Fans of Darius will not be disappointed in this follow up that handles issues of consent beautifully from a male point of view. Just the right combination of heart and humor I will be recommending this to all my high school collections.

I loved the first book and was honestly quite hesitant about a new installment; there were no ends to tie up or worlds still left to save. We, as readers, already got to see massive growth from Darius, and it felt like his story was complete. Could the second book really hold a candle to the first? The answer is absolutely and then some.

Darius the Great Deserves Better continues the story in such an authentic way. We get to see his how much he has grown as a person and how much more secure he has become in his identity. At the same time, we get to see him still struggle. The struggles he experiences are in no way a step back but rather authentic continuations. Furthermore, this book deals with so many complex issues, such as body shaming, racism, mental illness (from multiple perspectives), consent, sexual and gender identity, all with such maturity and heart. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is an amazing addition to the world of YA literature that is sure to touch countless hearts and souls in all the right ways.

Excellent read. Great descriptions on mental illness and what it is like to live with it. Possibly better than the first.

I read this in one day. I enjoyed this even more than I liked Darius the Great is Not Okay. Darius has a boyfriend, his dream job, is on the soccer team, and his relationship with his dad has improved. Darius deals with a bully, negotiates friendships and family relationships. There are small moments, like when his little sister is called a "terrorist" by another third grader, that are heartbreaking.

Get this book when it is released later this summer.

I loved being back in the head of Darius! He is one of my favorite YA characters, I also love how sensitive and thoughtful Khorram's writing is. I will definitely be recommending this to my teen patrons at my library.

4.5 stars

I enjoyed the first installment in this series, but for me, this follow-up is even stronger.

Darius's fans know him from his first starring role in _Darius the Great Is Not Okay_. In this novel, we follow Darius to Iran, watch him develop and strengthen family ties, get a stronger sense of what he calls his "fractional Persian" identity, witness his coming out, learn about his battle with depression, and generally see him experience a lot of growth.

In this second installment, Darius's progression is more nuanced and involves an incredible amount of tea drinking! Highlights here include his incredibly charming relationship with his sister, his increasingly healthy relationship with his dad (also a clear foil), his budding friendship with Chip, and his questionable connection with his current partner, Landon. Darius also continues to deal with his own depression as well as his changing identity at school and his feelings about himself.

The representation here is so positive; the characters are not types but round and distinct, and there is no fetishizing of LGBTQ+ folks. I also really enjoy the progressive treatment of depression, grief, regret, racism, and socio-economic identity.

There's so much to cover here, and I'd absolutely consider teaching this. Fans of the first book will not be disappointed, and even as a standalone, there's so much to learn and discuss. Overall, a solid read -

Darius is back from Iran and settling into a life that he thinks he should want, but he’s not sure it’s what makes him happy. Just like the first book in the series, the author discusses depression in an honest, clear way, and I think Darius is an interesting character. I enjoyed the book but didn’t feel the same connection to the story as I did in the first book, even though it’s well done.

This book was an excellent follow-up to Darius the Great is Not Okay. Iranian-American Darius is on the varsity soccer team and learning to accept his sexuality. He is exploring relationships, both romantic and platonic, and his personal boundaries. He experiences losses big and small, but ultimately the books ends on a hopeful note. I loved it.

The second book following Darius Kellner, a “fractional” (half-Persian) teenager in Portland, OR. Following his family’s trip to Iran, where Darius met his best friend Sohrab and finally felt like he had a place in the world, he’s back home - and getting used to life with his first boyfriend, an internship at a local tea shop, and varsity soccer practice.

Everything seems to have fitted into place; his boyfriend Landon is sweet and Darius’s parents love him, he loves sharing tea with people, and his soccer team is supportive and makes him feel like a part of the team, even if he barely touches the ball during a game.

But life changes, as life is wont to do, and Darius’s dad is away for work and his grandmothers are staying with them, his grandfather in Iran is dying, and his teammate Chip becomes his friend - but he’s also friends with Trent, Darius’s longtime bully. Landon wants the relationship to go further and Darius is just not ready - and why isn’t Sohrab answering his Skype calls?!

Suddenly, it’s not so easy being Darius Kellner anymore.

A moving story of identity, finding your place between cultures (in Darius’s case, both Persian/American cultures and queer/high school/sports culture), and being brave enough to know what you want and going for it. I really love Darius’s character, and his whole family dynamic - and it was sweet (and also stressful!) being along for the ride as he navigates his first relationship. I really hope there is a third book on the horizon - perhaps with Darius getting ready for college?

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Out August 25th, 2020.

I was, honestly, worried about reading Darius the Great Deserves Better as I had loved the first in this (hopefully) series–Darius the Great is Not Okay–an EMBARRASSING amount.

I needn’t have worried.

So many of the highlights of the first are here:
~~Our immensely loveable protagonist Darius who still loves his family and tea and adorns his thoughts and speech with Star Trek references [mostly Deep Space Nine this go-around].
~~The gentle and real way in which both Darius’ and his father’s depression is present. [I am an #ownvoices reviewer in this regard and, IMO, this is very well done.]
~~Darius’ fully developed family–parents, sister, grandparents in Iran, and grandmothers in US.
~~Best friend Sohrab. If only everyone had a best friend like Sohrab!

There are changes for Darius too. He is out, both at home and at school. He works with his boyfriend, Landon, at Landon’s father’s teashop. He’s on the Varsity soccer team and has become friends with [former childhood bully] Chip. Everything should be perfect! Right?

Adib Khorram’s skill in building Darius’ multi-layered world is that it doesn’t feel created–it feels real. And hopeful. The prose is beautiful–inside Darius’ head is a place where I will gladly spend time. The novel weaves in life aspects seamlessly: masculinity (toxic and otherwise), sex and consent, microaggressions, trans acceptance, coming out to family. [A quick aside? Could I love Darius’ soccer teammates and coach any more? No. No, I couldn’t.]

Every middle and high school library should have this book, promote this book, display this book, read this book. I would recommend as a great choice for 7th/8th grade and up.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for middle and high school collections

Since returning from Iran, Darius has felt a bit more confident. He joined the soccer team and came out to his teammates. He knows they have his back, and enjoys the feeling of being part of a team and having friends. He has his first real boyfriend, Landon, and even got his first job in a teashop where he gets to try different flavors. Soccer is going great, they’re having a winning season and Chip is turning out to be a good friend. Everything seemed to be looking up, until things began to go slowly downhill.

His parents started to work more hours, so his grandmothers came to live with them for a while even though they hadn’t spent much time with them in the past. His dad was away for longer periods of time, while Landon kept pressuring him about their relationship. Chip turned out to be a good guy, but his best friend Trent keeps bullying Darius. While his grandfather’s health gets worse, Sohrab is facing trouble in Iran. With all of these issues Darius feels more conflicted than ever, but he finds strength in his friendships, his family and himself.

Readers will definitely relate to Darius and all of his issues, and will feel as if he’s one of their own classmates. I loved reading about Darius again, and can’t wait to see what happens in the next book of the series.

Highly recommended for ages 14 and older.

I received a digital advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I think Darius the Great is Not Okay is by far one of the best contemporary realistic fiction YA novels of all time. So this one had a LOT to live up to, and in many ways it definitely does. I think (and hope hope hope) it was setting up for a third book, because I very much have 'middle book' vibes where a lot of things have been set up and now we need a third one to see them all come to fruition.

oh I loved this one so much!!!

the first book in this series is and always will be one of my fav books ever.!!! this sequel did not disappoint one bit
this is set a few months after our first novel and we follow Darius when he is back from Iran and we see how life has changed for him since his visit.

we see Darius grow even more in this second novel and while we have this few months time jump you can definitely see the confidence that oozes more Darius and how he handles himself in situations with himself and with others. he's definitely changed but he still as all the same characteristics he had from the first novel with his love for tea being the biggest one and now as he works in the teashop (what a perfect job for him) this is also where he met his boyfriend Landon. plus always being the kind and protective brother and son to his family.

as with any mental illness you can have a good days and bad days and that for sure happens for Darius with his depression and the further exploration and talk of depression that happens in this second novel continues between Darius and his father. (their bond in this second novel is so beautiful to see and read about, and how accepted Darius's family make him).

there are so manyyyy things I loved about this book that it would be like writing a book in itself but here is 2-3 out of about 50 that I loved.
the protectiveness Darius has over his sister and how he helps with the bullying she is facing in school .

Darius's queer Grandma's who come to stay with the family throughout this book and the slow growth that happens in the relationship between the three of them and all the little stories that they tell Darius about them being a couple growing up (one is transgender)

and finally how so supportive all of his friends are especially His soccer friends who will always be their for him and make sure he is okay and doing well, and actually not giving a damn that he is Gay. (which is very rare to see in a group of sports related mens teams/circles and we need this more)

like I said I could go on and on about this book but don't want to bore you, when this releases please please pick this one up or if you haven't read the first yet go... read the first then buy the second because you will not be disappointed.

Darius has found his place. An internship at his favorite tea shop. A member of the men’s varsity soccer team. And, a new/first boyfriend. But oh life isn’t as tidy as getting all things you want. Darius’ navigation of his life’s plot twists rings true and delivers oh so many feels. Darius truly is the sweetest boy.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for providing my review copy.

Wow, I just love Darius. This was awesome and I truly hope we get to read more! Darius the Great Deserves Better is a story about acceptance, mental health, love, friendship and communication. Darius learns quite a bit in the first part of his story after he visits Iran. Now, in this follow up, everything has changed since his return home. He’s dating Landon, he’s on the soccer team, his grandparents have come to stay in his home and he all around just begins to grow up. Darius learned a lot from his visit to Iran and learns a lot more in this beautiful story that will tug on your heart strings and have you cheering for Darius from start to finish.

Such a pleasure to revisit Darius' world and watch him navigate first love, torn feelings and what it means to be a friend. Returning from their trip to Iran to visit an ailing grandfather, Darius has a new found friend group in the soccer team, a new job at a real tea shop, and his first boyfriend. But, things aren't so easy when your parents are stretched thin for finances, your dad's starting to show signs of his depression flaring up, and a sneaking feeling that someone who used to be a bully may be sending signals. Or, is that all just in Darius' head? If you haven't read the first Darius the Great is Not Okay, you'll still be able to jump into Darius' world and enjoy.

In the sequel to Darius the Great is Not Okay, Khorram continues the complex and nuanced story of Darius and his amazing family, the story of his continued, realistic and complex struggle with mental health and meds, and the search for love of family, friends, and a boyfriend. Khorram deftly covers post-9/11 racism, homophobia, mental health stigmas, and difficult family dynamics in a novel that is a pleasure to read.

I read this book in two days, picking it up in every spare moment I had. There are no easy formulas or neatly packaged conclusions in this book, it's as nuanced and meaningful as everyday lives. A great second installment in Darius's story, I hope there are more.

I read this in one night - Darius remains a relatable and empathetic character in this sequel. His struggles with his identity, his family and with the question of consent. It is an #ownvoices, LGBTQ title, but it has a much bigger reach than that. Darius is so honest about his sexuality and his mental health that his internal monologues are some of the best I have read. Highly recommended for HS student. No matter their orientation.they will be able to relate.

A full blog post will definitely be published this week.

Next I’ll say that I have a slight bias- I was on the Morris committee that selected Darius the Great Is Not Okay as a finalist and then the ultimate winner. So I was equal parts excited and nervous to read it’s follow up. Yet, as you can see- 5 stars. No joke.

What a wonderous walk back into Darius’s world: a teen boy on the soccer team. A boyfriend. An internship that turns into a job selling tea- the things that he loves. He’s trying to advocate for this younger sister who is being bullied at school. He’s sad about his dying grandfather in Iran. He wants to make sure his dad is fine.

Khorram’s skillful writing flows easily. I was entrenched from the start because Darius is so easy to love as a vivid portrait of a teen boy trying to make his way through life but doubts a lot of his moves and feelings. Yet he wants authenticity, from himself and his friends. So Khorram creates conflict and Darius rises to the occasion creating a feel-good story with not so happy moments that teens can learn from: mirror, window, or sliding glass door. He addresses sex straightforwardly as well as discrimination and homophobia.

I love that the answer to anything is to make a cup of tea. I also love that this is always family-forward in all of its iterations. It’s warm and cerebral but fun. An excellent follow up for sure... it’ll be a looong wait until it’s actually in print!

I’ve not cried this much since...well, since Darius the Great is not Okay

I just finished one of my most anticipated books of the year, the sequel to one of my all-time favourite books. And now I can breathe again. I was so scared. Writing a sequel to a beloved, special book is a frightening and difficult task but Adib pulled it off.

This book is set a few months after Darius' family's return from Iran, where they visited Darius' grandparents. Now that school has started again, Darius is part of the soccer team, grew several inches, got a haircut and a boyfriend. His name is Landon and they met at the tea shop that Darius is interning for. Things have changed but they're still the same. Darius has somehow become an ever bigger tea nerd, he's still the loving and protective older brother to Laleh, and he still struggles with depression and self-confidence.

This isn't a plot-driven book, so for the first few chapters I kept wondering what this was all about. And really, it's a coming of age novel. There are so many things on Darius' mind: his boyfriend wants to have sex but Darius isn't sure he's ready yet, his parents are overworked and struggling to keep the family afloat, his sister is having a hard time at school, his schoolmate Chip is really cute but Darius is in a relationship and anyway, Chip's best friend is a dick who keeps calling Darius homophobic slurs. Moreover, Darius grandpa in Iran is dying and Sohrab, Darius' best friend, keeps ignoring his Skype calls. And that's just the start of it.

There were a few things that I found middle irritating, like the constant mention of Darius' testicles. I mean, yeah, they were almost busted during soccer training but at one point I had simply heard enough about them. Then again, they're pubescent teenagers who spend a lot of time thinking about their genitals so I guess it's not entirely unrealistic. Also, Darius has his signature expressions like "Um" and "Yes. No. I don't know." I read this book in one sitting so I found them somewhat repetitive. And I wanted to see more of Sohrab. He's going through something major and I wanted to hear more about his circumstances (Yes, this is my way of saying I need a Sohrab spin-off novel). As you see, it's just minor stuff though - I'm nitpicking and don't have anything important to criticise.

Here is an (incomplete) list of things that I loved:
- Darius relationship with his father is very warm and loving which is balm for my heart after the hard time they had in the first book
- Darius' soccer teammates have his back and are super supportive when Darius introduces his boyfriend and shows up wearing nail polish. As someone who was bullied in school for being gay before I even knew I was gay, this broke my heart - in a good way. Men-only team sports are filled to the brim with toxic masculinity and thrive on homophobia, and to see Darius thrive in his circle of friends gave me hope.
- Sohrab!! While we don't get to see much of him, he's the most supportive best friend Darius could have.
- Darius' queer grandmas opening up to Darius about their past
- Darius using gender neutral pronouns for people whose gender identity he doesn't know
- Darius explaining that just because some has a queer best friend doesn't mean they can't be homophobic
- Laleh being Laleh
- the mental health representation
- the discussion of homophobia, racism, depression and body issues

I could go on. I also love how Adib Khorram manages to write novels that aren't super sad but still make me cry like a baby. I cannot explain what it is that makes me so emotional, it just does. I'm glad this book exists. And now that we've had a sequel, why not make it a trilogy? What will Darius decide on once he's finished high school? What happens with Chip? Will we see Sohrab? Are his grandmothers going to join him at the Pride parade? I need to know.