Birthday #BookReview #birthday @flatironbooks

Synopsis from Macmillan Publishers:

Two best friends. A shared birthday. Six years…

ERIC: There was the day we were born. There was the minute Morgan and I decided we were best friends for life. The years where we stuck by each other’s side—as Morgan’s mom died, as he moved across town, as I joined the football team, as my parents started fighting. But sometimes I worry that Morgan and I won’t be best friends forever. That there’ll be a day, a minute, a second, where it all falls apart and there’s no turning back the clock.

MORGAN: I know that every birthday should feel like a new beginning, but I’m trapped in this mixed-up body, in this wrong life, in Nowheresville, Tennessee, on repeat. With a dad who cares about his football team more than me, a mom I miss more than anything, and a best friend who can never know my biggest secret. Maybe one day I’ll be ready to become the person I am inside. To become her. To tell the world. To tell Eric. But when?

Six years of birthdays reveal Eric and Morgan’s destiny as they come together, drift apart, fall in love, and discover who they’re meant to be—and if they’re meant to be together. From the award-winning author of If I Was Your Girl, Meredith Russo, comes a heart-wrenching and universal story of identity, first love, and fate.

About: Birthday is a young adult contemporary written by Meredith Russo. It will be published on 5/21/2019 by Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, paperback, 320 pages. The genres are young adult, contemporary, and LGBT. This book is intended for readers ages 13 to 18. According to the publisher’s website, “Flatiron Books is committed to publishing intelligent fiction and nonfiction with commercial appeal by authors with distinctive voices.” It is “named after the historic building in which the company is housed.” Please see below for more information about the author and publisher.

My Experience: I started reading Birthday on 5/10/2019 and finished it on 5/11/2019. This book is a fantastic read! As soon as I read Morgan’s view I felt heartbroken for him because of his mom. Gosh, I cried so much reading this book! I also really like Eric too. Eric’s such a good person and a caring friend despite having those jerks for brothers and dad. Their struggles felt so real and the secrets they live with makes me ache for them. Both of the main characters are well liked. I love Morgan’s birthday letters from his mom. That is such a good idea to remember her by.

This book is told in the first person point of view following Morgan and Eric. They have been best friends since birth and they have always celebrated their birthdays together. Both boys went through life doing what their dads wanted even though they felt unhappy with it. Eric wanted to play the guitar while Morgan struggled with who he is on the inside. This book is organized by their yearly birthdays, starting from 13 to 18. At each birthday, readers learned of their struggles, from feelings to friendships to family.

Birthday is very well written and a heart-wrenching read! I’m actually surprised by Morgan’s dad toward the end and would have really love to have read their conversation when Morgan come clean to him about his secret. The self destruction was hard to read through as well as the bullying, but people do have their own opinions and they don’t like it when someone is different. I like Morgan’s worries about acceptance from the world when he decides to make a change so that he can feel comfortable with himself from inside to outside. This book is a couldn’t put down and I highly recommend everyone to read it.

Pro: fast paced, page turner, friendship, family, couldn’t put down, identity struggles

Con: none

I rate it 5 stars!

Buy it here for free shipping:  Book Depository or Flatiron Books’ website

About the Author:

Meredith Russo was born, raised, and lives in Tennessee. She started living as her true self in late 2013 and never looked back. If I Was Your Girl was partially inspired by her experiences as a trans woman. Like Amanda, Meredith is a gigantic nerd who spends a lot of her time obsessing over video games and Star Wars. (Photo and info obtained from Macmillan’s website).

More Information about Flatiron Books

Website: https://us.macmillan.com/publishers/Flatiron-books | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flatironbooks | Twitter: https://twitter.com/Flatironbooks

***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine