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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
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:
Complicated
"Oh wow, this was so good," I say as I wipe some wetness out of my eyes. š THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!
One thing I always I appreciate about Adib Khorram's works is the blend of teenage experience and poignant themes. It was there in his three other books I read before, and this one, The Breakup Lists, is no different.
This was easy to read and follow, the writing is light and funny. And yet, through Jackson, we are offered a perspective of a gay Iranian-American teen who loves theater, who also happens to be hard of hearing, who's falling in love for the first time, who feels underappreciated, and still has some issues he needs to work on. I loved reading this story and in Jackson's POV. He's a compelling and relatable character, and you just want the best for him even if you know, as a reader, that he's not making the best decisions š
Jackson was hard of hearing, and it was nice to read about the experiences of the Deaf/hard of hearing community in his POV. Ableism was also touched upon, as well as mental health. Aroace identity was also featured (confirmed aroace minor character!), as well as other queer rep.
The plot is interesting, and though it may seem formulaic at times, it works and it's good. Adib Khorram still has some surprises for the reader and I love that. Much of the plot and Jackson's storyline revolved around being in theater and I just thought that was fun! I've never been a "theater gay", but I definitely had some flashbacks to certain Glee episodes while reading this š I love it all the more!
I love the romance, too. This got me giggling and kicking my feet and I LOVE THAT. (I'm not going to say anymore in case I spoil something š)
Also, I have to say, Bowie is definitely my favorite character, I love them š
Overall, this was so so good. I was excited for this one, and Adid Khorram definitely did not disappoint.
Exact rating: 4.5 āļø (Might post a detailed review on the blog!)
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc! This is out April 2nd!
One thing I always I appreciate about Adib Khorram's works is the blend of teenage experience and poignant themes. It was there in his three other books I read before, and this one, The Breakup Lists, is no different.
This was easy to read and follow, the writing is light and funny. And yet, through Jackson, we are offered a perspective of a gay Iranian-American teen who loves theater, who also happens to be hard of hearing, who's falling in love for the first time, who feels underappreciated, and still has some issues he needs to work on. I loved reading this story and in Jackson's POV. He's a compelling and relatable character, and you just want the best for him even if you know, as a reader, that he's not making the best decisions š
Jackson was hard of hearing, and it was nice to read about the experiences of the Deaf/hard of hearing community in his POV. Ableism was also touched upon, as well as mental health. Aroace identity was also featured (confirmed aroace minor character!), as well as other queer rep.
The plot is interesting, and though it may seem formulaic at times, it works and it's good. Adib Khorram still has some surprises for the reader and I love that. Much of the plot and Jackson's storyline revolved around being in theater and I just thought that was fun! I've never been a "theater gay", but I definitely had some flashbacks to certain Glee episodes while reading this š I love it all the more!
I love the romance, too. This got me giggling and kicking my feet and I LOVE THAT. (I'm not going to say anymore in case I spoil something š)
Also, I have to say, Bowie is definitely my favorite character, I love them š
Overall, this was so so good. I was excited for this one, and Adid Khorram definitely did not disappoint.
Exact rating: 4.5 āļø (Might post a detailed review on the blog!)
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc! This is out April 2nd!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Ableism, Acephobia/Arophobia
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i was a theater kid in high school so needless to say, "the breakup lists" was right up my alley. and, much like jackson, i also was a stage managerāand my time in theater had a similar end to his (but not nearly as messy). i think it's safe to say i loved this book, considering i devoured it in one afternoon. i just couldn't put it down until i finished!! jackson was such a relatable character and i loved seeing the world through his eyes, and his relationship with liam was just so precious i was squealing the whole time i read it. obviously, the book wasn't all sunshine and rainbows (though there were plenty of the latter, for gay reasons), but the conflict in the book felt very realistic and the climax was painful to read because i empathized with jackson so much. i also loved (most of) the other characters, particularly bowie, for obvious reasons. every queer kid needs their fellow queer bestie and bowie was exactly the kind of friend jackson needed. i had less nice things to say about jasmine as i read the book, but i'm glad things ended well on that front too. reading this book felt like being back in the world of high school theater but in a good way and i would recommend it to all ex-theater kids and anyone looking for a cute YA romcom with some great representation. thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. "the breakup lists" is out from penguin teen on april 2nd!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
What a fun book! This was so sweet - following Jackson, a deaf boy who is the stage manger for the drama department at school. He starts crushing on Liam when Liam tries out for the playā¦ but so does his sister Jasmine.
Things I loved about this one:
Jackson and his confidence in his abilities as the stage manger. I also really loved how he learned what it felt like to fall for someone. I loved his internal monologue so much.
Liam was so sweet and genuine. Definitely a people pleaser. He was a great love interest.
Bowie and Jacksonās friendship. It was so strong and steady - even through the hard stuff.
Jackson and Liam learning about each other.
The break up lists - they did make me laugh but probably should have been destroyed! Lol
The very sweet and emotional grand gesture at the end.
My heart genuinely broke for Jackson when it was shown that his family didnāt learn sign language, but I did love that Liam did. It was a lovely gesture of friendship that bloomed.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Things I loved about this one:
Jackson and his confidence in his abilities as the stage manger. I also really loved how he learned what it felt like to fall for someone. I loved his internal monologue so much.
Liam was so sweet and genuine. Definitely a people pleaser. He was a great love interest.
Bowie and Jacksonās friendship. It was so strong and steady - even through the hard stuff.
Jackson and Liam learning about each other.
The break up lists - they did make me laugh but probably should have been destroyed! Lol
The very sweet and emotional grand gesture at the end.
My heart genuinely broke for Jackson when it was shown that his family didnāt learn sign language, but I did love that Liam did. It was a lovely gesture of friendship that bloomed.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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:
No
this is the best YA romance iāve read in a hot minute. all of the characters and relationships are very well fleshed-out, thereās a lot of casual representation which is always great. characters fuck up badly, but they also know how to apologize properly. and liam. he might be one of my favorite love interests of all time. my only slight complaint would be that i wanted this book to be a bit longer, i thought it wouldāve benefited from maybe having 50 more pages in terms of wrapping up storylines.
also a huge thank you to NetGalley and Dial Books/Penguin for providing me with an ARC of this book.
also a huge thank you to NetGalley and Dial Books/Penguin for providing me with an ARC of this book.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Books for an advanced copy of The Breakup Lists by Adib Khorram. Ever since reading Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Adib Khorram has been an auto-read author for me. Thereās just something about the way that he writes emotions and relationships that feels so teenager, and this book is no different.
Jackson is such a complicated main character, specifically when it comes to love and romance. He has seen so many of the people he cares about that heās cynical and pushes people away. Eventually to the point that it hinders his relationships. His emotional journey, which includes eventually realizing that talking to a therapist would be useful, is so well written. And itās all things that teenagers will definitely relate to.
Another thing I really loved was Jacksonās friendship with Bowie, who is asexual (and aromantic, if I remember correctly). The fact that they had such a strong friendship that didnāt need to eventually turn romantic is something I kind of wish was shown more in YA books. Romantic relationships arenāt the be-all end-all (especially when youāre in high school), and the fact that Bowie was shown to be comfortable with that? I absolutely loved it.
Jackson is Hard of Hearing and occasionally uses sign language throughout the book (mostly with Bowie and their family). However, none of his family signs with him, which is a point of frustration for him throughout the book. It seems like Khorram did his research for this particular aspect of the book, but Iām not a part of the community, so I canāt comment on how accurate it is.
All in all, this is a wonderful queer teen romance with a great cast of characters and strong emotional beats. Definitely check it out when it releases in April!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Infidelity
This was a cute high school romance. There's not much of a plot, just following the general course of the school year, which is pretty typical for high school, and makes it a fairly character driven book. The entire book is told from Jackson's point of view and written entirely in his inner voice, like a journal, with some thoughts crossed out and replaced, and some rather embarrassing or inappropriate thoughts that maybe don't make it into most novels. It made for a pretty fun read and I loved Jackson's voice throughout.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the representation in the book - both with MCs and side characters across the board. Jackson is gay, hard of hearing, and Iranian-America, a trifecta of identities that make him feel pretty isolated at school and even in his own family, none of whom ever learned how to sign (an infuriating but all too common experience for Deaf children in hearing families). Since the story is told from his POV, we as the reader get to experience every moment of conversation he misses, whenever people mumble or give up on trying to communicate with him entirely, and that was quite well done. We also get to meet a whole cast of queer, non-binary, Black, Middle Eastern, Deaf characters, without any of them feeling tokenized. I especially loved Bowie, Jackson's BFF, who is non-binary and totally fabulous, as well as being CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and one of the only people who signs with Jackson.
Liam, the love interest, is one of Bowie's friends, and takes a pretty early interest in Jackson - including learning how to sign, and joining the school play (where Jackson is stage manager). I loved the early interactions between Liam and Jackson. The pining is intense, as is the cluelessness on Jackson's part, it was pretty adorable.
Unfortunately the book goes in pretty frustrating directions from there. Both Liam and Jackson make pretty questionable choices which hurt the people around them, especially Jackson's sister. I think this all ultimately resolves and contributes to their character growth, but pretty much all of the characters (excluding Bowie who is a darling) come out looking pretty morally gray in ways that turned me off of the characters a bit, and made for a pretty frustrating read through the middle of the book. I also didn't enjoy the typical third act break up, especially when
Ultimately this book started off really great, but went in directions that really didn't work for me and hindered my enjoyment of it.
I also had a couple of more minor gripes that hindered my enjoyment but probably wouldn't impact most readers:
1. There were quite a few cliches throughout in word choices or language. Everyone's skin is "porcelain" or "alabaster" or "chocolate", hair is "raven", that sort of thing.
2. I found very little of Jackson's experience as a Techie in theater to jive with mine. Jackson is a solo stage manager with basically no tech crew, which seems kind of bizarre. I was hoping to get more theater kid nostalgia out of this one. What's a little sad is that he seems to really love theater but then also doesn't actually like anyone involved in theater, which adds to his isolation. I found it somewhat confounding, but I guess everyone's high school experience is going to vary quite a bit.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the representation in the book - both with MCs and side characters across the board. Jackson is gay, hard of hearing, and Iranian-America, a trifecta of identities that make him feel pretty isolated at school and even in his own family, none of whom ever learned how to sign (an infuriating but all too common experience for Deaf children in hearing families). Since the story is told from his POV, we as the reader get to experience every moment of conversation he misses, whenever people mumble or give up on trying to communicate with him entirely, and that was quite well done. We also get to meet a whole cast of queer, non-binary, Black, Middle Eastern, Deaf characters, without any of them feeling tokenized. I especially loved Bowie, Jackson's BFF, who is non-binary and totally fabulous, as well as being CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and one of the only people who signs with Jackson.
Liam, the love interest, is one of Bowie's friends, and takes a pretty early interest in Jackson - including learning how to sign, and joining the school play (where Jackson is stage manager). I loved the early interactions between Liam and Jackson. The pining is intense, as is the cluelessness on Jackson's part, it was pretty adorable.
Unfortunately the book goes in pretty frustrating directions from there. Both Liam and Jackson make pretty questionable choices which hurt the people around them, especially Jackson's sister. I think this all ultimately resolves and contributes to their character growth, but pretty much all of the characters (excluding Bowie who is a darling) come out looking pretty morally gray in ways that turned me off of the characters a bit, and made for a pretty frustrating read through the middle of the book. I also didn't enjoy the typical third act break up, especially when
Spoiler
it took most of the book for the characters to actually start dating.Ultimately this book started off really great, but went in directions that really didn't work for me and hindered my enjoyment of it.
I also had a couple of more minor gripes that hindered my enjoyment but probably wouldn't impact most readers:
1. There were quite a few cliches throughout in word choices or language. Everyone's skin is "porcelain" or "alabaster" or "chocolate", hair is "raven", that sort of thing.
2. I found very little of Jackson's experience as a Techie in theater to jive with mine. Jackson is a solo stage manager with basically no tech crew, which seems kind of bizarre. I was hoping to get more theater kid nostalgia out of this one. What's a little sad is that he seems to really love theater but then also doesn't actually like anyone involved in theater, which adds to his isolation. I found it somewhat confounding, but I guess everyone's high school experience is going to vary quite a bit.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dial Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Breakup Lists by Adib Khorram follows Jackson, a theatre kid who prefers life behind the scenes - a stage manager in all sense of the role. He is perfectly happy taking a back seat in most situations, especially to his sister, a year older and rife with relationship drama. Then Liam enters, the senior swim captain who lands the leading role in the musical. Unsurprisingly, both Jackson and his sister have their sights set on Liam - but he's definitely straight, right?!
This book is filled with equal parts nostalgia and hope.
Nostalgia for the days when I, too, was a high school theatre kid. It felt very realized and developed and Jackson's world was created in a way that is accessible to people who might not have been a part of theatre in high school.
Hope for the communities where being who you are doesn't matter. I loved how the character's could be themselves and it didn't matter to anyone else. It wasn't a negative thing or the focus of the conflict in the novel. That is my favorite part about reading queer books like this one. I wish there had been more available to me when I was in high school. I would have devoured this book for everything that it is.
It was a fun, relatively quick read. It's primarily character driven and follows the course of the school year. Some great representation through the main and side characters. Bowie is the best friend we all should have and they can do no wrong. Jackson is hard of hearing and the way Khorram approaches that and handles Jackson's experiences was a very clever writing choice. The book reads like a journal almost, with thoughts of Jackson's crossed out and adds an added layer to his own motivations and character development. Loved that.
I have been moving away from YA novels, but the premise of a high school theatre kid immediately drew me in. Make it queer? Definitely sold me. If YA queer romance is your thing, this book is definitely for you.
The Breakup Lists by Adib Khorram follows Jackson, a theatre kid who prefers life behind the scenes - a stage manager in all sense of the role. He is perfectly happy taking a back seat in most situations, especially to his sister, a year older and rife with relationship drama. Then Liam enters, the senior swim captain who lands the leading role in the musical. Unsurprisingly, both Jackson and his sister have their sights set on Liam - but he's definitely straight, right?!
This book is filled with equal parts nostalgia and hope.
Nostalgia for the days when I, too, was a high school theatre kid. It felt very realized and developed and Jackson's world was created in a way that is accessible to people who might not have been a part of theatre in high school.
Hope for the communities where being who you are doesn't matter. I loved how the character's could be themselves and it didn't matter to anyone else. It wasn't a negative thing or the focus of the conflict in the novel. That is my favorite part about reading queer books like this one. I wish there had been more available to me when I was in high school. I would have devoured this book for everything that it is.
It was a fun, relatively quick read. It's primarily character driven and follows the course of the school year. Some great representation through the main and side characters. Bowie is the best friend we all should have and they can do no wrong. Jackson is hard of hearing and the way Khorram approaches that and handles Jackson's experiences was a very clever writing choice. The book reads like a journal almost, with thoughts of Jackson's crossed out and adds an added layer to his own motivations and character development. Loved that.
I have been moving away from YA novels, but the premise of a high school theatre kid immediately drew me in. Make it queer? Definitely sold me. If YA queer romance is your thing, this book is definitely for you.
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
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
This book was a wonderful queer YA book that centered queer experiences outside of coming out; a trend I hope continues (coming out stories are great, but so are queer stories about all the other aspects of queerness!).
The cast of characters is diverse in every wayāgenders, orientations, race, ability, and even likeability (looking at you, Cameron). Jackson isnāt a perfect person, but heās a reliable narrator and his growth from start to finish is admirable.
The third act break-up was predictable and I wouldāve LOVED to see it subverted, with Jackson coming clean to Liam about the list, even if Jasmine still found out about their relationship by accident.
[Thank you to the publisher and author for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review!]
The cast of characters is diverse in every wayāgenders, orientations, race, ability, and even likeability (looking at you, Cameron). Jackson isnāt a perfect person, but heās a reliable narrator and his growth from start to finish is admirable.
[Thank you to the publisher and author for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review!]
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you love theatre and gays, this book is for you! The representation in this book is amazing, from BIPOC to LGBTQIA+ to disabled rep, this book had it all and it was all portrayed so well. The characters were so real and funny and authentic, even though they gave me serious anxiety. The plot is funny and hopeful and reflective and really showcases the charactersā growth throughout. I would 100% recommend this book.
If you love theatre and gays, this book is for you! The representation in this book is amazing, from BIPOC to LGBTQIA+ to disabled rep, this book had it all and it was all portrayed so well. The characters were so real and funny and authentic, even though they gave me serious anxiety. The plot is funny and hopeful and reflective and really showcases the charactersā growth throughout. I would 100% recommend this book.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes