He wants to be what he's been told is handsome, and that doesn't include having a belly-and let's be honest, that's the loudest message from pretty much everyone, within and without of the queer community (and especially within). Theo's head-space about his own body isn't positive at the start of the book, and honestly that was one of the things that dropped me right into the verisimilitude of his character as a reader: lord knows as a teen the last thing I would ever have felt about any part of my body was pride. Jeff Mann's Cub is far more NA and overtly erotic, but I just love that there are multiple options for young queer cubs to see themselves in fiction. This is actually the second novel I've read about a young husky/chubby/fat gay boy with the title Cub, and I want to take a second to celebrate that, too. (I should maybe start by saying if you don't know what a hi-lo book is, it's a high-interest, low-reading level book, meaning it's accessible without speaking down to the reader, focusing on language accessibility, without sacrificing complexity of plot.) (I should maybe start by saying if you don't know what a hi-lo book is, it's a high-interest, low-reading level book, meaning it's accessible without speaking down to the reader, focusing on language accessibility, without sacrificing complexity of plot.) This is actually the second novel I've read about a young husky/chubby/fat gay boy with the title Cub, and I want to ta I really liked this, and there's a lot in here for a short hi-lo book, which seems to me to be a delicate balance to pull off. I really liked this, and there's a lot in here for a short hi-lo book, which seems to me to be a delicate balance to pull off. Overall loving what Orca's got going on - 5 stars Overall, it was a good story and I appreciate what Orca is trying to do - get more stories out there that involve LGBT+ youth, in all shapes and sizes and colors and creeds, so people feel represented. I did have some issues with the much older adults making advances on the youngin'.
I loved Theo and his bestie Di and Mama Bear too. I feel like another chapter or two to answer some lingering questions and tie up some bits left dangling would have helped.
The main characters receive some relatively good development in such a short page count, but the plot felt a little unfinished. It's more along the lines of a novella at around 150 pages or so. I did have some issues wit Thanks to Netgalley and Orca for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! Thanks to Netgalley and Orca for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! This was a fun story. When the owner makes it clear he is more interested in what Theo might do outside the kitchen, Theo has to decide how far he is willing to go to launch his career.more He's confident in his baking ability, and dreams of opening his own bakery one day, but he's not a chef, and he hates being in the spotlight.Īs Theo survives round after round, he gains the admiration of both the audience and the restaurant owner, a sexy celebrity chef known as KCC. So when his best friend signs him up for a cooking competition at Heat, the city's newest trendy restaurant, Theo is nervous. He's confident in his baking ability, and dreams of opening his own bakery one day, but In the gay community, a young, husky man is known as a "cub" Seventeen-year-old Theo fits the definition perfectly, but he is very self-conscious about his body.
In the gay community, a young, husky man is known as a "cub" Seventeen-year-old Theo fits the definition perfectly, but he is very self-conscious about his body.