I really loved this book. Beautifully written and a very original, quirky story with an intriguing and likeable central character. Real comfort reading!

I am not sure what this book is really about. The flight theme is confusing and I don’t really see its relevance. Abi has a lot of unresolved issues and the self help journey and her Happiness Cafe are helping her find answers. If you like strange and unusual books then give this one a try.

This book was full to the brim of hope and heart break. The kind of hope that would get you through the darkest of days and the kind of heart break that would knock you back to rock bottom.

It was a wonderful book and beautifully written. It touched on so many different life outlooks and beliefs that it was a truly uplifting to read.

I thoroughly enjoyed the style in which the book was written, especially the way that stories from the past were wound in to the present day. I also liked how there were sufficient pauses between chapters / paragraphs, which meant there was sufficient time to absorb what had been said.

Gravity is the Thing took me a bit by surprise. In the beginning it seems like such an unlikely premise for a book, that even one person never mind a group of people would take off to an unknown place for an unknown reason and follow unusual instructions. But gradually I found myself drawn in to the quirkinesses of the story and the underlying heartbreak of Abigail and her missing brother. The various characters in the Learning to fly group and their struggles with life - and their finding of happiness, made me feel we all have to be kinder to each other. Maybe we all need a Happiness Cafe...

Abi never got over the disappearance of her brother who disappeared just as she turned sixteen. Round about that time she began to get chapters of a strange book of 'life lessons'. Now an adult with a young son, she gets invited for a retreat where she can solve the mystery of these lessons. At the end a smaller group are left who meet every Tuesday at Wilbur's apartment for lessons on flying.

If that sounds somewhat weird & disjointed that's the way I felt about this book. I really struggled with this one. I know a lot of people loved it, but most of the time I was bored. I did struggle to the end, which it why I gave it two stars but overall it just wasn't for me. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This was a quirky little book and had me laughing a few times however, I felt it dragged a little and focused in on some parts that weren’t necessary. I’m glad I continued to read though I wasn’t entirely convinced by the ending.

Gravity Is The Thing is such a lovely, heartwarming book. The main character, Abigail, has had her fair share of grief and hard times already in her life. When she is given the opportunity to go on a retreat connected to ‘The Guidebook’ that she has been receiving chapters of since she was a teenager, Abigail jumps at the chance. When she is selected to be one of the few chosen from a large group to find out the true meaning of The Guidebook, she is stunned at the big reveal. As are the other chosen few. They all leave, feeling disillusioned. But when the course leader, Wilbur, phones her, apologises, and asks if she’ll come to the weekly classes near to where she lives, she agrees. We learn much more about the participants, and Abigail in particular. She’s a single mum who runs her own business, and she works hard.

This was a gorgeous book. It made me laugh and cry, and made me think about my own life as well. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

I struggled with this, but ultimately am glad I persevered as I needed some closure on the Robert sub-plot! Still not clear on the ending but I think that’s the point!

This quirky book about a young girl who starts to receive rather random chapters of a self help guide aka The Guidebook initially had me in stitches. At the start of the book Abi has received an all expenses paid invitation to a retreat to learn more about the Guidebook and her journey there is very funny indeed. The other two factors which are intrinsic to the plot of this book are that Abi has a brother who has a diagnosis of MS but who mysteriously disappears and she owns the equally quirky Happiness cafe at whose door patrons are encouraged to leave their negative thoughts in a jar before they sit down - probably my favourite part of the book. For me the story lingers too long on Abi’s interaction with her fellow Guidebook ‘followers’. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a lovely, interesting and funny heartwarming book. It's ultimately about how to deal with the loss of loved ones, and how they never really leave you.

Ever since her teenage years, Abi has been receiving a guide book. It arrives on a yearly basis and the chapters are often out of sync but now all grown up she has been invited to a meeting of the guide book members. Intrigued she is soon packing her suitcase, leaving her young son Oliver in the care of her mother and jetting off for a weekend of the unknown.

It is here that the web begins to untangle and a motley group of people arrive to take part in a weekend of games which ultimately define who will stay and who will go.

Abigail has suffered a lot in her life and it’s the guidebook that has managed to get her through but now it’s over. The authors are dead and the son is carrying out their final wishes and organising the end get together.

Dejected Abi, heads back home and determined to get back on with her life but the people that she has met on the weekend will unexpectedly start re-appearing back in her life.

To be honest I did find this book hard going. It’s written mainly in the first person and ultimately I did not connect with Abigail or any of the other characters. There were moments in the book that I did find very touching however there was a lot of times when I found it to be very preachy and repetitive. I did read this to the very end but unfortunately this book was not for me.

I have read some wonderful reviews of this book so I do feel a little guilty for not loving it like they have but I have to follow my heart and sadly I found it very hard going. Don’t take my word for it as it is obviously a great book for a majority of people.

I tend to prefer action packed rather than introspective reads. This book was too slow paced for me, the meandering style just wasn’t for me. I do appreciate it is well written, just not to my tastes.

A really quirky book which I enjoyed, some great characters and an engaging back story.

Thanks for letting me review this book

I wasn't sure about this book t first but found it strangely compelling. Abigail was determined to find out what happened to her brother who just disappeared one day. I really enjoyed reading about Abigail and her life as a single mom running her own cafe. I loved the descriptions of Australia. I was glad Abigail found out what happened to her brother. A very good read.

Probably the most unusual book I've read this year with a structure that takes you on a meandering journey through a tangle of thoughts and events, past and present, but it adds up to one hell of a read! I honestly adored it. The beginning third had me giggling away and then we get to a sudden serious note and it's OMG, that happened! We follow Abi as she reaches a turning point in her life, find out how she got there and why before she finally understands herself a bit better and works out what's been going wrong. It's a quirky, funny, sad, up-lifting read which will stay with me. It would have been five stars if the last 20% hadn't been quite so out there!

I did enjoy this book but found it just a bit slow for me. I really enjoyed the awareness path it takes you on and the style of writing but just not at a good pace for me.

It certainly is a different kind of read so can understand the mixed reviews but for me personally, I love the hidden messages and the source of awareness.

If the pace was a little quicker then I think I would have definitely given it 5 stars but sadly I can only give it 4.

Thank you Atlantic Books and Netgalley.

Gravity is the Thing by Jaclyn Moriarty
This novel is all about Abigail a mother who had previously worked as a lawyer and is now a café owner. The café is one which only serves foods which release serotonins. She has had a difficult life dealing with the disappearance of her brother at the age of 15 and then her divorce from her husband.
Since her brother’s disappearance she had chapters from a self-help guide delivered to her. Then she gets an invitation to an all-expenses paid holiday and so decides to go. Here she participates in a number of strange activities, such as learning to fly, and at this point I am afraid to say I gave up. It definitely was not my sort of book and I could not therefore recommend it. If however you are into this kind of self-help then maybe it is the book for you. Many thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

When I started to read this book I was at first captivated by the writing style and the plot which intrigued me. By the end of the book, however, I wasn't so sure. I think because the book did meander at times when not much really happened. It could easily have been made shorter and therefore more interesting. Also you have to like the stream of consciousness type of writing which when done well was funny, heartbreaking and thougth provoking. But I also found it was sometimes tedious and long winded and boring.
I kept reading it though and overall I liked it because it was original and had some beautiful writing in it that made up for the parts I skimmed.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

What an incredible journey Gravity Is The Thing is. The central plot and conceit is clever but bizarre, which is recognised by the main characters (who have the same curiosity and sceptical approach as the reader). The characters are hugely likeable and there are some engrossing sub-plots along the way. This wasn’t at all what I expected and I really enjoyed it, albeit the last 1/4 was a little evangelical for my taste.

Thanks to #netgalley and Atlantic Books for an ARC in consideration of an honest review

This book has me divided. Some wonderful parts but overall quite slow and a points a bit laboured and rather too whimsical for me. Took a long time to read as it just wasn’t one of those I could immerse myself in. That said, it’s an interesting premise and I am glad that I persevered as the almost end was wonderful (lost it again for me in the last few pages).