As a result of my various committee appointments and commitments I am unable to disclose my personal thoughts on this title at this time. Please see my star rating for a general overview of how I felt about this title. Additionally, you may check my GoodReads for additional information on what thoughts I’m able to share publicly. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this and any other titles you are in charge of.

I was really curious about this novel because the cover is just so eye catching!
I also enjoy books where our characters travel somewhere beautiful.

In this book we follow Marty who is leaving Kentucky for England. Marty is a Queer teenage boy who is just trying to find his way and some acceptance.

I was surprised by how “dark” the story was. We see things like eating disorders, toxic relationships, homophobia and bullying.

While I did end up liking this book, I almost DNF it. I had a hard time getting into it and a big part of it were the characters. I was also expecting more romance, the little we did get was unbelievable toxic I wanted to throw my kindle out the window.

I still think this is great for YA readers, specifically LGBTQ teens that may be going through something similar.

This is a pretty cute and easy read. We follow Marty as he leaves for London to live with his cousin Shane and tries to make it as a professional oboist. He decides to live as an out gay man and quickly gains a sort of boyfriend. Unfortunately, not everything is easy and Marty struggles with anxiety and self image.

I liked Marty as our main character. He's cute and easily makes friends. He's a good oboist and I wanted to see him happy and successful. Marty has never had a boyfriend so when Pierce starts getting close, Marty jumps right in. He begins trying to change himself into a person that he thinks Pierce would like and the results aren't necessarily positive. I felt bad that Marty thought he wasn't good enough and had so many negative thoughts. Luckily he made some great friends who looked out for him and encouraged him to be healthy.

One of the author's points is that you can make your own family of people who love and support you just as you are. Blood doesn't make a family and you can choose to surround yourself with positivity and love. I was also happy that Marty didn't totally give up on his parents and they showed that they want to understand him and do still love him.

The story had a few slow moments and I would have liked more to the plot, but I enjoyed reading this overall. If you liked the author's first book, you'll see some similarities and you'll have fun reading this too!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was given a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Marty has recently come out to his uber religious family and small town Kentucky community. It didn't go over well so he can't get out of there fast enough. After graduating early, he flies to the UK to live with his Aunt and Cousin and to pursue his dream of music performance. While in the UK, Marty has a lot of firsts - first boyfriend, first kiss, first time he has gay friends that accept him, etc. Phil Stamper said he wrote this book because this is the kind of book he wished he had at that age. My problem, is that I found Marty whiney and way too much angst. It got to be grating. Nice story though! #NetGalley #AsFarAsYoullTakeMe

CW:
-Anxiety
-Panic attacks
-Body insecurity and constantly weight monitoring
-Restrictive eating/dieting/withholding food from self
-Religious family and religious trauma
-Non-acceptance in family unit and church
-Being outted
-Toxic relationships
-Passing out due to anxiety and lack of eating

This book was about Marty breaking co-dependancy patterns to become his own person and secure in his identity. He morphed into what others wanted him to be. He shrunk himself to fit into confined boxes placed upon him by his parents, the church, his  "best friend" Megan and the love interest Pierce.

He stumbled throughout the whole book, but eventually we see him find his footing. He creates his found family, ends toxic relationships and is on the journey to self love and worth. I love that the author didn't wrap this story up neatly, that Marty suddenly just was all better and everything was "fixed". It focused more on progress and a dedication to change and bettering one's self.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Stamper’s “The Gravity of Us” it was clear to me that I wanted to read any future books he wrote.

This book tells a hopeful story about a boy escaping his homophobic hometown life and moving across the world to London. He is excited to start his new life there where he can break out of the mold he’s felt stuck in his whole life.

Stamper does a great job of creating characters that you really just FEEL for. They always have their own set personalities and something that they’re learning to deal with, which makes you just want to give them a hug. I liked reading Marty’s story and would recommend it, however, it didn’t quite live up to his other book (TGOU) in my opinion. It was still enjoyable nonetheless.

First off, a huge thanks to Bloomsbury USA and Netgalley for this ARC!

Phil Stamper’s debut novel “The Gravity of Us” left me wanting more from him, as well as the knowledge he has a lot of room to grow as an author. When I received the chance to read “As Far As You’ll Take Me,” I couldn’t wait, and after reading it, I can confirm my feelings were correct. Stamper showcases his growth and talents as a writer while taking readers on a trip mentally and storywise.

“As Far As You’ll Take Me” centers around Marty, a teen from Avery, KY as he packs up his oboe and suitcase to stay with his cousin in London under the lie that he’s attending a music camp. When there, he appears to have it all, with his first boyfriend, amazing friend group and the ability to go free without parents watching over him, but reality kicks in soon and he’s left struggling to follow through with the plans he had coming here. When his life isn’t as fantastic as he wishes it were, he has to reflect on his life and figure out what matters to him most.

This book was simply wondrous. Stamper showcases much growth from his debut novel and manages to connect a variety of issues and topics that create an emotionally hard hitting and entertaining story at the same time.

One of the best parts of this book is the variety of topics Stamper hits on throughout. One major topic I think he handles well is Marty’s relationship with his parents and religion. Throughout the book, the reader develops a sense that his parents may care about religion perhaps more than they do their own son, which is something teens in religious households can relate to. As a reader with an interesting relationship to religion, Marty’s story is easy to empathize with.

Going off of that, Marty is a very realistic and relatable main character. He deals with many problems and has many flaws that teenagers can relate to while reading. He takes risks and makes many big decisions, while also suffering the consequences of those actions. One of the biggest things he deals with in the book is his new boyfriend. He learns a lot about himself and his limits, which creates a learning moment for both boys.

The way Stamper structures the book is also a highlight of the book, as the various diary entries throughout provide careful insight to how Marty gets to where he’s at. It’s a book where readers know something happened, and it’s only until the end that they can create a full timeline for what has happened.

I think As Far As You'll Take Me will resonate with a lot of young readers. It's a heartfelt story that deals with issues most teens will face, at one time or another- friendships, first loves, family. Some of what Marty went through even brought me back to my high school/early college days. And for teens in the LGBTQ+ community, they may find some of Marty's journey a little hard going at times.

I found myself really rooting for Marty, hoping his move to London would be just what he needed for a fresh start to his "adult" life. This was a huge change for him and I liked seeing how he adapted to everything. Although he had some idea of what he wanted out of his new life, once he arrived in London reality came raining down on him. With new friends, a tentative new relationship, and a whole new world in front of him, Marty kind of let himself get lost in the novelty of it all.

I really enjoyed this story. Marty was such a sweet, relatable character- there were times I just wanted to wrap him up in a hug. His story touched on some heavy subjects, but in a way that never felt too overwhelming (although that may not feel true for everyone). I liked watching him grow and come into his own over the course of the book. He floundered there for awhile, but thanks to his new friends he was able to get himself back on track and work on figuring out what he really wanted out of life. I was happy with how he handled some things that were thrown at him, he definitely came a long way from when he first landed in London.

After graduating from high school a year early, Marty moves to London. He’s a talented oboe player, but he’s not going to the conservatory like he planned, but his parents don’t exactly know that. He’s supposed to be going to church every Sunday, but he’s not doing that either. Marty came out to his parents last year, but it didn’t go very well. Still, they’ve allowed him to go to London, and Marty’s determined to make the most of it.

Marty is always looking for places to showcase his musical talent; there isn’t a lot of demand for an oboe player, but the opportunities he finds prove to be rewarding. He’s also coming to terms with being out. Back home, he’s only out to his parents and his two best friends, but in London, he can be fully out, and that means that he can find a boyfriend.

I loved the way the book handled both anxiety and eating disorders with such tenderness, presenting these issues both realistically and without judgement. I think it’s especially important to have male characters affected by EDs; while a lot of progress has been made in recent years, they are still thought of something that teen girls contend with. I don’t want to give away too much, but I also appreciated the way that relationships—both friendships and romantic—were handled, showing the signs of an imbalance in the dynamic.

I would absolutely recommend As Far As You’ll Take Me. This was such a sweet and tender book, and I enjoyed every minute of it. As a parent, this is exactly the sort of YA novel I would want my kids to read, and I’ll be passing it along to them next. I’m already looking forward to reading Stamper’s next book.



I received an ARC of this book from Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books/NetGalley.

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

An absolute must read for teens. My initial thought was that this book was going to be about teen falling in love and a sort of coming-of-age story. But Marty's journey is so much more, it's about finding your chosen family, finding true friends, and finding yourself and your voice.

Phil Stamper tackles tough topics like anxiety, eating disorders, toxic relationships, and homophobia with grace. Marty's journey resonated with me in ways I wasn't anticipating. And while at first it seemed that Marty was running from his problems by moving to London under an elaborate web of lies, it's this escape to London that allows Marty to fully realize what he wants.

At the beginning of the story, Marty was struggling to make friends, dealing with less than stellar parents, and being a doormat crippled by anxiety. Marty's character arc was a truly inspiring journey as he learns to cope with his anxiety, he gets closure on toxic relationships, and works to find common ground with his parents. At times during the story it felt like Marty and his lies were unraveling but this just added to Marty's emotional complexity and made it all the more genuine. And while things don't end perfectly, they end authentic and real.

I also loved the details of the musical world that Phil incorporated. I am not musically inclined in any way, shape, or form but I found myself Googling numerous things throughout the novel. From different instruments, to orchestras, to notes; I adored learning about something completely outside of my wheelhouse.

And while Marty does find romance in London, he also finds himself. Phil perfectly captures how delightfully awkward some of those firsts are. He also touches on how people change in relationships, sometimes for the better and sometimes not so much. I just felt that this was such a well-rounded novel and it was refreshing to dive back into my YA roots.

As Far As You'll Take Me by Phil Stamper

TWs: disordered eating

Overview: Marty is escaping Kentucky on a lie. Thanks to his dual citizenship, he's off to London to try to get a gig playing oboe in an orchestra an ocean away from his homophobic, mega church going parents. They think he's at a prestigious music school when in reality, he's just running around the city with his cousin Shane. He does make tons of friends at the program and even has his first romantic relationship. In London, Marty gets to remake himself, even if his first attempts take him farther from the person he wants to be instead of close. Overall: 5

Characters: 5 These character dynamics are some of the most realistic I've ever seen in YA book. And I've read a lot of YA books. Marty can't wait to get away from his parents, but he also misses them when he's away. He feels guilty even though he wasn't in a healthy environment. He misses his best friend even though he's starting to see her constant put-downs were less than healthy. He falls in love fast with the charismatic boy that picks him up from the airport, even though they make each other worse instead of better. None of these people are the glorified, flawed in just the right way humans that end up in YA books so often. That's not to say glorified people don't have their place in storytelling, but this is the most I've related to a book in so long.

Marty is an incredibly anxious human being. He overthinks everything and is more than a little addicted to googling. He creates bullet lists in his head or in his notes when he's anxious to try to sort everything out. Because of that, he doesn't love change. Ironic for someone fleeing to a new country with no plan, but that's life. I relate to Marty way too much. We're exactly the same age, and if COVID hadn't happened, we'd be in the exact same position at the moment- navigating a brand new, big city all alone feeling like less than capable almost adults. I still can't get over how much the entire story arc resonated with me.

The first minor character we meet is Megan. From bully to best friend, Megan was one of the few people at Marty's side all of high school. Unfortunately, she's extremely rude and backhanded. She even outs him to people. She's just generally horrible, but she pulls the "I'm the only person who will ever love you" card to make Marty feel lucky to have her around. She destroys his self-esteem and belittles his anxiety. She's the prime example of a toxic friend, and it takes Marty a lot of distance and a couple new friends to realize just how bad their relationship was. While I've never been in a friendship as verbally abusive as Megan and Marty's I definitely identified with staying in a friendship and being taken advantage of because the other person makes you feel like you'd never find other friends. It's awful to feel like a friendship charity project, and I've never seen that worked through on the page so well.

Speaking of people who can sense Marty's insecurity, there's Pierce. He's larger than life and sweeps Marty up for the ride. Marty hasn't ever been in a group of friends with other LGBTQIA people, let alone with a hot guy who seems to be flirting with him. Though it's pretty evident that Pierce doesn't have the purest motives, and even Marty knows it, he's willing to ignore that for the experience. Pierce makes Marty even more insecure, and Marty even develops disordered eating because of their relationship. Because of Pierce's comments about calorie counts or nutrition label information, Marty gets the message that his body isn't good enough, and he starts delaying eating, napping more, ritually checking the scale. It's both a body dysmorphic and anxiety control related response. I've never seen disordered eating that's not quite a full blown eating disorder showcased in YA like that. Again, it's incredibly realistic in all the details and very relatable in the whole situation. This less than perfect first love is probably far more common than the sweeping first love narrative, and I'm glad this story is out there to show that a lot of us go through these kinds of things.

Not all the people in Marty's life are awful. He meets tons of helpful people through his cousin, Shane, at the academy who are genuinely helpful and wonderful. They bring him out of his shell (in a respectful way) as both a person and a musician. Marty really grows up as a person in this book and just learns to reframe in a super productive way. It created a truly satisfying character arc.

Plot: 5 Most of this book is about the characters, which you can probably tell based on the super long character section. The plot comes out of their dynamics. There are some cool European trips and performance moments, but they're mostly backdrops for character moments. Somehow, the book is quite fast paced for not having a ton of plot. I don't quite get how that works, but I can tell you I read the book in 3 days, which I haven't done in months.

Writing: 5 Phil Stamper's voice was good in The Gravity of Us, but it didn't immediately stick out in my mind. He's truly developed his voice in this book. Marty pops off the page from page 1, and I didn't want to stop reading. Every time I'd tell myself I had time for one chapter, I found myself sneaking in a second or third chapter which is rare for me these days. This book was at the top of my TBR this year, and it's totally lived up to my expectations. Phil is now an auto-buy author for me.

As Far As You'll Take Me is my first book by Phil Stamper is a solid YA coming-of-age contemporary LGBTQ+ romance. I love just how layered it is. It's not just a fluffy romance with fun travel, but it tackles a few tough topics that give it a welcome complexity. I did like the fun travel elements as I've traveled to London in the past, so it was cool to see places I recognized through Marty's eyes. I enjoyed the story overall, but there were some things that kind of bugged me. The first is that Marty flies to London to escape his parents and start a new life with only his oboe and a little bit of money, but no concrete plan aside from knowing that he'll be able to stay at his aunt's flat. I appreciate the guts that kind of a move takes, but it stuns me that a teen who's just finished high school even has the financial means to accomplish this in the first place yet doesn't have more of a solid plan already in place before he gets to his destination. I just couldn't stop thinking about that and it pulled me out of my reading experience a few times. Overall, though, this novel is well worth reading, and I'll have to give more of the author's work a try in the future.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you) and it in no way affects my review, my thoughts/opinions are my own.

TW: homophobia(including slurs), outed(sexuality), eating disorder, anxiety/panic attacks, near sexual assault, bullying, toxic relationships, body dysmorphia.

The first thing that caught my eye was the cover, I am a fan of pastels and this was just so pretty. I also loved the principle of going abroad to find yourself and having to balance who you are with who you were once both realities collide. This is a YA coming of age LGBT+ story. It is hard to find yourself especially when your parents disapprove of you/your sexuality. As he travels through Europe and London he makes friends & starts to fall in love.

I loved the anxiety representation and the writing of this book. It was light, in the sense that it was really was to read and get into; there wasn't a moment where I felt like I had to re-read it to understand it. The relationships in this book aren't all squared off, they are raw and ugly sometimes, the characters are flawed and real. As "The Gravity of us", the author's previous book and debut, we get real-world issues. I loved the way we got the irrational anxiety, something people without anxiety might not relate to as much as I did, because the truth is anxiety is not always rational, sometimes it just is there, big and present taking control of your emotions.

This book, contrary to it's cover, is not all happy go lucky, it confronts you to deeply touching and heartfelt moments that warm and sometimes plunge a knife in your heart. As someone that was outed bye a "friend" to other friends , thankfully everyone was accepting so it wasn't as much of an issue though not okay, it was a hard read for me. But a read that made me feel seen in so many ways. This book tackles many issues in real ways, it is not sugar coated, it is graphic and messy, just like life really is. I had to take breaks between my reading sessions for this book, but at the same time I did not want to put it down and kept thinking about it. It is one of those books that hurt me, but that I couldn't help but love.

This is an important read that queer youth will relate to and think about long after having finished it.

I enjoyed it, there are somethings I would've changed, I would've liked for Marty's parent to change and accept him, but I know it isn't always the case in real life. I also would've liked for the eating disorder to have been expanded on as much as the anxiety/or at least more than it was. Unfortunately, that part felt more like a plot point than as impactful as it could've been. While the scenario is not as realistic as it could be (taking a plane to another continent with no money and no plan), it was a lovely setting that I did really enjoy.

4/5 stars
Bookarina

As Far As You'll Take Me was one of the books that I honestly felt I have read before. While I loved the main character, Marty, there wasn't anything different about him. He came from a small town, his parents had a hard time accepting he's gay and he moves to London to get away from it all and join the orchestra. It's a book about finding friends, family and yourself. The writing was good, but again, nothing spectacular. Overall, the book was fine. Nothing bad, but nothing that made is stand out.

Thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of this to review! Gravity of Us was a standout for me last year, so I was super excited to read Stamper’s follow up novel. And it definitely didn’t disappoint!

This book excels in the way it portrays anxiety and panic attacks. Marty struggles with this a lot in the book, and I really appreciated the way Stamper included it in Marty’s story. It felt authentic and true to what happens in real life.

The relationships are also where this book excels. This is definitely a character driven book, as it’s more about Marty’s journey than where he’s going. The relationships throughout help propel him on this journey. He has struggles with his best friend back home, realizing their relationship wasn’t what he thought it was. He also jumps into his first romantic relationship, which isn’t what it seems on the surface. Both of these experiences help Marty get to where he is at the end of the book, becoming a stronger person.

One of the reasons this isn’t getting 5 stars from me is due to the way the text deals with eating disorders. While Stamper nails anxiety and panic attacks on the head, Marty’s struggle with eating feels like it was a little brushed under the rug. The two do go hand in hand, and I wish that Marty’s eating disorder was given a little more page time in the book. He seems to get over it rather quickly, despite his continual struggles with anxiety.

Despite that, I had a difficult time putting this book down. Stamper has created a story that is filled with music, found family, and learning your place in the world. It definitely grabs onto your heart and doesn’t let go.

This was a great story. This is the first book I have read by Phil and i really enjoyed it. I love the story and the characters.

3.5 This book didn't grab me as much as Stamper's "The Gravity of Us" (which was fabulous!) It was darker and heavier touching on topics such as growing up queer in an evangelical household, toxic friendships and relationships, eating disorders and body dysmorphia in boys, and dealing with severe anxiety. While I appreciate Stamper's attempt at addressing these issues, it may have been too much to bite off. For instance, we know the MC is secretly leaving his smothering home to try to build a new life in London, but we don't connect with his past life or see any growth or understanding come out of that parent/child relationship. Secondly, while we see hints at self starvation and body dysmorphia and manipulation, which are all very serious topics, they are addressed at the surface level and could be plausibly dismissed at trying to eat healthy or dieting. Lastly, we as readers never see the MC get a job or earn money to support himself while in London. I found this very disturbing and privileged. He partied, traveled, lied, and complained a lot but not work. It seems like this MC has a bit of maturing to do.

ARC supplied by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I really wanted to like this one, but it just fell flat. Full review to come.

In As Far as You'll Take Me, seventeen-year-old Marty leaves his home in Kentucky where his religious parents have forced him into the closet to move to London and pursue a career as a oboist. Marty goes on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance while making some excellent new friends, falling "in love" and working to overcome his anxiety.

While I enjoyed Phil Stamper's debut novel, The Gravity of Us, I can't say that this book quite lived up to it. This book was challenging in that it covered a large array of topics - such as homophobia, outing without consent, disordered eating, and toxic relationships. I was most impressed by the realistic portrayal of anxiety and unhealthy relationships - both with Marty's best friend and the love interest, Pierce. As someone who has experience with manipulation and toxic relationships, I think Marty's desire for love and acceptance that resulted in his inability to see how toxic those relationships were was very well done.

My main issue with this book is that a lot of the issues were surface-level and not fully dealt with by the end of the story. There were a lot of side characters that I think could have been flushed out more and played bigger roles. The characters felt one-dimensional and it stopped me from becoming fully invested in the story.

While this book wasn't for me, I believe that it covers several important topics and would be a fantastic and well-loved book by others. I have talked to several readers who absolutely adored this book, the story, and Marty! I will continue to read books by Phil Stamper in the future and would still recommend giving this book a shot.

Coming soon from Phil Stamper is a story about chasing your dreams, no matter how far away from home they may take you. In his sophomore novel 'As Far as You’ll Take Me,' Stamper invites readers to travel to London with his protagonist, Marty. Armed with his oboe and some savings, Marty is ready to embark on a journey towards becoming a professional musician. However, things don’t go quite as he planned. After meeting, befriending, and eventually dating a boy named Pierce, Marty begins to lose sight of why he went to London in the first place, wondering what “home” really means.

One of the first aspects that stood out to me is how Stamper incorporates being a musician, which is, of course, a major point of the story. But Stamper’s own experience shines through with every page. It’s not difficult to tell that the person behind the story holds a deep understanding of what he writes. As a former band kid myself, I think Stamper really nails this – the feeling of playing with a group, the disappointment that follows an audition that doesn’t go quite as you planned, and even the never-ending battle with a reed (which any reed instrument player can attest to).

Stamper also does a wonderful job creating complex and dynamic characters, beginning with those around Marty. He clearly delineates the differences between Marty’s Kentucky friends (Megan and Skye) and those he makes in London. While Megan and Skye were more or less good friends to Marty, it was interesting to read how the friend dynamics shifted for him as he befriended fellow musicians in London, giving him the space he needed to thrive (Sophie is one I found particularly captivating). Next, we have one of the main players – Pierce, who isn’t quite what he seems. He’s a character who will bounce readers back and forth between liking him and not. Writing Pierce as a character who isn’t so straightforward works in Stamper’s favor. Finally, the story’s protagonist – Marty. Readers are provided the chance to really step inside his mind. Stamper writes with an empathetic viewpoint that helps readers understand Marty and also provides a certain comfort for those who see themselves in Marty. He’s not without his flaws, reminding readers that’s only human. However, he acknowledges his flaws and struggles and actively works to overcome them, even if it’s only tiny steps at first.

'As Far as You’ll Take Me' is an engaging and intensely relatable story about finding your path and following it as far as you can. Stamper is able to craft a world that both caters to a niche audience and offers takeaways that any reader can benefit from. He writes with colorful details that will keep readers immersed in the story. The characters are dynamic and compelling, and readers will want to learn more about them even after the book has ended. Stamper perfectly captures the overwhelming feelings moving from a small town to large, bustling city creates, as well the excitement that accompanies it. Marty’s story is a captivating one, told with authenticity and heart; it’s certainly a journey worth taking.

'As Far as You’ll Take Me' releases on February 9. Pre-order your copy here.

DNF. The writing style was all over the place, Marty was insufferable, and I can't grasp how he could possibly move to the UK on his own without parents realizing that.