Sie really does mean "All kinds" here. Our protagonist fits all of the outsider boxes, all of the targets for bullies and bigotry. So we have a pretty clear picture of where this book is headed. And Jack's anger and emotional distance are understandable. But I like that it doesn't make any of the characters pure victims. While some are victimized more than others, they all have taken actions that are not commendable, things for which they must make amends. Its an emotionally complex read.

While I'm quite late with my review, I felt that it is now more important than ever to make sure I share it.
Jules and Jack are both very likeable characters. I love that this book explores sexuality and the feelings that come with the unknown. While both boys have different situations, they're brought together as they learn the in and outs of their new school and social settings. Both struggling with wanting each other, but not sure about how "open" they want to be.
Jules is adorable. I really enjoyed reading about how he became his own person and being able to "experience his growth". While Jacks character has so much about him, you just want to jump into the pages and squeeze him
I loved the outside opinions of family, and trials and tribulations that this story brings forward felt real, and well researched. While this book does cover some hard topics, it is very enjoyable and not easy to put down!
Hard topics, transphobia, transviolence

I wanted to read this because I love trans stories and want there to be more, but this one wasn’t it. I can’t with all the transmisia and harmful actions. I am not the right audience for this book.

Honestly, I have mixed opinions about this book. On one hand, It’s a sweet coming-of-age story about two boys falling in love while figuring out what queerness means to them. On the other hand, the prose didn’t quite sell it for me. A few scenes felt more like telling than showing, and a lot of the backstory was told through blog posts that I felt could have come together more clearly to share that part of the narrative in a more efficient way.

The thing I enjoyed most about this novel is the clear role of the parents in these characters’ lives. The contrast between having supportive parents and absent or openly homophobic & transphobic parents makes for such a difference in a queer teen’s life. There are a variety of parenting styles exhibited in this novel—Jules has a controlling mom and absent dad, whereas Jack has a very supportive set mom and a dad who is mildly selfish but ultimately trying his best. The impact of each of these relationships on the teens is felt throughout the story. I think it’s extremely important for queer readers to possibly see their lived experiences echoed this way, and for straight readers to understand the ways that queer people’s lives are impacted by their family relationships.

One small note: I don’t like it when readers dictate who is allowed to tell what stories, especially when it comes to queer YA. Authors are not obligated to reveal their personal identities and experiences in order to write, however I feel that it is important for me to note that this story has not been labeled by the publisher as an own-voices story in that the author is gay but not trans. If reading stories by out trans authors is important for you, here are several as a start: The (Un)popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez, Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith, Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I am disappointed with this book. I was expecting one thing and received another. It had potential but it was not well written.

** First Things firs, Thank you to netgalley for allowing to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion**

In this tender, nuanced coming-of-age love story, two boys—one who is cis and one who is trans—have been guarding their hearts to protect themselves, until their feelings for each other give them a reason to stand up to their fears.

Two boys are starting at a new school.

Jules is just figuring out what it means to be gay and hasn’t totally decided whether he wants to be out at his new school. His parents and friends have all kinds of opinions, but for his part, Jules just wants to make the basketball team and keep his head down.

Jack is trying to start over after a best friend break-up. He followed his actor father clear across the country to LA, but he’s also totally ready to leave his past behind. Maybe this new school where no one knows him is exactly what he needs.

When the two boys meet, the sparks are undeniable. But then a video surfaces linking Jack to a pair of popular transgender vloggers, and the revelations about Jack’s past thrust both Jack and Jules into the spotlight they’ve been trying to avoid. Suddenly both boys have a choice to make—between lying low where it’s easier or following their hearts.

The Book Touches Base With A lot of topics from. Bullying, coming of age, coming out..... Both boys have their own set of issues with who they are and then bringing them together should they bow out to society or keep fight together.

So, it depends on how much this story triggers someone individually, I guess. What I do believe is that this is a great story for everyone else in the LGBTQ+ community and everyone who’s straight. I loved to read both Jack’s and Jules’s voices, their doubts, their questions, and their fears.

This was such a great read. Told in alternating perspectives, I loved seeing the journeys of Jules and Jack. You see how their lives keep intertwining and you can’t help but to root for their love. Fully recommend.

I’m always asking for cis writers to include trans characters in their works. But the way it was handled in this novel is not what I want.

I felt physically sick reading this book. It’s full of trans pain. It’s not “just” a few transphobic comments here and there, the entire story is about the way the trans MC (Jack) gets bullied. This is not the author’s story to tell.

This is also not a romance book like it is claimed to be. Yes, there’s a romantic relationship developing between the two MCs but this is first and foremost a story about transphobia.

Don’t get me wrong, it is important to educate others about queer matters. But there are next to no consequences for all transphobic actions.

How do you expect me to feel anything for the cis MC (Jules) when he simultaneously calls out his friends for outing Jack but also outs Jack to his own mother. For sure, he’s the perfect stereotypical example of cis queer men not wanting to educate themselves on any queer matters that don’t have an impact on themselves. He doesn’t know anything about trans people, he doesn’t know what’s okay to say or not. He doesn’t know anything about his own fucking community.

Of course, that may be realistic but nevertheless that behaviour has to be criticised. There is not nearly enough criticism of Jules’ or any other cis person’s transphobic behaviour.

I also didn’t enjoy how Jules figured from a person’s outward appearance that they’re non-binary. There is no singular “non-binary look”. We all look different, don’t judge a person’s gender from their looks.

The inclusion of non-binary people is also not consistent, in some matters they’re mentioned, for some they just don’t seem to exist. Thanks for nothing.

Also this is a trans book published in 2021, how are there still HP references included, I literally can’t even begin to understand that anymore.


And please don’t acting like all trans people want and need to have medical transitions. We are all different, don’t act like there’s only one way to be trans.



At last, I want to point out that I thought that there were quite a few racist comments made by characters in the story that also didn't get enough criticism. A lot of harmful things were said in this book without characters having big (enough) reactions to them.



Please, publishing industry, I’m begging you, publish happy trans stories. And if you, person, who is reading this, are looking for a trans story that resembles this one without all the neglect of criticism of transphobia just read “Felix Ever After” instead.


TW: deadnaming, misgendering, outing, abuse, transphobia, hp



I received an ARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

All Kinds of Other follows Jack and Jules on their journey of coming together, but the story focuses much more on their lives as individuals. Jack, a trans boy, is new in town, and here nobody knows he's trans. He can live life as a cis man in the closet, an opportunity he intends to take full advantage of. But he's scared. He's constantly looking over his shoulder, fixing his walk, trying tot talk with male swagger, lest somebody figures him out. Jules is also new in town, and he's beginning his journey of coming out to his classmates and finding new friends. He just wants to keep his head down, despite how accepting his new school is of gay people, until he meets Jack.

This book captures so many nuances of the trans experience. Thing's I've never even thought about, like trying to walk a certain way to avoid being perceived as trans, preferring texting to talking because you can emit more ~swagger~ over text. How people react to finding out somebody is trans, including those closest to them. The plain ignorance and mocking that adults will treat you with. The pain of watching Jack as he does everything in his power to protect himself was heartbreaking and eye opening. You will fall SO HARD for Jack.

I also loved how this book showed how absent parents effect their kids that just need them. Jules's dad is a producer of Lifetime films whom he never sees, and Jack's dad is an actor struggling to land roles, while his mother lives in their home state, holding down the fort while her husband tries to make it.

Overall I have literally nothing bad to say about this book. Like,, not a single complaint. The portrayal of teenagers felt so real and authentic, and storytelling techniques were enrapturing, and I loved every second of this reading. 5 stars, highly recommend, definitely a favorite read of this year.

I loved it. The author has done well in ensuring readers are able to feel various emotions while reading this story. I'll admit that the start was a little slow. However, the story does pick up in pace after a while. The ending is bitter-sweet. The story as a whole was enjoyable and I wasn't able to put it down. I would definitely recommend this story to others.

There's a lot of things that are offered in the story from being trans, gay, having extremely controlling parents, a highly diverse school and more. Jules and Jack were amazing and resilient through it all. I won't share any details about this tho since I don't want to spoil the story.

I received an ARC of this story from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

3.5/5 Stars


This book told a really important story and I learned a lot from it. It’s the story of a trans boy and a cis boy who fall in love against all odds. I’ve been wanting to read more YA contemporary and especially ones about LGBTQ+ youth, so I was really excited. I learned a lot about what being trans is like and what it involves, so I’m really glad that I read it and could come away with so much new knowledge. I also thought that the story itself was really heartwarming. There were several scenes where the writing was on the side of telling more than showing, which isn’t a horrible thing, but I think the particular scenes I noticed this in were ones that could’ve been more impactful if told differently. On the whole, I think that less telling would’ve allowed me to connect and feel more deeply for the characters.

With that being said, it didn’t bother me that much. I still was invested in finding out how each boy’s story progressed and I would really recommend this as a good starting place for people who haven’t read many novels about trans people. I do recommend checking the triggers warnings before reading, though, because this book deals with some very intense topics and situations. Thank you so much to the publisher for the review copy! I’m so glad I read this book and I’m definitely taking a lot away from it.

I don't think any of my words can do justice to how absolutely incredible and beautiful this book is. This book is simultaneously hopeful and heartbreaking as it tells the story of two teenage boys in Los Angeles--Jules, a cisgender boy who is struggling to come out as gay, and Jack, a transgender boy who is looking for a fresh start after unknown challenges at his previous school. I was rooting for them from the first time they see each other. As I came to realize when I was lucky enough to chat with the author about the book, I was not even rooting for them in the typical romance story way. I was rooting for them because of the obviously strong and deep connection that they have, and continue to develop throughout the book. This book goes beyond the surface of romance and attraction and explores how impactful deep human connections can be. If you are thinking about picking this book up, stop thinking and just do it. It's absolutely worth every heartbreak you'll feel.

I received an advanced copy of The Sprite and The Gardener through NetGalley so I could share my review with you!

Once, long ago, the sprites watched over the plants in the world, protecting them and helping them flourish. But, as time went on, humans arrived and took over the care of nature. The sprites’ powers became a thing of the past. That is until a young sprite named Wisteria starts to question why sprites have lost touch with their magic. Wisteria finds herself on a mission to help a neighborhood girl grow her garden, no matter how difficult it might be.

You can get your copy of The Sprite and The Gardener on May 11th from @onipress!

The Sprite and The Gardener is hands-down the most beautiful graphic novel I have ever read! The art is beyond stunning, and each sprite had their own unique flair. I quite enjoyed the story as well, as it was heartfelt and sweet. Overall, this book was a wonderful read for me!

My Recommendation-
If spring is your favorite season you need to pick up a copy of The Sprite and The Gardener! This book felt inherently springy to me, as it captured the wonder that new growth brings!

BOOK REPORT for All Kinds of Other by James Sie

Cover Story: Chalk Art
BFF Charms: Big Sister x2
Swoonworthy Scale: 8
Talky Talk: Struggle Bus
Bonus Factors: LGBTQ+ Representation, Tasty Business
Anti-Bonus Factor: Awful Parents
Relationship Status: Here For You

Content Warning: All Kinds of Other features themes and scenes of homophobia, transphobia, forced outing, and physical and mental abuse.

Cover Story: Chalk Art
Although I think the art on this cover is supposed to remind you of water rippling, to me it more looks like one of those giant chalk art pieces you see at festivals (or on that one episode of Bob's Burgers). I dig the colors, which give it a moody feel, and the depictions of the two main characters are pretty spot-on.

The Deal:
Jules and Jack are both new kids at Earl Warren High School, a public school in Los Angeles. Jules has lived in the area his whole life, but has been to many different schools thanks to his overbearing mother. This—his sophomore year—is his first time at public school, and his first time being openly gay with more than just a small group of people.

Jack is new to the area, and new to the name Jack—until recently, he lived in Pittsburgh and went by the name Adam, a name he chose when he transitioned late in middle school. Jack's only in town for six months, thanks to his dad's Great Experiment in trying to become an actor, and Jack wants nothing more than to just make it through without his being trans becoming a thing.

Jules and Jack strike up a friendship that has them both questioning things about themselves, and when an anonymous person outs Jack as trans, and formerly Adam, things get even more complicated.

BFF Charms: Big Sister x2
I can't put myself in either Jules or Jack's shoes, having never been in either of their situations, but I spent most of the book wanting to wrap both of them in a hug and offer a shoulder to cry on and/or smack them upside the head for being a doofus. Neither of them have great adults in their lives and I'd be more than willing to step up for the both of them and give them the support they so rightly deserve.

Swoonworthy Scale: 8
Jules has only recently leaned into the fact that he's gay and so he's still thinking through a lot of what that means for him. Jack has known he's gay for a while, but being trans has caused him to shy away from relationships in part because of how complicated things might get. Jules is immediately interested in Jack, but doesn't quite put a name to it until late in the book. Jack is interested in Jules, but certain situations lead Jack to reinforce those terrible beliefs he has in his head that a relationship isn't worth the struggle. Will they ever get their act in gear? (The answer is, thankfully—SPOILER ALERT—yes, but it does take a while to get there.)

Talky Talk: Struggle Bus
I'm not sure if All Kinds of Other is a fully #ownvoice novel, because the little bit of digging I did on Sie* led me to learn about his husband, but not his relation to the trans community. So I can't say how accurate the portrayal of Jack and Jules is, but it certainly feels like a thoughtful, empathetic, and realistic look at the lives of two young LGBTQ+ boys. The book was at times cheerful and lovely while at others cringy and heartbreaking—all true aspects of growing up, even without the added factors of figuring out one's sexual and gender identity. Neither Jack nor Jules are without fault, which makes them that much more believable, but they're willing to put in the work to change and grow. Sie's honest portrayal of the two boys's struggles could have easily veered into preachy or after-school special territory, but with the exception of a few of the adults and their terrible antics—which, sadly, are probably not even accurate enough—it thankfully never does.

I have one complaint about the alternate chapters in which "Adam" writes long, pining messages to a former friend named Evie. They're formatted like a teen boy might write Tumblr posts, but the lack of any sort of proper grammatical structure irked me, even while knowing it was done on purpose (and likely very accurately). I can't help it!

*I also now know that Sie was the voice of the oft beleaguered Cabbage Man in the Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series, which is absolutely something I would tell everyone all the time/put at the top of every resume were I in his shoes.

Bonus Factor: LGBTQ+ Representation
The relationship between Jules and Jack is central to the story, as is Jules's coming out and Jack's being trans. It was interesting to read about their struggles, not having ever experienced them. I think this is a very important book for teens to have access to, even if they're not part of the queer community, to help them understand more about their friends who are.

It's also a warning, of sorts, to adults who might have queer kids in their lives on how NOT to act around them. (See Anti-Bonus Factor: Awful Parents below.)

Bonus Factor: Tasty Business
Jack's mother is Indian, but she's mostly disconnected from the culture and her family. The only thing that she's continued to do from her childhood is make gulab jamun, a special sweet Indian fried donut-type thing that sounds amazing. In an attempt to stave off homesickness, Jack makes some and brings some to school to share, which sets off a craze for the sweet. I have never tried gulab jamun, but I really, really want to now.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Awful Parents
Jules's mother is The Worst. She is a bad stereotype of a person, trying all sorts of diets—and forcing Jules to try them, too—drinking too much, and being "woke," but only so far as she's comfortable. Jules's dad is basically out of the picture; he's a Hollywood producer who lives elsewhere and is totally disconnected from his son's life. Jack's dad is taking a selfish with his quest to become an actor (in only six months, no less) and tries to be understanding, but doesn't quite get Jack's reality, or what Jack needs. There's a HORRIBLE scene in which these three "adults" get together and show the true depths of their lack of comprehension and care. It physically hurt me to read.

Relationship Status: Here For You
I can't put myself in your shoes, Book, but I can offer to be a support system for those times you need someone. (And you definitely have those times.) I want nothing more than to see you happy, and I'd be honored to be a part of that happiness, even if it's a small one.

Jules is starting at another new school after a shitty experience at his old one. His mom isn't too happy with this school, so she assures him she'll find a better one, but Jules is kind of sick of constantly moving around and besides, as long as he gets to play basketball, he's happy. Sure, he's just come out as gay and sure that brings its own challenges, but Jules has friends at this school and he's pretty sure he'll be okay.

Jack is in LA with his dad, each doing their own Great Experiment. His dad's? Try to get his acting career started. Jack's? Go stealth. Far away from anyone who knew him before he came out, away from people who watched his transition. He just wants to be a regular teenage boy, no labels, no stares.

Jules and Jack click. They slowly start to get to know each other, start flirting, start maybe navigating towards something despite Jack wanting to pull back. Jack knows if they do start dating, start anything, he'll have to tell Jules and he's scared of how that will change things between them. So he keeps putting it off.

But a link to an old youtube video Jack made before he began medical transition gets sent around the school, taking the decision out of Jack's hands. And the fallout after is a lot to navigate, for both of them.

Sie does an excellent job with this story. The emotions, Jack's fear and dysphoria and Jules's tendency to get stuck. It's all so well crafted and well told. I found myself really invested in the characters, frustrated by the things that were frustrating. All Kinds of Other is so well written and well done. I thought Jack's experiences were handled particularly well.

This book gave me many feelings. Many many feelings. It was at times really hard to read: so much transphobia, bullying, ignorance, too too much, and my heart was just breaking and cringing. I couldn't understand why was it so hard for people to just be mean, and I still don't understand even knowing fully well how this happens too many times, no matter how the world is changing.

Jack and Jules were two very different boys with different experiences and different upbringings. Jules lives with a mom who is already dealing with personal issues and thinks she knows what's best for her son instead of, you know, asking him.
Jack has a supportive family (minus the sister who really annoyed me the only time she was on page because how could she be so unnecessarily rude?) and he's in California with his dad only for a few months. Jack doesn't want to be the "trans kid", he just wants to exist but of course it doesn't end well.

For a school so progressive that had two queer homecoming kings, there was too much bullying related to queerphobia and racism that nobody noticed nor knew how to act about. And they wondered why kids don't confide in authoritative figures. Of course they don't. Not being a US teen, I have no idea how the situation is right now but I guess these episodes aren't rare and this breaks my heart.

The story was hard to read and it made me want to scream and hug both Jack and Jules. Jack might've acted not all too well all the times; he was new to being out himself, afraid of being bullied, learning things as they came. He grew so much in these pages. I would've done a couple things differently but that's me. We all act our way and face difficulties in different ways.

Easy to follow with two very likeable characters, I enjoyed it a lot.

I loved the way in which the narrative unfolds in this book. It begins with Jules’ first person perspective as he first sees Jack from a distance at a friend’s house and then meets him again at school. We get to know him and his family life—parents are divorced, and he’s starting public school for the first time in his life. He’s getting to know Jack better and then there’s an incident at school.
From there, the perspective switches to Jack, and we go back to the end of the summer when he first arrives in Los Angeles with his would-be actor father. They’re both here for a fresh start, and Jack will have the opportunity to start school as himself for the first time. As was the case with Jules’ portion, Jack’s part of the book leads up to the same incident.
The final part of the book consists of alternating chapters as both boys—and their families—deal with the incident.
Interspersed throughout the narrative are references to people named Adam and Evie. At first these interludes don’t make much sense, but eventually they do. I can’t say much more, but they add another layer of depth to the big picture.
Jack and Jules find each other at a time in which they both needed someone the most. Their initial misgivings give way to a mutual understanding, as they bond over the gulab jamun that Jack’s mom taught him to make.
I would absolutely recommend All Kinds of Other. I had a hard time putting it down because I had to find out what was going to happen next. This is a heavy story at times, but there’s always an undercurrent of hope, and that’s what kept me riveted. I’m looking forward to reading more from Sie in the future.
I received an ARC of this book from Quill Tree Books/NetGalley

<i> cws: transphobic slurs., homophobic slurs, transphobic violence, outing, misgendering </i>

This was simultaneously not a very easy book to read, and one I didn't want to put down at all. This book was extremely heavy but also super cute all at the same time. And it covered so many topics in really great ways from trans and cis dating dynamics, unconscious cis exclusion of trans people and issues, and complexities in trans interaction and life.

This book is about Jules and Jack, both 15 years old and both in a new school and new environment and not knowing their next steps in life. Jules is peak baby-gay and doesn't know how open he wants to be, and Jack has recently moved across the country, and has decided to try to live stealth after a very negative experience in his old city.

This book is really great. I was hooked in right away. Sie added a level of mystery to the book with past blog entries and unspoken events that made you want to learn more about to know these characters and keep reading. I really enjoyed the little blurbs of adamandevie before each chapter. <spoiler> And I love Evie so much. The entire book I was so worried about her, I'm really glad there was a hint of resolution in the end for her. </spoiler>

I love the characters in this book. Jules is so adorable. Watching him come into his own was a really lovely experience. And Jack has such depth to his character, I just wanted to give him a hug. They were really cute too whenever they interacted. Their relationship felt very real to me. Not over the top not loveydovey, and there are complications to them getting together, but their interactions always felt authentic.

I do wish we got a little more depth into the side characters- especially the high school students. We do get a good grasp of Jules Mom and Jack's dad. But for their friends, we only see their personalities but it's all surface level beyond what they contribute to Jules and Jack's story.

As I noted earlier, this book does hit on a lot of issues that affect the trans community heavily. I can't go on too much about how in detail this book gets about trans issues without getting pretty spoilery- but a lot of the messages in this book are easy to see and really poignant. <spoiler> One example I want to talk about is I really appreciate how Sie doesn't shy away from criticizing "open minded cis liberals" for their ignorance at best towards trans and nonbinary people. From Lowell, the cis gay president of the GSA being unintentionally not inclusive of Kacey- the NB member, to Jules' mother acts toward Jack after she knows Jack is trans. Jules' mother had been very accepting of him being gay, and is active in social issues in the city- but views being trans as trendy and doesn't think young people can make that decision. Every trans person knows these kind of people. They might seem to support trans people on paper-(and even think they do support us!), but in reality don't at all. I do like Lowell's coming around at the end though </spoiler>

This book is great. It's not an easy read and it covers some very hard topics, but I really enjoyed the story it told and the messages that come with it. 4.5/5

<i> Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review </i>

Reading Jules and Jack's story discusses the ways my heart can break. The ways that queer youth are lacking support systems for unsupportive parents, for finding the language that unlocks doors, and to handle all this land in between. How our friends can love us, support us, encourage us, but shouldn't be our only lifeline. All Kinds of Others starts out as a story about friendship, of coming to terms with our mistakes, and the way the world sees us. But it quickly turns into an emotional story about queer teens fighting against a homophobia and transphobic society.

The ways that people we love may 'seem' like allies and support systems, which crumble in the wind. And the importance of acknowledging our mistakes, challenging our beliefs, and love. While I immediately loved Jules POV, my favorite ended up being Jack. The ways that society sees BIPOC teens differently based on their perceived gender. All the transphobia he deals with in unexpected places and in plain sight. The challenges he has in his family with acceptance. All Kinds of Others made my heart ache. My heart raged. My heart cried.