I wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, the last act kind of soured the experience for me. 

This one would have been 4 or even 5 stars if it weren’t for the homophobia and transphobia and graphic violence against queer people. As it stands, I’ll give it 3 stars, because I liked MOST of the book. 

The entire book and the build of their relationship is so compelling. They had such a sweet and loving friendship. I just wanted them to gently fall in love. I did NOT like the twist. 

Dante is the victim of a hate crime, and it’s this event that causes Aristotle to reconcile with his internalized homophobia and finally come out to him and his family.

And the subplot of Ari wanting to know more about his estranged brother who is in prison resolves in a horrifying, transphobic plot twist.

I almost shut the book, because I was so upset. But I was 90% finished with it at that point and I figured I might as well see it through to the end. I JUST WISH THAT HAD NOT BEEN INCLUDED. I know things like that happen in real life, but I hated reading about it and I felt like it kind of came out of nowhere. Also, Ari is transphobic and even misgenders the victim. I just hated it. It really upset me.