Ben Rose

The author is one of the most talented writers I have read in the last decade. He's also undisciplined and erratic. He's extremely gifted, in an erratic sort of way. He's reminiscent of the beat writers. He does it with gut instinct instead of discipline and technique. And that very thing is what makes this novel so off the charts great. Here is a raw and fresh talent in a world of stale pretenders.
This story captures the essence of being a bi-homeless-chick in the sprawling and at times unsavory realms of The five burroughs known as New York City. That is amazing as the author identifies himself in various venues as a cisgender heterosexual. That he has done extensive research on his subjects is evident.
This book should be in every High School classroom and read by Freshman psychology classes in universities.… (meer)

One minute he's in Central Park
Then he's down on Lexington Steet
From The Bowery to St Marks...

This novel is a wild ride. The MC, Vinnie, played a lesser role in the authors previous novel, Everybody But Us.
Vinnie is the man-cub you can't help but love, although you also shake your head at his antics. One part Robin Hood, one part Huck Finn, and a dash of Todd Wilkinson (My Blue Heaven), Vinnie is a stand up guy who believes the ends justify the means...until he doesn't.
The characters are rich, nuanced, and for the most part complex. This is a sad story wrapped in humor and a style all its own.… (meer)

Everybody But Us by Ben Rose https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08QKY2YJD/ is a totally awesome Young Adult Novel. Set primarily in the Boroughs of New York City (where I reside) this is the story of a bisexual teen named Destiny. After being subjected to conversion therapy, she is abandoned by her abusive, fundamentalist family. She meets three college students who help her to have a more liberal view of The Bible and to begin normalizing her sexuality. Once she reaches NYC, she meets a runaway teen named Mackenzie with whom she falls in love. They survive by their wits, and build a found family with friends they meet including a teen hustler named Vinnie. Everything is coming together for the girls until Mackenzie’s alcoholism threatens to destroy it all.

I loved this novel! The characters are nuanced, the use of language sounds realistic, and the scene setting is very much the city I know. I will say that the description of Destiny’s conversion therapy is traumatic, but it is necessary.

This is a riveting portrait of bi-sexual teens trying to survive in today’s world.… (meer)

In a world where hustle is the name of the game, teenaged Vinny Il-Cazzo is the greatest player ever. He speaks a language of his own (I learned a bunch of phrases like “dig the scene but gradually” for taking a moment to get one’s bearings, and “claws sharp” for being intelligent) There are two huge problems in Vinnie’s life. One, his parents are con artists who taught him how to be a criminal. From shoplifting and credit card fraud, to scamming restaurants out of free food, he becomes an expert. Two, he is in love with a girl named Steph who is being abused by her father and has to “go underground” with her mom and sister to escape.
The majority of the story is Vinnie’s search for Steph. As he travels, he finds ways to camp on the beach, obtain free food, get hotel rooms for cheap, and help other people who need his skills in order to survive.

My one critique is that while searching for Steph with whom he is infatuated, he is all up in it with every girl he meets. It made me feel like he wasn’t very loyal to Steph. I admit that the author handles this problem well, but it is sad anyway.

Eventually Vinnie’s own morals lead to lifestyle changes for the better. The ending was satisfying and felt true.

I couldn’t put this book down. I loved it that much. In certain places it’s almost a survival guide for our present day.… (meer)