Search This Blog
2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (2)
- Arizona (2)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (11)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (3)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (2)
- Maine (5)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (1)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (3)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (8)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (3)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (5)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Australia (5)
- Canada (3)
- England (18)
- France (2)
- Greece (2)
- Italy (1)
- Japan (1)
- Norway (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (2)
- Vietnam (1)
2025 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2025 Reading Challenge
2025 52 Club Reading Challenge
2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
2025 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2025 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge
2025 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge
2025 Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2025 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge
2025 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Monday, May 28, 2018
Never That Far Tells a Poignant, Powerful Story of Loss and Love
8:20 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
I usually craft my own plot summaries, but Never That Far, Carol Lynch Williams' newest, isn't the easiest novel to describe. The publisher's version says everything that needs to be said in one succinct paragraph, so I'm going to go with it:
After her grampa dies, the last place Libby expects to see him is sitting on the edge of her bed. But that's what happens the night after his funeral. Even more surprising is that Grampa has three important things to tell her: first, that she isn't alone or forgotten—"The dead ain't never that far from the living," he says; second, that she has "the Sight"—the ability to see family members who have died; and third, that there is something special just for her in the lake. Something that could help her and her father—if she can find it. Libby and Grampa try to help her father heal from his grief, but it will take all of Libby's courage and her gift of Sight to convince her father that the dead are never truly gone.
Set against a lush central Florida backdrop, Never That Far tells a poignant, powerful story about loss and love. Libby's heartbreak and yearning are so palpable that it's impossible not to root for her happiness. Her actions and reactions feel authentic, making her a very real character. This, plus an atmospheric setting; a rich, mystical vibe; and some important messages about faith, family, and friendship, make Never That Far a compelling read. I enjoyed it.
(Readalikes: Um, I can't really think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for difficult subject matter and scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Never That Far from the generous folks at Shadow Mountain. Thank you!
4 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
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Listening
Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
Followin' with Bloglovin'
Followin' with Feedly
-
-
-
-
Flourish9 hours ago
-
110. A Bitter Wind10 hours ago
-
-
Someone You Can Build a Nest In14 hours ago
-
The Unseen by Ania Ahlborn15 hours ago
-
Two Young Adult books17 hours ago
-
A Day in the Life – Fall 202519 hours ago
-
-
Murder at Somerset House by Andrea Penrose21 hours ago
-
-
-
-
#ThrowbackThursday. September 20151 day ago
-
-
-
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb2 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
A Review of The Hunger We Pass Down1 week ago
-
-
-
The Music of 2025: Q32 weeks ago
-
-
Sorry About the Spam…1 month ago
-
-
No Roundup this month5 months ago
-
Sunday Post #5686 months ago
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up7 months ago
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery7 months ago
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October11 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus1 year ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?2 years ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?3 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
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
I think many of us like the idea that the dead are close by; I can see this book feeling comforting.
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of this one! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a warm comfort read.
ReplyDeleteI've never read a book by Williams yet. I plan to read one of hers this year, though.
ReplyDelete