Book Review + Giveaway: David Inside Out by Lee Bantle

David Inside Out by Lee Bantle

Genre: Young Adult/GLBT Fiction
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Pages: 192
Source: Received from author/Lauren (Shooting Stars Mag) for honest review

Summary: David Dahlgren, a high-school senior, finds solace in running with the track team; he’s a fast runner, and he enjoys the camaraderie. But team events become a source of tension when he develops a crush on one of his teammates, Sean. Scared to admit his feelings, David does everything he can to suppress them: he dates a girl, keeps his distance from his best friend who has become openly gay, and snaps a rubber band on his wrist every time he has “inappropriate” urges. Before long, Sean expresses the thoughts David has been trying to hide, and everything changes for the better. Or so it seems. In this thoughtful yet searing coming-of-age novel, Lee Bantle offers a raw, honest, and incredibly compelling account of a teenager who learns to accept himself for who he is.

My Review: David Inside Out was a novel about self-discovery which offered an evoking plot and endearing characters. I've never had the chance to read a GLBT book until now. I must say, Lee is an extraordinary author who has the ability to grab readers from start to finish. The quality behind the story was sincere and powerfully impressive. David's personality was amazing; he had a good head on his shoulders and a caring heart. However, the struggle within himself was confused and lost. His mind told him to like girls while his body yearned for his track mate, Sean. In addition, David started pushing away his recent, openly gay best friend in fear of coming to terms with his true feelings. Sean was perceived as a "straight" guy that quickly started befriending David. At first, I didn't quite understand what he was trying to prove with David. Was he straight or gay?

All I found out was Sean was selfish, vile and ignorant. Just thinking about him makes me shudder with anger. I felt sorry for David's vulnerable state of mind. However, I didn't think he was playing it smart by acting like a sucker. Another character I found interesting was David's closest girl friend, Kick. I respect her determination to make him her boyfriend even though he obviously showed opposite signs. All through David Inside Out, Lee presented real issues that not only gay teens could relate to but, also individuals who have experienced discrimination in their lives. The gladsome ending wrapped up well and I finally got to see David's true nature. I liked Lee's writing style and look forward to picking up more works by him. I also need to warn my young readers that this book contains sexual content, so proceed with caution.

My Rating: (4.5)

Interested in reading this book? Enter the giveaway below! Thank you Lee for giving the chance for one lucky person to win David Inside Out...

::Contest Details::

-One person will win a finished copy of David Inside Out.
-This contest is for U.S. + Canada residents only.
-Deadline will be on September 27, 2010 at midnight EST time.

(Please enter through form and not comments, thanks!)
!! FILL THIS FORM OUT TO ENTER !!

Wait, that's not all! Lauren from Shooting Stars Mag is giving me the chance to host this giveaway from Secretstoragebooks.com as a thank you for entering Lee's contest. Also, a huge thank you to Secretstoragebooks.com for donating this gift!

CONTEST IS CLOSED.

::Contest Details::


Outside / Inside

-One person will win a Treasure Island storage box (it's a hollowed out book so you can hide things in it - picture above.)
-This contest is for U.S. + Canada residents only.
-Deadline will be on September 27, 2010 at midnight EST time.

(Please enter through form and not comments, thanks!)
!! FILL THIS FORM OUT TO ENTER !!

Author's Info:
Lee Bantle is the author of the middle-grade novel Diving for the Moon. In addition to being a writer, he is a lawyer who represents employees in race, gender, disability and sexual orientation discrimination lawsuits. He has a B.A. degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota and a law degree from New York University. He currently resides in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

For more info on Lee, visit his site(s):
-Website
-Facebook