The Mongrel Mafia High School

Brenn's plodding second entry in the Mongrel Mafia series finds the group of Italian boys from the first book facing new problems and tough decisions in high school. Tony, son of the local Mafia boss, is taking after his father and becoming more controlling, violent, and insular with his group of friends. A.J.%E2%80%94Tony's Jewish best friend%E2%80%94is discovering the friction that comes with age: friendships do not always stay the same, and sometimes your best friend can become your enemy. The gang manages to reconcile by senior year, but when some members start doing drugs, they're driven apart again, with shattering consequences. Brenn's novel is one-dimensional, full of stilted dialogue, and occasionally racially insensitive.