The Search for Us by Susan Azim Boyer is a thought-provoking and enlightening narrative that delves into the profound influence of family dynamics. This captivating tale explores the intricate web of relationships and the profound impact they have on our lives.

The Search for Us is a touching, young adult, family-based story. While it wasn't my personal favourite, the characters were very well written and it was refreshing to read a contemporary young adult book that centred around family relationships and character growth rather than romance.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was amazing. I would say 99% of the books I read are romances. This is not a romance, but I was hooked by this book. I loved how the romantic relationships in the book were not the focus but the actual plot. I liked the dual POV and I loved how realistic this was. One thing I found kind of confusing was the years within the book. I don't know when the book was set, but they used years to indicate when thing happened such as in 2017 this happened. It confused me because unless it is very clear that it is set in 2023, it would be confusing. I think saying 6 years ago rather in 2017. Other than that though, the book was amazing.

Readers will relate to both siblings, whose dual narratives describe complicated familial bonds with nuance and compassion as they seek out their estranged father. At once deeply tender, authentically messy, and ultimately brimming with hope, THE SEARCH FOR US will captivate till the last page.

Thank you for giving my daughters & I the opportunity to read this book! Although it felt a bit obvious, we enjoyed the plot line and the different characters. We love reading "in our own voices" stories, and this was a fantastic tale about cultures we don't usually read. The different parents were fantastic, and the storyline felt relatable for both pre-teens and adults. This was a solid book, and I look forward to more from this author. Thanks!

The second I saw that this was a family-centric YA novel, I got excited — these are rare.

This book is told from two perspectives. There’s Samira, who lives with her grandmother and has just given up her college dreams to afford the recovery treatment for her brother’s alcohol addiction. And then there’s Henry, torn between his biological mother and the aunt and uncle who raised him. Despite being very different people, they both have one thing in common: they want to find their long-lost father. When Henry and Samira each take a DNA test, they find themselves matched to each other instead and start the journey of finding their way to each other.

Plot-wise, there were some interesting aspects but I think it could’ve gone more in depth on some. The most interesting part of the book to me was the alcohol addiction subplot and I feel like we barely touched upon it. Similarly, Henry’s family issues weren’t as gut-wrenching as I imagined they could’ve been. Still, the ending gave me a realistic and satisfying conclusion.

I also think it took too long for the Henry/Samira dynamic to be cemented. Each character was mildly interesting on their own, but the best part of the story came at the end when they were finally comfortable with each other. The way they gradually went from strangers to knowing each other’s deepest struggles to finally seeing each other as family was really touching, and I definitely wish we’d gotten more screen-time in the middle and last phases where they had the chaotic and fiery tension of two people being forced to confront their identities.

Ultimately, I’m not sure I clicked much with the plot or the characters, but I still really think this is a story worthy of being told, and I’m sure many fans of coming-of-age YA stories would love it.

Riveting, heart-wrenching, and ultimately hopeful, The Search for Us beautifully explores the ways our roots shape us—and the power we have to shape ourselves.

I was not sure going into this how I would feel but I was touched so deep I feel like this will stick with me forever. Which is odd given the fact I'm not adopted or ever dealt with this type of thing. Guess it's the wonderful writing. Both characters have POV chapters and they are both loveable, relatable and you feel so deep for the events they go through. I love the ending and want to read more

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This review is my opinion**

The FEELS!!! The "found family" trope has always been on of my favorites. Just over a year ago, I finally did 23andMe and found a cousin that my aunt had given up for adoption when she was born. Now, other than my sister, my cousin is the closest family member I have. So reading this book, it left my feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Samira and Henry both want to find their father, who they never knew. They end up meeting each other instead and decide to search for their father together. This story is very sweet and heartfelt. I also love that the characters are biracial, which I also am!

Review to come ,
I will for now tell you what I was drawn to when selecting this book , the title, and the cover really got me.
Thank you net galley and publisher for allowing me to read this book. !

i'm going to be honest, i have to dnf this book. when i requested it i did not realize it was in 3rd person and no matter how hard i try i just really struggle with 3rd person... i tried to give it a chance and read the first 2 chapters, so one in each pov (which i don't understand, why 3rd person language if it's still going to focus on just one characters pov?????) and i just can't continue it. i'm sure someone out there would enjoy this book but unfortunately it won't be me!

As an adoptee who is also the loved one of an alcoholic this book healed a piece of my inner child and my heart.

Review to come once I can put into words the immense feelings I’m feeling right now.

just wasn't a fan of the writing style. like the premise, but found it hard to connect to the characters (especially with the switching POVs).

Henry and Samira are half siblings who find each other through 23&Me. Both of them do it to find their father that neither of them know, but instead they find each other. Once they start talking, they eventually meet and go on a roadtrip to find their father. As someone really into genealogy and has done 23&Me, I was instantly interested in this book. I read it in one sitting!

Also - Samira lives in the same place I do and it was super cool to be able to recognize so many places she mentioned. The thing about everyone having their birthday parties at Snoopy's is so true.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Another book I enjoyed. Following the two struggling main characters find each other, find their biological dad, and find themselves along the way. Well done. Well written. Like another review said refreshing to see a ya novel about friendship and family.

I absolutely loved this novel. Often, books portray love in the romantic way, so it’s sometimes rare that you see it in a familial way. I love how this book was able to showcase that aspect of love.

I thought the way the author showcased the growth of Henry and Samira and the found family trope was so beautiful.

Thank you Wednesday Books, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for allowing me an e-arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I was lucky to receive an ARC of this book, and I can say… I loved it. I love reading books that involve love in non-romantic ways. I loved getting to see familial love grow and change. I’ve always been a firm believer in the idea that family doesn’t end in blood and it doesn’t even start there, and this book is truly a prime example of it. Family extended to the friendships, extended families, families of half-siblings, and even themselves. Fair warning, the ending made me tear up!!

This was such a good read about 2 half-siblings that don’t know about each but connect on an ancestry site both trying to locate their father that they haven’t seen since they were really young. Samira is just trying to get through the weeks before graduation and accepting her dream college without everything imploding at home with her alcoholic older brother and taking care of her grandmother now that her grandfather is dead and her mom is living in Oregon for her job. Henry is just trying to figure out how he ended up with his Aunt and Uncle who raised him since no one will tell him anything about his dad and he is trying to live up to what his parents want for him which might not be what he wants. I really loved the dynamic between Henry and Samira and how alike and different their circumstances are and how much their dad leaving impacted their lives in different ways. They do find their dad and not where they think he would ever be and Kamron who is Samira’s older brother finally accepts the help for his alcoholism and everything works out for them and they end up meeting a bunch of their dad’s family they never knew about since they don’t know anything about their Iranian heritage. All in all a great easy read.
Thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

“They were family. And now that they had found each other, they were never letting go.”

Samira Murphy, a self-described “overfunctioner,” is navigating her senior year of high school while handling all of the responsibilities for her household on the side. Fearing her family will crumble when she leaves for university, if she can even afford tuition, Samira orders a DNA test kit and begins the search to find her absent father, who her gran steadfastly refuses to talk about. Meanwhile, Henry Owen is trying hard to make his adoptive parents happy, but yearns for a deeper connection to his Iranian heritage and elusive birth father. Ordering a DNA test in search of an explanation to why his father left, Henry’s results reveal a half-sister set on answering the very same question. Forming a hesitant but strong connection that soon leads to a fast-paced road trip, Samira and Henry embark on a journey to find the answers they both truly desire in their search for their father.

The Search for Us moves fast, yet I quickly found myself reading it even faster. From the beginning of the story, the reader is thrown right into the lives of both Samira and Henry, learning the true motivations of each character long before they work up the courage to reveal them to each other or anyone else in their lives. While raised separately and in very different living situations, I liked seeing similarities in the personalities of each sibling: both do everything they can to make their loved ones happy, yet feel hesitant to ask for any assistance or support in return. I also liked that Samira and Henry gradually began to ask more and more of each other and turn to each other for support they previously could not find in their immediate surroundings. Their dynamic was very touching to witness as it developed. While Samira and Henry’s journey does not conclude with the perfect, fairytale ending they may have hoped for, they discover that their mission to find their father was always to uncover more about themselves and what it truly means to be family. Overall, The Search for Us was an engaging read featuring realistically complex families and distinct characters that grow and develop as the story progresses. I would recommend The Search for Us to any fans of YA craving a poignant, engaging read about the importance of family, heritage, and personal identity that they can devour in one sitting.

Oh my heart 💜❤️ Many thanks to the author ,Wednesday Books, and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Realistic and relatable, The Search for Us will be joining Jasmine Zumideh on my classroom bookshelf when it's available in October.
I loved Susan Azim Boyer's debut novel Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win - a coming-of-age story about an Iranian-American teenager in the 1970s. I learned a lot about Iranian culture and the 70s, and I also appreciated that it was a break from the romance and thrillers that seem to be the main options on the YA market.
The Search for Us is also a coming of age story about an Iranian-American teenager but set in the present day. Told in dual POV by Samira and Henry, both high school seniors in California, The Search for Us follows the pair, strangers to each other at the beginning of the book, as they find they are siblings through a DNA test and work together to find their father.
I enjoy reading stories about found families and this book involves a literal found family and many accompanying emotions. I appreciate that the book doesn’t shy away from serious topics like absentee parents, adoption, alcoholism, an autoimmune disorder, and the pressures of college decisions (including finances), but it also includes humor, love, and ice hockey! ⛸️ 🏒 It will be available October 24th, 2023.