The Sky Is Everywhere in We Stand-Alone Reading Challenge

Apr 15, 2010 Nicole rated it it was amazing

Beautiful and really pulled at my heart... One of the better "death" books I've read lately...

11/28/11
So somehow I just realized that I didn't give this book a full review! :( There's not much I can say because I read it so long ago, but I have to admit that I still think about this book once in a while. It's one of those books that really stays with you. And like I said earlier, this is one of the best books I've read where death was the main theme. But so was love. Actually, realizing that I n Beautiful and really pulled at my heart... One of the better "death" books I've read lately...

11/28/11
So somehow I just realized that I didn't give this book a full review! :( There's not much I can say because I read it so long ago, but I have to admit that I still think about this book once in a while. It's one of those books that really stays with you. And like I said earlier, this is one of the best books I've read where death was the main theme. But so was love. Actually, realizing that I never reviewed this makes me want to read it again... So just hold that thought.

12/6
Officially re-reading this one... Hold on tight for that review!

12/7
Oh. My. GOD! I forgot how honestly and utterly amazing this book is. I just can't get over it... The writing is nearly flawless, especially for a debut novel. I read this is one day (basically), which is what I think happened the first time I read it too. I just couldn't put it down even though I already knew how it ended. It was that intense. Joe was just pure perfection! I remember the first time I read this, I was like what are you doing with Toby you stupid, stupid whore!! But reading it the second time, I realized how much she was hurting. And even though she really liked Joe and finally came to love him, she couldn't let go of Toby. Especially after learning (***SPOILER!!***) that Bailey had been pregnant when she'd died and that she and Toby were engaged (***END OF SPOILER!!***). Like Lennie said, she and Toby were the two people that Bailey loved the most, and so they must have been trying to put her heart back together.

I loved Joe and Lennie. I was a clarinet player once, but I never got into music as much as those two did. Although I have made that honking noise more than once. He is a little pig-headed about things, but Lennie vowed to herself never to kiss Toby again, but lo and behold she breaks that vow and Joe just happens to witness it. I can't give away the ending, but let's just say it's as Victorian as Lennie hoped it would be. You'll just have to read the book to find out what I mean.

To be truthful, the missing mother element was a little random, but I guess it just added to the tragedy of the story. I'm glad Lennie finally decided to talk to Gram, realizing that she wasn't the only one that was hurting. And that Gram was more of a mother than her real one ever could be. It's just too bad that Bailey never figured that out. On that note, I'm still confused as to how Bailey died. Was it an anuerism? Did I miss reading that litte detail somehow? Bt anyway, it was sad and I wish I had known Bailey.

I would recommend this to well, everyone! It's beautiful and heart-breaking, but puts your heart back together at the same time. Sometimes, I honestly felt like I couldn't breathe, just like the characters. This is one of those books where you sound crazy because you're talking out loud to yourself at those really awkward or horrible parts. I will definitely be reading this again. I CANNOT get enough of thise story! ...more

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Jul 19, 2010 Andrea at Reading Lark rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, 5-stars, young-adult, read-in-2011

Review Posted on Reading Lark 12/9/11: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...

I have had this book on my TBR list for awhile, but kept choosing other books over it to actually read. I'm not sure why I put it off so long, however a few weeks ago I was adding books to my audiobook hold list at the library and this title caught my eye again. The cover just seems so blah, but I figured I could snag the audiobook and if I didn't like it - no biggie - I could just stop listening and return it. Please Review Posted on Reading Lark 12/9/11: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...

I have had this book on my TBR list for awhile, but kept choosing other books over it to actually read. I'm not sure why I put it off so long, however a few weeks ago I was adding books to my audiobook hold list at the library and this title caught my eye again. The cover just seems so blah, but I figured I could snag the audiobook and if I didn't like it - no biggie - I could just stop listening and return it. Please don't be an idiot like me and judge this book by its simplistic cover. This is one of the most poignant and beautifully written novels that I have spent time with this year. One of my favorite lines that is still lingering in my thoughts is Lennie's remark that a library burns when someone dies. This notion is one that I can't seem to shake from my brain; it is so true. It really made me think of all the stories and thoughts that are lost each time someone draws their final breath.

The Sky is Everywhere is not an easy read due to its subject matter and it might be a good idea to have some tissues handy. Lennie, a 17 year old band geek, is dealing with the sudden death of her sister, Bailey. Bailey and Lennie were far closer than most sisters which makes Bailey's passing even more difficult for Lennie. To make matters worse, Lennie is not only mourning her sister, but she's also experiencing the first pangs of love and lust. She finds herself forming an attachment to Toby, her sister's boyfriend, in the days after Bailey is laid to rest. Toby seems to be the one person who understands Lennie's pain. However, once Lennie returns to school and meets the new boy, Joe, things get a bit more tricky. Lennie must learn to balance grief and love, but which boy will help her find the light at the end of the tunnel?

One of the ways Lennie deals with her grief is by writing poetry. She leaves poems on scraps of paper all over town - scattering her thoughts and pain to the wind. I thought the idea of this was so sad and yet so freeing. Lennie is sharing her life with the world in an anonymous way, but at least she is trying to express what she's thinking and feeling. I found myself wishing that she had been able to talk to her grandmother or uncle as easily as she was able to send her thoughts floating away on the bits of paper.

One of my favorite things about this book was the relationships - both good and bad. Jandy Nelson did such an amazing job of shining a light onto this family's grief and how it effected their ties to each other. I almost felt bad listening at times. It felt like I was intruding on moments that were too private for me as an outside observer. The emotions of the characters were so raw and real to me. I felt their joys and sorrows right alongside of them. I also enjoyed watching Lennie as she navigated the paths that led her to Toby and Joe.

One Last Gripe: I will never understand the choice that Lennie's mother made.

My Favorite Things About This Book: Lennie's poetry and the quirky characters

First Sentence: Gram is worried about me.

Favorite Character: Gram

Least Favorite Character: Paige ...more

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