Full Disclosure – Camryn Garrett

Simone Garcia-Hampton has started over at new high school and is hoping that this time things will be different. She is the student director of the school production of Rent and is talking to the guy responsible for making her melt every-time he walks in a room, Miles. The last thing that Simone wants is for word to get out that she is HIV positive because last time, things got ugly.

Full Disclosure touches on so many important topics throughout the story. This is something I am a huge fan of seeing in YA novels. I am all for a book that discusses important topics in an accessible way. This book discusses racism and queerness as well as openly discussing sex, sexual health and much more. I have never read a book with this much sex positivity throughout it and it makes me happy to see it being talked about honestly, openly and positively.

Of course, one of the main topics in this book is the fact that the main character, Simone, is HIV positive. I learnt so much from reading this book about HIV and it is extremely informative. It does an excellent job of deconstructing the stigma that is surrounding people who are HIV positive all whilst explaining that partnerships, sex, having a family and children are all equally as possible for people with HIV as anyone else.

I loved the fact that Simone is a massive musical fan and very often makes references to musicals and movie adaptions, without it overpowering the story. I liked Simone in general too. She is funny, doesn’t put up with anyone else’s rubbish and she is relatable. I wasn’t the biggest fan of how she treated her best friends as soon as she had a boyfriend but it is what happens a lot so at least it is realistic.

Overall, this book is an informative, unique, powerful and quick-read that I will be recommending for a long time. This is a book that will open your eyes whilst being funny and interesting.