**eARC provided by NetGalley and Skyscape**
Postcards for a Songbird is a beautifully written story following Wren as she discovers who she is after her sister disappears and breaking free of the monotonous mold she’s been living in. It’s a story of moving away from sorrow and allowing the sun to come in. I enjoyed reading it.
The reason I was drawn to this book is because I read Rebekah Crane’s previous work and remembered loving it. I love the way she writes, her characters, and the overall message. Postcards for a Songbird is no exception. It’s beautifully written, the characters are unique with realistic voices, and the overall theme is an important one.
The plot is very much character driven. It’s Wren and the people around her who pull the story together and drag it throughout the novel. It really is about Wren and her finding who she is. What I love about that, though, is we see a side character named Baby Girl who goes through her own journey of finding herself. I thought the addition of that small detail was interesting. We also see Luca and how he deals with his family issues. As a character driven story, it was nice reading the different issues the people around Wren are going through and how they cope because they’re issues most people experience throughout their life.
The writing in this book is beautiful. The way Crane crafts in bird and color metaphors throughout the story is very poetic and it paints a gorgeous setting. You can read the emotions Wren goes through and that of her friends which I thought was a nice touch. And the way Crane writes teenagers and how they interact is very genuine. I loved reading the conversations between everyone! It was a mix of humor with real issues and touching moments that made the book a little more enjoyable.
I also loved the way Crane writes Wren and her depression and she’s pulled out of it. There is a love interest, but he doesn’t fall in love with her because he wants to fix her. He falls for her because he’s intrigued, and Wren allows him to be a part of his life. She also makes a friend and starts a friendship with someone unexpected in her life. Together, they help bring her out of the dullness after her sister’s disappearance, and she learns to bring in the color without needing her sister. It’s a beautiful to read.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It had humor, serious moments, and touched on topics that I feel are important to talk about in the YA world. I would recommend this book to teens who are dealing with depression and need a pick-me-up or anyone who just needs a read full of sunshine and hope.

This book was really big surprise, and I can't really understand the bad reviews I found on Goodreads.

The writing style is absolutely unique and made me fall in love with the whole story instantly. Its full of metaphors, poetry like and absolutely colorful, which gives the story a completely different shade of feelings while reading it! I felt like I fell into a poem.

The Story is about becoming. Becoming yourself, becoming something more. Its about finding out who you are, who you want to be, and what you were. Its about love and friendship, about adventure and anxiety, about loving and losing and so much more. The characters feel so deeply and are absolutely funny and unique and I loved how some of them never where real, while others were life incarnate. I loved the energy surrounding this book and also the message it carries around - be unapologetically yourself - and love yourself for it. Also I liked the completely different ideas like seeing auras, and the world in pictures the author had, it made the story a bit abstract, like some art is abstract, but still beautiful, and I loved it.

After finishing this book I immediately put all other books by this author on my "to be read"-list. I can't wait to fall into a world with her unique writing again!

Postcards for a Songbird is a beautifully and poetically written book about a girl named Wren who has lost so much in her life that the fear of losing everything has taken over and put her in a constant state of worry. After her mother left at a young age she clung to her sister while their father worked night shift as a police officer. Not seeing much of their dad, the girls rely on each other as support and grow up in their own world of imagination with a painted forest in a bedroom for an escape. Knowing that her sister had the same flighty tendencies as their mother was said to have, Wren knew that she must hold on tight for fear of her sister disappearing one day as well. So its no surprise that when Lizzie does leave, Wren must learn how to live life for herself. And in the process find the truth that has been hidden from her throughout her entire life.

This book was one powerful gut wrenching sentence after the next. I had to frequently stop and just take in the words written on the page because my gosh were they beautiful. The author does an amazing job putting us in the mind of a young girl who has had a traumatic life, yet still wants to find herself among the rubble left behind. I found that I couldn't put down the book because you honestly just want things to turn around for Wren, and for her life to finally start happening.

This is definitely a slower paced book and I think that is because its not really action packed, but more of a slow process of growing up and learning what life has to offer. Its the day to day actions of a teenage girl and sometimes that's not as exciting as you might think it would be. So because of the context of the story being told, this is one that you just take your time and try and understand the inner workings of a troubled girl's mind. Leading to a bit of a slower read, but I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing, especially with the beautiful way it is written..

The reason I rated this in the mid range on the rating scale would be because as beautiful as it is, its a very very sad and slightly depressing book. It puts you in a mindset of a very troubled and sad girl and she is very hard on herself throughout the book up until the very end. And while living life through her eyes is poetic, its also hard to read because you just want things to turn around and be happy for a change. But thats not the case for poor Wren. She hits one struggle after the next and it really does start to bring you down after a while. And then its also a little confusing at times wondering if some of the things she experiences are even real. I had a feeling that a certain character wasn't really there, but you don't really know until the very end what is actually going on.

All in all I think that this wasn't a bad read, but it also wasn't one I would go around suggesting to others because of the sad and down trodden vibe it gives the reader. I tend to want to recommend more uplifting and happy reads. But that doesn't mean that this is a bad book by any means. I think that sometimes we need to have the sad in order for the happy to mean anything, and in this case, this beautiful book was perfect for what it was meant to be. It told a strong and brave story that needed to be told and in the end I don't regret reading it. I actually really enjoyed it. Just make sure to prepare yourself for some heavy feelings when reading this book.

In trying to layer subplots and subtexts into her story, Crane missed the mark for me. Wren is a quiet character who seems often acted upon rather than choosing to act. Though the story had potential, it was WAY too slow a pace with characters that felt very underdeveloped.

I absolutely adored and enjoyed reading this book. What a profound and moving story. Postcards to a Songbird is the kind of book that got me into reading contemporary YA in the first place. I loved how eccentric and off-beat it was. Wren was such a strong character who did not know her strength. She lived in her sister’s shadow all her life and tried to make sure her sister never left, that she never found out who she was. She never found out what she wanted in life and was content to just let life flow around her. But when her older sister leaves, Wren starts to discover who she is and what she wants out of life.
I liked Leia and Luca from the beginning. Leia did not beat around the bush and I loved how she was so open from the start. She felt a certain way about things and she made sure to let everyone know. I liked Luca because his personality was so great and infections. He was happy and he too did not beat around the bush. He liked Wren from the moment they met and he made sure to let Wren know that. He was persistent and talkative in a way that sad Wren wasn’t. He slowly but surely helped pull Wren out of the shadows. Baby Girl was a great character too and I loved seeing her finding herself alongside Wren. These three new friends helped Wren when she needed it the most and so did Wilder in his own way.
The secret that surrounded Wren’s mother leaving and Lizzie leaving fourteen years later were also amazing to find out. I didn’t see it turning out the way it did. But finding that out made me understand Chief—Wren’s father—more. He only wanted to protect his girls from the horrors of the world but by holding on so tight, he was the reason they wanted to escape so much. I enjoyed this book as much as I thought I would and I am so glad I agreed to read and review an early copy of it. I can't wait to try more of Rebekah Crane's books!

A contemporary Young Adult story, Postcards for a Songbird is the story of Wren, a young girl trying to deal with feelings of abandonment when her older sister Lizzie runs away from home. Since their mother left when Wren was just a baby , Wren has often wondered about her, and along with Lizzie has imagined hundreds of different scenarios about where her mother might be now, but without Lizzie she is really struggling. When a chance meeting with Luca, a young skateboarder, at the grocery store finally sparks some interest, she starts to build a life for herself and make friends .
This was a really strange book, there were things about it that I liked for example the use of colour, but overall the story was confusing, the book lacked clarity in too many places. While some of the secondary characters like Leia and Baby Girlwere fun, Wren's Dad , Chief, and even Lizzie at times felt more like a sketch than a fully realised character. The writing felt a little stiff at times and the pacing was definitely on the slower side and the I can't say I was a fan of the way the book ended.
I read and reviewed a copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Postcards for a songbird deals with wren who is 16 years old who's sister just up and leaves when she turns 18. Not only that her mother left the picture when she was on a young child. Chief Wren's father worries about her and wants to send her to Utah to live with her aunt but Wren doesn't want to leave she wants to stay with her dad and wait for her sister to come back.

I loved the characters in this story. I loved the writing. I loved the issues that it dealt with. Like families, abandonedment, friendship, depression, etc. Some of the quotes I highlighted were so beautiful. I just devoured this story and I didnt want it to end. First book I have read from this author. Will definitely be picking up her other books.

I want to thank Netgalley for providing me an arc of this book for an honest review.

Wren believes that anyone she gets close to in her life leaves her: first her mother, and now her sister. Her police officer father is the only constant in her life and when he pushes her to start getting out more, including getting her driver's license, neither of then thought how far she would go.  

Rebekah Crane is a beautiful writer and I found her prose very flowery, something that I liked—for the most part—but definitely not for everyone. There were times where I really enjoyed it and then sometimes the writing could feel a little cliche and predictable.  

I felt the plot moved very slow. Any time Wren mentioned her sister, Lizzie, the plot seemed to halt. I know she’s struggling with not having Lizzie there, but I wanted her to live her life more, which she did as the story progressed. It just took a long time to get there. I almost DNFed the book at about 30%, but it started to pick up a little. Then once Wren started to live her life on her terms, Wren went from 0 to 100—it didn't feel believable.  The side story of her neighbor Wilder was a waste. There was nothing there that added to the over arching story. 

Even thinking back to the story now, there really wasn't anything about it that was memorable.

Disclaimer: I was given an advance reading copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Skyscape for the opportunity.

Before picking this book up, I've had the feeling that it's going to be a sad book, and when I finished it, it confirmed my prediction. But don't get me wrong. It might spark emotions, but this is still good book --it just wasn't for me.

The plot was encouraging and really hits you. Its dealing with filling the void of someone you're used to be with. but the pacing started slow, and it was an ongoing theme throughout the book. I'm not huge fan of slow-paced books, so I could really say that this is a it's-not-the-book-it's-me situation.

I'd be happy to read another book by the author, but I'm sure that others will enjoy this book. I'm still giving this a fair rating of 3.5 STARS.

Until a month ago, Wren lived in her own little bubble with her sister, Lizzie. But, like everyone else, Lizzie left her. Determined not to make any new attachments, Wren shut herself up in her house, watching Wheel of Fortune with her dad. She soon began to make some connections and reconnections, but would she choose the safety of her loneliness or take a chance on these new friendships?

My love affair with Crane's books continues. I was immediately swept up into Wren's world via the beautiful and lyrical prose. I found her struggle with abandonment and loneliness very relatable, and thought Crane did a wonderful job illustrating those feelings.

There was a bit of mystery in this story, which somewhat intrigued me. What happened in Idaho? Where did Lizzie go? What's Wilder's story? And, Crane addressed each and everyone of these questions for me, but what really kept me reading were the complex and well developed characters, who inhabited Wren's world.

Leia was such a force. Her rants about hormones and artificial colors amused me, and I love that she was able to light a fire under Wren and get her to spread her wings a little. Baby Girl was a link for Wren to her sister, but she ended up being a fantastic friend. My favorite, though, was Luca. If I were younger, he would be my newest book boyfriend, because his charm, wit, persistence, affection, kindness, and generosity were a thing of beauty. That kid brought a smile to my face every time he came on page, and I definitely basked in his yellow aura.

Then, there was Wren. Her pain was palpable. Her loss, so profound. She was a shell without her sister, and I really wanted her to grab onto these opportunities, to connect with other people, and open herself up to possibilities. I wanted her to discover the truth, and free herself from the blame and guilt she carried about the demise of her family. I wanted her to shake her father awake from the sleepwalking life he had been living, because she needed a parent, who was both physically and emotionally present. I wanted so many things for her, and I was elated to make this healing journey with her, because it was important for me to see all these things happen.

Overall: A gorgeously written story of healing and gaining freedom from the past, in order to make connections and move towards the future.

If you love music type reads this is for you. I love stories like this especially when it involves my favorite pastime. Will read more from this author in the future. Highly recommend.

Postcards for a Songbird by Rebekah Crane a four-star read that will take you on a journey. This did take a long time to get into, so don’t give up as you will enjoy it in the end. As soon as I read the blurb, I was desperate to read this one, it just seemed to have a mild level darkness and a drama that I thought I would enjoy. The dialogues of the story were well written, and they made the story for me, the flashbacks let it down as on a couple I was left so confused wondering what it was about. There was a great balance to most of the characters and you may not feel compelled to know more about all, but some will compel you to read their story’s.

The concept of this book seemed very sad and it WAS. I wasn't expecting things to be so dark (sometimes). my heart was hurting for wren.

this book was SO SLOW. i had to force myself to finish it. one of the only things that made it bearable was luca. i'm so glad wren finally found people that "saw" her.

the flashbacks to the conversations wren had with lizzie were so confusing i still have questions. also the moments with wilder were also so confusing i still don't understand what that's as all about.

gotta love relatable books that make you cry!! wren's constant worries and thoughts about being "unwanted" and "unnoticeable" made me so sad because i can relate to those feelings so much.

i'm sure other people will enjoy this book, but personally it just wasn't for me. 6/10 the cover is so pretty.

You know how sometimes you get lucky & a book comes along that just resonates with you in a way you weren't prepared for? A book whose words linger long after the cover has been closed?

That's what this book, #PostcardsForASongbird, was for me. I love the writer's writing style. I'm so grateful to have received an advanced copy from #NetGalley.

The book is about a girl who is dealing with her sister being missing and the space that left behind.

The ending had 2 large components -- one I saw coming shortly beforehand and another that made me want to reread the book to check for consistencies! Rare is is that I'm surprised by a twist anymore.

The characters were beautifully drawn out and you felt like you knew them. Beautiful little weirdos in a beautiful little weird book. I have already picked up other work by the author to see if she always writes so eloquently.

I received an eARC for this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley. When I saw this title and read for the description, I was really looking forward to the story. It took me awhile to get to it, but it was interesting once it was started. I loved the concept of the story. It did feel slow a few moments and at some points I did get a little confused/felt lost. Overall though, I did enjoy this story!

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wren was two when her mother left. Then she lost her best friend. Her friend didn’t die but decided that Wren wasn’t worth it. Then her sister Lizzie left when Wren was 16. And that’s where we begin, just over a month after Lizzie has left.

Wren’s father also known as Chief forces Wren back into the land of the living by signing Wren up for driver’s education class. There she meets Luca who seems to like her, and Wren doesn’t understand how anyone could possibly like her. She finds herself hesitant to get to know him because if she does, she fears that he’ll leave her too just like everyone else has.

While this is happening, a mysterious boy named Wilder moves in next door. Wren and Wilder communicate at first by staring at each other from their windows, but when they exchange numbers, they begin texting with each other. Wilder has some sort of mysterious illness that makes him unable to leave his house.

Wren begins receiving postcards from her sister, and she realizes that she must confront reasons why her mother and her sister left, 14 years apart. She also must decide if it’s worth letting other people in.

I was drawn to the story initially by the publisher’s description because it is an extremely compelling description. However, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The first 30 pages or so leave the reader more confused than not, and a lot of the language is especially flowery at first. This is in contrast to how old Wren actually is. Wren is written as 16, but she feels younger–around 13 or 14.

Additionally, issues of mental health are danced around, and Wren hears a rant from Leia, a girl about her age that she meets at the grocery store, about how anti-depressants are evil. This is not contradicted at all within the rest of the story which I was frustrated by.

The pacing does pick up after the first 30-40 pages, but the ease of understanding the plot doesn’t. When there’s a couple of twists revealed, the reader is left with more questions than answers, and while there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, these are questions that make the plot as a whole difficult to understand.

Overall, I was disappointed by this book.

Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgally for review purposes.

I didn't have any strong thoughts or feelings going into this, I thought it was either going to be a hit or miss type thing and was leaning more towards miss. The first chapter had me a little confused but I quickly sunk into it and absolutely loved the writing style/way the characters talked.

A lot of the characters felt more real to me than most YA books I've read, and Wrens love interest in the book reminded me of so many guys I knew back when I was younger. It felt spot on.

Some parts of it were a little random and felt unnecessary 🤷 Wilders character, as well as the dynamic with her father, though I understand and get both aspects. It just felt a little weird how strongly her and her sister despised their dad when he was a pretty good dad. Felt a little unfitting seeing as how open minded and free spirited the characters were besides that.

Overall I really enjoyed it and I'm happily surprised.

I wanna start off by saying that this book was beautifully written but this book was way too slow for me and the characters were a little hard to connect with but I did finish it and I did end up liking it in the end

Everybody leaves. That is Wren’s biggest fear that prevents her from making new friends, from stepping out of her shell. Postcards for a Songbird is Wren’s story as she deals with her mother leaving, her sister following their mother’s footsteps, and learning to let go.

The writing was extremely lyrical and poetic, which I loved. The dialogues were beautiful too and it was an easy flowing read. Slow at times, though.

However, there were a lot of parts that confused me. Lizzie's character was one. I liked her bubbly nature but her motives were unclear. At the same time, I could not really understand Wilder's importance in the book. He was there at some scenes and then he was not. I'm still not sure whether he was real or just a figment of memory of Wren.

I absolutely loved Luca, though. He was one character that made the book fun and lively for me. His character arc was well done, and I loved his relationship with Wren. An adorable boy who would wait for Wren to feel at ease, help her, good I loved it! His loyalty and kindness won me over.

Wren, at times, felt annoying. I know she fears people leaving her and thought that her emotional thoughts were well portrayed. But her too much worrying somehow put me off.

The timeline confused me too. There was too much going back and forth, characters appearing and then disappearing. It took me some time to fully understand what was going on.

Despite these, I did enjoy the book. It's something different and unique, with hints of magical realism I believe. The book was confusing, a lot, but the beautiful narrative saved it for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book. All views expressed are fully mine.

Postcards for a Songbird is beautifully written. Poetically and vividly. Crane's writing style feels very elevated in this book, and it flows very well.
This book has an interesting premise, but I had some trouble connecting with the characters. I think it's because the plot moves a little too slow for my attention span.
I still recommend this book. The pacing is a personal preference, but that writing is definitely worth giving this book a read.