Catch me openly sobbing in public to this book. Goodness gracious it tugged on every heartstring. Ashley Schumacher has such a poignant way with her writing and it blew me away how emotional I got while reading this book. I really think it was quite well done and any reader would enjoy this beautiful, lovely heartbreak of a book.

A beautiful story of love and loss and learning how to move on when life sends your world spiraling. It is both heartbreaking and hopeful.

Thank you to the publisher for an e-ARC of this book. This book does a great job showcasing the inner workings of band friendships and relationships. It's pretty en pointe in that regard, and the story is well told too. I didn't see the twist coming, but thought it was well executed and think many high school band kids will enjoy this one. I will definitely mention it to my colleagues who teach high school band.

I loved Ashley Schumacher's last book, Amelia Unabridged. I had just been thinking about reread it when I got the chance to read her new book, Full Flight.

I KNEW Full Flight was going to sad. I went into expecting that I might shed some tears, however my heart still broke. I loved Amelia Unabridged so much that I have high hopes and expectations for this one and I was not disappointment.

In Full Flight we follow two teenagers, in dual perspective. Weston, who moved away but is now back, is known for being trouble. He's an angsty little dude, going through a hard time with his parents divorce and the rumors that surround him and his departure from their high school. The other perspective is from Anna, who is the complete opposite of Weston. They are two people who no one expected to be friends but that (and more?) develop when they are assigned a duet for their school band.

Even though it broke my heart, like ten different times, I still loved this book. It has definitely secured Ashley to an auto read author for me, no need to read the synopsis, I know it's going to be good (and sad, probably). I also loved the cover.

Review to be posted closer to publication date.

This book was a very light and quick read, the characters are well represented and the chemistry between them is very soft and charming.


It is perfect to read in a rainy day, when you want to warm your heart.

I'm not a huge fan of insta love.. and I'm not a huge fan of chick flick, beachy reads.. so this just wasn't a book for me. It felt way too much like it was trying to be All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, and I'm sorry, but Niven just did it better.

I was cringing from the beginning, and I just didn't care about either of the characters...


BUT-- I gave this 2 stars because this book was written for someone else, not me.

Full Flight is beautifully woven novel about experiencing your first love, and how it can be stolen so soon. I didn't go into this expecting it to be so powerful, but upon finishing it I have to say this book shed so much light on how loss affects teenagers. I've read other books conveying this message before, however this is certainly my favorite interpretation of it, it will for sure stand out compared to others. This book was heartbreaking, and although the synopsis made it quite obvious what would happen, I still finished this feeling so empty, yet also so full because of how amazing it was.

There was so much I loved about this book that I'm not even sure where to start. The pacing was brilliant, it was fast which I'm sometimes not a fan of, but I think that's exactly what this book needed. It truly showed how quick relationships start, and just how quickly they can end, everything in-between suddenly feeling as if it never even occurred. Although it's depressing, it's reality for some, and this raw emotion is what will set this apart. The plot most of the book was mainly lighthearted, showing much accuracy to what it's like being a teenager and having new experiences.

The characters like everything else, were very enjoyable. I related so much to Anna, she was so authentic, and I know so many readers will love her. Weston was just as well executed, the mysteriousness about him was so intriguing, and being able to see that fade away as he grew closer with Anna was very nice. Their relationship dynamic was fantastically done, and although some may argue it's too insta-lovey, I think that's the whole point, they were 16 and 17 I believe. Lastly, I loved that the side characters such as Ratio, Andy, and Jenny were also contributing to the plot. (What Jenny did for Anna, I might have screamed. Where's her award???)

I really only had one complaint about this book and it was how heavy the marching band terms were, sometimes to the point where I was genuinely confused, but it wasn't enough to bring down the 5 star rating, I would just be aware of that when starting this.

Mark February 22, 2022 on your calendars, I promise you don't want to miss this book. Ashley Schumacher exceeded my expectations with this book, and I can't wait to dive into her other works. Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press (Wednesday Books) for providing me with this eARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Always love reading arcs from this publisher!! This review will be posted to my Goodreads and Bookbub immediately..

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was brilliantly done. I really enjoyed it.
I also sobbed my way through the entire end of the book, so there’s that. There was so much emotion in this story. I didn’t understand all the band references at first—I was never in band—but eventually caught on. I thought Ratio was a really great and important friend, and I just really loved the friendship dynamic he and Weston had throughout the story.

Ashley Schumacher destroyed me with this book. I fell in love with Anna and Weston and their feel-good band camp romance but found their sense of alone so relatable. The idea that you can find someone to make your darknessess lonely, especially in high school is so real. I ugly cried for the last 20 percent of the book and cannot wait to see what she does next.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Ashley Schumacher is quickly becoming one of my favourites. Her exploration of grief and love is haunting and lovely. It pulls you into the story completely. I fell in love with both of the MCs and cried my fair share of tears by the end.

This book seems like it is the sweetest love letter to high school marching band kids and to finding love in unexpected places, but it jumps in and destroys you. I loved it so much. Maybe I am a little ‘extra’ with my emotions because it hits close to home - I have a high schooler in a very competitive marching band, in Texas, and I am surrounded by high schoolers all day who are lonely, confused, misunderstood, heartbroken, interesting, delightful, talented (and yes, I am describing every kid - they each contain these fullness of emotions and attributes within themselves daily). They come into our library to hide, to meet friends, to escape, to grind out those too-level papers and assignments. They are amazing, tender people. This book explores that with such earnest, heartfelt kindness. Am I happy about the plot twist at 80%, of course not. I cried the last 20% of this book. I prayed that it would suddenly switch to being a fantasy genre so that something supernatural would happen to bring our hero and heroine back together.
A great read and great rec for patrons who are seeking a swoony story (but that do not require a HEA). Wishing this was out already so that we could include it in our Fall Friday Night Lights/Football season display (and because I am dying to get a printed copy in my daughter’s hands during marching season!).
Thanks for the ARC! I loved Amelia Unabridged, too, but this one was my favorite. (And now that both my daughters names have been used as leading characters in Schumacher’s books I a wondering where she can go from here!)

I'm obsessed with AS's writing. It's lyrical, yet authentic. And once again, she has proven that emotions written on paper can be felt as if they are living, tangible things. From stolen glances to important celebrations, each action and feeling takes on a life of their own and in a really poetic way. So many sentences are worth highlighting in this! I also adore the title, what it represents, how it manifests in the story, and how the theme of birds (one bird in particular) is so heartbreakingly and beautifully depicted. The way it is all woven throughout is my favourite thing about this book. It really is quite something.

My only complaint is the last 20% kind of let me down. It doesn't help that the synopsis gives away too much. The plot's 'big event' can very easily be inferred when reading the blurb, so when it came time for it to actually happen in the book, I felt no emotion because I already knew to expect it. Also, the event itself is stated in the space of two lines. That's it! And it's towards the end, so any time for Anna to learn to move on after the event (which the synopsis implies is a big part of the story) is brief, almost as brief as the actual event itself. It's supposed to be this tragically defining moment, but it just doesn't deliver as impactfully or as emotionally as it should have.

Regardless of the ending, I can't deny that AS knows how to tell a story about first loves, growing up, and finding yourself as well as finding others. While I may not have wholeheartedly loved this as much as her first book, I think it's a nice sophomore novel and has me looking forward to seeing what AS writes next.

As in Amelia Unabridged, the writing style was gorgeous, and the way Schumacher phrased things alone caused me to pause and think about things for a while. I genuinely cannot get enough of the writing style. It evokes such specific emotions so well.

As someone who marched competitively in high school (though not in a program with the rigidity of Enfield's), I enjoyed the importance of band and all the jokes and relatable moments. Schumacher really captured the essence.

Ratio is hands down my favorite character. I am exceptionally attached to this boy for no reason I could give you. I also liked Andy a lot, and my favorite scene in the entire book was the one where Ratio, Andy, and Weston played the piano together. The relationship Anna had with her younger sister felt real and messy.

However, I was unable to connect to the romance between Anna and Weston because it happened so quickly and seemingly without any foundation. I love reading close relationships, but I did not see the basis for this one.

Anna is a new member of her high school’s marching band. She is paired with another student, Weston, who is assigned to help her master the duet they are supposed to play in a competition. Their story is told in alternating chapters as their unlikely friendship develops.

Despite the fact that I am not familiar with marching band etiquette and terminology, I found it hard to put this book down.

Beautifully written, with relatable, likeable, and unforgettable characters, this coming of age novel will appeal to young adults and adults as well. It’s a heartbreaking story of loneliness, friendship, love, and tragedy that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and author Ashley Schumacher for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this unforgettable novel.

i’m delving into spoilers here because a lot of what i have to say is about the last quarter or so of the book, and once you read it, you’ll know why. you’ve been warned.

i think the story could have gone without weston’s death. i knew it was coming - the blurb here on goodreads alludes to it - and dreaded it. the minute weston was finally happy, finally content and not feeling so much loneliness, he was killed off. it felt to me like saying he couldn’t have that happiness, or wasn’t built for it/didn’t deserve it or some shit, and that made me angry. once i (warily) accepted it, i WAS able to finish the story, which all in all was rather good. the writing is beautiful, honest, and true. i liked the whole marching band theme too.

#netgalley

Ashley has truly done it again. The way she’s able to write equally heartwarming and heartbreaking books is a true gift, and she’s remarkable at it. I sobbed many a time reading this, and every time I thought I was done, I would read the next page and start all over again. I just love a book that emotionally destroys me and leaves me feeling empty after I finish it, so Full Flight truly hit all of the marks for me.

One of the features I loved about this book was its conversation surrounding loneliness and the pressure to be perfect. It deep dives into the way everything in high school can feel monumental and the stress that can be caused by just trying to stay above water. The truths that Weston and Anna shared with each other illuminated those feelings beautifully. Weston is my bb and I loved his angst and personality. I definitely swooned at least once in his conversations with Anna, and he really is just the sweetest guy.

As someone who was a theater kid, I love books focused on specific high school groups as you get to see the differences and similarities with your own experiences. It was so interesting to see the amount of rehearsal marching band takes, and even though I had so many band friends in high school, I didn’t actually know much about what they did. I think Ashley did a great job of exploring that and what being dedicated to an activity in high school can look like and how it can affect your social, school, and home life.

I read this book in a few hours because I didn’t want to put it down, and I truly cannot say enough good things about Ashley’s sophomore novel. This deserves being an Indie and NYT bestseller and so so much more.

I loved the author’s last book, Amelia Unbridged, so I happily read this ARC.

It has kind of a niche audience- the two main characters are high school marching band members who feel like outcasts. Still, I enjoyed their connection.

The plot twist near the end was really not my favorite, and due to recent events in my own life, not something I really wanted to read about. The ending was satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Holy Cow! This author did it again with another great book that had me sobbing and basically never wanting to pick up another book from the hangover I have received! I don’t even know how I will make it through this review, haha.

The book is told from dual point-of-views: Weston and Anna. They both have grown up differently and because of that they view the world through a specific lens. Weston is still learning to deal with divorced parents and what it means for relationships when it comes to his own. Anna is dealing with feeling alone and never knowing if she is good enough. Although I haven’t had to deal with divorced parents myself, my husband has and I could see him relating to Weston. I do feel for Anna and her insecurities because I have been there as well.

They live in a small town where everyone knows everyone and this does cause problems for them. Their insecurities can cause the problems to be even bigger but I liked seeing how the two managed to deal with what they faced. They didn’t always pick the best choices but the moments they had together because of it was the cherry on top. I lived for those moments.

The book also deals with music but more importantly high school band. I was never in band but did have friends who were. I can’t say much on the topic but as an outsider it was easy to understand everything especially the pressure these two faced while trying to stay on top. Anna wasn’t always in band like her friends because she comes from a family that didn’t always have money to spare. She didn’t want to burden her parents and she kept that weight on her shoulders. This is a really important topic and one that I would love to see more in books. Parents don’t realize how money talks can affect their kids and the kids in turn make it a priority for them to not be a burden. I definitely felt for Anna.

There are great side characters as well like Ratio. Everyone needs a friend like him to help push us out of our fears and self-doubt! And even though sibling bonds weren’t too big in the book, I really appreciated Jenny going to bat for her sister. It was sweet.

The romance you could say is friends-to-lovers and that usually isn’t my cup of tea but I enjoyed seeing how their relationship progressed through the book. Just like with any relationship there are ups and downs. They did everything to hold on to their first love and I loved every bit of it.

I’m going to keep this review spoiler-free so I’m just going to say have tissues ready.

Overall this was a heartachingly beautiful book! It talks about many great topics that I feel like teens and even adults can relate to on some level. I love how this author just hits you in the feels with everything she writes. If you haven’t read either of her books yet, please do!

After loving Amelia Unabridged so much, I, unfortunately, found Full Flight to be a little bit of a letdown. I do think that one of the reasons why I found the book confusing is that I am not American and was never in band. However, I was constantly googling things to figure out what was happening. Even in one of the most emotional scenes of the book, I had to pause and look something up. It really pulled my focus from the story.

I will say that Ashley Schumacher writes grief like no other, and this book is no exception. Even though I wasn't necessarily feeling the story, she still managed to reach in and give my heart a pretty good squeeze. She gets what loss feels like in a way that most authors do not.

I also really loved Anna James, she's the kind of protagonist that you just want to give a big hug to. She's earnest, charming, and pretty much the only person in their town willing to give Weston Ryan a chance. Weston however... left me a little bit confused as well. His "bad boy" reputation is never really explained, his parents got divorced, he may or may not have damaged a tree, he switched schools for a year, he wears a leather jacket? Not to mention, one of the only reasons we knew that he is a "bad boy" is that HE WON'T STOP SAYING IT HIMSELF! While reading his POVs I couldn't get Jughead of Riverdale's "I'm a weirdo" speech out of my head. It seems like Weston trying so hard to be an outcast was the only thing that made him one.

I definitely think that this is the right book for someone else, I think that Ashley Schumacher really does have a way of writing books that manage to feel so deeply personal to the people who are able to connect with the book. For me, that was Amelia Unabridged, and for others, it will be Full Flight. I 100% plan to pick up Ashely's future books because I know that she is a beautiful writer, but unfortunately, Full Flight was just a miss for me personally.

This was a beautiful telling of finding your person and yourself along the way. It touched on anxiety, depression, and stereotypical small town ideals. It was raw and it left you stripped bare. Ashley Schumacher worda pulverize your heart and leave your eyes puffy from the tears you cry. It is an experience that stays with you and isn't that the greatest gift a book can give?