In a Nutshell: 
 A wonderful story about friendship, family, and coming to terms with our own internal struggles. 
 The Elaborate Explanation: 
 Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a book that Tumblr won't shut up about. So I got caught up in all of the hype and a few months ago saw Ari and Dante on sale as a part of one of those by-two-get-one-free deals. So I purchased it thinking I would read it right away, And then it sat on my shelf. And it sat. And it sat. And it sat. Part of the reason I was avoiding reading it was the hype that caused me to buy it in the first place. I had high expectations for Ari and Dante and I didn't want to be let down. The other reason is that I am not a huge fan of contemporary (or even historical) books. I prefer fantasy, dystpoian, and post-apocalyptic. But I figured that it had sat on my shelf long enough and needed to be read. 
 I began reading Ari and Dante with high expectations all the while preparing myself for disappointment. However, I ended up loving this book. I found myself able to relate to the characters, especially Ari. Saenz was able to write relatable characters, relatable relationships, relatable family dynamics, and a relatable plot all while using his lyrical writing style. 
 Last Night I Sang to the Monster was the first book by Saenz that I read. I remember enjoying it and the simplistic and lyrical writing style. So I suppose that I shouldn't have been surprised when I enjoyed this book. But I will say that I found myself enjoying the first and last third of the novel the best. The middle fell a little flat for me. I will also admit that sometimes the dialogue did get on my nerves (there was a lot of it), but the characters were so likable it was easy to overlook. 
 Sometimes I loved the lyrical writing, other times it annoyed me. A few times I found myself bored by the fluff, but other times I loved the fluff. Occasionally parts of the novel I loved would end up bothering/annoying/boring me. But for a genre I rarely read I found myself loving this book. It was a quick read and hard to put down and I can now officially say that I finally own a happy book. 
 I love Ari and Dante's relationship. I love how it started with friendship and then slowly progressed to them admitting their love for one another. It was wonderful. These are the relationships I enjoy reading about. There was no instant love. This book spans a little over a year, but it didn't feel rushed. I loved reading about both boys coming to terms about their sexuality. It was a wonderful book and I will recommend it to all. 
 ***TRIGGER WARNINGS: car accident, depression, underage drinking/drug use, homophobia, mentions of death, mentions of incarceration