Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Where the Forest Meets the Stars” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Where the Forest Meets the Stars

Glendy Vanderah (Goodreads Author)

4.12 · Rating details · 122,898 ratings · 10,397 reviews

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 recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, un ...more

Get A Copy

Or buy for $4.99

Hardcover, 332 pages

Published March 1st 2019 by Lake Union Publishing

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Where the Forest Meets the Stars, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan

Wonderful Kindle Unlimited Fiction

1,475 books — 492 voters

Top Books for Kindle Unlimited

1,287 books — 1,024 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.12 ·

Rating details

· 122,898 ratings · 10,397 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Where the Forest Meets the Stars

Mar 10, 2019 Nilufer Ozmekik rated it it was amazing

Shelves: can-t-wait-to-read

I think so far this is one of the best book I’ve read on 2019. It’s so emotional, heart warming, poignant, amazing story of three people who try to live with the hand life’s dealt them.
Jo, in a remission from cancer, Gabe, fighting with his depression and a little girl Ursa who defines herself as an alien brings them together and seal their fates.

The story is about living not only surviving, staying strong and seeing the worthiness of your own life. Trio is surprising combination who complete ...more

flag 669 likes · Like · see review

Mar 04, 2019 Larry H rated it it was amazing

There are books you read that you enjoy, there are books that you love, and then there are the books you hold in your heart. Having just finished Glendy Vanderah's stunningly beautiful debut novel, Where the Forest Meets the Stars , I know it will be one to cherish. What a special book this was.

Joanna Teale is an ornithologist who is recovering from a double blow: her mother's death and her own battle with breast cancer. Bearing physical and emotional scars, she returns to her graduate resear ...more

flag 387 likes · Like · see review

Feb 11, 2019 Rachel rated it it was ok

This was an amazon first read selection for February '19. I read through it very quickly -- it is that kind of book (and I took a 'read' day this past weekend for myself).

I think that the premise and the characters were actually quite unique and built on a solid foundation. As a research wildlife biologist myself, I related to both the biologist side of Jo, but also to the complex, agoraphobic Gabe...and to the awkward, fumbling relationship dance they endured with each other. I would have give This was an amazon first read selection for February '19. I read through it very quickly -- it is that kind of book (and I took a 'read' day this past weekend for myself).

I think that the premise and the characters were actually quite unique and built on a solid foundation. As a research wildlife biologist myself, I related to both the biologist side of Jo, but also to the complex, agoraphobic Gabe...and to the awkward, fumbling relationship dance they endured with each other. I would have given it 3.5 stars up to that point.

BUT...the book fell completely flat in the end. So much so, that as I was reading the last 10%, I was wondering if I had switched to a different book and a different author. The ending was disorganized, fantastical (in a bad way), and felt so rushed in an effort to tie up all the loose ends in just a few pages that it left me a bit disoriented. So much so that I had to read the last few pages twice to even understand what was going on. Also, after just coming off a reading high with 'Where the Crawdads Sing' and how well that author tied biology/nature to the story, this book really disappointed me in that regard. In fact, I was surprised to learn that the author was an endangered bird specialist -- this felt to me like someone writing about field research that had not experienced it. I think the author missed an opportunity to bring in that aspect more.

Final note in case it will be helpful to others. I almost went to a 1-star review because of how the main character, Jo, handled Gabe's mental illness. This book was obviously written by someone who has not experienced depression...Jo pushing Gabe to be comfortable in a city, shaving his beard off, and expecting him to just 'get over it' was triggering to me. This lack of understanding and empathy is how I am often treated by others and it infuriated me to read. 'We' need to do a better job at not dismissing depression as an 'excuse' for someone to 'hide in their bed'. It is a mental illness, not a choice. ...more

flag 325 likes · Like · see review

Jan 19, 2020 jessica rated it really liked it

what an absolutely delightful surprise gem of a story.

this actually reminded me a lot of ‘the great alone’ and ‘where the crawdads sing.’ these stories are proof that an appreciation for nature and the comfort it lends can lead us to the most insightful and human of moments. i strongly believe that our environments play a crucial role in our development as people, so i really enjoyed reading about ursas search for miracles in the new world she finds herself in.

with unhurried writing an ...more

flag 234 likes · Like · see review

Sep 21, 2020 Danielle rated it liked it

Shelves: fab-book-club-books

2020 F.A.B. Bookclub pick # I.❤️. F.A.B.

flag 206 likes · Like · see review

Mar 11, 2019 Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader rated it it was amazing

There’s a reason (or two or three) why Where the Forest Meets the Stars is an Amazon bestseller. It’s special! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

So special, in fact, I’m unlikely to forget this story or its characters.

Joanna has had her share of trauma and grief. As a breast cancer survivor still grieving the loss of her mother, she goes back to graduate school to study birds (this in and of itself was fascinating, and a fun tidbit- the author had this same profession). Joanna has become a workaholic living a so There’s a reason (or two or three) why Where the Forest Meets the Stars is an Amazon bestseller. It’s special! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

So special, in fact, I’m unlikely to forget this story or its characters.

Joanna has had her share of trauma and grief. As a breast cancer survivor still grieving the loss of her mother, she goes back to graduate school to study birds (this in and of itself was fascinating, and a fun tidbit- the author had this same profession). Joanna has become a workaholic living a solitary life consumed by her studies.

Until, one day, Ursa, shows up at Joanna’s rental. Ursa is a young girl, a bit quirky, who doesn’t seem to have a home. She 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…Until the girl finally convinces here there is no home. Joanna thinks eventually she’ll find out more so she can help Ursa…

Jo asks her neighbor, Gabriel, for help – to find out who Ursa is, where she’s from. The more they learn about Ursa, the more confused they are. The inconsistencies in her knowledge make no sense. She’s a child well-versed in Shakespeare? (Among other conundrums).

The three become the best of friends as the summer is close to ending. Ursa has found her fourth miracle, and the fifth could happen at any time. There’s a synergy building when all of their pasts are exposed. What will the future be like for these three lovable characters?

While I guess Where the Forest Meets the Stars has a paranormal or fantasy aspect, it doesn’t feel that way. The story is grounded firmly in the here and now, and Ursa has a magical power that can be only described as love. Pure, unadulterated, innocent love. The miracles she witnesses are truly beautiful (experiencing them through her eyes melted my heart), but the beauty in Ursa is all the love she exudes to those around her and the effect she has on them as a result. Oh my goodness, Ursa! You simply have to meet her.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a story of friendship and the power of healing through friends. The writing is straight forward, not a spare word, easy-to-read, and so full of heart, all you are left with is hope in the end, and who doesn’t want to be left with that?

I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com ...more

flag 201 likes · Like · see review

Mar 09, 2019 Anna Luce rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: skimmed, disappointing-reads, insufferable-protagonists, 7-not-for-me, ebooks-overdrive, 2019-reviews

★★✰✰✰ 2 stars

If I could just rate the first 30% of this novel I would have given this 4 stars. Sadly, I found the depiction of depression and social anxiety to be lousy and, worse still, I thought that the romantic relationship between the two leads is...worrisome.

Initially I was enjoying this story. In spite of the main characters' troubled pasts (Ursa, a child who shows signs of abuse, claims that she is an alien researching human beings; Jo is finally finishing her PhD after the death of her ★★✰✰✰ 2 stars

If I could just rate the first 30% of this novel I would have given this 4 stars. Sadly, I found the depiction of depression and social anxiety to be lousy and, worse still, I thought that the romantic relationship between the two leads is...worrisome.

Initially I was enjoying this story. In spite of the main characters' troubled pasts (Ursa, a child who shows signs of abuse, claims that she is an alien researching human beings; Jo is finally finishing her PhD after the death of her mother and having survived her own breast cancer—from which she is still emotionally and physically recovering; and Gabriel, a young man who sells eggs by the side of the road) the story seemed light-hearted. Jo and Gabriel begin to get to know each other thanks to Ursa, together they eat marshmallows, watch birds, go for a swim. I sort of understood why Jo and Gabriel didn't drag Ursa to the police. They worried that she would run away, or worse end up back in a potentially abusive home. They do check missing children websites and early on Jo does end up calling the police. I didn't mind that they were being somewhat irrational...I thought this is a fluffy, feel-good read, why would I want things to be too realistic?

For me things changed when the story begun focusing on the romance between Jo and Gabriel. Jo had initially dismissed him as 'egg man', but soon they realise that they have a lot in common.
What bothered me is that Jo seems suddenly interested in Gabriel. On the basis of this new 'interest' she feels that she can push her way into his private life. After he tells her that he suffers from social anxiety and depression she forces him to 'get out of his shell'. She pesters him, believing that someone can just 'snap out' of depression, tells his mother of their relationship (does one kiss institute a relationship?) when he clearly was not comfortable with her doing so (she pushes past him, goes into house, and reaches out for Gabe in front of his mother: “captur[ing] him around the waist before he got away”), when he admits that he has never been kissed, rather than giving him time, she kisses him: “His body was radiating heat—and maybe fear. He recoiled a little when she put her palms his chest.”
Gabriel doesn't like the way his face reminds him of his father and Jo thinks that she can 'snap him out' of his anxiety and self-consciousness by shaving his beard when he clearly tells her he wants to keep it. She coaxes him by saying that she loves “a clean-shaven face' and by bringing in Ursa, asking her “Don't you think he'd look handsome?”. When he says that “nope”, “no”, and “I don't want to see his face every day!” Jo ignores his wishes, kisses him and asks: “Don't you want to be irresistible to me?”
They've known each other for what, two weeks? The day after their first kiss and bang! Jo waltzes into his private life, dismissing his trauma, his boundaries and his mental health,. Because she has survived cancer she thinks that she understands all illnesses and traumas. The story, rather than showing how harmful and emotional manipulative Jo is being it shows us that it works! Gabe is cured! Apparently true love cures depression. Who knew.
If Jo was a man and Gabe was a woman this relationship readers would find that it is unhealthy, and that Jo's behaviour fringed on being emotionally manipulative. But Jo is woman so the way she treats Gabe is 'okay'.

I was so angry at Jo that I became disconnected from the narrative. Ursa seems largely forgotten, relinquished to the sidelines, and is only given a few silly/cute lines. When the truth behind her identity is revealed it seemed over the top. The ending was laughably neat.

Read more reviews on my blog

...more

flag 171 likes · Like · see review

Mar 01, 2019 Mackey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: women-s-fiction, favorites, fiction-general, my-reviews, books-read-2019

4.5 or maybe 10 stars, I don't know. My mind is still blown. Don't ask me about stars right now.

Oh wow! I know I shouldn’t begin a review with Oh Wow but I was so blown away with Where the Forest Meets the Stars that it has taken a few days to put words to my thoughts (and you see how well that has gone, right?) Oh wow is what I have come up with so far.

Joanna Teale is an ornithologist is safely tucked away in a researcher’s cabin on the marshes of southern Illinois where she is completing her 4.5 or maybe 10 stars, I don't know. My mind is still blown. Don't ask me about stars right now.

Oh wow! I know I shouldn’t begin a review with Oh Wow but I was so blown away with Where the Forest Meets the Stars that it has taken a few days to put words to my thoughts (and you see how well that has gone, right?) Oh wow is what I have come up with so far.

Joanna Teale is an ornithologist is safely tucked away in a researcher’s cabin on the marshes of southern Illinois where she is completing her graduate studies on nesting practices. It is here that she is healing her body and soul after a battle with breast cancer. Nearby is Gabe, the “egg man,” who lives on the farm up the road and is battling demons of his own. Into their lives a young girl wanders. She calls herself Ursa and claims to be an alien in search of five miracles. It is obvious to Jo that the girl needs help on multiple levels, but the girl is brilliant and cagey and every time that Jo attempts to turn Ursa into the “authorities” she eludes them, leaving Jo to care for the girl until Jo can unravel Ursa’s secrets and find out her past. Surely she isn’t really alien, is she? As Jo and Gabe begin caring for Ursa, they find themselves enveloped in a healing process of their own. But there are secrets yet to be uncovered that will have devastating effects on them all.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars is truly a magical tale. In the beginning you wonder if, in fact, it is going to fall into the realm of paranormal. Soon, however, you realize that the magic and wonder that Ursa possesses isn’t fantasy but rather the wonderment of love and that love; true, unselfish, altruistic love, has a healing, restorative effect on those with whom Ursa comes in contact. The miracles that Ursa seeks, baby birds in a nest or new kittens being born, pale in comparison to the miracles she brings to the lives of those around her. This is a story of forgiveness, friendship, restoration and, most importantly, love. It is simply but poignantly written, almost as a parable, and is one I encourage you all to read. ...more

flag 169 likes · Like · see review

Jan 24, 2021 Dorie - Cats&Books :) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: buddy-read, literature

I’ve been wanting to read this novel for awhile and this was perfect timing! This book was like a balm for my pandemic frazzled nerves! 30 pages into this novel and I knew I was in the hands of a master storyteller. I’m amazed that this was a debut novel, everything was right about this book! The plot was unique, the setting was beautiful and well described, and the characters made me both laugh and cry. I really don’t want to let them go, they are that special!!

Joanna Teale is a graduate studen I’ve been wanting to read this novel for awhile and this was perfect timing! This book was like a balm for my pandemic frazzled nerves! 30 pages into this novel and I knew I was in the hands of a master storyteller. I’m amazed that this was a debut novel, everything was right about this book! The plot was unique, the setting was beautiful and well described, and the characters made me both laugh and cry. I really don’t want to let them go, they are that special!!

Joanna Teale is a graduate student working on her doctorate in Biology. She has settled for the summer in the beautiful woodlands and streams of rural Illinois. She is studying the nesting habits and success or fail of the local birds nesting habits, journaling their movements extensively. She is only a few weeks into renting her small home when a girl of about nine appears at dusk from the woods. She is barefoot, dirty and clothed in only pajamas. No matter how many times Joe questions her, she insists that she’s from a planet far away and has come down to witness five miracles. Only then will she return to the Pinwheel Galaxy. Jo is a solitary woman who is dealing with a double dose of grief after losing her mother and being diagnosed with breast cancer. She knows that she should call the police and get them involved but every time she attempts this the little girl, now called Ursa, runs away.

Jo gets to know her neighbor, Gabriel, and Ursa manages to charm her way into both of their hearts. Gabe has his own scars, none that you can see, but lots that he has been dealing with for many years. He had a fractured family life and many emotional issues to deal with including depression and the inability to interact with or trust others. Despite their differences, Jo and Gabe are drawn to each other and we watch as they both learn to trust again and have hope.

For a large part of the book we get to watch as Ursa absolutely blooms in her natural world. She follows Joe on her tracking of the birds’ nests, splashes and swims in the creek and is always ready to learn and help. Her ability to absorb new information is astounding.

She goes to Gabe’s property when Jo loses her patience with her insistence that she is an alien. He keeps cows and chickens and the most exciting for Ursa, his cat has just had kittens!

We know that something will happen to reveal Ursa’s story but it is much more tragic and terrifying than could be imagined!

Ursa refuses help from everyone except Jo and Gabe. They have found her to be extremely smart and resourceful. She draws beautifully and reads Jo’s college textbooks and even Shakespeare with ease!

The ending is extremely satisfying without being unbelievable.

I was so enthralled in the story that I shut out everything else. Ms. Vanderah’s prose flows so well it is easy to lose track of time. There are other characters who are integral to Ursa’s story and are also well developed. I can’t wait to read her new book “The Light Through The Leaves : a novel” which is set to publish on April 1, 2021.

If you haven’t read this book I recommend it with all the STARS!!!!! If you need a break from the world around you, read this book. If you want to be immersed in beautiful storytelling, read this book!

“Where The Forest Meets The Stars” was a beautiful and gratifying reading experience that will be hard to beat with any book that follows.

This is a buddy read with my good friend Mary Beth who will be starting this one soon! ...more

flag 168 likes · Like · see review

Jul 27, 2020 Swaroop rated it really liked it · review of another edition

“Sometimes bad things happen to make good things happen.”

Where The Forest Meets The Stars has been a simple, engaging and wonderful read, and indeed "it's been quite a ride."

This is the story of a mysterious and charming girl called Ursa who brings two strangers, Joanna Teale and Gabriel Nash, together and help them trust each other and fall in love. Both Jo and Gabe are having a hurtful personal life and Ursa `performs` these miracles to heal the pain and scars from their past, and this changes ...more

flag 147 likes · Like · see review

Mar 29, 2019 Elyse Walters rated it it was amazing

Its not a hype! I could not pull away!!!
This book is soooooo easy to love!!!
There is storytelling...
and then there is
FRESH- ORIGINAL- DELICIOUS - MASTERFULLY -ENCHANTING - TOTALLY
ENDEARING- storytelling...
This is one of THOSE books you want to read!!!!!

Go in blind! TRUST all the High Ratings!!!!

Wonderful- wonderful
- wonderful!!!!!! 🥰

flag 146 likes · Like · see review

May 08, 2019 KAS rated it it was amazing

Unique In So Many Ways!!

As a self-professed contemporary romance junkie, this read is outside my usual genre, which I have been finding myself more and more. Captivating is definitely one adjective I would use, as well as unexpected and so very special.

It was an ‘out of this world’ experience to listen to this extraordinary story. While there is a bit of romance involved, it is more about hope, friendship and miracles.

There is a reason you will see five star after five star reviews. It is gorgeo ...more

flag 129 likes · Like · see review

Apr 27, 2019 Lauree rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Ok, I see all the glowing reviews and think that maybe I read a different book. Maybe Amazon sent the sucky version to my Kindle. The writing was weak. Character development was thin. I finished it out of spite. DO NOT waste your time.

flag 128 likes · Like · see review

Apr 22, 2019 Holly B rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: enjoyed-the-characters, 2019-favorites-shelf, read-in-2019, had-to-finish

Gorgeous storytelling and strong, relatable characters made this a book to treasure. You won't want to miss this one.

This gem has everything I love in a story. I was hooked from the very beginning and my curiosity only grew stronger as the mystery of the little girl named Ursa wandered up to Jo's cabin.

Ursa has a story to tell and what a story it is! Where did she come from? Where are her shoes? Why is she insisting she was sent to witness five miracles?

The author weaves the plot in an a ...more

flag 122 likes · Like · see review

Mar 27, 2019 Berit☀️✨ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, blog-tour

A stunning story that will tug at your heartstrings,a tale bursting with love and sprinkled with magic!

I absolutely Loved every single word in this beautiful book! A magical tale about a remarkable girl who brought hope to many. BRAVO Glendy Vanderah! This is an exceptional story that will stick with me for a long time. The fact that this is a debut is as remarkable as Ursa.

Joanna is an ornithologist Who is spending the summer in rural Illinois, studying birds for her doctorate. She is sti ...more

flag 96 likes · Like · see review

Apr 28, 2019 Christine rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2019_read

The big mystery here is the 4+ rating for this book. Child appears out of nowhere claiming to be an alien ... the book had a good start but slowly devolved into melodramatic affair. The kid turns into a whiny brat, Gabe's issues are resolved in an expedient manner (years of abuse, depression, and mild agoraphobia vanish in love's wake? ... not believable), and the same with our protagonist's issues. Everyone's issues simply fell away. Everything wraps up and works out perfectly for everyone - in ...more

flag 82 likes · Like · see review

Jan 26, 2020 Kat rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery, psychology, relationships, romance, suspense, adventure, fiction, trauma, parent-child-relationships, favorites

I LOVE this book. It's been awhile since I've read something that was so genuinely human and soul-affirming. The main characters - Jo, Ursa and Gabe - are messy, in the sense that they all carry the weight of some kind of personal trauma with them, and act out of it in ways that are both beneficial and detrimental depending on the scenario. They're also not without personality flaws. That's the very thing that makes me feel invested in each of them. Their life experiences give them deeper dimens I LOVE this book. It's been awhile since I've read something that was so genuinely human and soul-affirming. The main characters - Jo, Ursa and Gabe - are messy, in the sense that they all carry the weight of some kind of personal trauma with them, and act out of it in ways that are both beneficial and detrimental depending on the scenario. They're also not without personality flaws. That's the very thing that makes me feel invested in each of them. Their life experiences give them deeper dimension as characters than they would've had if they'd come out of stable, predictable backgrounds, and their personalities are reflections of what they've had to use to survive. Because they understand the fragility of life, each in their own way, their commitment to one another and their genuine bond feels all the more sacred. You know that these characters understand each other in ways that most people they encounter never will. It can be difficult to portray traumatic life experiences in a way that doesn't feel heavy-handed and cloying, so major kudos to Ms. Vanderah handling some of these harsh realities with sensitivity, humor and compassion.

Along with the well-written relationship aspects of the book, the suggestion of possible out-of-this-world fantasy is intriguing, pulling me along in the quest to discover the truth, though it never feels detached from reality. It's like a little sprinkle of fairy dust - just enough to make my inner child keep exploring to the very end. Even in the later chapters when things take a darker turn for a bit, it manages to never lose that magical thread, which I was thankful for. Throughout, there's a rich cast of supporting characters, with Tabby being a particular favorite of mine, and helping to lighten the mood at just the right times.

I'm not a terribly fast reader - mainly because I can be so easily distracted by other things grabbing for my attention - but this is one of those rare books for me that I just didn't want to put down. For me, there were no dull spots to get through - it kept me engaged start to finish. A wonderful first effort by this author - I'm looking forward to seeing what's next from her.

Update 1/25/21: Her next book The Light Through the Leaves will be published April 1, 2021. Yay!

★★★★★ ❤️ ...more

flag 82 likes · Like · see review

Mar 25, 2019 Jennifer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: listened-to-audiobook, stand-alone-novel, authors-first-novel-debut, read-2019, absolute-favorites, tearjerker, own-ebook-kindle, own-paperbook, amazing-audio, own-audio-audible

A girl lost from the stars. A woman claiming herself after illness. A man burdened by his mind and family. Each one discovers life and love in spite of their individual trauma. These three are as varied as the stars but their need to move forward with life connects them in memorable ways. Set in a rural forest town filled with nature, mystery, tears, romance, and even a bit of suspense, Where the Forest Meets the Stars will capture you body and soul. The writing is lovely and the story radiates ...more

flag 80 likes · Like · see review

May 03, 2019 Susan's Reviews rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-my-favorites, id-read-anyything-by-this-author, current-favourites

Where the Forest Meets the Stars is definitely quirky - something I always enjoy in a novel when it is done right, and Ursa pulled off the quirky element perfectly! Is Ursa really an extra-terrestrial? Right up until the very end, you will be left wondering! This novel deals with child abuse, breast cancer and PTSD. Despite these heavy themes, the story is still hopeful and up-beat. All three of the main characters manage to survive their particular "hell on earth".

Three very damaged people (Jo, ...more

flag 78 likes · Like · see review

Feb 01, 2019 Stephanie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: up-lit, all-time-favorite, bloom-reading-challenge, books-read-in-2019

Oh my heart. Sob sob sob. I loved, adored, TREASURED this book and I didn’t want it to end. I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll keep it brief but it was just PERFECT. Full of magic and hope and despair and pain and longing and love and loss and fear and more magic. Woven throughout the story are threads of love. Love lost, love gained, love that the characters dreamt of but weren’t sure they deserved, weren’t sure they were capable of. Tenderly and beautifully written.

flag 72 likes · Like · see review

Aug 20, 2019 Theresa Alan rated it it was amazing

I was taken by surprise by how much I loved this book. The protagonist, Jo, is working toward her PhD and spending the summer studying birds and their nests in the woods. She’s had a very rough couple of years, but at no point did I find her to be self-pitying. She’s a strong, admirable character, and her tragedy is revealed over the course of the story.

A precocious little girl shows up at Jo’s remote cabin with a feral dog. The girl is wearing pajamas and no shoes but won’t tell Jo who she is ...more

flag 67 likes · Like · see review

Sep 08, 2019 Gabby rated it really liked it

Shelves: all-time-favorites, read-in-2019, favorite-female-characters, liked-it, favorites, reviewed, love-the-concept, cover-lust, adult, contemporary

This story is really beautiful. I had never heard of this book before, but somebody left a comment on one of my YouTube videos comparing this book to The Humans by Matt Haig (aka one of my favorite books ever), so I immediately wanted to read it. This book is my favorite kind of genre: contemporary with a small sci-fi element to it. It follows this woman named Jo, who recently lost her mother to cancer, and has also recently beat her own battle with cancer when a little girl shows up on her prop This story is really beautiful. I had never heard of this book before, but somebody left a comment on one of my YouTube videos comparing this book to The Humans by Matt Haig (aka one of my favorite books ever), so I immediately wanted to read it. This book is my favorite kind of genre: contemporary with a small sci-fi element to it. It follows this woman named Jo, who recently lost her mother to cancer, and has also recently beat her own battle with cancer when a little girl shows up on her property in dirty clothes and claims to be an alien sent from the stars. She claims that she needs to witness five miracles before she can return home.

I love contemporary books that involve aliens in some way. This book reminded me of a lot of things I love, the alien aspect of this story definitely reminded me of The Humans, but Ursa (the little girl) kind of reminded me of Eleven from Stranger Things, and she reminded me of the marsh girl from Where the Crawdads Sing. This book has this mysterious atmosphere because for most of it you’re trying to figure out where Ursa came from, and if she actually is an alien or if she’s just a troubled little girl running from an abusive home. There’s also a slow burn romance happening between our main character Jo, and the neighbor down the street Gabe. Their romance was so cute and sweet and definitely a slow burn, which I appreciated.

Gabe suffers from depression in this book and I feel like the topic of depression and mental lines in general is handled really well and sensitively in this book. Depression isn’t something that can be “cured” with the snap of a finger, and I appreciate that his mental illness isn’t sugar coated and it’s represented in such a real way.

Ursa is easily my favorite character in this book, she’s absolutely fascinating. One of my favorite book tropes is following an “alien-like” character who’s a fish out of water when it comes to Earth things and it’s so entertaining to watch characters like this discover things about Earth. (view spoiler)

The only reason why this book gets four stars instead of five stars is because I feel like the last 50 pages of this book really dragged, and the story didn’t really go where I was expecting it to. I just felt like I was waiting for it to end. (view spoiler)

But overall, wow I’m so impressed. I can’t believe this is a debut novel. These characters really touched my heart and I’m so happy I read this. I won’t be able to stop thinking about it anytime soon. 💕 ...more

flag 65 likes · Like · see review

May 15, 2019 Cheri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: illinois, debut-novel, fiction-contemporary, debut-author, 2019

Still physically recovering from surgery for breast cancer, as well as in the recovery process of the death of her mother, Joanna Teale leaves the apartment she shares with her friend Tabby to focus on her graduate research in ornithology, to work in a home owned by one of the professors in the town of Vienna, Illinois, a rural spot about halfway between St. Louis, Missouri and Nashville, Tennessee. She stays pretty much to herself, other than small shopping trips into town, running to the Laund ...more

flag 61 likes · Like · see review

Nov 29, 2018 Amy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: physical-arcs

4.5/5

When my publicist buddy Ashley sent me this and said, you were this first person I thought of when I finished this one, it’s right up your alley and is very similar to Catherine Ryan Hyde I had a feeling I was in for a treat! Man was she ever right, I was totally charmed by this one it’s such an unusual and gorgeous read.
I adore books about unlikely friendships and the sudden bond that develops between Jo and Ursa was the type that I like most of all. Jo is a broken woman, she battled breas ...more

flag 59 likes · Like · see review

Dec 08, 2019 Diana rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: maybe-i-m-being-an-asshole-but

I grabbed this as an kindle first read, and I'm sorry to say that it was kind of trash. Worse yet, it didn't start out trash, so I unfortunately wasted a lot more time than I would have trying to speed read the end. I have no idea what book everyone else is reviewing with their five stars, and I'm mad about that, too. Y'all need higher standards, and you can fight me on that, if you like. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The premise is pretty great, and the execution to begin with is alright if not luminous; we have a I grabbed this as an kindle first read, and I'm sorry to say that it was kind of trash. Worse yet, it didn't start out trash, so I unfortunately wasted a lot more time than I would have trying to speed read the end. I have no idea what book everyone else is reviewing with their five stars, and I'm mad about that, too. Y'all need higher standards, and you can fight me on that, if you like. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The premise is pretty great, and the execution to begin with is alright if not luminous; we have a grad student who's had it totally rough trying to sort out her shit, waylaid by a little girl that she's trying her best to help, and their interaction is interesting. I didn't like Jo from the start, though, mainly because of her total lack of give a shit for the stray dog that the girl befriends. At some point in time later in the book, her advisor's like, "oh jo, you have such a big heart", and I'm like, oh yeah no-- ask the dog about that. TW:(view spoiler)

We the meet the Egg Man, Gabe, who's a depressed hottie backwoods farmer, but a brainiac in disguise; Tabby, Jo's BFF who is an extreme manic pixie girl, and various other characters that are either extremely likable or extremely unlikeable; there is no in-between. The dialog was wobbly all the way through, and the treatment of Gabe's mental illness is a goddamn mess. Not gonna lie, I should have put it down when Jo dismissed it and he was like , YOU ARE CORRECT, ALL I NEEDED WAS TO GET OUT OF BED AND GET SOME FRESH AIR. THUMBS UP AND THANKS, FRIENDOS!" But, damnably, I was holding out for Ursa's real story, and once the ending happened, I was sorry I did.

I'm not sure the author did any research on the subject of mental illness, or if she did, it happened via internet, and there's an essential oils huckster out there that convinced her that all you need to feel better is to acknowledge your issue and just get out there while smelling of bergamot, sport. Gabe goes from having depression, anxiety and agoraphobia to just being like cool cool, full hospital in a city I can't stand? no problem, I can sit here in the lobby with my NEW GIRLFRIEND. NBD. And drugs? Nah, he doesn't need those, because he doesn't need those chemicals in his head. (cue juggernaut gif here); his sister Lacey goes from turbo bitch who's hated and resented him all her life *and tried to lose him in the woods once* to super cool older sister who admits her mistakes and thinks of him fondly because Gabe made the family talk about The Big Secret once. ONCE. And Ursa, (view spoiler).

My eyes just rolled so far up I rediscovered a childhood memory. Please. If you are a writer, do not do this shit. This is literally akin to writing a story about a paraplegic who refuses drugs because Reasons, then is suddenly able to walk after being positively encouraged by someone they would like to bone or by whom they would like to be mothered.

Ugh, ok. But finally, as I mentioned earlier, while the story started out ok, it just went downhill from there. Gabe has no discernible personality other than Troubled Hot Man That Jo Can Fix Lickety Split, and the dialog is choppy-wobbles all the time, but by the time we get to the last 20% of the book, omg. it's bad, guys. Suddenly a cast of social workers and cops are introduced, everyone gets a personality implant, there's a training montage in hospital, Tabby is shown to be a saintly manic pixie girl, and an entire, unbelievable, cheesy-ass hallmark movie is crammed in.

Guys, do you remember in The Eyre Affair when the detectives are able to defeat a villain by using unlabeled dialog? hilarious, I know, even though a good author with strong character voices can get away with swatches of unlabeled dialog just fine. Vanderah? Cannot get away with this. In the last section of the book, there were consistent conversations between Jo and Gabe where I had no idea who was talking because they just bled into one another so desperately. It was painful. Of course, that lack of direction and cohesiveness bleeds all through the end of this story such that no part of it is pleasant after a certain point. I don't know; my review is suddenly suffering the same problem because I've lost the will to give a shit about it myself, and that should also count for something.

Honestly, people. Standards. ...more

flag 58 likes · Like · see review

Mar 18, 2019 DJ Sakata rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: womens-fiction, small-town, family-drama, mystery, netgalley, suspense

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 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. ...more

flag 58 likes · Like · see review

Apr 11, 2019 Michelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-approved, april-2019-reads

4.5 stars rounded up!

This is not a book that was on my radar at all, but I kept seeing all these rave reviews so I thought I would make some room and take a chance. I'm really glad I did because I normally would have skipped right by it had it not been for friends reviews on Goodreads.

Within the first page I was hooked on the lives of these characters. Jo is an ornithologist renting a house in the woods when a young girl, Ursa, appears and claims to be an alien from the Pinwheel Galaxy. Her mi ...more

flag 57 likes · Like · see review

Jan 30, 2021 Arini rated it it was ok · review of another edition

2.5 Stars

Unique story, the kind that involves:

↠ a breast cancer survivor heroine currently doing her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois;

↠ a hero suffering from depression, agoraphobia, and abuse because of, you know, fucked up family related problems; and

↠ an exceptionally bright and intelligent eight year old girl who claims to be an alien sent from the stars to witness five miracles.

What follows is a series of domestic lovey dovey drama where the two main leads play house and ...more

flag 56 likes · Like · see review

Nov 11, 2019 Meredith B. (readingwithmere) rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars!

This was my IRL book club's pick for October and needless to say I am SO glad that we picked this one as I really loved it.

Jo is doing research in Southern Chicago about Birds. She is living in a rental property all by herself and trying to escape life's everyday issues. One day a little girl and a dog show up at her property. She assumes this girl has run away from home and she's determined to bring her home. However, every time Jo tries, the girl runs away but ends up returning. The ...more

flag 53 likes · Like · see review

Dec 21, 2020 Shelby *trains flying monkeys* rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2020

Joanna is staying at a rural house to do some research on some birds as a graduate student. She has been through a rough couple of years with her mom's passing and her own battle with breast cancer.

Then one day a young girl shows up. She has pajamas and on bruises all over her body.
Her story is that she came from another planet and that she has taken the body of a little girl that recently died.
The girl calls herself Ursa and says that she must witness five miracles on Earth in order to return ...more

flag 51 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Read With Me!: Where the Forest Meets the Stars	1	10	Dec 01, 2020 08:23PM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Fiction

1,171 users

Contemporary

454 users

Mystery

271 users

Romance

207 users

Fantasy

117 users

Magical Realism

109 users

Audiobook

106 users

Adult

80 users

Adult Fiction

59 users

Book Club

42 users

See top shelves…

About Glendy Vanderah

Glendy Vanderah

1,082 followers

Books by Glendy Vanderah

More…

Articles featuring this book

The Hit Books of the First Half of 2019

Summer Reading is sponsored by Lifetime’s Book to Screen Movies. We're halfway through the year, so we wanted to see which 2019 new...

Trivia About Where the Forest ...

12 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Where the Forest ...

“People think they have to say something, and it never makes me feel better.” “I know. 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.” — 48 likes

“sometimes bad things happen to make good things happen.” — 29 likes

More quotes…

See a Problem?

Preview — Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah

Where the Forest Meets the Stars

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Glendy Vanderah

Books by Glendy Vanderah

Articles featuring this book

Trivia About Where the Forest ...

Quotes from Where the Forest ...

See a Problem?

Preview — Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah

Where the Forest Meets the Stars

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Glendy Vanderah

Books by Glendy Vanderah

Articles featuring this book

Trivia About Where the Forest ...

Quotes from Where the Forest ...

new topic
Discuss This Book