REVIEW for Boy Toy

A big thank you goes out to author Barry Lyga for so kindly sending me a copy of his book for review.

TITLE: Boy Toy

AUTHOR: Barry Lyga

GENRE: YA

RATING: 4 Stars

I had never read anything by author Barry Lyga before! and Boy Toy was certainly a powerful introduction for me!This YA book takes a look at several taboo subjects all at once and I was amazed to find out that one of them is sexual abuse of a minor.I was not sure how to take this novel at first.

Lyga writes in such a down to earth manner, using curse words somewhat regularly and describing sexual acts (although in no way pornographically) that I was taken aback a little and I must admit - pleased that FINALLY au author has the nerve to tell it like it really is (sorry to those parents who think it otherwise).I believe in this day and age that teens need to read/hear about life in realistic terms and I wish I had this type of book when I was younger.

The main storyline itself is, as I mentioned, daring. Josh is just a regular guy in some ways - he is part of the baseball team and he is nervous around girls - but he has also been discovered "doing the deed" with one of his school friends - if this was not enough of a big mess, he also mentions that when he was younger, his teacher Eve had sex with him.This book actually makes you think about what you believe is acceptable or not in our society, it makes you think about what could have been going on in Josh's young mind while he was being used by his teacher and it makes you think about sexuality and the role it plays in our lives as human beings.

Lyga has a way with a story and I thought this book was extremely powerful and yet, at the same time, realistic and more than a tad scary.I have to give author Lyga credit for writing this type of story - I am certain that not everyone would be willing to go there.