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faithemt's review against another edition
5.0
great story.
New to me author. Will read something else by her, Im sure.
Full review is here:
https://goldintheclouds-faith.blogspot.com/2023/01/2023-book-review-3-soft-place-to-land.html
New to me author. Will read something else by her, Im sure.
Full review is here:
https://goldintheclouds-faith.blogspot.com/2023/01/2023-book-review-3-soft-place-to-land.html
gizandmurph's review against another edition
4.0
Makes you think and was a quick read at the same time.
rebelkiss's review against another edition
2.0
Depressing. Seriously. Tragedy, more tragedy, and then top it off with some real life events and add to it more tragedy with an ending that wasn't as tragic.
sheilaf9's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this story but I think the author tried to do too much. There were so many tragic problems for the main character to work through. The story could have been shortened and focused on any one of the many struggles the main character faced.
judithdcollins's review against another edition
5.0
This was my first book by Susan Rebecca White! I enjoyed, as always reading about the South since a native, having lived in Atlanta for many years. I look forward to White's new book, A Place at the Table. Two half-sisters from Atlanta who are separated after their parents’ death in a plane crash, having lived with other relatives. If you have a sister, you will love it!
For more than ten years, Naomi and Phil Harrison enjoyed a marriage of heady romance, tempered only by the needs of their children. But on a vacation alone, the couple perishes in a flight over the Grand Canyon.
After the funeral, their daughters, Ruthie and Julia, are shocked by the provisions in their will. Spanning nearly two decades, the sisters' journeys take them from their familiar home in Atlanta to sophisticated bohemian San Francisco, a mountain town in Virginia, the campus of Berkeley, and lofts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
As they heal from loss, search for love, and begin careers, their sisterhood, once an oasis, becomes complicated by resentment, anger, and jealousy. It seems as though the echoes of their parents' deaths will never stop reverberating--until another shocking accident changes everything once again.
For more than ten years, Naomi and Phil Harrison enjoyed a marriage of heady romance, tempered only by the needs of their children. But on a vacation alone, the couple perishes in a flight over the Grand Canyon.
After the funeral, their daughters, Ruthie and Julia, are shocked by the provisions in their will. Spanning nearly two decades, the sisters' journeys take them from their familiar home in Atlanta to sophisticated bohemian San Francisco, a mountain town in Virginia, the campus of Berkeley, and lofts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
As they heal from loss, search for love, and begin careers, their sisterhood, once an oasis, becomes complicated by resentment, anger, and jealousy. It seems as though the echoes of their parents' deaths will never stop reverberating--until another shocking accident changes everything once again.
raechrae's review against another edition
3.0
This book started out really great but eventually lost steam and did not seem to understand which direction it wanted to go in. It is essentially about the relationship between two sisters and how easy it is to ruin that relationship based on life circumstances. However, it was weaved in with real life events (9/11, Hudson River Plane Crash) and eventually the tone of the story changed to rather self-righteous.
tobyyy's review against another edition
1.0
Ugh, I feel bad for rating a book so low, but this just had so many problems with it.
It was supposed to be a story of 2 sisters dealing with the loss of both of their parents at a fairly young age (Julia was in her mid-teens and Ruthie was 12 or 13, if I'm remembering correctly).
But really, there were more questions left unanswered than the book answered. Here's a list of a just a few questions that I had upon finishing the book:
- What was the point of even bringing up Julia's having been at The Center?
- Why did we not hear more about Julia's life in the latter half of the book?
- Why did Gabe's conversion to Catholicism (from Judaism) garner such a huge discussion when it really had NOTHING to do with ANYTHING in the rest of the book?
- What happened with Gabe and Ruthie after the end of the book?
- Why was there such a huge discussion at the end about Ruthie and Gabe having a baby? (There was never ANY follow-up to that discussion)
- Why was there excruciating detail about everything in the first third (or so) of the book, and then for the rest of the book, nothing?
- Why didn't the book flow well? why did the author see fit to jump around in time?
- What the HELL happened to the letters/journals that Ruthie got from Evelyn? and what was the POINT of the letter to Julia from Naomi?!
ARGH. So many questions, and SO MANY MORE than that!
I don't think I've been this infuriated by a single book in quite awhile. Disappointed? Yes. Annoyed? Yes. But infuriated because it feels like the ending was rushed and lots of answers just... not supplied? NO. Not to this degree. Ugh. I was hoping that this would be a good book but it ended up leaving me with way more questions than answers (obviously).
That being said, I may (may) be willing to give White another chance because I did like her writing style. The jumping ahead in time didn't bother me too much and her writing is decent. It's just there was no wrapping up done, for so many of the "plot points."
GRRRR.
It was supposed to be a story of 2 sisters dealing with the loss of both of their parents at a fairly young age (Julia was in her mid-teens and Ruthie was 12 or 13, if I'm remembering correctly).
But really, there were more questions left unanswered than the book answered. Here's a list of a just a few questions that I had upon finishing the book:
- What was the point of even bringing up Julia's having been at The Center?
- Why did we not hear more about Julia's life in the latter half of the book?
- Why did Gabe's conversion to Catholicism (from Judaism) garner such a huge discussion when it really had NOTHING to do with ANYTHING in the rest of the book?
- What happened with Gabe and Ruthie after the end of the book?
- Why was there such a huge discussion at the end about Ruthie and Gabe having a baby? (There was never ANY follow-up to that discussion)
- Why was there excruciating detail about everything in the first third (or so) of the book, and then for the rest of the book, nothing?
- Why didn't the book flow well? why did the author see fit to jump around in time?
- What the HELL happened to the letters/journals that Ruthie got from Evelyn? and what was the POINT of the letter to Julia from Naomi?!
ARGH. So many questions, and SO MANY MORE than that!
I don't think I've been this infuriated by a single book in quite awhile. Disappointed? Yes. Annoyed? Yes. But infuriated because it feels like the ending was rushed and lots of answers just... not supplied? NO. Not to this degree. Ugh. I was hoping that this would be a good book but it ended up leaving me with way more questions than answers (obviously).
That being said, I may (may) be willing to give White another chance because I did like her writing style. The jumping ahead in time didn't bother me too much and her writing is decent. It's just there was no wrapping up done, for so many of the "plot points."
GRRRR.
maryfrances_odea's review against another edition
3.0
A quick read - I sort of found the characters (especially Ruthie) irritating in their drama. And the ending wasn't overly satisfying.
abikennedy's review against another edition
2.0
I am drawn to books about sisters and sister relationships becasue I have two sisters and live far away from them. These stories I usually love and find emotional to read as well.
This book was one I thought I'd like a lot. It was easy to read and I finished it quickly. However I didn't love the book. I wasn't as drawn into it as I expected, and I'm not sure why.
I couldn't identify with or relate to any of the characters. And I felt the relationship with the sisters wasn't realistic either.
This book was one I thought I'd like a lot. It was easy to read and I finished it quickly. However I didn't love the book. I wasn't as drawn into it as I expected, and I'm not sure why.
I couldn't identify with or relate to any of the characters. And I felt the relationship with the sisters wasn't realistic either.