Book Review: All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
Happy belated pub day to All My Rage and Sabaa Tahir! And thank you Penguin Teen for the e-arc 🧡
“Many authors talk about ‘the book of my heart.’ I tore this book from my heart. It’s a story that demanded to be told, a love letter to the desert and good music and tiny motels and the kinds of friendships that save your life.”
About The Book
This book hurts… a lot. It’s filled with so much pain and grief and hurtful things. But also so many small, beautiful and wonderful things. It speaks volumes. It’s powerful and moving and will definitely leave its mark. It has on me.
Sal and Noor are childhood best friends, both burdened with so many immense, extraneous situations, when a disastrous event rips them apart.
Book Details
Title: All My Rage
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Publication Date: March 1, 2022
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction
My Rating: ★★★★★/5
Purchase a copy: Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Bookshop.org | Book Depository
Add on Goodreads | Literal >> Check out my blog all about Literal Club here <<
Synopsis
Lahore, Pakistan. Then.
Misbah is a dreamer and storyteller, newly married to Toufiq in an arranged match. After their young life is shaken by tragedy, they come to the United States and open the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel, hoping for a new start.
Juniper, California. Now.
Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends; they are family. Growing up as outcasts in the small desert town of Juniper, California, they understand each other the way no one else does. Until The Fight, which destroys their bond with the swift fury of a star exploding.
Now, Sal scrambles to run the family motel as his mother Misbah’s health fails and his grieving father loses himself to alcoholism. Noor, meanwhile, walks a harrowing tightrope: working at her wrathful uncle’s liquor store while hiding the fact that she’s applying to college so she can escape him—and Juniper—forever.
When Sal’s attempts to save the motel spiral out of control, he and Noor must ask themselves what friendship is worth—and what it takes to defeat the monsters in their pasts and the ones in their midst.
“I see now that you were always two halves of a whole, two hands interlaced, two voices raised to a melody sung in time.”
The Story
spoiler-free
Sal and Noor are childhood best friends, now in high school and both burdened with immense, extraneous situations, when a disastrous event rips them apart.
this book has:
childhood best friends
all the classic tunes x fantasy nerd things
multiple POVs
young but forever love
tragedy x harsh realities
second chances x rediscovery
family, faith, hope, love
multi-generational x now & then storylines
The Characters
these are the main players!
Noor, our strong, resilient, and determined female MC, she’s trying to make it through high school while working at her awful uncle’s liquor store while secretly applying to college.
Sal, a lover of all things nerdy and fantasy, he’s trying to find his way in the world and support his family’s business at the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel after ultimate tragedy strikes.
Misbah, Sal’s mother, is a breath of fresh air, a dreamer, and a storyteller.
Steamometer
❤️ - NICE AND SWEET
But with some intense moments as well as chemistry, friendship, and attraction.
For those who are unfamiliar with my Steamometer, check it out below (it’s ever-evolving lol)!
❤️ NICE AND SWEET
💃🏼 SASSY SPICE
🔥 STEAMYYYY GOODNESS
🥵 MY OVARIES ARE BURSTING
🌋 my whole body is on fire and I’m melting
🖤 SMUTASTIC
Content Warnings
Please be sure to check all the content warnings at the start of the book. Potential triggers include:
racism/Islamophobia
drug & alcohol abuse/addiction
child/domestic abuse
repressed trauma
illness
death
tense interactions with law enforcement.
Overall Thoughts
I devoured 95% of this story in one sitting. It consistently left me hand-to-mouth gasping, tearful and gut-punched throughout, and by the end, bittersweetly and completely whole. I felt for these characters, longed and grieved with them, hoped for them, dreamed with them. Sabaa's writing is stunning.
There is a lot of heartbreak and loss in this story - it's devastating and emotionally charged, wrapped up in so much beauty, hope, and healing. It touches on unfathomable things and acute situations that make this a profound and imperative read.
I’d love to get Salahudin and Noor’s next chapter. 🥺🧡
“I wonder what it’s like to be with someone who can love you through your rage.”
About The Author
About Sabaa Tahir:
#1 New York Times bestselling author of the An Ember in the Ashes series, which has been translated into over thirty-five languages. She grew up in California’s Mojave Desert at her family’s eighteen-room motel. There, she spent her time devouring fantasy novels, raiding her brother’s comic book stash, and playing guitar badly. She began writing An Ember in the Ashes while working nights as a newspaper editor. She likes thunderous indie rock, garish socks, and all things nerd.
Website | Instagram | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook
*Pic and bio Courtesy of her website
All My Rage is out now!
Thank you so much Penguin Teen and Razorbill Books for the advanced digital and review copy.
Others Books/Series By Sabaa That I Can’t Wait To Continue!
Pin Me
More On The Blog
Disclaimer
Hey friend. I wanted you to know that this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you chose to sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link. I don't want you to worry because I only recommend tools and products that I personally use and love and I always have my readers' best interest at heart. Thanks for hangin' with me!
Oh hey, friend!
I’m Leah. Cozy connoisseur and bountiful book buyer. I have a minor obsession with getting lost in the pages of a good book, guzzling coffee, and thriving at home. Leggings, wine, and essential oils are also my jam. I'm truly just a bookworm and homebody at heart with a knack for content creation & cozy shots. This is my creative space.
When the nights are longer and darkness falls sooner, having a tale of magic to dive into makes all the difference for my mental health and well-being. There’s nothing better than an immersive fantasy read in the heart of winter and I’ve got 15 winter fantasy book recommendations lined up here – for every type of fantasy reader — to keep your spirits bright this chilly, cozy season.