Grief

When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn

Bereavement, Children, Death, Family, Grief, Juvenile Fiction, Siblings, Southern Book Prize Finalist

This is now one of my favorite books. I was devastated for myself and every character I had met along the way while reading this wonderfully crafted story. This book will rip your heart out and put it back together perfectly. I highly recommend When Sea Becomes Sky for readers young and old.

When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn, (List Price: $16.99, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9781547610853, February 2023)

Reviewed by Rayna Nielsen, Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, Louisiana

How to Say Goodbye by Wendy MacNaughton

Adult Nonfiction, Bereavement, Death, Family & Relationships, Grief

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This is a beautiful little book. It is partly a helpful guide for folks going through losing a loved one, partly a meditation on how to live. Her drawings are simultaneously simple, emotional, and direct. Words are used sparingly, which lends them more value and meaning. I will keep this book, and buy multiple copies to give away to friends and family. The resource guide in the back is also extremely helpful!

How to Say Goodbye by Wendy MacNaughton, (List Price: 28, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781639730858, July 2023)

Reviewed by Daniel Jordan, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Cape by Kevin Johnson

Bereavement, Children, Death, Emotions & Feelings, Family, Grief, Juvenile Fiction, Social Themes

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A June 2023 Read This Next! Title

A touching story about grief. Losing someone is never easy and often we never know what to do with those feelings. Cape shows us the beauty of remembering someone we’ve lost and how through remembrances we can find some peace.

Cape by Kevin Johnson, (List Price: 18.99, Roaring Brook Press, 9781250840509, June 2023)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

No Perfect Places by Steven Salvatore

Bereavement, Death, Family, Grief, LGBTQ+, Siblings, Social Themes, Young Adult Fiction

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Another new book by Salvatore and another five-star read. They’re three for three with this reader! Twins Alex and Olly lost a lot when their father went to prison. Their mom works all the time at three jobs, and most of their friends abandoned them. But they’re keeping together. At least, until their dad dies. Suddenly Alex is spiraling and Olly doesn’t know how to help her. Add in the complication of a half-brother they knew nothing about and it’s a recipe for disaster. Can they pull themselves out of this mess before one or all of them self-destruct?

No Perfect Places by Steven Salvatore, (List Price: 19.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547611072, May 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Bereavement, Childrens, Death, Grief, Juvenile Fiction, Social Themes

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Simon has my heart! His spirit, authenticity, and humor make him one of the most compelling characters I’ve met in a long time. Simon, along with his parents, show that trauma changes us in terrible & beautiful ways that create something new. This tough but tender novel shines with hope and resilience. As Dolly Parton says, laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.Please don’t let the subject matter push you away from this wonderful, funny, and important book. It’s a perfect example of its OK to read dark things, our lives are full of dark things and fictional characters working their way towards the light helps us do the same. Simon Sorta of Says is fantastic!

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow, (List Price: $16.99, Disney-Hyperion, 9781368082853, January 2023)

Reviewed by Susan Williams, M. Judson, Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn

Bereavement, Children, Death, Family, Grief, Juvenile Fiction, Siblings, Social Themes

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A February 2023 Read This Next! Title

When Sea Becomes Sky is a book that needs to be read spoiler free, but what I can tell you is that this is Gillian McDunn at her finest. The intersection of science and art is a perfect complement to the interpersonal relationships in the book, every single detail adds a layer and a complexity the story that makes this one to sit and think about. I love how careful McDunn is with her characters and their emotions – and the experience of her readers. Bex and her family will stay in my heart for a very, very long time.

When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn (List Price: $16.99, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9781547610853, February 2023)

Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Four for the Road by K. J. Reilly

Bereavement, Death, Grief, Social Themes, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction

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Four for the Road by K.J. Reilly is a gut-punch of a novel. Its portrayal of grief is raw and furious and heartbreaking. Following the death of his mother, Asher Hunting rotates through therapists and bereavement groups, trapped in a cycle of anger and pain. He wants nothing more than to get revenge on the drunk driver who killed his mother, but avoided jail time on a technicality. Along with an unexpected group of friends from the bereavement groups–teens Sloane and Will and 80-year-old Henry– Asher embarks on a road trip from New Jersey to Graceland in hopes of revenge and closure. Four for the Road is a moving examination of the anger that accompanies grief and the earth-shattering reality of loss. For anyone who has ever lost someone, Four for the Road holds a mirror up to the jagged edges that are left behind and validates that being in pieces is okay.

Four for the Road by K. J. Reilly, (List Price: $19.99, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 9781665902281, August 2022)

Reviewed by Charlie Williams, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

Magic Season by Wade Rouse

Bereavement, Biography & Autobiography, Death, Family & Relationships, Grief, LGBTQ+, Parent & Adult Child, Parenting, Personal Memoirs

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They say truth is better than fiction and with Magic Season I completely agree. Wade and his rigid engineer father had a contentious relationship for quite awhile. When Ted learns he is dying Wade returns home for one final season of the one thing the men share a passion for-The St Louis Cardinals. This is inspiring and heartwarming and told with Wade’s poignant sense of humor. It gives hope to any one suffering from a desire to have a close relationship with a parent. There is always a chance for your team in baseball and a relationship with your parent.

Magic Season by Wade Rouse, (List Price: $27.99, Hanover Square Press, 9781335475176, May 2022)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

In Love by Amy Bloom

Adult Nonfiction, Bereavement, Biography & Autobiography, Death, Family & Relationships, Grief, Personal Memoirs, Survival

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When Amy Bloom’s husband of 15 years is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, he decides to end his life on his own terms – “to die on his feet, not live on his knees”. In Love is an account of how the couple made that happen, as well as a celebration of their love. It’s by turns honest, raw, unsentimental, funny, captivating, powerful and utterly devastating. I devoured it in less than a day – an experience that left me emotionally wrung out, but also very glad to have done so.

In Love by Amy Bloom, (List Price: $27.00, Random House, 9780593243947, March 2022)

Reviewed by Jude Burke-Lewis, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You by Misha Collins

Adult Nonfiction, Death, Grief, Loss, Poetry, Subjects & Themes

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I loved this collection. Collins lets his reader know that he is writing for himself, fully knowing he is not an established poet. I normally do not read poetry, and I felt relaxed and ready to see what he had to say. It was a treat to see a very public person open up like this.

Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You by Misha Collins, (List Price: $14.99, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 9781524870546, October 2021)

Reviewed by Sissy Gardner, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

Sing Like No One’s Listening by Vanessa Jones

Bereavement, Death, Grief, Theater & Musicals, Young Adult

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

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Sing Like No One’s Listening is a unique story with intriguing characters that will keep you interested until the end. Nettie Delaney is accepted into a prestigious school for the performing arts. The only obstacle on her way to success is that she has not been able to sing in public since her mother’s death. Nettie must overcome her grief and other challenges in order to find her voice again.

Sing Like No One’s Listening by Vanessa Jones, (List Price: $10.99, Peachtree Publishing Company, 9781682633311, October 2021)

Reviewed by Lady Smith, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

Kafka and the Doll by Larissa Theule, Rebecca Green (Illus.)

Bereavement, Children, Death, Dolls & Puppets, Grief, Toys

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Based on a true story, this book will melt your heart! Kafka meets a girl who lost her doll and proceeds to tell her that the doll is simply traveling. For three weeks, Kafka writes letters to the girl from her doll. Absolutely precious with a heartwrenching ending.

Kafka and the Doll by Larissa Theule, Rebecca Green (Illus.) (List Price: $17.99, Viking Books for Young Readers, 9780593116326, 3/9/2021)

Reviewed by Jen Minor, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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