The author's mother died when she was young, after a years-long battle with breast cancer. Before her death, she left her daughter a box of presents and notes to be opened on birthdays and major life events. This is basically a memoir with the mother's illness and death as a centerpiece. It was a good book, emotionally hard to read at points, thinking about leaving small children behind in that way. 3 stars.

Beautifully written AND heart wrenching. Read this one when you need a good cry! The depths of the love of this mother. The strength it took for her to be able to put others first as she battled cancer. AMAZING!

This is a truly beautiful memoir on loss, grief and mother daughter love. The author, who loses her mother at a young age to cancer, shares her experiences as she navigates life without her mom. We would expect that this read to be heavy and sad, but honestly it is uplifting, touching, leaving you comforted, appreciative of life and those we love. The writing is lyrical and poignant, and ultimately a love story.
Thank you Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

A memoir on loss and grief, Gwen Kingston takes us into her life grieving her mother who passed away when Dn was eleven. Her mother left her with a chest of letters and gifts to open on birthdays and milestones.

I knew this one was going to be sad going into it, and it was definitely a tear-jerker. It was also such a true and raw portrayal of grief. As someone who has been lucky enough not to lose a close loved one, this was eye opening to me. It shows how loss at a young age affects one as they mature. The effort the author’s mother put into this project was incredible and this really made for a worthy and truly emotional read.

“Sometimes I wondered why a fairy would ever want to belong to a human family when it was the hardest, most painful thing in the world.”

“Her words, written to bridge the gap between us, cut through space and time. I read them again and again.”

Did I Ever Tell You is available now.

This is an emotional memoir that reads more like a novel. Kingston recounts her childhood, when at only eleven years old her om passes away. Remarkably, she’s left a collection of letters and presents planned out to give to her daughter until she turns thirty. At the start of the book, only three of these milestone gifts from mom remain. This is an emotional roller coaster of a novel about the bonds that extend beyond the living. A life-affirming read that reminds us to cherish those we love. Thank you to NetGalley and to Simon Element for the advanced review copy.

This was a touching memoir about grief and coping for a young woman who loses her mother to cancer. It was beautifully done and I'd highly recommend for someone grieving the loss of a parent or someone who loves someone who lost a parent.

This is the most heartbreaking, yet loving biography that I’ve read in a long time. Genevieve lost her mother to. cancer at a young age, leaving her with just her brother and her father. They knew the end was coming but it didn’t make it any easier. Her mom filled a box for both kids with neatly wrapped gifts, all accompanied by a sealed note that indicated when the gift was to be opened. Each one was for a special day such as the first Christmas without her, their first date, every birthday until 18, etc.

Genevieve writes about how their life changed. They were lucky to have a lot of support from loved ones, but it’s still not the same as having your mother. This is a story that I can’t stop thinking about. Thank you to Simon SS and NetGalley for the advanced copy in return for my honest opinion.

This book will haunt me. As a cancer survivor with young children, I spent so any days considering leaving them notes and writing them letters so they’d remember me. I hope to be able to come back and write a better review once it isn’t so fresh, but this was so beautiful that I am dealing with some trauma and can only say that it’s a stunning, raw memoir.

What a sad way to grow up, knowing your mom will die while you are still a child. For this author, it colored her entire life.

*** If you don't want to know yet in what ways it affected her life, stop reading now as details will be revealed here.***

When I first read about this book, I thought what a wonderful gift to give this for a Mother's Day gift; an inspiring mother daughter story. I chose to read it first to make sure it would be an appropriate gift and I am so glad I did for it was not the uplifting story that I had in my mind. It made me feel fortunate for never having to grow up as she had to, yet it also made me wonder about the quality of therapy she and her family experienced while they watched the mom die and even later, considering it didn't really do any good in my opinion.

Her inability to leave home for college was bizarre and the fact that her therapist didn't uncover this blew my mind. The same could be true of the father as his behavior certainly shows a need for more or better therapy. The mother's choice, after all her studying and researching of cancer treatments, shows she made the wrong choice to go with only an alternative method that did not work. (Was that Dr ever suspended from practice? If not, why not?) The author's brother seemed like the only "normal" person in the family. Lots of bad choices by many is how I felt when I finished this book. True, I have been fortunate not to have to be in any of those circumstances and who knows what choices I would make, but I have to hope I would make better choices.

I feel sorry for the author and hope she finds happiness which has been elusive in her life so far. I thought there was way more detail on parts of her life that really had no bearing to the reader and could have been left out. It was basically this is my life story with the twist of the mom's diagnosis so early in the child's life that there was no chance at a normal childhood.

The notes by the mom seemed like a good idea, but the fact that she spent all her time making these notes instead of playing with her kids while she could, really made me annoyed at the mom. Make memories then while you could! I'm glad I read it first as I will not be buying this book as a gift for anyone.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

This book will break your heart while giving you hope for the future. Genevieve (Gwenny) Kingston's memoir is so powerful. There is honesty related to death, fears of the future, and how to move on with your life when home no longer looks like the home you once knew. I really had a hard time reading the first few chapters, as I found myself tearing up so often. If you can't tell by the beautiful cover art, this book feels a bit devastating to read as a mother. The thought of leaving behind young children is one I don't like to think about, but this book forces you to confront that fear head on.

We are able to learn about Gwenny's mom, Kristina, and her battle with cancer that started when her daughter was just 3 years old. The toll of taking an unorthodox approach, and the subsequent years of treatment and ultimate death were very heavy to think about. In 'Did I Ever Tell You?' we are privileged to learn about how Gwenny continued to live after her mother's death, as her father moves on with another woman and her brother moves away and starts a family, the experiences she faces in moving away for college and how all of her decisions ultimately stemmed from a fear that developed when she was young and fearful of her mom's death. I loved reading about the letters and keepsakes that were left by her mother. I felt haunted in learning about the fate of her father. This book is an emotional roller coaster, but it really ends with a sense of hope.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon Element, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books, and the author Genevieve Kingston for an ARC of this beautiful memoir. I would highly recommend it.

I don't often read memoirs or any nonfiction for that matter. However, when I read the synopsis for this book I knew I needed to read this one!

This is the memoir of Gwenny and her life with her mother and then living without her mother. Her mother tries to make Gwen's life without her more bearable by leaving her a chest of gifts and notes for every birthday and special celebration in her life. The letters are so full of love, I felt like I was living through the moment with the author.

Did I Ever Tell You? is a GEM of a book! ! It will make you laugh, cry and fill you with love for your family! You will feel sad as well as be encouraged by the hope and love that is shown throughout the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Exquisite!!

If this book doesn't touch your heart, nothing will.

Genevieve does an amazing job of conveying her experience of losing her mom to cancer in a way that isn't maudlin or overdone in any way, but is uplifting and in so many ways, a love story.

Based on a Modern Love essay in the New York Times, this memoir illuminates maternal love like no other. But it also tells the story of childhood resilience in the face of loss. I love memoirs in general and read plenty of them. This one deserves wide readership.

It's such a treasure to be able to witness such love between a mother and a daughter, especially through such beautifully vulnerable writing.

Thanks to Net Galley and Simon Element for an advanced copy of this e-book.

i haven’t written a truly serious review for a while, but this was one of the most beautiful, beautiful things i’ve read in a long time. i’ve never experienced big grief, but reading this, following the letters and the gifts that the speaker’s mother left her for all those years after she passed away was so moving, and so truly stunning. i highlighted so much, i cried on multiple occasions. i can’t recommend this beautiful book enough.

and wow. that photo at the end got me. it got me good.

i received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It is an incredible memoir that presents the experience of navigating childhood and loss. The author's mother received a terminal cancer diagnosis when the author was merely seven years old. I cried so much; I could feel the pain of both mother and daughter. Initially given a year to live, she defied the prognosis and persevered for an additional four years. Affectionately called Gwenny, Genevieve draws upon a box of letters and mementos meticulously curated by her mother as catalysts for reminders of affection, grief, and tragedy. Favorite quote: "It was exhausting living every day to the fullest."

Thank you for sharing the letters and for sharing your life! I'm genuinely wishing you happiness and success.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is set to be published April 16, 2024.

I don't know if I have the words to express how much I loved this book but I will do my best.

Did I Ever Tell You? is a memoir by Genevieve Kingston that tells the story of her mother's battle with cancer and her death when Genevieve was eleven years old. Prior to her death, Genevieve's mother prepared boxes for her and her brother. These boxes contained gifts and letters for every birthday (until they turned 30) and major milestones (first period, graduation, wedding, first baby). This way, her children could continue to feel connected to their mother, even decades after her passing.

This was one of the most beautifully written memoirs I have ever read, as well as one of the most devastating. Genevieve beautifully captures the complexity of both of her parents, the lives they lived, and her mother's illness. Her emotions are so raw and touching and by the end, I felt so deeply connected to her and her whole family. We get to read some of the letters (and see photos of the gifts) that her mother left behind and what a beautiful gift that is, to be able to celebrate her mother in this way. To have the world fall in love with her, which they undoubtedly will after reading this.

I would highly recommend this and I will definitely be picking up a copy when it comes out!

I truly loved this heartbreaking, honestly beautiful and inspiring mother-daughter story. When the author, Genevieve (Gwen/ Gwenny) was three years old, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Her mother researched treatments, tried everything, endured all the treatments given which gave her another eight years of life. During that time of the fight for her life, she did the most amazing thing for her two children - son Jamie and little Gwenny. She wrote them letters for every birthday until they were thirty! Along with every milestone - first period, getting their driver's license, high school graduation and all the way to engagement, wedding and first birth. How could she have been so thoughtful and forward thinking to write all these notes with a perfect gift, beautifully wrapped, for each occasion - all while battling for her life? What an incredible love she had for her children.

Lest you think this is all that this book is about, it turned out to be so much more but I won't spoil it for it for future readers. But let me share my personal experiences that I completely identified with in this book: my own cancer journey filled with fear, grueling treatments and pain; losing my parents; taking a beloved family dog to vet to be put down; the fear of the unknowns when leaving home for college (but hers was much worse than mine!); continued hunger to be able to ask your parents questions after they are gone; and finally the awe-inspiring incredible gift of the chest filled with letters and gifts for half of a lifetime to carefully open and cherish and absorb a mother's wisdom and wishes for her children. This book was quite powerful for me and will buy when it publishes April 16, 2024 to keep in my personal library. A treasure!

My thanks to Net Galley and S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for an advanced copy of this e-book.

This story is heartbreaking, and tragic, and yet, so very full of love. I found myself wondering the type of strength it takes to leave a legacy when you know you won't be there for so many things. And the power you have to have to be the one left behind through it all also.

Did I Ever Tell You About Genevieve Kington’s Newest Work?

Written By: Sable Quinn

Sable’s Rating: 4/5 stars

Content Warning: this memoir follows a parent through their terminal illness until they eventually succumb and pass away; deals with grief, loss, and growth.

Did I Ever Tell You?, Genevieve Kingston. MarySue Rucci Books, May 7, 2024. 277 pp.

Did I Ever Tell You? by Genevieve Kingston is a poignant, emotional, soulful, and most importantly, important read coming in 2024.** Kingston’s newest memoir follows her younger self throughout her early years; starting with her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis when she was only three years old. The audience accompanies Kingston throughout her childhood, watching her brave mother research her terminal illness until her hope and resilience were worn down, witnessing her mother’s acceptance that she might not win this battle, helplessly seeing her mother suffer for many years, and finally studying the all-encompassing love her mother contains for Kingston and her brother as she starts creating “time capsule” chests for their potential futures without her.

One of the things that I absolutely love about how Kingston created this book is the introduction she gives the audience. It is essentially just that: a brief introduction into her childhood, the toll it takes on a young child to witness their parent endure a long and rough terminal illness, and finally a brief glimpse at the all-encompassing love their mother holds for them when she starts her project.

I also adore and think it was genius for her to include the pictures of each gift that her mother left her. Her mother’s project was making two separate chests; chests that she hoped would never have to be opened. As her illness took more and more from her, she felt she needed to prepare something for her two children, something that would allow them to still have her during their most important moments in life. Gone went the mountains of research papers, statistics, and too many doctors to count; in its stead came art supplies, special gifts, and a whole lot of motherly wisdom and love.

Throughout the memoir, Kingston accompanies each story of her most important moments and the ritual of opening what her mother left her. Every milestone is accompanied with pictures of each piece that her mother gifted: her mother’s birthstone ring, a coral necklace, an amethyst brooch, an enamel sailboat pin, and many more. The simple fact that Kingston shared these precious memories and included photos of each special gift is not only genius but also helps the reader connect to the story on another level altogether.

This memoir does not just represent the undying love a mother holds for her children, but Kingston also gifted us with the timeline of healing and growth. She artfully shows that healing is most certainly not linear and there is absolutely no deadline for when one is supposed to be healed, that is, if they can ever truly and fully heal from their tragedy.

I did indeed need the tissues on standby for many occasions while devouring this book. Getting a bit personal—I don’t have a relationship with my birth mother. Nevertheless, I was able to absorb and grow from reading this touching and soulful memoir. Even though I may not have been able to relate to the different connections Kingston demonstrates to the audience, nor could I imagine myself in the position she grew up in, I can still understand and relate in some way to this work. In essence, this novel is not just for those who are searching for their own answers that may be in similar situations or have experienced similar situations. This memoir is truly for anyone that has experienced any level of personal tragedy; it’s a timeless piece that gives hope and a little bit of understanding to each person that reads it. An extremely moving and powerful work, Kingston is going to make many a reader weep from heartbreak and unwavering love. This is an important and soulful read that you will not want to miss this upcoming May 2024!

**Content Warning: this memoir follows a parent through their terminal illness until they eventually succumb and pass away; deals with grief, loss, and growth.

Such a tragic but bittersweet story. How that poor mother found the strength to leave such special gifts behind for her children while fighting to stay alive is just remarkable, and how her daughter found the strength to put her story out there and I’m sure relive it over and over through edits etc is just mind blowing to me. It was a privilege to be let into the authors life and see a glimpse of what she lived through. I think all her readers will be wishing nothing but happiness for her for the rest of her days. Her mother would be so proud. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this story.