Written by Rebecca

Back Cover Synopsis:

Dante can swim. Ari can’t. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair-skinned. Ari’s features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante with his open and unique perspectives on life, would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself. But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But there are big hurdles in their way, and only by believing in each other– and the power of their friendship– can Ari and Dante emerge stronger on the other side

Please Note: This review is all my own opinion.

            I will be so real with you guys. This book is one of my all time favorites. This was my fourth time reading this. It is such a beautiful story that takes place in 1987 El Paso, Texas. One of my favorite things about the story is the characters and how real they all feel. The banter between Ari and his mother is funny and affectionate. The strain between Ari and his father feels heavy as you read along. His thoughts and feelings and how they affect his actions are logical and relatable. There’s push, there’s pull, there’s angst.

            Not to mention: the twist (which may not be an actual twist but I sure didn’t see it coming until the book was nearly over). All in all, it is a beautiful story of friendship and growth. It hits you hard in your feelings and makes you think. I laughed, I cried, and I got a couple of butterflies. Oh, and there’s a sequel!

But don’t worry. I’ll be here in a couple of weeks to tell you all about it in more detail since it’ll focus more on our fun little twist.

Rating:

Feel free to leave a comment and let us know your thoughts!