Overall rating and opinion of "Swimming in a Sea of Stars" by Julie Wright

Post by **Melisa Jane** » 01 Jul 2023, 02:57

This is a discussion topic for the July 2023 Book of the Month, "Swimming in a Sea of Stars" by Julie Wright

What is your overall opinion of the book? What do you like most about it? What do you like least? What did you think of the writing style? What genre is the book? What genres are woven into the text? What did you think of the cover and title? What was the greatest lesson you learned from the book? Will you recommend the book to other people? Why or why not?

Please remember to add your actual rating using the book's page on the Bookshelf.

Post by **Bertha Jackson** » 01 Jul 2023, 12:05

I just finished reading and reviewing this book, and it is one of the best ones I have read about teenage suicide. Although it focuses on teenage suicide, anyone contemplating suicide or suffering from depression will benefit from this book. This applies to their friends and families who are affected by their actions. The cover and title are appropriate for the story. There was nothing about this book that I would recommend the author change. Her writing style makes it easy to understand and feel the many emotions of the characters. I found no reason not to give this book a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars.

Post by **Leslie Kunde** » 01 Jul 2023, 21:19

I have not read the entire book yet. I am hooked. It is so packed with emotion that you can almost feel the character's pain. I will post my likes and dislikes later. So far I am only 2 chapters in and love it.

Naghma Qureshi · Post by **Naghma Qureshi** » 02 Jul 2023, 03:16

I am really looking forward to reading this one. It is so much apt about today's mental health situation not just among teens but also among other age groups. I'd recommend this to all teenagers and also to all others who would love to read about how we all go through our emotions and find our ways of coping.

Nancy004 · Post by **Nancy004** » 02 Jul 2023, 03:41

I recently began reading this book that delves into numerous complex themes such as suicide, fractured families, traumatic childhood experiences, and the impact of social media on young individuals. The story introduces a multitude of characters, and I'm hopeful that as the book progresses, their backgrounds and personalities will be further explored and developed. Although I've only read a few pages, I've already become emotionally invested in characters like Addison and Celia, and I'm genuinely rooting for them to overcome their challenges. All in all, I'm eagerly looking forward to delving deeper into the layers of this book and exploring its intricacies.

Post by **Donna Walker** » 02 Jul 2023, 06:32

I am already nine chapters into this book, and it is hard to put down! I really feel for these kids. What Celia is going through at home is particularly heartbreaking. No person, let alone a child, should be used as a human ashtray. I'll update once I've read some more, but so far I really love the writer's style and how she writes each chapter from different characters points of view. I can't wait to read more.

Hazel Mae Bagarinao · Post by **Hazel Mae Bagarinao** » 03 Jul 2023, 04:38

I'm currently reading this book, and Addison's character is quite relatable to me, especially in her journaling style. I usually write down my thoughts when I feel bad, annoyed, worried, and restless, because that way, I release myself, and somehow lessen the heavy feelings inside. Celia's situation at home is so saddening. I can't imagine her mother just letting her boyfriend abuse her daughter. Where is her conscience, and love? All the characters possess different silent battles, and I hope the book's ending doesn't hurt me. I hope they all find solace. I think I'll give this book a perfect score after reading it because it's just so relatable to me. The character's emotions are transparent, and I could feel them. Congratulations to the author for this emotional-to-read book!

Prince Oyedeji Oyeleke Jayeola · 04 Jul 2023, 21:55

I give this book a perfect rating of 5 out of 5. The author was able to tell fictional stories that seems true. I can relate to what every of the high school students mentioned in the book experienced. I like how Addison illuminated her light to all of them and how she used the words swimming, drowning, stars, and heaven.

Post by **Oluoma Chukwu** » 06 Jul 2023, 16:24

I love the way this book focuses on suicide, especially teenage suicide. I like the cover page and the writing style of the book. I like that the author employed the use of simple English terms throughout this book. I don't think I dislike anything about it. Congratulations on your BOTD.

Christine M. Whitehead · Post by **Cristina Corui Mihailescu** » 08 Jul 2023, 03:13

As a teacher, I am interested in reading books about the issues of teenagers. Depression is one of them, so I am quite curious to see how Addison will deal with it. Teenage suicide is difficult to cope with, for parents and teachers as well.

Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis · 08 Jul 2023, 08:31

I have only read a sample of this book yet, but I have it on pre-order with Amazon. I am anxious to read it as I have a grandson who is bipolar and has attempted suicide a couple of times. He is hard to talk to because he always says we don't understand what he is going through. He is right, we don't know what he is going through, but we would like to help him.

John Aburzzi · Post by **John Aburzzi** » 09 Jul 2023, 15:13

This book was so exceptional and I can say it's suit events that happens to teenagers today. It's a book of hope and also a guide on how to deal with depression. The authors writing was very clear.

Amy K Collier · Post by **Kigen Valarie** » 10 Jul 2023, 06:07

This is one of those books that I did not struggle to understand or write a review. I loved the style of writing and despite the many themes addressed in the book, Wright managed to stay on track. My rating was 5 out of 5 stars since I disliked nothing. The title was innovative and the cover page matched the title well.

Marissa Maniaci · Post by **Marissa Maniaci** » 11 Jul 2023, 00:59

I loved this book! The greatest lesson for me was how meaningful those small gestures of kindness can be. I loved how Addison took her therapist's recommendation about being grateful for small things and expressing thanks and it had a butterfly effect in which all of the characters began to pass on those expressions of gratitude to each other. I think getting that validation can really help us understand the impact of our words and actions on others.

Post by **Diana Lowery** » 11 Jul 2023, 10:01

Marissa Maniaci wrote: ↑11 Jul 2023, 00:59 I loved this book! The greatest lesson for me was how meaningful those small gestures of kindness can be. I loved how Addison took her therapist's recommendation about being grateful for small things and expressing thanks and it had a butterfly effect in which all of the characters began to pass on those expressions of gratitude to each other. I think getting that validation can really help us understand the impact of our words and actions on others.

I 100% agree with you on gestures of kindness. I have been trying to focus on this throughout my day and have been trying to "pass it on." The book was definitely an inspiration for me to work on this.