Patron Saints of Nothing

Description: When 17-year-old Jay Reguero learns his Filipino cousin and former best friend, Jun, was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, he flies to the Philippines to learn more in this gripping page-turning portrayal of the struggle to reconcile faith, family, and immigrant identity.

Review Quotes: A National Book Award Finalist
An NPR Best Book of the Year
An NBC News Best Asian American Young Adult Book of the Year
A Paste Best Young Adult Book of the Year
A New York Public Library Top 10 Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A USA Today Best Book of the Year So Far
A Raleigh News & Observer Best Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild audio selection
National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA) Freeman Book Award Winner
An L.A. Times Book Award Nominee
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award 2021-2022
MISelf in Books 2020 Book List (Michigan)
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far) [2025]

FIVE STARRED REVIEWS
"Powerful and courageous." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Deep, nuanced, and painfully real." --Booklist, starred review

"A perfect convergence of authentic voice and an emphasis on inner dialogue." -- School Library Journal, starred review

"Passionately and fearlessly, Ribay delves into matters of justice, grief, and identity." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Compelling and informational" -- VOYA Magazine, starred review

"A must-read." - Erin Entrada Kelly, author of 2018 Newbery Award-winning Hello, Universe

"Lyrical. Stunning. Searing...The real deal."- Mark Oshiro, author of Anger Is a Gift

"Riveting, brilliantly told and deeply moving." - Francisco X. Stork, author of Disappeared

"Complex, gripping, haunting and deeply human... a story alive with longing and pain and grace. - Kelly Gilbert, author of Picture Us In The Light