i was so excited to receive this arc after absolutely falling in love with this authors writing in the lesbiana’s guide to catholic school. this was a lot heavier than the lesbiana’s guide but it’s so important. this lovely book goes to show that we are never truly alone when we’re going through tough times. it was so nice seeing these friendships form between the characters over something so dark. would recommend this to everyone.

After falling in love with Sonora Reyes’ 2022 debut YA Sapphic romance, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, I was honored when I was selected by Reyes themself to read an Advanced Reader Copy of The Luis Ortega Survival Club!

What enamored me in Reyes’ debut–their penchant for calling out institutions who justify and/or cover up the bad things that happen to (queer) people–fortifies the backbone of this novel (and protagonist) as well: Ariana not only desires to become a journalist who “Exposes the Mierda [Shit],” as her favorite website does, but she also becomes a victim of said mierda. While the Catholic church was at the center of their debut novel, The Luis Ortega Survival Club tackles rape culture and men’s uncanny ability to not only get away with it but be believed in the face of a mountain of evidence that points to their guilt.

One of this novel’s central preoccupations, which helps to illuminate the perpetuation of rape culture, is (not) talking: Ariana has selective mutism; her parents opt to only talk to each other pleasantly in front of her despite their shit-show of a marriage; Ariana cannot voice the truth of what happened between her and Luis at the party (in fact, she can’t even admit to herself that she was raped until late in the novel); Ariana’s mother’s inability to share with her daughter her own experience of sexual assault; etc. Even when Ariana receives a “me too” note in her locker with the name of a Tumblr account, whose owner purports to have undergone the same slut shaming that Ariana is experiencing now, she still hesitates to speak out for being tricked or further slandered.

While it could be said that the staples of YA fiction are the preoccupation with adolescent sensitivity, self-discovery, and self-presentation anxiety, Reyes’ writing sets itself apart from the rest through the author’s dedication to portraying adolescence both realistically (they do not shy away from the (sometimes harsh) realities of being adolescent and queer and autistic and Mexican and having a “specialized” body and a victim of sexual assault) and optimistically. Growing up, I remember so much of the YA fiction I read being woefully pessimistic or limited in its scope of hopefulness: the world would suck, but at least the character had one singular friend by the end. In Reyes’ work, there is always a unit of newfound, true friends or rejuvenated family connections that can cling to one another and forge their way forward.

If Sonora Reyes’ work is any indication of the future of (specifically autistic and queer) American youth and their welfare, we should be both hopeful and heartbroken. While we’re continually making strides forward despite (perhaps in spite of) the divided political climate, we still have a ton of work ahead of us.

content warnings (provided by author): bullying, slut shaming, rape culture, sexual harassment, rape (off-page)

we start this book with ariana, our mc, driving home from a party, where she just had sex with the guy she’s liked for a long time, luis. but she’s very confused with the whole situation, because while she didn’t say no, she also didn’t say yes. but before she can even process what happened, she starts getting slut shamed and sexually harassed online and at school. she then finds a group of other people luis has wronged in various ways and together, they decide to enact revenge.

first i just wanna say it’s sooo cool that ari is autistic + has selective mutism since that’s what i did my capstone project on (the intersection of autism and selective mutism)! while i’m not all-knowing about these conditions, i thought that they were represented so well in ariana. and i loved how ariana wasn’t magically cured of her selective mutism by the end of the book, though it was very nice to see her feel more comfortable with her group and begin talking in front of them.

i also think this book explored the topics at hand so well. ariana has trouble coming to terms with what happened to her and has this internal battle between what luis did to her and the attraction she still felt toward him. also, she has a complicated relationship with her mom, which really made me emotional with how it played out.

overall, this was an amazing book that i will not soon forget. i recommend to anyone comfortable with the content.

If you love vigilante justice, authentic queer and neurodivergent characters, or simply a YA book that is /not/ plotted around a dance/musical/recital/big game, this is a great one to pick up.

First of all, I love Ari's character--it is so rare that we see a non- or semi-nonverbal character, so seeing the representation of an autistic girl with selective mutism was quite a treat. Her character was so thoughtfully done and it's just so clear this was written by someone who is neurodivergent themself. I loved being in Ari's head and watching her grapple with and eventually come to terms with what has happened to her. Along the way, the friendships she forms through the survival club are so important. As an autistic person, making friends can be hard regardless, but there's an added barrier as a non-speaking person. I loved how everyone in Ari's newfound friend group works to make her feel welcome and included and accommodated--not as a "special treat," but because they welcome her for who she is.

While this book deals with some heavy topics, I want to point out that there are no graphic depictions on page of sexual violence, which I appreciated. The group forms because they know they won't be believed--abusers have a way of manipulating their way out of consequences. Instead, the group aims to take on their own forms of revenge and serve vigilante justice. As a fan of that concept, I was a fan of this book and seeing plans hatched and executed. At the same time, this book is very short and much of it is focused on this mission for justice: on the group's hatred of Luis and what to do about it. I do wish we had gotten a bit more character work, as aside from Ariana and Shawni, I didn't feel like I really /knew/ any of the other members of the group.

Alongside the group's quest for revenge and Ari's internal struggles, she's also dealing with conflict at home. Her mom uses Ari as her therapist, while her dad is never home, avoiding Ari's mother after she was caught cheating. This plotline felt a bit out of place given the rest of the book and was almost conveniently resolved. Ari's mother does apologize for how she has been treating Ari and vows to act more like a mother and less like a friend, but we never actually see that promise in action, which is really where things fell flat for me. In a book about a manipulator who lies and denies, I needed some real action behind Ari's mother's words to make her promise believable.

That said, I really liked this book overall. It's an important book about consent, sexual violence and coercion, and friendship. Topics were written about thoughtfully and there are many times in which I teared up reading this book. While I don't think it's perfect, I definitely think this hits the emotions in a way that will impact a lot of teens and young adults.

Thank you Sonora Reyes for hosting a giveaway for your eARC! Going into this book I already knew I would relate to Ari as a queer, autistic girl who has been selectively mute a majority of my life. The subject material of this novel was very heavy (definitely look at content warnings before reading!) but necessary and handled well.

This book played with my emotions! My hopes kept getting up just to be let down when TLOSC failed their task and again when I thought Ari was going to figure out Shawni’s feelings toward her. I was yelling at my screen like come on it’s right in front of you! Then again I’m pretty sure I’d be the same way if somebody ever liked me.

By the end of this story I was crying, laughing, and cheering. Most stories like this that happen in real life don’t have a happy ending but I’m glad TLOSC got one :).

This book was an incredible follow up after reading The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School. Reyes’ voice was so recognizable.

I was instantly hooked by Ariana and the way she took in the world. Being on the spectrum, selectively mute, she struggled with relationships, and was vulnerable to certain types of people.

Reyes did an amazing job exploring some deep topics using a Young Adult voice and scenarios to do so. They were able to capture the difficulty faced by a lot of young girls, with a villain like Luis Ortega or insert some guy that is a predator.

I was enraptured and couldn’t get to the ending fast enough. I loved to see the characters grow and support each other, building new bonds out of bad situations.
I loved it.

Representation: selectively mute MC, Afro-Latin MC.

If, like me, you're coming into this after falling head over heels with their debut The lesbiana's guide to catholic school please take note that is a lot more serious in tone because of the subject matter being tackled. I still found it as *enjoyable* to get through and loved the representation of having a selectively mute MC who is accepted by those around them and accommodated without having to point it out. It showed that accessibility though not something built into the sytem is something we can do for one another as a community.

The parents were MESSY and it was handled in a way that was believable. My favourite element were the good father-daughter relationships because it's always nice to see.

CW: bullying, slutshaming, rape culture, sexual harassment, biphobia, panic attacks.

It’s like getting a do-over of high school but this time knowing what to do. like being able to picture a better ending than how things worked out. like someone else saw how things were and I’m not the only one angry about it anymore. i adored it so much

this book means so much to me in every aspect. the discovery of neurodivergence, and the normalization of self-identification in that regard. the relationships were sweet and the effort put in to accommodating each other was so important. the trauma and the time it took to acknowledge it were so real. I wish I had had this book earlier, but I am so glad I got to read it now.

What a powerful sophomore novel to follow up the outstanding Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School. Here, Reyes confronts some of the heaviest topics teens--and society--face, and does it with so much heart and tenderness that they allow us to actually look it all in the face. In less deft hands, this story would have been too devastating or triggering to read. But for Reyes, while the trauma is a catalyst, they manage to avoid every possible pitfall in a story such as this (like leaning on the trauma as a plot device for character-building).

I was struck and moved by the portrayal of friendship creation on the page. So often we see friendships that already exist, or we see romantic interest development, but here we're able to see a group of teens who, when the book begins, are largely alone, and by the end are truly bonded--and not just because of shared trauma, but because of true investment in and care for one another. I really loved watching these relationships blossom.

I also appreciated the access this story gave me to the perspective of an autistic, selectively mute protagonist. Ari was so lovingly drawn and so thoughtfully shared. Hearing the story from her perspective was illuminating and helped to put me inside the complexity of each social situation and discussion. I loved her dearly and could not put the book down as I watched her bloom over the course of the book.

I wish that a story like this--facing rape, exploring consent, exposing bullying, highlighting privilege, asking who is believed, and showing how the carceral punishment system fails society--were not so relevant, but as it is, it's urgently needed. Each of the topics the book explores is also relevant in adult society, but by exploring it through high school kids--where these patterns, roles, and dynamics begin to calcify--we're able to see both the impact society's failings has on younger generations, and how confusing and overwhelming it is for teens.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
👩‍💻📝🐈⌚👭🏽

Multiple content warnings, but first and foremost this book is about the aftermath of r*ape.

Rep: Autistic Bisexual Latina FMC, Bisexual Afro-Latina LI(f), non-binary side character, Black side character, multiple other Latinx side characters, multiple neurodivergent side characters

This book broke my heart. From page one you are sucked into the world of Ariana Ruiz and her struggle of what just happened to her. Ariana has autism and selective mutism, so someone she thought was friendly and caring towards her, had sex with her without asking, or even consulting her about it, she is confused about what happened. To make matters worse, the whole school finds out about it not long afterwards and her world spirals around her.

In comes a group of people who also has been hurt by the same boy, Luis Ortega, and TLOSC club has formed. This group of kids band together and vow to get Luis back. Friendships are formed, and confusing feelings start to show and everything comes out in the open.

With everything happening in Ari's world, you just cannot help but love her and want to protect her and wish her all the best.

Sonora's portrayal of sexual assault victims is raw and so well-written. The fact this book is about getting revenge and taking back power is so critical in a world where girls Ari's age, and/or are neurodivergent get taken advantage of.

Thank you, Sonora Reyes and Netgalley for a copy of the ebook. This review is left voluntarily.

I’m always on the search for new queer Latinx books so I was looking forward to this story. I read the author’s first book, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, and loved it. Highly recommend that one if you have not read. Unfortunately, The Survival Club is nowhere near as good. It’s the story of a group of teenagers at a high school who plot to gain justice against a fellow student, Luis Ortega, a serial predator and rapist.

Firstly, my favorite aspect and the strongest part of the book is the portrayal of the main character, Ariana. She is neurodivergent and also has selective mutism. Her character is vibrant, her choices are real and sometimes flawed but it is a solid depiction. I kept thinking, what a really interesting character.

I think the initial idea of a story giving voice and power to the people who have suffered under Luis was a good idea, but the execution does not work. The non-stop focus on the group’s hatred of Luis prevents any other storylines and it becomes tedious. Some of the group’s actions taken against Luis also do not make sense in the context. One thing that works is a brief scene where Ariana and Shawni attend a dance battle. For a moment, they are themselves and the story pops. Less Luis and more scenes in the lives of Shawni, Angel, Jasmine, and Nina would’ve added dimension. There is also a weird subplot about Ariana’s parents’ dysfunctional marriage which seems out of place in a book focusing on young people and their struggles. Regardless, I will continue to look forward to future books by this author.

I loved The Luis Ortega Survival Club! Another winner from Sonora Reyes! Ariana is a neurodivergent teenager who has always struggled to make connections with others. When another student at school takes advantage of her, Ari thinks she’s alone…but it turns out there is a who crew of other kids who have also been hurt by Luis. Can they work together to get back at Luis?

I loved the diverse characters in this book! They were so fun to get to know and I was really rooting for them throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been this invested in a book. Like I was sneaking off at work to try to read and finish. I read Sonora Reyes’s debut book last year and was excited for this one. Reading the synopses, I knew it was going to be a bit heavy. Sonora is now definitely one of my favorite authors.

From the beginning, I wanted to hug Ari and be her friend. Her character is written to be so sweet and vulnerable. I started this wanting to whoop Luis’s ass but then it kept getting worse and worse. The fact she found her people made my heart swell. The friendship elements in this are written with so much love and hope. I also appreciated the conversation about difficult parent structures and how more might be going on then what we can see. At first I hated Ari’s mom, but we don’t know her story until later. I guess that can be said about judging someone too soon.

There is a lot of talk about slut shaming and sexual assault and how to find your voice about what has happened to you. I know now is especially a great time for a story like this. Not just for readers of YA, but for everyone.

The tone this book took was so beautiful and hopeful. At the end I was cheering with my fist in the air. Shawni & Ari are literally the cutest and my cheeks were hurting from smiling at them and everyone else. I’m glad that it was highlighted that you can find happiness

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review, All opinions are my own.
The Luis Ortega Survival Club caught my eye due to the promise of wronged girls coming together to get revenge on the guy who wronged them, and while I think the Speak comparisons are apt, I’d also say it also feels like a much more hard-hitting take on John Tucker Must Die or “what if the protagonist from 13 Reasons Why had received support from her peers after the initial inciting incident?” These elements together make for a powerful story about hope and the possibility for justice against abusers, even if said abusers and their enablers hold all the power.
I really loved Ari and all the little nuances of her story. She doesn’t realize at first that what she went through was sexual assault, and that is due to how society talks about what rape supposedly is and isn’t. But the journey of her coming to realize that “not saying no doesn’t imply yes,” and working to take her power back was beautiful. I was also deeply impacted by her descriptions of her autism with selective mutism, as those felt very similar to my own. And the idea that Luis was able to get close to her because of her vulnerability made it especially creepy.
I loved how the Luis Ortega Survival Club came together, formed by his ex-girlfriend, Shawni, and composed of some other girls he’s wronged due to his abuse and manipulation. It was wonderful to see them bond over this shared experience and figure out ways to get their story out there and get him held accountable for his wrongdoings. And the fact that it was not just the handful of girls, but one of the girls came with a guy friend, who’s an incredibly supportive ally for all the girls, is also great.
While not primarily a romance, there is a romantic subplot between Ari and Shawni. I liked seeing them slowly bond over their shared past experiences, and coming to like each other for reasons beyond that as they and the others start supporting each other’s extracurricular activities.
While this book is a heavier read, it’s balanced by moments of light humor and an underlying theme of hope. If you’re interested in hard-hitting YA contemporaries, I recommend checking this out!
CWs: bullying, slut shaming, rape culture, sexual harassment, aftermath of an off-page rape

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my e-ARC! This novel deals with sexual assault and this review will touch heavily on this as it is central to the plot.

Everyone thinks that Ariana and Luis hooked up at the party. Not even Ariana realizes at first that what happened between them was nothing close to consensual. But due to the fact that Ariana is autistic and oftentimes mute, she doesn't know how she can even begin to defend herself. When she receives a message from an anonymous person claiming to understand her and what happened with Luis, Ariana finds herself to be one of Luis' many victims, and they want revenge.

I was so excited to read this book! The representation within the group of characters is incredible, with variances in race, neurodiversity, and sexuality. Speaking as a neurodivergent person, though not diagnosed as autistic, I found Ari's description of her experience as an autistic person to be really informative and I appreciated the representation of someone who stims and is more often than not mute. I also appreciated the friend group and supportive dynamic demonstrated in this story. It really had its sweet moments between the group as they grew closer. I appreciated the multitude of nonconsensual experiences that were detailed as it was a great way to deliver how rape doesn't always look one way. There are many ways that sexual assault can happen and how survivors can feel about it/how they may want to deal with it.

Unfortunately, I think this book was really weak overall. Good representation alone does not make a good book, and I honestly think that's what this book hinged on. The idea behind this book is great and I really do love that Reyes attempted this, but I don't think it was as affective as it could have been.
This book felt like a rush job. The writing was incredibly weak and I found the characters outside of Ariana and her friend Nina to all be very similar in how they spoke, which shouldn't have been possible considering how wildly different they were all supposed to be.
I also found the plot line with Ari's parents to be a nuisance and it felt very forced/unrealistic. And it wasn't until the last 20% or so that this plot line even comes to a head and makes any sense and even then I was left like...really? (I understood the point of being like this happens to so many women, etc., but it just didn't fit well at all, I really think this could have been left out OR done way better).

My final gripe? Not every YA needs romance. And one about calling out a rapist especially does not need romance. This book was not long, and to tackle sexual assault, the parents relationship, and romance??? I don't know, but I think that's a tall order and it is definitely part of what hurt this in my experience. I also just do not think it needs to happen period. More than half of the club ends up being in relationships with each other (all but 1 of the members, actually), and that is WILD to me.

Unfortunately, I really did not enjoy this. It took everything in me to finish it and I was so bored by the end that I didn't even have time to process how uneventful and unsatisfying the ending was. This was a rush job and I think it's a damn shame.

Content Warnings: Abusive relationships, Rape, Sexual Harassment, Anxiety, Very unstable family dynamics, Flashbacks/Outbursts, Parental mistreatment

Thank you to Sonora Reyes for a copy of an eARC via Netgalley!

It's not like she can say no

This is not the lightest of books. It’s heavy, it’s honest and it’s emotional.
This is a book about rape culture, sexual assult/harassment, about being neurodiverse in a very neurotypical world, about ableism. And it all comes together in an emotional, raw, revenge/anger filled ball of pages and words.

Trying to make a synopsis of this plot I don’t think will give it any kind of justice. The book opens on Ariana leaving a house party right after she just had sex with her boyfriend/someone she loves. Sounds like a regular house party, until you are met with Ari’s inner monologue and her questioning about what happened, why, and what she feels about it. Did she really want that to happen? Doesn’t she love him though? She didn’t say no…. But well, she can’t. Ari has selective mutism, so even if she wants to talk, often she physically will be unable to talk.

All of the characters I felt were great, they each had their own story, passions and drives through the book. None of them felt overly flat at all, but I honestly wish the book was longer just so I could spend more time with them all! Nina was my favourite though if I’ll be honest :3 Those who’ve read the book fully know *the* chapter where my choice was finalised with them haha. Loved that so much omg

The autism and queer rep, I love it so much. I read Hell Followed With Us last month and that was my first proper autism rep book I’ve ever read, so going into this I’d already started feeling all the “wow I had no idea this was part of me like this” and “I’m being seen” feelings but hoooo damn this book brought in new waves on that. And yes, cats are 100% autism buddies, they really do just understand us 😀 The adorable sapphic and queer rep ontop was just perfect. I love these kinda books releasing, we need queer + autistic rep (at the same time!!) badly currently.

So overall, yes this book is heavy and goes very deep into a lot of incredibly sensitive subjects, but it’s also a story about a group of teenagers trying to survive highschool and the horrors they’ve been through and just try and live and love again. Queer joy is very much a large part of this story, and I love it. I think it’s just the perfect balance of sensitive topics and lighter topics/conversations/scenes.

When Ariana gets raped at a party, she doesn't realize it was rape at first. She knows she didn't say yes, but she also didn't say no, so she felt like it was, at least in part, her own fault. Soon after though, she comes into contact with an account named TLOSC, The Luis Ortega Survival Club, who tells her she's not alone, and they might be able to figure out a way to get revenge. What follows is an incredibly powerful and empowering story of a group of survivors taking back agency and control, and forming close friendships along the way.

Ariana is a main character you will adore from the first page. She's autistic and has selective mutism, meaning she can only speak when she feels safe, which is only when she's at home. Because of this, she's always struggled to connect with her peers and form friendships, and this has left her isolated in school. A perfect target for Luis, so when he pays attention to her, she feels flattered and accepted.

It was amazing to see Ariana form genuine friendships and connections in the aftermath of this. The solidarity among this group of teens was so strong, and so great to read. Honestly they all deserve the world.

You might be hesitant to read this as it discusses a really heavy subject, and of course you should be careful and decide for yourself if it's safe for you to read this. But to give you an idea of what to expect, I never felt like this book was too heavy to read, because it felt really well-balanced. There's so much friendship and solidarity, and an adorable sapphic romance. There is a lot of discussion of sexual assault, but nothing is graphically discussed, and I felt like it was always handled sensitively. Obviously I'm only one person, but hopefully this proves helpful to know if you're on the fence.

Let me start by saying this is such an important book that I think teenagers everywhere should read. I loved everything about this book. Our main character has autism and selective mutism and the representation was done wonderfully, which I really appreciated. Be aware that the main focus of this book is definitely very heavy, but the author approached the subject with so much care and wrote it in such a powerful way, which I think will have a great impact on lots of people. Even the more light hearted side of this book was amazing, for example, the friendships. The friend group in this book made me so extremely happy and smiling from ear to ear. I finished this about a day and just absolutely flew through. This book is definitely one to look out for as well as the author. I see this keeping a lasting impression on me and I strongly recommend it to EVERYONE!!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins Children’s Books for this ARC copy!

(tw: sexual assault, characters process off-page rape) This was such a refreshing high school story! Reading about a character with selective mutism was something I don't get the opportunity to do often, and seeing autism and other forms of neurodivergence exist as normal parts of these characters' lives was really nice. I also really appreciated how the experience of sexual assault was handled, especially with strong friendships as support. The cast of characters was so vibrant, and I definitely recommend! This felt like such a rich story, where home life, internal dialogue, friendships, school, and conflict were all multi-dimensional.

This book is quite heavy as it's about a group of people coming together and starting a "survival club" after their experiences of sexual assault and rape all at the hands of the same person - Luis. But this story is also about friendship, crushes, revenge, and justice. The survival club become fast friends, and they work together to make sure Luis gets what he deserves for the way he has treated them and many others.

The topic of consent is a huge part of this story, as we see how certain people don't bother to get consent at all, while others make every effort to ask for consent with every interaction - from handholding, to hugging, to kissing.

The main character, Ari, is autistic and is mostly non-verbal - she can only talk to people she's comfortable with. Ari is also queer, as are some of the other main characters. I enjoyed the sapphic romance, the nonbinary rep, and the absolute cinnamon roll that is Angel - more men should be like him.

Overall, a hardhitting but important story, with dashes of hope and a serving of justice.