Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace! (Lili’s Review)

Title: Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace!
Author: Claire Davis and Al Stewart
Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing
Release Date: May 26th 2016
Genre(s): New Adult
Page Count: 125 pages
Reviewed by: Lili
Heat Level: 3 flames out of 5
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Blurb:

First love – coming of age – family – acceptance

When Charlie was eight years old, his mum bought him a microscope for his birthday. Since then, he’s known how he wants to spend his life. There have been trials, and challenges, but now – finally – the day is here for him to start college with his lifelong friend Anthony Pace.

Anthony is a red-haired force of nature. He writes poetry about their enemies and eagerly participates in all Charlie’s science experiments without understanding a word. Every morning, he waits at the end of their street so they can get the bus together.

But things are changing.

Families are important, and complex. Charlie’s mum hasn’t been well, and his relationship with Anthony begins to shine like a different star in the sky.

Can everything come together in this explosion of physics and chemicals that Charlie calls life? Will Anthony Pace ever share his poems with the world, and can the Chihuahua, Princess Arabella, ever learn to stop licking?

****

WARNING: includes moderately explicit scenes of intimacy between consenting young adult males.

I knew within the first few pages I was reading something special. I went in not knowing what to expect. Claire Davis and Al Stewart are new to me authors. I’ve seen their books pop up on my GoodReads feed from time to time- was always curious but never took the plunge. Until this book. After a horrendous reading week, this book stood out like a beacon of light. Seriously. It was screaming:

“Read me! Read me!”

I couldn’t refuse. The book gods were sending me a sign and who was I to ignore them. I’m so glad I listened. I was profoundly moved by the characters and their story. The writing was quirky but touching. Some moments made my heart ache- like put the iPad down take a deep breath before continuing to read kind of pain.

But it was so worth it.

My highlights:

-The plot and the writing style. Something about it just felt different and new. I read a lot of romance books, and I’ve been reading them for over 20 years and to feel as if I was experiencing something new was refreshing.
-The protagonists and supporting cast. Funny, moving and loving.
-The pace of the book. It flows quickly I felt like I was swimming against the tide because it was moving so effortlessly and I didn’t want it to end.
-It had I’m grinning like a loon humor.
-The poetry. Just you wait, future readers, you’re in for a treat.
-The romance there are some instances where my heart pitter-pattered.

I highly recommend this one. My reading experience felt like I was a part of something truly unique. It was beautiful. 5 Stars.

P.S. Claire Davis & Al Stewart,

I must now go through your backlist!

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