Песента на светулките

Firefly Lane #2

by Kristin Hannah, Кристин Хана

Трогателен роман за любовта, загубата и надеждата – и за това, че понякога прошката е единственият път напред.

Тъли, уверена и блестяща телевизионна водеща, се изправя пред най-голямото предизвикателство в живота си – да изпълни обещанието си към Кейт и да се грижи за нейните деца. Но Тъли не знае нищо за майчинството, семейството или истинската близост. Шестнайсетгодишната Мара, дъщерята на Кейт, е потънала в мъка и се отдалечава от всички, включително от Тъли и баща си Джони. В опит да избяга от болката тя попада в опасен свят, който заплашва да я погълне.

На фона на тази криза се появява Дороти Харт – майката на Тъли, която някога я е изоставила. Сега, когато дъщеря ѝ е съвсем сама, Дороти трябва да се изправи пред собствените си демони и да разкрие болезнени тайни от миналото, за да се превърне в майката, от която Тъли винаги се е нуждаела.

С един трагичен избор и телефонно обаждане посред нощ, съдбите на тези три жени се преплитат в пътешествие към изцеление и ново начало.

„Песента на светулките“ ни напомня, че където има живот – има надежда, а където има любов – има прошка. С характерното си силно повествование и озаряващ стил Кристин Хана показва отново защо е една от най-обичаните писателки на нашето време.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Romance, Book Club, Drama

384 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2013

About the author

Kristin Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including the international blockbuster, The Nightingale, which was named Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and won the coveted People's Choice award for best fiction in the same year. It was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week. In 2018,

The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads.

The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstore's bestseller lists. Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and The Book Of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021.

Firefly Lane, her beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world, in the week it came out. The popular tv show stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke and Season Two is currently set to conclude the series on April 27, 2023.

Her new novel, The Women, about a young woman coming of age during the turbulent 1960's in America, who joins the Army Nurse Corps and serves in Vietnam will be published February 6th, 2024.

A former attorney, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Reviews

[Gigi Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know where to began...Kristen Hannah is one of my favorite authors, and I've read many of her books (Firefly Lane included) being one of them and I liked most of her books I've read over the years. I read so many 5 star reviews of people who loved this book "Fly Away" that I couldn't wait to read it.

After I started reading this book I had to make myself continue to read it. It just didn't draw me into the story. I realized if I didn't keep reading I would never pick it up again and finish it.

There were times when it seemed like pure torture and anguish of mind to continue reading. It was very depressing, very few high spots throughout the whole book...of course until the end where everything sweetly came together.

I did enjoy the part of the story telling of Cloud/Dorothy's background, and what her life was like and why she was such a deadbeat mother to Tully, that was the only part of the book I found a little bit interesting, because in "Firefly Lane", we didn't read anything about Cloud's background.

It seemed like there was a lot of repeating of the story background from "Firefly Lane" for ones who hadn't read that book before. There was a lot of repetition as we listened to each ones story of the same events, at least I think they were relating the same events.

I realize I am just one person who after reading this book didn't care for it. However, I am way outnumbered by the ones who loved this book, so if you choose to read it I hope you are one who loves the book.

Because I didn't care for this story I awarded it 2** I am so sorry Ms. Hannah I didn't enjoy this book, but that doesn't mean I will stop reading your books, I am looking forward to reading the next book you release. I realize you can't please me every time, however, I will keep reading if you keep writing.

This book is part of my Nook library.

[miss♥k · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pure emotional torture !!! That about sums it up.. Firefly Lane is one of my favorite books and I couldn't wait to get my hands on Fly Away, I mean to hear from Tully and Mara and Cloud again. Amazing right? No!! The first quarter of the book describes and stretches every agonizing detail the moments after Kate's death. It revisits, and revisits, and revisits, the first book exhaustingly. I understand, this was maybe made to be a stand alone book. But give me a break. What about the rest of us fans? Who remember the story vividly.

Anyways, moving on... For the rest of the book we face every obstacle a human being can face. From a teenager who is a cutter to Vietnam to molestation to addiction, these people got it all. Ok ok Kristen usually packs her books with drama but give us SOMETHING positive. There really was nothing. It was a punch in the face after a punch in stomach over and over again. Me heart and my head hurt the WHOLE ENTIRE TIME!

Phew, well a few things I did like. Still love the characters. All of them! Enjoyed watching Mara grow up of course. I mean we were there when she was born. Really liked Clouds story which made everything come into perspective and made me hate her so much less. Still love the way the story spans over 40 years and how we got to see all the events from different point of views. Really well rounded.

I feel guilty for giving it such a low score. But I'm drained and tired and now need some fluff . Sorry Kristen

[Michael David (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having recently read and loved Firefly Lane, I was anxious to get to the sequel, Fly Away. I’ll try to keep things brief so I don’t spoil this for anyone who has yet to read part 1.

Tully Hart has always stopped at nothing to achieve success and get what she wants in life. Now, after the recent events that occurred in her life, she feels lost and broken. Sinking into depression, she abuses alcohol and prescription drugs...and has lost everything after walking away from her TV show.

As Kate and Johnny’s daughter, Marah, pulls further and further away from her family, she ultimately does something that breaks Tully’s heart. After a tragic and reckless decision, Tully finds herself on a journey unlike any other...where she will process the unhappiness in her life...going all the way back to her mostly non-existent relationship with her mother, Cloud.

Like its predecessor, Fly Away immediately gripped me. It’s a compelling, dark, and raw look at how much a person’s life can change due to unforeseen circumstances...and how damaging anxiety and depression can be. While Firefly Lane had sad moments, there were also moments of joy. There is very minimal, if any, joy in this one, so you may have to be in the right mindset to read it.

Touching, powerful, and highly emotional are the words I would use to describe this. Oh, and yes...you will still want your Kleenex handy while reading it.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

[Meagan✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

My chest hurts 😭

So the first half of the book was dragging for me. A lot of it was repetitive information from the first book. I guess this can be a standalone??? But for someone who went right into this book after finishing the first book I was getting a little bored. Don’t get me wrong there was a lot of new information in between the old.

But once I started the second half of the book, I was getting hit from every direction. In typically Kristin Hannah fashion the heavy topics kept on coming. I didn’t catch my breath before getting hit with something else that was devastating.

I sobbed. I put on mascara today and for what? For it to be streaming down my face….😭

Content Warnings-
🦋Medical Trauma
🦋Forced institutionalization
🦋R***
🦋Sexual Assault
🦋Emotional Abuse
🦋Self Harm

Quotes-
🦋“Sometimes you simply made the wrong choice and you had to live with it. You could only change the future.”
🦋”When you're a mom, you learn about fear. You're always afraid. Always. About everything from cupboard doors to kidnappers to weather.”
🦋”but sometimes one person can hold you up in life, keep you standing, and without that hand to hold, you can find yourself free-falling no matter how strong you used to be, no matter how hard you try to remain steady.”
🦋”Memories are who we are, Tul. In the end, that’s all the luggage you take with you. Love and memories are what last.”
🦋”You will always miss her. There will be days - even years from now - when the missing will be so sharp it will take your breath away. But there will be good days, too, months and years of them. In one way or another you'll be searching for her all your life.”
🦋”When you grow up as I have, a lost girl without any real past, you latch on to the people who seem to love you. At least that’s what I did. It started early, my holding on too tightly and needing too much. I always craved love. The unconditional, even unearned kind. I needed someone to say it to me. Not to sound poor me, but my mother never said it.”
🦋”some men are worst than being alone. She learned then that some relationships ended without fireworks or tears or regrets. They ended in silence”

My KH Book Ratings-
✨The Woman- 5 Stars
✨The Great Alone- 5 Stars
✨Firefly Lane- 5 Stars
✨The Nightingale- 4.5 Stars
✨Summer Island- 4 Stars
✨True Colors- 4 Stars
✨Fly Away- 4 Stars

[Crumb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please do not read this review unless you've already read Firefly Lane
This book concluded the story of the Firefly Lane Girls, or should I say girl: Tully. We also come to learn the story of Cloud, Tully's mother. Cloud kept popping in and out of Tully's life, never being the mother Tully so desperately craved.

In this book, we see Kate's family disintegrating. In Firefly Lane, Kate lost her battle with Inflammatory Breast Cancer and passed away. We see Kate's daughter, Maura really develop in this book. She transforms into a combative, rebellious teenager. She runs away from her family, dyes her hair pink, and pierces her eyebrow with a safety pin. We also see Maura turn to darker, more dangerous behaviors such as drugs and self-harm. What Maura doesn't realize is that she is just trying to run away from herself, from the pain of losing her mother. We also see the dissolution of the friendship between Kate's husband and Tully.

It is Tully however, that has the hardest time moving on. She spirals into a pattern of overeating, isolation, and frequent pill-popping. In Firefly Lane, we saw her meteoric rise to fame as a reporter, and in Fly Away we see her undoing. For the majority of the book, she is in a coma. In the coma, Kate comes to her in a vision, and talks to her, reminds her of things Tully needed to hear. The way Kristen Hannah executed the conversations between Kate and Tully was nothing short of beautiful.

In my last review, I shared that I was not ready to let go of the Firefly Lane girls, and in this book I found the answers I so desperately wanted and needed. This was a great sequel, but it was no comparison to Firefly Lane. If you read Firefly Lane, I do recommend that you read this sequel. I think it will leave you feeling refreshed and restored.

[Cassie · Rating 2 out of 5]

*sigh* Ohhh...the disappointment. I'm well aware my opinion is going to be an unpopular and rare one. But, oh, this was so not what I was expecting or wanting out of this book. My least favorite part of any sequel is the the recap. Yes, I understand the need for the recap, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. And the way this book was written was just one recap after another. I feel like so much time was wasted rereading each scene from a different perspective. That there could have been so much more to the story had we not had to keep going over and over each event. I also did not like the "Tully in the almost-afterlife." If this accident/coma had been only one incident in the story, it could have shortened it by so much and then there could have been more story. I feel like the last page where you have Kate's "voice" would have been a better story filler. Instead of those things being an afterthought, show us the year after Kate's death, and continue on with Johnny finding love again, Margie & Dorothy having a friendship blossom, Marah getting married, Margie passing, the twins going to college...Firefly Lane covered more than 30 years. I wanted the the next thirty years. Not the next screwed up one year. I kept feeling like because the topics were so heavy... death, cancer, drugs/alcohol addiction, runaways, cutting, sexual/physical/emotional abuse, early mental care...that I was supposed to be more sad and depressed than I was. None of it seemed real. I also had a hard time picturing Dorothy/Cloud's mother the way she was described in FA because of how she was portrayed in FFL. It felt like a total shift in character to make it work for the second book.

Also, switching from first to third person throughout was distracting.

What I did like. I loved the Dorothy story coming to life. That was the one redeeming thing about this book for me. It is what pushes it to two stars, and not one.

[PacaLipstick Gramma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sometimes there should not be sequels to books. This was one of them.

What did I like about the book? It finally ended! Maybe a little that Cloud aka Dorothy had some redemption.

The first 300 pages just dragged on and on and on and forever. Finally, a real story was beginning to take shape. I was getting so frustrated with the story that I wanted to just quit. How many times can we go back and forth about how Tully was so unloved, that Marah was a brat, that Tully missed Kate, that she was unloved, that Marah was ungrateful, and that Kate was missed? Poor Tully. Poor, poor Tully. It took 300 pages to say that? As far as a "death" experience? I've read Sunday cartoons that had more depth.

I was so absolutely disappointed with this book and nearly jumped for joy when it was finally finished.

I have enjoyed Kristin Hannah's books and will probably read one again, but this one was awful. If I could give it a half star ~ that's what I would do.

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first Kristin Hannah book I read was The Nightingale and I was blown away! Then I read The Great Alone, The Four Winds, and The Women and thoroughly enjoyed them. I read Comfort & Joy and rated it three stars. Fly Away is also a three-star rating for me.

I encourage readers to read many reviews because I am somewhat of an outlier. For me, the pace was too slow, and character development was not as robust as some of her other books.

[Taury · Rating 5 out of 5]

You need a box of Kleenex if you read this.
There alot of thoughts roaming through my head. Book is deep. Very deep. First, sit back, close your eyes and think of all you are thankful for. Then think of those you are closest with but no longer speaking to. Or angry with. Then think if they were no longer alive. How would you feel. Let go of your pride. Humble yourself and puck up the phone and say hello. Life is short. We do not know when our time will be up. Love, forgiveness, it all starts with a hello. Don’t give up and say good bye. We all have a story. A story of why. Break the generational curses. Drop the walls of hate. Embrace those you love. This is that story of why.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

TullyandKate, KateandTully. This was always, until it was not.

It’s time for me to go back to work. That’s how I will get through this grief, I will do what I have always done, I’ll look strong and pretend, I’ll let the adoration of strangers soothe me.

This certainly sums up Tallulah Hart, the woman who perfected a work life to the peril of her personal. We learn more in book number two about how her early upbringing clouded her mother’s life, we hear her mother Dorothy’s story and struggle, and we learn a great deal about Dorothy’s background, and tragic family life.

The danger of book to screen adaptation, if you watch the vision first, like I did, forms assumptions, and those can differ greatly from the original. I had to keep reminding myself which came first, and the story of TullyandKate came first by these well written, emotionally charged books.

This instalment is serious and sad, happy and satisfying. Human relationships, family and loss are all covered, with the deep connection these two women being of course the main thread that keeps the story held tightly together – and the characters of course.

One must be able to grasp the dead having a voice, as Kate’s voice is the main one here, even though much of the narrative comes from Tully. Tully’s relationship with Kate is so strong that it always leads back to both women.

Kate’s family relies on her so much, it is confronting to witness the family fall apart in the aftermath of death. Tully tries to be there for Marah who is sullen, withdrawn and emotionally scarred. She means so well but fails in some respects, Marah stops connecting with her father and brothers in her heartache, and Johnny the grieving widow judges Tully harshly.

Through all the loss and reassessing of life after death, sifting through past mistakes, and facing hard truths, Tully and Kate’s family’s journey is sad but ultimately heart-warming as stalwart Kate continues to tell the story from the other side. I’m not usually a fan of this tool, but this series is based on this ideal, it is emotive and meant to pull on the heartstrings as this lifelong friendship is what it’s all about; the reader is left feeling spent and may even think about their own circumstances.

The audio version, Libby via my public library, did not have the best narration, but the author’s suggestion of book club questions were insightful, and her encouragement of readers to get in touch with her shows she is very interested in connecting with her audience.

[Dee Handley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I generally like Kristin Hannah's books... Fly Away annoyed me & took me forever to read! I felt like I was reading the same paragraphs over & over. This book is a sequel to Firefly Lane. I think Kristin Hannah was wrote this book backwards making sure the readers that didn't read the first book knew everything. It picked up in the last few chapters.

[Jenna Cantino · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I want to thank Goodreads for selecting me as a winner of an advance reader's copy of Fly Away. Winning and getting to read a Kristin Hannah book before it has been released really made my year!

With that said.... it wasn't my favorite. I hate to even say that because I love Kristin Hannah's books so much, especially Firefly Lane. Firefly Lane was the very first book I read by her. To be honest, I only picked up because I really liked the cover. Who knew that I would fall in love with her stories and have to read all of her contemporary novels!

Anyways, Firefly Lane moved me in a way that few books do. I have thoroughly enjoyed many other Kristin Hannah books but Firefly Lane remains my favorite and perhaps, my favorite book of all time. Unfortunately, Fly Away did not move me like Firefly Lane did.

I think the first 300 pages were just too much for me to handle. It was too sad, there was too much depression, and drugs, and cutting, and anxiety and it was just too much. Perhaps Kristin Hannah wrote too well for those parts. At times, I had to close the book and just do something else because it was just too stressful.

The last 100 pages were awesome. That's where the real story was. I even stayed up until 2am reading because I could not put it down. Had the book been more balanced, had the characters not been in a haze, had Cloud come back earlier, the book would have been better. However, it just didn't work for me.

Even with the craziness in the first 300 pages this book is at least 4 stars. The ending was amazing; everything and more than I could hope for. The fact that Kristin Hannah even wrote a sequel to Firefly Lane made it at least 3 stars! While this wasn't my favorite of hers and I wish that the plot had gone differently for the majority of the book, I am so happy that she decided to write this book. I am thrilled that I got to follow Tully, Johnny, Marah (although I never liked her), the twins and Margie through another great adventure. In the end, Firefly Lane will always be home.

[Darla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll always be with you. Whenever you hear our music or laugh so hard you cry. I'll be there. When you close your eyes at night and remember, I'll be there. Always.

Kate is gone. Will everyone she left behind follow her wishes? Will they help each other to pick up the pieces and move on with their lives? I was looking forward to this book. When we meet Kate and Tully in the first book, they are bound together by their shared experiences. The playlist of their lives is a joyful reminder. In the sequel, there is very little joy and almost no music. Just a giant sea of regret that is threatening to drown almost everyone. There are glimmers of hope and tissue-worthy moments. Personally, I would have been better off just reading the first one and skipping this one. I know that it not a popular opinion, but I feel a bit cheated. Just saying. . . 400 pages!

[Constantine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Contemporary

Tully Hart, a former talk show host on television, is at the center of the story. She is struggling with addiction as well as the aftermath of the death of her best friend, Kate. In addition to dealing with her own pain, Marah, Kate's daughter, is also attempting to make sense of the world without her mother.

With a yearning for a second chance to be an exceptional parent, Dorothy, Tully's troubled mother, brings herself back into the spotlight. Dorothy will have to face her own demons and unearth long-kept secrets if she wants to help her daughter.

This book had been sitting on my shelf for quite some time, and until I started reading it, I was completely unaware that it was a sequel. Honestly, I went into the story anyway. I simply desired to complete a more significant portion of my backlist. I had the expectation that this would be a humorous story with a light-hearted theme when I started reading it. It turned out that this dealt with a lot of weighty and complex topics, such as addiction, grief, loss, and finding oneself. It has a lot about self-struggle as well.

This is not the first book that I have read written by Kristin Hannah. I had previously read her book, The Nightingale, and I absolutely adored it. While I appreciated the theme of the story, I felt that, at times, it felt a bit melodramatic. However, this does not imply that the author was not successful in capturing all of the suffering and turmoil that her characters were experiencing. Perhaps the timing of the book was not quite right for me, or perhaps my expectations were different from what I had anticipated. The other thing about this kind of story is that I genuinely feel that 400 pages was a lot. The story didn’t need to be that long.

[Casey Reads 🌸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 💛

Sometimes, when books take on the subject of extreme grief, it is cheesy or not done right. This book was different. I could feel the grief they all felt and see how much it changed and impacted all their lives.

Kate was the glue that held everybody together. In the first book, Kate always talked about how she felt second to Tully. That Tully was the star and Kate was just the best friend in the shadows. This book proved that it was Kate who was the true star loving everyone and holding everyone together. Losing her
sparked a trail of heart break and bad decisions.

I wanted to climb into this book and tell them how dumb they were all acting at times. But it was so sad and beautiful to see how it all played out and came together.

Sometimes sequels are not needed or are dumb, but I think this one fit perfectly with the story.

[Patricia Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful story. This book might have been better than the first one. I love the way this author writes and tells stories about her characters. All the people in this extended family ended up with wonderful understanding of their relationships. I started this book because I am, of course, watching Firefly Lane on Netflix and it is good but I don't think anything can compare with the way the author tells the story.

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 grief stars

I recently re-read Firefly Lane and watched the Netflix series so I had to read this one! These two books present a great story and both brought me to tears.

This one is more about Marah and Tully and we get to learn all about Tully's mom Cloud, now going by Dorothy again. Grief really does a number on us and there is no easy way to get through it. This book shows how one woman's death really changes everyone around her.

I'm definitely a fan of Kristin Hannah and there are still a few of hers that I haven't read.

[Nan Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've thoroughly enjoyed Kristin Hannah's books in the past and have loved her characters. I loved Tully and Kate in Firefly Lane and rejoiced with them when they overcame the circumstances of their very unfortunate childhoods.

This book is a slap in the face to their successes. In the beginning of this book, you have Kate reaching out to Tully to make amends for whatever caused a 2 year rift in their 3 decade old friendship. Additionally, Kate is pictured as the ultimate loving mom who is most concerned about her children and their futures following her upcoming death. She has made plans to help ease everyone's lives when she dies of cancer. The legacy of a beautiful, caring, loving mother, wife and friend is carefully laid out. And then totally and unnecessarily destroyed.

It was as though Hannah was trying to see how depraved she could make these (initially) beautiful people - how far down she could make them go.

In reading other reviews, I see that there was a good ending and that light was brought into their lives, but I couldn't wade through all the sewage to get there. It was a real downer.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve just finished book #2 of Firefly Lane.

This was based around the family that Kate had to leave behind.

Johnny, her daughter and two young sons and her forever friend Tully.

As always, a poignant read from Kristen Hannah where you read with occasional lumps in your throat, tissues at the ready and an emotional mess at the end although a happy sad feeling.

I’m so glad I took the time to read this. I’ve been wanting to for ages.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased an ARC copy of this book on eBay.
If I could give this book 6 out of 5 stars, I would.
This sequel to FIREFLY LANE exceeds the original story of TullyandKate. I read the book in one sitting, accidentally. I wanted to stretch my reading time out for days, but couldn't do it.

I encourage readers to peruse FIREFLY LANE before beginning this book, although FLY AWAY is also a stand alone novel.
The story begins four years after Kate's death from breast cancer. Told primarily from Tully's POV, we learn that in the years following her best friend's death, Tully has been in a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol. Johnny, Kate's husband has all but abandoned Tully, and Kate's daughter, Marah has just sold the story of Tully's downward spiral to the tabloids. Then Tully crashes her car and hovers near death on a coma, where she meets Kate, sort of.
When I first read this plot twist, I thought, "oh no, this book is going to be a disappointment." But, a few pages later I was hooked again.
All this happens in the first 50 pages of the book, and I don't want to say more about the plot, except that with each passing page, the book gets better and better. I'm not usually a crier in books, but the last 100 or so pages I could barely see the words--I won't say if they are happy or sad tears, but that I LOVED THIS BOOK, this future best seller.
Don't miss out.

[Lucia Nieto Navarro · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
No puedo contaros demasiado de esta Segunda parte sin hacer spoiler de la primera, pero si puedo resumiros un poquito para que os animéis con la primera parte.
.
Tenía mucho miedo de coger este libro después de una primera parte muy bien cerrada, pero Kristin lo ha vuelto hacer, ha vuelto a meterme en su historia, hacer que adore a los personajes, y hacerme llorar con ellos.
.
La historia comienza Justo como dejo la primera, alternando tiempos, haciendo flashbacks en la narración , volveremos a encontrarnos con esos personajes, que son los que hacen esta historia, porque es un libro de personajes, que cuentan una historia maravillosa, con temas como la amistad , la familia, el duelo…
.
Volveremos con Tully, la cual para mi gusto sufre una evolución en su personaje brutal, una Tully que nos va hacer sacar lagrimas, volverá Nube a la que conoceremos mucho más, Mara muy importante en la historia , los gemelos…
.
Ha sido uno de esos libros que ha llegado en el momento justo, que lo necesitaba, una historia que engancha, de las que aunque duela quieres seguir descubriendo.
.
Siempre recomiendo a Kristin, y esta novela no se queda atrás, con una forma de narrar que te mete de lleno en la historia, una pluma que como siempre me ha encantado… así que si podéis darle la oportunidad con cualquiera de sus libros..
.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fire Fly Lane is one of my favorite books. Kate and Tully had an epic friendship between two completely different young women that lasted a lifetime. After the first book I had so many questions about Tully and her Mother Cloud. There were several places in the first book that eluded to a story line to explain how Cloud could leave her own daughter. I was so pleased with the detail and depth that Kristin Hannah used in this book to reveal the True Cloud...a.k.a. Dorothy. I wondered how Kate's family would continue after her death. Kristin Hannah did a wonderful job of depicting the true life grit and grief that befalls a family after the death of a loved one. Some people have commented that it was too depressing....when is death not? I felt the strength of this book came from the redemption of the characters as they endure and come through the fire even stronger. My favorite thing about this author is that she makes you feel her story and form a personal connection with her characters. She shows a realistic example of what can happen to a family and friendship after the death of a matriarch. It may not be all flowery and pretty but it is real life.

[Justina Neliubšienė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nuostabi kaip ir pirmoji dalis♥️

[Emma Skapetis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was really frustrating to read at times. Tully and Marah really annoyed me and I know that they were grieving Kate but they kept being so self-destructive. This sequel wasn't necessary anyway, at least in my opinion. It kept switching between third and first person and even between past and present tense as well, which was really odd. RTC.
Fly away starts in 2006 after the end of the first book, which ended after Kate's heartbreaking death from cancer at just 46. Her best friend Tully, husband Johnny and their children Marah, Lucas and Will as well as Kate's parents and brother are obviously completely devastated by this. Tully, Johnny and Marah are particularly struggling. Tully is struggling in more ways than emotionally. She quit her television show to be with Kate as she was dying and now she has no employment opportunities, despite the fact that she was a massive star only recently. She also develops anxiety and depression and an addiction to prescription drugs during this time. Meanwhile Marah is struggling just as much as Tully. She misses her mother more than anything and she regrets the nasty things she said to her before she learnt she had cancer. This leads her to withdraw from her father Johnny and her brothers and she begins cutting herself because it is the only thing that makes her feel better even though she is hurting herself. Her self harm soon becomes known after she cuts herself too much and she moves in with Tully at her godmother's insistence. However Tully is not a mother and she does know to be one, and she struggles to parent Kate's daughter. Johnny meanwhile is struggling after the death of his wife and the mother of his children, who was the only woman that he ever loved. He sees her everywhere and he doesn't know how to be a parent, especially to Marah without her. He also treats Tully poorly as he sees her as irresponsible and unable to look after his daughter. However in 2010 ,Tully is in a coma after a car accident (which wasn't an accident at all because she did it on purpose).This is after she read a devastating magazine article that her goddaughter Marah did about her. Marah feels immense guilt for her role in the car accident and no one knows whether she will make it or not.
Tully's estranged mother Dorothy (formerly Cloud) comes to the hospital. She is now four years sober and she regrets the way she treated her daughter.
She wishes to amend things with Tully and hopes that her daughter will survive. Eventually Tully wakes up from her coma and she makes up with her mother as well as with Marah and Johnny.
This book was devastating and depressing for most of the time and these things made it hard for me to read. Things were getting worse and worse for the characters and I just when I thought they had hit rock bottom they would go further downhill. I don't like when books get really sad and depressing and I feel like this book is rivaling Sorrow and starlight and Pack up the moon in terms of those things. I also didn't enjoy this book in general because of how frustrating Tully and Marah were to me (especially Tully). Tully is in her 40s and 50s and she's still so immature and judgmental at times. I could sympathize with Marah more because I can't imagine what it must be like to lose your mother, especially at such a young age (I definitely wouldn't have been able to deal with that at 16 either) but she still frustrated me at times. She was in this toxic relationship with this guy who was really bad for her and it took her ages to leave him. However if you are thinking of reading this book after finishing Firefly lane I would say to give it a go and see if it is for you (I actually read this almost 2 years after I read that one but I still remember most of the book and the previous events are referenced a lot in this).

[alli☀️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ★
This is very heartbreaking, and my tears flowed every other chapter. I have just grown with these characters since book one. Watching them fall apart was difficult but needed. They all needed to reflect and find a way to get back together in a more healthy way. I do have to say this was a bit long.
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Short Spoiler Synopsis
After Kate dies from cancer Johnny (husband), her two sons, her older daughter (Marah), and her best friend (Tully) are trying to navigate their lives. Johnny doesn’t know how to raise the children without Kate. He is desperate to keep his family together, but Marah goes off alone because she feels hatred for herself for always being mean to her mother.
What brings the family together again is Tully being in an accident.
We follow Marah, Johnny, and (mainly) Tully’s lives. We also get Tully’s mother's POV, which explains so much about the first book. This is about second chances.
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Series: FireFly Lane
#1 Firefly Lane: 4.25 ★
#2 Fly Away: 4.25 ★

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

And just like that, I am caught up in the story of Tully and Kate…again. Firefly Lane reduced me to sobbing, gasping tears…this book was the finishing touch on the story of their lifelong friendship…a friendship filled with tears, love, betrayal, heartbreak and everything in between that weaves the fabric of our lives. I’m honestly sad that it’s over. Now I need to watch the series again. 💓✨

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a tragic accident, the lives of three women are brought together. They have each made decisions in the past that put their lives in misguided directions. As they experience tragedy, they each have the opportunity for redemption.

Tully is at a loss after her best friend, Kate, dies. She promised Kate she would be there for her children, but falls short with that promise. Marah is Kate's teenage daughter. With her mother gone, Marah's life starts floundering and she needs someone to love her and give mothering support. Tully's mother, Dorothy, was never much of a mother to Tully, and regrets her past decisions and now wants to be there for her daughter.

I haven't read the first book in this duology, but this was easily read as a standalone. Well developed characters in an emotional story about love, loss, and hope.

I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m just gonna say that this sequel didn’t have to be made… I would write a longer review but I’m not motivated enough.

I expected it to be more touching than “Firefly Lane” but honestly, I found it quite boring at some points. The ending was a little sad yes but- idk, I just can’t come up with anything regarding this book.

[Infada Spain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Αντάξια συνέχεια των Πυγολαμπίδων. Καλύτερα βέβαια να το διαβάσετε μόνοι σας και να μην βασιστείτε στα δικά μου πέντε αστέρια, μιας κι εγώ πάντα τόσα βάζω στα βιβλία που αγγίζουν τόσο το συναίσθημα και με κάνουν να κλαίω κάθε τρεις και λίγο..... :)

[Sotiria Lazaridou · Rating 4 out of 5]

where there is love, there is forgiveness