If you’ve passed Young Adult (YA) books by because you thought they were too jejune, it’s time to wise up. Erik J. Brown’s Better the Devil has the thrills and chills you need for your next read.
This story taps a deep vein of queer for me. I heard Bronski Beat’s “Small Town Boy” in my head when a teenage boy is outed by his lesbian bestie, and his parents are ready to send him to “pray the gay away” at a camp. He beats a hasty retreat to find himself out of the frying pan, and when he gets caught for shoplifting, is it an end or a beginning?
You’ll need to decide.
It is time out of mind since I had a solo verbal reaction to something while I read it, and Mr. Brown is the real deal — my skin was crawling, and I devoured this book. Twisty, turny thrills on the regular with a sense of peril and the sword of Damocles overhead. Buy two copies — one to read, one to loan out. Know that your loaner copy will migrate.
Better the Devil is available where all fine books are sold. Help your favorite bookstore become fine.
ISBN-13: 978-0063338326
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