Sometimes when you read a friend's book, you're thinking "I hope this doesn't suck," and reader, Shampoo Unicorn does. not. suck. It's a delight! The author, Sawyer, is your friendly neighborhood trans guy queer zinester with not the best coming up story. If you want to know the deets, read his zines. The lives of the kids at the center of SU go through some shitty times, but ultimately this is a happy book.

Brian runs a podcast called Shampoo Unicorn with his best friend, Riley. The name refers to a childhood ritual the two of them had with a third (former) best friend, Greg. Brian is the only out gay kid in their West Virginia town. Riley isn't queer, but she's biracial, so understands about being different. And she's just a good egg in general. The podcast isn't huge, but it reaches the ears it needs to, including those of Leslie, a trans girl from a similarly queer unfriendly town in Pennsylvania.

Following a podcast trope, SU comes to become a true crime story, as Brian, Riley, and some others try to solve a gay bashing crime (because obviously the police aren't doing shit).

The Bluefire Reader ate all of my bookmarks, so I can't tell you every little thing that I fucking adored in Sawyer's prose. Thanks anyway, NetGalley. Sorry your Shelf ebook reader kind of sucks sometimes, and so does Bluefire. Everyone, please acquire this book and share it with the teens in your life whether they're queer or not.