Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.
Publisher: NineStar Press
Publication Date: April 14, 2026
Rating:
Goodreads Synopsis:
Coming out is hard, especially when you have two gay moms. At least it is for Simon Bugg. He doesn’t want the world to think that having gay parents has turned him gay. And he certainly doesn’t want anyone to know about the alien in his stomach that’s trying to kill him.It’s Simon’s senior year and his world just turned upside down. When his mom scores a dream job, Simon lands at a new school away from the only friends he has ever known. Now, his mom is overworked and chronically stressed, and his deadbeat dad is back on the scene. Navigating a new school and new friends is a challenge for a neurotic overthinker, and Simon finds himself turning to his rescue cat and a local barista for support. But when Simon meets the handsome PJ in drama class, he gets talked into a date that he derails in spectacular fashion.With a little help from his friends—new and old—Simon finds his way back to PJ. But how can he have a real relationship with the boy of his dreams when he’s convinced he’s going to die? No one knows about the nightly alien attacks at 11:22. Why then, and why do they keep getting worse? Simon must face a dark secret inside before he loses his chance with the boy he loves.
Review:
Please check trigger warnings before reading this one.
After reading this seemingly crazy synopsis, I took to the reviews and people have had mixed feelings with this books so far, probably because the synopsis is so odd...
However, this was such a thoughtful and engaging coming-of-age story that ended up being much deeper than I expected.
Going in, I was intrigued by the synopsis — it was so add. Especially the “alien” element...but pretty quickly it became clear that the alien is a metaphor for anxiety and panic attacks. As someone who deals with anxiety, I really appreciated how accurately and persistently it was portrayed. The author does a great job showing how all-consuming it can feel, and how it creeps into every part of life. The “alien” comparison is especially valid, as it captures that sense of fear, confusion, and not understanding what’s happening to your own body. It almost feels like the story might veer into sci-fi at times, but it stays grounded in a very real emotional and physical experience.
While Simon’s journey with coming out is definitely a central thread in the book, I liked that it wasn’t the only focus. The story also explores anxiety, trauma, grief, and the overwhelming feeling of everything changing at once. At its core, it’s really about Simon learning that he’s safe, that he’s loved, and that he doesn’t have to face everything alone. You have to get past a lot of him coming to terms with being gay and it might seem like he is able to do that pretty quickly - but there is so much here if you keep with it.
Simon was a strong main character, and I found myself rooting for him. That said, some of the dialogue felt a bit over-the-top to me, but that could very well just be a reflection of how teens talk now more than anything else and I am getting old.
Overall, this was a heartfelt and layered coming-of-age story that balances heavier themes with moments of warmth, connection, and growth. Definitely worth the read.
Steven Gellman is an award-winning songwriter turned author. Inspired by his early reading of Judy Blume’s groundbreaking stories, Steven has found his passion for writing coming-of-age fiction that centers LGBTQ+ voices and the real-life challenges of navigating adolescence in an ever-changing world.
Steven has long championed authentic queer storytelling — first through song, now through fiction. Billboard Magazine once praised him as one of the ‘out-queer tunesmiths [...] making waves along the coffeehouse circuit.’ His debut album Photobook was nominated for Debut Album of the Year by the Gay/Lesbian American Music Awards (GLAMA). His latest release, All You Need, was a finalist for four Wammie Awards and earned a silver from the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest for “Twenty-Nine.”
When he’s not writing, Steven can be found sipping a cup of Dark Rose tea and plotting new adventures for his book club, Tea & Peril. Now in its tenth year, the club has hosted a growing number of New York Times bestselling authors including Travis Baldree, Sarah Beth Durst, Emily X.R. Pan, Eleanor Brown, and William Kent Krueger.
His debut novel Somewhere in Nowhere will be published by NineStar Press (April 14, 2026). Steven lives in Maryland’s Piedmont region with his husband and a houseful of rescued companion animals.
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