This book is about a group of five college friends who have a pact that they will also be there for each other and they will do funerals for them in need because funerals are for the living. I was expecting to have more humor in this book than there was. However; I found the story cute and heartwarming. There was also a huge plot twist that I did not see coming. I’m always a sucker for a good plot twist.

This was an amazing book. Steven Rowley is an amazing storyteller who is quickly moving to the top of my "if he wrote it, I'll read it" list. His stories are poignant and deep. I laughed and cried multiple times while reading about these 5 friends and their journey. I liked the pacing of this book as well as the way we moved through the story, from present day back through their "funerals" and back to the present day. And that ending.... I cried some more.

This book is about a pact made between a group of college friends after the death of one of their own.

What I liked: the found family, and the loyalty to the pact, no matter the circumstances each person found themselves in was great. I also really appreciated the focus on friendship and letting those you love know how you feel before it’s too late. Rowley’s writing is witty and beautiful, as always.

What I didn’t love: I strongly disliked several of the chargers and that made it hard for me to care about them.

But overall it’s heartfelt and emotional and the ending had me tearing up, and I do recommend it to those who are drawn to character driven emotional books.

Thanks to Putnam Books and BetGalley for the e-ARC.

The Celebrants is a contemporary fiction novel that follows 5 friends who decide to hold living funerals after the sixth member of their friend group unexpectedly dies.

I really enjoyed Rowley's previous novel, The Guncle, so I was very excited when I had the opportunity to read The Celebrants. While this novel didn't hit quite the same note for me, I do see it being a novel that many love and that has a lot going for it.

Here's what I view as working for this novel:

- An intriguing idea. I love the idea behind this novel. It's emotional and heartfelt and it's sure to strike a chord with many.
- A great message. Similar to the above, this novel has a great message that many could benefit from hearing. Too many get wrapped up in the day to day and forget to make sure others know the impact one has had on their lives.
- Well developed characters.
- Some great humor and charm in the writing.

Here's where I struggled:

- I didn't personally connect with the characters, which I think detracted a bit from the emotion within the novel for me. They all seemed a bit too selfish and flawed. While flaws make characters realistic, something about these characters just didn't click or ultimately redeem for me.
- Felt a little long

Overall, the novel was well-written and had Rowley's signature charm and humor, but my inability to connect with the characters and overarching story detracted a bit for me. I think I will be in the minority on this and I do think others will connect better than I was able to.

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley was quite an up and down read for me. I really had a hard time getting into the story or the characters until about the 40% mark. I thought some of the characters were just too in mature for my liking. I did really like the way the story ended. I thought it really was done very well and it make my rating go up a bit higher because of that. Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam Books for the advanced reader copy.

I rated it 3.75 out of 5

I loved The Guncle last year and was eagerly anticipating this new book. It is a little different style from The Guncle but the writing is still strong and the story interesting. Highly recommend!

No wonder THE CELEBRANTS by Steven Rowley is the Read with Jenna June selection. What a story! A group of Berkley university grads reunites to celebrate, to host a mock funeral, whenever one them suffers a life-altering event. These ‘funeral people’ gather to celebrate their lives while they’re still living, lest one of them leaves this earth without knowing how much he or she is loved.

What a gifted author—one who has created diverse characters with unique voices, who are quirky and peculiar, and then he frames them within a unique story that is both funny and heartbreaking. These five friends are flawed but together they create a life force that helps them carry each other through the worst of circumstances.

The narrative moves seamlessly, melding grief with a quick-witted dialogue to soften the heaviness of the content. It’s a tale of friendship, grief, death, relationships, and reunited family. And at the end, it leaves a lesson for us all, to say what we can while we can and leave nothing unsaid.

THE CELEBRANTS is a book that is totally different but utterly outstanding in every way. If this one doesn’t twist your heart right out of your chest, then you need a funeral.

Content Warning: drug overdose, death of loved ones, cancer, HIV diagnosis.

Last year I put off reading Steven Rowley’s The Guncle and I regretted it, so you know that the minute his newest book The Celebrants was on NetGalley I requested it because I can’t have FOMO. The Celebrants had me tearing up (yes, even my stone cold heart) in the first few chapters to laughing to even letting one tear fall at the end. But it was just one, which as we all know is really like one million normal person tears, I am just an unfeeling sack of skin.

The Celebrants follows five college roommates who after the death of their friend decide they will create a pact to have a living funeral for each of them at their time of need, at the choosing of the person, so that nothing is left unsaid. This pact results in funerals for divorces, parents passing and facing prison time but the most heart wrenching one is saved for the end.

I seriously enjoyed this one. I love a found family, friends as the people you choose to spend your life with story so this one was perfect for me. The characters are imperfect, their relationships messy but it made them all the more relatable. If you are looking for a found family, character driven novel that combines humor, wit and deep emotion, don’t sleep on The Celebrants.

“To think about life is to contemplate death—it’s what makes living so valuable. Our time here is limited, gone in the blink of an eye.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own. The Celebrants has a publish date of May 30, 2023.

“We weren’t meant to see everything, we weren’t built to do everything, we aren’t capable of knowing everything. At a certain point, peace has to be found with the choices we’ve made.”

I could not WAIT to read this book! The Guncle was one of my favorite audiobooks last year and I did not want it to end. It was just so heartwarming and funny and feel good gahhhh I just loved it.

“To think about life is to contemplate death—it’s what makes living so valuable. Our time here is limited, gone in the blink of an eye.”

I certainly hope Steven Rowley narrates every book he writes because he is fabulous! Maybe it’s because he wrote the book, but he always just seems to BE the character he is narrating and the listener is quickly swept up into his world. The Celebrants is quite different from The Guncle, but still with its laugh out loud moments. This one is a bit darker, though, following a group of college friends tied together by a tragedy but doing everything they can to stay strong and support one another. Steven’s writing just sucks you right into the story. He has now become an absolute auto buy author for me.

Thank you also to Netgalley, Putnam Books, and the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

It's not uncommon for me to read books that are exciting, engrossing, intriguing, mysterious, or even terrifying. What is rare is to find a book that simply lifts my spirits and makes me happy. I've found two of those this month: the ARC of Sew Into You by Amity Malcolm (Release June 5), and THE CELEBRANTS by Steven Rowley. (Note that both are LGBTQ+.)

THE CELEBRANTS is a big beautiful novel about the importance of Friendships becoming Found Family and even Loved Ones. It's about living in the moment, understanding the past occurred but refusing to dwell in it, and embracing both Now and the glorious unknown possibilities of our future. Steven Rowley is such an outstanding author, with deep insight into his characters; and he peels them down to their cores, transparent to their loved ones, to themselves, and to readers. I gained so much from this novel (though I confess to continuously bawling through the final 10%). I think the last novel that affected me in quite this particular delineation, this exquisite blend of joy and sorrow, was Garth Stein's A SUDDEN LIGHT.

I think everybody needs the spirit-brightening joy of reading THE CELEBRANTS. Celebrate LIFE.

Steven Rowley does it once again and writes one of my new favorite books, ever. I laughed, I cried, and I already want to re-read this book.

The transitions from the past and present were seamless and completely transported me into the book. I loved the concept of the book also and thought the timeline flowed well with the plot. Five friends vow to celebrate their lives and invoke the "pact" to hold a funeral for each other whenever someone needs it most. Each friend has their flaws and own storyline and no one character is raised above the other.

The characters were imperfect and complex and stole your heart from the very first page. Rowley effortlessly draws you into the lives of each of these characters and drops new hints and deeper looks into each character that makes it impossible to hate them.

The premise was so unique and heartwarming and the character driven storyline was magnetic. I can't get over my love for this book, and thought it was equal parts hilarious and pure joy. This is a book I would gift to anyone - a friend, a sibling, a mother/father, a grandmother or grandfather. Any person will find joy and comfort in this book, and this is one that should be celebrated by everyone.

Well, this had me crying in the first couple chapters (and then cracking up shortly after.) This one really explored how life can really break you down and kill your spirit. Rowley beautifully writes some realistic and flawed characters. I loved seeing the group dynamics and the events that caused them to return to the pact. It was fitting that when I put this down I started Big Gay Wedding written by Rowley's husband!

I adored The Guncle so I was ecstatic to receive an ARC of The Celebrants! I enjoy when a book is witty enough to make me laugh while also poignant enough to make me cry. The message of The Celebrants was clear - make sure the people that you love know how you feel about them while they're still here.

The Celebrants centers around a group of five friends - Jordan, Jordy, Craig, Naomi, and Marielle. Shortly before their graduation from Berkeley in the mid-90s, the sixth member of their group, Alec, dies from an overdose. As they mourn the loss of their friend and the things left unsaid before his death, the five remaining friends make a pact. They will throw each other one "living funeral" per person, which they can each cash in whenever they are feeling at their lowest, so their friends can remind them of how much they love them and how important they are to them.

The book is centered around these living funerals, with each chapter bouncing back and forth between a different friend's living funeral spread over the course of 30 years, and the "now", in which Jordan and Jordy are married and Jordan is dying of cancer, with Jordy trying to convince him to request his turn in the pact before its too late. In each chapter, we get more insights about the person whose funeral is the focus of the chapter, as well as updates on where the rest of the friends are in their lives. Despite sometimes falling out of touch and growing apart, whenever anyone requests their funeral, the group comes together to hilarious effect but ultimately supporting the friend who is struggling.

There were so many different personalities in the friend group, each chapter felt like its own short story with getting a glimpse into the life of a specific friend. I liked that they were not all still best friends, having grown apart naturally since college and only seeing each other all at once for these sporadic "funerals". But despite their distance, they still have cherished memories and feelings that they express to help their friends during their lowest points, tied together by their shared experience of losing Alec. After so many years, they each had their role in the group and there were a lot of funny moments when they came together for the funerals. I do wish that there was a bit deeper of a dive into the friends but I see how that wouldn't have worked for this type of structure. This was a great 4.5 star read for me.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The first pool day of the year calls for busting out my new I ❤️ Banned Books tote that I picked up at @riverstonebookstore earlier this month and an ARC for The Celebrants by @mrstevenrowley which is out on Tuesday!

Spoiler alert: I loved it!

I am a massive fan of The Guncle, so I was very much looking forward to this one. It’s the story of a group of college friends that made a pact before graduation to give each other living funerals - at the time when they need it the most. The book hops throughout time - from college to the present day with stops for the various funerals. It is an incredibly witty, nuanced, and authentic take on friendship, relationships, grief, tackling the tough shit, and growing up.

It’s a celebration of life and friends - the people who are there for you through the good, the bad, And the ugly. You best believe I was laying at the pool devouring this one, sometimes snorting and sometimes crying. But in my view, the best books get you in ALL your feels like this one.

Big thanks to @netgalley and @putnambooks for gifting me an advanced reader copy. Make sure to pick this @readwithjenna selection up on Tuesday!

#scottonreads #goodreads #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookstagrammer #bookworm #books #stevenrowley #putnambooks #readwithjenna #netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreview #thecelebrants

I will post this review here, on goodreads, on my bookstagram @scottonreads and on retail sites

Fans of The Guncle will not be disappointed by Steven Rowley's follow up. The Celebrants is a beautiful story of friendship, growing up and embracing your second act in life. Certain parts were skimmed over a little too quickly (ex. Mia's paternity) but the message and love felt between the characters more than made up for it. It will make you look more closely at the people in your life, even the ones you haven't spoken to in ages.

Steven Rowley can certainly write powerful and inspiring comedy-fiction. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 is going to be an instant classic for me focusing on the power of lifelong friends/found family and promises, even ones we make to ourselves. I loved it, but to be fully honest, a little less than 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙚. Easily 4.5 ★ for me.
OUT TOMORROW

“𝙻𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚎𝚏𝚝 𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍.”

I laughed, cried, laughed some more, and sat in silence after the last page - reflecting on the friendships in my own life. This book is going to stick with me.

📍𝗗𝗖 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗦!!! 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘 𝟴𝗧𝗛 ✍️
Steven will be in DC at East City Books!!! In-person tickets are still available.

Instead of trying to recap the premise of the book on my own, I’m going to include the publisher description, because it’s just perfect - the this book has A LOT of things going on in it!

Book Description:

It’s been a minute—or five years—since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since their graduation when their adult lives officially began. Now Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle find themselves at the brink of a new decade, with all the responsibilities of adulthood, yet no closer to having their lives figured out. Though not for a lack of trying. Over the years they’ve reunited in Big Sur to honor a decades-old pact to throw each other living “funerals,” celebrations to remind themselves that life is worth living—that their lives mean something, to one another if not to themselves.

But this reunion is different. They’re not gathered as they were to bolster Marielle as her marriage crumbled, to lift Naomi after her parents died, or to intervene when Craig pleaded guilty to art fraud. This time, Jordan is sitting on a secret that will upend their pact.

A deeply honest tribute to the growing pains of selfhood and the people who keep us going, coupled with Steven Rowley’s signature humor and heart, The Celebrants is a moving tale about the false invincibility of youth and the beautiful ways in which friendship helps us celebrate our lives, even amid the deepest challenges of living.

Thanks to Putnam Books and NetGalley for a chance to early review this story in exchange for an honest review.

I adore Steven Rowley's books. I have read all of them and each one is different from the other. The Guncle is most similar to The Editor and The Celebrants is closer to Lily and the Octopus.

I knew going into this book that I would love it, I expected to, but what I did not expect was that I didn't want to read it fast. I wanted to let the story unfold slowly, and let the characters and scenery and story marinate in my head overnight. I had to stop myself from plowing through this. Mind you, I don't think it lends itself as a fast read, but at some point you will not be able to put it down.

This is the story of six friends who meet in college and how they progress through life. With and without each other. They are chosen family, which is my favorite type of family. Their lives are intertwined in ways that make me long for that in my own life. I miss my college friends, but things happen, paths differ, adult personalities emerge.

Anyway, I'm not going to spoil the plot of this book, but I do encourage you to read it. Even if there's a point where you feel like giving up, please continue. It's very close to perfection and I can't wait for this author's next work.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I went into this expecting something to live up to The Guncle, but I should have reminded myself that I DNF'd another of this author's previous books. This was fine. It started pretty slow for me and was almost instantly fairly sad, but it did pick up. I enjoyed it more toward the end, but also just wanted more to happen. This is a ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ read for me, I could take it or leave it.

After reading the Guncle i knew I'd love this and I was writting. So heartwarming and thoughtful would read again

A wonderful book about found family and friendship. 5 college friends make a pact to plan and attend each other's living funeral after Alec, the 6th in their group, passes away their senior year. The book starts in the present year (2023) with Jordan calling the group together for his funeral. Each chapter jumps back to another character's funeral, the circumstances that lead them to call for one, and how the funeral (and the group) comforts them to move forward.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was comforting to read about characters that are middle-aged, still figuring out their lives, and having decade long friendships to help guide them along. Steven Rowley captures the essence of adult friendships well. You can be across the country from one another, not talk for months, but you know that they'll be there when you need them.
Highly recommend to any reader who loves found families and recognizes the struggle of rediscovering yourself as an adult.