DNF @ 17%

I have enjoyed other works by this Author but this one was just a miss for me. Mentally I struggle with books that I know will make me sad/deal with grief right now and so I set this one aside.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to ugly cry at the end of this. The problem right off the bat that I had with this was the character names. The book I finished before this was set at a school named Weston. The male main character is named Weston. Our main girl is named Anna and both of them are on the high school marching band.

I don't know anything about marching band and was hesitant at how I was going to like this. It was very band centric with insta love. It was sitting at a two star for most of the book because every chapter was the same with Anna not wanting to lie to her parents and wanting to be good at saxophone and worrying about her duet with Weston. Weston was not wanting to get to close and was basically the outcast in their little small town Texas high school.

He didn't want to fall for Anna because his parents divorced and he had the mindset that every relationship is doomed and love doesn't last.

I thought about DNFing this because it was taking forever but I pushed through and the ending had me crying. I am really triggered by car crashes. The whole ending of this reminded me of the Rascal Flatts music video What Hurts The Most because it is exactly what happens, minus teenage pregnancy which is what I was expecting because there is a sex scene but not graphic.

I ended up giving this a three star. The end is what bumped it up a star because it gave me emotion and it was touching, I just wish there was more of that throughout the book.

Such a beautiful heartfelt story! I’ve only read two books by this author but the way she crafts her stories and characters and just ughh every feeling you think you could have.

This was a beautiful read! Ashley writes books that are meaningful and beautiful. I really enjoyed this one and will for sure be reading more books by her!

Really great book I have had so much reading this and getting to know these lovable characters will definitely continue to read books by this author

Listen up book lovers, here's the scoop: I was all set to fall head over heels for Anna James and Weston Ryan's duet in their marching band. But alas, the stars were not aligned for me and this book. While Schumacher's writing style is ah-mazing and I did get attached to Anna, Weston, and some of the supporting characters, I just couldn't get past the insta-love vibe. I mean, these two make eye contact and boom! They're soulmates. Plus, the reason behind Weston's outcast status in the small Texas town was a bit of a head-scratcher, and Anna's happy-go-lucky facade felt like it glossed over some deeper issues. But, on the bright side, the book does touch on the struggles of being a teenager, and Schumacher's writing is simply stunning. While this book wasn't for me, I can see how others might adore it. A copy was kindly provided to me by Wednesday Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I want to preface this review by saying that I absolutely LOVED Amelia Unabridged, so I had high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, this book was just not for me. There was a lot of high school band throughout the book, which had no interest for me, and I really didn't like either of the two leads. I didn't feel like they had character growth by the end of the book and while I knew "something" was coming at the end of the book, I felt like it was almost put in there for the drama/tears factor. I did like how the book explored loneliness, especially with high school students, because it was very relatable.

At times, I felt like the book portrayed high school and the church as it was when I was in high school, which was 20 years ago. It felt historical fiction-y, because I didn't feel like the today's society. I know times have changed and I wish that was reflected in this book. Ultimately, this book was not for me.

Thank you to @stmartinspress for the #gifted copy.

If you want to read a book that will give you a good cry, then this is it. This one hit all my emotions. Young love is so sweet. It brought me back to my youth and I am a sucker for a football story. Anna and Weston have to hide their relationship from her parents. He is the troublemaker, but they are in love..... Can they overcome tragedy? This story is so beautiful, yet so sad.

What I liked: Ashley Schumacher has a way of writing that will absolutely rip your heart out of your chest. No exaggeration, in the last 16% I was SOBBING, questioning the cruelty of the world, and the author for making me feel these things. I think this book did a great job at slowly getting you invested in it’s characters, to the point where you don’t even realize how much you care for them until the Horrible Thing happens. There’s also some great exploration of what it’s like being a teen, struggling with dark thoughts (maybe a little depression rep?), loneliness, and pressures from everyone around you. I

What I didn’t like: let me start by saying that I think this book was based on the author’s real life experiences, and therefore I don’t feel I can critique certain parts of it (if that’s what happened, who am I to disagree??) My biggest issue is that this book dealt with grief but in a way that doesn’t actually let you grieve. The whole thing is so happy and then you get hit with this huge thing in the last ~40 pages, that leaves you feeling awful and like your soul has been ripped out and, as my brother pointed out, maybe that’s the point. Because that’s how life happens sometimes. HOWEVER that isn’t really what I was expecting from a YA contemporary romance. Because the rest of the book is SO YA contemporary, with mental health issues, slightly cheesy insta love, and the struggles of being a teen.

This book made me emotional in the best way. I loved the beautiful lyrical writing that was so authentic to AS. She is a great story teller. This book was so good and I found myself rereading it.

Full Flight is a story of first love that encapsulates the butterflies and the pain that is often inevitable. Adding in that it is forbidden provides complications for the relationship but amplifies Anna's and Weston's desire to be together, which then meant anxiety on my end. When would Anna's parents find out? Would they still be able to see each other? While their relationship starts with a lie, it easily grows into two people who find understanding and belonging with each other. The character development is done well.

It was on its way to being a 4-star read when I hit that pesky third act. It did not matter that the possibility was revealed in the blurb because 1) I forgot about it and 2) it hurt so damn much. It was completely unfair and I wish there was such a thing as a do-over. 😭😭😭

The dual point of view worked well for the story, leaving me bereft when one voice was suddenly silenced. I kept questioning how Schumacher could do this to me. (3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars)

Pick this up if
✨️band was your thing
✨️you enjoy books about first love
✨️opposites attract is a favorite trope

This book was just sadly not for me! I was hoping for something different but it turned out to be something I was not expecting, which is okay and I'm sure someone else would love it!

As I sit here writing this review, my nose is stuffy and my eyes are red because I’ve been bawling. This book made me Feel so much. I always cry with Ashley Shumacher so it’s no surprise this book was no different. Such a good emotional books! Definitely recommend if you want a emotional read!

What a sweet story ruined by so much grief and loss! I was really hoping for more of a happy ending, but that’s on me. I loved the two main characters’ relationship, but it always bugs me when parents meddle too much as a plot point. Still, it was a poignant novel—just not one I loved.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

From the get go, Full Flight felt like a middle-grade version of Twilight.

Instead of sparkling vampires, we had a male main character that was moody because his parents got divorced and it became his only personality trait. Then we have Anna who lacks personality altogether and is super cringey like Bella Swan. Also this girl is a Christmas girlie, and that was when I knew this book was going to be an absolute trainwreck.

The oddness of this novel does not end there. The characters were 16 yet they pretended they were adults very often throughout the book. Obviously, they came off very immature, especially with the constant reprimanding of cussing. Everything was just disconnected and made me want to vomit at the cringe factor and the forced chemistry (If I have to hear "My Weston" one more time, I will chunk this book across the room).

I will say the writing does get better near the end but overall, this book lacked creativity, intrigue and any type of emotion.

Really, really loved her first book. It was so good and I was excited to see she had another book come out. I really tried with this one. I got over 50% through and it was just not grabbing me at all. I wanted to be able to push through and finish it but I got too worried it wouldn't get any better. So sadly I couldn't finish this one and just don't think I will. Will continue to love and recommend her first book, but this one wasn't for me.

This book and I were just not meant to be so unfortunately this was not my vibe at the moment. Maybe for someone else it will be

While I enjoyed this book I did not love it. Yes I cried during the last 15% of the book. I would still recommend it.

I absolutely loved Amelia Unabridged, such a fantastic debut. To follow such an amazing book is not easy and maybe I expected too much.

It took me a while to get into this book because I wasn't overly invested in the characters. It’s not that I disliked them, they were fine.
Another issue I had was the main storyline. The synopsis basically tells you what is gonna happen (death ). So I was confused why I’m most of the way through the book and nothing has happened. I found that super odd honestly.

The plot and writing were great but the execution of it was not.

Overall I still recommend it! I still look forward to her next one.

Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher is a touching and inspiring novel that tells the story of a young woman's journey to find herself and her passion in life. The protagonist, Tessa, has always felt out of place and uncertain about her future. But when she takes a job as a flight attendant, she discovers a world of adventure and possibility that she never knew existed.

Schumacher's writing is both lyrical and down-to-earth, capturing both the excitement and the challenges of Tessa's new life. As Tessa travels the world and meets new people, she begins to see herself and her place in the world in a new light. But even as she finds joy and fulfillment in her work, she must also confront the reality that life is not always easy, and that even the most exciting jobs have their downsides.

One of the strengths of Full Flight is Schumacher's ability to capture the sense of wonder and possibility that comes with travel. Through Tessa's experiences, readers are transported to exotic locations and exposed to new cultures and ways of life. But the novel also explores deeper themes of identity, family, and belonging, as Tessa struggles to reconcile her own desires with the expectations of those around her.

Overall, Full Flight is a heartwarming and engaging novel that will appeal to anyone who has ever felt lost or uncertain about their place in the world. Schumacher's writing is insightful and compassionate, and her characters are fully realized and relatable. This novel is a must-read for anyone who loves travel, coming-of-age stories, or simply a good tale of self-discovery.