I found all of the characters in this book including the dog very unlikable, a predictable plot. Disappointing Read

Such a heartfelt and thought-provoking novel that tackles themes of forgiveness, acceptance, and belonging. The character development was some of the best, and most charming, I’ve read in a while. A beautiful take on family, what defines it and how it defines you.

“This is life at this age, she muses, a million goodbyes, and you never know which are the final ones. You just absorb them, like little shocks, trusting with each one that you’ll be able to keep moving forward.”

This was a very sweet story about the joys and difficulties of blended families. It was often funny, both the writing and the situations the cast of adorably quirky characters got themselves into, and equally very touching in parts. I was well entertained and often couldn't put it down!
I did have some issues with the book though, I felt the pacing in the middle was a little off, sometimes the plot was quite predictable, the characters - especially in the beginning - felt a little charicatured, although in the end , they all ended up going through well-rounded growth. Most of all though, the rare inclusion of Celie's POV was a random choice for me - we didn't spend enough time with her for me to get used to her and this made it feel like her chapters were thrown for convenience of the story telling. Like, yes we did get to know her better but we didn't get this privilege for any of the other characters!
Overall, I had fun reading this!