This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Tiffany Ferrell for Readers' Favorite
A Boy Like Me is written by an LGBT+ gender-fluid poet named Reki. In this four-part series of poems, we are introduced into the mind of a man struggling to find his place in the gay community. We learn first hand what it means to be a feminine male in the community and the struggles it entails. Capturing a glimpse of Reki’s life, we journey through heartache, rejection, unrequited love, the longing for acceptance, and the loss of his mother.
I found Reki’s A Boy Like Me an eye-opening and beautiful read. There are many emotions and situations that readers could relate to on a personal level, such as the need to fit in, loving someone who doesn’t feel the same about you, and losing a very important person in your life, to name a few. I never would have thought that being a more feminine gay man would be met with so much hostility. While reading these poems, I was overcome with such sadness that the author didn’t even feel at home within a community that should accept him, but doesn’t because he’s a femme. In words, he is baring his soul to the reader and it definitely shows.
Being a straight woman, I’ll freely admit I was baffled reading this and finding out how it really is for a gay man who leans more to the feminine side. The poems about rejection, breakups, and unrequited love definitely struck a chord with me and it’s something I found myself identifying with as well as that underlying need to be accepted. Also, the photos were amazing. I absolutely enjoyed reading A Boy Like Me. It takes a lot to put such raw emotion and experiences into words let alone on paper and I feel Reki is very brave to do so. It’s a brilliant collection and I’m going to be on the lookout for more of his poetry in the future.
