All the Forever Things

This book had something that I have never seen before: a main character so familiar with death that it has no visible effect on her. Gabe is a high school student whose family owns a funeral home. Her part time job is helping her parents out at services and putting make-up on corpses. However, she embraces her uniqueness until her best friend and partner-in-crime leaves her behind for a boy that Gabe knows is trouble. What follows is a girl who spends time getting to know herself and the new boy in town. It is the story of someone who learns that friendship, not matter the situation, can persevere through anything.

I love strong female characters. I especially love unique, strong, teenage female characters. It's hard enough to be a teenager. More so if you're female and march to the beat of your own drum.

Gabriella lives in a funeral home. It's all she's ever known. So of course she's heard all the jokes and whispers at school. Bothered her at first, but now she's used to it. She has her own (very little) group of friends to go along with her strange family.
As all teenage things are destined to do, though, her comfortable life comes to an end. When her forever best friend falls for one of her biggest tormentors, Gabriella finds herself lost. Luckily there's a new kid at school, and he's almost as strange as Gabriella. Hartman seems to want more than friendship and she's not sure she's ready for that. Along the way, her friendship with Bree is tested in ways she never imagined.

This was such a fun story to read. The cast of characters that comes from living in a funeral home is just as you would imagine it to be. Gabe is funny and charming, and her parents are just as much so. One of my favorites of last year!

Gabriella, von allen nur Gabe genannt, führt nicht gerade das typische Leben einer 16-jährigen. In erster Linie liegt das daran, dass ihrer Familie das örtliche Bestattungsunternehmen gehört und Gabe schon seit sie denken kann jeden Tag von Leichen und trauernden Hinterbliebenen umgeben ist. Sie selbst hat daher eine eher abgeklärte Ansicht zum Thema Tod. Die Einzige, mit der sie wirklich offen und ehrlich sie selbst sein kann, ist ihre beste Freundin Bree, die mehr Zeit bei Gabe als in ihrem eigenen schwierigen Zuhause verbringt.
Bree und Gabe sind schon seit Jahren unzertrennlich und teilen viele gemeinsame Interessen, unter anderem ihren ungewöhnlichen Kleidungsstil und ihrem Blog über Vintage Klamotten. Viele andere Freunde hat Gabe allerdings nicht. In der Schule wird sie dank ihrem Mitschüler und Erzfeind Bryce schon seit Jahren nur Graveyard Gabe oder Wednesday Addams genannt. Doch solange sie Bree hat kann sie das alles irgendwie hinnehmen.
Als Bree allerdings beginnt einen neuen Jungen zu daten scheint sich das schnell zu ändern - denn dieser Junge ist ausgerechnet Bryce. Gabe und Bree liegen sich deshalb immer öfter in den Haaren und entfernen sich rasant. Gleichzeitig verändert sich Bree vor Gabes Augen und sie hat keine Ahnung, was mit ihrer besten Freundin los ist.
Gabe wäre wahrscheinlich vollkommen einsam, wenn da nicht ihr neuer Mitschüler Hartman wäre. Gabe weiß nicht so recht, was sie aus dem großen, schlaksigen und ein wenig merkwürdigen Jungen machen soll, doch irgendwie fühlt sie sich erstaunlich wohl mit ihm.
Trotzdem kann und will sie ihre Freundschaft mit Bree nicht so schnell aufgeben. Dann schlägt allerdings das Schicksal zu und verändert das Leben aller Beteiligter für immer...

Das eine große Thema in All the Forever Things von Jolene Perry sind sicherlich Beziehungen. Sei es mit der Familie, Liebe, Feindschaft und allen voran natürlich Freundschaft, denn die wichtigste Beziehung in diesem Buch ist natürlich Brees und Gabes Freundschaft. Die beiden machen es einem allerdings nicht immer leicht...
Wenn man All the Forever Things liest sollte man sich im Klaren darüber sein, dass es ein Jugendbuch ist und entsprechend verhalten sich die Charaktere auch oftmals nicht unbedingt erwachsen oder vernünftig. Leider hat mich das aber nicht davor bewahrt das ein oder andere Mal gehört von Gabe und vor allem Bree genervt zu sein. Ihre Freundschaft ist wie gesagt zu Beginn sehr innig und die beiden haben quasi nur einander. Von daher kann ich schon verstehen, dass einer von beiden mal rauswollte und wie Bree auch andere Leute kennenlernen bzw. das typische High School Leben genießen wollte - zumal Gabe wirklich sehr eigenbrödlerisch ist und nur wenige Leute mag. Wie sie Gabe allerdings behandelt hat ging einfach gar nicht und ich habe Bree sehr bald überhaupt nicht mehr leiden können. Dazu kommt, dass sich Gabe ständig von Bree unterbuttern ließ und wenn es zur Konfrontation kam kaum ein Wort rausbekommen hat. Ich muss deshalb sagen, dass mir ihre "Freundschaft" überhaupt nicht gefallen hat und es mir sogar lieber gewesen wäre, wenn sie sich einmal ordentlich gestritten, alles rausgelassen und es dabei belassen hätten. Gabe vergisst ständig sich selbst über Bree, was ihre Freundschaft nicht wirklich gesund wirken ließ.
Zum Glück gibt es aber einige andere Beziehungen in All the Forever Things, die mir wesentlich besser gefallen haben. Allen voran wären da Gabe und Hartman. Mit Hartman ist Gabe nämlich ganz anders als mit Bree. Sie sagt ihre Meinung, auch wenn es schwer ist, und öffnet sich ihm wirklich. Hartman ist sicher auch kein wirklich einfacher Charakter, er hat aber momentan eine Menge zu verdauen und wurde mir im Laufe des Buchs immer sympathischer. Außerdem finde ich es immer toll, wenn der Held der Geschichte mal kein Modeltyp mit einem Sixpack ist (deshalb haben auch die Bücher z.B. von Stephanie Perkins und Rainbow Rowell immer einen besonderen Platz in meinem Herzen ;). Auch Gabes Beziehung zu ihrer Familie hat mir gefallen. Das Familiengeschäft ist natürlich alles andere als alltäglich und beeinflusst das Leben aller (vor allem, da sie im gleichen Haus leben, in dem auch das Bestattungsunternehmen ist). Ich musste immer wieder Schmunzeln, wenn Gabes Eltern eine merkwürdige Angewohnheit an ihrer Tochter finden und sich fragen, ob das wohl von der Art herrührt, wie sie aufwuchs.

Leider blieb mir aber am Ende zu viel unausgesprochen zwischen Gabe und Bree. Bis dahin sind zwar eine Menge andere Sachen passiert, so dass es vielleicht ein wenig kleinlich wirkt, auf eine solche Aussprache zu bestehen. Trotzdem finde ich nach wie vor, dass sich Gabe für Sachen entschuldigt, mit denen sie vollkommen recht hatte und bei denen die Entschuldigungen eigentlich von Bree hätten kommen sollen.
Trotzdem ist All the Forever Things von Jolene Perry ein interessantes Buch mit lustigen und zumindest teilweise sehr sympathischen schrägen Charakteren, das mir sogar ein, zwei Mal die Tränen in die Augen treiben konnte.

All the Forever Things erscheint am 1. April 2017.

I liked all the forever things, I was left with a warm and fuzzy feeling in my tummy.

I connected with the main character, although I do think the author got a little confused between what she thought she was in her mind and how she was being represented on the page. Perry made out like Gabe was selfish and that she was in the wrong for what happened to her and Bree's relationship. But I'm not sure I got that. I think she was just a young girl, desperate to keep her friend. She didn't come across selfish to me and in some respects, the fact Gabe backed down, and apologised was a bit disappointing.

I loved the concept of this story and the fact Gabe had become numb to emotion because she was constantly surrounded by death. I would have liked to have seen the change and growth of feeling start earlier on rather than all at the end. But despite that, the growth that was there at the end was really good. I loved the flip from things are temporary to things are forever, and some of the philosophical moments attached to that really touched me.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Gabe and Hartman, I smiled and laughed so many times during their moments together in this story.

I wasn't so keen on the relationship between Gabe and Bree, it felt controlling and possessive and it didn't really ever change from that. I'd have liked to of seen some growth there too or some kind of character arc. I didn't like the fact that Gabe never stood up for herself. It felt like things happened to the character rather than her curate them. Perhaps that was how the story was written. But my personal preference is for the character to be more active.

That being said, I would definitely read another book by this author.

My thanks to NetGalley and Albert Whitman and Co for an advanced copy.

Goodreads review live now: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1875534037?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Blog review live March 6th: http://wp.me/p8a9GB-2i

Gabriella Osborn's parents run a family business of being undertakers, of which Gabriella and her cousin help out at.
Gabriella's best friend Bree also does make-up on the dead there.

We learn about Gabe as she's known to everybody else and Bree's history of discovering boys and their shared passion of all things, vintage, dark, Gothic, Wednesday Addams style fashions and films.

Bryce the school jock ruined Gabe's first kiss but now he's dating Bree leaving her with new guy Hartman whom she's embarrassed herself in front of upon first meeting.

Throughout the book, Gabe and Bree become less friendly towards each other, no longer like sisters due to Bryce being hated by Gabe and Bree drinking, changing style and hanging out with the popular group more. Gabe finds herself drawn more to Hartman but tearing up inside over her feeling of unease over Bryce and Bree.

With Prom night here, Gabe is driving the popular group to prom only for the night to start off rough and only get worse resulting in a hospital stay for some of the group as well as a shocking event.

This book is super quirky and never have I ever read a book even an inkling like it with the setting and descriptions of the place and style of our main character. This book was sent to me for review by the publisher and it has been a pleasure to read it!

Beautiful little story about a teenager who lives in a funeral home. She must learn to figure out how to deal with death daily. Her parents worry they've ruined her, but no. She learns that "forevers are everywhere."

I highly recommend this wonderful book.

This will go live on my blog on April 5. Kellyvision.wordpress.com


Gabe (Gabby to her parents, much to her annoyance) lives in a funeral parlor. It's the family business. Most of her classmates think she's really weird but she doesn't care. She has her best friend, Bree, and they're happy. Except then Bree starts dating Bryce (who used to be really mean to Gabe, and who's never been exactly pleasant to her). Now their friendship is really strained and Gabe has no idea how to get her friend back...or how to deal with the guy she's kind of dating.

This book has a lot going on, probably a little too much. I think first love AND weird family AND friendship drama is a little too much for a book that's not even 300 pages.

And yet, it's interesting and even kind of beautiful. I wish we had spent more time on the ways the family business has harmed Gabe (she's very Vada Sultenfuss--not hypochondria, so much, but she knows all the ways you can die and she's nervous about a lot of them).

That's the plot I was most interested in, and it's what we spent the least amount of time with.

How come I’m discovering Jolene Perry’s books just now? I need to check out the rest of her books because if they are as good as this one, then I’m in trouble!

Gabe is the quirkiest character ever. I like her a lot. She has some My Girl vibes going on (love that movie), she lives in a funeral home just like Vada. She has beautiful blonde hair and pale skin and a Wednesday Adams dress.
Gabe and her best friend, Bree, share a love for vintage fashion. They also share a mutual hate for Bryce, the guy who keeps calling Gabe “Graveyard Gabe”, among other things.
Life’s pretty good. Until it is not. Bryce asked Bree on a date and suddenly she’s ready to forget everything he’s done to her best friend Gabe and ride off into the sunset with him. Gabe can hardly recognize her best friend anymore. And she needs Bree more than ever, she needs to share everything that’s been going on with the new guy, Hartman.
Is it possible that she’s lost her best friend forever?

First of all, I love the meaning behind the title All The Forever Things. That was the main reason I wanted to read this book, I wanted to discover the meaning behind that title. And I’m so glad that I got the chance of reading it because it didn’t disappoint. I won’t tell you what the meaning is, you’ll have to read this book if you want to find out!

As you can tell, I love Gabe’s character. But she is not the only character that I love. Hartman is one of the loveliest male characters I’ve ever read. He’s awkward and grieving and such a beautiful person. Jolene wrote some beautiful, swoony scenes between him and Gabe and those scenes complement the story perfectly and made me love the book even more.

The only thing I don’t like but wouldn’t change for the world, because then the book wouldn’t have the same touch to it, is Bree. I loathe her character. I find her very superficial and I can’t freaking believe she would choose some guy over her best friend. She’s gone through a lot so I understand why acts the way she does but I hate the way she changed when she started dating Bryce.
Also, I don’t like Bryce. Blame Thirteen Reasons Why, every single time I hear that name I think the worst. That didn’t help my case, I really tried to like Bree and Bryce.

All in all, this book is beautiful. It has precious messages inside it, I wish there were more books like this out there in the world. And Gabe’s and Hartman’s love is so incredibly beautiful, every time I think about it I feel like hugging a teddy bear. Sounds weird, but I promise that’s exactly how you’ll feel.
If you’re a YA lover, then read this book. You’ll enjoy it, for sure!

I was looking for something different and All the Forever Things fulfilled what I was looking for. I can't imagine what it'd be like growing up around a funeral home. Gabe did a great job in trying to distance herself from feeling anything until Hartman comes along. The bond they form is unique to their stories and who they are.

Gabe’s family runs a funeral home, so she knows about death and the truth about life: everything ends. Gabe has embraced her reputation and her Wednesday Addams-vibe, complete with vintage clothes and an I-don’t-care attitude. Her best friend, Bree, is all she needs, someone who understands the weirdness of her life and loves her anyway.

But when Bree starts dating a boy who is the epitome of everything Gabe—and Bree—has hated for years, she wonders if the really knows the truth, or if she knows Bree at all. The only once she can turn to is new boy Hartman, who doesn’t know quite what to make of Gabe, but who gets Gabe out of her shell anyway. Driving a hearse to prom will change Gabe’s life more than she ever imagined.

All the Forever Things is an enjoyable read. Gabe is a character I both loved and sympathized with, and her faux pas and missteps made me laugh and cringe at the same time. Her friendship with Bree broke my heart, and made me hope everything would work out for the two of them, and Hartman is a wonderful contrast for Gabe. If you love young adult books, definitely pick this one up.

(Galley provided by Albert Whitman & Company.)

“All the Forever Things” is a unique book that deals with deep issues in a sensitive and entertaining way.

I think every young adult or adult who is/was an outcast will be able to relate to “Graveyard Gabe,” even if your family does not own a funeral home. The story is bittersweet and touches on friendship, embracing who we are, first loves, forgiveness, and death. Somehow this is all put together in a way that hurts at times but is funny and entertaining at others.

I recommend “All the Forever Things” for upper middle graders through adults who are looking for a good young adult novel that is different from the norm.

This was such a unique read! I really enjoyed the funeral home aspect and will be looking out for more books featuring them in the future!