With all the buzz I'd seen about this book on Twitter, I was beyond excited to receive an ARC.

This book isn't for everyone.  It deals with some dark, heavy topics, and parts of it are absolutely gut-wrenching.  The slurs and vitriol spat out by some of these characters is horrific and repulsive - and yet some people in the world still feel this way.  It's unfathomable to me. 

My heart broke for Connor and his friends and the unimaginable circumstances they were forced into.  Despite their grim situations, this group of queer kids stick together and support each other.  The heartfelt bonds, friendships, and romantic relationships they form are one of the best parts of the novel, and I wanted to just hug every one of them.  

With tension-filled moments and layers upon layers of secrets, this book is difficult to put down.  My only critique would be the time frame.  Everything happens on the island in roughly twenty-four hours, and I found that a little tough to swallow.  Trust me - a lot happens.

Although some parts are tough to read, this book is full of heart and hope and one I highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was gifted an eARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.



** Spoiler Alert**
This one was incredibly hard to read, not only because of the story line but because of all of the pain throughout the story. It was painful to read how miss-informed, judgmental and downright evil some people can be. How a mother can sacrifice her son to a conversion camp because of her own fears – fears of being judged by a churchy small town who are so backwards in their ways its borderline tragic. I read this book feeling so angry, and sad, so sad. Adam did an amazing job at telling a story that is so true it could have been a true-life story. Its 2020 and this madness still exists in society where it shouldn’t have a place anymore. There were parts in this story that had me shook to the core, its real, its gritty and needs to be read.

After Conner gets pressured to come out to his mom all hell breaks loose, kidnapped by the Reverend of his small town and shipped off to a conversion camp on a Costa Rica island, a mystery needs to be solved and escape is on all the campers minds. We see bonds formed and friendships made, comradery and fierce connections between the characters I fell in love with.

There is a trigger warning for a reason, there will be parts that are extremely hard to read. But it’s the realness that makes this book worth reading. The writing was exceptional and Conner’s story was told in an absolutely brilliant way.

“My brain can’t comprehend spending the rest of the day on this island, much less a week, three months, or however long...I’m also in a bit of a hurry because, apparently, there’s a gay-bashing maniac on the loose.”

Whew. I haven’t read anything this exhilarating in a long time! This LGBT+ YA suspense thriller about a group of teens who are abducted and sent to an evil conversion therapy island is not only addictive, twisty and suspenseful as heck! This story is also representing a vibrant and stunning, diverse cast of characters, with various sexualities, races, religions...lovable characters you’ll find yourself caring for, not to mention our adorable protagonist Connor Major.

The author crafts his suspense-filled scenes with amazing talent. You never know what happens next and you find yourself just going along for the ride, anxiously racing through the pages to find out what savagery awaits these teens on this evil island! Connor must not only plot his escape, there’s also something in this place that hits close to home - a cold-blooded murder that, strangely, no one will talk about.

In a nutshell, Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass deserves a place on your shelves, and when you get a chance to read it, pay close attention to the dialogue and to the characters, none of it is put there randomly, because everything ties up perfectly in the end. The ending though, it was intense, explosive (literally), and just a really messed-up conclusion that’s connected to some of these characters’ past traumas.

Simply put, Surrender Your Sons is a special and memorable debut with a strong pulse!

SURRENDER YOUR SINS (SONS)

This book is haunting and grips you from start to finish. A perfect, dark escape that will inspire you to get off of your own island that traps you.

"Nightlight has no TV, no running water, no basic necessities... but they're got body bags."

I loved this book. And I don't think it would have exceeded as well as it did without the author. Adam Sass breathed life into this book. Despite the dark concepts, there were still moments of humor and smiles that kept this book afloat. The MC, Connor Major, was 1000% my favorite part of the story.

Connor Major was kickass. A beautiful balance of strength and vulnerability, of grit and fear. He had a smart-mouth and was fearless, but he was still human enough to panic, to feel fear and doubt and guilt in his decisions.

"I finally did the right thing. I didn't leave them. I stayed. Whatever comes next, we're on the same team."

The plot itself was dark. But I'm glad it was written as a YA. If it had been any darker, I don't think my heart could have handled it. I liked that it was dark, and exposed the darker sides of humanity (view spoiler), but it still held hope. I think that's my favorite aspect of the story: hope. Hope for goodness amidst the darkness.

I highly recommend this as a read.

"Nightlight tried to snuff it out, but love grew. Love found its way to the island, and this sanctuary made it possible."

So lovely. We need queer books by queer authors. I fell in love with all the characters immediately. The story was harrowing and heartbreaking and so much fun to read. I can’t wait to read more of Sass’s work.

I received this advanced copy from the publisher via netgalley to give my honest review. There are so many things I’d like to say about this book, and the first is that it took my breath away.
Seriously, I had to take some time to catch my breath after i finished reading and process everything.
It's a fast paced thriller, filled with mysterious situations and dubious characters, who are deeply tragic. Nothing justifies conversion therapy, homophobia, hate crime, but it was impossible not to feel pity for these sad, horrible people. They are so limited by their own beliefs, prejudice and hypocrisy, and lack of compassion and love, their lives are empty.
That's a testament of Adam Sass' writing. The story is moving, well crafted, made me feel so many emotions. Anger, fear, sadness, pity, but also hope.
The kids at the camp lean on each other for strength, finding small pockets of joy in such a horrible place, and use the companionship they build to keep themselves sane. The group is a diverse and lively bunch, and I loved them all. Connor is the spark they need to fight back for freedom, his hope even through fear making him a relatable character.
The plot twists and revelations are chocking, not only the big camp conspiracy and the reverend mystery, but also the secrets kept by characters like Briggs, a brainwashed former camper who now works at the camp. His story is so deeply sad and tragic, and he was part of scenes which were some of the rawest and most intense I’ve ever read.
Intense is my key word for this book. I loved it, perhaps specially because of that intensity and the complex themes in it, but I understand it's not for everyone. It deals with LGBTphobia, hate crimes, suicide, harmful language, but it's also about resistance, courage, struggle and hope. There's an author's note before the narrative starts warning about possible triggers, and I thought that was really positive and thoughtful. I was very happy to have had the opportunity to read this amazing book, and i thank the publisher, the author and netgalley.

A conversion therapy thriller in which the kids fight back against their homophobic captors - I didn't realize I needed such a story in my life until I read it.

I love thrillers and this was quite a tense and brutal one. I really appreciate the forewarning in the author's note as well as his statement on how this story is "not about queer pain. It’s about what queers do with pain." It's an important note since there is a LOT of pain and horror in this book - at times, it did get quite tough to read and I had to take some breaks, especially towards the end. But it's not completely bleak - there's a strong thread of hope and resilience that runs throughout the story and it ends on a fairly positive note as well.

The POV of our main character Connor also helps a lot. He's quite a compelling MC; well fleshed out, sympathetic, capable, brave and sweet. It was easy to root for him. The rest of the characters were just as complex and interesting, which is impressive since there is a pretty big cast here. Adam Sass managed to successfully capture entire personalities of characters in just a few snippets. I loved the portrayal of the transgender character and the avoidance of his deadname; sadly, it's still rare to see a cis author portray trans people with respect.

I also liked the moral complexity at work here with the antagonists; a character has been horribly abused as a teen and so continues that cycle of abuse when he grows up, yet the narrative never tries to excuse his cruel actions.

There's a rather sweet romance that happens on the side as well and I really liked the love interest's personality and background. I did think it was a bit insta-lovey but considering the high-stakes and intense situation, understandable.

Overall, this is an extremely well-crafted, fast-paced and gripping read. I would really advise readers to read the author's note - it has very important content warnings, particularly regarding a suicide scene in the middle of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

I wanted this to go a bit deeper than it ultimately did, and struggled with the pacing and prose style a bit, but I'm glad this book was written, and hope the kids it was written for are able to find it.

I think this may just be one of my fav books I’ve read all year.
Big words, I know. But this was just *that* good.

Like the rest of y’all living on this rather large planet, I live for a good original plot, and hoo-boy, I think I got it. First of all, there was great LGBTQIA+ rep, and it was the perfect mix of contemporary with a mystery, and just...there was a lot going on.

I love a good book that gets me riled up. If you can play with my emotions and either make me blissfully happy or down-right pissed, there has to be something good about your writing, right?
And I was both. I was down-right pissed for the majority of this book and I was flipping through this book so fast it was like one of the crazy over-acted Australian TV dramas you see on TV. You know the ones. I was all bug-eyed and so ready for the happily ever after my characters deserved.

This book does talk about many sensitive issues though. Most of the characters in this book are LGBTQIA+ and most of them don’t come from very accepting backgrounds, which is absolutely devastating. But that’s the truth, and it sucks, so I just want to forewarn people because it could be triggering to some!
This book was so devastating to me. I felt like I was a bubble of pent-up anger and frustration ready to burst because of how angry I was at some of the things the characters were going through. AGHhHHHHhhHH.

But y’all. It was kind of a li’l like The Promised Neverland. Kids at a conversion camp trying to escape from literal MONSTERS. My instinct is to make some really great comparisons between the two (it would be a timeeee) but realise this could be quite insensitive so I won’t. But y’all know I love a good book where the characters rise up and take back their human rights. It sucks that they were taken away in the first place (understatement of the century) but that moment when characters feel that pit of fire at the bottom of their stomachs and fight for what is right is what I live for. That burning passion and desire. It gets me.

All I can say is that you MUST read this book. It is imperative that you do.

Netgalley granted this off my wishlist. I had been hearing about this book for some time. While the premise of story caught my attention and I found premise interesting, I did find some holes with the book overall . Connor Major a teenager who came (forcibly) out before he was ready, his family not happy about it. Connor is a fantastic MC, his POV direct, witty, he is open about his insecurities of being a teen, falling for someone and sexually. The writing from his POV incredible, his candor and wit spot on. Connor is taken from his home to a conversion camp, with others in the same situation. There were many great messages within this story as well as fantastic writing that I really enjoyed.

However everything happens within the shortest time period it’s unrealistic, odd and did not give me a chance to adapt to the new setting or situation. Revelations, mysteries, instant friendships and love happened within 24 hours. I felt the story would have worked better if there was more development of that part of the story.

Okay, so I'm rating this book 2 stars based on my own experience (because that's what I base my ratings on.) I didn't think this was a bad book. But I'm also wishing I hadn't picked this up at all. I think this is mostly a me problem: I don't normally read thrillers, and I don't enjoy reading about extreme violence. I had completely different expectations about what this book was going to be, and that's on me, it's not the book's fault. But it did make this a very heavy, very challenging read. Especially because all of the extreme violence is targeted towards queer people because they're queer.

The author's note said that this book wasn't about queer pain, but about what queer people do with queer pain. I really appreciated this note, but it also made me wait for when the pain would stop. This was probably a wrong assumption on my part, but please be more aware than I was going in that this is not a very uplifting or hopeful read, and that there's a lot of suffering in this book.

Overall, I thought this was a really triggering read, so I'm having a lot of trouble articulating my thoughts. I'll give it a try, though. Honestly, if you're a fan of dark thrillers, you'll probably enjoy this book. As long as you're aware of the trigger warnings, that is. But the reason thrillers often don't work for me is also why I didn't end up enjoying this book: I often find that the characters are very flat, and I don't enjoy reading plot-driven books if the characters feel underdeveloped. For me to like a thriller, it would have to keep me on the edge of my seat and really surprise me with some of the plot twists. That didn't happen in this book. I also didn't appreciate that the one disabled character in the book was killed off to advance the plot. This was very central to the plot and it feels comparable to the "bury your gays" trope but with disabled people. I know thrillers often have tropes like this, but that's another reason why I'm not generally a big thriller fan.

I'm sorry if my review isn't very clear. I was just really thrown off by this book. I'm personally not someone who wants to read about extreme homophobic violence if it isn't dealt with very carefully and framed in a really hopeful narrative, but I know there are probably people out there for whom it will be important to read this. I'm really glad there's space for different queer stories to be told, this just wasn't one that worked for me.

CWs: murder, conversion therapy, abuse, homophobic violence, extreme internalized & religious homophobia, abduction

gay culture is teaming up to take down your oppressors.

cfgvbhujik every time a book about conversion therapy comes out, i say i'm never going to read it then immediately read it as soon as i get the chance. why am i like this 😂

first i gotta say this was some heavy stuff. i mean for real i felt so weighed down reading this, i think readers really need to be prepared before getting into all this trauma. so trigger warning for murder, violent anti-gay hate-crimes, child abuse, and suicidal imagery. and of course all types of queerphobia.

okay! so this book really gets into a lot of stuff. obviously the main theme is what each individual does with queer pain. some of them use that pain to stand up for themselves and others, while some use it to hurt others like themselves. i really liked how adam sass described many different reactions to living in the camp, being rejected by family, and coming out.

the big mystery in the book of what happened to ricky hannigan was something i wasn't expecting. i had no idea what each piece of evidence meant in the long run, but i remained intrigued to the end.

and the characters! man what a cast of awesome characters. connor was pretty cool. stubborn, caring, and brave. molly, was so fucking fierce? what a total badass. darcy was so strong and a great leader. lacrishia was protective and tough. marcos flourished. jack was such a little rascal. vance and alan are a duo to rival trixie and katya. even the creepy ass camp director was interesting. i mean i wanted to stab him, but his brand of crazy was enthralling. i kind of hated briggs the most though. like please choke.

this book was like a much darker The Miseducation of Cameron Post and Beauty Queens. the absolute absurdity and extremism of parents hiring people to kidnap their kids and take them to a super expensive secret jungle conversion camp in costa rica was oddly reassuring. with how serious the topics in this book are the low odds of this happening in real life brought a scant bit of levity to the story. i kept thinking that this camp has been around for thirty years and it's never been leaked? when they casually take the terrified kids (who genuinely think they're being kidnapped) through the airport, through security. and they somehow have tasers that don't get caught in baggage screening? when campers get home they never report it? ever? like i understand the camp being able to cover shit up, but in thirty years something must have been able to slip through the cracks. right?

anyway if you're looking for a gay thriller, i definitely recommend this book.

Surrender your Sons a gay thriller that I absolutely enjoyed. Set in a conversion camp which is more brutal than it seems, Connor is determined to unravel the truths about the camp and the mysterious note that Ricky Hanigan leaves for him before dying. And he's in no way going to suddenly turn straight. .
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Told in an intriguing tale of twisted events, Surrender your Sons tries to show what it is to love and lose, and find yourself in the midst of chaos.
Firstly, reading this book was so difficult because of the extent of violence that was depicted in the book, to show the way that people would go to prevent same sex love. It was disturbing, to say the least, when one by one secrets reveal itself and the puzzle pieces finally fall into place. My heart ached for Connor and Drew and Marcos and all the housemates at the camp who had to go through so much. These characters were created with so much intensity and their development throughout the story was commendable. I enjoyed Briggs's character even though he was such a baddie in the beginning. And even Connor's mom, although I hated her to the core. I think her as a potential bad person was extremely well written. Her hatred, her nasty ideas - it made me hate love the character.
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The writing was spectacular and one that'll keep you hooked. The suspenful plotline surely did keep me guessing until the final pieces of the puzzle were revealed, and my my what a twist that was. .
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This story was terrifying, to be honest. Because at one point, you'll see how the hatred against queer people still exists, and how their closest ones cease to accept them. It was realistic to so many extent. The ending was bittersweet and made me want to cuddle all the little queers in a big hug. Surrender your Sons is heartbreaking but also hopeful at the same time.

An absolute big thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with this e-arc. All views expressed are fully mine, and I cannot be thankful enough.

"Surrender Your Sons" is a fictional story based in reality. This book follow Connor Majors as his mom ships him off to a gay conversion therapy camp, disguised as a "vacation". Although this story is fictional, it's based on real life events for many rural queer kids. These stories should never be dismissed - and I loved that Adam Sass gave these voices a platform.

That being said, I think this was a bit too YA fiction-y for my taste. What's really funny is that I wrote a short story that almost mirrors this story (differences: lesbian, military camp), which is why I was so drawn to the plot. However, it was just okay for me. I figure someone who really enjoys YA will love Sass' writing and Connor's internal dialogue. Overall a 3/5 for me.

One of the most anticipated 2020 releases, Surrender Your Sons doesn't disappoint! When Connor is sent to a "pray the gay away" conversion camp, he must struggle to survive with his identity intact, as well as try to survive the staff. A difficult read, this is none the less a powerful book. With sympathetic characters and a horror-esque setting, this novel is one that you cannot put down!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this YA debut! There had been so much word of mouth circulating about the tale of Connor Major and his descent into hell on earth that I was itching to dive into the chaos. The narrative delivers, and quickly, the heart pounding and pulse quickening cat and mouse game I was looking for. Connor's life falls apart like cotton candy submerged in water in front of our eyes, and just as he's confronted with coming to terms with himself and going public with his boyfriend to his religious and uptight mother, his bravery is rewarded with fear and violence. His mother arranges for him to be sent away to Nightlight, a remote conversion camp, so that they can bring back the faux version of Connor that exists in her head; a straight boy who is in love with his best friend and fathered her child.

So, Connor is kidnapped one morning and brought to Nightlight with Molly, a fellow camper. It is here we meet our cast of characters who are all suffering but surviving in their own ways. There are kids ages eleven to over eighteen, all overseen by an imposing adult force that is spearheaded by a familiar face; the Reverend from Connor's hometown. What begins to unfold is an epic mystery that I did not expect. Connor sees threads between Nightlight's history and a handicapped neighbor he would take meals to who recently passed away. In this way, the emotional tale of the torture of LGBTQ+ youth gains a suspenseful vein. The two do not diverge, however, so the action is never split between the two. It is a cohesive story that flows effortlessly; Connor's ticket out of Nightlight is to solve a crime from decades past.

All in all, this is a story told in a youthful voice that, even while navigating the hardships the LGBTQ+ community face, is still full of hope and humor. There is great pain between these pages, but also immeasurable joy as Connor and his companions grow to accept themselves despite the conditions they've been thrust into. It really speaks to the resilience of these young people both in the novel and in the real world. This experience is something I will never understand, as I am just an ally in the community, but even under the fictional pretenses of this book, I know this pain is something that is mostly universal with these kids. The fact that they are able to find their way out, whatever their situation may be, is awe-inspiring. Like Connor, they may not escape these challenges unscathed, but in the end, love truly does win. We don't really get road maps in life, but sometimes life sends you signs that you're going in the right direction. I think this book will be such a waypoint for a lot of struggling youth, and that is a beautiful thing.

I was very happy to receive the Arc of Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass. This book was very hard for me to read, already having a fear of Christians and being queer myself. Always feeling like a second class citizen and unable to truly be yourself is hard. This book shines light on what makes queer people able to overcome challenges and dig through the hard times. The characters show so much heart and determination you can’t help but cheer them on.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to read an own voices author telling the trails that queer people still have to fight in 2020.

4/5 stars purely cuz I’m a soft boi and this book was borderline too heavy for me.


Thank you to netgalley and flux books for providing me with a free Arc copy in exchange for an honest review. ❤️


This review will be posted on amazon when it’s available, goodreads, and my Instagram @aaron_austin_author

Just based on the synopsis, I knew Surrender Your Sons would be gritty, fast-paced, a little painful to read, but I hoped it would ultimately end with a little hope for the characters and the reader: it delivered on all of these things.

I was unable to put this book down as we navigated Connor’s summer at Nightlight. Books like Surrender Your Sons are so important, because they are fast-paced and thrilling to read but they highlight stark issues in our society that are dystopian in nature but very real for many people out there.

I’d say it’s time for Lord of the Flies to move aside in the high school English room so young students can explore Surrender Your Sons.

Surrender Your Sons, by debut novelist Adam Sass, is a horrifying mystery/thriller with a lot of heart. It follows a group of teens who rebel against the leaders of a conversion therapy camp on a tiny Central American island and plan their escape.

Surrender Your Sons has an amazing premise. I was so excited by it that I added it to my list of Most Anticipated YA Books of 2020. I was privileged to receive a complimentary advance reading copy. All of my comments and opinions reflected here are my own.

In Surrender Your Sons, Adam Sass does a great job of weaving in backstory through multiple timelines in a way that doesn’t come off as an info dump. He builds tension, suspense and mystery through those flashback chapters, which carries over to the present timeline.

Surrender Your Sons also does a great job of showing the high stakes of coming out. It’s easy as a straight cis man to take for granted that family and friends will be accepting and supportive. But through Connor Major’s journey, Sass demonstrates the confusion and feeling of betrayal when you’re rejected.

The action in Surrender Your Sons unfolds quickly. Once at the conversion therapy camp, Conner works on unravelling several secrets and mysteries. It’s unclear who amongst the campers and staff can be trusted to plan and execute their escape.

I don’t want to spoil the ending of Surrender Your Sons, so I’ll just say that it ends on a very satisfying note. I greatly enjoyed the book and I can’t wait until September 15, 2020 when it’s released and everyone else can too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flux Books for the ARC!

Usually when I write reviews for a book, I do so almost immediately after I finish the book. I want to get all my thoughts out before I forget anything, and it always seems like a better idea to do that while it's all still fresh in my mind.

I finished Surrender Your Sons a few hours ago, and I still don't think it's quite sunk in yet. This book is by no means an easy read. It's an adventure story, but with a huge undercurrent of abuse and trauma targeting queer kids. I can't even really call that an undercurrent. It's a huge part of the plot. It's probably more accurate to say it's a story about queer kids surviving and fighting back against systematic abuse. With a side of adventure. The setting of this book is very cinematic, and I would love to see this made into a movie.

Anyway, back to the plot. Connor, our hero, is a gay teen who has recently come out to his mom. It didn't go well, to say the least. When the story starts, Connor is spending the summer before his senior year of high school working for Meals on Wheels, and sneaking off to see his boyfriend Ario, who is leaving for college in the fall. He also spends as much time as he can with Ricky Hannigan, his favorite Meals on Wheels customer. Connor's goal is to survive the summer without too much interference from his mom or Reverend Packer, the community leader, and a man who Connor's mom basically worships.

Ricky dies and leaves behind a Playbill from the musical South Pacific with a cryptic message for Connor written on it, and before Connor can figure anything out, his mom ships him off to Nightlight, a conversion therapy camp hidden in the jungle of a Costa Rican island. Connor quickly realizes that Nightlight is dangerous, and Ricky was trying to warn him that something sinister is going on, which is when the real adventure begins. I don't want to spoil the plot, so you'll have to read it yourself to find out what happens.

It took me over a month to read this book, which is almost unheard of for me. But like I said, this book is hard to read. And in between when I started this book and finished it, the world as we all know it changed drastically. For a while I wasn't in the mood to read about kids fighting against abusers and pretending to change their identities to essentially stay alive when it seemed like the world was falling apart around me. But I finished it today, and I'm so glad I did. Between all the trauma that these teenagers suffered because of who they are there was a strong message of hope. Connor decided to fight back against the injustice of Nightlight and inspired the rest of the kids not to give up.

What really hit me about Surrender Your Sons is that although it's presented as an adventure story, for some kids it is terrifyingly real. Conversion therapy is a real thing, and some of the comments that the kids in the story hear are things I have heard myself. Things that no kids should ever have to deal with, but things that are all too real in the everyday lives of queer kids. Adam's book brings those things to light, and that, in my opinion, makes this an extremely important book. I've read so many books with queer characters, but none quite like this. This one will definitely stay with me awhile.

I hope that with the current state of the world that this book is still published in September, but no matter when it comes out, READ IT! Thank you to Adam Sass for writing this book, and thank you to Flux for publishing it. There was a time in the not-so-distant past that a book like this would have never found a publisher, so I'm glad that it is getting the chance to be widely read.