There are certain check lists that I have that let me know whether the book I am reading is enjoyable – sure there are the obvious ones such as great storyline, likeable characters, exciting setting but there is one thing that is bound to make me really enjoy a book. I can’t help it; I am a sucker for a coming of age story.

Adam is a coming of age story.

Adam is a 17 year old boy who has travelled to New York to spend the summer with his sister Casey. His life at home is going nowhere, his “friends” are tools, his mum’s overprotective nature is stifling and he just wants to be – for want of a better word – “normal”.

When Adam gets to Casey’s New York apartment he gets thrust into New Yorks LGBT scene with some interesting results. He meets new people, learns about a society that he hadn’t really understood before, becomes closer to his sister and he falls in love. I mean, Adam falls hard!

Unfortunately, Adam is mistaken for someone else. Adam’s moral dilemma is should he come clean about his deceit or should he keep enjoying the benefits…he’s only in New York for the summer, what harm can it do?

Adam is a brilliant story which highlights so many issues: growing up, the cruelness of teenagers, transgender society. It really is a melting pot of subplots and was bloody compelling. Not only that but I personally felt that I learned so much from this book about the LGBT community that I didn’t know. It really was a great read.

Adam by Areil Schrag is available now.

For more information regarding Areil Schrag (@arielschrag) please visit www.arielschrag.com.

For more information regarding Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (@HMHCo) please visit www.hmhco.com.