☁️🐦 “Leaning on Air” (2024) 🐦 ☁️ – Book Review
MY REVIEW
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (May 7, 2024)
Language: English
ISBN: 1496481534
ISBN-13: 978-1496481535
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“They last spoke as teens . . .
But on a country road twelve years later, a surprise encounter reunites ornithologist Celia Burke with veterinary surgeon Burnaby Hayes, and they plunge into the most unusual romance of her life.
After a decade of marriage, Celia and Burnaby have found a unique and beautiful rhythm. Then tragedy strikes while Celia hunts for the nest of a research hawk near the Snake River. Reeling with grief, she’s certain Burnaby won’t understand her anguish or forgive the choice that initiated it.
She flees to kindness at a remote farm in Washington’s Palouse region, where a wild prairie and an alluring neighbor convince her to begin anew. But when unexplained accidents, cryptic sketches, and a mute little boy make her doubt her decision, only a red-tailed hawk and the endangered lives of those she loves can compel her to examine her past—and reconsider her future.
A soaring tale of wonder, loss, redemption, and restoration from Cheryl Grey Bostrom, the award-winning author of Sugar Birds.”
Thank you in advance to the publisher, Tyndale House, for providing a complimentary review copy through JustRead Publicity Tours. A positive review was not required or requested, and all words are my own.
Bostrum is a new-to-me author, and I loved the premise of the book (back blurb).
When I decided to read this, I honestly had NO idea it was a continuation book. The previous book, Sugar Birds, is a “must-read” before this one.
It establishes the characters of Celia and Burnaby, along with Burnaby’s sister Aggie. This starts 12 years after the events in Sugar Birds (1997), and then goes to 2008 where the majority of the story takes place.
There are other characters as well:
👵🏻 Hazel (Celia’s maternal grandmother)
🚜 Satchel (works for Hazel)
👩🏻 Flory (Satchel’s wife; mother to Ruth, Cobby, Willie; lost another child)
👩🏻 Ruth (“dating” Ivan)
👦🏻 Cobby (5, twin to Willie)
👦🏻 Willie (5, twin to Cobby)
🐎 Oren (Ivan’s son; Hazel’s neighbor)
🚜 Ivan (works for Satchel, not his father)
This has some heavy themes – miscarriages (multiple for one character, a single for another), parental abandonment, post-partum depression, premature birth (with baby’s death), mention of arson, a family death, family drama, and a main character who has Autism (male – Burnaby). There is also a “fade-to-black” on-page intimate scene without description.
This is written similar to the first book. In Sugar Birds, Aggie’s POV is in third person where Celia is in first. In this book, Burnaby and Celia are in third person, where Cobby is in first person.
Right off, Bostrom wastes no time in reuniting Burnaby and Celia. Though, in the 12 years since the events of Sugar Birds, Celia has had her own life. One, even includes a relationship with a mentor who is over 10+ years her senior. The man even proposes marriage, but Celia has a habit (much like her mother) to run from certain things.
But, in running, Celia stops and marries Burnaby in a strange elopement.
Now, 11 years into that marriage – Celia is pregnant and searching for a bird – one that connects the events of the first book. But, in getting a blood sample from the bird, Celia goes into premature birth and loses the baby. This is in addition to the other miscarriages she suffers.
Given Burnaby’s quirks, he walks out of Celia’s hospital room. And, Celia thinks he blames her for the loss of the baby. She certainly blames herself.
The two are then distanced. Not only has spontaneous affection been a problem for Burnaby (sensory aberration), his quirk causes more issues between him and Celia. It is her that cannot stand his touch. Though, there is more going on.
While he is on a medical conference in England, Celia gets news of her mother’s death, and it is at the funeral in Chicago where Celia learns about another relative (Hazel). This relative lives close by Celia back home in Washington. It seems Celia’s mother hid a lot of secrets.
Celia, unsure if she can stay with Burnaby after losing their unnamed daughter, goes to stay with the relative. She then wonders if she shouldn’t just leave Burnaby given their distance.
Celia slips deeper into despair until she’s yanked out and thrust back into the living. She then finds interest in the land and farming. She also becomes attached to those around her.
Burnaby still loves Celia and wants to work on their relationship. Celia decides she also has to let go of the work that she feels claimed her daughter’s life.
As they work on themselves and their relationship; someone is determined to sabotage the land that is helping Celia heal. But, it is in those losses that healing happens for more than just Celia.
There is so much going on in this book it was a bit hard to keep track of it:
➡️ Celia – loss of her baby
➡️ Burnaby – dealing with the loss of Celia
➡️ Celia – her new family
➡️ Sabotage on the Steffen Farm
➡️ Hunting accident (causes Cobb to go mute)
This is definitely written for those who love birds and also have an interest in farming. As a result of the two topics, I did struggle through some of the book. There was a lot of technical terms with regard to Celia and Burnaby’s occupation. Despite this, it did hold my interest with regards to other aspects, the short chapters helped me keep reading at a steady pace. While not a “grabber”; it was hard to put down as I wanted to see the story through, where it ended, and how it ended. The author has a vivid way of writing that the reader can almost see and smell their surroundings. She truly brought the scenes to life and the characters were so well written that readers could get invested in them.
The ending seemed a bit rushed and short, especially for what was going on. Yet, it seemed to work. I know it kept me up past my bedtime to finish it. I just couldn’t go another night not knowing how it was going to turn out. The storyline about the mute little buy didn’t come up until about 2/3 of the way into the story.
While I understand there are multitudes of differences among those on the Autism spectrum, it was difficult reading Burnaby’s perspective as well as the “technical” way he saw everything from nature to his “personal relations” with Celia. It was, in my view – mechanical and cold – though I am sure this is how some mixed (non-Autistic/Autistic) relationships are. It was difficult to connect to his character. I did have to admire his love and dedication to Celia.
There are moderate to strong themes of the Christian faith in the book. As Tyndale is a primarily Christian publisher, this is definitely to be expected. I was surprised that for as scientific as Burnaby was, he had unlimited faith.
The title seemingly came from a line about Celia “leaning on air” during yet another funeral. Other than that, there is little connection to the title of the book.
This was – by far – one of the most raw, realistic, visceral, riveting, intense, emotionally-jarring, and heart-wrenching books I’ve ever read. It is one that will stay with the readers for a while no matter what aspect of the book readers are attracted to.
I would be interested in a follow up book to see how Burnaby and Celia are doing; as well as what Aggie is up to. She came to visit for a short time, then left. I have Sugar Birds on my TBR list and am looking forward to reading it sometime.
RATING:
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html;update https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2022/07/what-goes-into-my-reviews-2022-edition.html)
Connected Book:
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (October 17, 2023)
Language: English
ISBN: 1496481631
ISBN-13: 978-1496481634
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“NORTHWEST WASHINGTON STATE, 1985
For years, Harris Hayes has taught his daughter, Aggie, the ways of the northern woods, where she sketches nests of wild birds as an antidote to sadness. Then her depressed, unpredictable mother forbids her to climb the trees that give her sanctuary and comfort. Angry, ten-year-old Aggie accidentally lights a tragic fire and flees downriver. She lands her boat near untamed forest, then hides among trees and creatures she believes are her only friends―determined to remain undiscovered.
A search party gathers hours after Celia arrives at her grandmother’s nearby farm. Hurting from her parents’ breakup, she also plans to run. But when she joins the hunt for Aggie, she meets two irresistible young men who compel her to stay. One is autistic; the other, dangerous.
Ideal for fans of Under the Magnolias, Where the Crawdads Sing, and The Great Alone, Sugar Birds is a layered, riveting story set in the breathtaking natural world―where characters encounter the mending power of forgiveness, for themselves and for those who have failed them.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For most of her life, Pacific Northwest naturalist and bestselling author Cheryl Grey Bostrom has roamed the rural and wild lands that infuse her fiction, poetry, and devotional writing. A Christy Award finalist, her debut novel Sugar Birds has won more than a dozen key honors, with a Carol Award, Christianity Today’s Fiction Award of Merit, and American Fiction Nautilus, Reader’s Favorite, and International Book Awards among them. An avid photographer, she lives with her veterinarian husband and a small pack of Gordon setters in Washington state. Connect with her at https://cherylbostrom.com/.
She can also be found on the following social media sites:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cgbostrom
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherylgreybostrom/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cheryl_bostrom
**This review contains Amazon affiliate links.
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