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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Heavy but hopeful, this book explores grief, death, and the relationships with have with our biological and found family, as well as the places we call home.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use, Sexual content
I expected to really like this book, but overall, the story's message was unconvincing to me, and the writing slipshod.
This book is the most wrecking, blissful, irreverent, beautiful, soul-touching, romantic, loving, and intense books I have ever read. No really. It's a romance, yes, but it's also about the love between a father and his son. It's a thriller with murder and conspiracy and all the trappings, but's it's also about angels and heaven and things beyond us. Impossible, improbable things.
It took me almost two weeks to read this book, not because I didn't love it (I did), but because I had to take it slowly and digest it in bits in pieces, instead of my usual full-on gorging. It made me think. Pieces of me died while reading this book. It broke my heart. I sobbed.
There isn't a perfect ending here. Questions are left unanswered. People have died and relationships are broken. And yet, this is still the most stunning thing. I will never, ever forget this book.
Also, I'm pretty sure I need to read [b:Burn|13411825|Burn (Elementally Evolved, #1)|T.J. Klune|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348018827s/13411825.jpg|18672681] now...
It took me almost two weeks to read this book, not because I didn't love it (I did), but because I had to take it slowly and digest it in bits in pieces, instead of my usual full-on gorging. It made me think. Pieces of me died while reading this book. It broke my heart. I sobbed.
There isn't a perfect ending here. Questions are left unanswered. People have died and relationships are broken. And yet, this is still the most stunning thing. I will never, ever forget this book.
Also, I'm pretty sure I need to read [b:Burn|13411825|Burn (Elementally Evolved, #1)|T.J. Klune|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348018827s/13411825.jpg|18672681] now...
Synopsis:
"This is at once a beginning and an end.
This is the story of my love for two men.
One is my father.
The other is a man who fell from the sky."
This author won my heart again. This book is so well written, it's magical and beautiful.
It's about faiths and beliefs and sacrifice. it's about standing tall and facing problems.
"Time is a river, I've learned. Always moving forward. But for people like me, people who have loved and lost, the river is something we fight. We swim against the current, trying to get back to the way we once were, trying to hold onto anything to keep us from getting swept away. It's exhausting and eventually we tire. Still, we push on."
It's about love and love and love.
"He came when I needed him the most. He came and saved me from myself, saved me from the waters that rose up to my chest and over my head."
Grief and sacrifice are so incredibly portrayed.
"I squeeze his hand and give him fifteen words that mean everything. "It's okay to sleep now, Dad. I know that one day, we'll be together again.""
Yes you may say I cried maybe sobbed.
Best book of the year.
"This is at once a beginning and an end.
This is the story of my love for two men.
One is my father.
The other is a man who fell from the sky."
This author won my heart again. This book is so well written, it's magical and beautiful.
It's about faiths and beliefs and sacrifice. it's about standing tall and facing problems.
"Time is a river, I've learned. Always moving forward. But for people like me, people who have loved and lost, the river is something we fight. We swim against the current, trying to get back to the way we once were, trying to hold onto anything to keep us from getting swept away. It's exhausting and eventually we tire. Still, we push on."
It's about love and love and love.
"He came when I needed him the most. He came and saved me from myself, saved me from the waters that rose up to my chest and over my head."
Grief and sacrifice are so incredibly portrayed.
"I squeeze his hand and give him fifteen words that mean everything. "It's okay to sleep now, Dad. I know that one day, we'll be together again.""
Yes you may say I cried maybe sobbed.
Best book of the year.
Relisten #3
Still amazing. Love this book.
Relisten #2
I listened to this almost a year before. I'm bumping this up to 5 full stars dispute my pet peeve of no epilogue. I was still reduced to a blubbering mess. If only all fathers where like Big Eddie.
4.5 stars
MY GOD! having read all of TJ's newer books... Reading his older work t was daunting. I felt like I didn't want to tarnish my experience with his writing. Maybe its not as good, not as poignant, not as beautiful.
I was wrong.
FML this book was HARD. I have had tears in my eyes from page 1.
This book is brutal and beautiful and fascinating and IT HURT!
"Cross your heart and hope to die. Stick a thousand needles in your eye"
What I loved:
- Let's start with the almost 19-hour audio... We all know TJ can't write a short book to save his life. This narrator did a great job. it was the first time I have heard him but he tackled this book beautifully. even though it wasn't perfect, but he gave different voices to the multitude of characters in the book, which for me is a must. He also performed the emotions really well. I was impressed. #Brava
- Benji: Reading Benji's story was painful. experiencing his love for his dad, his grief, his loss and then his connection with Cal, he was depressed and hurting and he took blow after blow and still he kept standing back up again. he was beautiful in his power, in his sadness and his anger. He was flawed and he was beautiful in his Flaws too. #IWillSurvive
- Cal: The angel Calliel was larger than life.. in his love for Benji and the amount of sacrifice he has had to go through. he is weighed down by guilt but doesn't know why. He has fallen from grace because he dared to love a mortal... but he never regrets it. #NoRegrets
- The Romance: Cal has loved Benji for all his life, from the moment he was born and then one day he was given a choice. He chose Benji. Benji on the other hand... he was taken with Cal. He slowly fell for his angel, quietly lets him into his heart and resolutely chose him above all others. even as the secrets are revealed, even as Benji discovers betrayal after betrayal, their love transcends it all. #UntilTheVeryEnd
- The relationship between Benjie and his father Big Eddie... GAWD it was beautiful . If there are any dads like Big Eddie IRL... I envy the kids who have them. Big Eddie was magnificent even if he were dead for all of the story. But the flashbacks, the memories, the feelings, the sacrifice... it was magnificent. #NoWords
- The Side Characters: From the trio, to Abe and Benji's mom... to the bad guys and the angels. This cast of characters all had a part to play. They were detrimental to the story, even if it was a tiny role. #NoRoleIsTooSmall
- Steam-o-meter: Low steam as is rule with TJ... and I never mind it with him, because what he writes doesn't need sex to make it better or more memorable. #MoreThan
Angst-o-meter: HIGH ANGST. Omg.. I'm exhausted and will need a break and some fluff after this. #WorthItThough
The ending...
It was the perfect ending for this story, for Cal and Benji...for everyone. #NoGoingBack
The only thing missing, the thing that shaved off that half star, is that I NEEDED an epilogue.
Still amazing. Love this book.
Relisten #2
I listened to this almost a year before. I'm bumping this up to 5 full stars dispute my pet peeve of no epilogue. I was still reduced to a blubbering mess. If only all fathers where like Big Eddie.
4.5 stars
MY GOD! having read all of TJ's newer books... Reading his older work t was daunting. I felt like I didn't want to tarnish my experience with his writing. Maybe its not as good, not as poignant, not as beautiful.
I was wrong.
FML this book was HARD. I have had tears in my eyes from page 1.
This book is brutal and beautiful and fascinating and IT HURT!
"Cross your heart and hope to die. Stick a thousand needles in your eye"
What I loved:
- Let's start with the almost 19-hour audio... We all know TJ can't write a short book to save his life. This narrator did a great job. it was the first time I have heard him but he tackled this book beautifully. even though it wasn't perfect, but he gave different voices to the multitude of characters in the book, which for me is a must. He also performed the emotions really well. I was impressed. #Brava
- Benji: Reading Benji's story was painful. experiencing his love for his dad, his grief, his loss and then his connection with Cal, he was depressed and hurting and he took blow after blow and still he kept standing back up again. he was beautiful in his power, in his sadness and his anger. He was flawed and he was beautiful in his Flaws too. #IWillSurvive
- Cal: The angel Calliel was larger than life.. in his love for Benji and the amount of sacrifice he has had to go through. he is weighed down by guilt but doesn't know why. He has fallen from grace because he dared to love a mortal... but he never regrets it. #NoRegrets
- The Romance: Cal has loved Benji for all his life, from the moment he was born and then one day he was given a choice. He chose Benji. Benji on the other hand... he was taken with Cal. He slowly fell for his angel, quietly lets him into his heart and resolutely chose him above all others. even as the secrets are revealed, even as Benji discovers betrayal after betrayal, their love transcends it all. #UntilTheVeryEnd
- The relationship between Benjie and his father Big Eddie... GAWD it was beautiful . If there are any dads like Big Eddie IRL... I envy the kids who have them. Big Eddie was magnificent even if he were dead for all of the story. But the flashbacks, the memories, the feelings, the sacrifice... it was magnificent. #NoWords
- The Side Characters: From the trio, to Abe and Benji's mom... to the bad guys and the angels. This cast of characters all had a part to play. They were detrimental to the story, even if it was a tiny role. #NoRoleIsTooSmall
- Steam-o-meter: Low steam as is rule with TJ... and I never mind it with him, because what he writes doesn't need sex to make it better or more memorable. #MoreThan
Angst-o-meter: HIGH ANGST. Omg.. I'm exhausted and will need a break and some fluff after this. #WorthItThough
The ending...
It was the perfect ending for this story, for Cal and Benji...for everyone. #NoGoingBack
The only thing missing, the thing that shaved off that half star, is that I NEEDED an epilogue.
