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From School Library Journal

Starred review from June 1, 2024

Gr 10 Up-Readers have been on a personal journey with Ogle since the publication of Free Lunch in 2019. In what's billed as the final book of his literary memoir look back, this may be the rawest due to Ogle's experiences after being kicked out of his dad's house and being unhoused when a toxic relationship with an older man implodes. Ogle's dad gives him an ultimatum: leave or stay, but if he stays, he must be and act straight not gay. Ogle chooses to leave, heading to New Orleans and a man he met on a beach. But this unhealthy relationship doesn't last, and Ogle is on the street struggling to eat, find shelter, and figure out a path forward without calling his grandmother. Ogle has never shied away from the truth, while remaining positive in each memoir he's written. This work is no different; however, the situations Ogle finds himself in are far more dire, including a relationship with a much older man, drinking, and situational danger because he is unsheltered and hungry. These vulnerabilities push the comfort level of readers, yet those that have read his previous books have likely grown from hearing him speak his truth. Ogle includes an author's note at the beginning as well as an afterword with more of his indispensable optimism and resources. Memoirs like this one keep good company with others like Laurie Halse Anderson's Shout, Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer, and George M. Johnson's All Boys Aren't Blue. VERDICT An emotionally resonant denouement; Ogle gives readers his hardest and most hopeful book yet.-Alicia Abdul

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Kirkus

May 1, 2024
Award-winning author Ogle shares the story of being kicked out by his father for being gay and his subsequent experience with homelessness in this conclusion to his memoir trilogy. In a chance encounter at a hotel in Pensacola, Florida, during a family beach vacation in the late 1990s, 17-year-old Rex meets the charming Russell. He leaves with his first kiss and Russell's number. Sometime later, Rex's father issues an ultimatum: Rex can remain at home if he agrees to go to therapy (and pay for it himself), attend church weekly, date a girl chosen by his dad, and avoid any "person of homosexual persuasion." Refusing to live a lie, Rex packs his things into his truck and leaves Alabama. Certain that he can't return to his abusive mother and stepfather in Texas and terrified of facing his highly religious abuela, he heads to New Orleans, where Russell lives. There he finds momentary stability and can begin searching for a job and preparing for college. A relationship forms between Rex and the 31-year-old Russell, but as Rex struggles to find work, the power imbalance between them comes to a violent head. Soon, Rex is living on the streets, where he experiences numerous traumas and ultimately questions what it means to survive. Ogle's story, relayed in short, fast-paced chapters, is deeply personal and affecting, and readers will be anxious to learn how this period of his life ended. Raw and vulnerable; a necessary look at the realities of homelessness. (author's note, afterword) (Memoir. 14-adult)

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From Publisher's Weekly

Starred review from February 12, 2024
In 1998, 17-year-old Ogle plans to work at Walmart until college in the fall. But when his stepsister tells their father she suspects Ogle is gay, neither teen anticipates his intense and cruel ultimatum: Ogle must suppress his burgeoning queer identity or leave home. With a duffle bag, a backpack, an Anne Rice novel, and his pickup truck, Ogle flees Alabama for New Orleans, where he seeks out Russell, an older gay man he met while on a beach trip. At first their connection seems like a boon: Russell invites Ogle to stay, becomes his first queer relationship, and introduces him to a life outside of the closet. Their power imbalance soon becomes apparent, however, when Russell sexually assaults Ogle, claiming his body as payment for his hospitality, an event that prompts Ogle to escape and fend for himself. The author continues his memoir series with the same brutal yet hopeful perspective as Free Lunch and Punching Bag. Searingly honest text never shies away from grim details surrounding Ogle's assault and houselessness, and an author's note and afterword provide context and a realistic yet satisfying conclusion to this stunning addition to Ogle's autobiographical work. Ages 14â€"up. Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada US.