The Gist: At age 16, aspiring musician April Sawicki runs away from her toxic family and begins a journey to find a place and people of her own.

What I Liked:
- This is a beautiful story about the power of found family, and is also a lot less dark than I thought it would be going in. This ends on a heartwarming note and made me want to go hug all my close friends immediately.
- The 90s music references were very fun.
- I really related to April’s inner voice. She is both incredibly naive and wise beyond her years, and it was a joy to follow her on her journey.

What I Disliked:
- The beginning is a little slow. This book takes a minute to find its rhythm.
- The pacing between sections is a little strange. I can’t really point to one specific thing, but I do think the time jumps were a bit abrupt. I would have liked more details about April’s life in those in-between moments.

Recommended for fans of: Coming of age/fresh start stories like How to Build a Girl, Mosquitoland, etc

CW: Domestic abuse, abandonment, poverty, adult/minor relationship, drug use, homophobia, sexual assault

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review...Things I loved: this is a beautiful book. Not really sweet or gentle but thoughtful and interesting. Things to consider: it has a similar feeling to The Great Alone and Where the Crawdads Sing-if you liked those, this is for you.

This was such a surprise of a book. I wasn't expecting to relate to the main character, April, as much as I did. Her quest of trying to finally find a family, was heart wrenching that you can't help but root for her. This book will break your heart on repeat, and feeling like you won't ever recover. Luckily, the author puts your heart back together. Absolutely beautiful.

The People We Keep by Allison Larkin follows April Sawicki, a 16 year old living her "not best life." April's mother abandoned her at a young age. She lives in a motorhome with her father, until he also abandons her for another family. April "borrows" her neighbor's car to perform at an open mic night and loves the feeling of it. She leaves small town Little River for bigger adventures in Ithaca NY to pursue her singing and guitar.

April's journey of self-discovery and self-worth is a beautiful coming-of-age story. The characters left strong impressions in her journey. Both heart breaking and heartwarming. A must read.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Debating between a 3.5/4 rating

I read THE PEOPLE WE KEEP in one day (partly due to the fact that my Netgalley copy was going to be archived and because it was such an enjoyable read). After reading a few raving reviews and seeing the gorgeous cover, I knew I had to prioritize reading it and it didn't disappoint! I went into reading it nearly blind, so I don't want to write a synopsis :)

The only thing that I will say is -- I saw a previous reviewer say that "this book is a good reminder that there are friends we have for a season, for a reason, and for a lifetime," and I couldn't agree more. The main character, April, will impress you, break your heart, and at times, annoy you - but that's okay because she's only 19! Larkin's writing is so realistic and detailed that it felt like you are traveling along with April the entire story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is out now (August 3, 2021), so highly recommend you get your hands on this book!

This seemed to me to be a sad and depressing story of a very lost generation. It was set in upper state NY in 1994. After nearly half the book, I couldn't find any redeeming features and chose not to read further.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I'm sure there are many who will enjoy it - just not me.

April's mother walked out on the family when she was young and her father is neglectful. They live in a motor home without a motor until he leaves April to go live with Irene and her boy. Her boyfriend's plan is for them to get married, go to potlucks and learn to cook venison. Not wanting that kind of life April gets a car and leaves town. She loves her guitar and making music. I liked April but there were times I felt she was a coward. A good portion of the story is set in Western NY, my neck of the woods, and it was fun to read about her going to places I recognize and shopping at Wegmans. She connects with people in the places she lives but for the most part she is homeless. It was quite a journey she had and the people we keep was more like the people who stuck by her.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Gallery for providing me a copy of this book.

Looking for a read that you can’t put down? This is it!

April is a sixteen year-old musician living in a motor home with no motor after her father left her to live with his girlfriend. After a huge fight, she takes off with no particular destination in mind. As she travels the east coat living in her car and performing gigs along the way, she meets people who make her feel like she finally found her home.

The fear of not being who they think is keeps her from settling until a life changing event and the love of those around her forces her to finally land.

A beautiful novel about the importance of finding your people and trusting them with your true self. The People We Keep is also a reminder that family doesn’t always look like we think it should and that these who love us are our family.

Get a copy! You’ll be glad you did.

This beautiful novel will be in my top 10 for the year.

#Netgalley #thepeoplewekeep

This is one of the best books I’ve read this summer!

April Sawicki was a fantastic heroine. She was a victim of circumstance, living in a motorhome and often left alone while her father played house with his girlfriend. She failed out of school and spent most of her time picking up shifts at Margo’s diner, but her real passion was music. Performing at open mic nights gave her a sense of what her life could really be like, and she yearned for more than what her small town and lack of family could offer.

April’s journey was not an easy one. She essentially chose to make a fresh start all on her own, but struggled to lay roots, even when she grew close to others. But over time, I think she learned that you can only push people away for so long, and the ones who truly care for you will always be there for you through thick and thin. Sometimes you have to let down you guard down, forgive yourself for your mistakes, and choose to accept the love and help others offer you.

Highly recommend this book!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4092033982

Thanks to GalleryBooks + NetGalley for the publicity review copy of THE PEOPLE WE KEEP by Allison Larkin. Out today 🎉

THE PEOPLE WE KEEP is a book for anyone who believes that life is more than the one we were born into and what happens to us - it’s the choices we make, the people we choose to let into our lives, and the memories we hold on to. And how the decision you have to make about something you were never expecting changes everything about your life.

A captivating story about a lost girl, forced to grow up too soon, trying to make sense of herself and her very dysfunctional life; while grasping for dreams to come reality.

The moment I read the book dedication, I knew I was all in for the entire ride.

April, our main character, is sharp, resourceful, and funny. Yet, highly impulsive, even childish at times. I can't help wonder if it would've been more appropriate for age the MC a couple of years older. I'm around April's age and felt extremely uncomfortable with much of her immature thought process.

Even though I was very sympathetic towards April, her constantly driving from place to place, her getting away from everyone who started showing affection made it complicated to connect with her.

In short, it's a book many will enjoy for the same reasons others will find it tedious.

Allison Larkin deftly creates a palpable ache in The People We Keep. Through a steady cast of characters, she builds tension for April, a teenager who has been abandoned by those who should have loved and supported her.

April is buoyed by music and finds dear, trusted friends along her path, but there are also those who make the case that she should be aloof and less trusting. There are many moments when you think all will work out, only to have a wedge driven into the events and new fractures are formed.

Themes of loneliness, perseverance, and vulnerability fill the pages, and true friendship is revealed. It is easy to get pulled into the storyline and root for April's safety and happiness as she navigates her reality and develops fortitude.

(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

I absolutely loved this book. It is a quietly touching, coming of age story about a talented young April who has to navigate life without love of support from her parents. She grows, she is constantly on the move, she’s afraid to attach, she is let down again and again. But she finds her voice, and ultimately finds her people, and eventually accepts that she is lovable, is safe to lean on & love others, and deserves love. This book made me feel good .I’m looking forward to interviewing the author.

This will definitely be in my top ten this year. The writing…gah the writing! It was magnificent. There were so many beautiful sentences that hit me right in the feels.

April is a character that will stay with me for awhile. She is wise beyond her years in ways, and still a child in others. Her actions were so real and raw throughout the book. It frustrated me to no end to see the choices she made, but with the life she has lived, it all made heartbreaking sense.

The ending was like a beautifully packaged gift with a sparkly bow on top. I adored this book and highly recommend it. @bookofthemonth nailed it with this choice.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the arc in exchange for my honest review! I also bought the book, and am so happy I did!

This book is set in the min-90's and our heroine is the spirited and tenacious April Sawicki. She was abandoned very young by her mom and her father is mostly absent so April grows up fending for herself. As the tremulous relationship with her father escalates, April drops out of school, takes the car and leaves home. She supports herself by singing in bars and coffee shops and living mostly on the road in her car. She meets people along the way and creates her own version of family.

I truly enjoyed this book. April is a character you want to root for. Her youth and lack of parental support leads her to make some bad decisions but she learns along the way. There is heart break and hope and the story is genuine and heartwarming. The people she meets along the way teach her lessons about love and life and those she keeps are her found family.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy.

With all the recent rock-n-roll related books out, I did not expect this book to be what it was. Instead of being a main focus, the music was the background (like muzak at the store that you find yourself humming) to a wonderful collection of characters. April is a neglected child (and why no one did anything about it still annoys me) who finds solace in playing her guitar. After a series of horrible interactions with her despicable father, she decides to escape and try and find a better life for herself. Through her journey, April meets several characters that show her that love and family aren't limited to those you are born genetically related to. April grows to love herself and find her place. I loved being by her side during her journey and my heart broke when she felt forced to make harsh choices for her own physical or emotional survival.

The People We Keep, by Allison Larkin, is one of those books that I can't get out of my head. I'm missing the main character, April, as though she packed up and left in the middle of the night without leaving a note. I miss her friends, the merry band of misfits that she met along her journey and that Ms. Larkin described flawlessly. I loved so many things about this heartbreaking and heartfelt book. I will carry it and its beauty in my heart for a long long time. Kudos to Ms. Larkin for telling such a devastating story of a little girl with very little of her own, very few people in her life and nary a place to call home, and spinning it into an exquisite tale of hope, resilience, love and family that will leave her readers spellbound. I wish there were more than 5 stars that I could deem this novel, as it definitely leaves other 5-star reads behind in the dust. I cannot thank you enough NetGalley, Allison Larkin and Gallery Books for this wonderful book that I will recommend time and time again. I wish you nothing but success.

4.5 stars for me.

In Allison Larkin's new novel The People We Keep, April is struggling. She's failing out of school, working some shifts at a diner, and living in a nonfunctioning motorhome that her father won in a poker game. She lives in a town where she's never felt like she belongs, within a family where she doesn't feel that she matters.

Her parents have allowed her to flounder, growing up without any sense of security and without providing any foundation for her life--and are largely not even present, forcing young April to fend for herself. (The level of neglect made me furious.)

A borrowed car and an open mic night open up new possibilities, while a fight with her dad sharpens her focus on leaving. April flees, heading out on the road with few expectations, aside from changing the trajectory of her life.

Along the way, she meets various people and must decide whether to open her heart to them or to keep herself at a distance; she considers what she truly wants from her life; and she writes songs to cope with and interpret the world around her.

The songwriting feels at first as though it will loom large in the story, but ultimately it isn't nearly as weighty an element as April's constant fight to connect with and to to trust others--and to learn to trust herself. Not everyone she meets is worthy of her time or her faith, but she does intersect with imperfect, lovely gems of human beings, and these scenes broke my heart in the best way.

Larkin makes small moments, including difficult ones, feel visceral and immediate. April has been dealt a difficult hand, and she's had to get tough because of her hardscrabble life, but Larkin doesn't revel in this as though it's heroic--April is desperate to feel safe enough to let down her guard. She's an appealing character who demonstrates immense strength but is secretly vulnerable.

From early in the story I found myself yearning for April to settle in and allow herself to just be instead of running. I wanted some constancy for her life, even if it might feel too clean or easy for Larkin's story arc. The ending offers some resolutions (but I did wonder at the omission of what felt like a key character who might have been an integral and heartwarming part of April's life).

I received a prepublication digital copy of this title courtesy of Gallery Books and NetGalley.

The title of this book drew me in. I loved April’s character and all the people she got to keep with her. It was heart breaking but also beautiful!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a sucker punch for me coming out of nowhere when I realized how much I enjoyed this book!

Initially, it started off slow, so I thought it was going to be mediocre and nothing to get too excited about. I was surprised by the amount of 5 star reviews, but I realize why now!

The author did a great job of building the story, getting the reader attached to the protagonist without even realizing it's happening. Your heart is breaking when something devastating happens to April or you see her struggle through life, and your heart soars when she catches a break, builds connections and gets to enjoy her life.

I enjoyed April. She seems realistic and I was constantly rooting for her to catch her break. I connected with her easily and the friends she makes along the way seemed genuine and heartwarming. It shows you how some people may only be in your life for a short time, but they can make a significant impact on you that can last a lifetime.

The book had certain elements that reminded me of the movie Where The Heart Is, so if you loved that movie I'd recommend this book.

***Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book!