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Magic Hour

by Kristin Hannah (Goodreads Author)

4.09 of 5 stars 4.09 · rating details · 13,775 ratings · 1,361 reviews

BONUS: This edition contains a Magic Hour discussion guide.

In the rugged Pacific Northwest lies the Olympic National Forest—nearly a million acres of impenetrable darkness and impossible beauty. From deep within this old growth forest, a six-year-old girl appears. Speechless and alone, she offers no clue as to her identity, no hint of her past.

Having retreated to her weste...more

ebook, 339 pages

Published February 28th 2006 by Ballantine Books (first published January 1st 2006)

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Jul 12, 2008 Allison rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed

I would run to the train after work just so I can sit down and read this book, and I was so sad when it ended. A little girl raised by wolves is rescued in a small town, and she changes people's lives as she adapts to her new world. Really, really good story!!

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Nov 23, 2012 Filipa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library, not-own, romantic-suspense, portuguese-books, contemporary, 2012-reads

3,5 stars

Uma menina é encontrada numa árvore. Encontra-se agarrada a um lobo. Está assustada, agitada e é preciso uma rede e tranquilizantes para a trazer até ao chão. Ellie, comandante de polícia da pequena cidade de Rain Valley , está encarregada de descobrir a identidade desta pequena criança que foi encontrada na orla do bosque. Desde cedo, Ellie se apercebe que há de estranho com a rapariga. Esta criança tem algo de selvagem em si, irracional. Não fala, recorre aos uivos para exprimir os...more 3,5 stars

Uma menina é encontrada numa árvore. Encontra-se agarrada a um lobo. Está assustada, agitada e é preciso uma rede e tranquilizantes para a trazer até ao chão. Ellie, comandante de polícia da pequena cidade de Rain Valley , está encarregada de descobrir a identidade desta pequena criança que foi encontrada na orla do bosque. Desde cedo, Ellie se apercebe que há de estranho com a rapariga. Esta criança tem algo de selvagem em si, irracional. Não fala, recorre aos uivos para exprimir os seus sentimentos e emoções. Rapidamente é intitulada como a Rapariga-Lobo pelos meios de comunicação social, devido às suas capacidades extraordinárias de rapidez de movimento, agilidade e feracidade.
Só existe uma pessoa que pode salvar esta criança e essa é a irmã de Ellie que não se encontra nas melhores fases da sua vida. A sua carreira acabou de ser destruída e Julia encontra-se muito vulnerável emocionalmente pois acabou por perder o trabalho que ama e para o qual se esforçou durante tantos anos. Ajudar esta criança, que irá baptizar de Alice, será uma segunda oportunidade para ela.

Para os mais atentos, devem ter-se apercebido que este foi um dos livros escolhidos para o desafio aos leitores que fiz aqui no Labirinto. Disse igualmente que começaria este desafio pelo livro de Kristin Hannah. A Hora Mágica acabou por se revelar uma estreia muito boa. No início não sabia muito bem o que esperar, mas pela sinopse, deduzi que seria um policial/thriller. Não classificaria esta obra como sendo um policial. Pelo menos, não completamente. Claro que a essência do livro se encontra no mistério que envolve a pequena criança que aparece, pois não se sabe nada sobre a mesma e o facto de ela não falar é um enigma que o leitor está constantemente, ao longo da leitura, a tentar resolver.
Mas este livro é bem mais que a solução de um mistério. É mais do que encontrar a chave que resolve tudo e que permite existir um final feliz.
É um livro que nos fala sobre a crueldade que existe por aí nesse mundo e obriga-nos a pensar no número alarmante de sequestros de crianças que existem todos os dias. Crianças que nunca são encontradas e que acabam por cair no esquecimento. É alarmante. Desesperante.
Ainda me consigo lembrar da primeira vez que, quando em criança, me perdi dos meus pais. A sensação de desespero foi tão grande que bloqueei totalmente. Cheguei a pensar que nunca mais na vida veria os meus pais. Felizmente, tive presença de espírito suficiente para dizer a um segurança que me tinha perdido da mamã e vá lá que o final foi um feliz. Mas existem muitos por aí que não o são.
E esta história mostra-nos, como é a vida depois do trauma que é um sequestro. Mostra-nos como a pequena Alice sobreviveu a um período intenso de maus tratos e como reaprendeu a falar e a expressar as suas emoções e sentimentos. Como voltou a ser criança e a sentir-se segura.

O que mais gostei nesta obra foi a forma como a autora descreveu o desabrochar da Alice, mas também da Julia. Foram as personagens que mais me interessaram em todo o livro, não apenas por serem as protagonistas da história, mas por terem sido personagens que me inspiraram. Ambas se encontravam numa fase da vida muito infeliz e conseguiram tornar-se novas pessoas, com a ligação que formaram entre elas. São personagens muito fortes e que não se rendem com facilidade. Gostei muito de acompanhar o crescimento destas duas personagens e confesso que além da escrita, o que mais gostei em Kristin Hannah foi a forma como ela constrói as suas personagens. E apreciei também o facto de a autora ter construído dois romances, de uma forma subtil, como quem não quer a coisa, mas belos da mesma forma.
Também gostei bastante da escrita, embora não tenha gostado da tradução. Existiram vários termos que não me soaram bem, que não encaixaram dentro da narrativa e tenho pena de não ter arranjado antes o original. Sei que a experiência teria sido bem melhor.

Em suma, gostei bastante da minha estreia com a autora e lerei mais livros dela, mas tenho noção que não lerei mais nenhuma tradução, com muita pena minha.(less)

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Apr 11, 2013 TamElaine rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: great-author-challenge

Going against the grain again (not something I’ve done a lot, thankfully – maybe 3 or 4 times in the last year and a half)

This dialogue in this book seemed to have a Lieutenant Horatio Caine (David Caruso in CSI Miami) undertone.

This is the third Kristin Hannah book I’ve read....I finished it in order to count the author in a reading group challenge on GoodReads – 3 books by each author to count....while the first two books I read were okay, they were in my opinion young teen novels.... But righ...more Going against the grain again (not something I’ve done a lot, thankfully – maybe 3 or 4 times in the last year and a half)

This dialogue in this book seemed to have a Lieutenant Horatio Caine (David Caruso in CSI Miami) undertone.

This is the third Kristin Hannah book I’ve read....I finished it in order to count the author in a reading group challenge on GoodReads – 3 books by each author to count....while the first two books I read were okay, they were in my opinion young teen novels.... But right away, Magic Hour seemed to be much more adultified, yet within the first 3 short chapters, I had a pretty good inclination where the book was going..... so a star is lost for predictability....

Having 3 children with autism, this book left a bad taste in my mouth – the main character initially suspects ‘Girl’ to be ‘an autistic,’ but then gradually deciding against it only when the child makes meaningful eye contact – this annoys me – no, she did not say no child with autism can have meaningful purposeful eye contact, but she rules out autism as a possibility BECAUSE ‘girl’ made eye contact....I acknowledge the author probably hasn’t had her own personal experience with children with autism, and even if she did, I also recognize this is only a character the author has written -- I let this one go, hoping not to see references to this over and over again....

But then later on, I was further upset by this: “You’re not autistic, are you?” Julia said finally. “You’re worried about my feelings.” Yes, Kristin Hannah, you’ve probably heard that people with autism sometimes don’t outwardly recognize or acknowledge or worry about someone else’s feelings – but I have three children with autism who are very in tune with other’s feelings and who worry about them ! And my children are NOT the anomaly. I get that Girl is fictional, and that she was created by the author NOT to have autism – and no I do not think Girl presented as having autism....I’m not arguing these conclusions.... but it’s the insinuation that is coming across in the book that is reinforcing the stigma so many people believe that a child cannot possibly be autistic if they give meaningful eye contact or if they are worried about other people’s feelings....these are the constant battles so many people with autism and their parents face and it’s being validated in your book. How many times have I heard “there’s nothing wrong with that kid...she’s fine...she gives beautiful eye contact and look at how she’s caring for that child that just fell on the ground.” I almost quit reading..... The lack of research into this (and child welfare and other issues) becomes further apparent as the book moves along.

In a brief paragraph the character, Julia, a supposedly professional psychiatrist, contemplated “Asperger’s Syndrome, Ratt’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, PDD NOS.” Ratt’s Syndrome? I assume you mean Rhett’s Syndrome ???

I do see where I might have enjoyed this book at one time, and where many other people might give it the 4 stars – interesting plot, smooth and easy reading....but having 3 children on the Autism Spectrum, being caught up in a world of therapy and psychiatric assessments, I found the characters misleading and lacking authenticity. Hannah attempted to purport Julia as a highly esteemed psychiatrist, yet was one that if she had spoken to me about my children in the unintelligible ways she did in the book, I’d immediately ask for a different psychiatrist to be assigned to my children....the child welfare portion of this case was also not in the least well researched. I was also quite insulted by the character of the small-town police chief.

I don’t think Hannah is a horrible author – I just think she hasn’t found the genre that is most suitable to her writing....I’d like to see her concentrating on teen novels....that’s not an insult...it’s a lateral movement, really...with the 3 books I’ve read of Hannah’s I believe it’s a better fit for her writing.
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Mar 01, 2009 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was an excellent book. The story was sad, about a young girl who was kidnapped and taken deep into the woods. How she survived, and what happens to her when she re-enters society. Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite Authors....this is one of her best.

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Jul 12, 2008 Jennifer Stratton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am really liking Kirsten Hannah! After reading Firefly Lane, my mom reccomended this book. It was good, the ending was the best part in that it made me cry and cry. I love when a book; someone's written thoughts; makes you so moved, that you laugh, cry, get mad at a character.

I do have to say at times, the characters did and said things that didn't feel in sync with the character development. I was very pleased with how Alice's character came out though. I did hope for a little more in that a...more

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Oct 05, 2010 Janelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, favorites

Wonderful! A surprising tale of a little girl found alone, an ostracized child psychologist who comes home to help her, the homecoming-queen-turned-cop sister, the flirtatious and wildly handsome doctor who has lost a lot in his past and a quirky town who stands by them all amidst a nationwide media frenzy. Everyone wants to know more about this little girl and the renowned-turned-shunned (and misunderstood) physchologist who is committed to helping her.

This story is filled with heartache, love...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved it.....but really love most of her stuff. Read this in 4 days.

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Dec 26, 2012 Barb Butler rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting plot. I struggled with the quality of the writing, the easy/awkward introduction of a romantic subplot, and the oversimplification of "small town life". Just to start, in this book "small town life" = the REPEATED mention of who was homecoming queen 20 years ago by almost EVERY adult character in the novel, loads of uninformed gossip, the collective "best friendness" of the entire police department, etc., etc., & ...etc.

I also wish the child welfare issues were researched more c...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Sheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dr. Julia Cates, a once renowned child psychiatrist, has just had her practice, reputation, and life torn apart due to the scandalous death of one of her patients. Dejected and lost, she jumps at the chance to flee her current life when she receives a desperate call from her estranged sister, Ellie.

Back in their hometown of Rain Valley, Ellie introduces Julia to a child the town and media has dubbed as "the wild child." Found hiding high up in a maple tree, the child is unlike any Julia has ever...more Dr. Julia Cates, a once renowned child psychiatrist, has just had her practice, reputation, and life torn apart due to the scandalous death of one of her patients. Dejected and lost, she jumps at the chance to flee her current life when she receives a desperate call from her estranged sister, Ellie.

Back in their hometown of Rain Valley, Ellie introduces Julia to a child the town and media has dubbed as "the wild child." Found hiding high up in a maple tree, the child is unlike any Julia has ever treated. She believes that this child has suffered unspeakable torment and neglect. At first Julia believes she'll do more harm than good for the small child, but then a remarkable bond develops between the two and as the media frenzy dies down and hope of finding the child's parents is lost, Julia lets herself fall in love with the girl she's named Alice.

Together with her sister and the handsome Dr. Max Cerrasin, Julia finds a newfound confidence in her abilities as psychiatrist, a sister, friend, lover, and in becoming a mother to Alice. Just as she's on the verge of adopting Alice, the child's biological father shows up.

Now she'll quite possibly have to make the ultimate sacrifice and put the child's wellbeing over that of her own. As the shocking events that led up to Alice's appearance in Rain Valley unfold, Julia's love is put to the test.

I "read" this book as an audiobook. The narrator did a great job portraying all of the characters except Alice and George, Alice's dad. I didn't find the characterizations believable and found myself tuning the voice out. That aside, I really liked the book's plot line and was so invested in Julia's character that I was livid by the end of the book when I thought it was going to end one way. Luckily at the eleventh hour it took a turn back to what I'd expected and wanted.

The only objection I had to the book was the characterization of Alice. She is supposed to be a six-year-old socially lacking child raised in the wild. Only when the author switched to her POV, the girl's thought patterns were too complex to be believable. I would have liked for that part of the book to have been left out. As a reader, you understand the damage done to this child without being in her head. I didn't think it added to the story.
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Dec 09, 2011 Nettle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-fiction-general, genre-women-s-fiction, genre-romance, setting-us-pacificnorthwest, theme-children, theme-family, theme-romance, theme-trauma-recovery

Ultimately an absorbing, touching, heartwarming story.

Having read three of Kristin Hannah's books, I am starting to get the impression that story openings aren't her strong point. As in the other books I've read by her, I had trouble getting into the characters and the story, but once the plot got rolling, I was hooked.

Hannah has the gift of engaging your emotions without making you feel manipulated. I think she pulls this off by creating characters that are true to their natures and to the eve...more Ultimately an absorbing, touching, heartwarming story.

Having read three of Kristin Hannah's books, I am starting to get the impression that story openings aren't her strong point. As in the other books I've read by her, I had trouble getting into the characters and the story, but once the plot got rolling, I was hooked.

Hannah has the gift of engaging your emotions without making you feel manipulated. I think she pulls this off by creating characters that are true to their natures and to the events in which they're involved. Hannah's endings make sense; the characters do the things that sane, self-aware, loving people would do in the circumstances--even when those things are painful. Even though the satisfying endings could be seen as having been engineered by a deus ex machina, they don't feel that way because they are the right and natural resolution to the story.

I do issue the small caveat here that the romance can feel a little forced. I'd like to read a book by Hannah that doesn't include a romance. (Admittedly I've read only three of them so far.) While every life, unless it is terribly crippled, includes love of many kinds, romantic love doesn't always show up in the timeframe of one set of events. Sometimes it doesn't show up at all. In this case, I felt like the romance element was sort of an add-on. The story didn't need it; it wasn't pivotal to the plot, which was about the relationship between the child-psychologist protagonist and the "wild child" she saves, and how that relationship impacts the people around them. (And honestly, we didn't need the extra drama of all the hullabaloo with the press; the story of how the child is brought back to something like a normal childhood is absorbing and engaging enough.) The forced addition of romance (and the hyper-drama of the psychologist's past) takes the book out of the category of "literature" and pushes it into "women's fiction" or "chick-lit for grownups." (Which is kind of weird, anyway; you don't see categories like "men's fiction" or something as derogatory as "boy-book." Maybe I'll start using that term just to point out the obnoxiousness of the term: "Not bad for a boy-book." But I digress.)

I'd love to see Hannah take on a story that doesn't involve a romance or extraneous drama. Her skill in storytelling and in engaging her readers is enough without those elements. I know that's what her audience expects...but as Hannah's protagonists invariably discover, interesting things happen when you step out of the safe zone.(less)

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Oct 06, 2011 Jennefer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First of all let me start by saying I am a HUGE fan of Hannah. I am on a mission to read every single book written by this fabulous author!! This was a great read and I highly recommend it.

The novel introduces sisters Ellie Barton and Julia Cates who are extremely different individuals. Julia is a brilliant, dedicated, work-obsessed child psychologist in Los Angeles. Ellie is beautiful and confidant plus she was the homecoming queen in her day. Ellie is now the chief of police and still lives i...more First of all let me start by saying I am a HUGE fan of Hannah. I am on a mission to read every single book written by this fabulous author!! This was a great read and I highly recommend it.

The novel introduces sisters Ellie Barton and Julia Cates who are extremely different individuals. Julia is a brilliant, dedicated, work-obsessed child psychologist in Los Angeles. Ellie is beautiful and confidant plus she was the homecoming queen in her day. Ellie is now the chief of police and still lives in the home where the two sisters were raised in the hometown of Rain Valley in the Pacific Northwest, a small town on the edge of the vast north woods.

The book begins with a scene involving Dr. Julie Cates. She is dealing with a tragedy of one of her young teenaged patients who cracked and shot and killed several students. Julia is being sued by the victims' families that say she should have been able to prevent it.

Ellie meanwhile, in the small town where nothing ever happens, is called to deal with a small child found up in a tree, terrified and growling.
Police Chief Ellie and Dr. Max Cerrasin realize fairly quickly that this particular girl, possibly five or six years old, has been restrained, malnourished, possibly abused. The most difficult part is that she can't or won't speak. Ellie quickly calls her sister Julia, who is grateful for a chance to escape her agonizing new life.

Ellie explains to Julia what they have found and Julia expects to be face to face with a traumatized lost child, or maybe even an autistic child. Julia quickly realizes this case is anything over than routine and this is something very, very rare. The child, whom they name Alice, has a strong bond with animals namely a wolf pup whom she is found with up in the tree. The taming and teaching of little wild Alice is a task of much patience, caution & care. Julia accepts this task and takes it head on with zealous dedication. While Julia is working with Alice, Ellie is handling the police aspect of this case trying to identify Alice and see if she can identify her past.

Working with Alice changes and enriches the whole town especially those closely involved with her teachings and care. All involved learn as much about themselves as little Alice does when she learns to trust, eat, speak, dress herself and do things normal 6 year olds do. They are all transformed by their dedication to this child. This book is full of pain, happiness, and most of all hope. This is a great read! Happy reading my friends!!
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Jun 11, 2011 Karen & Gerard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, mystery, relationships, tear-jerker

Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah is a fascinating and heartwarming read about two sisters who help a little missing girl that doesn't talk who just showed up in the small town of Rain Valley up in a tree with a wolf pup. Julia is a psychiatrist whose reputation is shot and has lost her clients and her confidence because of it but who returns to her home town when her sister, Ellie-the chief of police, calls her for help with the "wolf girl."

I liked this book very much. I was fascinated at how Julia...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Beccalarge rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ok, I am sure it seems that I am a little obsessed with Kristin Hannah lately, but it is actually my mom who is obsessed! She keeps buying and reading Hannah novels and them passes them to me when she is done. To be honest, I was growing really tired of Hannah. I almost passed on this book, thinking that I needed a break from these types of novels, especially since I did not love the last couple I have read. However, I loved this book. It is very different, and not just from other Hannah novel's...more

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Jun 03, 2010 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone, moms, fans of Jodi Picoult

When this book was recommended to me, I was anxious to get it and start reading! I must admit, that for me, this book certainly didn't start out as a 4-star book. The writing was a bit simple and trite. I didn't know much about the plot before I picked this up and hadn't read any of the other reviews--I usually don't, so I am not predisposed prior to reading a book. As I read through it, it built momentum. Initially, I remember wondering how this book could've received 4 stars with this simple a...more

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May 27, 2010 Mimi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult

This book deals with a lot of interesting or thought provoking topics: responsibility of psychologists, love after divorce, second chances, going home, parenting, "wild child" (as in a child raised outside of society rather than a hippie or something), kidnapping, media, dangers of ignorant judgment, drunk driving, rights of biological parenting, etc. Yes, it covered quite a spectrum.

I thought most of the writing was very good. One description kind of threw me—when it said the clouds were the co...more

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Mar 23, 2010 Ns rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Magic Hour is a riveting read with much emotional consciousness on the human nature and condition. The most complex ideas and understanding of behavior, self-expression and connection embodies "Alice" who expresses emotions in the most primal, instinctive and limited way possible.

Alice is the mysterious young girl who appears unexpectedly in the town of Rain Valley without an identity and an unknown history. Immediately it is clear she is not simply an ordinary girl; she a girl unable to expres...more

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Mar 06, 2010 Stacy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Girl walked out of the woods and climbed into a tree, with a wolf pup in her arms. Just in time. She came out to save herself and those who vowed to help her.

Dr. Julia Gates, a child psychiatrist, released from a public-career damaging lawsuit. Ellie, the older sister a small town police chief whose biggest job is to provide rides home to drunk drivers. It's in her town where the unknown wild-child walks out of the woods, dirty, along and completely silent.

Ellie calls for help from the newest...more

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Nov 12, 2012 BA rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Such a good book!!!!!!!! I read it all within a 24 hour period. I could not put it down!!!!! Magic Hour is like a modern-day Tarzan or Mowgli from Jungle Book. It is a story that centers around a young girl that was kidnapped as a baby and forced to live chained up in the woods in unsanitary, abusive, horrific conditions. She was there for several years with no proper nourishment and no one to truly care for her or even teach her how to speak. When she is about 7 years old, her captor disappears...more

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May 29, 2012 Trisha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-all-time-favourites, favorites

OHMYGOODNESSOHMYGOODNESS!!!!!!! This book is ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY AMAZING. Darling little Alice touched my heart so deeply, whenever she was afraid I wanted to jump in the book and give a big huge hug. She was such a brave little girl to survive like that. Don't get me started on Julia, she is amazing, the way she got to Alice was so amazing (again the same word, I need to use another word - scratch that) she was STUPENDOUS! Max <3. He is spectacular, I love how he says the right things, not...more

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Mar 03, 2010 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-read, 2010-mar-read

I actually wanted to read Firefly Lane by the same author, but this one was easier to find, and it got pretty good reviews as well, so I started with this one.

Julia is an eminent child psychiatrist, but she's going through a tough time now. One of her previous patients went psycho, and shot and killed a few other children. Julia was being sued, because the grieving parents said that she should have been able to tell that her patient was undergoing such trauma and was dangerous to the public. Wit...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Leslie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, contemporary-fiction

This novel was profoundly moving and, simply put, an emotional rollercoaster ride. If you like feeling and experiencing what the characters are going through then you'll enjoy this novel. It's about one small girl who is traumatized and haunted from what she had to live through the past three years of her life in the wilderness. She shows up in a tree during "Magic Hour" (when the light is golden in mid-October) with a wolf pub in her arms after a storm had passed over the rainforest town of Rai...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Iliana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed reading this book! it was well written and made you connect and truly understand the characters! needless to say i read about 60% of the book in one day (sunday) and finished it 2 days later while sneaking a few reads during lunch and gym time. truly captivating!

it's about a pyschatrist whom has a public trial and her skills are questioned by the public and how she interacts with a"wild child", whom was raised in forest....the relationship they develop with trust, love and overc...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

Emotionally gripping story of a disgraced psychiatrist and a girl found in the woods. I was surprised how much I liked this and how attached to the characters I became. It is somewhat melodramatic and no work of high literature but the writing is solid and steadfastly avoids cheese in most areas that would normally be cheese-laden.

The setting is gorgeous and well-told (think Forks but written before the vampire invasion). It gives a haunting, dreary quality to the book that fits with the subject...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Stacy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm a huge Kristin Hannah fan, i think a large part has to do with her characters and the relationships that you as the reader develops with them. I loved this book! I couldn't put it down, and fell inlove with the story right away. A young girl who is raised be wolves after being kidnapped, turns up in a small town one day. Luckily, the chief of polices sister is a famed psychologist. The relationship that develops between Alice and Julia had me from the beginning. How Julia thought she was hel...more

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May 02, 2010 Teresa in Ohio rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hannah-kristin, 2010-reads

I was just recently introduced to this author with Angel Falls: A Novelbut knew I needed to read more books by this author. I started this book Saturday morning and thanks to Nature classes, band reherseal and a long movie, I finished Saturday evening. Dr Julia Cates is a disgraced doctor recovering from a possible lawsuit and permament damage to her career. Alice is a traumatized child who wonders into her sister's town and turns their lives upside down. While Julia protects Alice and works wit...more

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Aug 20, 2009 Shyla rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Magic Hour is the third book by this author that I have read. I have noticed the author, Kristen Hannah, really focuses her books on the dynamics of the releionships between the characters. Luckily, there is also usually other exciting things happening. In Magic Hour Dr. Julia Cates, a child phycologist, is faced with a major tragedy with one of her patients that jeopardizes her career and reputation as one of the best. Meanwhile back in her hometown her sister who is the chief of police of a ti...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 08, 2011 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No One

Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by: The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

Shelves: chick-lit, contemporary, fiction, novels, romance, ultimate-reading-list

Given the reviews I seem to be very much in the minority, but I thought this was a wretchedly written book. It had an interesting premise. Two sisters in small-town Washington state, a child psychiatrist and the town's police chief, try to help a six-year-old feral child. My problem is that from the start the book took an overly melodramatic tone as it related Doctor Julia Cates facing a decision in a lawsuit about a tragedy involving a patient of hers. Her sister, Ellie Barton, is an incongruou...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, family-issues, friendship, love-story

For the first half of this book, I thought I had missed the boat on this one because I wasn't feeling the love that my friends who had read this had for the novel. I enjoyed the second half of the book more. The plot is multidimensional with damaged people - sisters still competing who have troubled careers, a doctor hiding from his past in rural Washington, a feral girl with internal and external battle scars, and minor characters with eating and weight issues and bad romances.

What prevents th...more

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Oct 08, 2010 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Spoilers in review.

This is not the kind of book I would have picked myself. It was a title that was suggested as the first read for our online book club. And what's the point of a book club if you don't read something out of your comfort zone?

Honestly the first chapter or two were pretty "dry" and a little difficult to get through. But all books require some amount of character development I just had a hard time choking through the obviousness of this book's development. Once that was set up (i...more Spoilers in review.

This is not the kind of book I would have picked myself. It was a title that was suggested as the first read for our online book club. And what's the point of a book club if you don't read something out of your comfort zone?

Honestly the first chapter or two were pretty "dry" and a little difficult to get through. But all books require some amount of character development I just had a hard time choking through the obviousness of this book's development. Once that was set up (ie not so obviously character setup but now real story) it was a little roller coaster ride of emotions.

Who is Him? Is he someone we've met? Is he strolling into town selling his dreamcatchers he could easily get into town to sell his wares and be watching them all, just waiting. Was it Max? Maybe Julia & Ellie's dad? Even Cal.

I've now realized I've read waaaay to many twisted mysteries and movies. My fears of what would happen were so out of the ballpark in comparison the what the author wrote I'm starting to wonder what I'd read on the past that caused so many of my "out there" guesses about what was going to happen next.

I was also setting myself up for more in my face sister issues, luckily we didn't drag up as much of that as I feared either. I also really expected a confrontation with Him at some point. Maybe Max would stumble across it on one of his expeditions. Or at least when Alice lead them back to the site. But alas no show down.

I was sobbing by the end. I was pissed George took her away. How could he not transition her? How could his experts really know how to work with her? It was very Mr Hammond in Jurassic Park with his "nothing but the best" attitude. I kept reminding myself it was only a book but I cried anyway.

Last chapter she can go to school a year later?!? Unattended? Maybe it's just I've been a special needs mom too long to buy the plausibility of that. Another plausibility I can't buy is prom queen becomes local law enforcement.

But by the end it all tied up in a neat bow almost too neat, but again this is a book not real life. But if Cal and Ellie were now married, and living in Ellie's house with his three daughters where were Julia and Alice living? (less)

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About Kristin Hannah

Kristin Hannah is the New York Times bestselling author of eighteen novels, including the blockbuster Firefly Lane and Night Road. She is a former lawyer turned writer and is the mother of one son. She lives in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii with her husband.

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“Lately he'd been seen going out less and less, becoming that strangest of animals in a small town: a loner.” — 9 people liked it

“Girls like you can't understand," Julia said, and it was true. Ellie had been popular. She didn't know that some hurts were like a once-broken bone. In the right weather, they could ache for a lifetime.” — 7 people liked it

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