🎧3⭐️

I am a fan of her books, the characters are well developed and always has a lot of emotional depth. This one is a coming of age YA story surrounding loss and friendship.

I had the audiobook read by Jess Nakihian, a suitably young voice, but a bit manic sounding. I couldn’t find a suitable speed to adjust too. It was either too fast or too slow for me. It eventually settles. She has a good range of voices I found her voice for Gabriel was ok.

Ru Evans is freakishly smart, attending college at 13 years of age. She is leaving away from home, struggling to make friends until she meets fellow outsider 17 year old Gabriel. When RU’s mom
dies and she is left with the prospect of living with her Aunt Ru and Gabriel take an impulsive road trip.
The story is told from RU’s POV she seems to be relating her story to some girls ( they are identified at the end). Oh my the main character isn’t at all likeable, i found her very abrupt, blunt and standoffish, it’s not stated but it feel that she is on the neurodivergent spectrum. I found her attitude very irritating, Gabriel who identifies as non-binary was more likeable.
The Aunt is chiselled from the same block as Ru.

I’ve loved several books but this author, but this one didn’t grab me, her characterisation is excellent and I can usually really connect, but I couldn’t connect with this book.

Life, Loss, and Puffins by Catherine Ryan Hyde and narrated by Jess Nahikian is simply beautiful, a wonderful coming of age (ahead of time) story, loss, grief, wonder and discovery. The story is full of wonderful characters, Ru and gabriel, the protagonists and especially Earl from Montana and Gladys and her family and friends in Yellowtail

I am getting ahead of myself however, but that is just how much I have enjoyed this audiobook.

Jess Nahikian applies great character, heart and personality to each and every character. Diverse, mellow, full of good humour or gritty, Nahikian is brilliant

Ru Evans has an insanely high IQ, always curious, thoughtful and observant, a bright and lively personality. She gets a scholarship to go to college at the age of 13 and the opportunity to lodge with a Mother and her son off campus. Ru's mother is initially reluctant, but one day, suddenly changes her mind and takes Ru to meet her host

The son of the house, Gabriel, is non-binary, wears makeup quiet and intelligent, 17 years old. Ru asks him why he had to take his makeup of when the families met, and why he was not his true self and over this, the quickly bond, like brother and sister. They talk into the night through the paper-thin walls

Ru is supposed to visit her mother every weekend, but she keeps cancelling. By the seventh week, Ru asks Gabriel to help her go home to visit her mother. Ru's aunt answers the door. This marks a series of events, including having to go and live with her aunt in Kentucky which is Ru's worst nightmare, she cannot face being separated from her brother by proxy, Gabriel.

This gives Ru the inspiration to go north, far north from their home in California. To go to Canada, to see the northern lights, and, hopefully, the bird they shared a great love of, puffins. However, the road trip gives them experience after experience, each one beautifully described, philosophical, insightful, empathetic. The description of the wolf, the woman in the dream and the aurora borealis were simply gorgeous. The narrative of shared silence was meditative and reflective

My heart, oh my aching heart. I laughed, I cried, I felt every cadence of the narrative. Life, Loss and Puffins is a great listen, I was utterly gripped from start to finish

I cannot recommend this enough

Thank you to Netgalley, Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio, the author Catherine Ryan Hyde and narrator Jess Nahikian for this amazing audiobook. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Catherine Ryan Hyde writes a joyous novel, brimming with emotional heart, inhabited by characters she creates and develops beautifully with her trademark abilities, focusing on the themes of loss, grief, friendship, eidetic memory, identity, what it is to be human, of living with spontaneity and in the moment, hope, band the adventures that unfold that make life worth living. I loved this so much I listened to the audio too, wonderfully narrated by Jess Nahikian, who I initially thought has Ru speaking too fast, but that may have been an indication of Ru before the major changes in her life start to take effect. I particularly loved the way she portrayed the wonderful Gabriel. Ru 'Rumiko' Evan is far from 'normal', she is freakishly smart, an unwanted label ensuring that there are expectations attached to it, which sees her at the age of 13 with a scholarship to go to college, which puts her in orbit of the bright 17 year old Gabriel, another 'misfit' outsider who does not fit in, and his mother.

Given their differences, the pair form a surprisingly strong connection, of a protective brother/sister nature, a relationship that makes the world a better place to be in with each other. Ru is hit hard when her mother dies, a situation exacerbated in that she is now expected with an Aunt who fails to see her and has attitudes and perspectives that threaten to derail Ru's life and what matters to her. Ru has dreams and ambitions, she is captivated by astronomy, the skies and stars, understanding and accepting it is impossible to know everything, she wants to see the Aurora Borealis and Atlantic puffins. Ru and Gabriel embark on a road trip from California to Canada that brings unforgettable life, adventure, along with other people into their lives, and the inevitable emotional and mentally expansive changes that follow.

There is magic, warmth and magnificence sprinkled in this purposeful and illuminating narrative, the author gives us remarkable characters and interactions, human complexities, what it is to really live, and awe inspiring locations that engage and enthrall. I have no doubt fans of the author are likely to love this too, as indeed are readers new to her. Highly recommended, both the book and the audio! Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC and Brilliance Publishing for an ALC.

This audio really pulled me in right from the start with its mesmerizing writing and compelling main characters. But I'll be honest, there were moments where I found myself tangled in the web of what was real and what wasn't. However, oddly enough, that uncertainty only added to the allure of the story.

Despite occasionally feeling a bit lost, I couldn't help but become attached to the characters. They felt so vivid and authentic, each with their own unique struggles and strengths. Even when I wasn't entirely sure where the story was headed, I found myself rooting for them, deeply invested in their journey.

The narration was captivating, weaving a tapestry of emotions and suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. I was hooked, eager to uncover the secrets hiding within the story. And while I may not have understood every twist and turn, I was swept away by the intensity of the experience.

This audio provided a captivating escape into a world filled with mystery and intrigue. Despite any confusion I may have felt along the way, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey it took me on. It's a testament to the power of storytelling to both entertain and challenge our perceptions.

One of my faves from Catherine Ryan Hyde yet!

I loved this one for a few reasons and honestly my fave? It was interesting, it was heartwarming, it was different and I felt really interested. The most important of all? I didn’t want to bawl my eyes out! I love CRH books but they always move me so deeply and I’m not always in a mood to cry!

The characters in this one, Rue (loved the story about her name!), Gabriel and all the adults were just so good. So well developed even if they were minor players. I felt like I understood them and why they were important to the story. I loved how they moved the story along, which is important, considering Rue was a child.

Despite the fact that the story was about a child, it didn’t feel like it. (I mean, if you thought about it, there were a lot of logical things that made you think of the narrator as a child.) Except the hopefulness, the wonder, the acceptance, etc. However, it was refreshing and I can always use more of that.

Advance reader copy thanks to NetGalley + Brilliance Audio but all opinions are my own.

This was a truly lovely story. I listened to it in 1 day. I loved the “herd” these 2 characters made. It was heartwarming and sad and wonderful all at the same time.
It is classified as Women’s Fiction and New Adult, but really this should be contemporary Young Adult fiction. The characters are teenagers not adults and the story does not contain and explicit or violent content, so YA would be the right spot for it. I think teens 13-17 would love this.

This story would maybe be believable in the 1950s but in 2024 there is no way a 13 year old and a 17 year old with no parental supervision would have gone on this adventure. If anything the police would have been called on the male character for kidnapping her.

Catherine Ryan Hyde strikes again. Life, Loss, and Puffins is yet another moving, delightful, empathetic tale. This time we have Ru, a 13 year old genius trying to make her way through difficult times on her own, and Gabriel, a 17 year old outsider. They form a fast friendship and end up taking us along on their adventures, dealing poignantly with grief, loss, and hope along the way. I loved this story and these characters.

Jess Nahikian did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Catherine Ryan Hyde, Lake Union Publishing, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I can't even begin to tell you how beautiful this novel was! It really took me by surprise how much I enjoyed it, especially since it was outside of my usual genres. So the book follows supersmart Ru as she navigates the world after her mother's death. It doesn't sound like much but what the author packs into this book will have you both tearing up and cheering. It was such a joy to read Ru's journey. I am looking forward to reading more by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

The narration of this book was flawless and I commend the narrator for doing such an incredible job.