After really enjoying The Guncle, I knew I wanted to read Rowley’s newest release! This was such a heartwarming and heartfelt book of found family, long-standing friendships, grief, love, and a unique story!

This was such a different concept of experiencing living funerals! I think there was a bit of yourself that you can find or relate to in some way in these characters! This is one I would recommend especially if you enjoy character-driven stories.

The Celebrants

I wanted to love this so much, but I think I hyped it up so much in my mind and it fell somewhat short of my expectations.

Old college friends getting together to celebrate their funerals while they are living. Genius idea btw, I might run with this. They come to this agreement after loosing a friend in college.

All friends are from different walks of life and carrying their own strengths and shortcomings. Really trying to make the most of life while they live.

I suppose my hesitant to give it a higher rating is the way I connected with the story. I felt very distant from the characters and it may have been the 3rd POV or too many different POVs to really build that relationship. I would have liked to hear more about Jordy & how he is coming to terms w the end of his life. Just wanted MORE.

Overall, very cute. Would recommend and keep this author on my radar!

3⭐️

This was good and I found I wanted to read slower than normal as I took in the lifetime journey with these college friends. Just a few weeks before their Berkeley graduation, Naomi, Jordan, Jordy, Craig and Marielle's friend Alex dies. Connected at first because they had all transferred into Berkeley, they thought they would be friends forever. After Alex's death, Marielle floats the idea of a pact, to come with no questions asked if one of the remaining five needed each other. After graduation they go their separate ways, but when Marielle makes the first call, they all return to Naomi's family home in Big Sur to remind her why she is so special. I won't go on about the other calls. The book is very emotionally packed and part of the journey is obviously learning why as you are reading it. The story does a great job of going back and forth in time to fill in what seem like gaps but aren't all of the time.

Three of my fave reads for Pride Month!⁣
* 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨, by Steven Rowley. (Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for review!)⁣
* 𝘽𝙞𝙜 𝙂𝙖𝙮 𝙒𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜, by Byron Lane (Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for review!)⁣
* 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙡𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙩 𝙀𝙣𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙡𝙚, by Matt Cain (MomAdvice Book Club June Pick!)⁣
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#thecelebrants #stevenrowley #biggaywedding #byronlane #thesecretlifeofalbertentwistle #mattcain #momadvicebookclub ⁣
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#pathologicallyliterate #TBCreads

I’m going to start this by saying The Guncle was one of my favorite books. This fell flat for me. I couldn’t keep track of the timeline and I was ultimately bored.

Thank you Putnam Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

Steven Rowley is one of my favorite authors. I love how he balances heavy topics and mental health with colorful characters and sharp dialogue. The Celebrants is no exception, as it follows a group of friends who make a pact to throw each other a “living funeral” when they are at their lowest points.

This books is warm and engaging, difficult and heartbreaking, but it still contains the trademark wit of Rowley’s writing. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Synopsis:

“It’s been a minute—or five years—since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since their graduation when their adult lives officially began. Now Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle find themselves at the brink of a new decade, with all the responsibilities of adulthood, yet no closer to having their lives figured out. Though not for a lack of trying. Over the years they’ve reunited in Big Sur to honor a decades-old pact to throw each other living “funerals,” celebrations to remind themselves that life is worth living—that their lives mean something, to one another if not to themselves.But this reunion is different. They’re not gathered as they were to bolster Marielle as her marriage crumbled, to lift Naomi after her parents died, or to intervene when Craig pleaded guilty to art fraud. This time, Jordan is sitting on a secret that will upend their pact.A deeply honest tribute to the growing pains of selfhood and the people who keep us going, coupled with Steven Rowley’s signature humor and heart, The Celebrants is a moving tale about the false invincibility of youth and the beautiful ways in which friendship helps us celebrate our lives, even amid the deepest challenges of living.” —NetGalley

What I LIked:

The Characters—I loved this friend group so much and I loved the idea of gathering to celebrate your friends when they need you most. As someone who’s love language is words of affirmation, it really resonated with me.

The Structure—It was perfect to go back and forth in time, when all the friends needed their “funeral”.

The Prose—I LOVE Rowley’s writing. I’ve been a huge fan of his work for a while now and his writing is always perfectly balanced with witty dialogue and poetic lines that go straight to your heart.

What Didn’t Work:

No complaints from me, just wanted a little bit more.

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: N/A Overall Rating: 4.5

Content Warnings:

cancer, death, overdose, grief, drug use, death of a parent, suicidal ideation

A friends reunion of sorts, this read will have you thinking about treasuring your friends. Filled with laughter and sadness, I found this to be a good follow up to The Guncle.

The Guncle is still my favorite Rowley read as that was something really special.

Definitely check out the audiobook for The Celebrants as Rowley is the narrator and does a great job.

I really loved previous works by this author and expected a lot going in. Unfortunately the characters didn't really vibe with me and I felt like I was missing something.

Steven Rowley has once again stolen my heart. This book is so masterfully written, I couldn't help but devour it in two sittings. The Celebrants is the story of a group of college besties who make a pact after losing one member of the group young. If one of them needs to be reminded they are loved they will call the others. The alternating timeline of the book was a little chaotic at times but the story was incredible.

How does one follow up a treasure like The Guncle? @mrstevenrowley did it brilliantly with The Celebrants. It might be because I’m roughly the same age as these characters, or maybe it just made it that much better, but I absolutely adored this one.
This is a superb exploration of the enduring power of friendship. I laughed and cried, possibly at the same time, and fell in love with each of these five characters. Their pact to be there for one another, connecting them through decades, made for the loveliest summer read.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Loved this book so much, I'm a sucker for friend group stories! I also loved the format of reading about the friends' journeys over a longer period of time. I do think there could've been more development with some of the storylines (like the father storyline). But it was a really enjoyable read and loved how we see the characters evolve over their lifetime.

I love Steven Rowley so much!! The Guncle is one of my favorite books of all time and The Celebrants did not disappoint! I thought it was such a unique concept and I loved how bonded they friends were over time. I loved the concept of attending your own funeral and leaving nothing unsaid. Just so good!!

The Guncle was my favorite book of 2021 so to say I was a little excited for his newest release was an understatement.

Those hoping for the comedic and dry humor of The Guncle might be a little disappointed with The Celebrants. Don't get me wrong, there were still times when I would stop after a sentence and just absorb the depth and beauty of it, but it didn't have that magical touch that The Guncle had for me.

I did enjoy being able to grow with this group of friends over their years to see how life treated them and what would ultimately make them trigger the pact; I just personally felt that it dragged a little too long in spots.

Having recently finished “The Celebrants” by Steven Rowley, I am happy to have had the chance for the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy; thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam!

Unfortunately, this was a story that was easy to put aside and a struggle to pick back up again. That usually happens when I feel little connection to the characters. I wish I had felt more of a constant friendship with this group, instead of the bickering when they were reunited after years of disconnect. Friendship is what I was expecting when I chose this story; and these five celebrants are more than likely not friends that I will remember.
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"At a certain point, peace has to be found with the choices we've made."

I’m consistently amazed by how Steven Rowley can write on such a wide range of unique topics, but all of them create such an emotional connection to the characters. The Celebrants is no different, by the end of the book I was attached to each member of the pact for different reasons and wanting more of their stories. It’s a story that reminds us to tell people what they mean to us throughout life, that each day isn’t promised, and even a life cut short can still be a life well lived.

What a fascinating group of characters to follow through life. I thought this was going to end up being an ugly-cry kind of book. Instead I found it very heartwarming, genuine, and impactful. These characters are going to stick with me for a long time to come.

Book Rating: 3.5/5 rounded up
Audiobook Rating: 5/5

Steven Rowley may have blown me away with his prior novel, The Guncle but I tried to go into The Celebrants without insanely high expectations. I think I mostly kept myself in check and I'm glad I did because as much as I loved that book, I didn't have quite the same feelings about this one. The concept caught my attention immediately, friends that throw each other living funerals? never have I ever seen that in a book before and I was excited to see where Rowley would take it. It was strange, but I felt an odd disconnect from the characters and it almost felt like I didn't get to know them well enough to actually care about what they were going through. It's like when you look through the windows of a house at the people within and are interested in what is going on, but you don't actually CARE since you don't know them. Does this make sense? And now I probably sound like a stalker... 😂

I did love the dry humor that permeated the novel, and I will forever enjoy Rowley's writing style which I definitely did again. There is a distinct literary fiction feel to the story, and I loved the message of caring and friendship and how it can remind us of how great life can be even through tough times. One of the things I appreciate most is that the author narrates his own audiobooks, and there really is nothing like listening to Rowley narrate. I didn't feel like I knew the characters on the level I wanted to, but he brought them to life in his narration in a beautiful way, and I highly recommend listening to his audiobooks. The Celebrants may not have been what I expected, but I enjoyed it overall and I hope others will too.

Steven Rowley has a way of writing that brings me comfort even when the topics may be hard. In The Celebrants he brings us a group of friends who after the loss of one create a pact to call upon each other whenever it’s most needed to come back together and hold a living funeral. To celebrate their lives while they’re still here and breathe more life back into them reminding them of how loved and special they are. The idea is creative and I loved the thought of having those you love and who know you most around to lift you up when you’re not sure it’s worth it anymore. Like The Guncle (which is one of my favorites) the topic is tough but somehow you find yourself smiling and feeling better in the end. Life is short, make sure you celebrate it.

I’m so happy that I discovered Steven’s books and cannot wait to see what’s next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the opportunity to read this early digital copy in exchange for my thoughts.

Whew. Cue the tears. I knew a vague synopsis for this book going in, so I was prepared. But, man, it still got me.

I'm really glad I continued reading this book. This is a book I would have been sad if I had chosen to place it the DNF pile. It was a slow start and took me a while to get into it. I put it down for a few weeks and decided yesterday to give it another chance. So glad that I did!

Initially, it was hard to become attached to the characters and with a character driven book that is a must! The jokes weren't landing right for me, I couldn't get a good read on the characters and keep them all apart, and it was hard for me to get into the flow of the book. But because of the unique layout of this book, you start learning more and more about each character and start to grow an attachment.

I loved how the meat of the story is 5 college friends, who continue to stay in touch by throwing their own "living" funerals. But we have an undercurrent story that is intertwined of the two college friends, who become married and the trials they are having to go through. Whew, that's the gut punch.

This was my first book by this author. I requested this book for the hype his previous book, The Guncle, brought. Whether I liked this book or not, I wanted to check it out as well. After finishing this one, I'm even more excited to see what it's all about, and I have a feeling I will enjoy it even more.

This was in many ways a heavy book, but it was also so enlightening and uplifting. I'm giving it three stars, only because it took me roughly 30% to start becoming invested in the story. The last 50% was definitely what saved it for me.

TW: cancer, grief, loss of spouse, loss of parents.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

It took me a lot longer than usual to read this book and I’m not sure if that’s because of the book or life just being a little extra crazy lately. Either way, I definitely enjoyed the book and I’m very thankful I got to read an arc. I wasn’t super invested in the story but I did really like how it was written. I liked seeing how the friendship shifted as time went on and their lives changed. Contemporary fiction isn’t my favorite genre, but if it’s yours I’d recommend checking this book out!