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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
This is a captivating read. I couldn't stop from start to finish, just love April with her spirit and all her foibles. How's this description of her as a piece of music:
"It's moving, exhilarating, transcendent. The harmony is always changing but the rhythm never does. It unfolds subtly, hypnotically, like a trance. It gives you a sense of something that was already there, like the recognition of something you always knew. It extinguishes time. It doesn't matter what came before you or what will come later; each note holds everything. The music unfurls in a necessary way, like the roll of the tide. It opens out and lifts you away with it."
How lovely! Mind you the characters can be frustrating at times making annoying choices along the way. Great read.
"It's moving, exhilarating, transcendent. The harmony is always changing but the rhythm never does. It unfolds subtly, hypnotically, like a trance. It gives you a sense of something that was already there, like the recognition of something you always knew. It extinguishes time. It doesn't matter what came before you or what will come later; each note holds everything. The music unfurls in a necessary way, like the roll of the tide. It opens out and lifts you away with it."
How lovely! Mind you the characters can be frustrating at times making annoying choices along the way. Great read.
Not so much as a review as a "note to self." I read this on the plane traveling toward my grandmother's funeral. It was moving and fitting for the occasion.
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I will always adore heroines that are broken. I love angsty, dark relationships. I love good turmoils between the protagonists. I like things that can be but somehow struggle to.
April is what one would call a "lost cause". Made bad choices, had some made for her. She suffered, was abused and mistreated. And she convinces herself that that's what she deserves and it's what she wants. She falls down a black hole she thinks she deserves to fall into.
Oliver is on what he considers to be "the right path". In law school, engaged to Bernadette, who is practically perfect. Circumstances take him back to New York, where his life collides once more with April's after her brother's sudden death.
Try used to spend a lot of time together as kids, but have drifted apart when he left for college. But Oliver can't help but try to save April from the storm she lives in, and in doing so, finds his perfect life falling to pieces at his feet.
I love lost causes, broken people, people who make terrible mistakes, who keeps sound them and regretting and regretting. I love the people that saves them, and in the meantime, sometimes, save themselves too.
April is what one would call a "lost cause". Made bad choices, had some made for her. She suffered, was abused and mistreated. And she convinces herself that that's what she deserves and it's what she wants. She falls down a black hole she thinks she deserves to fall into.
Oliver is on what he considers to be "the right path". In law school, engaged to Bernadette, who is practically perfect. Circumstances take him back to New York, where his life collides once more with April's after her brother's sudden death.
Try used to spend a lot of time together as kids, but have drifted apart when he left for college. But Oliver can't help but try to save April from the storm she lives in, and in doing so, finds his perfect life falling to pieces at his feet.
I love lost causes, broken people, people who make terrible mistakes, who keeps sound them and regretting and regretting. I love the people that saves them, and in the meantime, sometimes, save themselves too.
I had heard such amazing things about this book that I think I went in with too high expectations. I did enjoy it, but it didn't move me as much as I thought it would. I wasn't that emotionally connected to the emotional connection between April and Oliver like others were. I thought it was very well written and enjoyable - I read it in less than 2 days, but I don't think it will stick with me forever like a good book will. Still, I definitely recommend it.
emotional
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A tough read if you have ever been part of an abusive or dysfunctional relationship, for you will find many things to identify with in these characters. Having said that, I thought the characters were really well developed and I found the writing lyrical and poignant. Made me think, which is what a good book should do.
I read this book because it’s on Tarryn Fisher’s favourites bookshelf, and I just could not ignore that. And I’m glad I didn’t because this book is beautifully written.
My only issue with it was that the story seemed to go nowhere really. I mean, maybe it’s about the healing process? Maybe it’s just a tale of miserable people? Who knows. But that ending really made me feel good and cured me of the sadness and hollowness I felt while reading this, so the overall story didn’t end up feeling pointless.
*4.5*
My only issue with it was that the story seemed to go nowhere really. I mean, maybe it’s about the healing process? Maybe it’s just a tale of miserable people? Who knows. But that ending really made me feel good and cured me of the sadness and hollowness I felt while reading this, so the overall story didn’t end up feeling pointless.
*4.5*
I was a little apprehensive about this book. It seems like all the citics like the book a lot. A lot of praise. When I look at the reviews on goodreads there seems to be a mixed bag. Personally, I'm tired of books that just seem the drag the characters down and by the end I'm down too. I was really hoping this book wouldn't be like that.
I abosolutely loved this book. All my apprehensions were unfounded. Don't get me wrong the book is not completely full of happiness. Our characters go through a lot in the course of the book but Tess Callahan does a great job of ending on an upswing.
April and Oliver were childhood friends who ended up growing apart after high school. Oliver goes to school across the country, but returns to New York (fiance in tow) to go to graduate school. April and Oliver are sadly reunited at April's young brother's funeral. As soon as these two begin their interactions the reader quickly knows there's a strong connection there that not even time or separation can take that away.
At first,I'll admit, I was unsure of April. I couldn't get a handle on her personality. But soon through her actions and when other speak of her I find that she's very kind and caring. Sometimes this is not to her advantage. April, now in her late twenties, grew up with many complications in her life. She was both physically and mentally abused by a few adults in her life. She sort of took it upon herself to raise her little brother. The complete details of what happened to her mother is never specifically given, but April definitely took on the motherly role with Buddy (her little brother). The abuse that April received in adolecense follows her into adulthood. There were times that I really wanted her to take control and turn her life around, but the she would take two steps back. Evenutally, April does make progress and she continues on and on. It was refreshing to see her progression from the beginning of the book until the end. She didn't let herself stay stuck she was able to pull herself out. I will say that I loved the interactions between April and her grandmother, Nana. It was these interactions that fully solidified my opinion of April's kind heartedness.
Oliver seems like the opposite of April. He moves back to New York from California, with his fiance Bernadette, to go to Law School. He has always seems like he has it all together. He grew up with a great family even though he lost his mother to cancer about ten years ago. Upon returning to New York and reuniting with friends and family he finds out that maybe the life he always thought was good had hidden secrets. Besides learning new things about his family, he learns there's some unacknowledged feelings of his own. Whereas April starts at the bottom and is working her way up, Oliver starts at the top and begins to tumble down.
Both April and Oliver need to go through everything in order to figure out ultimately who they are and what they want out of life.
It's so clear from the beginning that April and Oliver have chemistry. As the reader you want to be on the side of true love and romance and believe that these two should be together, but the thing is that sometimes people shouldn't be together. The whole book I was rooting for April and Oliver to finally get to that place, but then the book would turn and I would think that maybe they need more time. There were so many other complications that if they moved too quickly they wouldn't last and they would lose their friendship as well. So at what point do you just try to remain friends?
This book is a beautiful read. I'm really glad I dove in and didn't listen to some of the negative reviews. It's been one of those books that I can't get out of my head. I wish their story would continue, but I like filling in the blanks on my own. This will definitely be a book that I will read again many times in the future.
I abosolutely loved this book. All my apprehensions were unfounded. Don't get me wrong the book is not completely full of happiness. Our characters go through a lot in the course of the book but Tess Callahan does a great job of ending on an upswing.
April and Oliver were childhood friends who ended up growing apart after high school. Oliver goes to school across the country, but returns to New York (fiance in tow) to go to graduate school. April and Oliver are sadly reunited at April's young brother's funeral. As soon as these two begin their interactions the reader quickly knows there's a strong connection there that not even time or separation can take that away.
At first,I'll admit, I was unsure of April. I couldn't get a handle on her personality. But soon through her actions and when other speak of her I find that she's very kind and caring. Sometimes this is not to her advantage. April, now in her late twenties, grew up with many complications in her life. She was both physically and mentally abused by a few adults in her life. She sort of took it upon herself to raise her little brother. The complete details of what happened to her mother is never specifically given, but April definitely took on the motherly role with Buddy (her little brother). The abuse that April received in adolecense follows her into adulthood. There were times that I really wanted her to take control and turn her life around, but the she would take two steps back. Evenutally, April does make progress and she continues on and on. It was refreshing to see her progression from the beginning of the book until the end. She didn't let herself stay stuck she was able to pull herself out. I will say that I loved the interactions between April and her grandmother, Nana. It was these interactions that fully solidified my opinion of April's kind heartedness.
Oliver seems like the opposite of April. He moves back to New York from California, with his fiance Bernadette, to go to Law School. He has always seems like he has it all together. He grew up with a great family even though he lost his mother to cancer about ten years ago. Upon returning to New York and reuniting with friends and family he finds out that maybe the life he always thought was good had hidden secrets. Besides learning new things about his family, he learns there's some unacknowledged feelings of his own. Whereas April starts at the bottom and is working her way up, Oliver starts at the top and begins to tumble down.
Both April and Oliver need to go through everything in order to figure out ultimately who they are and what they want out of life.
It's so clear from the beginning that April and Oliver have chemistry. As the reader you want to be on the side of true love and romance and believe that these two should be together, but the thing is that sometimes people shouldn't be together. The whole book I was rooting for April and Oliver to finally get to that place, but then the book would turn and I would think that maybe they need more time. There were so many other complications that if they moved too quickly they wouldn't last and they would lose their friendship as well. So at what point do you just try to remain friends?
This book is a beautiful read. I'm really glad I dove in and didn't listen to some of the negative reviews. It's been one of those books that I can't get out of my head. I wish their story would continue, but I like filling in the blanks on my own. This will definitely be a book that I will read again many times in the future.