There are so many things that I loved about this book.. I think Sabaa Tahir has improved so much as an author and her writing in this story was outstanding. I think a lot of times in books, especially in YA, authors can dump too much trauma on their characters and honestly it scared me a little when I was picking this book up to read.. but I truly think Sabaa Tahir did an amazing job developing these characters and letting them be more than their trauma. These characters gave me a lot of hope.

SPOILER --

My favorite line was when Salahudin said, "her life will forever be divided into the moment before we got pulled over and the moment after". I personally related to this not because my situation is the same as Salahudin or Noor's but I think all of us have a moment that changed us. It doesn't mean that the moment was as traumatic as theirs but I think readers would be able to relate to this and reading about how they both dealt with the situation almost felt like healing and growth for me.

This is a modern YA classic, written in the tradition of classic YA "problem novels" of the past, but with the care and emotion and poetry that only Sabaa Tahir could muster.

AHHHHHHHHHHH (This is not a coherent review, just a lot of thoughts, emotions, and absolute, undying admiration of Sabaa Tahir. She's done it again, and I couldn't be more delighted.)

This was my first time reading anything by Sabaa Tahir, and I really enjoyed it. I also listened to the audiobook at the same time and the narration was perfect for all three of the main characters. This story was definitely not what I was expecting, but once I finally got into it I couldn’t stop listening and needed to know what was going to happen.

YA books are my not so secret vice. Over the years, the tenor of young adult fiction has grown. While I love a good fluffy teen tale, I appreciate that serious issues, societal change, relationships and so much more are now tackled and openly discussed in the pages of a book. As they should be.

Sabaa Tahir's newest novel, All My Rage, is probably one of the best YA books I've ever read. Yes, it's that good. Tahir unfolds her story in past and present chapters, with the present taking precedence. The past is from Misbah - married in Pakistan in an arranged marriage. She and her husband Toufiq have a son named Salahuddin, emigrate to the US and open a motel. Noor is Salahuddin's best friend. They 'get' each other, can commiserate, hope and dream about what they want in life and how to get there. Until the fight. And.....Oh my gosh, so much comes both before and after the fight.

Reader, there are many triggers in this book, but they are not there for shock value. Instead, they depict life and the many stumbling blocks, hurdles and ugliness that are part of our society. Can those triggers be overcome and overwhelmed by the actions, love, faith and strength of Noor and Salahuddin? Their path forward is definitely not straight. I found myself constantly surprised (and worried) by the direction Tahir took with her plotting.

There are 'good' and 'bad' characters that you'll have no problem identifying. Indeed, I actually found myself talking (and shouting) to them out loud many times, with my emotions and thoughts running the gamut. Tears were also involved. Noor and Salahuddin are so very, very well drawn. But my heart belonged to Misbah. Everyone needs to have a Misbah in their life. And on a side note, Tahir's descriptions of food had my mouth watering! Noor escapes into her music and although I knew a number of the bands she likes, I discovered some new ones from her playlist.

Bottom line? This is a gut wrenchingly good book you need to read. Tahir's writing is fantastic. An easy five stars
Sabaa Tahir took inspiration for All My Rage in her own life and experiences.

I’ve never felt so connected to a book while knowing that I will never truly understand what it’s like to be, or go through the things that the characters go through. Thank you so so much to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this book! I don’t believe that there are words to describe what Sabba Tahir did to me with this book. All My Rage follows Salahudin and Noor, as well as Misbah and Toufiq before they came to the US from Pakistan, where they opened a motel, similar to the one Tahir grew up in. This book jumps between different time periods as well as different POVs and it was done so beautifully. I’m not going to say anything else about the plot, as I fully recommend going into it knowing as little as possible. The book is based on a lot of Tahir and her family’s past, and you can tell just how personal the story is to her. Tahir’s writing transports you to a completely different world unlike any contemporary I’ve read before. She spent over fifteen years writing this book, and it’s very clear just how much of her heart and soul she poured into it. My number one takeaway from this book is that it makes you feel something. Really, it made me feel a little of everything, but what’s so beautiful is how everyone is bound to feel different things. At its core, this book deals with hope, family, and, well, rage. The rage was really something I could resonate with, not as a Pakastani, but as a feminist. The way Tahir writes about anger and rage is so interpretable and relatable. That feeling of passion and pride was depicted in such a stunning way. Last night, I went to Tahir’s event, and hearing her talk about the book was extremely moving. Also, I now have a signed/personalized copy of the book, which is now my biggest source of pride. Seriously though, everyone needs to read this book, for many different reasons, but that’s truly what’s so incredible about it.

TW: alcohol addiction, emotional and physical abuse, sexual assault, death of parents, Islamophobia, racism

This is one of those books that needs to be savored on audio because Sabaa Tahir’s beautiful writing is enhanced even more with the excellent audio narration by Deepti Gupta, Kamran R. Khan and Kausar Mohammed.

This story switches between the past and the present and is narrated from the POV of Salahuddin, his mother, Misbah, and his best friend, Noor.

This book gutted me - it has a lot of pain and suffering. There was one point where I was listening to the audio while driving and literally wanted to pull over and throw up because of the devastating event that occurred. That’s how powerful this story is that it evoked such a strong emotional reaction.

All the MC’s especially Salahuddin and Noor felt so raw and real. I wanted to hug them and pull them out of their difficult situations because no young adult should have to go through what they went through.

I can’t express in words how much this #ownvoices story about Pakistani characters meant to me. Thank you Sabaa for writing this beautiful story about love, loss, forgiveness and ultimately hope.

One of the greatest books I have ever read. I was so invested in these characters, the plot was fantastic and the author handled so many heavy topics with just grace and care.

I love Sabaa Tahir and all her writing. This book did not disappoint! I love the cover and the entire book. The book had be hooked from the beginning to end.

My first experience with Sabaa Tahir and good god what a writer she is.

While at times I felt the story lulled a bit, she really pulled no punches and wasn't afraid to get darker and darker with the story she was telling.

Truthfully, the only real "disappointment" I'd say I have is that everything *does* feel like it gets wrapped up in a bow at the end where I wish things maybe had ended a bit messier given everything these characters went through.

But overall? Absolutely incredible.

"Many authors talk about 'the book of my heart.' I tore this book from my heart. It's a story that demanded to be told, a love letter to the desert and good music and tiny motels and the kinds of friendships that save your life." —Sabaa Tahir

This book hurts… a lot. It’s filled with so much pain and grief and hurtful things. But also so many small, beautiful and wonderful things. It speaks volumes. It’s powerful and moving and will definitely leave its mark. It has on me.

I devoured 95% of this story in one sitting. It consistently left me hand-to-mouth gasping, tearful and gut-punched throughout, and by the end, bittersweetly and completely whole. I felt for these characters, longed and grieved with them, hoped for them, dreamed with them. Sabaa's writing is stunning.

Sal and Noor are childhood best friends, both burdened with so many immense, extraneous situations, when a disastrous event rips them apart.

There is a lot of heartbreak and loss in this story - it's devastating and emotionally charged, wrapped up in so much beauty, hope, and healing. It touches on unfathomable things and acute situations that make this a profound and imperative read.

"I see now that you were always two halves of a whole, two hands interlaced, two voices raised to a melody sung in time."

I’d love to get Salahudin and Noor’s next chapter. 🥺🧡

THIS BOOK HAS:
— childhood best friends
— all the classic tunes x fantasy nerd things
— multiple POVs
— young but forever love
— tragedy x harsh realities
— second chances x rediscovery
— family, faith, hope, love
— multi-generational x now & then storylines

Please be sure to check all the content warnings at the start of the book. Potential Triggers:
racism/Islamophobia, drug & alcohol abuse/addiction, child/domestic abuse, repressed trauma, illness, death, tense interactions with law enforcement.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the e-arc 🧡

This is one of those books that will leave you with a thousand thoughts and linger long after you've finished. The writing is fantastic and has a raw quality to it that really resonates. The book was both heart breaking and hopeful. It was so beautifully written that it makes it message that much stronger. The story of immigrants and their struggles in this country isn't one I can relate to directly but I thought the author did a fantastic job with the portrayal. There are quite a few trigger warnings for this book though, so I would recommend checking those out if you are worried.

I’m a big fan of Tahir so I was very excited to get my hands on her latest work, a change from YA fantasy to contemporary fiction. This book combined a lot of the elements I’ve loved from An Ember in the Ashes while focusing on contemporary issues.

Salahudin (Sal) and Noor are two Pakistani teenagers growing up in a small town in California. They’ve been friends forever, though recently a fight drove them apart for awhile. When Sal needs to take on the responsibility of running his family’s motel, he and Noor rekindle their friendship to get through their last year of high school.

Contemporary YA isn’t always my thing but because this was Tahir, I gave it a go. And it was well worth it. At first, I wasn’t sold on these two characters, and the flashbacks to Sal’s parents coming to the US from Pakistan, but by about a quarter of the book, I was hooked. Tahir does an excellent job addressing issues of racism, xenophobia, domestic violence, and drug addiction. If it wasn’t obvious from that list, this book is heavy. But all the heaviness is handled well and in a way that feels totally authentic.

My only complaint was with the last third of the book when things begin to spiral. It felt more unrealistic than the rest of the story, and perhaps a tad overdramatized. Maybe I just prefer a slightly quieter story. But the characters here are strong and you will definitely feel like they are real people. It’s been awhile since I’ve felt so strongly about two characters!

Sometimes a book just feels like a kick straight to your heart. All My Rage dealt with a lot of extremely tough subjects and really made you care for the characters before tearing them down. And for that I couldn’t help but love it. Any book that can make me that sad and angry is clearly doing something right. The things that Sal and Noor are forced to confront took immense courage and honestly I would not have known how to deal with their circumstances. The writing was beautiful and the characters truly felt real. For me, this was a 5/5.

If you like coming of age during catastrophes, relationships tested to their limits, or need a good cry, this is the one for you.

I received a digital copy of this book free from Penguin Young Readers Group and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

An incredible story of love, mistakes and learning, and growing up. This is an incredible book to adapt into curriculum for students to dissect in discussion.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen/Razorbill for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my rating**

CW: This book is HEAVY and discusses a variety of topics that may cause discomfort in some readers. In order to properly review the book, however, I have to talk about them. So heads up this book and parts of this review will include discussion of grief/death of a parent, racism, racial profiling by police and other legal professionals, addiction to drugs and alcohol, dealing drugs, emotional abuse, domestic abuse and implied sexual abuse.

I have to start with an apology for how long this took me to read. When I initially started, I was in a weird headspace book-wise and this one was much heavier than I was initially expecting from having read AEITA, so I put it down. Not because of anything wrong with it, but fully because of me.

Today, trying to decide on a book and realizing I would be able to finish this with the time I had, I picked it up again. I'm SO glad I did! It *is* heavy, but it's beautiful and poetic and explores love, loss, grief, the immigrant experience in America, faith, and the above mentioned CW themes so well within the span of the novel. It also discusses the deep-seated rage these things can cause us to feel and how that impacts us.

The book is told from two main perspectives, Salahudin (shortened to Sal by everyone outside of family) and Noor. There are also some chapters from the perspective of Salahudin's mother, Misbah, which talk about her life in Pakistan before moving to the US, immigrating, and her life with Salahudin and his father. Salahudin's chapters are initially about his strained relationship with his father, who is a struggling alcoholic, versus his relationship with his mother, who has advanced kidney disease. Later, he deals with feeling like he has to parent his grieving father and trying to save the motel they run, as they are deep in debt. Noor's chapters are about her experience as an immigrant and her dream of becoming a doctor while living with an abusive family member who holds saving her from a natural disaster over her. They both have trauma from the past and their present situation, including racist classmates and community members. They start having had a fight prior to the beginning of the book and are finding their way to becoming friends again, if not more.

I cannot stress enough how beautiful the writing is. Tahir references songs and poems, but her writing is so visual and lyrical and profound. For example:

"Each moment joins the next, a murmuration of starlings exploding out of the rafters of my mind and into the heavens, moving as one, revealing a greater purpose."

Gorgeous. Sentences like this abound throughout the book and they all made me want to drown in Tahir's words. Themes aside, it's a master class in how to write poetically and make great use of literary devices.

If you are in a place where you can handle the themes discussed, I would highly recommend. This book handles its themes in such a deep, respectful way. The characters are so wonderfully written. It's well worth picking up.

5/5 stars

This was an absolutely beautiful novel about grief and loss and the ties to family.

I found myself not wanting to stop reading this book and was immediately enthralled by Noor and Sal's and Misbah's stories. I rooted for them, I cried with them, and I grew frustrated an afraid with them. It's one of my new favorites of the year and a book I'll be talking about for a long time.

I've also uploaded a spoiler-free video review of the novel if anyone wants to see all of my thoughts!

I love Sabaa Tahir writing. Her words always pull in and she did exactly that with her newest book. It pulled at my heart strings. Thank you PenguinTeen for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sabaa Tahir is a gifted writer. This is told in both the past and in the present in a way that can easily connect the two, while making the voices distinguished.

I feel like it’s a thing to be conscious of that when you go into a Sabaa Tahir book, you should be prepared to have your heart completely shredded to pieces. And yet nothing could have prepared me for what All My Rage did to me.

There are stories that hurt, stories that make us cry, stories that live through us and our own experiences, and yet- and yet All My Rage was an awakening. LIKE NOT TO BE DRAMATIC but this book devastated me and somehow healed me. This is why I read. To find stories that make me feel seen in multiple ways. To find stories that make reality feel like an escape.