Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life – and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.
This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.
Lennie was a great character but she was only on of many. I loved her, Gram, Big, Joe, Toby, Sarah, pretty much everybody. They were so unique and most of them were hilarious. I really felt like I connected with Lennie the most, though. She was so confused and she felt guilty for every small bit of happiness that she got. Gram, Big, and Toby were also sad but Lennie was completely torn apart. Joe and Sarah were great friends who did all they could to help her through it.
I don’t want to give away anything about the book but I will say that it was a quick story. I tore through the book and the plot never once dragged. I don’t think there was a single thing about The Sky Is Everywhere that disappointed me.
Overall, The Sky Is Everywhere is a new favorite for me. Jandy Nelson’s debut is spectacular and it goes straight to the top of my recommendation list. I can’t wait for more from this new author.
What others are saying about The Sky Is Everywhere:
The Book Smugglers’ review: “Jandy Nelson’s Debut is incredible, I loved it and I can’t recommend it enough.”
The Flyleaf Review’s review: “This book has wormed its way into my heart, just like Joe wormed his way into the heart of Lennie and her family, and I think it is going to be a very long time before I am able to “move on.””
Alexa Loves Books’ review: “Jandy Nelson wrote an incredibly lovely story, and I certainly think The Sky is Everywhere is worth a read.”