Search This Blog







2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (5)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa (2)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (4)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (3)
- Canada (2)
- England (5)
- France (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (1)


2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge



2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge









Friday, June 01, 2018
Grief Novel Poignant and Engaging
2:04 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Maddy Starling may have left her family, but she can't quite leave them alone. Even as a ghost, she worries about her workaholic husband and their grief-stricken 16-year-old daughter, Eve. Without Maddy there to bridge the gap, to keep the household running and manage everyone's emotions, what will become of her fractured family? The least she can do is find a replacement for herself, someone who can be a companion to Brady and a loving mentor for Eve. She thinks she may have found the perfect woman in Rory Murray, an elementary school teacher who's tutoring Eve. Is Rory, who comes with her own baggage, really a suitable stand-in? Can Maddy somehow "push" her and Brady together?
In the meantime, Brady and Eve have to learn how to cope without the wife and mother who's always held them together. Neither one can quite grasp the fact that Maddy—the most put together woman either of them has ever known—committed suicide, purposely leaving them behind. It makes no sense. Reading Maddy's diary brings some answers, but also more questions. Why would someone like Maddy jump off a building, ending what seemed like a perfect life? In order to rebuild their shattered lives, Brady and Eve must come to terms with what happened on that rooftop and learn to forge a new future for themselves. Can they find their way, even as Maddy's influence grows more and more difficult to assert? Can Maddy, Brady, and Eve figure out how to move on, even when all they want is to go back to the way things were?
I'm known for writing honest reviews, but Jenny over at Alternate Readality takes the art to a whole new (and often hilarious) level, so when she raves about a book, I pay attention. She recently recommended I Liked My Life, a debut novel by Abby Fabiaschi, which I also ended up enjoying. While I didn't love the book quite as much as Jenny did, I agree that it features solid writing, intriguing characters, and a plot that kept me turning pages. The story feels raw and real, but it's also funny and hopeful. All of the main characters are complex, sympathetic, and interesting, which makes it easy to root for their happiness. Fabiaschi even throws in some plot twists to keep things interesting. All in all, then, I Liked My Life makes for an engaging, thought-provoking read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, mild sexual content, and depictions of underage drinking
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
8 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)


Reading
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Listening
If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell


Followin' with Bloglovin'

-
-
Get A Hobby3 hours ago
-
#ThrowbackThursday. March 20133 hours ago
-
-
-
A Review of Heart of Water and Stone6 hours ago
-
The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon7 hours ago
-
Alta Live: Bonnie Tsui, On Muscle8 hours ago
-
Happy World Book Night!17 hours ago
-
FO Wednesday: Bedrock Tee21 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Season of Death by Will Thomas1 day ago
-
42. Inkheart1 day ago
-
-
I have been reading...2 days ago
-
Haiku reviews...2 days ago
-
-
TTT – Surprise! It’s A Debut I Love2 days ago
-
B Is for Bonnet (Amish ABCs)2 days ago
-
-
DNF: Say You’ll Remember Me3 days ago
-
-
The Murder Show by Matt Goldman5 days ago
-
Sunday Post #5686 days ago
-
-
-
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up1 month ago
-
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery1 month ago
-
-
The Music of 2024: Q43 months ago
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October5 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I8 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus9 months ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!


Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ▼ 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)


2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

Phew! I’m glad you liked it. Nothing worse than raving about a book and then no one else likes it.
ReplyDeleteOdd that she committed suicide, but still wants to be involved with her family's life. This sounds good though.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with Helen - odd - and, of course, being me, I kept thinking 'was it suicide?'. Guess this is not a thriller though, so...
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those books I have seen a lot - recognize the cover but didn't pay attention too. Sounds like I need to add it to the TBR. Greta review!
ReplyDeleteOh this sounds good! I like the cover and the blurb is definitely intriguing. The suicide definitely sounds out of character so I have some questions! Great review!
ReplyDeleteoh wow this looks so promising, I think I have this so will hopefully get to this on my TBR
ReplyDeleteI have this one on my list to read this summer. (Along with about 100 other books!) I'm glad to know it's a book worth keeping on the list. :)
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds interesting, but the topic matter is a little too close to home so I don't think I'm going to read it.
ReplyDelete