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thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
A YA multigenerational mother-daughter story about a search for a long lost father.
📷
Marilyn is the mother. Angie is her daughter. Told in alternate timelines we see both women at age seventeen when Marilyn was falling in love and when Angie is searching for her father. A cross country road trip with her ex leads Angie to California and an uncle she never knew she had. Along the way she learns more about herself and her family than she knew.
📷
This was such a beautiful story by @ava.dellaira It’s one of my book recommendations for @booksandbingos podcast about the topic of mothers and I don’t think I could have chosen better. It was heartbreaking and healing at the same time. Highly recommend this one!
CW: racism, parental death, police brutality, unplanned pregnancy, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, assault, murder
📷
Marilyn is the mother. Angie is her daughter. Told in alternate timelines we see both women at age seventeen when Marilyn was falling in love and when Angie is searching for her father. A cross country road trip with her ex leads Angie to California and an uncle she never knew she had. Along the way she learns more about herself and her family than she knew.
📷
This was such a beautiful story by @ava.dellaira It’s one of my book recommendations for @booksandbingos podcast about the topic of mothers and I don’t think I could have chosen better. It was heartbreaking and healing at the same time. Highly recommend this one!
CW: racism, parental death, police brutality, unplanned pregnancy, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, assault, murder
emmagray13's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
joana_stormblessed's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
I had a little bit of a hard time getting into it, but i ended up loving this! I felt so attached to the characters and i just loved it
I had a little bit of a hard time getting into it, but i ended up loving this! I felt so attached to the characters and i just loved it
currentlyreading_'s review against another edition
4.0
Plot. Story of a mother and a daughter, their stories told in parallel, timelines, alternating between chapters. As the title suggests, they are both 'in search of [themselves].'
Theme. I kind of expected the theme of the novel and its twist as I was annotating throughout. I was able to guess an event correctly, but not exactly.
Writing Style. The writing of Ava Dellaira are a hit-or-miss thing for me. Some paragraphs sounded really beautiful, but oftentimes they sounded a bit pretentious, like the imagery didn't come naturally. But a few lines did hit it home for me.
Characters. I can feel their frustration. They're relatable...
[to be edited]
Theme. I kind of expected the theme of the novel and its twist as I was annotating throughout. I was able to guess an event correctly, but not exactly.
Spoiler
I guessed that the girl's father is really dead, but didn't die from a car crash, and died from something else. I had a feeling it had something to do with her Uncle, but was I surprised to see it was related to the police!Writing Style. The writing of Ava Dellaira are a hit-or-miss thing for me. Some paragraphs sounded really beautiful, but oftentimes they sounded a bit pretentious, like the imagery didn't come naturally. But a few lines did hit it home for me.
Characters. I can feel their frustration. They're relatable...
[to be edited]
kalliste's review against another edition
4.0
This book is not at all what I expected it to be but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. Initially I found myself relating more to Marilyn (the Mother) and realised that she would have been born around the same time as me and she is the older generation in this book! I have to admit, I felt a bit old.
It was really great seeing the book come together from the different times and perspectives and I found myself not wanting to put it down nearing the end in anticipation to see how it all ended up.
*** Thanks to Netgalley for this free copy in return for an honest review ***
It was really great seeing the book come together from the different times and perspectives and I found myself not wanting to put it down nearing the end in anticipation to see how it all ended up.
*** Thanks to Netgalley for this free copy in return for an honest review ***
yosoykimpossible's review against another edition
3.0
Quienes solíamos ser es una novela narrada en pasado y presente por dos perspectivas, la de Marilyn, la madre, cuando esta tenía 17 años y la de Angie, la hija de también 17 años en la actualidad.
Angie es una chica afro descendiente que siempre ha vivido únicamente con su madre y no entiende por qué es tan diferente de ella; su madre es blanca y la gente siempre se sorprende cuando Marilyn presenta como su hija a Angie.
Lo único que Angie sabe es que su papá murió en un accidente automovilístico antes de que ella naciera, y cada vez que pregunta sobre el para saber un poco acerca de cómo era, su madre rompe en llanto y le repite la misma historia de siempre.
Pero un día Angie encuentra una foto de sus padres cuando eran jóvenes y se da cuenta de que su madre le ha estado mintiendo, así que busca la ayuda de su ex novio para emprender un viaje hacia Los Ángeles en busca de conocer sus raíces y la verdad detrás de su historia familiar.
Mientras tanto también estaremos conociendo la historia de cómo se conocieron Marilyn y James, el padre de Angie, a qué se tuvieron que enfrentar y cuál fue la conclusión de todo.
Me parece que no es un libro difícil de leer, definitivamente la perspectiva que más me gustó fue la de Marilyn porque siento que en sus capítulos pasaban más cosas y narra cosas que de verdad viven muchas personas a esa edad. Sinceramente Angie me resultó un poco molesta y caprichosa y sus capítulos me desesperaban, pero creo que es una historia entretenida y aunque toca el tema del racismo siento que pudo hacerse de una manera más profunda y mejor.
Angie es una chica afro descendiente que siempre ha vivido únicamente con su madre y no entiende por qué es tan diferente de ella; su madre es blanca y la gente siempre se sorprende cuando Marilyn presenta como su hija a Angie.
Lo único que Angie sabe es que su papá murió en un accidente automovilístico antes de que ella naciera, y cada vez que pregunta sobre el para saber un poco acerca de cómo era, su madre rompe en llanto y le repite la misma historia de siempre.
Pero un día Angie encuentra una foto de sus padres cuando eran jóvenes y se da cuenta de que su madre le ha estado mintiendo, así que busca la ayuda de su ex novio para emprender un viaje hacia Los Ángeles en busca de conocer sus raíces y la verdad detrás de su historia familiar.
Mientras tanto también estaremos conociendo la historia de cómo se conocieron Marilyn y James, el padre de Angie, a qué se tuvieron que enfrentar y cuál fue la conclusión de todo.
Me parece que no es un libro difícil de leer, definitivamente la perspectiva que más me gustó fue la de Marilyn porque siento que en sus capítulos pasaban más cosas y narra cosas que de verdad viven muchas personas a esa edad. Sinceramente Angie me resultó un poco molesta y caprichosa y sus capítulos me desesperaban, pero creo que es una historia entretenida y aunque toca el tema del racismo siento que pudo hacerse de una manera más profunda y mejor.
veecaswell's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed Ava Dellaira’s Love Letters To The Dead and when I saw this book could be requested, I knew I had to give it a read and I wasn’t wrong.
This book has such a human aspect to it and it feels like it’s happening right as you read it, and that reality makes for such a fantastic read as we see the two perspectives of two people as one falls in love and the other looks to find information on their family, and this book flows so easily that it’s hard to stop reading and seeing their stories unfold.
There are things that seem strange, the characters don’t really interact within the story, especially with such a big secret and the characters in some ways can across as unlikeable in moments. This is particularly the case for Angie when it comes to her love interest in the book who I feel is used, but then he is sort of boring - I would rather have had a friend than this. Marilyn’s parts at the start I feel are compelling, but as the book moves on, Angie’s chapters really begin to shine.
A really compelling story with a rare, well-written, mother/daughter relationship, In Search Of Us, is a great read.
(Thanks to Netgalley for the copy to review!).
This book has such a human aspect to it and it feels like it’s happening right as you read it, and that reality makes for such a fantastic read as we see the two perspectives of two people as one falls in love and the other looks to find information on their family, and this book flows so easily that it’s hard to stop reading and seeing their stories unfold.
There are things that seem strange, the characters don’t really interact within the story, especially with such a big secret and the characters in some ways can across as unlikeable in moments. This is particularly the case for Angie when it comes to her love interest in the book who I feel is used, but then he is sort of boring - I would rather have had a friend than this. Marilyn’s parts at the start I feel are compelling, but as the book moves on, Angie’s chapters really begin to shine.
A really compelling story with a rare, well-written, mother/daughter relationship, In Search Of Us, is a great read.
(Thanks to Netgalley for the copy to review!).
alongreader's review against another edition
4.0
This is almost two books in one. One story about Marilyn, her struggles with her mother and uncle and her new relationships with the family who lives below her; one story about Angie, searching for her possibly-not-dead father. Although I knew the connection between them, it was a long time before they really seemed to link up.
The struggles both girls went through were authentic, although I disliked Angie for the way she treated Sam. It was a good ending, though, and I loved Marilyn's hair of taking mind pictures - I might try and develop it myself.
A great, occasionally heartbreaking read.
The struggles both girls went through were authentic, although I disliked Angie for the way she treated Sam. It was a good ending, though, and I loved Marilyn's hair of taking mind pictures - I might try and develop it myself.
A great, occasionally heartbreaking read.
powisamy's review against another edition
4.0
Book Review:
Like a lot of people I had heard of Ava Dellaira because of Love Letters To The Dead, but when I got an opportunity to review her second book I was really excited although I haven't really heard that many people talk about it. Overall, In Search Of Us is an entertaining and heartfelt read that deserves to be read by everyone.
I don't really know what I was expecting when I picked up the good really. Even though I had had it on my TBR for a while, it was really the audio book that made me pick it up and it was a great choice because the audio book was amazing. I think that it was this low expectation that made me really love this book because I really did not know what to expect.
I think the thing that I loved about the book is that it actually cares about the parents. We get to see the sacrifices of Angie's Mum in the book which was equally engrossing as Angie's story herself. Also as someone who does not really love teenage pregnancy in books, I liked how it was dealt with her.
I think that as a teenager Angie can also often put her needs first and forgot that her mum had been through some of the same struggles that she had too which are equally valid. I think that this development of both characters made the book so engaging and entertaining and I cared so much about all the characters. I think more for myself, it made me think about my own mum and all the things that happened to her when she grew up and the things that she dealt with.
I think that the way that the two narratives were put together were just expertly done and I can't stop thinking about this book although it has been a really long time since I read it. I just want to post the review to hopefully inspire other people to read the book and give it a chance. I can't wait to read more books by Ava Dellaira in the future because she is a great writer.
The Verdict:
In Search Of Us is a great and unique YA story chronically two generations of a family. Whether you read YA constantly or want to try something new, In Search Of Us is perfect for everyone.
Like a lot of people I had heard of Ava Dellaira because of Love Letters To The Dead, but when I got an opportunity to review her second book I was really excited although I haven't really heard that many people talk about it. Overall, In Search Of Us is an entertaining and heartfelt read that deserves to be read by everyone.
I don't really know what I was expecting when I picked up the good really. Even though I had had it on my TBR for a while, it was really the audio book that made me pick it up and it was a great choice because the audio book was amazing. I think that it was this low expectation that made me really love this book because I really did not know what to expect.
I think the thing that I loved about the book is that it actually cares about the parents. We get to see the sacrifices of Angie's Mum in the book which was equally engrossing as Angie's story herself. Also as someone who does not really love teenage pregnancy in books, I liked how it was dealt with her.
I think that as a teenager Angie can also often put her needs first and forgot that her mum had been through some of the same struggles that she had too which are equally valid. I think that this development of both characters made the book so engaging and entertaining and I cared so much about all the characters. I think more for myself, it made me think about my own mum and all the things that happened to her when she grew up and the things that she dealt with.
I think that the way that the two narratives were put together were just expertly done and I can't stop thinking about this book although it has been a really long time since I read it. I just want to post the review to hopefully inspire other people to read the book and give it a chance. I can't wait to read more books by Ava Dellaira in the future because she is a great writer.
The Verdict:
In Search Of Us is a great and unique YA story chronically two generations of a family. Whether you read YA constantly or want to try something new, In Search Of Us is perfect for everyone.
dizzybell06's review
4.0
I was so excited for another one of Dellaira’s books and was not disappointed by this one. I liked how the story was told and how it played out. I feel like this book had me feeling so many different emotions as it was sad, but also funny at times.