Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
What am I supposed to say about Kathleen Glasgow and her books at this point that I haven’t said before? She is honestly hands down one of my favourite authors, if not my favourite. All three of her books now have been a no hesitation five star from me, and though I expect nothing less I am blown away every time. She has such range to her writing and the things she chooses to tackle in her books, it's incredible.
This book had me sobbing pretty much every other chapter. It’s probably my own fault, because I knew exactly what the plot of the books was and I continued to read it anyway. This was far more relatable than I care to admit. It was comforting in a way, despite crushing my soul. It really felt like Glasgow had credit inside my brain and taken all of my thoughts and feelings and put them into his novel. I’ve never felt so seen or understood by a book, and though it hurt me immensely to read, it felt very cathartic and it helped me work through my own emotions a little bit better. I’m going through a really hard time at the minute and grieving can feel like a very lonely and personal thing, but this book made me feel a little lighter and for that I’m eternally grateful.
The writing as always was absolutely beautiful, the only thing I hated was the odd addition of hashtags. People who devalue YA stories because they deem them too childish and basic have never experienced Kathleen Glasgow weave a coming of age story. She hits so hard every time with the most immense talent I’ve ever come across. She just gets it. Every time. I admire her so greatly for the things she chooses to focus on in her novels, she doesn’t shy away from the real gritty and hard to stomach stories. But they’re so real, and they’re things people actually go through, and her depiction of reality is unsettling but at least it’s honest. People have these stories, and they need telling. I think she handles them so beautifully.
If you want your heart ripped out of your chest, go for it. It’s a story of grief, and loneliness, and feeling completely out of your depth and alone during a period of your life where you’re supposed to be getting looked after. It’s about human error, and processing your feelings, and making mistakes because you’re hurt. It’s about dysfunctional families, and odd friendships, and the systems that can sometimes fail us. It’s a belak story for the most part, but there’s always a beacon of hope in there. Something to keep going for.
This was so complex and difficult to read, but I loved it. It made me sob, it made me laugh, it made me angry. It made me feel less alone, and very human.
This book had me sobbing pretty much every other chapter. It’s probably my own fault, because I knew exactly what the plot of the books was and I continued to read it anyway. This was far more relatable than I care to admit. It was comforting in a way, despite crushing my soul. It really felt like Glasgow had credit inside my brain and taken all of my thoughts and feelings and put them into his novel. I’ve never felt so seen or understood by a book, and though it hurt me immensely to read, it felt very cathartic and it helped me work through my own emotions a little bit better. I’m going through a really hard time at the minute and grieving can feel like a very lonely and personal thing, but this book made me feel a little lighter and for that I’m eternally grateful.
The writing as always was absolutely beautiful, the only thing I hated was the odd addition of hashtags. People who devalue YA stories because they deem them too childish and basic have never experienced Kathleen Glasgow weave a coming of age story. She hits so hard every time with the most immense talent I’ve ever come across. She just gets it. Every time. I admire her so greatly for the things she chooses to focus on in her novels, she doesn’t shy away from the real gritty and hard to stomach stories. But they’re so real, and they’re things people actually go through, and her depiction of reality is unsettling but at least it’s honest. People have these stories, and they need telling. I think she handles them so beautifully.
If you want your heart ripped out of your chest, go for it. It’s a story of grief, and loneliness, and feeling completely out of your depth and alone during a period of your life where you’re supposed to be getting looked after. It’s about human error, and processing your feelings, and making mistakes because you’re hurt. It’s about dysfunctional families, and odd friendships, and the systems that can sometimes fail us. It’s a belak story for the most part, but there’s always a beacon of hope in there. Something to keep going for.
This was so complex and difficult to read, but I loved it. It made me sob, it made me laugh, it made me angry. It made me feel less alone, and very human.
emotional
sad
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the one book that understood the grief I've struggled with for a year. I had a few nitpicking things but overall probably my favorite thing I read in 2021
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book brought me to tears multiple times. I had to stop and take a break and think about a lot of stuff the story brings up. I have issues with my mother and I’ve said mean stuff to her like the main character does in the book right before her mom passes away. I think a good message to take away from this story personally for me is to be careful before you speak and how harsh you may be with others because there’s no telling if it’s the last time you may talk to them or not. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish and I’m so glad I finally got to read it.
4 Stars - I Really Liked This Book
While I have never lost a close relative, I did grow up in an abusive home and could relate to some of the broken feelings in this novel. Loss is difficult and nuanced, and this book does an excellent job of portraying the difficulty of navigating something so personal and challenging.
While I have never lost a close relative, I did grow up in an abusive home and could relate to some of the broken feelings in this novel. Loss is difficult and nuanced, and this book does an excellent job of portraying the difficulty of navigating something so personal and challenging.
probably a better book if you have family you care about. felt a bit like checking off every problem in the book but never really delving into anything very deeply. superficial and preachy at times
A wonderfully written tale of a girl learning to live after loss. This book broke my heart and I cried at least 5 times while reading it. Maybe I’ll write a more comprehensive review when I finish sobbing.
adventurous