I read this book for the first time back in 2015 back when there were slimmer pickings for queer books and even more so for queer books you could get your hands on. This one though, always stuck with me but in such a way I new I would need space from it for many years to come back to it with fresh eyes again. 

I was 20 then. Now I’m 29 and so much has changed with how I view myself, my family, my home, gratitude, my queer experiences, all of it… and to see Ari once again but in a new more mature light added so much more nuanced layers to the story I missed the first time. I was so focused on the queer aspects I feel I really missed out on the more cultural, societal, and family elements. Not to mention a Ari’s character growth and understanding of himself. 

Such a beautiful, beautiful book! One I am excited to read again in around ten years just to see how much I’ve changed and grown once again with Ari too. 🌈💛🦋✨