All the Little Lights by Jamie McGuire definitely came as a huge surprise to me.

When I heard that Jamie was writing a YA novel, I was so excited. I had read all of her other books in the past, and thought that this would be another amazing read.

Well I did enjoy this read, it certainly wasn't what I was expecting. All the Little Lights takes you on so many different twists and turns that constantly had me wondering where Jamie was actually going with the story.

I enjoyed the fact that the characters were different from those you usually read about in YA. They each had their own unique style and flair to them, that made them incredibly endearing to read about. I loved that Elliott was the main character in this novel. He is so different from other male YA leads, that I find Jamie's writing of him rather heartwarming.

While I did enjoy this novel, the story did feel a little rushed to me, and cause me to want to skip ahead some pages, and certain parts. I do recommend this novel to YA lovers; however, this won't be the book for everyone!

4/5 Stars!

I was super excited to read this book. I'm a big fan of Jamie McGuire's writing. I was so not disappointed. Right from the beginning I was hooked. The twists and turns will keep you guessing. The writing is fantastic and the story flows seamlessly. Catherine and Elliott have depth and chemistry. You can't help but feel with them. Told in both Catherine and Elliott's POV.

This book was exactly what I needed. I wasn't expecting the turn that happened, but at the same time I had a feeling that was what was going to happen. I will forever be a Jamie McGuire fan and she will always be an autobuy author. I ordered the book came out, I was at Barnes and Noble buying a physical copy.

ARC Cordially provided by NetGalley~

U will either relate to the lonely Catherine or the troubled Elliott in this new Jamie McGuire extravagance!

It definite MUST read and I won't ruin the surprise but if u like sad stories and want ur mind blown? Jump in!!

REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 09072018

This is my first Jamie McGuire book. I have friends who have warned me that in order to read this author, be prepared to cry and to feel things. I thought I was prepared but alas, I was not. Maybe it's because I connected to the characters so much, maybe because I was going through some harsh stuff as I read it, either way this was a cathartic read for me. The story was tragically touching and enthralling to me. I felt this story to my bones This may have been my first McGuire but it surely will not be my last

”It’s good, you know, for things not to come easy. You appreciate them more.”

WOW! Jamie McGuire took my emotions on a romance roller coaster of thrills, twists, and turns that made my pulse pound and my heart soar! All the Little Lights was MY ADDICTION, and I was glued to every word of this thrilling, twisty and tender tale. The PARALYZING INTENSITY pulled me in—dark spun with light—piercing me everywhere. I equally swooned and sat in a sea of shock. All the Little Lights is a STUNNING STOTY of suspense, salvation, and soul that’s UNIQUE and UNFORGETTABLE.

”You can’t save everyone.”

“I just want to save her.”



I dove into this book blindly and wasn’t sure of my feelings for All the Little Lights at first. In fact, it was four stars for the first half of the story and then it soon became five. In a small-town Oklahoma setting lives an extremely unusual family and friends, a group of eccentric, extremely complex, and emotionally-challenged members. Told through the perspective of a teenage hero and heroine, All the Little Lights takes a deep dive into family dynamics and darkness, uncovering secrets and setting the truth free. It is young love at its best and all of the challenges that come with two teenagers growing together as one. As Catherine and Elliotts’ journey unfolded, complex and captivating layer by layer, its words wrapping around me tightly like me a bear hug, I became BESOTTED. This hero and heroines’ tale of young love—fierce, foreboding, and full of complications—stole my heart and became a part of me that I couldn’t and didn’t want to let go.

”You make me feel beautiful when you’re the beautiful one.”

Through her powerful and poignant words, Jamie McGuire courageously uncovers social topics and serious issues like depression, bullying, and racism. She brings light to darkness, tackling tough matters rather than brushing them under the rug. I can't help but admire writers like Jamie McGuire for slaying serious subjects through their writing—meeting them head on—and making them their muses.

”Pain is beautiful?”

“Pain . . . Love. Can’t really have one without the other.”

The best suspense stories are like All the Little Lights—those that crawl so deeply into your head—where you're not merely reading a book but living it too. With its keen level of detail, dark premonitions, and elements of danger, All the Little Lights leapt to life so vividly, as if I was watching a movie in my head. All the Little Lights appeals to the thrill seeker, the mystery solver, and those who love excitement with their romance. This adventure left me ACHING FOR MORE.

”I probably don’t deserve you, but I know I will love you more than anyone else will.”

All the Little Lights is a family and friends saga threaded with a coming-of-age love story, one I LIVED ... FELT ... LOVED. I felt every emotion that the hero and heroine felt; their struggles and their devastatingly beautiful love story were MINE. All the Little Lights is a MASTERFULLY TOLD mystery meets thriller threaded with romance, a tale that TOUCHED MY HEART and SPARKED MY SOUL. I am not ready to let All the Little Lights go. All the BIG LOVE for All the Little Lights!

”We could save each other.”

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 tender and twisted stars

I gave this book 3.75 stars. It was a ride. It took me a while to get into it. All the Little Lights is one of those books that starts off slow and just builds and builds rapidly at the end. It’s an adrenaline rush.

The moment the big mystery clicked in my mind was the biggest “how did I not see that coming?” moment in my entire life. I’m not going to say exactly what that whole thing was, you’re gonna have to read it yourself, however

All the little pieces of this book that never quite make sense really come together in the end. It’s actually a really cool plot. From reading the synopsis you would not expect the sheer amount of drama that happens throughout this book. It’s insane. It’s all really insane.

This book isn’t like anything I’ve read from Jamie McGuire before. If you’ve read Beautiful Disaster, this isn’t like that. Not at all. Maybe the characters, but not the actual story itself.

Now onto my feelings about the actual characters. I liked Catherine enough. She was one of those okay characters that didn’t really have any bad attributes, but she didn’t have a lot of personality either.

Now, Elliott, there were times when I loved that guy. He seemed so sweet and wanted only good things for Catherine. He wanted to take her away and give her the life he thinks she deserves. However, I can’t get over the door punching and the tree punching and the people punching. There is a difference between getting in a lot of fights and being overly violent. This guy had major anger issues and honestly, if he were real I don’t think I would be surprised if he was a suspect in a murder case. This guy just could not keep his cool.

Now, the one relationship I was happy about was Mr and Mrs Mason. They started out the book getting a divorce and they just were not happy together and were supposedly moving on. One thing I remember reading was that marriage is about working at it. A lot of divorces happen when both parties just give up. The marriages that last are the ones where the two continue to work on their relationship knowing it isn’t perfect. Mr and Mrs Mason reminded me of that. They were on the brink of divorce, but they found that they still loved each other and decided to work through everything because they had been together so long and still continued to love each other. That I think is a good representation of a healthy relationship.

I didn't connect with the characters very well, and the book seemed long. The slow move toward the end was just that, kind of slow and long. It got a bit creepy and mysterious, which kept my interest in reading in it.

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley*
I have been a big fan of Jamie McGuire ever since Beautiful Disaster, so when I got this ARC, I was super excited!
That being said, this book is quite different from what i had come to expect. Not in a bad way, just different.
The best things were Elliott, who was the perfect love interest and the ending, which really took me by surprise.
A really interesting read!

Originally I wasn't 100% sure about this novel however the premise did intruige me so I thought I would give it a go.

I am happy to say that once I truly got into the story I enjoyed it!
I loved getting to know the characters and getting to grips with the world in which they live.

I thought that it was excellently played out and that watching them grow into Young adults made you want to read on and find out what happened next.

I would definitely recommend this to any who love a contemporary yet unconventional romance novel!

The novel deals with many big issues, including racism and prejudice, bullying, domestic abuse, and mental health. An interesting blend of gooey mush and 'what the f?' moments make for a mysteriously edgy thriller.

Very weird story but engrossing just the same. I figured much of the mystery out early on but was still surprised at the end.

Elliot and Catherine find an easy friendship with eachother while both feeling like outcasts. Elliot is forced to leave town when Catherine needs him most. Eventually Elliot returns, but they have both changed during his absence. Catherine hadn't forgiven Elliot for leaving, but when her feelings towards him begin to thaw, Elliot becomes the prime suspect in a local tragedy.

While I agree with the category of YA, this book should not be labelled as YA romance. There is a splash of romance along with more thriller than anything, which I actually enjoy as well, so it wasn't a loss on me. I did, overall, enjoy this book, but it felt drawn out, which was kind of annoying. I was mildly bored during periods, which made it a more "difficult" read for me. If I can't get sucked into a book, it turns it into a chore and this book started leaning towards that.

It wasn't terrible, it was just...mis-categorized and a definite slow burn.

All the Little Lights is a captivating story that combines all the ugly aspects of life with the beauty of friendship and first love. The writing was deep and luxurious and I could picture the story vividly in my mind. There was a darker edge to this story that played out in a way that kept me guessing until the end. The main characters were very well developed and I loved that we got to see their friendship blossom into first love. This book touched on some tough issues - racism, mental health issues, family disfunction, but at the same time spun a story of everlasting love and hope. I absolutely recommend this book!

In typical Jamie McGuire fashion, she has surprised me yet again. I went into this book truly not knowing what to expect, and was thrilled beyond words by last page. I have been a follow of hers since day 1, and the reviews I read from this basically said it was unlike anything else, so of course going in I was very intrigued. How could she pull something off that has been done time and time again. The boy next door. Boy and girl meet, separated tragically and then their magical reunion and blossoming of their once young love. In All the Little Lights Jamie has created such a unique and indescribable bond between Catherine and Elliot, that the whole book I was rooting for them and their paths to finally intertwine in a way that can only be reinforced even stronger by their pasts.

This story is about Elliot and Catherine, 2 teens that are friends, but then he leaves town and when he returns, things are different between them.

I love this author and have read almost all of her books so far. I wasn't disappointed with this one either. :) Matter a fact, I bought the book and Audio version after getting the ARC.

I have loved every novel I have read by Jamie McGuire. Her stories are unbelievably heartfelt and "All The Little Lights" is one I won't be forgetting any time soon.
"All The Little Lights" is Catherine Calhoun and Elliot Youngblood's story. Not only a love story but a coming of age story. I loved getting to know both strong characters through their own eyes and how they view each other. Elliot's steadfast loyalty and Catherine's inner flexibility had me rooting for them through the many obstacles and anguish they faced.
There is also a mystery surrounding the Calhoun household that Catherine is determined to keep secret. I can honestly say I have never experienced such a jaw dropping moment as when the secret is revealed at the end of the story.
Bravo Ms. McGuire!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

My official review is pretty simple: Meh.

That's pretty much how I felt about the characters, plot, and scenarios facing Elliot and Catherine. I kept reading and hoping something would stand out for me. Yet, it never did. The writing was okay, but the development and depth... meh.

I just couldn't connect with this story! It wasn't what I was expecting and the flow was to slow to keep me invested! It wasn't bad, just not for me so I didn't finish it!

I love all books by Jamie McGuire. This book was no different. The development of characters was amazing.