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illusie's review against another edition
4.0
Amy is struggling with her mother’s death. Her father has to go out of town on police business and she joins him. There Amy meets Ryan who has got his own struggles.
This was a heartbreaking story about grief with magical realism. This book was sad, but also had funny moments. I really enjoyed this book. The pacing was just right. I loved the characters. Some parts of the magic realism took a moment to accept, but they do make sense for the plot. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narration.
This was a heartbreaking story about grief with magical realism. This book was sad, but also had funny moments. I really enjoyed this book. The pacing was just right. I loved the characters. Some parts of the magic realism took a moment to accept, but they do make sense for the plot. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narration.
paigepsq's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
amy_readheadreviews's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Gutted Me
Unexpected twists and turns blended with an emotional journey that compelled the listener through what I found to be an extraordinary story. The characters were interesting and it touched on some serious subject matter. The epilogue caught me unaware and I was a little confused before I realized it was the epilogue. The narrator was good. This story was totally different from what I expected and yet it was so much more.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Christopher Parker, Braden Wright, and Beacon Press Limited for producing such an amazing story and giving me the chance to listen to it and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others. 10/31/21 I borrowed a copy from my library for a reread. 5/3/24
Unexpected twists and turns blended with an emotional journey that compelled the listener through what I found to be an extraordinary story. The characters were interesting and it touched on some serious subject matter. The epilogue caught me unaware and I was a little confused before I realized it was the epilogue. The narrator was good. This story was totally different from what I expected and yet it was so much more.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Christopher Parker, Braden Wright, and Beacon Press Limited for producing such an amazing story and giving me the chance to listen to it and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others. 10/31/21 I borrowed a copy from my library for a reread. 5/3/24
kariniwonderland's review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful story about loss, grief, family and love. The story turned out a bit different then I was expecting after reading the synopsis. I thought I was getting more of a scary haunted lighthouse story, but it was more heartwarming and also sad. I guess if there was one thing that I didn’t really “like” it was the ending. It went on a little bit too long. But other than that i really enjoyed it and I would definitely recommend it.
gareth_fleming's review against another edition
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
msyakirah's review against another edition
5.0
First of all, thank you NetGalley for providing this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I listened to the audiobook version and have the ebook version as well. My first thought when reading the book is not much since I think it is a bit bland at the beginning. But then I switched completely to the audiobook. Wow, the narrator really did a great job there, he made the book more alive by how he is narrating it.
I love the book. I didn’t expect much in it in the first place and mystery is not my favorite genre. But this book really took it to a different level. I love how the plot is written, how the character interacts with each other, and the description of the places and events is so on point it actually gave me shivers sometimes. Some scene is very touching too, the emotions that we felt because of how a character acting that way seems very real. Also, this is a beautifully written book. The flow is so smooth, it feels like gliding from one scene to another and not jumping around.
Something that I feel needs improvement is the character’s background. I feel like the readers do not see much of the character’s background and how they acted that way. We are only told about it for a brief but have no further exploration in it. I think if that gap is filled, the book will be much more perfect. But overall, this is a really great book. It has this feeling and aspect that touched me so much. Moreover, the aspect of magical realism here is very spot on. Very much recommended from me.
I love the book. I didn’t expect much in it in the first place and mystery is not my favorite genre. But this book really took it to a different level. I love how the plot is written, how the character interacts with each other, and the description of the places and events is so on point it actually gave me shivers sometimes. Some scene is very touching too, the emotions that we felt because of how a character acting that way seems very real. Also, this is a beautifully written book. The flow is so smooth, it feels like gliding from one scene to another and not jumping around.
Something that I feel needs improvement is the character’s background. I feel like the readers do not see much of the character’s background and how they acted that way. We are only told about it for a brief but have no further exploration in it. I think if that gap is filled, the book will be much more perfect. But overall, this is a really great book. It has this feeling and aspect that touched me so much. Moreover, the aspect of magical realism here is very spot on. Very much recommended from me.
beyondevak's review against another edition
3.0
Quick Summary: The Lighthouse by Christopher Parker was just the type of book I was looking for. It was intriguing. It had heavy suspense. It had a paranormal component. It had textured characters with engaging back stories. It was intricate without being overly complex. It made me think and consider the why and what of the story, which I found very appealing. It made me wonder. Without giving too much away, I can definitely say that it was a character driven work that presented an unconventional approach to family, grief, relationships, and recovery.
Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: YA/A
A copy of this book was made available to me in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I was neither paid nor compensated in any way. Appreciation is expressed to both the author and the publisher of this title.
Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: YA/A
A copy of this book was made available to me in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I was neither paid nor compensated in any way. Appreciation is expressed to both the author and the publisher of this title.
michellehenriereads's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I was interested by Christopher Parker's premise for his debut novel, The Lighthouse. The mystery around the lighthouse in Seacrest is intriguing, and I was excited to see how things would play out. The city believes the lighthouse is haunted.
Amy is grieving the death of her mother. Kevin, her father, is a cop and is trying to reconnect with Amy, but they are distant from one another. They take a trip to Seacrest to resolve a matter of police business.
Amy meets Ryan, a young man taking care of his family ranch as his father who had suffered from a stroke. The two connect, and the story proceeds. Ryan is charming and a good=hearted young man, but he's made a terrible mistake.
Themes in this novel include: healing, facing your mistakes, building human connections, and possibly that there is a grand design in our lives.
I enjoyed the twist that came at about 60% of the book (and I thought it worked well). There were a few moments when I wanted a character to tell Amy or Ryan what was going on instead of giving the answer that everything would make sense in just a few more minutes. The ending tied everything up. I actually would have liked to have a loose thread instead of everything being quite so pat - but that is probably personal preference. I would also like to see the supernatural elements pushed farther. I would say the lighthouse is a beacon of hope by the end of the story.
This book is appropriate for a teen audience, and I feel like teens will particularly enjoy the romance.
I would recommend this book for a fun, quick read.
I was interested by Christopher Parker's premise for his debut novel, The Lighthouse. The mystery around the lighthouse in Seacrest is intriguing, and I was excited to see how things would play out. The city believes the lighthouse is haunted.
Amy is grieving the death of her mother. Kevin, her father, is a cop and is trying to reconnect with Amy, but they are distant from one another. They take a trip to Seacrest to resolve a matter of police business.
Amy meets Ryan, a young man taking care of his family ranch as his father who had suffered from a stroke. The two connect, and the story proceeds. Ryan is charming and a good=hearted young man, but he's made a terrible mistake.
Themes in this novel include: healing, facing your mistakes, building human connections, and possibly that there is a grand design in our lives.
I enjoyed the twist that came at about 60% of the book (and I thought it worked well). There were a few moments when I wanted a character to tell Amy or Ryan what was going on instead of giving the answer that everything would make sense in just a few more minutes. The ending tied everything up. I actually would have liked to have a loose thread instead of everything being quite so pat - but that is probably personal preference. I would also like to see the supernatural elements pushed farther. I would say the lighthouse is a beacon of hope by the end of the story.
This book is appropriate for a teen audience, and I feel like teens will particularly enjoy the romance.
I would recommend this book for a fun, quick read.
yers's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Amy and Ryan's connection is the epicenter of this story as it takes you through a valley of emotions, hopes, frustrations and grief. I loved every single moment of it while reading it. I was hoping Amy could recollect her experience at the end but I knew it would no happen. Regardless, this is a beautiful take on spirits, ghosts and local folklore. A must read.
donnas's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0