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North of Happy
New from critically acclaimed author of LET'S GET LOST and NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES. In the wake of his brother's untimely death, a teen chef runs away from home to find his true path in life.
Carlos Portillo has always led a privileged and sheltered life. A dual citizen of Mexico and the US, he lives in Mexico City with his wealthy family where he attends an elite international school. His friends and peers-fellow rich kids-have plans to attend college somewhere in the US or Europe and someday take over their parents' businesses. Always a rule follower and a parent pleaser, Carlos is more than happy to tread the well-worn path in front of him. He has always loved food and cooking, but his parents see it as just a hobby.
When his older brother, Felix--who has dropped out of college to live a life of travel--is tragically killed, Carlos begins hearing his brother's voice, giving him advice and pushing him to rebel against his father's plan for him. Worrying about his mental health, but knowing the voice is right, Carlos runs away to the US and manages to secure a job with his favorite celebrity chef. As he works to improve his skills in the kitchen and pursue his dream, he begins to fall for his boss's daughter--a fact that could end his career before it begins. Finally living for himself, Carlos must decide what's most important to him and where his true path really lies.
Carlos Portillo has always led a privileged and sheltered life. A dual citizen of Mexico and the US, he lives in Mexico City with his wealthy family where he attends an elite international school. His friends and peers-fellow rich kids-have plans to attend college somewhere in the US or Europe and someday take over their parents' businesses. Always a rule follower and a parent pleaser, Carlos is more than happy to tread the well-worn path in front of him. He has always loved food and cooking, but his parents see it as just a hobby.
When his older brother, Felix--who has dropped out of college to live a life of travel--is tragically killed, Carlos begins hearing his brother's voice, giving him advice and pushing him to rebel against his father's plan for him. Worrying about his mental health, but knowing the voice is right, Carlos runs away to the US and manages to secure a job with his favorite celebrity chef. As he works to improve his skills in the kitchen and pursue his dream, he begins to fall for his boss's daughter--a fact that could end his career before it begins. Finally living for himself, Carlos must decide what's most important to him and where his true path really lies.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2017
101 people are currently reading
4623 people want to read
About the author
Adi Alsaid
29 books1,283 followersAdi Alsaid was born and raised in Mexico City, where he now lives, writes, and spills hot sauce on things. He's the author of several YA novels including LET'S GET LOST, NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES, and NORTH OF HAPPY.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews
April 7, 2017
3.5 stars
YA novel with potential; a story about family, grief, and first love brought together by one character’s passion for food.
18 year old Carlos has lived a privileged life in Mexico City. He lives in awe of his older brother, Felix, who left home to pursue his dreams. The brothers bond over their mutual love of food. However, life changes dramatically when late one night while wandering around the streets of Mexico City, a tragic accident occurs and Felix is killed. Not knowing how to deal with his grief, Carlos flees home and decides to try one of the restaurants that Felix noted in his journal as “a must eat at in his lifetime," Provecho.
Suddenly, Carlos finds himself on a small island outside of Seattle. While waiting for two days to eat at Provecho, he befriends the hostess, Emma and finds himself being offered a job as a dishwasher. Carlos immerses himself in Provecho’s kitchen and learns the ins-and-outs of what it takes to be a chef. He also finds himself falling in love with Emma, but cannot shake the ghost of Felix, who keeps appearing and offering Carlos advice on his life choices.
There were elements that worked/didn’t work for me. What did work was Carlos’s love of food. I loved how all of the recipes were integrated into each chapter, and I liked reading about what was going on behind the scenes of the restaurant. On the other hand, Carlos and Emma could have been developed more. I wanted more of Carlos’s home life, while it was clear he was resentful of his father, the limited details about his parents made it hard to sympathize with him. Same goes for Emma.
Ultimately, I found North of Happy to be an entertaining read. From a foodie perspective, I appreciated how the author brought Carlos’s love of food to life and how he used it to heal from his brother’s death.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
YA novel with potential; a story about family, grief, and first love brought together by one character’s passion for food.
18 year old Carlos has lived a privileged life in Mexico City. He lives in awe of his older brother, Felix, who left home to pursue his dreams. The brothers bond over their mutual love of food. However, life changes dramatically when late one night while wandering around the streets of Mexico City, a tragic accident occurs and Felix is killed. Not knowing how to deal with his grief, Carlos flees home and decides to try one of the restaurants that Felix noted in his journal as “a must eat at in his lifetime," Provecho.
Suddenly, Carlos finds himself on a small island outside of Seattle. While waiting for two days to eat at Provecho, he befriends the hostess, Emma and finds himself being offered a job as a dishwasher. Carlos immerses himself in Provecho’s kitchen and learns the ins-and-outs of what it takes to be a chef. He also finds himself falling in love with Emma, but cannot shake the ghost of Felix, who keeps appearing and offering Carlos advice on his life choices.
There were elements that worked/didn’t work for me. What did work was Carlos’s love of food. I loved how all of the recipes were integrated into each chapter, and I liked reading about what was going on behind the scenes of the restaurant. On the other hand, Carlos and Emma could have been developed more. I wanted more of Carlos’s home life, while it was clear he was resentful of his father, the limited details about his parents made it hard to sympathize with him. Same goes for Emma.
Ultimately, I found North of Happy to be an entertaining read. From a foodie perspective, I appreciated how the author brought Carlos’s love of food to life and how he used it to heal from his brother’s death.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2019
Another unexpected lovely read that reminds me very much of a recent book which I also adored (Invisible Ghosts). North of Happy kind of has a similar premise because the main characters in both stories suffer the loss of their older brother and now their ghost is haunting the still living brother although maybe entertaining is the better term. Lol.
Carlos, as part of his giving process, flees his hometown and embarks on a journey all the way from Mexico to an island one ferry away from Seattle for a single meal at the well-renowned restaurant called Provecho. Serendipitous events take place which begin with Carlos meeting Emma to eventually getting himself a job as a dishwasher at the said restaurant. From there, he slowly gets his chances on actually fulfilling his dream on being a chef as the famous but super scary Chef Elise (seeing the rare talent and potential of Carlos) handpicks him to teach (or torture) him about cooking.
But what I enjoyed most about the story is the omnipresence of Carlos’ dead brother, Felix who takes different forms: as a bird, on TV, in his coffee, as a fly, as his shadow doing flips, as Casper-style cartoon ghost, as a zombie and even as food always providing Carlos cheesy but useful counsel. I know it’s supposed to be heartbreaking because, of course, it’s only Carlos who sees these and are most definitely just by-products of his grief but it’s also just too hilarious. I’m very eager to flip the pages if only to see the next form Felix takes. Lol.
But humor aside, I think the book is able to tackle grief in a light but actually believable manner. It definitely doesn’t hurt that the story is laden with all these incredible recipes and I am right along with Carlos as he concocts dishes whether just for himself, for Emma, for the staff of Provecho but especially during the time he is allowed to fiddle with the day’s specials. The conclusion is also a flavorful and satisfying seasoning to the entire story as it resolves Carlos issues with his family and gives hope for an Emma-Carlos possible second chance.
December 22, 2022
this was a really random pick at the library and I was hoping I wasn't going to be disappointed. and you know, surprisingly it was okay!
the romance was kinda bad. I'm lying. it was really bad.
basically we have Carlos here, and his parents are throwing him this big party, but he's still suffering the trauma of his brother's death. he keeps seeing a crow (i think? it's been some time since I read this one. it might have been a pigeon) that has the voice of his brother, and keeps telling him to be rebellious!!! so at the party, Carlos listens.
his brother Felix was a restaurant fanatic and loved visiting restaurants around the world. one he had yet to try was Provecho, located in Seattle. Carlos finds himself there.
honestly, the best part of this book was when Carlos was in the kitchen. I'm crazy for Food Network and it was so different to read a book located in a kitchen and it was so great. honestly such a good experience for me as a reader. I LOVED IT AND LOVED ELIAS!!!!
so, in conclusion, this book doesn't have the best MC's (carlos and emma were bleh) and the plotline is weaker than most, but the food background makes it really fun to read. it's a real one for my "meh" shelf.
the romance was kinda bad. I'm lying. it was really bad.
basically we have Carlos here, and his parents are throwing him this big party, but he's still suffering the trauma of his brother's death. he keeps seeing a crow (i think? it's been some time since I read this one. it might have been a pigeon) that has the voice of his brother, and keeps telling him to be rebellious!!! so at the party, Carlos listens.
his brother Felix was a restaurant fanatic and loved visiting restaurants around the world. one he had yet to try was Provecho, located in Seattle. Carlos finds himself there.
honestly, the best part of this book was when Carlos was in the kitchen. I'm crazy for Food Network and it was so different to read a book located in a kitchen and it was so great. honestly such a good experience for me as a reader. I LOVED IT AND LOVED ELIAS!!!!
so, in conclusion, this book doesn't have the best MC's (carlos and emma were bleh) and the plotline is weaker than most, but the food background makes it really fun to read. it's a real one for my "meh" shelf.
March 12, 2018
Absolutely fantastic - beautifully written. But so original it's hard to describe adequately - best I can come up with is John Green meets Anthony Bourdain with a strong thread of magical realism. Carlos is fleeing his privileged life in Mexico City after the death of his brother - finding work in a restaurant in the U.S. (Washington state). The love story is well done, but what was the standout for me was Carlos's interaction with the "ghost" of his dead brother (which is both poignant and funny) and his discovery of his love for the culinary arts. An incredible book with complex things to say about grief and finding one's passion - not to be missed.
January 15, 2018
HELLO, unique book.
If you like contemporary stories about travel, first jobs, romance, grief, family, culture, and FOOD, go pick up this book!
I spent many years working in kitchens (and even kitchens in the Pacific Northwest), and all of the kitchen lingo in here kind of felt like coming home. It also made me very, very hungry. Carlos is an interesting and flawed character who made me root for him (and face-palm in exasperation at times).
I have enjoyed Adi Alsaid's books in the past, but I think this newest one is my favourite!
If you like contemporary stories about travel, first jobs, romance, grief, family, culture, and FOOD, go pick up this book!
I spent many years working in kitchens (and even kitchens in the Pacific Northwest), and all of the kitchen lingo in here kind of felt like coming home. It also made me very, very hungry. Carlos is an interesting and flawed character who made me root for him (and face-palm in exasperation at times).
I have enjoyed Adi Alsaid's books in the past, but I think this newest one is my favourite!
Read
April 9, 2017I liked this one a lot, partly because I love all things foodie/restaurant-esque and it was really fun and delightfully sensory in that way, and partly because it was really interesting to me to read a lens of privilege that wasn't that of a white kid from the US. Embarrassingly enough, this was my first Alsaid read, but it made me very glad I own all his other books, too!
July 13, 2017
I really liked this one. I have been fully embracing these books, where the characters are working through some sort of grief, and this one dug it's claws into my heart early on. I really was rooting for Carlos as he was trying to move on and trying to find his passion.
Although I own three Alsaid books, this is the first I have read, and I know, after reading this, that I will be reading the other two shortly. I really loved his story telling. There were so much fun and beautiful moments, that Alsaid wrote perfectly. He also did an amazing job pulling me into Carlos' world. Every time we were in the kitchen, I could feel the energy and the passion. The food descriptions made my mouth water, and I could almost see the woods where Carlos and Emma frolicked.
Although the ending tied up some of the storylines quite nicely, and left me with some hope, I wanted a little more with one thing. It's a pet peeve of mine. It is why I love epilogues. But even with that, I can say I was fairly satisfied and happy overall.
Although I own three Alsaid books, this is the first I have read, and I know, after reading this, that I will be reading the other two shortly. I really loved his story telling. There were so much fun and beautiful moments, that Alsaid wrote perfectly. He also did an amazing job pulling me into Carlos' world. Every time we were in the kitchen, I could feel the energy and the passion. The food descriptions made my mouth water, and I could almost see the woods where Carlos and Emma frolicked.
Although the ending tied up some of the storylines quite nicely, and left me with some hope, I wanted a little more with one thing. It's a pet peeve of mine. It is why I love epilogues. But even with that, I can say I was fairly satisfied and happy overall.
August 11, 2018
Actual rating: 3.5
I looooooved the cooking aspect of the story. The romance? Meh. There's a great cast of Mexican characters though. But for all the tragedy and grief in the book, this one didn't evoke much emotions out of me. The only feelings this one gave me was that of HUNGER and INTENSE FOOD CRAVINGS. I'd say it's worth enough a read for all the food descriptions (and recipes!) and the Mexican rep.
I looooooved the cooking aspect of the story. The romance? Meh. There's a great cast of Mexican characters though. But for all the tragedy and grief in the book, this one didn't evoke much emotions out of me. The only feelings this one gave me was that of HUNGER and INTENSE FOOD CRAVINGS. I'd say it's worth enough a read for all the food descriptions (and recipes!) and the Mexican rep.
June 18, 2019
North of Happy is my second Adi Alsaid book. I'm glad I read it because his writing is pretty fantastic, but I this isn't quite my favorite of the two. Carlos's story just didn't appeal to me as much. I will say though that I don't think I've ever read a novel that so heavily featured food before. My favorite scenes are when Carlos is working in the kitchen, that's for sure. I'm hungry all over again just thinking about this book.
March 22, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for approving my request for a free digital copy in exchange for a review.
TW: Suicide mention
When I first started North of Happy my immediate thoughts were "fresh and fun, relaxed, refined and refreshing" I really enjoyed the blend of food and prose. I loved that the author includes recipes at the start of each chapter and that novel approach was definitely the highlight of the book.
As the story progressed I started to find a number of flaws which detracted from the story.
Characters: I really have no idea what the MC looks like. It seems like there was more effort spent describing the side characters and love interest that on the MC. In a world where "pale" is default, I would have loved to have had a more detailed description of the main character. There just seemed to be too much left up to the reader. This was particularly detracting for me given the preconception that the MC (Carlos) is bi-racial. Unfortunately, this is not confirmed on page and it is easy for one to assume that both parents could be Hispanic.
It may seem like splitting hairs but representation matters and I would have loved to see this clearly defined on the page. There were just too many "fill in the blanks."
In addition, the MC is extremely hard to connect with. In fact, Carlos feels like a Chris Mccandleuss figure, a rich kid who rejects his privilege for a little bit of temporary fun.
The love-intrest fares no better; her name, as easily forgettable as she is. The character feels one dimensional and is the perfect caricature of a manic-pixie dream girl. Her sole functions are (i) to help the main character come to terms with the death of his brother and (ii) show him what it's like to be in love. She seems to have no real interests of her own and only appears when it is necessary to future the MC's arc.
Speaking of plot devices, i can actually see grief, as portrayed here, being extremely divisive. Hallucinations as a plot device does not sit well with me as it feels like an attempt to disregard mental illnesses. However, it is not fair for me to tell someone how to grieve, In fact, this may actually be a true-to-life representation of someone's grieving process and may be truly cathartic.
It was however, a bit disconcerting that his hallucinations seemed to gradually decline in conjunction with his blossoming love and culinary expertise. Despite these concerns, I will admit that grief is an extremely difficult subject to write about and I do want to commend the author for his (albeit shaky) attempt.
The plot itself is simple. Not much conflict, with the MC skating along on his "luck," which further serves to alienate the reader. Predictably, the story ends all neatly wrapped up in a bow. This story-line had a lot of potential but I think it fell rather flat.
Despite these flaws I do think the book will appeal to a cross-section of readers, and may be a big hit during the summer. If I do recommend North of Happy it will be with a number of reservations.
TW: Suicide mention
When I first started North of Happy my immediate thoughts were "fresh and fun, relaxed, refined and refreshing" I really enjoyed the blend of food and prose. I loved that the author includes recipes at the start of each chapter and that novel approach was definitely the highlight of the book.
As the story progressed I started to find a number of flaws which detracted from the story.
Characters: I really have no idea what the MC looks like. It seems like there was more effort spent describing the side characters and love interest that on the MC. In a world where "pale" is default, I would have loved to have had a more detailed description of the main character. There just seemed to be too much left up to the reader. This was particularly detracting for me given the preconception that the MC (Carlos) is bi-racial. Unfortunately, this is not confirmed on page and it is easy for one to assume that both parents could be Hispanic.
It may seem like splitting hairs but representation matters and I would have loved to see this clearly defined on the page. There were just too many "fill in the blanks."
In addition, the MC is extremely hard to connect with. In fact, Carlos feels like a Chris Mccandleuss figure, a rich kid who rejects his privilege for a little bit of temporary fun.
The love-intrest fares no better; her name, as easily forgettable as she is. The character feels one dimensional and is the perfect caricature of a manic-pixie dream girl. Her sole functions are (i) to help the main character come to terms with the death of his brother and (ii) show him what it's like to be in love. She seems to have no real interests of her own and only appears when it is necessary to future the MC's arc.
Speaking of plot devices, i can actually see grief, as portrayed here, being extremely divisive. Hallucinations as a plot device does not sit well with me as it feels like an attempt to disregard mental illnesses. However, it is not fair for me to tell someone how to grieve, In fact, this may actually be a true-to-life representation of someone's grieving process and may be truly cathartic.
It was however, a bit disconcerting that his hallucinations seemed to gradually decline in conjunction with his blossoming love and culinary expertise. Despite these concerns, I will admit that grief is an extremely difficult subject to write about and I do want to commend the author for his (albeit shaky) attempt.
The plot itself is simple. Not much conflict, with the MC skating along on his "luck," which further serves to alienate the reader. Predictably, the story ends all neatly wrapped up in a bow. This story-line had a lot of potential but I think it fell rather flat.
Despite these flaws I do think the book will appeal to a cross-section of readers, and may be a big hit during the summer. If I do recommend North of Happy it will be with a number of reservations.
March 17, 2017
Books that leave an incomplete conclusion usually bother me but I liked the simplicity of the ending in North of Happy. Carlos had to navigate off course of his father's life plan in order to grieve his brother in his own way, surrounded by food in a few country far from home. This book will leave you salivating with each new chapter as they start with a recipe. Thank you School Library Journal for the ARC, I do believe I'll recommend it to other readers.
April 26, 2017
This book beautifully puts into words so many honest, relatable life moments. The protagonist Carlos has lost his older brother, and his grieving process is handled in a way that is both devastating and funny, and always compassionate. As a former waiter, I also loved how spot-on this was in its portrayal of restaurant life.
May 30, 2020
Our main character, Carlos, has dual citizenship between the U.S. and Mexico. Having been raised in Mexico by a well off family, he felt he had a path to follow, until his brother Felix was killed. Carlos left for the U.S. to work in restaurant kitchens, hoping to fulfill a deeper desire he has to work with food and to become a chef.
This story is really interesting, and I really learned to like Carlos and his subtle ways. We definitely get a lot more of Carlos's internal struggle with his own future than necessarily his pain over losing his brother or leaving his family, which I found interesting. I thought we would get a lot of his grief (which is present in some ways), but it's mainly his own journey to stay true to what he wants in his life. This story does include a romance, but the main story is all about Carlos and what he wants in order to be happy.
Overall, I liked the novel with its mix of food, recipes, and human persistence.
This story is really interesting, and I really learned to like Carlos and his subtle ways. We definitely get a lot more of Carlos's internal struggle with his own future than necessarily his pain over losing his brother or leaving his family, which I found interesting. I thought we would get a lot of his grief (which is present in some ways), but it's mainly his own journey to stay true to what he wants in his life. This story does include a romance, but the main story is all about Carlos and what he wants in order to be happy.
Overall, I liked the novel with its mix of food, recipes, and human persistence.
June 5, 2017
Okay, I really loved this book and I have about a million good things to say about it, and I'm going to get to those, but I'm going to get the bad thing out of the way first.
Stop calling people "[insert thing here] Nazis" just because they're strict about something. It trivializes the very real issue of actual Nazis, because no matter what the person you're referring to is doing, I promise that it pales in comparison to the actions of real Nazis. I've been hearing that phrase more often lately, and it's especially important to be aware of our language and the effects it has when anti-Semitism is on the rise.
Now that I've gotten that out of my system, on to the good things!
It only took about three chapters for me to fall in love with this book. I can't attribute it to any one thing - it made me laugh, the characters all really spoke to me, and I loved the little recipes included at the beginning of each chapter, but no matter how I try to explain it, how much I liked those things doesn't explain how deeply I fell into this book. It's one of those times where the whole is so much greater than the sum of its parts, and that makes reviewing a book really hard.
Some of my favorite parts were Carlos's conversations with his brother, Felix. Considering (not a spoiler, it's right in the synopsis) that Felix is killed in the prologue, I didn't expect this to be such a big part of the book. Felix is one of the most interesting characters because there's this fuzzy line between him being his own person and being in Carlos's head, so these conversations are really fascinating ways of getting into what Carlos is thinking without it feeling like pages and pages of introspection.
And of course, I couldn't talk about this book without talking about the food. And wow, the food. The descriptions were perfect - conveying exactly how delicious the food was without going on for so long that I was annoyed that I couldn't just eat it. It definitely made me want to try to cook some more. Not anything nearly as fancy as this, but maybe actually making a meal instead of just heating up something frozen. Back to the book's food, though - I wouldn't have minded some resolution with the Perfect Taco, but I also really liked how it ended.
Oh, and major bonus points for the Pinky and the Brain reference.
"I've been on this island for less than a month, I'm falling in love with a girl who's on her way out the door and I'm apprenticed to the Soup Nazi of onion cutting." (178)
Stop calling people "[insert thing here] Nazis" just because they're strict about something. It trivializes the very real issue of actual Nazis, because no matter what the person you're referring to is doing, I promise that it pales in comparison to the actions of real Nazis. I've been hearing that phrase more often lately, and it's especially important to be aware of our language and the effects it has when anti-Semitism is on the rise.
Now that I've gotten that out of my system, on to the good things!
It only took about three chapters for me to fall in love with this book. I can't attribute it to any one thing - it made me laugh, the characters all really spoke to me, and I loved the little recipes included at the beginning of each chapter, but no matter how I try to explain it, how much I liked those things doesn't explain how deeply I fell into this book. It's one of those times where the whole is so much greater than the sum of its parts, and that makes reviewing a book really hard.
Some of my favorite parts were Carlos's conversations with his brother, Felix. Considering (not a spoiler, it's right in the synopsis) that Felix is killed in the prologue, I didn't expect this to be such a big part of the book. Felix is one of the most interesting characters because there's this fuzzy line between him being his own person and being in Carlos's head, so these conversations are really fascinating ways of getting into what Carlos is thinking without it feeling like pages and pages of introspection.
And of course, I couldn't talk about this book without talking about the food. And wow, the food. The descriptions were perfect - conveying exactly how delicious the food was without going on for so long that I was annoyed that I couldn't just eat it. It definitely made me want to try to cook some more. Not anything nearly as fancy as this, but maybe actually making a meal instead of just heating up something frozen. Back to the book's food, though - I wouldn't have minded some resolution with the Perfect Taco, but I also really liked how it ended.
Oh, and major bonus points for the Pinky and the Brain reference.
July 21, 2017
North of Happy by Adi Alsaid
1 cup likeable protagonist
2 ½ cups grief-induced hallucinations
3 cups food porn
½ cup diversity
6 TB forbidden romance
2 TB running away from problems
1 tsp gorgeous Seattle scenery
½ tsp restaurant setting
I cannot resist a novel that is stuffed full of food as this one is. I loved how every chapter heading started off with a recipe that fit into the plot perfectly. Carlos expresses himself through food and cooking, and the descriptions of food are exquisite. I was hungry the entire time I was reading this.
I really liked Carlos’ older brother, Felix, or at least the Felix Carlos keeps seeing hallucinations of. He was hilarious and always seemed to know just what to say or do to spur Carlos forward into living his own life. Suffering the loss of a loved one can be catastrophic, and Alsaid does such a great job of portraying the paralysis of grief. Carlos can’t seem to move on after his brother is shot and killed in Mexico City while the two of them are out hunting for the best tacos in Mexico. It completely derails his life. He worships his older brother and can’t cope with his loss at all.
So when Carlos reaches his breaking point during a graduation party thrown in his honor he gets the crazy idea to go to Seattle in order to eat at a restaurant his brother wanted to visit one day. Before he knows it he’s not only eating at that restaurant, he’s washing dishes there and could potentially end up cooking there himself one day if he can take that leap and let go of his past and the inhibitions holding him back.
Watching Carlos struggle to live again and to chase his dreams was so poignant (I may have shed a tear or two for him), and I was completely riveted by all the delicious food he cooks along the way. It’s a fun diverse read that will leave you hungry for more (yes, I went there). I know that now I have to read all of Alsaid’s other books ASAP. This is such a realistic portrayal of grief that I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has ever lost someone they love.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Find me and my reviews on www.thebookshire.com and on instagram.
1 cup likeable protagonist
2 ½ cups grief-induced hallucinations
3 cups food porn
½ cup diversity
6 TB forbidden romance
2 TB running away from problems
1 tsp gorgeous Seattle scenery
½ tsp restaurant setting
I cannot resist a novel that is stuffed full of food as this one is. I loved how every chapter heading started off with a recipe that fit into the plot perfectly. Carlos expresses himself through food and cooking, and the descriptions of food are exquisite. I was hungry the entire time I was reading this.
I really liked Carlos’ older brother, Felix, or at least the Felix Carlos keeps seeing hallucinations of. He was hilarious and always seemed to know just what to say or do to spur Carlos forward into living his own life. Suffering the loss of a loved one can be catastrophic, and Alsaid does such a great job of portraying the paralysis of grief. Carlos can’t seem to move on after his brother is shot and killed in Mexico City while the two of them are out hunting for the best tacos in Mexico. It completely derails his life. He worships his older brother and can’t cope with his loss at all.
So when Carlos reaches his breaking point during a graduation party thrown in his honor he gets the crazy idea to go to Seattle in order to eat at a restaurant his brother wanted to visit one day. Before he knows it he’s not only eating at that restaurant, he’s washing dishes there and could potentially end up cooking there himself one day if he can take that leap and let go of his past and the inhibitions holding him back.
Watching Carlos struggle to live again and to chase his dreams was so poignant (I may have shed a tear or two for him), and I was completely riveted by all the delicious food he cooks along the way. It’s a fun diverse read that will leave you hungry for more (yes, I went there). I know that now I have to read all of Alsaid’s other books ASAP. This is such a realistic portrayal of grief that I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has ever lost someone they love.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Find me and my reviews on www.thebookshire.com and on instagram.
March 22, 2017
(3.5 stars) This book will be released on April 24th, 2017.
So, I sort of have an equal amount of things that I like and dislike about this book.
First off, what I did not like: I don't really know why but for some reason I could never get behind the romance. It didn't make all that much sense to me, and I thought he had a girlfriend in Mexico but I guess they weren't all that serious. The main character Carlos and his love interest Emma weren't really insta-love, but for some reason it just didn't make me feel anything until the very end of the novel. The other think I don't know how I feel about is how Carlos has hallucinations of his dead brother Felix, but I have never experienced the death of someone that close to me so maybe that is a realistic thing and I just don't know what it's like.
Now, what I did like: I myself am not a food fanatic, but I loved the passion of cooking in this book. I love when characters have interests that they are extremely passionate about, and I really enjoyed reading about Carlos's journey to working in the kitchen of his dreams. I also liked how while he had a complicated family dynamic, you could still tell his parents love him. Often times in YA books there are either absent parents, or neglectful parents, and it's always nice to see a portrayal of a loving parent-child relationship.
Overall, I thought the plot pacing was good, the writing style was enjoyable, the food dynamic was great, the characters were okay, and the romance was "eh."
So, I sort of have an equal amount of things that I like and dislike about this book.
First off, what I did not like: I don't really know why but for some reason I could never get behind the romance. It didn't make all that much sense to me, and I thought he had a girlfriend in Mexico but I guess they weren't all that serious. The main character Carlos and his love interest Emma weren't really insta-love, but for some reason it just didn't make me feel anything until the very end of the novel. The other think I don't know how I feel about is how Carlos has hallucinations of his dead brother Felix, but I have never experienced the death of someone that close to me so maybe that is a realistic thing and I just don't know what it's like.
Now, what I did like: I myself am not a food fanatic, but I loved the passion of cooking in this book. I love when characters have interests that they are extremely passionate about, and I really enjoyed reading about Carlos's journey to working in the kitchen of his dreams. I also liked how while he had a complicated family dynamic, you could still tell his parents love him. Often times in YA books there are either absent parents, or neglectful parents, and it's always nice to see a portrayal of a loving parent-child relationship.
Overall, I thought the plot pacing was good, the writing style was enjoyable, the food dynamic was great, the characters were okay, and the romance was "eh."
November 22, 2017
I really liked this book. I like books that deal with families and siblings. I love the idea of a tragedy happening and how Carlos left to find himself. This book had a touch of surrealism which Carlos deals with seeing and hearing his dead brother everywhere he goes. I did not like Emma as a character. She really got under my skin. I wish the author would have made her more like able. Can’t wait to read the other books from this author.
January 22, 2018
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
As a reader, I'd been curious about North of Happy for quite a while. I hadn't read any of Alsaid's previous work, but I had heard a lot of buzz surrounding both Let's Get Lost and Never Always Sometimes, so I was surprised that this one had seemed to fly under my radar. I'm also a HUGE fan of FoodNetwork, Chef's Table, food blogs, etc. so seeing a YA book explore a protagonist with similar interests (and a great deal more talent than I possess) was a draw as well.
While North of Happy definitely had a focus on food, it had a larger focus on family and dealing with death and grief, and I loved seeing how that manifested in the protagonist's desire to pursue a culinary career. Protagonist Carlos was different than his spontaneous older brother Felix in many ways, but they were linked by their passion for food. So when Carlos is grieving Felix, it's fitting that he's drawn to cooking, to creating, to a form of expression that provides not only a constructive outlet for his anger and grief and confusion, but also serves to soothe and comfort others. It also provided a lot of realistic insight into the not often glamorous life of working in a kitchen, from the late nights to early mornings, beginning at the bottom of the pack and increasing your status dish by dish (in Carlos' case literally, as he lands a spot as a dishwasher in a premiere restaurant on a sleepy island off the coast of Seattle).
Carlos' story is also one of travel and self exploration, as he leaves his birthplace of Mexico City to chase an obscure dream in the Pacific Northwest after seeing a thriving and innovative restaurant featured on TV. I am always a huge fan of novels that portray protagonist navigating two cultures and sharing in their unique experiences, and North of Happy was no exception. There's a touch of magical realism in the writing that's likely born from the protagonist/author's Latinx roots, in the way Felix manifests to Carlos in the everyday elements of his life, from animals passing by to the soap suds on the dishes he scrubs for twelve hours a day. Rather than be a commentary on mental illness, it feels like a natural part of the storytelling, a device to portray just how insular Carlos' world has become since the death of his beloved older brother, and how it fogs the way he interacts with the rest of the world.
While I loved the unique storytelling, small island setting and of course the food descriptions (especially how each chapter started with a recipe!) there were some elements of the novel that didn't impress me as much. There's a romance between Carlos and a girl he meets on the island which has its sweet moments, but ultimately felt distracting to the larger overall themes happening with grief, coming of age, career goals, etc. The book also ended on what I felt was a rather melancholy, unfair tone, that negated a lot of the work that Carlos had done over one mistake, which made me frustrated as a reader since I had spent so much time rooting for him throughout his journey.
Overall: As a foodie, North of Happy was an incredible read and one that I'd love to recommend to anyone who finds themselves watching cooking shows or chef documentaries, whether for wish-fulfillment or for practice. It captured the culture of that world incredibly well. However, the story ultimately ended in a way that was unsatisfying and I hoped for more for the protagonist. However, I definitely see myself trying more of Adi Alsaid's books in the future and would love to learn more about his own background and relationship with food/cooking, as its an element I've seen so rarely explored in YA!This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
As a reader, I'd been curious about North of Happy for quite a while. I hadn't read any of Alsaid's previous work, but I had heard a lot of buzz surrounding both Let's Get Lost and Never Always Sometimes, so I was surprised that this one had seemed to fly under my radar. I'm also a HUGE fan of FoodNetwork, Chef's Table, food blogs, etc. so seeing a YA book explore a protagonist with similar interests (and a great deal more talent than I possess) was a draw as well.
While North of Happy definitely had a focus on food, it had a larger focus on family and dealing with death and grief, and I loved seeing how that manifested in the protagonist's desire to pursue a culinary career. Protagonist Carlos was different than his spontaneous older brother Felix in many ways, but they were linked by their passion for food. So when Carlos is grieving Felix, it's fitting that he's drawn to cooking, to creating, to a form of expression that provides not only a constructive outlet for his anger and grief and confusion, but also serves to soothe and comfort others. It also provided a lot of realistic insight into the not often glamorous life of working in a kitchen, from the late nights to early mornings, beginning at the bottom of the pack and increasing your status dish by dish (in Carlos' case literally, as he lands a spot as a dishwasher in a premiere restaurant on a sleepy island off the coast of Seattle).
Carlos' story is also one of travel and self exploration, as he leaves his birthplace of Mexico City to chase an obscure dream in the Pacific Northwest after seeing a thriving and innovative restaurant featured on TV. I am always a huge fan of novels that portray protagonist navigating two cultures and sharing in their unique experiences, and North of Happy was no exception. There's a touch of magical realism in the writing that's likely born from the protagonist/author's Latinx roots, in the way Felix manifests to Carlos in the everyday elements of his life, from animals passing by to the soap suds on the dishes he scrubs for twelve hours a day. Rather than be a commentary on mental illness, it feels like a natural part of the storytelling, a device to portray just how insular Carlos' world has become since the death of his beloved older brother, and how it fogs the way he interacts with the rest of the world.
While I loved the unique storytelling, small island setting and of course the food descriptions (especially how each chapter started with a recipe!) there were some elements of the novel that didn't impress me as much. There's a romance between Carlos and a girl he meets on the island which has its sweet moments, but ultimately felt distracting to the larger overall themes happening with grief, coming of age, career goals, etc. The book also ended on what I felt was a rather melancholy, unfair tone, that negated a lot of the work that Carlos had done over one mistake, which made me frustrated as a reader since I had spent so much time rooting for him throughout his journey.
Overall: As a foodie, North of Happy was an incredible read and one that I'd love to recommend to anyone who finds themselves watching cooking shows or chef documentaries, whether for wish-fulfillment or for practice. It captured the culture of that world incredibly well. However, the story ultimately ended in a way that was unsatisfying and I hoped for more for the protagonist. However, I definitely see myself trying more of Adi Alsaid's books in the future and would love to learn more about his own background and relationship with food/cooking, as its an element I've seen so rarely explored in YA!This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
April 14, 2018
Mostly what kept me turning pages was the way the kitchen scenes came alive in this story about HS grad, Carlos, who questions the life his father has mapped out for him, especially in the wake of his brother's tragic death and leaves Mexico City to try and discover his own path.
This adventure to the US begins with a meal at a celebrated restaurant and leads to a job and a burgeoning relationship with the Chef's daughter. So far so good, but my problem with this book was that I found many of the characters unlikable and the plot lacking - until the home stretch. This "saggy middle" was a chore, but the writing was good and the author brought that restaurant to life through all the senses.
I liked the ending - not a perfectly happy one, but one with promise for Carlos - and overall, I liked it enough to try other works by this author.
I hear his debut, Let's Get Lost is worth a shot...
This adventure to the US begins with a meal at a celebrated restaurant and leads to a job and a burgeoning relationship with the Chef's daughter. So far so good, but my problem with this book was that I found many of the characters unlikable and the plot lacking - until the home stretch. This "saggy middle" was a chore, but the writing was good and the author brought that restaurant to life through all the senses.
I liked the ending - not a perfectly happy one, but one with promise for Carlos - and overall, I liked it enough to try other works by this author.
I hear his debut, Let's Get Lost is worth a shot...
March 23, 2017
Late one night, Carlos and his older brother, Felix, decide to taste test their way through the food stands of Mexico City in search of the perfect taco. In a tragic accident, stray bullets kill the free-spirited, nomadic Felix, leaving Carlos with his brother’s ghost and the desire to recover his own happiness. During Carlos’ high school graduation party—faced with a well intentioned but uninspiring predetermined future with the family business—Carlos runs away from his privileged life to a small island off of Washington state. With no plans except to visit Provecho, a bucket list restaurant in his brother’s diary, Carlos must find a place to sleep and a way to earn a living. In a matter of luck or fate, Carlos begins working as a dishwasher at Provecho and is taken under the wing of the master chef with the threatening promise of termination if he does not stop dating her daughter, Emma. Carlos must learn to fit in and earn his keep while navigating mental exhaustion and new love.
A story about romance, trust, maturity, and ambition, North of Happy makes readers feel like they are experiencing life for the first time. As stars and lakes ignite in the moonlight, Alsaid envelops readers in his enchanting backdrops and heartfelt, raw emotions. A beautifully written title for young adults looking ahead to the future, North of Happy inspires and awakens questions about the meaning of our existence. Although a somewhat clichéd plot, Alsaid adds poignant commentaries on grief and love that add an entirely fiery yet visceral quality to the story. Recipes introduce chapters to exemplify the all-pervasive passion for food and need for a fulfilling career. Days later, I find myself wondering about a conclusion and writing my own ending for Carlos, Emma, and the entire restaurant family as they touched my heart and stayed in my mind.
North of Happy is set to publish on April 25th, 2017. I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Review by Christine Frascarelli
A story about romance, trust, maturity, and ambition, North of Happy makes readers feel like they are experiencing life for the first time. As stars and lakes ignite in the moonlight, Alsaid envelops readers in his enchanting backdrops and heartfelt, raw emotions. A beautifully written title for young adults looking ahead to the future, North of Happy inspires and awakens questions about the meaning of our existence. Although a somewhat clichéd plot, Alsaid adds poignant commentaries on grief and love that add an entirely fiery yet visceral quality to the story. Recipes introduce chapters to exemplify the all-pervasive passion for food and need for a fulfilling career. Days later, I find myself wondering about a conclusion and writing my own ending for Carlos, Emma, and the entire restaurant family as they touched my heart and stayed in my mind.
North of Happy is set to publish on April 25th, 2017. I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Review by Christine Frascarelli
August 9, 2017
3.5 stars.
This book was a ride. I didn't realize how much I cared about the characters until the last 100 pages which is really a shame. This book messed with my emotions more than I thought it would.
I didn't cry that much.
Anyway, i still defiantly recommend this book. It starts off slow, but it's worth it to continue to read on.
This book was a ride. I didn't realize how much I cared about the characters until the last 100 pages which is really a shame. This book messed with my emotions more than I thought it would.
I didn't cry that much.
Anyway, i still defiantly recommend this book. It starts off slow, but it's worth it to continue to read on.
April 12, 2023
I probably liked this book so much because it was about a guy who loves food and wants to be a chef. And I love reading about people like that.
This definitely was a little cheesy but I’m not mad about it. It didn’t end how I was expecting so that was interesting. All in all and very cute book :)
This definitely was a little cheesy but I’m not mad about it. It didn’t end how I was expecting so that was interesting. All in all and very cute book :)
August 27, 2018
Review to come!
March 18, 2017
ARC from NetGalley
I was eager to read this book because I loved Adi Alsaid's witty banter in Never Always Sometimes. His new book North of Happy didn't charm me as much.
The main character is a boy named Carlos from Mexico City who is about to graduate high school and embark on the future his parents have laid out for him. Everything sounds great (on paper), except Carlos is still devastated by the tragic death of his older, nomadic brother, Felix, six months earlier. Suddenly, the path to his future doesn't seem so clear. Especially, when his brother is constantly appearing and speaking to him.
Impulsively, on the night of his graduation celebration, Carlos packs a bag and jets off to a restaurant near Seattle because his brother never got the chance to. He only intends to eat a meal and then go back home. But he ends up feeling more like himself in this place than his home. When opportunities begin to unfold before him, he begins to wonder if he belongs in this place more than anywhere else.
Each chapter opens with ingredients. I am not a foodie so this approach didn't really do anything for me. I also wasn't sold on his brother's presence but everyone grieves differently.
What was gorgeous was Alsaid's descriptive writing of Needle Eye Island. It is so rich and lush, you will wish it was a real place so you could go there. It is worth reading the book for this alone.
I was eager to read this book because I loved Adi Alsaid's witty banter in Never Always Sometimes. His new book North of Happy didn't charm me as much.
The main character is a boy named Carlos from Mexico City who is about to graduate high school and embark on the future his parents have laid out for him. Everything sounds great (on paper), except Carlos is still devastated by the tragic death of his older, nomadic brother, Felix, six months earlier. Suddenly, the path to his future doesn't seem so clear. Especially, when his brother is constantly appearing and speaking to him.
Impulsively, on the night of his graduation celebration, Carlos packs a bag and jets off to a restaurant near Seattle because his brother never got the chance to. He only intends to eat a meal and then go back home. But he ends up feeling more like himself in this place than his home. When opportunities begin to unfold before him, he begins to wonder if he belongs in this place more than anywhere else.
Each chapter opens with ingredients. I am not a foodie so this approach didn't really do anything for me. I also wasn't sold on his brother's presence but everyone grieves differently.
What was gorgeous was Alsaid's descriptive writing of Needle Eye Island. It is so rich and lush, you will wish it was a real place so you could go there. It is worth reading the book for this alone.
November 8, 2017
I loved how Like a Water for Chocolate began each chapter with a recipe that fed into the story. So when I opened North of Happy and saw Adi Alsaid also employed this technique (inspired by Like Water for Chocolate), I automatically fell for this book. The main characters love of food and his work in a restaurant brought back so many memories of my time in both culinary school and working in the service industry.
November 8, 2017
Are you a foodie? Is Food Network your go-to TV station? Have you seen every episode of Chopped? If you answered yes to these questions, this book is a MUST READ. If your answer is no, do you like to eat food? Do you have an appreciation for teenage boys who lost their older brothers to drive-by shootings while in search of the perfect taco? Can you empathize with a boy who just graduated from HS but doesn't feel like going away to college is the right path for him? If your answer to those last two questions is yes, then this book is for you, too. Even though his parents (especially his father) are adamantly opposed, Carlos leaves Mexico City (in the middle of his graduation party) and heads to an island off the coast of Seattle. Why there? Felix, his beloved, departed brother once told him about a restaurant there where he dreamed of eating. Since he never got the chance, Carlos figures it's his job to do it for him. Carlos arrives in the San Juan Islands and is blown away by its beauty. He makes his way straight to Provecho (Felix’s dream restaurant) only to find out no reservation is available until Tuesday. It’s Sunday. After hanging out all day in case of a cancellation, he gets a motel room and waits it out. Of course, that day wasn’t all wasted. He gets to watch, Emma, the adorable hostess all day. A bit of a connection sparks. He comes back Tuesday, enjoys the meal of his life, and ends up hanging out with Emma and her friends afterwards. And his life is never the same. Emma ends up getting him a job as a dishwasher where he quickly learns his destiny is to spend his life in a professional kitchen - hopefully, as a chef not a dishwasher. This could be the first step. His friendship with Emma quickly turns into more and it’s more of a relationship than he’s ever had with any girl. His hard work in the restaurant leads to lessons with Chef Elise (a definite Chef Gordon Ramsay type) who soon offers him an ultimatum - continue to work and learn at Provecho or continue to see Emma. He cannot have both. What should he do? Pursue his dream of a life in the kitchen or pursue his dream of having someone to love and love him in return. Felix, who is always with Carlos, definitely has his opinion. But Carlos must decide for himself.
Author, Adi Alsaid, beautifully captures that feeling of being eighteen and every decision you make is the most important decision of your life. Of course, in Carlos’ case, that is very much the case. In my very inexpert opinion, Alsaid seems to nail the feeling of what it must be like to work in a high-energy, professional restaurant. As a foodie and Food Network addict, it seems just as thrilling, difficult, exhausting, and fulfilling as I imagined. Carlos’ adventure is heartbreaking and believable. As an added bonus, each chapter begins with a recipe. Be prepared to be hungry as you read this book. Bring snacks. Really, really good snacks.
Author, Adi Alsaid, beautifully captures that feeling of being eighteen and every decision you make is the most important decision of your life. Of course, in Carlos’ case, that is very much the case. In my very inexpert opinion, Alsaid seems to nail the feeling of what it must be like to work in a high-energy, professional restaurant. As a foodie and Food Network addict, it seems just as thrilling, difficult, exhausting, and fulfilling as I imagined. Carlos’ adventure is heartbreaking and believable. As an added bonus, each chapter begins with a recipe. Be prepared to be hungry as you read this book. Bring snacks. Really, really good snacks.
April 21, 2020
I love it and I really enjoy reading it. Grabe, hindi ko matigilan! Carlos is such an amazing character and has an amazing character development. Sobrang nakakatawa din si Felix! I love all of the characters in this book, like legit love all of them! Sobrang nakakafeel good 'tong librong 'to at dahil dito, narealize kong sobrang love ko ang libro na may involve na pagkain or cooking with characters achieving their dreams. Sobrang saya ko na nakasama ako sa journey ni Carlos sa pag-achieve ng mga pangarap niyang gawin as chef.
Ang tagal na nitong nakastock sa bookshelf ko and I am so happy na binasa ko na 'to!
I love it! As in!
Ang tagal na nitong nakastock sa bookshelf ko and I am so happy na binasa ko na 'to!
I love it! As in!
April 4, 2017
This book was painfully boring, frustrating and borderline offensive. I didn't care about Carlos and his trip to figuring out how to not be a self entitled brat, I couldn't stand Emma's angst and I absolutely despised how the brother showed up as non-sensical hallucinations.
I'm SO disappointed in this book - the synopsis showed so much promise and I really loved the authors other books. It's as though he wrote this one while he was asleep.
I'm SO disappointed in this book - the synopsis showed so much promise and I really loved the authors other books. It's as though he wrote this one while he was asleep.
December 13, 2017
Give me anything by Adi Alsaid...ANYTHING!! His books are the real deal! I LOVE HIM!!! A strong, genuine voice in YA and in the Mexican Community. North of Happy made sad, mad and HAPPY!!
July 26, 2017
Ever had a perfect taco or go in search of one? I’m not talking a few restaurants here and there, but taqueria after taqueria in the same night, only eating one taco at each until you’ve reached taco nirvana? That takes some dedication and someone who knows how to enjoy the small things in life. Carlos’s older brother, Felix is just that person. Felix is the ultimate older brother, doling out amazing advice and bringing out the adventurer in Carlos until their adventure comes to an abrupt halt when Felix is killed by a stray bullet. Carlos is left devastated. Six months later, he graduates from school and is set to do an internship before heading to the University of Chicago. The night of his graduation party, Carlos sees Felix everywhere, and the pressure of following in his dad’s footsteps becomes too much. He leaves, goes home and packs a bag, and heads to an island off Seattle in search of the restaurant where he and his brother once dreamed of eating. The plan is to be gone for a week, to get this out of his system. Once on the island, he finds the restaurant but has to wait a few days before he can get a reservation. Instead of leaving like a sane person, he sits for hours watching the dance of a top restaurant go by. The servers, the peeks into the kitchen, the staff, the customers, and the food. He’s mesmerized and inspired. Emily, the hostess, can see that he is need of some help or friendship and the two begin spending time with each other. She can see the dream of the kitchen in his eyes and gets him a dishwashing job. A week becomes two, and two weeks becomes a month. The chef, who happens to be Emily’s mom, sees the twinkle in his eye and begins teaching him in the mornings before the restaurant opens. His first lesson is chopping onions, and his next is an omelet. She is exacting, harsh, foul mouthed, disciplined, and I expected nothing less from her. As his relationship with Emily deepens, Chef tells Carlos he has to choose between the kitchen or her daughter. He can’t have both because Emily’s already been heartbroken by her parents' love of the kitchen, more than their love for her. This is a lesson that won’t come without repercussions, and I was happy to see the author handle that more realistically than most novels. Throughout this story, Felix is never far away. He sees him everywhere, has conversations with him and still seeks his advice. As the summer and his new relationships (both the restaurant and Emily), he sees less and less of Felix, and that’s okay with Carlos. Ultimately, this is a book about grief, but it was so refreshing not to be balling my eyes out from page one. For any foodie or lover of Chopped or Top Chef, you will adore this book. There are recipes to begin each chapter, restaurant culture, and enough food terms to make you want to get cooking in your own kitchen.
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