Recommendations based on "Hear Me Out"

Brisbane, 1983: A lost father, a mute brother, a mum in jail, a heroin dealer for a stepfather and a notorious crim for a babysitter.It's not as if Eli's life isn't complicated enough already. He's just trying to follow his heart, learning what it takes to be a good man, but life just keeps throwing obstacles in the way - not least of which is Tytus Broz, legendary Brisbane drug dealer.But Eli's life is about to get a whole lot more serious. He's about to fall in love. And, oh yeah, he has to break into Boggo Road Gaol on Christmas Day, to save his mum.A story of brotherhood, true love and the most unlikely of friendships, Boy Swallows Universe will be the most heartbreaking, joyous and exhilarating novel you will read all year.

Summer 1960: After Years Of Scraping By, Caleb Murphy Has Graduated From College And Is Finally Getting To Start A New Life. Except He Suddenly Has No Way To Get From Boston To Los Angeles. Then, To Add To His Misery, There's Perfect, Privileged Peter Cabot Offering To Drive Him. Caleb Can't Refuse, Even Though The Idea Of Spending A Week In The Car With A Man Whose Luggage Probably Costs More Than Everything Caleb Owns Makes Him Want To Scream. Peter Cabot Would Do Pretty Much Anything To Skip Out On His Father's Presidential Campaign, Including Driving Across The Country With A Classmate Who Can't Stand Him. After All, He's Had Plenty Of Practice With People Not Liking Him Much--his Own Family, For Example. The Farther Peter Gets From His Family's Expectations, The More He Starts To Think About What He Really Wants, And The More Certain He Becomes That What He Wants Is More Time With Prickly, Grumpy Caleb Murphy.as They Put More Miles Between Themselves And Their Pasts, They Both Start To Imagine A Future Where They Can Have Things They Never Thought Possible.

When you are raised to believe that the person you are is unacceptable, you hide. And you stay hidden. If you are X-Men and Dance Academy star Tim Pocock, you become an expert at hiding - until you can't anymore. Tim Pocock was a born performer. At ten, he took to the stage as a professional opera singer. At twenty-two, he launched his acting career in the blockbuster X-Men Origins: Wolverine and went on to star in the beloved series Dance Academy. But Tim's biggest role was one he never auditioned for - the role he played at home as a devout, straight son. Raised in a conservative Catholic family and attending a school with links to Opus Dei, Tim always knew that being gay was out of the question. He was encouraged to become a priest and experienced gay conversion therapy to have his sexuality hypnotised out of him. After making a bid for freedom, Tim traversed the glitzy landscape of Los Angeles, navigated the pressures of the acting industry, and made chaotic forays into the gay dating scene - all while carrying immense trauma. With unflinching honesty, Tim reveals his journey toward healing and shows how we can set ourselves free. 'A brave and important memoir that captures the nuance and struggle of people trapped by the beliefs of their loved ones' IAN THORPE OAM

A Michael L. Printz Honor Book "This is East Texas, and there's lines. Lines you cross, lines you don't cross. That clear?"New London, Texas. 1937. Naomi Vargas and Wash Fuller know about the lines in East Texas as well as anyone. They know the signs that mark them. They know the people who enforce them. But sometimes the attraction between two people is so powerful it breaks through even the most entrenched color lines. And the consequences can be explosive. Ashley Hope Pérez takes the facts of the 1937 New London school explosion―the worst school disaster in American history―as a backdrop for a riveting novel about segregation, love, family, and the forces that destroy people."[This] layered tale of color lines, love and struggle in an East Texas oil town is a pit-in-the-stomach family drama that goes down like it should, with pain and fascination, like a mix of sugary medicine and artisanal moonshine."―The New York Times Book Review"Pérez deftly weaves [an] unflinchingly intense narrative....A powerful, layered tale of forbidden love in times of unrelenting racism."―starred, Kirkus Reviews"This book presents a range of human nature, from kindness and love to acts of racial and sexual violence. The work resonates with fear, hope, love, and the importance of memory....Set against the backdrop of an actual historical event, Pérez...gives voice to many long-omitted facets of U.S. history."―starred, School Library Journal

Interrelated stories describe the difficulties of four friends--Eli, Meyer, Marty, and Hirsch--as they search for love in modern society

From international bestselling author, Casey Morales . . . A traded player, a children's home, and a love to defy all odds. Climbing the ladder of professional baseball is hard. As one of the only openly gay players in the league, Nick Dunlap's path is rockier than most. When Nick is traded mid-season, despite a team-leading batting average, everyone knows his "open secret" is to blame. He flies to Ohio in hopes of a fresh start but finds so much more. On his second day in Columbus, Nick agrees to visit a non-profit whose mission is to counsel children and families. Speeches are made, balls are signed, and before the day ends, Nick meets Ethan, a troubled eight-year-old boy who hasn't spoken in months. Nick's heart yearns to aid the lost boy. Then he meets Dr. André Martin, a French psychiatrist with flowing salt-and-pepper hair and kind smile. André has been on the staff of the non-profit for over twenty years and questions Nick's sincerity, thinking he is little more than a grandstanding player looking for photo ops. Until Nick returns the next day . . . Buckeye is sa heartwarming story of a man finding love in the most unexpected places. Themes include found family, hurt/comfort, an age gap romance, children in need, and so much more. If you enjoyed Red, White, and Royal Blue and Call Me By Your Name, you'll love Buckeye. Note: There are themes and scenes depicting the lives of children and adults with troubled pasts. Some overcome their challenges, while others struggle.

Justin Robert and Jackie Salsberry run into a bit of trouble when they decide to help their friend Nick learn to overcome his fear of heights by leading him on a climb up Bald Mountain.

Clay Tory has been tearing up the rodeo circuit under the guidance of veteran rancher Jack Lomas. But years of hard work and stress takes its toll on Jack and he suffers a stroke. Clay is left in charge of Jack's affairs, but while trying to make ends meet and prepare for the upcoming National Rodeo Finals, Clay must decide which is worth saving -- his rodeo career or his friendship with Jack.

Vince Franklin, the renegade stepson of Amy Rocklin Franklin, is intent on inheriting the family fortune and enlists the aid of Jake Hardin--a man who could be Vince's twin brother. When Jake falls in love with Vince's sister, both men face the most important spiritual decision of their lives.

"WHEN YOU GREW UP IN THE PROJECTS, THERE WERE NO CHOICES. NO GOOD ONES, AT LEAST." In the Frederick Douglass Project where DeShawn lives, daily life is ruled by drugs and gang violence. Many teenagers drop out of school and join gangs, and every kid knows someone who died. Gunshots ring out on a regular basis. DeShawn is smart enough to know he should stay in school and keep away from the gangs. But while his friends have drug money to buy fancy sneakers and big-screen TVs, DeShawn's family can barely afford food for the month. How can he stick to his principles when his family is hungry? In this gritty novel about growing up in the inner city, award-winning author Todd Strasser opens a window into the life of a teenager struggling with right and wrong under the ever-present shadow of gangs.