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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
library loan expired (twice) before i finished the book - was on an ao3 kick
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
Ezra Friedman sees ghosts, which made growing up in a funeral home a circus, especially with his grandfather's ghost constantly judging his life choices. After escaping to avoid the family business, he's pulled back in when his mom drops a bombshell at Passover: she's leaving both her job and marriage for the rabbi's wife.
Now, Ezra's juggling the funeral home, an inconvenient crush on the charming volunteer Jonathan (who's also his new neighbour), and a rogue ghost breaking all the rules.
This was a lovely debut novel from Shelly Jay Shore (although we've definitely got a trend of trans guys call Ezra in books recently!). It was as much a story about families and finding yourself as it was a romance, but the romance was still very much a part of the story. I wouldn't call either a subplot, but I would say they shared equal billing.
The only real criticism I have is that the ghosts and paranormal aspects were so far removed it could as well have been an analogy for all the impact they served on the plot. I was expecting more ghosts and what I got was actually a much different story. It's not a bad story by any means, just not at all what I'd have expected.
It also felt like there was a little more structure around the rules and the ghosting that didn't quite make it through edits, instead focusing on the family set up, I feel like something else could have been cut out (the ex?) instead of that.
But, a good story is a good story, and this was a good story. Definitely check it out! 4*
Now, Ezra's juggling the funeral home, an inconvenient crush on the charming volunteer Jonathan (who's also his new neighbour), and a rogue ghost breaking all the rules.
This was a lovely debut novel from Shelly Jay Shore (although we've definitely got a trend of trans guys call Ezra in books recently!). It was as much a story about families and finding yourself as it was a romance, but the romance was still very much a part of the story. I wouldn't call either a subplot, but I would say they shared equal billing.
The only real criticism I have is that the ghosts and paranormal aspects were so far removed it could as well have been an analogy for all the impact they served on the plot. I was expecting more ghosts and what I got was actually a much different story. It's not a bad story by any means, just not at all what I'd have expected.
It also felt like there was a little more structure around the rules and the ghosting that didn't quite make it through edits, instead focusing on the family set up, I feel like something else could have been cut out (the ex?) instead of that.
But, a good story is a good story, and this was a good story. Definitely check it out! 4*
emotional
hopeful
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
damn made me wish I had someone physically there to tend to me during my mental breakdowns
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wasn’t sure if this would be my thing, but it was touching. I loved the dysfunctional family dynamics, especially the siblings. Jonathan felt a little 2.5D. Like, I didn’t get much of an idea of who he was outside of his relationships with Ben and Ezra. Most of the friends also felt a bit generic. It’s the family story that was the most compelling for me, along with Ezra’s growth. It was also interesting to see the ways the author connected familial dysfunction and communication issues to intergenerational trauma and coping mechanisms. I don’t think that sentence makes much sense but maybe I’ll come fix it later.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief
Minor: Genocide, Transphobia, War
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes