Rebecca

This was an Amazon First Reads pick for January 2026 (publication stated for February 1st 2026) Thank you to the Publisher and Author for this ARC.

This is the first novel I have read by this author and I will read another. For this one, the characters were ok. There was a lot of repetition with how the main protagonist was so meek and intimidated by this big bad main antagonist. Then the reason for it all turned out to be something so mundane and a little ridiculous that it does sort of sound like it would cause bullying but could have easily been remedied by another action. I will post the spoiler of what Fern did to piss off Haven and why it seems a little eh with a warning below so if you don’t want to read it don’t scroll lower. I’ll also spoil what happens to Dani and Haven.

The writing: I liked the flow of the writing, the pacing of it was nice. The dialogue was a little off at times, but it wasn’t enough to detour me from finishing the book. I did find the ending to be disappointing. The buildup to what happened to Dani and…that? Then what goes on with Haven…it’s just…*sigh* It started out pretty good, but it was all very lackluster in the end. A few clunky areas but like I mentioned at the start I will be reading another of this authors books.

*Spoiler*

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Fern gave Haven a laxative cookie in middle school and Haven took that and made Fern’s life a living hellhole for the rest of middle school and high school. Fern only gave Haven a cookie…now if Fern had given a few people cookies (not laxative ones but cookies in general) and didn’t just single Haven out with the cookie there’s no way that Haven could have known for sure that it was the cookie that made her sick.

Dani confronts her ‘friends’ asking them to stop, Haven is a bitch and goes “Don’t you remember what she did? She’s suck a freak, she—” and at “freak” Fern pushes Haven to her backside because she had enough a tussle ensues and Dani trying to break them up ends up falling off a cliff. Like…really? ALL that buildup over this mystery and we get a “no you!” “No you!” and an “oh shit...” as they stare down the cliff then decide to pretend it didn’t happen after Haven basically threatens Fern to blame it all on her…really?

Haven commits suicide when Fern does an op-ed and the internet cancels her. Which I can see how much pressure that can do for a person, especially when their career is an influencer. But given how Haven had been portrayed throughout the book…that seemed way out of character. Maybe some sort of comeback or retaliatory thing but to just end it?

I wasn't alive during WWII but my grandfather served. He was part of the 'clean up' crew. He never spoke of it as the author of this book's father never spoke of his time, and so many veterans never do.

What makes this book so good is not only was it written with respect but from the son of one of the 6 who raised the flag. The fact he wanted to know who they were, truly were, not just an image on a page or in a frame. Not just a statue. He conveyed on the page the real people and who they were. The physical copy I have wasn't as detailed as the audio I listened to which is a little saddening because the audio was so good.

I have little else to say other than I laughed in some places, cried, and was taken on a journey. History is something I love and it is something we should never forget. It's not easy and those who sacrificed shouldn't be forgotten. Nor should we forget the bad decisions done either that lead to bad endings. As I was reading one thing made me think, though at the time the US and Japan didn't have the same values for bonsai...did the US not ask the marines to do the same thing on Iwo with little to no help at the start?

*due to something going on with me it is easier for me to comprehend if I use emersion with audio and physical copies which is why I'm using my one personal in home TBR bookshelf to read for now or the Kindle assist if I get them at the library.*

It was well written don't get me wrong...however; how much can go wrong in one persons life? I know shit can hit the fan and it can be blow after blow but it was never ending with Wanda. She was the walking definition of Murphy's Law. I wouldn't have minded it so much if it wasn't one thing after another, after another, and so on but come on. Then there's that hint of supernatural like where did that come in? Or was that supposed to be evolution? Probably the latter but it didn't really come off that way.

Characters were *shrug* I could take them or leave them. I was interested at first, then it just went down hill when it all kept getting worse and worse and nothing seemed to get better and it all kept piling up.

I usually only keep 5⭐️ books but I feel like I missed something. My brain is little off so I might reread this one and try again.

I'd read this once in college for a mythology class...It had been awhile so I did not remember and it ALL came flooding back. Brilliant.