Sam’s school and life experiences are raw and emotional at times, and his plan to deal with his issues is to retreat into himself and simply become a slacker. However, his world and many of his assumptions about people are turned upside down when he is confronted with Luis, an apparent gang-member at school.

After Sam's mother abandons him with his grandparents, he's gotten down the life of an under-the-radar slacker, complete with his own set of rules. HIs only refuge and interest is cranking Nirvana music at home. Then Luis is the new kid at school, in all of Sam's classes. Luis, a presumed gangbanger with mysterious ties (and a secret talent for poetry), upsets Sam's carefully ordered existence. Sam now has to confront what he thinks he knows about Luis and others in his life. Readers may find themselves making the same assumptions about Luis until they get to the plot twist, and then they might be inspired to learn more about the people they think they know. ( )

Sam is shut off, hostile, but knows enough to not mess up too badly. When he gets paired in school with the big bad Luis, what develops is not typical. Although the first 75% is great, I am completely undecided about the last part. ( )

Firt published by Henry HoltSigned and inscribed by the author. ( )