I buddy read this book with my friend Belle and when she pitched it to me, it sounded a lot less harmless than what it actually was. Despite how much I connected to this book in not-so-great ways, I still finished the book and really, really enjoyed it. The writing was easy to get into at first, then took some adjusting to (the science-y stuff got a bit too much, even for a nerd like me), but by the 20% mark I was just flying through this book. As an older sister who’s been in similar situations as Mae, I got it. I really, really got it. I cried about four times while reading this, remembering the hard times with my sister and appreciating the bond between Mae and Hannah. The characters were real, they were raw, and the author did a great job of making them so incredibly human. This is the first contemporary novel that I’ve finished in two years and I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. 4/5 stars.

*Thank you to Belle for letting me read this with you, and the publishers who suggested she share the ARC with a friend. The sisters buddy read is such a cute idea!

I loved this book!
It was such a powerfully moving book and so full of emotion. Definitely one that makes you stop and think about long after you've finished it.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review this arc.

You know that feeling that comes over you every once in a while? The one where everything is quiet and calm, but almost shaking with trepidation at the same time - something will happen soon and you aren’t worried. You are ready. Waiting for it peacefully. Maybe it comes on as you walk in the sunny park, or on your morning commute to work. For me, it came on as I read Little Universes by Heather Demetrios, during this chaotic time of COVID-19 and financial stressors. This story of grief, support, and space - outer and inner - is a siren song with which you can distract yourself and come out a little bit older, sadder, and wiser. A person who knows their What and what kind of universe they want to be.

I have read several books by Heather Demetrios before and enjoyed them all. Little Universes was no exception. I like the way the characters are crafted so convincingly. Will be recommending this to teen readers and adults alike.

Takes on a tremendous number of heavy issues (parental death, foster care/adoption, infidelity, and drug addiction just to name a few) and manages to handle them with grace and realism and hope. I appreciated how Mae and Hannah's different POVs gave the opportunity for seeing similar situations and interpreting them differently, but how they were both interesting and flawed in separate ways. I did bump a little on the odd dating convention at the head of Mae's chapters, and some of her dialogue came off a bit stilted, but overall a lovely, and engaging read.

***TRIGGER WARNING***
death of parents, major drug use, adoption, abortion, suicide

This wrecked me. I stayed up until 2:30am to finish then woke up with a puffy face and a crying hangover. Not only was this a gripping story and incredibly heartbreaking, this was beautifully written. One sister is pushing everyone away, while the other is trying to hold on as tight as she can.

There was such a distinct difference in tone and style between Mae and Hannah that made easy to switch between the two perspectives,  Mae looks at every situation as a math or scientific problem to solve. Everything will be okay if only she can fix the problem. When she has trouble crying after the death of her parents, she begins to question why, and if she even deserves to cry because she's technically not their daughter. Mae goes through a lot of questioning when it comes to her identity within this supportive and loving family. Now that they're gone, does she still belong?

While Mae seems to compartmentalize her feelings, Hannah, on the contrary, feels every emotion, at all times—even when that's just being numb to her pain  It's why she is drawn to opiates. They are offering her a high that she isn't getting in her life, despite having a loving family, a wonderful guy, and headstrong sister. But that's how depression works, even when you think "There's nothing to be sad about, I have this great life," you can still feel empty.    

I don't know what more I can say except: READ THIS BOOK! FEEL ALL THE FEELS!

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

LITTLE UNIVERSES is insightful, powerful, challenging, and comforting. Like other favorite Heather Demetrios books (BAD ROMANCE and I’LL MEET YOU THERE), this book has characters so raw and real that you’ll feel like you’ve met them in the real life. The teen stories, the family dynamics, the struggles, and the romance all rang so true to me. I love this book and will recommend it to so many people.

This one was much darker than I was expecting. I had to step away for a while and come back to it but I'm so glad I did. What a powerful story about the bond between two sisters!

A powerful and compelling story about two sisters and their relationship. The sisters were devastated at the sudden , unexpected loss of their parents. We learn how they deal with their grief and how they will manage their relationship.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mae and Hannah lose their parents in a tragedy. In the aftermath, they must move across the country to live with relatives uprooting their lives even further. Mae, who is adopted and focused on becoming an astronaut, faces her grief with stoicism. Astronauts must be calm in a crisis. Hannah, a recovering drug addict, spirals into despair at the loss, the changes, and family secrets she discovers. As Hannah pushes everyone away, Mae struggles to hold on to the only family she's ever known. References to astrophysics, geology, manga, The Little Prince, and Yoko Ono's Acorn intersperse this story of grief and sisterhood. Recommend to readers who like family drama, realistic, dark fiction, and to readers who may need a reminder that their place in the universe is important.

4.5 stars

What a beautifully written book. Truly, if for no other reason (but there were others, I promise), this novel is worth a read based on style. Its beauty helps overshadow the dark depths that the characters go to so often here as they fall into one tragedy after another.

This novel is told from the perspective of two sisters, Mae and Hannah, who appear to have fairly opposite personalities, interests, physical appearances, and goals. What binds them is the incredibly tragic circumstances of their parents' encounter with a natural disaster (to start). This info exists in the summary, so I'm not counting this as a spoiler.

It is fascinating and heart breaking to sit in the minds of each character as she deals with her own grief, and at times, it is even more riveting to watch her responses to her sister's grief. And that grief unfolds in so many ways: depression, addiction, isolation, hopelessness, removal of one's goals for the sake of others' comfort and happiness, outbursts of all kinds, suicidal ideation, and so on. I particularly like the realistic portrayal of addiction here.

Despite all of the tragedy and heart break - and it does just keep coming at you - there's an unmistakable sense of hope, recovery, and possibility that evolves in both expected and unexpected ways. Many readers will find the fundamental issues and questions here extremely familiar and helpful in building empathy and in developing a stronger understanding of ourselves.

Gutted. That’s how I described my condition to my sister when I texted her to tell her how much I love her and how grateful for her I always feel. Gutted.

This book. For. The. LOVE. I don’t cry/sob/snot during books like that! I mean, sometimes I will cry at the end or, on occasion, once or twice during a book. But I was a wreck almost continually during this book!!! A complete and utter wreck. Especially the second half. And it is not a short little jaunt if a book. It is a journey. An arduous process to, well, process! I mean, Come the fuck ON!!!

Sister story. Science that I shouldn’t get but that I totally did. Addiction gut-wrenches. A tsunami in so many ways!!!

This one will be with me for a very long time. I already preordered hard copies for me, my sister and my library. 🤓💜💜💜💜💜📚

Little Universes by Heather Demetrios is such an amazing novel! I loved the relationships between the sisters

Little Universes tells the story of two sisters on the brink of adulthood who unexpectedly lose both parents. The story is told in first-person dual perspectives that alternate between Mae, an astrophysics-obsessed brainiac, and her free-spirited sister, Hannah.

I found the book to be highly engrossing, as it deals with tough issues like Hannah’s opioid addiction and Mae’s insecurities about being adopted. Both sisters’ stories drew me in and pushed me to think more about life. Heather Demetrios clearly did her homework in terms of researching the tarot, mindfulness, and the meaning of the universe. I appreciated the little nuggets about astrophysics so much that I might just check out Neil Degrasse Tyson’s latest book, which is saying a lot because in 9th grade I won a Hated Physics The Most award.

I did worry that this book would venture into torture porn territory, since it deals with so many heavy topics. I think that many of the issues were dealt with respectfully. I loved how Mae connected the death of her parents to science and the meaning of life. I also liked how Demetrios depicted Mae grappling with her sister’s addiction—the concerns and dilemmas she had, as well as how she did research about it. As Hannah falls deeper into her addiction, Demetrios continued to use little acorn poems to capture her messed-up state of mind.

Still, I really don’t agree with Demetrios adding romance to the addiction storyline, especially between an addict and her dealer. This was totally unnecessary and problematic.

That being said, there’s no doubt in my mind that this story will highly appeal to my teenage students. It’s raw, angsty, and poignant.

[One last important thought for the author, from a concerned Bostonian: The 66 bus is a much faster transportation option from Brookline to Cambridge. There is absolutely no need to take the T to Harvard!]

*Received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review