This is such a beautiful continuation of the first book. We get to see Ari really come into his own in all of his relationships- learning how to forge deep friendships and connecting deeply with his parents. We see him grapple with his identity and what it means to walk the world as a gay man, all with the backdrop of coming of age during the height of the AIDS pandemic. We also see him navigate school and teachers and think deeply about race and racism. We see him thinking about what kind of man, and what kind of teenager, he wants to be. Thinking about how he wants to build up and support others. About what it means to build community. This book is full of supportive adults giving out their wisdom and a lot of love and heart. I didn’t think that the first book needed anything more, but this book was just as beautiful, if not more beautiful than the first one. Complete with swoon-worthy romance!