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[Blog Tour + Giveaway] May The Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor
First of all, a huge thanks to Turn The Pages Tour and Publisher for a providing a copy in exchange of my honest review.
BOOK INFORMATION
TITLE: May the Best Man Win
AUTHOR: Z.R. Ellor
PUBLISHER: Roaring Brook Press
RELEASE DATE: May 18th, 2021
GENRE(S): YOUNG ADULT FICTION--Contemporary, Romance
BUY LINK: Buy The Book Here
SYNOPSIS:
A trans boy enters a throw-down battle for the title of Homecoming King with the boy he dumped last summer in ZR Ellor’s contemporary YA debut.
Jeremy Harkiss, cheer captain and student body president, won’t let coming out as a transgender boy ruin his senior year. Instead of bowing to the bigots and outdated school administration, Jeremy decides to make some noise—and how better than by challenging his all-star ex-boyfriend, Lukas for the title of Homecoming King?
Lukas Rivers, football star and head of the Homecoming Committee, is just trying to find order in his life after his older brother’s funeral and the loss long-term girlfriend—who turned out to be a boy. But when Jeremy threatens to break his heart and steal his crown, Lukas kick starts a plot to sabotage Jeremy’s campaign.
When both boys take their rivalry too far, the dance is on the verge of being canceled. To save Homecoming, they’ll have to face the hurt they’re both hiding—and the lingering butterflies they can’t deny.
About The Author :
Z. R. Ellor (he/him) is the author of MAY THE BEST MAN WIN and the forthcoming adult fantasy SILK FIRE (written as Zabé Ellor.) He holds a BA in English Lit and biology from Cornell University. When not writing, he can be found running, playing video games, and hunting the best brunch deals in Washington D.C.. Find him online at his website
My Review :
Why you should read this book?
1. Lovers Turned Rivals :
The book has a unique plot of lovers turning into rivals, for the upcoming crown of homecoming king. both of their future lies on the stake of the crown and they will do anything to win it.
2. Different Diverse Representation :
I really appreciate the efforts for making the book so diverse. Asian, Trans, Spectrum, LGBTQIA+ Representation in one place was good to see.
3. High School Culture :
Book revolves around high school culture and it was refreshing to see it. The teachers, the school life, the hatred that comes with you being different everything was real.
4. New Friendships and Squad Goals :
When people leave you because you are different sucks tbh, and when they are not willing to accept you for who you are. But later you come meet people who deserve you, who respect you and who appreciate you the way you are. And the book has a squad like this, a power team. I suck for great frienships and here we are, a great queer circle to die for.
5. Showcases Anger and Frustration that Comes with transitioning :
Transitioning can be hurtful not only for you but for the people around you. You can end up destroying both of them. And it was showcased in the book. The anger, the frustration, the regret, the guilt, everything.
6. Deals with heavy and deep stuff :
The book deals with pretty heavy stuff unlike what the cover suggests. It is not a rom-com, I repeat it is not a rom-com book.
What I did not really appreciate ?
• Jeremy being mean to everyone without any reason. Transitioning is hard and it comes with lots of anger and regret, but you cannot be mean to everyone who wants to help you and not to mention the selfishness.
• No depth in side characters, even though they had potential to be much more.
My Favorite Quotes :
"What cis people don’t get is that it’s not the wrong clothes, the wrong name, the wrong pronoun. It’s the strangling feeling, like you’ve been buried alive and are struggling to breathe, like you don’t exist. That the most important part of you is invisible and, thus, unreal."
"Hell is safer for queers than the Homecoming Court. Everyone knows Satan is asexual.”
"It’s easier to master IT than social skills.”
"I said we’re perfect together, not that life is perfect"
"Maybe I’m a disappointment. Maybe I’m not supposed to exist . But I’m me, and I’m fighting."
"People like me are the glitch in the system, the one that reminds them the systems they take for granted are broken."
CW: transphobia (including misgendering + deadnaming), homophobia, death of a loved one, bullying, ableism, use of r-slur, sexual and physical assault
GIVEAWAY
Up for grabs, we have ONE (1) copy of May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will run from May 16th to May 23rd at 12 AM CST. No giveaway accounts allowed.
That's it, thank you for reading. If you want to connect with me, my socials are :
