“Simone Garcia-Hampton is starting over at a new school, and this time things will be different. She’s making real friends, making a name for herself as student director of Rent, and making a play for Miles, the guy who makes her melt every time he walks into a room. The last thing she wants is for word to get out that she’s HIV-positive, because last time . . . well, last time things got ugly.
Keeping her viral load under control is easy, but keeping her diagnosis under wraps is not so simple. As Simone and Miles start going out for real–shy kisses escalating into much more–she feels an uneasiness that goes beyond butterflies. She knows she has to tell him that she’s positive, especially if sex is a possibility, but she’s terrified of how he’ll react! And then she finds an anonymous note in her locker: I know you have HIV. You have until Thanksgiving to stop hanging out with Miles. Or everyone else will know too.
Simone’s first instinct is to protect her secret at all costs, but as she gains a deeper understanding of the prejudice and fear in her community, she begins to wonder if the only way to rise above is to face the haters head-on.” – Goodreads
Garrett captures the insecurity, turmoil, sweetness, and excitement of first love and building close friendships in a respectful, honest, and deeply caring way. This book is unique in its subject matter, and I found it informational without being preachy or heavy-handed. Alternatively, it broke down stigmas, which I believe will lead to more stories about teens who are HIV-positive just living life. Simone and her friends, Claudia and Lydia, read in an authentic, age-appropriate, and relatable voice, not shying away from any topics. There were unabashed conversations about sex, and the characters encompassed a diverse array of sexual identities and experiences that felt open-ended and explorative rather than neatly defined and cemented.
One issue I came across was that we never meet Claudia and Lydia’s partners despite them coming up in conversation frequently. They seemed like icebreakers to bring up the topics the girls wanted to discuss about their relationship struggles instead of fleshed out characters affecting the plot. Since Claudia is asexual and frankly discusses the pressure she feels from her girlfriend to do sexual things, I think teens would benefit from dialogue and interaction to process a very real issue ace folks experience. As it stands, there’s room to make one’s own judgements about the couple’s relationship and Claudia’s experience. Readers curious about sex and invested in relationship-driven stories will enjoy Full Disclosure. Fans of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Little & Lion will be swept into the drama and consequences of secrets spilled.
Call # Fiction G1922fu
Review by Cynthia
Posted by Medrano Torres Cynthia at 8:58 pm