But I Hate Him (publication day August 25, 2026) by Page Powars, is the story of Rory, a trans teenager who competes in the top echelons of science competitions in NYC, and is the face of his parents’ tutoring company, The Prince List, and Luca, the boy who always seems to win when they’re in the same competitions.
Rory, whose parents continued to embrace him when he came out as trans, is otherwise required to be “perfect” and avoid all distractions, including vulnerability, sleep deprivation, partying, dating, junk food, video games, and social media. He has a plan to win the science symposium, and get accepted to Harvard. But Luca is not only gifted in science, he’s a champion hockey player, handsome, and chill, and when he comes in late, interrupting Rory’s presentation to the judge, Rory loses his cool, and throws a smoothie at Luca. The interaction goes viral, and of course Rory doesn’t win the competition, again.
Since most competitive summer programs are now closed to Rory, his parents decide to send him across the country to a prestigious program on an island in the Pacific Northwest, where teens compete in the BRAIN wars, with the winner getting admitted to the Ivy of their choice. So Rory sets off on his cross-country flight the very next day. He finds out that the competitions are by cabin, in groups, and he’s never been great working with others, so that will be difficult. And yes, Luca is here, too. How could he travel across the continent and still, Luca is here and ready to show him up?
But it turns out Luca is actually kind, and happy to see a familiar face. Rory can’t imagine how Luca doesn’t share his animosity, but he goes with it. Between trying to corral his cabinmates who cannot seem to get along, and spending time with Luca to try to sabotage him, and all of the difficult challenges in the competition, Rory falls prey to most of the distractions he has so far avoided in his young life.
I felt very sorry for Rory and the pressure he was under, and how that affected his behavior in camp when finally away from his parents’ influences. And I liked Luca as a character, and how getting to know him changed Rory’s perspective completely. It was a cute YA queer romance, with plenty of science and camp hijinks thrown in.
It was weight-neutral; I noted no description of diet culture or body size.
Reading While Fat 