The Moon And Stars By Alex Emery. Chapter One:

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening/Night(whichever one it is in your part of the world),

Hi! I'm Kate and I'm here to leave a quick review!!

First Impression

This is a lovely little first chapter here. You really tap in nicely to the emotions feelings like this can cause and how confusing and difficult it can feel. Its a nice little setup for the story to come.

Anyway let's get right to: Kate's Line by Line Reactions;

I couldn’t focus on just one topic; I had a million feelings, killing me all at once.

But I was completely sure of one thing.

I am a boy.

I didn’t want to keep being the popular cheerleader dating the popular jock. As much as I love Noah, I want to be a boy, I want him to accept me, I want him to keep loving me.

I don’t know what to do.

I bet you’re wondering how I came to this conclusion.

Well, it wasn’t an easy thing to accept.

I’ve known that I wasn’t like any girl. In fact, the term girl always made goosebumps cover my body. But the one time I told this to anyone, my mother, she told me to pray. she didn’t even suggest it or give me a solution to this feeling. She screamed at me for even thinking these ‘devilish’ thoughts. The last time I told her she dragged me to the priest, begging him to let the lord forgive me for having these thoughts.

I never knew that feeling like I was born in the wrong body was completely ok to feel, that I wasn't the only one. I found out when I was 14,in the library supposed to be doing history homework.

This is my story, from the start.

Enjoy and have tissues nearby.

Wonderful portrayed the character.....the way coming out shows the lot of courage even though there are many hurdles around. There is always one day....

Gods, I relate to this so much. To get personal, as a non-binary person who's been navigating the choppy waters of identity for years, reading the first chapter of 'The Moon and Stars' was refreshing. I love the idea that the protagonist is a cheerleader dating a jock, its just fantastic in my opinion.

The way the narrator grapples with their identity, knowing deep down that they're a boy, is something that resonates with me and probably with a lot of others who have felt the same way.
The raw honesty in those words, "I want him to accept me, I want him to keep loving me," hit me hard. The writing style is simple, yet effective, which is a real win for me. Sometimes, you don't need flowery language to convey complex emotions. The directness of the words, the 'just-telling-it-like-it-is'? I'm here for it.

I only have one complaint: why do we always start with the 'coming out' story? It's like every trans narrative has to begin with a grand revelation (This is not a critique of you, just writers over all.).

But despite that, I can't wait to see what happens next!

Keep writing, please

- Grim

Hi! Just your neighborhood Andy dropping in to review:

But I was completely sure of one thing.

I am a boy.

But the one time I told this to anyone, my mother, she told me to pray. she didn’t even suggest it or give me a solution to this feeling. She screamed at me for even thinking these ‘devilish’ thoughts. The last time I told her she dragged me to the priest, begging him to let the lord forgive me for having these thoughts.