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The Gravity of Missing Things
Flight 133 disappeared over the ocean. No wreckage. No distress signal. Just gone.
Suddenly, everyone on the news and social media is talking about whether the pilot intentionally crashed it—everyone but me. Because I know her. The pilot was my mom, and there's no way she would hurt anyone. No one else knows that before she left, she wrote me a note. Trust me, it said.
Now it feels like someone split my world—and me—in two, and the only person who believes me is Landon. I want to trust him, to let him see who I really am, but I can't. I have my secrets, the same way Mom has hers. All I know is falling for him will only make things more complicated.
Just as I start to open up, the answer to what really happened to Flight 133 could rip my world apart all over again—for good this time.
Suddenly, everyone on the news and social media is talking about whether the pilot intentionally crashed it—everyone but me. Because I know her. The pilot was my mom, and there's no way she would hurt anyone. No one else knows that before she left, she wrote me a note. Trust me, it said.
Now it feels like someone split my world—and me—in two, and the only person who believes me is Landon. I want to trust him, to let him see who I really am, but I can't. I have my secrets, the same way Mom has hers. All I know is falling for him will only make things more complicated.
Just as I start to open up, the answer to what really happened to Flight 133 could rip my world apart all over again—for good this time.
338 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2022
32 people are currently reading
10.4k people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
June 5, 2022
In a Nutshell: Fast-paced. Serves its target YA readers well. Read the triggers though.
Story:
Where the book worked for me:
✔ It was wonderfully fast-paced, despite the number of topics it covers. After a long stint of slow-medium paced books, this felt like a gust of fresh air.
✔ The chapter titles worked nicely for the story. Rather than only having the plain numbered titles, there are tags such as “Day zero”, “Day one, morning”, and so on. This helps tremendously to know the timeline of the investigation and the aftermath.
✔ Though the topic is very serious, there is a lot of subtle humour throughout the story. The book is described in the end as having “humour and heart”, and I agree.
✔ Great representation. There’s a bisexual character (who also gets to spout some amazing thoughts on what life is like for bis), and a couple of queer characters.
✔ The stages of grief are covered well in Violet’s and her family’s reactions to the incident. The emotions are written very realistically.
✔ While YA characters are hardly ever layered, this book makes the characters sufficiently complicated. None of the characters are easy to classify into labels.
✔ There is no overload of characters. There are just as many characters as the story requires, and the author makes good use of them. This was also refreshing to see.
✔ I never like superfluous romance in non-romance-genre stories. But in this book, the romantic tracks work decently well. Though I could still have done without them, they aren’t SO bad.
✔ The cover is stunning, but… (see below.)
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ (continued from above)… it doesn’t represent the story accurately. It makes the book sound like some sort of forbidden lesbian romance story.
❌ There are too many subplots. While these don’t hamper the pace, it just feels like there’s a lot happening within a few days. Of course, the author doesn’t leave any thread dangling and all the tracks are well-narrated. But the blurb makes it sound like the plane mishap is the sole focus of the book. It isn’t.
Triggers: There are quite a few references to self-harming such as cutting oneself and also mental health issues. Won’t recommend this to the younger YA segment. 15+ years, yes.
All in all, this was a fairly satisfying book. The pace, the suspense, and the family relationship all worked for me. More importantly, it doesn’t feel like a debut as the author seems to have precise control over where they want the story to go.
Recommended for those who like YA fiction in a complicated mix of romance + mystery + drama.
4.25 stars, considering the target age group. (For readers of my age group, it might be a 3.75-4 star, which is still pretty good.)
My thanks to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Gravity of Missing Things”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story:
A commercial Boeing 747 has gone missing with almost 155 people on board, including the chief pilot Jenn Ashby. There’s no distress signal or mayday alert. It has simply vanished. Soon there are loads of conspiracy theories online, most blaming Ashby for whatever happened.
Ashby’s family includes her recently separated husband and their two daughters, 17 year old Savannah and 16 year old Violet. Both the girls are dealing with their own demons, and the plane event has set off things beyond their control. Violet decides to take things in her own hands after she finds a letter addressed to her, written by Jenn the night before the accident, asking her to “trust me.” She is determined to clear her mother’s name. Will she be able to do so?
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Violet.
Where the book worked for me:
✔ It was wonderfully fast-paced, despite the number of topics it covers. After a long stint of slow-medium paced books, this felt like a gust of fresh air.
✔ The chapter titles worked nicely for the story. Rather than only having the plain numbered titles, there are tags such as “Day zero”, “Day one, morning”, and so on. This helps tremendously to know the timeline of the investigation and the aftermath.
✔ Though the topic is very serious, there is a lot of subtle humour throughout the story. The book is described in the end as having “humour and heart”, and I agree.
✔ Great representation. There’s a bisexual character (who also gets to spout some amazing thoughts on what life is like for bis), and a couple of queer characters.
✔ The stages of grief are covered well in Violet’s and her family’s reactions to the incident. The emotions are written very realistically.
✔ While YA characters are hardly ever layered, this book makes the characters sufficiently complicated. None of the characters are easy to classify into labels.
✔ There is no overload of characters. There are just as many characters as the story requires, and the author makes good use of them. This was also refreshing to see.
✔ I never like superfluous romance in non-romance-genre stories. But in this book, the romantic tracks work decently well. Though I could still have done without them, they aren’t SO bad.
✔ The cover is stunning, but… (see below.)
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ (continued from above)… it doesn’t represent the story accurately. It makes the book sound like some sort of forbidden lesbian romance story.
❌ There are too many subplots. While these don’t hamper the pace, it just feels like there’s a lot happening within a few days. Of course, the author doesn’t leave any thread dangling and all the tracks are well-narrated. But the blurb makes it sound like the plane mishap is the sole focus of the book. It isn’t.
Triggers: There are quite a few references to self-harming such as cutting oneself and also mental health issues. Won’t recommend this to the younger YA segment. 15+ years, yes.
All in all, this was a fairly satisfying book. The pace, the suspense, and the family relationship all worked for me. More importantly, it doesn’t feel like a debut as the author seems to have precise control over where they want the story to go.
Recommended for those who like YA fiction in a complicated mix of romance + mystery + drama.
4.25 stars, considering the target age group. (For readers of my age group, it might be a 3.75-4 star, which is still pretty good.)
My thanks to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Gravity of Missing Things”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
June 13, 2022
Personally..... I think it is pretty awesome!!! ;)
Thank you for coming by and checking out my book. It means a lot! Please also check out the content warnings.
Happy reading!
Thank you for coming by and checking out my book. It means a lot! Please also check out the content warnings.
Happy reading!
October 16, 2021
This book is going to make you cry until you can't see the words anymore. You will need crying breaks. Such good writing, such a captivating storyline. Didn't see any of the twists coming at all, but I was definitely weeping through the whole ending, 10/10.
If you enjoy bisexuals, plane crashes, conspiracy theories, books requiring a huge brain and that will make you do this
This is the book for you.
If you enjoy bisexuals, plane crashes, conspiracy theories, books requiring a huge brain and that will make you do this
This is the book for you.
January 28, 2022
I was fortunate enough to beg the author for an early copy and receive it. This book broke my damn heart and sewed it back together. It's deeply moving in the most authentic, teenager way. When a plane disappears, all signs point to foul play by the pilot, Violet's mother. As Violet searches for answers to clear her mother's name--and find the plane, bc mom HAS TO BE OK--the evidence becomes more personal and more damning.
There's a bi mc, a cute boy, super relatable family dynamics, and a LOT of heart in this book. Cannot recommend enough.
There's a bi mc, a cute boy, super relatable family dynamics, and a LOT of heart in this book. Cannot recommend enough.
July 9, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley & Entangled Teen for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
2.5 stars
A lot happens in The Gravity of Missing Things ; unfortunately, nothing seems to get the time it deserves, leaving the narrative feeling shallow and unfinished.
All the relationships here have potential, but they feel rushed and unfounded. Even the family dynamics are difficult to understand. Violet's father seems to have a different personality every other chapter and was all over the map. He seems to have given up on Violet's mother within hours, and he and Violet's sister, Savannah, just go back to normal life very quickly. And Violet may be young, sure, but she's really selfish. Savannah is exactly right when she says Violet is self-centred; everything - from her mother's disappearance to who Savannah dates - is filtered through a very immature lens of how it affects Violet. Every time it feels like one problem is solved, she latches on to something else that can be turned into a problem. Oh, the joys of being a teenager. I'm not even going to go into the whole romance angle. Let's just say that trying to force a romance within a missing, likely dead, mother plot is just weird.
This is an incredibly sad story, but the plot is so farfetched it's difficult to connect to the narrative or the characters. The Gravity of Missing Things is a very quick read but doesn't leave much to hold on to.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
2.5 stars
A lot happens in The Gravity of Missing Things ; unfortunately, nothing seems to get the time it deserves, leaving the narrative feeling shallow and unfinished.
All the relationships here have potential, but they feel rushed and unfounded. Even the family dynamics are difficult to understand. Violet's father seems to have a different personality every other chapter and was all over the map. He seems to have given up on Violet's mother within hours, and he and Violet's sister, Savannah, just go back to normal life very quickly. And Violet may be young, sure, but she's really selfish. Savannah is exactly right when she says Violet is self-centred; everything - from her mother's disappearance to who Savannah dates - is filtered through a very immature lens of how it affects Violet. Every time it feels like one problem is solved, she latches on to something else that can be turned into a problem. Oh, the joys of being a teenager. I'm not even going to go into the whole romance angle. Let's just say that trying to force a romance within a missing, likely dead, mother plot is just weird.
This is an incredibly sad story, but the plot is so farfetched it's difficult to connect to the narrative or the characters. The Gravity of Missing Things is a very quick read but doesn't leave much to hold on to.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
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February 28, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Marissa Urgo for providing me with this ARC.
✨ Marisa Urgo has written a masterpiece ✨
This is her debut novel and she should be damned proud of herself. The book was nothing like I expected but so much more than I knew I could ever want.
Flight 133 disappears over the ocean. All fingers point at Violets Mother with accusations of a murder-suicide being thrown around. The story follows Violet navigating this traumatic event, all the while struggling with other life-altering events.
The characters are written beautifully. Violets trauma and experiences are so relatable (I mean her feelings btw, not the events.. my mother didn’t disappear in an airplane thank the gods and goddesses that be) and I found myself captivated by how well Marisa tackled the thoughts and ideas in her book. There was enough world building that it wasn’t just about a plane going missing, you could see the MC and her family’s lives as a whole.
I especially loved the Dad, he is a giant sweetheart and such a strong man.
This was utterly captivating. Before long, it was one o’clock in the morning and the book was over. And I couldn’t bare to go to bed without leaving my review because the world needs to know that this book exists.
I can’t wait to see what the Marisa brings us next. I know, I’m impatient.
✨ Marisa Urgo has written a masterpiece ✨
This is her debut novel and she should be damned proud of herself. The book was nothing like I expected but so much more than I knew I could ever want.
Flight 133 disappears over the ocean. All fingers point at Violets Mother with accusations of a murder-suicide being thrown around. The story follows Violet navigating this traumatic event, all the while struggling with other life-altering events.
The characters are written beautifully. Violets trauma and experiences are so relatable (I mean her feelings btw, not the events.. my mother didn’t disappear in an airplane thank the gods and goddesses that be) and I found myself captivated by how well Marisa tackled the thoughts and ideas in her book. There was enough world building that it wasn’t just about a plane going missing, you could see the MC and her family’s lives as a whole.
I especially loved the Dad, he is a giant sweetheart and such a strong man.
This was utterly captivating. Before long, it was one o’clock in the morning and the book was over. And I couldn’t bare to go to bed without leaving my review because the world needs to know that this book exists.
I can’t wait to see what the Marisa brings us next. I know, I’m impatient.
January 28, 2022
Loved! It’s suspenseful and I was in the edge of my seat, but it also had a real emotional depth. The characters feel so authentic that I was really invested in them. One I’ll definitely reread.
June 22, 2022
DNF @ 27%
I didn't really like this. At first, I thought it was because its YA and I had gotten used to reading NA and adult and then I did some self-reflection and remembered how I love many YA books so that wasn't the issue with this one.
Frankly, I just found the main character pretty annoying and erratic. For a girl who:
"feels like someone split my world—and me—in two, and the only person who believes me is Landon. I want to trust him, to let him see who I really am, but I can't. All I know is falling for him will only make things more complicated."
it's pretty strange how she trusts Landon from the first day having a conversation with him and has no trouble commenting on how attractive he is and how much she wants to kiss him AND asking him for help meeting one of her mother's old friends to get info.
And her family is a little insane because who gives up on their mother within a couple of hours of her missing? And just normally goes about their lives? Makes zero sense.
Plus the real-life references of tik tok and covid were too much to handle. I hate real-life references in books more than anything. I'm reading to escape my life not to discuss my issues.
I didn't really like this. At first, I thought it was because its YA and I had gotten used to reading NA and adult and then I did some self-reflection and remembered how I love many YA books so that wasn't the issue with this one.
Frankly, I just found the main character pretty annoying and erratic. For a girl who:
"feels like someone split my world—and me—in two, and the only person who believes me is Landon. I want to trust him, to let him see who I really am, but I can't. All I know is falling for him will only make things more complicated."
it's pretty strange how she trusts Landon from the first day having a conversation with him and has no trouble commenting on how attractive he is and how much she wants to kiss him AND asking him for help meeting one of her mother's old friends to get info.
And her family is a little insane because who gives up on their mother within a couple of hours of her missing? And just normally goes about their lives? Makes zero sense.
Plus the real-life references of tik tok and covid were too much to handle. I hate real-life references in books more than anything. I'm reading to escape my life not to discuss my issues.
February 6, 2022
Wow! This book really surprised me, but in a good way. Both the cover and title are nice, isn't they? The book is really good too. YA debuts are killing it lately.
｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡
☆ Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for providing me the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Full review to come.....
｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡
☆ Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for providing me the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Full review to come.....
June 23, 2022
Violet's life is fairly normal on the outside. Loving mom and dad, close sister and creative talent that extends to design sets for her school's performances. What most don't see is her personal struggle with pain and the small slices that make things bearable.
"Every time I cut, the burning pain felt like a deserved punishment for feelings that were too big for my body."
Her mom is the one person in her life that understands the darkest part of her. When her mom and her 155 passengers go missing on Flight 133, Violet's life upends. Her mom becomes the focus of vicious media attacks that reveal hidden family secrets.
This young adult fiction novel is emotionally riveting with twists I didn't expect. Violet is a bisexual MC who takes coming of age and destroys its foundation all while building it back up on the intensity of family drama, internal strength and sisterly bonds.
"How sometimes I felt like I was in a crowded room, screaming, and no one looked up."
Even though this has elements of romance, what I loved most was that it wasn't focused on Landon and Violet and gooey interludes. It was a more realistic representation of someone emotionally invested in another during a time of crisis. Representation you don't see often in YA. The real focus is so much more than the synopsis and my review alone. It'll be one you'll definitely have to read to know more about.
If I had a drawback, it was the inner monologue. There's a good bit of this but it's understandable considering the context. I felt I could've still connected deeply with less overall.
I highly recommend this to all young adult fiction lovers. I also recommend checking out the content mentions on Entangled Publishing's website: https:// entangledpublishing.com/ books/the-gravity-of-missing-things
Thank you Entangled Teen for the gifted digital copy. All thoughts are my own. True rating 3.5/5.
"Every time I cut, the burning pain felt like a deserved punishment for feelings that were too big for my body."
Her mom is the one person in her life that understands the darkest part of her. When her mom and her 155 passengers go missing on Flight 133, Violet's life upends. Her mom becomes the focus of vicious media attacks that reveal hidden family secrets.
This young adult fiction novel is emotionally riveting with twists I didn't expect. Violet is a bisexual MC who takes coming of age and destroys its foundation all while building it back up on the intensity of family drama, internal strength and sisterly bonds.
"How sometimes I felt like I was in a crowded room, screaming, and no one looked up."
Even though this has elements of romance, what I loved most was that it wasn't focused on Landon and Violet and gooey interludes. It was a more realistic representation of someone emotionally invested in another during a time of crisis. Representation you don't see often in YA. The real focus is so much more than the synopsis and my review alone. It'll be one you'll definitely have to read to know more about.
If I had a drawback, it was the inner monologue. There's a good bit of this but it's understandable considering the context. I felt I could've still connected deeply with less overall.
I highly recommend this to all young adult fiction lovers. I also recommend checking out the content mentions on Entangled Publishing's website: https:// entangledpublishing.com/ books/the-gravity-of-missing-things
Thank you Entangled Teen for the gifted digital copy. All thoughts are my own. True rating 3.5/5.
February 15, 2022
**See end of review for trigger warnings**
Sixteen year old Violet is dealing with a lot. Nearly to her 50 day “safety” mark after self-harming for years she is navigating school, her older sister preparing to go across the country for college, and her parents recent split and impending divorce. Then the night of her school play her mom, an airline pilot, does not make it to the school. That’s when they learn that her plane has gone missing over the Atlantic Ocean and the time on the clock begins ticking.
The chapters of this book are broken out by day and time of day, chronicling the days, afternoons, and nights in the days following the flight’s disappearance. The thing that struck me so powerful right from the start was the accuracy in which the author moves the story through Violet’s eyes and emotions. I can speak from very fresh experience what it is like to sit and watch the news and listen to people speculate on things they know nothing about while you stare at a phone and pray that news reaches you before it reaches them. The pain on the page is palpable, but the coping mechanisms used make the reading experience like a white hot knife carving at your heart. It’s nice to meet you, Violet, I also burned brownies waiting for a phone that never rang.
My experience thankfully was not as drawn out as Violet’s and nowhere near as targeted. Because, of course, in the quest for answers we see the general public point fingers at the pilot, Violet’s mom, and question her mental health, integrity, and motives. Integrity and motives that are never questioned in Violet’s mind because of a mysterious letter that her mom left behind assuring Violet that she had a plan and begging Violet to trust her…which Violet could unquestionably do because she knew her mom better than anyone else in the world. Right?
Our cast of characters is rather small, mainly consisting of Violet, her sister Savannah, and their dad. This allows you to really take a deep dive into each of these characters, what makes them tick, who they are as people, and how they navigate the grief they’re all trying to endure. There wasn’t a single character I didn’t love, they were all so beautifully written and I still find myself sitting here thinking about them.
I also LOVED the representation in this book. I can’t say from experience if it was accurate from queer and bisexual perspectives, however I found them to be genuine, serious, and respectful. Plus things like coming out and the “confusion” surrounding bisexuality (to quote Violet, “sometimes being bisexual was like running a race with your ankles tied together. If you dated a guy, people said you were really straight. If you were with a girl, you were actually gay. There was no winning. It only made telling people harder.”) aren’t really discussed in books. You usually just get a “token character/lifestyle” and then the story moves on. I loved that this story actually gave depth to our characters and who they genuinely were instead of brushing over their orientation as just another descriptive factor. Everything about Violet and her best friend Alex (she lovingly refers to themselves as two peas in a queer pod) is adorable, fun, organic, and a breath of fresh air. They’re the Mia and Lily from The Princess Diaries for this generation.
Another area of representation that was painful to read but so necessary was the author’s choice to place a woman of Iranian descent on the plane. We all know prejudice and racism exist, but still tend to hide behind harmful stereotypes when push comes to shove. The judgements passed on this woman by the media and investigators in the face of the FACTS we know about her character were devastating…and not too far off the mark of reality. It’s a sign of our times and also a warning flare in the sky reminding us that we as humans can and MUST do better.
Violet’s unlikely friendship with a her longtime classmate Landon was so natural and didn’t feel forced or rushed in the slightest. A romance would have felt out of place considering the subject matter of this book, but it reminded me of another book that I adore: Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars. Joe Melby in that story walked so Landon in this story could run. From his own mental health struggles and his vulnerability and trust where Violet is concerned, to the quiet strength and support he gives her with both his words and his actions, Landon stole my heart from the very beginning and I LOVED seeing him through Violet’s eyes.
And Violet, our protagonist. I cannot say enough about her. The stages of grief she went through, the determination to defend and clear her mother’s name, her pain, her struggle to keep herself grounded and fight the gathering storm inside herself, then ultimately her implosion, downward spiral, and shattering were all filled with such raw, honest emotion and unfiltered humor and heartbreak. Her words reverberated in my heart as much as they destroyed my heart and sometimes I wasn’t sure if my tears were for her experiences or mine and THAT right there is the mark of a darn good book!!
If you found yourself moved, in love with, and devastated by the likes of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, P.S. I Love You, Looking for Alaska, and The Summer of the Swans then do yourself a favor and read this book. It was a beautiful and poignant essay on life, loss, grief, and life the way we know and think we know it.
I would like to extend a huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Entangled Publishing for sending me this book in exchange for my honest review. It was my pleasure!
TW: self harm, grief, loss, missing persons, news/media and investigative trauma/PTSD, conspiracy theories, prejudice, racism, panic attacks, anxiety, divorce, talk of suicide and murder/suicide.
Sixteen year old Violet is dealing with a lot. Nearly to her 50 day “safety” mark after self-harming for years she is navigating school, her older sister preparing to go across the country for college, and her parents recent split and impending divorce. Then the night of her school play her mom, an airline pilot, does not make it to the school. That’s when they learn that her plane has gone missing over the Atlantic Ocean and the time on the clock begins ticking.
The chapters of this book are broken out by day and time of day, chronicling the days, afternoons, and nights in the days following the flight’s disappearance. The thing that struck me so powerful right from the start was the accuracy in which the author moves the story through Violet’s eyes and emotions. I can speak from very fresh experience what it is like to sit and watch the news and listen to people speculate on things they know nothing about while you stare at a phone and pray that news reaches you before it reaches them. The pain on the page is palpable, but the coping mechanisms used make the reading experience like a white hot knife carving at your heart. It’s nice to meet you, Violet, I also burned brownies waiting for a phone that never rang.
My experience thankfully was not as drawn out as Violet’s and nowhere near as targeted. Because, of course, in the quest for answers we see the general public point fingers at the pilot, Violet’s mom, and question her mental health, integrity, and motives. Integrity and motives that are never questioned in Violet’s mind because of a mysterious letter that her mom left behind assuring Violet that she had a plan and begging Violet to trust her…which Violet could unquestionably do because she knew her mom better than anyone else in the world. Right?
Our cast of characters is rather small, mainly consisting of Violet, her sister Savannah, and their dad. This allows you to really take a deep dive into each of these characters, what makes them tick, who they are as people, and how they navigate the grief they’re all trying to endure. There wasn’t a single character I didn’t love, they were all so beautifully written and I still find myself sitting here thinking about them.
I also LOVED the representation in this book. I can’t say from experience if it was accurate from queer and bisexual perspectives, however I found them to be genuine, serious, and respectful. Plus things like coming out and the “confusion” surrounding bisexuality (to quote Violet, “sometimes being bisexual was like running a race with your ankles tied together. If you dated a guy, people said you were really straight. If you were with a girl, you were actually gay. There was no winning. It only made telling people harder.”) aren’t really discussed in books. You usually just get a “token character/lifestyle” and then the story moves on. I loved that this story actually gave depth to our characters and who they genuinely were instead of brushing over their orientation as just another descriptive factor. Everything about Violet and her best friend Alex (she lovingly refers to themselves as two peas in a queer pod) is adorable, fun, organic, and a breath of fresh air. They’re the Mia and Lily from The Princess Diaries for this generation.
Another area of representation that was painful to read but so necessary was the author’s choice to place a woman of Iranian descent on the plane. We all know prejudice and racism exist, but still tend to hide behind harmful stereotypes when push comes to shove. The judgements passed on this woman by the media and investigators in the face of the FACTS we know about her character were devastating…and not too far off the mark of reality. It’s a sign of our times and also a warning flare in the sky reminding us that we as humans can and MUST do better.
Violet’s unlikely friendship with a her longtime classmate Landon was so natural and didn’t feel forced or rushed in the slightest. A romance would have felt out of place considering the subject matter of this book, but it reminded me of another book that I adore: Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars. Joe Melby in that story walked so Landon in this story could run. From his own mental health struggles and his vulnerability and trust where Violet is concerned, to the quiet strength and support he gives her with both his words and his actions, Landon stole my heart from the very beginning and I LOVED seeing him through Violet’s eyes.
And Violet, our protagonist. I cannot say enough about her. The stages of grief she went through, the determination to defend and clear her mother’s name, her pain, her struggle to keep herself grounded and fight the gathering storm inside herself, then ultimately her implosion, downward spiral, and shattering were all filled with such raw, honest emotion and unfiltered humor and heartbreak. Her words reverberated in my heart as much as they destroyed my heart and sometimes I wasn’t sure if my tears were for her experiences or mine and THAT right there is the mark of a darn good book!!
If you found yourself moved, in love with, and devastated by the likes of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, P.S. I Love You, Looking for Alaska, and The Summer of the Swans then do yourself a favor and read this book. It was a beautiful and poignant essay on life, loss, grief, and life the way we know and think we know it.
I would like to extend a huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Entangled Publishing for sending me this book in exchange for my honest review. It was my pleasure!
TW: self harm, grief, loss, missing persons, news/media and investigative trauma/PTSD, conspiracy theories, prejudice, racism, panic attacks, anxiety, divorce, talk of suicide and murder/suicide.
May 27, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I don’t know what I expected from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was easy to read, despite the themes of grief and loss, and the representation was really well done. It’s by far my favorite ARC I’ve ever read, I think.
The Gravity of Missing Things follows our main character, Violet, as she copes with the recent and sudden disappearance of her mother, who is a pilot. Everyone assumes she’s dead, or as good as it - the flight disappeared over the ocean, and while people are still looking, even Violet’s own sister and father have come to terms with the fact that she may not come back. Violet, however, believes otherwise, and she throws herself into uncovering what she can about the plane flight and what could have happened. You can tell how much faith and care she has in her mother, how she refuses to give up despite the consistent media speculation.
This was a solid, solid debut novel. The writing was good, the characters and their relationships were well-written, and the lgbtq+ representation and diversity was perfect. I think what I loved so much about that aspect in particular was how casual and normalized it was, but there was also depth to it. It doesn’t mention different sexual orientations in passing just for the diversity points, it’s part of the characters’ identities as well, just like in real life.
There was also an Iranian woman who was on the plane that crashed and who was friends with Agent Rosenfield that the media stereotyped at one point, blaming her. The fact that the author chose to include this in the story is so important because it reminds us that racism like this exists. And it’s necessary to be reminded of these things so that we can do better, because those stereotypes are beyond harmful. We have to do better.
I also loved all of the characters. Violet tackles grief and mental health and we essentially watch her world get turned upside-down and shaken up multiple times throughout the story, and the thing that makes it stick out is how vivid and personal her point of view is. It’s like you can see everything as it’s happening. The other characters - her dad, Savannah, Alex, and Landon - each have their own stories, and I love seeing them each through Violet’s eyes.
The one thing I would say is that the storyline itself seemed a bit anticlimactic to me towards the end. There’s a lot of buildup, and yes there are some startling revelations, but the ending sort of fell flat in my opinion. I feel like the whole mystery it was trying to create wasn’t very suspenseful, especially if you read the synopsis and then go into it thinking that there’s going to be a huge, thrilling puzzle.
Overall, though, this book is great. There’s trauma and grief, and we watch Violet spiral and build herself back up again as she’s dealing with everything all at once, but it’s balanced nicely with more lighthearted interactions between characters as well. It’s inspiring and well-written.
Here are a few trigger warnings, I apologize if there are any more that I missed: self-harm, mentions of suicide, grief, death, panic attacks, anxiety, racism, divorce, infidelity, cancer
3.5 stars.
May 29, 2022
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Gravity of Missing Things will take you on a very emotional roller coaster ride. In it, you will meet Violet, Savannah, Alex, and Landon. Two are sisters, one is the best friend, and the other is a possible new crush. In a blink of an eye, their world changes and it's completely terrifying.
Now my parents got divorced when I was in 4th grade. So, some of the things that were being said or done definitely hit close to home. Without spoiling any major details, I just knew what Violet and Savannah were going through when they uncovered some secrets. It still hurt and my heart strings were definitely being pulled. Still, I kept going because I knew that things were going to get better. Eventually.
Honestly, some of what happened was pretty easy to predict. I honestly wasn't expecting two of the reveals that happened and I'm not exactly sure how I feel right now. Don't get me wrong, I liked how much my mind is blown at the moment. I also really love their relationship with dad. It definitely put a smile on my face because my dad is my absolute best friend. My sister could probably take second place. Maybe.
Other than that, I liked how Violet and Savannah sort of grew throughout this experience. Yes, it was horrible in the beginning, but they seemed to be happier and better people towards the end of the book. Or maybe that's what I'm hoping for and they continue to find their happiness.
In the end, I'm so happy that I got the chance to jump into this. I honestly wasn't expecting to be so emotional towards the last few chapters. It was such an amazing book about grief, self-harm, and closure. Definitely hard topics to digest but Marisa did a terrific job.
The Gravity of Missing Things will take you on a very emotional roller coaster ride. In it, you will meet Violet, Savannah, Alex, and Landon. Two are sisters, one is the best friend, and the other is a possible new crush. In a blink of an eye, their world changes and it's completely terrifying.
Now my parents got divorced when I was in 4th grade. So, some of the things that were being said or done definitely hit close to home. Without spoiling any major details, I just knew what Violet and Savannah were going through when they uncovered some secrets. It still hurt and my heart strings were definitely being pulled. Still, I kept going because I knew that things were going to get better. Eventually.
Honestly, some of what happened was pretty easy to predict. I honestly wasn't expecting two of the reveals that happened and I'm not exactly sure how I feel right now. Don't get me wrong, I liked how much my mind is blown at the moment. I also really love their relationship with dad. It definitely put a smile on my face because my dad is my absolute best friend. My sister could probably take second place. Maybe.
Other than that, I liked how Violet and Savannah sort of grew throughout this experience. Yes, it was horrible in the beginning, but they seemed to be happier and better people towards the end of the book. Or maybe that's what I'm hoping for and they continue to find their happiness.
In the end, I'm so happy that I got the chance to jump into this. I honestly wasn't expecting to be so emotional towards the last few chapters. It was such an amazing book about grief, self-harm, and closure. Definitely hard topics to digest but Marisa did a terrific job.
February 13, 2022
A compelling five-star read. This is a story that will make you cry, it will also make you smile, but mainly it will make you cry, in so many ways. Violet is such a strong character, even if she doesn’t realise it herself. I didn’t realise this was a debut novel until I sat down to write the review and that just made it a much more powerful story to me. I am so excited to hear where this author will go to next, as they follow their own path, much like Vi, Savanna, Alex and Landon do in this story. This is the story about a missing plane, and a main component of a missing life, a missing mother, but its so much more that a parent missing. It’s a who done it, and details will be revealed in little titbits that will give you just enough to keep you hooked but not enough for you to know until the author is ready for you to know, it adds to the drama and tension, making those tears flow in droves like rainfall. This is a great novel, and I am excited to hear what the author has for us next.
June 9, 2022
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
The Gravity of Missing Things is a YA mystery contemporary novel by author Marisa Urgo.
Violet has always been closest to her mother, who's a pilot. One night her mother's plane vanishes from the air, and it turns her world upside down. The media is pointing the blame to her mother, whether intentional or accidental. Violet's father and sister believe that either way her mom is gone and Violet is determined to hold on to hope. But as Violet digs to uncover the truth, she'll discover she didn't know her mother as well as she thought she did and the lies around her keep piling up.
This is a well paced story with likeable characters. I will say I wasn't quite prepared for some of the subject matter and hope the finished copy has trigger warnings in the front, especially since it's a YA book . Our main character, Violet, reactions highly emotionally to situations and especially when it's upsetting to her, she struggles with self harm and there's even a scene . However, she was relatable in so many ways and feel she was well written.
My favorite part was the relationship she formed with Landon. Landon was just precious, he struggles with high anxiety and panic attacks. He knitted to help focus his thoughts and keep calm. Even though he struggled, he still tried to help Violet through her troubles. Their relationship was just really sweet. And it was a nice break from the heavy was of the rest of the book.
In the end , this was an entertaining read, I probably would have given it a higher rating if the mother's story arc hadn't unfolded they way it had, but that's just personal preference. There is some great bisexual rep with the main character and overall queer positivity .
Trigger warnings : self harm, cutting, infidelity by a parent.
The Gravity of Missing Things is a YA mystery contemporary novel by author Marisa Urgo.
Violet has always been closest to her mother, who's a pilot. One night her mother's plane vanishes from the air, and it turns her world upside down. The media is pointing the blame to her mother, whether intentional or accidental. Violet's father and sister believe that either way her mom is gone and Violet is determined to hold on to hope. But as Violet digs to uncover the truth, she'll discover she didn't know her mother as well as she thought she did and the lies around her keep piling up.
This is a well paced story with likeable characters. I will say I wasn't quite prepared for some of the subject matter and hope the finished copy has trigger warnings in the front, especially since it's a YA book . Our main character, Violet, reactions highly emotionally to situations and especially when it's upsetting to her, she struggles with self harm and there's even a scene . However, she was relatable in so many ways and feel she was well written.
My favorite part was the relationship she formed with Landon. Landon was just precious, he struggles with high anxiety and panic attacks. He knitted to help focus his thoughts and keep calm. Even though he struggled, he still tried to help Violet through her troubles. Their relationship was just really sweet. And it was a nice break from the heavy was of the rest of the book.
In the end , this was an entertaining read, I probably would have given it a higher rating if the mother's story arc hadn't unfolded they way it had, but that's just personal preference. There is some great bisexual rep with the main character and overall queer positivity .
Trigger warnings : self harm, cutting, infidelity by a parent.
June 1, 2022
I'm not sure I read the same book as most other reviewers. I cannot put my finger on exactly where this book went wrong for me. It was good, don't get me wrong on that account, but it just wasn't my jam.
The story is intriguing enough that I wanted to know what happened, but I felt like there wasn't anything very special about it. Nothing really made me go, "Wow!" like I was expecting. The conspiracy theories and mysteries surrounding the crash felt unoriginal. The bi rep felt unnecessary and it was thrown in at odd times as a reminder that the FMC, Violet, is, in fact, bisexual even if her love interest is a boy. The relationship between Violet and Landon was the most enjoyable part of the whole story for me...it was cute, but again, nothing special.
If you're looking for something to pick up that's just interesting enough to hold your attention and you can read in a day or so, then this one might be for you. But I'd say don't go in expecting too much.
Thank you Entangled Teen for the e-ARC to read and honestly review.
The story is intriguing enough that I wanted to know what happened, but I felt like there wasn't anything very special about it. Nothing really made me go, "Wow!" like I was expecting. The conspiracy theories and mysteries surrounding the crash felt unoriginal. The bi rep felt unnecessary and it was thrown in at odd times as a reminder that the FMC, Violet, is, in fact, bisexual even if her love interest is a boy. The relationship between Violet and Landon was the most enjoyable part of the whole story for me...it was cute, but again, nothing special.
If you're looking for something to pick up that's just interesting enough to hold your attention and you can read in a day or so, then this one might be for you. But I'd say don't go in expecting too much.
Thank you Entangled Teen for the e-ARC to read and honestly review.
February 12, 2022
I was immediately drawn to this book by the clearly beautiful cover. This book tackles so many hard aspects of being a teenager with the unexpected loss of a parent on top of it. Though Violet drove me nuts at times, I put myself in her shoes and have no idea how teenage me would’ve coped with everything that was thrown at her. The Gravity of Missing Things provided a number of twists and turns that kept you reading until the finale truth was revealed. A lovely debut novel for Marisa Urgo. I look forward to reading more in the future.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2022
The Gravity of Missing Things by M. Urgo, published by Entangled Publishing LLC, is a ya/na book.
This stand-alone is nothing what I expected but everything I could have asked for.
A fantastic read, literally unputdownable. A cover to cover in one sitting read tells it the story of Violet and her family. Her mother, a pilot, is in an accident and a lot of answers still ahve to be answered. She's determined to clear her mother's name and that leads her on a dangerous path.
A wonderful book, I recommend it, 5 stars.
This stand-alone is nothing what I expected but everything I could have asked for.
A fantastic read, literally unputdownable. A cover to cover in one sitting read tells it the story of Violet and her family. Her mother, a pilot, is in an accident and a lot of answers still ahve to be answered. She's determined to clear her mother's name and that leads her on a dangerous path.
A wonderful book, I recommend it, 5 stars.
February 5, 2022
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Wow just wow I could not put this down, I read it in one sitting. I was on the edge of my seat for the whole thing. This is one f my favorite books so far this year. I can’t wait to read more from this author
January 28, 2022
I am so excited to read this one! I keep staring at the cover because it's absolutely breathtaking
June 13, 2022
4.5*
Wow, this story was so beautiful and heartbreaking! First, I have seen some reviews mention this, but I must echo, because it was one of my first thoughts. The cover, lovely as it is, has really nothing to do with the story? So I guess what I am saying is, don't judge this one based on its cover, for whatever it's worth.
Anyway, we meet Violet, right as her pilot mom (and her mom's whole plane) goes off the grid. At first, she's sure it's just some kind of mix up and everything is going to be fine. But as time passes and the plane and its occupants remain unaccounted for, Violet is basically the only one left who's thinking positively. The internet is in an uproar leaving untoward comments about her mom, and the media is feeding into the frenzy, speculating on any possible reason Violet's mom would have to yeet a whole airplane into the ocean.
As the media digs, Violet finds herself with more questions than answers. And that is truly the bread and butter of this book: Violet coming to terms with answers she may not like, and regrouping and moving forward with her life, no matter the outcome. There is certainly a mystery, in that we aren't sure at all what happened to Violet's mom. But more than that is the exploration of Violet's life, her relationships with her family, and trying to find a new normal in the midst of such great uncertainty. Violet is also finding more layers to her mom than she ever bargained for, which is extra hard since she can't exactly ask for clarification.
One of the best parts of this story for me was Violet's dad. He is the epitome of what a great dad looks like. He jumped right in, caring for his daughters the very best he could the minute he found out that their mom was missing. Their marriage was over, save for the paperwork, but he never once spoke ill of their mother, and poured his whole heart into his girls. Dads everywhere, take notes. I also loved how therapy positive this story was. Violet was very resistant at first, thinking she didn't need it, but the author made sure that the reader saw the importance of seeking help when needed.
So yes, there is definitely a mystery, and a lot of unearthed secrets which make for a very readable book. But the beauty of this story really lies in how Violet and her family cope with said mystery and secrets, and how they grow and move forward together.
Bottom Line: A beautiful, moving story about finding your way forward when it seems entirely too daunting.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Wow, this story was so beautiful and heartbreaking! First, I have seen some reviews mention this, but I must echo, because it was one of my first thoughts. The cover, lovely as it is, has really nothing to do with the story? So I guess what I am saying is, don't judge this one based on its cover, for whatever it's worth.
Anyway, we meet Violet, right as her pilot mom (and her mom's whole plane) goes off the grid. At first, she's sure it's just some kind of mix up and everything is going to be fine. But as time passes and the plane and its occupants remain unaccounted for, Violet is basically the only one left who's thinking positively. The internet is in an uproar leaving untoward comments about her mom, and the media is feeding into the frenzy, speculating on any possible reason Violet's mom would have to yeet a whole airplane into the ocean.
As the media digs, Violet finds herself with more questions than answers. And that is truly the bread and butter of this book: Violet coming to terms with answers she may not like, and regrouping and moving forward with her life, no matter the outcome. There is certainly a mystery, in that we aren't sure at all what happened to Violet's mom. But more than that is the exploration of Violet's life, her relationships with her family, and trying to find a new normal in the midst of such great uncertainty. Violet is also finding more layers to her mom than she ever bargained for, which is extra hard since she can't exactly ask for clarification.
One of the best parts of this story for me was Violet's dad. He is the epitome of what a great dad looks like. He jumped right in, caring for his daughters the very best he could the minute he found out that their mom was missing. Their marriage was over, save for the paperwork, but he never once spoke ill of their mother, and poured his whole heart into his girls. Dads everywhere, take notes. I also loved how therapy positive this story was. Violet was very resistant at first, thinking she didn't need it, but the author made sure that the reader saw the importance of seeking help when needed.
So yes, there is definitely a mystery, and a lot of unearthed secrets which make for a very readable book. But the beauty of this story really lies in how Violet and her family cope with said mystery and secrets, and how they grow and move forward together.
Bottom Line: A beautiful, moving story about finding your way forward when it seems entirely too daunting.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
June 16, 2022
{3.5 stars}
You'd think as someone who travels for a living, that I wouldn't read plane crash stories. But the truth is, I can't resist them. They are always compelling and the mystery of what went wrong is always so interesting to me. In this story, a plane goes missing mysteriously mid-flight and we follow the pilot's family as they navigate the uncertainty and grief. Violet is a junior in high school and she felt she had a special bond with her mother. That bond has her torn at the seams with fear for her mother. As the investigation begins to uncover her mother's secrets and query whether perhaps the plane going missing was her fault, Violet goes into investigator mode. She tries to balance her regular life with her sister, best friend, theater commitments and her new crush with this aching grief and uncertainty surrounding her mother's fate.
I have to say, I didn't like Violet much. She was quite self-centered and un-empathetic to everyone in her life. What I did like was the other characters calling her on her nonsense, but overall, it was very young YA in tone. There is some growth in Violet and the explanation we get about her mother's life was a bit unexpected. There are a ton of potential triggers in Violet's life and pretty good representation. It was a quick easy read that I tackled in one sitting and there was enough in there to get you thinking.
Thanks to Entangled Teen for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
You'd think as someone who travels for a living, that I wouldn't read plane crash stories. But the truth is, I can't resist them. They are always compelling and the mystery of what went wrong is always so interesting to me. In this story, a plane goes missing mysteriously mid-flight and we follow the pilot's family as they navigate the uncertainty and grief. Violet is a junior in high school and she felt she had a special bond with her mother. That bond has her torn at the seams with fear for her mother. As the investigation begins to uncover her mother's secrets and query whether perhaps the plane going missing was her fault, Violet goes into investigator mode. She tries to balance her regular life with her sister, best friend, theater commitments and her new crush with this aching grief and uncertainty surrounding her mother's fate.
I have to say, I didn't like Violet much. She was quite self-centered and un-empathetic to everyone in her life. What I did like was the other characters calling her on her nonsense, but overall, it was very young YA in tone. There is some growth in Violet and the explanation we get about her mother's life was a bit unexpected. There are a ton of potential triggers in Violet's life and pretty good representation. It was a quick easy read that I tackled in one sitting and there was enough in there to get you thinking.
Thanks to Entangled Teen for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
February 4, 2022
An honest review courtesy of an ARC from Netgalley.
Rating: 3.5 stars
This was a YA mystery/thriller, filled with conspiracy theories, romance, love of musicals and the found family trope all thrown in for good measure. It made for an emotional read at times, covering hard topics such as grief and loss but did so in an honest and delicate way that kept it in the YA genre.
Bi-representation was shown through the main character, which is a new but great exploration of diversity and will hopefully help young readers discover and be confident in their own sexuality. However I don’t want to speak for others on how good this representation was. Though the family dynamics were absolutely spot-on and the relationships throughout the book were so relatable in a teenager-esc kind of way.
This was a super easy read, I finished it in 2 days.
Although despite having a really unique and captivating plot line, I saw all the plot twists coming, so it felt a bit boring at times. Also, I felt the ending was a bit rushed. There was a big climax to the book but the resolution seemed a bit flat and disappointing as I finished the book left wanting more than the simple way it all ended. Another minor criticism was that I don’t think we ever found out the age of Violet, the main character. I assumed she was around 16, though her narration seemed a bit babyish for her age at times, and then at other moments she made comments alluding to themes and ideas much older. This left me a little confused at times and jolted the flow of the narration a little.
Finally I loved the cover, and thought it was gorgeous - but didn’t quite understand how it related to or represented the story itself. A symbol of the wings of the pin, the rose from Belle or paint brushes would have been great additions to the cover to draw everything together.
I wouldn’t let any of these criticisms deter you from reading though, it did have a unique concept that is rare for books in this day and age; and dealt with all the themes in a very endearing and appropriate way. And this book covered some dark topics that are essential to young people to learn about early on, and did so in a highly commendable way that other new books/authors could learn from.
Trigger Warnings: self-harm, suicide, grief, death, affairs
Rating: 3.5 stars
This was a YA mystery/thriller, filled with conspiracy theories, romance, love of musicals and the found family trope all thrown in for good measure. It made for an emotional read at times, covering hard topics such as grief and loss but did so in an honest and delicate way that kept it in the YA genre.
Bi-representation was shown through the main character, which is a new but great exploration of diversity and will hopefully help young readers discover and be confident in their own sexuality. However I don’t want to speak for others on how good this representation was. Though the family dynamics were absolutely spot-on and the relationships throughout the book were so relatable in a teenager-esc kind of way.
This was a super easy read, I finished it in 2 days.
Although despite having a really unique and captivating plot line, I saw all the plot twists coming, so it felt a bit boring at times. Also, I felt the ending was a bit rushed. There was a big climax to the book but the resolution seemed a bit flat and disappointing as I finished the book left wanting more than the simple way it all ended. Another minor criticism was that I don’t think we ever found out the age of Violet, the main character. I assumed she was around 16, though her narration seemed a bit babyish for her age at times, and then at other moments she made comments alluding to themes and ideas much older. This left me a little confused at times and jolted the flow of the narration a little.
Finally I loved the cover, and thought it was gorgeous - but didn’t quite understand how it related to or represented the story itself. A symbol of the wings of the pin, the rose from Belle or paint brushes would have been great additions to the cover to draw everything together.
I wouldn’t let any of these criticisms deter you from reading though, it did have a unique concept that is rare for books in this day and age; and dealt with all the themes in a very endearing and appropriate way. And this book covered some dark topics that are essential to young people to learn about early on, and did so in a highly commendable way that other new books/authors could learn from.
Trigger Warnings: self-harm, suicide, grief, death, affairs
July 1, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for this advance copy in exchange of an honest review.
4,5 estrellas
**Importante, considerar que este libro tiene TW (trigger warning). Se recomienda buscar los temas sensibles presentes antes de leer la historia, por si alguno causa especial incomodidad al lector.**
Usualmente no leo historias que sé de antemano que serán tristes o muy dramáticas, prefiero leer libros alegres, con bromas, con un ritmo más ligero. Sin embargo en esta ocasión decidí arriesgarme con The Gravity of Missing Things, y no me arrepiento. Disfruté mucho (sufrir con) esta historia.
Fue una lectura con una alta carga emocional.
Logré conectar tanto con la protagonista (no porque me sintiera especialmente identificada con ella y su personalidad, creo que fue por lo bien narrado de su punto de vista), que incluso, dado que solo seguimos el POV de Violet, a veces me cuestionaba si todo lo que decía/veía/pensaba era real o no. Es raro, como que le tomé cariño pero no sabía si confiar en ella.
Me encantó el personaje de Landon, del cual no les puedo decir mucho sin dar spoiler, así que solo diré que salen conversaciones interesantes de sus intervenciones en la historia. Además, confieso que quiero un Landon en mi vida ahora.
La relación de hermanas entre Violet y Sav me gustó, porque no fue para nada exageradamente perfecta, ni tampoco llena de roces y odio gratuito. Me pareció bastante real, yo que tengo una hermana sé que a pesar de que nunca dejo de quererla, sí hay veces en que me colma la paciencia (y yo a ella), y es imposible tratarnos bien en esas ocasiones. Las peleas y discusiones son normales en las relaciones humanas, y no por ser familia cercana se puede escapar de ello.
Me pareció que en general, los personajes eran redondos, tenían todos más de una faceta. Incluso, se puede ver como no son simplemente blancos o negros, las emociones son tan complejas que las personalidades en esta historia abundan de tonos grises.
Ahora, la trama es obviamente sensible, porque si consideramos la premisa: un avión con 155 pasajeros desaparece de los radares en pleno vuelo y no se encuentran más pistas de su paradero; es evidente que esta historia no se presenta a nosotros como una comedia llena de risas y bromas. Al contrario es un libro cargado de sentimientos, donde la protagonista y narradora es la hija menor de la piloto a cargo de dicho vuelo. Vamos a seguir a esta adolescente en sus idílicas horas y días posteriores al incidente, lo duro que puede ser enfrentarse a temas como la desaparición de un ser querido, y aún más cuando la prensa acecha a tu familia pensando que más que un accidente el suceso fue un hecho planeado por quien pilotaba el avión. Defender la honra y credibilidad de alguien que no está presente puede ser muy duro, y las dudas impulsadas por la presión pueden entrometerse incluso en las mentes más fuertes. Aún así la historia no solo se centra en las pérdidas, fracasos y problemas de los personajes, sino que también nos entrega esperanza, confianza, valentía y amor.
Mi conclusión instantánea al terminar esta lectura fue "Creo que es la primera vez que disfruto tanto leyendo una historia tan triste 🤧", y ahora, un mes después, lo sostengo.
Recomiendo mucho este libro. Tiene personajes increíbles, una historia dura y dramática aunque de toques muy realistas. Superación personal, amistad y amor familiar, entre otras muchas cosas más.
4,5 estrellas
**Importante, considerar que este libro tiene TW (trigger warning). Se recomienda buscar los temas sensibles presentes antes de leer la historia, por si alguno causa especial incomodidad al lector.**
Usualmente no leo historias que sé de antemano que serán tristes o muy dramáticas, prefiero leer libros alegres, con bromas, con un ritmo más ligero. Sin embargo en esta ocasión decidí arriesgarme con The Gravity of Missing Things, y no me arrepiento. Disfruté mucho (sufrir con) esta historia.
Fue una lectura con una alta carga emocional.
Logré conectar tanto con la protagonista (no porque me sintiera especialmente identificada con ella y su personalidad, creo que fue por lo bien narrado de su punto de vista), que incluso, dado que solo seguimos el POV de Violet, a veces me cuestionaba si todo lo que decía/veía/pensaba era real o no. Es raro, como que le tomé cariño pero no sabía si confiar en ella.
Me encantó el personaje de Landon, del cual no les puedo decir mucho sin dar spoiler, así que solo diré que salen conversaciones interesantes de sus intervenciones en la historia. Además, confieso que quiero un Landon en mi vida ahora.
La relación de hermanas entre Violet y Sav me gustó, porque no fue para nada exageradamente perfecta, ni tampoco llena de roces y odio gratuito. Me pareció bastante real, yo que tengo una hermana sé que a pesar de que nunca dejo de quererla, sí hay veces en que me colma la paciencia (y yo a ella), y es imposible tratarnos bien en esas ocasiones. Las peleas y discusiones son normales en las relaciones humanas, y no por ser familia cercana se puede escapar de ello.
Me pareció que en general, los personajes eran redondos, tenían todos más de una faceta. Incluso, se puede ver como no son simplemente blancos o negros, las emociones son tan complejas que las personalidades en esta historia abundan de tonos grises.
Ahora, la trama es obviamente sensible, porque si consideramos la premisa: un avión con 155 pasajeros desaparece de los radares en pleno vuelo y no se encuentran más pistas de su paradero; es evidente que esta historia no se presenta a nosotros como una comedia llena de risas y bromas. Al contrario es un libro cargado de sentimientos, donde la protagonista y narradora es la hija menor de la piloto a cargo de dicho vuelo. Vamos a seguir a esta adolescente en sus idílicas horas y días posteriores al incidente, lo duro que puede ser enfrentarse a temas como la desaparición de un ser querido, y aún más cuando la prensa acecha a tu familia pensando que más que un accidente el suceso fue un hecho planeado por quien pilotaba el avión. Defender la honra y credibilidad de alguien que no está presente puede ser muy duro, y las dudas impulsadas por la presión pueden entrometerse incluso en las mentes más fuertes. Aún así la historia no solo se centra en las pérdidas, fracasos y problemas de los personajes, sino que también nos entrega esperanza, confianza, valentía y amor.
Mi conclusión instantánea al terminar esta lectura fue "Creo que es la primera vez que disfruto tanto leyendo una historia tan triste 🤧", y ahora, un mes después, lo sostengo.
Recomiendo mucho este libro. Tiene personajes increíbles, una historia dura y dramática aunque de toques muy realistas. Superación personal, amistad y amor familiar, entre otras muchas cosas más.
June 13, 2022
Original review
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Entangled Teen!
The Gravity of Missing Things is a standalone Young Adult Mystery about Violet who’s trying to find out why Flight 133, and her mum, disappeared.
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Entangled Teen!
The Gravity of Missing Things is a standalone Young Adult Mystery about Violet who’s trying to find out why Flight 133, and her mum, disappeared.
The Gravity of Missing Things was interesting yet hard book to read. Our main character, Violet, is trying to solve the mystery of Flight 133 disappearing, while dealing with mental health issues and grief. Although this book seems pretty heavy, there’s some humour and some fun moments too. This book also has some great representation with queer characters and characters dealing with anxiety, etc. There’s also a bit of a romance story line in this book, which I really enjoyed.
Violet is our main character. She’s a bisexual who struggles with her mental health. She’s trying to solve the mystery of her mum’s disappearing flight while struggling with grief and falling for a guy. The Gravity of Missing Things also shows Violet’s relationship with her sister, her father, her best friend and her crush. A lot of things happen in this book, there are a lot of subplots, and sometimes it was a bit too much. But overall, I really liked reading Violet’s story.
Violet is our main character. She’s a bisexual who struggles with her mental health. She’s trying to solve the mystery of her mum’s disappearing flight while struggling with grief and falling for a guy. The Gravity of Missing Things also shows Violet’s relationship with her sister, her father, her best friend and her crush. A lot of things happen in this book, there are a lot of subplots, and sometimes it was a bit too much. But overall, I really liked reading Violet’s story.
I enjoyed reading The Gravity of Missing Things, but a content warning would’ve been nice. This book talks about self-harm and some other mental health issues, and it would’ve been nice to read a content warning. There was a link to a content warning but it said that there’s no content warning available for this book. Self-harm is always a bit hard to read about for me and it would’ve been nice to be prepared. But besides that, I really liked this book and I recommend it if you’re looking for a YA Mystery with LGBTQ+ characters.
July 27, 2022
4.5
I cried 4 times listening to this lol
I cried 4 times listening to this lol
August 27, 2022
This book is wonderful, it's so beautifully written and with every page you turn there's something new that happens. It served.
A lot of ups and downs and stories and backstories and how the characters have been portrayed, the emotions are raw and intense, it grips you from the beginning and till the end will have you in it's own dimension.
The relationships are very real. The story is amazing and deals with sensitive topics adequately. The grief, as many experience is also portrayed in a very vivid and intense way and i know i keep saying this but it was quite real. And it's adequately paced as one thing happens after the another, might I say so quickly? There are layers to the story and with each page you turn you discover a new one, how a reality is different from how something is portrayed.
The ending was revolving around a lot of acceptance and the character development has been...well, just amazing.
Even the supporting characters, Dr. Madison, Agent Diana, Landon, Alex, Matthew, Sav and the protagonist, Violet's dad who also we weren't very well introduced to in the beginning or should I say introduced in a way I expected the ending with him to be different, if that makes sense? had a great role and was one of my favourite characters and has my utmost respect.
Also, Jenn, how she's been described, a loving mother, and how as we developed into her story, we saw different sides of her as well.
A commendable job. Beautiful.
Everything I say seems less, i can go on and on. However, there's always room for improvement and although I might have not mentioned above, i do think the story was kind of slow somewhere after the beginning.
A lot of ups and downs and stories and backstories and how the characters have been portrayed, the emotions are raw and intense, it grips you from the beginning and till the end will have you in it's own dimension.
The relationships are very real. The story is amazing and deals with sensitive topics adequately. The grief, as many experience is also portrayed in a very vivid and intense way and i know i keep saying this but it was quite real. And it's adequately paced as one thing happens after the another, might I say so quickly? There are layers to the story and with each page you turn you discover a new one, how a reality is different from how something is portrayed.
The ending was revolving around a lot of acceptance and the character development has been...well, just amazing.
Even the supporting characters, Dr. Madison, Agent Diana, Landon, Alex, Matthew, Sav and the protagonist, Violet's dad who also we weren't very well introduced to in the beginning or should I say introduced in a way I expected the ending with him to be different, if that makes sense? had a great role and was one of my favourite characters and has my utmost respect.
Also, Jenn, how she's been described, a loving mother, and how as we developed into her story, we saw different sides of her as well.
A commendable job. Beautiful.
Everything I say seems less, i can go on and on. However, there's always room for improvement and although I might have not mentioned above, i do think the story was kind of slow somewhere after the beginning.
April 3, 2022
Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing me an advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy so all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content warnings: Before starting this book. Please be aware that there are some themes and mentions of things that may be hard for some people to read. Here are the content warnings I noticed to be aware of if needed: Self harm, mentions of suicide, grief, death, infidelity, panic attacks/disorders, cancer.
Review:
There are many things I loved about this book and many topics I was pleased that it covered.
First, I absolutely love that there is bisexual representation in this book. I love that the MC actually states she is attracted to all genders rather than the common misconception that being bi means you are attracted to two genders.
The other important topic is how women are painted by the media and public as being villains. Everyone was quick to judge Violet’s mother even though no evidence had been found yet of what happened. This is too common in the real world and I liked that this story captured that.
I really really felt for this main character Violet. She was open about her mental health and it was refreshing to see her have coping mechanisms for herself to use. The representation of mental health is a really important thing so having characters that actively and openly struggle with various pieces was important to me and I feel it was well done in a realistic way.
The growth of the characters was another positive of this book. I feel that Violet and even the other characters grew to be more understanding of the world around them and of what other people face in their own lives. Violet and her sister grew together and became understanding of each other’s differences and similarities and how they loved each other being sisters.
I really enjoyed this book and I’m giving it 4 stars because some plot twists were predictable to me. However, it was still enjoyable to read and there were twists I didn’t expect at all included how it would end. I feel that the ending resolved everything and it was a satisfying ending (in terms of everything was concluded).
Content warnings: Before starting this book. Please be aware that there are some themes and mentions of things that may be hard for some people to read. Here are the content warnings I noticed to be aware of if needed: Self harm, mentions of suicide, grief, death, infidelity, panic attacks/disorders, cancer.
Review:
There are many things I loved about this book and many topics I was pleased that it covered.
First, I absolutely love that there is bisexual representation in this book. I love that the MC actually states she is attracted to all genders rather than the common misconception that being bi means you are attracted to two genders.
The other important topic is how women are painted by the media and public as being villains. Everyone was quick to judge Violet’s mother even though no evidence had been found yet of what happened. This is too common in the real world and I liked that this story captured that.
I really really felt for this main character Violet. She was open about her mental health and it was refreshing to see her have coping mechanisms for herself to use. The representation of mental health is a really important thing so having characters that actively and openly struggle with various pieces was important to me and I feel it was well done in a realistic way.
The growth of the characters was another positive of this book. I feel that Violet and even the other characters grew to be more understanding of the world around them and of what other people face in their own lives. Violet and her sister grew together and became understanding of each other’s differences and similarities and how they loved each other being sisters.
I really enjoyed this book and I’m giving it 4 stars because some plot twists were predictable to me. However, it was still enjoyable to read and there were twists I didn’t expect at all included how it would end. I feel that the ending resolved everything and it was a satisfying ending (in terms of everything was concluded).
March 14, 2022
Ok so I never really write book reviews on GR but wow, I had to do it for this one. I received an ARC in exchange for a review. No spoilers.
What I loved:
-the plot. This is seriously unlike any other YA I've read in a long time. There were some twists I didn't expect at all.
-The characters. Violet is so cute and a good narrator. There were times I felt she sounded young for 15 or 16 but then I remembered what it was actually like to be 16 and I feel like this was an authentic representation of being a teen girl. So much of YA is just adults sounding like adults but this felt real. Looooved Savannah (the sister), the best friend, and the love interest was super sweet.
-There is romance but it isn't all about that. The love interest was adorable and gave Violet space, which I think is sooo important.
-I get bored easily but this moved at a great pace. I kept turning the pages and finished this in almost one sitting.
-I was literally laughing out loud at points
-I CRIED... a lot. What a realistic portrayal of grief, wow.
So yeah, overall, highly recommend. This is for sure one of my favorite books of 2022. I can't wait to see what the author will do next.
What I loved:
-the plot. This is seriously unlike any other YA I've read in a long time. There were some twists I didn't expect at all.
-The characters. Violet is so cute and a good narrator. There were times I felt she sounded young for 15 or 16 but then I remembered what it was actually like to be 16 and I feel like this was an authentic representation of being a teen girl. So much of YA is just adults sounding like adults but this felt real. Looooved Savannah (the sister), the best friend, and the love interest was super sweet.
-There is romance but it isn't all about that. The love interest was adorable and gave Violet space, which I think is sooo important.
-I get bored easily but this moved at a great pace. I kept turning the pages and finished this in almost one sitting.
-I was literally laughing out loud at points
-I CRIED... a lot. What a realistic portrayal of grief, wow.
So yeah, overall, highly recommend. This is for sure one of my favorite books of 2022. I can't wait to see what the author will do next.
May 29, 2022
The unexpected happens when the plane that Violet's mom is flying, disappears. How does a plane just disappear? What happened to her mom and all the people on board?
Soon, the media descends upon Violet and her family and the world as she knows it shrinks and becomes unbearable. People are saying the most horrible things about her mom but she knows her mom is innocent and would never intentionally hurt herself, or anyone else. Right?
Oh man, what a heart wrenching story. Grief is hard and has so many different layers. I couldn't imagine going through something like this as a teen and I think this would be good for those who may be experiencing grief. Despite being fiction, there is a lot here for someone to digest and take away from.
I really enjoyed this author's writing too. Easy flow, deep emotion and well-rounded and real characters. The added mystery of what happened to the plane added to the overall story and made for an interesting element. While not necessarily a "fun" read, this was nevertheless enjoyable.
I sincerely appreciate Entangled Teen for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
Soon, the media descends upon Violet and her family and the world as she knows it shrinks and becomes unbearable. People are saying the most horrible things about her mom but she knows her mom is innocent and would never intentionally hurt herself, or anyone else. Right?
Oh man, what a heart wrenching story. Grief is hard and has so many different layers. I couldn't imagine going through something like this as a teen and I think this would be good for those who may be experiencing grief. Despite being fiction, there is a lot here for someone to digest and take away from.
I really enjoyed this author's writing too. Easy flow, deep emotion and well-rounded and real characters. The added mystery of what happened to the plane added to the overall story and made for an interesting element. While not necessarily a "fun" read, this was nevertheless enjoyable.
I sincerely appreciate Entangled Teen for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
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