Ashley Schumacher

Ashley Schumacher's Full Flight is a heartbreaking novel about finding your first love and what happens when it's over too soon...

Full Flight

Beckah brooks

This book has left me speechless! However, NetGalley gave me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for a review. Thus, I must do my best to find the right words to say. 

Can I just start with the writing style? It was beautiful. The words all followed so well, almost like a song. The metaphors and similes moved together, intertwining to create this beautiful piece. On multiple occasions, I had to pause the book, or rewind, to let the words get the attention they deserve. I definitely spent most of my drives to work, sitting in awe with my mouth hanging open. 

Now the story. The. Story. I didn’t know what to expect, as I’ve been slowly inching away from books about high schoolers. When it came to this book though, I didn’t care. In fact, I really enjoyed the high school aspect. Full Flight is told in alternating perspectives of Anna and Weston, which I’m a huge sucker for. Anna was the perfect protagonist. Equal parts whimsical and real. She had me aching for Christmas and my journal. And Weston, don’t even get me started on this beautiful, broken boy. After Anna claimed Weston was helping her prepare for their band concert duet, the two spent long hours growing close and exploring new things. They brought music to life and gave each other the words they needed to share what was on their mind. I could not have asked for a better love story. 

Getting mildly “spoily” here. As much as this book brought me butterflies, it also brought me tears. The grief held in some of the pages legitimately tore me apart. Left me crying in the parking lot of a tire shop and on the way to work. This book perfectly captured the reality of love, music, life, and grief. 

Major spoilers here. (view spoiler)[ That darn Kauaʻi ʻōʻō left me sobbing more times than I’d like to share. Even before I knew this book was a tragedy. Just imagining it all alone, and being hopeful when it heard the recording. Then at the end when the duet was truly finished. Also the glow-in-the-dark stars. The one Anna put in the casket had me gripping my steering wheel holding back sobs. The light is going to die out without light to charge it. Weston will be in the dark, but still under the same sky. Anyway, my heart is gone, a soggy blanket.  (hide spoiler)]

Sarah | @sarahsbookcase

Wow - I didn't expect to love this as much as I did. Beautiful story on friendship, love and heartbreak. I was gutted by this book and did not want this story to end. I love Anna and Weston's playful relationship. The whole novel was so cute and light. But oh my goodness the last few chapters completely broke me! 

This was the first book I read of Ashley Schumacher and I can't wait to read another. This was marvellous and I would recommend this to all! ALSO look at that beautiful cover too!!! Gorgeous. 
This book reminded me of 'Five Feet Apart' and I would highly suggest if you enjoy this one. 

Rania Singla

IM A MESS. SPEECHLESS. BRB IM GONNA CRY MYSELF TO SLEEP.

Taylor

After loving Amelia Unabridged so much, I, unfortunately, found Full Flight to be a little bit of a letdown. I do think that one of the reasons why I found the book confusing is that I am not American and was never in band. However, I was constantly googling things to figure out what was happening. Even in one of the most emotional scenes of the book, I had to pause and look something up. It really pulled my focus from the story. 

I will say that Ashley Schumacher writes grief like no other, and this book is no exception. Even though I wasn't necessarily feeling the story, she still managed to reach in and give my heart a pretty good squeeze. She gets what loss feels like in a way that most authors do not. 

I also really loved Anna James, she's the kind of protagonist that you just want to give a big hug to. She's earnest, charming, and pretty much the only person in their town willing to give Weston Ryan a chance. Weston however... left me a little bit confused as well. His "bad boy" reputation is never really explained, his parents got divorced, he may or may not have damaged a tree, he switched schools for a year, he wears a leather jacket? Not to mention, one of the only reasons we knew that he is a "bad boy" is that HE WON'T STOP SAYING IT HIMSELF! While reading his POVs I couldn't get Jughead of Riverdale's "I'm a weirdo" speech out of my head. It seems like Weston trying so hard to be an outcast was the only thing that made him one. 

I definitely think that this is the right book for someone else, I think that Ashley Schumacher really does have a way of writing books that manage to feel so deeply personal to the people who are able to connect with the book. For me, that was Amelia Unabridged, and for others, it will be Full Flight. I 100% plan to pick up Ashely's future books because I know that she is a beautiful writer, but unfortunately, Full Flight was just a miss for me personally.

TWs: death, grief, underage drinking, divorce, car accident 

This ARC was provided to me from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for my honest review.

Full Flight

Reviews