It happened in stages.My father left.My twin sister died of an incurable autoimmune disease.My mother started breaking down.Then I was diagnosed with the very thing that took my other half from me.That was when I realized Mama’s eyes turned gold when she cried.So I moved in with my father and his new family—new wife, new son, new stepbrother.Kaiden Monroe made me feel normal.Hated. Cared … stepbrother.
Kaiden Monroe made me feel normal.
Hated. Cared for. Loathed. And … loved.
Somewhere along the way, I’d found solace in the boy with brooding eyes.
But everything happens in stages.
And nothing good ever lasts.
more
“Disease is the monster in the dark. It lingers, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It veers its ugly head and takes what it wants, when it wants.”
Underneath the Sycamore Tree is the newest standalone, new adult, contemporary with parts of stepbrother romance. To say that I was gutted, blubberring mess after reading this was an understatement. Nope. My heart was ripped, torn to pieces, and rolled over by a Mack truck. Damn, this book made me ugly cry with its realness, raw quality and fuck load of feels.
“Wishes don’t come true though, because this isn’t some fairytale. It’s reality. And reality is a mean bitch.”
Em felt it. She is slowly dying from the same disease that took her sister. She didn’t want to add more to her mother’s downward spiral so she opted to live with her father. The same father who seemingly abandoned them just when things were in a mess. There she met her stepbrother, Kaiden. At first he was rude to her but as they get to know each other more, he protected her from school bullies and showed her how to live up a little.
“I don’t have to be that girl—the sick one. I can be Emery. Book nerd. Teacher’s pet. Weird shoe lover. Realistically, though, I know it can’t last.”
All I can say is, this was poignantly beautiful and heartwrenchingly real. In my opinion, this is one of those stories that will leave its mark on you long after you finish reading. I simply loved it. Certainly a must read!
Just give this all the stars.
This book might have ruined me for all others.
I closed the story with a tattered heart.
I won’t lie. I was very emotional.
But the story is so important. It was so refreshing to see a story where serious health issues are talked about and we watch a teenager navigate life and love while dealing with it.
Emery was really isolated until she goes to stay with her dad and meets Kaiden, her stepbrother. She is such a brave girl that has such a unique way of looking at life.
I really don’t know what to do with myself now.
B Celeste has a gift to tell stories, especially ones that are hard to tell and hard to read.
Blog Sol and Us
PT-BR/EN
Underneath the Sycamore Tree de B. Celeste me surpreendeu bastante. Eu gostaria de ler mais livros como esse.
A autora soube abordar um assunto importante (e pessoal) sem deixar a história super dramática ou superficial. Ela encontrou o equilíbrio perfeito.
Eu acho que todos deveriam ler UTST e espero que todos que o façam o amem tanto quanto eu.
Sol and Us https://linktr.ee/solandus2
Underneath the Sycamore Tree by B. Celeste surprised me a lot. I would like to read more books like that.
The author knew how to address an important (and personal) subject without making the story super dramatic or superficial. She found the perfect balance.
I think everyone should read UTST e I hope those who do love it as much as I did.
Sol and Us https://linktr.ee/solandus2
Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Stepbrother Romance, Enemies-to-Lovers
First Person, female-POV (1 chapter, the epilogue on the male voice)
This is a standalone romance.
WHAT HAS REALLY WORKED FOR ME
Addictiveness: 5/5 This was hard, painful and suffocating, but it was like a morbid attraction. I couldn’t let go, even though it was not pleasant, it was very addictive. As addictive as chocolate!!!
Character: hero 4/5, heroine 5/5, secondary characters 5/5, growth 5/5, real 5/5 Multidimensional characters with so much depth and good personal growth.
Emery was the perfect heroine. I don’t usually use the word perfect, but Emery totally deserved that title. She was a fighter, a warrior, a very wise person, even though only 18 years old. She taught my 44 year old self a lot about life. She was very astute and it came from experience, from pain, from sufferance. Emery was one of the special person of the world that had been given the hardest life journey, because she was strong enough to carry such a cross. She had lost a sister for lupus and along with her sister’s death, she lost her parents. Neither of them knew how to deal with the loss and Emery was sort of abandoned to deal with life by herself. Even though her parents had been not really good ones, she was always trying to make their life easier by not being such a big burden. Emery was extraordinary!!!
Kaiden was an interesting hero. He was a very angry boy. He hadn’t learned how to deal with loss and he just become angry with everything. He lost his dad, his mom remarried and later brought a stepsister to their house. He wanted to hate Emory, but it was impossible. She taught him so much about life, about not giving up, about second chances, about forgiveness. Kaden grew so much throughout the story, his journey was beautiful.
The secondary characters, so many that were really important even though they didn’t have major time in the book. Emory parents, grandmother, her twin sister, Kaiden’s mother a few kids from high school.
Villains.. antagonists… the villains here were disease and time. There was also one antagonist at school.
All characters were easy to love, connect and understand!!!
Cover: art 5/5, title 5/5, color-font 5/5, buy 5/5 I’m obsessed with book covers. I love to find snippets of the stories within the art. This one is gorgeous and perfect for the book. It tells so much. We see time, sycamore leaves and Emory. I love the colors, the font and the title that is perfect for the book. I would definitely buy this book by its cover without needing to read the blurb!!!
Freshness: 5/5 This book is UNIQUE! Everything in this book feels original and fresh. The way the author explored pain, disease and the making of a family was uncommon. As fresh as cold water in the middle of the desert!!!
Plot: believable 5/5, conflict 5/5, dialogue 5/5, ending 5/5, enjoyment 3/5, opening 5/5, pace 5/5, setting 5/5, subplots 5/5, twists 3/5 Amazing opening for an awesome ending. Really believable plot, with well written dialogues and good setting. Perfect pace for the story, with a great conflict and expected twist. High level of enjoyment!
I can’t say I’ve enjoyed the story because it hurt and I cried a lot. From the beginning, as soon as it started, I decided that I made a bad choice when I choses to read it. I don’t really know what I was expecting when I read the blurb, but I definitely didn’t want to cry for the entire book. It broke me, in a beautiful, painful way.
At the same time, I must say this plot was exceptional!!!! Or the author personally knows about the disease and how it can make or break a family, or she did a fantastic research. Either way, this was very well written with a cohesive plot without loopholes.
Romance: believable 5/5, chemistry 5/5, description 5/5, development 5/5, steam 3/5 So beautiful. It was not very romantic, at the same it was perfect for the characters and what they were living. It was not filled with tender-loving-caring, but it had the perfect amount of breaking and mending. It felt real, their chemistry undeniable, their hate/love/hate/love feelings something really possible. This was a young adult with a lot of sex and sex intention, so I would say 17 and older. The smut was sweet and a bit dirty, the perfect combination. Outlasting love!!!
Writing Style: 5/5 I’m in awe!!! Beautifully written plot, wonderfully created characters, enchanting romance, with lots of emotions, the author took the readers into a cathartic experience. Writing of a wordsmith!!!
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
Definitely a few good, LOL moments. This was hard, brutal, harsh!!!
MY THOUGHTS
This book broke me. I ended this read raw, fractured, ruptured. I didn’t know what to say or feel as soon as I finish, that is why I’ve waited a couple of days. I was in shock, I wasn’t expecting.
You know, when I read the blurb, I don’t really know what I saw, but my romantic heart probably thought something like this cute teenage couple that will hug, love and mend each other. I never thought they would also destroy and be destroyed.
This was the book that I definitely didn’t want, but totally needed!!! In fact, I believe EVERYONE NEEDS to read this!!!!
34.5/35 STARS – 4.5 STARS (between 31.5 stars and 33stars)
Addictiveness: 5 Character: 5 Cover: 5 Freshness: 5 Plot: 4.5 Romance: 5 Writing Style: 5
Action 0/5 Angst 5/5 Darkness 1/5 Humor 0/5 Romance 5/5 Suspense/Mystery 0/5
Would I recommend? Definitely! Everyone should read this!!!!
Would I re-read this book/series? I don’t think I’m strong enough for that.
Would I read more from the author? I will definitely stalk her and see what other books she has!!!
You MAY read this because you like YA romance; you SHOULD read this because you like believable stories; you MUST read this because it hurts, but it teaches!!!!
This book was real and emotional. It was a look
into invisible illnesses and what its like to love someone with an invisible illness. It was the best book ive read in 2019. B Celeste is a talented author with great writing skills this book sucked be in on the very first page and opened my eyes to new out look on illness.
Wow so much to say and struggling to find the words. If I could give more than 5 stars I would without hesitating. This book is filled with so much raw emotion so be prepared to cry… ugly cry!! Barbara makes you feel every single emotion, she rips your heart out and breaks it but kindly puts it back together too. It’s such a powerful read that shows us how harsh disease can be. I definitely recommend this book but have a box of tissues close by just in case.
I haven’t stopped thinking about this book since I finished an ARC. This is one of those books that stays with you forever.
This isn’t my first rodeo with B Celeste and no doubt in my mind this is the best work that she’s written that has graced my presence.
She writes with so much emotion and unequivocally with so much heart.
I was lost and transfixed upon the first few chapter as B words squeezed my heart.
Bloody hell this book is so real, so raw and emotionally gripping.
What I love also is that she sheds light on an invisible illness many of us may not be aware of and has opened my eyes to this.
Without a doubt Emery is such a warrior, she’s so strong and courageous as she fought for a sense of normalcy and never wanting to burden people or have anyone pity her. She put all thought and consideration of certain people before her self and I wanted to wrap and cocoon her in a warmth of love.
Kaiden, he will melt your heart and make you fall in love with him. I loved all the little things even the small details he did for Emery and went beyond his way for her.
No more details to be spared but certainly a wonderful eye opening story with depth, love and heart.
Welp… she’s done it again. B. Celeste warned that it would be her most emotional book yet… she wasn’t lying ya’ll. Underneath the Sycamore Tree is yet again another emotional, heartbreaking novel and my heart is officially broken. This book… GAHHH! I haven’t cried this much since the LAST B. Celeste novel I read, The Truth about Heartbreak, but still, I just could NOT put it down. If you haven’t already guessed it, Underneath The Sycamore Tree is a tough read, far from rainbows and sunshine, it’s raw, real, and it’s utterly heartbreaking. But it is so worth it. Grab the tissues and get ready for a good ol’ ugly cry folks!
Time is a luxury we can’t all afford.
Nine years ago Emery Matterson lost her best friend, her sister, her twin to a chronic illness.
As Emery tries to cope with losing her everything, Emery’s mother is also caught up in the grief of losing Lo… forgetting life around them, including Emery.
When they find out Emery is sick as well, it tips her mother over the edge.
In an effort to try and help her mother heal, Emery decides to re-connect with her estranged father and move in with him and his new wife, and stepson.
Kaiden Monroe, Emery’s new stepbrother acts indifferent towards her at first. They barely ever speak. Then one day he’s hateful and rude.
While at school Kaiden was the popular guy who everyone respected and looked up too, at home… at home, he barely acknowledged his own mother and kept his emotions bottled up.
But over time Emery and Kaiden begin to form a connection, learning to lean on each other.
And that’s when Emery’s health takes a turn for the worst…
Chronic Illness is real.
Death is real.
People don’t like to read about those things because they know it could happen to them. Distance or not, you put yourself in the shoes of every character you read.
I have SOO much more that I want to tell you about this amazing plot but I just can’t without revealing spoilers. Underneath The Sycamore Tree is one of those books that you need to go in blind. But I will tell you, this is unlike any stepbrother romance I have EVER read. The story may be fiction but it’s so REAL that at times, I forgot. The way B. Celeste crafts these characters and submerges you straight into their lives… I honestly felt like I was losing MY best friend.
I said it before about another one of her books but I’ll say it again about this one, there are books that just STICK with you. One day something will happen or you’ll remember that one phrase, or that one sentence and you’ll smile, or you’ll laugh, or maybe you’ll even cry… Underneath The Sycamore Tree is THAT kind of book. It’s gut-wrenching, it’s raw, it’s real, and it’s bittersweet but you’ll love every minute of it.
Disease is the monster in the dark. It lingers, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It veers its ugly head and takes what it wants, when it wants.
Yet, there’s one disease that is worse than any kind of invisible illness in existence and it is something the world is plagued with.
Indifference.
Emery is a freaking warrior! She has been living with an invisible illness for so, so long. Having people, including doctors belittle her and make her out as a liar all because they can’t SEE what she FEELS. I can’t even imagine. Emery is at peace with her future and with the time she had left she wanted to live life to its fullest, with Kaiden by her side she was able to do that. She is without a doubt the strongest character I have EVER had the pleasure of reading.
We never truly get over losses.
We just absorb them until they mold us into someone new. Like any creation, it takes time.
I adore Kaiden Monroe. In the beginning, he makes it very hard to like him and I think if we had gotten his POV it would have helped us understand his character a lot better but as the story unfolds you understand more and more about what makes Kaiden so broody and angry all the time.
He thinks he’ll ruin me, but he has no idea what unstoppable forces are in my arsenal. I’m my own weapon, a nightmare that lives in reality. It isn’t something I can control, and he has no idea.
At first glance, Kaiden and Emery couldn’t be more opposite. But once they both start to open up you quickly find that they have a lot more in common than even they suspected. Watching their connection grow was especially bittersweet knowing what we knew about Emery’s health and the fact that Kaiden didn’t. They both have faced so much heartbreak already in their young lives, feeling the loss of a loved one way too soon and they both NEEDED someone that GOT IT, and they found that with each other.
The secondary characters, mainly Emery’s mother, her stepmother Cameron, and her dad… I have mixed emotions about them.
Inside the sad shell of my agonizing existence is a battlefield, and I’m on both sides holding trigger-ready guns waiting for the bullets to leave the barrels. Yet, I feel lucky. I’m still breathing.
Her mom, I was soo disappointed in. I wanted to hate her. How can you not be there for the child that is still alive? But honestly, after putting myself in her shoes, I can’t imagine what life would be like to have identical twins and then lose one… only to find out the other is sick too. Heartbreaking.
The trouble with time is that we only think we have it. It’s an illusion- an excuse to linger in existence. Some people use it to be reckless, others use it to hold themselves back.
Cameron, I adored. I understood where Kaiden was coming from, but as a parent, I knew EXACTLY where Cam was coming from too. She was NOTHING but good to Emery, she took her into her home and into her heart without a second thought.
Emery’s dad, I despised him. Where were you when Lo was sick? How could you not be there for her? To not even attend the funeral… unforgivable. But then, finding out the answers to all the WHYS… how could I hate him? Do I wish he had fought harder, hell yea but then that ending, “I just got you back, Em.”…“We got a year, Daddy.”…“It’s not enough.” I was going to put that in a quote… but I just couldn’t. I cried when I read it, and I cried when I wrote it just now.
Wishes don’t come true though, because this isn’t some fairytale.
It’s reality.
And reality is a mean bitch.
B. Celeste is truly a phenomenal author. Her first release (under this name anyways) I actually sent her a message telling her just how much I loved her writing (something I never do, I’m wayyy to shy!) and since then, she has continued to blow me away time after time. As I was reading I knew that Celeste had to have done some extensive research into invisible illnesses because the raw TRUTH of the story made it clear that she had to know something about the subject. I had NO idea that the battle I was reading, was a battle the author goes through on a daily basis. I know this could NOT have been easy to write, but I have even more respect for Celeste after reading “her” story. You are a warrior girl!
If this heartbreaking, beautifully tragic story has taught me anything, it’s that you can NEVER take TIME for granted and I can promise I will be hugging my loved ones just a little tighter tonight. I would give Underneath The Sycamore Tree soooo many more stars if I could, I HIGHLY recommend!
I find that the books with the saddest endings are the best because it makes us feel. We don’t always get a happily ever after no matter how hard we work for it.
*** *** *** *** *** ***
ℂ ’ ℝ:
– SIX STARS!!! I would give Underneath The Sycamore Tree soooo many more stars if I could! There is only a handful of books that I have EVER given six stars too. But this heartbreaking, beautifully tragic book, it deserves that and more!
– There was most definitely steam, Kaiden is HOT and he has a FILTHY mouth that will make you drool! But whereas usually, I’m ALL about the steam… this one I was just more focused on the story. So yes, there are a few steamy scenes that will definitely melt your Kindle, but I wasn’t as invested in them as much as I was in the story.
ℂ – Nope, no cliffhanger. But that ending… I still can’t even. I should have seen it coming… but I just didn’t. Please, if you don’t listen to any of my book recs, listen to this one, READ THIS BOOK!
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Underneath The Sycamore Tree is the story of a young girl, Emery, who goes to live with her estranged father because her mother is still grief-stricken years after her twin died from lupus-related complications. Emery wants her mother to heal without seeing her suffering from the same disease that stole her twin sister. Emery also wants to live a life where no one knows of her illness.u2063 u2063u2063
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This is not an easy story to read if you suffer from an illness. If you know some of Barbara’s life story, UTST is semi-autobiographical as she suffers from the same auto-immune disease Emery does. Many of the events she writes about happened to her and it makes an ever greater impact knowing this. As a reader who also has an auto-immune disease, I can vouch that this story is honest, real & powerful. I think it will make the reader more sympathetic to anyone suffering from any illness…invisible or not.u2063 u2063u2063
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This is not a romance; but it is a love story. What started out a tumultuous relationship between Emery and Kaiden became so much more than either expected. Emery was able to help her stepbrother move on from his own grief. Kaiden was the one person who treated Emery like a normal girl. He saw her, not her disease. Their relationship was funny, sweet, sad and gut-wrenchingly beautiful.u2063 u2063u2063
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It took a while until I stopped crying after finishing UTST and I had to take a week to write this review. It will hit you right in the heart. But this book is also funny, endearing, passionate, heartwarming and beautiful. Barbara gave anyone suffering from invisible illness a voice. The writing is beautiful. Barbara is known for her raw & emotional stories; she doesn’t hold back and try to sugarcoat life. She also has a way with way of viewing life and relationships that you don’t find every day and I’m so glad I found her books. UTST will hit you in the gut, make you laugh, and shock you. However, there aren’t a lot of books out there that will stay in your heart forever. You will be recommending UTST to everyone you come in contact with. u2063
.. I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
“Wishes don’t come true though, because this isn’t some fairytale. It’s reality. And reality is a mean bitch.”
Underneath the Sycamore Tree is my first B Celeste novel and what an impressive introduction to a new to me author. This YA novel was captivating and engrossing and will evoke a range of emotions from you. Yes it gut wrenching but it was so well written you will be consumed with these characters long after you’ve finished reading.
This was a stepbrother romance unlike any other. Emery and Kaiden were two complex characters who will touch your heart. Witnessing how their relationship develops and blossoms from strangers to so much more will give you all the feels.
However this story isn’t all hearts and flowers, its about the realities of dealing with an invisible disease and its effects on the individual and their families.
It was an eye opener, raw and emotional and one of the best YA books I’ve read this year.
Underneath the Sycamore Tree is a phenomenal page-turner worthy of more than 5 stars. I would highly recommend it to all readers looking for YA/stepbrother romances.
This review is hard for me to write because still 2 days after finishing I’m still experiencing the impact this book gave me. I was not ready for the emotions I’d experience with this book. B Celeste opens your eyes to a lot that we don’t see. Underneath the Sycamore Tree feels so real you forget it’s fiction. Theres no way I can make this review long because I have no idea what to say without spoiling anything. Just go in blind. This book hits hard so hang on tight. I definitely recommend this book to other readers. Everybody needs to experience this book and you will understand why when you read it.
Have you ever been lucky enough to read a book whose words wove magic and burrowed themselves so deeply in your heart that every moment is one you felt soul deep? For me that’s exactly what happened when I cracked opened my Kindle and became completely captivated by this breathtaking and truly unforgettable book.
Emery and Kaiden’s story wasn’t simply a love story because it was so much more than I could have ever anticipated. Their journey wasn’t easy, it was real, raw, sincere, emotional and eye-opening. I’m not sure mere words can express how deeply Emery and Kaiden gripped my heart and how much I didn’t want their story to end.
Underneath the Sycamore Tree is by far my favorite read this year and in my top three reads ever. There’s nothing I love more than delving into an phenomenal read and being swept away with so many different emotions and with this book I felt as though the author wove a piece of her soul into each and every page. I feel honored to have read this heartgripping, emotive and extraordinary book and can’t recommend it enough. This is one book you don’t want to miss!
Get comfortable, grab the tissues and get ready for a breathtaking read that not only touches your heart,but will grab your soul and never let go!!!!
You can call emery and kaidens story a lot of things raw ,heartbreaking ,beautiful,thought provoking and many more but to me what hits home is this story is…..REAL…….. The book highlights the very real battles being waged,won and lost by many in every day life due to invisible illness.
I’ve spent the last 3 days trying to put into words the best possible review for this book because Barbara needs to know how beautifully written this is and how much em and kaidens story is going to mean to do many people,but nothing I could write would ever do it justice,so what I will say is….
Read it,just read the book,yes emery and maidens are going to make you laugh and swoon they will make you angry and sad they will definitely make your body temp rise haha and ultimately break your heart but oh wow it is so worth it
EVERY…..SINGLE…..MINUTE
And always remember to live life the best you can because tomorrow is never promised.
Thank you B Celeste for giving us such a beautiful journey of love.
SCREW YOU, Barbara. That being said, I absolutely LOVE/hated Underneath the Sycamore Tree. If I had to use just one word to describe this book, it would be ‘slow’. Slow burn (!!!). Slow paced. Slooooow. But also BEAUTIFUL. Heartwarm-
breaking. A little depressive. Sweet. That’s five words, right…
Sometimes you stumble upon stories that hit home hard and then, it becomes difficult to finish them because damn it, you cannot swallow past the lump in your throat. All the pent-up emotions are suffocating you and waiting to be let go. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book so honest and raw. But not everyone will feel the same because not everyone will be able to accept the things we’re not familiar with. So you might end up hating UTST and its way of delivering the truth about chronic illness.
I know I’m super vague, probably not making sense at all. I’m sorry for that. Read the blurb. Or better go in blind and pray that this book will be an eye opener, rather than something that makes you angry and depressed.
Anyway, give Emery a chance to be heard. She can be infuriating but hey, she’s a bookworm who happens to live with a really hot stepbrother. Speaking of the devil, Kaiden has a serious potential to claim your hearts and staying in there forever. I loved his pillow talks, the tenderness towards Em… His whole personality screams book boyfriend material. I’M CLAIMING HIM. You can try to stab me, Aliana.
FINAL RATING: I’d say 5* but the story didn’t overwhelm me? It’s well written but It misses something I can’t put my finger on. Maybe the fact I didn’t cry is a telltale. Still I’m giving it a full rating because obviously, I can’t say what bothered me exactly.
Ohhhh! My heart is absolutely obliterated right now. This story was a hard read, it’s not sunshine and rainbows, it’s raw and has real pain, real struggles. Celeste doesn’t give you just another story, she makes you feel from the deepest part of your soul. She slaps you with reality and you just can’t stop reading. It’s addicting! Underneath the Sycamore Tree was beautiful and Breathtaking! I’m also quite certain my tear ducts have never been this overused in my 27 years. This book sheds light on Chronic illness and I think it was done so wonderfully! I hope every reader takes every word to heart! Because this is so much more than just a story, it’s not just about a sick girl. This book makes you bleed and makes you think, makes you hope! Are you living your best life? Are you judging someone too harshly? What if it were you?…because it could be. Thank you for giving me an emotional slap right in the heart! For me reminding me how insignificant the little things are, and reminding me I’m very fortunate. Nothing in life is certain or promised and that is as real as anything gets. Most readers read to escape, no one wants to read about reality. I felt this book so hard!
“I find that the books with the saddest endings are the best because it makes us feel. We don’t always get a happily ever after no matter how hard we work for it.”
“The trouble with time is that we only thing we have it. It’s an illusion-an excuse to linger in existence. Some people use it to be reckless, others use it to hold themselves back.”
“Chronic Illness is real. Death is real. People don’t like to read about those things because they know it could happen to them. Distance or not you put yourself in the shoes of every character you read.”
These are my favorite, the most memorable quotes from UTST. I felt these words branded in the center of my chest and will not be forgetting them any time soon. Emery is an unforgettable character. I wish I was half as strong as she is, and I want to believe that there are Emerys’ out there with her take on the world. Underneath the Sycamore Tree is hands down the most emotionally riveting book I’ve read all year. I have no doubt this book came from the soul. I just hope with every piece of my heart it reaches people. It’s a touching masterpiece that deserves to be read! I’m very grateful to have been given an Arc in exchange for an honest review. I really didn’t think I would love a book more than The Truth about Tomorrow, but here we are! I look forward to more from Celeste.
~Books & Magic Shop Reviews~
How do you begin a review for a book that defied every expectation I had coming into it? I’m fresh from reading Underneath The Sycamore Tree and wanted to give you the raw emotion it left me with.
I had apprehension about reading this, I won’t lie. The surface-level, step-sibling taboo wasn’t something I necessarily sought after or was interested in. It seemed taboo was on trend and I wasn’t finding myself enticed by it as much. I dove in because I believed in B. Celeste’s words from her two previous books and just hoped I would have a good story to read. This story is MILES AWAY from the typical “girl falls for a bad boy who lives at home and they start fucking”. In fact, I’m not even sure if I’d categorize it as romance. The borders this book crossed so effortlessly and artfully have left me in awe.
Underneath The Sycamore Tree is about Emery who fights everyday against an invisible illness years after her own twin had passed away from being sick. Emery battles family, fitting in, life and everything in between when she meets Kaiden, her step brother who has a story of his own. Can two broken people come together to heal themselves? Their family?
Love manifests itself in many ways and that is so clear with this novel. You get every side of love, familial and romantic, good and bad, neat and gritty. It’s not simple, yet it is. Emery’s story is eye-opening and hair-raising and definitely is a MUST READ. Underneath The Sycamore Tree took me out of my mundane routine and into Emery’s world. And then just as easily, it pushed me into reality and back on the ground more than any other book has.
I hope everyone takes a chance on this book and embarks on a truly beautiful journey of growth, realization, and understanding.
5 Brightest and Most Beautiful Suns
So this is how heart break feels like.Because I can barely breathe after finishing Underneath The Sycamore Tree. I want to stop crying but I just cannot! And yet I love this story. It is so beautifully tragic. It is inspiring with all the raw darkness and gritty emotions. This is a poetic portrayal of human suffering. And as real as you can get. I am so glad I read this story even if my heart was ripped out of my chest , shredded into tiny pieces and then glued back together. Am I fine? No I am not. This story made me realize once again how important it is to never take time and love for granted.
Loss can be so many types. When a chronic illness claims a life , everyone is deprived of something. A mother who is caught in grieving the dead child and ignoring the living. A father who left. And a twin who is going to suffer the same fate. This could be Emery. Well she is all of this. But life also gave her chances. A family she was not born in but that took her in all the same. A second chace with her parents. And a step brother she will love and lean on. Because Kaiden is just a lost soul like her. In the darkness of her physical pain and mental suffering, she found SOMETHING to be happy and hopeful.
I will warn you this story is hundred percent honest to the character. Do not expect B. Celeste to gloss over any gory, unattractive and scary details..and damn she can write angst like a pro. Em and Kaiden’s bond is something special. It was forged by anger, sorrow, desperation and loneliness. But it gave them hope, peace and love. No matter how short lived the good times were. Em is one of the bravest character I ever read. I want to hug her and hide her. But she wanted to live life to the fullest. And she did. With Kaiden’s help. Kaiden himself has a huge burden but this broody, devastated and broken boy was perfect for making Em’s dreams true. This story actually follows many character arcs as they go through this sickeningly brutal trial.
Life is so unpredictable. A happy and blissful moment can turn into a nightmare immediately. What we can do best is fight. To struggle. To do everything possible to make ourselves and our loved one smile. Underneath The Sycamore Tree by B.Celeste is a bittersweet and extremely emotional journey that broke me in the best possible way. This was difficult. This was painful. This was also inspiring and brilliant.
Received ARC for Honest review
Emery’s story is unique and heart-shattering. The kind of story that will definitely stick with you long after you’re done reading it and you “think” you have moved on. The truth is…no matter how many books you read after this or have read before it none will compare to hers.
I think when I started this book I slipped into some type of emotional coma…I experienced the emotions but I heavily guarded myself since I had some idea of what it was about. Dang if the author doesn’t have magical powers or something! She managed to sneak past all my barriers and basically ripped the tears from my eyes as I kept reading. It was truly an amazing story to experience.
Even after experiencing the loss of her twin sister, her father’s abandonment and her mom’s breakdown…only to then get sick herself; shows that this girl has the strength most only dream of. Her dedication to herself to set simple goals in life and her passion to pursue them, accomplish them and spend her time doing the things she loves the most is so inspiring. After already experiencing loss she realizes how short life is and I loved watching her reach for the things that she “thought” would make her happy.
I’ll say that the story didn’t go as I had pictured in my mind but that’s what I love about reading. You never know what’s coming and this author NEVER FAILS to give the readers exactly what they need even though it might feel like she’s ripping your heart out while she’s doing it . My mental photo wouldn’t have done Emery justice..it wouldn’t have done her and Kaiden justice. I love Kaiden’s brooding self for giving Emery everything she needed. I can’t begin to say enough about these two but I don’t want to dive into the story because I want YOU to experience them the way I did.
My favorite moments were the ones where she found happiness in anything and everything around her regardless of the pain it caused.
I LOVED IT..from start to finish!
Gosh…where do I start?? This book is so raw, so emotional, and so unforgettable. Under the Sycamore Tree will take you on such an emotional journey that not only breaks your heart, but makes you feel and touches your heart like no other story. Emery and Kaiden’s story is not only phenomenal but it’s an unforgettable story that will having you feeling every emotion possible throughout the book. There was no putting this one down because I was so drawn into their story right from the start.
I really, really, really try to stay away from sad romances because I already know that I’m going to cry like there is no tomorrow. BUT….when you have an author as talented as B. Celeste, you already know that as soon as she hits that publish button that you are going to go one-click it as soon as it’s available. She brings out the ugliest of ugly cries in me and she does it like no other author. I have come to love her writing, she always makes me fall in love with her characters and their whole journey from the good to the bad. I am highly recommending this book, this author to anyone out there that loves an emotional read/ugly cry, even if ugly cry books is not your thing give this book a try. I promise you that you will walk away glad that you did.
Happy Reading Everyone!!!
Reviewed by Jeanette Oglesby