good for twilight fans, I wouldn’t recommend it otherwise though. really interesting to get the other pov for eclipse, and i liked bree, but the writing overall left a lot to be desired imo. i really wanted more out of this book, more depth for the characters, more intricate plots, etc, but also.. i don’t wanna critique it too hard since it’s twilight lol :)

TLDR: suspend your disbelief and don’t expect anything insane, the book is simple but a fun ride with neat characters and a fresh take on the story!

the phrase “i want, you want, and god does what god wants” really struck me as i was reading, and still does now. i was lucky enough to catch mitch albom on his tour for this book and hear him speak about it, and he pointed out this quote. we have so much agency and power in this life to do good and make the right choices, but we also need to recognize some things as out of our control, and in a book about wanting control over those things, it’s very apparent.

mitch has a very no-frills style of writing, which i think works well for this book. it reads more like a memoir than a novel at times, but again I think it’s in it’s favor. the plot sometimes wavered for me, and i struggled in the final third, and alfie can be a very hard protagonist to want to root for, but overall i enjoyed this book and will be thinking about it for a long time!

its so easy to fall into hopelessness and despodence when faced with the self-destructive and exploitative nature of capitalisim as we know it. books like the serviceberry -- a short, accessable introduction to alternate ways of viewing the world, as a seires of gifts given by nature rather than a commodity to be sold at profit -- shows us that there are ways to practice giving and reciprocity in our everyday lives. its so important to remember especially around the holidays, which can be very focused on material possesions and overconsumption, to slow down and appreciate what what we have, and what we can give to one another. put plainly, "the best place to store wealth is in the belly of our neighbors".

ps: i highly reccommend the audiobook for this novel! the author's joy and hope come through so much in their voice, and it's absolutely contagious! give it a listen :)

michiko kakutani puts it so plainly yet so perfectly — “potent, devastating, essential”. while this book was heavy and difficult due to its subject matter, im so glad i got to read it.

it was asssigned reading my my class but im very grateful, as it wasn’t something I would likely pick up for myself but it was incredible! whitehead’s storytelling and prose is so visceral and engaging, and he treats the intense topics featured in the book with the grace that they deserve. absolutely recommend and consider required reading