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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I feel conflicted over rating this book. I enjoyed reading it, there were many great things about it. I appreciated the different women bonds in it, something I rarely get to see and always brings me so much joy. I loved the love aspect to it, how it slowly built and it wasn't overbearing but light and sweet and a lot of fun. The kind, dare I say, would want for myself. There were many lines that I thought were very clever and well written. Still, there were many downfalls to it as well. It kept feeling like someone sat down and wrote down their fantasy out, the kind of summer someone would daydream about, but then went back and added some drama to make it have a bit of substance. It read like the many Wattpad stories I use to eat up when I was in my early teens, it read even like something I attempted to write at the time of little reveries I had of how I wished I could spend my summers. It didn't sit well with me for that reason, it kept nagging at me and making me kind of roll my eyes at it, how simplified it all was. Oh yes those rich strangers want to hang out with her and yes, of course, her parents are very fine with her drinking all day and being around drunks they don't know, and definitely even having her travel with them and stay over for days and days on end. I enjoyed reading it, but the whole thing felt like it kept lacking a plot. The characters felt two dimensional and felt flat. They kept hinting at great, dark secrets the whole time, but then only revealed them at the last few pages and it just wasn't that dark or intense? Not what they've been made out to be? I kept thinking of so many subplots that the author could be alluding to, so much potential if they were followed, but then they all fell through. Just like I had expressed worries about in one of my updates while reading the book, the book had pretty much nothing of significance happen throughout, and then the last few pages had everything meekly unravel and then get resolved in the next few pages. Despite that all, I did enjoy reading it, it was a fun light read and reminded me of how fun those reads could be. I think I enjoyed the romantic aspect of it the most. The lightness and subtly to it, the slow build, the little stolen interactions, and Robert is a dream. Very reminiscent of Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, especially with his instance to always stand when a lady walks into the room, but also, dare I say again, maybe even cuter and more dreamy. I'm so happy for Lou though at the end, of her moving to London and realizing her writing dreams. That managed to make me a tad emotional. I hope to have the same breakthrough.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i adore this book. as young for me as it is, every time i read it, i get lost in its coming-of-age Gatsby summertime.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use
Minor: Racism, Sexism
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A Sky Painted Gold Review on K-Books -> goes live on September 15, 2018
A Sky Painted Gold is a book that I had seen all over twitter for a while and it just looked so interesting. Now this book is not my usual kind of read whatsoever. I am more of a paranormal / fantasy reader and this book being a contemporary with a historical twist is nothing like the books that I usually read but I couldn't put it down. I loved every second of this stunningly beautiful book.
A Sky Painted Gold follows the story of sixteen-year-old Lou. Lou has done everything with her older sister so when her sister gets married she feels a little lost and alone. Who is she without her sister? Suddenly she is caught in a whirlwind adventure with the new rich family who has come to Cornwall for the summer. But as she falls head over heels for their lifestyle how will she manage when they leave at the end of the summer?
This is the first book by Laura Wood that I have read and I loved every single second of it. Laura has the most beautiful writing style and I just couldn't stop reading. Everything about this book was just beautiful. The story, the world building, the characters... everything. The writing is just so stunningly lyrical and I enjoyed it so much. Lou was such a great character to experience this beautiful story through. At the beginning she was a lost little girl... by the end she is a mature young woman ready to start her own individual life. She grows so much as a person and learns that it's okay to be different from everyone else and to just be yourself.
A Sky Painted Gold was one of the best books I have read so far this year. Considering it's a book that I don't usually read I was completely hooked. Right from the start to the very last page I couldn't read it fast enough. I read this book in one sitting as I just couldn't stop reading. This book is filled to the brim of English countryside, the importance of friendship, being yourself and just a touch of heart-stopping romance. I wish there has been a little bit more romance in it but the entire book is just beautiful and moving. I highly recommend it.
A Sky Painted Gold is a book that I had seen all over twitter for a while and it just looked so interesting. Now this book is not my usual kind of read whatsoever. I am more of a paranormal / fantasy reader and this book being a contemporary with a historical twist is nothing like the books that I usually read but I couldn't put it down. I loved every second of this stunningly beautiful book.
A Sky Painted Gold follows the story of sixteen-year-old Lou. Lou has done everything with her older sister so when her sister gets married she feels a little lost and alone. Who is she without her sister? Suddenly she is caught in a whirlwind adventure with the new rich family who has come to Cornwall for the summer. But as she falls head over heels for their lifestyle how will she manage when they leave at the end of the summer?
This is the first book by Laura Wood that I have read and I loved every single second of it. Laura has the most beautiful writing style and I just couldn't stop reading. Everything about this book was just beautiful. The story, the world building, the characters... everything. The writing is just so stunningly lyrical and I enjoyed it so much. Lou was such a great character to experience this beautiful story through. At the beginning she was a lost little girl... by the end she is a mature young woman ready to start her own individual life. She grows so much as a person and learns that it's okay to be different from everyone else and to just be yourself.
A Sky Painted Gold was one of the best books I have read so far this year. Considering it's a book that I don't usually read I was completely hooked. Right from the start to the very last page I couldn't read it fast enough. I read this book in one sitting as I just couldn't stop reading. This book is filled to the brim of English countryside, the importance of friendship, being yourself and just a touch of heart-stopping romance. I wish there has been a little bit more romance in it but the entire book is just beautiful and moving. I highly recommend it.
I can't believe more people haven't read this masterpiece.
Where to start?
I picked up A Sky Painted Gold from my local library based on the beautiful, Gatsbyish cover.
Set in the Summer of 1929, our main character Lou lives in a small town with her parents and a lot of siblings, including her older sister Alice. The story starts with Alice getting married leaving Lou - who has spent her life as Alice's shadow (“After all, a girl without a shadow was one thing, but a shadow without a girl... what became of her?”) - to pave out her own identity for the first time.
Enter the Cardew siblings and the Cornwall house. Everyone knows the Cardew siblings, Caitlin and Robert, and more specifically, everyone knows of their wild glittery parties where the champagne flows and people dance all night.
Time seems to lose all meaning once you're here. It's like Wonderland.
After a chance encounter (AKA, breaking and entering), Lou finds herself down her own rabbit hole of sorts, as she becomes part of the Cardew's candescent world and finds things aren't always as bright and glittery as they appear on the outside. (Was it just me or are there quite a few Alice in Wonderland references in this book?)
I loved that the author spent as much time developing a friendship between Lou and Caitlin as she did the romance. I was also on the edge of my seat until the very end wondering if Lou and Robert would be able to make it work or not. And the banter between Lou and Robert KILLED me. I loved everything about their romance.
“You don’t know anything about me,” I say with great dignity. “I know you’re the kind of girl who breaks into people’s houses and steals all their apples”
This is truly such a beautiful coming of age story filled with golden descriptions, supportive female friendships, a slow-burn romance and a very Gatsby setting.
I'm going to be recommending it to every person I meet this year.
Recommend if you enjoy:
- whimsical writing
- 1920s settings/Gatsby vibes
- strong female characters
- slow-burn romance
- books set in the summer
Where to start?
I picked up A Sky Painted Gold from my local library based on the beautiful, Gatsbyish cover.
Set in the Summer of 1929, our main character Lou lives in a small town with her parents and a lot of siblings, including her older sister Alice. The story starts with Alice getting married leaving Lou - who has spent her life as Alice's shadow (“After all, a girl without a shadow was one thing, but a shadow without a girl... what became of her?”) - to pave out her own identity for the first time.
Enter the Cardew siblings and the Cornwall house. Everyone knows the Cardew siblings, Caitlin and Robert, and more specifically, everyone knows of their wild glittery parties where the champagne flows and people dance all night.
Time seems to lose all meaning once you're here. It's like Wonderland.
After a chance encounter (AKA, breaking and entering), Lou finds herself down her own rabbit hole of sorts, as she becomes part of the Cardew's candescent world and finds things aren't always as bright and glittery as they appear on the outside. (Was it just me or are there quite a few Alice in Wonderland references in this book?)
I loved that the author spent as much time developing a friendship between Lou and Caitlin as she did the romance. I was also on the edge of my seat until the very end wondering if Lou and Robert would be able to make it work or not. And the banter between Lou and Robert KILLED me. I loved everything about their romance.
“You don’t know anything about me,” I say with great dignity. “I know you’re the kind of girl who breaks into people’s houses and steals all their apples”
This is truly such a beautiful coming of age story filled with golden descriptions, supportive female friendships, a slow-burn romance and a very Gatsby setting.
I'm going to be recommending it to every person I meet this year.
Recommend if you enjoy:
- whimsical writing
- 1920s settings/Gatsby vibes
- strong female characters
- slow-burn romance
- books set in the summer
Okay I liked this book but there were quite a lot of negatives. I liked the story and plot overall
This little gem of a book was like a beautiful dream I wish I didn’t have to wake up from.
It was so perfect!❤️
It was so perfect!❤️
