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The Breakup Lists
Love is more complicated than “boy meets boy� in bestselling author Adib Khorram’s sharply funny new romantic comedy, set in the sordid world of high school theater.
Jackson Ghasnavi is a lot of things—a techie, a smoothie afficionado, a totally not obsessive list-maker—but one thing he’s not is a romantic. And why would he be? He’s already had a front row seat to his parents� divorce and picked up the pieces of his sister Jasmine’s broken heart one too many times.
No, Jackson is perfectly happy living life behind the scenes—he is a stage manager, after all—and keeping his romantic exploits limited to the breakup lists he makes for Jasmine, which chronicle every flaw (real or imagined) of her various and sundry exes.
Enter the senior swim captain turned leading man that neither of the Ghasnavi siblings stop thinking about. Not that Jackson has a crush, of course. Jasmine is already setting her sights on him and he’s probably—no, definitely—straight anyway.
So why does the idea of eventually writing a breakup list for him feel so impossible?
Jackson Ghasnavi is a lot of things—a techie, a smoothie afficionado, a totally not obsessive list-maker—but one thing he’s not is a romantic. And why would he be? He’s already had a front row seat to his parents� divorce and picked up the pieces of his sister Jasmine’s broken heart one too many times.
No, Jackson is perfectly happy living life behind the scenes—he is a stage manager, after all—and keeping his romantic exploits limited to the breakup lists he makes for Jasmine, which chronicle every flaw (real or imagined) of her various and sundry exes.
Enter the senior swim captain turned leading man that neither of the Ghasnavi siblings stop thinking about. Not that Jackson has a crush, of course. Jasmine is already setting her sights on him and he’s probably—no, definitely—straight anyway.
So why does the idea of eventually writing a breakup list for him feel so impossible?
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2024
35 people are currently reading
7,628 people want to read
About the author
Adib Khorram
14books1,775followersADIB KHORRAM is the author of DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY, which earned the William C. Morris Debut Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature, and a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor, as well as a multitude of other honors and accolades. His followup, DARIUS THE GREAT DESERVES BETTER, received three starred reviews, was an Indie Bestseller, and received a Stonewall Honor. His debut picture book, SEVEN SPECIAL SOMETHINGS: A NOWRUZ STORY was released in 2021. When he isn’t writing, you can find him learning to do a Lutz jump, practicing his handstands, or steeping a cup of oolong. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where people don’t usually talk about themselves in the third person. You can find him on Twitter (), Instagram (), or on the web at .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 344 reviews
May 27, 2024
I could say this book is predictable. Just an average romcom. Nothing special. Except for Jackson’s hearing, the story is pretty simple. And still � Why is it so d*mn addictive?
I flew through the pages. My jaw hurt from smiling, and then I knitted my brows together because I wanted to slap some people (no, I’m actually not a violent person l, but I hated Jasmine and Cam), and then my lips turned up in a smile again. I think this is all because of Adib Khorram. His writing is so easily accessible and simple yet so beautiful. His characters are flawed yet so perfectly written. And the longing and the pining in this story is the best. All those shoulder bumps, those knees touching, those cheeks heating, those eyes locking. Jacks(on) and Liam were so adorable!
I already loved Adib’s previous books, especially his Darius series, but he’s one of those authors whose books I’d read blindly. And now I’m eagerly waiting for his adult debut , releasing in August.
Thank you, Dial Books and Edelweiss, for this awesome ARC. I’m so happy I could read The Breakup Lists early!
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I flew through the pages. My jaw hurt from smiling, and then I knitted my brows together because I wanted to slap some people (no, I’m actually not a violent person l, but I hated Jasmine and Cam), and then my lips turned up in a smile again. I think this is all because of Adib Khorram. His writing is so easily accessible and simple yet so beautiful. His characters are flawed yet so perfectly written. And the longing and the pining in this story is the best. All those shoulder bumps, those knees touching, those cheeks heating, those eyes locking. Jacks(on) and Liam were so adorable!
I already loved Adib’s previous books, especially his Darius series, but he’s one of those authors whose books I’d read blindly. And now I’m eagerly waiting for his adult debut , releasing in August.
Thank you, Dial Books and Edelweiss, for this awesome ARC. I’m so happy I could read The Breakup Lists early!
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April 29, 2024
I have loved every book I’ve read from Adib Khorram and was so excited to get to read through an ARC of this (thanks to NetGalley and Dial Books/Penguin) prior to its release.
This cute queer rom-com explores the relationships of high school stage manager Jackson, from his loving, but sometimes inconsiderate family and his steadfast best friend Bowie, to his theatre teacher and his classmates. While this is a delectable love story, it also explores the issues that come with being hard of hearing, the throes of young heartbreak, and the many stresses of high school theatre.
I adored Liam, Bowie, and Jackson and I loved to despise Jasmine and Cam (to different extents throughout the book). The author has such a good way of writing his characters in ways that make them immediately accessible to the audience. It was great to have such a diverse cast of characters (both main and extended) that felt real and three dimensional.
Even though there were some more predictable moments, I don’t think that detracts at all from the book and it made some less predictable moments even more surprising and enjoyable!
A younger version of me would have absolutely loved a book about a queer high school stage manager (and 30 year old me was still simply enamored). I already want more, but I’ll settle for rereading it once it has been released!
This cute queer rom-com explores the relationships of high school stage manager Jackson, from his loving, but sometimes inconsiderate family and his steadfast best friend Bowie, to his theatre teacher and his classmates. While this is a delectable love story, it also explores the issues that come with being hard of hearing, the throes of young heartbreak, and the many stresses of high school theatre.
I adored Liam, Bowie, and Jackson and I loved to despise Jasmine and Cam (to different extents throughout the book). The author has such a good way of writing his characters in ways that make them immediately accessible to the audience. It was great to have such a diverse cast of characters (both main and extended) that felt real and three dimensional.
Even though there were some more predictable moments, I don’t think that detracts at all from the book and it made some less predictable moments even more surprising and enjoyable!
A younger version of me would have absolutely loved a book about a queer high school stage manager (and 30 year old me was still simply enamored). I already want more, but I’ll settle for rereading it once it has been released!
March 30, 2024
E-ARC generously provided by Dial Books/Penguin in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
5 stars. Combining the exact kind of dramatics I love from teenagers who have yet to fully develop their frontal lobes and storyline reminiscent of classic DCOMs and teen rom-coms that I ate right up, The Breakup Lists brought me right back to what it felt like being 16, gay, and desperately in love with a boy who you thought would never even look at you.
I yelled, I screamed, I swooned: this book left me feeling like a feral alley cat and honestly, I don't think there's a more ringing endorsement! Read this!!!!
5 stars. Combining the exact kind of dramatics I love from teenagers who have yet to fully develop their frontal lobes and storyline reminiscent of classic DCOMs and teen rom-coms that I ate right up, The Breakup Lists brought me right back to what it felt like being 16, gay, and desperately in love with a boy who you thought would never even look at you.
I yelled, I screamed, I swooned: this book left me feeling like a feral alley cat and honestly, I don't think there's a more ringing endorsement! Read this!!!!
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May 17, 2024Adib was an author buy author for me so I wanted to try this one. It’s cute but I was left wanting more.
Pros: really loved the main character and was a great deaf representation.
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Cons: a lot of the other characters were kind of flat and I could see the twist coming from very early so I was just waiting for it and bored for a while.
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I listened to on audio and loved the narration.
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If you’re a theater gay I think you’d like this
Pros: really loved the main character and was a great deaf representation.
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Cons: a lot of the other characters were kind of flat and I could see the twist coming from very early so I was just waiting for it and bored for a while.
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I listened to on audio and loved the narration.
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If you’re a theater gay I think you’d like this
April 13, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up
The Breakup Lists is a queer YA rom-com set in the world of high school theatre, and it's very good. And dramatic, but that comes with the territory! Jackson Ghasnavi is deaf and a techie for the school drama program. He also makes breakup lists for himself and his sister- lists of what's terrible about their exes. One of his terrible exes is a lead actor in their rendition of Jesus Christ Superstar, and Jackson is crushing on the seemingly straight senior swim captain to snagged the role of Jesus in the production. Oh, and his sister also seems to be into him....
This of course gives the dramatics you might expect from hormonal teenagers in love, but it's also really sweet and heartfelt with strong elements of friendship and found family. I also loved how Jackson's disability is integral to the way he experiences life, but isn't what the story is about. I don't know if I've read a book like this with a deaf main character and it was cool. If this sounds up your alley I would definitely recommend it! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
The Breakup Lists is a queer YA rom-com set in the world of high school theatre, and it's very good. And dramatic, but that comes with the territory! Jackson Ghasnavi is deaf and a techie for the school drama program. He also makes breakup lists for himself and his sister- lists of what's terrible about their exes. One of his terrible exes is a lead actor in their rendition of Jesus Christ Superstar, and Jackson is crushing on the seemingly straight senior swim captain to snagged the role of Jesus in the production. Oh, and his sister also seems to be into him....
This of course gives the dramatics you might expect from hormonal teenagers in love, but it's also really sweet and heartfelt with strong elements of friendship and found family. I also loved how Jackson's disability is integral to the way he experiences life, but isn't what the story is about. I don't know if I've read a book like this with a deaf main character and it was cool. If this sounds up your alley I would definitely recommend it! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
July 6, 2024
jackson is such a hater he is so me
April 4, 2024
Many thanks to PRH International for the digital review copy.
I'm a huge fan of Adib Khorram's books, so I already knew I was going to love this, but still I was surprised by how much fun I was having.
The writing was just so incredibly fun, and it made me want to continue reading. I would highly recommend reading this in one sitting if you can because it's exactly that kind of YA romcom, the kind you won't want to put down and is just so fun to consume all at once. I didn't quite manage that this time, and it was a struggle to put this book down!
This book very much stood out to me in writing style. I loved reading the self-censoring Jackson does: striking certain words and phrases from the narration and replacing them by more palatable, but less honest ones. This was a brilliant way of letting us get to know Jackson really well as a main character without having to explicitly tell us that he struggles with saying what he means instead of pleasing the people around him.
Jackson is also deaf and wears hearing aids. I can't speak for the representation, but I did like how we got to experience a large part of what it means to Jackson to be disabled. In dialogue, it would often say "somethingsomething" in places where Jackson doesn't catch what someone is saying, which means that, since we also didn't get that information, we got to experience exactly how frustrating this is for him. I also appreciated the attention to how exhausting his disability can be for him.
And the romance? Is so sweet?? I love love LOVED seeing the budding friendship between Jackson and his crush, Liam, in the beginning of the book. I loved seeing them grow closer together and each thinking the other doesn't feel the same way, so both making terrible choices and creating a real mess.
Jackson's sister, Jasmine, is caught in the crosshairs of this mess, or you could say she firmly inserted herself there, depending how you look at it. I've seen some reviews be very critical of her, and I understand why, but I didn't feel quite that strongly about her. I do think she messed up, but Jackson also could have talked to her more. I think she was realistically flawed. The one thing I didn't like was how she took out her anger with him at school. Since they're siblings, that felt like a step too far, and I feel like it was a betrayal of sibling trust to take a conflict like that outside of their family environment.
I'm a huge fan of Adib Khorram's books, so I already knew I was going to love this, but still I was surprised by how much fun I was having.
The writing was just so incredibly fun, and it made me want to continue reading. I would highly recommend reading this in one sitting if you can because it's exactly that kind of YA romcom, the kind you won't want to put down and is just so fun to consume all at once. I didn't quite manage that this time, and it was a struggle to put this book down!
This book very much stood out to me in writing style. I loved reading the self-censoring Jackson does: striking certain words and phrases from the narration and replacing them by more palatable, but less honest ones. This was a brilliant way of letting us get to know Jackson really well as a main character without having to explicitly tell us that he struggles with saying what he means instead of pleasing the people around him.
Jackson is also deaf and wears hearing aids. I can't speak for the representation, but I did like how we got to experience a large part of what it means to Jackson to be disabled. In dialogue, it would often say "somethingsomething" in places where Jackson doesn't catch what someone is saying, which means that, since we also didn't get that information, we got to experience exactly how frustrating this is for him. I also appreciated the attention to how exhausting his disability can be for him.
And the romance? Is so sweet?? I love love LOVED seeing the budding friendship between Jackson and his crush, Liam, in the beginning of the book. I loved seeing them grow closer together and each thinking the other doesn't feel the same way, so both making terrible choices and creating a real mess.
Jackson's sister, Jasmine, is caught in the crosshairs of this mess, or you could say she firmly inserted herself there, depending how you look at it. I've seen some reviews be very critical of her, and I understand why, but I didn't feel quite that strongly about her. I do think she messed up, but Jackson also could have talked to her more. I think she was realistically flawed. The one thing I didn't like was how she took out her anger with him at school. Since they're siblings, that felt like a step too far, and I feel like it was a betrayal of sibling trust to take a conflict like that outside of their family environment.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
April 8, 2024I really wish I could unread this book. It's labeled "romantic comedy" but it's neither romantic nor is it a comedy. So, the main character, Jackson, is an idiot. Then there's this guy, Liam, who's obviously interested in him, but dumb Jackson assumes he's must be straight and shoves him into the arms of his sister. Cue Jasmine, an absolutely insufferable bitch. She loves to push herself on random guys and makes her as frequent as inevitable break-ups and break-downs her brother's problem. No, she's not "dramatic", Jackson. That's toxic behavior.
What was probably meant as some sort of "love triangle" is actually a plot tumor. And it drags on and on. It's no fun to read. If I pick up a gay rom-com, I don't want to read half a book of the narcissistic sister dating the love interest of her doormat brother. And it just keeps getting worse and worse.
DNF@50%
What was probably meant as some sort of "love triangle" is actually a plot tumor. And it drags on and on. It's no fun to read. If I pick up a gay rom-com, I don't want to read half a book of the narcissistic sister dating the love interest of her doormat brother. And it just keeps getting worse and worse.
DNF@50%
May 29, 2024
aah this was so sweet and cute! simply, i am an adib khorram stan!
this was so good but i don't recommend the audiobook. i did not know going in that this had strike-out passages to represent jackson's thoughts and in the audiobook, they appear by the narrator saying "strike that". which yes, makes sense!! but it got annoying really fast the amount times that he says it.
(also i am a jasmine hater! she was annoying and horrible! and i despise her! she annoyed me! and did absolutely unforgivable things!)
this was so good but i don't recommend the audiobook. i did not know going in that this had strike-out passages to represent jackson's thoughts and in the audiobook, they appear by the narrator saying "strike that". which yes, makes sense!! but it got annoying really fast the amount times that he says it.
(also i am a jasmine hater! she was annoying and horrible! and i despise her! she annoyed me! and did absolutely unforgivable things!)
January 25, 2024
4.5
this is the best YA romance i’ve read in a hot minute. all of the characters and relationships are very well fleshed-out, there’s a lot of casual representation which is always great. characters fuck up badly, but they also know how to apologize properly. and liam. he might be one of my favorite love interests of all time. my only slight complaint would be that i wanted this book to be a bit longer, i thought it would’ve benefited from maybe having 50 more pages in terms of wrapping up storylines.
also a huge thank you to NetGalley and Dial Books/Penguin for providing me with an ARC of this book.
this is the best YA romance i’ve read in a hot minute. all of the characters and relationships are very well fleshed-out, there’s a lot of casual representation which is always great. characters fuck up badly, but they also know how to apologize properly. and liam. he might be one of my favorite love interests of all time. my only slight complaint would be that i wanted this book to be a bit longer, i thought it would’ve benefited from maybe having 50 more pages in terms of wrapping up storylines.
also a huge thank you to NetGalley and Dial Books/Penguin for providing me with an ARC of this book.
September 6, 2024
very cute but predictable
November 19, 2024
I really enjoyed this YA contemporary. I loved the theatre setting, of course. The story is predictable, but that's nothing new in this genre. I liked the main characters and the romance was very sweet. Adib Khorram has such a great writing style, it's addictive and so easy to read. I also enjoyed the lists and text messages.
May 27, 2024
Jasmine � what an awful child. Jasmine (for me) evokes feelings that I’ve only had for nadine’s brother in the edge of seventeen
September 6, 2024
My original 3 star rating was bothering me, enough to come back and change to one star.
Things I loved:
1) a handicap/ hard of hearing MC.
2) Liam learning sign language to be able to better communicate with Jackson.
3) Inclusivity (though this was done to the extreme).
But there were so many things I hated about this book- I DNF'd at 76% which I hardly ever do- might as well finish it at that point. But this book was so annoying, borderline upsetting, that I couldn't finish.
Things I hated:
1) Obviously, Jasmine. She's basically a narcissistic sociopath who gives ZERO sh*#s about her brother, or anyone really, just herself. She's horrible to Jackson throughout the whole book, and though Liam was a sweetheart with her and broke up in a completely friendly way, she still villainizes him.
2) Jackson's parents. They're both very smart people, but absolute idiots when it comes to dealing with a HOF child. They should've learned sign language right away! Wearing hearing aids hurts and doesn't pick everything up. They didn't give a damn.
3) Liam- I hated that he was such a wimp, that he couldn't tell his sister, or anyone really, that he was interested in dating Jackson, not Liam.
4) the miscommunication trope- ughhhh- absolutely despise.
5) the teachers. Are you telling me that a single teacher doesn't care about their students enough to pick up on the fact that Jackson is going through stuff??? Is the drama teacher who supposedly really likes Jackson so blind and uncaring that she allows Cam to bully Jackson? Which leads me to...
6) Cam. He's such a jerk! Bullying Jackson. Liam's the only one that picks up on this and that drives me nuts too.
7) Nothing really gets resolved/ have consequences. Jasmine and Cam get off scott-free (a few detentions for Jasmine is nothing). The drama teacher isn't told off for mistreating Jackson. What's the point of having a HOH MC if you don't do anything with it, besides Liam learning a few words here and there? Neither his parents or the school have consequences or were corrected for not including Jackson/ being more accommodating. I have some physical limitations, enough to have been considered handicap by the school, and they did so much to try to help me- including allowing me to record lectures, getting multiple student notes anonymously uploaded on the school site for me to download. Why doesn't this school do anything to help Jackson?
8) Lastly, Jackson. I hated that he lacks a back bone. He should've told just about everyone off and put them in their place instead of letting them (mostly Jasmine and Cam) walk all over him. He should've stood up for himself and actually communicated his feelings, not let Jasmine lead his life for him. If he really loved Liam, he wouldn't have gone along with Liam's list (all the lists were stupid in my opinion).
So yeah, this whole book left me all kinds of annoyed.
Things I loved:
1) a handicap/ hard of hearing MC.
2) Liam learning sign language to be able to better communicate with Jackson.
3) Inclusivity (though this was done to the extreme).
But there were so many things I hated about this book- I DNF'd at 76% which I hardly ever do- might as well finish it at that point. But this book was so annoying, borderline upsetting, that I couldn't finish.
Things I hated:
1) Obviously, Jasmine. She's basically a narcissistic sociopath who gives ZERO sh*#s about her brother, or anyone really, just herself. She's horrible to Jackson throughout the whole book, and though Liam was a sweetheart with her and broke up in a completely friendly way, she still villainizes him.
2) Jackson's parents. They're both very smart people, but absolute idiots when it comes to dealing with a HOF child. They should've learned sign language right away! Wearing hearing aids hurts and doesn't pick everything up. They didn't give a damn.
3) Liam- I hated that he was such a wimp, that he couldn't tell his sister, or anyone really, that he was interested in dating Jackson, not Liam.
4) the miscommunication trope- ughhhh- absolutely despise.
5) the teachers. Are you telling me that a single teacher doesn't care about their students enough to pick up on the fact that Jackson is going through stuff??? Is the drama teacher who supposedly really likes Jackson so blind and uncaring that she allows Cam to bully Jackson? Which leads me to...
6) Cam. He's such a jerk! Bullying Jackson. Liam's the only one that picks up on this and that drives me nuts too.
7) Nothing really gets resolved/ have consequences. Jasmine and Cam get off scott-free (a few detentions for Jasmine is nothing). The drama teacher isn't told off for mistreating Jackson. What's the point of having a HOH MC if you don't do anything with it, besides Liam learning a few words here and there? Neither his parents or the school have consequences or were corrected for not including Jackson/ being more accommodating. I have some physical limitations, enough to have been considered handicap by the school, and they did so much to try to help me- including allowing me to record lectures, getting multiple student notes anonymously uploaded on the school site for me to download. Why doesn't this school do anything to help Jackson?
8) Lastly, Jackson. I hated that he lacks a back bone. He should've told just about everyone off and put them in their place instead of letting them (mostly Jasmine and Cam) walk all over him. He should've stood up for himself and actually communicated his feelings, not let Jasmine lead his life for him. If he really loved Liam, he wouldn't have gone along with Liam's list (all the lists were stupid in my opinion).
So yeah, this whole book left me all kinds of annoyed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2024
Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Loved the concept of this book and all of the great representation, but overall it just fell flat for me.
-I thought the actual "Break up Lists" would be funny, but they really weren't. This was a missed opportunity.
-I'm not sure if it is because an ARC is not a final draft, but I was confused by the numerous times something was described with an alternate word or synonym attached to it.
-I loved Liam and the chemistry was really cute, but seriously, what's the deal with Jackson's tag situation?! Why is he the only one at school who has a tag that can't stay in his shirt? This was definitely over done.
-From early on, you could tell what was going to happen and knew that it would be annoying.
-Jasmine was absolutely horrible and honestly ruined the book for me. What a toxic human being!! I'm also really irritated that she basically gets away with everything and karma doesn't intervene. The sibling resolution still doesn't hold her accountable for being a total narcissist and an all around horrible human.
I know I'm in the minority with this review and glad that everyone else has enjoyed it more than I did. Again, great idea and loved the diversity, but I guess it just wasn't the right book for me.
Loved the concept of this book and all of the great representation, but overall it just fell flat for me.
-I thought the actual "Break up Lists" would be funny, but they really weren't. This was a missed opportunity.
-I'm not sure if it is because an ARC is not a final draft, but I was confused by the numerous times something was described with an alternate word or synonym attached to it.
-I loved Liam and the chemistry was really cute, but seriously, what's the deal with Jackson's tag situation?! Why is he the only one at school who has a tag that can't stay in his shirt? This was definitely over done.
-From early on, you could tell what was going to happen and knew that it would be annoying.
-Jasmine was absolutely horrible and honestly ruined the book for me. What a toxic human being!! I'm also really irritated that she basically gets away with everything and karma doesn't intervene. The sibling resolution still doesn't hold her accountable for being a total narcissist and an all around horrible human.
I know I'm in the minority with this review and glad that everyone else has enjoyed it more than I did. Again, great idea and loved the diversity, but I guess it just wasn't the right book for me.
April 2, 2024
I do not like anything about this book.
April 22, 2024
sooooo much fun. messy and teenage-angsty and endearing. i would watch this disney channel original movie
April 3, 2024
thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Came for a book with a theatre techie as the main character and stayed for a story that was hard to put down and interesting character journeys. THE BREAKUP LISTS is so incredibly readable even in some of its relative simplicity. I think the great thing about this book is not that it’s some incredibly unique plot or story, but that it takes some pretty regular coming-of-age and YA moments and personalises it through individual and unique characters that you want to read about. And even when I thought I had everything figured out, Khorram would take things a slightly different way than I guessed. It’s a really solid YA read and one I absolutely flew through without even meaning to, definitely worth the read and I absolutely recommend it!
Just to get them out of the way, there were a few things I didn’t totally love about this book. For one, there’s lots of little words or terms that are personal to the characters and while I understand they’re characterization, the fifth time I read ‘schmoodie� I wanted to set the book down. I also initially found it annoying how it felt like every other sentence had a word crossed out, but this writing style actually grew on me, especially as Khorram uses it to showcase Jackson’s growth and growing self-confidence!
Like I said at the beginning, I think the best part about this book is the characters. I think we get several really nuanced characters (even if I still don’t like Jasmine), and it’s really fun to watch them both learn and grow. Jackson isn’t perfect and his growth arc is not just getting others to treat him better, but treating others better. I was also really invested in the theatre techie storyline aspect as someone who used to do tech in high school, especially after not really getting a role in a show. I can’t personally comment on the authenticity of Jackson’s experiences as a deaf person, but I do think it was well-integrated into the story and enhanced what Khorram was trying to do with this story.
It can feel harder to relate to YA stories, even ones that have elements that were important to my high school experience, as I get older. But despite the things that I even thought might make me sad and miss my past experiences were just another piece that made this book fun to read. I really enjoyed my time reading it and I hope to continue to read more books like it!
Came for a book with a theatre techie as the main character and stayed for a story that was hard to put down and interesting character journeys. THE BREAKUP LISTS is so incredibly readable even in some of its relative simplicity. I think the great thing about this book is not that it’s some incredibly unique plot or story, but that it takes some pretty regular coming-of-age and YA moments and personalises it through individual and unique characters that you want to read about. And even when I thought I had everything figured out, Khorram would take things a slightly different way than I guessed. It’s a really solid YA read and one I absolutely flew through without even meaning to, definitely worth the read and I absolutely recommend it!
Just to get them out of the way, there were a few things I didn’t totally love about this book. For one, there’s lots of little words or terms that are personal to the characters and while I understand they’re characterization, the fifth time I read ‘schmoodie� I wanted to set the book down. I also initially found it annoying how it felt like every other sentence had a word crossed out, but this writing style actually grew on me, especially as Khorram uses it to showcase Jackson’s growth and growing self-confidence!
Like I said at the beginning, I think the best part about this book is the characters. I think we get several really nuanced characters (even if I still don’t like Jasmine), and it’s really fun to watch them both learn and grow. Jackson isn’t perfect and his growth arc is not just getting others to treat him better, but treating others better. I was also really invested in the theatre techie storyline aspect as someone who used to do tech in high school, especially after not really getting a role in a show. I can’t personally comment on the authenticity of Jackson’s experiences as a deaf person, but I do think it was well-integrated into the story and enhanced what Khorram was trying to do with this story.
It can feel harder to relate to YA stories, even ones that have elements that were important to my high school experience, as I get older. But despite the things that I even thought might make me sad and miss my past experiences were just another piece that made this book fun to read. I really enjoyed my time reading it and I hope to continue to read more books like it!
Shelved as 'dnf'
April 9, 2024dnf
the strikethroughs are incredibly annoying (whereas in the book version the text is crossed out, in the audiobook the narrator says 'strike that' every single time...a choice for sure). i think i'm just too old to enjoy this type of simplistic, almost wattpadesque, storytelling. if this book is on your radar check out other reviews.
the strikethroughs are incredibly annoying (whereas in the book version the text is crossed out, in the audiobook the narrator says 'strike that' every single time...a choice for sure). i think i'm just too old to enjoy this type of simplistic, almost wattpadesque, storytelling. if this book is on your radar check out other reviews.
June 14, 2024
cute ya romcom as long as you're fine with some extremely fanfic prose
May 1, 2024
thank you to dial books and penguin teen for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
this book was truly such a blast! my previous experience with adib khorram was with their short story included in an anthology collection, which i had adored. instantly, i knew i wanted to read more from him and especially a full length novel. so when i saw that he was publishing the breakup lists, a book about a theater-loving, queer teen i had to get my hands on it!
and i’m so so glad that i did. not only was the theater nerd out in full force in this book, but there was competitive swimming AND disability representation (which i truly had no idea what present in this book). i wish there was more people shouting about how khorram portrayed our deaf main character (who is wearing hearing aids on the cover i just totally didn’t realize!). while i can not speak personally on the representation as i’m not deaf/hard of hearing, khorram’s depiction of jackson’s disability felt quite accurate. he doesn’t hear everything which is representative has jackson physically missing the words and attempting to fill in the black. his assumptions aren’t always correct. people will get frustrated with him. he communicates with his friends through ASL. it was so incredible to see and was truly the highlight of this books.
as for the writing structure, while i didn’t personally love jackson’s internal monologue crossing things out on page, it does get toned down as we progress through the story. and did sometime’s lead to a laugh. so while it took a while to get used to that stylistic choice, it did become quite workable.
okay, moving onto liam. i love liam. i think he is the sweetest soul, and while he think’s he is a people pleasure, i just know he has the best intentions, even if it does end in disaster. i was so curious to see how his story would play out and i loved how it was executed. while jackson can be very strong with his lists, and his worries, i loved seeing liam’s calm demeanor. i think they were such a great pairing and while they took a while to get where they were, it was worth the trouble.
this book was truly such a blast! my previous experience with adib khorram was with their short story included in an anthology collection, which i had adored. instantly, i knew i wanted to read more from him and especially a full length novel. so when i saw that he was publishing the breakup lists, a book about a theater-loving, queer teen i had to get my hands on it!
and i’m so so glad that i did. not only was the theater nerd out in full force in this book, but there was competitive swimming AND disability representation (which i truly had no idea what present in this book). i wish there was more people shouting about how khorram portrayed our deaf main character (who is wearing hearing aids on the cover i just totally didn’t realize!). while i can not speak personally on the representation as i’m not deaf/hard of hearing, khorram’s depiction of jackson’s disability felt quite accurate. he doesn’t hear everything which is representative has jackson physically missing the words and attempting to fill in the black. his assumptions aren’t always correct. people will get frustrated with him. he communicates with his friends through ASL. it was so incredible to see and was truly the highlight of this books.
as for the writing structure, while i didn’t personally love jackson’s internal monologue crossing things out on page, it does get toned down as we progress through the story. and did sometime’s lead to a laugh. so while it took a while to get used to that stylistic choice, it did become quite workable.
okay, moving onto liam. i love liam. i think he is the sweetest soul, and while he think’s he is a people pleasure, i just know he has the best intentions, even if it does end in disaster. i was so curious to see how his story would play out and i loved how it was executed. while jackson can be very strong with his lists, and his worries, i loved seeing liam’s calm demeanor. i think they were such a great pairing and while they took a while to get where they were, it was worth the trouble.
August 22, 2024
There is a really good reason why Adib Khorram is one of my favorite authors. It could be that I smile through his books. Maybe it’s because I look forward to every year’s release knowing he won’t let me down. I always seem to relate to his MC’s in some way, which in turn means we would be great friends. At least in my head that’s what it means.
Jackson is a theater kid, which doesn’t inherently make him the perfect character. (I was a theater kid� we are wonderful people!) He’s also deaf (great rep, but we will be revisiting this) and Iranian (as is the author). All of this together makes such a well rounded MC. His only flaw (imo) is his lists�
When someone upsets him, he makes a “breakup list� for them and the pro’s and con’s of them as a person. He also does this when his sister gets dumped to help her move on. Obviously, he thinks no one will ever see them, but we as readers can sniff out foreshadowing like a blood hound, especially when it’s shoved right into our (beautiful) faces.
Jackson’s sister, Jasmine, is the ultimate storybook villain. Not only is she selfish and doesn’t actual think about her own brother’s feelings, but when she dates his friend and eventually they break up, she makes him REPEATEDLY read his own friend’s breakup list that he didn’t want to write in the first place back to her. By repeatedly, I mean ALL THE DAMN TIME. And to top it off, since they got his hearing results back, none of his family have even attempted to learn ASL to make it more accessible to talk to him� he lost his hearing YEARS ago. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarssssssssss. So she learned her selfishness from her parents.
Now enter Liam, a new friend who may or may not have already been into Jackson before they got to know each other, but thought he was dating his best friend Bowie. So he never made a move and instead got pushed to the side. So like in teen romcom fashion, we got a lot of pining and want from afar.
I had a lot of emotions during my read of The Breakup Lists, because I really enjoy a YA Romance that centers around theater. It brings me back to the good ole days and makes me wish I had been a little more outgoing and spent time with my cast mates outside of school and practice. If only I could do high school all over again……�. I would not. 😂 I loved it, but I can’t deal with all of those hormones again. That’s too much work.
Sometimes when I read a book that I love, I start to feel protective over the characters. Like I don’t want anyone to hurt them, because they’re my perfect little angel babies. And to top it off, they’re queer so I feel a kinship to them.
Needless to say I loved this! Read it!
Jackson is a theater kid, which doesn’t inherently make him the perfect character. (I was a theater kid� we are wonderful people!) He’s also deaf (great rep, but we will be revisiting this) and Iranian (as is the author). All of this together makes such a well rounded MC. His only flaw (imo) is his lists�
When someone upsets him, he makes a “breakup list� for them and the pro’s and con’s of them as a person. He also does this when his sister gets dumped to help her move on. Obviously, he thinks no one will ever see them, but we as readers can sniff out foreshadowing like a blood hound, especially when it’s shoved right into our (beautiful) faces.
Jackson’s sister, Jasmine, is the ultimate storybook villain. Not only is she selfish and doesn’t actual think about her own brother’s feelings, but when she dates his friend and eventually they break up, she makes him REPEATEDLY read his own friend’s breakup list that he didn’t want to write in the first place back to her. By repeatedly, I mean ALL THE DAMN TIME. And to top it off, since they got his hearing results back, none of his family have even attempted to learn ASL to make it more accessible to talk to him� he lost his hearing YEARS ago. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarssssssssss. So she learned her selfishness from her parents.
Now enter Liam, a new friend who may or may not have already been into Jackson before they got to know each other, but thought he was dating his best friend Bowie. So he never made a move and instead got pushed to the side. So like in teen romcom fashion, we got a lot of pining and want from afar.
I had a lot of emotions during my read of The Breakup Lists, because I really enjoy a YA Romance that centers around theater. It brings me back to the good ole days and makes me wish I had been a little more outgoing and spent time with my cast mates outside of school and practice. If only I could do high school all over again……�. I would not. 😂 I loved it, but I can’t deal with all of those hormones again. That’s too much work.
Sometimes when I read a book that I love, I start to feel protective over the characters. Like I don’t want anyone to hurt them, because they’re my perfect little angel babies. And to top it off, they’re queer so I feel a kinship to them.
Needless to say I loved this! Read it!
March 22, 2024
3.5 rounded up
An enjoyable queer YA romcom with a great cast of diverse characters and a relatable Iranian American deaf MMC who falls for the guy his sister starts dating. I thought the hard of hearing disability rep was excellent in this book, especially the way that parts of conversation was blanked out because our protagonist missed when certain people were talking and he couldn't read there lips.
That said, I got really annoyed by the way he repeated 'crossed out' his thoughts (this might have been easier to handle reading the print or ebook version but on audio it was very distracting from the overall story/inner dialogue.
Still a good story though and especially recommended for any and all theatre geeks as this book revolves around a high school Shakespeare production. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and @prhaudio for a complimentary digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!!
An enjoyable queer YA romcom with a great cast of diverse characters and a relatable Iranian American deaf MMC who falls for the guy his sister starts dating. I thought the hard of hearing disability rep was excellent in this book, especially the way that parts of conversation was blanked out because our protagonist missed when certain people were talking and he couldn't read there lips.
That said, I got really annoyed by the way he repeated 'crossed out' his thoughts (this might have been easier to handle reading the print or ebook version but on audio it was very distracting from the overall story/inner dialogue.
Still a good story though and especially recommended for any and all theatre geeks as this book revolves around a high school Shakespeare production. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and @prhaudio for a complimentary digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!!
May 29, 2024
a love letter to the theatre kids, both onstage and behind the scenes!
i had a lot of fun reading jackson and liam's story! it's messy and complicated, but also super heartfelt. i also loved bowie's character, i would definitely read a book about them! even though i could see the miscommunication & conflict coming, it somehow was even more dramatic than i had anticipated. jasmine... i've got some words for you! there were also a lot of different identities represented in this story and i think that it will mean a lot to a lot of young readers!
thank you to penguin teen & netgalley for the eARC!
i had a lot of fun reading jackson and liam's story! it's messy and complicated, but also super heartfelt. i also loved bowie's character, i would definitely read a book about them! even though i could see the miscommunication & conflict coming, it somehow was even more dramatic than i had anticipated. jasmine... i've got some words for you! there were also a lot of different identities represented in this story and i think that it will mean a lot to a lot of young readers!
thank you to penguin teen & netgalley for the eARC!
April 3, 2024
Oooooh that was CUTE AS HELL 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹
March 21, 2025
Why is his shirt tag always out?
March 30, 2024
CUTE
WHOLESOME
ROMATIC...!!!
Full review to come
WHOLESOME
ROMATIC...!!!
Full review to come
February 25, 2024
"Oh wow, this was so good," I say as I wipe some wetness out of my eyes. 😂 THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!
One thing I always I appreciate about Adib Khorram's works is the blend of teenage experience and poignant themes. It was there in his three other books I read before, and this one, The Breakup Lists, is no different.
This was easy to read and follow, the writing is light and funny. And yet, through Jackson, we are offered a perspective of a gay Iranian-American teen who loves theater, who also happens to be hard of hearing, who's falling in love for the first time, who feels under appreciated, and still has some issues he needs to work on. I loved reading this story and in Jackson's POV. He's a compelling and relatable character, and you just want the best for him even if you know, as a reader, that he's not making the best decisions 😅
Jackson was hard of hearing, and it was nice to read about the experiences of the Deaf/hard of hearing community in his POV. Ableism was also touched upon, as well as mental health. Aroace identity was also featured (confirmed aroace minor character!), as well as other queer rep.
The plot is interesting, and though it may seem formulaic at times, it works and it's good. Adib Khorram still has some surprises for the reader and I love that. Much of the plot and Jackson's storyline revolved around being in theater and I just thought that was fun! I've never been a "theater gay", but I definitely had some flashbacks to certain Glee episodes while reading this 😂 I love it all the more!
I love the romance, too. This got me giggling and kicking my feet and I LOVE THAT. (I'm not going to say anymore in case I spoil something 😂)
Also, I have to say, Bowie is definitely my favorite character, I love them 😂
Overall, this was so so good. I was excited for this one, and Adid Khorram definitely did not disappoint.
Exact rating: 4.5 ⭐️ (Might post a detailed review on the blog!)
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc! This is out April 2nd!
Find me elsewhere: | |
Marking this book as part of my reading challenge: .
One thing I always I appreciate about Adib Khorram's works is the blend of teenage experience and poignant themes. It was there in his three other books I read before, and this one, The Breakup Lists, is no different.
This was easy to read and follow, the writing is light and funny. And yet, through Jackson, we are offered a perspective of a gay Iranian-American teen who loves theater, who also happens to be hard of hearing, who's falling in love for the first time, who feels under appreciated, and still has some issues he needs to work on. I loved reading this story and in Jackson's POV. He's a compelling and relatable character, and you just want the best for him even if you know, as a reader, that he's not making the best decisions 😅
Jackson was hard of hearing, and it was nice to read about the experiences of the Deaf/hard of hearing community in his POV. Ableism was also touched upon, as well as mental health. Aroace identity was also featured (confirmed aroace minor character!), as well as other queer rep.
The plot is interesting, and though it may seem formulaic at times, it works and it's good. Adib Khorram still has some surprises for the reader and I love that. Much of the plot and Jackson's storyline revolved around being in theater and I just thought that was fun! I've never been a "theater gay", but I definitely had some flashbacks to certain Glee episodes while reading this 😂 I love it all the more!
I love the romance, too. This got me giggling and kicking my feet and I LOVE THAT. (I'm not going to say anymore in case I spoil something 😂)
Also, I have to say, Bowie is definitely my favorite character, I love them 😂
Overall, this was so so good. I was excited for this one, and Adid Khorram definitely did not disappoint.
Exact rating: 4.5 ⭐️ (Might post a detailed review on the blog!)
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc! This is out April 2nd!
Find me elsewhere: | |
Marking this book as part of my reading challenge: .
July 11, 2024
At the heart of the story, it is a great book. It's got wonderful disability representation in queer representation and a heartwarming rom-com story. I liked the main character and I liked his best friend and the love interest but I think those were maybe the only three people that I actually liked in terms of secondary characters. There's a lot of unlikable characters in this book.
Unfortunately for me two very small things almost ruined this book for me. The first is the audio narration of the " scratch that/strike that " part of the book. I did end up looking at a finished copy and throughout the book there are passages that have a line through them and the way that that was translated into the audiobook is that every time the narrator would say that sentence they would follow up immediately with scratch that. It got old very fast. I'm talking within the first couple minutes I was over it and this happens throughout the entire book. Some things just don't translate well into audio. This is definitely one of them. It's one of the most annoying audio things I've heard in a while and it's right up there with constantly reading a list over and over again or reading out full email or text numbers. If you know you know but I wish there was a little bit more thought put into how that was going to translate into the audiobook.
Also in regards to the scratch that parts of the book, I really think it was unnecessary. They were meant to be like this character's thought process that he was trying to reframe his thinking but it just didn't work. It doesn't even work in the context of reading it. I don't know I was not a fan of that.
The second little thing that drove me nuts throughout the whole book is the tag thing. So one of the cute little quirks is that the love interest is constantly tucking the main character's shirt tag back into his collar and at some point you have to think is it really realistic that every single one of your clothing items constantly has a tag out? These are the things that my brain latches on to and I hate that it does that but oh my god there's just no way.
Lastly, this is more just I hated her and I don't think that she deserved an apology or any sort of positive relationships after her behavior in this book and that is Jasmine. I made Jasmine hater. She's a terrible sister and honestly a pretty terrible person. Also can we talk about how crappy it is to be deaf and not have any of your family members learn any sign language? Evaluate your life choices people.
So even though I'm definitely not going to be rereading this book via audio I still liked it and will recommend the book itself. I do think it is one that you should read versus listen and personally I would just skip all of the scratched out parts. They are not necessary they do not have anything to the story. I will say it's quite disappointing to have a book that has disability and disability advocacy at it's center be almost unaccessible as an audiobook.
Unfortunately for me two very small things almost ruined this book for me. The first is the audio narration of the " scratch that/strike that " part of the book. I did end up looking at a finished copy and throughout the book there are passages that have a line through them and the way that that was translated into the audiobook is that every time the narrator would say that sentence they would follow up immediately with scratch that. It got old very fast. I'm talking within the first couple minutes I was over it and this happens throughout the entire book. Some things just don't translate well into audio. This is definitely one of them. It's one of the most annoying audio things I've heard in a while and it's right up there with constantly reading a list over and over again or reading out full email or text numbers. If you know you know but I wish there was a little bit more thought put into how that was going to translate into the audiobook.
Also in regards to the scratch that parts of the book, I really think it was unnecessary. They were meant to be like this character's thought process that he was trying to reframe his thinking but it just didn't work. It doesn't even work in the context of reading it. I don't know I was not a fan of that.
The second little thing that drove me nuts throughout the whole book is the tag thing. So one of the cute little quirks is that the love interest is constantly tucking the main character's shirt tag back into his collar and at some point you have to think is it really realistic that every single one of your clothing items constantly has a tag out? These are the things that my brain latches on to and I hate that it does that but oh my god there's just no way.
Lastly, this is more just I hated her and I don't think that she deserved an apology or any sort of positive relationships after her behavior in this book and that is Jasmine. I made Jasmine hater. She's a terrible sister and honestly a pretty terrible person. Also can we talk about how crappy it is to be deaf and not have any of your family members learn any sign language? Evaluate your life choices people.
So even though I'm definitely not going to be rereading this book via audio I still liked it and will recommend the book itself. I do think it is one that you should read versus listen and personally I would just skip all of the scratched out parts. They are not necessary they do not have anything to the story. I will say it's quite disappointing to have a book that has disability and disability advocacy at it's center be almost unaccessible as an audiobook.
February 15, 2024
4.5 stars
Ever since his parents� divorce, Jackson hasn’t considered himself a romantic. His views of romance are continuously validated by his sister’s many breakups that have left her with a broken heart. The whole romance, dating, relationships thing just isn’t for him. He prefers to be behind the scenes, much like he is as the stage manager for the school’s latest musical.
At least, that’s what he thought until Liam joined the cast of the school play. As he spends more time with Liam, he realizes that he can’t stop thinking about him. The only problem? His sister seems to have fallen for Liam, too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Books for an advanced copy of The Breakup Lists by Adib Khorram. Ever since reading Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Adib Khorram has been an auto-read author for me. There’s just something about the way that he writes emotions and relationships that feels so teenager, and this book is no different.
Jackson is such a complicated main character, specifically when it comes to love and romance. He has seen so many of the people he cares about that he’s cynical and pushes people away. Eventually to the point that it hinders his relationships. His emotional journey, which includes eventually realizing that talking to a therapist would be useful, is so well written. And it’s all things that teenagers will definitely relate to.
Another thing I really loved was Jackson’s friendship with Bowie, who is asexual (and aromantic, if I remember correctly). The fact that they had such a strong friendship that didn’t need to eventually turn romantic is something I kind of wish was shown more in YA books. Romantic relationships aren’t the be-all end-all (especially when you’re in high school), and the fact that Bowie was shown to be comfortable with that? I absolutely loved it.
Jackson is Hard of Hearing and occasionally uses sign language throughout the book (mostly with Bowie and their family). However, none of his family signs with him, which is a point of frustration for him throughout the book. It seems like Khorram did his research for this particular aspect of the book, but I’m not a part of the community, so I can’t comment on how accurate it is.
All in all, this is a wonderful queer teen romance with a great cast of characters and strong emotional beats. Definitely check it out when it releases in April!
Ever since his parents� divorce, Jackson hasn’t considered himself a romantic. His views of romance are continuously validated by his sister’s many breakups that have left her with a broken heart. The whole romance, dating, relationships thing just isn’t for him. He prefers to be behind the scenes, much like he is as the stage manager for the school’s latest musical.
At least, that’s what he thought until Liam joined the cast of the school play. As he spends more time with Liam, he realizes that he can’t stop thinking about him. The only problem? His sister seems to have fallen for Liam, too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Books for an advanced copy of The Breakup Lists by Adib Khorram. Ever since reading Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Adib Khorram has been an auto-read author for me. There’s just something about the way that he writes emotions and relationships that feels so teenager, and this book is no different.
Jackson is such a complicated main character, specifically when it comes to love and romance. He has seen so many of the people he cares about that he’s cynical and pushes people away. Eventually to the point that it hinders his relationships. His emotional journey, which includes eventually realizing that talking to a therapist would be useful, is so well written. And it’s all things that teenagers will definitely relate to.
Another thing I really loved was Jackson’s friendship with Bowie, who is asexual (and aromantic, if I remember correctly). The fact that they had such a strong friendship that didn’t need to eventually turn romantic is something I kind of wish was shown more in YA books. Romantic relationships aren’t the be-all end-all (especially when you’re in high school), and the fact that Bowie was shown to be comfortable with that? I absolutely loved it.
Jackson is Hard of Hearing and occasionally uses sign language throughout the book (mostly with Bowie and their family). However, none of his family signs with him, which is a point of frustration for him throughout the book. It seems like Khorram did his research for this particular aspect of the book, but I’m not a part of the community, so I can’t comment on how accurate it is.
All in all, this is a wonderful queer teen romance with a great cast of characters and strong emotional beats. Definitely check it out when it releases in April!
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