This Middle Grade story follows Ivy Mae Bloom, a 13 year old who travels with her parents. In this magical realism genre, Ivy wants a forever home and steals her mother's wish jar intentended for other people. The characters are lacklustre, but likeable. The story was enjoyable, but not exciting. Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3 Stars

I did not like the narrator at all, but I couldn’t tell if it was a generated voice or an actual narrator. I truly hope it’s the former. However, that did not stop me from deeply enjoying this story. I thought it was so smart and so imaginative. I absolutely will need to order this for my library.

A book as filling and warm as a cup of tea with honey. Cindy’s magical words flow so smoothly and she builds characters with depth who make you care so much for them. I loved every minute of this one!

This book was whimsical, heartwarming, and captivating. It was a great mix of mystical realism with a bit of mystery and included some great takeaway lessons for middle grade readers. The characters were well-thought out, the concept was unique, and the ending was heartwarming and emotional for both a middle grade and adult audience.

Thanks to Harper Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy of this book.

12-year old Ivy Mae Bloom is tired of living within the close confines of an RV with her parents and two younger sisters. She wants nothing more than to have a permanent home where she can have friends, classmates, and a pet. Ivy's mother and her 2 aunts are fallen stars with the ability to manage magic and grant wishes. One night, Ivy is so desperate to settle down that she steals all of her mother's wish jars and uses them all. Although it has some unfortunate side effects, it really does lead Ivy to the place she wants to call home, Some bad, unexplainable things are happening there, however. Can Ivy solve the mystery that's plaguing the town before it's too late?

This is a Middle Grade with some Magical Realism. I really enjoyed this book. The characters where developed, but I feel the magical realism parts took a little bit to understand. I do not think the Magical Realism parts where as developed in the beginning, but it was by the end. I enjoyed the storyline, but It was hard to follow at parts. Overall, I really liked this book, and I loved the characters. I listened to the audiobook for this book, but the e-audiobook I listen to used synthetic voice only for early review use. So, I cannot say if the narrator is good or not. I was kindly provided an e-audiobook of this book by the publisher (HarperCollins/Quill Tree) or author (Cindy Baldwin) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

This is a middle-grade book about star magic, history, finding "home", and sisterhood. I thought it was an interesting read! People bartering wishes, town legends, RV life, finding friends you don't want to leave, all of it makes for a really good story.

Of course, the audio I listened to isn't supposed to be the final narrator, so I won't comment on that.

This is the sequel to Where the Watermelons Grow, which I have not read yet. However, this book was still very enjoyable. The advanced audiobook copy I received used an automated narrator, so I cannot comment on the quality of the audiobook, but the storyline was cute and magical. There is something special about Ivy and the town of Whistling Ridge, but the story about the two is something you can enjoy with the whole family! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for a copy of this audiobook for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of The Stars of Whistling Ridge.

I'm not sure if this just wasn't a book for me or if it was the book. I really didn't like any of the characters except for the aunt's in this book. None of the main family appealed to me as they all had more negative characteristics that didn't weren't overcome at all in this book. Ivy's anger and selfishness were never really changed, instead her selfishness needed to happen for the family to go to Whistling Ridge.

Overall I know that teenage, or almost teenage, characters are often portrayed as angry or bursting out because of the hormones (think Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) but usually they at least have some sort of redeemable characteristics but in this book I didn't feel like any of these characters did. The parents didn't take into account their daughters' feelings, the younger daughters couldn't care less about their older sister, and Ivy couldn't care about anybody but herself. I made it through the book but it was a struggle.

THE STARS OF WHISTLING RIDGE is a magical middle grade story of a girl desperate for a forever home, and ultimately learning that “home” means more than just a stationary building. Ivy Mae Bloom’s mother and two aunts are fallen stars in human form, and they control the magic in different parts of the country. Ivy’s family is constantly on the move, traveling from place to place so her mother can help people by granting wishes.

Even though her mom warned her that sometimes wishes were unpredictable, Ivy steals the wish jars and dreams of a permeant home like her Aunt Agatha has in Whistling Ridge, North Carolina. Not long after, the family ends up stranded in Whistling Ridge, and they learn that the town is plagued by a sinister force destroying its magic. Ivy is then faced with a dilemma, since saving the town will mean having to move on again.

Ivy is a relatable character as she faces conflicts with her parents & siblings, the challenge of making new friends, and doing the right thing even if it means not getting what she wants. I enjoyed the mystery of Whistling Ridge’s curse, and how clever Ivy was to research the town’s history and try to fit the puzzle pieces together. The ending was satisfying with Ivy learning a lot about herself, her family, and what “home” truly means. Recommended to fans of magical realism and mystery.

Let me just start out by saying, I think this book has lots of potential. I was so excited for this but unfortunately, the artificial voice that is narrating this book was HORRIBLE. I know this is not the final product and it is just for net galley, but I honestly could not focus on the book because the narration was so bad.

I tried to get another copy of this book so that I could physically read it, but I was not approved for it. I am excited to read this book and it has been on my radar for SO LONG! But I just could not get over the narration of this book. I do plan on picking it up when it comes out so I can really give an opinion on the book and not just the narration.

This was such a cute middle school book. I absolutely fell in love with Ivy. This teaches so many lessons about family, the true meaning of a home and taking responsibility for your own actions and words.

This book has unique characters, great world building, and vivid pros. I enjoyed listening to the audio book and was enthralled with what the author would come up with next. I had several "woah" moments with the ideas and the ways Cindy Baldwin brought these characters to life.

I loved this book! This was a such a beautiful surprise. Not gonna lie, I did judge this book by its cover, which is why I chose it since the cover was beautiful and it did not disappoint. I loved the supernatural vs realistic struggles and thoroughly enjoyed every second.

Disclaimer: I received this audiobook from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Stars of Whistling Ridge

Author: Cindy Baldwin

Book Series: Standalone

Diversity: mixed race coded characters, side character with two moms, side character who is Indian as well as his family

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: mg, contemporary, magical realism, family, home, found family

Genre: MG Contemporary Magical Realism

Publication Date: June 15, 2021

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Pages: 400

Recommended Age: 8+ (Environmentalism, Slight romance, Little gore, Animal death, Magical realism)

Synopsis: Ivy Mae Bloom, whose name is one letter away from a complete sentence, has lived her entire life on the road. Her mama is a fallen star who travels near and far to tend to the magic that underpins our world. When Ivy steals Mama's entire supply of wish jars in the hopes of finding a forever home, a series of disasters strands the Blooms in Whistling Ridge, North Carolina, with Mama's two star sisters. Ivy knows her wish has been granted and that Whistling Ridge is her forever home—she just needs to convince her parents to stay.

But something is draining the magic from Whistling Ridge, and the star sisters can't stop it. With help from some new friends, Ivy stumbles across a clue in the town's history that might explain the mysterious force threatening Whistling Ridge . . . but if the town's magic is healed, Mama will want to move on. Ivy must choose: Can she help her mama and aunts lift Whistling Ridge's curse—even if it means losing the only place she's ever called home?

Review: I really enjoyed this audiobook for the most part. I thought the story was really good and for the most part it kept me interested. I really liked the character development in the world building. I also really liked the magical realism elements of the book. I think that this is a very cute and very well done book for Middle graders and even for older readers.

My main criticism of the book is that there's really no explanation for the magic and that the questions around that filled my head more than the story itself.

Verdict: It was good!

Cindy Baldwin has written another beautiful story. The author of Where the Watermelons Grow has now written a story full of magic, longing and loss. Ivy Mae Bloom wants a forever home. Her family travels in an RV so her mother can give wishes to people. Ivy Mae steals her mama’s jars of wishes so she can use them to get a forever home. Ivy’s aunt lives in Whistling Ridge. Ivy thinks this could be her forever home, but something is stealing the magic from Whistling Ridge. Will Ivy’s mom and her star sisters be able to save the town? Will Whistling Ridge be Ivy’s forever home?

The Stars of Whistling Ridge - review

Ivy Mae Bloom is a preteen, thick in the life changes that accompany that demographic and longing for a permanent “real” home; a home that’s not crammed in the small quarters of an RV with her family, living on the road. Her mom is a wish giver. People desperate to have their wish fulfilled come to see her and collect their wish jar. Ivy Mae has long since wondered why wishes couldn’t help them. Her mom tells her and her sisters that wishes have three very important rules:
Never wish in anger
Never use more than one wish at a tim, because wishes are unpredictable when combined.
Never make a wish that’s too big, because big wishes have disastrous consequences.
Ivy Mae’s longing for a forever home leads her to steal all of her mom’s wish jars one night and breaks two of the rules. The next morning, she wakes up extremely ill and barely able to breathe. And that’s just the start of it. Did she make a mistake I greedily granting her wishes..?
This book reminded me why I loved Tuck Everlasting so much years ago as a child. It was magical enough to be intriguing. I enjoyed the contrast in relationships between Ivy me and her sisters and her mom and fellow fallen star sisters. This story really comes full circle both with the family dynamic as well as the theory that no matter what we have, many of us always wish for more but the grass is not always greener on the other side.
#netgalley #thestarsofwhistlingridge

This is a middle grade book with a sweet message attached. It is a magical story about Ivy and her family.

I really enjoyed this book. This book is hard for me to talk about without giving out spoilers as there are so many things I loved in this book. The extended family is made up of 3 sisters and are split around the world taking care of the issues that come up. One of the sisters has a family & lives on the road which is the actual MC's I feel. They deal with feelings of kids living on the road or those of kids who move around a lot. I would recommend this book for all as we all have wants and desires and this book, in a way, shows us what could happen if we think solely of our own wants.

This is such a a magical read. Ivy Mae Bloom, whose name is one letter away from a complete sentence, has lived her entire life on the road. Her mama is a fallen star who travels near and far to tend to the magic that underpins our world. When Ivy steals Mama's entire supply of wish jars in the hopes of finding a forever home, a series of disasters strands the Blooms in Whistling Ridge, North Carolina, with Mama's two star sisters. Ivy knows her wish has been granted and that Whistling Ridge is her forever home—she just needs to convince her parents to stay.