I loved this story. It is a wonderful treat to read a beautiful story about the good and bad in families. It is beautifully written, you feel like you are in the Philippines, experiencing first hand the people and culture.

This was a beautiful portrayal of guilt, family, identity, and secrets. I loved that it was set in the Philippines and the reader gets to see a glimpse of the diversity that that country has.

This book was real, heartbreaking, funny, sad, and deep. I loved it and didn't want to put it down. I'm so glad I read this one and can't wait to read more by this author.

This book starts slowly, but is compelling. There was a sense that it couldn't possible end well, however. I just didn't have the heart to finish it right now. I am struggling to read books that are "real" with the world so messed up right now.

I can’t wait to add this to my classroom library, my high schoolers will devour this! Great representation for those who have a Filipino heritage, and great learning opportunity for those outside the culture.

I am a little ashamed to review this book because I have to admit that I knew nothing about the Philippines before reading this book. Even though it's heartbreaking to read about the war on drugs and the loss of life that it involves, I still enjoyed the book because of how much I learned. When Jay's cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, no one in the family wants to talk about what happened. Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story, and he learns more than he could ever imagine. This quote sums up the hardest lesson Jay learns throughout the book...."I will try not to judge because I have no idea what you were struggling with in your heart, what complicated your soul. None of us are just one thing, I guess. None of us. We all have the terrible and amazing power to hurt and help, to harm and heal." I will definitely be checking out more books from Randy Ribay.

Jay is coasting out his senior year,and plans to start college in the Fall. Upon learning of his cousin’s death in the Philippines that no one will talk about, his priorities are shaken. A last minute decision lands him in the home of his birth trying to find answers about his cousin in the backdrop on President Duterte’s war on drugs. The unexplained death of Jayson’s cousin and the intense pace of this book set in the current human rights disaster of a war on drugs in the Philippines will draw readers interested in world events and keep their attention..

Patron Saints of Nothing is a coming-of-age story but unique due to the circumstances that force Jay on his path towards adulthood and discovering the truth about his cousin's death. Jay is about to graduate from high-school and isn't excited about attending college in the fall. He hangs out with his best friend and plays video games, has a normal teenager/parent relationship with his mother and father, and isn't very interested in what is going on the world. When Jay hears that his Filipino cousin, who is close in age, is murdered by police and accused of being a drug pusher, he feels guilt for not staying in touch. He rereads old letters written by his cousin, Jun and decides to spend his spring break in the Philippines. The discoveries Jay makes about his family, himself, and Jun are heart-breaking, but finally give Jay a sense of purpose.

#PatronSaintsOfNothing #NetGalley

Just could not get into this story. Some may like it, but it's not my cup of tea. The characters were not relatable to me and therefore the story was not realistic.

Patron Saints of Nothing is a powerful novel for many reasons. The plot itself is intriguing. Jay’s life is shattered upon hearing about the murder of his cousin Jun. The details from Jay’s family are alarmingly limited; no one will talk about Jun. Of course, this will fuel Jay to discover the truth no matter what. This is your typical mystery, but what makes this book different is the setting and culture. Jay is a Filipino American. His family immigrated and hasn’t maintained their Filipino culture. Jay travels to the Philippines to investigate Jun’s death under the guise of learning more about his heritage. The rich descriptions and extreme Filipino pride shown by Jay’s uncle paint a picture of life in Southeast Asia. This book will show readers the unthinkable hardships the effect of the war on drugs in the Philippine’s.

When 17-year-old, Filipino-American, Jay gets news of his cousin, Jun’s death, he is shocked. He has a hard time believing his cousin could’ve died because of drugs. Heading to the Philippines to visit family and secretly investigate his cousin’s death, will he be able to find the truth of Jun’s death without upsetting his family? What will he do with the information he unearths? This touching story will help readers to realize that there are many layers to individuals, even those who we think we know. The modern political elements lend themselves well to this fascinating story. Readers will be drawn in by the different aspects of love and reality. The novel contains some language, drug and alcohol use. Ages 14 - 18.

Netgalley sent me an email about this book, and I'm very glad they did because it was riveting. I had a hard time putting it down once I got into it. Jason hears that his beloved cousin, Jun, has mysteriously died somewhere in Manila. As he starts looking into his death he learns more than he ever imagined about President Rodrigo Duterte's ruthless war on drugs in the Philippines, and his treatment of those in the government and the media who criticize him. In order to understand his Filipino roots, and to get to know his family (and snoop into the death of Jun) Jason decides to spend his spring break in the Philippines.

There was a lot of very interesting stuff in this book. Some of it is a little textbook-ish -- there's a LOT of information on Filipino history, interesting told from the POV of Jason's uncle, who is a die-hard supporter of Duterte, and enforcer of his laws. However, most of the story talks about the complicated war on drugs. Is it bad, or good, and what are the best ways to solve these huge problems? Are people like Jason's uncle evil, or are they trying to do what's best for their family and their country? Does an American-raised Filipino balikbayan like Jason get to pass judgements on what happens in a country where he doesn't live, and which he doesn't really understand? (Especially when the American government is so closely tied with the Philippines, and most especially since Donald Trump is a huge fan of Duterte.)

And in the end, there's a strong sense of family that I think is what makes this book stand head and shoulders over other YA books. The love Jason finds for his cousins, and his aunts, and for the country he left behind is inspiring. I hope that my balikbayan husband someday finds something similar.

Loved this book! I'm sad I can't have it in my middle school library because of language, but I'd definitely recommend it to any student who asks or is looking for recommendations, if I think it's something they'd like. Will recommend it to our high school librarian to fill the need for diversity and representation. Jay's journey to discover the truth of his cousin's death as one of the victims in the country's Drug War also led him to a path to discover more about himself and his culture that he felt the need to suppress in order to fit/assimilate in American life. Being second generation Filipino/Filipino-American, I found this novel relatable in so many ways, so I know students/library patrons in the same boat could too.

I liked "After the Shot Drops" by the same author so much that I immediately ordered extra copies for our library's Teen Hot Reads collection. So, of course, I seized the

opportunity to read an advance e-copy of Ribay's next book - Patron Saints of Nothing. I read it over two days. It is both one of my favorite types of books - a page-turner with nuance and complexity.

The main character,Jay, came to Michigan from the Phillipines when he was a baby and Jay and his family visited the Philippines regularly until Jay was 10 years old. During the visits, he grew close to his cousin, Jun, and they kept in touch with letters. Eventually Jay got busy with other things and his correspondence with his cousin fizzled out. When he learns his cousin is killed as a casualty of Duterte's "war on drugs", Jay is overwhelmed with regret about this lost connection

It's apparent that there's more to the story of Jun's death than Jay is being told, so he decides to visit his extended family in the Philippines to find out what really happened. Although Jay has some appreciation for the dangers inherent in asking questions about what is essentially an act of government-sponsored violence, he takes some unbelievably spectacular risks without concern for the consequences. He does know that he is somewhat protected by his status American citizen with lighter skin and the political connections of his extended family.

The characters are nuanced and complex and realistically portrayed. In the beginning, Jay is rudderless and self-absorbed: a typical phase of adolescent development, but not the much fun to read about. When Jay focuses on solving the mystery of Jun's life and death, the plot shifts in to high gear.

Randy Ribay, provides historical and political context about the Philippines' colonial history, the "brain drain" from emigration, and the impact of American miliitary interventions and political neglect. The message comes through loud and clear: Americans should be more like Jay and pay attention to what's happening in the Philippines and take responsibility for helping to solve the human rights catastrophe there. I think the message would be easier for readers to understand, if the author had drawn a stronger connection between past events and the present day.

Patron Saints of Nothing also deserves a spot on our Hot Reads shelf.

I'd recommend this book for high school readers and anyone who would like to know more about the Philippines. There are books with some similar themes, but this is the only YA book I've read that's set in the Philippines in 2019.

I'd also recommend "Patron Saints of Nothing" to readers who want a story that focuses on a single character and their exploration f cultural identity, family and religion. Some books with similar themes are: "The Poet X" by Elizabeth Acevedo, "You Bring the Distant Near" by Miatli Perkins, and "I'm Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erica L. Sanchez.

Jay and Jun used to be like best friends even though they lived on opposite sides of the world but when Jay gets a girlfriend he stops writing to Jun....now Jun is dead and Jay wants answers as to why and how this could have happened. His questions will take him halfway around the world but is he really prepared to find out what really happened to his cousin?

This book was amazing and opened my eyes to things that are going on in our world that I wasn't even aware of. I was brought to tears by the end as I felt for the family dealing with this loss that nobody wants to talk about. I will definitely recommend this book.

This book tackles so many subjects head on, and with such touching honesty. Reaching beyond the black and white, you really get a well rounded picture of life in the Philippines, and the myriad points of view that go into understanding families, friendships and even the social/political dynamics of a country. All the characters are drawn in layers and shades of grey that reflect the truth of the human experience.

This was one of those novels where the first few paragraphs were so evocatively written that I knew the rest of the book would have to be good. I wasn’t disappointed! It’s a beautifully told and gripping story. Told from 17 year old Jay Reguero’s point of view, he’s a sensitive, rather sheltered middle class Filipino-American who journeys back to the Philippines when he finds out that his close cousin, Jun, has suddenly died, under circumstances that no one wants to discuss. As Jay tries to figure out what really happened to Jun, he gets an eye opening look at a culture that he’s never really learned much about, and a country whose history he also never knew much about. He sees the tragic impact of poverty and drugs. As he navigates the complexity of his extended family’s relationships, he also develops a new understanding of his dad and what it cost to emigrate to the U.S. Through Jay’s rather naive but tenacious efforts, the things that various family members strived to keep hidden finally come out in the open, finally providing closure and meaning to Jun’s short life.

I enjoyed this novel and feel that it will resonate with students who are interested in what’s happening in the Philippines.

This book is SO GOOD! I felt so much and learned so much. The characters are deep and complex, and they will stay with me for a long time. There are no easy answers and yet, there are profound truths revealed at all the right moments. The writing is incredibly readable, modern, and beautiful all at the same time. I feel like a better person having read this book and at the same time, I am aware even more of how far I have to go and how much suffering that is going on in the world that I know nothing about it. Jay's journey is one we all need to go on, most especially Americans, to discover how we are patron saints of nothing. Yet, we can all be the light, we can all change, we are all human and complex, not all good or all bad.

This was a powerful book. It made me sad. It made me angry. How is this happening in the world, and I didn't know anything about it. I appreciate how Ribay educates the reader about what's currently going on in the Philippines through exploring the relationship between Jay, who has lived in the U.S. almost his whole life, and his cousin, Jun, who lived in the Philippines, a victim of Duterte's war on drugs. Reading this book definitely made me want to learn more. The author's note with resources at the end was really helpful.