Kiss & Tell

Starred review from January 31, 2022
Euphoria—that’s what white Canadian Hunter Drake, 17, feels when he’s singing with band Kiss & Tell, and what he used to feel playing hockey before an injury. But bliss, and his lyric-writing, become less accessible when the ethnically inclusive boy band starts an arena tour just as Hunter’s first relationship ends and his ex reveals intimate details about their sex life. Though Hunter is publicly out, the record label goes into damage control mode, updating Hunter’s wardrobe to embrace “a more... femme look.” The label also suggests he date Iranian American Kaivan Parvani, whose band opens for Kiss & Tell; the two genuinely like each other, but it’s difficult to start a relationship mid-tour and with the label stage-managing. Showing how Hunter’s fame increases the spotlight, Khorram (Darius the Great Is Not Okay) incorporates fictional news ranging from celebrity gossip to think pieces about gay representation as the media weighs in on Hunter’s life. Khorram deftly makes the story work, calling on readers to empathize with Hunter’s pride and embarrassment, questions about how he should look and be, and maybe even his belated realization that the band’s other members also receive public scrutiny. Ages 14–up. Agent: Molly O’Neill, Root Literary.

February 1, 2022

Gr 9 Up-The popular boy band Kiss & Tell started out as a joke with a song about poutine. They quickly became a sensation, were picked up by The Label, and are headlining their biggest tour to date. Just a few weeks before heading out on the road, front man Hunter Drake and his boyfriend of two years, Aidan, break up. To make things messier, Aidan is the twin of band member Ashton. While drunk, Aidan tweets out screenshots of private conversations between the two where it's clear that they have been having sex. It's a PR nightmare, and in an attempt to smooth things over, Hunter's publicist suggests that he fake dates Kaivan, a member of PAR-K, the other band on tour with them. The two have been hanging out, and Hunter has started to develop feelings, so it's a no-brainer to go along the idea. Through Hunter, Khorram shows what it's like to be queer and proud, while simultaneously living your life under a microscope. While this story is Hunter's, outside perspectives intersperse the narrative via snippets of interviews, gossip column articles, emails, and text messages. However, the relationship between Hunter and Kaivan feels rushed and unrealistic in the fast-paced time line. The book touches on racism and homophobia in the music industry. Kiss & Tell has Vietnamese-, Brazilian-, and Indian-Canadian members; Hunter and Ashton present as white Canadian. Kaivan and his bandmates are Iranian American. VERDICT An entertaining read that feels a bit like One Direction fan fiction.-Alicia Kalan

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Starred review from January 15, 2022
A boy band's gay megastar struggles under public scrutiny. Canadian boy band Kiss & Tell may have started out as a joke, but the five teens' 2022 multicity tour is no laughing matter. While their first show brings feelings of euphoria, the spotlight shines a little too brightly on Hunter Drake when his ex-boyfriend posts their sexts on social media. The fans react negatively, prompting The Label to quickly revamp Hunter's image with an updated wardrobe. The Label also plays matchmaker, suggesting a new beau: recently out Iranian American Kaivan Parvani from Kiss & Tell's boy-band opener, PAR-K. Sparks fly, and the two boys decide to date for real. As Hunter, who is White, spends more time with Kaivan and less working on Kiss & Tell's pivotal third album, tensions build among the band. Can they make it until the end of the tour? This is a love letter to boy bands, complete with lyrics and chord progressions that lend a sense of joyous authenticity. Combining first-person narrative with fictional interviews, think pieces, fan fiction, and more, the author effectively encapsulates the ecosystem of celebrity and fandom--and cultivates a strong, contemporary social message. Hunter's myopic focus on his own queerness and objectification in the music industry opens the door for important conversations about the impact of identity, particularly as other members of the ethnically diverse band engage with him in ways that cleverly complicate readers' reactions. An absolute bop; Khorram's best yet. (Fiction. 14-18)

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Starred review from January 1, 2022
Grades 10-12 *Starred Review* As a founding member of the sensationally popular Canadian boy band Kiss & Tell, 17-year-old Hunter Drake is one of the most famous out gay teens in pop culture. Although Hunter acknowledges his privilege as a rich white cis guy, he longs for queer friends, especially while on tour. Happily, Hunter soon meets Iranian American Kaivan, who is the drummer for the band PAR-K, and the two instantly bond. Meanwhile, Hunter's estranged boyfriend, Aidan, drunkenly posts screenshots of sexually explicit conversations the two boys once had. Will the succeeding scandal spell the end of Kiss & Tell, and can Hunter's new relationship with Kaivan survive as well? Khorram (Darius the Great Deserves Better, 2020) does a terrific job of taking readers inside the world of pop music, especially in showing the stress involved with celebrity. Hunter grapples with his label's pressure to be someone he's not and ultimately has a meltdown on national TV--an experience made worse by a falling out with Kaivan. Khorram handles these dramatic complexities like a master, and readers will be grateful for his skill.

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