4.5 stars

This was a really intense and heavy book but it was very well done. I loved the relationship between the brothers. A major part of the book is exploring what it is to be both black and autistic. I thought that this was done really well and brought a lot of important points to the surface. There was a lot to think about as I read this book. It really hit hard at times. One of my favorite parts of the book though was seeing Aiden grow and come into his own. His character development was amazing. Overall an amazing story that tackles some very important topics including police brutality and what it means to be black and autistic.

Content warning: police brutality, racism, ableism, panic attack

Thank you to netgalley and Simon teen for this arc. all opinions are my own. I really enjoyed this book. I appreciated the perspective of a black autistic main character. I think the author did a good job portraying the intersectionality between the two identities and how that can play out in social situations. Everything about Aiden's experience was impacted by both identities. Definitely recommend.

I absolutely loved this book down! The representation is what matters the most to me and I think it was depicted so well. I saw myself in ways I didn’t know I could and I appreciated the time that went in this. I wouldn’t change a thing and it was BEAUTIFUL!

All the Noise at Once interested me because of the Black autistic protagonist, which is still rare in fiction. I enjoyed the exploration of justice and the autistic experience, especially while Black, with interesting characters to round things out. Many have described this book as "The Hate U Give" with an autistic protagonist and football, and I feel that's an accurate description of the narrative.

Aiden is on the autism spectrum with a special interest in football, and he's dreamed of playing with his older brother, Brandon, on the high school football team. However, a meltdown from Aiden during tryouts turns his potential teammates off. He eventually gets on the team, but shortly afterward, is involved in a police brutality incident that leads to several teammates being arrested. While Aiden is not in the hottest seat in the situation, he's very much affected by what comes after the police incident.

Aiden's a fully realized character, trying to live through life with social skills class, dealing with romance, football, family and trying to make sure it doesn't fall apart. Of course being autistic does affect him quite a bit, and I enjoyed his voice and quirks that feel authentic, counting the exact amount of steps to places, and showing his adeptness for football, his special interest, which a diagram in the book. I like the detail that he has life skills classes to help him integrate with our neurotypical (NT) world. Many autistics have a sense of justice, and that was evident with Aiden as well, considering what's going on. Autism is not presented in a "tragic child" narrative or "savant genius" story. It shows the pluses and minuses. I do like that Aiden does feel like his autism has a negative effect on the family considering the situation they are in, but doesn't always dwell on that. In the end, he's not a burden, just has different needs, and that's okay. It's society that sadly doesn't understand.

The brotherly relationship was done very well. Brandon is in the protection role as the (likely) NT big brother to Aiden, but unlike many stories where Aiden is only seasoning, Aiden gets the majority of the development as the main protagonist, and both have to evaluate their roles as their lives are flipped upside down, with Aiden trying to help his brother, and how autism can affect a sibling relationship. The family is very supportive of Aiden, which is also great.

The rest of the cast was intriguing with their own storylines to go through and depth, each adding in the tapestry of the situation, adding to the conflict and being a complicated narrative in a good way.

The story takes place in South Florida, which felt personal to me as I live in the region. From some context clues, I suspect the book takes place in a fictional version of Doral, a suburb west of Miami, where mini-mansions and gated communities rule the day, and plays a big role in the story.

The pacing is good, but there were some small sections that dragged a bit, but otherwise, the story was solid and flowed naturally. However, what upped the tension, especially early on, was how the start of each chapter notes how much time it is before and after the incident. It also gives us an indication of time throughout the story. The themes were developed well, exploring what it's like to be Black and autistic, and having to deal with two ways people can misunderstand Aiden, dealing with both racism and ableism can make things that much more dangerous.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this and learned some valuable lessons about how messed up society can be for those with multiple marginalizations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book truly left me speechless - it was an absolutely incredible read. You know that feeling when you pick up a book and it just is incredibly special? When you truly feel connected with a character, well in this case it's 2 characters - and you feel so emotionally connected to them that finishing the book just leaves an ache in your chest?

That's this book.

This is an incredibly moving story of brotherhood, social justice, and finding your identity and place in this world.

This is the book that I truly feel like I NEED to own a physical copy of. I need to keep this and share with so many people - this book truly is one that I need to share with others. This book NEEDS to be read.

Quotes that I absolutely loved and that will stay with me for a long time:

"I find the Little Dipper - my favorite constellation - first before I pick out Orion's Belt in the sky, thinking about each star in a perfect line. Each knows its place. Each knows what it has been created to do. Burn and exist. Never moving. Never grasping for more than what it should. I should learn my place too. I should be content to quietly burn until my light is gone, never moving out of line, never trying to be more than what I am."

"I can carry on conversations - I am just quiet. I am not quiet because I am autistic, which is what most people think. I am quiet because people are annoying."

”You’re Black, and you have big emotions, big reactions … but we live in a society where those emotions in a Black body aren’t as acceptable.”

”When people get to know you, they tend to see you as a good person despite being Black, rather than accepting that maybe Black people aren’t what they thought in the first place."

"My mom used to try to explain racism to me when I was younger," I say. It was confusing then, and it still is now, but she used to call something obvious the elephant in the room. I never understood that. I used to picture an elephant standing in the middle of our house, too big to turn left or right, too cramped to raise its trunk, until all it could do was stampede forward, blowing a hole through the walls and destroying everything. I get it now. That is how this feels. Everybody is talking about everything else, but nobody is talking about what this is. My mom has been talking about this since before I could understand, but everyone calls me oblivious. Right now, I am either the only one that sees it or the only one that is saying it. The cops that night were white. Carter is white. You are white. Coach Nielson is white."

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book. All
Opinions are my own.

This was good! I enjoyed it. I read a lot of romance, but I always love new to me authors and this was one. I enjoyed the writing style and think this was super good! Definitely intrigued to read more.

I really liked the autism representation. I loved the way he took care of his brother and I loved the sub plot of romance between the two characters. The parents were very supportive of this child but they also wanted him to play football and do what he loved. I like the bond between the brothers.

This is the book I never knew I needed. It presents the Black Autistic experience-not only do you have to deal with the stigma of neurodivergence, but now add to it the threat of racism. What do you do when your body and your mind are perceived as threats? The author does a wonderful job of presenting the Wright brothers-Brandon and Aiden, and the difficult decisions they navigate. When your brother is autistic, the world revolves around him. When your brother is perfect, you question your purpose in the world. I am ashamed to say until this book, I never imagined autistic people as being cognizant of their emotions or their impressions on other people. I never imagined them as self aware. Thank you for opening my eyes. I learned something and will carry it forward with me.

All the Noise at Once pulled me right into Aiden’s world—a rollercoaster of emotions that felt so real, I had to take breaks while reading. The story explores some big, layered themes—identity, resilience, family, racial injustice, and autism acceptance—and it handles them with so much honesty and care. Aiden’s relationship with his brother Brandon especially stood out: messy, tender, complicated, and completely authentic. If you’re looking for a story that stays with you long after it’s over, this one’s a must.

All the Noise at Once completely stole my heart.
Thank you Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for this advanced copy for my honest unbiased review.
Aiden, an autistic teen desperate to follow in his older brother's football footsteps, is thrown into turmoil when his brother is arrested. The story is so powerful – the bond between the brothers is incredible, and the way Aiden sees the world is both heartbreaking and beautiful. The author doesn't shy away from the racism that they face, and it all felt so real. I fell in love with Aiden, Brandon, and their whole family. This book is a must-read.

Thank you to #NetGalley, DeAndra Davis, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

All Aiden has ever wanted is to play football just like his brother, Brandon. Aiden, who has autism autism, struggled at summer football tryouts did not go as he had hoped. Soon, the school year starts and a spot on the team opens urgently. Aiden is finally going to get his chance to play the game he loves and play with his brother!

Not every team member is happy about Aiden being on the team, and are worried about how his autism will present itself on game day. This causes a fight and the cops being called.

When Brandon tries to help his brother, he is arrested by the very same cops who were just cheering for him at their game hours earlier. When charges appear for felony assault on an officer, everything Brandon has worked for starts to slip away and the brothers’ relationship is tested. With Brandon’s trial inching closer, Aiden is desperate to find a way to show his brother is innocent.

A wonderful YA read that represents not only the black community, but the autism community as well. I loved Aiden and his representation about what is is like for a person with autism in everyday life.

Thank you to Simon Teen for a gifted finished copy. I cried a few times (like five) during this book. Our MC Aiden is about to watch his brother finish his senior year, and he finally is going to play football with him before he graduates and moves on to play in college. Brandon is the top dog at school, starting quarterback, and the brother who is always taking care of his brother.
When one of their teammates starts a fight with Aiden, the cops get called and Brandon is arrested.
The ASD representation in this book was well done, and I enjoyed reading Aidens thoughts there were put in a different font to kind of break the fourth wall. The relationship with Aiden and Brandon warmed my heart. There were scenese that made me furious, scenes that made me laugh, and scenes that made me want to sob. I also enjoyed Isabelle and how her charter was woven into the story.

This story consumed me. There are no words to describe the emotions this book put me through. Watching Aiden navigate through high school and his community as a black teenager with autism was enlightening. I learned so much while reading this.

The author handled Aiden's intersectionalities so well. She showcased how Aiden's intersectionalities affected those around him, which allowed Aiden's character to grow. Even the side characters went through their arcs. Davis set an intention with every character she wrote.

Aiden's story isn't just about him and his brother's trials and tribulations, it's also about a young boy finding his tribe and having moments he'll remember for a lifetime. The bond he had with his brother and teammates was unmatched.

I can't wait to read more from this author!

Exciting YA debut from DeAndra Davis. All The Noise at Once handles its Black and autistic protagonist Aidan with so much care as he navigates adolescence, family and systemic racism.

Aiden just wanted to play football with his older brother Brandon, but summer tryouts didn’t go well. Tryouts ended in an overstimulation meltdown from Aiden’s autism. During the beginning of the school year, a spot opens up and Aiden makes the team. Not all of the teammates are excited for Aiden to be there. After a game, they all head to a diner. Aiden hears one of the teammates saying really mean things about him and a fight breaks out. Cops are called. Brandon tries to break up the fight, but the cops wind up arresting him and charging him with a felony. Now everything Brandon’s worked for is slipping away, and Aiden is desperate for a way to help prove his brother’s innocence.

This is such an important but really fantastic read. As a lawyer, I enjoyed the legal aspects of the book. What really got me with this book was how well the autism representation was handled. I don’t know if this author has anyone that is autistic in their life, but Aiden felt like a very honest character. There were times when he was not okay, and there were times that he was okay. He had his quirks, and things he could handle, and things he could not handle. It just felt real. What also felt real was how he was treated by others. How much he was made fun of, how much people just kind of tossed him aside. It was heartbreaking hearing one of the characters talk about him. I wanted to jump into the book!

There is also a racism theme in this book. It’s not very in your face but as you learn more about what happened that night, and how people were treated that night and how people are being treated after that night, the more you realize that race is a player. The arrest scene is a hard read, but I know that it’s honest, it’s real. I realize that this book is a work of fiction, but it really could be a true story, or based on one. Davis really wrote quite a harrowing and beautiful book. I’d love to see this made into a movie.

All the Noise at Once is a novel that surprised me in so many delightful ways. The story follows Aiden, an autistic teenager who wants nothing more than to be on the football with his older brother, Brandon. This dream is ruined when Brandon is arrested by the cops after a fight breaks out involving Aiden. The story is powerful in its examination of the two brothers and their incredible bond. The portrayal of Aiden and how he see the world as an autistic teen was incredibly compelling. Additionally, author DeAndra Davis's examination of the way these two boys navigate the racism that the boys face is explored unflinchingly. I grew to adore Aiden, Brandon, and their family and friends.

content warnings: police brutality, racism, ableism

aiden’s always wanted to play football like his big brother, brandon, but summer tryouts did not go well when he experienced a meltdown in front of everybody. when the school year starts, though, there’s a spot desperately needing to be filled, and aiden gets his second chance. but not everyone is happy about this, and soon enough, a fight breaks out, the cops are called, and brandon is arrested after trying to help aiden. now, despite his innocence, he’s being charged for felony assault on an officer, and aiden blames himself. as the trial approaches, aiden is desperate to find anything that could help save brandon, while also investigating what it means to be black and autistic.

this book did such a great job of exploring a loving, yet tense, brotherly relationship, which i feel like i don’t see a lot of in very many books. as the older brother, brandon is used to having the role of “protector,” which is what he was trying to do on that fateful day. now, the roles are more or less reversed, with aiden doing everything in his power to save brandon. he’s sure everything is his fault because of his autism. this also leads to some difficult conversations with himself and his family about his place in the world as a black and autistic boy. overall, this was an emotional read, while still providing hope and warmth. highly recommended to YA contemporary readers.

Thank you NetGalley for receiving this ARC. I truly loved reading this book. I was able learn so much about living on the Austim spectrum. This is a new to me author but I look forward to reading much more from them. The story was beautiful and powerful. I wish I had more books like this when I was growing up. Brandon and Aiden had such an amazing bond and it was refreshing to see this! I loved the book!!!!

I really enjoyed this book. It covered a lot of heavy and important topics, but it didn’t feel too heavy. It had such great representation, too, including a Black male autistic teen. I’ve never really considered how dangerous being both autistic and Black is, particularly dealing with the police. This book could have really dove into the deep end with that possibility alone, so I’m glad I was saved from waterworks from an extremely sad scenario.
I loved the MMC Aiden and seeing life through his eyes. (I loved the “notes” spread throughout the book, too.) I also loved his new friend Isabella. Just a book about the two of them would be so cute. But that’s not the main plot of the book. (Just a fun side dish!)
I loved all the themes and issues dealt with in this book, the main of course being racism and other prejudices. However, identity and self-love were such a sweet, added bonus.

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Honestly probably everyone! To those that it represents, but also to others so they can see things from a new perspective. I think it should almost be a requirement for all middle-schoolers and above to read.

What a story! Once again, our YA authors are tackling tough topics in such digestible ways.

Reading a story where the main male character is not only a young black teenage boy, but one with autism at that was such a refreshing experience. Their stories need to be told too.
Aiden's navigation of his identity of being autistic, and how it intersects with his identity with being black, especially in predominantly white spaces was very interesting to read about, and I think the topics overall were handled beautifully without being overbearing.

What I loved:

❥ The autism representation, especially its intersectionality with race

❥ Aiden's relationship with his older brother, Brandon

❥ Aiden's family and the way they love and care for each other

❥ The mild subplot of teenage love blossoming. YA romance is so innocent and always has me swooning

❥ The delicate way in which racism and police brutality were handled, while still being digestible and effectively getting the message across to a younger audience.

❥ Aiden. <3

❥ The way football was used in this story and seeing how Aiden had to struggle with a sport he loves and analyzes so beautifully, when that sport comes with so many sensory triggers because of his autism.

❥ The dynamics of the male friendships and how they supported each other

❥ So much rep in this book! race rep, neurodivergent rep, sexuality rep... yes!

What I didn't like:



Basically there's nothing I didn't like.

Five stars. Can't wait for more from this author.

Special thanks to @simonandschuster and @simonteen for a digital ARC copy! #SimonTeenInfluencer.