I LOVED this book! It's not just a YA love story, it tackles friendship, not fitting in, what it really means to be family. Nothing is overwrought. It feels like real life but manages to be interesting and compelling.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: How To Build A Heart

Author: Maria Padian

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Puerto Rican family and main character!

Publication Date: January 28, 2020

Genre: YA Contemporary

Recommended Age: 14+ (some rock throwing, slight gore, a gun, death, and healing)

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Pages: 352

Amazon Link

Synopsis: One young woman’s journey to find her place in the world as the carefully separated strands of her life — family, money, school, and love — begin to overlap and tangle.

All sixteen-year-old Izzy Crawford wants is to feel like she really belongs somewhere. Her father, a marine, died in Iraq six years ago, and Izzy’s moved to a new town nearly every year since, far from the help of her extended family in North Carolina and Puerto Rico. When Izzy’s hardworking mom moves their small family to Virginia, all her dreams start clicking into place. She likes her new school—even if Izzy is careful to keep her scholarship-student status hidden from her well-to-do classmates and her new athletic and popular boyfriend. And best of all: Izzy’s family has been selected by Habitat for Humanity to build and move into a brand-new house. Izzy is this close to the community and permanence she’s been searching for, until all the secret pieces of her life begin to collide.

How to Build a Heart is the story of Izzy’s journey to find her place in the world and her discovery that the choices we make and the people we love ultimately define us and bring us home.

Review: Oh my God what can I say about a book that carved its way into my heart to deceptively that I found myself thinking about it at 1am this morning? This book was an absolute delight and I was so happy to read it! The book was well written with all the feels and the characters were very well developed. The world building was wonderful as well and the pacing is on key. This book will be one of those that will make you want to pick up a hammer and go help people like Izzy and Roz.

The only issue I had with the book is that sometimes the chapters will end with Izzy having to make a choice or something will happen, then in the next chapter it will skip forward to a different time and in that time ahead she will recount what happened after the event in the previous chapter. It’s a lot less complicated than what I’m making it out to be, but it was kinda weird to get into. However, I did like that approach to storytelling and found it very genuine to how some people think.

Verdict: A book that will build a house in your heart.

How to Build a Heart is a moving and powerful story of one young woman's journey to figure out who she is and where she belongs in this world. I thought, going in, that this was just going to be a light YA contemporary read, but its depth really surprised and pleased me. It's a story about family, friendship, community, and love, and it also touches on some very relevant themes such as racism, abuse, addiction, and mental health. I enjoyed watching the growth of Izzy, the protagonist, and I think her situation, that of feeling trapped between two worlds/cultures, is one that many readers will find relatable. I was also a huge fan of Izzy's mom, a young widow doing everything she possibly can to give her children their best lives, and of the Habitat for Humanity volunteers, who while secondary characters, just added so much to the overall story. If you like moving, heartfelt stories and YA contemporaries, be sure to add How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian to your reading list.

Very boring and non-gripping story. I felt as if the characters lacked depth. Too many teenage tropes that have been written time and again.

This was just an okay read for me. I didn't find this to be entertaining or engaging. It was just a bunch of the overplayed teenage troupes that have been done many times before in both books and movies. I didn't feel like I got to know the characters very well. There could have been a lot more development with all of them. One thing I didn't like was our main character Izzy was on an a capella group and the only time they do any actually singing is in the beginning when they hold auditions. The singing group seems to be added in there to explain Izzy's group of friends and as a way to introduce her to her love interest's sister. The entire group could have been made more dimensional by simply having them in at least one competition, concert or even practice.

Overall, it was simply okay. If you're someone who enjoys reading the same troupes with new characters than you would probably enjoy this book. I'm not saying this was a bad book, because it wasn't. It just isn't something I would read again.

I don't know what it is, but I can't seem to want to finish this book.

I'll pick it up to only put it back down 5 minutes later.

I just don't think I've been able to connect to the characters or feel like I'm attached to any established plot line so I have decided to respectfully DNF it at 100 pages. I think this book just wasn't for me, and I'm perfectly okay with that.

4.5

I absolutely loved this book. I read it a few weeks ago it’s by far one of my favorite reads this month.
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It’s a YA book but the author touched on so many topics in the book. Before the story starts the author describes how she grew up with two cultures and how she struggled to speak her moms first language, Spanish. She touched on some very hard topics but I think she did amazing addressing them.
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“You understand that no one is just a color, like a crayon. But you know, some people? They see the skin and stop there. Like that’s all there is to know.”- Maria Padian, How to Build a Heart
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Izzy lives with her Puerto Rican mom and little brother but she goes to a private school across town on a scholarship. She is dealing with the death of her marine father and trying to navigate a life where she doesn’t quite know where she belongs. Her family is selected by Habitat for Humanity to receive a home and Izzy finds herself feeling the push and pull from her family & friends. I think her mom was such a badass and had all the typical Spanish phrases ready to help her daughter. Some of those phrases were told to me by my own mother. They had some bumps on the road but what 16yr old doesn’t bump heads with their parents? When she decides to visit her dads family in North Carolina she is forced to confront some hard truths.
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“I’d been hiding for a long time. Behind my school uniforms, behind my complicated car pool plans, my borrowed clothes, all the stories I made up in every new town we called home. But standing there as my grandmother complimented me for favoring my light-skinned parent was the first time I felt shame for all the times I pretended to be something I wasn’t.”- Maria Padian
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This book touches on racism, mental health and abuse. While I couldn’t relate to everything Izzy was dealing with I could relate to a lot of it and I think many people could as well. It was beautiful story about a young girl trying to find her place among the people she loves.

Isabella “Izzy” Crawford is a sixteen-year-old girl who is basically trying to find out who she is and where she fits into the world. Her father was a Marine who was killed in Iraq six years ago, leaving then ten-year-old Izzy and her five-months-pregnant mother on their own. Ever since her father’s death, Izzy and her family have moved numerous times as her mother searches for better paying jobs so that she can provide a good life for Izzy and her little brother. Finally they catch a lucky (though Izzy hates luck) break and Habitat for Humanity chooses to build a house for them.

How to Build a Heart took me by complete surprise. I went into it thinking that it would be just another YA Contemporary novel. I was wrong. This book deals with family, friendship, siblings, and relationships, but it also deals with heavier topics such as racism, abuse, addiction, depression, etc. I felt so many emotions while reading this book and I was not expecting that.

The writing is so smooth and easy! This was a really fast read and I really enjoyed it. It was exactly the perfect amount of fluff and emotion that I’ve been needing lately.

If you are a YA Contemporary fan, I highly recommend this one!

When I read the synopsis How to Build A Heart, I knew it was going to mean me crying on the couch at 1 am. I was not wrong. But this book is so much more than a tearjerker. It’s a story of friendship, discovering who you are and being okay with that, and helping those around you even when they might not be your favorite person.

Izzy Crawford has moved around A LOT and because of that, doesn’t put down roots or make strong connections. But that’s changing. While she might not have made close friends before, she has in Virginia. The first is Roz.

Roz is…a character. She stalks the rich kids that go to her school and acts like a complete badass. But perhaps she does this because she’s scared inside. Roz does not have the best home life and when things go wrong at home, she heads over to Izzy’s until things calm down.

Izzy’s relationship with Roz is complicated to say the least. Izzy goes to a local Catholic school where she doesn’t let anyone know about her life outside of school. None of her friends at school know she lives in a mobile home or that she’s poor or that sometimes her family doesn’t have enough food. They also don’t know about Roz. Izzy wants them to think she is exactly like them and introducing Roz would do the opposite of that.

While she tries to play it off as the her school friends and Roz probably not getting along, it’s more than that.

Izzy very much lives two lives. The one at school and the one at home. And never the two shall meet. That quickly changes (much to Izzy’s terror) when she happens to become friends with Aubrey, the sister of the most popular boy, Sam, at Roz’s school. Sam is also the boy Roz has stalked/has a crush on. Can you feel the two world’s about to smash together? Get ready.

By chance, Izzy meets Sam at a gas station and again when she’s hanging out with Aubrey. And all of that would be fine and good but…he seems to like her (oh no). And she likes him (OH. NO.)

With these two new connections in her life (Sam and Aubrey), Izzy begins hanging out more with her friends from her Catholic school and gets invited to Sam and Aubrey’s house and…WHAT IS HER LIFE?!

They are rich as hell and their world seems miles away from her home life.

And then the BIG THING happens. Her mom applies for a Habitat for Humanity house and is approved. AND the place where the house will be just so happens to be near Aubrey and Sam’s house.

Which would be fine if Habitat didn’t want them to go to fundraisers and be in newsletters where everyone can see. Izzy is trying to keep her life outside of school a secret but with all this happening, that’s easier said than done. (I swear I’m filled with anxiety just remembering all this happening!!)

Oh boy, I felt for Izzy so much. I very much lived two lives when I was in school, but not for the same reason as Izzy (I was quiet at school and a complete loudmouth at home). I also appreciate her struggle to keep it all separate, especially when she’s hanging out with people who have always gotten exactly what they wanted. It’s tough not to show how in awe she is of all they have.

But how can Izzy keep up all the lies? And how can her friendship with Roz continue when she keeps leaving her out of things?

Roz’s situation had my heart on the floor. I don’t want to give away what ultimately happens, but Roz has a tough life. And while Izzy and Roz may be similar in some ways, Roz deals with a whole lot of shit that Izzy doesn’t.

Now to the romance! Izzy and Sam are so sweet. I love how their relationship develops, but I especially like how they both handle themselves when all of Izzy’s lies/secrets come out into the open. She tries to escape, but comes to the realization that she must face the music, no matter the consequences.

There;s also a bit of romance for Roz which I CANNOT spoil but omg, if anyone deserves some love and care, it’s Roz! Yes, she does some bad things in this story (aka the thing I want to spoil the most because omg I gasped when it happened), but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve a safe home and a person who cares about her.

I also really enjoyed how Habitat for Humanity was woven into the story. Besides that they family has to help in building their house, I had no idea how it worked. It was really interesting to see the process and while it was one of the reasons why Izzy’s secrets to come out, it also brings together a lot of people. Working together on something big can really tie a group together.

How to Build A Heart is filled with complicated emotions and characters. You might think you know whether a character is good or bad, but by the next chapter, you’ll see them in a completely different light. The characters in this story are very much like people in real life: they’re flawed and beautiful and can hurt people, but also be forgiven.

As this book punched me in the heart a few times and the characters were SO WELL-DEVELOPED, I am giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars. If you’re looking for a beautiful, complex YA contemporary, please check out this book.

(There’s also Jack, Izzy’s brother, who shoves his hand into a bag of Cheetos and then shoves them in his mouth. Jack and me are the same.)

How to Build A Heart by Maria Padian is available now~!

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Poignant and riveting, How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian is a beautiful story about self-discovery, grief, family, forgiveness, friendship, and so much more. It’s emotional, it’s sweet, and it’s so real it made my heart ache, but also gave me joy.

After dealing with her father’s death and constantly moving, Izzy Crawford somewhat feels at home in Virginia. She likes her new school and classmates, she has a best friend who lives next door, she’s caught the attention of a popular boy, and her family has been chosen by Habitat for Humanity to build and live in a new house. But, Izzy doesn’t just let everyone in and she’s been keeping secrets from those close to her. What happens when her web of lies slowly begin to unravel and she can no longer avoid facing the truth?

I enjoyed Padian’s writing style, the pacing of the story is good, and the plot, while dealing with sensitive issues, is also engaging, heartfelt, sweet, and sometimes really fun. Padian explores topics about racism, bullying, addiction, abuse, violence, and mental disorder. There are a few situations that will make your heart feel quite heavy at times and I won’t lie… I cried on some parts and had to stop reading for a bit. But, what I love most about stories like this is when they surprise you and give you more than what you’re looking for. This book hurt in more ways than I could imagine, but it’s also meaningful and filled with so much beauty, hope and love.

Izzy is interesting and relatable, and I adored her. She’s not always the easiest to like, she makes mistakes, she’s incredibly stubborn at times, and she has issues and insecurities. But, Izzy is also strong-willed, smart, caring, and loves her family. I enjoyed her character development a lot and watching her discover what’s truly important in her life. The other characters are all quite lovely and I had fun getting to know them too. Sam is amazing and swoony. Aubrey and Roz has a piece of my heart and I just love Jack so much. Mark snuck up on me that I wanted more of him in the story. The parents are pretty awesome… well most of them anyway. Overall, the characters are fascinating in their own ways, complex, likeable, and realistic.

With an engrossing plot filled with hope and so much heart, characters who’ll steal pieces of your heart, and a sweet romance that’ll melt your heart, Maria Padian’s How to Build a Heart is perfect for YA contemporary lovers. It’s deep and also lighthearted. It’s fun, but also tackles serious issues. It’s inspirational, uplifting, and thought-provoking. I truly enjoyed reading this beautiful masterpiece and was captivated by Padian’s storytelling until the end. Definitely recommend you add this book on your TBR and I hope you fall in love with Izzy’s story just as much as I did.

I want to say thank you to the publisher, Algonquin Young Readers, for inviting me to be part of the blog tour and providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to @algonquinyr for my copy of How To Build A Heart by Maria Padian. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Ya’ll this is the book that my YA lovin heart needed this week. If you like harder hitting YA that handles some more serious subject matter, this one is for you. How To Build A Heart follows Izzy, a sixteen year old girl who lives in Virginia. Her father was a marine who was killed in combat and her mother is a hard working nurses aid. They live in a trailer park until their family is selected by Habitat for Humanity to move into a home in a wealthy part of town. Izzy goes to a private Catholic school on scholarship and has made some friends through her participation in the schools a cappella group. She keeps the details of her family’s life hidden from her classmates, afraid of what they might think. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I could not put this one down. Izzys character squeezed my heart from the first chapter She is struggling with figuring out who she is and how she wants to portray herself to her white, rich neighbors and classmates. Like any sixteen year old girl, she grapples with her fear of judgment and wanting to fit in with her peers. Because her family was formerly military, she has moved a lot and her desire to feel like she belongs is extremely evident. Throughout the story, Izzy learns a lot. Not only about herself, but also about her mother, her father, and her fathers family. Race, discrimination and financial class are all prevalent themes that we watch Izzy navigate through. It’s heartwarming and also heartbreaking. I really loved it and I’ve had this book on my mind since I finished it.

3 ½

This book is not what I was expecting it be, I thought it was going to be a romance instead what I got a was a book about family, friendship and finding where you belong.

Izzy is still dealing with the death of her father a marine who died 6 years ago, his death shattered her family leaving a hole in it. After moving from place to place they finally settle in Virginia where Izzy attends a girls only catholic school on scholarship. When her family is picked to be part of homes for humanity things are finally looking up for her she can finally move out of the crappy trailer she lives in and have a real home but all the carefully construct lies she’s build up around her started to crumble and both her worlds are about to collide even as she tries to keep them apart.

While I enjoyed this book I didn’t 100% love it.

What I liked

. I loved all the characters and how realistic they were, (Izzy’s mom Mami is my favorite).
Izzy’s mom is strong and loving and caring, she loves her two kids and will do anything for them. Jack Izzy’s younger brother is just adorable and hype and you can’t help but love him. Her cousin mark, who she calls devils spawn, despite his nickname and his troubled past he is nothing but kind to her, (and one of the only family members from her father’s side that takes an interest in knowing her.) he even helps her family build their house. Sam who is just really sweet and his sister Aubrey as awkward as she is (she grew on me.)

The only two characters I didn’t like were Roz and izzy, (I’ll explain later.)

. I love the diversity in it Izzy is half Puerto Rican (her father is white and her mother is Puerto Rican).

.I liked that it was about habitat for humanity I liked hearing about what they did for people and how they helped people.

What I didn’t like

. izzy and Roz. I’ll start with izzy.

I felt like Izzy was a bit of a brat she get’s this amazing opportunity to build a new house with habitat for humanity and she throws a fit because she doesn’t want people knowing she poor and lives in a trailer park, she could have ruined the whole thing and lost them the house because she was too busy focusing on her image. She has this web of lies that she’s build around herself and all these excuses because she ashamed she’s poor. She’s also not a very good friend she doesn’t tell her best friend Roz that she knows Sam (Roz’s crush.) she lies to Roz at times to and refuses to introduce her to any of her friends.

I understand where Izzy was coming from and at first I liked her character but the further I got into the book the more I started to dislike her.

Roz.

Roz is such a tragic character she lives with her drunk mother and her mother’s boyfriend who is a piece of work, he’s a angry drunk and always threatens Roz. I feel like She’s is just trying to do anything to survive at this point keep her head down when she’s home, deal with the problems as they come and try not to end up in foster care.

She complains a lot about the rich people on the other side of town, people who Izzy eventually becomes friends with. She spy’s on her crush Sam by sneaking into his backyard. Makes fun of one of the things Izzy really loves VC (I couldn’t tell if this was teasing or her just being mean). I felt like her character had a lot of anger to her and sometimes she let that anger out in the wrong way, like throwing a rock at Izzy and Sam when they kiss for the first time.

Maria padian tackles a lot of hard issues in this book and I felt like she tackled them very well. I’m giving how to break a heart 3 ½ stars not because it was a okay book, it was a really well written book with so many interesting characters. It was fast paced, character driven and filled with drama. The plot was really intresting and I did really enjoy it , I just had a hard time connecting with this one on a personal level. If you have the time to pick it up I do highly recommend it.

There were elements to this that I really enjoyed and really didn’t enjoy. The start hooked me in quickly but around the 30% mark I started to struggle with our main character Izzy, and I found myself only wanting to read the story in small doses. I'm glad I pushed through though because I ended up really liking the new characters that were introduced further on, and most importantly how Izzy's story ended. I obviously knew that this book wouldn't have an unhappy ending but it was, for the most part, a very satisfying end to a story full of teenage angst and struggles. Padian delivered a sincere story about family, friendships, finding yourself and understanding where your heart belongs. Some content warnings include: (cyber) bullying, depression, racism, and physical abuse.

Surprisingly, what I enjoyed the least was the portrayal of one of the main friendships. Also, the character that I started out liking the most, ended up being the character I felt most frustrated towards for the majority of the story, and unfortunately that was our MC, Izzy. To me it was clear as day from early on how Izzy's actions would spiral and end up exploding into exactly what happened in the story, and it filled me with such angst. I couldn't help wanting to shake sense into Izzy and to tell her to stop lying and digging an even bigger hole for herself. I didn't like Roz at the start and thought she wasn't a great influence but I also felt that her character deserved better considering that she also didn't have it easy (something that even Izzy attested to). While I'm not saying what Roz did in the story was okay, I really didn't like how Izzy ended up treating their friendship; especially as she claimed Roz was the only one who knew the truth about her and was the only person that understood the "real" her. Although their friendship was more or less mended at the end, I personally didn't think it was a very satisfying resolution and I felt that Roz deserved better than Izzy's lack of apology and brushing over for her own selfish reasons.

That said, I thought the cultural representation was very well done. That’s the aspect I related to the most in the story and it’s the reason why I requested it in the first place. I appreciated the author's note at the start about how she came to write this story and how much of her own experiences went into forming Izzy's character and relationship with her mixed heritage. Although I’m not of mixed heritage, growing up outside of my own country made it difficult for me to connect and relate to a lot my Indonesian heritage and extended family. Izzy's limited understanding of her Puerto Rican heritage and the language was a struggle that hit close to home. The most satisfying part of 'How to Build A Heart' was the growth that Izzy experienced in regards to her identity and when she finally stood proud of who she is.

I also have to mention that there were some really great side characters like Mark and Betts who I adored, not to mention the warmth of the Shackleton family, and the rallying support behind the Habitat for Humanity house building. There were only a few Habitat scenes and they were mostly at the end but they filled me up with such warmth and happiness. I used to volunteer for Habitat in high school and it's such a truly rewarding experience!

The more I let this story sink in the more satisfied I am with how it went. There was a lot more depth in many aspects of the story than I expected and it was such a pleasant surprise. Yes, Izzy made some very questionable decisions throughout but then again I have to remind myself that she's a teenager. and I'm certainly no stranger to making similarly bad decisions when I was her age (and even when older--oops)! It's all a part of growing up and her character certainly did that at the end. I think many young adults who read this will be able to relate to and enjoy it!
Thanks to Netgalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing me the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Heading into this story I wasn’t exactly sure what I was expecting but I was really excited to start reading.

How to build a heart deals with some heavy topics such as mental health, racism, death of a parent, abuse and privilege.

Our main character Izzy is such a lovable and relatable and I really loved following her story. Although Izzy does make some mistakes throughout this story you can’t help but love her. We have all made mistakes trying to fit in and find our place in this world.

How to build a heart is a very poignant story that has many themes included in this story such as friendship, family dynamics, racism, death, grief, poverty and so much more.

Our main characters friend Roz was not a very nice person. Although she went though a lot and had a tough time that did not excuse her for the things that she did in this story. Even though she does some pretty bad things they don’t get spoken about or discussed which I wasn’t a huge fan off.

How to build a heart was a really amazing story full of powerful themes but didn’t blow me away and because of the previous issue this was a four star read for me and I would highly recommend to anyone who has ever felt lost or want to read a book about POC characters dealing with some pretty serious issues.

How to Build a Heart is an absolutely beautiful story about finding your place.
The writing seemed so sincere, and it flowed really well. I really enjoyed how it was paced, it kept the story entertaining and dynamic. The dialogue was amazingly written as well, it had really good back and forth between the characters and it wasn’t dull as it sometimes can be.
On the subject of the characters, they were well-developed and brought to the page in such a convincing fashion. They were really easy to connect to, especially Izzy. Feeling like an outsider is a common thing teenage girls deal with, and I feel like that was exactly why she resonated with me. She brought me right back to my high school days.
All in all, How to Build a Heart is wonderful read that had me hooked from the beginning. I recommend it.

I didn’t really know what to expect from this book and in some ways I was really pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed some of the characters and felt that they were mostly more than just cardboard stereotypes (as is so often the case). There were definitely some characters that could have used more development, but it wasn’t too bad. I did have a big issue with Roz, though. She’s clearly not a good friend even from the very beginning and I felt like the author was sending us mixed messages about what Izzy should do about her. First, Izzy’s mom is telling her to cut Roz loose because she’s dragging Izzy down. But then Izzy’s cousin comes along and is trying to tell Izzy to help Roz out. It was just a little confusing (but I was on the dump her side). I also felt like Izzy didn’t always make the most thought-out decisions. She clearly should have thought a little more about hanging out at the Shackelton’s house when she KNOWS that Roz regularly spies on them. Overall, I thought this book was pretty good. I definitely think there were ways it could have been better and tighter, but it wasn’t bad. 3.5/5

Note: I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

eBook ARC offered via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly can't decide how I felt about this book, there were parts I loved and parts I feel like I still need to decide my feelings on, so I'll expand this review later once I have some time to think on those things.

You know those good old heart-wrenching, swoon-inducing, cuddle up and cry books? <em>How to Build a Heart</em> is all that and more. The tears started to build up around page 36 and fell by page 40, and every time I thought they might subside, Izzy Crawford found yet another way to pull on my heartstrings.

Izzy, my sweet, stubborn girl. A few years ago, I was a lot like Izzy: moving around, not having a sense of permanence or stability, and even my family situation was similar, so I know from experience that having good friends (and some not so good ones) can make a world of difference, and I think that's partly why this book hit so close to home for me. From the friend break-ups to the family make-ups, and feeling like the weight of all of your different worlds is on your shoulders, Izzy is such a relatable character, and an overall pleasure to meet.

How to Build a Heart was exactly what I needed back then, and honestly, it was a good reminder for where (and who) I am now. At first, Izzy's school life and home life are completely separate, and she goes to great lengths to keep it that way. But then, everything changes when she takes hit after hit <em>after hit</em>, and I think that like Izzy, a lot of us would scramble to keep ourselves from imploding under the weight of it all; her new (and very eager) friend Aubrey just happens to be the little sister of Sam, who also doubles as Roz's (Izzy's best friend) longtime crush. On top of that, Izzy, her mother, and her little brother Jack may be selected for a new house, <em>a real house</em>, offered by Habitat for Humanity, but of course no one from school can know that the Crawfords are a charity case. On top of all of <em>that</em>, Izzy has to juggle the growing feelings for Sam (and the guilt that comes with it), the growing pressure from the Habitat people for their story to be publicized, and deciding who gets to know the real her, which is only getting harder with all the secrets she keeps.

While the story follows Izzy and her journey towards avoiding a full on trainwreck, one of her main hurdles is herself. She has a bad relationship with luck (it's given to people who don't deserve it, and taken from people who already have nothing), and in a word, it's unreliable. Being raised by a single mom after losing her dad, Izzy sometimes forgets that life can give, not just take, and while she doesn't let herself hope for things, she makes it her responsibility to be the buffer for Jack to protect his hope.

Okay, y'all. The friendship between Roz and Izzy??? *chefs kiss* x1000! Roz deals with some issues of her own, but she also doesn't let that stop her from enjoying what comes out of life. In addition to being a tough mf, she tells it how it is, and doesn't let Izzy off the hook easily - Roz challenges Izzy to let herself become exactly who she is. But I <em>loved</em> how complicated (i.e. real) their relationship is. For starters, Mami has a set of rules for Izzy that only apply to Roz, and not to mention the whole deal with Sam. But one of the most interesting layers to their relationship is that Roz is a part of "mobile park home Izzy", not "St. V's Izzy," so what happens when Izzy slowly gets more caught up in between the two?

One of the many moments that required tissues and lots of blankets was Mami's crab story. In a bucket full of crabs, one will always try to escape but the others drag it down, and if they were smart, they could make a chain and they'd <em>all </em>be able to escape - Mami wants to make sure that Izzy doesn't let herself be dragged back down. On one hand, <strong>how much damage could we really do to each other</strong>? But on the other, <strong>how much good could we do</strong>? Izzy and Roz live this reality and I have so much admiration for both of them. It's not just about friends and a guy, but about friends and each other, and each adapting to the changes happening in <em>both</em> their lives. As a growing young "adult," this is an art I'm still trying to master.

Overall, I really loved how full How to Build a Heart made me feel. There were so many nuanced mentions of race given that Izzy is half Puerto Rican, and she battles the prejudiced views of her own family. Something that I really appreciated was that Mami deals with it all as graceful as possible, even going so far as to say, "I don't use that word. It's too simple. Calling people racist makes it easy to lump them together and label them all bad. Prejudice is more complicated than that." The world isn't black and white, and nothing exists in a vacuum; race and all of its derivatives (i.e. racism) are socially constructed, but that is not to say that <em>its effects</em> aren't real. To explain further would take a whole encyclopedia, but the main point is that racism comes in different forms, and affects people differently. In short, go take a sociology class (or ask for sociology book recs) and don't be racist (: Mami gets it.

One of my only critiques is that I wish there were conversations with Sam that felt more resolved, which is the main reason it's not a full five for me. But despite that, <em>How to Build a Heart</em> was such a great story that I'll definitely be rereading, full of warmth (and a leather jacket for Roz) and all the struggles that come with finding (or building) your way home.

An enjoyable but gritty YA book. I normally love this genre but the last few books I have read in this genre haven't spoken to me. Saying that this book was well written and easy to read.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Received an arc from NetGalley for an honest review.

This book was great, and a lot better than I originally was made out to believe. I thought this was one of those young adult contemporaries that could get lost among the rest but this book provided something that the others did not: Characters I care deeply about, a plot that connected all the characters and made everything interesting, the call out on racism, and the importance of family and friends. Another thing I enjoyed was the romance. It was pure and just cute!

This book also packed a punch! Of many multitudes. Like I previously mentioned, it called out the blatant racism from Isabella's Grandma, and how even from a young age Isabella knew it was wrong. Her dad ended up leaving the family because of it (not a major spoiler I promise). There was diversity, with multiple examples of integration of different languages (which was so cool and made it more real to life) and the culture brought by Isabella's mother, all so great!! I also loved the Habitat for Humanity storyline, it was unique and something I personally haven't seen done before in a young adult book. It's something I knew of already, but it's important to introduce it to younger people because it's an amazing thing.

Overall, this book was great and I would very much recommend it to anyone looking for a heart-wrenching yet heart warming young adult contemporary!