Description

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"This is Sonora Reyes at their absolute best." — Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys

From bestselling author Sonora Reyes comes a poignant and searingly honest companion novel to the multi-award-winning The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, following beloved character Cesar Flores as he comes to terms with his sexuality, his new bipolar diagnosis, and more mistakes than he can count.

Seventeen-year-old Cesar Flores is finally ready to win back his ex-boyfriend. Since breaking up with Jamal in a last-ditch effort to stay in the closet, he’s come out to Mami, his sister, Yami, and their friends, taken his meds faithfully, and gotten his therapist’s blessing to reunite with Jamal.

Everything would be perfect if it weren’t for The Thoughts—the ones that won’t let all his Catholic guilt and internalizations stay buried where he wants them. The louder they become, the more Cesar is once again convinced that he doesn't deserve someone like Jamal—or anyone really.

Cesar can hide a fair amount of shame behind jokes and his “gifted” reputation, but when a manic episode makes his inner turmoil impossible to hide, he’s faced with a stark choice: burn every bridge he has left or, worse—ask for help. But is the mortifying vulnerability of being loved by the people he’s hurt the most a risk he’s willing to take?

About the Author

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Sonora Reyes is the bestselling and award-winning author of The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, The Golden Boy's Guide to Bipolar, The Luis Ortega Survival Club, and The Broposal. Born and raised in Arizona, they write fiction celebrating queer and Mexican stories in a variety of genres, across ages. Outside of writing, Sonora loves breaking their body and vocal cords by playing with their baby niblings and dancing/singing karaoke at the same time.

Praise For…

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"Deeply cathartic." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"This is Sonora Reyes at their absolute best." - Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys
“The Golden Boy's Guide to Bipolar will make you shed a tear and tug at your heartstrings." - Adiba Jaigirdar, award-winning author of The Henna Wars
"Sometimes you come across a book that speaks to you in a way that truly, fully, and uniquely gets you. For me, this is that book."  - Jonny Garza Villa, Stonewall Award-winning author of Canto Contigo
“An unapologetically real and necessary read.” - Julian Winters, award-winning author of Right Where I Left You
"Filled with endless compassion, this book can––and will––save lives." - Alechia Dow, author of The Sound of Stars
"A heartachingly raw journey of introspection that threads together humor and authenticity." - A. M. Woody, author of They Hate Each Other
"[A] tender companion novel." - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Offers an accessible and worthwhile peek into what a struggle with serious mental illness looks like for a teen." - Booklist (starred review)