Aristotle and Dante Discover the secrets of the Universe.

"I hated being volunteered. The problem with my life was that it was someone else's idea."

Written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, this breathtaking novel follows the journey of two Mexican-American teenagers - Aristotle Mendoza and Dante Quintana, two polar opposites who met on one hot summer day.

Aristotle who likes to be called Ari has a hard time with talking and suffers from self-doubt. His thoughts always cloud over his older brother who is in prison. Whereas Dante is a literal ball of sunshine who loves art and poetry, who is vulnerable and open.

This was such a beautiful book. Ari and Dante are so wholesome that one couldn't help but fall in love with those wonderful characters. The psychological problems that come with being an adolescent are expressed very realistically. One thing I found really intriguing about the book was the writing. The whole book is from Ari's perspective who is a fifteen-year-old teen. And the writing felt as if it was really a teenager talking. Many of us could resonate with some of his thoughts as we've all been there and thought them at some point. The beauty of this book lies in the subtlety of it. It's not over the top and overwhelming. Just the right amount that could make you feel an array of emotions.

"How could I ever be ashamed of loving Dante Quintana?"

Aristotle always wanted to discover secrets of himself, of his family, of the universe. He never thought that the special bond he had with Dante will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be.

"Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour. Could end in lightning and thunder."

This book is genuinely one of my favourites. There is so much to love in this breezy read that'll take you to the beautiful deserts of El Paso. The sequel to this book is going to be released this October. Happy reading!