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nklosty's review against another edition
5.0
As I read this, I kept thinking how cool it would be to write or receive the letters. Leno keeps a real feel to the relationships. Not too sure I loved the ending. 92
christinetibs's review against another edition
3.0
I read this whole book in maybe 4 days. I knew I would love it because the first two pages had me in tears and I love crying. As does everything in this book. It’s always so incredible to read about grief in a similar way to what you’ve experienced and I think Lottie and I are so similar that I couldn’t help feel the parallels and wish for her what I wish for me. Almost as I was reading I wanted to say to her, “don’t worry that will make sense soon...you will heal...you’re grieving right!”
That’s what makes a book powerful, how truthful it is to our own experiences.
That’s what makes a book powerful, how truthful it is to our own experiences.
joannaautumn's review against another edition
3.0
“This was her, as a building. One foot in the sand and one in the water; completely approachable while at the same time being so, so cool.”
→ I am going to start the review by saying that I am glad Katrina Leno wrote a book that is heartfelt, realistic with a core theme of family, friendship, self-care, and a pinch of magic.
The story follows a teenage main character, Lottie, and her family grieving the loss of their beloved aunt/sister. Said aunt has left our protagonist a set of letters each containing an instruction, so there is an almost episodic structure here, each letter has a different challenge and a lesson derived from it for both Lottie and the reader.
“I realized more than I ever had before that Abe was a secret, that everyone was a secret, and for every single thing you learned about someone, there were a hundred other things you might never know.”
One would think that such a book would be fun and engaging to read with a bunch of sad reflective moments that pack a
“Now your words are out in the world. It may seem like a tiny step, but tiny steps are just as important as big ones because they still lead you forward.”
My overall mild reaction might be because it was dragging at certain parts or I found the magical part strange and unnecessary or I just didn’t feel it enough and that’s fine. I can admit that in a sea of books in the golden age of publishing, this one is leaving a positive trail behind. It’s objectively a solid book and subjectively sweet and edifying; it just failed to amaze me and get in my must read pile.
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You know that feeling when you read a book and like the idea but the overall execution was painfully average and failed to make you invested on a deeper level? When you are 100% sure you will forget it in a few years and it makes you sad and underwhelmed? That's what happened to me with this book, review to come.
krpolaski's review against another edition
4.0
I'm always a sucker for fiction with themes of immortality and time and life only having meaning because it ends.
serafinapekkala's review against another edition
5.0
Original story, engaging complex characters that were spot on and relatable. Lottie captured me in the first few pages with her clear honest voice. I just couldnt put it down, and I'm on vacation in Sri Lanka with elephants! The embedded Alvin Hatter series was a delightful way to re-experience the joy of reading Harry Potter and supported the entire story. Beautifully written. The ending was a delicate balancing act. It could have ruined the book but instead Leno deepened the experience. Sure to be popular.
Important: Despite this book being about a senior in high school there is no sexual or drug content.
Important: Despite this book being about a senior in high school there is no sexual or drug content.
belle_fiction's review against another edition
3.0
Oh man, it really pains me to give this book such a low rating because it could easily have been a 5 star read for me...and it was going to be until the last 60 pages which completely killed the story in my opinion.
I must say I am pretty disappointed with the direction it took; the majority of the book read like a standard contemporary novel with some absolutely beautiful descriptions. I particularly loved Aunt Helen's letters - we get a strong sense of her personality through these and they were so precious throughout. However, from page 300 onwards, it becomes very fantastical and pretty absurd! The whole premise of there being a real-life 'immortal boy' was just plain silly and when it turned out to be SW, I groaned. It was so OBVIOUS from the first couple of chapters who Mr Williams/SW was that I kept praying it wasn't going to be Sam, and the fact that Lottie hadn't already figured it out annoyed me to no end.
I adored Leno's latest novel, Summer of Salt, because I knew what to expect (contemporary/magical realism) but since this was all contemporary from the beginning to then suddenly add in these fantastical elements towards the end really spoiled the story for me :(
Don't get me wrong, Leno is a beautiful writer and I savour so many of her descriptions, but the last section of Everything All at Once completely undid a lot of my enjoyment and enthusiasm for the book.
I will read more of Leno's work in the future but I might loan them from the library instead of immediately purchasing them.
A well-written book but with a ridiculous ending!
missmary98's review against another edition
4.0
Well. This is the book you read if you want to have an existential crisis. Now I need something light and fluffy.
chillcheeto's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a bit conflicted with this book
Up until page 300, I was more interested in the little Alvin Hatter snippets than the actual story that I went into a hunt to look for a similar middle grade book (If you know one other than HP, please let me know). The story and characters were so memorable that even after weeks of not reading it, I can pick it up again and continue reading without messing a beat which is something that rarely happens
But the twist....OH THE TWIST made it a 4 star book along with how relatable Lottie is
I get so anxious at night, all the thoughts of death pilling one on top of the other, that sometimes I can't sleep, and I'm exhausted until I try closing my eyes and them I am one hundred percent resolutely awake, drowning under the certainty that I will one day be brutally murdered in the midst of some random home invasion
As someone who looks their bedroom door every night because I'm scared that someone will barge in and murder me...yeah I can relate. The description of her anxiety and thought process was so painfully accurate to my case that I felt like hugging Lottie and tell her everything will be fine at the end
I want my bff to read this book because I'm sure she will appreciate it as much as I did
Up until page 300, I was more interested in the little Alvin Hatter snippets than the actual story that I went into a hunt to look for a similar middle grade book (If you know one other than HP, please let me know). The story and characters were so memorable that even after weeks of not reading it, I can pick it up again and continue reading without messing a beat which is something that rarely happens
But the twist....OH THE TWIST made it a 4 star book along with how relatable Lottie is
I get so anxious at night, all the thoughts of death pilling one on top of the other, that sometimes I can't sleep, and I'm exhausted until I try closing my eyes and them I am one hundred percent resolutely awake, drowning under the certainty that I will one day be brutally murdered in the midst of some random home invasion
As someone who looks their bedroom door every night because I'm scared that someone will barge in and murder me...yeah I can relate. The description of her anxiety and thought process was so painfully accurate to my case that I felt like hugging Lottie and tell her everything will be fine at the end
I want my bff to read this book because I'm sure she will appreciate it as much as I did