Review: All That Matters By Youseph Tanha

Title: All That Matters
Author: Youseph Tanha
Publisher: Youseph Tanha
Published Date: July 2011
Source: Courtesy of Youseph Tanha

Ethan Wright is just like any other high school kid that is one day lucky enough to meet the girl of his dreams. Throughout the course of high school the young couple learn to cope with incredibly difficult odds to discover all that matters.’All That Matters’ is a novella about love and life and all that the heart can endure. With memorable characters and a deep story you will find it difficult to put this book down.
(Provided by YousephTanha Website)

All That Matters is a tale of a boy who falls in love with a girl who wants to know that there’s a future for her somewhere in this mess of a world. An average boy named Ethan meets the girl of his dreams that first day of classes and cannot forget her. Amanda is just a girl growing up in the jungle of what is high school. There is a whirlwind of obstacles that Ethan and Amanda face to be with one another but the biggest and hardest one is Amanda has leukemia. For a while it looks like it’s getting better. She’s going strong until the relapse. The ending to All That Matters is honestly one of the best endings I’ve ever read! Does love really conquer all? Do you put your life on hold to help the girl of your dreams? Does she feel the same? It forced me to see both sides of the decision Ethan and Amanda both made about their future together and the ending was a SHOCKER!

Once every so often, I finish a book that unnerves something in me, the story will remain with me forever. All That Matters is that book for me. It is so painstakingly raw and shows some of the deepest and darkest parts of cancer, whether you have it or know someone with it. I found moments that were pure and full of life and than some that were empty and with no hope. The words were simple and nothing to jazzy. They made the flow of this story very easy to read and very enjoyable!

I give All That Matters stars for being one of those knock out books that gives us a look into the world of someone who is affected by cancer. The story, the characters and the messages that come out of the book are truly amazing.

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I got a chance to ask author Youseph Tanha a few questions about his debut novel All That Matters and here’s what he had to say…

Me - Cancer is a LOADED topic, what made you decide to write about it?

They say write what you know, right? Cancer is a horrible disease that affects too many people all over the world. It’s almost impossible to not know someone this day and age who has, in some way, been affected by Cancer. In high school I had friends who had cancer and friends who knew someone that was dealing with Cancer. I heard a lot of sad stories. Deciding to write about it was a form of closure for me. To finally say good-bye to that chapter in my life (no pun intended) and move on.

Me - What did writing this novel mean to you? Because it surely meant a
whole lot to me & again I thank you for it!

Well thank you so much for taking the time to read it, Sherry. I am starting to hear compliments like that from other people who have read the book and it definitely gives me a good feeling. I wasn't expecting that to happen at all.

The book means a few things to me. It’s definitely an accomplishment. I mean who knew a kid with dyslexia could grow up and write a book? And then find out people like it. Also, like I said before, its closure for me. A way for me to say good-bye to a past that has had a bit too much control over my life. I feel like now I can face the world, take on new challenges and have no strings attached.

Me - If there was one thing you needed readers to know about All That Matters before reading it, what would it be?

Oh gosh. What a question. I guess I would want them to know that I poured my all into this book. It was definitely a 110% effort. I wrote a story that I as a reader would want to read. It seems all to often television, movie, or even a book character will do something that is not like their character. That kind of thing rips me out of a story and puts me right back in the center of reality which I was trying to escape from in the first place. I did not want that in my book and I think I pulled it off.

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These were some pretty awesome answers from the man himself!

If you’d like to check out what All That Matters is all about, head on over to Youseph’s website HERE! There, you can read the first couple of chapters for free!

I hope you all support Youseph Tanha’s debut novel All That Matters and enjoy it as much as I did, the story of love, acceptance, and life.

As Always,

HAPPY READING

-Sherry Lay