Bad Boy by Elliot Wake
Published December 6th 2016
Vlog star Renard Grant has nothing to prove: he’s got a pretty face, chiseled body, and two million adoring video subscribers. Plus the scars on his chest and a prescription for testosterone. Because Ren is transgender: assigned female at birth, living now as male. He films his transition and shares it bravely with the world; his fans love his honesty and positivity.
But Ren has been living a double life.
Off-camera, he’s Cane, the muscle-bound enforcer for social justice vigilante group Black Iris. As Cane, he lets his dark side loose. Hurts those who prey on the disempowered. Indulges in the ugly side of masculinity. And his new partner, Tamsin Baylor, is a girl as rough and relentless as him. Together, they terrorize the trolls into silence.
But when a routine Black Iris job goes south, Ren is put in the crosshairs. Someone is out to ruin his life. He’s a bad boy, they say, guilty of what he punishes others for.
Just like every other guy: at heart, he’s a monster, too.
Now Ren’s got everything to prove. He has to clear his name, and show the world he’s a good man. But that requires facing demons he’s locked away for years. And it might mean discovering he’s not such a good guy after all.
Review:
This was the first book that I’ve read from Elliot Wake and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d seen a lot of hype around his books but I’m always hesitant with really hyped books.
But I think the hype is well deserved because I really enjoyed Bad Boy.
I was pretty confused toward the beginning of the book because it focuses on “Black Iris” and I had no idea what that was. I’m assuming if I had read Elliot’s other book, Black Iris, it would have made a lot more sense. I don’t think that the books are in a series so it was a little frustrating that it referenced another book so heavily.
I did love the writing style though. I think the writing was my favorite part of the book.
I really liked the main character, Ren. I loved his flashbacks and vlogs about his transition. I thought it was really interesting and showed me a perspective that I’d never seen before.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s very different from any book I’ve read before and I loved the writing style.
Givaway:
Five signed copies of Bad Boy!
About the author:
Elliot Wake (formerly known as Leah Raeder) is a transgender author of four novels: Unteachable, Black Iris, Cam Girl, and Bad Boy. Aside from reading his brains out, Elliot enjoys video games, weightlifting, and perfecting his dapper style. He lives with his partner in Chicago.
FIND ELLIOT ONLINE:
Order Bad Boy:
Leave a Reply