How can we all know the same amount of words some authors have this magic ability to take the words and place them in a way that makes your brain light up when you are reading. As you might have guessed: the writing is very expertly descriptive. However, as excited as I was about reading this one - it didn’t suck me in. It is a dedication to those who we lost to AIDS. And for that, I will treasure it.

For teens who want to know more about AIDS. For 40- and 50-somethings who remember those years. For lovers of It’s a Sin. Actually, for anyone who cherishes unforgettable books.

When You Call My Name is not perfect, the pop references were a bit too much, and still, I want to rate this a million stars. Pitched as a young adult, When You Call My Name is so much more. It’s a dedication to all those young people who lost their lives to AIDS. A dedication to the late eighties and early nineties. A dedication to queer people. A dedication to New York. And this review is my dedication to Callum. Sweet Callum. Lovable Callum. Beautiful Callum. Endless Callum.

I’m speechless, and I don’t have many words to say. And at the same time, I want to shout out about When You Call My Name. Because the writing is so vivid and descriptive, I could feel the wind, see the parks, hear the traffic, smell the food. And because the story made me feel so much. I smiled and I cried and I got goosebumps and I watched in the distance. I hugged my cats and family. I thought of those boys I knew back then, Rick and Rick, and the red-head with his harem full of girls (if you ever read this, you know it’s you). I hope they’re still alive and doing well. And when I was done staring and hugging and musing, this story pulled the corners of my mouth up again and made my belly flutter and put lumps in my throat. And when I finished the story and thought I was done crying, tears leaped in my eyes again. I cried massive, beautiful tears. Because of the author’s note. Tucker, I can’t remember ever crying so much because of an author’s note in the back of a book. Thank you so much for sharing your story! Those three beautiful boys will always have a piece of my heart.

Thank you so much, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, for allowing me to read When You Call My Name early!

Written in a dual third-person narrative, Adam’s and Ben’s, and a third unknown first-person narrative, When You Call My Name is a gem of a book following three boys in 1990 when AIDS was everywhere in the gay community. The writing is simple but effective, even lyrical at times. I read this declaration of love to queer love, queer friendship, and New York in one sitting because I couldn’t let go of Adam, Ben, and Callum. A remarkable story that tells an essential part of our recent history and therefore deserves a place in every school library!