Special thanks to Random House Publishing, Random House Books And NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my own opinion.

Skye Falling is the perfect title for this book. It was laugh-out-loud funny and very witty. I enjoyed it very much. It touches on gender, race and sexuality for these crazy times. I'd recommend this book highly. Random House Books can always usually be counted on for a great read.

Skye is a woman who has never had children and is used to being on her own. In her teens, she sold her eggs for extra cash. 14 years later, one of her "eggs" finds her and craziness ensues. Very cleverly written.

4.3 stars!

Thank you to netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a cute, fun and easy read. I read it all in one sitting and was thoroughly surprised by hoe much I liked it. I love character driven stories and this definitely delivered in the best way. Can’t wait to read more from Mia McKenzie

What an interesting book! Right off the bat, the premise of an egg donor meeting their "offspring" was pretty unique. I think we always imagine that being a sperm donor, so it was kinda fun that it was turned around to a woman. Yes, women do also donate eggs!

I also really enjoyed how this book was very socially present. It dives into what it's like being black and having to be so much more careful in life than white people. Even the small things, like a noise complaint, can get very scary and emotionally charged.

I think my only real problem was that Skye wasn't the most likable person for the first 25%-40% of the book. It took awhile for her to really blossom and change her running away tendencies to become someone who other people liked, myself included. She does go on quite the journey with growing up and being dependable, so it was still worth it to read it the whole way through. By the end of it, I was rooting for her!

There is obviously a romance buried within a growing up story, and that was nice and cute at times, but I'd say Skye's relationships with everyone around her (her brother, her mother, her "egg", her old friends...) all were dealt with equally. If you're looking for a solid romantic relationship book, this isn't it. Not a bad thing at all, because it has more depth, but wanted to put that out there.

Overall, a very honest and real book to read in this genre. I would recommended it to others.

This book covers many topics that would promote wonderful conversation: relationships, community, Black & African-American community, LGBTQIA+, and racism that would promote a context for excellent perspectives/discussion.. I enjoyed the portrayal of Skye-- flaws and all. Looking forward to doing a re-read of this wonderful book in the (very) near future.

DNF @ 36%

The main reason I didn't continue was because of the writing style. The story line was fine if not a bit basic. The characters were unlikeable at times. I didn't hate the book at all but at this point I was pushing myself through it. I'm sure a lot of people will like this it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed my first book by Mia McKenzie!

To start this off I feel a little too white to be able to give this a comprehensive review but I'll do my best!

This book follows Skye Ellison, a black queer woman in her late 30s who splits her time in West Philadelphia for a couple weeks at a time, and wherever she is traveling with the vacation planning company she owns. She doesn't have a lot of close friendships as she doesn't let people close to her, so she drops them easily. One day when she is back in Philly she meets a twelve year old named Vicky who informs Skye that she is the product of when Skye donated some of her eggs several years ago. And this prompts Skye to want to get to know Vicky, and in turn Vicky's Aunt Faye, with whom she lives.

This was a great book with a lot of powerful messages to give about race relations in America and urban cities, gentrification, and police presence. But also it dives into relationships, family, and memory being an unreliable source at times.

This book really shines in the characters. Skye is a wonderfully messy and nuanced protagonist. Skye has been really hurt in her upbringing and a betrayal, so she keeps everyone at arms length away, but after meeting Vicky she wants to start bringing people in. Faye and Vicky are wonderful too. I loved her. Skye was so funny and has an interesting perspective on everything she comes across. But you can also tell how much she feels everything. I really love characters who are softies with a tough exterior and you get that in spades with Skye. Faye seems to have lived such an interesting life, and was a really great foil to Skye's character. And Vicky felt so real I wanted to get to know her!

This book had some really great side characters too. Viva, Skye's one long lasting friendship, was such a wonderful and dynamic voice in the book. I really love her loyalty to Skye, and how she isn't afraid to call Skye out when she needs too. Also I loved how well she was represented as a transwoman- it was part of her but not all of her, I really dig her character. Kaye's neighbor Reverend Seymour and Skye's brother Slade are also really interesting and I liked how they pushed Slade.

This book shines in the wonderful characters it presents and that helps really give the culture and dynamic of West Philly. You can feel everything so vividly, and that makes the message about gentrification in this book really shine.

What I didn't fall in love with in this book honestly was the romantic relationship. I adore both Skye and Faye as characters but I don't love them in a relationship. I can tell how much they do care about each other and have formed their own family unit with Vicky, and I liked that but I don't know if their personalities work in a relationship. Also everything went really fast once they did start. Additionally, with Skye's job of being away so often that isn't a lasting scenario. That might just be my perspective though.

Also a more minor criticism, I personally would have liked some resolution with Tasha and Skye's falling out. I'm not saying they need to be besties again, I just wish they would sit down and discuss things like adults- this might have really cemented Skye's maturity towards bonding with people.

I really did enjoy this book. The characters are fantastic and you can feel the culture of Philly in the writing. ANd for how serious the book's topics are, it never feels OVERLY heavy and is very funny. 4.25/5

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

•A R C•B O O K•R E V I E W•
2021 Book #60 out of 80
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SKYE FALLING
by MIA MCKENZIE
Publication date June 22, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
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QUICK SYNOPSIS:
Skye owns a successful travel business, which suits her need for staying away from her hometown of Philadelphia for long periods over time. She highly prides her ability to be independent and in control of her situations, but cracks when she is approached by a 12-year-old girl who reveals she's Skye's "egg." This unexpected discovery places Skye into a whirlwind of the unexpected. Skye is forced to face her demons and overcome challenges, commitments, and building expectations for her own self.

STORYLINE & THOUGHTS:
~ A great novel about facing your problems and choosing your people to help and support you even though there is craziness in this world.
~ Some topics that were covered in this book were relationships, community, Black & African-American community, LGBTQIA+, and racism.
~ This book was a good light read but captivated me in the reminder of growth and acceptance when you're with the right group of people.
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Thank you to @netgalley and @RandomHouse for this ARC Ebook. All reviews are fair and honest reviews. All opinions are my own.
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#ARC #AdvanceReaderCopy #Netgalley #Bookstagramfeature #Bookstagram #Goodreads #TBR #ToBeRead #InstaBook #readersofinstagram #readersofinsta #bookreview #bookish

Put simply, I adored this book. The characters are so well-written that, even when Skye makes some frustrating decisions, you’re still rooting for her and understand why she does what she does. Additionally, this book does a wonderful job of setting the scene and helping the reader understand the life and culture of Philly and the people who live there.
I’m sad I finished this one so quickly, I already miss the story and the characters and will be thinking about it for a long time to come. As soon as I finished this, I preordered a hard copy - it’s going on our summer beach book club list this year for sure.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3955790280

[Thank you to Random House for an advanced reading copy of Skye Falling, scheduled for release on 06/22].

Nearly 40, Skye is used to living life on her own terms. She frequently travels for work, living out of a suitcase, refusing to put down a home base and instead, living at her best friend's home while she's in town. Her closest forms of intimacy come in the form of one-night stands and sometimes, there's no sex involved, just cuddling. During a trip to her Philadelphia hometown, a 12-year-old girl tracks Skye down, informing her that she's "her egg." It looks like what she thought was a harmless (but profitable!) egg donation to a friend wasn't so harmless after all. Between the girl and her aunt, who Skye has developed a crush on, Skye's torn between wanting to return to her old, uncomplicated life or dipping her toe into uncharted waters.

There were a lot of really good things about the novel. I loved the characters and their dynamics, how Skye thought she was a solo bird but there was clearly significant regret about how friendships ended, people were treated, etc. The writing was engaging, funny. The way the relationship between Skye and Vicky, the 12-year-old, unfolded. Skye's insecurities coming to the surface. The end was a letdown, though, simply because there was conflict introduced but never fully resolved. It ended abruptly, both with Skye and the family meeting, as well as Vicky's reaction to a new relationship. It felt like it was addressed in a few sentences.

That aside, I enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to more books from the author.

Skye is a queer Black woman in her late 30s who has spent her whole life running from her trauma and fear of abandonment. She travels all over the world for work with a company that she owns and primarily runs, living out of a suitcase and returning to Philadelphia a few times a year for a two-week break between trips, where she stays at her childhood friend Viva's Bed and Breakfast. Skye is mostly content with her solitary life, until she meets Vicky.

Vicky is the twelve-year-old daughter of Skye's childhood friend, Claudia, who she happened to donate an egg to in her early thirties and hasn't seen since. When Vicky finds Skye in Philadelphia following her mother's death, Skye decides she wants some kind of relationship with Vicky, and sticks around Philadelphia for a while to solidify their new bond.

This was a great novel about facing your problems and choosing your people even when it may feel like it's already too late. It's about community, and Black community specifically. It's nostalgic and features so many queer characters and is a great story about growth and accepting love.

Skye Falling covers so much ground that it's a little difficult to fit into a cover blurb style takeaway (or to give away more of the dynamic story than I want to give in a review).

Skye owns a successful travel business, which has suited her well over the years as it allows her to keep her roots shallow and skip town when she feels weighed down by her hometown of Philadelphia. She prides herself on being independent and in control, but cracks in her tough exterior appear as we pick up traces of family trauma, unsettled conflicts with life-long friends, and Skye's hair trigger to flee with any risk of conflict. This instinct is challenged at a gallery opening when she's approached by a 12 year-old who reveals she's Skye's "egg," the product of an agreement Skye made with a childhood friend who struggled with infertility. Skye Falling leads us through her attempt of getting to know Vicky, her sort-of daughter. Their growing relationship makes Skye question her lack of attachment, and the unusually long stay in her hometown causes her to face some demons of her past and reflect on the person she is today.

Skye is an ornery and endearing narrator who pulls the reader in with fourth-wall breaks in equal parts comedy and self-realization. There are a few bits that felt a little overly expositional to me, but I found it didn't take away from the overall reading experience. Her story is so varied and rich that at times, it almost feels like we don't hear enough details after being teased with another nugget from her past. That's always a good thing in my mind anyway; I'd rather like a narrator so much that I want more from them than the opposite. Still, the details weave together to help Skye gain perspective on the person she's been in her almost 40 years of life and how those experiences led her to be the person she is today. She's forced to grapple with being enough for another person versus favoring her independence, and if at the end of the day, her independence truly gives her enough for herself.

Anyway, this was a good read. You'll laugh. You'll reflect. You'll want to scream. You'll have a surprisingly strong inclination to sit on a stoop in Philly. You should probably do all of those things. And maybe read this while doing the last one.

Skye Falling by Mia Mckenzie was such a welcome surprise. The story centers around Skye who is recently sought out by her egg donor child, Vicky, and follows the growth of their relationship. This was such a funny and joyous book while still balancing serious moments. The thing that struck me the most was the way Vicky was crafted and she does feel like a real 12-year-old who is starting to dip her toes into social issues. Vicky is also learning how to deal with her grief after her mother's passing and the anger and lash out at her Aunt and father but it is done very realistically. The romance between Skye and Faye, Vicky's aunt, was so sweet and had a really good build-up. It felt like an actual relationship and though they had their problems and miscommunication, it didn't ruin them which is something I always get annoyed at in books.

The reason this wasn't a full 5 stars was because of the way Skye's sexuality was handled. She commonly calls herself an "almost lesbian" and as a lesbian, I was confused by that. You either are a lesbian or you aren't. I'm not sure if I missed something but that took away from my reading experience. The other aspect that I didn't like was how fast the very last chapter went. It was a very serious event and I feel like it was glazed over too much without any mention in the epilogue.

This book was realistic, thought-provoking, and extremely funny. Skye is a wonderful, relatable protagonist whose character is developed in a way that is so well-written and believable. The other main and ancillary character are wonderfully sketched as well. I enjoyed SKYE FALLING so much that I bought the author's first novel, and I will be looking forward to more.

I loved this book so much! Skye, a queer Black woman in her late 30s, is constantly traveling around the world, living out of a suitcase, and avoiding setting up a stable life in her hometown of Philadelphia. But when she meets Vicky, a 12 year old girl who is the product of an egg that Skye donated to a friend, Skye finally thinks that there’s something worth sticking around for.

Skye is an amazing main character. She’s messy, complex, makes bad decisions, sometimes “unlikeable,” and totally hilarious. I think that Mia McKenzie did an excellent job at crafting Skye’s development over the course of the story. It’s so rewarding watching her get close with Vicky and Vicky’s aunt Faye. Skye’s internal monologue is so funny, it literally had me laughing out loud at multiple points throughout the book. There is an element of romance in the book, but the focus is way more on Skye’s personal journey with friends, family, and herself.

The sense of place is so strong in this book. The way that Philadelphia and the different neighborhoods and communities were described was so vivid. Something simple like the characters sitting on the front porch during the evening really felt like it came to life. Another element that’s also very present throughout the book is Skye’s memories of the city from her youth and how gentrification is taking away places that meant a lot to her.

I definitely recommend people check this book out! It has a lot of heart and a lot of humor while touching on serious issues that impact the Black and queer communities.

DNF @ 10%

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC. I really wanted to like this book because I loved the description, but I literally just cannot get into it. Some of the dialogue is pretty funny, so I’m sure others will like it. It’s just not my taste.

DNF @ 25%

It's a shame, I really had high hopes for "Skye Falling". The writing style just didn't work for me. Very on the nose and not compelling enough to keep my attention. Very stilted dialogue and unlikeable characters. I also felt like this novel was trying too hard to be edgy, when in reality it was just a basic, generic storyline. Just not enough bite for me.

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House for the digital ARC.

The cultural roots of this book are subtle but intricate. It does a really good job at teaching Black culture and the struggles they face. Skye is also a hilarious character and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times because of her endeavors. Not only is she funny but her character development is fantastic and well paced. But the best part of this book is that it shows the importance of friends and family. Overall, this is a really sweet story about family and culture that you should consider picking up.

These fantastical diverse characters that come to life as they're read, I absolutely loved Vicky, Viva, Skye and Faye. The neighbors even felt like people you’ve encountered and love to remember. I loved how setting & character driven this story was and while the novel focuses on ideas & themes of family, love, and community rather than romance AND the romance doesn't really get going until about the third part of the book- this is indeed a love story. Skye is nearly 39 when she gets confronted by a girl claiming she’s “her egg” (I loved this as an opening line). As Skye navigates this new and unexpected relationship with her "egg" she begins to examine the nature of her other relationships and she begins to realize that maybe the self-inflicted isolation she’s been practicing isn’t as good as she’s convinced herself it is. I don't want to say much more. Just read this for yourself. It is WONDERFUL!

I loved everything about this book. Within the first couple pages I was sold. At first glance, Skye is a super unlikeable character, but the character development in this book is phenomenal! Not only do you grow to love her, but you grow to love her because of her flaws, not in spite of them. Skye can be incredibly tactless, but in such an entertaining way (see: spelling bee scene); yet at other times, we get to witness the true depth of her character and how she has been shaped by her past (and present). McKenzie incorporates many real issues into this novel, ranging from infertility to gentrification, none of which felt forced or ingenuine. Also, major major props for the LGBTQ+ representation!!!

I just really appreciated what a unique and new plot this was! Usually when I read a book, I find myself thinking, "Oh, this is kind of similar to [insert another book title here]!" but I couldn't think of anything to compare this book too! It is it's own type of masterpiece and I can't wait to read more from the author!

This is a book that didn’t especially appeal to me. I know that many of my students will enjoy reading it.

Thank you Netgalley for taking me out of my comfort zone and allowing me to read this book.