When it first gets announced, the Leteo Institute's memory-alteration procedure seems too good to be true to Aaron Soto-miracle cure-alls don't tend to pop up in the Bronx projects. Aaron can't forget how he's grown up poor, how his friends all seem to shrug him off, and how his father committed suicide in their one bedroom apartment. He has the support of his patient girlfriend, if not necessarily his distant brother and overworked mother, but it's not enough. Then Thomas shows up. He doesn't mind Aaron's obsession over the Scorpius Hawthorne books and has a sweet movie set-up on his roof. There are nicknames. Aaron's not only able to be himself, but happiness feels easy with Thomas. The love Aaron discovers may cost him what's left of his life, but since Aaron can't suddenly stop being gay Leteo may be the only way out.
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight This book was awesome, because it covered so many relevant topics. The cool thing is, it isn't just diversity, it is Aaron's life. His whole world is so different from mine, but it didn't even matter, because I'll be damned if I didn't connect to him regardless! There were some pretty epic twists that I didn't see coming, and so many multifaceted characters. I felt like I was actually in the Bronx- and I have never been there! These was a fabulously well done debut, deserves every ounce of hype, and I suspect Adam has a lot of amazing stories left to write- and I am certain I'll be reading each one.
