Considering it was written by a teenager, it wasn’t that bad. Sure, it needed some work–to eliminate clichés, to flesh out the characters, to edit some unnecessary plot points… But the base was interesting. The idea of a relationship between the introvert artist and the flaming bad boy isn’t new but it makes for a compelling story.
The first half is mostly high school shenanigans, with Jules discovering his sexuality. That’s also when he starts various friendships that will become important in the rest of the story.
Then it’s big drama and frankly, it was a bit too much. It almost felt like it was written for shock value. Sure, it also deepens Hunter and Jules’s relationship, but the author didn’t need to push it so far. Same with the villains–they’re cartoon characters with motivations as serious as conquering the world.
The narration was okay, and it sure helped getting through the story. I’d say it would be an interesting book for a teenager, it falls flat with older readers.