I love Steven Rowley books. He captures humanity and emotion so so well. You know going in that there will be heavy things in the book.
I liked the characters and their woven dependence on one another.

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam publishers and Netgalley for an E-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED The Guncle. Especially the Audio version and I plan to reread it this year, to then read the e-arc of The Guncle Abroad ahead of publication date.

Maybe my expectations were too high but this novel didn't sit the same. The way the timeline fluctuates and the amount of main characters made me not super invested in their stories. Don't get me wrong, Rowley's writing is amazing and I expect to enjoy TGA later this year, but I didn't find myself caring enough about the characters or the plot to finish this novel.

I hope to continue to enjoy Steven Rowley's works but its the end of the line for me and The Celebrants.

I've loved some of the author's other books so I picked this one up blindly based on his name alone. I loved the premise - a group of 5 who've been friends since their college days, and have a pact to get together and celebrate their funerals when they're down on their luck in life and need a reminder of how much they are loved and cared about by their friends. I have a close group of college friends that I could imagine doing this with.

However, the book takes a dark turn when one of them (right off the top, this isn't a spoiler!) calls on the pact because he is dying of cancer. I had to put this book down many times and come back to it later because I just wasn't in the mood for such sad subject matter.

Plus, we only get to see the characters when the pact is called for - they lead whole lives outside of that, which left me with a lot of questions and didn't I feel like I fully understood or connected with these characters like I have in Rowley's other novels.

I love Steven Rowley from The Gruncle. This book was also good. I loved the emphasis on friendship and the interesting concept of having living funerals while they are all still together. The story is deep, meaningful, and filled with hope. It discusses such an important concept. I almost just wanted a little more from the stories. I recommend it, especially if you liked Steven Rowley's other books!

For all of the cute and quirky moments this book held, it was ultimately a sad read for me. From the loss of a friend comes a spiral of chain reactions through the group. This book makes you think about the fragility of life and loving those you are with.

This was my first foray into the Rowley-verse and it was so enjoyable! The contrast of humor and deep human emotion and grief was so beautifully done. I laughed and cried. I can only appreciate my most meaningful friendships that much more.

I adored Rowley's "The Guncle" for his storytelling prowess and humor. The same can now be said for "The Celebrants." Such a wonderfully unique premise of college friends eulogizing each other in life, so each can appreciate their impact on others within the friend group. The story is structured with deep dives into each individual characters life; emanating with humor, emotion, and the discomfort that comes along with adulting. Overall, this story is a celebration of life and all it's seasons, with a deep appreciation for the found family we create along the way.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Steven Rowley's The Celebrants is more fun than a book with its premise has any right to be, a book where death is on the minds of every character and on every page. But Rowley does such a great job of fleshing out the relationships and the lives of these characters that it never feels like a downer. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Loved the author's first book. Sadly, I found the group of friends in The Celebrants to be unlikeable. Thank you NetGalley for the advance ebook.

I read the Guncle a couple years ago and found it super funny and entertaining, so I was happy to try another one from Steven Rowley! It's a quirky and charming storyline about an old group of friends. It is told by different perspectives and different time frames which is enjoyable. I didn't like this one as much as The Guncle but it's still a great book!

Thank you, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and NetGalley, for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

I love anything Steven Rowley writes. This one was so unique. A group of friends have life celebrations so they can appreciate each other while they are still alive (like funerals but when you are living). I loved this idea... each friend was so different and it was really moving to see how they all loved each other.

I loved friendship in the book, which kept me really invested. I think I’ll read more of his books In the future.

A beautiful book celebrating life with all its beauty and hardships. This was a wonderful reminder to be grateful for and hold close those we walk through life with—the people who make the beautiful parts of life better and the hard parts of life easier.

This was a beautiful story of friendship and life. Rowley is excellent at deep storytelling while still keeping things lighthearted at times and adding humor.

Steven Rowley is quickly becoming a go to author for me. His books are so human and are a delight to read.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I would have loved another couple hundred pages with these delightful and hilarious people. I just finished and just feel so warm. Absolutely lovely book with so much heart and heartbreak. Everyone needs to read it. And go tell your people you love them.

While this started a bit slow for me, I was soon sucked into this adorable and quirky friend group and so enjoyed moving through life with each of them. I was laughing and crying alongside them and I really appreciated that all the characters were so distinct that I didn't find myself mixing them up of feeling confused, despite two of the people literally having the same name. Steven Rowley is very good at making you feel so connected to the characters he writes and I'm already excited to start The Guncle Abroad.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had so many sad undertones but was written beautifully. Coming off The Guncle, suffice to say I wasn’t expecting sadness. But I loved the Jordan’s. I loved how the characters made a pact with one another AND THEN SHOWED UP for one another. Big “that’s what friends are for” energy. Everyone falls into their own struggles and it was refreshing to read a book where friends circle around and support one another. The thing about this book is that it was hard to really know the characters — I wish we’d gotten a little more. I think there was a little spark missing that stopped me from really enjoying this one. But I liked it and I’m glad I got to read it.

This book was a DNF for me. I got about 20 % in and it just wasn’t keeping my attention. With that said I think an older audience would appreciate it more. I did like the idea of the book though. A group of friends loses one of their own in college. So after his funeral they decide to make a pact, to each host their own funeral while alive. That way they can know how loved they each are before they pass. This book is about reunion, friendship, and pulling together time and time again.

I cried and I laughed and I cried and I laughed. Wow. I love Steven Rowley but wow. What my soul needed right now was “The Celebrants”. This book is therapy. Just read it, 10 stars if I could.

Thank you thank you thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I’ve always bought copies for my closest friends.