I adored Guncle. It was the perfect funny but emotional hug of a book. I was hopeful that The Celebrants would be the same but this book has a slightly different feel. The premise of celebrating life before you die is something I love. I think it would be a much better world if we all told each other what we love about it other more frequently. However, the characters of this book were so... meh. They all had flaws, which is to be expected, but they were bordering unlikeable instead of relatable.
Overall, I did like the writing and plot. I just would have liked to love the characters a little more and have a bigger emotional connection to them.

Wow! This one was really good. I went in with extremely high hopes due to my love of The Guncle, and I wasn't disappointed. While this one is not as amazing as The Guncle, in my opinion, not much really can be. This story centered around a group of friends who create a pact after the untimely death of one of their college friends to have a living funeral for each group member so everyone can know how loved they are. I loved the premise, I really liked the characters, I liked the different timelines, and I loved Steven Rowley's signature humor. The only reason I am going 4 stars and not 5 was that it really seemed like St. Elmo's Fire and The Big Chill had a baby, and that baby was this book. Not that anything is wrong with that, but the story didn't feel as original as those I give 5 stars. Absolutely a great read though, I truly enjoyed it from start to finish.

Wow! The Guncle was one of my favorite books the year it came out, and The Celebrants will probably be too! This book follows five friends from college as they navigate life and come together to honor a pact they made when they lost the sixth member of their group. Once I got the time jumps and all the characters straight (two Jordans?! Come on!), I was able to dive in and fall in love with the story. I laughed, cried, shook my head, gasped, and felt like they were my friends too. There were a couple characters I didn't connect with as much, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of this book and I was sad when I finally finished it. I would have loved to spend more time with this group! Overall, I truly enjoyed The Celebrants and cannot wait to see what Steven Rowley comes out with next. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Rowley has a knack for writing punchy characters with snappy comebacks and quick wit. The Celebrants is no different.

The book follows 7 friends who have a funeral pact with each other that, when triggered, calls for their living funeral when needed in their lives after the tragic loss of their friend when in college. The idea- leave nothing left unsaid. When one member of the group has terminal diagnosis, the pact is triggered yet again. Following decades with secrets unraveling along the way, this book deals with grief in a witty way.

While it seems like a heavy topic, this book is a light and quick read. The characters are imperfect and relatable.

With the witty dialogue throughout, this would be an AMAZING audiobook (although I still enjoyed reading this).

3.5/5

Easy to read, yet with surprising depth and insight. Funny in parts, and heartbreaking in others. Though the book’s layout could be choppy and disjointed at times, I really enjoyed this story of college friends and their connection over the next thirty years.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I am a big fan of Rowley's writing, so I was excited to get an early copy of this novel.

This story follows a group of friends who decide to not wait until they die to celebrate each other, so they decide to hold "alive funerals." This plot was great, but there were a few things I didn't love. The group of friends are not really friends anymore. I didn't really feel like they were connected outside of the tragedy of losing a friend in college. I wish they would have stayed friends throughout the decades. I also wish the story were told more chronologically, even with The Jordans' chapters.

I will still read anything Rowley writes. This one just wasn't my favorite.

I am a huge fan of Steven Rowley- Lily and the Octopus broke my heart and The Uncle put it back together, so thank you for this ARC!

The Celebrants follows a group of 5 (6?) friends that met in college, and formed a pact that they revisit over the years. I wanted to adore this book as much as I loved Rowley's other works, but it just didn't have the same umph. I didn't relate to the characters and I felt like the dialogue was clunky. The last third of the book was the best, but overall this was unfortunately a miss for me.

I don't have the proper words to truly express my feelings about this book. It is poignant and humorous; it made me laugh and the very last lines of the book made me tear up. Heartfelt and real. Funny and sad. It has all the things. All the feels. Each character is fully formed, and while all are friends for years, they are all so different. Their group dynamic was, well, dynamic. Steven Rowley is a MUST read for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an ARC. I was thrilled when I saw it in my inbox.

Posted to my goodreads page 1/14/23

I’ll admit that this is my first full title by the author. I started reading The Guncle and then my dad got sick and died, very quickly - I stopped reading at that point, putting it aside for a later time, and it’s not that time yet. The author’s ‘The Editor’ has been on my tbr list for years, and I always thought that ‘Lily and the Octopus’ was children’s fiction and didn’t look further at it. So, yes, this is my first completely read title.

But, recalling that I was thoroughly enjoying my reading of TG while I was, I knew that I wanted to read this new title and was very excited to be approved.

There’s a lot of emotion in these pages, and you’ll be going on a roller coaster ride with them. This was utterly heartfelt, sentimental, and wonderful reading. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Recommended.




Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the DRC!

DNF At 50%. The story got a little too morbid for my taste, and it lacked the same humor and heart that the authors lee opus work had in abundance

Wow, what a story. Jumping back and forth through time and focusing on each character via chapters, this novel delves into what it means to be a friend. Deep friendship is complicated and full of silences, and untruths that we carry unknowingly. The book also leads readers into a tussle with grief and how our relationships are impacted by joint loss. Sad at times, without any neat clean resolutions, it’s a lovely meditation on what it means to show up for the ones we call our people.

“To think about life is to contemplate death — it’s what makes living so valuable.”

This was such a wonderful book. I loved seeing this friend group come together to honor the pact and give each other living funerals.

It was heartbreaking to current situation with the Jordans interspersed with the past and the other people’s funerals.

I really enjoyed the idea of having a living funeral; of reflecting on your life and seeing your impact.

This group of friends was special and connected. And I liked seeing how they challenged and supported each other.

Each person’s funeral was special in its own way. They featured some very funny moments as well as very poignant.

Definitely recommend this one.

The Guncle is a tough act to follow, and my expectations for his follow-up book were through the roof. But despite any disappointments I might have had while reading this new book, I couldn't help but be charmed as I finished the final pages. It's the perfect book for 2023, as we're all trying to recover and regroup after years of loss, both collective and individual. The message of this novel is beyond heartwarming and so important, all while dodging cliches. The characters are memorable and unique. It's rewarding to follow them from their 20s to their early 50s. As a 90s college kid, I loved the nostalgia elements woven throughout.

This is the third Steven Rowley book I've read. At this point, I inherently trust him to write novels that are sentimental, smart, and thought-provoking. I know so many readers will be excited to get their hands on this book when it's published.

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam, and Mr. Rowley for the opportunity to be one of the first readers of The Celebrants.

Loved this book from beginning to end a roller coaster of emotions one minute I’m laughing one crying.A group of friends close in college who remain close as the age.Gorgeous writing as all of Steven Rowleys books.#netgalley #penguinputnam

Okay, I absolutely loved this book and now can’t wait to read more from this awesome author. I highly recommend!

This author has a way of drawing you into the story so you feel like you know all the characters personally and can’t wait to see what happens next. A very powerful book about friendship, death, grief and loss and finding yourself.

It is important to find your people so when you get down they can lift you up again. This was so beautifully written and executed.

I wanted to enjoy this book and I even liked the Niue premise, but I found it really hard to get into. None of the characters really connected with me.. I didn’t like the first chapter where all five main characters were thrown at me all at once amid I couldn’t keep the, straight.

I will continue to read this author’s books though, as I appreciate his style and unique way of looking at the world.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Precious. That’s the word that came to mind reading the latest from author Steven Rowley. A tight knit group of friends meet up over the years to hold a funeral for one of the friends - a chance for that person to begin anew. I was really expecting a more joyful book since his last two books were just that with engaging characters and stories. Rowley can normally write the heck out of a story. None of the characters in The Celebrants though are fleshed out very well and none of them are that likable—especially when they are together as a group. There are a few surprises in the story, but since I didn’t feel much for the characters they came across as ‘oh that makes sense kind of’ rather than jaw dropping. It was a nice try at straying from his usual stories, but I hope Rowley returns to his true gift in the next book.

Publishing May 30, 2023

Grade: B-

Ahhhh I loved this book so much! The premise is a sad one -- a group of college friends decides to throw funerals for each other while they are living, inspired by the death of their friend at a young age. The artful way that Steven Rowley tells their stories around this mechanism is so well done -- and kept me engaged and not wanting to put it down.

The narrative switches between time periods and centers on each of their funerals, while also telling what is happening to one couple at the heart of the book. The time switching is done so seamlessly and elegantly, and it left me eager to find out what happened next. There are funny moments, as well as incredibly moving and touching moments, all written so well.

I was so moved by each of their stories, and loved getting snippets of their lives through the years -- I got a true feel for each of them, while also thinking about my group of friends from college and the way our lives have diverged. As soon as I was done I missed each of the characters and would have loved to spend longer with them!

This was my second book by Steven Rowley, and now I cannot wait to read his backlist as well as everything he writes in the future! Definitely an enthusiastic fan.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

This is nothing short of brilliant. It is witty, fantastically funny, compelling and addictive. The plot line is simply ingenious.

Five friends from college form an unbreakable bond after one of their close classmates dies of an overdose. They come up with a plan to form a “pact” where they each have one chance to invoke a get-together to celebrate their own living funeral. This is done during a time of crisis that they’re experiencing. One person needs her funeral after a divorce, another before going to jail, and so on. The point is to make this person feel loved unconditionally during their darkest days. It is during these celebrations of love that we see more of their personalities, learn some of their secrets and understand why they’ve become the adults they are.

Though this story is about grief, it is still beautiful and heartwarming. You will turn the last page with an understanding that every single day is a gift, and you will cherish every moment that life throws at you. This is most definitely a five-star read and I can’t wait to share it with my friends and family.

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.