Afterglow

Starred review from February 1, 2023
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Volume two in Stamper's Golden Boys duology finds the four musketeers--er, friends--back in their village of Gracemont, Ohio, after a summer of adventures, and the times are doing what they do best; they're a' changin'. Gabriel, Reese, Heath, and Sal remain openly gay best friends, but their circumstances are becoming fluid. Artistic Reese and baseball star Heath are now a devoted couple, while Gabe and Sal have ended their informal relationship as Gabe begins a long-distance romance with Matt. But wait; there's more. Reese wants to be a drag queen, having discovered the art in their performances; Heath's shoulder is becoming increasingly painful, throwing his chance for a scholarship to Vanderbilt into question; Sal no longer wants to go to college, preferring to run for Mayor; and Gabe, well, Gabe remains a crusader with a new cause--discovering why LGBTQ+ books and those about characters of color are disappearing from the school library. Stamper deals with the drama of all this beautifully, managing to juggle four interrelated stories with aplomb. His fully realized characters' changing circumstances and potential futures are dealt with realistically and satisfactorily. How will graduation impact their respective futures, you ask? Stay tuned. Meanwhile, know one thing: the four remain golden boys.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.