Graeme

I can imagine the shock, thinking you were going to a bar and ending up in a bathhouse. They're not exactly similar...

West's mother is good value And now I can see why West was relaxed telling Peter. He's already been through the stress of coming out once, and he's had a couple of years to become comfortable.

I love how relaxed West was with telling Peter, especially if that was the first time he had told anyone. He was so calm for something that many of us have struggled to say.

A good introductory chapter. West looks like an interesting character.

A fun ending to this book. Maybe all Peter needs is confidence, and being around that group can certainly help there. Fingers crossed for the young teen!

The immediate crisis with Peter is resolved, but the problem with the bullies remains. At least Will and his father understand each other. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean they've been able to reconcile...

It's sad it's taken this long for Will to find out he has another sister, but it's good that he knows. I had to smile at how much the Major and Will are dominated by Will's grandmother, as shown by the exchange about how long they had to sit together I hope Peter is okay...

I'm not impressed by RJ. He doesn't see that his behaviour can be just as wrong as the behaviour he's complaining about.

And Will learns that there's more to being a teacher than the classroom. As a teacher, he's also a counselor, life coach, substitute parent/big brother, and many other things.

The Pride Center didn't impress me. Devon understands why it's there, but the others aren't supportive. Having said that, maybe things are bad enough that when they reach a safe place, they're able to relax and have fun. We shouldn't judge them harshly from the first impressions.

So sad, but I'm surprised no one had realised there was something wrong earlier. The school should've known one of the teachers hadn't shown up, and what about the other classes she was supposed to teach? Someone at the school dropped the ball in a very serious way...

Did Will really need to tell the cheerleaders who was the top and who was the bottom in his relationship? However, I understand peer pressure, especially after a few drinks, but I think he's going to be very embarrassed in the morning

I was interested in Kevin's and Devin's father's reactions. He knows something is going on, but he's not assigned punishment for the fight. He recognised that the excuses the boys used were, to use his term, manure, but when he asked for the real reason, Kevin refused to give it to him. Instead of punishing him, like Kevin expected, he let him go. What does that mean? I think it means he recognises that the twins are growing up, and he has to take a step back and let them sort it out for themselves. Will he continue to have the same view when he learns that Kevin's gay and Devin's been having unprotected sex? The interactions between Stanley and Kevin after training were great, and made even better by the revelation later the same scene that Stanley's gay. That was fun. Thanks, Ron!

I recently started teaching one of my sons how to drive. It wasn't anywhere near as exciting as this chapter...

I actually hate what happened. Two people, Will and Peter's mother, have spotted that Peter is effeminate. That doesn't mean he's gay. Not every effeminate guy is gay. It does, however, make him vulnerable to bullying, so it's good that Will is going to keep an eye on things.

I'm really enjoying the interactions between Will and Andrew.

Andrew clearly has an exciting career ahead of him as a stripper. Will just needs to make sure he gets lots of practice first...

It's nice to see Robin again. She only had a minor appearance in book 1 and hope she has a bigger role in this book.

So sad. I always hate it when families break up.

I had a better impression of Will's aunt from book 1. She's not coming over as nice in this chapter. His uncle, though, remains as one of the good guys, even if he's a trifle henpecked.

A fun exchange. I like characters who are human, and Jared is a delight. I'm not sure who is going to win that bet. Will is just a little too confident...

In Australia, a seventh grader would be a high school student. Our high schools are for six years, not four. Why should seventh graders learn history and English at the same time? The Shakespearean details can wait until they're older, but the story itself is well within their capabilities.

Well we know what happened with Lisa now Communication is a priority for a successful relationship and it appears she and Brody failed on that part. The rest of the chapter, though, was fun!

They really are a delight together. Neither is able to stand up to the other

Will's grandmother was a pleasant surprise. I'm amazed he didn't realise she knew, though. He's intelligent enough to know she would want to know why his father had kicked him out, and, as he acknowledged, his aunt wouldn't be able to hide the truth.