So far I’ve loved every book Rebecca Yarros has written! I don’t think I have to tell you that I was really excited when she announced her next book, Great and Precious Things. Part of me was scared though, because The Last Letter was ugly cry material. Today is release day and I want to tell you what I thought of this new book.
A big thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, Wildfire Marketing Solutions and the author for providing me with an ARC to read and review!
How do you define yourself when others have already decided who you are? 
“”Besides, books are easy,” he said with a shrug. “They lay out their truth in literal black and white.””
If you’ve read anything by Rebecca Yarros you know she creates characters you love and makes sure she knows what she’s talking about. Everything in her books always feels realistic and that always makes me love her stories just a little bit more! Great and Precious Things was no exception to what I just described.
One of my favorite things about this book is that it takes place in a small town. They’re the best, but they can also be really bad. Things are never forgotten in these towns and people have a hard time letting things go. On the other hand, people care for each other and just want to see their town stay succesful! Even if it can be just as bad as a soap opera.
“She was the exception to everything.”
Also, Rebecca Yarros creates characters you just have to love. Camden left this small town ten years ago and hasn’t looked back. If it weren’t for his father sending him a message, who knows if he would’ve head home at all. I don’t want to give too many details, because this is a story you need to experience on your own. Camden has always been seen as the black sheep and everything that happens is his fault. So much so, that he’s actually starting to believe people are right about him. Tragic events caused this thinking even more so. Camden is a character that you just want to hug and tell him it will all be okay. It was amazing to see him start to realize he wasn’t all bad and that he deserves love!
Willow lost what everyone thought was the love of her life, but that may not have been the case. Her Dad is a big part of this small town and doesn’t always agree with her decisions or other things that have happened in her family. I loved Willow, because she has such a strong will and won’t give up her dreams because her family didn’t approve. She’s not afraid to fight for what she believes in and won’t back down for anyone. She loves unconditionally and it shows.
“Darkness is drawn to the light, right? And there’s nothing brighter in this town than you.”
Camden and Willow have a past and I love how that this plays a part in this story. Their love for each other is clear. It gradually develops and that fit this perfectly. Even when letting each other go would probably make things easier, they keep on fighting. They take on all obstacles together.
Another aspect of this story I loved was that it wasn’t just the romance between Camden and Willow. Family, grief, forgiveness, free will and new beginnings also play a big part in Great and Precious Things. On top of that there are some major twists I did not see coming. Rebecca Yarros still knows how to surprise me. This wasn’t an ugly cry book, but I felt so with these characters that I won’t forget them anytime soon!
“All great and precious things are lonely.”
I’m a hopeless romantic and adore all things chocolate, coffee and paleo. No, seriously, I need to have a caffeine IV put in. I’ve adored reading all my life, and writing naturally evolved from my love of late nights and promises of one more page.
Luckily this book didn’t break my heart as much as The Last Letter did, but I still loved these characters just as much. Rebecca Yarros recently said that she’s publishing four novels this year and she’s off to a great start with Great and Precious Things! Have you ever read anything by Rebecca Yarros? Let me know in the comments!
Great review! Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🙂
I’ve never read anything by her before but she is definitely going on my TBR, awesome post!