This book was not for me. I appreciate the publishers and netgalley giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Is it a Steven Rowley book if you don’t cry? Everyone needs to read this one. Another warm hug and really puts you in your feels but it’s so worth it. 10/10!

This book had me sobbing multiple times. Jumping between present time and flashbacks from college and the other 'funerals' we get a more well-rounded idea of how the 'funerals' came to be and we could learn more about everyone's relationships and backstory.

I adored The Guncle. Steven Rowley does a tremendous job of writing books that at the core are about loss and working through grief, but are combined with a more uplifting concept of found family within that loss. He does a beautiful job on encapsulating all the conflicting emotions. The stories aren't overly heavy, there is still humor infused throughout. All in all, it was a lovely story with a beautiful message, even if things got a little messy over the years!

I definitely wanted an epilogue for this one and while the article from the paper wasn't as in depth as many epilogues in stories, it did provide the exact information the reader would have wanted and needed to know, so in that way, it was a creative and different way to give us a glimpse into their futures.

I fought finishing this book because I knew it would make me sad. There was an appropriate amount of dark humor to make one laugh/cry.

Living funerals seem like the way to go & this book was a good reminder to tell people how much they mean to you.

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Usually this genre of book isn’t my thing but i loved this one. If you think you might like it you should give it a try

Steven Rowley!!! He writes such wonderful stories. This one felt a bit more serious but it was really beautiful.

[RECOMMENDATION] If you love books with a lot of heart, centering queer characters, that get you contemplating life, or really thinking about friendships - THIS ONE'S FOR YOU!

[SYNOPSIS] A group of friends decide after college, when one of their close friends past away, to remind themselves that life is worth living by hosting their own "funerals". Yes, funerals. Each friend in the group is allowed to enforce the pact once during their life, when they need their friends, to come together no matter what to celebrate them. It's their funeral, where they get to hear about their impact and life - while still alive. The story follows the friend group after Jordan enacts the pact, but hasn't said why (whereas the other friends enacted theirs after grief, stress, etc.).

[REVIEW] This book is so wonderful because it truly gets you in your feels about celebrating life, while you're still alive, and taking time for those friendships. Steven's work always has HEART at the center, and this book is no different. It's beautiful, heart wrenching... but also heart warming! You really start to fall in love with this friend group, and their stories - and feel like maybe you too should start hosting your own funeral.

**This e-book was gifted to me by G.P. Putnam's Sons and Netgalley - thank you! All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this title.

This was such an interesting look into friendship, love, and life.

Each character had a dynamic story and distinct voice. By the end I could feel the tear ducts starting to flow.

For this one I completely see what the author was going for and I can see why it would be a well liked book with the mix of serious and humor, friendships, relationships and family. It just didn't work for me. I'm a moody reader and I think my mood heavily influenced this one because I wish I liked it more, it just was kind of work to push through to the finish line for this one.

Thank you for allowing me to read and review this story. This review can be found on goodreads, storygraph, Barnes & Noble and my instagram @manymerrybooks.

I absolutely adore Steven Rowley and he’s one of my auto-buy authors. Just as how The Guncle helped me deal with grief after my mother’s sudden passing, The Celebrants continued to help me grieve but also helps me to look at my own mortality. The beauty of Steven’s work is that he does this with tenderness, heart, and a human connection, but also joy, laughter, music, and always snarky wit.
I know I’m late getting this out but I do hope you’ll forgive me and with all this in mind— go pick up The Guncle Abroad! Out next month!!

Read partially on ebook and partially listening to the audiobook. A heavy, but moving exploration of grief, morality, and how friendships change.

4 stars!

"The Celebrants" by Steven Rowley is like an updated, more modern version of "The Big Chill," a friendship story about life, love, loss, growing up, making do, and moving on. It is full of heart, discovery, and humor, but it is also full of secrets, sadness, and grief. Rowley takes the proper time to explore each of these characters in painstaking detail, making them feel fully fleshed-out and realistic both individually and as a friend group. It expresses the importance of reaching out to friends, to keep your connections alive, to live before you die, to reclaim who you are if you are unhappy. It is a heavy read that you have to be in the mood to read, though there are moments of levity and excitement and vacation shenanigans. It made me think about my own life, my own friends, my own attachments, and what would happen in the event of my death. Very well written! This is my first Steve Rowley book and it will not be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley, Steven Rowley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Not my favorite Steven Rowley book, but I do love his works. Go read The Guncle. It was very good and so sweet! A sequel is coming soon.

I was pulled into this story from the very first chapter. Throwing a funeral for your friends while you're alive - a great premise! I laughed, I cried and I told all my friends to read this book. Honestly, anything Rowley publishes I am invested in.

The Guncle was the first book I'd read by Steven Rowley and it was such a charming story that I jumped on the opportunity to read this one as well. The Celebrants is of a different tone than the Guncle, but still has Rowley's charm and story-telling ability. The Celebrants are five recent college grads who are reeling from the death of the sixth member of their group. In their grief, they make a pact to hold 'living wakes', one for each member. The point of these wakes are to find out how much you are loved and the impact you made on the rest of the group. Almost thirty years and three wakes later, they're gathering again, but this living wake is different from the others.
Rowley weaves the present and the past together as we bounce back between the preparation for the most recent celebration with the ones prior, as well as more information about their college life and the minor mystery surrounding their friends death. Each character is fleshed out and above all are flawed humans, so they come across as very real. While this book was not as light hearted as the Guncle, it was still a lovely read and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Group for the free e-book.

"The Celebrants" by Steven Rowley is a heartfelt tale about friendship, growth, and the messy journey of adulthood. Rowley paints a vivid picture of Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle as they navigate life's ups and downs while clinging to their unique tradition of throwing living "funerals" for each other.

What makes this novel stand out is its perfect blend of humor and heart. Rowley's witty writing style keeps you entertained while diving deep into the struggles and triumphs of these characters. They may not have it all figured out, but their journey towards self-discovery is both relatable and inspiring.

As secrets are revealed and bonds are tested, "The Celebrants" reminds us of the power of friendship and the importance of cherishing every moment. It's a moving tribute to the messy beauty of life and the people who make it worth celebrating.

I was super super excited to read this as I absolutely loved The Guncle! Unfortunately I found that this one fell a little flat for me. I kept hoping it would pick up and I would end up loving it, but it never picked up for me. I found the start so freaking slow and unfortunately, the slow pace continued. It wasn't even one of those slow burns where once it picks up, it justifies the slow start.

I love character driven novels, however, I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters. It might have to do with the fact that it felt like there were too many characters and none of them really felt like they were fully flushed out.

Honestly, in retrospect, my opinion of this book might be so low because I was going into this expecting something as phenomenal as The Guncle. I think if I had gone into this without sky high expectations, I might have rated it higher.

Regardless, I love Steven Rowley, and I will still read anything he writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love books by Steven Rowley. I enjoyed The Guncle by him and I was excited to read this book as well. I read this book for a book retreat for The Read Rovers Book Club and we all signed the book like a year book after. I was lucky enough to finally meet the author this weekend at Tucson festival of books and add his signature to the book as well. I am excited that I also got approved to read the second guncle book.

The Celebrants is a sweet story about celebrating our long-time friends while we can (and will gently nudge you to reach out to them). An enjoyable vacation read.

As an avid fan of Steven Towley's, The Guncle, I was thrilled to read this book, however it.missed the mark for me. I wanted to love.it.buy it had a slow start and was too slow paced for me unfortunately. I will still continue to read all of his books and look forward to the sequel to The Guncle soon!