BLOG TOUR: How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian

 I am very excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian. I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Algonquin Young Readers and Maria Padian for letting me be a part of the Blog Tour. This book not only has a beautiful cover, but it also contains a great story.

Title: How to Build a Heart

Author: Maria Padian

Published by: Algonquin Young Readers

Released: January 28, 2021

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Goodreads     Amazon

 

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. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this. Izzy's story has a lot going on with it. It's a book that explores a lot of issues. Izzy's life has thrown her a lot of challenges with the death of her father and trying to find some place to belong. It's a very emotional story, but one that really resonated. It was really well written and moving. 

I really enjoyed following Izzy's journey. There was a little romance in here, but it wasn't the main focus of the story. I really enjoyed the friendship aspect in this book. As a girl who has always had to move from one place to another, Izzy didn't really have that chance to make a lasting friendship.

This book also deals with the death of a parent, more specifically a parent who died overseas defending the United States in war. That's a very hard and sad situation for any kid to be in. I thought this book did a good job with that. Readers should be aware if this is a subject they are sensitive to.

This was a very well written and impactful story. I liked it a lot. I'd definitely recommend giving it a read and I'm glad I got to read it.

Maria Padian has a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia. She is a freelance writer, essayist, and author of young adult novels, including Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress, Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best, and Out of Nowhere. Maria lives with her family in Brunswick, Maine. Visit her online at mariapadian.com and find her on Twitter: @mpadian.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian. Thanks so much to Algonquin Young Readers and Maria Padian for letting me be a part of the tour.