I loved this book! It was unique and creative. The sense of magical realism lingered throughout the book to the twist at the end.

A woman who just lost her mother to breast cancer and is herself a breast cancer survivor. A man who suffers from depression and anxiety and difficult family history. A precocious young girl who claims to be an alien from the stars, but appears to be homeless and abused. I loved this story of how these three characters meet, bond, and gradually learn to support and trust each other. Whether she's from another planet or not, the little girl, Ursa, is truly magical and is the catalyst for all the good things that happen--which she is quick to take credit for! Loved the role of nature, birds, and animals in this book. There are humor, drama, great characters, a unique storyline, and a dog named Little Bear--one miracle for me!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars is an excellent tale told very well and bodes well for the future - this is the debut offering of Glendy Vanderah. I can't wait for number two.

This tale is tight, the protagonists well rounded and empathetic, and the plot heartbreaking at times and always compelling. Taking place in farm country not far from the small town of Vienna, Illinois, we follow our heroine Jo as she wanders the country roads and wild woods charting the nesting habits, failures, and successes of Indigo Buntings and assorted other birds throughout the summer. Mourning the recent cancer death of her mother, from whom she inherited the BRCA1 mutant gene, Jo is herself, at 25, a recent cancer survivor recovering from several surgeries and chemo after testing caught her own cancer in the early stages. She is grateful to be working on her own this summer after a two-year break in her studies, working out of a small primitive cabin owned by one of the professors at her college in Champaign. But she isn't alone for long. The first invasion into her private summer of mourning her mother, her boobs, and the children she can never have is a small hungry pup. Followed closely by the young bruised alien from the pinwheel galaxy. Things only get more complicated from that point on. And then we add in the Egg Man.

This is a novel I am pleased to refer to friends and family. I literally couldn't put it down. I received a free electronic copy of this exceptional novel from Netgalley, Glendy Vanderah, and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

WOW! That's the best word to describe this beautifully written wonderful book. I loved this novel from the first page and couldn't put it down until the end. The ending is so well done and ties the entire story together so well. Where the Forest Meets the Stars is my favorite book read this year. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book drew me in from the opening pages and kept my interest the entire book. The three main characters, Jo, Gabe, and Ursa, were multi-faceted and likable. It was an uplifting book and an easy read. I am so pleased I was given the opportunity to read this story.

I really loved this book! It was well-written and the characters are very engaging. The story is not at all predictable and I found myself unsure of the outcome for the duration of reading, which is always the gold standard in fiction novels. This story touched on so many beautiful themes in a very original way. Love, loss, grieving, how humans protect themselves from trauma, friendship, family dynamics, and a lot more. They way these themes were addressed were never cliche, but give the reader a natural inclination to think over these themes in their own minds while they are reading and well after they have finished the book.

The writing is as strong as is the story telling. I felt that the writing-style got a touch muddled in the final chapters, but not enough to be a true distraction from the story as a whole.

I am excited to read more from this new author!

This is an absolutely wonderful book - from start to finish. The characters are enchanting...

Please make a sequel!!!

*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

When I first started reading this book, I thought I would be captivated by Ursa and her story. But I had to push myself to finish it. I did because I was curious about Ursa's backstory but that's the only reason. The characters were flat, trite, and unoriginal.. There was no chemistry between Gabe and Jo and honestly I really began to dislike Jo. I felt like she had no respect for Gabe as a person and completely disregarded his mental illness. The plot was unrealistic and the ending was too perfect. There could've been so much more here but I was underwhelmed.

This is a stunning book. I was captivated from chapter one. Beautiful writing combined with a compelling and unique story. I don't want to say much more because I don't want to spoil a single part of the lovely experience of reading it.

It was extra fun for me because the story takes place close to home: mostly in Southern Illinois, but sometimes in Saint Louis. I recognized so many things. The main character is a grad student at the University of Illinois - where my husband went to school.

Very highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union for the ARC.

3.5 stars

The majority of this book, I was extremely intrigued by the story. A little girl seemingly turns up out of nowhere claiming to be an alien sent to Earth "to earn her Ph.D." At first, the main character, Jo, is concerned and follows the proper avenues for returning this girl to her family. When those original efforts fail, she becomes immersed in the girl's fantasy and eases up on her intention to find out the truth. The majority of this story is shrouded in mystery, and I flew through it. I love found families in books, and this one, in particular, was so sweet. The three main characters each have been through so much and find solace in each other, which was really sweet to see. Unfortunately, I was a little let down by the ending. It seemed to wrap up in a way that was a little too convenient for me. However, overall this is a heartwarming story.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC! This review will be posted on Goodreads', Barnes and Noble's, and Amazon's websites.

When this book showed up in my inbox for review, I wasn’t entirely sure it was something I wanted to read. It sounded a little sad and on the heavy side so initially I set it to the side as a ‘probably wouldn’t review’ book.

But I wasn’t quite ready to write it off so I waited a few days to see if I might change my mind. The summary kept comping back into my mind and I kept thinking about the beautiful blue cover and interesting plot.

Eventually I decided on saying yes to this one, mostly because it sounded magical and elegant even if it was going to be a heavy, sad, tear jerker.

Summary

After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises.

The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay—just until she learns more about Ursa’s past.

Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore?

Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars (summary from Goodreads).

Review

And I was right, this was a very emotional book but it was a special book. It was so memorable and stayed with me for a number of days after I finished it. I had to keep Kleenex handy and I had a few days where I just had to set it down to give myself a little breather.

This book had a lot to recommend itself—-so many emotional high notes as well. This book was about love, loss, grief, pain, longing, and all topped off with a little bit of magic. It was exceptional and a story that I didn’t want to see end, even if my emotions were ready for it to end already!

I loved the wildlife and biology angle in this book. I thought it added an interesting element to a much larger story and I think that readers will find those bits interesting and new. There were parts of the story that initially I thought weren’t going to work (ie; alien child Ursa), but surprisingly, after a couple of pages I didn’t care because the writing was beautiful, the use of wildlife interesting, and the characters real and well developed.

This is a book that you are meant to experience not just read about and think, sure I will add it to my TBR and pick it up some time. While you certainly need to be prepared for a heavy hitting emotional book such as this, the story itself is so beautiful that you don’t want to miss out on it and let it waste away on your shelf! Go out and read it. You will never fully be ready for this story, but have some Kleenex handy and just enjoy the unfolding of an interesting tale!

This book ranks in one of the top five I’ve ever read. I absolutely adored it. I went into the book being a little skeptical because I’m not into sci-fi and when I read the story beings with a mysterious girl appearing out of the woods claiming to be an alien, I almost passed. If you are in the same boat, don’t pass on this book. The writing is beautiful, the characters are so lovely, and the story is one of a kind. This is a story of love, heartbreak, and second chances. I cannot wait to see what else comes from Glendy in the future!

It really says something about 2019's class of women's fiction to have so many spectacular novels touted as 'the best I've read this year,' and I am completely blown away by Glendy Vanderah's "Where the Forest Meets the Stars.' Truly spectacular, a full immersion into the most realistic world with a splendid cast of characters. (Aspiring authors, study this one for how to write fabulous characters!) I actually slowed down my reading toward the end so that I wouldn't have to close the book and be 'done' with these fascinating 'people.' Perfectly-paced, so nuanced in the growth of relationships, and breathtaking in every way. I completely loved it. I'll be surprised if I come across anything better this year,

Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a beautiful novel of the possibilities of what can happen when you open your mind and your heart.

Joanna Teale is a graduate student, researching birds at a cabin in the woods of Illinois, when she meets a young girl named Ursa, who says she comes from the stars. As much as she tries to chase her away, Ursa stays and Joanna becomes fond of her. Gabriel Nash, Joanna's reclusive neighbor is drawn into their orbit and as Joanna and Gabriel try to figure out who Ursa is, events get out of control and become dangerous for her and as a result, for them. What rights do they have to protect this young child who came from nowhere?

A beautifully written, captivating novel from Glendy Vanderah. Thank you to the author, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for and ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book is so captivating that I was unable to part with it until the last page. It is so beautifully written with such elegant charcters and prose that you find yourself hoping beyond hope that this book may last as long as possible. Its hard to comprehend that this is the author's debut novel as it so well done. ,

Joanna had a extreme amount of both trauma and grief. She lost her Mother and has survived breast cancer with a double breast removal so she is grappling with many emotions. She was in grad school to study birds when the cancer and her Mother's illness took over. She is well respected and as such she was gifted a house for a summer to do her studies on a coastal area by one of her superiors. She is consumed by her work and often works in the field 12 to 15 hour days until she reaches exhaustion. This is how she is coping with her losses and learning to live again.

When a young girl named Ursa, shows up at Joanna’s with bruises and torn clothing he tells Joanna she’s been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. Joanna is too practical to buy this story and insists that the girl go home. She is determined not to attach and wants the girl to leave. The girl is very intelligent and obviously hiding something terrible that happened to her.

Gabriel, a reclusive neighbor is who she turns to for help and as they investigate the child they become lovers and the three become a family unit. He is hiding his own pain and soon is opening up to Joanna in ways he has not for years. His Mother and sister are against him being involved with the child and his sister retaliates by calling the police. Ursa runs off and is not found until after the police leave. When Joanna's summer research is nearing a end they have to make hard decisions and possibly turn the child into authorities or risk being arrested. There is a mystery attached to the child that endangers Joanna and the child and it brings the book to a stunning turn of events with gunmen and shootings . After the mystery is solved the child is turned into authorities and Joanna is determined to fight for the right to adopt her.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a story that touched my heart and was so endearing. Its the story of unlikely charcters dealing with extreme loss and trauma who learn to love again despite all of their issues and past. At its core its a amazing testament of compassion and healing. Its wonderfully written and a very heartfelt book. I highly recommend this book and guarantee you will not be able to part with it until its last page is turned.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Jo is a graduate student, spending the summer in southern Illinois studying the nesting habits of birds. Seemingly out of nowhere, an 11 year old girl appears in her yard and will eventually change Jo's life. Where did she come from? Was she abandoned or is she from another world?
This is not typically the type of book I'm drawn to, however, this was such a magical, wonderful story ultimately about love. They mystery of who the girl is kept me turning the pages until I was done! I loved this book!
Thanks to Glendy Vanderah, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this fantastic book!

I loved this book! The characters were well-developed and likable and that sense of mystery of whether Ursa is from another planet or not is so fun! I loved how all three main characters had so many internal and external struggles but still kept a strong sense of identity. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in one day!

Favorite Quotes:

As always, words fail when you most want to say the right thing… I’ve decided language isn’t as advanced as we think it is. We’re still apes trying to express our thoughts with grunts while most of what we want to communicate stays locked in our brains.

He was teaching her how to play poker, and they were using oyster crackers as betting chips. “First guns, now gambling,” Jo said. “You’re a bad influence.” “Not for long,” he said. “We can’t stop eating our money.”

And I know what you’ve been through—how it could have …influenced what you did.” Why did everyone think that? She kept her mouth shut, but she wanted to say that she wouldn’t have done anything different if she still had her mother and her breasts and her ovaries. She would love Ursa just as much.

Did she tell you she once snuck a lamb into the hospital? … She knows I love the baby farm animals she works with, so she packs the lamb in her car with its milk, drives up to Chicago, and sneaks it into my room two days after my breasts were removed. She takes this tiny lamb out of a shoulder bag, lays it on my bed, and hands me the bottle. There, she says, who needs tits anyway? There are other ways to give milk.

Before his life fell apart, he’d wanted to be an astrophysicist. He named his daughter Ursa for the Big Bear in the sky, and he’d taught her the names of stars and constellations. When Ursa was afraid of the dark, he would open her window a crack and tell her good magic that fell out of the stars was coming in her window. He said the magic would always keep her safe. After he died, Ursa opened her window wide every night, trying to let in lots of good magic.


My Review:

This captivating book bewitched and enthralled me. I delighted in the unexpected and stealthy hits of clever wit and levity that was surprisingly tucked into the most unexpected places. I gleefully endured the prickling and tauntingly enticing mystery that relentlessly beckoned to me to continue reading and ignore anything and everything beyond the screen of my Kindle.

Ms. Vanderah’s writing was alchemy and I was ensorcelled. I was repeatedly taken with the layered depth of the fascinating and quirky characters as well as the thoughtful creativity of the storylines, which were complex and beautifully textured with cleverly amusing and cringe-worthy details.

I waffled in my theories of whether the girl’s fantastical explanations and alien assertions could be true as she was oddly intelligent and insightful, and far more advanced than many adults in her ability to absorb knowledge or sketch, yet she was a small child with an estimated age of nine. My curiosity was as unabating as Ursa’s quarks. I reveled in this stunning and cunningly crafted tale from beginning to end and was absolutely staggered once aware it was the author’s debut. Glendy Vanderah is definitely one to watch. A Five-Stars rating is not enough by half.

Magical book with a big heart. I loved the characters in this book and the fact that it never really came out and said what you were waiting to figure out the whole time. Did you believe Ursa or was she protecting herself with her story. Fun, whimsical story with the right amount of love story woven through!

This story is quite unlike any others I've read. Granted, this may be because I tend to stay away from books about families. Let's not think about what that says about me. Let's move on.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars is about Joanna, a lonely woman, who meets Ursa, a captivating little girl who seemingly appears out of nowhere. It's truly a story of the random connection between strangers and how those strangers can ultimately become like family. Joanna, along with her neighbor Gabriel, try to figure out the mystery behind Ursa's appearance. We learn a lot about survival, sadness, family, and miracles as the story continues.

There were instances where the story lagged, perhaps with tidbits that weren't all that essential to the main story, However, it's a story that has left me thinking about it long after I finished it, and it has really made me think about the concept of "home" and family. I recommend readers give this book a try as any book that leaves you thinking about it some time after truly has something about it to make it special.