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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is the coming-of-age story of two Mexican-American brothers growing up with an abusive mother and a loving, but passive, father. The author deftly develops these characters both as individuals and as a pair... It's really hard to describe what I mean, but it is so pertinent to their story.
The audiobook is well narrated. It was interesting to hear the way the boy's voices develop as the years pass.
I am rating this novel at 4.5 stars, docking a bit because there was a point when it started to feel a bit long, but it all comes together to break your heart in the end.. I must add that, while this book is labeled as YA, it doesn't read as a YA novel. The writing is deep, poetic, and rich.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for allowing me access to the ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.
The audiobook is well narrated. It was interesting to hear the way the boy's voices develop as the years pass.
I am rating this novel at 4.5 stars, docking a bit because there was a point when it started to feel a bit long, but it all comes together to break your heart in the end.. I must add that, while this book is labeled as YA, it doesn't read as a YA novel. The writing is deep, poetic, and rich.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for allowing me access to the ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Pedro & Daniel is based on the real-life story of the author (known as Pedro in the book) and his brother Daniel. The story is told in alternating dual POV, starting in childhood and going through adulthood. The brothers face many significant hardships, just a few of which include abuse by their mother, homophobia, racism, and religious trauma at the hands of the Catholic Church. Although they face constant struggles, their bond grows stronger through the stages of life, all of which we get to witness on-page. This story is heart-wrenching and inspiring, and deeply emotional. As someone who shares a close bond with their sibling, I was deeply moved by the brothers’ stories. This is a book I will not soon forget.
This book comes with several TW/CW (listed in official synopsis); take care when reading.
CW/TW: References to domestic violence, child abuse, homophobia, colorism, racism, clergy abuse, suicidality, sex, and death.
CW/TW: References to domestic violence, child abuse, homophobia, colorism, racism, clergy abuse, suicidality, sex, and death.
Many thanks to Hear Our Voices Tours and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review, and of course Federico Erebia for sharing this poignant story of the strength of family bonds in the face of true adversity.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Happy Pub Day to Pedro & Daniel!! This Latinx YA Coming-Of-Age novel is about two Mexican-American brothers growing up in the Midwest in the 70s. This is such a heartbreaking but powerful read as both brothers depend and rely on the other as they deal with hate, despair, and grief.
There are so many hard topics in this novel including abuse, homophobia, colorism, coming out, the Catholic Church, the AIDS epidemic, and more. It's such a raw story that really pulls all emotions out of you. YA books are some of the most heartfelt books l've ever read, and this debut is no different. Put this book on you TBR list today!!
Oof this was a really heavy read for me. The content was everything I expected from a Latinx family in the beginning. The twists left me hurting and heartbroken.
I think this story will stay with me for a long time and will haunt me in ways I cannot even begin to fathom. It was beautiful in a way I could never even begin to describe.
What a start for Pride Month! Please make sure you review the CW/TW on this one.
Thank you NetGalley, Federico Eberia, and Levine Querido for the eARC for my honest review!
Pedro & Daniel by Federico Erebia releases June 6, 2023!
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Pedro and Daniel by Federico Erebia follows the friendship of two brothers as they encounter abuse, colorism, racism, and homophobia, both together as well as on their own. The POV switches throughout the book between the two brothers, so we as readers get to develop a sense of their voices and who they are as people, from the age of five up to adulthood. I loved these two characters and their bond so much. They endured so much harm throughout their lives and I was rooting so hard for them not just to survive, but to thrive and experience true joy. I also enjoyed reading the dichos, or proverbs, interwoven throughout the text.
There are several content warnings; please take the time to take note of them all. Thank you to Hear Our Voices tours and Net Galley for the ARC.
There are several content warnings; please take the time to take note of them all. Thank you to Hear Our Voices tours and Net Galley for the ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you @hearourvoicestours for the gifted copy!
🚨 TW: racism, colorism, homophobia, suicidality, child abuse, clergy abuse, death, domestic violence
"Pedro & Daniel", a heartbreaking but inspiring story of two brothers coming-of-age in a cruel world in the 1970s.
More touching yet, the author loosely based the story on his and his brother's lives.
Both brothers realize early on that they're gay and their mother torments and humiliates them about it, they endure all the cruelty inside their home and in the world because of their unbreakable bond.
Main themes of the novel are coming-of-age as an
LGBTQ+ youth without zero support from family. Another major theme is Mexican culture which tbh is what drew me in at first before I knew what the novel was about.
Representation in literature has an immeasurable impact on our youth and it's books like these, that for so long went unwritten, that will provide teens with a ray of hope that they are not alone.
Like Pedro, I too "secretly feel sorry for everyone in the whole wide world who hasn't been to Mexico."
Follow me on Instagram @celestes.bookshelf for more bookish content!
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Based on the author's real life and relationship with his brother, this novel is about two queer Mexican-American brothers, Pedro and Daniel, following their lives together from childhood to adulthood. They have to navigate their sexuality and self-discovery in an abusive household and within religious trauma.
This was not easy to read. The abuse that the brothers face, from their mother, from the church, and others, is traumatising and intense. The brothers' bond keeps the whole experience from being too much. Although their pain seems overwhelming, they have each other, their love, and their dichos (sayings or proverbs).
I felt completely raw after reading this but was also so touched by how earnestly heartfelt the story was. Most importantly, I didn't feel hopeless after reading this even though there was a lot of trauma portrayed. Part of why may be because the author's writing feels intensely personal and expresses realistic highs along with the lows.
The author very effectively went from Pedro's point-of-view to Daniel's showing how the brothers are distinct. Some of the conversations didn't flow as naturally as others but it didn't bother me too much. Their bond still came across very clearly. Also, I really appreciated how colorism was explored.
I would recommend this if the subject matter is something you can handle. Very impactful and moving.
The novel lists its trigger warnings as such: references to domestic violence, child abuse, homophobia, colorism, racism, clergy abuse, suicidality, sex, and death.
Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was not easy to read. The abuse that the brothers face, from their mother, from the church, and others, is traumatising and intense. The brothers' bond keeps the whole experience from being too much. Although their pain seems overwhelming, they have each other, their love, and their dichos (sayings or proverbs).
I felt completely raw after reading this but was also so touched by how earnestly heartfelt the story was. Most importantly, I didn't feel hopeless after reading this even though there was a lot of trauma portrayed. Part of why may be because the author's writing feels intensely personal and expresses realistic highs along with the lows.
The author very effectively went from Pedro's point-of-view to Daniel's showing how the brothers are distinct. Some of the conversations didn't flow as naturally as others but it didn't bother me too much. Their bond still came across very clearly. Also, I really appreciated how colorism was explored.
I would recommend this if the subject matter is something you can handle. Very impactful and moving.
The novel lists its trigger warnings as such: references to domestic violence, child abuse, homophobia, colorism, racism, clergy abuse, suicidality, sex, and death.
Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.