This is a tale about Abi and her path to moving through life and moving on from tragedy. It’s also a wry observation on the cult of self help books, and the impossibility of taking on all the advice on offer!

The adult debut from bestselling, award-winning young adult author Jaclyn Moriarty—a frequently hilarious, brilliantly observed novel—that follows a single mother’s heartfelt search for greater truths about the universe, her family and herself.

Slightly slow going at the start but then unraveling into a classic mystery, albeit with a strange premise. Thanks NetGalley for the chance to read this!

I really struggled to get into this then I almost wished I hadn't. While it's well written and unusual, couldn't connect with the characters and found it ultimately disappointing.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

A bit of a slow burner but once I got into it a book I enjoyed, it was definitely different to the run of the mill books but possibly a bit too long drawn out and could have been shortened a bit to keep your interest

This is beautifully written book. The story line is wonderful and really witty in places. Great characters too. This is a highly recommended read.

I loved this book. It’s a bit weird – but weird is good. It’s clever and funny and unusual, and Abi is a wonderful main character, insecure, but completely sincere, refreshingly honest and a character who just deserves to have a happy ending.

Abi’s brother’s mysterious disappearance has coloured her whole life, a nagging loss, that never completely goes away. The only other constant thing in her life are the chapters from a supposed guidebook, that have arrived randomly over the years, giving advice and suggestions, for no apparent reason, and with no apparent goal.

As the book opens, Abi has been invited to attend a retreat to learn the truth about the guidebook. The people she meets and the things she learns will change her life, and the lives of those around her.

Abi speaks with such warmth, and her struggles and confusions are so relatable. This is uplifting without being schmaltzy – Abi is something of a dreamer, but she always has one foot firmly on the ground.

My only issue was that it was a bit too long – there were some sections that could have been cut down quite a bit. But otherwise this is a lovely book, and one that will stay with me.

This book is beautifully written but the execution wasn’t great.
I didn’t connect with the story or the characters.

'Gravity is the Thing' is a humorous but also heartbreaking book that will keep you, as the reader, enthralled throughout the story as if you are living it alongside the main character,

A very strange book - not really my 'thing' but I am sure for people who like books that are a little off the beaten track this will be perfect!

This was not my normal read but I decided to try a different genre but unfortunately it was not really a good read for me.There were parts of it I liked but others I couldn't really get Into ,also thought was a bit drawn out . It was well written and I'm sure it will appeal to some people just not me

A very difficult book for me to review.

It took a while to get in to but I like finding new and different authors so I persevered. Telling myself that the book would soon get going.
Which it did - kind of but towards the end, I completely lost interest. I didn't care about finding out what the deal was with the book. It's been a few weeks since I finished it - and the sad thing is, I don't remember the ending at all.

It was well written, it just didn't hold any interest for me personally. This isn't a reflection on the author, it just isn't my type of story that I enjoy..

Unfortunately I have not been able to finish this book. It started off ok but I kept expecting it to pick up pace but it didn't. For this reason I found myself not giving full attention.

Jaclyn Moriarty writes in a light, conversational tone which makes the reader feel instantly familiar and at ease with her protagonist, Abigail. "Gravity Is The Thing" has some cracking, uniquely observed humour but also deep emotion. Moriarty's characters leap from the page as she imbues them with mannerisms so subtle as to be almost imperceptible but which are instantly recognisable. She's clearly a great reader of people and body language. For me, the book felt disjointed in places though I suppose, as Abigail says, "life is full of disjunctions". Overall an enjoyable, unusual, uplifting read.

I couldn't be more confused about my feeling about this book if I tried. It took me days to get into it but when I did it held me firmly in its grip.

Abigail lost her brother Robert just before her sixteenth birthday. One day he was there, the next missing. Around the same time she began receiving random excerpts of a mysterious guidebook, the authors of which promise can change her life.

Twenty years on the only constant in her life is that book. Now a single mother she is invited to learn the truth about the book. She accepts the invite, more out of curiosity than any belief but soo finds her life changed in ways she would never have expected....

I think my problem with the book is that it takes time to get going. It comes to life when Abigail's past is recounted, before that it's a bit stagnant. But I'm very glad I stuck with it as when I read the last page it left me feeling warm inside - absolutely the definition of a feel good story.

I have a soft spot for Jaclyn Moriarty's YA books, having read them as a teenager, so when I saw she would be releasing an adult novel, I was looking forward to picking it up.

Abigail Sorenson's younger brother Robert went missing the eve of her 16th birthday, never to be heard from again. What follows for Abigail is a life of ups and downs, including a failed marriage, being a single parent and setting up her own cafe. One of the most consistent things in Abigail's life is the Guidebook. Shortly before Robert disappeared, she started receiving random chapters from an anonymous self help manual, along with exercises to complete. 20 years later, Abigail receives an invitation to go to a retreat to find out the truth of this Guidebook, an opportunity too intriguing to ignore. Following the retreat, Abigail attends weekly meeting with others that were also at the retreat.

The premise of the book is slightly bonkers, the reason for the guidebook. And to be honest, I'd expect nothing less of Jaclyn Moriarty! I won't give away what it is but even though it is a bit out there, she handles the entire situation around it so well. Bonkers but believable. The book isn't big on action and plot, we keep flashing back to Abigail's past as she tells the story of what happened in her life after her brother went missing, while also continuing to go forward in the present time. Having Abigail narrate the story is like being in the brain of someone who's mind is just going 90 miles an hour. It's like a conscious stream of thought but it makes you feel like you know Abigail. I did like Abigail, she's smart and funny though at times I wanted to shake her when it came to some of her decisions. However she's a likeable character who has had some sad things happen to her in her life and I really rooted for her to find her happily ever after. I felt the book lulled a bit in the middle but in the end it all comes together nicely, in true Jaclyn Moriarty style! I wasn't sure if it would but how did I even doubt her?! A gentle, quirky mystery that will pull at your heartstrings and make your heart soar.

Different to the books I'd usually read and surprisingly delightful. Really well written, charming and in some places laugh out loud funny.

I loved the plot twists and loved the chemistry between the two main characters. I ordered the next book so excited. Amazing!

I didn’t know what to expect from this book as I hadn’t read anything from this author before but I really enjoyed this book.

Many thanks to netgalley and Jaclyn Moriarty for the advanced copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.