Hi there, pornies! I hope you are doing okay, that you are all safe and well. Today I want to step a bit away from my usual content to speak about a cute, sweet (and slightly steamy) novel I just finished. OMGs, I would have really loved to read Throwing Stones, by Robin Reardon, when I was a teenager. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy!
I'm going to start by saying that this is more a religious romance than anything else. Yes, the main couple is gay, and I totally loved them, but the plot is more focused on the religious intolerance of the townies toward the "freaks", the inhabitants of the village. It's nothing bad, but I wanted to clarify.
Now, OMG. I loved this, loved it a lot! This is the kind of book I wish I had when I was really thinking about my sexuality and my beliefs. It is great to see stories like this one, that touch so many topics and morals at once, but do it with an incredible ease.
I couldn't possibly list all the lessons you find in Throwing Stones, but are all about love, respect, communication and perception. It was amazing to see how one random person, a kid from a common, regular family, could start such a revolution, because of course you would expect it to happen, and of course an entire community is turned upside down because of it.
My only one complaint is that this Pagan community is utopic, very idealistic to my taste. Although it's very much likely that there is one in real life, I'm not sure it would be the most popular case. Also, the Pagans were like hippies, all filled with love and light, which we know is not true, but the role they played and how they evolved as a community along with and because of the town? Wow, just wow.
Some may say we're a bit old to read Throwing Stones, but it is my strong belief that you can always learn something reading a book, and in this case it reminded me about how brave and courageous one can be as a teenager. Could it be we become more afraid of the "What ifs...?" as we grow up? Maybe, maybe yes, and Robin reminds you to be a teenager again.
About Robin Reardon:
I'm an inveterate observer of human nature, and my primary writing goal is to create stories about all kinds of people, some of whom happen to be gay or transgender—people whose destinies are not determined solely by their sexual orientation or identity. My secondary writing goal is to introduce readers to concepts or information they might not know very much about. On my website, robinreardon.com, see individual book pages for “Digging Deeper” sections that link to background information and research done for the novel.
My motto is this: The only thing wrong with being gay is how some people treat you when they find out.
Interests outside of writing include singing, nature photography, and the study of comparative religions. I write in a butter yellow study with a view of the Boston, Massachusetts skyline.
Have you read this book? Would you recommend it or not? Let me know in the comments! Kinky regards, K!
- Print Length: 398 pages
- Publisher: Selfpublished (September 7, 2015)
- Publication Date: September 7, 2015
- ISBN-10: 1517253101
- ISBN-13: 978-1517253103
Is it the crush young Jesse Bryce has on the exotic Griffin Holyoke or something else that makes Jesse want to build a bridge of acceptance between his town and Griffin's Pagan community? And can he do it? Something is drawing seventeen-year-old Jesse Bryce toward the community of Pagans who live in "the village," just outside his rural Oklahoma town. Maybe it's that he has a crush on Griffin Holyoke, a tall, dark-haired boy with a tree tattooed all up his back. Or maybe it's that the Pagans accept Jesse for who he is, unlike his family—or his church, where he hears that being gay is a sin. After a man from the village is murdered while trying to prevent an assault on a girl from the town, Jesse's confusion at the town's unsympathetic reaction inspires him to set a mission for himself: to build a bridge of acceptance between the town and the village. As Jesse defies his parents and continues to visit the village, he witnesses mysterious rituals that haunt him with their beauty and intensity. And he falls in love with one enigmatic, mercurial Pagan who opens his eyes to a whole new world. This first-person story explores what can happen when we make conclusions about others based on too little information, or on the wrong information. Whether we're misunderstanding each others' religions or each others' sexual orientation, everyone benefits from learning the truth. And everyone benefits from forgiveness.
I'm going to start by saying that this is more a religious romance than anything else. Yes, the main couple is gay, and I totally loved them, but the plot is more focused on the religious intolerance of the townies toward the "freaks", the inhabitants of the village. It's nothing bad, but I wanted to clarify.
Now, OMG. I loved this, loved it a lot! This is the kind of book I wish I had when I was really thinking about my sexuality and my beliefs. It is great to see stories like this one, that touch so many topics and morals at once, but do it with an incredible ease.I couldn't possibly list all the lessons you find in Throwing Stones, but are all about love, respect, communication and perception. It was amazing to see how one random person, a kid from a common, regular family, could start such a revolution, because of course you would expect it to happen, and of course an entire community is turned upside down because of it.
My only one complaint is that this Pagan community is utopic, very idealistic to my taste. Although it's very much likely that there is one in real life, I'm not sure it would be the most popular case. Also, the Pagans were like hippies, all filled with love and light, which we know is not true, but the role they played and how they evolved as a community along with and because of the town? Wow, just wow.
Some may say we're a bit old to read Throwing Stones, but it is my strong belief that you can always learn something reading a book, and in this case it reminded me about how brave and courageous one can be as a teenager. Could it be we become more afraid of the "What ifs...?" as we grow up? Maybe, maybe yes, and Robin reminds you to be a teenager again.
About Robin Reardon:
I'm an inveterate observer of human nature, and my primary writing goal is to create stories about all kinds of people, some of whom happen to be gay or transgender—people whose destinies are not determined solely by their sexual orientation or identity. My secondary writing goal is to introduce readers to concepts or information they might not know very much about. On my website, robinreardon.com, see individual book pages for “Digging Deeper” sections that link to background information and research done for the novel.My motto is this: The only thing wrong with being gay is how some people treat you when they find out.
Interests outside of writing include singing, nature photography, and the study of comparative religions. I write in a butter yellow study with a view of the Boston, Massachusetts skyline.
Have you read this book? Would you recommend it or not? Let me know in the comments! Kinky regards, K!
No comments:
Post a Comment