really get a chance to tell their story. The only person that I can think of IRL prior reading this book is Hydeia Broadbent. I feel like this book was inspired by her.

This book is a great conversation starter and it is full of information, strength and some adorableness.

Simone is such a cutie. For a 17 year old, she is one of those girls that hold onto her innocence for dear life. It makes absolute sense why she is pretty sheltered; like she has HIV and has had it her whole life. It just gets too much as you keep reading the book. Like the author lays it on pretty thick. But she was genuine and I love the fact that the author was able to convey this.

The romance within this novel is A+. Miles and how he initiated their dating had the biggest smile on my face. Their emotions aren't teenagers who are high on hormones. There is development in their relationship, its tested and there is value in Simone and Miles as more than just a couple. I thought it was great.

Here is what I didn't like about the book. It was predictable. From the moment, Simone received the note, the reader or at least already knew what was going to happen. It really was not hard to figure out.

That was really the only thing about this book that I couldn't get past . . . oh I lied. I hated the fact that Simone's parents did not have any boundaries. What grown as man is going in to the GYN appointment with their 17 year old daughter? Like I get it, it was her first time going HOWEVER, there are several lines crossed by those parents and I was not feeling it. 

Overall, a good read. I would recommend it. 

3 Pickles

In Camryn Garrett’s novel “Full Disclosure”, HIV-positive teen Simone Garcia-Hampton is starting over at a new school, and making friends she hopes will see her as more than her disease. She has struggled with this illness her entire life, and is keeping her viral load under control with her current medications. As Simone finds friendship, love, and her place in school as the student director of the school’s production of “Rent”, she hopes to keep her diagnosis concealed. She has dealt with the hatred and alienation from her peers in the past, and does not want to face that again.

This YA novel is powerful and educational as the reader is immersed into the life of a teenager diagnosed with a lifelong virus. Simone deals with prejudice due to people whom are uneducated about the HIV virus, and I think this novel could help to educate readers as well. I absolutely loved that Simone was so into musical theater because I enjoy it as well. Overall, I think this book is interesting and informative, and I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Such a good book, I absolutely loved the characters, the representation of LGBTQ+ and a black queer girl navigating her life. I also do like the discussions of sex and protection in this story. It was really good and written in a way that I just want more from the author.

I learned SO MUCH from this book. Going in, I thought I knew a lot about HIV but it turns out I still had so much to learn. I have already found myself using this information throughout my daily life, so it is definitely critical to learn. What I loved even more about this book was how sex positive it was, whether a character was having sex, wanted to have sex, or was asexual - every one of them was respected.

I will say a problem I had with this book was that it often seemed like the author threw in storylines/plot points and then never resolved them or expanded on them, such as the Sarah situation throughout the book. I would have loved to hear more about that, but it's not completely necessary for this to still be a great book. Definitely one I will be recommending to a lot of people in my life!

Look at that beautiful cover! The colors and font attracted me immediately, and the novel's description drew me in even more as the book covers a sensitive topic that I've never seen before in a YA novel... HIV. Simone was born with the virus, which she contracted through her birth mother, and is being raised by her two dads.

Simone is a character unlike any other that I've seen in a young adult novel and not just because she is HIV positive... although, imagine all the kids with HIV who are going to pick up this book and finally see themselves represented; what a happy thought. Simone is real. She thinks like a teen, acts and speaks like a teen, has insecurities and ambitions like a teen. She is probably one of the most realistic characters I've read thus far in YA.

The book does lose a couple point from me for the first half. The first half of the book focused nearly 100% on sex. Simone and her friends talk about it, they have it with their significant others, the shop for sex accouterments... I'm not saying real teenagers don't do these things, but they do do other things! Luckily, the second half of the book focuses more on Simone's work as director of her school musical, her support group, and of course, her adorable romance with Miles, who is probably one of the top ten book boyfriends ever. Ever! If you find yourself rolling your eyes in the first half, please keep reading. The end of the book makes up for it, I promise.

Let's talk about the treatment of HIV in the book. I read a review that implied it came off flippant and this could not be farther from the truth! From the first chapter, when Simone visits the doctor for one of her regular checkups, the virus is treated seriously. It is made excruciatingly clear throughout the book by Simone's doctors and her parents what to do when it comes to sex, and that you must disclose to your partner that you are HIV positive. In addition, Simone and her support group discuss several aspects of having the virus. The book is lighthearted despite the topic and has several moments of levity and laughs, but HIV and HIV patients are always treated with the respect they deserve.

Finally, I want to add a note here about the author, Camryn Garrett. She has quite an impressive bio which is even more impressive when you take into account she sold this book to the publisher when she was only seventeen years old! This must be why her characters came across as such realistic teenagers - she still is one! I will be keeping my eyes peeled for more books by Garrett.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me the review copy of Full Disclosure. You can preorder the book now through the publisher, Amazon, or your favorite bookstore. Full Disclosure will release on October 29, 2019 and will be the perfect way to pass a sunny (or cloudy) fall day.