Publisher: Gallery Books / Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: August 3, 2021
Source: Print: Personal copy via BOTM / Audio via Library
Summary:
The People we Keep is about a young songwriter longing to find a home in the world.
Little River, New York, 1994: April Sawicki is living in a run-down motorhome, flunking out of school, and picking up shifts at the local diner. But when April realizes she’s finally had enough—enough of her selfish, absent father and barely surviving in an unfeeling town—she decides to make a break for it. Stealing a car and with only her music to keep her company, April hits the road, determined to live life on her own terms.
She manages to scrape together a meaningful existence as she travels, encountering people and places she’s never dreamed of, and could never imagine deserving. From lifelong friendships to tragic heartbreaks, April chronicles her journey in the beautiful music she creates as she discovers that home is with the people you choose to keep.
My thoughts:
There are some books you read that you just know you are never going to forget…and that is this one. I finished this book with tears streaming down my face…and all I wanted to do was hug it – hug the book and hug April. This is a book that I will be telling everyone to read because it’s just that good!
This book completely took me by surprise. I picked it up because it is one of August’s picks for an online book club I’m in and I’m so glad it was…it is definitely going to be one of my favorite reads of the year and I can already see myself reading it again because I think it’s a book that you can walk away with different lessons each time.
While I may not have related to April exactly, there were plenty of instances that I felt for her and that is where this book shines. The feelings that this story evokes just took me through the ringer. I did not expect to feel ALL THE FEELINGS I did while reading this one – and I’m talking the gamut of feelings, from heartbreak to anger to sadness to joy and everything in-between. Tears of joy and tears of sadness were definitely the case here. I can’t think of a book that has left such a mark on me.
This book is ultimately all about family and what that looks like. Family may not be those you share blood with but rather those who are there when you need them the most. I cannot recommend this book enough…it is such an incredible story and one that will be staying with me for a long time!
Audio thoughts:
Even though I had the print version of this book, when I saw that Julia Whelan was narrating it, I just had to listen. And boy did she do a spectacular job bringing this story to life. Her pacing and intonation were spot on and she infused just the right amount of emotion as needed into her voice. I loved this audio!!!
