THIS WAS EVERYTHING!

THIS WAS EVERYTHING!

Very easy to get into and straight forward: Aarón and Mia have both lost a parent and are using music to help them through their sadness. When they both run away from a music school audition, they begin talking and realize they can help each other heal. The story touched on conversations that need to be had addressing issues of :grief, mental illness, and immigration policies.

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

Heartbreak Symphony put me on a never-ending emotional elevator ride. It dove into so many hard topics that were eye opening and realistic. We see grief, mental illness, and immigration policies in play throughout the entire book. Some frustrated the hell out of me. Others made me sit back and think on everything.

In this, you will meet Aarón and Mia. They have one thing in common and that's losing a parent. Well, I guess you can say that they have two things in common because they love music. It helps them cope with everything and anything.

Now these two were pretty likable. I honestly really enjoyed getting to know them and watching them grow throughout the book. Leaning on one another and seeking help were the best things they could do in order to really heal.

As for everything else? Well, when protests and such came up due to ICE it definitely had me worried. Mostly because of how the media/police handles these situations and kind of twists and turns certain protests in a darker light. Even if it's peaceful. So, when that is what exactly happens in this book, well, it pissed me off.

Other than that, I was really happy with how this all ended. Especially the last chapter because it was so freaking cute, and they truly deserve a better and happier life. I'm so happy that I got the chance to dive into this book and look forward to the next one Laekan writes!

3.5 rounded up.

I really loved this author's debut book last year: Somewhere between bitter and sweet. So I was extremely excited for their sophomore YA dual perspective romance featuring two Latinx teens who bond and fall in love over a shared love of music and grief over the loss of a parent.

Aarón and Mia help each other overcome their fears and anxieties surrounding putting themselves out there to pursue their music careers and along the way fall in love. I really enjoyed how nuanced and relatable these characters were. Not only are they dealing with heavy family issues (parental abandonment and death) but undocumented friends get scooped up by ICE, adding an extra layer of relevancy to the story.

Great on audio narrated by Robb Moreira and Tania Possick. The mental health rep in this book was also wonderful and it is one I will gladly recommend. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Amazing YA novel by one of my favorite authors. The themes of grief, self-doubt, found family, and healing from it all made some moments tearful, and the characters had me cheering for them the entire time.

Heartbreak Symphony is the story of Mia and Aaron who are both dealing with the death of a parent, enforcement of immigration laws which tears the community apart. They use music to help them get through their grief. Enjoyed the pace of the story, great story with a nice cover. I enjoy stories that address real life issues In this story they address grief and social issues.

Thank you to NetGalley for this Arc!