A Different Kind of Brave

If you enjoy fast paced spy thrillers, you may enjoy A Different Kind of Brave. Like the James Bond movies (less so with the books which stay closer to reality), A Different Kind of Brave fearlessly goes big. The villain and his horrible prison for gay kids is oversize and he has extraordinary abilities to enact his nefarious activities. The heroes are surrounded by friends who have incredible skill sets, and financial capacities to assist our heroes to overcome impossible odds. You have to be willing to just go with it. It is a fantasy. And it is a lot of fun if you just revel in its imaginative twists and turns, while it makes a point about the actual abusive behavior of conversion centers. The real kids may not wear metal collars 24 hours a day that zap them for the slightest infringement, but these real conversion centers can impact children, teenagers, and adults with lifelong trauma. A Different Kind of Brave is a rollercoaster of thrills and high adventure that is bigger than life, but it has a mission that is quite real.

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“Thrilling. Positively thrilling.” —Kirkus Reviews

Nicolas “Nico” Hall is sixteen when he escapes from Dr. H’s religious gay reprogramming institute in California. On his own, he assumes one identity after another to avoid recapture as he flees south to Peru and then to Mexico.

Seven days older than Nico, Samuel “Sam” Jonas Solomon is a privileged Upper West Side only child who idolizes James Bond. When his heart is broken, he vows that, like Bond, he’s never going to trust in love again. Then he meets Nico, and his heart won’t listen to any logic.

Nico’s survived by living only for himself—until his love for Sam has him risking his freedom for others. And as much as Sam wants to be like 007, he discovers that James Bond is a terrible role model.

Together, Nico and Sam set out to free the other teens trapped in Dr. H’s Institute, plunging readers into perils, drama, and a long-shot chance at love. To succeed, they’ll both have to be A Different Kind of Brave.

The Purple Fantastic Steam Meter gives this a 3 out of 5. There is sexual activity, but it happens off stage and is referenced discreetly, and definitely forwards the plot. If you want to read more about the Steam Meter, check out the About page.