Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Review

“I wanted to tell them that I'd never had a friend, not ever, not a real one. Until Dante. I wanted to tell them that I never knew that people like Dante existed in the world, people who looked at the stars, and knew the mysteries of water, and knew enough to know that birds belonged to the heavens and weren't meant to be shot down from their graceful flights by mean and stupid boys. I wanted to tell them that he had changed my life and that I would never be the same, not ever. And that somehow it felt like it was Dante who had saved my life and not the other way around. I wanted to tell them that he was the first human being aside from my mother who had ever made me want to talk about the things that scared me. I wanted to tell them so many things and yet I didn't have the words. So I just stupidly repeated myself. "Dante's my friend.” 

When I first went into Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, I was hesitant. I ended up being very pleasantly surprised.

It's the late 80's. Aristotle's brother is in prison, for reasons he doesn't know. He finds himself either angry or wallowing most of the time for reasons he doesn't feel like talking about. Enter Dante, his first real friend. Together, the boys brave dangerous accidents, misadventures with girls, first jobs, and discovering the answers to secrets that have haunted them for their entire lives.

It sounds like a very simple premise, but when you're actually reading it, it feels much more complicated. Saenz's prose has way of captivating you during even the most mundane moments of these character's lives.

And oh boy, these characters. They were so sad sometimes, and they were so realistic. I ached for Dante and Aristotle, and even their parents. Especially Ari's dad, whose live was haunted more than Ari's.

There's not a lot you can really say about a book like this. It holds a certain magic and you don't really want to spoil it for anyone, you know? So I'll leave you with this: you should read this book.

Plot: A bit slow at times, but it's mainly driven by the...

Characters: Ha! See what I did there! Anyway the characters were good.

Writing: Gorgeous.

Ending: At first I thought it was a cop-out, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. So yes, great ending.

Content: Drugs, drinking, some swearing, and mentions of sex.

Overall:

A wonderful novel worthy of all the praise it's been getting. A much read for fans of Perks of Being a Wallflower, and other melancholy realistic YA.

Jessica

Gone, Gone, Gone Review

Author: Hannah Moskowitz
Release date: April 17, 2012
Publisher: SimonPulse
Pages: 288
How I got it: For review through GalleyGrab 

In the wake of the post-9/11 sniper shootings, fragile love finds a stronghold in this intense, romantic novel from the author of Break and Invincible Summer. 

It's a year after 9/11. Sniper shootings throughout the D.C. area have everyone on edge and trying to make sense of these random acts of violence. Meanwhile, Craig and Lio are just trying to make sense of their lives. Craig’s crushing on quiet, distant Lio, and preoccupied with what it meant when Lio kissed him...and if he’ll do it again...and if kissing Lio will help him finally get over his ex-boyfriend, Cody. Lio feels most alive when he's with Craig. He forgets about his broken family, his dead brother, and the messed up world. But being with Craig means being vulnerable...and Lio will have to decide whether love is worth the risk.

This intense, romantic novel from the author of Break and Invincible Summer is a poignant look at what it is to feel needed, connected, and alive.

I live in central Virginia, so I'm no stranger to the beltway sniper from 2002. I often pass one of the gas stations he killed someone at, and I used to be dragged into the Michael's he shot someone at frequently. I was only six at the time of the shootings, but I very clearly remember being in first grade and not being able to play outside during recess, and the teacher's face when we asked why. About four years ago my mom told me why that was.

So while I was too young to feel the intense fear that Lio and Craig felt, it doesn't matter. Their fear leaps off the page and becomes intertwined with your own. Moskowitz expertly makes you feel everything her main characters are feeling. Not only does her writing do that, but it also manages to be fast and addictive, making Gone, Gone, Gone a surprisingly quick read.

If you don't love both Lio and Craig then I don't know what's wrong with you. Both are different and Craig's a little damaged, but throughout the book I didn't care and all I was thinking was that I wish I could do something like this:

Obviously I had no problems with my first GLBQT romance.

Moskowitz is an author unlike any other in YA right now in all of the right ways. Her books are fast yet have depth, and even if you don't love most of the main characters actions you'll love the main characters. I'll definitely be on the look-out for her next novel, and I now know I for sure need to get a copy of Break (her debut) and Zombie Tag (her middle-grade).

Plot: Engrossing.

Characters: Love! Especially Lio.

Writing: So good.

Ending: Good.

Kid friendly? There's mentions of sex, swearing, and underage drinking.

Overall:

No one could tear me away from this book.

Intense and scary but also hopeful, Moskowitz brought out the big guns for her third YA novel. While it lacked that something that makes me want to read a book forever, I know an awesome book when I read it, and Gone, Gone, Gone was awesome. 

Breaking Fellini Review

Author: M.E. Purtfield
Release date: November 1, 2011
Publisher: trash books
Pages: 160 (I think? Somewhere around there.)
How I got it: For review from author

Breaking Fellini is a novel of No Wave and New York during 1977. Sixteen-year-old Joni Corso loves to play rock guitar, but being in a local cover band just doesn't excite her anymore. She wants to perform originals and join the scene in New York City were Blondie, Patti Smith, and The Ramones found fame. Able to convince her mother to spend some time with her estranged father in Manhattan, Joni jumps at the opportunity to redefine herself and join a band. Amidst a whirlwind of classic rock, drugs, urban recession, and drag queens, Joni meets Phaedra a homeless girl with a mission to destroy rock idols and the mainstream. Joni joins her band No! and starts plays the kind of music she's been craving. The kind of music that out punks Punk. But Dad sees her as something else: a famous rock guitarist with a band on the Top 40 charts, something Joni doesn’t want to be anymore. Now she has to decide which musician she can live with being and for who or risk losing her new life and father she just found.

Breaking Fellini chronicles a young girl's new-found independence and exploration/partial discovery of a completely new style of music (that was also new to me--but not something that sounds very appealing to me).  In theory, this book could have been awesome, but I found it to be lacking in several areas.

This book was short. In the author's note after the book was finished, Purtfield said this was purposeful and that it felt like the length was an accurate representation of No Wave music. While I think that was a cool idea, I can't help but feel like it could've been improved by giving more attention to side characters, the descriptions of music, and Joni's father. Instead, the novel focused more on Joni's anger and fear towards and for her father and some people he'd done business with. Personally I feel like this was a mistake as I never fully connected to this story like I wanted to.

Despite the lack of development I zoomed through this novel because of its short length, and I did enjoy Joni as a character. Also bonus points for having a main character that is gay without it being a big deal! Overall, though, there are just so many things I expected and wanted from this book that I never seemed to get and I closed the book a feeling little bitter about that.

Plot: Moved quickly enough but I would've liked it to focus on music a bit more.

Characters: Joni's the only one we really got to know but she was likable.

Writing: Average.

Ending: Very unsatisfying.

Kid friendly? There's mentions of rape, sex, drugs, a whole lotta swearing.

Overall:

I'd put this down without hesitation if something else was going on.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the book for me, despite having a few really cool things going for it. That being said, I'm sure others that search for a unique story will find enjoyment in this novel.