I loved every moment I spent with this book. It’s the story of Lina and June’s friendship from when they meet in a college party and how they weave in and out of each other’s lives. How they impact each other. How it can feel both grounding and delicate to be in a friendship this deep and how they both feel insecure and also adore each other.
It’s funny, it’s lovely, and it’s so very very sad. So raw and beautiful.
with gratitude to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy for an honest review.
For some people this book will be too cheesy. There’s a bunch of suspension of disbelief. But for me, it was a beautiful portrayal of grief and what unresolved trauma can do to us and how every day, small acts can save us and help us save each other. It was both a beautiful and a heartbreaking story.
with gratitude to netgalley and Scribner for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
i love Sarah Addison Allen’s writing. I love the way she creates her characters and the way they weave their way into your heart slowly and then all at once. I enjoyed both Willamena’s and Bailey’s stories. This has some supernatural parts and it won’t be for everyone, but I loved the family dynamics juxtaposed by the town dynamics. It was an interesting take on being anchored on the past. Wonderful narration, too!
with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
eh this was interesting but won’t really stay with me, i think i might just be tired of reading about terrible people doing terrible things for a while.
I am hanging on to the summer days as much as I can. I am trying to take my time and savor each and every day. I am working on being present, slowing down and taking steps to be intentional.
Progress on the big five:
Y: i got a few more things for the yard this week. i think i feel good about where it will be once i put everything up.
G: didn’t schedule the movers yet. I will look into it this week.
S: All set on this one!
Sa: made it through our hard week.
D: No progress this week.
Three Medium goals:
Took a week off so this will have to wait a bit more.
did a whole visual journal slightly different but still awesome.
will start this one this week too.
ordered furniture and all!
Start: yes! Still doing this one!
Stop: I’ve gotten better on this, too. Work in progress.
Continue: doing great at this one!
Brave: meh no progress on driving yet.
getting through a bunch more todos this week, too! I am feeling like i am making progress. Here’s to another good week. Paying attention. Savoring and living in awe. And taking steps to move onward.
Interesting story that held my attention the whole time. It has some twists that I didn’t see coming and some that I did. I felt it was a little disjointed than I would have liked in parts but overall held together well. A story about the secrets we’re keeping, the secrets we think we’re keeping and the lies we tell and the weight of all of them. The audio narration was absolutely excellent.
with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is more like a 2.5 star read for me. It was WAY WAY too long and also not nearly as interesting as the reviews and blurbs made it sound. If it were a lot less long, maybe it would have been a higher rating for me. It was so long that by the end, I didn’t really care enough about the story or to find out the full truth.
I feel like the universe didn’t get my memo on the summer going slowly. It’s already midJune and I am not ready for the days to go as fast as they are. I will do my best to slow down and savor every day as much as I can.
Progress on the big five:
Y: No new progress this week but it was 90+ this week so I didn’t want to be outside.
G: didn’t schedule the movers yet.
S: All set on this one!
Sa: Sweet Sadie will be practicing this week.
D: No progress this week.
Three Medium goals:
This was a dud week with a lot of other stuff on my mind.
Still doing a lot of practice on this one, I am proud of it.
I did look up the book but haven’t started yet.
Started decorating my office!!
Start: yes! Still doing this one!
Stop: I’ve gotten better on this, too. Work in progress.
Continue: I a little bit more time off last week, I am proud of myself.
Brave: meh no progress on driving yet.
Ok progress this week but that’s ok. Our AC broke and I got that fixed and that was a big win! Here’s to another good week. Paying attention. Savoring and living in awe. And taking steps to move onward.
i read all the sanctuary books back to back. I knew nothing about the author but the third book was available in netgalley and they looked to be highly rated so I started them without much information. If I knew this was Christian fiction I might have not picked it up but I am glad I did. This wasn’t didactic and the plot and characters are well developed.
By the third book I was fully hooked into the story and really wanted to know what happened to Paradise’s parents. This was another intense journey with one disaster after another for poor Paradise but the story wrapped up beautifully and Karen Peakes does an incredible job narrating the book!
with gratitude to netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
i read all the sanctuary books back to back. I knew nothing about the author but the third book was available in netgalley and they looked to be highly rated so I started them without much information. If I knew this was Christian fiction I might have not picked it up but I am glad I did. I liked the storyline enough to read three books back to back and i thought it was a fun read!
