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cover2covermom · 7 years

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Hello bookworms!

While on my quest to diversify my reading, I realized that I needed to read more books within the realm of LGBTQIA+ fiction. So today, I am brining you mini reviews for two young adult book that I’ve recently read, and I think you should as well.

Books included in this post: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Bengamin Alire Saenz & Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin

Author: Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Genre: Young Adult • Contemporary • LGBTQIA+

Version: Audiobook (7h 29min listening length)

Narrator: Lin-Manuel Miranda

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Source: Hoopla

Amazon • Goodreads

Book Synopsis:

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

My Thoughts:

Is Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe the longest book title ever? I wonder what the record is? It has to definitely be up there…

“I had a feeling there was something wrong with me. I guess I was a mystery even to myself.”

Honestly, I was anticipating a fluffy YA romance, but that is NOT what this book is. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is Aristotle’s (Ari) journey towards self discovery. Ari is a Mexican-American teenager who seems more at ease when he is alone. To say that Ari keeps to himself is an understatement… that is until Dante walks into his life.

Dante has my heart. As many of you know, I am such a sucker for quirky characters. Dante walks to the beat of his own drum and does not apologize for it. He is so secure in who he is, something that I greatly admire in characters. The friendship between Ari and Dante was everything. This is the type of friend I want by my side.

I will say that I did not find this book predictable in the slightest. I kept thinking that I knew what was coming next, waiting for “the moment,” but that moment did not come when I was expecting it to. I found myself second guessing my theory throughout the entire book… I’m sure those of you who have read it know what I am talking about.

Can I just say kudos to the author for including positive family dynamics in a YA book? Sure there was some family drama and secrets, but both sets of parents in this book not only loved their sons, but supported them. It is so rare to see parents who are so involved in YA, which is such a shame because strong parental relationships are so important during the teen years.

Unfortunately, the pacing for the first 60% of this book was a big issue for me. I remember reaching the 60% mark and thinking to myself, “Is anything going to actually happen in this book?” I feel like the majority of this book was some serious angst. I understand this book was about Ari discovering who he really is, but I felt like this book was way too heavy for the first half of the book, thus feeling very dense. I feel like it was missing some balance.

“We all fight our own private wars.”

With that being said, the last 40% of this book was a 5-star read for me. The ending was absolute perfection. I feel like this book could be very relatable to so many teens who don’t yet fully understand themselves.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a very character driven story, so if you are one for action-packed plots, this probably isn’t going to be your cup of tea. HOWEVER, if you are looking for a beautiful book about self discovery, you need to give this one a go.

My Rating:

*3.75 Stars

About the Author:

Benjamin Alire Sáenz is an author of poetry and prose for adults and teens. He is the winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and the American Book Award for his books for adults. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was a Printz Honor Book, the Stonewall Award winner, the Pura Belpre Award winner, the Lambda Literary Award winner, and a finalist for the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award. His first novel for teens, Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, was an ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His second book for teens, He Forgot to Say Goodbye, won the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, the Southwest Book Award, and was named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. He teaches creative writing at the University of Texas, El Paso.

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Author: Jeff Garvin

Genre: Young Adult • Contemporary • LGBTQIA+

Version: Audiobook (7h 47min listening length)

Narrator: Tom Phelan

Publisher: HarperAudio

Source: Hoopla

Amazon • Goodreads

Book Synopsis:

The first thing you’re going to want to know about me is: Am I a boy, or am I a girl?

Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. The thing is…Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in uber-conservative Orange County, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley’s so-called “normal” life.

On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s REALLY like to be a gender fluid teenager. But just as Riley’s starting to settle in at school—even developing feelings for a mysterious outcast—the blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter discovers Riley’s real identity, threatening exposure. Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has created—a lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe in—or stand up, come out, and risk everything.

My Thoughts:

You all know how much I sometimes struggle with the YA genre, but I am here to tell you that Symptoms of Being Human is YA done right! Not only was I educated about all kinds of LGBTQIA+ issues and terminology that I didn’t previously fully understand, but I was also highly entertained while I was learning. These are the types of YA books that I enjoy, those that both educate and entertain at the same time.

“The first thing you’re going to want to know about me is: Am I a boy, or am I a girl?”

Symptoms of Being Human was my first book with a gender fluid main character. I have read a book with a gender fluid secondary character before, but this one is the first book I’ve read where the focus is on gender issues and that really explores what it means to be gender fluid. I must admit, before reading this book I did not fully grasp the concept, but after reading it, I really feel like I have a good understanding. I am amazed at how Garvin was really able to take a very complex idea and simplify it into an explanation that is easy for everyone to understand.

“The world isn’t binary. Everything isn’t black or white, yes or no. Sometimes it’s not a switch, it’s a dial. And it’s not even a dial you can get your hands on; it turns without your permission or approval”

This book goes into some deep issues like suicide, hate crimes, bullying, etc. There were some shocking statistics mentioned in this book…

“64% of transgender and non-binary people in the US experience sexual violence in their life—12% before they graduate high school. 41% will attempt suicide. “

41% of transgender and non-binary people attempt suicide?! This number literally had my jaw on the floor. 64% have suffered from some type of sexual violence? This is NOT acceptable. According to a 2008 National Transgender Discrimination Survey, these statistics are fairly accurate. I only hope that these rates have been reduced since 2008 as more and more people are becoming aware of transgender and non-binary experiences. This is one reason why this book is so important, it can help enlighten readers about the injustices and violence that non-binary gender individuals face, thus hopefully creating empathy.

“People do judge books by their covers; it’s human nature. They react to the way you look before they hear a single word that comes out of your mouth.”

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Riley, our main character, suffers from anxiety. I’m sure we all can relate to having some form of anxiety at moments in our lives, but I feel that Garvin accurately depicts how debilitating it can be to those who suffer from sever anxiety. Anxiety is definitely something that needs to be better represented in literature overall, so I was happy to see it represented here.

From what I’ve mentioned in this review, you would think that this book is a bit of a downer, but it also has some lighter moments with a touch of romance, friendships, and family dynamics. The friendship included in this book was so heartwarming. Riley, Bec, and Solo reminded me a lot of the dream team in Harry Potter: Harry, Ron, and Hermoine. I also appreciated the family dynamics included: Riley’s parents were not perfect by any means, but they did love their child and were involved and supportive of Riley.

While it is true there are definitely some tough topics addressed in Symptoms of Being Human, it definitely ends on a positive and uplifting note. This is a very important book that brings to light *some* of the experiences of those who are gender fluid (also referred to as non-binary gender or genderqueer). Books like these need to exist. If you are fuzzy on these concepts, I strongly encourage you to pick this book up. Educate yourself, so that you can in turn educate others.

My Rating:

About the Author:

Jeff Garvin grew up in Orange County, California, the son of a banker and a magician. He started acting in high school, and enjoyed a fifteen-year career including guest-starring roles in network television series ranging from The Wonder Years to Roseanne to Caroline and the City, as well as several independent features.

While studying at Chapman University, Jeff won awards for classical guitar and visual storytelling before graduating with a BFA in Film. As the front man of his rock band, 7k, Garvin released three albums and toured the United States. When the band dissolved in 2011, Jeff, who had always written short stories and lyrics, found his passion in full-length fiction.

His debut novel, SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN, tells the story of Riley, a 16-year-old gender fluid teen who starts an anonymous blog to deal with hostility from classmates and tension at home. But when the blog goes viral, a storm of media attention threatens Riley’s anonymity. Coming February 2, 2016 from Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins.

Jeff lives in Southern California with his music teacher wife, their menagerie, and a respectable collection of books and guitars.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Have you read either of these books? If so, what did you think?

Comment below and let me know :)

Diverse #YoungAdult Books in Review: #AristotleandDante & #SymptomsofBeingHuman. #BookBlogger Hello bookworms! While on my quest to diversify my reading, I realized that I needed to read more books within the realm of LGBTQIA+ fiction.

#Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe #Benamin Alire Saenz #Bibliophile #book blog #book blogger #Book Nerd #Book Review #Book Worm #Bookish #Bookworm #Contemporary #Gender Fluid #Jeff Garvin #LGBTQ #Symptoms of Being Human #YA #Young Adult

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canyouhearthechurchbellsringing · 7 years

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#41: As Close to the Truth About Ali as I'm Going to Get

01/28/17

FTP: I was actually just rereading entry #7 again before I sat down to upload this one. As I have repeatedly expressed from the start, the original entries do not accurately depict the events they portrayed. Honestly I’m more embarassed I let myself fall into the trap Darek set for me. It seems things have been… reversed, in a sense, now… but you’ll understand once it is all up.

08/28/16

I’m typing this up at the library and saving it to a flash drive I’ll be carrying with me. It’s a half-hour walk here in the hot Florida sun, so I don’t know how often I can work on it, but at least I’ll have the records again. And if I can’t easily write, Darek can’t easily edit. Unfortunately that hasn’t stopped him from screwing with my head. If nothing else, I will be able to record the basics of what I go through as I struggle to discover what has happened these past few months. Once I’m more situated with better web access, I can proceed to flesh out the notes I’ve taken into complete entries. Writing has always been a helpful tool to sort out my mind, especially in times of duress like this where I desperately need to focus on priorities.

08/24/16

I remembered the doorway.

The memories were not malleable. They existed in the peripheral, and vanished when put into focus. Still, its significance acted as a magnetic attraction of sorts, such that it filled me with desire. Secrets, answers, rationalizations for the reason I was so crazy, things inside my mind hidden from itself, all existed beyond the doorway. I’d been there, maybe, but I just couldn’t remember anything behind that damn door.

Then hands reached down and yanked me from my slumber. I jerked into my body haphazardly, in a state of nothing but sensations. Darkness veiled my eyes, a blanket smothered my body, and a distant hum tickled my ears, suggesting electrical appliances. For a moment I felt as though this was the Outer Layer and I was finally beyond the door. First impressions are everything, and let’s just say this one felt to me like another one of Darek’s nightmares-constricted, deprived of sight and sound in a hellish, pressing heat.

I groaned, surprised at how raspy my voice sounded. At least it broke the trance of the whirring appliances; I could hear just fine. I could also feel my body, reassuring me that this was not a dream. I felt liquid pouring from my pores en masse. I wasn’t just sweaty; I was soaked. I tried to uncurl my body from the cocoon of blankets that weighed me down mightily. The effort was in vain. They denied me freedom, all tied and twisted in one another. I reconsidered my suspicion that this was a lucid nightmare, but something in me whispered the idea away. It wasn’t Darek’s voice. It could have been. He can imitate anyone’s voice where he is, be anything my mind can perceive. And as I’m thinking all this and growing paranoid, I’m hyper-aware of the bead of sweat trickling down my left cheek. I let out an exasperated exhale and found it bounced back into my chin. I groaned.

I focused on myself meditatively. I took stock of each of my arms’ positions, bent at the elbow, across my chest. I tried sliding an arm upwards toward my head. It met no resistance. I smiled to myself in the dark. It was a human-sized Chinese finger trap. My hand slid up my throat, over my shoulder, and came fully free, snaking up the right side of my head.

From there it was a simple matter of freeing myself from the trap, feeling along the seams and separating the ungodly amount of blankets carefully and calmly. By that time, of course, my panic had fled and my eyes had adjusted to the dark a bit. I seemed to be in a small room with a bed and some decorative furniture. On my left was an A/C unit which had been the source of the electrical buzzing. I immediately lowered the temperature several degrees. On my right I discovered a bedside table with a lamp on it. Illuminating the room, I saw for the first time a TV across from the bed and a small kitchen area in the back. I was a long way from home.

This is where things got interesting. Beside this lamp I found an index card with writing on it. WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOUSE. On the lined side, a second message: PREPARE TO HEAR FROM AN OLD FRIEND HAHAHAHAHAHA. In the center of that he had added half a set of coordinates.

WEST 80 16 11.4954

The illusion of the nightmare fell upon me again, harder, as my grasp on reality unraveled. Harder and harder it became to fight off the cloying certainty that this was nothing but a dream, another hallucinatory delusion where I made my home, but it was too visceral. The canonity of it stood stalwart against my hopeful barrage.

I didn’t know what happened in the past few months, wasn’t sure ho much time had been taken from me, but I was able to grasp that I had been yanked out of my home and removed from everything familiar by an ambiguous, intimidating being living in a realm beyond imagination. I stepped out of the motel room. It was no paradise but at least it had cable. Looking down on the street below, I gathered myself. Occasionally, a car would drive by, breaking the silence of the night. My mind latched onto the sound of the cars passing, seeking peace in disorder.

I didn’t know what had happened. I didn’t know what was going to come. I knew I needed to do anything I could, talk to everyone I knew, to figure out what Darek did in the past six or so months. However, it looked like it was the dead of night at the moment, and I did not want to start this journey at three in the morning. Aside from that, I was strangely drained in spite of the bizarre circumstances I found myself in. It felt like I had been awake for a couple days. For all I knew my body had been. I reentered my room after a short period and delved into a dreamless sleep.

The first thing I did upon waking, finding the sun fully risen, was take an inventory of what I had. There were suitcases full of clothes in the corner. The fridge was stocked with plenty of food. There were even a few fantasy novels stacked on the toilet. Darek’s little note sat mocking me on the table. Beside it I had placed the contents of my pocket. This amounted to a wallet and a phone, both of which I did not recognize, as well as thirty six cents (one quarter, one dime, and one penny).

The wallet contained my driver’s license, my college ID (long-since unused and ripe with the scuffs of age), an EBT food stamps card (explaining the stocked fridge), a library card, and six one-dollar bills. I checked the license and it listed my parents’ old address despite looking brand-new. It was replaced during my fugue but held no pertinent info on where I had been or what Darek had done.The wallet looked ratty and worn out. There were a few tears along the edges; nothing else about it struck me as relevant or unusual.

The phone was one of those cheap-looking Verizon phones. It had 266.04 minutes on it and 368 service days left on it. The background was a plain black screen After unlocking the screen I immediately checked my contacts list. I recognized Casey’s number right away nder the name “Stupid Fucking Bitch”; Darek clearly wasn’t fond of her. I tried calling but the number was out of service. There were several names and numbers I did not recognize, such as “J” and “Mike Herb”. If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say they were drug connects. The only other numbers in the phone that drew my attention were one marked “Baby” (Darek had a girlfriend?) and a weird string of numbers that couldn’t be a local phone number saved under “K” (2622946016). Aside from the contacts, the storage on the device contained default images and ringtones. I also discovered an installed Twitter app. Darek had apparently made an account in my name on July 27th. I made a few posts but I suspect he has his own plans for it, so I don’t intend to use it for conventional social interaction. The phone didn’t have any of my family members’ numbers or any others I recognized. I was wary about using any of the contacts I didn’t personally know to hunt down information. I would save it as a last resort. From the calendar I learned it was the twenty-fourth of August. A solid half a year had gone by in the blink of an eye.

I had to take a walk after learning that to clear my head. The whole time Darek was humming a song I recognized from the radio by Bob Seger. Maybe just because it was Darek it really unsettled me. Maybe it was everything else on top of it. Whatever the root of my jumpiness, I nearly leapt out of my skin when my phone started ringing in my pocket. Of course the ringtone was the same song. I pulled it out of my pocket. The caller ID said “Baby.” Warily, I pressed the green button.

"Hello?“

"Hey babe. How are you?”

A couple of things happened simultaneously. Shocked by the voice on the other end, I let the phone slip right out of my hand. As that was going on, Darek started laughing. I guess he found some humor in my reaction. I honestly did not expect to hear the voice of a dead girl on the line.

Distantly, in the background, her voice echoed from the phone. “Hello? Are you okay?” Numbly, I groped for the device, my universe turned upside down.

"This can’t be real.“ I whispered. “You can’t be real.”

Confused herself, she responded. “What are you talking about Darek?” Hearing that, his laughter only grew in intensity. I was stunned into silence for a moment. Finally, my mouth remembered how to form syllables and I spoke.

"What did you just call me?“

Cautious and confused, she responded. "Darek? Oh…. oh. Oh God. Mat, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know—”

"What?“ I snapped. "Didn’t know I wasn’t your boyfriend? Well I didn’t know you were even alive, so whatever!”

"What are you talking about?“

The memory rose, vague and fuzzy. It seemed everything from before that lengthy slumber was hazy and unclear. Still, the rush of wind, the blaring horn, the stark cold terror came as easily as an old friend. "My logs?” I managed weakly. “The third or fourth one where I pushed you in front of a moving vehicle…”

Darek’s laughter had subsided, but that comment brought it back on in the distant recesses of my head, a light snicker at some humor I couldn’t perceive through my grand confusion.

"You mean Halloween?“ Ali said, understanding dawning in her tone. "When we had that huge fight and stopped talking… I thought you’d never want to see me again… then Darek started talking to me online, and it was kind of like having my best friend back.”

"Sounded to me like the two of you were a little more than best friends.“

Vividly, clearly, I relived that fateful night again. This time, as I screamed at Ali, I saw her burst into tears, turn, and run off down the sidewalk. The truck passed by, the wind picking up my hair. Nobody died. Nothing else happened. Memory troubles? Darek cooed from my subconscious. Ain’t that a pain?

"Look,” Ali began unsteadily, “I was really lonely and he was there for me. It just sort of… happened. It was as natural as breathing.”

Silence followed. A gnawing question beat at my mental processes as I tried to digest the situation. “Were you in love with him?” I finally asked.

She paused, considering her answer. “Mat… I am in love with him. And you. I love every part of you.” The hot Florida sun beat down overhead as I walked down the street. It all seemed unreal. Here was a girl I thought was dead telling me she was in love with someone who didn’t technically exist. Here was a girl I thought was dead who was now my only hint as to what happened over the past several months. It was too much to take.

"No.“ I managed numbly. "Do not do this to me. No, not you, please. Ali, anyone but you.”

"I’m sorry!“ She cried. "I’m so sorry!”

"That doesn’t change a thing. Everyone’s sorry.“ And it was true. In fact it was something Darek was fond of saying. If human beings were any one thing, it was certainly sorry. The whole lot of them were a sorry excuse for living things.

"So…” she paused, searching for the right words. “Is our relationship over now?”

"As far as I’m concerned,“ I answered coldly, "it never started.” Part of me was happy to know she was alive. But mostly I just knew that I didn’t want her to have any misconceptions about my feelings. I had to be cold and direct. Her silence still made me feel guilty and wicked. I could sense Darek basking in the dark emotions dancing around my head.

"Look, I just—” I began.

She cut me off before I could explain. “It’s okay! He told me from day one that it was only a temporary arrangement.”

The defeated way she said that made me feel like, despite it, she hoped it would have been permanent. “I just… I’m sorry.” There. I said it. “A chunk of my life is missing and I’m desperate to fill it. To understand. Why am I in some random motel? How?”

"I can help you.“ She answered. “But only in the ways he permitted.”

"Oh God.“ I couldn’t help it. "The psycho you fell in love with gave you rules?”

"… don’t make it sound like that.“

I sighed. Any information was better than none. "What CAN you tell me?”

"I have logs.“ She said. "They’re on a flash drive. He told me to send them to you when you… woke up. Supposedly they’re accounts of your time on the Outer Layer.”

The Outer Layer again. Of course. I wasn’t nowhere while Darek was wreaking havoc with my body. I must have been spending my time in the place beyond the doorway. This was the first bit of good news I’d had since waking up and I was eager to pursue it.

"When can you get them to me?“

"Someone’s excited.”

I almost laughed at that. Almost. “Try desperate and confused.”

That elicited a giggle from her end of the line. Between the burning sun and the warm phone against my ear, I was starting to feel pretty hot. Noticing a clump of trees, I proceeded to stop and sit in the shade to cool off a bit.

"Okay, look,“ she said, "I’ll send you what I have ASAP. I’ll send it via eMail. You still have that gMail account, right? Just… sit tight.”

I was already doing that, so it didn’t seem like an impossible request. On a whim, I decided to ask another question. “I don’t suppose you know anything else about my life in the past several months, do you?”

"Sorry,“ she answered lamely. "When I saw you, I had, um… other things on my mind…”

I shuddered to think what she could be referring to. “It’s… okay.”

"You sure?“

I wasn’t. "As okay as it’s going to get. Thanks, Ali.”

"If you need anything…“

"I know.” I hung up and lay back in the grass as cars zoomed by and the world continued to turn. I had a sneaking suspicion this was not the last of Darek’s little surprises. I did not look forward to finding more startling truths out, but I knew I couldn’t just let time waste away. I had a lot of work to do if I wanted any semblance of a normal life back.

I began my trek again in time. Thoughts tumbled around discordantly between Darek and Ali and myself. He played the voices that weren’t my own.

I am in love with him. And you. I love every part of you.

No, Ali, please, don’t do this to me. Anyone but you.

It’s okay! He told me from day one it was only a temporary arrangement…

A few incessant loops of that and I found myself at the library. I already had a card so it was a simple matter to make a computer reservation. Immediately upon accessing a library computer, I looked up gMail.

I tried to open gMail up, but, for whatever reason, the library internet insisted it was inapporriate for a public setting. That just pissed me off. I left the library angry and sick, not looking forward to a long and thought-laden walk home.

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