Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC of Let Them Stare in exchange for an honest review. This book is a cozy hug by JVN and Julie Murphy!

Literally masterpiece? No. Beautiful silly paranormal story about a young person finding their place? Yes.

Also, Sully and Brad give David and Patrick of Schitt’s Creek energy and I loved it.

Let Them Stare is a delightful product of the combined energies of Jonathan Van Ness and Julie Murphy. Sully, who was all set to exit their hometown of Hearst, suddenly finds themselves stuck there sans job, sans car (sold to the adorbs Brad/Bread), and sans Plan B. With their last $75 (since Brad refuses to accept the Venmo refund for the car he purchased less than 24 hours previously), Sully buys what appear to be an authentic Butler bag from Yesterday's Tomorrow- the vintage thrift shop where they were previously employed. What Sully could not possibly anticipate was the Butler bag being the residence of Rufus- a ghost with an unknown past and a need to know what happened to him.

Essentially, from there, shenanigans ensue.

This book was really enjoyable- and while I have no idea how much of a joint effort this was between Van Ness and Murphy, I felt as though I could hear their distinct voices coming through the characters in the most delightful way. The pair essentially use a light-hearted and fun supernatural mystery to take on transphobia. It ends as a celebration of the way we all (should) have a place we belong regardless of anyone who tries to claim otherwise.

This book hit all the right spots on my reading check list.
Queer main characters? Thrift store scores? History? Mystery? LGBTQ+ history? Ghost story?
Yas queen!!
I loved the way the characters experienced the journey of uncovering a purpose in their own time and space. Sully has several features of my own child and I could almost hear their voice!
The good, bad, ugly, and wonderful parts of history came to life in this book and I think it's also a great introduction to queer history in a unique way.
There were also bits that I highlighted as standout quotes, one specifically about how we are paving the way for those who come after us. "Let Them Stare" gives light to those who have come before us, and it does so in a beautiful, fun, and entertaining way.

There’s so much campy fun here in Sully’s narration and this whole situation, but it gets real as well, making room for discussions of the dark parts of queer history, the weight of always sticking out and always feeling like even close friends don’t understand your identity, the judgments about who’s the “right” kind of queer.
The main throughline was about recognizing the queer community and history that exists and has existed everywhere even when hidden, divided, or suppressed. It came through most prominently in the investigation of Rufus' past which neither shied away from the horrors enacted against queer people in the recent past nor presented those times as unerringly bleak -- showing a vision of queer joy and community tucked away in unexpected places. But it also showed up in Sully's relationship with Brad. Where they had dismissed him as bland, boring "Bread" and underneath that, resented him for the traits that made him easier to digest for cishet society (masculinity, a simple binary gender, "acceptable" interests in sports and politics, etc.), they came to see him more as a person who shares their struggles than a measuring stick for acceptability.
Throughout all this Sully's humor, wit, and occasional pettiness keeps the tone light and fun, which helps support the overall optimism of the story even in its darker moments.

4 stars

JVN + Julie Murphy = a match made in queer YA heaven! I am HERE FOR IT!

Sully, the m.c., is a gender nonconforming teen who really has some feelings about their quaint Pennsylvania hometown, so when their opportunity for a brief reprieve falls apart, they are understandably bummed. Don't worry, though. Things take a turn for the...supernaturally better.

What I hoped for and expected from this novel was solid queer representation, some discussion of queer culture and gender, and some quippy dialogue and language. ALL of these come through in obvious and pleasurable ways. What I was NOT expecting and thus came through as added bonuses were some really nice connections to the experiences of queer folks from earlier time periods, a super hopeful tone even in the midst of some darkness, and some really fun secondary characters, including the undead!

This was a lot of fun to read, and while I'd have liked to get to know these characters even a bit more intensely, that leaves me hoping that I'll get that opportunity in future books. Speaking of future books, my central hope is that this is the start of a lengthy literary relationship.

I enjoyed this read and very much look forward to recommending it to my students!

This is a great read that needs to be shared. Unfortunately a lot of the names of the characters hit too close to home and I simply couldn’t find myself getting into this story. I do still think it’s a wonderful book, hence the five star rating, it just isn’t the book for me.