Novel Review : Rapture Practice

Rapture Practice : A True Story About Growing Up Gay In An Evangelical Family by Aaron Hartzler
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

 Goodreads Summary: What happens when the person you’re becoming isn’t the one your family wants you to be?  
When Aaron Hartzler was little, he couldn’t wait for the The Rapture: that moment when Jesus would come down from the clouds to whisk him and his family up to heaven. But as he turns sixteen, Aaron grows more curious about all the things his family forsakes for the Lord. He begins to realize he doesn’t want Jesus to come back just yet—not before he has his first kiss, sees his first movie, or stars in the school play.
Whether he’s sneaking out, making out, or playing hymns with a hangover, Aaron learns a few lessons that can’t be found in the Bible. He discovers that the girl of your dreams can just as easily be the boy of your dreams, and the tricky part about believing is that no one can do it for you.
In this funny and heartfelt coming-of-age memoir, debut author Aaron Hartzler recalls his teenage journey from devoted to doubtful, and the search to find his own truth without losing the fundamentalist family who loves him.

Aaron Hartzler's memoir of being gay in an evangelical family was a lot better than I was honestly expecting.

Expectation: Cliche novel of how being gay was hard growing up, bullying occurred, stereotypical outcast, family was unwelcoming.

Reality: Young boy struggles with things he likes and the expectation of his family, doesn't necessarily come out as being gay but rather questions his emotions towards girls and how they relate to what he's known all his life, and finally, struggling with living with an overbearingly religious family while trying to wishing to be a normal teenager and simply find himself.

Aaron Hartzler did a phenomenal job at emphasizing while he was confused while growing up about who he was, rather than focusing solely on being gay, he focused on trying to find himself while being told not to be himself throughout his teenage years. This heartfelt memoir was an interesting read, with plenty of humor and emotion of reminiscing on his youth. 

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