Thunder + Lightning
2020
By Patrick J Murphy III
Oscar O’Malley has a rough life, and he’s only in high school. Jocks bully him, his father blames him for his mother’s death, and added to all of that, he’s a closeted gay teen in a small town. After receiving detention for being late to class (because the Jocks sprayed him with shaving cream) he meets a new student. Samuel transferred from New York, and got into a fight on his first day. To Oscar’s surprise and astonishment, he learns that Samuel is openly gay. As the only 2 gay students in the school, a quick friendship blooms.
The problem is with Oscar’s dad. William O’Malley is a bigoted drunk, who wants his boys to be “Manly Men”. Oscar is terrified of his father’s reaction if he ever finds out that Oscar likes boys.
How long can Oscar keep his secret? What will happen when Samuel comes over the next day? You will have to read it to find out. This story pulled at my heart, I recommend it to everyone, no matter your orientation.
I received this book for free for this review.
Author Patrick J Murphy III is an aspiring writer and director. He grew up in Columbus Ohio, where he attended Ohio State University for Theater. Patrick currently lives in Northwestern Illinois. As a member of the LGBT+ community, he feels that it is important to share our stories, teachings, and history. He has also published parts of “The Last Touch: A Collection of Poems”, "Talk Nerdy to Me'' and "Shadow Socialite" on Wattpad. When not writing, Patrick enjoys reading, watching Netflix, and cooking.
Follow him on social media