This was an interesting and engaging read. If you enjoy music, and a bit of romance - then you will love this book! Kerry Anne King has written another great book!

This is a tale of addiction and the trials you face when you try to deny who you really are; this dark tale will grab you by your heart strings and never let go. I also absolutely loved every character. Each one broken but oh so beautiful.. Highly recommend! I literally read it in one day.

"Without music, life would be a mistake"  Friedrich Nietzsche

Music is everywhere, surrounding us, from the birds singing their glorious melodies to songs playing in our heads.  I can't imagine a life without having music.  It gives us life, it changes us, makes us stronger and gives us something to hope for.  This is what music means to Braden Healey.  When his mother brings him into a music store to purchase a new violin, Braden hears music coming from an instrument.  The luthier, hears it too and encourages Braden to play the cello.   Through encouragement and persuasion, his mother agrees to purchase the cello.  Braden becomes an amazing cellist but its forced to stop playing due to an accident where he injures his hands.  

Ophelia MacPhee - Phee, granddaughter of the luthier, inherits the music shop and in doing so, is intrusted with the responsibility of taking care 7 specific instruments and their owners.  These specific instruments are bound to their owners, from the day they sign their contract to play the instrument, until the day they die.  Some believe the instruments are cursed and terrible things will happen if the owner stops playing the instrument for whatever reason.  

A terrible tragedy happens, bringing Phee and Braden together, leading Phee to help Braden uncover memories of his accident, rebuild his relationship with his daughter and to find his way back to his one true passion, playing the cello. 

This story was so interesting as it gave the cello a life of its own, with Braden and his daughter being so connected with the music and the call to play.  The characters themselves were haunted by their past and yet, each of them found a way to move forward with their lives and to create new memories.  This book touched upon a few sensitive topics:  suicide, anxiety, depression, alcoholism.  The characters faced their worst fears and through compassion, understanding and forgiveness where able to come together and to heal. 

Thank you @netgally and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this incredible

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 

The story of Braden, Allie, Phee and the magical cello.  This book is a little out of my comfort zone (with a splash of magical realism thrown in- in the way of a cello that has a curse when it’s not played) but I’m so thrilled I read this.

This story follows Braden, a cello player who had to stop playing due to an injury to his hands. His daughter, Allie, who is also a cello player (with some mental health issues that pop up towards the middle/end) and Phee who is a luthier and took over her grandfathers string shop after he died.   Her grandfather left her with a small list of instruments and names and told her that if any of these players stopped playing their instruments they were be cursed, along with their families.

So, in this book we follow Braden who has stopped playing his instrument.
This book is pretty heavy, along with magical and musical.  It covers heavy topics and it’s hard hitting. Mental illness, suicide, death, PTSD and addiction.  If any of these are triggers for you, I would probably stay away. If you don’t like music, I would also stay away. 

My daughter plays violin so I had a soft spot for the love of string instruments in this book. Had the ending been slightly different (I felt it was rushed for my taste, like BOOM) I would have rated this 5. But, recommend it.. especially if you love and appreciate music and srings.

Everything You Are was wonderful! I enjoyed the way the characters’ struggles and the relationships between them were portrayed. Phee has been given her grandfather’s instrument shop.  And now she is in charge of repairing the instruments. But there’s something else he left her with. Something she struggles with every day. Braden is one of her customers. He lost feeling in his hands after an accident years ago. But he also lost his ability to play his beloved cello and lost music from his life. He’s been immersing himself in drinking for years. Then he receives a phone call that his ex-wife and son were killed in a car accident. And now his daughter Allie is falling apart from her grief and loss. He wants to help Allie but he hasn’t seen her in years. Phee becomes involved with Braden and Allie and she wants to help them. The writing in this book is beautiful and brings the story to life.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.   Thank you NetGalley.

The summary really drew me in...  how traumatic and heartbreaking...    but ultimately the story itself didn't hold up to the summary's hype if that makes sense. 

The storyline was heartwrenching and emotional... but the writing and book overall left so much to be desired.   it had such great potential. ;l

An interesting story with an interesting premise. I could definitely see a lot of people adoring a story about love and music and curses. However it was just okay for me.

A beautifully written story about loss, love and forgiveness. Braden is a brilliant cellist, who’s hands are damaged in a tragic accident, leaving him unable to play, and sending him into the world of alcoholism. He leaves his family and his beloved cello, but still has a spiritual connection to it, as he stumbles through binges and hangovers. 
His ex wife and son die in another tragic accident, leaving 17 yr old Allie alone, until Braden shows up, to reluctantly sober up and provide parental support until she’s 18.
Kerry Ann King is a gifted writer, with well developed characters and a deep, insightful style. I could hear the music, which is an integral part of this story, as that haunted cello drew the characters together, with their shared love of music.
Although I’m not a fan of fantasy, this novel did intrigue me, and I’m happy that the  genre didn’t dissuade me. I received an ARC for my honest review, and honestly, I liked it. My thanks to #NetGalley and  #LakeUnionPublishing for the opportunity.

Beautiful, heartwarming and emotional. 
A well written story that should be shared with your book buddy or book loving family member. I love everything Kerry Anne King writes and this one is added to that list.

Everything You Are is a heartwarming and emotional story that is well written. This is a must read and would make a great gift.

A lovely story about love, family and forgiveness.

I love so much about this book. The three central characters, Braden - who is on path to redemption and fight for his daughter, Allie - the daughter who feels lost after her mother's death and father's rejection, and Phee's spirited efforts to set rights to the wrongs.

I could feel the emotions of the characters like they were my own. Their journey resonated with me like nothing else. If I had to point out any problem, it would be the magical realism. I felt that the author didn't really delve into that aspect of the book. There is an ambiguity remaining till  the end, about whether Phee's beliefs and claims were all superstitions or had any truth to them.

But other than that, this was a beautiful and heartwarming tale.

Wow did I love this book!! This story was filled with such emotion!! Did not want the story to end! Highly highly recommend!

I feel this would be better if they had omitted some of the profanity,  BUT,  I enjoyed reading about the three characters, with the emotional issues they deal with.  The music was one thing that held the book together but there is also grief, suicide, and pain that, as you read, the book keeps you tied to it.  I've read a few books that have stayed with me but I feel this is one I'll read again.  Thank you to Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to find this author.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of Everything You Are by Kerry Anne King.

When Phee's grandfather signs over his music shop consisting of string instruments, she has no idea what she is getting herself into.  Because when a string instrument is given to a musician, they are bonded with that instrument for life.  To quit or abandon the instrument would surely bring a curse to them and their family.

That's exactly how it looks for Braden, who lost the use of his hands to frostbite.  Sunk into the depths of alcohol and despair, he's forced to reconnect with his daughter after learning that his ex-wife and son were killed in a care accident.  With the help of Phee, Braden works hard to overcome his addiction, his injury, and the damage done to his relationships.

Okay, I can see the appeal of this book.  I'm a music lover myself, I understand the obsession and borderline superstition that comes with it.  However, the overall tone of this book wasn't for me.  The over dramatization felt a bit manipulative, and unbelievable.  But, overall it was well written and executed.

Everything You Are is both a heartwarming and heartbreaking story that is an enjoyable read.  It is about a cello, a magical cello that tears a family apart and ultimately, brings it back together. It is well-written and includes important themes like addiction and suicide plus forgiveness, love, redemption, family, and hope.

Braden Healey is an accomplished cellist who, after an unfortunate accident, can no longer make music. He is convinced he is cursed. Divorced from his wife and kept from his children, he has succumbed to a life of alcoholism and has given up all hope. But after his ex-wife and son are killed in a tragic car accident, he is left with no choice but to return in order to raise his 17 year old daughter Allie and protect her from the curse.

Even though he is an alcoholic, Braden has other redeeming characteristics that makes him a sympathetic character. He is trying to make amends with his daughter but she rejects his efforts at every turn. While desperate to remain sober, he feels pulled to drink again and again. Braden is a broken person forced into a situation that will cause him to rise to the role of Father despite setbacks along the way or fail miserably and lose his daughter.

<i>Braden does the math, the number of days from Monday to Thursday divided by the distance between him and the drink he just poured, multiplied by the enormity of his failure and loss. All the calculations come out to the same answer: he is a miserable excuse for a human being.</i>

<i>Braden needs a wall to lean on. He needs to be nicely inebriated, lubricated, sloshed, to protect him from his daughter’s venom and the overpowering presence of the cello. He needs it so bad he can taste the wine in his mouth, warming his throat, creating a shield between him and his emotions.</i>

At the urging of a friend Braden joins what appears to be a novel approach to deal with alcoholism, in contrast to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). It is called Adventure Angels and is a different kind of support group. Instead of what is considered to be AA’s themes of guilt, shame and powerlessness, Adventure Angels treat each day like an adventure and try to bring a positive experience to someone else, perhaps through an altruistic act. If the member suffers a setback, they inform the group who then decides on an adventure for them. Some might say this approach reinforces their bad behavior but Adventure Angels consider it a celebration of an individual’s return to sobriety.

The cello plays a predominant role in the story.  This musical instrument is the one thing that Braden and Allie have in common. He paid for music lessons so that she could learn to play the cello, but like her father, she has given it. Braden and Allie hear it playing music at times and also feel a magnetic pull toward it. The magical realism element adds another layer and for me, greatly enhanced the story. But the power of music truly has the power to heal.

<i>In all of the years since he walked away from his music, his home, and his family, the cello has followed him into his dreams, inhabited all of his waking moments. A phrase of music here, a sensation of strings beneath his fingers there, a phantom bow in his hand when he’s drowning his memories in a bar.</i>
   
<i>Maybe he and Allie still have a chance. Maybe they can connect over the music. If he could teach her, it would be almost like playing himself.</i>

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader. Opt in exchange for my honest opinion.

A beautifully written story penned by Kerry Anne King. A lyrical Novel about love, family, courage and forgiveness.
Braden Healey , a cellist, who lost his son and ex-wife in an accident leaving him alone with his seventeen year old daughter, Allie. A grieving, stubborn and angry girl who hasn’t seen her father for eleven years.
Braden was a successful cellist until there was an accident and since then he claims he can’t play it anymore and now Allie plays it. They have this common bond that they try to deny.
 Phee’s (Ophelia) granddad hand over his business to Phee for her eighteenth birthday. She is very surprised that her grand dad has chosen her for their family business, what she doesn’t know is that not only she inherits the musical shop but also the secrets and promises that comes with it. There are people who signed contract for an instrument and now Phee has to make sure that these people continue to play.
A captivating, emotional and suspenseful novel. I found it very easy to connect with the characters who are vividly described. This book is about importance of family and friends, the importance of communication and seeking help. I have to say I enjoyed it from cover to cover. Great arrangement of plot, characters and story

My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending me an ARC copy.

Review posted on my blog: https://bookoholicscafe.blogspot.com/2019/11/everything-you-are.html
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4abSUVAtlK/

An original thought provoking intentionally alluring novel brought to you by Kerry Anne King with powerful suspense that I've never seen before.
When an author can create such a magical world it's not only inviting but a gem to behold.
This had that feel that just went from head to toe and moved you in every emotional realm.
From sadness, to hurt, to anger, to hope and or fear it was all here!
Wow!
Music has soul! Instruments are the highway to the soul.
They can move you in ways you've never been moved. The music can connect those who are suffering, it can heal those in pain, it can capture memories for a lifetime.
What a beautiful thing to not only see, but to read, to encounter, to wrap myself in and not let go.
Sadly, we all must move forward and the characters in this one are flawed but so vivid that they will stay with you long after you completed the reading.
You'll never see the twists or turns as they are masquerading behind the characters sense of worth.
However, I dare you to ask, Can music be a curse?
"Insanity can be generational."
Life throws curves. We must dust off. We must try again!
LOVED IT ALL!
I hope you do too!
Thank you for this blessing!

Beautiful tale of redemption and the magic of music with relateable characters. A fast moving heartwarming read.

EVERYTHING YOU ARE by Kerry Anne King

If she could die quietly, just close her story as if it’s a book she started reading and decided she didn’t like, she would welcome that. But she has to keep turning the pages; she’s not allowed to quit, because this is her fault and it’s the punishment she deserves.

Sometimes a book comes into your life and you never look at things the same. This is such a book. It’s so well written. So touching. Heartfelt. Filled with so many emotions. It’s like something you never expected. Nothing is the same from start to finish and yet every single word, page, chapter, just fits perfectly. From the death of a mother and son to the lives of a daughter and father. A promise to a grandfather. From alcoholism to drugs. From love to hate and back again. This book is filled with emotions you may not even know you have. Laughter, sadness, death, tears(lots of tears), life, music. Oh the music. You can feel that in your heart. I could at least. 

Love is such a fantastic feeling. True love that is from your heart. The language of love. From a woman to a man. A daughter to a father. Family to family. This book has many characters in it and they all feel such deep things. They are all fighting something. Something that is almost to strong to bear. Phee, the luthier, has to made a promise to her grandfather that is almost impossible for her to keep. Does she believe in curses or was that all just something in his head? Allie, lost her mother and brother and blames herself. Braden, a first-chair cellist for the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, lost his ability to play and became a drunk. Left his wife and children eleven years earlier. After the death of his wife and son he has to go be there for Allie. He’s always loved her but she hates him so bad. There are other characters, ones who have problems. Drinking problems. They are all there for each other no matter what though and keep each other on the straight way to being sober. 

Can anything fix these broken people. Can music be the salve that mends them? This is the story you have been waiting for. It’s going to grab you by the heart and pull you deep inside and won’t let go until you find the answers to every question. Until you read the very last word and believe me the ending of this book will make you weep. I wish I could think of the perfect words to describe how much this book touched me. The love that exists between people. The empathy, the heartfelt true caring of each other. A near tragedy that brings them all together to help mend. A cello that needs to be played. The music that touches you. 

This book is one that I will not forget to soon. It’s a pure piece of poetry that will make you so happy you read it. From start to finish you will love this book. You’ll cringe in places too. Hold your breath when you wonder what is going to happen next. Will they make it or will they all turn against each other. It’s just a story that I felt inside. The love, laughter, sadness, heartache and tears. So many feelings. It’s one of those books that give you all the feels. That in my opinion is a great novel.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #LakeUnionPublishers for this ARC. This review is from my heart and told in my own words.

A million stars for this but alas I can only give it 5. I highly recommend this book. A must read by a wonderful author. I look forward to more from her.

I loved the magical realism element of the cello with a soul. I also loved the study of family relationships between the absent father coming home and his daughterand some of the other deep themes explored. I could have done without the romance and had a hard time connecting with Phee, especially in the beginning.
This book was overall an enjoyable read.