Kerry was a guest on my show Crime & Wine after I read this MAGNIFICENT book. Truly, I love everything she rights. One of the best. This one is now exception.

Just wow. Beautiful, lyrical, almost haunting in that way and amazing.
It was just really enjoyable all around.

Everything You Are is both a heartwarming and heartbreaking story that is an enjoyable read. It is about a cello, a magical cello that tears a family apart and ultimately, brings it back together. It is well-written and includes important themes like addiction and suicide plus forgiveness, love, redemption, family, and hope.

I am a sucker for the stories that are both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Everything You Are is beautifully written. Highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me the ARC! It was a complete letdown. Slow and uneventful, left me walking away from it several time and having to force myself to finish it. I rate this book a 1.8

This book is full of magic and hope. Even though it starts with everything going wrong, you can feel the power that Ophelia has over the music and how she balances the power of the instruments. This story is not only about the magic in the world of music, but the power and drive you need to keep a family together even when it seems irreparably broken.

Imagine your two hands being your life, your passion, your love and then it’s gone. That is what happened to musician Braden. Musician turned alcoholic when his hands are injured and is no longer able to play anymore. While trying to navigate his new life his ex wife and son were involved in a fatal accident killing them both. All he’s left with is his broken hands and a daughter. Trying to protect her is his main focus now. Needless to say, Phee, a girl who sold him a cello has fallen for him. Will he be able to reciprocate and open his heart to her? You can’t help feeling sorry and ache in grief for Braden. Then you will feel hopeful and cheer him on. Such an emotional and powerful read

Braden Healey’s a talented classical musician, when he’s involved in a tragic incident and his hands are damaged. Unable to play the cello, he’s spent the last eleven years, trying to remember what really happened at his family’s cabin on that fateful day, and his ex-wife banished him from seeing his two children.

Braden receives a phone call, his ex-wife Lilian and son Trey have been killed in a car accident. Braden returns home, he wants to try to repair his relationship with his seventeen year old daughter Allie, she’s in a bad place and really struggling. Allie starts skipping school, coming home late and dating a bad boy Ethan Bannister. Braden desperately wants to help his daughter, he try’s everything, and she’s angry and refuses to talk to him.

Ophelia MacPhee is a luthier, she owns a music shop and repairs musical string instruments. She inherited the business from her grandfather, he sold Braden his cello, and she swore an oath to her grandfather that Braden would play his cello for as long as he lives. She’s tries to explain to Braden, that the cello is cursed, and if he doesn’t play it, and further disasters could happen!

Braden has nerve damage to his fingers, it took years of therapy for him to be able to use his hands, he can no longer play a musical instrument and he's doesn't believe in curses. Phee wants to help Braden, she takes him to addiction meetings and she’s sure he’s suffering from PTSD and his mind is blocking him from playing. A crisis with Allie, makes Braden and his daughter see that they need to face the past, and forgive each other.

Everything You Are is a story about the power of music and a new friendship, a father and daughter are reunited, discover they still love each other and all thanks to Phee. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, a warning it mentions suicide and three stars from me.

What a powerful read! I really enjoyed parts of it while others parts seemed slow. But it made up for it with the characters. The characters were so complex that I felt like I knew them personally. Once I started to read this book, I wanted to know more about it.

This was such a fun book about the magic of music and family and the things that we let pull us apart.

So much heartache has torn Allie and her cello playing father apart. When they are brought back together by tragedy they have to learn, with the help of a new found friend and the magic of the cello and what really matters in life.

This was an interesting and engaging read. If you enjoy music, and a bit of romance - then you will love this book! Kerry Anne King has written another great book!

This is a tale of addiction and the trials you face when you try to deny who you really are; this dark tale will grab you by your heart strings and never let go. I also absolutely loved every character. Each one broken but oh so beautiful.. Highly recommend! I literally read it in one day.

"Without music, life would be a mistake" Friedrich Nietzsche

Music is everywhere, surrounding us, from the birds singing their glorious melodies to songs playing in our heads. I can't imagine a life without having music. It gives us life, it changes us, makes us stronger and gives us something to hope for. This is what music means to Braden Healey. When his mother brings him into a music store to purchase a new violin, Braden hears music coming from an instrument. The luthier, hears it too and encourages Braden to play the cello. Through encouragement and persuasion, his mother agrees to purchase the cello. Braden becomes an amazing cellist but its forced to stop playing due to an accident where he injures his hands.

Ophelia MacPhee - Phee, granddaughter of the luthier, inherits the music shop and in doing so, is intrusted with the responsibility of taking care 7 specific instruments and their owners. These specific instruments are bound to their owners, from the day they sign their contract to play the instrument, until the day they die. Some believe the instruments are cursed and terrible things will happen if the owner stops playing the instrument for whatever reason.

A terrible tragedy happens, bringing Phee and Braden together, leading Phee to help Braden uncover memories of his accident, rebuild his relationship with his daughter and to find his way back to his one true passion, playing the cello.

This story was so interesting as it gave the cello a life of its own, with Braden and his daughter being so connected with the music and the call to play. The characters themselves were haunted by their past and yet, each of them found a way to move forward with their lives and to create new memories. This book touched upon a few sensitive topics: suicide, anxiety, depression, alcoholism. The characters faced their worst fears and through compassion, understanding and forgiveness where able to come together and to heal.

Thank you @netgally and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this incredible

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 

The story of Braden, Allie, Phee and the magical cello. This book is a little out of my comfort zone (with a splash of magical realism thrown in- in the way of a cello that has a curse when it’s not played) but I’m so thrilled I read this.

This story follows Braden, a cello player who had to stop playing due to an injury to his hands. His daughter, Allie, who is also a cello player (with some mental health issues that pop up towards the middle/end) and Phee who is a luthier and took over her grandfathers string shop after he died. Her grandfather left her with a small list of instruments and names and told her that if any of these players stopped playing their instruments they were be cursed, along with their families.

So, in this book we follow Braden who has stopped playing his instrument.
This book is pretty heavy, along with magical and musical. It covers heavy topics and it’s hard hitting. Mental illness, suicide, death, PTSD and addiction. If any of these are triggers for you, I would probably stay away. If you don’t like music, I would also stay away.

My daughter plays violin so I had a soft spot for the love of string instruments in this book. Had the ending been slightly different (I felt it was rushed for my taste, like BOOM) I would have rated this 5. But, recommend it.. especially if you love and appreciate music and srings.

Everything You Are was wonderful! I enjoyed the way the characters’ struggles and the relationships between them were portrayed. Phee has been given her grandfather’s instrument shop. And now she is in charge of repairing the instruments. But there’s something else he left her with. Something she struggles with every day. Braden is one of her customers. He lost feeling in his hands after an accident years ago. But he also lost his ability to play his beloved cello and lost music from his life. He’s been immersing himself in drinking for years. Then he receives a phone call that his ex-wife and son were killed in a car accident. And now his daughter Allie is falling apart from her grief and loss. He wants to help Allie but he hasn’t seen her in years. Phee becomes involved with Braden and Allie and she wants to help them. The writing in this book is beautiful and brings the story to life.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

The summary really drew me in... how traumatic and heartbreaking... but ultimately the story itself didn't hold up to the summary's hype if that makes sense.

The storyline was heartwrenching and emotional... but the writing and book overall left so much to be desired. it had such great potential. ;l

An interesting story with an interesting premise. I could definitely see a lot of people adoring a story about love and music and curses. However it was just okay for me.

A beautifully written story about loss, love and forgiveness. Braden is a brilliant cellist, who’s hands are damaged in a tragic accident, leaving him unable to play, and sending him into the world of alcoholism. He leaves his family and his beloved cello, but still has a spiritual connection to it, as he stumbles through binges and hangovers.
His ex wife and son die in another tragic accident, leaving 17 yr old Allie alone, until Braden shows up, to reluctantly sober up and provide parental support until she’s 18.
Kerry Ann King is a gifted writer, with well developed characters and a deep, insightful style. I could hear the music, which is an integral part of this story, as that haunted cello drew the characters together, with their shared love of music.
Although I’m not a fan of fantasy, this novel did intrigue me, and I’m happy that the genre didn’t dissuade me. I received an ARC for my honest review, and honestly, I liked it. My thanks to #NetGalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for the opportunity.

Beautiful, heartwarming and emotional.
A well written story that should be shared with your book buddy or book loving family member. I love everything Kerry Anne King writes and this one is added to that list.

Everything You Are is a heartwarming and emotional story that is well written. This is a must read and would make a great gift.