The summer before college is the summer that experiences the most heartbreak of any teenage summer. At least, this is what Lu believes after her boyfriend dumped her letting her know that long distance wasn't something he was willing to do. Lu believes that she could change his mind if only he would meet her and listen to her well planned reasoning. While waiting for him to meet her one day she shares a bench with a witty, kind boy. After a fun, brief exchange she thinks that she will never see him again.

She couldn't possibly know that bench boy, Cal, and his girl friend, Iris, would become her obsession for the summer. Having overheard Iris break up with Cal in the same way that her boyfriend broke up with her she decided that she needed to know them. This was facilitated by Cal dropping his wallet--Lu needed to return it. When she does she finds out that Cal and Iris are still together.

If things could be different for them surely they could be different for her. Lu decides that the only thing that break her writers block for her teen love column is writing about their love story. Their love story could be her answer and salvation. She then spends her summer following them around and involving herself in their stories.

This book was interesting in that this was a story at the end. An end of a relationship and season--the cusp of something new. New things do happen--we don't get to know what those new things really are, the book ends before we can now. The transition is the focus of this book.

Really enjoyed this book. Such a different take on the traditional YA contemporary love story. It focuses on ‘after’ the love rather than the road leading up to it, which is what most YA books in this genre focus on. Really enjoyed the characters and the way that the story didn’t go down the usual route. I posted a full review on my Instagram stories under the BOOKS highlight.

A sweet story about first love, moving on, and growing up. Nobody ever forgets their first love, but some people have a much harder time getting over them. Lu is dumped by her first love Leo, his reason seems to be because they are going to different colleges. Personally I think this is a mature decision, I’m not a huge advocate of going off to college with a boyfriend/girlfriend back home. Now of course I say this and I had a long distance relationship when I was in college, but that didn’t work. Also my daughter went off to college and had a boyfriend back home, and that didn’t work either. Now I’m certain this works for some people, just nobody that I know. Lu is so distraught and cannot function like she needs to. She is going to lose her scholarship to NYU if she cannot quickly write an article for the online magazine that she works for, her scholarship is contingent upon her working for this magazine.

Lu was pretty frustrating. I wanted to sit down and have a chat with the girl, and explain to her that she certainly didn’t want to throw away her future over some boy. Then Lu happens upon a couple that are planning to break up at the end of summer because they are going to different colleges. However in the meantime they are going to make the best of their summer together. Lu becomes obsessed with this couple or the idea of this couple. She decides she’s going to write an article about them, and even though the couple refuses, she keeps persisting.

Lu was definitely a self-centered teen who liked to throw herself an occasional pity party. She had this great friend Pete who quite frankly she did not deserve. He was such a good friend so supportive with Great wise words. I was hoping they would end up together, and then I thought I’m not sure if she deserves him. The end of this book really threw me for a loop, I’m still not quite sure what to think of it. This was a good book, but probably could have been great. There was just a little something missing, and I’m not even certain what that was. Simply put a sweet fluffy story about first love.

*** thanks so much to Harlequin/Inkyard Press for my copy of this book ***

Disclaimer: I received an eARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s the summer before Lu begins college, and her boyfriend Leo has just broken up with her. Immediately, Lu finds herself unable to write her normal love column for an online website. As she sits on a bench at the beginning of the story, she happens to run into Cal and then happens to run into him again at the Strand (a bookstore) where she witnesses what seems to be a break up between him and his girlfriend Iris.

Lu becomes obsessed with the idea of writing a series of columns about what couples do after they graduate from high school. Do they stay together if they are long distance? Or do they break up?

Lu finds ways to manipulate herself into meeting Iris, and then she finds ways to become friends with the two of them, who have now decided to stay together for the summer with a break up date pending for when Iris flies out to California. Over the course of the summer, she gets to know them more while still struggling with writer’s block and an impending firing date if she can’t produce a column.

I struggled with this one. I found the idea extremely interesting, but for some reason, the story just didn’t sit right with me. I can’t quite opine why though.

If the premise interests you, check it out.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of Brief Chronicles of Another Stupid Heartbreak in exchange for an honest review!

According to my spreadsheet ~stats~, I read mostly YA Contemporary. Who knew? & apparently, after reading so many YA Contemporaries, ya girl caught onto the formula of these novels. While reading Brief Chronicles of Another Stupid Heartbreak — I found myself quickly guessing where the conflict would arise, who’s gonna be upset with who & who will fall in love. However, even with the predictability, there was something special about Brief Chronicles of Another Stupid Heartbreak.

In Brief Chronicles of Another Stupid Heartbreak, we get an outsider’s perspective of a couple in love. Lu, a love columnist for Misnomer, is on a mission — to interview couples during the summer before they go their separate ways for college; will they try long-distance or call it quits before the going gets rough? Lu finds herself obsessed with storybook-esque couple Iris & Cal, and is determined to interview them & hopefully break out of her writer’s block.

While hanging out with this couple, Lu finds herself dealing with her own heartbreak. You see, Lu & her boyfriend broke up due to their own after high-school plans; this break-up leading her to pick up this project in the first place. Adi Alsaid writes a heartbreak that’s so relatable to anyone who’s no longer with their first love (or any love, for that matter).

& one of my favorite concepts in Brief Chronicles of Another Stupid Heartbreak is this development of Lu’s character as she battles & grows from her own heartbreak. Love can end. It’s a matter of life & it’s something we all most likely will suffer from at some point — unless somehow you sold your soul to the devil & he offered to give you that one love that lasts a lifetime.

Another portion of this read that I enjoyed was her blossoming friendship with this couple, Iris & Cal. Lu learns a lot from her new friends when it comes to love & heartbreak. Throughout the book, Lu spends quality time with Iris & Cal, both together & separately. I truly enjoyed this friendship, however, her obsession with hanging out with them does cause issues in other aspects of her life. I don’t think Lu is the best person when it comes to it; but, again, ~character development~.

I also loved the setting of Brief Chronicles of Another Stupid Heartbreak. Being a writer in New York City used to be the dream for me. Unfortunately, as I got older I started to fear muggings & violence & much prefer the calmness outside of a big city. I loved living vicariously through Lu!

Brief Chronicles of Another Stupid Heartbreak is a fast & fun read. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA Contemporary!

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book from the beginning. A teenage romance columnist? Sign me up! Journalism is fascinating, especially with the rise of online magazines and publications open to submissions from all over the world. ​

Pros:
I've been to New York City. I love it there. Alsaid perfectly captured the magic and atmosphere of the city, and it became of my favorite parts of the book. Each location mentioned brought something special.
Journalism! Online magazines! How cool that teens can share their writing in this way!
I appreciated how real the novel is about teen relationships. It acknowledged the idealism in romance, and how sometimes the idea is better than the reality, which.... very few books go to that point of view. I liked it.
Cal and Iris were some of the most mature characters I've ever read, and their (or at least Iris's) ability to do what's best for their future was admirable, even though I tend to err on the side of emotionality in my actual life.
Pete was an adorable best friend to Lu, and I enjoyed all his page time. I would have liked to see more of their relationship. I also think working at a movie theatre is a great way to meet people now. I might have to consider that. ;)
Speaking of seeing more, I think I would read a whole book about Cal and Iris. Maybe about life pre- and post- this novel, including all their adventures in romance.
Cons:
I didn't like writer's block as a villain. It's an interesting way to create tension for a writer and make the character go into the world, but I found it hard to believe with Lu.
I badly wanted Lu to acknowledge her mistakes. Her cover-ups and lying were okay to a point, but beyond that she became repetitive, and a poor role model. I couldn't understand how such a determined character would decide to blame her faults on outside factors again and again. And okay, maybe she learned, and chose to be better, but it wasn't my favorite choice for a character written as diligent and curious and determined enough for the premise in the first place.

Overall, I would give Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak 3/5 stars. While it had many pros, the cons were recurring problems.

Brief chronicles of another stupid heartbreak by Adi Alsaid
2⭐️

Thank you to Harlequin teen and netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t know what to expect with this book, with it being the first work of writing I have read by Adi. For me, it was slow to grab my attention and when it finally did my interest for the story line wasn’t there. I struggled through the entire book. The characters build up could of been written more, and I also think the world building could of also been more well written out.

I really like Adi Alsaid's writing, and so when I saw that he had a new book out, A Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak, I was all in. His book takes the reader through a transformative summer in New York City. Idealized New York competes with reality as main character Lu muses on love and relationships, trying to figure out what when wrong with her first romance. I loved the New York setting, the story and most of the characters. But Lu did get on my nerves.

What I Liked:
Setting:

This is a YA novel that is basically a love letter to New York City. Having just been there for the first time over Spring Break, I can honestly say that the scenes that take place all over the city are authentic. From the marvel that is the Flatiron Building, to the tackiness of Times Square, to the subways with their mini musical performances, all of it painted a portrait of a much beloved city.

Characters:

Although I had mixed feelings about Lu (more about that later), I loved many of the other characters, particularly Cal and Iris. They take the cake as being the most romantic (and most mature) couple in YA literature! They are so romantic, that Lu becomes obsessed with them. They really do represent the idealized notion of first love. And while the book questions how realistic this kind of devotion is, I know from my own life that people can, and do, stay together through long distance relationships.

I also liked Lu's best friend, Pete. They are coworkers at a movie theater (also a job I had at that age). I was so grateful that the author didn't fall back on the "best friends falling in love" trope. I thought Pete had great advice for Lu, and was appropriately annoyed when she disregarded it.

I also liked that not all the characters were obsessed with finding a sexual partner. Pete seemed to be an Ace, and I liked that being represented in this novel.

Lu's mom is also a fun character. She shows her concern by texting constantly, and holding Lu accountable when she makes mistakes. She knows that Lu is technically an adult and can't be forced to follow her rules. But the mom does find ways to mete out tough love. Her punishment of cooking the strongest smelling food for Lu when she has a hangover was perfection!

Story:

I think that the summer after high school is over is such a bittersweet moment. Some people are all set for college. But many young people are confused about their future. They've been told that college is what should happen next, but that may not be the path for everyone. Whichever path one takes, teens are starting to experience grown-up realities such as showing up for work, budgeting their money, maintaining friendships, and choosing between what they want and what they actually need.

I think this story gets all of this right. Lu is faced with parts of her life changing course in unexpected ways. Sometimes she does not make good choices (there's a lot of underage drinking in this book!), but she learns that she needs to face her disappointments and forge ahead.

What I Was Mixed About:
Lu:

I had really mixed feelings about Lu's character. I could totally sympathize with how heartbroken she was when she was dumped by her boyfriend. But I found myself really annoyed and impatient when Lu kept blowing off her deadline with her magazine article. For someone who got into New York University, you'd think she would have been more resilient. I kept wondering that if she couldn't handle some adversity before college even started, maybe she wouldn't be able to handle going to such a demanding college.

I also wished the author would have had Lu acknowledge that she seemed more in love with the idea of being in love than with any actual person. I think that some people are so caught up in the notion of being part of a couple that they check out after the initial rush of a new relationship wears off. Lu alluded to this in some of her writings about her boyfriend, Leo, but I wish this would have been explored more.

Thanks to Harlequin TEEN and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! I haven't read any of Adi Alsaid's books before, but this one was an enjoyable ride. This is the perfect spring release, and will definitely get you in the mood for summer.

I loved the premise of this book at the beginning. Lu is a journalist, desperate to find her next muse. She's also worried about keeping her future in check, something I think a lot of seniors will relate to. The idea that Lu listens to conversations around her, especially in New York City, in order to get ideas for her articles makes the book overall a fun read. Sure, she's struggling with heartbreak, but she gets to have a lot of fun adventures too.

The other aspect of this book that I loved was how it was realistic about teen relationships. Lu has a lot of introspection thinking about the fact that many teens can be unrealistic about their relationship goals, something you see a lot of in YA too. Maybe breaking up is the best thing because it could allow you to remain friends. Maybe you're meant to be! No matter what, your high school school relationship might not be the end all.Though I loved the premise, the plot lagged a bit in the middle for me. Lu kind of gets lost in following this couple around, becoming their friend, and consequently, the plot feels like it gets a little bit lost as well. By the end, I think it finds itself, but the middle of the book just slows down a bit for me.Filled with adventure, this will make the perfect summer read. Pair this with Serious Moonlight for some great summer romance!

Oh to be young again. Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak was the kind of book that made me remember what it was like to be young and also glad that I am not suffering in those young adolescent situations.

Author Adi Alsaid brings to life a young girl, Lu, on the verge of starting college. When we meet Lu, she's trying to win back her boyfriend Leo, who has broken up with her because he will be leaving for college. Still feeling like they belong together she calls him out to meet and talk. Unfortunately Leo stands her up. Fortunately though she meets Cal, though it's a brief yet refreshing interaction.

Lu is also a writer. She has a column for an online teen magazine, which is helping provide her scholarship to NYU. But right now she's got writer's block. With a deadline looming Lu overhears a breakup similar to hers and finds out it's Cal and his girlfriend (ex?), Iris. Lu finagles her way into their lives as she makes them her muse and ticket to making sure she keeps her scholarship.

Over the course of the book we meet a few great characters, including Pete, her best friend and her family. I love seeing an atypical Filipino family. And because I'm also Filipino it's great to see some representation in books. I love her mom's love for Italian food and that her ethnicity doesn't really come into play here. Besides when she talks about her family you don't feel like it's even part of the book, which I enjoyed.

Alsaid did a great job of joining together the angst of young love and heartbreak and the precipice that many young people on the verge of adulthood are learning to balance. I enjoyed the way Alsaid painted New York City. I love that this wasn't some crazy love story but a realistic and sometimes not, look at what happens when young couples reach that point in their relationship where you need to make the decision about whether to hold on or let go. There was definitely places and times when I wanted a bit more but overall I think that these characters were all likeable and somewhat relatable.

It's not some sweeping romance or some deep thinking novel but a great summer read.

I finished (skimmed the last quarter because I was a smidge invested in Pete) because... well, because Inkyard Press gave me access to an ARC and I want to be good, better about that - when it comes to ARCs I get from NetGalley, which I am bad at. But... this book was not for me. I didn't like it. Pete was the best thing about it and there was not enough Pete. It was just... no.

When I started the brief chronicle of another stupid heartbreak I was not sure what to expect. The synopsis sounded interesting but I read reviews before starting it. This is something I rarely do. I then found myself agreeing with a lot of them and finding this novel very angsty and the main character kinda creepy in a stalker way. After feeling like the book was dragging and too angsty I decided to sit back and think about who this stories main audience is meant for. Then I remembered what it was like to be in my teens and tried to read it from that age, not as an adult. I found the story better when looking at it from that point of view. I don't think this is the best young adult book I've ever read but it's not as bad once you get past the angst.
I do like the message that the author puts across. I think this is a good novel for teens around 16-19ish because of the message at the end. You have to experience the whole book to get to that message and really understand what the author was building to.
Brief chronicle of another stupid heartbreak is one of those books that some will love and some will hate. Some will relate to and some won't. I definitely don't think this book is perfect but it is better than I expected. If you don't mind angst and find the synopsis interesting like I did, this is a book you may want to try and judge for yourself.

This was a really cute story, yes there is sadness in there but I loved the writing style and the plot. The character building could use a little work, but I still really enjoyed this one.

I'm certain the target YA audience will enjoy this much more than I did. Lu's suffering after her boyfriend breaks up with her and she's unable to write, which is a real problem. She becomes fascinated with Cal and Iris, who also break up in anticipation of college in the fall. Honestly, the angst seemed huge when I was this age and Alsaid does a good job of conveying that. There aren't any real surprises but it's a quick and occasionally annoying (again, I'm not the target audience) read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I had zero expectations with this book, and I think it’s a solid read, but it just didn’t hook me from the get-go. I get where Lu is coming from, being heartbroken and not knowing how to really function afterwards. But she kept...idk, expecting her ex to come back? Expecting Cal to be something for her.

With my upcoming trip to New York in the forefront of my mind, I really enjoyed the NY setting in this one! Even though (and I suppose a few people have had this issue) I had a bit of a hard time connecting with our main character, I absolutely loved our adorable set of side characters! I thought this was a really honest and relatable look at heartbreak and healing. I was nervous picking it up, thinking that I may get “she feels like her life is ruined because of a boy” vibes but that really wasn’t the feel of the book. Totally would suggest to any emotional contemporary fans!

I received an e-ARC from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about heartbreak but I just couldn't get into the main character. I loved the interactions with Starla and Pete, they were the voices of reason, but when it was just Lu I was taken out of the story. Her mind just had a singular focus when there was so much more that could have been explored. I did like the way that it ended and the article that Lu eventually ends up writing.

I guess this is a black sheep review, because I enjoyed this book.

Graduating from high school comes with the promise of so many wonderful beginnings, but sometimes those beginnings are accompanied by endings.

Lu was excited to be attending NYU in the fall until her boyfriend, Leo, preemptively breaks up with her since he would be attending college upstate. And so, Lu began her summer with a broken heart and a crippling case of writer's block. By some serendipitous stroke of luck, Lu overheard two other teens doing the pre-college breakup thing, and thought their story would remove her block, but as the summer wore on, the pressure to produce her column or lose her scholarship was amplified.

This was a story about heartbreak and love. It was about knowing which relationships were worth fighting for and which ones had run their course. I liked the juxtaposition of Cal and Iris' story to that of Lu and Leo. Lu may have fell in love with both Iris and Cal, as well as their storybook romance, but it also helped her dissect her her emotions with respect to Leo and her relationship with him. It took Lu quite a while, but she eventually came to terms with her heartbreak and where she stood with her ex.

There were times I felt like I wanted Lu to reach some conclusions a bit sooner, but I enjoyed the journey. I got to frolic in NYC with a bunch of kids, who engaged in some great and amusing banter. I loved Lu's mom, her penchant for Italian food, and her affection for her daughter. Pete was also a standout character. He was a straight shooter, who made astute observations, and he also cared deeply for Lu.

Obviously, I would have been more over the moon if there had been an epic romance, but this was a realistic situation, and I think Alsaid tempered my heartbreak by including Cal and Iris' story. I enjoyed spending the summer with Lu, and appreciated the ending (new beginning?) Alsaid gave her.

Started well, continued well for a while, but I wasn't so sure by the ending.

3+ stars.

Lu is about to lose her scholarship and thus her chances of going to college because her heart is broken and she can't write a word for her internship at the Misnomer. That's when she sees a couple almost break up for the same reasons her boyfriend left her and then stay together. She needs to write about them and maybe find how she can make things right again.

Even my summary may be slightly spoiler-ish but the official one is definitely more. I'm not sure if I should blame the person who wrote it or just how long the story takes to get to the more-than-predictable love triangle. No, don't call that a spoiler if you know if from the first scene.

You know, I did enjoy reading it. Lu made me feel anxious like hell for erratic ways—that would definitely not happen to me, even though I'm queen of self-sabotage. But if you count it all, I think I really liked more than half of the story and didn't hate the rest. That's why I say 3+. My frustration is that it could have been a 4, even a 4+ with very little, but the writer may have lost herself somewhere there.

And yet, it's very well written, the characters are diverse without it being on your face. Kudos for that! I do think Leo's reasons needed to be more explained, that Pete deserved to be more round and not be just the friend giving the right advice and never heard. But the writing was great! Taking about characters, I enjoyed a lot Lu's boss, a pity there wasn't even room for developing her more.

There were some weird stuff going on. Lu's girl-crush on Iris was funny but her obsession with the couple was freaky. I think this may upset a few readers, since I kept frowning as the story progressed. And I wish that romance simply didn't exist. Me, who loves romances, who picked the book for the prospect of that very romance. But again, it was weird.

Now, my biggest issue. I think this missed the chance of discussing more the psychological that's causing all of Lu's problems. She definitely needed more help if she got to the point she couldn't be functional. I kept thinking the book would finally go there, but it never did. We just watch Lu crash and burn, and that was mean.

I'll be reading more from Adi Alsaid, that's one writer to follow, but this wasn't -the- book from her.

Thanks to netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a departure from my usual style of book, and a good changeup. The narrator reminded me of a young Carrie Bradshaw. The story is one of young love and coming of age, and overall I enjoyed the book. I think my frustrations with the narrator at times stemmed from her youth. I found the first 1/2 of the book to be repetitive, but the ending was sweet. I do think many teens could enjoy this book very much!