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shandra's review against another edition
5.0
-A Journey Through All Stages Of Life - One Everyone Should Take!-
I would like to start by saying that I feel privileged to have gotten the opportunity to read this book. It's rare that a book perfectly encapsulates a life, much less five of them, and it's a precious, beautiful experience to feel as if one has taken a journey with both the author of a work as well as with their characters.
Circle in the Sand was very much a journey for me.
I entered into reading this book with no set expectations, only knowing the barest bit of the premise, and intending to leave an unbiased review based on that.
I have left this book feeling as if I have come to know every character involved in it as if they were my own friends, my own family, or a part of my own life.
This is the story of three women who shared a childhood friendship that has evolved into a lifelong love for one another. I got to see Jax -named for Jacqueline Onassis- be a wild, free spirit with boundless love for others find a way to fully love herself. I got to witness Sage -the "pretty" one who takes life too seriously- come to learn what it is that truly matters in life. I saw Emily -the devoted mother- come to grips with the fact that there is nothing wrong with asking for help and I saw her twin brother Ned realize that he's more than the tag-along to their little circle of women.
And Rose.
I got to see Rose -the woman who has reached the end of her life, Sage's grandmother, and someone who is intimately familiar with what it is to grow old- pass on the most important lessons she managed to learn in all her years to those that she loved. Rose, of all of them, touched me because I saw a lot of my grandmother, a lot of other grandmothers, in her. I come from the South where we value our elders for their stories, their wisdom, their humor, and even their most cantankerous behaviors because these people are our heritage as much as we are their legacy.
Sage, Jax, Emily, and even Ned and Travis (who breaks my heart as much as he is a heartthrob!) are all a part of Rose's legacy; I feel it would be remiss not to pay homage to the fact that she was what ultimately brought them all together again to celebrate childhood's lasting friendships. The memories recounted in this book are ones I could easily empathize with while all the characters were fully realized, perfectly imperfect people whose lives all mattered because of the ways they touched each other.
This was a book about friendship as much as it was about love and it was as much about life as it was about anything else.
I'm more than glad to give this book five stars all the way around for the lyrical writing, the beautiful characters, and all the joy that came from simply living alongside these people for a time. I could taste the salt on my lips from the beach of their youth. I could feel the pain of their losses and the joy of their gains. Every moment was another gift in this gem of a novel.
Thank you for your fine literary contribution, Lia Fairchild. The world is a better place because this book exists in it.
***NOTE: ARC PROVIDED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW ON BEHALF OF THIS REDHEAD LOVES BOOKS BLOG***
Shandra Torbett
Reviewer for This Redhead LOVES Books Blog
https://www.facebook.com/thisredheadlovesbooks
http://thisredheadlovesbooks.blogspot.com/
I would like to start by saying that I feel privileged to have gotten the opportunity to read this book. It's rare that a book perfectly encapsulates a life, much less five of them, and it's a precious, beautiful experience to feel as if one has taken a journey with both the author of a work as well as with their characters.
Circle in the Sand was very much a journey for me.
I entered into reading this book with no set expectations, only knowing the barest bit of the premise, and intending to leave an unbiased review based on that.
I have left this book feeling as if I have come to know every character involved in it as if they were my own friends, my own family, or a part of my own life.
This is the story of three women who shared a childhood friendship that has evolved into a lifelong love for one another. I got to see Jax -named for Jacqueline Onassis- be a wild, free spirit with boundless love for others find a way to fully love herself. I got to witness Sage -the "pretty" one who takes life too seriously- come to learn what it is that truly matters in life. I saw Emily -the devoted mother- come to grips with the fact that there is nothing wrong with asking for help and I saw her twin brother Ned realize that he's more than the tag-along to their little circle of women.
And Rose.
I got to see Rose -the woman who has reached the end of her life, Sage's grandmother, and someone who is intimately familiar with what it is to grow old- pass on the most important lessons she managed to learn in all her years to those that she loved. Rose, of all of them, touched me because I saw a lot of my grandmother, a lot of other grandmothers, in her. I come from the South where we value our elders for their stories, their wisdom, their humor, and even their most cantankerous behaviors because these people are our heritage as much as we are their legacy.
Sage, Jax, Emily, and even Ned and Travis (who breaks my heart as much as he is a heartthrob!) are all a part of Rose's legacy; I feel it would be remiss not to pay homage to the fact that she was what ultimately brought them all together again to celebrate childhood's lasting friendships. The memories recounted in this book are ones I could easily empathize with while all the characters were fully realized, perfectly imperfect people whose lives all mattered because of the ways they touched each other.
This was a book about friendship as much as it was about love and it was as much about life as it was about anything else.
I'm more than glad to give this book five stars all the way around for the lyrical writing, the beautiful characters, and all the joy that came from simply living alongside these people for a time. I could taste the salt on my lips from the beach of their youth. I could feel the pain of their losses and the joy of their gains. Every moment was another gift in this gem of a novel.
Thank you for your fine literary contribution, Lia Fairchild. The world is a better place because this book exists in it.
***NOTE: ARC PROVIDED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW ON BEHALF OF THIS REDHEAD LOVES BOOKS BLOG***
Shandra Torbett
Reviewer for This Redhead LOVES Books Blog
https://www.facebook.com/thisredheadlovesbooks
http://thisredheadlovesbooks.blogspot.com/
aflv_reads's review against another edition
4.0
This book is the one literature lovers are constantly looking for…It’s the one that satisfies their needs for a good book..
Circle in the sand practically screams quality from the first page..It is sensational…If you’re looking for beauty, then this is it..
The book is written by multiple POVs (Ned, Sage, Jax and Emily)..When I saw that, I have to admit I was very wary, since it’s a tactic that rather does the authors harm than good. But this is not the case with Lia and I was very happy about that. The book is a pure joy to read..The multiple POVs are actually very welcome and extremely well written, while the story never fades or strains.
It’s a really magnificent book..
As I said, the multiple POVs were exemplary. The writing is graceful and Lia’s words seem to flow, the one into the other, without difficulty, but with elegance.
The characters are also excellently developed. Every character is very different from the other, but they are all very well described and introduced to the reader. It really feels like reading about a real friends’ group…
It’s really a fantastic book that takes your mind and breath away..
While reading it, it feels like you are one of the group, talking to the characters themselves. It’s really mesmerizing..It’s been a while since I read a book like this one..A real book about real people with real problems..But without putting me into depression..It maintains a hopeful and joyful attitude, even though we’re actually talking about reality..And we all know that isn’t all hearts and flowers, like our Mr.Grey says .
Circle in the sand practically screams quality from the first page..It is sensational…If you’re looking for beauty, then this is it..
The book is written by multiple POVs (Ned, Sage, Jax and Emily)..When I saw that, I have to admit I was very wary, since it’s a tactic that rather does the authors harm than good. But this is not the case with Lia and I was very happy about that. The book is a pure joy to read..The multiple POVs are actually very welcome and extremely well written, while the story never fades or strains.
It’s a really magnificent book..
As I said, the multiple POVs were exemplary. The writing is graceful and Lia’s words seem to flow, the one into the other, without difficulty, but with elegance.
The characters are also excellently developed. Every character is very different from the other, but they are all very well described and introduced to the reader. It really feels like reading about a real friends’ group…
It’s really a fantastic book that takes your mind and breath away..
While reading it, it feels like you are one of the group, talking to the characters themselves. It’s really mesmerizing..It’s been a while since I read a book like this one..A real book about real people with real problems..But without putting me into depression..It maintains a hopeful and joyful attitude, even though we’re actually talking about reality..And we all know that isn’t all hearts and flowers, like our Mr.Grey says .
becxreadz's review against another edition
4.0
I was asked to read and review “Circle in the Sand” by Lia Fairchild. I really enjoyed this story that revolves around 4 friends. The chapters are told from the alternating pov’s of Emily, Sage, Jax, and Ned. The story reminded me a lot of watching an extended episode of Friends (which is still my favorite TV show). I like how Lia had a little mysterious secret going on and it kept me reading to see if my hunch was correct...(it was)! I think there’s at least one of these characters that any reader could identify with or want to be like. My favorite was Jax. She is the kind of woman that I wish I could be. She’s smart, kind, giving, adventurous, spontaneous, and honest. There was one scene in which Emily flashes back to a high school party where a guy tries to take advantage of her that really made me respect Jax’s character. The way she took charge of the situation is the way I wish more teens (real and fictional) would react. I loved the little romances that were happening and how each character comes to accept the lives they are leading. I give “Circle in the Sand” 4/5 stars. A great story, simple as that!!!
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