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This Is All Your Fault
Set over the course of one day, Aminah Mae Safi's This Is All Your Fault is a smart and voice-driven YA novel that follows three young women determined to save their indie bookstore.
Rinn Olivera is finally going to tell her longtime crush AJ that she’s in love with him.
Daniella Korres writes poetry for her own account, but nobody knows it’s her.
Imogen Azar is just trying to make it through the day.
When Rinn, Daniella, and Imogen clock into work at Wild Nights Bookstore on the first day of summer, they’re expecting the hours to drift by the way they always do. Instead, they have to deal with the news that the bookstore is closing. Before the day is out, there’ll be shaved heads, a diva author, and a very large shipment of Air Jordans to contend with.
And it will take all three of them working together if they have any chance to save Wild Nights Bookstore."
Rinn Olivera is finally going to tell her longtime crush AJ that she’s in love with him.
Daniella Korres writes poetry for her own account, but nobody knows it’s her.
Imogen Azar is just trying to make it through the day.
When Rinn, Daniella, and Imogen clock into work at Wild Nights Bookstore on the first day of summer, they’re expecting the hours to drift by the way they always do. Instead, they have to deal with the news that the bookstore is closing. Before the day is out, there’ll be shaved heads, a diva author, and a very large shipment of Air Jordans to contend with.
And it will take all three of them working together if they have any chance to save Wild Nights Bookstore."
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2020
About the author
Aminah Mae Safi
7 books442 followersAminah Mae Safi is the author of four novels, including Tell Me How You Really Feel (Feiwel & Friends) and the forthcoming Travelers Along the Way: a Robin Hood Remix (Feiwel & Friends, 2022). She’s an erstwhile art historian, a fan of Cholula on popcorn, and an un-ironic lover of the Fast and the Furious franchise. Her writing has been featured on Bustle and Salon and her award-winning short stories can be found in Fresh Ink (Crown Books) and the forthcoming Freshman Orientation (Candlewick Press, 2023) among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
September 15, 2020
I am about to say something that I have never, ever said before:
If you feel at all compelled to read this book, I must recommend you watch a movie instead.
Not THE movie. Not an adaptation of this book, which is not out yet, but somehow already exists. A totally separate movie.
This book ripped off Empire Records, and it didn’t even do that good of a job.
Before reading this, I had never seen Empire Records, and I felt like this could be a 4.5 star read. Maybe even 5. Then I kept reading, and it kept disappointing me, and it became a generous 3.
And then I had the miraculous experience that is watching Empire Records, and we all boarded the rating train straight to Twosville.
This was just a bummer, all around.
This Is All Your Fault is about a ragtag group of teen girls (and also boys, but they are continually just forgotten about, even as they exist in the same building as the aforementioned girls) who work in a bookstore and then must save the bookstore because that quirky cool bookstore is closing.
So who better to save it than three quirky cool girls, am I right.
Except that the first two thirds (TWO!!! THIRDS!!!!) is just them finding out that the bookstore is failing, so the plot feels super lopsided and almost deus ex machina-y and lame.
This feels more like a first draft than an ARC.
It didn’t tell me any of the things I wanted it to and I just wanted to yell DO WHAT MAKES SENSE AND IS ALSO INTERESTING FUN AND/OR EXCITING...PLEASE I BEG OF YOU…
All of the characterization was so telly not showy, which led to really repetitive scenes...Rinn (the good-girl booktuber) is Filming. Daniella (the bad girl) Is Rebellious. Imogen (the crazy (?) girl) Is ???
There were THREE romance subplots and a BREAKUP and NONE of them are properly given time.
But instead, at the literal climax of the book, one character spends one and a half pages thinking about everyone’s phone cases and whether she needs one.
This is the 87th example of an incomprehensible lengthy internal monologue like that.
And don’t even get me started on the Brock Harvey celebrity author don’t-meet-your-heroes plotline, which started out clichéd as hell and finished...inexplicably.
I am angsty.
Bottom line: AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!
Just watch Empire Records instead. Trust me.
-------------
dramatic update
multiple reviewers (celia and sarah) have written that this is on the brink of plagiarizing the movie Empire Records, which i have never seen.
time to watch that movie for the drama.
-------------
pre-review
seeking: a punk gothic library-themed indie bookstore where i can fall in love AND make unlikely friendships
review to come / 3 stars (dropped to 2 upon seeing Empire Records)
-------------
tbr review
"this smart and voice-driven YA novel follows three young women determined to save their indie bookstore"
i have never been more excited in my life.
thanks to the publisher for the ARC
If you feel at all compelled to read this book, I must recommend you watch a movie instead.
Not THE movie. Not an adaptation of this book, which is not out yet, but somehow already exists. A totally separate movie.
This book ripped off Empire Records, and it didn’t even do that good of a job.
Before reading this, I had never seen Empire Records, and I felt like this could be a 4.5 star read. Maybe even 5. Then I kept reading, and it kept disappointing me, and it became a generous 3.
And then I had the miraculous experience that is watching Empire Records, and we all boarded the rating train straight to Twosville.
This was just a bummer, all around.
This Is All Your Fault is about a ragtag group of teen girls (and also boys, but they are continually just forgotten about, even as they exist in the same building as the aforementioned girls) who work in a bookstore and then must save the bookstore because that quirky cool bookstore is closing.
So who better to save it than three quirky cool girls, am I right.
Except that the first two thirds (TWO!!! THIRDS!!!!) is just them finding out that the bookstore is failing, so the plot feels super lopsided and almost deus ex machina-y and lame.
This feels more like a first draft than an ARC.
It didn’t tell me any of the things I wanted it to and I just wanted to yell DO WHAT MAKES SENSE AND IS ALSO INTERESTING FUN AND/OR EXCITING...PLEASE I BEG OF YOU…
All of the characterization was so telly not showy, which led to really repetitive scenes...Rinn (the good-girl booktuber) is Filming. Daniella (the bad girl) Is Rebellious. Imogen (the crazy (?) girl) Is ???
There were THREE romance subplots and a BREAKUP and NONE of them are properly given time.
But instead, at the literal climax of the book, one character spends one and a half pages thinking about everyone’s phone cases and whether she needs one.
This is the 87th example of an incomprehensible lengthy internal monologue like that.
And don’t even get me started on the Brock Harvey celebrity author don’t-meet-your-heroes plotline, which started out clichéd as hell and finished...inexplicably.
I am angsty.
Bottom line: AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!
Just watch Empire Records instead. Trust me.
-------------
dramatic update
multiple reviewers (celia and sarah) have written that this is on the brink of plagiarizing the movie Empire Records, which i have never seen.
time to watch that movie for the drama.
-------------
pre-review
seeking: a punk gothic library-themed indie bookstore where i can fall in love AND make unlikely friendships
review to come / 3 stars (dropped to 2 upon seeing Empire Records)
-------------
tbr review
"this smart and voice-driven YA novel follows three young women determined to save their indie bookstore"
i have never been more excited in my life.
thanks to the publisher for the ARC
May 22, 2021
This Is All Your Fault is diversely stacked with developing friendships, personal struggles, distanced coworkers finding support in each other, passionate personalities, a slightly humorous narration, book recommendations, and a sign board on the door of an independent bookstore turning to 'closed' forever.
A story set in the midst of books, the incredible aura of a bookstore is well portrayed through the beautiful decorations, the shelves, and the heart-warming vibe of regulars and newcomers finding their own solace and meaning in this place. The underutilised time space of twenty-fours to play out a story is cute little bow to everything, especially since it's brought down to just the working hours of a store and makes you even more pleasantly surprised to see how such tremendous emotional progress and events were made in such small time frame.
Being narrated through a multiple point-of-view lens, this contemporary beautifully intertwines the lives of three young coworkers on the basis of the vast differences they hold—in terms of ethnicity, mental health, and personality.
The dip at which the story starts, where all three are stuck with some judgement about the other two, and the peak at which the story ends, where all have supported one another through the little strings that attached them—strings of struggle, strings of mental health, strings of being girls, and strings of passion—is a contrast you'll be delighted to witness.
From the manager who is a supportive woman to these three main characters who believe in their individuality, their dreams, and themselves, the girls definitely rule in this book. The girls are the ones deciding to do all they can to save this bookstore and it's a pleasure to read about Imogen's mother and the love for poetry that has passed down from an immigrant parent to the little girl named after the heroine in Cymbeline—one of Shakespeare's plays.
The entire concept of an independent bookstore closing down due to an apparent financial crisis so a parking lot can be constructed on the same grounds is a prime example of the current scenario around bookstores losing a battle against online retailers, technology, and the mere hunger for money by some selfish personas.
The anxiety rep was absolutely on point for me ; the frequent feeling to puke, the constant horror of actually puking, and the constricted chest that can only breathe again after puking—I know I'm being highly specific of what impressed me but it's the highest point for me to relate with; rest all details were anyway perfect. The portrayal of depression isn't something I can comment on but it definitely helped me connect with Imogen on a deeper level so the emotional understanding through a bumpy mental health was clearly felt.
Daniela loves to write poetry but stays secretive about this passion of hers. Rinn is a bookish content creator who loves to read, and that's something I was so so happy to see because who doesn't want to see their enthusiasm being reflected in a story they read? My dramatic self would say I almost cried when Rinn talked about how fulfilling content creation can be but also comes with the struggle of always being online, always engaging, always keeping up one's numbers, and always feeling a sense of pressure from the community and audience itself.
Note: I see and I understand how some readers have shown their disappointment towards the huge similarities between this story line and Empire Records but I haven't ever seen the movie so that's not a parallel I wish to personally draw. Moreover, I feel the book does take diversity and mental health into account and considering how excellently it fairs on those themes, I would continue recommending This Is All Your Fault.
August 14, 2020: YAY! Not only will I be reading this book but I'm also going to interview the authors wohooo! Received a digital copy via Netgalley.
↣ consider reading this review over on my blog.
Spans over a day at work in an independent bookstore whose charm and magic is being lost to financial greed.
A story set in the midst of books, the incredible aura of a bookstore is well portrayed through the beautiful decorations, the shelves, and the heart-warming vibe of regulars and newcomers finding their own solace and meaning in this place. The underutilised time space of twenty-fours to play out a story is cute little bow to everything, especially since it's brought down to just the working hours of a store and makes you even more pleasantly surprised to see how such tremendous emotional progress and events were made in such small time frame.
Three young girls soulfully connect through a crisis, despite being wildly distanced on any other workday.
Being narrated through a multiple point-of-view lens, this contemporary beautifully intertwines the lives of three young coworkers on the basis of the vast differences they hold—in terms of ethnicity, mental health, and personality.
↦ Daniela is the cool blonde who is trusted with most responsibilities at the bookstore; struggle with anxiety and panic.
↦ Rinn is the half-Latine, half-white who is a bookish content creator on the Internet and is a sunshine with beautiful curls; has a huge crush on AJ, the art boy coworker.
↦ Imogen has a Middle-Eastern heritage and is the impulsive, queer soul who can trim away all her thick black wavy hair within five minutes of entering the bookstore; she has depression & she's my personal favourite.
The dip at which the story starts, where all three are stuck with some judgement about the other two, and the peak at which the story ends, where all have supported one another through the little strings that attached them—strings of struggle, strings of mental health, strings of being girls, and strings of passion—is a contrast you'll be delighted to witness.
The themes of feminism, friendship, and fading bookstores along with an undertone of mental health, creativity, and belonging are excellent.
From the manager who is a supportive woman to these three main characters who believe in their individuality, their dreams, and themselves, the girls definitely rule in this book. The girls are the ones deciding to do all they can to save this bookstore and it's a pleasure to read about Imogen's mother and the love for poetry that has passed down from an immigrant parent to the little girl named after the heroine in Cymbeline—one of Shakespeare's plays.
The entire concept of an independent bookstore closing down due to an apparent financial crisis so a parking lot can be constructed on the same grounds is a prime example of the current scenario around bookstores losing a battle against online retailers, technology, and the mere hunger for money by some selfish personas.
The anxiety rep was absolutely on point for me ; the frequent feeling to puke, the constant horror of actually puking, and the constricted chest that can only breathe again after puking—I know I'm being highly specific of what impressed me but it's the highest point for me to relate with; rest all details were anyway perfect. The portrayal of depression isn't something I can comment on but it definitely helped me connect with Imogen on a deeper level so the emotional understanding through a bumpy mental health was clearly felt.
Daniela loves to write poetry but stays secretive about this passion of hers. Rinn is a bookish content creator who loves to read, and that's something I was so so happy to see because who doesn't want to see their enthusiasm being reflected in a story they read? My dramatic self would say I almost cried when Rinn talked about how fulfilling content creation can be but also comes with the struggle of always being online, always engaging, always keeping up one's numbers, and always feeling a sense of pressure from the community and audience itself.
Overall, an absolute favourite that I'll always be recommending to anyone who wants to read a contemporary that's greatly focused on friendship and feminism while lightly strumming to romance and mystery too.
Note: I see and I understand how some readers have shown their disappointment towards the huge similarities between this story line and Empire Records but I haven't ever seen the movie so that's not a parallel I wish to personally draw. Moreover, I feel the book does take diversity and mental health into account and considering how excellently it fairs on those themes, I would continue recommending This Is All Your Fault.
August 14, 2020: YAY! Not only will I be reading this book but I'm also going to interview the authors wohooo! Received a digital copy via Netgalley.
December 3, 2020
3.5 Stars - I usually round down but in this case it looked and felt wrong so today I went up!
TW:
Well after a slow start the characters grew on me and I ended up enjoying this novel. The story itself is not remarkable, and judging by other reviews, not new. Readers should know this is mostly about the characters and given the book takes place over 24 hours we learn a lot about the three main women. Amazingly I did not find any of them annoying. They were completely relatable young adults struggling to make sense of the world and how they fit in. I loved the dynamics between them and particularly enjoyed their interactions with one of the quirky customers. Some parts of the ending were a bit cliche but why not right! Nothing wrong with throwing in a few 'happy ending tropes' that even had me smiling and feeling hopeful. Also, really amazing rep.
TW:
Well after a slow start the characters grew on me and I ended up enjoying this novel. The story itself is not remarkable, and judging by other reviews, not new. Readers should know this is mostly about the characters and given the book takes place over 24 hours we learn a lot about the three main women. Amazingly I did not find any of them annoying. They were completely relatable young adults struggling to make sense of the world and how they fit in. I loved the dynamics between them and particularly enjoyed their interactions with one of the quirky customers. Some parts of the ending were a bit cliche but why not right! Nothing wrong with throwing in a few 'happy ending tropes' that even had me smiling and feeling hopeful. Also, really amazing rep.
June 29, 2020
On paper, this book sounded like something I would like. Three girls, one day, save the independent book store. For fans of Empire Records? Check, Check, Check. I LOVE Empire Records. I watch it every year on Rex Manning day.
The problem is it doesn't feel like it's for fans of Empire Records. It seems like it IS Empire Records. With some minor changes.
I'm not 100% sure how a book that has so many blatant similarities isn't being pegged for plagiarism. So, massive spoilers ahead, but.... oh well. You've been warned.
From the very beginning of the story, my spidey senses were tingling. We have a manager Jo (who is a lady who keeps vape pens in her desk, unlike Joe the male manager from the movie who keeps cigars in his desk). Jo has taken in Eli (who is basically Lucas without the turtleneck sweater). Eli is left to close the store and he discovers that the owner of the property/store is selling the building and property so he uses the store's $9000 to buy some Air Jordans to try and flip to help raise enough money to save the store. (Sound familiar, Empire Records fans? It should, because Lucas steals $9000 and loses it in Atlantic City.)
There is also an artsy kid named AJ who is described as having floppy hair that hangs into his eyes, worn in clothes, and deep brown eyes. (This link takes you to a screenshot of the passage I'm discussing)
You mean like this?
See what I mean?
There's also Imogen a scooter riding maybe lesbian (who we only know is probably a lesbian because she dumps her girlfriend randomly at one point--much like Deb dumps her boyfriend in the movie) who also shaves her head in the staff bathroom....We have Rina (who is basically Corey) a bookstagramer, and Danielle (who is sort of Gina and also a Rupi Kaur-type poet with stage fright ). (There's no Mark, which is a bummer because Mark and his band "Marc Sucks" is one of my favorite parts in the movie.) Also an appearance by a super minor character named Warren (but in this one he doesn't try to rob the store.)
There is even an appearance by a sleazy male author who shows up to do a book signing, but is ousted as a creep. His assistant quits and she and Jo kind of flirt with each other. Rina and Imogen become friends in the bathroom after Rina freaks out. Then the band of misfit teens band together to throw an event to raise money to save the book store complete with someone saying " Damn the Man! Save Wild Nights"
Which is almost identical to the "Damn the Man! Save the Empire" moment in the movie
The story doesn't end up quite exactly like Empire Records (even though there is an employee dance party on the roof), but the majority of the book made me feel a little (at first) like I was reading Empire Records Fan-Fic...then it just became "I think I'm reading Empire Records...with minor changes. WTF is even happening right now?"
If I were you, I'd just find a copy of Empire Records to watch. Because TBH, I'm not sure how this isn't plagiarism.
The problem is it doesn't feel like it's for fans of Empire Records. It seems like it IS Empire Records. With some minor changes.
I'm not 100% sure how a book that has so many blatant similarities isn't being pegged for plagiarism. So, massive spoilers ahead, but.... oh well. You've been warned.
From the very beginning of the story, my spidey senses were tingling. We have a manager Jo (who is a lady who keeps vape pens in her desk, unlike Joe the male manager from the movie who keeps cigars in his desk). Jo has taken in Eli (who is basically Lucas without the turtleneck sweater). Eli is left to close the store and he discovers that the owner of the property/store is selling the building and property so he uses the store's $9000 to buy some Air Jordans to try and flip to help raise enough money to save the store. (Sound familiar, Empire Records fans? It should, because Lucas steals $9000 and loses it in Atlantic City.)
There is also an artsy kid named AJ who is described as having floppy hair that hangs into his eyes, worn in clothes, and deep brown eyes. (This link takes you to a screenshot of the passage I'm discussing)
You mean like this?
See what I mean?
There's also Imogen a scooter riding maybe lesbian (who we only know is probably a lesbian because she dumps her girlfriend randomly at one point--much like Deb dumps her boyfriend in the movie) who also shaves her head in the staff bathroom....We have Rina (who is basically Corey) a bookstagramer, and Danielle (who is sort of Gina and also a Rupi Kaur-type poet with stage fright ). (There's no Mark, which is a bummer because Mark and his band "Marc Sucks" is one of my favorite parts in the movie.) Also an appearance by a super minor character named Warren (but in this one he doesn't try to rob the store.)
There is even an appearance by a sleazy male author who shows up to do a book signing, but is ousted as a creep. His assistant quits and she and Jo kind of flirt with each other. Rina and Imogen become friends in the bathroom after Rina freaks out. Then the band of misfit teens band together to throw an event to raise money to save the book store complete with someone saying " Damn the Man! Save Wild Nights"
Which is almost identical to the "Damn the Man! Save the Empire" moment in the movie
The story doesn't end up quite exactly like Empire Records (even though there is an employee dance party on the roof), but the majority of the book made me feel a little (at first) like I was reading Empire Records Fan-Fic...then it just became "I think I'm reading Empire Records...with minor changes. WTF is even happening right now?"
If I were you, I'd just find a copy of Empire Records to watch. Because TBH, I'm not sure how this isn't plagiarism.
August 7, 2020
Imagine this, you read the synopsis of a story called I Laugh in the Face of Danger. It's about a young boy named Rimba who leaves his kingdom after his uncle threatens to out him for accidentally causing a stampede of kilderbeast that killed his own father. Rimba meets Simone and Rumba and he grows up pretending his father never died and he does not have a kingdom. Until Fala returns and reminds him of his duty to his country. There are a few songs, one called Why Do I Have to Wait to Be King?, and The Love has Feelings Tonight. It got an agent and a big publisher. What a most original story!
That is what this book is: a huge ripoff of Empire Records down to the very classic scenes. We have a bookstore going out of business, a boy who loses money trying to save it, and a group of kids who do everything they can to keep the store open. We have our "Deb" who shaves her head in the employee bathroom, we have our "Corey" who is in love with the author who's coming to the store to promote his book AKA REX MANNING and we have the exact scene where the sleaze hits on our Corey and lovely Gina picks up the sloppy seconds down to the SLAP and the breakdown. AND NO SHIT DO THESE KIDS THROW AN EVENT TO SAVE THE STORE. The author did not attempt to hide it. She actually put it, "Damn the man, Save Wild Nights!" mirroring the scene in Empire Records, 'Damn the Man, Save the Empire!"
You guys, I cannot make this up. I am literally shaking, I am so angry. Empire Records is one of my favorite movies of ALL TIME. I know the movie scene by scene by scene. I cannot fathom how this book got through dozens and dozens of readers, editors, etc and nobody said, "Hey, this is too much like the movie and is treading on dangerous ground."
This book is plagiarism down to the core.
Feiwel and Friends, you should be ashamed of yourselves for buying this work and publishing it
That is what this book is: a huge ripoff of Empire Records down to the very classic scenes. We have a bookstore going out of business, a boy who loses money trying to save it, and a group of kids who do everything they can to keep the store open. We have our "Deb" who shaves her head in the employee bathroom, we have our "Corey" who is in love with the author who's coming to the store to promote his book AKA REX MANNING and we have the exact scene where the sleaze hits on our Corey and lovely Gina picks up the sloppy seconds down to the SLAP and the breakdown. AND NO SHIT DO THESE KIDS THROW AN EVENT TO SAVE THE STORE. The author did not attempt to hide it. She actually put it, "Damn the man, Save Wild Nights!" mirroring the scene in Empire Records, 'Damn the Man, Save the Empire!"
You guys, I cannot make this up. I am literally shaking, I am so angry. Empire Records is one of my favorite movies of ALL TIME. I know the movie scene by scene by scene. I cannot fathom how this book got through dozens and dozens of readers, editors, etc and nobody said, "Hey, this is too much like the movie and is treading on dangerous ground."
This book is plagiarism down to the core.
Feiwel and Friends, you should be ashamed of yourselves for buying this work and publishing it
November 5, 2020
3.5 stars
October 16, 2020
“She felt new, fresh. She felt cleansed. From all the loathing that had been welling up inside of her. From the slow creep into the darkness. Wild Nights had saved her. Again.”
This Is All Your Fault is a YA Contemporary with a really refreshing storyline, unpacking a whole bunch of different themes and topics.
At the centre of this story is the indie bookstore, Wild Nights, and all the characters trying to save the store from being closed. The story starts with a bit of a wild attempt by one of the employees, Eli, to invest a whole bunch of money by buying and re-selling Jordans.. but things just get worse from there.
The story is told from three point of views. We have Daniella, who is very much the employee with the most responsibility in the bookstore and can come across quite bossy. She writes poetry and publishes it on a anonymous Instagram account.
Then there is Imogen, who starts this story out by shaving her head and is clearly going through some stuff. She has a Middle-Eastern heritage and is queer and while she is not diagnosed within this story, probably has depression.
Finally we have Rinn, who has a super bubbly and happy exterior and makes bookish content online. She is biracial (Mexican-American and German) and has anxiety.
“We pay attention to tons of things we don’t realize at the time. But they become the voices in our head anyway.”
When I realized that this story was actually going to take place over the course of one day and only in this book store, I definitely felt a little bit apprehensive. I thought that it would probably make it hard to get attached to the characters and to really feel invested in their storylines.
But ultimately, while reading this story, I realized that the way it is written works really well for it. You are just invested enough in the individual characters and their issues but the aspect that keeps you captivated is all these storylines coming together to tell the story of this closing bookstore.
And I absolutely loved the setting of the bookstore. I think that the author did an amazing job at truly making this bookstore come to life. It was almost like it was its own character and I loved the fact that we had all of these very different characters who came together to tell its story.
After reading this novel I really wish that this was an actual read bookstore that I could visit.
“And when Rinn had an idea, nothing could stop her, come hell or high water—that much had always been apparent about Rinn Olivera.”
One of my favourite aspects of the story is Rinn and the fact that she has a pretty huge social media platform talking about books. I feel like we have gotten so many YA stories about characters who love books and/or who are writers but I cannot remember ever reading about someone who is a "bookish influencer". It was genuinely SO MUCH FUN to read about Rinn and her creative process for making content.
But this also highlighted some of the darker aspects of the bookish and author community in general. There is a storyline with a popular male author who sexually harasses one of the girls in the bookstore and we find out about him having shown behaviour like that for many years.
This is of course in general an incredibly timely topic in our society but especially something that keeps coming up in the bookish sphere and I really loved that Aminah Mae Safi made this a theme in the novel because it is a very realistic, sadly all too common thing that might get talked about a lot in certain social media circles, but other than that is often an aspect that gets ignored.
“The vulnerable risk everything. The powerful can just point at everything that they have amassed, as though that’s an argument against potential injustice and misbehavior.”
There is also all the mental health issues that the characters deal with. Apart from the storyline of the closing bookstore, this is truly the main theme of this story for me. I personally really liked the portrayal of these issues because they showed how different things can manifest in people and how different situations can trigger people.
There were some situations where the characters messed up and didn't treat people well because of their bad mental health, which should obviously never be an excused, but it all gets unpacked and talked about and I very much enjoyed that.
In general while I truly didn't feel very attached to these character because of the nature of this story and the short time span, I just genuinely adored the way these characters were portrayed as flawed but willing to learn and grow. Some of these characters are truly unlikeable but it doesn't make them any less enjoyable to read about.
“It was understanding what sadness was—sometimes more than a feeling—and that it was a thing she could almost taste, could almost touch at times, it was so real.”
I will say that I wasn't the biggest fan of the relationships between the characters and how they developed. This was genuinely the weakest aspect of this story for me and I think that this is definitely an aspect that suffers if you write a story that just takes place over the course of one day.
Especially when you think about the fact that these characters have known each other and worked together for a while, a lot of the development that happened in this story just seemed like a very quick change of heart. It definitely makes sense that a huge event like a bookstore closing would bring people closer together but it still seemed quite a lot for just one day. I think that you have to suspend your disbelief a little bit with the relationships in this book.
“Off camera, three girls were burying their secrets. Maybe one day they’d dig them up. Maybe they wouldn’t. But the city would guard their memories, regardless. Waiting, until they were ready.”
Overall, I had a really good time reading this story. I don't think it is anything that will stay with me for a long time but there is also nothing that I actively disliked about it.
I definitely recommend it if you want to read a novel that is set in a bookstore.
Trigger and Content Warnings for sexual harassment, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, smoking (vape).
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I received an ARC through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!
Want to read
December 2, 2018They had me at Empire Records and bookstore. I'm there. Send me an ARC. I'm not joking.
November 7, 2020
I love contemporary novels set during one day. I love books set in bookstores. I loved the author's previous book. So I was so sure I was going to love this book too.
Unfortunately, it really didn't work for me. I found it fell really flat and it just didn't feel developed enough for me to feel invested. I think the main issue was that there were too many characters, all of whom weren't really fleshed out. They were more ideas than people, really, but not in a way that worked.
A lot of the things that happened in this book just felt really random, and they didn't make much sense in the context of any kind of plot.
CWs: harrassment, gun
Unfortunately, it really didn't work for me. I found it fell really flat and it just didn't feel developed enough for me to feel invested. I think the main issue was that there were too many characters, all of whom weren't really fleshed out. They were more ideas than people, really, but not in a way that worked.
A lot of the things that happened in this book just felt really random, and they didn't make much sense in the context of any kind of plot.
CWs: harrassment, gun
February 17, 2021
No one writes girl gangs like Aminah Mae Safi. Rinn, Daniella, and Imogen are complex and real. No one is perfect, but every page is them trying and messing up and trying again. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT is an enemies to friends story, and every relationship is crafted with such thoughtfulness and respect for teen girls.
There's magic in everything Aminah Mae writes.
There's magic in everything Aminah Mae writes.
February 17, 2021
6.14 on CAWPILE | three stars.
We follow five teenagers on a twenty-four hours journey while they try to save their bookstore - both their workplace and their second home - from closing down. The story takes a bit to pick up, but when it finally does, you will begin, slowly but surely, to feel for these characters and what they are going through.
This type of writing usually doesn't work for me, yet I didn't mind it here. I think the author managed to make these characters alive for the most part, and that feels like a great accomplishment. I didn't love the prose, but I was entertained for the whole time, so that must mean something, right? The plot is a tad unbelievable at times and the logistics don't always work, but the characters are lovable enough that you will forget how ridiculous the whole thing is after reading a few chapters.
Overall, this was all right. Nothing ground-breaking, but still worth reading in my opinion. I would recommend this to anyone who finds the premise interesting - that's why I picked it up in the first place. Even though the story takes place in one day, the book doesn't feel fast-paced at all. This is a story that mainly focuses on character development. Therefore, I wouldn't suggest reading this if you're looking for something exciting or plot-driven.
I still haven't watched Empire Records (yes, embarrassing, I know) so I can't talk about similarities and such. But what I will say is that you should pick this up only if you're willing to give it a fair chance. Even though I didn't end up loving this, I still think many will find comfort through the pages of this book, considering how well it portrays its themes.
Content warnings can be found here. Adding to the list: mention of vomit (minor) and anxiety.
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i finished it !!! review to come
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i’m slowly going through this bc i’ve been studying for my exams so i don’t have lots of free time but it’s been good so far ! i honestly thought i would hate these characters but i don’t?? i’m enjoying the story and i’m excited to see how the author will wrap everything up in the end c:
We follow five teenagers on a twenty-four hours journey while they try to save their bookstore - both their workplace and their second home - from closing down. The story takes a bit to pick up, but when it finally does, you will begin, slowly but surely, to feel for these characters and what they are going through.
This type of writing usually doesn't work for me, yet I didn't mind it here. I think the author managed to make these characters alive for the most part, and that feels like a great accomplishment. I didn't love the prose, but I was entertained for the whole time, so that must mean something, right? The plot is a tad unbelievable at times and the logistics don't always work, but the characters are lovable enough that you will forget how ridiculous the whole thing is after reading a few chapters.
Overall, this was all right. Nothing ground-breaking, but still worth reading in my opinion. I would recommend this to anyone who finds the premise interesting - that's why I picked it up in the first place. Even though the story takes place in one day, the book doesn't feel fast-paced at all. This is a story that mainly focuses on character development. Therefore, I wouldn't suggest reading this if you're looking for something exciting or plot-driven.
I still haven't watched Empire Records (yes, embarrassing, I know) so I can't talk about similarities and such. But what I will say is that you should pick this up only if you're willing to give it a fair chance. Even though I didn't end up loving this, I still think many will find comfort through the pages of this book, considering how well it portrays its themes.
Content warnings can be found here. Adding to the list: mention of vomit (minor) and anxiety.
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i finished it !!! review to come
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i’m slowly going through this bc i’ve been studying for my exams so i don’t have lots of free time but it’s been good so far ! i honestly thought i would hate these characters but i don’t?? i’m enjoying the story and i’m excited to see how the author will wrap everything up in the end c:
October 4, 2020
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Edelweiss. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: sexual assault, suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression
Considering This is All Your Fault takes place over 24 hours only in a bookstore, the amount of characterization Safi gives her characters is amazing. This multiple POV book combines all the things I love - fierce heroines, a bookstore, and characters who are vulnerable and passionate. They're all united by this one bookstore, the place they call refuge, the place they call their workplace, each of their own escapes. The home of their dreams, of the futures, of their first loves, of their fights.
Featuring some fantastic diverse heroines (Latinx, queer, anxiety, depression, middle eastern) This is All Your Fault is incredibly character nuanced in a quest to save this bookstore. They're so full of anger, passion, and sadness. I loved how Safi was able to highlight the expectations we have of the people around us - and how wrong we are. The internal secrets we keep behind closed doors, our hidden desires closeted in our hearts, and the buried wells of bravery undiscovered.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
TW: sexual assault, suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression
Considering This is All Your Fault takes place over 24 hours only in a bookstore, the amount of characterization Safi gives her characters is amazing. This multiple POV book combines all the things I love - fierce heroines, a bookstore, and characters who are vulnerable and passionate. They're all united by this one bookstore, the place they call refuge, the place they call their workplace, each of their own escapes. The home of their dreams, of the futures, of their first loves, of their fights.
Featuring some fantastic diverse heroines (Latinx, queer, anxiety, depression, middle eastern) This is All Your Fault is incredibly character nuanced in a quest to save this bookstore. They're so full of anger, passion, and sadness. I loved how Safi was able to highlight the expectations we have of the people around us - and how wrong we are. The internal secrets we keep behind closed doors, our hidden desires closeted in our hearts, and the buried wells of bravery undiscovered.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
May 27, 2021
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
2.5/5 Stars
After hearing about the indie bookstore they work at shutting down, three very different young women decide that they are going to save it before its too late.
The premise and setting had me very intrigued to pick this up, but it was a bit of a disappointment to me. The three POVs were all kind of annoying in their own way. Daniella was the "cool" blonde girl with anxiety problems, Rin was the "perfect" booktuber who has a crush on another employee, AJ and Imogen was the impulsive, depressed girl. Right off the bat, one of the first scenes is Imogen shaving her head because she's feeling depressed, and that was the first characterization we got of her. It just rubbed me the wrong way, as that was really the only depression representation we got with Imogen. I did like the anxiety and panic attack representation in Daniella though. Pretty much the first half of the book was just the three girls inner monologue bad mouthing and hating on each other, and I was just not a fan. I do like how the story ended though, when all the girls came together and realized they were more similar to one another than they had originally thought. This took place over the span of one day, and I'm pretty sure that these girls had been working together for quite awhile at this book store, so it seemed a bit weird that their opinions of each other would change so drastically in such a short amount of time. I did enjoy some of the interactions with the girls and the customers though, they were the most entertaining parts of the story for sure.
Overall, it was alright... nothing special at all in my opinion.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
2.5/5 Stars
After hearing about the indie bookstore they work at shutting down, three very different young women decide that they are going to save it before its too late.
The premise and setting had me very intrigued to pick this up, but it was a bit of a disappointment to me. The three POVs were all kind of annoying in their own way. Daniella was the "cool" blonde girl with anxiety problems, Rin was the "perfect" booktuber who has a crush on another employee, AJ and Imogen was the impulsive, depressed girl. Right off the bat, one of the first scenes is Imogen shaving her head because she's feeling depressed, and that was the first characterization we got of her. It just rubbed me the wrong way, as that was really the only depression representation we got with Imogen. I did like the anxiety and panic attack representation in Daniella though. Pretty much the first half of the book was just the three girls inner monologue bad mouthing and hating on each other, and I was just not a fan. I do like how the story ended though, when all the girls came together and realized they were more similar to one another than they had originally thought. This took place over the span of one day, and I'm pretty sure that these girls had been working together for quite awhile at this book store, so it seemed a bit weird that their opinions of each other would change so drastically in such a short amount of time. I did enjoy some of the interactions with the girls and the customers though, they were the most entertaining parts of the story for sure.
Overall, it was alright... nothing special at all in my opinion.
October 17, 2020
Many thanks to the publisher, macmillan, for sending me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review
This was such a wonderfully fun, cute, and touching contemporary story about friends working together to save their bookstore! I had so much fun reading it, laughing aloud at parts, and being really moved at other parts. I absolutely flew through this!
I will note that from reading other reviews (and a quick wikipedia summary!) apparently this book is extraordinarily similar to the movie, Empire Records. I’ve never seen the movie so I didn’t notice it, but if you like that movie, you could potentially love this book all that much more for paying homage to it, or be annoyed that some are calling it a rip off or even plagiarism.
This was, at the core, a very character driven story, and I loved getting to know the three main characters. On the surface, they seem to all fit into generic stereotypes such as “the coolest girl in the world” and “little miss perfect,” but by the end of the book, it becomes evident that they’re all so much more than that, and you really can’t judge a person just off how they seem on the exterior or at first glance.
I loved the interactions the girls had with each other. They’re all extremely different, and it seems that there’s no way these girls with so little in common would be friends, but they’re all united in the goal of saving the bookstore, and they’re able to overcome differences to work together and really see each other, not just their facades, which I loved.
This book also had a couple of romantic subplots, but they were definitely not the main focus of the book and didn’t take away from the main girls, which I really appreciated. There were a few cute scenes I really smiled at, but the romance was mainly for the girls character development, such as a girl with anxiety having to go out of her comfort zone to talk to the guy she liked, which felt really authentic and I really liked.
This book also had so much diversity that it was amazing! The rep included anxiety, depression, lesbian, Latinx, Korean, Middle Eastern, and biracial. I will note that I’ve seen this book being billed as lgbtq+ but the lesbian rep pretty much only included a scene where a girl breaks up with her girlfriend, and another scene that hints at flirting. It’s definitely there, just as there’s so much effortless diversity in this book, but I wouldn’t really call this a lgbtq+ book because of it.
There are also a few moments where a girl with depression is written off, and a character says something along the lines of she should stop being so depressed and be actually helpful, which isn’t great. However, the depression is addressed again later in the book in a much more positive way, where it’s discussed that a “simple solution” and the solution being easy to do aren’t the same and it’s okay not to be okay, so the discussion of depression did seem overall good to me.
One last thing I absolutely loved was how there was so much bookishness! The characters work at a bookstore, and there were mentions of ordering books, author events, and the fun solace that can be found there. I also hadn’t realized until I started reading but one of the main characters runs an enormously popular bookstagram, which was super fun to read about! It’s always rare but super fun to read about a fellow member of the book community! There was talk of photographing and editing books and filming videos.
The book also addressed ownvoices, and the importance of boosting ownvoices books (like this one!!), which is the first time I’ve ever seen ownvoices in an actual book, and even a bit on how white influencers have more privilege and opportunities (it felt very meta lol, but in a good way). The fact that this book took all the best parts of the diverse book community and stuck it in here was so amazing.
This was such a wonderfully fun, cute, and touching contemporary story about friends working together to save their bookstore! I had so much fun reading it, laughing aloud at parts, and being really moved at other parts. I absolutely flew through this!
I will note that from reading other reviews (and a quick wikipedia summary!) apparently this book is extraordinarily similar to the movie, Empire Records. I’ve never seen the movie so I didn’t notice it, but if you like that movie, you could potentially love this book all that much more for paying homage to it, or be annoyed that some are calling it a rip off or even plagiarism.
This was, at the core, a very character driven story, and I loved getting to know the three main characters. On the surface, they seem to all fit into generic stereotypes such as “the coolest girl in the world” and “little miss perfect,” but by the end of the book, it becomes evident that they’re all so much more than that, and you really can’t judge a person just off how they seem on the exterior or at first glance.
I loved the interactions the girls had with each other. They’re all extremely different, and it seems that there’s no way these girls with so little in common would be friends, but they’re all united in the goal of saving the bookstore, and they’re able to overcome differences to work together and really see each other, not just their facades, which I loved.
This book also had a couple of romantic subplots, but they were definitely not the main focus of the book and didn’t take away from the main girls, which I really appreciated. There were a few cute scenes I really smiled at, but the romance was mainly for the girls character development, such as a girl with anxiety having to go out of her comfort zone to talk to the guy she liked, which felt really authentic and I really liked.
This book also had so much diversity that it was amazing! The rep included anxiety, depression, lesbian, Latinx, Korean, Middle Eastern, and biracial. I will note that I’ve seen this book being billed as lgbtq+ but the lesbian rep pretty much only included a scene where a girl breaks up with her girlfriend, and another scene that hints at flirting. It’s definitely there, just as there’s so much effortless diversity in this book, but I wouldn’t really call this a lgbtq+ book because of it.
There are also a few moments where a girl with depression is written off, and a character says something along the lines of she should stop being so depressed and be actually helpful, which isn’t great. However, the depression is addressed again later in the book in a much more positive way, where it’s discussed that a “simple solution” and the solution being easy to do aren’t the same and it’s okay not to be okay, so the discussion of depression did seem overall good to me.
One last thing I absolutely loved was how there was so much bookishness! The characters work at a bookstore, and there were mentions of ordering books, author events, and the fun solace that can be found there. I also hadn’t realized until I started reading but one of the main characters runs an enormously popular bookstagram, which was super fun to read about! It’s always rare but super fun to read about a fellow member of the book community! There was talk of photographing and editing books and filming videos.
The book also addressed ownvoices, and the importance of boosting ownvoices books (like this one!!), which is the first time I’ve ever seen ownvoices in an actual book, and even a bit on how white influencers have more privilege and opportunities (it felt very meta lol, but in a good way). The fact that this book took all the best parts of the diverse book community and stuck it in here was so amazing.
October 24, 2020
Have you ever dreamed of working in a bookstore?
There is something so fascinating to me about imagining myself as an employee at a bookstore- talking to book lovers, working with authors and publishers, keeping inventory, working at the register and just.. being surrounded by books daily.
So naturally, I was living vicariously through the characters of This Is All Your Fault, who work at Wild Nights Bookstore and Emporium! Danny, Rinn, Imogen, Eli and AJ are all wildly different characters who have their own shit to deal with, when the news spreads. Wild Nights is closing down and they and their manager Jo, are going to be let go without so much as a warning. But Wild Nights is safe haven. Wild Nights saved each one of them and continues to do so. They couldn’t just watch as it dies, could they? No, they won’t.
I say this with as much sincerity as I can muster- I LOVED THIS BOOK. Set over the course of one day, this book didn’t even take that long to win over me. These characters were flawed and perfect. The story was a fun adventure and grounded in hard realities. Yes, I’m speaking in contradictions but it just makes SENSE in the context of this fun, hard-hitting, and wholesome book.
The plot of the story was not seamless and smooth, but I really enjoyed the rocky nature of a bunch of important things happening all at once and honestly, it kept me turning the pages.
I related to Daniella so hard, even though Rinn is the book blogger of the bunch lol! Rinn has an incredible and empowering arc in that short span of time. I really enjoyed her opposing dynamic with Danny and Imogen kind of the buffer in between them. Imogen has some of the most beautiful, lyrically written chapters in this book. Although Danny was the poet, Imogen expressed herself in a way that touched me deeply. This friendship group gave me life, even if they only got together at the very end. 🥺
I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions reading this, which is fitting because a regular day working at Wild Nights turned into a rollercoaster of events happening one after another.
Lastly, there is so much representation in here!!
- Mexican-American, Arab-American, Muslim, Biracial, Depression and Anxiety.
TW: sexual assault, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, panic attack.
The depression and anxiety rep managed to capture the essence of what I feel like it is to be part of this generation quite well in my opinion and I felt really seen in that regard. 🥺
Thank you Hear Our Voices Book Tours for having me on the tour and Feiwel and Friends for the review copy! 💘💘
There is something so fascinating to me about imagining myself as an employee at a bookstore- talking to book lovers, working with authors and publishers, keeping inventory, working at the register and just.. being surrounded by books daily.
So naturally, I was living vicariously through the characters of This Is All Your Fault, who work at Wild Nights Bookstore and Emporium! Danny, Rinn, Imogen, Eli and AJ are all wildly different characters who have their own shit to deal with, when the news spreads. Wild Nights is closing down and they and their manager Jo, are going to be let go without so much as a warning. But Wild Nights is safe haven. Wild Nights saved each one of them and continues to do so. They couldn’t just watch as it dies, could they? No, they won’t.
I say this with as much sincerity as I can muster- I LOVED THIS BOOK. Set over the course of one day, this book didn’t even take that long to win over me. These characters were flawed and perfect. The story was a fun adventure and grounded in hard realities. Yes, I’m speaking in contradictions but it just makes SENSE in the context of this fun, hard-hitting, and wholesome book.
The plot of the story was not seamless and smooth, but I really enjoyed the rocky nature of a bunch of important things happening all at once and honestly, it kept me turning the pages.
I related to Daniella so hard, even though Rinn is the book blogger of the bunch lol! Rinn has an incredible and empowering arc in that short span of time. I really enjoyed her opposing dynamic with Danny and Imogen kind of the buffer in between them. Imogen has some of the most beautiful, lyrically written chapters in this book. Although Danny was the poet, Imogen expressed herself in a way that touched me deeply. This friendship group gave me life, even if they only got together at the very end. 🥺
I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions reading this, which is fitting because a regular day working at Wild Nights turned into a rollercoaster of events happening one after another.
Lastly, there is so much representation in here!!
- Mexican-American, Arab-American, Muslim, Biracial, Depression and Anxiety.
TW: sexual assault, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, panic attack.
The depression and anxiety rep managed to capture the essence of what I feel like it is to be part of this generation quite well in my opinion and I felt really seen in that regard. 🥺
Thank you Hear Our Voices Book Tours for having me on the tour and Feiwel and Friends for the review copy! 💘💘
October 12, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It is set over the course of a day where the employees of this bookstore are trying to save if from closing down. I really liked how the author developed the characters and seeing how their relationships changed and grew throughout the novel was very satisfying. The characters themselves were scattered across the spectrum in the sense that they were all unique and were so distinguishable. I wasn’t a fan of one of the characters at the start of the book but the way she was explored and how we delved into her feelings and life, I couldn't help but like her along with the whole cast of characters, except one guy, I can’t stand him. He is so annoying and I literally cannot even talk about him without my blood boiling. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel but the only reason this isn’t 5 stars is because of that one character. Highly recommend this to anyone that’s looking for a quick, well-rounded and meaningful story.
January 25, 2020
4.5/5
I need time to process & write a full review. But, wow I really loved this one. Aminah Mae Safi writes some of the best female characters in YA contemporary. Her writing is descriptive and makes you think. I wanted to write out a bunch of the quotes. I can't wait to reread this one and underline all my favorites.
TW: attempted assault & mentions of anxiety and depression
*Thanks to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I need time to process & write a full review. But, wow I really loved this one. Aminah Mae Safi writes some of the best female characters in YA contemporary. Her writing is descriptive and makes you think. I wanted to write out a bunch of the quotes. I can't wait to reread this one and underline all my favorites.
TW: attempted assault & mentions of anxiety and depression
*Thanks to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
May 12, 2020
I wanted to like it. But I still enjoy the movie Empire Records more. Which if this was a music store instead of a bookstore it would be Empire Records. From the boy at the beginning considering taking the money and gambling in order to make more money, a diva author instead of a diva musician and the roof top dance party at the end it was basically Empire Records in a bookstore.
March 10, 2021
I was like 10% concerned about this when I started it: Empire Records holds a very special place in my heart, but this was great. The best parts of Empire Records are here, but updated for 2021, and the through line of the weird "I would kill for you" relationship that isn't really friendship that you develop with the people you work with as a young adult was the beating heart of this book. Really good balance of POV's too.
October 10, 2020
More reviews up on my blog Inside My Library Mind
I really enjoyed this one a lot. It took me a while to get into it, but when I did, I ended up really liking it, and that was mostly due to the characters (yes, like in any book I read).
I found the characters to be really believable and I found their struggles and issues really relatable and honest. My favorite by far was Daniella, and it is definitely due to the fact that I see so much of myself in her (I am very vain in fact). She comes across as this really cold, uninterested person to everyone around her, but she also has this poetic side to her that she hides almost violently. I loved reading about her growth and her trying to show the world this different side of her and be vulnerable, which is really difficult to be. Her characterization was great in my opinion.
The same goes for Imogen. I loved her as a character. She is really feisty and determined, and she’s super blunt and honest, which I always appreciate in characters. The depression that Imogen is going through is handled really well in my opinion, and her struggles with her mental health really resonated. I think her character arc was also handled amazingly well.
The star of this novel is surely the relationship developing between these three girls. They were not friends at the beginning of the novel, so I really liked how their friendship developed, and I think their differing dynamics were handled super well, and provided really great foundation for their friendship. This became a prominent focus in the second half of the book and it totally made the book for me. As this was set during the course of one day, I really liked the fact that some of the side-relationships were pre-established, it really helped to contextualize the characters.
However, I did have some issues with this. First of all, the plot of this is so flimsy and does nothing for the story. It’s also quite annoyingly set up, with the whole thing stretched out unnecessarily, especially in light of the fact that the plot was so daft. I think the story took a while to get going, without really needing to, because the first half of this doesn’t do much in my opinion.
I also wasn’t the hugest fan of Rinn’s character, mostly due to the fact that she was a booktuber. I find stories about social media really tiring, and they never feel organic or realistic to me, and it was no different here. Maybe it’s due to the fact that I spend so much time in the online book community as a blogger, but I just found any mention of that aggravating. For example, Rinn would talk about how she is always thinking of things in terms of lighting and what would look good on a photo, and I just kind of rolled my eyes at that.
Finally, even though the whole “set during one day” thing worked sometimes, at other times it did not make the most sense, because we did not get enough background information on certain parts, like the girls’ relationships with their families.
To Sum Up
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. If you’re looking for a good YA contemporary that focuses on female friendships and realistic struggles, I would definitely recommend this one.
Disclaimer: I saw reviews mentioning that this book is basically the same as a movie, but I have not seen that movie, so I really enjoyed this one.
I received an e-galley of this book through Edelweiss, in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own
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I really enjoyed this one a lot. It took me a while to get into it, but when I did, I ended up really liking it, and that was mostly due to the characters (yes, like in any book I read).
I found the characters to be really believable and I found their struggles and issues really relatable and honest. My favorite by far was Daniella, and it is definitely due to the fact that I see so much of myself in her (I am very vain in fact). She comes across as this really cold, uninterested person to everyone around her, but she also has this poetic side to her that she hides almost violently. I loved reading about her growth and her trying to show the world this different side of her and be vulnerable, which is really difficult to be. Her characterization was great in my opinion.
The same goes for Imogen. I loved her as a character. She is really feisty and determined, and she’s super blunt and honest, which I always appreciate in characters. The depression that Imogen is going through is handled really well in my opinion, and her struggles with her mental health really resonated. I think her character arc was also handled amazingly well.
The star of this novel is surely the relationship developing between these three girls. They were not friends at the beginning of the novel, so I really liked how their friendship developed, and I think their differing dynamics were handled super well, and provided really great foundation for their friendship. This became a prominent focus in the second half of the book and it totally made the book for me. As this was set during the course of one day, I really liked the fact that some of the side-relationships were pre-established, it really helped to contextualize the characters.
However, I did have some issues with this. First of all, the plot of this is so flimsy and does nothing for the story. It’s also quite annoyingly set up, with the whole thing stretched out unnecessarily, especially in light of the fact that the plot was so daft. I think the story took a while to get going, without really needing to, because the first half of this doesn’t do much in my opinion.
I also wasn’t the hugest fan of Rinn’s character, mostly due to the fact that she was a booktuber. I find stories about social media really tiring, and they never feel organic or realistic to me, and it was no different here. Maybe it’s due to the fact that I spend so much time in the online book community as a blogger, but I just found any mention of that aggravating. For example, Rinn would talk about how she is always thinking of things in terms of lighting and what would look good on a photo, and I just kind of rolled my eyes at that.
Finally, even though the whole “set during one day” thing worked sometimes, at other times it did not make the most sense, because we did not get enough background information on certain parts, like the girls’ relationships with their families.
To Sum Up
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. If you’re looking for a good YA contemporary that focuses on female friendships and realistic struggles, I would definitely recommend this one.
Disclaimer: I saw reviews mentioning that this book is basically the same as a movie, but I have not seen that movie, so I really enjoyed this one.
I received an e-galley of this book through Edelweiss, in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest
February 9, 2021
A take off of the beloved movie Empire Records, This Is All Your Fault follows three girls over the course of a day as they try to save their bookstore from closing. If you haven't seen the movie, you probably will love the book. For me? It was just okay.
Wild Nights bookstore is in trouble and everything comes crashing down on one day. Rinn, Daniella, and Imogen couldn't be more different, but the one thing they agree on is that the bookstore is vital to their lives. As more and more problems mount, they girls have to decide just how much the store means to them and what they're willing to do to save it.
The one thing I loved and related to was the love of the bookstore. I have a local indie that I adore and it feels like home every time I walk in the door. If I lost it, I don't know what I would do. So I could 100% relate to what the girls were going through. And I admired their tenacity and focus.
What I didn't connect to was how all over the place the book seemed. It jumped around a little too much to really get to know the characters. A lot of people were introduced in a small amount of time that I started to forget a lot of the regulars. And then there was the conclusion which was so off the wall and unrealistic that I just didn't feel the happiness that I probably was supposed to.
Overall, it was an okay book. I liked the representation and what the author was going for. But there were parts that just missed the mark for me.
Wild Nights bookstore is in trouble and everything comes crashing down on one day. Rinn, Daniella, and Imogen couldn't be more different, but the one thing they agree on is that the bookstore is vital to their lives. As more and more problems mount, they girls have to decide just how much the store means to them and what they're willing to do to save it.
The one thing I loved and related to was the love of the bookstore. I have a local indie that I adore and it feels like home every time I walk in the door. If I lost it, I don't know what I would do. So I could 100% relate to what the girls were going through. And I admired their tenacity and focus.
What I didn't connect to was how all over the place the book seemed. It jumped around a little too much to really get to know the characters. A lot of people were introduced in a small amount of time that I started to forget a lot of the regulars. And then there was the conclusion which was so off the wall and unrealistic that I just didn't feel the happiness that I probably was supposed to.
Overall, it was an okay book. I liked the representation and what the author was going for. But there were parts that just missed the mark for me.
November 4, 2020
i always love books about books and the book community. they always warm my heart in an unexplainable way. and i feel like this book, while its not the coziest book, can definitely provide some of that warmth. aminah safi does an amazing job capturing the feel of indie bookstores, the wonderment and amazement of them. the home-y feel they have to them, and the community that constantly visits them, like its their beautiful little secret. i honestly want to go and visit Wild Nights bookstore and see all their cool installments, like the roller girl and the old bank vault with all the mystery novels inside.
anywho, read the full review (and many fave quotes) on my blog~!
anywho, read the full review (and many fave quotes) on my blog~!
September 30, 2020
Many readers are calling this an Empire Records for bookworms, and I have to agree, because my mind immediately went there too. When I first started reading, and the first "mistake" was made, it absolutely reminded me of the beginning of the film. There were other parallels too (even a Warren, a Jo, and an AJ), but I also thought there were aspects of the story that were fresh and new.
I loved the premise of this book. A group of teens, who find solace in this magical bookstore, band together in an effort to save it from becoming a parking lot. Just the idea of spending all that time in this quirky book lovers paradise should have been a treat, and there were definitely moments I greatly enjoyed, but there was no emotional impact for me. I didn't find myself rooting for them, which was strange for me. I did feel the story picked up at about the 80% mark, but maybe that was too late for me to become fully invested?
As I said, there were moments I thought were great. I appreciated the journey these three young women took over the course of the story and was happy to see a friendship form between them. I liked the nod to Empire Records and the ideas of having a place to belong and being part of something bigger.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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I loved the premise of this book. A group of teens, who find solace in this magical bookstore, band together in an effort to save it from becoming a parking lot. Just the idea of spending all that time in this quirky book lovers paradise should have been a treat, and there were definitely moments I greatly enjoyed, but there was no emotional impact for me. I didn't find myself rooting for them, which was strange for me. I did feel the story picked up at about the 80% mark, but maybe that was too late for me to become fully invested?
As I said, there were moments I thought were great. I appreciated the journey these three young women took over the course of the story and was happy to see a friendship form between them. I liked the nod to Empire Records and the ideas of having a place to belong and being part of something bigger.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
January 17, 2022
This would have to be my favourite Safi book. I loved it from the very beginning. The characters were all different and well rounded. I liked that their differences brought them together and how the unlikeliest people make the best friends. This spans over a day in an independent bookstore that’s being lost to financial greed. But it’s also so much more than that, it’s about personal struggle and the struggles that we can’t see that people go through inside of themselves and that they hide from everyone else. There is humour and passionate personalities and who all feel that this bookstore is their second home. Their home away from home.
“She felt new, fresh. She felt cleansed. From all the loathing that had been welling up inside of her. From the slow creep into the darkness. Wild Nights had saved her. Again.”
“She felt new, fresh. She felt cleansed. From all the loathing that had been welling up inside of her. From the slow creep into the darkness. Wild Nights had saved her. Again.”
March 11, 2021
this was nice!! i didn’t love it!!! but it was cool
honestly the concept of this in the first place didn’t intrigue me THAT much so i was never too hyped for this but i still checked it out and!! i don’t know i really liked it for the first maybe 40% and was on track to give it 4 stars but after a while i really stopped caring about the characters
a lot of what happened felt kind of random and disjointed with the plot?? and there were a bunch of unresolved side plots i think?? i don’t know the last 100 pages or so felt very random and confusing to me
i DO think it was pretty cool to start with though!! and the writing was easy enough to read
(also i wanted more queer content plsssss we had like five seconds)
honestly the concept of this in the first place didn’t intrigue me THAT much so i was never too hyped for this but i still checked it out and!! i don’t know i really liked it for the first maybe 40% and was on track to give it 4 stars but after a while i really stopped caring about the characters
a lot of what happened felt kind of random and disjointed with the plot?? and there were a bunch of unresolved side plots i think?? i don’t know the last 100 pages or so felt very random and confusing to me
i DO think it was pretty cool to start with though!! and the writing was easy enough to read
(also i wanted more queer content plsssss we had like five seconds)
Read
December 28, 2020Dnf at 50% I can't with the audiobook
May 4, 2023
One of this year's most fun reads! It's Empire Records in a modern bookstore. Like, there is NOTHING wrong with this!
October 13, 2020
i received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. all opinions below are my own.
trigger warnings: sexual harassment, depression, anxiety
aminah mae safi’s this is all your fault is an ode to indie bookstores, strong women, and poetry. this story, told over the course of one day from the perspectives of three girls, will surely warm the hearts of book lovers of all ages!
there was such a vibe to the mornings at wild nights. it was a quiet kind of bustle. the people in the store really wanted to be there – either for the quiet as they browsed or to pick up a specific book – and there was something so calm and industrious about the store and its customers right around nine o’clock.
a large part of this book is about the magic of bookstores, and the author perfectly captures the things that make them special – the sense of community, the unique decorations, and the familiar faces! wild nights bookstore brings people together – the bookstore matters a lot to the staff, regulars, and newcomers alike, and seeing everyone come together to save their beloved bookstore put a huge smile on my face. i haven’t been to a physical bookstore in a long while, and this is now making me want to go visit one once the pandemic is over.
where would charlene get her regular feminist fix from? where would myrna go with her morning pastry? there were other regulars, too. the young mother – imogen didn’t know her name, but she had to be just out of college – who was sitting reading business books while her child read picture books out loud. or the woman who came in every week looking for a selection for her book club.
i also loved the diverse characters in the book:
our main character trio consists of rinn, a sweet girly girl who seems to radiate positivity 24/7 but is secretly dealing with anxiety, imogen, a feisty and honest badass who loves poetry and is learning to cope with her depression, and daniela, a bossy tough cookie who keeps her feelings to herself all the time and pours her heart into her writing. in short, they appear to be as different as can be, but are actually more alike than they think. the story begins with the girls disliking each other, but as it progresses, they get to know each other better and eventually form a sisterhood of sorts. this process was so well written and natural, and i loved seeing the three girls slowly warm up to each other and pool their talents together for the sake of the bookstore!
the side characters are also equally lovable. we have eli, whose heart is in the right place despite being a little clumsy, and aj, a quiet and thoughtful artist. there’s also jo, the manager and “adult” of the bookstore, who is a bit careless with her passwords but fiercely protective of her employees. they are such lovely characters and i would have loved seeing more of them!
among all the characters, i especially liked and related to rinn. while she has her own mental struggles to deal with, which she learns to handle with the help of professionals, she is always willing to lend a helping hand to the people around her when they seem unhappy. moreover, she is an online bookish creator, and the way she uses her platform to promote wild nights and her favorite books reminded me of my own blogging experience.
there are many things i liked about the book, and among them, my favorite has got to be the ending. i’m sure that the author has put a lot of thought into it, because while it’s not the one i was expecting, it was very realistic and perfectly done.
if you like bookstores and the found family trope, this is all your fault is the perfect book for you!
this review was originally posted on my blog.
trigger warnings: sexual harassment, depression, anxiety
aminah mae safi’s this is all your fault is an ode to indie bookstores, strong women, and poetry. this story, told over the course of one day from the perspectives of three girls, will surely warm the hearts of book lovers of all ages!
there was such a vibe to the mornings at wild nights. it was a quiet kind of bustle. the people in the store really wanted to be there – either for the quiet as they browsed or to pick up a specific book – and there was something so calm and industrious about the store and its customers right around nine o’clock.
a large part of this book is about the magic of bookstores, and the author perfectly captures the things that make them special – the sense of community, the unique decorations, and the familiar faces! wild nights bookstore brings people together – the bookstore matters a lot to the staff, regulars, and newcomers alike, and seeing everyone come together to save their beloved bookstore put a huge smile on my face. i haven’t been to a physical bookstore in a long while, and this is now making me want to go visit one once the pandemic is over.
where would charlene get her regular feminist fix from? where would myrna go with her morning pastry? there were other regulars, too. the young mother – imogen didn’t know her name, but she had to be just out of college – who was sitting reading business books while her child read picture books out loud. or the woman who came in every week looking for a selection for her book club.
i also loved the diverse characters in the book:
our main character trio consists of rinn, a sweet girly girl who seems to radiate positivity 24/7 but is secretly dealing with anxiety, imogen, a feisty and honest badass who loves poetry and is learning to cope with her depression, and daniela, a bossy tough cookie who keeps her feelings to herself all the time and pours her heart into her writing. in short, they appear to be as different as can be, but are actually more alike than they think. the story begins with the girls disliking each other, but as it progresses, they get to know each other better and eventually form a sisterhood of sorts. this process was so well written and natural, and i loved seeing the three girls slowly warm up to each other and pool their talents together for the sake of the bookstore!
the side characters are also equally lovable. we have eli, whose heart is in the right place despite being a little clumsy, and aj, a quiet and thoughtful artist. there’s also jo, the manager and “adult” of the bookstore, who is a bit careless with her passwords but fiercely protective of her employees. they are such lovely characters and i would have loved seeing more of them!
among all the characters, i especially liked and related to rinn. while she has her own mental struggles to deal with, which she learns to handle with the help of professionals, she is always willing to lend a helping hand to the people around her when they seem unhappy. moreover, she is an online bookish creator, and the way she uses her platform to promote wild nights and her favorite books reminded me of my own blogging experience.
there are many things i liked about the book, and among them, my favorite has got to be the ending. i’m sure that the author has put a lot of thought into it, because while it’s not the one i was expecting, it was very realistic and perfectly done.
if you like bookstores and the found family trope, this is all your fault is the perfect book for you!
this review was originally posted on my blog.
March 21, 2021
Update: This review is not finished yet!
To begin with, the premise of three teen girls teaming up to save their indie bookstore they are working at is truly empowering. A true love letter dedicated to bookish love. However, I do admit that it did not live up to my expectations despite that I had a good time reading it. The characters have their own personal conflict and different situations going on in their lives, which was a good thing.
However, my main complaint is that the book takes place all in one day and I did not knew that before reading. This choice reduced the time for the characters to fully develop a consistent plan to spare the bookstore to close... In addition, the first half of the book was pretty repetitive as we were stuck in the stage in which the characters are learning about the big bad news and try to process it instead of actively plotting a solution. As a result, it is not before the last 70-pages that the three girls finally get their act together. (...)
To begin with, the premise of three teen girls teaming up to save their indie bookstore they are working at is truly empowering. A true love letter dedicated to bookish love. However, I do admit that it did not live up to my expectations despite that I had a good time reading it. The characters have their own personal conflict and different situations going on in their lives, which was a good thing.
However, my main complaint is that the book takes place all in one day and I did not knew that before reading. This choice reduced the time for the characters to fully develop a consistent plan to spare the bookstore to close... In addition, the first half of the book was pretty repetitive as we were stuck in the stage in which the characters are learning about the big bad news and try to process it instead of actively plotting a solution. As a result, it is not before the last 70-pages that the three girls finally get their act together. (...)
April 14, 2020
This book has a premise that sounds very simple, but the story it tells is so beautiful and profound.
The 3 POV characters are all very different from each other and don’t even like each other very much, but they’re more similar to each other than they know (to the point where one of them reads another one’s poetry on the internet and doesn’t know it’s her).
The characters are also so well-rounded, especially for people whose lives we don’t see outside of the bookstore they work at. We only follow these characters for 24 hours but we know them so well by the end. And of course 2 of the main characters are the very sassy unapologetic sort that Aminah Mae Safi writes so well.
The 3 POV characters are all very different from each other and don’t even like each other very much, but they’re more similar to each other than they know (to the point where one of them reads another one’s poetry on the internet and doesn’t know it’s her).
The characters are also so well-rounded, especially for people whose lives we don’t see outside of the bookstore they work at. We only follow these characters for 24 hours but we know them so well by the end. And of course 2 of the main characters are the very sassy unapologetic sort that Aminah Mae Safi writes so well.
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