The Luis Ortega Survival Club

The Luis Ortega Survival Club follows several queer Mexican American teens at a Catholic high school who band together after experiencing discrimination and harassment. The students create a secret club to protect and support each other, naming it after a former student who died by suicide. Luis, a ghost who haunts the school grounds, serves as both narrator and observer of the group's activities. Through his perspective, readers witness the daily lives, struggles, and triumphs of the club members as they navigate their identities, relationships, and safety at school. The story tracks the expanding circle of the club's members through a school year marked by both unity and friction. Club meetings, text exchanges, and shared moments reveal the complexities of friendship, first love, and standing up for oneself in a hostile environment. This YA novel examines intersections of faith, culture, sexuality, and community while exploring themes of collective resistance and healing. The supernatural element adds depth to discussions of memory, legacy, and the lasting impact of both trauma and love.

This is a newer release with limited reviews so far. Readers note the book addresses heavy topics like suicide and homophobia while balancing them with hope and friendship. Readers appreciated: - Authentic portrayal of LGBTQ+ Mexican American teen experiences - Complex family dynamics and sibling relationships - Mental health representation and discussions of therapy - Mix of serious themes with humor and romance - Spanish language integration throughout Common criticisms: - Some found the pacing uneven in the middle sections - A few readers wanted more development of secondary characters Current ratings: Goodreads: 4.39/5 (167 ratings) StoryGraph: 4.25/5 (42 ratings) From reader reviews: "Manages to be both heartbreaking and heartwarming without feeling manipulative" -Goodreads reviewer "The friend group dynamics felt real and messy in the best way" -StoryGraph reviewer "Great balance of addressing trauma while maintaining hope" -Amazon reviewer

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🌟 Author Sonora Reyes identifies as queer and uses they/them pronouns, bringing authentic representation to their young adult literature 🌟 The book tackles complex themes of friendship, mental health, and survival while centering LGBTQ+ and Latine characters 🌟 The story unfolds at a Catholic high school, drawing from the author's own experiences growing up in a religious environment 🌟 This is Reyes' second young adult novel, following their debut "The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School," which was a 2023 Stonewall Book Award Honor title 🌟 The book's portrayal of found family and support systems among marginalized teens was partly inspired by real-life LGBTQ+ youth support groups