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All the Things We Never Knew
From the moment Carli and Rex first locked eyes on a Texas high school basketball court, they both knew it was destiny. But can you truly love someone else if you don’t love yourself? Acclaimed author Liara Tamani’s luminous second novel explores love, family, heartbreak, betrayal, and the power of healing, in gorgeous prose that will appeal to readers of Nicola Yoon and Jacqueline Woodson.
A glance was all it took. That kind of connection, the immediate and raw understanding of another person, just doesn’t come along very often. And as rising stars on their Texas high schools’ respective basketball teams, destined for bright futures in college and beyond, it seems like a match made in heaven. But Carli and Rex have secrets. As do their families.
Liara Tamani, the author of the acclaimed Calling My Name, follows two Black teenagers as they discover how first love, heartbreak, betrayal, and family can shape you—for better or for worse. A novel full of pain, joy, healing, and hope for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jenny Han.
A glance was all it took. That kind of connection, the immediate and raw understanding of another person, just doesn’t come along very often. And as rising stars on their Texas high schools’ respective basketball teams, destined for bright futures in college and beyond, it seems like a match made in heaven. But Carli and Rex have secrets. As do their families.
Liara Tamani, the author of the acclaimed Calling My Name, follows two Black teenagers as they discover how first love, heartbreak, betrayal, and family can shape you—for better or for worse. A novel full of pain, joy, healing, and hope for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jenny Han.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published June 9, 2020
About the author
Liara Tamani
6 books290 followersLiara Tamani lives in Houston, Texas. She is the author of the acclaimed young adult novels Calling My Name, All the Things We Never Knew, and What She Missed. Her words have appeared in Time Magazine, NPR, and The New York Times. And her work has been featured by Good Morning America, Buzzfeed, Essence Magazine, Teen Vogue, and more. Before becoming a writer, she attended Harvard Law School and worked as a marketing coordinator for the Houston Rockets & Comets, production assistant for Girlfriends (TV show), home accessories designer, floral designer, and yoga and dance teacher. She holds an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a BA from Duke University.
www.liaratamani.com
www.liaratamani.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
March 14, 2021
Even while planning to read All the Things We Never Knew by Liara Tamani, I had no intentions of reviewing it on my blog, or at all honestly. But after how much even the first couple pages of it wowed me by its visceral writing and lovable characters, I knew I couldn’t just not say anything about this book.
So, while yes, this review is a very spur-of-the-moment thing, it was something I initially did not think I would be doing, I really do want to support this book and its author as much as I possibly am able to, as I already do have the costless opportunity to read and review it . . . so here we are! I really do hope this review inspires you to read it – it’s criminally unfair I’d never seen anybody mention this book before its publication date.
I feel like so many reviewers will slam this book for having such an instalovish romance, but I think that’s exactly the point.I loved it anyway. I find that so surprising, too, as I often say insta-love is my least favorite trope in a book. Though, I’ve come to realize that perhaps my hatred of particular tropes isn’t because of the trope itself, but rather than how the author writing it executes it and makes the story their own . . . but also, how I never really see those tropes with characters who aren’t marginalized. Along with the unorthodox but lovable nature of Rex and Carli’s romance, I honestly wouldn’t care if this had all of the basic tropes, either, because the two main characters are Black and we don’t get to see Black characters doing basic things and being in basic tropes which are so often dominated by white characters. So, I loved this book for that – it was so easy for me to find solace in these characters, them being Black.
And maybe this is odd to remark on, but it’s worth mentioning how short this book is (my e-ARC was 193 pages). I finished it just after two nights spent reading it (which isn’t the norm for me, at all), and despite how little it took me to finish it, it still didn’t feel as if this book was that short. So much things happen, and while this did ache to read at sometimes—I could definitely see how this book could be too much for readers—I absolutely loved following the experiences of Carli and Rex. Seeing them loving and caring for each other amidst all of their struggles made me feel things, but they’re both also such relatable people. They just felt like normal teenagers going through life, and I very much connected with so many of the things they went through.
Like, there’s Carli, who has this constant sense of her future already being planned out for her, except it’s not a future she wants, just one that’s always so casually forced upon her. I say casually because it’s as if others have been willing this imaginary life of becoming a professional basketball player upon her for so long, so this planned future isn’t even a question – it just is how it is, and it’s what Carli’s going to end up doing, no doubt. And I guess it would make sense, to think so though? Because since she’s good at basketball for so long and accomplishing so many big things with it, why would she do anything else? While these ideals could be true for many people, they’re really harmful to put upon everyone (particularly teens).
We as a society are so obsessed with the idea of being the #1 most successful and doing the most successful things and being the best at everything and picking up something at .00005 years old and also realizing at that moment “THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO IN MY LIFE,” even when it’s not even something most people go through . . . ? Like all of these things are great and if this is you, then great!! But it’s just not a realistic mindset to force upon every single person and should stop being treated as such. And I so appreciated how this is portrayed in this book! It shows it’s completely okay for teens to not be 100% sure about what they want to do in their life and I loved that.
I also really liked this book’s writing! It has a nicely casual feel to it, and everything flows so well – all of the different parts for this book complement each other in such a way it doesn’t even feel as short as it is – if I was unaware of the page count, how well-crafted the pacing was could have led me to believe this was upwards 300 pages. And this is a minor thing, but how short each POV was definitely catered to my enjoyability of the book. I find these days it’s hard for me to enjoy fantasy books because they usually have POVs which are so long in fashion (and alternating).
To sum up this review, I know there’s no doubt All the Things We Never Knew by Liara Tamani will land a spot on my top 10 favorite books of the year. With its excellent portrayals of the Black teenage experience, along with harrowing aspects of heartbreak and grief, there was so much for me to love about this book – given you’re in the right headspace to read it, I highly recommend it!
representation: Black main character w/ Black LI
content warnings: parental death, parental separation & cheating
I received an e-ARC of this book from Greenwillow Books, a HarperCollins imprint, in exchange for an honest review.
So, while yes, this review is a very spur-of-the-moment thing, it was something I initially did not think I would be doing, I really do want to support this book and its author as much as I possibly am able to, as I already do have the costless opportunity to read and review it . . . so here we are! I really do hope this review inspires you to read it – it’s criminally unfair I’d never seen anybody mention this book before its publication date.
I feel like so many reviewers will slam this book for having such an instalovish romance, but I think that’s exactly the point.I loved it anyway. I find that so surprising, too, as I often say insta-love is my least favorite trope in a book. Though, I’ve come to realize that perhaps my hatred of particular tropes isn’t because of the trope itself, but rather than how the author writing it executes it and makes the story their own . . . but also, how I never really see those tropes with characters who aren’t marginalized. Along with the unorthodox but lovable nature of Rex and Carli’s romance, I honestly wouldn’t care if this had all of the basic tropes, either, because the two main characters are Black and we don’t get to see Black characters doing basic things and being in basic tropes which are so often dominated by white characters. So, I loved this book for that – it was so easy for me to find solace in these characters, them being Black.
“I love you, Rex,” I tell him. And I feel his trembling hands go still on the crown of my head. See his tender face burst open. Hear a hundred tiny bells toll in my heart. No false alarms. [ . . .]
After a while I pull away and stare at her.
And it’s like we’re two trees secretly sharing nutrients underground, two stars orbiting around all the things there’s no language for.
And maybe this is odd to remark on, but it’s worth mentioning how short this book is (my e-ARC was 193 pages). I finished it just after two nights spent reading it (which isn’t the norm for me, at all), and despite how little it took me to finish it, it still didn’t feel as if this book was that short. So much things happen, and while this did ache to read at sometimes—I could definitely see how this book could be too much for readers—I absolutely loved following the experiences of Carli and Rex. Seeing them loving and caring for each other amidst all of their struggles made me feel things, but they’re both also such relatable people. They just felt like normal teenagers going through life, and I very much connected with so many of the things they went through.
Like, there’s Carli, who has this constant sense of her future already being planned out for her, except it’s not a future she wants, just one that’s always so casually forced upon her. I say casually because it’s as if others have been willing this imaginary life of becoming a professional basketball player upon her for so long, so this planned future isn’t even a question – it just is how it is, and it’s what Carli’s going to end up doing, no doubt. And I guess it would make sense, to think so though? Because since she’s good at basketball for so long and accomplishing so many big things with it, why would she do anything else? While these ideals could be true for many people, they’re really harmful to put upon everyone (particularly teens).
There’s a difference between being good at something and actually liking it.
We as a society are so obsessed with the idea of being the #1 most successful and doing the most successful things and being the best at everything and picking up something at .00005 years old and also realizing at that moment “THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO IN MY LIFE,” even when it’s not even something most people go through . . . ? Like all of these things are great and if this is you, then great!! But it’s just not a realistic mindset to force upon every single person and should stop being treated as such. And I so appreciated how this is portrayed in this book! It shows it’s completely okay for teens to not be 100% sure about what they want to do in their life and I loved that.
“What’s your favorite number?”
“I don’t know. I guess if I could name the largest number at any given moment, that would be my favorite.”
“Really? Why?”
“I don’t know. There’s something reassuring about the fact that numbers never run out . . . that they keep getting higher and higher, forever and ever. It’s like numbers never really lie.”
I also really liked this book’s writing! It has a nicely casual feel to it, and everything flows so well – all of the different parts for this book complement each other in such a way it doesn’t even feel as short as it is – if I was unaware of the page count, how well-crafted the pacing was could have led me to believe this was upwards 300 pages. And this is a minor thing, but how short each POV was definitely catered to my enjoyability of the book. I find these days it’s hard for me to enjoy fantasy books because they usually have POVs which are so long in fashion (and alternating).
To sum up this review, I know there’s no doubt All the Things We Never Knew by Liara Tamani will land a spot on my top 10 favorite books of the year. With its excellent portrayals of the Black teenage experience, along with harrowing aspects of heartbreak and grief, there was so much for me to love about this book – given you’re in the right headspace to read it, I highly recommend it!
representation: Black main character w/ Black LI
content warnings: parental death, parental separation & cheating
I received an e-ARC of this book from Greenwillow Books, a HarperCollins imprint, in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2021
If anyone is looking for a sweet romance book for the summer starring two Black teens giving a dual perspective I would recommend this. There's just enough secrets to keep the plot moving. There are important messages and depictions of family. There's a sensitive Black boy that isn't afraid to acknowledge his emotions and cry at times. There's a sweet girl discovering what she interests her after years someone else's interests being put upon her. There's basketball and Texas heat. And the writing is so pretty and easy to follow along without sounding trite.
Thank you Edelweiss for granting me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read my full review
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
Thank you Edelweiss for granting me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read my full review
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
April 29, 2021
who knew instalove could make me so soft??
— I would highly suggest you go check out nat’s review ✨
This book took me by surprise — if you know anything about me, you’ll have guessed by now that love at first sight is hardly something I enjoy in novels. I mean come on. How can two people know they are destined to be upon their first glance? Yet somehow this story manages to twist the trope into something that feels authentic and desperately long-awaited, watching two Black teens take the place that has been monopolized by white authors since the very beginning of YA.
Overall, All the Things We Never Knew is so much more than just a love story and a quiet celebration of Black love and experiences. It explores complex family dynamics, the heartache of grief, and societal pressure to fit into a mould that doesn’t quite fit who you’ve grown into. With her engaging writing and vibrant characters, I can’t wait to read more of Liara Tamani’s work and would most definitely recommend this read to others.
> 3.5 stars
— I would highly suggest you go check out nat’s review ✨
This book took me by surprise — if you know anything about me, you’ll have guessed by now that love at first sight is hardly something I enjoy in novels. I mean come on. How can two people know they are destined to be upon their first glance? Yet somehow this story manages to twist the trope into something that feels authentic and desperately long-awaited, watching two Black teens take the place that has been monopolized by white authors since the very beginning of YA.
Overall, All the Things We Never Knew is so much more than just a love story and a quiet celebration of Black love and experiences. It explores complex family dynamics, the heartache of grief, and societal pressure to fit into a mould that doesn’t quite fit who you’ve grown into. With her engaging writing and vibrant characters, I can’t wait to read more of Liara Tamani’s work and would most definitely recommend this read to others.
> 3.5 stars
— representation: Black MC, Black LI
— content warnings: loss of loved one, depiction of grief, cheating, ableist language
June 4, 2020
Rating: ⭐️
Received an arc from Edelweiss+ for an honest review
You know that feeling when you are really excited for something great but it doesn't end up being what you wanted? That's how I feel about this book. A young adult love story that features two teens of color who find a relationship because of basketball; it sounds like something I could really like, but I just didn't.
I think this was hard for me to like because something was off from the first page. Specifically what I mean, is that there was this cringe moment out of movie where the boy looks at the girl for the first time and- oh look they are in love. Not the first chapter, the first page. Everything from there felt weird and unrealistic to a point where it didn't have any redeeming elements to make it realistic to me.
As I mentioned, they practically fell in love from the first encounter and they didn't even speak to each other. The main male character, Rex, becomes so infatuated with Carli, the main female character, and ends up looking at pictures from her from Carli's brother Cole's Instagram? Like that is weird. Then he ends up going to the hospital where she is having her surgery?? Keep in mind they haven't spoken to each other for real yet, but he feels close enough to her that he can go try and be with her before her surgery; no boy, sorry that's not okay.
Then when they actually do meet, he is confident enough to come up to her like he's known her his whole life. Then they talk while watching Cole's basketball game, they get to know each other, whatever; what ruins this is that they disagree about something and one of the characters thinks to themselves, "Wow this must be our first fight" like no! You don't even know each other yet, nor are you in a relationship! Then thirty minutes later (in book time) they are kissing in front of everyone at the game? Then he gets pulled away and is in trouble with his coach and then Carli has the nerve to be like "why isn't he paying attention to me or looking at me?" like he just got in trouble, and not everything is about you!
Both of these characters made me angry. They were childish and not ready to be in a relationship together or separately! For upperclassman in high school, they really didn't act like it, and I feel like Tamani could do a better job portraying her high school characters.
Then there was drama between Carli's parents and past/present drama with Rex's father. It's like every cliché thing that can be added to a character or their storyline was present. I wanted something unique but everything felt so cookie-cutter, so much so that one of the cliché story arcs was repeated twice for two separate characters and only changed minor details.
I think this was just not the story for me. I'm not a fan of instalove, and I'm definitely not a fan of it on the first page of the story. Overall, there was just a lot I feel like could be improved from this story and I'm sad to say that I didn't enjoy it.
Received an arc from Edelweiss+ for an honest review
You know that feeling when you are really excited for something great but it doesn't end up being what you wanted? That's how I feel about this book. A young adult love story that features two teens of color who find a relationship because of basketball; it sounds like something I could really like, but I just didn't.
I think this was hard for me to like because something was off from the first page. Specifically what I mean, is that there was this cringe moment out of movie where the boy looks at the girl for the first time and- oh look they are in love. Not the first chapter, the first page. Everything from there felt weird and unrealistic to a point where it didn't have any redeeming elements to make it realistic to me.
As I mentioned, they practically fell in love from the first encounter and they didn't even speak to each other. The main male character, Rex, becomes so infatuated with Carli, the main female character, and ends up looking at pictures from her from Carli's brother Cole's Instagram? Like that is weird. Then he ends up going to the hospital where she is having her surgery?? Keep in mind they haven't spoken to each other for real yet, but he feels close enough to her that he can go try and be with her before her surgery; no boy, sorry that's not okay.
Then when they actually do meet, he is confident enough to come up to her like he's known her his whole life. Then they talk while watching Cole's basketball game, they get to know each other, whatever; what ruins this is that they disagree about something and one of the characters thinks to themselves, "Wow this must be our first fight" like no! You don't even know each other yet, nor are you in a relationship! Then thirty minutes later (in book time) they are kissing in front of everyone at the game? Then he gets pulled away and is in trouble with his coach and then Carli has the nerve to be like "why isn't he paying attention to me or looking at me?" like he just got in trouble, and not everything is about you!
Both of these characters made me angry. They were childish and not ready to be in a relationship together or separately! For upperclassman in high school, they really didn't act like it, and I feel like Tamani could do a better job portraying her high school characters.
Then there was drama between Carli's parents and past/present drama with Rex's father. It's like every cliché thing that can be added to a character or their storyline was present. I wanted something unique but everything felt so cookie-cutter, so much so that one of the cliché story arcs was repeated twice for two separate characters and only changed minor details.
I think this was just not the story for me. I'm not a fan of instalove, and I'm definitely not a fan of it on the first page of the story. Overall, there was just a lot I feel like could be improved from this story and I'm sad to say that I didn't enjoy it.
April 1, 2020
All The Things We Never Knew reminded me a lot of Love & Basketball for obvious reasons, but it's more than that. It's a sweet coming of age romance with a lot of layers, featuring Houston, Texas, so it made me a little homesick for H-Town, which is where I started my newspaper career 20 years ago now. Carli and Rex are brought together on the court with a pretty dramatic incident, and they stay connected, more or less, through some pretty startling revelations/discoveries about their families. I love that both Carli and Rex have complex families that are fully humanized and rendered in a three-dimensional way on the page; I also love how smart and talented everyone is. A great page turner that's mostly light and steamy with some heavy moments that turn out to be cathartic.
October 9, 2020
The thing was, I thought I am all about instant love.
But instant love when you spend time with each other, speak for a bit and you feel like you know that person forever.
But just one instant which was just passing by... you just can't.
I know the book is not just about instant love, but it just overshadowed everything and well, I wasn't very invested in the story thereafter. :|
YIKES!
But instant love when you spend time with each other, speak for a bit and you feel like you know that person forever.
But just one instant which was just passing by... you just can't.
I know the book is not just about instant love, but it just overshadowed everything and well, I wasn't very invested in the story thereafter. :|
YIKES!
May 10, 2020
All The Things We Never Knew is a solid read filled with love, heartbreak, betrayal, grief and secrets. I enjoyed all of these things because it just shows how much of an emotional beating that teenagers face in their lives. I wish that I could quote this book, but sadly this is an ARC. I have sticky tabs on just about every page.
Tamani writes beautifully the lives of two teens (three If you count Cole, Carli's brother). Carli and Rex..... their connection was so deep in the beginning that I knew I was in for a wild ride. I never expected so much to come from this. While Carli is dealing with her own issues of family and health, Rex's story is even more intense because I connected so well with his character. I have known a boy whose life mirrors Rex's and my heart hurt for him. Love life aside, I think he is one of my favorite characters.
I can't say what all happens in this book without giving you ALL THE THINGS they NEVER KNEW. It was honestly like watching a car trying to beat the train and you hope that the person driving makes it. Add this book to your summer reads list. It definitely makes for a memorable read.
Tamani writes beautifully the lives of two teens (three If you count Cole, Carli's brother). Carli and Rex..... their connection was so deep in the beginning that I knew I was in for a wild ride. I never expected so much to come from this. While Carli is dealing with her own issues of family and health, Rex's story is even more intense because I connected so well with his character. I have known a boy whose life mirrors Rex's and my heart hurt for him. Love life aside, I think he is one of my favorite characters.
I can't say what all happens in this book without giving you ALL THE THINGS they NEVER KNEW. It was honestly like watching a car trying to beat the train and you hope that the person driving makes it. Add this book to your summer reads list. It definitely makes for a memorable read.
June 9, 2020
TRUST ME... YOU NEED THIS!
⠀
It’s like Love & Basketball meets Love at First Sight!
Do you remember your first love?
I know I do... it was birds chirping in the distance, sunny every day, and heart bubbles blooming from my ears! It was all that and yet it wasn’t. In actuality It was messy dysfunctional, jealousy galore, and self doubt. And yet I wouldn’t change it for the world!
⠀
This book gave me the emotions from both sides of the first love story from crushes and self discovery, to rage and frustration. And yet I absolutely adored it!
⠀
Thanks again to the author for entrusting me with an honest review!
⠀
A very happy book birthday & I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did!
⠀
xoxo, Kat
⠀
It’s like Love & Basketball meets Love at First Sight!
Do you remember your first love?
I know I do... it was birds chirping in the distance, sunny every day, and heart bubbles blooming from my ears! It was all that and yet it wasn’t. In actuality It was messy dysfunctional, jealousy galore, and self doubt. And yet I wouldn’t change it for the world!
⠀
This book gave me the emotions from both sides of the first love story from crushes and self discovery, to rage and frustration. And yet I absolutely adored it!
⠀
Thanks again to the author for entrusting me with an honest review!
⠀
A very happy book birthday & I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did!
⠀
xoxo, Kat
August 23, 2020
“It’s like we’re two trees secretly sharing nutrients underground, two stars orbiting around all the things there’s no language for.”TL;DR Loved it! A pleasant spin on the usual YA insta-love filled with family, emotions, self-esteem, and teens wondering about their futures.
Lovely! The romance played it straight with the insta-love and fate. Rex and Carli’s love was fluffy, giddy, the slightest bit corny, and light-hearted.
I was surprised that romance wasn’t the only draw here. There was a lot of focus on family, upbringing, and the usual growing pains of becoming a young adult. Carli has loving parents who are divorcing for a reason unbeknownst to her, whereas Rex has a hands-off, single father who spends all his time away from home as a brain surgeon. Those different family dynamics definitely affected Carli and Rex in a lot of different ways. Just seeing how both of them handled emotions and their family situations really fleshed out their characters. For one point, Rex’s mom died in childbirth with him, which adds another layer of longing in him for love.
The characters aren’t perfect, and they have a lot of emotional outbursts. Carli was relatable with trying to narrow down her career/life purpose. I, too, hated having to have an idea of what you want to seemingly do for the rest of your life. For that reason, I struggled with picking a major for college. Carli’s also good at basketball, but it’s nothing she wholeheartedly loves. She had so many different interests from art to mythology to random trivia. I liked her! She was level-headed but still playful, just trying to figure life out.
I enjoyed that Rex wasn’t the typical playboy, ball hog star player. He got emotional and desperately yearned for love. He had an ingrained habit of hiding his hurt and pain down low within himself. Obviously, those feelings burst forth at some point. Unlike most YA leads, due to his lack of parenting, he desired a stricter upbringing. He felt like a real person, and, at times, I wanted to slap him into next week when he acted a dee-diddle-fool. BUT I always get why he behaved a certain way. I like that. I don’t have to agree with a character’s actions, but I understand them.
Cole, Carli’s brother, is a goofy, hopeful romantic who was sensitive and majorly in touch with his feelings. Carli and he get along great. I always adore seeing sibling relationships where they don’t revolve solely around fighting.
Also, I loved Carli’s mom, Barbra. I get so tired of the long-suffering wife who puts up with all her husband’s foolery, so she was such a breath of fresh air.
I enjoyed reading this immensely! The narrative voice felt crisp and authentic. The whole relationship didn't just revolve around sex though there were a bit of some sexual shenanigans. The pacing was great, and I connected with the characters. I would definitely recommend reading this even for non-romance readers or non-sports fans! There is a lot of heart in this story. One thing, at times, Rex was creepyyyyy. Like, You “Joe” creepy. Still, read this!
ending spoiler:
June 10, 2020
Review copy: ARC via author
Over the past few weeks, books that make me smile are the ones I’m reaching for and All the Things We Never Knew definitely had me smiling. Of course, it’s not all perfect hearts and rainbows straight through, but there are plenty of giggle worthy moments starting with the unusual meet-cute on the basketball court. What makes Carly and Rex so smile-inducing is that they both have soft and smooshy sides to them and they’re able to share that with each other.
Tamani chose to use a dual perspective which helps readers clearly see what leads up to the misunderstandings and miscommunications. I appreciated being able to see the thought processes of both Carly and Rex as they worked through their own personal pain and scars.
Beyond the romantic relationship, family relationships are a huge part of this story. Carly’s family is dealing with some major life changes and some rather large secrets. Rex and his father don’t communicate, but Rex has to decide if he is finished trying or if he wants to make an effort to connect.
This story revolves around secrets: why people keep them, who we can trust with them, and what happens when they are revealed. These secrets lead to a lot of pain even though avoiding pain is typically why the secrets were kept in the first place.
Recommendation: Get it soon if you’re looking for an engaging contemporary romance that will provide some humor along with a few struggles. It’s more upbeat than not and while a little predictable in some aspects, it’s a solid story that deals with those compelling questions of “Who am I now?”, “Who do I want to be?, and “How will I get there?”
Over the past few weeks, books that make me smile are the ones I’m reaching for and All the Things We Never Knew definitely had me smiling. Of course, it’s not all perfect hearts and rainbows straight through, but there are plenty of giggle worthy moments starting with the unusual meet-cute on the basketball court. What makes Carly and Rex so smile-inducing is that they both have soft and smooshy sides to them and they’re able to share that with each other.
Tamani chose to use a dual perspective which helps readers clearly see what leads up to the misunderstandings and miscommunications. I appreciated being able to see the thought processes of both Carly and Rex as they worked through their own personal pain and scars.
Beyond the romantic relationship, family relationships are a huge part of this story. Carly’s family is dealing with some major life changes and some rather large secrets. Rex and his father don’t communicate, but Rex has to decide if he is finished trying or if he wants to make an effort to connect.
This story revolves around secrets: why people keep them, who we can trust with them, and what happens when they are revealed. These secrets lead to a lot of pain even though avoiding pain is typically why the secrets were kept in the first place.
Recommendation: Get it soon if you’re looking for an engaging contemporary romance that will provide some humor along with a few struggles. It’s more upbeat than not and while a little predictable in some aspects, it’s a solid story that deals with those compelling questions of “Who am I now?”, “Who do I want to be?, and “How will I get there?”
May 22, 2020
This is a cute YA love story that centers two Black teens who play basketball and meet by chance. There were parts of this book I really liked and parts that felt a little predictable. I know I’m not a teen but I think young readers will like this one.
August 27, 2020
This was...not good. I'm honestly surprised that I disliked this book as much as I did. The premise sounded promising -- Black teens fall in love but also have their own family drama and traumas that they have to work through. Cool, we have some romance but side stories that keep the book from being all about teen ~*love*~.
Brief summary to start. Rex Carrington and Carli Alexander meet and instantly fall in love in a hard-to-believe way that could rival Shakespeare's best. Carli passes out at a basketball game and who is there to catch her but ESPN's high school player of the year, Rex Carrington. After their initial meeting, we learn that Rex's dad is distant due to Rex's mother dying after childbirth and Carli's parents are divorcing for reasons they refuse to share. Carli also juggles with the difficulty of telling her dad that she no longer wants to play basketball but aside from that has no idea what she wants to do with her life. Family drama and misunderstandings ensue.
First of all, let me tell you if you are looking for the WORST and I mean THE WORST young adult romantic male lead, look no further than Rex Carrington. This kid is selfish, stalks Carli (literally, multiple times!), yells at her, and that's not even the worst part. I can't with this guy. God forbid anyone else have their own struggles that detract their attention away from Rex or dare disturb his future in basketball!
Other issues with this book:
- The two main characters fall in love IMMEDIATELY. Not just in the first chapter, but on the first PAGE!
- Despite being drenched in teenage love hormones, Carli and Rex don't talk to or engage with one another until almost 100 pages into the book after their first encounter. And with the passing out part, it's not like their first meeting was full of witty get-to-know-you banter. Then when they DO finally see each other again !BOOM! they're in a relationship; no dates, no texting, just straight up boyfriend and girlfriend with exchanges of "I love you's" not long after.
- This leads to another issue I had with the book. These characters are SO QUICK to judge each other. And you know why? Because they DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER!
- The POV switched way too frequently for me to connect with either character. I at least got to somewhat sympathize with Carli in the last 30 pages of the book, but never NEVER Rex.
- The overuse of so many tropes: secret love child (second I've read in a week; why is this becoming a storytelling tool??), child thinks they killed parent and is thus laden with guilt
- I think the writing at times tried to be existential and deep but just ended up coming across as weird ramblings
In summary, I did not like this book.
Brief summary to start. Rex Carrington and Carli Alexander meet and instantly fall in love in a hard-to-believe way that could rival Shakespeare's best. Carli passes out at a basketball game and who is there to catch her but ESPN's high school player of the year, Rex Carrington. After their initial meeting, we learn that Rex's dad is distant due to Rex's mother dying after childbirth and Carli's parents are divorcing for reasons they refuse to share. Carli also juggles with the difficulty of telling her dad that she no longer wants to play basketball but aside from that has no idea what she wants to do with her life. Family drama and misunderstandings ensue.
First of all, let me tell you if you are looking for the WORST and I mean THE WORST young adult romantic male lead, look no further than Rex Carrington. This kid is selfish, stalks Carli (literally, multiple times!), yells at her, and that's not even the worst part. I can't with this guy. God forbid anyone else have their own struggles that detract their attention away from Rex or dare disturb his future in basketball!
Other issues with this book:
- The two main characters fall in love IMMEDIATELY. Not just in the first chapter, but on the first PAGE!
- Despite being drenched in teenage love hormones, Carli and Rex don't talk to or engage with one another until almost 100 pages into the book after their first encounter. And with the passing out part, it's not like their first meeting was full of witty get-to-know-you banter. Then when they DO finally see each other again !BOOM! they're in a relationship; no dates, no texting, just straight up boyfriend and girlfriend with exchanges of "I love you's" not long after.
- This leads to another issue I had with the book. These characters are SO QUICK to judge each other. And you know why? Because they DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER!
- The POV switched way too frequently for me to connect with either character. I at least got to somewhat sympathize with Carli in the last 30 pages of the book, but never NEVER Rex.
- The overuse of so many tropes: secret love child (second I've read in a week; why is this becoming a storytelling tool??), child thinks they killed parent and is thus laden with guilt
- I think the writing at times tried to be existential and deep but just ended up coming across as weird ramblings
In summary, I did not like this book.
August 13, 2020
I stayed up until midnight to finish this book , that’s how much I love it. Im committed to reading more Young Adult Novels and this did not disappoint . I love that the language was appropriate for the 16 years old characters. I appreciated how The duality of being a child , but expected to make life changing decision is shown by the Author . I really appreciated the how the characters emotions were shown because, 𝑯𝑬𝑳𝑳𝑶 , I was a nut job at that age.
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I was drawn into the characters pains ( 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 ) , yes I cried , laugh and got angry with them 🤦🏾♀️ ( 𝑰𝒎 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 ) . I love how the ending was so realistic , because life is not all fairytales and things take time to repair . The I only thing I didn’t like was that it ended . I need more ! Book 2 please !
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𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚: Carli and Rex are both top tier basketball player in their respective lane and school. Their path has never crossed , but at one game faithful game their eyes locked and its love at first sight. Instantly these two hearts are knit together and are inseparable , but Rex is still dealing with the lost of him mom and the emotional abandonment of his father . All is wants is love , but his insecurities and pain are stumbling blocks.
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𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊 seems to have the perfect family , a loving mother, father and a brother who’s one of her best friends . On the outside they look perfect but Carli discovers a secret that will shattered her family and to make everything worst she’s keeping a big secret from Rex.
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I was drawn into the characters pains ( 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 ) , yes I cried , laugh and got angry with them 🤦🏾♀️ ( 𝑰𝒎 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 ) . I love how the ending was so realistic , because life is not all fairytales and things take time to repair . The I only thing I didn’t like was that it ended . I need more ! Book 2 please !
.
𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚: Carli and Rex are both top tier basketball player in their respective lane and school. Their path has never crossed , but at one game faithful game their eyes locked and its love at first sight. Instantly these two hearts are knit together and are inseparable , but Rex is still dealing with the lost of him mom and the emotional abandonment of his father . All is wants is love , but his insecurities and pain are stumbling blocks.
.
𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊 seems to have the perfect family , a loving mother, father and a brother who’s one of her best friends . On the outside they look perfect but Carli discovers a secret that will shattered her family and to make everything worst she’s keeping a big secret from Rex.
August 31, 2020
Oh man, this was so, so good. I think this would appeal to any YA romance fan, but especially those of you who loved Love and Basketball. This was funny and poignant and tender, and the main characters did such a good job growing up and figuring themselves out through this, and I just loved it a lot.
June 11, 2020
*2,5⭐️
The beginning of this book was very promising and I thought I was going to love this book. I loved how the story centered two black teens who played basketball.
Sadly enough this book had just too much drama and everything was so rushed. The relationship happened so fast and then it was drama after drama and it was just too much for me.
The audiobook is good though. I loved the two different narrators.
The beginning of this book was very promising and I thought I was going to love this book. I loved how the story centered two black teens who played basketball.
Sadly enough this book had just too much drama and everything was so rushed. The relationship happened so fast and then it was drama after drama and it was just too much for me.
The audiobook is good though. I loved the two different narrators.
July 1, 2021
Couldn't imagine why in a million years this book would have so many low ratings!! (until I read it)
We got a lotta toxic, disappointing, and just pull-your-hair-out worthy characters. My heart breaks for Carli, and how no one seems to listen to her. I was so hoping for the "FU" ending it deserved but it didn't happen.
We got a lotta toxic, disappointing, and just pull-your-hair-out worthy characters. My heart breaks for Carli, and how no one seems to listen to her. I was so hoping for the "FU" ending it deserved but it didn't happen.
May 14, 2020
Carli was always looking for signs. So, when Rex blew that kiss in her direction, she knew there was something special there to explore.
This was my first Liara Tamani book, but after finishing it, I immediately pushed her debut, Calling My Name, up my TBR. She captured me with her beautiful prose, wrapping me up in the rapture of first love using vibrate and lush imagery. But, it wasn't just the gooey love stuff that got me. I was hit with every emotion these characters were feeling, and I felt them with full force.
Obviously, this book was about first love. It was sweet, and heady, and intense, the way teen romances tend to be. I loved watching Rex and Carli navigating these new feelings, and forming such a strong connection with each other. I can already hear the cries of "instalove", but I don't care! I remember being a teen, and all those firsts were so extreme and powerful. I also was sold on this union, because of Rex. When Carli looked at him and spoke to him, he finally felt "seen", and I accept that as a driving force to seek deeper connection with someone.
Rex was quite a complicated character. He carried around a lifetime of hurt, grief, and guilt related to his mother's death. He craved to be loved, and to be loved for who he was, not his skills on the court. I could feel his joy, when he was embraced by Carli and her family, and it was both touching and heartbreaking. He was a rather sensitive young man too, who wasn't afraid to bear his soul, and I never get tired of seeing boys like that. I felt so rewarded, when Rex started to build a positive relationship with his dad, but as things started looking up in his world, Carli's was falling apart.
She had always enjoyed a rather idyllic home life. Her brother was caring and very generous with his love. She had a mother she admired, and a father, who was known to dote on her. Now, her parents were getting divorced, and she had to choose which parent to live with. This decision, plus her resolve to quit basketball was weighing on her. She had many difficult choices to make, this weight sometimes kept her from being as emotionally open with Rex as she wanted to be, and as he wanted her to be. Let's just say, their relationship experienced the same sort of ups and downs, that they were personally experiencing apart.
There were also many secrets, and they played a big role in this book. It seemed like everyone had some, and ready or not, they were all getting uncovered. I think the one I didn't see coming until it was right in front of me, was the secret which prompted Carli's parent's divorce. I may have let a "wow" escape from my mouth, when I realized what had happened there, but I rather liked how it played into the overall story, the way Carli embraced the secret.
Overall, I had a fantastic time reading this roller-coaster romance. This was a wonderful story of first love and family, which was filled with fantastic characters to root for, lots of emotion, and many beautiful and heartfelt moments.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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This was my first Liara Tamani book, but after finishing it, I immediately pushed her debut, Calling My Name, up my TBR. She captured me with her beautiful prose, wrapping me up in the rapture of first love using vibrate and lush imagery. But, it wasn't just the gooey love stuff that got me. I was hit with every emotion these characters were feeling, and I felt them with full force.
Obviously, this book was about first love. It was sweet, and heady, and intense, the way teen romances tend to be. I loved watching Rex and Carli navigating these new feelings, and forming such a strong connection with each other. I can already hear the cries of "instalove", but I don't care! I remember being a teen, and all those firsts were so extreme and powerful. I also was sold on this union, because of Rex. When Carli looked at him and spoke to him, he finally felt "seen", and I accept that as a driving force to seek deeper connection with someone.
Rex was quite a complicated character. He carried around a lifetime of hurt, grief, and guilt related to his mother's death. He craved to be loved, and to be loved for who he was, not his skills on the court. I could feel his joy, when he was embraced by Carli and her family, and it was both touching and heartbreaking. He was a rather sensitive young man too, who wasn't afraid to bear his soul, and I never get tired of seeing boys like that. I felt so rewarded, when Rex started to build a positive relationship with his dad, but as things started looking up in his world, Carli's was falling apart.
She had always enjoyed a rather idyllic home life. Her brother was caring and very generous with his love. She had a mother she admired, and a father, who was known to dote on her. Now, her parents were getting divorced, and she had to choose which parent to live with. This decision, plus her resolve to quit basketball was weighing on her. She had many difficult choices to make, this weight sometimes kept her from being as emotionally open with Rex as she wanted to be, and as he wanted her to be. Let's just say, their relationship experienced the same sort of ups and downs, that they were personally experiencing apart.
There were also many secrets, and they played a big role in this book. It seemed like everyone had some, and ready or not, they were all getting uncovered. I think the one I didn't see coming until it was right in front of me, was the secret which prompted Carli's parent's divorce. I may have let a "wow" escape from my mouth, when I realized what had happened there, but I rather liked how it played into the overall story, the way Carli embraced the secret.
Overall, I had a fantastic time reading this roller-coaster romance. This was a wonderful story of first love and family, which was filled with fantastic characters to root for, lots of emotion, and many beautiful and heartfelt moments.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
August 23, 2020
Lovely lyrical layered writing slowly builds, like a collage, to the climax.
June 26, 2020
Overall, I think this was a really good book and the writing was beautiful. It starts off with so much instalove intensity, RIGHT from the first scene, and for a while it really reminded me of Jacqueline Woodson’s If You Come Softly. If she had stuck with that being the focus, I feel like it could have been an especially strong short story or novella. But noOooOoO. What didn’t really sit right with me is that there’s no where to go from instalove - nowhere UP anyway. Thus it turns into a mess, really a kind of toxic relationship, because they are both so passionate but so “damaged” with so much personal stuff that they haven’t healed. So it goes from one extreme to the other SO fast, continuously back and forth, and I can have SOME compassion for them, but I can also want to knock them upside they heads. Their behavior and reactions to things were just so so so dumb and obnoxious a lot of the time. I had compassion for them but didn’t necessarily like them as much as I would have liked to. So it’s mixed feelings, but generally a good read.
September 14, 2020
A star-crossed teen romance that's really about family secrets and dealing with trauma and how all of that emotional baggage affects your relationships. There's also lots of basketball. Adult me thought much of the relationship on/off drama was cringey but it will be so relatable to the teen audience. I really appreciated the focus on healing from toxic relationships and working on a better sense of self rather than relying on a partner to fix you - that's a message that can't be relayed enough in YA - though I did wish that characters going to therapy would be shown, to normalize therapy for kids. Will definitely booktalk, this one has major appeal.
May 19, 2020
Well-written teenage romance complicated by family secrets and emotional losses. The basketball scenes might draw in sports fans who don't normally read books about relationships.
October 5, 2020
WHEN LIFE IS HARD, HAVING SOMEONE BY YOUR SIDE IS EVERYTHING
Rex lost his mom and Carli’s folks are going through a divorce. Fate brings them together and their unique bond allows them to work through these very real, very raw emotions in the safety of love and understanding.
You guys. The teenaged love story aside, this book is a reflection of real life. Like I teared up several times because I felt those feelings of guilt, abandonment, avoidance, isolation, betrayal and being undeserving.
All The Things We Never Knew had so many “yeah, me too” moments in it. From divorce to an absent parent, I have personally felt a lot of the things Tamani wrote about. And sadly, I think a lot of others have too.
But maybe that’s why this book is so important - because of its deep relatability.
Yes there is an almost “love at first sight” romance that brings Rex and Carli together. But what sustains this story is how they navigate these very serious life happenings.
I don’t know how many YA books discuss death of a parent or divorce in a non-over dramatized light. And I’m thankful for the realism that Tamani stuck to.
I truly think this book can offer pivotal commiseration to teens who are experiencing similar “home life” circumstances. And for that reason, I give it 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Rex lost his mom and Carli’s folks are going through a divorce. Fate brings them together and their unique bond allows them to work through these very real, very raw emotions in the safety of love and understanding.
You guys. The teenaged love story aside, this book is a reflection of real life. Like I teared up several times because I felt those feelings of guilt, abandonment, avoidance, isolation, betrayal and being undeserving.
All The Things We Never Knew had so many “yeah, me too” moments in it. From divorce to an absent parent, I have personally felt a lot of the things Tamani wrote about. And sadly, I think a lot of others have too.
But maybe that’s why this book is so important - because of its deep relatability.
Yes there is an almost “love at first sight” romance that brings Rex and Carli together. But what sustains this story is how they navigate these very serious life happenings.
I don’t know how many YA books discuss death of a parent or divorce in a non-over dramatized light. And I’m thankful for the realism that Tamani stuck to.
I truly think this book can offer pivotal commiseration to teens who are experiencing similar “home life” circumstances. And for that reason, I give it 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
February 9, 2021
I liked the characters and their personal struggles. There was some really good character development. All the characters had their own specific personalities and were all relatable in their own ways. I also loved the basketball involved because it is one of my favorite sports. The romance, however, didn’t really sell it for me because of the major instalove. The characters were a good couple, but they practically fell in love with each other before they even knew each other so it was a little harder to enjoy. Overall, pretty good book, but the instalove was a little hard to stomach. Read this as an audiobook and I actually really liked the narration and it helped me get through the book much faster than I probably would have reading it.
May 2, 2020
Huge thanks to Harper Collins International for sending me an eARC through Edelweiss.
I love how the author describes basketball in the story. It makes the reader learn about the beauty of the said sports.
One thing I don’t like in the story is the plot line. It has insta-love or what we call love at first sight.
I’m not against instant love but the way their relation and meaning of instant love is mehhhhhh. Who in their right mind that when they saw the person for the first time in just like two to five seconds can say that they are in love with them. That they stalk the people and immediately know all the things about the person.
The story is kinda creepy for me. I don’t like the idea of it. If I’m the girl in the story, I would go to the police and sue the guy.
Because of the relationship of the main characters, I decided to DNF it and it don’t spark a joy to me and I feel like wasting my time reading it.
I love how the author describes basketball in the story. It makes the reader learn about the beauty of the said sports.
One thing I don’t like in the story is the plot line. It has insta-love or what we call love at first sight.
I’m not against instant love but the way their relation and meaning of instant love is mehhhhhh. Who in their right mind that when they saw the person for the first time in just like two to five seconds can say that they are in love with them. That they stalk the people and immediately know all the things about the person.
The story is kinda creepy for me. I don’t like the idea of it. If I’m the girl in the story, I would go to the police and sue the guy.
Because of the relationship of the main characters, I decided to DNF it and it don’t spark a joy to me and I feel like wasting my time reading it.
December 15, 2020
I read this book a couple of months ago, and I just encountered this book when goodreads recommended this novel to me. So I had to write a long awaited review on this novel (a review nobody asked for, but whatever). Before I even read this book, I saw some reviews describing the flaws they encountered in this book, so I was a little concerned, since there were a lot. So when I first started reading this novel, I don't know what I really expected. I didn't really like the two main characters introduced, and the book felt way too slow for my liking. I stopped reading about 30% through the book, because it was just too much, and I moved on. So yeah, I had pretty high expectations for this book, and now I don't want to read this again.
June 5, 2020
Thanks to Edelweiss and Harper Collins or the advance Kindle copy of this book - it is out next Tuesday (6.9.20)! All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this basketball-centric love story. High school juniors Rex and Carli attend different schools, where they are both basketball stars. Rex is a future NBA prospect; Carli can have her pick of college scholarships. When Red blows Carli a kiss before he shots a free throw, the pair’s paths converge on an emotional rollercoaster of a relationship. Best for grades 9+.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this basketball-centric love story. High school juniors Rex and Carli attend different schools, where they are both basketball stars. Rex is a future NBA prospect; Carli can have her pick of college scholarships. When Red blows Carli a kiss before he shots a free throw, the pair’s paths converge on an emotional rollercoaster of a relationship. Best for grades 9+.
August 2, 2020
3.75* rounded up. WOW i’m excited to highlight this author.
June 12, 2020
A hard-hitting YA contemporary romance about two basketball-playing teens who meet by chance and fall in love. They experience first love, heartbreak, and strong family ties. Part realistic, part predictable but young readers will really resonate with the characters.
March 11, 2021
Loved that this was a sports romance <3 And Loved that it's HTOWN! Shout out to Georgetown, what?! Reminds me of the magic that was Love and Basketball. It's an honest and beautiful depiction of how messy love can get when we let pain get in the way.
November 17, 2022
Audioboek
Dit is zo'n schattig verhaal. Lang geleden dat ik nog zo'n lief verhaal heb gelezen. Het einde had ik volledig niet verwacht ik dacht dat het anders ging aflopen. Zeker zijn 5 sterren waard.
Dit is zo'n schattig verhaal. Lang geleden dat ik nog zo'n lief verhaal heb gelezen. Het einde had ik volledig niet verwacht ik dacht dat het anders ging aflopen. Zeker zijn 5 sterren waard.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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