Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Saenz

Weirdly enough I checked this book out from the library about the same time that someone randomly bought the book for me on reddit. I was meant to read this book, I guess.

Aristotle and Dante, is about two young teens who are best friends, one of whom happens to be gay. It's up to the two boys to figure out what their friendship means and at what cost.

Overall I really enjoyed the book. I enjoyed how the two young men really progressed as characters and you watched them grow. Each character had their own voice, there wasn't a moment when I questioned who was currently talking.

The pace of the novel was a little off to me, I'd been reading the books for a few months now when normally I would finish a book like this in a few days. Though, with that being said--I still suggest you check this book out. It had something that many books don't. It felt real, and while sometimes reality isn't always the most interesting, it's important.

Purchase
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication: April 2014

Review: One Man Guy - Michael Barakiva

I've been in a reading slump for some time. I've found that to be a reoccurring problem in my life. Maybe it's because I read so many novels in my teen years I can sift through the good and the bad. Very rarely do I make myself finish a book if I cannot get into it.

As I've said on this blog before, this is a space for me to share books I've enjoyed. Not to be a billboard for the newest craze. Though, as of late I feel like I've only been highlighting LGBT books. But, there's nothing wrong with that, right?

I've read a lot of gay YA in my life and they usually all evolve around a white American teen who is in the process of coming out. That can get pretty boring after awhile which is why this book grabbed hold of me right off the bat.

Enter, Alek Khederian who happens to be Armenian. Armenian culture is something I'd not been exposed too probably because I'm one of those Americans. But I loved all of the information about Armenia that the book was filled with and the details of what being a gay underachiever in an Armenian family would be like.

This book has everything, drama, romance and comedy. I even found myself laughing out loud during rehearsal one night, Alek has a great sense of humor. I would recommend this book to anyone who happens to like love stories, LGBT books or even someone who would like to dig deeper into Armenian culture.

I for one have been doing my own research after finishing the book... great work Michael, Cher would be proud.

Purchase
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication: May 2014

SPROUT Review - Dale Peck

SPROUT - Dale Peck

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

Pages: 288

Release: May 26, 2009

My Rating:

Description:

How many secrets can you hide in plain sight?

Sprout Bradford has a secret. It’s not what you think—he’ll tell you he’s gay. He’ll tell you about his dad’s drinking and his mother’s death. The green fingerprints everywhere tell you when he last dyed his hair. But neither the reader nor Sprout are prepared for what happens when Sprout suddenly finds he’s had a more profound effect on the lives around him than he ever thought possible. Sprout is both hilarious and gripping; a story of one boy at odds with the expected.

I felt like I really connected with this book. I grew up in a very religious town during my high school years and was raised a Mormon until the age of nine. My sexuality really wasn't something I brought up much because at the time I was told by the pastors and so on in my life that I was basically an abomination.

Through my high school years I dyed my hair an assortment of colors, one of my favorite colors being green. Everyone at my school assumed my sexuality but anytime anyone questioned it I assured them that I was what they considered normal.

My town was very small with more churches than people, okay that's a joke but at times it felt like it. I understand the feeling of loneliness, falling for a friend--so many things. There are two books that I've ever felt like I could connect with at this level, Sprout and Will Grayson, Will Grayson.

I highly suggest this book to any supporter of the LGBT community and to anyone who lives in s small minded town. It's nice to know that even if Sprout is a character, someone knows how you feel. It gives you a feeling of relief.

Sprout is continually challenged through the book to stand up for what he believes in, some people push him to embrace his sexuality as others assure him no one in the state would support him. You'll just have to read the book to figure out what his choices are.

Interview with Lee Bantle

While putting together this week, I asked Lee to answer a few questions. You will notice a change in my questions from time to time to fit around the specific author and their book--I hope you enjoyed the change as much as I enjoyed making it! :)

What scene do you think was the hardest to write?

The hardest scenes to write were the sex scenes. Ohmigod! I kept thinking my mother would read this and declare it smut. But I had to do it. Closing the bedroom door (or the car door) when the sex begins is a cop out. I believe the reader wants to know what happens behind that closed door.

When I write I find I infuse large pieces of myself into my characters, can you identify easily with David?

I think the protagonists in most books are partly the author. While writing, as we try to imagine what our characters think and feel, we necessarily draw on our own experiences. David Dahlgren is partly me – though I came out in a much different era than David. Most events in the book are invented. I did not stab red lipstick against my lips in a moment of dark realization as David does. I did attempt Herculean measures to make myself straight before coming out.

How long did it take you to complete the book?

13 years. For much of this time, the book languished in a metal file cabinet because I believed it to be fatally flawed. And yet the characters called out to me – Lee, Lee, don’t leave us to die here. So, I had to go back, finish the book, and release them into the world of fiction.

How long did it take from the start of the book and getting it published?

15 years. After buying the book, my editor sent me a three page single-spaced letter suggesting revisions. Two more years passed by the time I had made all theses changes and the book went through the lengthy publication process.

Did you listen to music when writing this book?

Music is life. I am propelled by it. Music brings out the emotion in my writing. I listen to .everything from Sondheim, Diana Krall and Nina Simone to Ne-Yo and Gnarls Barkley while I write. But when I am reading, it must be absolutely silent.

Do you have any writing advice for aspiring writers?

7. Make sure every sentence sets the scene, reveals character or advances the plot.

6. Find the humor. Everyone wants to laugh – even in a tragic story.

5. Be diligent. Writing something good is lots of work. Push yourself.

4. Have garlic and sausage pizza on hand at all times.

3. Create scenes. Write dialogue. Don’t tell us what happened. Show us.

2. Revise, revise, revise. Get feedback. Then pick yourself up off the floor and revise some more.

1. Find your voice. All it takes is being real. Even when that means writing about the most personal things, the thoughts and feelings you think only you have had. You’ll be amazed how many people you touch.

What is some advice for teens struggling with their sexual identities?

Follow your heart. If that leads you to same sex partners, embrace them. Massage them. Send them love poems. Don’t be afraid to be your authentic self. That is all you’ve got in this world. That is all you’ve got.

What is your next project and when will it be in our hands?

I am currently working on The Memoirs of Odell P. Livingston, Grade 6. It is the story of a biracial boy in the age of Obama. It will be in your hands within, oh say, 13 years. Ha-ha! I’m actually shooting for early 2011.