This was OK. It's well-written, but I didn't connect with it. Probably best for literary fans seeking an emotional read.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

This ShiningLife was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It’s a beautiful book, written about a man who is also brother, a father, a husband, and a son. It’s about his death and the affect it had on his family, especially his son. The book takes you through his prognosis and how he works to impart happiness and wisdom to the family in his last months. He gives each family member a gift as a reminder of his place in his life. He also tells his son that those gifts are meant to remind the person of the meaning of life and to live life to its fullest. The book centers around the son trying to find the answers by learning more about the gifts each person received. It was not as poignant or work it’s way into my soul as I thought it would when I read the books description.. I didn’t “feel it.” I give it a 3 for story line but couldn’t go higher since it didn’t pull me in the way I wanted to be.

3.5 Stars

Trigger Warning: Cancer death

Ollie's dad has died.

And, because Ollie is just a bit "different" from other kids his age, he thinks he needs to remind you of that, whenever it's his turn to talk.

Ollie's Dad, Rich was a happy person, right up until the end, and he has carefully selected gifts to mail to those he will be leaving behind-special gifts that only they will know the meaning of, so that they will know that they were loved.

Mum-pink vase
Dad-boat picture
Nessa-necklace
Angran-shawl

So, what happens when they open their gifts, and are stumped by what they have received.

Ollie thinks it's all a puzzle, to help them to figure out what it means to be alive-so, he decides to solve this puzzle, with the determination he usually reserves for Sudoku.

Although Ollie doesn't always understand adults, and their many "turn of phrases" he may just be the one to show them the way to come together in their grief and find their way forward.

I was invited to read this TOUCHING tale by the Publisher, and think that it is the type of book that will or won't resonate with you, depending on your own personal experience with the loss of a loved one.

Available June 22, 2021

5 stars
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down. It reminded me of the books written by Jonathan Safran Foer—particularly Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close—with its focus on a young boy solving a puzzle that will somehow lead to an understanding of his father’s death and the meaning of life.

Each short chapter is told from the point of view of one of the characters in the book—Ollie (the autistic son), Rich (his dad, who dies), Ruth (his mom), Nessa (Ruth’s sister), Angran (Ruth and Nessa’s mom), Marjorie (Rich’s mom), and Gerald (Rich’s dad). Each has their own quirks and Kline’s writing brings each to life through a focus on their inner dialogue and individual perspective. Overall, the story is about how, despite our human brokenness, our lives are interwoven and there is a beauty and warmth in that. It took Rich’s death for the characters to accept their own flaws and weaknesses and to realize their interconnection and to appreciate each other, both because of and in spite of, their idiosyncrasies. All in all, a beautiful story and well worth the read.

This was a thoughtful take on terminal illness and the ripple effects it has on a family, from young to old. Sometimes with multiple POVs (and there were quite a few here), the voices start to blend and it can get confusing as to who is speaking, but these were clearly distinct voices and their pain, while different, felt very real and unique to their individual spirit. I thought this book was beautifully done and I'm glad I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover. I am going to need a copy of this when it comes out.

I have mixed feelings about THIS SHINING LIFE, which I was excited to read. I love the premise, the title, and the cover.

There are a lot of viewpoints to keep up with. I was most interested in Ollie, Ruth, and Angran. At times, I found myself skimming the other points of view.

The author does a great job at setting scenes and describing the setting using all senses. I loved being able to picture the waterfall, the house, and the countryside.

The characters are well-crafted and seem genuine.

However, the pacing is somewhat plodding and slow. I did enjoy the ending, but it takes a while to arrive...

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

I had such high hopes for this book., especially since it was a book about grief and I usually find myself relating most to them. But the book fell more depressing then anything else.

I do love the cover though!

Ruth, Ollie, Nessa, Angran, Marjorie and Gerald are all dealing with the death of Rich, husband, father, brother-in-law, son-in-law and child, respectively. Rich, while not exactly the glue that held everyone together, was the one everyone related to. As in everything, our reactions are colored by the lens through which we view life. In this case, all the views are muddied by illness, past hurts, or difficult relationships. Harriet Kline takes us through the grieving process form several perspectives - an interesting approach to understanding grief just a bit better.

I sped through this book in a couple of sittings- I was completely immersed in Ollie’s family, their grief. and their complicated relationships with loss and with one another. This book was moving, emotional, hopeful, and authentic. The characters felt real and relatable, and the themes of family, loss, mental illness, love, and friendship resonated with me.

NetGalley kindly provided me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this didn't hold my interest and it felt mostly depressing to me (and I get that Rich died and we weren't coming back from that, but still). I thought the story about the hand necklace was nice but the others were pretty weak. The cover is beautiful though!

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.