All the little lights was my first Jamie McGuire book and I have to say I was not disappointed. I loved this book and fell in love with Elliott and Catherine. This is a must read for all who believes in true love.

Beautifully written!! I’m excited to finally get something new from Jamie and she didn’t disappoint. I adore All the Little Lights

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
To be honest, I have absolutely NO idea how to review All the Little Lights, as I'm going to do my best to avoid any and all spoilers and refuse to delve into book report territory. I went into reading the book blind, and I want everyone else to do so too.

Was I hooked from the beginning? No.

Why? Elliot is awesome – his child version was the sweetest, most protective little fella, but the setting and pacing were bizarre, and it never really changed from that point onward.

There are three eras to the novel. Child versions of Elliot and Catherine, which is only a handful of pages. Fifteen-year-old kids, which spanned a portion of the novel. The main portion featured a seventeen and eighteen-year-old Catherine and Elliot, including scenes in a high school.

What I truly appreciated within All the Little Lights is how the bond between Elliot and Catherine was instantaneous, but it wasn't romantic in nature. Real love must be based in friendship, not infatuation and lust. Over hundreds of pages, the pure connection between Elliot and Catherine is forged with organic, lifelike realism.

I'm a sucker for what I call Gothic romance, featuring a mystery surrounding a drafty old house filled with secrets. I love the classics and their remakes into film, and this book does hold a place in my heart because it reminds me so much of those types of stories. Which is why the high school environment felt so out of place for me, like the two parts don't necessarily form a whole.

I can't call this novel a page-turner, not with the baffling pacing and release of information. As I read, I could sense something beneath the surface. What was jarring is how it was Catherine keeping the secret, refusing to tell others what was happening, but the reader was literally INSIDE Catherine's head during her narration, which is what had me stuttering and stumbling as I read.

There was a door slammed between our narrator and the reader, and it created an emotional disconnect, while she was telling us her story.

The novel is definitely a mystery – a mystery the narrator is keeping from the readers and all the characters in the novel. While I love to be surprised, this slowed the pacing while simultaneously frustrating me. I was curious, but I could see some readers hanging up the towel because no information is given. There is no steady breadcrumb trail, no piecemeal delivery to keep the reader engaged. No trails for readers to follow as they connected the dots – no foreshadowing or information to be puzzled together to solve the mystery.

The reader has to wait through 90% of the novel to be given... something.

While reading everyday events, which did seem to feel redundant, slowing down the pacing even more while feeding my need to skim-read, there was this 'I'm in the Twilight Zone' sensation while reading about teenage angst, football games, and catty mean girls. The juxtaposition was jarring. Not only did it feel several hundred pages too long, it also read longer.

So, Erica, why are you handing out five stars?

Native American culture intrigues me, because I come from a region in the northeast that is heavily laced with Native American history. While there is a lot of racism shown, I don't feel as if it's the author's voice flowing through – more as if she is placing a voice to the ignorance that does infect through the generations. I will say, this felt more like what I would have heard when I was in fourth or fifth grade back in the early 90s, while I was second-hand bullied alongside a Native American boy in my class, not in a more politically correct 2018.

True story, as we sat next to one another - (boy's first name) "Green swims in Lake Erie!" (nickname for Erica) was a euphemism we dealt with several times a day for two school years, along with other racial slurs. So this portion hit me hard, because the treatment of my classmate and his brother has never left me all these years later.

I wanted to give Elliot the biggest hug and tell him he's an amazing person.

I also say time and time again, if the author surprises me, I don't care what else I found off within the novel, I will hand out a 5-star rating, because it's nearly impossible to surprise me. I will admit, I did get it right early on, but I dismissed it as quickly as it popped into my head... hundreds of pages later, I was like, WOW! HA! Awesome!

I adored Catherine and Elliot, even if I felt the connection was almost an unhealthy extreme, but it was the aloofness, the lack of emotion from Catherine as she kept her secrets, her codependency on her mother and Juniper that felt so off.

While I was entertained and awed, while I appreciated the writing and the story itself, that disconnect between Catherine and the reader was most difficult for me.

I'm glad I read the All the Little Lights, and I'll never forget it. However, reading is so subjective, I have no idea who to recommend this to – I did rec it to my own mother, though.

Young Adult age-range: 13+, featuring kissing and violent situations.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
We follow Elliot and Catherine from when they first meet and spend a summer together, to them being separated, and Elliot’s return to Oak Creek in his senior year. When Elliot returns, two years have passed and there have been some big changes in Catherine’s life, but he is still completely devoted to her.

If you decide to read All the Pretty Lights please be patient. It took me three days to read the first 40% of the book and it felt like three weeks. A lot happens in Elliot and Catherine’s lives but at the same time I felt like there was not much direction and I was wondering where the story was going. I also had a feeling of dread at what was to come next because it felt like it would be something big. Elliot’s love for and commitment to Catherine, coupled with my curiosity about what was actually going on at the Juniper, kept me reading.

All the Pretty Lights deals with lots of different issues. Family drama, teenage love, loss, bullying, and high school drama, as well as having mystery tinted with danger. Once the story really got going about half way through I couldn’t put it down. I was on the edge of my seat as it unfolded in ways I was not expecting.

Every girl deserves to have a guy like Elliot in their life and in their corner, and he is a big part of what makes All the Pretty Lights an excellent young adult novel. This story is well worth your time. My advice is don’t rush it, be patient, and just let the story unfold.


Jordan – ☆☆☆☆☆
This was my first time reading anything by Jamie McGuire and I have to say that I was completely blown away by All the Little Lights. I just have no words to describe my current feelings after such an ending because I am still reeling from it! All the Little Lights was definitely kind of a slow start for me, but by the end I was on the edge my seat and completely invested in Catherine and Elliot’s love story. I also really appreciated that the story rotated between Elliot’s point of view and Catherine’s. Although, I thought this was gonna be a nice, sweet young adult story about first love and coming of age, but what I got was actually a riveting tale with a gothic feel to it. If this is what I can expect from all of McGuire’s books I may have to start adding them to my TBR pile immediately because by the end, I could not put it down. I’m not gonna lie, I probably was leaning more towards a four star review, but by the end I was just so incredibly impressed that I can’t not give it a full five stars. Like, is it just me? I literally can’t stop talking about it. I am so enchanted that I want to immediately read it again! Don’t be fooled by the cute little synopsis and charming little cover picture because this story has depth!

I think fans of Jennifer L Armentrout's Don't Look Back and Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars series will easily find themselves intrigued by this book.

5 stars for All the Little Lights by Jamie McGuire


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
Oooh – this is a wonderfully creepy story full of Southern Gothic charm. On one level, it is the story of the friendship between the daughter of a wealthy family and the son of a blue collar aboriginal family. It is a dark coming of age story and the story of a childhood friendship that gradually becomes a romance. On another level – Nope. Not going there because revealing anything else might spoil the story for another reader.

There is a little bit of Harper Lee’s Maycomb in this book and a whole lot of Flannery O’Connor’s twisted imagination, but the story isn’t crafted quite as tightly as the classics by either of these writers. The pace is slow, and the time lapses and shifts in narrative voice don’t always work. Too many characters on the periphery of the story aren’t fully fleshed. It took time for me to get into the book, but I really enjoyed the stifling atmosphere and the gradual build of tension.

I wasn’t expecting to love this book. The young adult blurb and John Green style cover doesn’t really do it justice. But Elliott and Catherine captured my heart and my imagination. Once I got properly stuck into their story, I couldn’t put it down and I couldn’t get it out of my head once I finished it. I have to recommend it both to teens and to adult readers because – like all the best books – it doesn’t fit neatly into easy genre boxes.

First of all thanks to Montlake Romance for de ARC i received through Netgalley.
I literally just finished the book a minute ago and i must say that most of the book I had no clue whether I liked it or not.
At times the pace was way to slow but at the same time the characters where amazing. Elliot is strong willed, romantic and smart and even though I tend to like better the "bad boy meets the good girl" troupe, I was very surprised to discover that Elliot had IT. You know? The It, which makes you wish a character was real.
Catherine is another story all together, it took me a lot to warm up to her. She was weak and strong, warm and cold. I just could never pinpoint what the F** was wrong with her. But at the end it all makes sense and you bond with her in a snap.
There are lots of strong dark topics talked about or skimmed through in this book but the author did an impeccable job working it all together into this story.
What I liked the most was the dark, ominous atmosphere no matter where the characters went, there was always another character (IMO the most important character in the book) that had a figurative boot on their throats, ¡The Juniper! that B & B sets the tone for the whole book you really can´t go through a page without thinking several times about the secret those walls hide, it was a very powerful and clever way to keep readers on their toes; and the secret OMG!!! I can´t even describe what I felt when i found out, to say it was a shock it´s an understatement.

Holy crap!! This book started out as a tender love story between two teenagers. That was pretty much all that I was expecting. Well, that was only part of it. A large part of the book (maybe just a little too large) as a matter of fact.

However, there is an underlying danger that is hinted at. A hint that is exposed in bits and parts of the book. It's so slight. I had an idea of what was going on, so I thought. I was so far out in left field and I absolutely loved that I was wrong. So wrong!!! My jaw dropped when I discovered how far off I was on this danger! It was like "Yowza, no frigging way was I expecting that!"

And, there is absolutely no way any reader who reads this review or starts reading the book is going to guess the ending. That's just how well the book is written. I promise you will not see it coming!

I found this book interesting, complex and unputdownable! I am so glad that I discovered this book and got the chance to read it.

Thanks to Montlake Romance and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

***3 ...mysterious... stars***

Hmm... I'm trying to find the right words, but after two days, i still don't know how to say what I want to say about this book...
The truth is that my expectations were very high about this story, but unfortunately the author haven't met them...

I had to read a book by Mrs. McGuire since the "Beautiful" series which I loved, so while I was reading this book, I was wondering "What the Hell"???
No, the story wasn't crappy and it could be quite interesting, if it wasn't for the first 70% of the book... The truth is that in this 70%, i was so bored!!! I was struggling to finish it and this was something unlike me...
I might be the minority here, but i just have to be honest...

Most of the book was flat and it could be described with less words...
Yep, there was some intriguing phases with the "guests" of the Juniper, but there weren't too many...
But i have to be honest that i didn't realize what the "secret" was... My mind was making other kind of assumptions!!!
But let me tell you some things about the plot...

“Falling is easy. The hard part is getting back up.”

Elliott and Catherine met each other when they were still kids and they became friends...
They both had family issues and they found comfort to each other...
But then, tragedy struck Catherine and Elliott was forced to leave because of his mother...
Two years later, Elliott is coming back and at the beginning Catherine is very hesistant to let him in again... And mostly, because she has a big secret that noone should know...
So, what will happen with those two when everything around them will fall apart???

"He left and didn't say goodbye. And he broke a promise."
"What promise?"
"To come back."
"My baby... He did come back... Sounds to me like when he did, he came straight home."

Well, Catherine was very isolated and it was such a pity...
I was feeling sorry for her so many times... She didn't deserve that kind of life...
Elliott from the other hand, had his own issues, but he was such a lovely person...
He was so caring and protective of Catherine... And so damn insistent...
But i wasn't feeling the connection between them...

"You can't save everyone."
"I just want to save her."

Well, the storyline wasn't bad, but i think that it could be avoided to be soooo... flat and slow paced!!!
There were intiguing characters in there, but something felt off for me and I'm so sorry about that!!!

***Arc generously provided for the exchange of an honest review***

Elliott Youngblood has been watching Catherine since he was a boy. It isn’t meant to be creepy. He loves to take pictures and he believes she is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. During one summer they become close friends and life is perfect; until tragedy hits Catherine’s life and Elliott is forced to leave her behind. Now it is their senior year of high school and Elliott has returned to town. He is the star of the football team, yet he wants Catherine to forgive him. Although Catherine is starting to get close to Elliott, she still has secrets she can’t share with anyone. What really is going on at her mother’s bed-and-breakfast?

All the Little Lights is a stand-alone novel that defies a single genre. Of course, McGuire has created a young adult romance, yet she has also included a mystery that is hinted at throughout. Readers will try and figure out Catherine’s secret and will be surprised that it isn’t what they first thought. Since this is a stand-alone novel, readers will find that it is a perfect escape read for any time of the year. All the Little Lights may not appeal to male readers but should be added to the TBR list of everyone who enjoyed McGuire’s other books.

I am in love with this story. It is beautiful. It is surprising. It is emotional and different. It is a little dark, but also full of heart. I can not even begin to describe all the feelings after reading this story. It left me speechless. It was a beautiful love story that definitely took an interesting turn that left me gasping and surprised in the best way. Jamie never disappoints. Every genre I read from her, whether it is one I normally read or not, I absolutely fall in love.

Her writing always blows me away. This story was no exception. The characters were so well developed. Even the secondary characters that end up playing a much bigger part were so well written and everyone was so different and individual. Everyone was flawed and you end up wanting to see things work out for them in the end. I would highly recommend this story to anyone looking to read it. Definitely one of my favorites of the year.

Was not really for me but I think others would enjoy it. I remember reading Jamie's books when I was in high school and I really enjoyed them

The much anticipated release of Jamie McGuire's, All the Little Lights, brings us back to one of the main reasons fans keep reading her books... her sheer writing talent.

I can't say this book is for fans of Travis Maddox and Beautiful Disaster because this is completely different. Where I mostly expected a traditional, yet well-written YA, what I got was a YA mixed with some suspense. The twist thrown in relatively late in the story was nothing I was expecting.

One thing about this story, Elliott and Catherine are two perfectly developed characters which is a huge plus for me as a reader. They were interesting and smart. They were hurting, but found a way to fix each other.

Literally my only complaint with this book was that I found several parts slow. The pacing just wasn't quite right and it made it hard to keep going a couple times. I will say the ending had the right amount of suspense to FINALLY make me want to literally stay up all night reading!

Overall, I'd definitely recommend All the Little Lights if you're in a funk and looking for a change of pace or trope. I have missed Jamie McGuire's writing, and I'm looking forward to her next release in 2018!!

All The Little Lights started a little slow but was definitely worth the read. I enjoyed the original storyline.

As everyone who has come before me in reviewing this title, I'm having trouble finding the proper words (and the spoiler free topics) to discuss just how this book made me feel. While it was unforgettable, multi-faceted, and tender, it was also dark and mysterious, mostly in the second half. I was pleasantly surprised with the change of pace and tone in the latter portion of the story, and almost wish that had been a focal point for the entirety of the novel. It was a bit lengthy for the type of book that this is, so I felt about 75 pages could have been cut without changing any major vibes or story anchors. I was, like most others have stated, surprised and shocked by the twist in the ending. It was moving, but felt slightly disjointed from the overall feel of the novel. As a whole, I enjoyed reading this, and as my first Jamie McGuire title I'm eager to continue on with her books.

* I have received an Arc for a honest review!! **

WOW!! What an amazing ride! I loved every bit of it!!

Another wonderful fabulous read by Jamie! Can not wait for more from Jamie!

ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

All I can say is Wow. This book was one that grips your emotions and doesn't let go. I had zero expectations for this book and really didn't know what to expect. I started it and then could not put it down.

Elliott Youngblood knows what it is like to have a bad home life. His escape is getting to go spend summers with his Aunt and Uncle. Soon Elliott notices the young girl who lives down the street and she becomes his fascination. There is just something about her that calls to him and he has to answer that call.

Catherine Calhoun knows what it is like to be an outcast. Her family's family caused a lot of pain for the small town she lives in and they continue to blame the descendants of that family. Catherines one solace is her father, her hero. Her mother has "issues" and her dad is the one person who makes her life worth it all.

Catherine discovers a little boy in her back yard one day. Soon he becomes her best friend and they are inseperable. They spend every moment together, then poof he is gone and Catherine's life takes a turn that will change everything forever.

I don't want to tell too much about this story because you really need to read it and I would hate to give anything away. There were lots of twists and turns and what I kept thinking would happen kept changing. Then the ending took me completely by surprise and left me speechless. This was such a fantastic journey one that took you feeling every step.

“All the Little Lights” is a book about Catherine and Elliot who meet during one hot summer in a small town in the United States. They fall in love but when Catherine needs him most, Elliot has to leave town. A few years later though, he comes back to her and he’s determined to win back her heart. But just when Catherine is ready to fully trust Elliot again, he becomes the prime suspect in a local tragedy and a dark secret Catherine is keeping, could destroy whatever chance of happiness they have left.

I really liked the premise of this book and overall really enjoyed Jamie McGuire’s “Beautiful” series back when I read it, so I was super excited when I received an ARC for “All the Little Lights”. Unfortunately though, my expectations for this novel weren’t met and I ultimately was disappointed by it.

The first 80% of the book were incredibly boring and it was basically just about the relationship of the two main characters which made me lose interest in the novel quite quickly. Furthermore, Catherine and Elliot were pretty unoriginal characters and even at the end of the book, I still couldn’t have cared less about either of them. She was the quiet girl with some personal problems while he was the guy who for some reason felt the need to save her. I also thought their love story was kind of weird because in chapter one you find out that he’d already been pretty obsessed with her prior to them getting to know each other. Catherine apparently thought it was cute, I personally thought it was kind of creepy.

The last 20% of “All the Little Lights” were a little more interesting and partly made up for the other 80% of the novel. The book stopped being too much about their relationship and instead started dealing with a local tragedy which put a strain on Catherine and Elliot’s relationship. But even though that part of the book was definitely more interesting, the big plot twist at the end didn’t surprise me at all because as soon as tragedy had struck the town, I had already been guessing the book would end just as it did.

So overall, I unfortunately have to say that I just didn’t enjoy “All the little Lights” and can’t give it more than two out of five stars. Furthermore, this was the first and probably also the last one of Jamie McGuire’s YA books I’ve read but that doesn’t mean I’ll just give up on her books. I still really like her writing style and like I said, I did enjoy her other books I’ve read. So if you want to check out any of her books, I highly recommend you read one of her NA novels.

All the Little Lights by Jamie McGuire. I've read past books by this author and have enjoyed them and this book didn't disappoint me. I loved the character development between the characters and storyline. A book that every time I put it down it pulled me back in to read more. A young adult/new adult book. It had romance and suspense. A roller coaster of a ride and a ending you don't expect. Jamie McGuire knows how to write and give you a great book with a Wow ending. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Taking a break @ 19%. I'm not connecting with these characters and I'm not in the mood to continue. Hopefully soon I can pick it back up because the story itself seems promising!

I spent the entire book sure that I knew what would happen. I knew. 110%. And when the reveal hit, I shouted like a lunatic. I was right. But even knowing, you can't help but get caught up in the secrets. The creepy underbelly of the Juniper is something you can't wash off.

All the Little Lights is definitely a new direction. Jamie McGuire is a talented and gifted author who has no trouble pulling the reader into a story. It took a little longer for me to "sit comfortably" into this story. I imagine it's like sitting on your new neighbors couch. You have expectations and this couch doesn't look like yours. It unfamiliar and you don't want to fall in or be uncomfortable but you try not to be a stiff. All the Little Lights was like sitting on that couch it took me the awkward greeting, a talk about the weather, and an offer of ice tea to relax into this story.

Don't misunderstand, you won't relax entirely until the end of this story. But just like the couch you can get comfortable...maybe too comfortable. Just ask Catherine what getting comfortable can do...


All my random, vague comments aside, I enjoyed All the Little Lights. I liked the suspense. The need to know everything that encompasses the reader. The edge that the secrets creates. It was all positively nerve inducing.

I enjoyed this book. The ending caught me by surprise and happened to not be at all what I was suspecting. Only thing I did not like is the whole “loved you since the age of 10” but otherwise great read.

Wow. This book left me speechless, heart racing, and chills running down my spine. I finished All the Little Lights at 2am and I have to say that I honestly loved this book with every fiber of my being. This right here, ya’ll, is Jamie McGuire at her best. I couldn’t contain my wtf moment when this book came around full force. I’ve been in a book slump for the past month or so and this book left me with all of the feelings a book lover needs and wants out of a book. This book is so unique and different from what I’ve come to expect from Jamie and believe me…it was a pleasant surprise. All the Little Lights just may be one of my top 10 reads in all the years that I’ve been reading!

“…people can only make us angry if we let them, and if we let them, we give them power.”

Catherine grew up being hated and bullied for her family’s past mistakes; her family wasn’t what it used to be socially or financially and it put a strain on, not only her, but her parents. Elliott grew up in an abusive situation, but his summers at his aunt’s house are the reprieve he never wants to leave from. The small town of Oak Creek may have it’s downfalls, but Catherine is the one beautiful thing Elliott can’t seem to stay away from.

The relationship between Elliott and Catherine was innocent and deep all at once. They met as kids, fell in love over one summer, and then the world continually showed them how cruel it can be. They both grew up fast, but the thing about young, first loves is that it stays with you and given the chance Elliott and Catherine’s love grew into something so profound that it really only happens once in a lifetime.

“Elliott made me feel safe in a way I hadn’t since the day he left, like I wasn’t trying to survive alone.”

When tragedy strikes and shakes Catherine’s whole world Elliott disappears and Catherine is left to handle the wreckage that is her life. Two years Catherine had to do it all on her own and Elliott had to withstand the abuse and toxic situation that was his home. They both grew up fast so when Elliott finally returns, Catherine doesn’t know what to do with the man Elliott has become and Elliott sees this beautiful broken girl in Catherine that he can’t help but want to save.

The plot was eerie in a way that kept me wanting to know more. The secret Catherine kept carrying around was intertwined within every chapter…there on the cusp of being found out but Jamie never really giving us much to go on. I had ideas, but I wasn’t prepared for what this whole story was really about. Jamie thrilled, shocked, and captivated me in all in this book and the ending was something to be reckoned with. I was blown away.

All the Little Lights gives you more than a young love romance. It shows the scarier side of high school and the consequences of not having a stable home environment. Things like this leave children and young adults bruised and scarred and we definitely see that here. Jamie also shows us this unwavering loyalty woven in the many different relationships in this books. Elliotts loyalty to Catherine and Catherine’s loyalty to her mom and in a around about way her mom’s mysterious and crazy scary B&B. Loyalty is a good quality to have, but sometimes it can be your own worse enemy. I’m telling ya’ll right now…this story is about not only saving the ones you love but saving yourself too.

“You can’t help others if you are trapped. You can’t get someone out of quicksand if you’re stuck in it, too,”

This book touched on many different but important topics and if you do nothing else this year, please read All the Little Lights by Jamie McGuire. I promise….you won’t regret it.