At fifteen years old, Abigail Costa might not know much, but there are three things she’s absolutely certain of:Her grandmother, Nonna, is a superhero and she wants to be just like her one day. The world is round and she wants to see absolutely every inch of it. And she and Elliot Peterson will be best friends for life. After over a decade of getting up to no good together and spending every … good together and spending every possible moment in one another’s company, it seems impossible that anything could ever change.
Enter: the new girl. With perfect blonde hair and a body to die for, she’s everything Abbi never realised she wanted to be. And as she starts to notice that something isn’t right with Nonna, she finds that some of her certainties aren’t quite so certain anymore, and loneliness forces her to dig deep for a strength she never knew she had.
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I don’t typically read YA because I find the characters to be whiny, complaining about things that don’t matter in the long run. This book does not fall into that trap. I was impressed that Robinson chose to write about an unconventional (and let’s be honest here- neglectful) family, kids getting into trouble (but not real trouble), and the hopeful and creative spirit that is so easily snuffed by broken dreams and age.
The main characters are complex and interesting. Strangely, I felt as though I was transported back to the awkward in-between feeling of my teenage years, not quite a child and yet not an adult either. The MCs aren’t perfect and have to navigate the complicated crossroads of puberty, filled with imperfect parents, less than stellar significant others, tests, and other problems that life throws at them. The characters have just the right balance of playfulness, moodiness, and maturity.
The book’s ending hints that there may be more to follow. I hope so. I would like to visit these characters again, as they continue to grow up and experience more of what life has to offer.
A sweet read that propelled me back in time to my teen years- not as a wistful dream, but as they were- fragile, complicated, heartbreaking, and full of dreams.
4.5 stars.
What the heck was this book, serious. My heart is so broken right now I can’t even deal with these feels.
When I was told this book was sad I went in preparing myself to be sad. Sad wasn’t what I got AT ALL! This book was gut wrenching, it hits you straight in the heart and shatters it completely. I cried, sobbed actually because this story hit close to home. It brought back memories and although the memories make me sad they make me incredibly happy too, this book was incredible, seriously incredible.
Abbi and Elliot are two incredible characters, ones I wont be forgetting any time soon. Abbi grew up with absent parents but surround by love from her grandmother. She’s shut herself off from everyone except for the select few people she loves. Elliot, he’s amazing and mischievous and the perfect best friend. Together they’re the perfect team.
Their story was amazing although I was angry through part of it with the way he acted I wanted to punch him in the gut lol but I love that, I love when a book makes me feel all the feels.
This book consumed me from the get go, I couldn’t put it down, didn’t want to put it down. You know a book is gonna be good when you feel like that.
HA Robinson did an incredible job with this storyline, especially the illness, she portrayed that perfectly. It’s hard, it’s heartbreaking and it takes it toll, it’s horrible but you’d do it all over again in a heartbeat for the ones you love.
If I could give more than five stars to this beautifully heartbreaking story I would. It deserves so much more!
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. It was a perfectly, sweet YA romance. I will admit to the tears at the end. Anyone who doesn’t cry at the end doesn’t have a heart. Lol! I liked Abbi and Elliot. I hoped they got their happy ever after from the get go. I LOVED Nonna. She was an angel. A definite one click if you like YA.
The Pebble Jar happened to come across one of the Facebook groups I’m in earlier this summer…the synopsis intrigued me and I got sucked in by the cover of all things. I totally forgot about it until yesterday. I had a hard time putting it down and was up until 130am last night just talking myself into one more chapter.
Amazon classifies it as teen and young adult – no sex, given the age and not a lot of swearing which (I cuss like a sailor, so that and sex is NEVER an issue for me), was perfect for this book. For whatever reason I’ve been inhaling high school angst overload books – usually bullies involved and the darker the better. The Pebble Jar was a total swing in the opposite direction for me. It’s a coming of age story about childhood best friends Abbi and Elliott and only covers 1 year, from the age of 15 to 16. It was so beautifully written…the author had me crying along with Abbi when her heart was breaking and laughing through some pretty hilarious moments. It’s a story that on some level is so relatable to our own life experiences. I’m looking forward to checking out this author’s other works…if they are anything like The Pebble Jar consider me a lifetime fan!
There are a few books that you read over time that actually cause you to physically feel what you are reading and for me this was one of those books. I love a book that has all the feels and emotions and this certainly did! I absolutely loved each and every page of this beautiful story and didn’t want to put it down. The characters I just couldn’t help but connect with and this is because the author just had a wonderful way of writing such amazing words, I could feel what they were going through. Please read this book, I’m certain it will be one that I go back and read time and time again.
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The Pebble Jar
H.A. Robinson
Antes de resenhar o livro, eu quero registrar aqui o quanto é H.A. Robinson é um amor. Ela generosamente me presenteou com The Pebble Jar. Do nada, a troco de nada! Eu tenho o prazer de conversar um pouco com ela de vez em quando e, sério, ela é muito atenciosa e carinhosa. H.A. Robinson, obrigada do fundo do meu coração.
The Pebble Jar superou completamente todas as minhas expectativas. O que mais me surpreendeu foi o quanto eu me identifiquei com a Abbi. Eu não sei me expressar, nunca soube declarar o que sinto. Sem brincadeira, até mesmo escrever esta resenha é muito difícil para mim. Então quando eu vi os sentimentos da Abbi manifestados por palavras tão perfeitamente, e eles eram tão familiares, eu não pude acreditar na conexão que eu senti. Foi como se H.A. Robinson tivesse entrado em meu coração. Isto nunca aconteceu comigo antes.
Ligação à parte, Abbi é encantadora. Ela e todos os outros personagens de The Pebble Jar são muito reais, eles quase saltam do livro, fazendo com que seja impossível não sentir empatia por eles. O que só torna a experiência mais magnífica.
Uma das coisas que eu amo em The Pebble Jar é que os sentimentos estão todos lá para você sentir, da angústia à felicidade, assim como na vida real. Sendo o mais importante, o amor. Para mim, The Pebble Jar é sobre o amor, todas as formas de amor.
Sim, The Pebble Jar é um favorito, H.A. Robinson é uma favorita, e, com certeza, Abbi é a favorita. Eu nem tive escolha, Abbi vai ser sempre a número um.
Obrigada, H.A. Robinson, por ser maravilhosa, por The Pebble Jar e pela a Abbi.
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The Pebble Jar
H.A. Robinson
Before I review the book, I want to register here how much H.A. Robinson is a sweetheart. She generously gave me The Pebble Jar. Out of the blue, in exchange for nothing! I have the pleasure of talking a little with her now and then and, seriously, she is so caring and kind. H.A. Robinson, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The Pebble Jar completely surpassed all my expectations. What surprised me the most was how much I related to Abbi. I don’t know how to express myself, never knew how to declare my feelings. No joke, even writing this review is really hard for me. So when I saw Abbi’s feelings manifested by words so perfectly , e they were so familiar, I couldn’t believe in the connection I felt. It was like H.A. Robinson had entered my heart. This never happend to me before.
Bond apart, Abbi is charming. She and all the other characters from The Pebble Jar are so real, they almost jump of the book, making it impossible not to feel empathy for them. What only makes the experience more magnificent.
One of the things I love in The Pebble Jar is that the feelings are all there for you to feel, from angst to happiness, just like in real life. Being the most important, the love. To me, The Pebble Jar is about love, all kinds of love.
Yes, The Pebble Jar is a favourite, H.A. Robinson is a favourite, and, surely, Abbi is the favourite. I didn’t even had a choice, Abbi will always be the number one.
Thank you, H.A. Robinson, for being wonderful, for The Pebble Jar and for Abbi.
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4.5 Amazing Stars
My friends have been raving about this book for a while and after finishing it I’m not sure why I held out for so long except on the bright side I got to read the next book Chasing the Sunrise straight after!
Soon as I started this book I was 100% hooked and probably looked like a complete idiot practically sobbing my heart out on the tube on the way home from work. The emotions that the author brought to this book was so beautifully raw and real. I honestly felt every ounce of pain and hurt along with Abbi. I honestly just wanted to give this girl a huge hug and slap Elliott upside his head (hard) for being an idiot and not seeing there was something going on with Abi.
I so loved Abbi and Elliott together, the antics these two got up to where simply brilliant. The were like so insync it was beautiful to watch up until it all changed. They were rock solid until they hit their final year in school and a girl came in between them. Events in Abbi’s life made her put her shields up and push everyone away and I will be honest I got quite ragey at Elliott for not seeing what was behind Abbi’s change and being blinded by a pretty face.
HA Robinson has written a truly superb story with the Pebble Jar. The storyline grips your heart and makes you become invested in their lives. The characters were engaging and I so loved the banter with Abbi and Tom (I have a huge soft spot for Tom).
HA Robinson made me laugh and cry and this is one book I will highly recommend as a MUST READ
4.5 Sweet YA stars
I sometimes find YA a bit hard work, the characters too young to relate to, with this I was transported back to that time when everything starts to change. Suddenly the boys you’ve always played footy with are now looking a little bit different.
Abi is a sweet girl, but with a sarcastic edge (I don’t know why I can relate! haha) I loved her spirit even when faced with the absolute ignorance of her parents. I was caught up in her friendship with Elliot, and his cheeky attitude, and devastated when just as she needed him the most, things started to fall apart. Thank goodness for Tom and the bonds they build.
This book is teenage heartache at its best, but with the added trauma of a neglectful family, and a situation no teenager should have to face alone. It kicked me right in the gut at times.
This book has been on my tbr list for some time now and I’m glad I finally got the chance to read it. The story just drew me in and I just loved every word of it. It just took me by storm! I can totally understand why people loved this book and say it’s one of their favorites. I cried, I laughed and most of all lots of things Abigail went through will stay with me for quite some time. I totally recommend this book and it’s definitely worth the read!
Abigail and Elliot have been friends since they were kids and where’s there trouble, you could always find them together doing some mischief. They’ve been each others rock throughout the years and no one can get in between. But now they’re teenagers and when there’s a new girl in school, their relationship will be changing. When Abigail’s life is turned upside down even more, she’ll make a choice that will create a distance between them that never has been there before but when something tragic happens to her, she’ll have to decide whether or not she finally lets her walls down again and let people into her heart. Will Abigail and Elliot find their way back to each other again?…