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

[Sonia_Gonzalez]

I have just finished reading the book and it definitely was a lot. I was afraid it ended up being like 13 Reasons Why or some other teenage book that is not clear about mental health or suicide. I felt the pain each character had, I saw the growth as Addison wrote another entry and someone realized that we are all going through something, but we can also help. This is a perfect book.

[Mikayli Glasscock]

This book is definitely one of my new favorites. I really like the way it is structured because it allows for the characters to come alive in a way that a single perspective wouldn’t. I love how relatable the story is. Even if you haven’t experienced the exact struggles as the characters, you have most likely struggled with something. Chances are that you can relate to the way the characters cope and work through their challenges. There is something for everyone in this book. If nothing else, it’s the message to be kind because you never know what others are going through.

[Stephanie Runyon]

I gave the book 5 stars for several reasons. The coping mechanisms that were unhealthy and the way just taking a moment to recognize everyone is just like you was written in several different ways. The journal entry idea from the therapist for Addison was a good idea. The thoughts of a gratitude list is interesting as well. Celia was the story that stood out with how she was afraid to tell because she loved her mom, but to have her turn a blind eye to her daughter's obvious pain was abhorrent. Her father should have fought more for her when she was younger too.

[Saima Rahman]

This is a beautiful book! The emotions and sentiments of the characters were so raw and relatable. The fact that you don't know how you impact others lives and help in small ways to make their lives better was so clear and beautiful. I definitely forget how even my smallest gestures of love and kindness can be very big for others. This book helped me remember this, and I am grateful for this exceptional book! Definitely, 5 out of 5 stars for this book!

[Mikayli Glasscock]

This is a beautiful book! The emotions and sentiments of the characters were so raw and relatable. The fact that you don't know how you impact others lives and help in small ways to make their lives better was so clear and beautiful. I definitely forget how even my smallest gestures of love and kindness can be very big for others. This book helped me remember this, and I am grateful for this exceptional book! Definitely, 5 out of 5 stars for this book!

This was probably my favorite message from the book. You never know what other people are going through. Your words and actions, however small they may seem to you, might make all the difference to someone else. I think the author handled this beautifully.

[Kenneth Onyenwe]

"Swimming in a sea of stars by Julie Wright explorers a lot of themes that are crucial in present time. Themes like suicide, child depression and abuse etc. I enjoyed the read.

[Erin Dydek]

I liked how this book shows that even an everyday existence makes a big difference in the lives of others. Addison has to face her fears and ends up impacting the lives of four other students in unexpected ways. I like to imagine that each of us can make a difference for others by being a little more observant of the people around us. Stepping outside of our comfort zones can be hard, but in the end, it helps us overcome our challenges, insecurities, and traumas and connects us with other people so we can heal and help others heal too.

[Selena Romero 1]

While reading this book, I could only think of all the families that have people dealing with suicidal thoughts, depression and teenage crisis. I am really touched and I think this book would really be of much help to them. Overall, this book touches important themes and that's the most likeable part of it. It gets a five star rating from me.

[Kim Bennett 3]

This was probably my favorite book I've read to review so far. I loved the writing style. The characters were great, and the way their stories intertwined was perfect. There is nothing I didn't like about this book except maybe that it ended. 5/5 stars for sure.

[Okoye Chinonso+]

I wholeheartedly rate the book a full 5 out of 5 stars. For one, I must commend the author for her beautiful writing style, which was easy to comprehend and understand. Additionally, the book's title and cover page were so alluring that it was difficult to ignore the book. Then there is the content that the book holds. Despite the fact that the book mostly concentrates on youth suicide, it will be helpful to anybody thinking about suicide or experiencing sadness or depression.

[Jemma Tredinnick]

This was also my favourite book to read and review, despite my review being rejected! The underlying message was dealt with very well and the characters were fascinating. My big take away was how one character barely noticed their conversations but it had a profound effect on another. You really don't know how your words could help someone else. I was unsure about starting a book about teenage suicide but I am so glad I did as I found it to be about so much more

[Dalia Chf]

I just reviewed this book and I’m still in awe. I haven’t read a book that made me feel these many emotions in a very long time! I really loved Celia, she remained my favorite character throughout the book, and I’m still not sure about Addison. It’s so strange, I felt like the author gave us very little about her even though she was the only one talking in the first person. Overall I adored this book and I really hope the author continues telling all the characters’ stories. I really wanna know what will happen between Booker and Allison!!

[Dana Youngblood]

I really liked this book! The characters in the book were relatable and written so well. Each one grows in the span of a day and helps someone else in their school. The characters are each going through their own issues, but they find it in themselves to still be good people to each other. I liked the writing style as well. When I first started reading, I was not a big fan of Addison's point of view just being in her journal. I also did not like how each chapter was a new person's perspective. However, as I continued reading, I really liked how the author wrote the book. I liked how each character had their own personalities and it was evident that they were their own person. I think the genre is young adult because they are in high school and even though they have bigger issues going on at home, they still have the feelings of high school kids. I like the title but do wish there was more talk like that throughout the book. It showed up a few times, but was not a major theme of the book. I think the greatest lesson to be learned from the book is that everyone is going through something and you cannot judge someone for their looks/social class/income bracket/etc. I will recommend this book to people and gave it a 5 out of 5 rating.

[Timothy Rucinski]

I loved this book. Here is my complete review, which was rejected, because apparently, it had too many grammatical errors.
*************************************************************************************************************************************************
If, on a summer's day, you would ask me to spend a few hours reading a book about mental illness and teenage suicide, I would most likely tell you to pound sand. And yet, I read Swimming in a Sea of Stars, a novel swirling with mental challenges and physical ailments, swished around with quite a bit of teenage angst, and came out smiling as I read the final page.

Julie Wright’s Swimming in a Sea of Stars is a remarkable novel for young adults, although older folks will also enjoy it. The story takes place over a single winter’s day and focuses on Addison Thoreau as she returns to school following an unsuccessful suicide attempt. We follow Addison as she moves from the seclusion of her home to the raucous halls of high school, fearful of what her schoolmates will think of her. She refers to herself as the girl who tried to kill herself; she wonders if everyone else will see her in the same light.

Ms. Wright has structured the book marvelously, beginning each chapter with an entry from Addison’s journal, outlining her fears and misgivings. But Addison only hints at why she tried to take her own life, at least at first. Addison, incidentally, isn’t the only character in the book facing horrifying life situations, although the trials of her classmates are not commonly known in the halls of the school. Her best male friend, Booker Williams, is fearful he is the reason for Allison’s attempt to kill herself, simultaneously struggling with the knowledge that his cousin and best friend, Seb, is dying from aggressive cancer. Damion Archer, the local social media celebrity, appears to be enjoying fame and financial success but is plagued by demons in his personal life. Standoffish Avery Winters already has difficulty making friends, which is exacerbated when her brother is arrested for peddling narcotics. And Celia Martin struggles with daily mental and physical abuse afflicted at home, courtesy of her alcoholic mother and her mother’s sadistic boyfriend.

The author has created these wonderful characters with unique personalities to complement their distinctive struggles. She has an uncanny knack for getting into the head of the modern teenager; her writing beautifully reflects their fears, hopes, and dreams, rounding them out as complex individuals. Even against the heavy themes of the book, one feels good to be in the company of these youngsters, experiencing their frustrations and reveling in their achievements. The author has a keen ear for teenage dialogue, speech patterns, fashion, and especially, the pervasion of social media.

Swimming in a Seas of Stars digs deeply into the terrors of mental illness. Reading Allison's journal entries lets us feel what she feels. However, Ms. Wright tackles other heady subjects just as effectively. She casts serious light on the ills of physical abuse, chronic depression, debilitating physical illness such as cancer and early onset Alzheimer's, and cyberbullying. Some of this is tough to read, but in the end, Ms. Wright projects a vision of hope in overcoming adversity, primarily through her characters’ insights into truth and friendship.

Ms. Wright does something in this book that is distinctive in today's portrayal of modern teenagers. She uses no profanity whatsoever. It's refreshing. Instead, she uses a euphemism of "jackbag” to indicate an unsavory individual rather than tossing in an occasional expletive. The book is also impeccably edited; I couldn't find a single typo or error, making this an even more pleasure to read. Most notably, the characters are diverse in their ethnic makeup, but each intermingles without any reference to one's color or social background. In Ms. Wright's world, this stuff doesn't matter, and it's uplifting.

No, I don't typically read these types of books. So, if you are like me, you probably wouldn't either. But take my word for it. If you choose to read Swimming in a Sea of Stars, you will not be disappointed and will find yourself a better person, even if just a bit. If anything, this book provides an exceptional educative deep dive into the ills troubling today's youth. As a man in my mid-sixties, Ms. Wright has given me a much better appreciation of the terrors and traumas facing our youth in a volatile world revolving on an axis of social media.

I am pleased to award Swimming in a Sea of Stars 5 out of 5 stars. Ms. Wright's terrific book should be read by anyone interested in the trials and tribulations of young adults but will be enjoyed by those who like human interest stories. There is nothing about it that I disliked. It's about as perfect a novel as one can read.

[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

I loved this book. Here is my complete review, which was rejected, because apparently, it had too many grammatical errors.
*************************************************************************************************************************************************
If, on a summer's day, you would ask me to spend a few hours reading a book about mental illness and teenage suicide, I would most likely tell you to pound sand. And yet, I read Swimming in a Sea of Stars, a novel swirling with mental challenges and physical ailments, swished around with quite a bit of teenage angst, and came out smiling as I read the final page.

Julie Wright’s Swimming in a Sea of Stars is a remarkable novel for young adults, although older folks will also enjoy it. The story takes place over a single winter’s day and focuses on Addison Thoreau as she returns to school following an unsuccessful suicide attempt. We follow Addison as she moves from the seclusion of her home to the raucous halls of high school, fearful of what her schoolmates will think of her. She refers to herself as the girl who tried to kill herself; she wonders if everyone else will see her in the same light.

Ms. Wright has structured the book marvelously, beginning each chapter with an entry from Addison’s journal, outlining her fears and misgivings. But Addison only hints at why she tried to take her own life, at least at first. Addison, incidentally, isn’t the only character in the book facing horrifying life situations, although the trials of her classmates are not commonly known in the halls of the school. Her best male friend, Booker Williams, is fearful he is the reason for Allison’s attempt to kill herself, simultaneously struggling with the knowledge that his cousin and best friend, Seb, is dying from aggressive cancer. Damion Archer, the local social media celebrity, appears to be enjoying fame and financial success but is plagued by demons in his personal life. Standoffish Avery Winters already has difficulty making friends, which is exacerbated when her brother is arrested for peddling narcotics. And Celia Martin struggles with daily mental and physical abuse afflicted at home, courtesy of her alcoholic mother and her mother’s sadistic boyfriend.

The author has created these wonderful characters with unique personalities to complement their distinctive struggles. She has an uncanny knack for getting into the head of the modern teenager; her writing beautifully reflects their fears, hopes, and dreams, rounding them out as complex individuals. Even against the heavy themes of the book, one feels good to be in the company of these youngsters, experiencing their frustrations and reveling in their achievements. The author has a keen ear for teenage dialogue, speech patterns, fashion, and especially, the pervasion of social media.

Swimming in a Seas of Stars digs deeply into the terrors of mental illness. Reading Allison's journal entries lets us feel what she feels. However, Ms. Wright tackles other heady subjects just as effectively. She casts serious light on the ills of physical abuse, chronic depression, debilitating physical illness such as cancer and early onset Alzheimer's, and cyberbullying. Some of this is tough to read, but in the end, Ms. Wright projects a vision of hope in overcoming adversity, primarily through her characters’ insights into truth and friendship.

Ms. Wright does something in this book that is distinctive in today's portrayal of modern teenagers. She uses no profanity whatsoever. It's refreshing. Instead, she uses a euphemism of "jackbag” to indicate an unsavory individual rather than tossing in an occasional expletive. The book is also impeccably edited; I couldn't find a single typo or error, making this an even more pleasure to read. Most notably, the characters are diverse in their ethnic makeup, but each intermingles without any reference to one's color or social background. In Ms. Wright's world, this stuff doesn't matter, and it's uplifting.

No, I don't typically read these types of books. So, if you are like me, you probably wouldn't either. But take my word for it. If you choose to read Swimming in a Sea of Stars, you will not be disappointed and will find yourself a better person, even if just a bit. If anything, this book provides an exceptional educative deep dive into the ills troubling today's youth. As a man in my mid-sixties, Ms. Wright has given me a much better appreciation of the terrors and traumas facing our youth in a volatile world revolving on an axis of social media.

I am pleased to award Swimming in a Sea of Stars 5 out of 5 stars. Ms. Wright's terrific book should be read by anyone interested in the trials and tribulations of young adults but will be enjoyed by those who like human interest stories. There is nothing about it that I disliked. It's about as perfect a novel as one can read.

What a beautiful and detailed review supposedly. I wish it was published. I like your amazing writing.