Love love love Darius! This is one of my favorite series and i’ve loved watching Darius grow and figure out who he is. When do we get a third book?!

As a sequel, I would not recommend this as a standalone—but I would urge fans of the LGBT YA genre to give both books a go, because Darius is a character whose (ongoing) story is well worth the read.

“You deserve people in your life who make you happy, Darius. No matter what. Just remember that. Okay?”

Oh Darius….the love I have for his character is unmatched. There are so many things I could say about this book. But all I can muster up that will make sense is GO READ THE BOOK!

I loved how we got to see Darius explore more of his sexuality and the conversation around his readiness to have sex. Seeing him speak up about what he wants and what he is willing to give was so warming.

The exploration of friendship, love, grief, and acceptance was so rich.

Anyway. I loved it!

I love Darius so I loved revisiting his life and seeing what he was up to. I loved how queer this book is and how Darius always has people that have his back.

Reader be warned: You may need a hankie or two as you read this one.

I finished Darius the Great Deserves Better in less than 24 hours, which surprised me because I kept picking up and putting down Darius the Great is Not Okay.

I think it was because at the time I read it, it was a perfect book for me. After prolonged illness, my grandfather recently passed away. It was something that we were expecting, at the same time, it was sudden. While my grandfather did live in the same country, it was difficult to visit him because he lived in a different state, and difficult to communicate with him because of language barriers. So it was nice to read about a character that was in a similar situation.

Also enjoyed Darius blossoming into himself. That he joined the soccer team, and has made friends. That he realized certain things weren't working for him.

I do wish we got more from all the adults. I feel that those stories were slice of life, and I just need more information about their past.

Hoping that there is a third book, but also this is a good place to end Darius.

Have everything seemed like it was going really really good.... then all of a sudden out of nowhere one little tiny inconvenience leads to everything spiraling out of control? That's what happed to Darius. Just one thing after another. This is a story about how things change, people change. And you just have to roll with the punches or let them take you out

Picking up a few months after the events of Darius the Great is Not Okay, this book follows Darius as he navigates relationships and friendships, with his boyfriend, old and new friends, and his grandmothers. Even though he should be happy, things keep causing Darius to feel unsettled. His dad has to travel a lot for business and he struggling emotionally, his sister is having trouble at school, he's still getting bullied by his nemesis. Darius needs support and love, but his needs come at a time when his family is in the midst of stressful and sad situations, too. With his father always out of town, his mother working long hours, and his grandmothers staying with the family, Darius keeps reaching out to Sohrab, but even Sohrab isn't available. Suddenly he starts relying more on Chip, but he can't quite figure Chip out all the time, which is unsettling, too. It's a lot for one teenager to deal with!
This book is such a beautifully told, engaging, and emotional story. But, Darius is so likeable that you can't help but root for him and those around him.

Everything about this book was beautiful to me. The mental health awareness, being aware of the problematic ways poc are represented in media! I just loved it.

I was very, very nervous that this would not live up to the first book. I came to "Darius the Great is Not Okay" a little late to the game, but it was instantly at the top of my favorite books to recommend to readers, and had a place on my keeper shelf. The first book made me feel things, and this sequel does that and then some. Honestly, I need a hug, or ten. An emotional ride, I'm not sure I'm ready to say goodbye to Darius and crew, and I would not be mad if they kept making more and more Darius books. I just wish it had a slightly more eye catching cover - it definitely deserves it.

Great follow-up to the first book. Getting for my collection - students are clamoring for realistic LGBTQIA books!

DARIUS!!! It was so good to read what was happening with Darius as he reevaluated his life and relationships after returning from Iran.

This sequel to Darius the Great is Not Okay continues Darius's journey into adulthood, this time focusing on his entrance into the dating world. But the right guy might not be the one he thinks, just like working in his beloved tea shop is not what he imagines it will be. Written with heart, this book provides s unique but universal perspective that incorporates multiple identities: Iranian-American, gay, and mentally ill.

I absolutely loved the first Darius book, but I think I might have liked this one even more. Once I finished, I honestly need more books about him. I love that the romance in this book brings Darius into the light - after leaving things slightly ambiguous in the first book. There's also something so magical about using the tea shop as a setting for lots of important scenes and how important tea was in his life. The descriptions of the different kinds of tea gives this book a real scent memory-feel.
I would definitely read another Darius book, if there were one in the works!

I really enjoyed the first Darius book so was extremely excited to get this ARC. However, this one didn’t quite live up to my expectations. For one, there is a lot of dialogue, and some of it seems completely unnecessary.. Darius’s family is lovely and caring and I liked that aspect, but I didn’t love the relationship parts in this story much. Neither love interest was really great. There’s also more talk of penises and balls, and masturbation than I typically care for, but maybe that appeals more to the target audiences.

It is a good sequel, but it didn't rock my world like the first. It is emotional and heartwarming and I'm glad I read it, but I just got too excited and was left mildly disappointed. With that said, it is a great book and totally captures a lot of heart and love in one paperbound tree.

I tried to like this one as much as other readers but it wasn't in the cards for me. This story felt forced yet dull. I think I understand what the author was trying to do but the delivery did not work for me.

I loved revisiting Darius. In the first book, Darius's trip to Iran with his family was really emotional as Darius struggled to be himself while getting his father to actually see and accept him. In this book, Darius finally gets along with his father, but now what should be his perfect year is not turning out how it should. Darius struggles in many of his relationships: with his grandmothers and his significant other. What he thought was his perfect career path turns out to be a struggle. It was a really emotional time to read Darius's struggle with everyday life. It was a very heartfelt struggle as Darius worked through his relationships and found that sometimes people are not who they seem to be. I think this book is valuable for teens because it shows many different paths to discovering yourself and how it doesn't happen overnight (or even over a summer in Iran).

Darius is back with all his awkward charm, love for tea, and astute observations. There’s just something about the way Darius narrates his story that emotes all the f e e l s and sucks you in like a tractor beam. If you’re new to the Darius universe, book one is ‘Darius the Great Is Not Okay’ and a must (if YA contemporary is your love). Everyone else, proceed here as Darius navigates first love, loss, his first high-school party, depression, the Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy, and more… This sequel is something to be hyped about!

I'm so angry that I put this book off as long as I did. Shame on me for not getting to it before it released. But this was everything I wanted in a sequel to Darius the Great is Not Okay. I adore Darius and his family and while this book handles heavy topics, it left me feeling so soft and in love with Darius. Seeing him come into his own, to explore himself and his beliefs and sexuality was wonderful. It's a must read for those who loved the second book and a fantastic addition to YA shelves.

Oh sweet Darius, how I missed you! I just adored Darius the Great is Not Okay so much - it grabbed my heart and never let go. I was so excited to learn of this sequel.

It definitely can be read as a standalone - but I highly recommend reading the first book to introduce you to this sweet boy! Since he's returned form his trip to Iran, we now follow Darius as he navigates high school life through academics, athletics, a new boyfriend and job ... but although things seem great on the surface, Darius definitely deserves better. Being okay sometimes is just not enough.

It's a beautiful coming of age story as an Iranian queer teenager tries to navigate life, identity, family, friendship, and love ... and it's an intensely heartwarming story. But it is not without some fun and cute chuckles along the way!

A great read - a complex story that feels just as lighthearted and sweet as it does heavy and relatable. And I do hope we will see Darius again soon.