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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
sad
medium-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
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m generally not a character-driven book person but I was invested in these characters. I enjoyed The Road to Dalton and was happy to continue following the characters into this book. And maybe to another one?
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
medium-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
This is an ARC that I read on NetGalley for free, but this will not sway my opinion. Where the Forest Meets the River will be released September 3rd 2024.
Disclaimer: This is a sequel, but you can read it as a stand-alone. I have not read the first book in the series, and my review will take that into consideration. I would also recommend to go through the trigger warnings before reading. Some mentions are: suicide, homophobia and lgbtq+ issues, grief, hoarding, abuse, and more.
I'm at a loss of words after finishing Where the Forest Meets the River. This was an amazing read, and I feel like I stumbled upon a hidden gem on NetGalley. I truly loved this book. I was hesitant about if I should even ask for the book on NetGalley, but I'm trying to expand my bookshelf with new genres, and decided to give this a try.
It reminds me in many ways of We Deserve Monuments - in the way that it was written, and the small town vibe it gave off. Where the Forest Meets the River was definitely more relaxing and didn't have a clear plot, and just 'followed' several POVs with very different characters compared to We Deserve Monuments.
We have bisexual Greg, the widow Nate, the alcoholic Annette and Dr. Haskell (and more). This was definitely a challenge in the beginning, but I truly became invested in every POV throughout the book. Every character is unique, and I didn't have any trouble recognizing whos chapter it was.
It explores dark themes, like grief and loss - but Where the Forest Meets the River also shows that there's hope. I was on the verge of crying many times, became frustrated, happy and angry on behalf of the characters.
I've rated it 5 stars. I can't really compare Where the Forest Meets the River to anything, as this is a genre I haven't gravitated towards before, but I will definitely try more books like this. Everything, from the writing style to characters, really resonated with me. I can't pinpoint what I loved so much about this book, but I truly loved it. You can say that I loved it based on vibes, as I didn't really notice the writing style, pace or anything else while reading. I was truly absorbed into this. I will definitely buy the first book when I have the money to do so.
Disclaimer: This is a sequel, but you can read it as a stand-alone. I have not read the first book in the series, and my review will take that into consideration. I would also recommend to go through the trigger warnings before reading. Some mentions are: suicide, homophobia and lgbtq+ issues, grief, hoarding, abuse, and more.
I'm at a loss of words after finishing Where the Forest Meets the River. This was an amazing read, and I feel like I stumbled upon a hidden gem on NetGalley. I truly loved this book. I was hesitant about if I should even ask for the book on NetGalley, but I'm trying to expand my bookshelf with new genres, and decided to give this a try.
It reminds me in many ways of We Deserve Monuments - in the way that it was written, and the small town vibe it gave off. Where the Forest Meets the River was definitely more relaxing and didn't have a clear plot, and just 'followed' several POVs with very different characters compared to We Deserve Monuments.
We have bisexual Greg, the widow Nate, the alcoholic Annette and Dr. Haskell (and more). This was definitely a challenge in the beginning, but I truly became invested in every POV throughout the book. Every character is unique, and I didn't have any trouble recognizing whos chapter it was.
It explores dark themes, like grief and loss - but Where the Forest Meets the River also shows that there's hope. I was on the verge of crying many times, became frustrated, happy and angry on behalf of the characters.
I've rated it 5 stars. I can't really compare Where the Forest Meets the River to anything, as this is a genre I haven't gravitated towards before, but I will definitely try more books like this. Everything, from the writing style to characters, really resonated with me. I can't pinpoint what I loved so much about this book, but I truly loved it. You can say that I loved it based on vibes, as I didn't really notice the writing style, pace or anything else while reading. I was truly absorbed into this. I will definitely buy the first book when I have the money to do so.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment
After reading The Road to Dalton last year and loving it, I was so glad to see that there was a sequel coming out! Even more happy when I received an advanced copy from @netgalley and @europaeditions.
We are back in the fictional, small town of Dalton, Maine five years after the last story and the tragic event that took place then. I was so glad to travel back here. Bowring creates such a strong sense of place in this quiet little town. You feel as though you have gone and had a visit with these characters. We catch up with many of the favorites from lasts time and see how they are dealing, or not dealing with the loss. Some are definitely doing much better than others. Bridgette's parents are each handling it in two totally different ways. It's a perfect account of the many ways grief affects us all differently. Loved catching up with Nate and seeing how little Sophie is growing up. We also get to see Trudy and Bev and the many changes their relationship has gone through in this time period, along with their husbands. Greg is also back from college for the Summer to help with his father's store. He has really gone through a transformation, but still battling some demons. We also see Rose and Vera and really loved watching their friendship grow, and also seeing them each come into their own.
This is another fairly quiet story about small town life. I really loved spending time here again and getting to know these characters more deeply. This author really creates memorable characters that stay with you. I cannot wait to see what she writes next, whether it's back to Dalton or a new adventure!!!
Pub date 09-03-2024
We are back in the fictional, small town of Dalton, Maine five years after the last story and the tragic event that took place then. I was so glad to travel back here. Bowring creates such a strong sense of place in this quiet little town. You feel as though you have gone and had a visit with these characters. We catch up with many of the favorites from lasts time and see how they are dealing, or not dealing with the loss. Some are definitely doing much better than others. Bridgette's parents are each handling it in two totally different ways. It's a perfect account of the many ways grief affects us all differently. Loved catching up with Nate and seeing how little Sophie is growing up. We also get to see Trudy and Bev and the many changes their relationship has gone through in this time period, along with their husbands. Greg is also back from college for the Summer to help with his father's store. He has really gone through a transformation, but still battling some demons. We also see Rose and Vera and really loved watching their friendship grow, and also seeing them each come into their own.
This is another fairly quiet story about small town life. I really loved spending time here again and getting to know these characters more deeply. This author really creates memorable characters that stay with you. I cannot wait to see what she writes next, whether it's back to Dalton or a new adventure!!!
Pub date 09-03-2024
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
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