The Brothers Torres by coert voorhees

Summary: Frankie Towers (torres is spanish for towers) lives in Borges, New Mexico where there is not much to do but plenty happens in this saucy story about two brothers and the classes of people in their town. Frankie is not that muscular, not athletic, not so sure of himself or as popular as his brother Steve a senior. But he is okay looking. Frankie has his sights on a hot girl named Rebecca. Nerves abound as he is just about to ask her to homecoming but is cut off by Dalton an preppy, rich kid, easy to loathe who is on the soccer team with his brother. Steve is cool but not so cool that he has the respect of the local cholos. (not a gang but a group of badasses). After Frankie is beat up by Dalton, his brother Steve and his buddies rough up (John) Dalton just enough so that he doesn't come after Frankie again. When Dalton's mom and dad buy the family's restaurant, Steve's rage and hatred for Dalton is unstoppable until a final showdown during the Homecoming Dance. Frankie who is on the sidelines must decide where he stands and take action.

Ages: 14 and up

Comments: Lots of Spanish words and phrases. Lots of Mexican food. Be prepared to have you mouth water when some of his mama's cooking is described. Be prepared to be grossed out as his best friend Zach (who loves to blow up things) not surprising has only one eye after an incident. What is gross is that will pop his eye in his mouth for a cleaning even during lunch. I can relate to the main character, Frankie. When he gets nervous his emotions totally take over and his is in touch with how his body is responding making it hard for him to speak. Claudia W. liked the fact that this is about a family with a mother and father who are still married, who still love each other and who are in touch with their children (the good and the scary) and who show genuine concern for their sons. Did I say saucy to describe this book? Oh yes, it's got saucy food, saucy fights, saucy love and saucy guts. Brotherly love in this story has evolved with time, is fragile but never severed.