An Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post bestseller, and a Goodreads Choice Award finalist.
In this gorgeously stunning debut, a mysterious child teaches two strangers how to love and trust again.
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 … 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.
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Such a great story. Easy to read, but lots of depth here too. Great characters and I really hoped it would all work out in the end!
This is an amazing, original, beautiful book. Like most of us, the characters are wounded, but manage to find enough strength and caring from each other to begin to heal, drawing many around them into their circle of starry light.
This was an interesting take on abuse and finding love. Not only love for ones self, but for love around you. It was an intriguing story that gave one pause and time to think about what was being offered and discussed. I also enjoyed the performance of the reader.
Lovely story about life and living and loving. Three people thrown together with life changing outcomes. Some interesting twists and turns. Well written. Not a difficult or complex read, but I stayed up past my bedtime finishing the book. Glad I did!
This book was good but not great. It was a little slow in some places.
Loved every word. Magical characters struggling through tragic circumstances. Beautiful
A gem of a novel!
It was not what I expected up to the very end. An enjoyable read!
Breathtaking, heartbreaking, hopeful. I loved everything about this book. Full of mystery, intrigue, and wonder, I could barely put it down! Each character was so rich and dimensional…I couldn’t help but fall in love with Jo, Gabe, and Ursa. Highly recommended!
Love love loved this stand-alone debut novel. Can’t wait to read the next novel.
Enjoyed reading this book. Very sweet story and characters. Nice ending.
I listened to this book on audio and was drawn into the story from the beginning. There was nothing heart-stopping about the story but it pulled me along, keeping a lovely suspense between wondering whether it would become a fantasy afterall or whether it would continue to ground in reality. Each of the main characters were beautifully revealed and I was impressed by how the author managed to maintain only one point of view but allowed other characters to grow.
Interesting characters and a compelling story that I couldn’t wait to read how everything turned out!
Wow, this was amazing. I didn’t want it to end and yet the ending was absolutely perfect.
This was such a strange and beautiful story. Until the end I wasn’t sure if I was reading a contemporary suspense or a paranormal one, but let me say that I really loved how everything turns out.
Also I’m a huge character person (in other words, if I can’t grow attached, I won’t like the book however great the story). Jo, Gabe, Tabby, and Ursa did not disappoint.
*i listened to this as an audiobook. Narrator was amazing.
This well paced drama, with a bit of thriller/mystery, combines several storylines with ease immediately drawing you into this fascinating read.
The multilayered plot centers around a strange child, a reclusive neighbor and a scientist who form a bond amidst trauma, mental illness and family dysfunction.
Surprising plot twists, some heartrending moments and a little edge of your seat suspense make this an engaging story.
Where the Forest Meets the Stars
By: Glendy Vanderah
Narrated by: Lauren Ezzo
This is going in my favorite file! A little girl shows up at a single woman’s home near the woods. She said that her home is the stars. She would stay until she sees five miracles. This girl is stubborn, smart, and lovable. The book is very character driven and goes deep into the heart. This is the kind of story that stays with you for days. A feel good book when it is finished but my emotions were all over the place during the story. A would recommend this book to anyone. This is not my normal genre to read but I wanted to expand my horizons. This was excellent!
The narration performance was great too.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Genre:
Contemporary
I picked up this book due to the high ratings and went into it without reading the synopsis. Boy, what a big surprise this was! I did not expect it to be that good!
The story is very beautiful and heart touching. You cannot go wrong with any of the main characters in this story. From the first few pages this was a 5 star read for me. I was hoping that it will hold up to that and it did! The writing style is enchanting because it will capture your heart in a big way. I went on to see the author’s other books to add to my TBR but it turned out this is the debut novel for Glendy Vanderah! This kind of story and wonderful multilayered characters are usually expected to be seen in the writings of experienced authors, but to have that all in a debut novel that is a big feat indeed.
I will definitely look forward to the author’s future work. Don’t hesitate in picking up this charming full of life book if possible. I highly recommend it.
Available on Kindle Unlimited
A little mystery, overcoming, love, and believing the unbelievable. Good read.
This is exactly my kind of book: an intimate cast of quirky characters, each bravely trying to surmount the pain they carry by choosing to face life together. Many great insights infuse this tale, filled with all the wonders that Mother Nature and human nature have to offer. Includes one of the best child characters I’ve read in a long time. One of my top 3 reads of 2019.