Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

Keeping with my theme this year of reading and reviewing books that were personal favorites, I wanted to include Dear Edward, written by Ann Napolitano. This was a backlist book for me that I picked up second-hand. I’m so glad I finally read it!

Dear Edward

Dear Edward is a Read With Jenna book club pick from 2020. It was on my list for so long, and I am so glad I finally read it! You can check out more of Jenna’s picks here to see her full lineup of books hosted with the Today Show. Dear Edward was also a Book of the Month pick when it first came out.

Ann Napolitano is releasing a new book, Hello Beautiful, in March 2023. I can’t wait to read more of her books! Her new book is an add-on for Book of the Month club subscribers in March and I may have to get it!

Review

I loved Dear Edward. It was so character-driven. Although it has a very sad plot, I couldn’t put it down. The reader knows going into this novel that it deals with the aftermath of tragedy as Edward is the sole survivor of a plane crash that kills his entire family. Ann Napolitano has a way of bringing the reader along for a ride as Edward learns to cope with the notoriety of surviving the plane crash, whilst dealing with his own grief at such a young age. His life’s trajectory is immediately altered as he goes to live with his aunt and uncle in a new town. He has to find new friends, go to a new school, and learn to live in a new house.

“Humans need community, for our emotional health. We need connection, a sense of belonging. We are not built to thrive in isolation.”

— Dear Edward, Ann Napolitano

This is one of those books that reminds you of the tenacity of the human spirit, to persevere against all odds, when giving up would be so much easier. Edward eventually uses the money payouts he receives to help other family members of the victims who died in the crash. This helps give his life meaning and purpose after the tragedy as he struggles to make sense of his new, strange life.

“Take stock of who we are, and what we have, and then use it for good.”

— Dear Edward, Ann Napolitano

Dear Edward reminds the reader of how to find strength in the most impossible circumstances, when he is grief-stricken and numb to the world. He has to find a new normal, a way to cope with the unthinkable in the midst of tragedy.

“What happened is baked into your bones, Edward. It lives under your skin. It’s not going away. It’s part of you and will be part of you every moment until you die. What you’ve been working on, ... is learning to live with that.”

— Dear Edward, Ann Napolitano

Rating

This is a definite 5 star recommendation. It’s a book you won’t want to put down after starting.

Currently Reading & Watching

I’ve been on a productivity and personal development kick with my reading. I started Hal Elrod’s The Miracle Morning: The 6 Habits That Will Transform Your Life Before 8AM. I’m learning I love mornings for exercise and writing blog posts! I’ll be sure to review it soon!

Jared and I just started How I Met Your Mother and it is so funny! We are only a couple episodes in so it should keep us entertained for a bit. We were watching How I Met Your Father, which was alright, but nothing beats an original! I’m also watching Schitt’s Creek again which is just one of the best shows ever. I like watching it while I’m on the treadmill, folding laundry, or cooking.

Up Next

I’ll be reviewing some of my favorite books in upcoming posts. As I wrote in my first post of 2023, Goals and Reading Habits for 2023, I wanted to start re-reading some of my favorite books and sharing them in posts. I have a few backlist books to share!

Let me know your favorite books and current tv shows! Connect with me on Instagram here for book recommendations!