I love how immersed I got in this book. That doesn't happen to often, I can love a book but not be diving into it every chance I get. This one had me doing that. I needed to know what was happening next! The writing was awesome and the depth to the characters was so great. Definitely recommend!

A good story that will engage you you will love the characters the story the plot it was all so good this book will stick with you when you are done reading

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Algonquin for the ARC.

This was a wonderful story about growing up and trying to keep stability in their life. Izzy Crawford's family is building a Habitat for Humanity but she keeps it a secret because of her being ashamed of who she is.
This book made one thing clear to me and its that the teenage years would be much more managable if everyone was able to admit they all have fears and doubts as teens. That's what being a teen is about!

I enjoyed the story!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Izzy had always felt caught between two worlds. Biracial, but white-passing, she passed her days in her private school, and the rest of her time in her trailer park home. When Aubrey, the new transfer student, befriended Izzy, she had the opportunity to mingle among the town's wealthier citizens, but how long would Izzy be able to hide who she was from her new friends?

This was a story of friendship, family, first love, identity, and grief, and Izzy was at the center of it all. Right when she had started to settle into her new life in Virginia, her family was selected to receive a home via Habitat for Humanity, AND she fell for her best friend's crush. Obviously, both things resulted in lots of stress and complications in her life, because she was trying to hide so much from both her best friend and the crush.

It was quite interesting watching Izzy attempt to navigate the aforementioned situation, however what I really enjoyed was the exploration of her identity. With the loss of her father, she was missing a very vital piece of who she was, while she was also isolated from her father's side of the family. This left her with many questions, and I was happy, when Izzy sought those answers by reconnecting with her father's kin. She learned a lot from the experience, and it brought an important part of her past into her present.

All the characters in this book were stellar, and Padian did fantastic job shaping them. They were multifaceted and interesting, while still seeming real. I had a lot of love for Sam and Aubrey, but I absolutely adored Mami. This woman was a superhero. The way she sacrificed for her children, and the determination it took for her to keep going in the face of so many difficult things, all on her own, was nothing short of amazing.

The author took on some BIG issues in this book, but she did so in an honest, yet sensitive way. I appreciated her approach, and it never felt heavy handed to me. I appreciated the different sides she approached each topic from, and liked the way she wove it all into the story.

Overall: A wonderful and touching story of self discovery, that was filled with lots of hope and love.

How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian, 352 pages.
Algonquin Young Readers, 2020. $18.
Language: R (129 swears, 0 “f” + Spanish swears); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS – OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Izzy puts up a strong front to keep her home life and outside life separate, but she can’t keep it up forever. The carefully constructed partitions start to fail as good things enter Izzy’s life. Which is more important: her image or her happiness?
Readers have to get used to Padian’s fluid manipulation of the timeline, which I got annoyed with for a while in the middle of the book, but it all works out if readers stick with it. The ending tied up all the loose ends, but I wish that Izzy had been written to face the music regarding the last loose end that was tied up so that she could continue her character development. I felt like her arc was cut short by the easy out that Padian gave her.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

I want to thank Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have to say I honestly really loved this book!
The characters were really interesting and drew me into the story. I couldn’t get enough of these adorable characters I wanted to read even more about because I admired them and their journey.
The writing was amazing it flowed really well I was never bored and just wanted to keep reading.
This is an author that I will be keeping an eye out for now!
4 stars

I loved this book. It was exactly the feel good story I needed to end my night. I loved how perfectly and sensitive it discussed racism and the grief of losing a parent. I would recommend this book to everyone who needs a little bit of happiness with some angst in it.

A good story, which will engage all readers. A good choice for a TA audience, who are looking for a step up to Adult Fiction.

A truly touching, thematic young adult book that looks at themes such as loss, bullying, friendship, race, and family.



The main protaganist is a Latin-American girl, Izzy Crawford, who is portrayed as living in a mobile home park, in a low socioeconomic area in Virgina, America, with her navy widowed mum and younger brother Jack. I loved how this book not only focuses on Izzy and her family, but also her friends that are portrayed in this book, such as Audrey and her social anxiety and fear of being bullied again, and Roz with her alcoholic mother and abusive mother's boyfriend. These issues are thoroughly explored, as well as the issue of race, as Izzy and her mother feel like outsiders in the American community due to being Latinas.

I found it really touching that Izzy tries to rally everyone around her, including lost contacts to help build a house, saving her from that 'forever moving because we're poor' fear, which she tries so hard to hide from her friends from her catholic school (of which she's on scholarship for). I enjoyed how Izzy doesn't come off as snobby, even though she goes to the catholic school, and befriends the unlikeliest of people, such as Roz, her cousin Mark, and Aubrey and Sam.

I found the romance in this book felt sort of like insta-love, however, it didn't detract from the vibes the book was giving me!

Rating: 4/5

(This review will feature on my blog on the 6th of Jan!)

This book surprised me in a great way! I was expecting a contemporary YA read, but this book centered more heavily on themes such as friendship and family. Admittedly, some of Izzy's actions were questionable and the plot had some challenging moments, but overall it was a great read. I also loved the representation in this book and how well done it was.

I don't usually read contemporary but this was good. It's a good coming of age story where you are figuring out old and new friends and life. And it made me cry which might not sound good but it is

*3.5*

I have to say I quite enjoyed this book. "How to build a heart" talks about Izzy, a young Latin-American girl. Her father was in the military, and because of that she is used to moving. But now she has found some friends in Virginia, she has settled in her new school, and she also met a boy. When she gets the chance to settle for good, Izzy starts to think that maybe there is hope for her too.

I enjoyed a lot of aspects of this book: the representation in this book was REALLY good, and I love to see how YA books deal with themes like this. I also enjoyed how the romance was not the main focus of this book. Sam, our love interest, was one of the main characters, but the focus was not on him. The story is about a teenage girl finding her place in the world, thanks to her family, her friends, her boyfriend, but most importantly herself.

Sadly, I was not a fan of some things in this book: I really did not get the main friendship, for me it was... strange. I do NOT like how Izzy came to know her best friend's crush and did not telle her ANYTHING about it, and then started to hang out with him and her sister and still not telling her ANYTHING about it. Maybe it's me, but I would never keep a secret like that from a person that I consider my best friend in the world.
In the end, everything went fine, also because of some traumatic events that I won't say because of spoilers, but still it hurt me a little bit to see how the two characters' friendship was sometimes just simply opportunistic. No, not for me.

The romance was a bit fast, but Sam was sweet, and I loved how loyal and nice he was towards Izzy and her family. At the end he just became the sweetest teenage ever.
I also get why the author left an aura of mystery about the future of their relationship, and I completely understand that. They're teenagers, life change.

The book is a really quick read, if you like YA books and contemporaries in general and I'm glad I had the chance to read it in advance.

How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian a three-star read that will break your heart. I had high hopes for this one, maybe that’s why it didn’t hit the mark, maybe I had too high hopes. It was well written and well plotted, but there was just something missing. I do hope that people enjoy this story and find that they enjoy it and find their tribe. It will appeal to many; it just didn’t appeal to me.

The story of Izzy Crawford, teenage girl who lost her father several months ago in Iraq, who is trying to plant roots in life after moving from place to place for quite sometime. Her family is chosen by Habitat for Humanity to receive a newly built house and for Izzy this finally means settling down to live her life in one place event th0ugh at school, she tries to hide her family issues and struggles with money--keeping the different parts of her life as separate as she can. Izzy is friends with Roz who oddly actually seems like a stalker more than a friend.... Izzy, quite the mixed-cultured teen, is quirky and sweet character who is trying to make her way despite the odds being against her. Well-written realistic look at one teen's struggle with rel life, loss and the love that keeps her strong. Great coming of age story. Worth your time!

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this arc. I will be reviewing this book in the near future with an honest rating and review.

This was very much a book about family and friends, not just a romance for your young adults. Izzy Campbell has had a hard few years since her father died and craves something permanent. It was great to read about Habitat for Humanity giving her family a home so they can finally settle down. Of course that does not mean smooth sailing from there, as with any teenager in a new community there are many problems that still arise!

In "How to Build a Heart', Maria Padian offers a tale of youth that is interesting and, at times, heartbreaking. Told from the first person perspective of Izzy (Isabella Crawford) this story portrays the struggles of a teenage girl trying to reconcile her need to be friends with everyone against her future life. Her mother, a fierce Puerto Rican woman, is hard working and wise and continuously encourages Izzy to be better than the circumstances that she (and their family) are in. Izzy's best friend, Roz, is a character we have seen in many other teen stories, but with a few added twists that you don't see coming, particularly in the last 2 chapters.

At times, "How to Build a Heart" reminded me of the movie "Pretty in Pink" so vividly that it was difficult for me to fully concentrate on Izzy as my mind would wander to Andi and Duckie, but that story is merely the bones of a more interesting and contemporary plot laid out by Padian. Here, we see a young girl that is trying to navigate school, work, friends, and family, while also following her heart when it takes her in new directions. There are moments of chaos in Izzy's life and Padian does a good job of depicting the irrational way in which Izzy reacts to these moments of difficulty.

There are multiple ways in which Izzy grapples with her Puerto Rican identity and her realizations about her paternal grandmother (White, Southern, Racist) that are moving, but I was hoping for even more discussion on race, and specifically being multi-ethnic, than what the author offers to the reader. The characters often dance around their feelings on race in a way that feels realistic, though, reinforcing what most readers already see in their day to day interactions. The book tries to show some of that struggle through Izzy's interactions with her family and through flashbacks, but it could have gone farther when dealing with present day interactions.

Overall, "How to Build a Heart" was a quick and satisfying read and I recommend it for anyone that is interested in YA stories about growing up today and the ways in which teens navigate their worlds in order to become whole adults.

This book was such a heart warming read. I enjoyed M. Padian's style of writing and cant wait to read more books from her.

What an absolutely amazing, beautiful, emotional book. The characters really shine in this story. Izzy is a character you really feel for. She was three-dimensional and realistic. It was a nice change having her be the more confident one and her love interest be a little shyer! And Mami is such an amazing character. Made me get emotional in some places.

I would've liked to hear a little more about Aubrey's depression, and how mental health doesn't discriminate between classes. Aubrey is definitely better off than Izzy in terms of wealth, but Izzy doesn't have depression, and I just think that would've been worthwhile to explore.

Roz is such a valuable side character. Her whole plot is so sad but hopeful at the same time. Ugh, the scene near the end hurt to read. This book tackles so many big topics but does it in a sensitive and sincere way, nothing is just for shock value.

Honestly, this is a book I think everybody should read because it gives a lot of insight into Izzy's life. I learned a lot about Habitat for Humanity and how important it is for so many families. And honestly, I want Izzy as a friend because she's such a kind person. The characters in this book really make it what it is!

Trigger warnings abound: <spoiler> domestic abuse, including one wound that's really nasty; racism; loss of a parent; depression/mental illness </spoiler>

*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This YA novel is well written and will appeal to young teens and older "teens at heart" who worry about fitting in, falling in love and finding (and keeping) a stable home. In this story, Izzy Campbell's life is one huge tragic upheaval, constantly on the move from one place to the other after her father is killed.in Iraq. Her family finally gets to settle down in one place, thanks to Habitat for Humanity, and Izzy's hopes of establishing a life with friends and growing roots now has a chance. But she soon faces difficult choices involving the in crowd at school and how she wants to be perceived by her peers.
Izzy's friend, Roz, another troubled teen, really likes Sam, the hot rich boy in town. But Izzy and Sam can't seem to help the growing attraction between them: oh oh, the dreaded teenage triangle! You will find many of the usual YA tropes here, and there could have been more dialogue and character building, but this still made for an entertaining read. I rate it a 3.5 out of 5.