Rod Pulido

Bobby is constantly the target of bullies Rex, Eddie and Jorge. After they give Bobby a severe beatdown and steal his late father's bicycle, the one belonging he holds dear, Bobby is inspired by his hero, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, to take up boxing to defend himself. After a period of training with the owner of Jab Gym, Bobby challenges Rex to a match in a month; if Bobby wins, he gets the bike back. Rex wants to make it a week. Bobby doesn't have much of a choice and continues training in full earnest. But when he learns via social media that Manny is making anti-gay statements and quoting the bible in support, will Bobby's disillusionment keep him from standing up to Rex? Lots of layers make for a solidly believable underdog-makes-good story.… (plus d'informations)

I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes.

What a powerful debut novel!

First off, I am Filipino American so I’m always extra excited to read any book with Filipino rep. This one did not disappoint.

I love that this book explores all of the main character’s identities. Bobby is not only Filipino American, but also gay and lower income. He’s also a huge comic book nerd. All of his identities intersect in a real and authentic way.

There was a good balance between the lighter moments and the heavy ones. This book does feature quite a bit of violence (both in boxing and non-boxing contexts) and homophobia, so the lighter moments are much needed.

Additionally, I did like that the antagonists (the bullies) of the story were also Filipino American. The book highlights the positives of Filipino culture, but also shows how homophobia can still exist within it (the Philippines is still a very Catholic country). I’m glad that the author did not shy away from that.

Finally, the way the book handled Bobby’s reaction to Manny Pacquiao’s statements was also well done. It felt very realistic and showed that sometimes our idols are not all that great.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel! I recommend it if you’re looking for a YA book with Filipino or LGBTQ representation.… (plus d'informations)

Trigger Warnings: violence, assault, homophobic language

When Bobby is unwillingly outed at his notoriously violent high school, he no longer has the luxury of being invisible. After a vicious encounter with a group of boys from his school, Bobby must find a new way to survive (and fight back). Inspired by Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, Bobby takes up boxing and challenges his attacker. But when Pacquiao publicly declares his stance against the Queer community, Bobby must figure out what and how he’s going to find the strength to continue.

Be aware there is a lot of homophobia and violence in this novel. It’s not dark or gory or anything like that, but it’s a book about boxing - so there’s fighting, you know?

It took me a bit to get a feel for Bobby. Male YA main characters and I tend to not get along very well to begin with so I wasn’t his biggest fan at the beginning, but he definitely grew on me.

I had also wanted to read this book because of boxing. I box myself so I’m always interested in how writers write about boxing and if the descriptions make sense or not. I feel like Rod Pulido did a wonderful job at describing the different strikes and foot movement needed to box. It’s not all just arm movements and that’s sometimes forgotten when writing about this sport.

Overall, I enjoyed this contemporary, queer, YA novel about a new boxer learning the sport alongside finding out what he stands for. I can see this having a little bit of everything for everybody, but again, it is a book with bullying violence, so keep that in mind.

*Thank you Viking Books for Young Readers and Edelweiss+ for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review… (plus d'informations)