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Departures by Robin Jones Gunn - Review

Updated: Dec 8, 2022

This book consisted of new novellas, one about Christy Miller and the other about Sierra Jensen, who Christy met in the last book and who has her own series. They cross paths unknowingly in these two stories.


Book Synopsis:


Now Boarding at Gate 10

After her high school graduation, still aching from Todd’s departure, Christy joins her family on a trip to Wisconsin to visit relatives. While there, she reunites with Matthew, an old friend from junior high. When Matthew starts to show a romantic interest in Christy, she realizes this summer vacation could change everything she thought her future would be.

In the Event of a Water Landing

Fifteen-year-old Sierra Jensen can’t wait to spend her summer vacation with her friend Jana at a pristine lake in Montana. But when they arrive, it becomes clear that Jana’s only interest is acquiring a boyfriend. Sierra just wants to hang out with the guys as friends, but Jana turns every encounter into a possible romantic relationship. As their friendship begins to suffer, Sierra wonders if it’s possible to find a Forever Friend who will listen to you, laugh with you, and keep your confidences.


My Review:

3.5/5 stars. With Christy's book, I felt like it didn't really fit into the Christy canon. It wasn't referenced at all in the last Christy book, and I don't know yet if it will be referenced in any of the future books. It just seems like you could skip it and wouldn't miss anything important to the rest of the books.


The writing style also seemed weaker than in the main Christy series. I don't know what it is exactly, but it just seemed clunkier or simpler or something. I noticed it with both books.


I liked the setting of a small Midwest town. As someone from the Midwest, I could relate to the cookouts and picnics. I live in a bigger town than Christy's hometown, but I can understand everyone knowing everyone else by name because my grandparents live in small rural towns.


I liked Matthew, but I thought Christy was being really dramatic about him and what he had said in fifth grade.


I liked Sierra's story a little more. I thought it was a nice introduction to Sierra's character, more in-depth than what we got in book 12 of the Christy series. I like her as a character. She's very spunky and outgoing. However, I thought that Sierra were making a big deal about being noticed based on appearance, which I don't think is what you should want and doesn't seem consistent with how she is later in the book.


Speaking of how she is later in the book, I loved that Sierra didn't want to be of the world, and she wanted to handle romantic relationships in a Godly way. I can relate to overthinking and overanalyzing her feelings about guys and what she should do with them.


Something I think both books showed was a realistic sibling dynamic. In Christy's story, her brother annoys her but then they spend some time together, just the two of them having fun. In Sierra's story, Jana and her brother argue a lot, but they still get along in the end.


I think, though, that this book just felt like a very forced way of having Christy and Sierra "cross paths". They were only mentioned once in each other's stories, and it didn't feel natural. The moment in Sierra's story where Christy was mentioned was very clearly just there as a callback. It was the same moment we already read about but from an outside perspective. Going into this book, I thought there would've been more of a connection.


This book is one that you could skip. If you want to read every single Christy Miller related book, it's not a bad book, but if you don't read it, you won't miss out on anything.


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