I absolutely loved this book! I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend reading it! You won’t be disappointed.

The People We Keep is a very refreshing coming-of-age novel. The story follows Allison who is a talented musician living in a trailer home with her Dad. When she sings at an open mic, her life begins to change. I thought the themes of found family and Allisons development throughout the novel were very compelling. A very interesting read with so many amazing characters. I would give this book 5 stars if I didn't find it a little boring at the beginning.

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for the digital arc.

This book was fantastic! April was such a strong character with a clear voice. I loved (most of) the characters she met along the way, and it was so satisfying how the characters mostly all wrapped up together in the ending. It was a long time coming for April, but she was able to build the chosen family she deserved after all. I have already purchased a hardcopy so I can share with friends and family!

I absolutely adored this book and will remember it forever! Truly a story of chosen family and how love can save us.

The beginning of this book reminded me so much of Where The Crawdads Sing, as April has been more or less abandoned by her family, and is facing a life on her own. She is 16, and her boyfriend is already planning for them to get married. However, this life that April envisions if she stays is not one she wants to be a part of, and so she needs to hatch a plan to leave everyone and everything she knows.

We follow April’s path as she tries to make her way in life, and the various relationships she makes with people along the way. While she doesn’t always necessarily make the wisest of choices (she’s young and does not have a lot of guidance in her life), she does learn a few lessons over the years, discovering the people we keep are not always related to us by blood.

While I enjoyed this book, I found it was a bit slow going at first. The last quarter of the book was wonderful and heartwarming, and made it a worthwhile read.

After being abandoned by both of her parents. and being left to fend for herself in a motorless motor home, April must learn to fend for herself. She's got a few people looking out for her in her small community, but knows there must be something better for her out there. So, she sets off in a stolen vehicle with only her guitar for company. The People We Keep is the story of April's coming-of-age on the road and all the people she meets along the way. At it's heart, The People We Keep is a story of belongingness. April doesn't quite belong in her small community, and sets off to find people and places that give her a sense of belongingness. I loved, loved, loved this novel; it will rip your heart out and put it back together piece by piece, but it is worth the heartache. YA lit at it's finest; highly recommend.

Larkin is an American author who has also written novels under the name Allie Larkin. In "The People We Keep" we are introduced to the character of April, a sixteen year old singer songwriter. She is living alone in a trailer as her dad has moved out to live with his new woman. Always broke, April works at the local diner for Margo. When April's dad smashes her guitar in anger, April realizes it is time to move on. She 'borrows' a car and finagles a fake ID changing herself into a nineteen year old. We follow her journey over several years as she meets various people on the road and searches for a feeling of home. This wonderful story has humour, romance and certainly a coming of age aspect and is a great recommendation. I loved it.

The People We Keep is such a lovely book! One of the book's greatest strengths is the narrative voice. April Sawicki is a young woman dealt a bad hand in life, and what makes her voice so special is the blend of realism and hopefulness. April is able to look at the difficult facts in front of her, but she doesn't sink into despair or cynicism. She remains hopeful, but not in an irritating or naive kind of way. Yesterday she may have been cold, but right now she has a hot shower and a full belly, and she'll hope that these simple comforts might last her awhile.

April's story captures the pain and joy of living so well, and it is not a surprise to me to see that Larkin's book is garnering praise. The People We Keep is a true gem, and it is a timely reminder of why we must keep going in difficult times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We have the people we get to keep, who won’t ever let us go. And that’s the most important part. That’s what’s true.

April is sixteen living in small-town USA in a motorhome her dad won in a bet. She failed out of school and her relationship with her dad isn't great. What she does have is music, a borrowed guitar and a wanting to belong - but how far will she have to go to find a world that accepts her for her? She steals a neighbour's car and departs on a bittersweet journey of loss, belonging and finding a home within herself.

Before picking up this ARC, I had heard a lot of amazing things about it - of course, this always makes me cautious when reading a book that can sometimes be pushed into the realm of being overhyped, BUT I was pleasantly surprised.

I've always been a sucker for the found family trope. As an adoptee myself, I understand the feeling of not having roots in the life you were raised in, and the ultimate desire to push beyond the boundaries of your small town world to discover more of yourself. Following April on her journey through the eastern US mirrored mine a bit, as well as the fact that I, too, am a singer-songwriter that found a lot of my livelihood through gigs and music opportunities.

I did find that the book was oddly paced. Some aspects were long and drawn out, providing ample detail to her experiences; however, most of the time I felt like the reader was pushed quickly through small blinks of her life. I would get softly established in her new place - her new comforts - and immediately I would be whipped into whatever direction she chose to go in next. Or even just cut away to a scene months later that left me a bit detached.

Part of me understands the need to run when things get tough, but as April continually runs from every situation, I started to grow a little frustrated and impatient with her actions. By the end I was relieved to see that she finally had individuals talk sense into her growing roots.

All in all, this was a very quick and pleasant read. I found that Allison brought a lot of the struggles of a young adult to the page from a really refreshing perspective. She also broached difficult topics eloquently. Even particularly raw experiences are kept pure and sensitive, making this read appropriate for a broader audience.

This novel would be a great read for teens, young adults and beyond. It sheds light on those difficult relationships teens may have with parents, school, romantic interests, and making big decisions as they move forward in the world.

This book was SO good. What a pleasant surprise this one was for me. I really wasn’t sure what to make of it when I read the description but I loved it. I had a really hard time putting this one down. I was so captivated by April’s story.

This book was heartbreaking while also so uplifting at the same time. I loved reading about April forming different connections with the people she met along the way. Sometimes people don’t realize the huge impact they can have on someone’s life. I did not necessarily agree with every decision April made and I really questioned why she did some of the things she did, but that also made this book so much more real for me.

“We have people we get to keep, who won’t ever let us go. And that’s the most important part.”

The People We Keep is a breathtaking, heartfelt, beautiful novel about the people we meet along the way and the impact that they have on our lives, and our impact on theirs. With every turn of the page, this book pulled me deeper and deeper into April’s story and kept my emotions at an all-time high.

April Sawicki didn’t live a charmed life. Barely getting the necessities to survive, she grew up lonely, impoverished, and craving the simple things that most people take for granted. If any character deserved a hug, it was April. My heart broke for the young girl who was left to fend for herself. Her mother had left her and her father when she was quite young, but even though she still had her father, he was more absent than present.

Right from the very beginning of this book I was invested in April’s life and wellbeing. It was a heart-wrenching story, but I couldn’t tear myself away. I needed to know what was going to become of this girl.

With a few garbage bags filled with her personal belongings, she left her small hometown in a stolen car in search of a new life, a place where she could belong. Her journey was filled with a multitude of interesting and colorful characters. Every stop she made, she made new friends and acquaintances. Some became more important to her than others, some felt like home, some she would sooner forget. April had a handful of people who became very dear to her. These were the people who mattered the most, the ones who filled her life with friendship, compassion, and love. They were her family, her chosen people.

The people and places she encountered could always be found in a tune or song that she had written. Music was the one thing that was a constant in her life. It was not only a way to make some money while she was out on the road, but it was also what fed her soul.

My heart ached for April. I wanted nothing more than for her to be safe, cared for, and loved. I wanted her to finally find her own slice of happiness. Throughout the novel, I was filled with apprehension that left my nerves frayed. The mother in me worried about this young lady out on her own.

This book was an absolutely incredible reading experience that I won’t soon forget. I highly recommend it to any reader who is looking for an emotional journey that will stay with them for a long time. This is definitely a favorite for 2021.

*5 Stars

This is the type of book you don't come across often enough.

The People We Keep is an incredibly beautiful, heart-wrenching coming of age story about a young girl struggling to find her place in the world despite a life lived with little support or structure. It is a story of resilience, determination and strength and the personal devastation that comes from perpetual loneliness and abandonment.

This book breaks your heart and then mends it, repeatedly until you are only a shadow of what you were when you began reading. Really. I felt hollowed out many times over but don't let that deter you, it is still somehow uniquely hopeful. I don't often cry when reading but I was a puddle by the end of this.

I will be thinking about April for a long time. While, I received this as an e-ARC (thank you @simonandschuster) I am purchasing myself a copy to lend out and re-read because it is just that stellar. One of my favourites of this year and possibly ever. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

This is a story about an emotional journey, but unfortunately I wasn't able to connect to the characters or the story emotionally. The pace of the writing was too slow to keep me engaged and keep the story moving forward. I didn't feel like the plot offered anything new or surprising, it was quite predictable. By the second half, I was skimming through chapters to get to the end.

The People We Keep is a beautiful coming of age story. April has been dealt such a crummy hand in life- abandoned by her mother, neglected by her father. The poor girl is left trying to fill the all the gaping emotional holes in her life, making decisions far beyond her years. It was impossible not to fall in love with her, as well as the side characters: Margo, Carly, Ethan and Robert. I loved her determination, her resourcefulness, her ability to trust her gut instincts, and her resiliency. Once I started, I couldn't put this book down. I think it will be a hit, and I definitely recommend it!

An amazing story of resilience and heart. The story flowed really well and April was an engaging main character, coupled with wonderfully complementary secondary characters. A must read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I absolutely loved this story. Immediately I felt I could picture April's scenario, knowing from the get go that she was on the run from the mundane small town she was living. It was obvious she wanted better for herself, and I got so sucked in that I wanted more for her too.

I felt the author really took me on a journey to the places April was, both physically and mentally. Allison Larkin writes in such a vividly descriptive way, which made me feel like I was accompanying April on her adventures, giving me a chance to be a part of the story.

I loved the character development, especially as the story progressed in parts two and three, when we get the chance to meet April at different times in her life. I did find it a little harder to follow the characters later in the book, since there are so many, but I think that's just life on the road for a young singer touring around, meeting all kinds of people, and Allison conveyed that well.

My favourite character was Margot. I just kept thinking about a friend of my mum's while reading scenes with her in them. And I also adored how she was such a mother figure to April, always looking out for her and making sure that April checked in with her weekly. The other characters are realistic too, which makes the book more relatable.

The People We Keep is gorgeous, with a prose that just took my breath away at times. Larkin manages to really convey April's emotions throughout with such accuracy, and by the end of the book, I feel I know her so well.

I really tried to get into this book but I am simply not interested. Although I understand what the author was trying to do, a lot of the description was unnecessary and it made the text longer than it needed to be, and honestly a little boring. I think the story has potential but by the time I reached anything interesting I was no longer invested in the book. I appreciate books where there is a lot of delaying for an interesting set up, however I found the set up to be rather long and tedious for the sake of tediousness. I think if the story had started with an event that was a little more interesting for me to look forward to I would have enjoyed my experience much more. I did think the writing was well done but rather juvenile. The books demographic is aimed at new adults when, in my opinion, should be focused on young adults and teens.

Everything about this book feels so authentic and raw. April Sawicki is a strong, unflinching protagonist and I loved following along with her coming-of-age journey. She isn't always easy to like, but that's part of what drew me to her. She grows and learns a lot as the years pass, and in the end, I found her character development is really satisfying. Larkin portrays April's hardships in such a real, gritty way.

I really tried to enjoy this book - the characters were interesting and the plot did sound genuinely interesting, but I don't know. There's something that just wasn't connecting with my and I didn't really feel like continuing even after a few chapters. That being said, I might try to pick it up again later when I'm more in the mood for this type of story!

I absolutely adored The People We Keep. It’s an authentic portrayal of a young woman, April, who has grown up in dire conditions, all but alone. Larkin does such a beautiful job of connecting the reader to the soul of her characters, as though you are living their experiences yourself. April’s struggle with isolation and abandonment, when the people who are supposed to love her the most, her parents, check out of her life, become your own. Her mistakes are felt deep in your core.
Larkin’s encapsulation of 90s culture is flawless and adds another dimension to this beautiful novel. As someone who lived that era, at April’s age, I can confidently say, she didn’t miss a beat. The music, the clothes, the angst is all there for the reader to experience (again or for the first time).
The people that April lets into her life, the good and the bad, add to the richness of this story. Each character has a unique voice that is portrayed so clearly that you really feel you know these people, their souls, flaws and all. The depiction is beautifully sympathetic, more often than not without judgement.
While this novel will undoubtedly break your heart, April’s journey is a healing one. It offers redemption where it can, but also lets characters ruminate in the consequences of their choices. In the end, however, we learn the power of forgiveness, of love, and of connection beyond the family we are born into.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC. Thank you, Allison Larkin for crafting such a richly layered and heartfelt novel.