The story focuses on Izzy. Since her father was tragically killed while deployed, she and her mom and brother have moved often and been trying to find someplace to call home. At their newest stop, Izzy loves her school. However, even though she finds friends and a boyfriend, she's doing this with a secret. She's on scholarship, and she doesn't have the privilege that the other students do. Her family has also been selected for a Habitat for Humanity build. While exciting, Izzy doesn't want to be the face of this project, especially because she doesn't want her classmates to find out who she really is. She especially doesn't want her boyfriend to know as she's never had a relationship like this. This book explores the complexities of one girl's story. She is in some ways living multiple lives and cannot live her full truth in any of them. Like many young adult reads, I think about when I was the target audience. This is definitely a story I would have been drawn to. I would have liked the love story overlayed with the difficulties of Izzy trying to find herself.

*TW: Domestic violence, alcoholism, death of a parent, depression, bullying, and racism*


I thought this book had GREAT character development. Izzy divides herself into two identities based on the context she’s in. However, that leads to a mountain of secrets that she can no longer keep up with. Throughout the book, Izzy thinks back to the loss of her dad and his extended family who her mom won’t talk about. When everything inevitably blows up Izzy’s face, she finds out who she really is. Another thing I loved is that while there is romance, it wasn’t centered (even though Sam is a great boyfriend to Izzy!). Relationships with family and friends were the main focuses of the book. I would love a follow up novel featuring Roz! The book ended with her finding shelter from her mother’s abusive home and I’d love to hear more about her next steps. Thanks to @ for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

"I fill my mouth with butter-soaked carbs. If a bear hug was a taste, this would be it."

There are many profound and heartfelt quotes in the phenomenal How To Build A Heart by Maria Padian but the one above made realize that this author got me. She understood how much food could bring joy, the best memories and comfort to a teen girl just trying to figure out her place in the world.

Though I am many decades removed from my teen years I completely understood Izzy's frustration with her life and trying to juggle what she knows is wrong but wanting things to look right to the rest of the world.

Izzy is 16 with a young rambunctious baby brother and a very over worked fierce mom she calls Mami. Her father was killed as an heroic Marine. He was a good Southern boy who married a beautiful Puerto Rican girl. Unfortunately prejudices leave this family of three on their own after his death.

As Mami does her best to keep them afloat, Izzy hides her trailer park home, her best friend's violent home life, and her crush on the rich hot high school basketball star from everyone until the lies catch up with her.

I loved the raw honesty of this story. The writer created a perfect image of a teenage girl who doesn't have it all but hides that fact for fear of ridicule and embarrassment. As truths come to life about her family and friends she learns, as does the reader, that for all the racists, snobs and angry souls there are far more decent, kind and generous ones in this world.

As Izzy repairs her broken heart I promise your heart will swell with emotions that will make you need a box of tissues. This book is a gift for all readers. Treat yourself to it❤

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I'm so into YA books lately and this one gave me all the feels.

After sixteen-year-old Izzy's father died, her mother moved them from small town to small town before they finally landed in Virginia. Once there, Izzy ends up on scholarship at a private school where everything finally seems to be going her way but when her secrets start to come out, the happy life she's finally built could fall apart.

Izzy is a terrific character who's super relatable and the coming-of-age novel not only has romance but also covers serious topics like racism, mental and physical abuse, grief, friendship and acceptance. I'll be passing this on to my daughter to read as well.

Thanks to Algonquin YR and NetGalley for the copy to review.

I enjoyed this coming of age YA contemporary about Izzy, the girl on scholarship who lives with her Puerto Rican mother and younger brother Jack. When her father was killed in action her mother had to take on jobs that paid the best which means they've moved a lot. Now that they've settled into Virginia all Izzy can think about is keeping her trailer park life a secret from the others at her school.

When her family finds out they've been selected for a house built by Habitat for Humanity Izzy's fears about others finding out where she really lives starts to rise to the surface. I really liked Izzy. She's quick witted and I love the relationship she has with her brother. I thought the author did a great job portraying all the feelings she struggles with throughout this book. She finds herself a bit lost between the life she has and the life she will have once their house is finished.

This book is about friendship, family, and finding yourself. It is light and fluffy but also addresses some tough issues. Her best friend lives in an abusive household and finds herself banging on Izzy's door when her mom's boyfriend is drunk. There is an incident of domestic violence in the book that may be triggering for some readers but it is not the main focus of the book.

I do recommend this to anyone looking for their next YA contemporary!

4 stars

Filled with heart, acapella, drama, and the complexities of young people in love, this was a sweet and engaging read. It gives you the feels, you know?

Writing: ★★★★★
Plot: ★★★ 1/2
Enjoyment: ★★★★

Izzy Crawford is just trying to belong. Having spent the past six years moving from town to town to town with her mother after her father died in Iraq, Izzy's tired of feeling like she can't put down roots.

Things change when Izzy starts going to school in Virginia. She's keeping her scholarship status on the down low and she's attempting to play it cool, but high school has other plans. When you've got roots, you've got ties. And some ties get complicated.

Izzy finds herself juggling her school life—she's in an acapella group and getting closer to one of the hottest athletes in school, Sam, which is made more complicated by the fact that Izzy's friend Roz likes him too. If that's not enough, she's also experiencing one of the most exciting things that her family has ever experienced—they've been selected by Habit for Humanity to receive a brand new home.

However, Izzy can't keep all the elements in her life from spinning into each other forever. It's all going to overlap soon. Is she ready to lay down roots and roll with the seasons?

I thought this was a powerful and moving YA novel. Sometimes a YA contemporary reads for its audience and doesn't transcend its age bracket for adults... How to Build a Heart is not one of those reads. There are lessons, fun, and love to be had in these pages and the author shares them beautifully for all ages. Izzy's story of fitting in and growing into her own personhood was a lot of fun. Plus, Maria Padian's writing is amazing. So read it for the writing voice alone.

Recommended for all! Haha. But in all honesty, I really enjoyed this one. Will definitely keep an eye on Maria Padian's future works.

Thank you to Algonquin Books for Young Readers for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

My lovely memory (hah) almost gave up on me but I defeated it this time! (HAH!) I'm so glad I've emerged victorious! I finished reading this book last night and my mind is teeeeeeming with thoughts and feelings.

Izzy Crawford is Latin-American - her mother is Puerto Rican and father, a Marine, who died six years before where this book starts. Because of her father's profession, she is used to moving, but now, she is tired. She is looking for a home. So when she find friends, solace in her family - Mami, kid brother Jack, and dog Paco, and a boy she likes, she begins to feel hopeful. But life isn't going to be so easily appeased. Since Izzy doesn't want her scholarship-status known to her friends, things are about to get difficult, and all the secrets she's been keeping are about to come back and hound her. Will Izzy emerge stronger from this and will she find stability? And where, or in whom will she find a home?

I hadn't expected this book to go so well, to be honest. It's fast-paced, involves you in the lives of the characters right off the bat, and ties up everything very well. There's romance, as you'd expect, but friendship takes centerstage. Everything Izzy does, or doesn't, it's for her friends. It's for who she wants her friends to see her as. Her respect for her family brought a smile to my face.

Not to forget that there's oodles of smart, whip-like dialogue that I really enjoyed reading through and that made me laugh out loud. And when combined with the strength of made family and not just the one you're born into, this is a book that warmed my heart. I emerged from it satisfied and smiling. Except for one thing that's like a thorn in my side.

Izzy and Roz's best friendship seemed too contrived to me because of the number of things Izzy keeps from Roz. No best friend does that. What's more, both of them make mistakes but only one (won't say who) gets the short end of the stick and is defended by someone in their common life. Eh no. But you know what? I get it. I understand it. They're teenagers. They're allowed to be stupid and make stupid decisions and get into stupid fights. And this knowledge and acceptance made me embrace this book that much harder.

Would definitely recommend!

How to Build a Heart follows the life of 16 year old Izzy Crawford. She lost her dad 6 years ago when he fought in the war in Iraq. Since then, Izzy and her family have moved to a new town nearly every year, upending her life constantly. Eventually, Izzy and her family have moved to a small town in Virginia, and everything starts to feel like normal and they’re starting to settle as a family. Izzy likes her new school, but due to her getting into the school on a scholarship, she has to hide this fact from her classmates. Along with this secret, her family has been selected by Habitat for Humanity, to have a brand new house built for them. However, the rest of the community are up in arms about Habitat for Humanity and where they’re building the new houses. As Izzy starts to fit in with others, she has to keep these secrets to ensure she isn’t looked down upon at school. However, this can only last for a certain amount of time until people start to find out things in such a small town.

So I read this last year when it was first released and I absolutely loved it, and nothing has changed a year on. I’m truly in awe at how beautifully well written Padian wrote the story of Izzy Crawford. I was expecting it to have the classic angst that most YA books have, but this book was completely different. There was some angst, but the emotions within this book were completely different to anything I’ve read in a YA book.

Izzy is character that most would be able to connect with in one way at least. Izzy struggles with a range of things from loss, grief, racism, and poverty. Other themes that feature within the novel are domestic abuse and mental health issues. Izzy’s relationships with her family and also her friend Roz were a major highlight of the book for me. Seeing the contrast of these relationships due to challenges in their lives. The relationship between Izzy and her mother was one I really enjoyed reading. Her mother just wants the best for her family, hence being all for the Habitats for Humanity project. I could see the different point of views between Izzy and her mother in regards to this project. Izzy and Roz’s relationship was an absolute rollercoaster and I absolutely loved reading the twists and turns that occur between them throughout the book. Of course a lot of the twists and turns are due to Izzy’s friendship between a girl who is the sister of the boy that Roz likes. This friendship, although great to read, did make me uncomfortable at times the more I read.

I loved the fact that the romance of Izzy’s wasn’t at the forefront of the book. It was happening slowly in the background, but it also never felt like it was neglected or put to the side. It was definitely a slow burn for me, but I was very happy it was. I did initially like the romance between Izzy and Sam, but at times I did feel like the characters didn’t have anything in common, and Sam was a bit plain and boring at times. However, the thing that I did enjoy that Sam brought to the story was his sister Aubrey. Aubrey was easily one of my favourite characters, and I also connected to her story and how she struggles with mental illness. I think her character was so incredibly well written, when her background is known to the reader.

Thank you very much to the Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review and allowing me to participate in the blog tour.

Thank you, Algonquin for inviting me to be part of the blog tour of How to Build A Heart, by Maria Padian. For one thing, it's been awhile since I read a YA book, and for another thing it reminded me of why I should do it more often - because it's refreshing to read about a protagonist who is modern role model for young women.

In this case, the protagonist is 16-year-old Izzy Crawford. When we meet her, she's living in a trailer park with her single Puerto Rican Mom (Dad fought and passed away in Iraq) and her precocious little brother. By day, she attends a new private school on scholarship with a capella group the only bring spot. By night, she and her best friend Roz, style outfits and stalk cute boys on social media. Roz lives in the trailer across the street, but she spends more time with Izzy's struggling but loving family to escape her drunk Mom and her abusive boyfriend.

One of the boys Roz is obsessed with is Sam, her school's basketball hero and rich teen dream. Izzy finds herself accidentally drawn into Sam's world through his sister, and tries to not fall for this guy who not only lives in an entirely different universe but is also the object of her BFF's affection.

When Izzy's family is selected as a Habitat for Humanity familyas, her Mom is thrilled to be moving her family forward and up, and Izzy finds herself in the middle of two different worlds and trying to hide her true self from them both.

Along the way, the reader follows along as Izzy faces difficult decisions, faces her family's past and faces who she wants to be in this world.

The Final word: 16-year-old me would have loved reading Izzy's story - but grown up me loved it, too. Very richly drawn characters and great messages.

Maria Padian’s How to Build a Heart is a YA tale with an abundance of heart. It’s a book that doesn’t shy away from issues of class and race/ethics.

What I appreciated the most about this book is while there is a love story here, it’s also a book about family and the power of community.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian made my own heart swell after I finished reading it. This book is a really fantastic story that brings up a number points about family relations, charity work, friendship, racism, and poverty. The writing flows extremely well and I read the book all in one go.

Set in rural Virginia, Izzy lives in a mobile home with her mother and brother. Her father, a marine, was killed several years earlier in Iraq. Izzy attends a private all-girls Catholic school and is part of the coveted a cappella group, but she hides her scholarship status and where she lives from her school friends. She soon befriends a new classmate and starts to have feelings for her friend's popular and attractive brother. At the same time, her family has been chosen by Habitat for Humanity to build a new house nearby. But Izzy has been trying to juggle all the different parts of her life: her immediate and extended family, the new house, her strained relationship with her new and old best friends, and a blossoming love interest. All of these threaten to overwhelm her unless she can find a way to communicate her feelings and begin to heal. Highly recommend this book.

Class differences and choosing a path along with your friends is not always easy to navigate. How to Build a Heart is Izzy's coming of age story that tells her journey as she tries to juggle her life. The book has great characters and is well-written; it hooked me from the first page. It portrays the true meaning of family and friends and is a book that should not be missed.

Sixteen-year-old Izzy Crawford is struggling to survive being a teenager. She’s definitely got some unique challenges: a dead Iraq War vet father, days spent scraping by and living with her mother and little brother in a trailer park, and trying to fit in at a wealthy private school. Things get more complicated when she falls for her best friend’s crush and tries to keep her new friends from learning out that her family will be receiving a Habitat for Humanity home.

There were some aspects of this novel that felt pretty familiar (girl from the wrong side of the tracks falls for rich boy), but there were enough unique elements that this felt like a fresh YA story. I loved Izzy’s heritage – her mother is Puerto Rican and speaks Spanish (although Izzy does not) and her father was a white man from the South. Izzy struggles to truly accept where she comes from and tries her best to blend in, which creates an interesting road for character development. I also really loved the many diverse characters in this book – they all felt really fleshed out (even some of the more minor ones), so the book felt full of captivating people who all teach Izzy some important lessons.

Aside from predictability, there was just one style issue that bugged me. Each chapter skips ahead a little bit in time and then the author goes back and explains what happened in the meantime. It felt like too many steps forward and then backtracking to offer important information to the reader. I think I would have preferred a more straightforward, chronological storytelling structure.

Overall, I loved that Izzy was able to learn and grow by the end of the book. This makes her feel utterly relatable and totally human. I would recommend “How to Build a Heart” to anyone who enjoys YA books, but especially to young readers who are struggling to fit in at school or are just facing the hardships that come with being a teenager. Izzy is a great example of someone with clear goals and a good heart.

Before I get into the details, I want to say that I gave this book five stars. Contemporary is a very hit or miss genre for me, more miss than hit. Especially YA contemporary. I say this with every contemporary review I write, because I want readers to understand that if it’s a contemporary that I didn’t enjoy, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad book, it means I’m a hard person to please when it comes to this genre. I also want readers to understand that if I enjoy it, that I think everyone should read it.

Thank you to Algonquin for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour for How To Build A Heart.

Izzy is a sixteen year old living in a mobile home park with her hardworking widowed mother and her little brother. Her best friend Roz lives across the street with an alcoholic mother and a string of bad news father figures. Roz attends the county public school and Izzy attends a private school on a scholarship where she’s a part of the acapella group. Roz has a chip on her shoulder about her circumstances and spends a lot of her time putting down everyone around her, especially the hot rich guys at her school. But worlds collide when one of those hot rich guys has a little sister transfer to Izzy’s school and join the acapella team and the pair notice each other. On top of that, Izzy’s family is in the running for a house funded by Habitat for Humanity. Despite things being rough, the future is looking up, is there space for Roz in this new world? Does Izzy want there to be space?

My blurb really doesn’t cover the depth of the book. Izzy goes through a lot, this truly is a coming-of-age story in many aspects – family, friends, romantic relationships, the future, the past, class and ethnicity adversity, etc. Finding your place in the world is tough, we all know that as adults, but whenever I read a YA contemporary, I’m reminded of how much harder everything felt when I was a teenager. While I do not share any of the same life experiences as Izzy, she was still very easy to relate to, to root for, and to shake your head and be like girl what are you doing? She felt like a friend, the entire cast of characters did, honestly, so kudos to Maria for that, it’s not easy to do.

The plot flowed really well. It started out by piquing my curiosity, sucked me in, and never let me go. I finished in two sittings because I was so invested in the characters and their story (this is an incredible feat for the mom of an overactive 10 month old!) Of course the story had some unrealistic parts, but that’s the case of most coming-of-age, family-drama, rom-com type of entertainment. What matters is whether it felt real, and it did. It had traces of Pretty in Pink, one of my all-time favorite movies. I absolutely loved Mami, she is total matriarchal goals. There are several character arcs, all felt natural.

This feels like an extremely jumbled and disorganized review, I’m not sure why. I loved this book, I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in YA. It really had a little bit of everything, and more than that, it was just absolutely enjoyable, which is really all I look for in a book.

Since her father’s death, Izzy Crawford has never had a permanent home or much money. While Izzy’s mom tries to support her and her little brother the best she can, they get no help from her dad’s family in North Carolina and her mom’s family is still in Puerto Rico.

Currently, Izzy and her family live in a mobile home park not far from McMansion Land. That’s what Izzy and her friend Roz call where hot Sam Shackelton and all the beautiful, rich people live.

Izzy has kept her reality a secret from most people, even the girls in her a cappella group. All except for Roz, because Roz has it way worse than she does. So when Izzy’s life collides with Sam Shackelton’s, she’s not about to let him see where or how she lives.

When Izzy’s mom tells her they have been selected by Habitat for Humanity as recipients for a new home, she’s so excited until she realizes this may be one secret she can’t keep quiet.

I loved that the romance, although sweet, took a bit of a backseat to the building of family and friendship bonds. Izzy has felt as if she’s been straddling the line in culture, class, and social status. But she hasn’t been truthful with either side. Padian builds a heartwarming story about what community, family, and acceptance truly are, and sometimes it comes from places you least expect.

TW: bullying, racism, physical abuse.

Thank you to @algonquinyr and @mariapadian for this advanced copy. This book is out now.

This was a really good book about what it's like to live in different social classes during HS. I also like that there are two different schools and different dress codes. I think this book really brings to light the fact that everyone is different and love doesn't care.

Title: How to Build a Heart
Author: Maria Padian
Genre: YA
Rating: 4.0 out of 5

All sixteen-year-old Izzy Crawford wants is to feel like she really belongs somewhere. Her father, a marine, died in Iraq six years ago, and Izzy’s moved to a new town nearly every year since, far from the help of her extended family in North Carolina and Puerto Rico. When Izzy’s hardworking mom moves their small family to Virginia, all her dreams start clicking into place. She likes her new school—even if Izzy is careful to keep her scholarship-student status hidden from her well-to-do classmates and her new athletic and popular boyfriend. And best of all: Izzy’s family has been selected by Habitat for Humanity to build and move into a brand-new house. Izzy is this close to the community and permanence she’s been searching for, until all the secret pieces of her life begin to collide.

I’m pleased to say this was nothing like I expected! I liked Izzy a lot. She struggled in this book: with grief over her dad, her struggles with his family, her identity, and accepting and embracing who she is. Honestly, I expected a mean-girls scenario, and there was a tiny touch of that, but not much.

Izzy friendship with Roz was well-done, and how the two grew and changed in the novel made this a story well worth reading. It’s not a typical YA/romance, although there is romance, it’s not the focus of the story. There were a few loose ends left when the story was over, so it felt a bit unresolved, but this was a solid, heartwarming read.

Maria Padian was born in New York City. How to Build a Heart is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 2/4.)

This book was excellent. It was such a quick read because it was so enthralled. I found myself immediately bought in to the characters. I am looking forward to more from the author!

TRIGGER WARNING: TOUGH SUBJECTS.

There is some racism, violence and other tough issues in this novel.

I was intrigued by the synopsis, title and cover of How to Build a Heart. Don't be fooled, this is not a slushy love story. What is is is a raw, realistic heartfelt and honest portrayal of a teen's life as she comes to terms with everything it throws at her.

Izzy loves her mother and young brother Jack, but she's fed up of not feeling like she belongs. Her father passed away in Iraq six years ago and she lives in a trailer park.

School is a place she's challenged and where image is everything. She wonders if life will ever change.

When her family is chosen for Habitat for Humanity, they have to relocate again. This time, they have to help out building their home and others' homes. But will they find stability? Is home really where the heart is?

How to Build a Heart is full of love, family issues and a feeling of yearning to belong. It is much more than a teen romance and is an excellent portrait of what some people have to go through to find themselves.

Thanks to Maria Padian and Algonquin for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars.

The pacing, atmosphere and characters are all top notch and I loved this novel for how it all fit together perfectly. Maria Padian's writing flows so well. I loved all the references to Latino culture, and speak Spanish so thought the smattering of Spanish words throughout were well-placed and carefully chosen so they made the book even more heartfelt and realistic. I really wanted some of Izzy's "mami's" arroz con pollo as it's a favourite dish of mine, too.

I don't think there are enough books with Spanish speaking characters and I adored all the cultural references. I am half Irish and married to a Peruvian so there's plenty of good food in our house. I really identified with the cultural references in this book and the importance of family was such a strong theme and what you have to do to keep it together.

I am really glad I had the opportunity to read How to Build a Heart. It's a YA coming of age book that deals with so many issues that teenagers have to go through on a daily basis and it does it in a way that is quite realistic. I'm a 40 something mother of a teenager and while I don't necessarily relate to the book now or with some of the racial issues, the issues that are dealt with in the story are very relevant and something that I could relate to when I was much younger.

Izzy is a 16 year old attending a catholic school on a scholarship. Her mother is Puerto Rican and her father was white. He was a marine that died while overseas and now her mother is raising her and her brother Jack in a small town. They live in a mobile home park and Izzy hides that from her private catholic school friends. The only person that knows her home life is her neighbor, Roz that goes to the local public school. But Roz is only one part of her life and she keeps both of her lives separate. Roz knows the poor, mixed raced teen with a mother that is a nurse aide. But her school friends know the smart and talented girl that can 'pass' as white, mother is a nurse (she leaves off the aide) and doesn't know her financial struggles.

Izzy is learning to figure out who she is and where she came from. Who to open up to and who to keep on the sidelines. How to love and keep part of her life a secret from those that she is learning to care about most. How to Build A Heart is a story of family, love, friendship, a mother-daughter relationship, young love, racism, bullying, depression and mental health. All of this in a coming of age book that is well written and with characters that you really can connect with.

I think this is a book that anyone 12 and over can relate to and will enjoy and get a lot out of. How to love, how to understand others and how to figure out who you are. Teens aren't perfect, but they are looking for all the right answers. Izzy may not have handled everything correctly, but she was learning who she was and how to navigate life in a way that would make all parties happy. Unfortunately, she made a lot of people unhappy, but she also didn't give others enough credit. Luckily, we get to see the outcome of all these situations playing out in this book and see Izzy grow.

Overall, I enjoyed getting to know Izzy and the people she grew closest with and reconnect with over the period of a few months. The story included a lot of issues, but I never felt overwhelmed with the plethora of issues. They all seemed necessary to Izzy's journey and her finding herself as well as others understanding their own actions. The story flowed well and I liked that we got a bit of romance mixed in with Izzy's life. It made it all more real. I hope others enjoy this book as much as I did and can share it with an age appropriate audience.