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We Are Inevitable
'I got this whole-body feeling... it was like a message from future me to present me, telling me that in some way we weren’t just bound to happen, that we had, in some sense, already happened. It felt... inevitable.'
So far, the inevitable hasn’t worked out so well for Aaron Stein.
While his friends have gone to college and moved on with their lives, Aaron’s been left behind in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State, running a failing bookshop with his dad, Ira. What he needs is a lucky break, the good kind of inevitable.
And then he meets Hannah. Incredible Hannah – magical, musical, brave and clever. Could she be the answer? And could they – their relationship, their meeting – possibly be the inevitable Aaron’s been waiting for?
So far, the inevitable hasn’t worked out so well for Aaron Stein.
While his friends have gone to college and moved on with their lives, Aaron’s been left behind in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State, running a failing bookshop with his dad, Ira. What he needs is a lucky break, the good kind of inevitable.
And then he meets Hannah. Incredible Hannah – magical, musical, brave and clever. Could she be the answer? And could they – their relationship, their meeting – possibly be the inevitable Aaron’s been waiting for?
288 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2021
About the author
Gayle Forman
45 books24.8k followersAward-winning author and journalist Gayle Forman has written several bestselling novels for young adults, including the Just One Series, I Was Here, Where She Went and the #1 New York Times bestseller If I Stay, which has been translated into more than 40 languages and in 2014 was adapted into a major motion picture.
Gayle published Leave Me, her first novel starring adults in 2016 and her latest novel, I Have Lost My Way, comes out in March of 2018.
Gayle lives with her husband and daughters in Brooklyn.
Gayle published Leave Me, her first novel starring adults in 2016 and her latest novel, I Have Lost My Way, comes out in March of 2018.
Gayle lives with her husband and daughters in Brooklyn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 945 reviews
October 5, 2021
I honestly don't know how to review this book. There were parts i liked and others I didn't. I sympathised with Aaron and his situation, all the terrible things that happened that turned him into a person who doesn't open up and always questions others intentions.
But that didn't stop me from being irritated with him for most of the book.
I liked the save the bookshop plot and the friends he made a long the way. Chad and Ira were such wholesome characters and i loved the builder guys.
The romance part was bland and uninteresting. And i had to stop myself from shouting at Hannah to run far away from this dude.
In conclusion I'm happy with how the story ended although it was a very lacklustre read.
Buddy read with Fares
But that didn't stop me from being irritated with him for most of the book.
I liked the save the bookshop plot and the friends he made a long the way. Chad and Ira were such wholesome characters and i loved the builder guys.
The romance part was bland and uninteresting. And i had to stop myself from shouting at Hannah to run far away from this dude.
In conclusion I'm happy with how the story ended although it was a very lacklustre read.
Buddy read with Fares
January 15, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up
Once I got almost all the way through this book, I stopped being so annoyed with Aaron and really appreciated the overall themes of this book, which is a reflection on the ways grief can manifest and an exploration of the effects of addiction. Truly, through most of the book I found Aaron irritating, pompous, full of himself, and full of overreactions to every single thing. However, once I got to the ending, I got tears in my eyes because I could identify with his feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
The quote from C.S. Lewis "No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear" summarizes the elements of this book that really touched me. I loved the humor that the secondary characters contributed to the story, which helped to balance out the more frustrating and melancholy parts.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and while I mostly liked Sunil Malhotra's narration, I didn't like how he made Chad sound like Jeff Spicoli, Ira sounded like a cartoon character, and the voice of Aaron's mother sounded like a flower child. Overall though it wasn't a bad way to experience this book.
I did love that this was set in Washington state and also loved that it was set in a bookstore and that the bookstore played such a huge role in the tale. Those two things are always favorites for me. Although Aaron is young (not sure of his age, but he is under 21 anyway) this doesn't exactly feel like a YA book, even though that's this author's usual genre.
Once I got almost all the way through this book, I stopped being so annoyed with Aaron and really appreciated the overall themes of this book, which is a reflection on the ways grief can manifest and an exploration of the effects of addiction. Truly, through most of the book I found Aaron irritating, pompous, full of himself, and full of overreactions to every single thing. However, once I got to the ending, I got tears in my eyes because I could identify with his feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
The quote from C.S. Lewis "No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear" summarizes the elements of this book that really touched me. I loved the humor that the secondary characters contributed to the story, which helped to balance out the more frustrating and melancholy parts.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and while I mostly liked Sunil Malhotra's narration, I didn't like how he made Chad sound like Jeff Spicoli, Ira sounded like a cartoon character, and the voice of Aaron's mother sounded like a flower child. Overall though it wasn't a bad way to experience this book.
I did love that this was set in Washington state and also loved that it was set in a bookstore and that the bookstore played such a huge role in the tale. Those two things are always favorites for me. Although Aaron is young (not sure of his age, but he is under 21 anyway) this doesn't exactly feel like a YA book, even though that's this author's usual genre.
September 2, 2021
"I read the opening lines of the book, and it's like my own pages are coming unstuck. For so long, all I've felt is fear, and all this time, it was grief. I continue reading, remembering why I used to love books. Because they show us, in so many words, and so many worlds, that we are not alone. [As my father has always said] a miracle, in twenty-six letters." -- protagonist Aaron, on page 242
Aaron is nineteen years old, prone to excessive navel-gazing - to be fair, it's somewhat expected or common at that age - and morosely watching the time crawl by in his secluded Pacific Northwest hometown. Each day he and his father Ira can be found manning theirs posts at the family's book store, though business traffic has become practically non-existent. The store was founded by his mother many years ago, but his parents recently divorced in the messy aftermath of his slightly older brother's drug addiction-related death. Aaron needs something to shake him out of these doldrums, and change is initially brought to the scene courtesy of Chad, a former antagonist from high school. Chad, now somewhat humbled and confined to a wheelchair after a snowboarding accident injury, amusingly but sort of believably ingratiates himself into Aaron's life, to Aaron's dismay and surprise.
Through a 'comedy-of-errors' of sorts, within days Aaron finds himself quickly meeting some new people (like the trio of lumberjacks who serve as a quasi-'Greek chorus' . . . yes, you read that part correctly) and having new experiences - I suppose I can also use the tired phrase 'stepping outside of his comfort zone' - as life starts to finally change and accelerate for him in some unlikely but needed ways. (Note: the publisher's synopsis plays up the involvement of the character Hannah with the romance angle, but while her part is important it is also a bit misleading, as she is one of a dozen supporting characters.) It was interesting to see how things develop - owing to Aaron's good and bad decisions with his many relationships - and with We Are Inevitable author Forman has crafted a fairly solid coming-of-age dramedy that is populated with a number of well-meaning characters.
Aaron is nineteen years old, prone to excessive navel-gazing - to be fair, it's somewhat expected or common at that age - and morosely watching the time crawl by in his secluded Pacific Northwest hometown. Each day he and his father Ira can be found manning theirs posts at the family's book store, though business traffic has become practically non-existent. The store was founded by his mother many years ago, but his parents recently divorced in the messy aftermath of his slightly older brother's drug addiction-related death. Aaron needs something to shake him out of these doldrums, and change is initially brought to the scene courtesy of Chad, a former antagonist from high school. Chad, now somewhat humbled and confined to a wheelchair after a snowboarding accident injury, amusingly but sort of believably ingratiates himself into Aaron's life, to Aaron's dismay and surprise.
Through a 'comedy-of-errors' of sorts, within days Aaron finds himself quickly meeting some new people (like the trio of lumberjacks who serve as a quasi-'Greek chorus' . . . yes, you read that part correctly) and having new experiences - I suppose I can also use the tired phrase 'stepping outside of his comfort zone' - as life starts to finally change and accelerate for him in some unlikely but needed ways. (Note: the publisher's synopsis plays up the involvement of the character Hannah with the romance angle, but while her part is important it is also a bit misleading, as she is one of a dozen supporting characters.) It was interesting to see how things develop - owing to Aaron's good and bad decisions with his many relationships - and with We Are Inevitable author Forman has crafted a fairly solid coming-of-age dramedy that is populated with a number of well-meaning characters.
January 23, 2024
Quando o Inevitável Acontece…
“Será que as respostas a todas as perguntas da vida podem ser encontradas nos livros?
Claro que sim! E é isso que faz deles milagres”
O pai é um simpático lunático e dinossauro dos livros
A mãe é uma hippie “levemente” destrambelhada.
O irmão já não consta. Legou-lhe um rol de más recordações, e… talvez à laia de compensação, uma fabulosa coleção de vinis…
Aaron Stein cresceu, vive e viveu agora e sempre no mundo dos livros. Esses milagres palavrosos, esses frutos da combinação de 26 letras que povoaram o Mundo de belas histórias, desde sempre que o encantaram. O seu primeiro amor foram as Crónicas de Nárnia e… o seu primeiro livro foi-lhe lido era ele uma semente, um minúsculo embrião aconchegado no útero materno…
Os livros sempre foram os seus amigos e fiéis companheiros que lhe preencheram a solidão e a vida.
Porém, a vida não é só livros. Há também a música e … o eterno inevitável!
Em Nós Tínhamos de Acontecer, dinossauros, livros e vinis convergem numa história sobre o Eterno Inevitável…
“Será que as respostas a todas as perguntas da vida podem ser encontradas nos livros?
Claro que sim! E é isso que faz deles milagres”
O pai é um simpático lunático e dinossauro dos livros
A mãe é uma hippie “levemente” destrambelhada.
O irmão já não consta. Legou-lhe um rol de más recordações, e… talvez à laia de compensação, uma fabulosa coleção de vinis…
Aaron Stein cresceu, vive e viveu agora e sempre no mundo dos livros. Esses milagres palavrosos, esses frutos da combinação de 26 letras que povoaram o Mundo de belas histórias, desde sempre que o encantaram. O seu primeiro amor foram as Crónicas de Nárnia e… o seu primeiro livro foi-lhe lido era ele uma semente, um minúsculo embrião aconchegado no útero materno…
Os livros sempre foram os seus amigos e fiéis companheiros que lhe preencheram a solidão e a vida.
Porém, a vida não é só livros. Há também a música e … o eterno inevitável!
Em Nós Tínhamos de Acontecer, dinossauros, livros e vinis convergem numa história sobre o Eterno Inevitável…
May 27, 2021
This is a story about a bookstore and addiction. Forman weaves literary themes in with some self-help and it comes together quite well. Aaron is a lovable, flawed teenager who has had to deal with a lot of grief and disappointment. He is definitely stuck in a rut, but considers himself the one to save his father, determine the fate of the bookstore, etc. When we look around and think we are the 'healthy' one in the bunch, we might just need to take another look. Since Aaron and dad Ira are a bit gloomy, Forman fills the book with quirky characters from the community. I especially enjoyed the Lumber jacks and the conversations that Aaron has with Chad, the old classmate in a wheelchair. This was good, but not great. I keep waiting for a Forman book that I enjoy as much as her earlier works like Just One Day and If I Stay and their sequels. We just aren't a match anymore. It's been fun, but I am moving on.
Thank you to Viking Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Viking Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2022
4.5/5
Oh, my GOODNESS, We Are Inevitable by Gayle Forman is one of the best YA novels I have read in a while. I don't know who wouldn't be excited about a book that focuses on a bookstore, and I could definitely relate to the small-town feel as well. I found Aaron to be such an endearing character, and I think the best way to enjoy this book is to listen to the audio. The narrator is Sunil Malhotra and I really can't get over how great of a job he did. He was so fun to listen to and listening to this book was like listening to someone tell a story. He was very animated, and I loved all his different voices for different characters. I honestly think his narration made me love the book even more, and I am SO GLAD I listened to the audiobook. I also loved the entire cast of characters, every one of them is unique and quirky, and almost all of them are dealing with something. I was in tears before the first half of the book was even over, and although I couldn't relate to what they were going through, Forman still gave me all the feels.
I also adored the fact that each chapter started with a book title which would come up during that chapter. I love when authors do little fun things like this, and it was such a great and unique idea. I have had Forman's newer books on my list for quite a while now and I am so glad I finally got to one. I loved everything about her writing, from the conversational style to the way it flowed so perfectly. I read I Was Here previously, and while I enjoyed that one, I LOVED this one. The book I finished before this one was a really dark and heavy thriller, and while We Are Inevitable does deal with tough topics, it still has that lovely lighter feel that makes it a good palate cleanser. It made me laugh so many times and I loved the mix of humor and seriousness. It created the perfect blend for me, and I just did not want to put the book down. I am already looking forward to reading my next book by Forman!
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Oh, my GOODNESS, We Are Inevitable by Gayle Forman is one of the best YA novels I have read in a while. I don't know who wouldn't be excited about a book that focuses on a bookstore, and I could definitely relate to the small-town feel as well. I found Aaron to be such an endearing character, and I think the best way to enjoy this book is to listen to the audio. The narrator is Sunil Malhotra and I really can't get over how great of a job he did. He was so fun to listen to and listening to this book was like listening to someone tell a story. He was very animated, and I loved all his different voices for different characters. I honestly think his narration made me love the book even more, and I am SO GLAD I listened to the audiobook. I also loved the entire cast of characters, every one of them is unique and quirky, and almost all of them are dealing with something. I was in tears before the first half of the book was even over, and although I couldn't relate to what they were going through, Forman still gave me all the feels.
I also adored the fact that each chapter started with a book title which would come up during that chapter. I love when authors do little fun things like this, and it was such a great and unique idea. I have had Forman's newer books on my list for quite a while now and I am so glad I finally got to one. I loved everything about her writing, from the conversational style to the way it flowed so perfectly. I read I Was Here previously, and while I enjoyed that one, I LOVED this one. The book I finished before this one was a really dark and heavy thriller, and while We Are Inevitable does deal with tough topics, it still has that lovely lighter feel that makes it a good palate cleanser. It made me laugh so many times and I loved the mix of humor and seriousness. It created the perfect blend for me, and I just did not want to put the book down. I am already looking forward to reading my next book by Forman!
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
February 9, 2021
Thank you to Edelweiss Plus and Viking Books for Young Readers for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Aaron’s parents own a bookstore, Bluebird Books. An “asteroid” has hit, and Aaron’s mother quickly left town. Ownership of the store has been transferred to Aaron, and he chooses to run the store with his father, Ira. As a child, Aaron loved to read, but he can no longer stomach any books after the asteroid. To Aaron, Bluebird Books has been failing for a long time. The shelves and books are crumbling, and customers are pretty much nonexistent. When he finds some overdue credit card statements, IRS filing notices, and less-than-stellar bank statements, it is settled. Aaron is going to sell the store. He makes a deal with town local Penny and delays telling his father about the sale for as long as he can.
We learn that the asteroid causing so much turmoil in Aaron’s life is the death of his brother, Sandy. Sandy was an addict who accepted help from no one. One of Sandy’s friends, Chad, sees Aaron in town and attempts to spark a friendship. Chad is in a wheelchair, and the entrance to Bluebird Books consists of stairs only. Three men (Ike, Richie, and Garry) see Chad and Aaron trying to make a ramp to the store out of rotted plywood. They bring back better quality wood and install a ramp for free. The men continue to return to the store, and their good deeds amount to a full renovation. Chad even offers to make a database system for digital inventory and bookselling online. Ira so badly wants to give the bookstore a second chance and agrees to pay the men in coffee. Aaron, however, is convinced it is a false deal. Are these men in it for tricks?
We also have the story of Hannah. Chad doesn’t have a lot of friends, so he asks Aaron to a Beethoven’s Anvil show. There he meets singer Hannah Crew and feels an instant attraction to her. The chronicles of Aaron and Chad are super fun and include sneaking across the Canadian border without a passport to attend one of Hannah’s shows. I absolutely LOVED this story and the rowdy, hilarious characters in it. It really made me wish we had a family-owned bookstore in town. I will be adding Gayle Forman to my auto-buy authors list!
Aaron’s parents own a bookstore, Bluebird Books. An “asteroid” has hit, and Aaron’s mother quickly left town. Ownership of the store has been transferred to Aaron, and he chooses to run the store with his father, Ira. As a child, Aaron loved to read, but he can no longer stomach any books after the asteroid. To Aaron, Bluebird Books has been failing for a long time. The shelves and books are crumbling, and customers are pretty much nonexistent. When he finds some overdue credit card statements, IRS filing notices, and less-than-stellar bank statements, it is settled. Aaron is going to sell the store. He makes a deal with town local Penny and delays telling his father about the sale for as long as he can.
We learn that the asteroid causing so much turmoil in Aaron’s life is the death of his brother, Sandy. Sandy was an addict who accepted help from no one. One of Sandy’s friends, Chad, sees Aaron in town and attempts to spark a friendship. Chad is in a wheelchair, and the entrance to Bluebird Books consists of stairs only. Three men (Ike, Richie, and Garry) see Chad and Aaron trying to make a ramp to the store out of rotted plywood. They bring back better quality wood and install a ramp for free. The men continue to return to the store, and their good deeds amount to a full renovation. Chad even offers to make a database system for digital inventory and bookselling online. Ira so badly wants to give the bookstore a second chance and agrees to pay the men in coffee. Aaron, however, is convinced it is a false deal. Are these men in it for tricks?
We also have the story of Hannah. Chad doesn’t have a lot of friends, so he asks Aaron to a Beethoven’s Anvil show. There he meets singer Hannah Crew and feels an instant attraction to her. The chronicles of Aaron and Chad are super fun and include sneaking across the Canadian border without a passport to attend one of Hannah’s shows. I absolutely LOVED this story and the rowdy, hilarious characters in it. It really made me wish we had a family-owned bookstore in town. I will be adding Gayle Forman to my auto-buy authors list!
June 2, 2021
We Are Inevitable is a cute story about the importance of independent bookstores. We Are Inevitable is a cute story with great characters. Aaron has always loved reading, but after everything fell apart the last few years the, the only book he reads is about dinosaurs. He decides to sell his family’s bookstore without telling anyone. Next thing he makes a new best friend and meets Hannah. Hannah isn’t what he expected, but he thinks they are inevitable. Unexpected friends start to fix up the bookstore. The bookstore has been struggling for years, and the importance of the bookstore is finally realized. Aaron lets many people done. We Are Inevitable is a story of family, friends and never giving up. This is a story of unexpected friendships and not giving up on people even when they let you down. The bookstore has been struggling for years, but is there a way it can finally be saved?
Thank you Penguin Teen and Viking Books for We Are Inevitable.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
Thank you Penguin Teen and Viking Books for We Are Inevitable.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
December 5, 2021
O lectură despre familie, coming of age, regăsire, comunitate și… cărți🧡
Cartea a fost foarte caldă și aproape de sufletul meu. M-a enervat personajul principal dar pe parcursul cărții am reușit să rezonez cu el și să-l inteleg. Și știți cum se zice - totul e bine când se termină cu bine❤️
Chiar am râs la unele scene și m-au amuzat noii prieteni ai lui Aaron.
Merită citită dacă vă plac cărțile YA, despre anii de după terminarea liceului / despre maturitate
Hope you like it
Cartea a fost foarte caldă și aproape de sufletul meu. M-a enervat personajul principal dar pe parcursul cărții am reușit să rezonez cu el și să-l inteleg. Și știți cum se zice - totul e bine când se termină cu bine❤️
Chiar am râs la unele scene și m-au amuzat noii prieteni ai lui Aaron.
Merită citită dacă vă plac cărțile YA, despre anii de după terminarea liceului / despre maturitate
Hope you like it
June 6, 2021
I am always going to read Gayle’s books. Always.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about Aaron. He’s sort of a jerk, but it’s understandable why he acts out. It’s the rest of the characters who ruled this story for me. I loved Chad and the Lumberjacks so very much.
Plot wise, it’s interesting. The storytelling unfolds slowly and not completely in order. There are loads of flashbacks (but not really) and foreshadowing (but not really). I enjoyed the love of books, stories, and bookstores. And addiction was a topic I wasn’t expecting at first.
Overall, it was compelling and I definitely wanted to know how it ended, but something kept me from loving this one.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about Aaron. He’s sort of a jerk, but it’s understandable why he acts out. It’s the rest of the characters who ruled this story for me. I loved Chad and the Lumberjacks so very much.
Plot wise, it’s interesting. The storytelling unfolds slowly and not completely in order. There are loads of flashbacks (but not really) and foreshadowing (but not really). I enjoyed the love of books, stories, and bookstores. And addiction was a topic I wasn’t expecting at first.
Overall, it was compelling and I definitely wanted to know how it ended, but something kept me from loving this one.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
April 20, 2021
“Twenty-six letters and some punctuation marks and you have infinite words in infinite worlds.”The author calls this book a “love letter to books, and to booksellers” and there are so many bookish delights:
📖 I got to read about other people who love books as much as I do.
📖 The chapter headings are book titles! Why didn’t I think of that?! [Must
📖 Bookish references in abundance! Books within books are one of my top five favourite bookish things. Book titles are casually scattered throughout the book. Storylines of well known books are mentioned. Movies that began their lives as books are discussed (the book was better).
“Seriously? It was also a book first?”If you’re like me and likely to panic around the halfway point when you wish you’d been making a list of all of the books that have been mentioned, don’t worry; there’s a bibliography at the end.
“Seriously.”
“Are all movies books first?”
“Just the best ones.”
📖 Independent bookstores! We get to hang out in not one, but two of them! With booksellers who desperately love books and about making sure the book the reader needs finds its way to them.
“Tell me: What’s the last book you read that you loved?”📖 The main bookstore has genres grouped together in a way that makes so much sense.
I could happily spend my entire review talking about the books, bookstores and booksellers but there’s more to this book than books. We also come face to face with some pretty difficult topics. Multiple characters are dealing with addiction, either their own or a loved one’s. Likewise, multiple characters are grieving. Chad, my favourite character, is living with a spinal cord injury.
I adore Chad, although I expect I wouldn’t have been a huge fan of him before his accident. He’s had some pretty impressive post traumatic growth and his attitude is amazing. I could have done without him saying “dawg” and “son” all the time but I guess no one’s perfect.
Speaking of not being perfect, Aaron (our main character) is definitely a work in progress. I really didn’t like him at all for a good portion of the book, during which he basically treats everyone around him like garbage. He did begin to make more sense to me as I got to know him but until then, ugh!
I loved Aaron’s father, Ira, because he loves books so much. The fact that he’s still so passionate about them, despite grief, anxiety and depression, made me love him even more. He truly comes alive when he talks books and that resonated with me.
I liked the Lumberjacks, getting to know Ike the best. He came up with my favourite line (pardon his French):
“Fudge a duck on a hot sidewalk!”You might be interested in this book because of the romance, which is pretty insta, but it’s not the main focus of the book. Aaron, a young man who doesn’t like music, falls for a young woman who’s in a band.
Every time I see her, I feel that thing: the inevitable.I was ready to love Hannah but never formed an emotional connection with her. Her purpose seemed to be to act as a mirror for Aaron. I didn’t feel like I got to know Hannah that well and her bandmates are even more of a mystery to me. I really wanted to find out more about Jax, especially when it looked as though they were going to become more integral to the story, but pretty much all I know for sure about them is their pronouns (they/them).
The thing is: I don’t trust the inevitable.
I mean, what has inevitable done for me?
Ruined my life is what.
A few things didn’t make sense to me.
“Are the answers to all life’s questions in books?”Content warnings include mention of addiction, disability, grief, mental health and suicidal ideation.
“Of course,” he says. “That’s what makes them miracles.”
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children's Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster UK, for the opportunity to read this book.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
June 25, 2021
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was a great book! I loved I Have Lost My Way by this author when I read it a couple of years ago so I jumped at the chance to read this book. I had no idea what to expect but I was pretty sure that this book would be a good bet since I have enjoyed the author’s work in the past and part of the story takes place in a bookstore. There’s just something about stories about books and bookstores. I found this book to be a very enjoyable read from beginning to end.
Aaron feels like he is kind of stuck and things are just going to happen because they are inevitable. He runs a struggling bookstore with his father, Ira, but he doesn’t have a lot to look forward to on a daily basis. He decides to try to sell some of his brother’s records to make some money and he runs into Chad. Chad quickly inserts himself into Aaron’s life and he meets Hannah. This starts a chain of events where things are changing at the bookstore and he has some really big issues to deal with before it gets too late.
I was hooked by this story right away. I felt really bad for Aaron and wanted to see things start working out better for him. I understood the decisions that he made and liked seeing him work through some of the big things in his life. I really loved the cast of characters in this book. Chad was such a positive influence and I love the fact that he didn’t let his disability stop him from doing anything. Hannah was great and has overcome a lot in her life. Ike and the crew at the bookstore were fantastic and usually brought a smile to my face when they showed up on the page.
I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be a very well written story with wonderful characters that dealt with some very big issues. I will definitely be reading more of Gayle Forman’s work in the future.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Penguin Teen via Bookish First.
This was a great book! I loved I Have Lost My Way by this author when I read it a couple of years ago so I jumped at the chance to read this book. I had no idea what to expect but I was pretty sure that this book would be a good bet since I have enjoyed the author’s work in the past and part of the story takes place in a bookstore. There’s just something about stories about books and bookstores. I found this book to be a very enjoyable read from beginning to end.
Aaron feels like he is kind of stuck and things are just going to happen because they are inevitable. He runs a struggling bookstore with his father, Ira, but he doesn’t have a lot to look forward to on a daily basis. He decides to try to sell some of his brother’s records to make some money and he runs into Chad. Chad quickly inserts himself into Aaron’s life and he meets Hannah. This starts a chain of events where things are changing at the bookstore and he has some really big issues to deal with before it gets too late.
I was hooked by this story right away. I felt really bad for Aaron and wanted to see things start working out better for him. I understood the decisions that he made and liked seeing him work through some of the big things in his life. I really loved the cast of characters in this book. Chad was such a positive influence and I love the fact that he didn’t let his disability stop him from doing anything. Hannah was great and has overcome a lot in her life. Ike and the crew at the bookstore were fantastic and usually brought a smile to my face when they showed up on the page.
I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be a very well written story with wonderful characters that dealt with some very big issues. I will definitely be reading more of Gayle Forman’s work in the future.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Penguin Teen via Bookish First.
May 10, 2021
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: substance abuse & addiction, aggression towards addicts
2
Aaron Stein knows the bookstore he runs with his father is a waste of time- too bad no one can convince his dad. Of course he doesn't pay enough attention to the world around him to really listen anyway, or notice just how bad things have gotten. So Aaron takes advantage of that, and decides to sell the bookstore. The obvious choice starts to get a whole lot less obvious when suddenly his father, a construction crew, and a former friend of his brother- and his former bully- all decide that upgrading the store is their personal project. And with possible love on the horizon and calls from his mom to avoid, he still hasn't managed to mention the sale to his dad.
This wasn't the book for me. At all. I can see other people enjoying it, but there was almost nothing for me here personally.
What I did like was the concept of Chad, who was once a meathead jock stereotype and is not a chill, funny, business minded 20-something in a wheelchair. It did vaguely feel like one of "those" types of disabled characters, but as someone not physically disabled I don't know how someone else would see it. But I do appreciate him being an interesting character, and the fact that there are 2 wheelchair-users in this book, one of which is nonbinary.
And I haven't read many books involving someone coming to terms with seeing addicts as, well, actual people, so as much as I dislike Aaron for his initial view, it is an interesting concept for a book.
However, I do in fact hate Aaron and I do not at all enjoy the way this book is written. It is so preposterously pretentious and tropey about Aaron liking books I could not, for a single second, take it seriously. He has to explain the word "hyperbolic" to a grown man. He doesn't "like music" because he only likes books- I mean, what? He says "commandeer" and people go "wow! he uses big words! he's way smarter than us!", which is just as bad as the supposedly not smart character using the word "dawg" every other sentence, which not only is bad writing but also feels racist since that's AAVE.
This book also constantly skips forward into the future with snatches about how eventually he'll know this or do that, and it just doesn't work for me at all.
Besides the book store itself, the romance is supposed to be the main part of this book, and I just... don't buy it for a second. I have a note written that says "she's a flat character and still too cool to fall for him", and I really do stand by that. Hannah is a manic pixie dream girl, she's every indie movie boy's love interest, her only personality traits are doing music and being a recovering addict. And yet at the same time, as the lead singer of a cool band with cool friends, you still have to wonder why she would ever in a million years want to date Aaron. It doesn't make sense, and they have zero chemistry to help me overlook it.
And finally, this book left a bad taste in my mouth because it so clearly was supposed to be an inspirational coming of age as Aaron deals with understanding addiction but it's done so offensively. Forgetting the actual comparison this book makes, you shouldn't need to personally experience something in order to have empathy! I do not at all feels like Aaron grows or learns anything throughout this entire novel.
I didn't like this book! I'm sure it'll work for other people out there, but it has too many problems for me to overlook and I generally didn't like how it was written.
TW: substance abuse & addiction, aggression towards addicts
2
Aaron Stein knows the bookstore he runs with his father is a waste of time- too bad no one can convince his dad. Of course he doesn't pay enough attention to the world around him to really listen anyway, or notice just how bad things have gotten. So Aaron takes advantage of that, and decides to sell the bookstore. The obvious choice starts to get a whole lot less obvious when suddenly his father, a construction crew, and a former friend of his brother- and his former bully- all decide that upgrading the store is their personal project. And with possible love on the horizon and calls from his mom to avoid, he still hasn't managed to mention the sale to his dad.
This wasn't the book for me. At all. I can see other people enjoying it, but there was almost nothing for me here personally.
What I did like was the concept of Chad, who was once a meathead jock stereotype and is not a chill, funny, business minded 20-something in a wheelchair. It did vaguely feel like one of "those" types of disabled characters, but as someone not physically disabled I don't know how someone else would see it. But I do appreciate him being an interesting character, and the fact that there are 2 wheelchair-users in this book, one of which is nonbinary.
And I haven't read many books involving someone coming to terms with seeing addicts as, well, actual people, so as much as I dislike Aaron for his initial view, it is an interesting concept for a book.
However, I do in fact hate Aaron and I do not at all enjoy the way this book is written. It is so preposterously pretentious and tropey about Aaron liking books I could not, for a single second, take it seriously. He has to explain the word "hyperbolic" to a grown man. He doesn't "like music" because he only likes books- I mean, what? He says "commandeer" and people go "wow! he uses big words! he's way smarter than us!", which is just as bad as the supposedly not smart character using the word "dawg" every other sentence, which not only is bad writing but also feels racist since that's AAVE.
This book also constantly skips forward into the future with snatches about how eventually he'll know this or do that, and it just doesn't work for me at all.
Besides the book store itself, the romance is supposed to be the main part of this book, and I just... don't buy it for a second. I have a note written that says "she's a flat character and still too cool to fall for him", and I really do stand by that. Hannah is a manic pixie dream girl, she's every indie movie boy's love interest, her only personality traits are doing music and being a recovering addict. And yet at the same time, as the lead singer of a cool band with cool friends, you still have to wonder why she would ever in a million years want to date Aaron. It doesn't make sense, and they have zero chemistry to help me overlook it.
And finally, this book left a bad taste in my mouth because it so clearly was supposed to be an inspirational coming of age as Aaron deals with understanding addiction but it's done so offensively. Forgetting the actual comparison this book makes, you shouldn't need to personally experience something in order to have empathy! I do not at all feels like Aaron grows or learns anything throughout this entire novel.
I didn't like this book! I'm sure it'll work for other people out there, but it has too many problems for me to overlook and I generally didn't like how it was written.
December 14, 2021
🎄Recenzie: ‘’Suntem inevitabili’’ de Gayle Forman
Notă finală: 4/5⭐️
🎄Suntem inevitabili este o poveste drăguță și captivantă despre importanța librăriilor independente, despre ceea ce înseamnă să fii cititor, despre familie și despre sentimentul de apartenență la grup. În această carte îl urmărim pe Aaron, un băiat de 19 ani care a iubit lectura încă de mic copil. Pasiunea lui pentru lectură se datorează părinților săi care au deschis împreună o librărie, fiind afacerea lor de familie, dar de-a lungul timpului, totul se prăbușește din cauza unor evenimente neplăcute. Fiind conștient de impactul negativ pe care librăria o are asupra familiei lui – acum formată doar din el și tatăl său Ira - Aaron decide să vândă librăria familiei sale fără să spună nimănui.
🎄Pot să spun cu mâna pe inimă că am iubit personajele secundare! Deși povestea polarizează în jurul lui domnului Grin- Aaron, consider că lumina reflectoarelor a fost acaparată de către personajele secundare: Chad, Ike, Richie, Garry, Hannah și mulți alții. Am descoperit în ei o complexitate frumoasă, având mereu cele mai bune intenții deși nu ar avea de ce, fiind mereu pregătiți să sară în ajutor atunci când este nevoie. Pe lângă faptul că au un umor inedit care o să-ți pună zâmbetul pe buze, aceste personajele se fac remarcate prin modul în care povestea înaintează datorită situațiilor create de către ei. Am favorizat capitolele unde și-au făcut prezența remarcată, întrucât am simțit că, datorită lor, povestea a prins un contur frumos și plăcut. În timp ce Aaron oferea constant un aer negativ care te făcea să-ți dai ochii peste cap, restul ofereau o pată de culoare pentru a însenina scena respectivă și te motivau să continui lectura.
🎄Per total ‘’Suntem inevitabili’’ este o lectură faină, ușoară și rapidă care o să vă ofere o stare de bine atunci când o citiți, fiind ideală pentru zilele acestea răcoroase când tot ceea ce îți dorești este să te scufunzi în patul tău comod alături de o ciocolată caldă și o carte pe gustul tău.
Notă finală: 4/5⭐️
🎄Suntem inevitabili este o poveste drăguță și captivantă despre importanța librăriilor independente, despre ceea ce înseamnă să fii cititor, despre familie și despre sentimentul de apartenență la grup. În această carte îl urmărim pe Aaron, un băiat de 19 ani care a iubit lectura încă de mic copil. Pasiunea lui pentru lectură se datorează părinților săi care au deschis împreună o librărie, fiind afacerea lor de familie, dar de-a lungul timpului, totul se prăbușește din cauza unor evenimente neplăcute. Fiind conștient de impactul negativ pe care librăria o are asupra familiei lui – acum formată doar din el și tatăl său Ira - Aaron decide să vândă librăria familiei sale fără să spună nimănui.
🎄Pot să spun cu mâna pe inimă că am iubit personajele secundare! Deși povestea polarizează în jurul lui domnului Grin- Aaron, consider că lumina reflectoarelor a fost acaparată de către personajele secundare: Chad, Ike, Richie, Garry, Hannah și mulți alții. Am descoperit în ei o complexitate frumoasă, având mereu cele mai bune intenții deși nu ar avea de ce, fiind mereu pregătiți să sară în ajutor atunci când este nevoie. Pe lângă faptul că au un umor inedit care o să-ți pună zâmbetul pe buze, aceste personajele se fac remarcate prin modul în care povestea înaintează datorită situațiilor create de către ei. Am favorizat capitolele unde și-au făcut prezența remarcată, întrucât am simțit că, datorită lor, povestea a prins un contur frumos și plăcut. În timp ce Aaron oferea constant un aer negativ care te făcea să-ți dai ochii peste cap, restul ofereau o pată de culoare pentru a însenina scena respectivă și te motivau să continui lectura.
🎄Per total ‘’Suntem inevitabili’’ este o lectură faină, ușoară și rapidă care o să vă ofere o stare de bine atunci când o citiți, fiind ideală pentru zilele acestea răcoroase când tot ceea ce îți dorești este să te scufunzi în patul tău comod alături de o ciocolată caldă și o carte pe gustul tău.
June 7, 2021
4.5 Stars ⭐️
August 19, 2021
I'm very unsure of how to rate this. But maybe a 3.25 stars?
A book about books should be relatable, right?! The relatable parts, the bookish parts, are so very relatable and good and I liked them but it's not all good, some parts I found that I'm reading thru just to get back to the bookish relatable parts.
I also don't like Aaron, and this created a bit of a problem bc the reason I chose this book was so that I can read a contemporary from a book loving male perspective. That should be very relatable but it wasn't. Aaron is in a phase where he's not reading or at least doesn't enjoy it. But more than that he wasn't entirely a good person, and his reasons which were held from us until the very ending didn't really convince me or make me feel ok with him.
All that said some cool side characters are in here, funny and nice and I enjoyed them. Many books are mentioned too and what I love is that they are real books, not some imaginary books. Real titles and real authors and that just was amazing.
A great friendship and family even if it's broken but still holding up.
Books, friends and family now that's how you win me.
The book started lighthearted and had some funny moments and at the end it gets heavy and deals with addiction and death. I found the juxtaposition to be weird and didn't sit well with me. I love lighthearted books and I love heavy books but I feel like this was neither. And that's fine but reading something like that made me not know how to feel, should I laugh here? Should I cry? Is this build up gonna be heartbreaking? That anticipation could've been better instead I ended up just having confused feelings?
And so I'm unsure to whom I'd recommend this exactly but I'd say if you like books AND music at least give this a try.
--------------------------------
Buddy read with Miss Mish Mash
A book about books should be relatable, right?! The relatable parts, the bookish parts, are so very relatable and good and I liked them but it's not all good, some parts I found that I'm reading thru just to get back to the bookish relatable parts.
I also don't like Aaron, and this created a bit of a problem bc the reason I chose this book was so that I can read a contemporary from a book loving male perspective. That should be very relatable but it wasn't. Aaron is in a phase where he's not reading or at least doesn't enjoy it. But more than that he wasn't entirely a good person, and his reasons which were held from us until the very ending didn't really convince me or make me feel ok with him.
All that said some cool side characters are in here, funny and nice and I enjoyed them. Many books are mentioned too and what I love is that they are real books, not some imaginary books. Real titles and real authors and that just was amazing.
A great friendship and family even if it's broken but still holding up.
Books, friends and family now that's how you win me.
The book started lighthearted and had some funny moments and at the end it gets heavy and deals with addiction and death. I found the juxtaposition to be weird and didn't sit well with me. I love lighthearted books and I love heavy books but I feel like this was neither. And that's fine but reading something like that made me not know how to feel, should I laugh here? Should I cry? Is this build up gonna be heartbreaking? That anticipation could've been better instead I ended up just having confused feelings?
And so I'm unsure to whom I'd recommend this exactly but I'd say if you like books AND music at least give this a try.
--------------------------------
Buddy read with Miss Mish Mash
June 4, 2021
Headlines:
Melancholy bordering on sad
Injections of hope
Families grieving
I found We Are Inevitable to be an incredibly melancholy read. The main character Aaron was burdened with so many stresses and emotions that a 19 year old shouldn't have that I got why he was the way he was. Still, I needed those bits of hope that were occasionally pieced into the story.
This was a story for booklovers, about a booklover who owned a bookstore. However, even the bookstore had tragedy in its shelves. Aaron's father, Ira was difficult to fathom, his mother a puzzle and his brother created an unresolved bundle of emotion. There were key themes of grief in this book and you need to be ready for that, alongside good mental illness representation.
There were a number of clever uses of other books, book quotes and how books can soothe and solve within the story and I really appreciated those nuggets. I didn't buy into the romance and the story let me know why that was.
One of our largest shelves has split down the middle, like the chesnut tree in Jane Eyre. And anyone who's read Jane Eyre knows what that portends.
I found this book a bit of a pacing roller coaster but it still kept my attention. I did feel the emotion of the culmination and that was satisfying. Overall this was a book I liked but didn't love.
There are other triggers in this book that I haven't mentioned, so please look for those on other reviews or DM me for details.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK for the review copy.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
Melancholy bordering on sad
Injections of hope
Families grieving
I found We Are Inevitable to be an incredibly melancholy read. The main character Aaron was burdened with so many stresses and emotions that a 19 year old shouldn't have that I got why he was the way he was. Still, I needed those bits of hope that were occasionally pieced into the story.
This was a story for booklovers, about a booklover who owned a bookstore. However, even the bookstore had tragedy in its shelves. Aaron's father, Ira was difficult to fathom, his mother a puzzle and his brother created an unresolved bundle of emotion. There were key themes of grief in this book and you need to be ready for that, alongside good mental illness representation.
There were a number of clever uses of other books, book quotes and how books can soothe and solve within the story and I really appreciated those nuggets. I didn't buy into the romance and the story let me know why that was.
One of our largest shelves has split down the middle, like the chesnut tree in Jane Eyre. And anyone who's read Jane Eyre knows what that portends.
I found this book a bit of a pacing roller coaster but it still kept my attention. I did feel the emotion of the culmination and that was satisfying. Overall this was a book I liked but didn't love.
There are other triggers in this book that I haven't mentioned, so please look for those on other reviews or DM me for details.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK for the review copy.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
April 1, 2021
Gayle Forman has outdone herself here...in her upcoming YA coming-of-age/romance/family drama, she has written simply a love letter to booksellers, book lovers, and the bookish community in general. I truly loved every page of this book and I only wish it had been longer.
This story centers on a young man named Aaron who is working in his family's used bookstore and struggling with the recent loss of his brother to addiction, and the book store is struggling in a small town; leading Aaron to question the inevitable... And a lot more happens that I don't want to spoil for you but I will say he finds a love interest in my favorite character in the book, Hannah, and a great former enemy turned new friend in Chad, who is hilarious and steals every scene he is in.
This book is heartwarming, heartbreaking, and you just get All. The. Feels. Gayle Forman does what she does best, and makes you cry, laugh, laugh til you cry because it's so dang funny, and just experience all those emotions that warm your soul. This book was everything I needed, and even though it plays a somewhat small part she writes about addiction beautifully, and she is going to bring such a great message to the YA audience about the struggles and pains of alcoholism and narcotics.
All the Stars...
Thank you to Bookish First and Penguin Teen for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This story centers on a young man named Aaron who is working in his family's used bookstore and struggling with the recent loss of his brother to addiction, and the book store is struggling in a small town; leading Aaron to question the inevitable... And a lot more happens that I don't want to spoil for you but I will say he finds a love interest in my favorite character in the book, Hannah, and a great former enemy turned new friend in Chad, who is hilarious and steals every scene he is in.
This book is heartwarming, heartbreaking, and you just get All. The. Feels. Gayle Forman does what she does best, and makes you cry, laugh, laugh til you cry because it's so dang funny, and just experience all those emotions that warm your soul. This book was everything I needed, and even though it plays a somewhat small part she writes about addiction beautifully, and she is going to bring such a great message to the YA audience about the struggles and pains of alcoholism and narcotics.
All the Stars...
Thank you to Bookish First and Penguin Teen for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
September 7, 2021
This was corny as hell, but in the best possible way.
July 31, 2021
"I continue reading, remembering why I used to love books. Because they show us, in so many words, and so many worlds, that we are not alone.
A miracle, in twenty-six letters."
So... here's the thing. I don't think this book is a love story – not the traditional one when Aaron falls in love with Hannah. Yes, it is there, but there is also so much more than just superficiality. This book is about more than one kind of love, and thus, about books, family and friendship.
Although the description says it's about Aaron and Hannah, that's not actually true. There is a lot going on and those things may have started because of her, but she is just a person, the book is about much more than her and Aaron. And that's why I'm ignoring the description right now and saying that this book was great. Because it was, just not a love story which I expected when I bought it.
A miracle, in twenty-six letters."
So... here's the thing. I don't think this book is a love story – not the traditional one when Aaron falls in love with Hannah. Yes, it is there, but there is also so much more than just superficiality. This book is about more than one kind of love, and thus, about books, family and friendship.
Although the description says it's about Aaron and Hannah, that's not actually true. There is a lot going on and those things may have started because of her, but she is just a person, the book is about much more than her and Aaron. And that's why I'm ignoring the description right now and saying that this book was great. Because it was, just not a love story which I expected when I bought it.
September 26, 2023
Previously, I had only read If I Stay by this author, and it was a long time ago. I'd forgotten how this is supposedly YA but with a need for a more literary style. Which is not my style. At the same time, it was a soothing reading for most of it, it was like, the right book for the time. It wasn't what I was looking for, but it was what I needed.
Still, I can see why the ratings are so low. The main character is even more unbearable than the girl in If I Stay. It's part of his journey, it's properly dealt with, but you still need to stand him for the whole book until he can properly develop. It's frustrating.
What I really like was how the other characters would drive him crazy. Gayle Forman's talent was perfect to deliver this effect of too many things, random and irritating things, happening at the same time and driving you crazy. I loved whenever that happened. The side characters are just so precious they don't deserve cranky Aaron.
Still, I can see why the ratings are so low. The main character is even more unbearable than the girl in If I Stay. It's part of his journey, it's properly dealt with, but you still need to stand him for the whole book until he can properly develop. It's frustrating.
What I really like was how the other characters would drive him crazy. Gayle Forman's talent was perfect to deliver this effect of too many things, random and irritating things, happening at the same time and driving you crazy. I loved whenever that happened. The side characters are just so precious they don't deserve cranky Aaron.
November 21, 2021
"Nós tínhamos de acontecer" é o primeiro livro que leio de Gayle Forman, um young adult que promete juntar, numa mesma história, o importante significado da família, do amor e da amizade na vida de todos nós. Pensando da época a que estamos a chegar, esta é uma daquelas histórias características da quadra de Natal, em que parece existir a energia necessária a que se ultrapassem os obstáculos, os problemas e a que se coloquem para detrás das costas todas aquelas histórias familiares que podem impedir a reunião em família e partilha.
Um dos principais aspectos que me deixou bastante cativada em conhecer esta história foi o facto da narrativa se centrar no significado que os livros podem ter na vida das pessoas, tornando-se os seus salvadores no meio da tormenta. É isso que sentimos na personagem de Aaron Stein e na forma como ele olha os livros como o seu porto de abrigo e os agentes catalisadores de toda a energia de que necessita para fazer frente a acontecimentos familiares algo traumáticos, como a dependência de drogas do seu irmão e do abandono da sua mãe, que não aguentou a morte do filho e seguiu a vida por um caminho diferente do do seu pai. Temos também uma livraria independente numa localidade perdida no interior dos Estados Unidos, onde não existe a agitação de uma Big Apple e onde locais como a mercearia ou o café podem ser os únicos locais de maior vida.
“Os livros são órfãos, mas são os nossos órfãos e por isso empilho-os cuidadosamente num canto, com o carinho que eles merecem” (pág. 13)
Esta foi uma das frases que achei mais especial em todo o livro. Transmite a essência de tudo aquilo que eu sinto desde que me tornei leitora ainda em criança. Os livros são órfãos até ao momento que encontram o seu leitor e ele o recebe no calor dos seus braços e partilham com eles a doce viagem de uma leitura em que nada ficará como antes. Ao longo de todos o livro "Nós tínhamos de acontecer" vamos vendo a referência a uma longa lista de livros que se adaptam a cada um dos eventos da história e que Gayle Forman junta numa lista no final do livro para que possamos explorar em maior detalhe. Os livros são especiais e tal como se costuma dizer que existe uma canção para cada momento da nossa vida (como acabamos por sentir isso com a personagem de Hannah de quem Aaron se aproxima), sinto que também existe o livro certo para cada fase da nossa vida e é isso que torna a leitura tão especial! E estas duas frases transmitem mesmo isso: "Continuo a ler, recordando o motivo por que costumava adorar livros. Porque nos mostram, em muitas palavras e em muitos mundos, que não estamos sós” (pág. 226); “- Será que as respostas a todas as perguntas da vida podem ser encontradas nos livros? - Claro que sim - responde ele - E é isso que fã deles milagres” (pág. 229).
Claro que não pude deixar de sorrir por ver o Aaron interessado por dinossauros, com mesmo interesse genuíno e brilho nos olhos que vejo no meu pequeno leitor... Ainda que, pelos acontecimentos da sua vida, a vida desses dinossauros acabe por ser a materialização de um destino a que não se pode fugir e a noção de que, muitas vezes, já fomos atingidos pelo comboio a alta velocidade e continuamos presos à nossa vida anterior, sem ter a consciência clara de que tudo já mudou e nós precisamos de seguir em frente... “- Os dinossauros são reconfortantes?
- Não propriamente eles, mas a lembrança de que tudo acaba. Os dinossauros. A família. As pessoas. A raça humana” (pág. 105).
Para além do papel central que os livros possuem em toda a história e do papel essencial que uma livraria independente pode ter na união de uma comunidade, o livro aborda o tema das dependências, quaisquer que elas sejam, e há que também dar crédito à autora por isso. “Se tu ou alguém que amas se encontrarem a lidar com problemas de abuso de substancie dependências, fica sabendo que não estão sozinhos. E à medida que avançares na tua viagem, seja ela qual for, tenta percorrê-la com compaixão. O perdão é muito complicado. Perdoarmos os outros pelos seus tropeções é ainda mais complicado. Perdoarmo-nos a nós próprios é o mais complicado de tudo” (pág. 252). As dependências começam pelos mais diversos motivos, mas não necessitam de significar o abandono, o virar de costas ou a falta de empatia. E sente-se isso mesmo neste livro e acho que é uma mensagem extremamente importante a que nos é passada a este nível.
Um young adult que se lê muito bem, de narrativa fluída, com momentos divertidos e outros mais sérios, mas que nos ajudam a focar naquilo que mais importa: os laços de família e de amizade sem os quais nunca seremos capazes de viver verdadeiramente a nossa vida seres humanos.
Um dos principais aspectos que me deixou bastante cativada em conhecer esta história foi o facto da narrativa se centrar no significado que os livros podem ter na vida das pessoas, tornando-se os seus salvadores no meio da tormenta. É isso que sentimos na personagem de Aaron Stein e na forma como ele olha os livros como o seu porto de abrigo e os agentes catalisadores de toda a energia de que necessita para fazer frente a acontecimentos familiares algo traumáticos, como a dependência de drogas do seu irmão e do abandono da sua mãe, que não aguentou a morte do filho e seguiu a vida por um caminho diferente do do seu pai. Temos também uma livraria independente numa localidade perdida no interior dos Estados Unidos, onde não existe a agitação de uma Big Apple e onde locais como a mercearia ou o café podem ser os únicos locais de maior vida.
“Os livros são órfãos, mas são os nossos órfãos e por isso empilho-os cuidadosamente num canto, com o carinho que eles merecem” (pág. 13)
Esta foi uma das frases que achei mais especial em todo o livro. Transmite a essência de tudo aquilo que eu sinto desde que me tornei leitora ainda em criança. Os livros são órfãos até ao momento que encontram o seu leitor e ele o recebe no calor dos seus braços e partilham com eles a doce viagem de uma leitura em que nada ficará como antes. Ao longo de todos o livro "Nós tínhamos de acontecer" vamos vendo a referência a uma longa lista de livros que se adaptam a cada um dos eventos da história e que Gayle Forman junta numa lista no final do livro para que possamos explorar em maior detalhe. Os livros são especiais e tal como se costuma dizer que existe uma canção para cada momento da nossa vida (como acabamos por sentir isso com a personagem de Hannah de quem Aaron se aproxima), sinto que também existe o livro certo para cada fase da nossa vida e é isso que torna a leitura tão especial! E estas duas frases transmitem mesmo isso: "Continuo a ler, recordando o motivo por que costumava adorar livros. Porque nos mostram, em muitas palavras e em muitos mundos, que não estamos sós” (pág. 226); “- Será que as respostas a todas as perguntas da vida podem ser encontradas nos livros? - Claro que sim - responde ele - E é isso que fã deles milagres” (pág. 229).
Claro que não pude deixar de sorrir por ver o Aaron interessado por dinossauros, com mesmo interesse genuíno e brilho nos olhos que vejo no meu pequeno leitor... Ainda que, pelos acontecimentos da sua vida, a vida desses dinossauros acabe por ser a materialização de um destino a que não se pode fugir e a noção de que, muitas vezes, já fomos atingidos pelo comboio a alta velocidade e continuamos presos à nossa vida anterior, sem ter a consciência clara de que tudo já mudou e nós precisamos de seguir em frente... “- Os dinossauros são reconfortantes?
- Não propriamente eles, mas a lembrança de que tudo acaba. Os dinossauros. A família. As pessoas. A raça humana” (pág. 105).
Para além do papel central que os livros possuem em toda a história e do papel essencial que uma livraria independente pode ter na união de uma comunidade, o livro aborda o tema das dependências, quaisquer que elas sejam, e há que também dar crédito à autora por isso. “Se tu ou alguém que amas se encontrarem a lidar com problemas de abuso de substancie dependências, fica sabendo que não estão sozinhos. E à medida que avançares na tua viagem, seja ela qual for, tenta percorrê-la com compaixão. O perdão é muito complicado. Perdoarmos os outros pelos seus tropeções é ainda mais complicado. Perdoarmo-nos a nós próprios é o mais complicado de tudo” (pág. 252). As dependências começam pelos mais diversos motivos, mas não necessitam de significar o abandono, o virar de costas ou a falta de empatia. E sente-se isso mesmo neste livro e acho que é uma mensagem extremamente importante a que nos é passada a este nível.
Um young adult que se lê muito bem, de narrativa fluída, com momentos divertidos e outros mais sérios, mas que nos ajudam a focar naquilo que mais importa: os laços de família e de amizade sem os quais nunca seremos capazes de viver verdadeiramente a nossa vida seres humanos.
July 6, 2021
We Are Inevitable was a book that I definitely needed to jump into today. To begin with, I hate that I'm at work and I'm bored doing absolutely nothing. Definitely wish I was home because then I could be with my dogs and doing housework or whatever. Yet, here I am... sitting at my desk... reading books. Which has absolutely nothing to do with my actual job. So... yeah.
Other than that, this book definitely took me on an emotional ride. Which can be a great thing because I got to learn about so many people and their backgrounds. Or how they cope with lost. Whether it was an accident or an unfortunate death - everyone copes in different ways. It's just unfortunate that some people turn to drugs and an addiction is formed.
Now I've never dealt with an addiction, unless you count the book addiction I currently have, but I do have some family members that are addicts. Whether it's drugs, alcohol or anything else - I've seen them at their worst and when they are trying to pick themselves up again. It's not the same as living through it but these characters gave me a whole other glimpse into the life of addiction.
In the end, I think the ending was really cute and it put a smile on my face. I'm just really happy that everyone kind of pitched in and followed their dreams. I can't wait for the next book that Gayle is going to write. I bet it's going to spectacular.
Other than that, this book definitely took me on an emotional ride. Which can be a great thing because I got to learn about so many people and their backgrounds. Or how they cope with lost. Whether it was an accident or an unfortunate death - everyone copes in different ways. It's just unfortunate that some people turn to drugs and an addiction is formed.
Now I've never dealt with an addiction, unless you count the book addiction I currently have, but I do have some family members that are addicts. Whether it's drugs, alcohol or anything else - I've seen them at their worst and when they are trying to pick themselves up again. It's not the same as living through it but these characters gave me a whole other glimpse into the life of addiction.
In the end, I think the ending was really cute and it put a smile on my face. I'm just really happy that everyone kind of pitched in and followed their dreams. I can't wait for the next book that Gayle is going to write. I bet it's going to spectacular.
November 25, 2021
this book made me miss my mom and that's all i will say about it
September 22, 2021
"Fact: Dinosaurs still exist. Here's what they look like. A father and son in a failing used bookstore, spending long, aimless days consuming words no one around here buys anymore."
Life has left Aaron behind. He still lives in his hometown, running his family's bookstore with his dad, Ira. Running is probably overly enthusiastic--the bookstore is failing. And family is a stretch, too--both his brother and his mom are no longer helping. He thinks maybe his luck has changed for the better, though, when he meets Hannah, a beautiful musician. Could she be what he needs to turn his life around?
This book was not what I expected at all, but it's an engaging story that I consumed in two sittings. It's an ode to bookstores and book lovers, sprinkled with a lot of book related references. It also incorporates music into the story. It's truly very sweet and captivating. The characters are well-written, though Aaron frustrated me to no end in the beginning, as life has given him the inability to trust and he was unwilling to accept help or friendship from anyone!
If you're not able to embrace quirky tales (or many references to dinosaurs), this book won't be for you. It's not really a romance, even though it's sort of pitched that way, but more a tale of family and how the bookstore can bring people together. It touches on serious topics, such as the power of addiction. Still, I enjoyed it overall and the characters are still with me several months after reading it. 3.5+ stars.
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Life has left Aaron behind. He still lives in his hometown, running his family's bookstore with his dad, Ira. Running is probably overly enthusiastic--the bookstore is failing. And family is a stretch, too--both his brother and his mom are no longer helping. He thinks maybe his luck has changed for the better, though, when he meets Hannah, a beautiful musician. Could she be what he needs to turn his life around?
This book was not what I expected at all, but it's an engaging story that I consumed in two sittings. It's an ode to bookstores and book lovers, sprinkled with a lot of book related references. It also incorporates music into the story. It's truly very sweet and captivating. The characters are well-written, though Aaron frustrated me to no end in the beginning, as life has given him the inability to trust and he was unwilling to accept help or friendship from anyone!
If you're not able to embrace quirky tales (or many references to dinosaurs), this book won't be for you. It's not really a romance, even though it's sort of pitched that way, but more a tale of family and how the bookstore can bring people together. It touches on serious topics, such as the power of addiction. Still, I enjoyed it overall and the characters are still with me several months after reading it. 3.5+ stars.
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May 24, 2021
I was super excited to read this book about a failing used bookstore and a community that pulled together to try to save it. There were some genius pieces I loved (like the chapter titles are book titles!). I did struggle a little to connect to the characters especially the main character Aaron. I felt like he was a little slow on the uptake as far as how boneheaded he was being in his choices. I felt like the romantic interest needed a bit more developing too. But as far as an emotional family story this book hit home with me, and I am not ashamed to admit that I definitely cried through the last couple of chapters. I did also really like the diversity in the cast. Not only was there a character in a wheelchair but their was a character who used they/them pronouns and it wasn’t called out or anything it just was. I also loved the books they mentioned and the light humor that balanced the emotional pieces.
June 3, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
We Are Inevitable is a love letter to bookstores, readers, and authors. While this book is about saving a crumbling bookstore, it is about addiction and overcoming grief. I have always loved the authors writing and I can say the same for this book as well. It took me a little bit to get into the book because it was depressing from the start, but once I knew more about the characters I was hooked.
Aaron is the owner of his parent’s failing bookstore. He and his dad run the bookstore, which needs some serious updating and some actual customers. One morning Aaron finds a stack of unpaid credit card bills and realizes the only way to get out of going bankrupt is to sell the store. He goes to a town local to sell the store, but makes her promise not to tell his dad because it will break him.
While figuring out how to tell his dad the news, he runs into Chad who was his brother’s good friend. Chad wants to see the bookstore, but can’t make it in to the store because they don’t have a ramp for his wheelchair. This is really where the story begins. I don’t want to go into any more detail because I went into this knowing it was about saving a bookstore. I really loved the characters and definitely connected to them. I felt so much sadness and pain for both Aaron and his father Ira. I loved the characters who come to rescue the store and their bantering back and forth.
“Because the hard part of falling down is not the falling, or the getting back up. It’s seeing what happens to the people you fall on. You get bruised; they get flattened.”
We Are Inevitable is heart warming and heart breaking at the same time. I felt all the feels reading this beautiful book. I felt so many connections while reading this book and simply put I loved it all.
We Are Inevitable is a love letter to bookstores, readers, and authors. While this book is about saving a crumbling bookstore, it is about addiction and overcoming grief. I have always loved the authors writing and I can say the same for this book as well. It took me a little bit to get into the book because it was depressing from the start, but once I knew more about the characters I was hooked.
Aaron is the owner of his parent’s failing bookstore. He and his dad run the bookstore, which needs some serious updating and some actual customers. One morning Aaron finds a stack of unpaid credit card bills and realizes the only way to get out of going bankrupt is to sell the store. He goes to a town local to sell the store, but makes her promise not to tell his dad because it will break him.
While figuring out how to tell his dad the news, he runs into Chad who was his brother’s good friend. Chad wants to see the bookstore, but can’t make it in to the store because they don’t have a ramp for his wheelchair. This is really where the story begins. I don’t want to go into any more detail because I went into this knowing it was about saving a bookstore. I really loved the characters and definitely connected to them. I felt so much sadness and pain for both Aaron and his father Ira. I loved the characters who come to rescue the store and their bantering back and forth.
“Because the hard part of falling down is not the falling, or the getting back up. It’s seeing what happens to the people you fall on. You get bruised; they get flattened.”
We Are Inevitable is heart warming and heart breaking at the same time. I felt all the feels reading this beautiful book. I felt so many connections while reading this book and simply put I loved it all.
June 22, 2021
This took me ages to read, which wouldn't ordinarily be a good sign, however, once I saddled up and devoted undivided time to it, I liked it. It is a slow burn, a very slow burn. I was confused at times and found myself a little bit lost with the characters, who was who and where did they fit? What exactly was going on? How did this kid suddenly come to own a bookshop at his tender age? Gradually it became clearer, but I wonder how much tolerance for this the target audience might have. So in that way, it does miss the mark a little bit. It rewards perseverance which most teens are not going to put up with.
In the end, I became attached to the characters, I really liked their quirk and I loved the inclusiveness and the way that diversity of gender and sexuality was just part of their lives. I quite like a YA story where the parents are a bit useless and the teens have to take charge. There are some definite glitches but the overall feeling I had at the end of the book was that it was a good read. Not a great read, but one that is rewarding after the halfway point. I'm kind of damning it with faint praise, mostly because I'm a bit conflicted.
I loved that it was set in a bookshop. I loved that there was a strong music element. I really liked the romance, fraught with difficulty but full of goodness. The parent thing is problematic for me. I'd have loved a firmer hand with the editing to make the beginning of the story as strong as the second half. In the end, I don't think it is memorable, which is a shame, because this author can write wonderful books.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this book.
In the end, I became attached to the characters, I really liked their quirk and I loved the inclusiveness and the way that diversity of gender and sexuality was just part of their lives. I quite like a YA story where the parents are a bit useless and the teens have to take charge. There are some definite glitches but the overall feeling I had at the end of the book was that it was a good read. Not a great read, but one that is rewarding after the halfway point. I'm kind of damning it with faint praise, mostly because I'm a bit conflicted.
I loved that it was set in a bookshop. I loved that there was a strong music element. I really liked the romance, fraught with difficulty but full of goodness. The parent thing is problematic for me. I'd have loved a firmer hand with the editing to make the beginning of the story as strong as the second half. In the end, I don't think it is memorable, which is a shame, because this author can write wonderful books.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this book.
July 9, 2021
I should have known by the author that this book would pack a punch when it came to emotions. While this one crept up on me, it was still very heavy at times and chalk full of emotions.
Aaron feels stuck in his small town. The bookshop he owns is failing. His father seems to have given up. And all of his friends have gone off to college. After one horrible day, Aaron makes a life altering decision in the spur of the moment - but suddenly everything starts changing and Aaron might have just made the worst mistake yet.
This book featured heavily on grief, loss, and addiction. Because of these themes, the characters were flawed and broken and just trying to survive. But it also shows that you never really know what people are going through when you're too blinded by your own issues.
Aaron was a complicated main character. He's so angry and that just came across in his internal dialogue. Because of the demons of his past he finds it very hard to trust people and doesn't believe when people are kind just for kindness sake. All of his relationships are strained including the one with his father. And this broke my heart. His father was such a sweet old man who was just wanting to spend time with his son in the bookstore. Yes, he was set in his old ways but over the course of the book started to come alive and it was such a joy to read. This book was so character heavy and I found myself just drawn to all of the supporting characters. There was a romance but I wasn't a huge fan of it. But honestly, I don't think we were supposed to be. I believe Forman used this relationship as a way to get Aaron to finally see things.
The theme of addiction was very heavy here and I really appreciated how it was portrayed. Aaron goes through the emotions of being angry at his brother for his addiction to finally seeing the struggles and coming to terms with everything that happened. It was really beautiful to read. I also loved the feel of the small town community.
A heavy book but uplifting at the same time.
Aaron feels stuck in his small town. The bookshop he owns is failing. His father seems to have given up. And all of his friends have gone off to college. After one horrible day, Aaron makes a life altering decision in the spur of the moment - but suddenly everything starts changing and Aaron might have just made the worst mistake yet.
This book featured heavily on grief, loss, and addiction. Because of these themes, the characters were flawed and broken and just trying to survive. But it also shows that you never really know what people are going through when you're too blinded by your own issues.
Aaron was a complicated main character. He's so angry and that just came across in his internal dialogue. Because of the demons of his past he finds it very hard to trust people and doesn't believe when people are kind just for kindness sake. All of his relationships are strained including the one with his father. And this broke my heart. His father was such a sweet old man who was just wanting to spend time with his son in the bookstore. Yes, he was set in his old ways but over the course of the book started to come alive and it was such a joy to read. This book was so character heavy and I found myself just drawn to all of the supporting characters. There was a romance but I wasn't a huge fan of it. But honestly, I don't think we were supposed to be. I believe Forman used this relationship as a way to get Aaron to finally see things.
The theme of addiction was very heavy here and I really appreciated how it was portrayed. Aaron goes through the emotions of being angry at his brother for his addiction to finally seeing the struggles and coming to terms with everything that happened. It was really beautiful to read. I also loved the feel of the small town community.
A heavy book but uplifting at the same time.
January 22, 2022
A blurb can make or break a book. The right blurb can find it's way to the right readers, but the wrong blurb, mis-representing a book as a different book, can break it. And that's what happened here. It's too easy to assume that this is a basic contemporary romance with a bookstore setting. But it's not a contemporary romance at all.
There isn't really any romance, at least not the romance I was expecting as a frequent contemporary romance reader - Hannah barely features in this story and while she was a fully fleshed out character struggling with addiction, I felt she still bordered on that role of propping up the male lead character and making him a better person.
Surprisingly coming from a female writer, this book heavily features and focuses on men. Every female role seems to be a side role, appearing only occasionally and disappearing in a few pages. The men in this story are the focus - Aaron himself, his ailing father, his new friend, the men that insist on helping the bookstore.
Overall, this wasn't a terrible book, it was just terribly frustrating seeing Aaron make this decision to sell the bookstore, and then as people try and save it, he says nothing, making us wait until the very end of the story before the inevitable crash to reality. This does tackle the struggle of families hit by addiction very well, but I was distracted by the anticipation of waiting for Aaron to admit what he did.
There isn't really any romance, at least not the romance I was expecting as a frequent contemporary romance reader - Hannah barely features in this story and while she was a fully fleshed out character struggling with addiction, I felt she still bordered on that role of propping up the male lead character and making him a better person.
Surprisingly coming from a female writer, this book heavily features and focuses on men. Every female role seems to be a side role, appearing only occasionally and disappearing in a few pages. The men in this story are the focus - Aaron himself, his ailing father, his new friend, the men that insist on helping the bookstore.
Overall, this wasn't a terrible book, it was just terribly frustrating seeing Aaron make this decision to sell the bookstore, and then as people try and save it, he says nothing, making us wait until the very end of the story before the inevitable crash to reality. This does tackle the struggle of families hit by addiction very well, but I was distracted by the anticipation of waiting for Aaron to admit what he did.
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