I adore the hell out of this book already. What 2020 desperately needed was some comic relief.. I just picture this family arguing on the plane and being pulled apart by customs, it has a Netflix movie stamp of approval from me. I immediately loved Amir, and felt for his difficult decisions he had to make. It was brave to get on a plane , brave to head to Rome on a whim. I loved that he was strong in himself and didnt pine away for Jackson., he was centered and focused that one relationship is not the end of the world but a new beginning of his life awakening. He didnt dwell on not getting into hi is first choice of colleges, I cannot wait to read more of his adventure. Teen books need to be more like this one! This book also uncovers a sad truth that nearly 20 years after 9/11 Americans still view Middle Eastern culture as a threat, and a family arguing could be somehow viewed as a terrorist threat. This book takes a look at bullies, and how prevalent they are in America, and how we as a nation have a long way to go in acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. I cant wait to read more of this book and share it as one of my fave YA books of 2020. This is my first 5 star in YA for 2020!