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theamyleblanc's review
4.0
I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of the more unique YA books I've read. I've heard stories from classmates and family friends about their discoveries after taking DNA/ancestry tests so it was really cool to see one such story fictionalized.
Henry and Samira are lovely characters! You can't help but adore them and root for them. They're distinct and dynamic and actually read like teenagers. It isn't all sunshine and roses, either. In getting to know each other, they argue and get on each others nerves. It feels very truthful and realistic.
The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I wanted more space for Kamron's alcoholism and Henry's family issues. I wanted more depth. I know this is a YA novel and I wasn't expecting too much detail but it felt too neat. I wanted more space for those topics to breathe.
Still, I'll be recommending this to all my friends!
This is one of the more unique YA books I've read. I've heard stories from classmates and family friends about their discoveries after taking DNA/ancestry tests so it was really cool to see one such story fictionalized.
Henry and Samira are lovely characters! You can't help but adore them and root for them. They're distinct and dynamic and actually read like teenagers. It isn't all sunshine and roses, either. In getting to know each other, they argue and get on each others nerves. It feels very truthful and realistic.
The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I wanted more space for Kamron's alcoholism and Henry's family issues. I wanted more depth. I know this is a YA novel and I wasn't expecting too much detail but it felt too neat. I wanted more space for those topics to breathe.
Still, I'll be recommending this to all my friends!
briethebookishluxen's review
5.0
The Search for Us by @susanazimboyer is a powerful story about exploring your roots and discovering long-lost family!
a_devine_read's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Through a twist of fate, two half siblings learn of each other's existence from a DNA website when they were both searching for their father. Both teens are going through a rough time at home and think that finding their father may be the solution. As problems become worse, the two team up to find him.
Opinion
I loved this book enough to ask my school librarian to purchase it for my school. There is a strong sense (search) for identity and the story is just plain amazing. While reading the after thoughts, I learned that the author's husband actually found a half sibling through a DNA website. I think this is awesome and something that would interest students today, especially if they do not know who their biological parent(s) is(are.)
Many thanks to Net Galley and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Opinion
I loved this book enough to ask my school librarian to purchase it for my school. There is a strong sense (search) for identity and the story is just plain amazing. While reading the after thoughts, I learned that the author's husband actually found a half sibling through a DNA website. I think this is awesome and something that would interest students today, especially if they do not know who their biological parent(s) is(are.)
Many thanks to Net Galley and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.
thindbooks's review
4.0
I don’t know why Goodreads label this as a romance book because it’s NOT a romance book. Which I didn’t end up caring because this story was beautifully written. This book is about two half-siblings who find each other and then go look for their father because of their own reasons. I really enjoyed the story that Boyer delivered. It was well thought out as it showed the family relationships connecting. There’s always romance in books but it was a nice fresh to see a sibling bond develop throughout the story. I loved the setting and the bit of cultural experience we got. Both siblings had their own perspective and I loved seeing how they were seeing the world at that moment. They developed very well and their story was fascinating. This was a great story and I recommend checking out Boyer’s debut story.
*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
moonlitchapters's review
5.0
Thank you to netgalley for sending me this arc in exchange for my honest review!
Rating: 4.45 stars
I think this may be one of my favorite reads of the year and it literally just came out. I haven't read anything else by Susan, but now I know it is much needed because this book was so emotional and so fulfilling for me. Trying to find a father, the entire journey was just pulling at my heartstrings and was so beautifully written, which I don't say too often in the YA genre. It's really tricky to hit the mark, but to keep it from being New Adult and Susan did that so wonderfully.
Rating: 4.45 stars
I think this may be one of my favorite reads of the year and it literally just came out. I haven't read anything else by Susan, but now I know it is much needed because this book was so emotional and so fulfilling for me. Trying to find a father, the entire journey was just pulling at my heartstrings and was so beautifully written, which I don't say too often in the YA genre. It's really tricky to hit the mark, but to keep it from being New Adult and Susan did that so wonderfully.
booksandpops4000's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really enjoyed this book. This book def has so many elements that worked for me half siblings dymanics. I also liked both characters. This book also had a super short time table. but this was a super quick read and this book handled so many harder topics like abuse in so many forms with the backdrop of PTSD!! I liked the harder topics!! would love to read more by this author in the future!
roshreviews's review
medium-paced
3.75
In a Nutshell: I am pleasantly surprised! Enjoyed this YA novel to a great extent. (Just for context, I don’t enjoy YA to any extent, most of the times.) Interesting themes, some good characters, atypical plot. PSA: This is NOT a romance but a sibling story.
Story Synopsis:
Samira Murphy knows that she is an overfunctioner. She takes care of her widowed grandma and also ensures that her alcoholic elder brother stays put in recovery. However, when certain incidents threaten to topple their already precarious financial situation, she takes a DNA test in a bid to locate her father, whom she hasn’t seen or heard from since she was a baby.
Henry Owen has been reared by his aunt and uncle, though his biological mom (his aunt’s sister) is also a vital part of his life. He feels torn between his overly strict adoptive parents and his unreliable birth mom. In a bid to know more about his heritage, he takes a DNA test to search for the biological father he has never known.
Imagine their surprise when, instead of finding their father, Samira and Henry find each other – as matched siblings on the DNA results. Thus begins a new journey of discovery, focussed of learning more about the past as well as the present in a bid to ensure stronger future connections.
The story comes to us in the alternate third-person perspectives of Samira and Henry.
Bookish Yays:
💐 It was refreshing to see a YA novel focus on sibling relationships. Moreover, there is no forced romantic content in the story. Henry is already in a relationship and Samira isn’t provided any love interest. Loved this choice!
💐 The dual perspectives of Samira and Henry are well written. I like how there is no repetition between their points of view. The transition between their perspectives is in sync with the plot progression.
💐 I loved Henry’s character. While he is torn across his three parents, he does his best to keep them all happy. At the same time, he doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind. Even when his newly discovered sibling Samira gets overbearing, he doesn’t hesitate to put her in her place.
💐 Tara (Samira’s best friend) and Linh (Henry’s girlfriend) add the right level of support and fun to the story.
💐 Through the characters, we get multiple kinds of representations. Samira and Henry both are biracial. The key characters are from American, Iranian/Persian, Vietnamese, Irish and Black ethnicities. One character is bisexual, one is a trans-racial adoptee. There is also a Muslim character.
💐 I enjoyed the detailing in the story when it came to real-world matters. Everything seems realistic, whether it is the process of getting DNA results or of looking up someone online.
💐 Don’t miss out on the author’s note! I loved what she revealed about her inspiration for this story.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌹 I found it tough to connect with Samira. She is a great character, no doubt. Resourceful, concerned about her family, and hyper-attentive to detail. However, she has the typical YA habit of assuming that she knows more than everyone else, which gets annoying after a while.
🌹 Samira has a tendency to classify everyone as either an overfunctioner or an underfunctioner. This habit of hers is overused in the plot as she slots everyone into these two categories without even realising it. Sometimes, she even goes wrong while doing so. So while I liked the concept at first, I think it was stretched too far.
🌹 There are many discussion-worthy topics in the book: biracial kids, depression, autoimmune disorder, alcoholism, uninterested parents, parental pressure, Islamophobia, parental abuse, parental abandonment, infidelity, racism, drugs usage, DNA testing, found family,… As you can see, it went a little overboard on the social issues. Many of the themes could have safely been eliminated without affecting the core plot. The overuse of relevant themes nullifies their impact as the discussion stays mostly surface-level.
🌹 I love the cover. The double helix between the two characters hopefully indicates that it’s a sibling story. (Then again, The Soulmate Equation also featured a double helix, and it was a romance! 👀) I love the title as well; it suits the story perfectly. The problem is that when you put that title and that cover together, it makes the book look like a YA Romance, which is most certainly isn’t. Readers who pick the book up just by the cover might end up disappointed. And other readers might dismiss the book assuming it is a YA Romance. (I almost did!)
🌹 The ending is too neat and too perfect. I understand that his a YA work, so a happy ending is almost mandatory. But given the topics, I think the book would have done better with a hopeful ending than a perfectly resolved one.
Bookish Nays: (This is where I forget that it was a YA novel and review it with my adult goggles on. 😎)
🌵 As always, almost every adult in the book is an idiot. The sole exception is Mr. Hartford from the alcoholic rehabilitation centre, but his role is too small. I don’t understand why YA novels have to portray adults as selfish persons with no common sense and no heart and no awareness of what it means to be young. I am not saying all adults are prefect; I am saying that a balanced representation would be more realistic. Any YA book that shows only YAs handling things well while the adults are jerks is doing a disservice to both YAs and adults.
🌵 Samira is supposed to have an autoimmune disorder. But the name of this is never mentioned. All we hear instead is the effects of the same, and how she uses Benadryl to counter its effects and to sleep well. I cannot appreciate a YA books that gives its young readers a new idea of misusing a medicine. The Benadryl references (15 prominent mentions) should have been culled.
🌵 There are multiple cuss words (including the F word) and references to drug (weed) usage. YAs might do this in reality, but that doesn’t mean I have to like seeing it in fiction meant for them. Of course, there’s plenty of alcohol mentioned as well, but as the two characters are highlighted as alcohol addicts, this reference can’t be helped.
All in all, I did enjoy this book much more than I had expected. I loved the focus on family, even if the family was so dysfunctional. Though it does have problems (most of which are because I am an adult), the core storyline is wonderful.
Recommended to older YAs (16+) who are interested in strong sibling connection stories.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Search for Us”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
Story Synopsis:
Samira Murphy knows that she is an overfunctioner. She takes care of her widowed grandma and also ensures that her alcoholic elder brother stays put in recovery. However, when certain incidents threaten to topple their already precarious financial situation, she takes a DNA test in a bid to locate her father, whom she hasn’t seen or heard from since she was a baby.
Henry Owen has been reared by his aunt and uncle, though his biological mom (his aunt’s sister) is also a vital part of his life. He feels torn between his overly strict adoptive parents and his unreliable birth mom. In a bid to know more about his heritage, he takes a DNA test to search for the biological father he has never known.
Imagine their surprise when, instead of finding their father, Samira and Henry find each other – as matched siblings on the DNA results. Thus begins a new journey of discovery, focussed of learning more about the past as well as the present in a bid to ensure stronger future connections.
The story comes to us in the alternate third-person perspectives of Samira and Henry.
Bookish Yays:
💐 It was refreshing to see a YA novel focus on sibling relationships. Moreover, there is no forced romantic content in the story. Henry is already in a relationship and Samira isn’t provided any love interest. Loved this choice!
💐 The dual perspectives of Samira and Henry are well written. I like how there is no repetition between their points of view. The transition between their perspectives is in sync with the plot progression.
💐 I loved Henry’s character. While he is torn across his three parents, he does his best to keep them all happy. At the same time, he doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind. Even when his newly discovered sibling Samira gets overbearing, he doesn’t hesitate to put her in her place.
💐 Tara (Samira’s best friend) and Linh (Henry’s girlfriend) add the right level of support and fun to the story.
💐 Through the characters, we get multiple kinds of representations. Samira and Henry both are biracial. The key characters are from American, Iranian/Persian, Vietnamese, Irish and Black ethnicities. One character is bisexual, one is a trans-racial adoptee. There is also a Muslim character.
💐 I enjoyed the detailing in the story when it came to real-world matters. Everything seems realistic, whether it is the process of getting DNA results or of looking up someone online.
💐 Don’t miss out on the author’s note! I loved what she revealed about her inspiration for this story.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌹 I found it tough to connect with Samira. She is a great character, no doubt. Resourceful, concerned about her family, and hyper-attentive to detail. However, she has the typical YA habit of assuming that she knows more than everyone else, which gets annoying after a while.
🌹 Samira has a tendency to classify everyone as either an overfunctioner or an underfunctioner. This habit of hers is overused in the plot as she slots everyone into these two categories without even realising it. Sometimes, she even goes wrong while doing so. So while I liked the concept at first, I think it was stretched too far.
🌹 There are many discussion-worthy topics in the book: biracial kids, depression, autoimmune disorder, alcoholism, uninterested parents, parental pressure, Islamophobia, parental abuse, parental abandonment, infidelity, racism, drugs usage, DNA testing, found family,… As you can see, it went a little overboard on the social issues. Many of the themes could have safely been eliminated without affecting the core plot. The overuse of relevant themes nullifies their impact as the discussion stays mostly surface-level.
🌹 I love the cover. The double helix between the two characters hopefully indicates that it’s a sibling story. (Then again, The Soulmate Equation also featured a double helix, and it was a romance! 👀) I love the title as well; it suits the story perfectly. The problem is that when you put that title and that cover together, it makes the book look like a YA Romance, which is most certainly isn’t. Readers who pick the book up just by the cover might end up disappointed. And other readers might dismiss the book assuming it is a YA Romance. (I almost did!)
🌹 The ending is too neat and too perfect. I understand that his a YA work, so a happy ending is almost mandatory. But given the topics, I think the book would have done better with a hopeful ending than a perfectly resolved one.
Bookish Nays: (This is where I forget that it was a YA novel and review it with my adult goggles on. 😎)
🌵 As always, almost every adult in the book is an idiot. The sole exception is Mr. Hartford from the alcoholic rehabilitation centre, but his role is too small. I don’t understand why YA novels have to portray adults as selfish persons with no common sense and no heart and no awareness of what it means to be young. I am not saying all adults are prefect; I am saying that a balanced representation would be more realistic. Any YA book that shows only YAs handling things well while the adults are jerks is doing a disservice to both YAs and adults.
🌵 Samira is supposed to have an autoimmune disorder. But the name of this is never mentioned. All we hear instead is the effects of the same, and how she uses Benadryl to counter its effects and to sleep well. I cannot appreciate a YA books that gives its young readers a new idea of misusing a medicine. The Benadryl references (15 prominent mentions) should have been culled.
🌵 There are multiple cuss words (including the F word) and references to drug (weed) usage. YAs might do this in reality, but that doesn’t mean I have to like seeing it in fiction meant for them. Of course, there’s plenty of alcohol mentioned as well, but as the two characters are highlighted as alcohol addicts, this reference can’t be helped.
All in all, I did enjoy this book much more than I had expected. I loved the focus on family, even if the family was so dysfunctional. Though it does have problems (most of which are because I am an adult), the core storyline is wonderful.
Recommended to older YAs (16+) who are interested in strong sibling connection stories.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Search for Us”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
bookmarkedbybecky's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Search For Us tackles heavy topics for YA: biracial experience, an array of mental health issues, living with an autoimmune disability, adoption, issues of abandonment, and alcohol dependency and codependency. That seems like a lot, but Susan Azim Boyer’s writing is entirely captivating, that each topic feels realistic in the family-centric storyline. In fact, the mystery behind the missing father kept me saying, “One more chapter” as the clock ticked closer to midnight - way past my bedtime - giving way to a satisfying yet realistic ending.
What I loved:
🧬Great representation: the diverse cast includes Iranian Americans, Vietnamese girlfriend, bisexual best friend, Black best friend, biracial, and adopted characters
🧬Persian culture: woven beautifully with food and Farsi. I want to go to my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant ASAP! #PitaInn
🧬Teen Pressures: college, family, financial - I love that SAB explores how differently families approach these topics.
🧬Hockey storyline for Henry: as a hockey fan and hockey mom, SAB nails this storyline.
What I loved:
🧬Great representation: the diverse cast includes Iranian Americans, Vietnamese girlfriend, bisexual best friend, Black best friend, biracial, and adopted characters
🧬Persian culture: woven beautifully with food and Farsi. I want to go to my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant ASAP! #PitaInn
🧬Teen Pressures: college, family, financial - I love that SAB explores how differently families approach these topics.
🧬Hockey storyline for Henry: as a hockey fan and hockey mom, SAB nails this storyline.
abookwanderer's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The Search for Us is the second book by Susan Azim Boyer, and after enjoying her debut last year, I quickly added her next one to my list. I’m so very happy I did, because I think Boyer may have surpassed her sparkling debut. Refreshingly honest, timely, and so full of heart, I adored this young adult novel about two half-siblings finding each other and themselves as they search for their biological father.
Boyer tapped into her own history to write her debut, Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win, and The Search for Us is inspired by her husband’s discovery of a sister when he did a DNA test. There’s something about knowing a book is inspired by real life that makes it even sweeter. It’s clear the author has a true connection with the material.
The story is told from our two half-siblings, Samira and Henry, both high school seniors, both struggling with problems at home that can be mostly attributed to their absent biological father. When they both set out to find him, they find each other, as well. I adored Samira and Henry. They were both kind, but flawed in different ways. It was rewarding to see them grow and learn through their joined experiences.
Along the way, they discover surprising things about their father and their families, and I appreciated how the author took characters that might seem unforgivable and made me sympathize with them, even understand them.
DNA matching is such a timely and fascinating subject. I would have thought discovering an unknown sibling is a rare event, until it happened in my own family. My mother discovered she had an older half-brother less than ten years ago through DNA matching. While discovering a new sibling can be shocking, for my mother it was a happy occasion. Both her parents had already passed and she’d only ever had one sister, so she was happy to expand her family. I think Boyer does a wonderful job of capturing this strange dichotomy.
The Search for Us is a special book, touching on a sensitive subject with grace and honesty, giving us two characters we desperately hope will find their way. It had me smiling, as well as misty-eyed, and deserves all the love and attention!
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an advanced reader’s copy.
Check out my reviews and book playlists at A Book Wanderer
Boyer tapped into her own history to write her debut, Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win, and The Search for Us is inspired by her husband’s discovery of a sister when he did a DNA test. There’s something about knowing a book is inspired by real life that makes it even sweeter. It’s clear the author has a true connection with the material.
The story is told from our two half-siblings, Samira and Henry, both high school seniors, both struggling with problems at home that can be mostly attributed to their absent biological father. When they both set out to find him, they find each other, as well. I adored Samira and Henry. They were both kind, but flawed in different ways. It was rewarding to see them grow and learn through their joined experiences.
Along the way, they discover surprising things about their father and their families, and I appreciated how the author took characters that might seem unforgivable and made me sympathize with them, even understand them.
DNA matching is such a timely and fascinating subject. I would have thought discovering an unknown sibling is a rare event, until it happened in my own family. My mother discovered she had an older half-brother less than ten years ago through DNA matching. While discovering a new sibling can be shocking, for my mother it was a happy occasion. Both her parents had already passed and she’d only ever had one sister, so she was happy to expand her family. I think Boyer does a wonderful job of capturing this strange dichotomy.
The Search for Us is a special book, touching on a sensitive subject with grace and honesty, giving us two characters we desperately hope will find their way. It had me smiling, as well as misty-eyed, and deserves all the love and attention!
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an advanced reader’s copy.
Check out my reviews and book playlists at A Book Wanderer
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Chronic illness
Minor: Bullying, Child death, Car accident, Racism, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and War