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3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
When I received an email about a local event featuring the author of this book, THE Julianne Hough, from Sourcebooks - I was so excited! Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the event, but due to the always gracious @sourcebooks I was sent a physical copy of the book ☺️
The MC, Lexi, is completely caught off guard when she suddenly is able to feel other people’s emotions, and even times has glimpses into their most personal memories. Exploring the realm of her own spirituality, after being known as an expert in denial, she is forced to confront the changes that are going on within and around her.
I went into this book completely blind, other than knowing of the author from her other professional endeavors, so when I tell you I didn’t know what to expect with this book, I mean it! I was quickly hooked with the fast paced start to the book and the way in which it had me guessing as to what exactly was going on with Lexi. As the book continued on, it explored concepts in spirituality - specifically related to energy, auras and healing powers. For a bit I struggled with this and couldn’t necessarily figure out why - until today it hit me, it’s because these types of spirituality concepts are things that are very foreign to me. I know of them in the sense that I know what the word means, but other than that, I’m pretty green to the concepts that this book portrayed. I’m not one to shy away from reading something that I may not fully understand or concepts I don’t fully grasp, as that’s all part of learning & growing, and I’m glad I didn’t let my confusion be the exception to this rule for me!
Beyond the spirituality concepts, this book has a great message of trusting your gut, facing challenges head on, confronting your past and feeling your emotions. I did enjoy this book and was even more intrigued when I found out that this was very personal for the author. Specifically noting that as Julianne Hough’s dive into the world of writing this book it is an overall poignant & personal journey for her, written through the lens of fiction - one that I did enjoy reading!
PS - I was also able to alternate between the physical book and the audiobook, thanks to @RBmedia & Julianne narrates the book herself! She has such a soothing, precise and beautiful voice, making the narration & audiobook version of this book extra enjoyable!
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.
Didn't realize this was coauthored by that Julianne Hough, of Dancing With the Stars fame until about halfway through. I might not have picked this up if I knew it was a celebrity book (which isn't a bad thing! I need to change things up every now and then). The start was really compelling, and that was what kinda got me to read this in the first place. It didn't really have much of a direction from there. This really read like someone's personal log of her midlife crisis and spiritual awakening, and from the interview with the authors in the back, it sounds like that was Hough's experience, give or take some stuff to make it a fictional story. I think it handled the stuff surrounding the miscarriage the best. It didn't shy away from the subject or reduce it to something more palatable for the public. But otherwise, it also read kinda like an ad for this energy healing stuff. "Look at all the things energy healing can do in your life! You should try it too!" It almost trivializes the events in the book that way. I have friends who do this sort of thing, I see how it does help them, but the way this book approaches it sometimes rubs me the wrong way. Maybe if this was written as a sort of memoir rather than baked into a fictional story, I would see it differently, but that's not the book I got.
Didn't realize this was coauthored by that Julianne Hough, of Dancing With the Stars fame until about halfway through. I might not have picked this up if I knew it was a celebrity book (which isn't a bad thing! I need to change things up every now and then). The start was really compelling, and that was what kinda got me to read this in the first place. It didn't really have much of a direction from there. This really read like someone's personal log of her midlife crisis and spiritual awakening, and from the interview with the authors in the back, it sounds like that was Hough's experience, give or take some stuff to make it a fictional story. I think it handled the stuff surrounding the miscarriage the best. It didn't shy away from the subject or reduce it to something more palatable for the public. But otherwise, it also read kinda like an ad for this energy healing stuff. "Look at all the things energy healing can do in your life! You should try it too!" It almost trivializes the events in the book that way. I have friends who do this sort of thing, I see how it does help them, but the way this book approaches it sometimes rubs me the wrong way. Maybe if this was written as a sort of memoir rather than baked into a fictional story, I would see it differently, but that's not the book I got.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship
Minor: Child death, Death, Homophobia, Suicide, Sexual harassment
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book follows the main character, Alexis or Lexi. Lexi is a young lady who has been through an immense amount of trauma in her life. One night at a Christmas-themed work event, she is shocked to discover she has medium powers. Lexi can visualize a person's past trauma in detail. The first instance of the visions occurred when she was giving a speech. The subject of the vision was a man named Henry. In the vision, Lexi hears a woman scream, "Henry, don't let go," and "Henry please, someone save him". After the visions end, Lexi struggles to reconcile what it all means. A little while later, Lexi reads Henry's obituary, and her vision of Henry begins to make sense to her at least a little. Throughout the rest of the Lexi's visions continue with many people. Lexi tries her darndest to dissect her visions with help from an unlikely source. Lexi soon becomes enthralled with spirituality, energy, and auras. She uses her new interest to help people, including herself.
This book has a heavy focus on spirituality, energy, and auras. The book reminds me loosely of the TV show Mystic on UP TV based solely on the visions. Overall, this book was not bad for a debut novel, but it was not great either. If you enjoy books about spirituality, energy, and, auras then this is the book for you. The book was a bit of an odd fit for my reading interests.
This book has a heavy focus on spirituality, energy, and auras. The book reminds me loosely of the TV show Mystic on UP TV based solely on the visions. Overall, this book was not bad for a debut novel, but it was not great either. If you enjoy books about spirituality, energy, and, auras then this is the book for you. The book was a bit of an odd fit for my reading interests.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child death, Death, Sexual assault
Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, Mental illness
I just wasn’t vibing with this book. I wasn’t interested and I just have so many other things to read
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Minor: Infidelity
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this audiobook, the concept was fascinating and really well executed. The writing was beautiful and described things I probably would have had a hard time wrapping my head around really well. The only issue in this entire book is and I don't know if I just somehow missed the explanation because I'm surprised. The issue is that Lexi did an action that would impact her financial lay and she mentioned that but after that no one brought it up.
She was still spending heaps clearly. I still will love to recommend this book though!
*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review*
*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review*
fast-paced
I didn't want to read this book because I'm not a Julianne Hough fan but the cover is gorgeous and the synopsis actually sounded good. Overall, I enjoyed it but it's weird. Based on the back of the book synopsis I thought it was going to have more of a 'Ghost Whisperer' vibe but it's about using the elements to heal people (and yourself) but then also being able to see their memories and also being able to physically alter certain things...
I really didn't like how after one lesson Lexi seemed to be a master healer. I also feel like the writing was extremely superficial and wasn't able to dive deeper to really connect to the characters and their deep rooted traumas. However, it was easy to follow and kept my attention.
I really didn't like how after one lesson Lexi seemed to be a master healer. I also feel like the writing was extremely superficial and wasn't able to dive deeper to really connect to the characters and their deep rooted traumas. However, it was easy to follow and kept my attention.