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Can't Take That Away by Steven Salvatore
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Can't Take That Away

$23.10

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Narrator Logan Rozos

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Length 7 hours 48 minutes
Language English
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Bloomsbury presents Can't Take That Away by Steven Salvatore, read by Logan Rozos.

"A charming, inspired story about being true to who you are." – Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us

An empowering and emotional debut about a genderqueer teen who finds the courage to stand up and speak out for equality when they are discriminated against by their high school administration.

Carey Parker dreams of being a diva, and bringing the house down with song. They can hit every note of all the top pop and Broadway hits. But despite their talent, emotional scars from an incident with a homophobic classmate and their grandmother’s spiraling dementia make it harder and harder for Carey to find their voice.

Then Carey meets Cris, a singer/guitarist who makes Carey feel seen for the first time in their life. With the rush of a promising new romantic relationship, Carey finds the confidence to audition for the role of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the school musical, setting off a chain reaction of prejudice by Carey’s tormentor and others in the school. It’s up to Carey, Cris, and their friends to defend their rights—and they refuse to be silenced.

Told in alternating chapters with identifying pronouns, debut author Steven Salvatore’s Can’t Take That Away conducts a powerful, uplifting anthem, a swoony romance, and an affirmation of self-identity that will ignite the activist in all of us.

Steven Salvatore is a gay chaos agent whose obsessions include Star Wars, Mariah Carey, his loud Italian family, boating in the Adirondacks, exploring Italy, and having and then dissecting his existential crises (not in that order). For twelve years, he was a studied, accomplished writing professor having held many positions within higher education spheres; he now works as an academic advisor at Manhattanville University. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School and he’s a book coach and founder of Queerative Writers, a full-service creative hub for LGBTQ+ aspiring writers. A lifelong New Yorker, he now lives in New Jersey with his amazing fiancé Chris. He is the author of AND THEY LIVED…, CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY, and NO PERFECT PLACES.
stevensalvatore.com | X: @StevenSSWrites | Instagram: @StevenSalvatoreBooks

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Reviews

Can't Take That Away is a charming, inspiring story about being true to who you are, regardless of what others see. A perfect balance of queer joy and resistance, this power ballad of a story will leave you changed . . . for good. Can’t Take That Away is an honest, joyful, sparkling story of love, friendship, and the unique pride that comes with being yourself in the face of adversity. Carey deserves a standing ovation! This charming, joyful story—about self-love, fighting for what’s right, and the love to be found in chosen family—will make you want to put on a pair of red heels and blast Mariah Carey. A defiant love letter to queer youth; honest, brutal, and more important than ever. This page turner is a perfect pick for music lovers, budding activists, and kids questioning their own gender identities. A fresh voice + a genderqueer teen + one Wicked musical + fighting against the establishment + first love = A page-turning YA debut. Recommended for all YA collections. Filled with big emotions. . . as empowering as it is entertaining, Salvatore’s debut novel hits all the right notes. Carey’s journey is refreshingly optimistic. . . . Salvatore tackles hard topics such as anti-LGBTQ bullying, suicidal ideation, and grief, but also emphasizes the joy found in community and living one’s truth. Expand reviews