I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Great coming of age story

This was a really great contemporary! It was hard-hitting and emotional while also being upbeat and happy at the same time. I really liked the writing and the characters and think this is a really fantastic read!

I couldn’t get into this book. I tried multiple times and it just didn’t grab my attention. I skimmed through hoping something would grab me but nothing ever did.

It's hard to get into this author's style but she does show a Native identity that we don't often see - suburban middle class kid yet close to their Native roots and subjected to all the microaggressions of our society. I also loved how she realized she could be kind of an asshole too.

DNF

Not terrible but seems like it's going to be VERY preachy, which is fine if it feels authentic but it feels very forced here. Hard to believe this girl would be dating the infamous boyfriend from the beginning in the first place, since he was consistently douchey.

This book seemed to have too much going on for one book, such as racism, slut shaming, bulling, etc. I think the execution of the book would have been better if the author focused on one main issue. That being said, I did love this story and the powerful message that it portrayed, and I loved the characters. Would definitely recommend.

I really loved this contemporary YA romance with a Native (Muscogee) heroine! I love the complicated intersections at play here--and I love that as a reader, we 100% get why Louise is a little bit self-righteous, and I love that we get to see her learn to see where other people are coming from a little bit; but never to give up her own pride in her culture or her desire for justice.

It's also a great read for fans of teen journalists & teen theater kids.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. This was a great book.

It was like High school all over again! Great coming of age story! Highly recommended! Thank you netgalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review!

Unique writing and story that kept me interested. A story that had me wanting to read more. Relatable characters and a good flow. Would recommend!

I yearn (and many of my customers do too) for more books with Native American characters, for more diverse books in general and this book succeeds on that front. A good story with a great main character. Unfortunately, a lot of the story felt unrealized and not fully flushed out.

Hearts Unbroken was absolutely a 5 star read, so I have five pros and no cons.
This book has some really cool thoughts on color-consciousness and how much society objects to letting kids of color have things and be center stage and show their talent.
Louise! She was so confident in her identity, and learned from her mistakes. Brave and bold and amazing.
Hughie was so sweet, and I wanted to protect him ALL the time. He grappled with loving acting and The Wizard of Oz, but at the same time coming to terms with the racism of the creator. I think that struggle was done well, and I definitely learned something new about Frank L. Baum’s history.
I want to emphasize again the importance of listening and learning in this story. Empathy for others’ experiences can’t be achieved alone, it must be a collaborative process especially when trying to correct misunderstandings, and I loved that that message is included here. Every character had the chance to change.
​Lou’s immediate and extended families were warm and supportive, which used to be rare in YA. I’m glad we’re seeing more loving families for our main characters.
​Overall, 5/5 stars and definitely a recommendation for those seeking to read more YA starring Native teens.

This was a lovely, character-driven story for fans of contemporary romance. I loved the Native rep (a reflection of the author, so OwnVoices), and her refusal to be erased or denigrated because of her culture and heritage. More books like this need to be published.

I DNF this book, but I don't know if it was just my mood or if it was actually the book because one of my librarian friends absolutely loved it. I will be giving it another try.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this review. I really liked this book in terms of its strength in representation. However, I thought the execution lacked the power it needed to be a great book. The plot got lost in the many issues covered in the book. I love books that have layers of problems teens face, and I especially liked the way the characters fought back against racism in their town, but that was the only plot that didn't feel unfinished, forced, or ignored. The other plots, especially the romance, felt like they couldn't hold up to the other important parts of the book. The author wasn't able to find balance between exploring real, painful issues that teens face, and maintaining reader interest throughout the book.

There are few authors writing strong contemporary fiction about young Native American women as effectively as Smith does, and readers who have been waiting a long time for another story as illuminating and poignant as "Rain is Not My Indian Name" was nearly two decades ago will be happy to see her back in action.

I really really like this story. It's very well written
I voluntarily reviewed an Reader Copy of this book which I received through Netgalley.

There's so much smart stuff in this book about race, class and identity and how that interacts with everything that happens in your interpersonal life, especially love from Lou's perspective. Lou is dating in high school and trying to handle how she talks about her own Native identity and tribal enrollment, which is really important to her but can also cause trouble. She winds up with a great boyfriend who has Lebanese background, so he should understand. But are they communicating well? The love parts of this book were great, although some of the parts describing Lou's wider world got very confusing, about why her cousins suddenly entered the story. Then again, I always love cousins in a story so I was willing to forgive some of the confusion.

It was so lovely to get another own-voices book for teens! That said, while I think the topics of racism and the need for the kinds of stories are of the utmost importance, I personally just didn't jive with the writing style. I think Louise is a good character and a lot of people would love this book, even though it's not my cup of tea. Definitely will be recommending it to people that I know will snap this up and love it!

I feel like this book focussed to much on it’s racism aspect, which caused for the rest of the story to be lost a little bit. I was very angry at the racist comments but for the romance or the play or the school news paper I just didn’t care.