Sometimes you read a book and just KNOW it’s going to save lives. “Can’t Take That Away” by @stevensalvatorebooks is one of those books! WOW. When Carey, a Genderqueer High Schooler, is cast as Elphaba in the school musical they must find their inner diva to stand up to the bullies and queerphobes! This book gave me everything I needed and more. Activism, Theatre, Pop Divas, Supportive Adults, Swoon-worthy Romance, and most of all HOPE!

I adore this book! It's got Broadway references, well rounded characters all over, and it's so so so queer it's lovely! Carey is fantastic and I love how the chapter titles start with how Carey identities at the time. Some of the queer stuff is a bit heavy handed at first, but lessens up once the setting is established and you settle into a wonderful story.

It was a nice book but I couldn't get into it. It started out strong but got a little flat toward the end, sadly. DNF.

My new goal in life is to do whatever it takes to protect Carey.

This is such a messy contemporary, and brilliantly so. It just feels so incredibly real, and at the same time all of the bad things are balanced out by all the good, affirming, supportive things. Really, there's even on-page therapy!! Which means that even though this has its hard moments, it was ultimately a really comforting and empowering read.

CWs: suicidal ideation, depression, assault, transphobia, misgendering, homophobia/queerphobia, bullying, Alzheimer's, death of a grandparent

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Not many books have truly affected me down to my core. Only one comes to mind (besides nonfiction) and that’s The Hate U Give. Until I read this. Can’t Take That Away brought me to my knees and shook me to my core. Thank you Steven, for this beautiful book. Although I don’t just think a thank you is enough.

When I first heard about this book I was so excited and I immediately added it to my TBR. When I got the ARC, I did a little happy dance. I made sure I was in the right headspace to read a highly likely emotional contemporary. It did not disappoint.

I’m bisexual. Something I didn’t know at Carey’s age. Truthfully, I didn’t fully come out until I was 27, after 3-4 years of a lot of internal conflict. I’m sure it’s always been inside me, but it took a while for my brain to catch up. Unlike Carey, I haven’t faced a lot of what they did within the novel. The entire time I just wanted to hug them and tell them they were valid and valued. Something this book absolutely made me feel.

Following Carey, as they get the lead in the school musical, this book explores a journey of overcoming adversity as a genderqueer person and embracing your voice. The amount of times I went from tears to laughter should be criminal. The prose flows beautifully, the characters grow and learn at a fantastic pace, and the plot is fully developed and resolved. The way Steven words this novel is nothing short of magic. My heart has never felt more full than it does right now. (Yes I’m only 5 minutes post read and there may still be tears in my eyes). Watching some of the characters struggle with their identities the way I did made me feel seen in a way I’ve never felt before. It’s stunning.

While Carey’s story isn’t the same as mine, it shows that anyone can find their voice and use it. If i could give this more than 5 stars, I would. It’s absolutely brilliant and i beg of you to read it when it comes out March 2021!

The plot of this story was okay, but what I loved were the pronouns starting every chapter and the therapy sessions, both excellent and positive rep.

*I received this eARC from Bloomsbury YA via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My ratings: * I hated it ** It was okay *** I liked it **** Really good ***** Great

TW (trigger warnings): homophobia, transphobia, physical/verbal/emotional abuse, death, suicidal ideation, discrimination, misgendering, bullying

Sure to become a favorite of LGBTQIA+ people and allies everywhere, "Can't Take That Away" by debut author Steven Salvatore takes your breath away with it's amazing characters and heartfelt writing. 5 stars

Description from the publisher:
"Carey Parker dreams of being a diva, and bringing the house down with song. They can hit every note of all the top pop and Broadway hits. But despite their talent, emotional scars from an incident with a homophobic classmate and their grandmother's spiraling dementia make it harder and harder for Carey to find their voice.
Then Carey meets Cris, a singer/guitarist who makes Carey feel seen for the first time in their life. With the rush of a promising new romantic relationship, Carey finds the confidence to audition for the role of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the school musical, setting off a chain reaction of prejudice by Carey's tormentor and others in the school. It's up to Carey, Cris, and their friends to defend their rights--and they refuse to be silenced."

OH MY GOD. I have read books that have become favorites and have felt the aftereffects of reading them but this book is even better. This novel is EVERYTHING. I am not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community but am a fierce ally and mother to a trans preteen. This author made me cry, laugh, want to lash out in anger and hug everyone around me. I loved the main character, Carey Parker, as well as their friends and family. All the characters in the book were well-crafted and believable, and the action was well-paced while still having moments to breathe.

It was little things in this book that really sold it for me. A gift from a teacher that helped Carey show everyone what gender he was identifying with that day; the myriad of Mariah Carey facts he always had running through his head to get him through stressful times; the description (while extremely heartbreaking and raw) of Carey's suicidal thoughts brought on by horrible bullying; the relationship between Carey and his grandma; the joy Carey gets ever time he performs.

I can't recommend this OurVoices novel enough. I really believe this can and will save some readers' lives by just being written and out in the word for people to read. I am already looking forward to the author's next book (a follow up to "Can't Take That Away" I think) and will be buying this novel to read again when it become available for purchase.

Can’t Take That Away is an incredibly impactful book, and one that will sit with me for a very long time. I simply couldn’t put Can’t Take That Away down. I felt my heart break again and again for Carey, and yet trusted Salvatore to piece it back together by the end. And that they did. Carey Parker was such a relatable, and easy to like main character, and watching them go on their journey was something so special. I held my breath alongside theirs, anxious, even though I trusted Salvatore to give us a happy ending. There are so many Carey’s in the world; so many people who aren’t able to unapologetically be their true selves. And to read about yet another instance of this was just heartbreaking. But I was so proud of Carey, for overcoming his own fears and anxieties, and for standing up and speaking up.

Can’t Take That Away is home to some well-developed side characters. Carey’s friends are nothing but supportive and loving and kind. Cris, the love interest, is thoughtful and charming. Monroe and Joey, Carey’s lifelong friends, are protective and the biggest cheerleaders that anyone could ask for. Phoebe, a newer friend and unexpected ally, isn’t just the overachiever that she appears to be. One of my favorite things about Can’t Take That Away was how well all the characters communicated with one another. When something that Carey did bothered Monroe, she brought it up, told them that they were being self-involved, and Carey reflected, and promised to do better - and do better they did. They followed through. When Cris voiced their needs, Carey listened and respected that. And while I loved all of Carey’s friends and how they banded together as a community for them, one of my favorite relationships in this book was actually the one between Carey and their English teacher, Mr. Kelly. Mr. Kelly was someone who truly cared about his students, and wanted the best for them. To read about Carey’s healthy relationships from his friends, and his English teacher at school - his one ally on the teaching staff - was incredibly important.

My other favorite relationship was Carey’s relationship with their mother, and their grandmother. Far too often are parents introduced in YA novels, only to never be talked about again. This was not the case. Carey’s mother was very clearly trying her best. A superhero, who worked two jobs to keep their family afloat, was Carey’s biggest supporter and advocate, and someone who truly had unconditional love for her child. She was always around to support Carey, and seeing a healthy relationship between a child and a parent, especially a queer child and their parent, was simply heartwarming. I also loved how therapy was normalized in Can’t Take That Away.

As a musical theatre aficionado, I absolutely loved all the theatre references, especially the Wicked ones, and this book made me reminisce on the last time I saw Wicked. This book made me feel the way seeing a musical did; it’s atmospheric, and you know exactly what each character is thinking and feeling in any given moment. Can’t Take That Away is a work of art in itself, a magnificent, spectacular production, and one that will no doubt, leave a handprint on many people’s hearts.

Applause to Steven Salvatore for crafting a book that invites readers to see themselves represented, and to learn about experiences that may not be their own. Salvatore shares a story here that should be shared, and one that I can see inspiring young readers to have courage, and hopefully inspiring adults to have courageous conversations.

In addition to this mirroring and windowing (Sims Bishop, 1990), the book is also a beautiful display of Salvatore’s talent for storytelling. Such a wonderful text!