This is so far the most original book I've read this year. The third person multiple POV really worked for me. I found the characters really well developed and watching them grow throughout the book was really fun. The magical elements and world building were well done, but for me secondary to the community of characters and their journey through dealing with these mystical and mythical situations. I liked the small town, close knit atmosphere. I loved the author's ability to write about young people just on the cusp of becoming adults and the feelings and thoughts they had about that stage of their lives. At its core this is a book about relationships and love and self reflection and understanding ones own feelings. I really loved this oddball book, and will be recommending.

I loved this book! I’m a big fan of Kelly Link’s other works and I was excited to read her first full length novel! The book takes place in a small seaside town in Massachusetts and follows Mo, Laura, and Daniel who disappeared and suddenly months later come back from the dead with no memory of what happened the night of their disappearance. The book is full of mystery and magic and I loved every minute of it. Definitely worth reading!

I really enjoy Kelly Link's short stories, and have long hoped for a full-length novel. I got what I hoped for and more - maybe a bit too much? This felt too long, and not at all like her stories. Fell flat for me unfortunately.

OMG what an unexpected delight! A Rom-com with death, the afterlife, magic and a cranky hot guy? Sign me up!

Layered into the above are sneakily stuck in lessons on friends and family that all rang true. I really enjoyed this. This is my first book by the author and I'll definitely read more. If you like Katherine Center I think you'll like Kristy too!

We're on the clock people. Make the most of it!

This marks my introduction to Kelly Link's work, and if her other books are anything like this, I'm eager to delve into them all. "The Book of Love" serves as a captivating showcase of Link's talent. Summarizing such an unconventional book proves challenging, but here's my attempt: The narrative revolves around a group of resurrected teenagers navigating both typical adolescent challenges and unique, otherworldly obstacles. Link's prose is lush and evocative, imbuing the characters with a blend of ordinariness and enchantment. While the plot unfolds at a leisurely pace, I never found myself disengaged. While there are moments of levity, much of the story delves into somber and dark themes. Like myself, readers may find themselves craving lighter fare after completing this emotionally weighty journey. The world-building is masterfully executed, and the plot maintains an engaging momentum throughout. Though the book boasts a sizable cast, each character contributes meaningfully to the narrative, a necessity given its extensive length. Approaching it with little prior knowledge, I was swept up in a tumult of emotions, ultimately reaching a gratifying conclusion.

I don't know how to review a Kelly Link book. Things written by Kelly Link will make you scared and sad and glad to be a human. They will make you think and feel and want to stretch farther than you currently are, to be more than you currently are. They are too much and just enough. They remind you why it's good to be a human even while they're reminding you why it's so very hard to be a human.

This one has magic (they all have magic) and music (they don't all have music) and tigers (not a main plot point but worth a mention).

I’m a huge fan of Kelly Link’s surreal short stories, and was extremely excited for a full-length novel about teens that return from the dead and are entered into some type of supernatural challenge in order to protect their loved ones. Unfortunately, I found the entire thing to be a complete snooze; over-written, extremely slow, and tough to follow along. I really struggled here, which bums me out, because this one had all the makings of a Jordy classic.

Kelly Link's The Book of Love is an enchanting masterpiece that demands attention and adoration. With prose akin to poetry and a narrative woven with fable-like wonder, Link creates a world simultaneously familiar and fantastically impossible. As a fervent admirer of Link's work, I found myself utterly captivated by the intricate characters and their haunting journey through life and beyond. From the enigmatic disappearance of Laura, Daniel, and Mo to the mystical resurrection orchestrated by their high school music teacher, Mr. Anabin, every twist and turn is laced with mystery and magic. Link's portrayal of diverse personalities, from the upright Laura to the wild Susannah and the wise-beyond-his-years Mo, is nothing short of mesmerizing. Moreover, her evocative depiction of magic, ranging from the dark and eerie to the whimsical and grand, invites readers to surrender to its spellbinding allure. With nods to pop culture seamlessly integrated into the narrative and a writing style that tilts reality, The Book of Love is a literary gem that demands to be cherished and shared. In my fervent love for this book, silence is simply not an option—I am compelled to sing its praises far and wide.

I had a really hard time reading and understanding what was going on with this book and unable to connect to what was going on.

"The Book of Love" is a genre-bending, metaphysical journey that blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural. The story follows Laura, Daniel, and Mo - three teenagers who mysteriously reappear in their hometown of Lovesend a year after being presumed dead. Guided by their unassuming former music teacher, they embark on a series of magical tasks as a condition of their return, all while concealing the truth from their loved ones.
Link weaves an intricate narrative filled with imaginative twists and turns. Her lyrical prose seamlessly transitions between the ordinary and the extraordinary, keeping readers delightfully off-balance. The book explores diverse forms of love - romantic, platonic, familial - with Link's trademark wit and compassion.
While the magical elements provide a sense of whimsy, the story's true strength lies in its emotional depth. Link deftly explores themes of grief, loss, and the enduring bonds that connect us, even in the face of unfathomable circumstances. The relationships between the characters, particularly Laura and her sister Susannah, are beautifully rendered and form the heart of the novel.
"The Book of Love" is a mesmerizing, genre-defying tale that will captivate readers with its unique magical realism and profound emotional resonance. Link's extraordinary imagination and skill as a storyteller shine through every page, cementing her status as a modern literary master. A must-read for fans of thought-provoking, boundary-pushing fiction.

A huge thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, and of course, Kelly Link for providing me with an eARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review, all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the time jumping, it's always something I've enjoyed in books. But this book seemed to drag at times, It took me ages to finish because I couldn't just focus and do some solid reading- it was all over the place.

My biggest gripe with this book isn't necessarily an issue with the writing or anything, but I just couldn't connect to the characters and just honestly found myself not caring about them or the outcome.

It was an interesting read, it just wasn't quite what I was expecting and was so drawn out and so much longer than I would've anticipated.

This is a very interesting story about three teens who return from the dead and have to compete for their chance to return to the living. If that sounds interesting to you, I recommend you give this book a chance and stick with it. It took me awhile to get used to the stream of consciousness prose style. While I found it off putting at first, after adjusting to it, it started to flow better. It is worth pushing through!

It is multi-POV, first person narration. There are a lot of perspectives (which makes this a very long book for the amount of plot). Despite being convoluted, it is a really fun, convoluted ride. And it is weird, embrace the weirdness!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing an eARC of this book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback. Loved this book so much. Would recommend to fans of buffy the vampire slayer or Neil Gaiman

Firstly I want to thank Random House for providing me with a digital arc of this novel. Sadly, I ended up DNF’ng it. I really gave it the old college try but ultimately I just wasn’t feeling compelled to keep reading or really cared for the characters. Most of the time I was confused. I have read plenty of novels with multiple POVs however this felt disjointed. I think Link’s writing style and voice is good but I think it could’ve benefitted from a stronger edit.

A compelling blend of fantasy and murder mystery with lyrical descriptions and a plot that will keep you guessing to the end.

How to even describe this fantasy book?! Essentially, at the start of this novel, it’s been a year since high schoolers Laura, Daniel, and Mo disappeared, when they suddenly reappear in their high school music classroom - and their teacher essentially tells them they’ve been brought back through magic and have to complete certain tasks to stay. And everyone else in town - including their families - no longer will remember they disappeared but instead will think they were abroad for the year. And things only get stranger from there…

It’s hard to rate this one - great strange vibe, interesting story, interesting writing, interesting characters - but it was just SO LONG. And it’s kind of fascinating - Kelly Link has written many short story collections (two of which I’ve read and loved) but this is her first novel - so it’s kind of crazy that her first long form fiction weighs in at a whopping 630 pages! So I ended up reading this one a little at a time over a few weeks instead of as my main book. And it’s funny - I rarely felt compelled to pick it up when I wasn’t reading it, but then every time I did pick it up I got sucked in.

Ultimately I really liked it - but it just didn’t need to be that long. Like it wasn’t some epic story that required 600+ pages - it would have been so much better if it was say 400 pages. And yet I’m glad I read it and totally would read her again. So I’m going to average that all out and give this 3.5 stars.

Buckle up, bookworms! If you're looking for a story that'll shake things up, Kelly Link's "The Book of Love" is your jam. Forget the usual YA tropes – this isn't your average high school drama. Link throws a whole heaping helping of magic, mythology, and the downright bizarre into the mix, and the result is a wild ride that'll leave you grinning like a fool.

Personally, I fell head over heels for the characters. Laura, Daniel, and Mo – these kids are going through some crazy stuff, coming back from the dead and all. But even with ghosts and gods breathing down their necks, their friendship stays strong. It's their bond, their love for each other, that's the real magic of the story. You can't help but root for them, even when things get super weird (which, trust me, they do).

And oh boy, does Link get creative with the weird! Think folklore with a modern twist, a dash of mythology thrown in for good measure. The plot kept me on my toes, with twists and turns I never saw coming. Just when you think you know what's happening, BAM! Link throws you a curveball that sends the story sailing in a whole new direction.

But here's the thing, beneath all the spells and spooky stuff, there's a beautiful message about love. Love for your friends, for your family, even for the quirky town you call home. It's a reminder that love, in all its messy, complicated glory, can conquer even the craziest challenges.

So, if you're looking for a story that's both heartwarming and mind-bending, "The Book of Love" is a must-read. It's the kind of book you devour in one sitting, then spend days mulling over because it gets under your skin and stays with you. Trust me, you won't regret giving this one a try.

I wanted to love ‘The Book of Love', however it took a long time to get into it. Overall, I like ‘The Book of Love.’ While the premise is intriguing, the story's pacing is choppy and there are too many perspectives - it feels like it slows things down unnecessarily. If you can stick with verbose fantasy novels with side stories - this might be the book for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Company for sending an eARC of The Book of Love for review consideration.

I can’t say that I understood everything that goes on in this book, but it was interesting and entertaining. What primarily kept me reading was the characters; I wanted to know what would happen to them in the end. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite understand exactly what did happen to them. I mean, I got the jist of things, but I didn’t understand how they could take on their new assignments but still go on with their lives as normal.

While it does touch on various kinds of love, this book isn’t really bout love. This is a fantasy tale. It’s all about paranormal beings, about magic, about mind-control, shapeshifting, and more. At times, it verges on horror. The author does a good job of setting the atmosphere for what’s going on. However, she alternates between writing lightning fast and snappy sections and extremely slow ones. She goes off on tangents about various things, like guitars and coffee. In my opinion, this book too long and repetitive, bloated. It could easily have been significantly shorter.

The book focuses on LGBTQ relationships and diversity. There’s a lot of crude language and intimate interactions, straight and gay. It takes place in Lovesend, Massachusetts. I was completely immersed in that town and it’s residents. It’s a town of happiness, sadness, grief, love, magic, and ordinariness.

There are a lot of surprises, especially in the last quarter of the book. Those were interesting and unexpected. I just wish that the first three-quarters of the book were as interesting.

If you have the patience to plow through some the extraneous sections of this book, and if you enjoy fantasy that’s not always clear in its purpose, this might be a good book for you to read, Just go in knowing that things could be rather scrambled and confusing, this could be a good book for you to investigate.

If you enjoy books that center around death and the afterlife, of coming back from the dead, about family and friendship, this might be a good choice for you.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

DNF @ 13%

What I did read (~83 pages) was a meandering slog to get through, and I was horrified to think I'd spent another 8+ hours reading. I saw slight shades of both American Gods and Netflix's The OA, but Link's writing was just so slow that I didn't care enough to get further along to see if the plot went anywhere.