As a huge fan of drag in general and Drag Race, I had SO much fun reading this! What great representation of not only queer teens, but the diversity within the LGBTQ kids in this book is awesome- some fat, some mean, some nice, some rich, some middle class.

The way the author perfectly encompassed the awkwardness and cringey-ness of being a teenager and figuring all that out in a rural small town was so relatable.

This book was so fun, but at the same time dealt with some tough topics such as bullying (and cyber-bullying), homophobia, suicide, and more.

I can’t wait for queer kids to get their hands on this book, and to see what else the author does in the future!

What an AMAZING YA debut!! This queer coming of age story takes place in a rural small town over the summer and features the complicated relationship between two gay best friends. I absolutely LOVED that the main character, Peter is so utterly flawed but relatable!!

Fat with acne and stuck in a small town with parents that are not super supportive, Peter has a lot of anger issues and trouble controlling what comes out of his mouth. When he attacks another gay student and a video of it goes viral, he finds himself in need of serious damage control.

Enter Alan (aka Aggie Culture), his best friend, who is unapologetically out and a proud drag aficionado. Alan's big idea to help Peter (with admittedly some self-serving motives too) is to put on the First Mason County Drag Extravaganza with Peter as producer.

What follows is a series of hilariously embarrassing antics, some expected small town homophobia but what really struck me was the way that Peter realized there were more true allies and fellow queer people in his small town than he had known and they show up in lovely and heartwarming ways to help Peter and his friends pull off their Drag show.

Full of heart, this should be must read material for high schoolers. There's something for everyone in this story and I couldn't put it down!! Witty and real and with the BEST rural themed Drag names ever, this is one you don't want to miss!

HIGHLY recommended for fans of books like Pumpkin by Julie Murphy or The Black flamingo by Dean Atta. Many thanks to NetGalley and Annick Press for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! (Also that cover?? FANTASTIC!!)

Favorite quote:
"Maybe we're just pretty dummies in corsets. But it makes being born in the wrong place, with the wrong people, feel bearable for a little while when you can show them how fucking good you are at being you. Or, you know, this painted-for-the-gods version of you."

This book had a really good message. This book felt very young for me. I was very annoyed with all of the drama the characters had. But I think this is a great book for younger readers

Peter, the main character, was interesting to follow as he learns how he really relates to people instead of how he thinks he does. The drag show is the background to growth and Peter and his friends go through some experiences learning about life and love. All in all, a good book.

Honest review of Dragging Mason County by Curtis Campbell
*ARC provided by NetGalley.

I read this book SO QUICKLY. Not only did I find it an easy-going read, but I wanted to keep reading and see what happened with the group! I really enjoyed this book. I related to Peter sometimes, and also to the other characters. I feel like that will be such a strong pull for readers of this book, that so many of us have been in a situation or two with our friends or parents like one that the author has described. For the story itself, I couldn’t always predict it and I loved the Drag Extravanganza as the big plot! How fun! I wish I could be there. Great themes, great drag representation within the field, and a great fun read.

(3.25/5) in a small southern town, a group of queer teens comes together to make a drag show. peter, the main character, argues with someone and in the heat of the moment says hurtful things. unfortunately, it was all filmed and uploaded online, and peter’s reputation is in shambles. to support his best friend (a teen drag queen), impress the new guy in town, and mostly, fix his reputation, peter offers to produce Mason County’s debut Drag Extravaganza!

i really like the dialogue in this book! a lot of it feels like conversations that i would have with my friends. the characters are witty and funny, and they aren’t afraid of teasing each other. you could sense that peter and alan have been friends for a while just from the way they talk to each other.

at the beginning of the book, i liked how supportive alan and peter are for each other, they had a united front. peter may criticize alan to his face, but the moment someone else says something, he will defend him like alan did nothing wrong. however, because of a long miscommunication, it started to feel awkward at times. their friendship has a lot of ups and downs throughout the book, and you can’t help but love their silly actions.

the main character’s thought process is so interesting! he says a lot of out-of-pocket things and keeps hurting people, but it makes the book a lot more entertaining. as you see his backstory, you learn to love him despite his attitude.

i also really enjoyed the idea of the book. trying to make a name for yourself while still dealing with a town that doesn't like you is difficult, and i appreciated that the author used comedy to describe these moments that so many people can relate to. the characters were brave and loveable, and i was rooting for their cause. the book showed that people can change and grow and that it's okay to become someone else. it was very comforting to see change as good rather than something to be scared of.

however, i didn’t really like how people said peter wasn’t "gay enough" because he didn’t want to act feminine, and how his friends keep pushing him to do things he isn’t interested in. i also don’t like how people kept saying that he didn’t do enough or doesn’t care about the show. yes, he decided to produce it for selfish reasons, but that doesn’t mean that he didn’t do something wonderful. no one else even attempted to make their town a safe space, so the fact that he even took the role means so much. it felt as though the other characters were too harsh towards peter, rather than offering advice.

despite the important storyline, interesting characters, and funny plot, i kept putting the book down. i’m not exactly sure why, but i had to take breaks from the book. i think peter was a bit dense at times which led to some difficult-to-read moments, and the drama from the beginning of the book kept dragging on rather than developing other plot lines.

overall, i enjoyed this fast-paced, fun book! you would love the characters and the over-the-top storyline.

Thank you netgalley for this novel!

First i want to say i love the cover and the message behind this novel it was very important especially with everything going on lately we need novels like this however i feel like this novel was too middle grade for me. I felt that the drama got a little annoying and it carried on for way too long making alot of the characters annoying i loved the drag elements and how the characters were brave enough to bring drag and queerness to a rural area and break doors down because you dont see alot of this stuff in those areas i liked all the detail regarding the drag and show casing different drag. Overall it was a cute story and an important message.

I was looking forward to reading this book because I enjoy YA fiction and I love Drag Race. Unfortunately, I struggled to get through it. I disliked many of the characters, and the friendship between Peter and Alan felt toxic. However, in the last quarter of the book, I started to really like some of the characters. Even thought the storyline appealed to me, I kept putting the book down and leaving it for periods of time before picking it back up.

There were some funny scenes and nice moments, such as the second half of the extravaganza. I also liked how the author incorporated the comments from social media throughout. And I loved the ending of the book. Overall, this book wasn’t for me, mostly because I really disliked the dynamic between Peter and Alan. I rate it 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ebook copy of Dragging Mason County which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Dragging Mason County was such a funny book. I enjoyed every moment of this book. Its nice to see books such as this one be bought into the world.

This book was very enjoyable! It had me literally LOLing. I flew through the pages because I just wanted to read more and more.

The entire Rural Realness crew brought insight and empathy into the experiences of queer kids in a rural setting. I loved the ensemble cast, and the writing was sharp and shady. Perfect for a book about Drag Queens!! So fun with some insights into how families treat one another and sometimes even come together for each other. Well Done!

3.5/5 (rounded up to 4)

CW: death of a parent (mentioned), suicide (mentioned), queermisia, violence, bullying

I would like to thank NetGalley and Annick Press for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

In Curtis Campbell’s YA debut novel, Dragging Mason County, Peter Thompkins finds himself agreeing to produce Mason County’s first annual drag show, starring his best friend Alan Good (aka Aggie Culture), after getting himself into a fight with one of the popular guys in school. While dealing with the town’s reactions to the show as well as his complicated friendship with Alan, Peter has to learn about stepping out of the shadows on his own terms.

Dragging Mason County is a read I wasn’t quite expecting when I first got this book on NetGalley, but I did end up enjoying it. I think Campell’s decision to have Peter, a complex anti-hero, as the main character and narrator for this book was an interesting choice. While I personally wasn’t fond of him at times (I mean some of the things he says in the book are completely terrible) and there were times in the book that part of me felt like Alan might have been a better choice as the narrator/MC, I do think the message of feeling like a sidekick in your own life was presented very well in Dragging Mason County.

Other than the quarrels over who should have been the main character, I do think Campbell did well for a debut novel. The writing was solid and Campbell does a great job with world-building for the rural setting of Mason County as well as the community Peter finds while producing the drag show.

If you’re looking for a YA novel featuring a MC who’s more blunt than the average person or are looking for a queer found family YA book, you might enjoy reading Dragging Mason County.

Such a good book and interesting storyline, I really enjoyed following all of the characters and what was happening. Though I didn’t give it the full 5 stars because I had a hard time relating to the characters and getting super connected to them. Though I truly did enjoy the stay and all of the aspects that went into it. From the small town to the crushes that help form their identities. I would recommend to anyone who also grew up in a small conservative town and was the odd one out.

DRAG HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER!

Dragging Mason County does something that many books cannot, it makes you feel all of the emotions that the main character expresses. When they were upset, I was upset, When they were mad, so was I! I think I felt the emotional impact of this book most of all, making it something that I absolutely loved.

This story follows Peter Thompkins, a queer kid whose best friend just so happens to be a Drag Queen. A famous Drag Queen, Aggie Culture (great name). When Peter's reputation takes a large hit after an offhand insult, public relations are needed to rectify the issue. The solution? A drag show in the county town hall. This story is so adorable and it deals, I personally think, with all the emotions that many young queer kids feel. There is so much anger and resentment from the bigotry that exists. Especially after the assault on drag in the media lately. This book gives a voice to that in many positive ways.

This story is short, sweet, but powerful and I think readers everywhere are going to love it!

Dragging Mason County is getting it's first drag show. Mason County could have been written about the town I live in. This book is funny, inclusive and deals with real issues teens face.

Alan is a larger-than-life character. He's very comfortable with himself and has goals he wants to meet. He kind of bulldozes the people around him to get what he wants. He's the type of character you want to love and strangle at the same time.

I really sympathized with Peter... to an extent. To his friends, he's not gay enough; to his parents, he's too gay; to his peers, he's a heartless villain. He reaches his emotional threshold because of all of these circumstances, this new guy crush Lorne and Peter's uncomfortableness in his own skin. But Peter also has a lot of growing up to do.

I wasn't a fan of the "enlightened" Lorne, but there always needs to be a douchebag you can roll your eyes at. Bailey, Tilley and Cora are great secondary characters.

I feel this is an excellent time for a book like this to be published in our current social and political climate. Alan said it best: "We are agents of change, are we not?
Being an agent of change means painting a target on your back sometimes and hoping that what lands is social advancement." Dragging Mason County is just the book this country needs.

Thank you NetGalley and the Annick Press for providing an advanced reader copy of the book for an honest review. Any quote(s) used in my review have been uncorrected.

This book had me laughing and crying! I loved the characters and the relationships they all had with each other. I will say it does bring up the issues that still persist in not only small towns but over the world that the LGBTQ community has to face. I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend.

I ripped right through this book, and I'm not going to say that it singlehandedly got me out of a reading slump, but it DEFINITELY helped.

Here's the thing: I am intimately familiar with the YA genre, and I know that the extreme quippiness of the book fits the genre well, but there were times where I wished that the quippiness could have been reined in just a *little bit* more to let us sit with some of the heavier emotions. The end also felt very... tidy. Again, this book is YA, it's heavily slanted toward comedy, and it treats the character's emotional development the way a drag show treats gender. DRAGGING MASON COUNTY is actually doing a lot of emotional work under the glitz-meets-rural veneer, and I appreciate that. Sometimes the emotional bits just got a bit bogged down in Drag Race-esque patter.

That said, did I cry while reading this book? Yes. Is the narrator's voice impeccable? Definitely. And the villains of the story, such as they were, were over-the-top enough to make me laugh rather than just make me mad, which is how I feel about the behaviors of the people this book is calling out. By the end, Peter (our narrator) is able to extend some grace to people who mean well but are, let's say, still finding themselves. I love this book for serving so much Rural Realness, and I can't wait for it to find its audience. Its energy is somewhere between SIMON VS. THE HOMOSAPIEN AGENDA and ALWAYS THE ALMOST.

Thank you to NetGalley for granting me access to the ARC in exchange for a voluntary and honest review.

I adored this unabashedly Queer YA novel from the very beginning; in fact, I fell in love with these characters on Page One! This novel had me chuckling, chortling, laughing aloud, singing praises....the characters are so relatable!! Throughout the novel I kept thinking about how each of us, no matter our age, has so much internally we keep hidden from others [and from ourselves] and so often "transparency" and "accountability" are just empty terms without definition.

DRAGGING MASON COUNTY also brought home to me how all too often, the Queer Community and Queer individuals are endangered, and how essential it is to find cohesiveness, to avoid divisions and wedges among each other. Stick together! Grow together! Thrive together! Be as one!

Thank you Annick Press and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own! This book is so enjoyable! Peter and his best friend Alan live in boring Mason County and they happen to be some of the only gays around. Alan is also a drag queen named Aggie Culture. Peter doesn’t do drag it’s just not for him. While hanging out Peter and Alan come across the rich girl and her gay best friend, the two always make fun of them. Peter’s had enough and he says some insensitive stuff about Brison (the GBF). When video of his comment goes viral he becomes very disliked by Mason County. In order to help his image he agrees to produce Mason County’s first Drag Show. As they deal with catty drag queens, homophobia, protesters, and a cute boy can their friendship last? I connected with Peter so much! His trying to make himself invisible feels very familiar. I’ve done this for as long as I can remember! But Peter knows his way around a clapback, which I enjoyed! A hilarious and heartwarming story of friendship, community, standing up for yourself and self discovery! Can’t wait to read it again!

This book failed because of one reason and one reason only: the main character, Peter. Choosing Peter to be the main character was a mistake. Peter and his mean girl attitude ruined the book for me. He's bitter and backstabbing and judgmental. Calling his interactions with other people a "tense confrontation" is an understatement. Peter is hostile to everyone.

Plus Peter is the fakest friend ever. Peter isn't nice to Alan even when they're together. But when they're apart it's worse. He talks trash about his "best friend" behind his back. Peter constantly says he's being supportive but nowhere did I see that support. The way I see it, Alan is living his best life and Peter is just dead weight.

The only reason I didn't DNF Dragging Mason County was because of The House of Rural Realness. The queens brought life and laughter to the story. I would have loved for Alan or another side character to have been the narrator.

Bottom line: The House of Rural Realness and I deserve better than Peter.