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A review by skyeslibrary
Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
5.0
Love, Lists & Fancy Ships is a beautiful story that weaves friendship, grief, love, growth, and family into one tapestry.
Sarah Grunder Ruiz writes characters that are unforgettable and impossible not to love. I was so impressed with her specifically subtle character building. Each person enters the scene as fully formed humans that you feel like you’ve known forever; yet you get to discover even more about them along the way — my favorites being the little preferences and personality traits. From the fiercely loyal and ever-entertaining best friend to the diligent security guard that enjoys curious after-hours hobbies, the cast is perfectly curated to make you feel like you are right there spending your summer with Jo and the rest of the crew (pun intended).
When we meet Jo Walker, she is entering her last summer in her 20s. Avoiding pain from a recent tragedy and swearing off love thanks to a terrible boyfriend, we get to journey with her as she navigates moving forward through loss and explores the potential of finding love again.
But this isn’t just Jo’s story. We get to witness the challenges of single-parenting as Alex tries to do what’s best for his daughter. We get to grieve as Mia reveals her guilt and pain. We get to cheer as Greyson finds a “family” of people that love her for who she is. We get to laugh as Kitty educates everyone in The Art of War. It is a story of blood family and found family that come together when the going is tough, and they carry each other through with grace, patience, and adventure.
As a person who has recently experienced an eerily-similar tragedy as Jo, I was curious to see how the storyline would unfold. I was not disappointed. For the first time since my own experience, there were times I felt like I was reading my own journal. It felt like someone else understood me and my pain. The writing is exactly what I wanted, and I connected more than I anticipated. It is obvious that this book was written with love, intentionality, and deeply personal care.
Well done, Sarah!
Sarah Grunder Ruiz writes characters that are unforgettable and impossible not to love. I was so impressed with her specifically subtle character building. Each person enters the scene as fully formed humans that you feel like you’ve known forever; yet you get to discover even more about them along the way — my favorites being the little preferences and personality traits. From the fiercely loyal and ever-entertaining best friend to the diligent security guard that enjoys curious after-hours hobbies, the cast is perfectly curated to make you feel like you are right there spending your summer with Jo and the rest of the crew (pun intended).
When we meet Jo Walker, she is entering her last summer in her 20s. Avoiding pain from a recent tragedy and swearing off love thanks to a terrible boyfriend, we get to journey with her as she navigates moving forward through loss and explores the potential of finding love again.
But this isn’t just Jo’s story. We get to witness the challenges of single-parenting as Alex tries to do what’s best for his daughter. We get to grieve as Mia reveals her guilt and pain. We get to cheer as Greyson finds a “family” of people that love her for who she is. We get to laugh as Kitty educates everyone in The Art of War. It is a story of blood family and found family that come together when the going is tough, and they carry each other through with grace, patience, and adventure.
As a person who has recently experienced an eerily-similar tragedy as Jo, I was curious to see how the storyline would unfold. I was not disappointed. For the first time since my own experience, there were times I felt like I was reading my own journal. It felt like someone else understood me and my pain. The writing is exactly what I wanted, and I connected more than I anticipated. It is obvious that this book was written with love, intentionality, and deeply personal care.
Well done, Sarah!