*thank you hccfrenzy for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

I don’t even know where I should start with Act Cool. There are no words for me to describe how many emotions I had reading this, how felt I seen, how I related to August. Im a transgender male just like August, and I felt 100% seen in Act Cool.

Act Cool follows August, a transgender teen from Pennsylvania. August’s parents are unaccepting and still think of him as their daughter, so he runs away to New York City to audition for the School of Performing Arts. He stays with his Aunt while trying to figure out how he can get his parents to accept the fact that he is transgender. He is convinced he can play the part his parents want him to, but what happens when the lights go down? Where will he go when his parts start hitting too close to home?

This book deals with homophobia, transphobia, suicidal thoughts, conversion therapy, and more. Please research this book if you want to read it, it’s a hard hitting contemporary about trans lives.

I related with August so much, I can’t even describe it. We are very similar, (however I’m not an actor) but a difference is that my parents are accepting. I had so many thoughts that my parents would be like August parents. This happens with a lot of trans people; unaccepting parents. And when we have unaccepting parents, where do you think our thoughts lead to? Suicide. It’s as simple as that, and this book deals with it.

Act Cool also talks about the representation of trans people in movies, plays, and TV shows. Can you think of a trans person in media that has a happy ending (other than in books)? I certainly can’t. Doesn’t that say something? Why can’t we have trans people in media have happy endings that DON’T involve suicide/suicidal thoughts? I just want to be seen on screen, not in books.

I have too many emotions from this book to try and put them into words. But I think everyone should read Act Cool. It’s a powerful book about trans people and the representation of trans people in media.