The absolute best dilemma a reader can face is to launch herself into a book that is so propulsive she wants to read ever more quickly, but is also so thoughtful that she finds herself stopping and re-reading passages that are profound or lyrical or abiding, or all three.

That was me, slipping unsuspecting into the book Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff. The story of two pre-teen boys fleeing through the north woods, both escaping and confronting things that would best most adults, didn't let up. But layered in with the "non-stop action" were the characters' observations, such as:

"She was praying, Tiffany knew, speaking a silent poem to it." and "The world was not pure blessing. There was a sense of betrayal in it all too."

The adults who go in search of the boys, each so distinctive and fully realized, have their own quests and challenges. I loved seeing how resourceful and resilient those country boys were, and I loved meeting fictional characters with true Character. I will be recommending this book widely and fiercely.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for an advance readers copy.

May I introduce two young boys who are friends? Nicknamed Fish and Bread. They like to hang out together. Fish has lost his dad and Bread has lost his mom. Fish lives with his grandfather on his farm. Bread lives with his dad who abuses him.
One evening Fish tries to save Bread from his dad, a gun goes off and his dad is lying on the floor. The boys become so frightened they decide to runaway. They gather supplies and head off into the woods.
The author now takes you on the most wildest journey of survival. I could smell the forest and actually feel the dangers as my heart raced for the boys. Truly an amazing tale of love, strength and sacrifice. This is more than a page turner, it’s a life force that will take hold of you and not let go.

I enjoyed this book. It included friendships, wisdom, heart, strength, loyalty, love of family, mystery & some romance! Two young friends running from the law turns into a journey of finding their inner self. Along the way, other discoveries about several other people are also found. I received this ARC free from NetGalley.

The story of why 10 year olds, Fish and Bread, ran away and the journey they went on was an emotional roller coaster. Add in the story of the Sheriff that didn't feel like he should be in the job he was in and the girl that had a crush on the him and the book was even more interesting. The characters - including a grandfather and a mother - were all well thought out and came to life on the page. I enjoyed this book and look forward to future books by Andrew J. Graff. Thank you NetGalley and Ecco for a digital ARC of this title.

Raft of Stars takes the reader through deep woods and down a roaring river with two boys in 1994 when they run away after one shoots and kills the other’s evil father, An inept but well-meaning crew try to find them before the elements, hunger or rapids do. The endearing characters and fine descriptive passages redeem the predictable plot in this uneven debut.

Raft of Stars felt different than any book I've ever read. It's a story about grief, loss, hope, and growing up. Graff impeccably describes the surroundings of the small town of Claypot, Wisconsin and the surrounding river. The images in my head were so beautiful. Also, I felt like this book was a coming of age for not just Fish and Bread but also Tiffany and Cal. I felt so attached to them by the end of the book and wanted to give them all hugs. The innocence of two 10 year old boys felt spot on, yet I kept thinking they were at least 14 because they were surviving on a river raft with little food and clean water. And they knew how to build a raft!

Lastly, I think this needs to be touched on. The story of grief for both Fish and Bread was striking. I think so often we don't talk about how children are impacted by loss, but here we go in head first. Fish, who had a loving dad, lost him so early due to Desert Storm, and it felt like he didn't heal until he faced death himself. I think this loss led to his brotherhood with Bread, who struggled with the relationship with his own abusive father. When Fish thinks he killed Bread's dad, the two of them act like they have no one except each other. They love each other like family, but Bread is stilly deeply wounded (even though he tries to hide it).

Overall, Raft of Stars is a beautifully written debut novel. I loved the multiple POVs, and I think this book is truly meant for character-driven story lovers. It can read a tad slowly, but the story shines.

Thank you to Ecco, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a free e-ARC of this book.

At its core, Raft of Stars is a novel about family and finding yourself. In 1994, two young boys believe that they have committed an unspeakable crime and go on the run through the woods and rivers of Wisconsin. The story is full of adventure and follows both the boys and the adults that are traipsing through the woods trying to find them and keep them from dangers unknown.

As someone who grew up through the '90s and was close in age to the boys in the book in 1994, I loved the nostalgic feel of this story. There was such a sense of adventure that reminded me a bit of Huckleberry Finn (young boys on a raft), and this was really a page-turner. The author's writing created a pervasive, eerie sense of foreboding as I read through the first chapters and became increasingly nervous for the welfare of the boys. Despite much of the story being an action/thriller, the intensity was broken up with laugh-out-loud moments of levity. I wanted to sit with the ending for a few days before writing my review to really absorb and digest my thoughts, but I'm no closer to being able to explain my reaction without sharing spoilers so I'll leave it at that.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I'm always excited to discover gifted debut authors, and I would read more from this one!

Raft of Stars will be published on March 23.

Bread and Fish were like modern Tom and Huck rambling around in an idyllic setting; small town, woods, river, farmland. But very quickly the dark side of their lives are uncovered and things get complicated. Loved the characters, it was kind of a thriller but written with a literary hand. I also enjoyed the side plot of the Sheriff and his hesitant "romance" with Tiffany I wish we got more detail about that!

A story of loss and fear, Raft of Stars focuses on two boys, Bread and Fish, and their journey through the Wisconsin wilderness after Fish kills Bread's abusive father. Along with the two boys we follow Cal, the town's sheriff, Tiff, a gas station attendant, Miranda, Fish's mom, and Teddy, Fish's grandfather. As the boys head off through the woods and on the river, the adults go chasing after them in hopes to find them before it is too late. On a journey full of self discovery and understanding one's past and trauma, all of these people, adults and children alike, learn to hope and heal.

I hope my review comes somewhere close to doing this amazing book justice.

Two smalls boys, one bad choice and a river. This book had hints of Huckleberry Finn with the river and the boys. It would be a wild adventure if you didn't think Fish had killed Bread's father and they were afraid and running for their lives.

You have Cal, the sheriff and Teddy, Fish's grandfather, trying to find the boys before it is too late. Cal with his broken past and dreams. Teddy with quiet reserve and deep strength. Both pushed to the limits of themselves as they search.

You have Tiffany and Miranda, Fish's mom, also trying to find the boys before Cal does. Before the river does its worst. Tiffany who is so alone and drawn to the quiet strength in Miranda, who is going through her own struggles with faith and belief as she searches for her son.

And through it all you have faith and hope running like the river, turbulent and chaotic and powerful.

This book made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me inspect my own faith and the places it doesn't run deep and powerful enough.

I am still digesting this book but wow, I am blown away. There is a description, early on, of what it is like when you set off fireworks in an empty silo. The anticipation, the strike of the match, the explosion. This is how the book progresses.

We're introduced to the characters Fish and Bread, two young boys, Bread's abusive father, Fish's grandfather, Sheriff Cal, and Tiffany. They live in a small town where the worst thing seems to be poachers.

Then the fuse is lit when Fish shoots Bread's father in the head and the boys decide to run for it.

The pacing was well done. It was hard to put down - I wanted to know what was going to happen, especially when Miranda, Fish's mom, and Tiffany set off to search for the boys. I could hear the thunder and smell the electricity from the lightning. I could hear the water rushing as they encountered rapids.

All-around excellent debut.

After a startling crime, two ten year old boys flee through the Wisconsin woods and begin a journey down a dangerous river. Bread and Fish are followed by the sheriff, Fish’s grandfather, mother and another woman. A story that develops over a series of events takes all of these characters toward a dangerous conclusion. It is a beautifully written story , well developed characters and I highly recommend it. I was reminded of both William Kruger Kent and Leif Enger. Thank you to Ecco, NetGalley and Andrew Graff for this arc.

This is one of the best stories I've read in a long time. It's the perfect blend of a strong plot and great character development. This is an ADVENTURE that pulled me along the entire way. There's a large cast of characters, but that never felt hard to follow. If you liked This Tender Land, you MUST read this!

Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff is a gripping debut novel. It is an adventure story, a coming-of-age tale, and a paean to nature in all its power and beauty.
The prologue grabs the reader immediately, with its abrupt message of tragedy and alarm written by two 10 year-old boys. The boys, Fischer “Fish” Branson and Dale “Bread” Breadwin, are summer buddies in the small town of Claypot in a remote Northwoods region of Wisconsin. Living is tough, with good, hard-working people there, but high unemployment and poverty, with all the complications those conditions bring. Bread is abused by his alcoholic father, and when Fish intervenes one day, the boys decide to run away together from what they believe to be a serious crime.
Their adventures, hiking through the woods and rafting down the river, are always riveting and, at times, poignant or violent. They dig deep into their souls as they share their dreams and their lives’ tragedies during travels together. However, what they see as a journey to a new exciting life is actually a trip on a rapidly moving river leading to a potentially disastrous ending over the Ironsford Gorge Falls.
The adults in this novel are few, but important and complex. Teddy, Fish’s grandpa, is his caretaker each summer, teaching him about nature and farming. Miranda, Fish’s mother, is a Pentecostal follower who believes fervently in the power of her prayers and the importance of Teddy as a male role model in Fish’s life. Claypot’s sheriff Cal is a newcomer from Texas who is struggling with his past and future in law enforcement. Tiffany, a gas station clerk and aspiring poet, has a crush on Cal; she has survived poverty and homelessness in Claypot, but perseveres in her poetry and dreams of a better future.
The two men and two women pursue the boys, trying to reach them and avert the potential disaster at the Gorge. Along the way, they learn much about themselves and each other. The reader is treated to much insight into their characters as they ruminate about their pasts and their current situations. The characters are well-drawn, with great humanity; they all have secrets and past mistakes, but they also exhibit great goodness and hopefulness. The author makes these people real, with all the warts and imperfections that encompasses. He also is able to bring the boys to life with what I think is age-appropriate dialogue and behavior. Miranda especially is portrayed as a raw, powerful, “numinous” woman who will stop at nothing to save her son. The men were imbued with sensitivity and introspection under their stoic exteriors.
I really liked the terrific literary writing and the progression of the narrative. The action of the story flowed like the current in the river. There are touches of magical thinking that I found intriguing and worth consideration. The author’s reference to the raft of stars and his frequent mention of stars is part of the magic.
The beauty and dangers of the dense Wisconsin Northwoods and its powerful waters were beautifully rendered. As a native of Wisconsin I spent many summers “up north” in the Mishicot area and dearly appreciate the author’s skill at immersing the reader in this locale.
This is a terrific debut novel that I highly recommend to readers who appreciate skillful, intelligent writing and character-driven stories. This book is a beautiful blend of action, strength, tenderness and hope.

Thank you to HarperCollinsPublishers/Ecco and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

I loved this book so much! It was the first book I have read by this author and I can't wait to read more! The characters and their story stick with you long after you finish the book.

A powerful story of friendship and family. It was like This Tender Land meets The River by Peter Heller, with a dash of Peace Like the River. I really like the characters and the last 25% had my heart racing. I fell in love with these characters and would love to have a follow up novel about what they are up to in the future. There is so much more that could happen there and I would love to get to check up on them in future.

This book was beautifully written with very vivid characters that will stick with me. I wasn’t immediately hooked by the plot, and enjoyed spending time with the adult characters more than the kids. But I was rooting for all of them.

This book is so riveting that you will not be able to put it down. This is set in the north woods of Wisconsin a town named Claypot. Fischer (Fish) Branson and Dale (Bread) Breadwin both 10 year olds have been best of friends for the past three summers. Miranda is Fish’s mom and she sends him to stay with his grandpa Teddy during the summer months. Fish’s dad had died several years back and she feels he needs the male companionship with his grandpa. Bread’s dad was abusive towards him and the town people knew. One day as Fish went over to get Bread his dad was beating him so Fish shot him! Then the boys go out into the wilderness to escape getting in trouble. Then you have Cal who is the sheriff from Texas originally and he is trying to make some life decisions about his career. Tiffany is the gas station clerk that is smitten with Cal but because of his position he doesn’t get involved with Tiff.
Oh my gosh this is a non stop action packed book about the adventures of these boys in the wilderness and on the river. Then you have Teddy, Miranda, Cal and Tiffany all hunting for the boys. The misfortunes that happens to Cal and his horse, Miranda’s wrist injury, the multiple mosquito bites, and the storms! I love the raft building and the things these boys came up with but definitely would not try the red soup! I thought I was going to be sick reading that part! Great book and I would highly recommend it! You will be surprised towards the end!

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley for free, I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I wanted to give 5 ⭐️s but for a couple of things. Well written tale of two 10-tear-old boys, Fischer Branson and Dale Breadwin, known as “Fish” and “Bread.” The two go on the run when Fish shoots Bread’s father when the man is abusing Bread. Thinking the man is dead the boys take off on foot and then downriver in the north woods on a raft. Pursued by the Sheriff and Fish’s grandfather on horseback, and Fish’s mother and a young woman named Tiffany in a canoe, adventurous danger is had by all. I enjoyed the story and all the characters. I couldn’t quite give the full five stars because once the author builds a strong character in Tiffany, in chapter 17 he suddenly has her act and talk in a way that doesn’t fit her her new found strength, its a stereotype. Then, in the epilogue when the survivors are heading back up river in flat boats, it appears that they abandon the horses in the deep woods. Hmmmmm

I enjoyed this book about two boys who take off down a river on a raft they made after something bad happened. The author makes you feel the boys sense of adventure and their sorrow. I liked most of the characters:
Teddy, Fish's grandfather who cares about both boys,
Miranda, Fish's mom who is quite religious,
Tiffany, a clerk at the gas station who saw herself in Bread, and
Sheriff Cal, who doesn't want to be in law enforcement.
I think the little bit of romance between the two characters would have been better if they'd actually had a date or two. It seemed kind of odd that they would each just daydream about the other one and find themselves in love when they barely knew each other.

There was one error that I noticed. On the kindle edition at location 2054, it says, "Bread's grandfather looked out at the road". It should say Fish's grandfather.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure books. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of Raft of Stars.