Postcards for a Songbird

by Rebekah Crane

Everyone eventually leaves Wren Plumley. First it was her mother, then her best friend, and then her sister. Now living with only her cop father and her upended dreams, Wren feels stranded, like a songbird falling in a storm.

When Wilder, a sickly housebound teen, moves in next door, Wren finally finds what she’s always wanted—a person who can’t leave. But a chance meeting with Luca, the talkative, crush-worthy boy in her driver’s ed class, has Wren wondering if maybe she’s too quick to push people away. Soon, Wren finds herself caught between the safety of a friendship and a love worth fighting for.

Wren starts to dream again. But when postcards begin arriving from her sister, Wren must ultimately confront why her mother left fourteen years before and why her sister followed in her footsteps. For her new life to take flight, Wren will have to reconcile the heartbreaking beauty of lost dreams and the beautiful heartbreak of her new reality.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Audiobook, Realistic Fiction, High School

261 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 6, 2019

About the author

Rebekah Crane is the author of The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland and other young-adult novels. She found a passion for this genre while studying secondary English education at Ohio University. She is a former high school English teacher, a yoga instructor, and the mother of two girls. After living and teaching in six different cities, Rebekah finally settled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to write novels and work on screenplays. She now spends her days tucked behind a laptop at seventy-five hundred feet, where the altitude only enhances the writing experience.

Reviews

[Lara Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had such high hopes for this book (How could I not, the cover is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!) But unfortunately, it just didn't work for me.

Idek what it was, the overall storyline and characters were just confusing.

Lizzie was so confusing... She is the sister who left, and first of all I thought she was imaginary but then I was like wait no, she's an actual person??

I'm still not sure how I got that idea into my head, maybe I'm just an idiot ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But it made the whole reading experience quite confusing.

Also Wilder, not sure what his purpose was? I just felt like he kinda existed for the duration of the story and did nothing????

But Luca was a gorgeous human being, and big picture-wise it was a very cute story.

The side characters are pretty adorable, and it's just overall really sweet!!

It was really cute, but too much purple prose and confusing metaphors for my liking.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a review copy! All opinions are my own.

[✨ A ✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me access to this book. Unfortunately it just wasn't for me. I stopped reading 40% and I couldn't continue because I didn't find the content captivating enough. I'm sure this book will appeal to many, just not me.

It was so confusing and weird and the writing was overly embellished for my liking.

ARC received from Netgalley and Skyscape Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

[Yna from Books and Boybands · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Leaving does a strange thing to those who remain. It starts with one—one person who walks out the door. And a piece goes missing. But that empty space follows us, creating more holes."

📚 Series:  No. Standalone.
📚 Genre: YA Contemporary.
📚 POV:  First person.
📚 Cliffhanger: No.

🌼🌼🌼

This book is one of the reads I had high hopes for, mainly because the cover and the blurb seemed like the usual reads I go for.

Okay. Postcards for a Songbird was promising but it had over flowery prose and too much literary embellishment that my reading experience felt very lost. Metaphors are all around the story that it can be very confusing what the author wants to happen, what is real and what is not.

The side characters were likeable but it is hard to escape that the plot is so slow it is almost not there. The book is trying to be a heavily emotional one but I unfortunately felt nothing and no connection to the main character at all.

At the end, all I can say is the book was an okay read. Not for me but can be perfect for somebody.

☁ THE CRITERIA ☁

🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐☆☆☆
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

☁FINAL VERDICT: 3.27/5 ☁


Much thanks to NetGalley and Skyscape for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own. Also, all quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

📚 Blog ♡ Bookstagram ♡ Facebook ♡ Twitter 📚

[The Nerd Daily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on The Nerd Daily | Review by Teralyn Mitchell

Postcards For A Songbird is a beautiful coming-of-age story. The story starts a month after Wren Plumley’s older sister, Lizzie, left in the middle of the night without saying goodbye. Wren believes she is cursed and everyone is destined to leave her eventually. She is a shell of herself and so much so that her father forces her to get out of the house and take a driver’s education course. Slowly, after meeting a few new people and getting reacquainted with her sister’s best friend, Wren is able to figure out who she is and what she wants in life. She’s able to find out long held secrets and really move forward with her life.

Postcards For A Songbird is the kind of book that got me into reading contemporary YA in the first place. It is deep and dealt with issues that effect real life. The characters are three dimensional while also being quirky and funny. This was a great summer read that had its light moments along with its dark ones that did not overshadow the rest of the story too much but added depth and heart to it.

I loved how eccentric and off-beat it was with the auras and the casserole Wren’s father made for every softball game even though no one ate it. Wren was such a strong character who did not know her strength. She lived in her sister’s shadow all her life and tried to make sure her sister never left that she never found out who she was. She never found out what she wanted in life and was content to just let life flow around her. But when Lizzie leaves, Wren starts to discover who she is and what she wants out of life. She has to learn how to live for herself and while it looks like rebellion, it really isn’t. When you are the good child who always follows the rules and never makes any waves, any little thing you do can seem as if you’re rebelling against the system. That’s what happen to Wren after her sister left. She started doing more and realising that even if people may leave in the end, you still have to live your best life.

I also enjoyed Leia and Luca from the beginning. Leia did not beat around the bush and I loved how she was so open from the start. She felt a certain way about things and she made sure to let everyone know. I enjoyed her personality a lot. I liked Luca because his personality was so bright and infections. He was happy and he too did not beat around the bush. He liked Wren from the moment they met and he made sure to let Wren know that. He was persistent and talkative in a way that sad Wren wasn’t. He slowly but surely helped pull Wren out of the shadows. Baby Girl was a great character too and I loved seeing her finding herself along side Wren. Baby Girl spent her whole life being everyone but herself only to realise that she wanted to finally find out who she was and what it was she liked.

Wilder was Wren in the sense that he was cautions and never stepped out of his comfort zone. He believed in playing it safe at all costs because the risk of being hurt and left behind just wasn’t worth it. Wren had to realise even with that risk she wanted to give into love and new friendships. These three new friends helped Wren when she needed it the most and so did Wilder in his own way.

Learning the reason behind Wren’s mother leaving and then Lizzie’s leaving fourteen years later was a shock. It was unexpected to find out what was the truth of it but finding out helped the reader realise why Chief —Wren’s father—acted the way he did with his girls. Finding out the truth was what Wren needed to really move on from the past and embrace her future. It was what Lizzie needed as well to move forward.

Postcards For A Songbird was such a powerful and moving story that showed the importance of friends, family, and never letting fear rule your life. Wren had to learn that she was not the reason people were leaving and that she had to learn to live the life she wanted. This coming of age story was one of the best I’ve read this year and I enjoyed it so much!

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until a month ago, Wren lived in her own little bubble with her sister, Lizzie. But, like everyone else, Lizzie left her. Determined not to make any new attachments, Wren shut herself up in her house, watching Wheel of Fortune with her dad. She soon began to make some connections and reconnections, but would she choose the safety of her loneliness or take a chance on these new friendships?

My love affair with Crane's books continues. I was immediately swept up into Wren's world via the beautiful and lyrical prose. I found her struggle with abandonment and loneliness very relatable, and thought Crane did a wonderful job illustrating those feelings.

There was a bit of mystery in this story, which somewhat intrigued me. What happened in Idaho? Where did Lizzie go? What's Wilder's story? And, Crane addressed each and everyone of these questions for me, but what really kept me reading were the complex and well developed characters, who inhabited Wren's world.

Leia was such a force. Her rants about hormones and artificial colors amused me, and I love that she was able to light a fire under Wren and get her to spread her wings a little. Baby Girl was a link for Wren to her sister, but she ended up being a fantastic friend. My favorite, though, was Luca. If I were younger, he would be my newest book boyfriend, because his charm, wit, persistence, affection, kindness, and generosity were a thing of beauty. That kid brought a smile to my face every time he came on page, and I definitely basked in his yellow aura.

Then, there was Wren. Her pain was palpable. Her loss, so profound. She was a shell without her sister, and I really wanted her to grab onto these opportunities, to connect with other people, and open herself up to possibilities. I wanted her to discover the truth, and free herself from the blame and guilt she carried about the demise of her family. I wanted her to shake her father awake from the sleepwalking life he had been living, because she needed a parent, who was both physically and emotionally present. I wanted so many things for her, and I was elated to make this healing journey with her, because it was important for me to see all these things happen.

Overall: A gorgeously written story of healing and gaining freedom from the past, in order to make connections and move towards the future.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS

[BookNightOwl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Postcards for a songbird deals with wren who is 16 years old who's sister just up and leaves when she turns 18. Not only that her mother left the picture when she was on a young child. Chief Wren's father worries about her and wants to send her to Utah to live with her aunt but Wren doesn't want to leave she wants to stay with her dad and wait for her sister to come back.

I loved the characters in this story. I loved the writing. I loved the issues that it dealt with. Like families, abandonedment, friendship, depression, etc. Some of the quotes I highlighted were so beautiful. I just devoured this story and I didnt want it to end. First book I have read from this author. Will definitely be picking up her other books.

I want to thank Netgalley for providing me an arc of this book for an honest review.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of POSTCARDS FOR A SONGBIRD by Rebekah Crane in exchange for my honest review.***

2.5 STARS

The only thing Wren knows is everyone leaves. First her mother, twelve years ago, now her beloved sister Lizzie. Now her father, whom she calls Chief, talks of sending Wren to Utah to live with relatives. She needs to prove her father that she has a life outside of the house. Soon she meets a unique cast of characters as she comes closer to the mystery of Lizzie’s disappearance.

My first impression of POSTCARDS FOR A SONGBIRD was the beauty of Rebekah Crane’s lyrical prose. Wren thinks in metaphors as a way to understand her world. After a few chapters I grew tired of Wren’s narration. The writing felt heavy and stilted. The plot moved at a snail’s pace, yet Wren and her friends kept me in interested for most of the story.

POSTCARDS FOR A SONGBIRD is a story of Wren’s growth from her sister’s shadow and Wren does discover herself. The resolution felt like a letdown because I couldn’t comprehend the motivations of Lizzie and Chief. Wren’s father told her, but it didn’t feel genuine.

I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend d POSTCARDS FOR A SONGBIRD, but I wouldn’t dissuade readers if asked for my opinion.

[Megan ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Aren’t memories just made-up stories that we tell ourselves anyway? We dictate what we see and how we want to remember. Sometimes that’s what we need to do to get by, to get through, to move on."

One thing I hate in books is overly flowery language and purple prose. It is pretentious, overdramatic and often doesn’t work because authors don’t know how to do it without their work sounding like an English creative writing assignment. Unfortunately, this book was no different. It was trying to be something it wasn’t and ended up just sounding confusing and unnecessarily wordy. The actual story was alright but nothing much happened and all it seemed to have going for it was the purple prose, which didn’t end up working for me. While I did like the characters of Wren and Wilder, I didn’t really see why I was being told their story.

[Ruthsic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Postcards for a Songbird is about a teen's struggle through abandonment issues and learning to rely on others. Wren has walls around her heart, built to protect her from the pain of losing people. First her mother abandoned her in childhood, and then her sister ran away a month ago. So at the start of the book, she is in a bad state. To encourage her to go out more, her father signs her up for drivers ed classes, and she meets a boy who reminds her very much of her sister's sunny radiance. As she navigates this first love, she also has to find out what made her sister leave and where she is now.

My principal quibble against this book is that for all its emotionally-charged arc and character-driven development, I didn't feel a thing. Zilch! First of all, her sister is the Manic Pixie type who will romanticize Anything, and it is never clarified if she got any professional help for her issues. Secondly, Luca, who is the insta love boyfriend Wren gains, is quite pushy and his behaviour is more creepy than flirty, what with his constant getting into her space, and chasing her even though she puts up a wall between them. Heck, there is even a line where he says he's been patient enough and he is going to (not ask, going to) kiss her. He tells her he is going to let her decide if they want to be a thing, and then the next day he pushes her for an answer anyway and dismisses it when she calls him out on it. His character is better in the second half of the book, but the first half had me like 'why is he is the love interest?'

Next there is the way these teens speak. Wren and her friends always speak in metaphors and overworked Romantic language, as if they are constantly standing in an open mic night. This was supposed to be them 'not conforming' or something. *eyeroll* Most of the story is about Wren ruminating about her life, her memories with her sister, and what she thinks about love and stuff, so I get that that may be more introspective and purple prose-y, but why are they talking in the same kind of dialogue FFS? Oh, and I want to have a conversation with her dad for keeping that from his high-school-aged daughters; the way the secret was hidden I was thinking it was something much worse. And don't even get me started on Wilder and how much prominence he is given in the blurb considering his role in the book!

Overall, a frustrating superfluous read that was only bearable because it was short.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Skyscape, via Edelweiss.

[MMill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wren is devastated after her older sister, Lizzie, runs away from home and leaves her behind. They had always been inseparable, and Wren felt her job was to tether Lizzie to the world. Who is Wren, if not her sister's keeper? With the help of some new friends (who, frankly, are far more interesting than Wren herself), Wren discovers her own identity and solves a few mysteries about her family's past along the way.

This book is written with in a very lyrical, poetic style with lots of imagery and figurative language. Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect with it at all....the style basically keeps the reader at arm's length throughout the story. It was terribly confusing, and I had a hard time telling what was really happening and what was only in Wren's head. Who was real and who was she just imagining? A lot of it just didn't make much sense. The end, especially, just left me scratching my head.

Other readers might enjoy the dreamy, blurred-reality more than I did, but I just found myself lost throughout.

**Thanks to NetGalley and Skyscape for the ARC!**

[Bonnie (bonnie.readsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think Rebekah Crane will ever write a book that I don't love. Her books are my "Good Mood" books. They give me warm, fuzzy feelings.

[Alexis The Nerdy Bruja · Rating 2 out of 5]

* I was given an E-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest reviews *

2 /5 stars

There aren’t many things I can say about this book. I couldn’t connect with the characters, the main character felt very bland. The plot just didn’t do it for me and I wasn’t a major fan of the writing. Unfortunately this was just not a good read for me.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts were great but overall the book wasn't really for me

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not going to beat around the bush here. I LOVED this book. It is one of the most beautiful novels I’ve read, and there are so many reasons. Now I’m going to tell you all the fabulous reasons why.

The cover:
How adorable is the cover?! I love the bright yellow, and the idea of the two characters balancing on a wire, like a pair of birds. The colours make me think happy thoughts, and so that’s what I had going into the book. I initially clicked on it due to the cover, so though I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, I totally did, and have zero regrets.

The plot:
Wren Plumley is alone. Her mother left when she was little, her best friend has a boyfriend, and her sister Lizzie has disappeared into the night. Her father, Chief, a police officer, works night shifts and quite often Wren is alone with her babysitter that never speaks to her. Then a boy moves in next door. A sickly, pale boy named Wilder who cannot leave his house. As awful as that is, at least Wren knows he can’t leave her.

Then into Wren’s life come a colourful collection of people – Leia, Baby Girl, and bright, chatty Luca, who is determined to get to know her despite her objections. As unmarked postcards arrive from Lizzie, and questions arise about the mother that left her, Wren begins to realise that perhaps she has been living too cautiously and colourlessly. Perhaps these people in her life, and Luca in particular, are worth opening her heart to.

The characters:
A gorgeous array of fascinating characters! Firstly there’s Wren, the ‘Songbird’ in the cover title. Initially she is a small person, living a small life. Her life is lived in the shadow of others, namely her older sister Lizzie.

She interested me straight away. I wish I was as well spoken as Wren as a teenager! She speaks in metaphor and simile as a way of understanding the world, and though it was unusual to read, I loved it.

Not only does she speak in imagery, she also has a gift with colour. She paints, but she also sees people in colour – every person has a different coloured aura, depicting their personality and characteristics. Her sister Lizzie is cadmium-yellow, as bright as the sun. The only person she knows that is cadmium-yellow, until she meets Luca.

Watching Wren grow from that invisible, forgettable girl into her own person, discovering what makes her her, is a heartwarming experiencing, because yes, by the end of the book I had fallen for this gloriously bizarre character.

The other characters are just as colourful and fascinating. Each one plays a vital role in Wren’s growth, and there wasn’t a single one that I didn’t enjoy.

The writing:
This is what really struck me with Postcards for a Songbird. I adored the language. A lyrical prose, it reads so beautifully, and I felt such happiness reading it. I didn’t want to stop reading it.

Rebekah Crane has taken such ordinary things and transformed them into poetry. It’s beautiful, and I greedily read it, wanting more.

To conclude:
Oh my goodness, I just loved Postcards for a Songbird. I feel like Wren and her friends will staying beside me for a while. Everything from the very lovable characters, to the colourful auras, and the singing prose, this book shines cadmium-yellow. It’s bright and glorious, demanding attention, and I adored it.

[Shiny5711 · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, Rebekah Crane's lyrical prose is a joy to read. But..
...
I guess I really am old. An old feminist that wishes little girls could find themselves within life, within themselves, with help from their friends, but not in sex. I get it. Kids have sex. That in itself isn't my issue. It's that Wren couldn't push past her past without a boy. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, or again, maybe from my perspective, I'm tired of this trope where a girl can't figure out life without a boy, and particularly without a boy liking her enough to have sex with her. You may say that's not very realistic, and I get books mirroring life...but shouldn't they model life as well? Shouldn't they show girls that they are enough? Remove the sex and keep the friendship and growing attraction and I think Wren's growth would have been just as true.
My two cents, for what that's worth.

[Dana Al-Basha | دانة الباشا]

This book will be released in my birthday!

[Hristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Postcards for a Songbird is beautifully written. Poetically and vividly. Crane's writing style feels very elevated in this book, and it flows very well.
This book has an interesting premise, but I had some trouble connecting with the characters. I think it's because the plot moves a little too slow for my attention span.
I still recommend this book. The pacing is a personal preference, but that writing is definitely worth giving this book a read.

*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 3/5 stars


YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON: MY BLOG | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in two sittings only because I had to leave my house and go to the library. From the very beginning of the book I was sucked into the story and became very invested really quick. I felt so bad for the main character and found it odd that she referred to her dad as Chief, but after getting further into the book we find out truly why she refers to him that way instead of dad. My heart was breaking every time the main character got a postcard from Songbird because I felt as if she was longing for her mother but, she was just out of reach. When her so called best friend’s true colors came out I was rooting for the main character to come out on top and she definitely did! One of my favorite books of the year and everyone needs to read this book.

[Moony (Captain Mischief) MeowPoff · Rating 2 out of 5]

It sounded really good and adorable.
But Wren came off...sort of boring and a little... needy at time?
I found myself thinking why aren`t the dad more involved, why dosen`t Wren speak up..do something..
and when her love interest came about, it was all about him at all times and then Luca came and sometimes i felt confused who was who... Wilder seemed..so ..uinportant when Luca came... and something was missing, I wish we could see some growth with Wren...something other than her love interest.

I got this eARC from Netgalley

[Suad Shamma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book really took me by surprise!
There were many things I expected from this book, having read the synopsis, I was waiting to dig a little deeper into Wilder - their sickly next door neighbor - I was waiting for that romance to starting budding, but then Luca shows up and man is Luca charismatic! He's such a charming boy, the way he wooed her was super sweet, the way he was straightforward and basically all up in her business (but not in a creepy way) was really attractive to me, and I forgot all about that Wilder guy.

I loved watching Wren's transformation, her character development was spot on. The way she starts to come out of her shell and get out of her comfort zone. The way she starts to stand up to her father. Demand answers, and really just going from a submissive daughter who barely existed, to one who took charge of her future and her life.

There were a lot of bird references that I found a bit meh. There were also a lot of snippets of flashbacks with her sister Lizzie, who simply decided to get up and leave without giving anyone a heads up, and although Wren really looked up to her sister and found her to be this amazing person, I couldn't help but dislike Lizzie. Her outlook on life was so...silly. Her dreaminess and fantasies, I mean...God, she couldn't have one proper conversation with Wren without turning it into some annoying fantasy and fairytale.

Still, the ending, the way Wren fights her way out of her own cage, the way she wins the battle against her own worst enemy took me completely by surprise. I did not see that coming, and I totally appreciate a good plot twist, so kudos to Rebekah Crane!

[Teralyn Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this ARC from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.*

I absolutely adored and enjoyed reading this book. What a profound and moving story. Postcards to a Songbird is the kind of book that got me into reading contemporary YA in the first place. I loved how eccentric and off-beat it was. Wren was such a strong character who did not know her strength. She lived in her sister’s shadow all her life and tried to make sure her sister never left, that she never found out who she was. She never found out what she wanted in life and was content to just let life flow around her. But when her older sister leaves, Wren starts to discover who she is and what she wants out of life.
I liked Leia and Luca from the beginning. Leia did not beat around the bush and I loved how she was so open from the start. She felt a certain way about things and she made sure to let everyone know. I liked Luca because his personality was so great and infections. He was happy and he too did not beat around the bush. He liked Wren from the moment they met and he made sure to let Wren know that. He was persistent and talkative in a way that sad Wren wasn’t. He slowly but surely helped pull Wren out of the shadows. Baby Girl was a great character too and I loved seeing her finding herself alongside Wren. These three new friends helped Wren when she needed it the most and so did Wilder in his own way by showing her what it was like to live scared all the time. He showed her what she didn't want and that taking risks even when those you love and care for could leave you, was worth it.
The secret that surrounded Wren’s mother leaving and Lizzie leaving fourteen years later were also amazing to find out. I didn’t see it turning out the way it did. But finding that out made me understand Chief—Wren’s father—more. He only wanted to protect his girls from the horrors of the world but by holding on so tight, he was the reason they wanted to escape so much. I enjoyed this book as much as I thought I would and I am so glad I agreed to read and review an early copy of it. I can't wait to try more of Rebekah Crane's books!

[Zoe McCrohan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "Postcards for a Songbird" by Rebekah Crane is a great read full of many good lessons for teenagers. The book is about a teenage girl named Wren who feels lost after her sister, Lizzie, leaves suddenly. After over a month of isolation, Wren meets Luca and Leia and also reconnects with Baby Girl, Lizzie's best friend. Together they work together to try and defeat each person's inner battles and find true happiness within themselves. "Postcards for a Songbird" brings up themes such as friendship and mental health within teens, which is important to readers because other teenagers who read this book can look at the characters and their struggles to feel less alone. One specific moment in the book that was particularly powerful to me was when Wren started to do Roller Derby. After feeling like she could do nothing but sit around for so long, Wren finally took a step and started to be more adventurous. In the book, Wren explains that the feeling of being sore after a long day of practicing felt good, which resonates with me because I often feel like that too after playing lacrosse. I would recommend this book to anybody who has felt lost or has felt like they do not know themselves before, or anybody who is looking for a good book about friendship. I think it is safe to say that almost everybody has felt like they are not themselves or have nobody to help them at some point, and "Postcards for a Songbird" depicts these feelings perfectly, along with showing readers that things get better after those feelings.

[Solaire_writing · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really big surprise, and I can't really understand the bad reviews I found on Goodreads.

The writing style is absolutely unique and made me fall in love with the whole story instantly. Its full of metaphors, poetry like and absolutely colorful, which gives the story a completely different shade of feelings while reading it! I felt like I fell into a poem.

The Story is about becoming. Becoming yourself, becoming something more. Its about finding out who you are, who you want to be, and what you were. Its about love and friendship, about adventure and anxiety, about loving and losing and so much more. The characters feel so deeply and are absolutely funny and unique and I loved how some of them never where real, while others were life incarnate. I loved the energy surrounding this book and also the message it carries around - be unapologetically yourself - and love yourself for it. Also I liked the completely different ideas like seeing auras, and the world in pictures the author had, it made the story a bit abstract, like some art is abstract, but still beautiful, and I loved it.

After finishing this book I immediately put all other books by this author on my "to be read"-list. I can't wait to fall into a world with her unique writing again!

[Bryan Cayangcang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I was given an advance reading copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Skyscape for the opportunity.

Before picking this book up, I've had the feeling that it's going to be a sad book, and when I finished it, it confirmed my prediction. But don't get me wrong. It might spark emotions, but this is still good book --it just wasn't for me.

The plot was encouraging and really hits you. Its dealing with filling the void of someone you're used to be with. but the pacing started slow, and it was an ongoing theme throughout the book. I'm not huge fan of slow-paced books, so I could really say that this is a it's-not-the-book-it's-me situation.

I'd be happy to read another book by the author, but I'm sure that others will enjoy this book. I'm still giving this a fair rating of 3.5 STARS.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a goodread giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Postcards for a Songbird is the story of Wren who has to deal with the loss of all the people who leaves her. First her mother, then her best friend and then her sister. I liked the book but sometimes had a hard time with identifing with the characters.

[Sarahkatherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet feel good book. It had a good message of being yourself and going on a journey to figure out who you are. I was a little confused who wilder was I guess he was just part of her brain though. Overall very good book the mom was kind of disappointing.
👮🏻‍♂️🌲🌳🌷🌈☀️🍻🧁⚾️🛼🛹🎨🚓🚗🏘🚬🗄🚢

[Stephanie Fitzgerald]

DNF at 45%; just couldn’t get into the storyline.

[Julie Ann Cordero · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I listened to this with Kindle Unlimited.

I read The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland years ago and really liked it so I had high hopes for this book. It was probably, realistically, a three star read, but I gave it four because the setting of Spokane, Washington brought back so many memories of my childhood. I thought Rebekah Crane did a good job of describing the location with the lilacs and the Riverfront Park area.

The story is about a teenager, Wren, who is living with her police officer dad. Her mom, her sister and her best friend have all left her and she is trying to figure out her place in the world. There is this homebound boy that is next door that she talks to and then another boy in her drivers ed class that she becomes close with.

Honestly, the story wasn't bad, but I feel like the bet part was the last probably 50 pages so it made me sad that it took that long to get there. I wish there had been more clues or developments leading up to that. It was just kind of dropped on the reader and not like a good twist that you didn't see coming.

[Sara Oxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Postcards for a Songbird by Rebekah Crane a four-star read that will take you on a journey. This did take a long time to get into, so don’t give up as you will enjoy it in the end. As soon as I read the blurb, I was desperate to read this one, it just seemed to have a mild level darkness and a drama that I thought I would enjoy. The dialogues of the story were well written, and they made the story for me, the flashbacks let it down as on a couple I was left so confused wondering what it was about. There was a great balance to most of the characters and you may not feel compelled to know more about all, but some will compel you to read their story’s.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ebook from a Goodreads giveaway, and really enjoyed it. The main character Wren is brave and honest. It’s beautifully written too.