If you like books by Kathleen Glasgow then this is definitely a book for you!

“You are strong. You are brave. You are not alone. Seventeen year old Iris is happy. She’s fearless, she’s strong. She is everything but a girl who lost her mum. But Iris’s dad and step-mum have been keeping a secret. One big enough to unravel her. Only the magnetic Orla can provide an escape until things get.,. Complicated. As Iris questions who she is, it becomes clear she can’t run away from grief. What happens when someone who has never faced up to the darkness lets it in?”

It was a rather poignant and powerful book - I’m an emotional person and this did make me cry a couple of times. The author wasn’t afraid to jump into messy topics and give them some light which felt refreshing and is something that many authors are doing nowadays which is definitely a good step forwards. There are signposts to charities and organisations that can help at the end too which always sits right with me when books are talking about sensitive issues.

Yes, it’s a heavy read, but one that is well worth it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

This book is one of the most beautiful book i have read in a long time to the point i re-read it 3 more times. the MC is a mess and flawed which i loved as perfect MC annoy me. the growth and themes are written perfectly and yes i might have laughed and cried during this book as it hit home

a must read for everyone

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our list for order next year and will recommend it to students.

Amy Beashel is an author who knows how to simultaneously break your heart, mend it and leave you filled with hope. We Are All Constellations is a wonderful story that makes you feel so much for the characters. A poignant exploration of grief in all it's forms.

As beautifully written as it is difficult to read, handling themes of mental health, grief and sexuality. This has such a strong narrative voice and perfectly captures an angry, sad, rebellious, unlikeable chapter of adolescence with bouts of truly destructive behaviour that puts me in the mind of stories like The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This does not have the answers but it understands and it doesn’t shy away from what you can go through as you’re getting there. Definitely a read that requires checking TWs but could be a very powerful one if you're in the right space for it.

Gergeously written, rich storytelling and really impactful thoughts on grief, mental health, assults and moving on from hurtful events.
The beautiful flowery writing style just adds to the story!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There is a lot that goes on in this book however this shouldn't stop someone from reading it.

The way that this book show how someone deals with grief, depression, sexuality and the way family can struggle to help is something I could have done with a few years ago.

Even though there is a lot to unpack this was beautifully written.

We are all Constellations is a book about grief, mental health, sexuality and attitudes to assault. There’s a lot going on, but it is explored with compassion and understanding. Unafraid to examine difficult topics, but done in a way that feels thoughtful and sensitive.
Seventeen year old Iris is a keen urban explorer. Strong. Fearless. Determined to forge her own path. And then she learns the truth of what happened to her mum on Christmas Eve seven years earlier.
With her world rocked, Iris heads into what can best be described as a tailspin. Doubting everything she’s ever known, she finds herself increasingly at odds with those she’s relied on. Self-absorbed and judgmental, this Iris is vulnerable as everything she has believed is called into question.

This book. OMG. I balled like a baby, which isn't surprising since I am a very emotional reader! The writing is so poetic and flowery and beautiful. The characters - I absolutely loved them. I resonated with this story so much which is probably what contributed to the endless balling. I definitely need and want to read more from Beashel!

Amy's writing is so stunning and beautiful. It had a lot of say about grief and the longer term impact it can have

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this beautifully written novel which explores complex themes of grief, mental health and family dynamics. 17 year old Iris is a warm yet spiky, flawed and relatable character trying to navigate family life and friendships whilst coming to terms with the circumstances of her mother's death. The subject matter may be difficult reading for some but is sensitively handled throughout. Four stars.

“You are strong. You are brave. You are not alone.”

Thank you to NetGalley and OneWorld Publications (Rock the Boat) for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Seventeen-year-old Iris is happy. She's fearless, she's strong. She is everything but a girl who lost her mum. But Iris's dad and step-mum have been keeping a secret. One big enough to unravel her. Only the magnetic Órla can provide an escape, until things get...complicated. As Iris questions who she is, it becomes clear she can't run away from grief. What happens when someone who has never faced up to the darkness lets it in?

Iris is someone who doesn’t entirely know what she wants beyond exploring the disused and abandoned - the more derelict, the better. She goes through a lot in this book and we really see her battling with her mental health and grief. I really struggled to find a connection with Iris during the book. It was only in the last 20% or so that I felt I could relate to her as she struggled so deeply. I wish I could have connected with her earlier because I think that would have helped me enjoy the story more on a whole.

This book didn’t grip me as much as I thought and hoped it would. The synopsis makes it seem like there’s this big dangerous secret and whilst it is quite a harsh one for anyone to swallow, we found out about it quite early on compared to really drawing it out and seeing more of a bombshell for Iris. I did really like the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters. It felt natural which is the most important thing. Too many authors put too much of a shine on such characters and make a big deal of it. I loved that it was brought to the forefront for a moment before calmly just continuing throughout the book. Natural and realistic. Another interesting thing about this book was the urbex element but I felt this really fizzled out as the end approached. It was disappointing to see it be shoved aside as it was. The ending felt nice, I think was as good of an outcome as it could have been. I would have liked a bit more depth to it but that may just be me being picky.

Overall, We Are All Constellations is a book that just slightly misses the mark for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and OneWorld Publications (Rock the Boat) for an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to have the chance to read this. I was really looking forward to this but I am unable to read it due to some of the trigger warnings mentioned.

We Are All Constellations is a beautifully inward story focusing on family, mental health and grief. It explores those rippling fractures of trauma that reverberate from our past into our present.

Amy Beashel thrives in these intimate, character-driven stories delving into the messy reality of mental health disorders and the lived experience of grief. Iris is a fantastically complex character, fractured by grief and the trauma of her past experiences. She is trying to find her footing in the world, leading to some mistakes and moments where she is incredibly unlikable and this behaviour is never justified. However, Beashel shows how she is all too human, learning and growing over the course of the story. I adored her rawness and the inevitable complications arising from that. Her past hangs heavy on her shoulders and complicates how she views herself and the world. Beashel infuses the story with a healthy dose of happiness and love, to balance that heavy darkness of some scenes and subjects touched upon. This creates that perfect balance that allows you to fully digest the situation and explore your own feelings.

As with her previous book The Sky is Mine, this is a visceral, gut-wrenching book that is unafraid to portray the dark messiness of these complex situations. There is so much nuance and sensitivity woven into this portrayal of mental health issues. In particular, the exploration of suicide is poignant and wonderfully complex. This is such a taboo subject, but one that needs to be shouted about and allowed for difficult discussions to take place. Having someone you know die by suicide upends everything and can often lead to a lot of guilt and shame. Beashel ensures that support and resources are signposted at the end of the book and allows plenty of moments for the book to just breathe and sit in its nuances.

We Are All Constellations is undoubtedly a heavy read, but one that truly stays with you.

Another hardhitting yet heartwarming story from the writer of The Sky is Mine. An extremely powerful read focusing on dealing with loss and grief.

We are all constellations is a moving, heart wrenching, but always heartwarming story, of loss and dealing with grief. It is well written and you really feel that you get behind the characters of the book and you really just want to reach through the pages and give them a great big hug.

Let's meet the leading lady of this book. Iris who is just 17 years of age. She has lost her beloved mother and is trying to be strong, fearless, brave and normal. She is trying to deal with the loss of her mother but is managing to not deal with it at the same time.

But then Iris meets Orla and Iris believes that Orla can give her the escape that she needs, an escape to stop the pain and to ignore the things that are going on around her. Like her dad and step mother keeping a big secret from her. But as she spends more time with Orla she becomes more and more not herself until she does something that is really not herself.

As we all find with grief running away from it and trying to hide from it is never going to work. Sometimes you have to let the pain in and let it swallow you. So that you can open up to the people who you love who are there to support, love and protect you. Sometimes the best thing to do is let others in.

Asking for help. Makes you brave, it makes you strong, and it above all lets you know that no matter what you are going through you are not alone.

This is a story about a girl dealing with the loss of her mother. It's a beautiful premise and a great look at grief in high school. I think there is a lot going on in this story which can make it hard to follow but it does deal with some deep stuff in a relatable way.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

although i understand what this book intended to do, i felt like it missed the mark. it was incredibly hard to follow as there were so many storylines happening at once and none of those storylines ended in a very satisfying way. the ultimate message of the book however was lovely.

I thought this was so well done. It has a lot to say about grief, friendship and family dynamics. The main character was relatable and you really found yourself getting behind her. I really enjoyed it.