When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“I think it’s possible to live our lives without believing in destiny, without feeling it at work in the choices we make, or the choices that are made for us. But it feels impossible to tell the story of our lives without it. Stories give our lives structure, and that structure is destiny.”

I have read and loved both of Jandy Nelson’s books. But the last one came out ten years ago when I was reading more Young Adult so I wasn’t sure I would love this one as much.

But I am so glad to say that I was completely wrong.

The thing that’s so amazing about this book is that on the surface, there’s nothing special about the book. It’s about a family with three kids. They are each struggling in their own way. The dad has left. The kids are struggling. And then one of them has an accident.

That’s pretty much the story.

But of course that’s not it. Because Jandy Nelson wrote this book and she’s nothing short of magic. Her writing is nothing short of magic. This book is poetry. It’s weaves into your soul just the same way all her stories do. It makes you feel deeply and it makes you fall in love with each of the characters. It makes you realize people are complex and so beautiful and so flawed all at the same time.

“I do believe now that when the world tips over, joy spills out with all the sorrow. But you have to look for it.”

And it gives you hope. It always gives you hope.

Yet again, she made me love her book with all my heart and soul. It was worth the wait.

with gratitude to netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

View all my reviews

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Ok I can already tell that I am going to be in the minority for this one. I know that writing a book is a long, arduous task and takes a lot of blood and sweat. And I never give books a low rating, but in this case I requested a book in exchange for writing a review and I feel compelled to be honest.

This book was absolutely not for me.

I read the first one and even though I found the characters despicable, the pacing and the plot of the first book made it so that it was not possible to put it down.

Not so much with this one. The plot feels like a rerun. The characters are just as despicable if not more and the pacing was just not there for me. I know others will love it so please do not make your decision based on my review. And I’ve read other books by this author and loved them so I will read whatever comes next.

with gratitude to netgalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

View all my reviews

Bitter House by Kiersten Modglin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A quick read that kept my interest. Some twists on this one but not the unreliable, dislikable characters which I appreciated.

View all my reviews

Here After by Amy Lin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

really beautiful portrayal of grief and loss. It was very sad.

View all my reviews

A Reason to See You Again by Jami Attenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of a family of four over a period of forty years. The patriarch, and the heart, of the family, Rudy, dies and leaves the mom and two girls rudderless. They spend the rest of their lives trying to find their true north. Weaving in and out of each others’ lives. Always finding their way back to each other.

It covers many topics around motherhood, family, sisterhood, marriage, loneliness, friendship (especially female friendship) and more.

This book is mostly sad. It’s real in so many ways and also it’s a true portrayal of inherited trauma. The writing is beautiful and the characters are so real they jump off the page.

with gratitude to Ecco and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

View all my reviews

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was unlike anything I’ve read in a long while.

One day all the white people walk into the sea and die.

Charlie receives a phone call from the daughter he never met, Sidney, who asks him to come get her and take her to Alabama where she thinks she might still have one relative left.

The details about the world, the writing, the characters, the ideas in this book are going to stay with me for a long time. I know some people will hate the ending, but I loved it. In fact I loved all of this book. It’s rare that a book surprises me but this one did.

with gratitude to Simon & Schuster and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

View all my reviews