kerasalwaysreading's review against another edition
4.0
Before I read this book, I did a cursory review check on Goodreads and what I found wasn't great... and that makes me sad, having read this book now. I adored this so freaking much.
Amir is an 18 yo getting ready to graduate high school. His traditional (not exactly religious) Muslim family doesn't have any clue that he is gay and he fears they wouldn't respond well. But, he and a handsome jock have been spending a lot of time getting acquainted in the privacy of this boy's car. When another boy at school threatens Amir with a photo of he and the boy kissing, Amir doesn't know what to do. If Amir doesn't pay this guy an amount of money that he doesn't have, he will out Amir to his parents during graduation. So, Amir does the only thing he can think of... he runs!
Amir takes the money he has and heads to Rome, Italy. There he begins his journey of self discovery. He meets a group of welcoming people, some gay, some not. But, he is able, with the help of this newfound family, to come to terms with who he is and understand his sexuality. The people he meets are pretty wonderful. And through the summer that he spends in Rome, he does some great things, but in true human fashion, he does some pretty stupid things, too.
One thing I don't tend to like in books, especially YA, is when a certain plot point is based on a lie told. Amir tells these new friends a lie and when the truth comes out, it alters his experience there and how some of the most influential new friends of his see him. While, I understand why he told the lie, that was the only thing in this book that I didn't care for.
Ultimately, this story is told between two settings. One is Amir telling his story of being in school, leaving right before graduation and his time in Rome. The other is an interrogation-like situation where Amir and his family are detained after an argument between he and his parents on a flight home. Because of the color of their skin and the fact that they are Muslim is the reason they get detained, but the Muslim culture isn't a HUGE aspect of this book. It is in a general sense, but I mean that in the way that it was written in the way that the author is assuming that people know a general knowledge of Muslim and Persian culture. It isn't the forefront of the story, but it is present.
I completely adored this story. I loved Amir and all of his fears and flaws. He was a wonderful human who was just scared of his family knowing he was gay. I loved his little sister, who was 100% a champion for him. I loved the group of people that he came to know in Rome and all of the wonderful growth they helped Amir attain.
Thank you to Penguin Teen, Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for my ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.
Amir is an 18 yo getting ready to graduate high school. His traditional (not exactly religious) Muslim family doesn't have any clue that he is gay and he fears they wouldn't respond well. But, he and a handsome jock have been spending a lot of time getting acquainted in the privacy of this boy's car. When another boy at school threatens Amir with a photo of he and the boy kissing, Amir doesn't know what to do. If Amir doesn't pay this guy an amount of money that he doesn't have, he will out Amir to his parents during graduation. So, Amir does the only thing he can think of... he runs!
Amir takes the money he has and heads to Rome, Italy. There he begins his journey of self discovery. He meets a group of welcoming people, some gay, some not. But, he is able, with the help of this newfound family, to come to terms with who he is and understand his sexuality. The people he meets are pretty wonderful. And through the summer that he spends in Rome, he does some great things, but in true human fashion, he does some pretty stupid things, too.
One thing I don't tend to like in books, especially YA, is when a certain plot point is based on a lie told. Amir tells these new friends a lie and when the truth comes out, it alters his experience there and how some of the most influential new friends of his see him. While, I understand why he told the lie, that was the only thing in this book that I didn't care for.
Ultimately, this story is told between two settings. One is Amir telling his story of being in school, leaving right before graduation and his time in Rome. The other is an interrogation-like situation where Amir and his family are detained after an argument between he and his parents on a flight home. Because of the color of their skin and the fact that they are Muslim is the reason they get detained, but the Muslim culture isn't a HUGE aspect of this book. It is in a general sense, but I mean that in the way that it was written in the way that the author is assuming that people know a general knowledge of Muslim and Persian culture. It isn't the forefront of the story, but it is present.
I completely adored this story. I loved Amir and all of his fears and flaws. He was a wonderful human who was just scared of his family knowing he was gay. I loved his little sister, who was 100% a champion for him. I loved the group of people that he came to know in Rome and all of the wonderful growth they helped Amir attain.
Thank you to Penguin Teen, Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for my ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.
anactualbunny's review against another edition
1.0
The worst book I’ve ever read. It’s confusing and I don’t get why it’s being marketed as a Muslim book when the character states they’re not Muslim. There’s a particular scene which will haunt me for the rest of my life before it’s so bad - don’t read this book, save yourself
nowjamie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
crystal_reading's review against another edition
3.0
Review copy: Digital ARC via Netgalley
This was a fun travel based rom-com. One of the things I enjoyed the most was the aspect of the summer in Italy exploration. There is something lovely about getting to see a place through the eyes of a young person stretching their wings. That was one of the things I also liked about Ahmadi's book Down and Across.
The story had multiple perspectives and we were hearing the narration as the family members were being interrogated at the airport so that was unique.
Amir knows that he's gay, but dealing with his family finding pushes him to make some questionable choices. Fortunately, though there are some unhappy coincidences, he also experiences many helpful coincidences too. I thought there was a nice amount of humor, flirting, and romance. It makes for a nice summer read.
This was a fun travel based rom-com. One of the things I enjoyed the most was the aspect of the summer in Italy exploration. There is something lovely about getting to see a place through the eyes of a young person stretching their wings. That was one of the things I also liked about Ahmadi's book Down and Across.
The story had multiple perspectives and we were hearing the narration as the family members were being interrogated at the airport so that was unique.
Amir knows that he's gay, but dealing with his family finding pushes him to make some questionable choices. Fortunately, though there are some unhappy coincidences, he also experiences many helpful coincidences too. I thought there was a nice amount of humor, flirting, and romance. It makes for a nice summer read.
fletchergross's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
arinreads's review against another edition
4.0
you know how sometimes the most simple things trigger something inside of you? that's what happened. i loved it but i was also a bit hurt by it personally (?) which is a me problem so yeah
anyway, it was a fun read, a unique one, i'd say, so definitely worth picking up!
anyway, it was a fun read, a unique one, i'd say, so definitely worth picking up!
briaraq's review against another edition
3.0
This kinda felt like one of those TV movies you randomly find that leaves you wanting more then you don’t think about it again for 3 years. It was cute though.
readabookorfive's review against another edition
2.0
3.5/5!
trigger warnings; homophobic language, blackmail, racial profiling, religion
How It All Blew Up is a really well rounded novel and I enjoyed my time reading it. Amir was a really good main character to follow and I felt sad for him in some parts and frustrated in other parts about his decisions. I understand why he ran away to Italy but a part of me really didn’t like the fact he left Jackson to have to navigate everything himself.
As a queer, white person from a non religious family I will never understand the fears some people have when coming out to their religious parents and I recognise that privilege and will definitely be amplifying this book because it will be such an important read for so many people. I will also thankfully never understand the fear of being detained at the airport because I have a small argument on a plane because I’m white which is another massive privilege I have. This book really highlighted the prejudices people face simply for the colour of their skin and their race and it’s horrific. Please, world, sort yourself out.
The family Amir finds himself in when in Rome was one of my favourite parts of this book as I’m a very big sucker for the found family trope. They were all wonderful yet flawed and I loved them. They felt like this really wonderful, massive family that Amir was happy with and I loved that for him.
One of my biggest issues with the book was the climax. We go through this entire book not knowing why they’ve been detained but the moment of the argument just comes and then goes again. Maybe this is to show that people truly are detained just for their race, aka for no valid reason.
Also and I cannot stress this enough but it pissed me off. When you have children, they are your children, you are a PARENT before anything else. I don’t care what your religion says, you accept your children for who they are, if they are part of the LGBTQIAP+ community, you accept them. How dare you make your child feel unsafe and like they don’t have a family when coming out is a time they need you the most.
Overall, it was a good book and I enjoyed my time reading it!!! I cannot wait to read the authors other works as I’ve been wanting to for a while!!
Thank you to Netgalley and hot key books for an arc in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own
trigger warnings; homophobic language, blackmail, racial profiling, religion
How It All Blew Up is a really well rounded novel and I enjoyed my time reading it. Amir was a really good main character to follow and I felt sad for him in some parts and frustrated in other parts about his decisions. I understand why he ran away to Italy but a part of me really didn’t like the fact he left Jackson to have to navigate everything himself.
As a queer, white person from a non religious family I will never understand the fears some people have when coming out to their religious parents and I recognise that privilege and will definitely be amplifying this book because it will be such an important read for so many people. I will also thankfully never understand the fear of being detained at the airport because I have a small argument on a plane because I’m white which is another massive privilege I have. This book really highlighted the prejudices people face simply for the colour of their skin and their race and it’s horrific. Please, world, sort yourself out.
The family Amir finds himself in when in Rome was one of my favourite parts of this book as I’m a very big sucker for the found family trope. They were all wonderful yet flawed and I loved them. They felt like this really wonderful, massive family that Amir was happy with and I loved that for him.
One of my biggest issues with the book was the climax. We go through this entire book not knowing why they’ve been detained but the moment of the argument just comes and then goes again. Maybe this is to show that people truly are detained just for their race, aka for no valid reason.
Also and I cannot stress this enough but it pissed me off. When you have children, they are your children, you are a PARENT before anything else. I don’t care what your religion says, you accept your children for who they are, if they are part of the LGBTQIAP+ community, you accept them. How dare you make your child feel unsafe and like they don’t have a family when coming out is a time they need you the most.
Overall, it was a good book and I enjoyed my time reading it!!! I cannot wait to read the authors other works as I’ve been wanting to for a while!!
Thank you to Netgalley and hot key books for an arc in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own
k_readitfirst's review against another edition
3.75
I imagine that this book is catharsis in some aspects so I don't really have much to say, however I wish this was a movie. I really liked it
arenasg's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75