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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
There just aren't enough stars to fully convey the amount of love I have for this book. Once in a while a book comes along and just envelopes you. This was THAT book for me. From the minute I started reading, I could not put it down. Alex, Val and Jav sucked me into their lives and introduced me to the most amazing band of people and experiences. I feel like I literally KNOW them, I KNOW their pain and their triumph. This book is truly epic, once in a lifetime experience. It's going to be a tough book for follow.
An Exaltation of Larks contains so much love, pain, joy, and despair–and I loved every second of it. This book was beautifully written, and I felt everything that all of the characters felt. It's not typical that I'll love a book with such a large timeline and a large cast of characters, but I was immediately compelled to follow them all beyond the pages in this book. Laqueur also took the care to be inclusive of sexualities and not making a big deal out of the character's preferences, which is in itself a big deal. I want to read this book over immediately just to experience it again. Suanne Laqueur just gained another fan!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the review copy.
Okay,this book! I don't know where this book had been all my life. The writing was fluid and easy,the characters were so realistic and also close to heart,and the plot was beautiful and unique.
Jay,Alex and Val meet each other in their twenties. They meet again two decades later,but by then their lives and certain traumas have shaped them into different people,which brings them closer than they could have imagined.
The way Jay tries to come to terms with his sexuality was so,so real,I had a hard time holding back tears. I felt like I was a part of the relationship of these three,and they made me happy and soppy.
I also had no idea that this was a series. However,I would recommend this to everyone as a standalone,because I know you will love it.
Okay,this book! I don't know where this book had been all my life. The writing was fluid and easy,the characters were so realistic and also close to heart,and the plot was beautiful and unique.
Jay,Alex and Val meet each other in their twenties. They meet again two decades later,but by then their lives and certain traumas have shaped them into different people,which brings them closer than they could have imagined.
The way Jay tries to come to terms with his sexuality was so,so real,I had a hard time holding back tears. I felt like I was a part of the relationship of these three,and they made me happy and soppy.
I also had no idea that this was a series. However,I would recommend this to everyone as a standalone,because I know you will love it.
I probably should have read the blurb for this one a bit more closely. I saw the description of the military coup in Chile, 9/11 and family bonds being forged and broken, and I was in. And it started so well...but for me it went downhill quite quickly with parts reading very much like a romance (I know it is not supposed to be, but...) with some very contrived plot direction and bizarre coincidences - I rolled my eyes more than once and I must admit to skimming the last third of the book. It was quite well written but if the author could rein in the tendency for outlandish and unbelievable plot twists and edit down a bit I think it would make for a stronger novel.
Loved this book and these characters...I miss them already. So richly layered and complex, this book was a fabulous read. It was at times fun, funny, heartbreaking and hot. A wonderfully written exploration of family, love, sex and relationships and the amazing ways peoples lives can intersect. Unexpected at times, definitely thought provoking, long, but I really didn't want it to end. Thank you Netgalley for providing this book...I was in desperate need of a 5 star read!
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:
Complicated
If you love the kind of book that captivates you and refuses to let go; complex characters you can’t help but absolutely love and empathize with; a story that’s original, interesting, emotional, has depth and is written by an author who’s a master with words, you’re going to love this book.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it and I’m still searching for the next book to have me in my feels the way An Exaltation of Larks did. This isn’t your typical romance novel. Love, as the author depicts it, is beautiful and poetic but messier and more complicated than we might like to believe it is. This story addresses love in its many forms; romantic, platonic and familial. Perhaps more captivating than any romance in the book are the friendships and the bonds between their biological families and those they choose and create.
The relationships between the characters really drew me in and I loved the dialogue and banter. The author strikes the perfect balance between emotional and deep, and funny and entertaining.
We see the characters through their childhood into adulthood and witness a lot of character development. The author, however, manages to keep the story character driven while also maintaining an interesting, original and complex plot. She also offers at least three different POVs but it’s done so well that the changes from one POV to another make sense with the direction of the plot and character development.
I’ve highlighted so many sentences because of how stunning they were. The writing is poetic and beautiful without being flowery or turning into purple prose. The sex scenes were well-written, sexy, emotional and were not excessive or overly descriptive.
A Note on Diversity:
The main characters in this book and its sequels are racially and ethnically diverse, and include straight, bisexual and gay characters.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it and I’m still searching for the next book to have me in my feels the way An Exaltation of Larks did. This isn’t your typical romance novel. Love, as the author depicts it, is beautiful and poetic but messier and more complicated than we might like to believe it is. This story addresses love in its many forms; romantic, platonic and familial. Perhaps more captivating than any romance in the book are the friendships and the bonds between their biological families and those they choose and create.
The relationships between the characters really drew me in and I loved the dialogue and banter. The author strikes the perfect balance between emotional and deep, and funny and entertaining.
We see the characters through their childhood into adulthood and witness a lot of character development. The author, however, manages to keep the story character driven while also maintaining an interesting, original and complex plot. She also offers at least three different POVs but it’s done so well that the changes from one POV to another make sense with the direction of the plot and character development.
I’ve highlighted so many sentences because of how stunning they were. The writing is poetic and beautiful without being flowery or turning into purple prose. The sex scenes were well-written, sexy, emotional and were not excessive or overly descriptive.
A Note on Diversity:
The main characters in this book and its sequels are racially and ethnically diverse, and include straight, bisexual and gay characters.
I am very glad that this is the first book I read this year!
Everything about this book was amazing. Suanne Laqueur, how did you string together those words into a perfect story just like that? *snaps fingers* Must be magic? Nah, it must be pure talent!
I wish I could write a very apt review to at least pour everthing from my thoughts as I read this book, but I’m afraid I have so many “going on” inside me. This book gave a lot of “feels”. It was so overwhelming that I find myself stop reading for a while and be lost in the moment. I can easily find myself in each character. Inside Jav. Inside Alex. Inside Val. Yes, depending whose POV am reading at the moment. I have experienced each of them and it was , no words, wow! A complete tidal wave of different emotions!
This book is about friendship, love, loss, pain. It also about acceptance and forgiveness. I love how each of these characters deal with it. True, they all have flaws and weaknesses, but it makes them real. That is being human. One of the powerful truths this book has thought me was , not to wait or delay any moment to show / express how you feel. Life is fleeting. If you can do it now. Do it. Or you can regret for the rest of your life. That part with Jav, Flip and 9/11? Being Jav? My heart was crushed over and over again. I loved Val and her strength. I can’t even imagine myself dealing the way she did when faced with something unimaginable as that? She stood firm. What a woman! For Val and Alex, I love that kind of love that they shared. And I love their yearly affirmation, “I’d like to be faithful to you another year.” I think that was the very essence of marriage. To try to pass each test year after year.
Overall , if there was a thing called a “perfect read” then, this book was it! Pick this book!
Everything about this book was amazing. Suanne Laqueur, how did you string together those words into a perfect story just like that? *snaps fingers* Must be magic? Nah, it must be pure talent!
I wish I could write a very apt review to at least pour everthing from my thoughts as I read this book, but I’m afraid I have so many “going on” inside me. This book gave a lot of “feels”. It was so overwhelming that I find myself stop reading for a while and be lost in the moment. I can easily find myself in each character. Inside Jav. Inside Alex. Inside Val. Yes, depending whose POV am reading at the moment. I have experienced each of them and it was , no words, wow! A complete tidal wave of different emotions!
This book is about friendship, love, loss, pain. It also about acceptance and forgiveness. I love how each of these characters deal with it. True, they all have flaws and weaknesses, but it makes them real. That is being human. One of the powerful truths this book has thought me was , not to wait or delay any moment to show / express how you feel. Life is fleeting. If you can do it now. Do it. Or you can regret for the rest of your life. That part with Jav, Flip and 9/11? Being Jav? My heart was crushed over and over again. I loved Val and her strength. I can’t even imagine myself dealing the way she did when faced with something unimaginable as that? She stood firm. What a woman! For Val and Alex, I love that kind of love that they shared. And I love their yearly affirmation, “I’d like to be faithful to you another year.” I think that was the very essence of marriage. To try to pass each test year after year.
Overall , if there was a thing called a “perfect read” then, this book was it! Pick this book!
I liked this book, I liked the characters and the dialogue, I liked that the characters were complicated (this wasn't one of those books where you get a feeling how it will end while you are reading it). My only issue was that there were SO MANY characters and story lines that I would get whiplash, or caught up in a flurry. BUT I loved the characters so much, there's not one that I would eliminate. You want all of them to be happy in the end, and at some points, you don't see how that is going to be possible. I loved the author's use of actual events that occurred in history, it made things feel more real for me. I want to be a Lark! :)
I can definitely see the appeal of this book, but for me it just didn't work. I was not expecting this to be such a romance novel. In some ways, I felt like I was reading a soap opera...beautiful people, exciting jobs, and lots of sex. I thought this was a very well written book and I think a lot of people will love it. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to those who love romance fiction. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.