Scan barcode
machster9's review against another edition
3.0
More like 3+
Yes, it's a bit unbelievable that a young girl like Angie would have so much wisdom and insight, or that she would forge a friendship with an older gentleman like Paul, or that the pieces would fit... But sometimes, you just need a pleasant read to take your mind off of work stress, Covid, and everything else. And I'm ok with that
Yes, it's a bit unbelievable that a young girl like Angie would have so much wisdom and insight, or that she would forge a friendship with an older gentleman like Paul, or that the pieces would fit... But sometimes, you just need a pleasant read to take your mind off of work stress, Covid, and everything else. And I'm ok with that
judithdcollins's review against another edition
4.0
WHERE WE BELONG by Catherine Ryan Hyde, another winner, from one of my all-time favorite authors.
For all you Hyde fans, you will be excited to find re-issues of four of her all time favorite books, Available Now, on audio. Making my way through these heartfelt stories, from a master storyteller!
Check out the Four New Audiobooks. WHERE WE BELONG, When You Were Older, Second Hand Heart, and Don't Let Me Go. Her characters meet the best strangers, which become lifelong friends. Complete review to follow.
For all you Hyde fans, you will be excited to find re-issues of four of her all time favorite books, Available Now, on audio. Making my way through these heartfelt stories, from a master storyteller!
Check out the Four New Audiobooks. WHERE WE BELONG, When You Were Older, Second Hand Heart, and Don't Let Me Go. Her characters meet the best strangers, which become lifelong friends. Complete review to follow.
ammbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Ms. Ryan Hyde has a lovely way of writing beautiful stories about different situations.
katsbookishthoughts's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This might be a book that stays with me. I read it because I was ready for a book with some substance. The main character progresses her story with the leap of years between the chapters. Thought there are a few recurring themes, such as her growing understanding of her sexuality (not of major importance to the story), the challenges of their way of life, and the importance of friendship (especially the challenges that her sister brings into any friendship relationship) it is really the growth of the main character that is the central theme in this tale and the way she sticks to what she sees as right, including the importance of family.
juliat014's review against another edition
3.0
Once again I found Hyde’s writing clunky and often kinda cringey to read, but the story is lovely. Pretty good.
becky_from_kansas's review against another edition
5.0
I consumed this book. Consumed. This book became another reason I prefer series as I always want to know what happens next. That's all I could think about when I got to the end of this book. What happened to Angie and her sister. What happened to Paul. I don't want to give anything away so I'll just leave it there.
The main character, Angie. She's freakin' badass. I'm telling ya. There is one character that is a waste of space, pretty much through the whole book. I'll let you figure out who I am referring to on your own. It will be an easy nod.
Anyone who has a family member or friend who is on the spectrum should automatically understand and sympathize with Angie and her mom as they deal with little Sophie.
Dog lovers...you are going to just A-D-O-R-E the dog in this book.
I think that this book has a little something for just about anyone to relate to.
The main character, Angie. She's freakin' badass. I'm telling ya. There is one character that is a waste of space, pretty much through the whole book. I'll let you figure out who I am referring to on your own. It will be an easy nod.
Anyone who has a family member or friend who is on the spectrum should automatically understand and sympathize with Angie and her mom as they deal with little Sophie.
Dog lovers...you are going to just A-D-O-R-E the dog in this book.
I think that this book has a little something for just about anyone to relate to.
rachlikestohike's review
4.0
Good heartfelt read
Catherine Ryan Hyde is always doing it! She always finds a way to restore my faith in humanity and to believe in the goodness in people's hearts. I love her books. This is only the second I've read and I will continue reading her books!
Catherine Ryan Hyde is always doing it! She always finds a way to restore my faith in humanity and to believe in the goodness in people's hearts. I love her books. This is only the second I've read and I will continue reading her books!
aurigae's review against another edition
4.0
The narrator of Where we Belong, Angie, is a teenage girl trying to care for her autistic-ish younger sister Sophie, keep her barely-functional mother on track, and figure out her own place in the world. She develops a friendship with a taciturn older neighbor, Paul, whose dog has a much-needed steadying influence on Sophie. Over the course of Angie's adolescence, she and Paul help each other develop the courage to assert themselves in their lives.
This sounds like it would be pretty serious and more than a little sappy, and there is in fact a lot of serious material in the book. There's illness and death, poverty, and a negligent parent. But the smart, matter-of-fact narrative voice keeps things moving along, and it never feels like a sloggy read. In fact it's a compelling, dryly funny, thought-provoking read, easy to pick up and hard to put down.
However, its strength - Angie's stoicism, and the skipping over large blocks of time lets it get through three years without encompassing three thousand pages - is also its weakness. In four hundred pages, we don't see Angie at school, Angie interacting with her peers, Angie studying or applying to college or thinking seriously about her future. Of course those things aren't the point of the book, but they would be a big part of any teenager's life - even this unusual teenager's life - and I think by omitting them the author has missed out on a chance to give her preternaturally mature narrator a more typical side as well as some emotional depth.
This sounds like it would be pretty serious and more than a little sappy, and there is in fact a lot of serious material in the book. There's illness and death, poverty, and a negligent parent. But the smart, matter-of-fact narrative voice keeps things moving along, and it never feels like a sloggy read. In fact it's a compelling, dryly funny, thought-provoking read, easy to pick up and hard to put down.
However, its strength - Angie's stoicism, and the skipping over large blocks of time lets it get through three years without encompassing three thousand pages - is also its weakness. In four hundred pages, we don't see Angie at school, Angie interacting with her peers, Angie studying or applying to college or thinking seriously about her future. Of course those things aren't the point of the book, but they would be a big part of any teenager's life - even this unusual teenager's life - and I think by omitting them the author has missed out on a chance to give her preternaturally mature narrator a more typical side as well as some emotional depth.
holdvic's review
4.0
"it's a lot of work for something that's always going to fall down at the end. but then all of life is like that, right?"