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“Everyone eventually leaves Wren Plumley.” That’s how the summary for Postcards For A Songbird begins. Rebekah Crane put me in the colorful world that Wren painted, and left me unsure of whether I really wanted to leave. Thank you to Netgalley and Skyscape for giving me an e-copy of Postcards For A Songbird in exchange for my honest review!
Postcards For A Songbird by Rebekah Crane
Publication Date: August 6th 2019
Publisher: Skyscape
Where did I get this book?: Netgalley
Summary: Everyone eventually leaves Wren Plumley. First it was her mother, then her best friend, and then her sister. Now living with only her cop father and her upended dreams, Wren feels stranded, like a songbird falling in a storm.
When Wilder, a sickly housebound teen, moves in next door, Wren finally finds what she’s always wanted—a person who can’t leave. But a chance meeting with Luca, the talkative, crush-worthy boy in her driver’s ed class, has Wren wondering if maybe she’s too quick to push people away. Soon, Wren finds herself caught between the safety of a friendship and a love worth fighting for.
Wren starts to dream again. But when postcards begin arriving from her sister, Wren must ultimately confront why her mother left fourteen years before and why her sister followed in her footsteps. For her new life to take flight, Wren will have to reconcile the heartbreaking beauty of lost dreams and the beautiful heartbreak of her new reality.
REVIEW
My Rating: ☆☆☆
I really liked Rebekah Crane’s lyrical way of writing prose. I’ve read some reviews on Goodreads that found the flowery style to be unnecessary and distracting, but I enjoyed reading through all of the imagery Crane used to paint Wren’s story. It fit. I loved the thoughts of having auras, colors surrounding people, and the way Wren has a landscape painted in her room. Even when she described the casserole her dad makes that no one ever eats, it grounded me in Wren’s world. These added to the story, showing her monotonous lifestyle while also giving her something to dream in.
There wasn’t much of a plot for the majority of the story, which was fine. I’ve read books that didn’t have strong plots (this one in particular comes to mind), and I still enjoyed them. Toward the end, the plot starts to come into being, but before that, it’s a little confusing.
The romance was so cute! Luca was happy and bright, like sunshine, adventurous, and he spoke his mind without a care. He was the complete opposite of Wilder, who reminded me a bit of myself. Wilder’s goal was to stay safe at all costs, and to keep Wren safe too. His personality was a sharp contrast to his name – Wilder really didn’t care for adventure. He feared it, and wanted Wren to feel the same to avoid more abandonment. His personality reminded me of my own fears and how they hold me back from pursuing what I want. It was eye-opening, especially since I’m don’t do a lot of personal reflection on improving my well-being. (Sad but true.)
All in all, this was a sweet story emphasizing finding oneself, not letting fear hold you back, and accepting who you are and what you can become. Postcards For A Songbird is happy-sad and hits the right notes for a story with Summery vibes and hopeful dreams.
Have you read Postcards For A Songbird, or other books by Rebekah Crane? What were your thoughts? Did this review make you want to add this book to your TBR?
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