Because I enjoyed Amelia Unabridged so much, I wanted to give this book a chance. However, it kind of fell short for me. Yes, it was very encouraging and well-written, but the pace was a bit slow and the juveniles were very JUVENILE. Maybe I'm too old for these types of books now, but either way, it just was not doing it for me.

Ugh, I wanted to love this book, and I did for a while. Until I didn’t. The synopsis basically tells you the MMC is going to die, so I spent the entire book waiting for that to happen, and he dies in the last like 10/15% of the book. So you get all this build up on their relationship and then not so much of the grief. It was very odd and I didn’t particularly enjoy it.

I also felt like everyone’s perception of the MMC went from hating him to adoring him in this very tiny timeframe.

Honestly, everything about the pacing and timing in this book was off, which made the book less enjoyable than I would’ve liked.

This was a pretty standard YA contemporary romance story that I was really enjoying. This book really captured what it was like to be a teenager, not wanting to listen to your parents, and dealing with the good and bad as they come. What really brought this book down for me was the abrupt tonal shift and plot choices at the end. It really came out of nowhere, which is arguably true to life, but for this book, really threw me out of the story.

Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher is a poignant and beautifully written coming-of-age story about love, loss, and finding your way through life's most difficult moments. The novel follows the emotional journey of two teenagers, Trixie and Jonah, as they navigate the complexities of grief and the fleeting nature of first love. Schumacher’s lyrical prose and sensitive handling of heavy themes make this a deeply moving read that resonates with anyone who has faced loss or uncertainty. With its heartfelt storytelling and authentic characters, Full Flight is a powerful and bittersweet novel that will stay with readers long after they finish.

The story follows Anna James, a high school saxophonist in a small Texas town, who forms a deep connection with Weston Ryan, a mellophone player. Their bond grows as they prepare for a marching band contest, but their relationship faces challenges from Anna's strict parents and unforeseen events.

Schumacher's writing is heartfelt and evocative, capturing the intensity of first love and the complexities of adolescence. The portrayal of the marching band setting adds a unique touch, immersing readers in the music and camaraderie. The emotional depth of the narrative is evident and not something to be missed.

However, I found the pacing a bit slow at times, and some plot developments felt predictable. While the characters are well-developed, I didn't feel as connected to them as I would have liked. The ending, though poignant, left me with mixed emotions.

I was doing pretty well until the mention of the birds, only a little bit of tears. But then - the floodgates opened.

Full Flight follows two teenagers, in a sort of opposites attract (the nerdy and good girl, and the still pretty nerdy but kind of messed up guy) as they discover true love. Both of them try to fight it at first, but then eventually can’t help but fall in love against all odds.

The synopsis gives away a lot of the story, although of course has none of the heart or the build up. The whole story, just like <i>Amelia Unabridged</i> was so beautiful, and well-crafted, with just a hint of melancholy.

I really loved how the author brought together the title and how there were so many moments throughout the story that could have been foreshadowing. I can’t wait to reread this now knowing what happened at the end.

I still think Amelia Unabridged will keep its top spot, but this was definitely a good follow-up.

For me Ashley Schumacher is one to watch.

On how to navigate young love when your parents tell you no, which only makes you want to say yes more, while living in a small town.

This is a wonderful novel depicting what teen love is like. It's extremely heartfelt and heartbreaking at times. While I'm way late on this review I'm glad I finally picked it up!

Ashley Schumacher knows how to write about teen characters and young relationships. Her debut showed us that and she followed up with another book that breaks you open before slowing piecing you together word by word.

Ashley Schumacher has done an excellent.....though emotional.....job of skillfully taken readers back to that confusing, emotionally charged period in our lives we called high school. Two young people learn to lean on each other, count on each other, care for eah other, then life throws every hope they had away. But the story along the way will wring every feeling you have and leave one young woman to face the world with courage. Definitely a 5 star read. I'm checking Schumacher's back library, but I'm buying a bigger box of tissues first.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The first 3/4 of Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher gets a solid 4 stars. The last quarter felt abrupt and disjointed, and not just because it's sad. In some ways, I think it portrayed an excellent example of real life. At the same time, it was extremely hard for me to concentrate and focus on that last section, which affected my enjoyment of the story as a whole. All in all, though, I do think Ashley Schumacher paints a beautiful picture of what it's like to fall in love and FAST as a teen. I'm so glad I pulled this one out of the Netgalley archive and gave it a shot!

(3.5 stars, rounded up to 4)

"Full Flight" by Ashley Schumacher is a compelling coming-of-age story that soars with authenticity and heart. Schumacher skillfully navigates the complexities of adolescence, capturing the essence of teenage struggles and triumphs with honesty and compassion. Protagonist Anna's journey of self-discovery is both relatable and inspiring, and readers will find themselves rooting for her every step of the way. While the novel's pacing is steady and the writing style engaging, some readers may find certain plot developments to be predictable or familiar. However, Schumacher's strong character development and poignant exploration of themes such as friendship, family, and identity elevate "Full Flight" above typical young adult fare. Overall, it's a worthwhile read that offers moments of insight and emotional resonance, making it a solid choice for fans of contemporary YA fiction.

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.