The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

The Strange And Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender 

by Leslye Walton

 

Love makes us such fools.

Pain in love appears to be a Roux family birthright, and for Ava Lavender, a girl born with the wings of a bird, it is key to her inheritance. Longing to fit in with her peers, Ava ventures away from home, ill-prepared for what awaits her in a world that does not know whether to view her as a girl or angel.

Ava's quest and her family's saga build to a devastating crescendo until, on the summer solstice, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air and Ava's fate is revealed.

A mesmerizing, lyrical tale of longing, desire and the nature of love.

I bought this book simply because I fell in love with the cover and I put off reading it for quite a while because it didn't really sound like something I usually read and I wasn't sure I would enjoy it. Whereas I was right about that first part, the story of Ava Lavender is nothing like anything I have ever read, I had worried for nothing. I loved this book. I loved how different it is.

Not only do we learn about Ava Lavender's life but also about her family's history. And let me tell you, some strange things have happened in that family and it's a wonderful experience to get to know all about it. It took me a while to get into this book, merely because I hadn't expected anything like it. The magical elements were hard to grasp at first and I often wondered how I would get through a whole book that was this 'strange'. I soon found that the strange parts are what makes this book so wonderful and I learned to love the magical elements quickly. After accepting that this family's story wasn't like anyone else's, I enjoyed the book immensely.

I don't want to talk too much about the story itself, everyone should be able to discover the beauty of this book for themselves. I will certainly recommend reading it but with one piece of advice: Don't give up on the story after the first chapter. You would regret that, believe me. I didn't think it was for me, and I can imagine that there are many people out there who won't love this book but don't let that keep you from giving it a try. You might love it. I did, even though I never thought I would.

Just thinking about this book is making me all dreamy and I keep thinking about the end that completely confused me, so I'm going to leave it at this short review. Thank you for reading!