Reviews

Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball by Jason June

Only show reviews with written explanations

bookworm_panda's review

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a moving story with a lot of heart. It’s a look at queer relationships and friendships and how labels can be both empowering and hurtful. It also shows how there is still plenty of homophobia and ignorance within the LGBTQIA+ community from its own members. Most importantly, I feel like - it also shows how important it is to be - and stay - true to yourself.

Riley never lets the hate get him down, which I can’t imagine kids today dealing with social media bullying on top of in-school hate (I’m so glad I was in school before facebook existed lol) but I love that he presses forward and is determined to find that date.

I adore Riley, his enthusiasm and his bravery to be his true self. I also adore his friends, Nick and Sabrina. I really love that this book has such a focus on friendships, and the importance of those friendships.
⠀
The only small areas I had some mixed thoughts about were all near the end.

Spoiler

It felt like the way things resolved with the bet - and Skylar being the one who asks him on the date, of all people, felt totally out of nowhere. That just seemed SO out of left field. Also, I would have LOVED a chapter from Nick's POV, because aside from a couple random sentences from Riley about how much he loved certain things about Nick, I never would have picked up on anything more than friendship between the two. I know that this is Riley's story, and the whole story is from his POV though!

⠀
For the title saying that Riley needs a date, he sure does spend the majority of the book date-less lol. So does he finally find one? You’ll have to read and find out!
⠀
Thank you to @epicreads for sending me a copy of the book.

czarinameansqueen's review

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

4.25

mlb16's review

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

awitiak's review

Go to review page

5.0

What a fantastic book! The characters were wonderfully written; vulnerable, imperfect, and someone you could get behind. I loved that Riley started out with this big agenda and grew, learned, and acknowledged his mistakes along the way. I appreciated that even though this took place in a completely idyllic, accepting community, Riley was able to point out that there were still difficulties to being a femme gay guy.

If I had to come up with any criticism it would be that it seemed that in order to be a gaybutante you had to be rich. The parties were just so elaborate, it feels like someone who was not monetarily capable could never be part of the group. Second, I kind of wish that there was just a little more substance to 'The Jock'. It felt like it was 'here is this stereotypical jerk, no more explanation needed'. Not that you needed much, but he was such a flat character compared to the rest.

4.5 stars rounded up

christopherhc13's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Very similar to Jay's Gay Agenda (by the same author) with a protagonist that is actively destroying his core friendships in pursuit of love yadda yadda yadda
Pretty cute characters, I thought the plot was just standard, bordering on trope-y and maybe unimaginative in some parts
I saw the twist love interest coming 94 million miles away
Cute, addressed some real problems within the queer community, I liked the whole "queer people knowing each other and supporting each other non romantically" thing in the Gaybutantes, but overall not very memorable