Autoboyography

Reviews

“Once again writing as Lauren, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings (The House) tackle religion, identity, and sexuality, seamlessly interweaving Tanner’s Seminar project, his crush on Sebastian, and the fallout when Sebastian’s feelings conflict with his church’s expectations of him. A hopeful and moving love story. ”

– Publishers Weekly

“Lauren will make you fall in love with Autoboyography. Fans of Fangirl and Simon vs. the Homo Sapien Agenda will squeal as they follow bisexual Tanner Scott’s woes with love along his journey of self-discovery. Lauren’s M/M romance is beautiful and raw. Tanner’s dilemmas will leave readers reaching for their tissues. If you want a book that tugs at your heartstrings and makes you cheer for true love, Autoboyography is the book for you.”

– Christin Gest, RT Magazine

“An essential YA novel about discovery, love, and acceptance.”

– Sonya Field, Hypable

“It’s rare to find a book so willing to openly discuss conservative religion and how that affects the queer members of its congregation. Equally so, to find one that so openly exposes the negative aspects of the religion itself but the good of the people who believe in it. With an unflinching eye, Autoboyography nails the joys and sadness of growing up queer in heavily Mormon Utah. By examining both religion and religiosity from all angles, Christina Lauren is able to depict the hope of young love and the uncertainty of falling in love within a community that is taught never to accept it.”

– Judith Utz, Teen Vogue

“The duo writing team (Christina Hobbs & Lauren Billings) brings an impressively balanced approach to writing about the conflict between sexuality and strict religion. ”

– Amy Diegelman, School Library Journal

“Lauren, author of Sublime (2014) and The House (2015), is back with a passionate and bittersweet tale of love in all of its wonderfully terrifying reality...While avoiding any demonizing of any religious groups, this manages to tackle the intricacies of sexuality versus organized religion in an intense but ultimately inspirational narrative. Lauren successfully tackles a weighty subject with both ferocity and compassion.” ”

– Booklist

“The representation of the tensions Tanner experiences between being himself and respecting Sebastian’s need to protect himself and those he cares about feels urgent and authentic, particularly in how it highlights the challenges many youth may face as they come to terms with their own sexuality. The text deals sensitively with serious issues, especially Sebastian’s grappling with his sexuality in the context of a stifling Mormon upbringing, but it’s also hilarious and relatable. Readers will enjoy seeing Tanner find his voice as a young person and an author in his own right as they learn that the very book they are reading is Tanner’s own story.”

– Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“The text deals sensitively with serious issues, especially Sebastian’s grappling with his sexuality in the context of a stifling Mormon upbringing, but it’s also hilarious and relatable. Readers will enjoy seeing Tanner find his voice as a young person and an author in his own right as they learn that the very book they are reading is Tanner’s own story.”

– Rebecca Linares, Project Muse

“If you liked Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, you’ll love Autoboyography. The bestselling writing duo Christina Lauren unfurl a tender love story in which bisexual California transplant Tanner Scott grapples with his identity in a conservative Utah town. After falling for Mormon golden boy Sebastian Brother, Tanner must navigate religious rules, prejudice, secrecy, and family ties in order to publicly live his truth. Christina Lauren paint the couple’s journey with heart-wrenching nuance—at times touchingly awkward, at times fierce and courageous. This book will strike a chord with anyone who's ever fallen in love or felt they didn’t fit in. ”

– iBooks