Glendy Vanderah: A Journey of Self-Discovery Where the Forest and the Stars Align

S. Smith: Jo Teale, research scientist and PhD candidate, is broken both physical and mentally, and she throws herself into her work studying bird nesting sites in rural Illinois to prove she isn’t. When a battered child shows up claiming to be from the planet Hetrayeh in the Pinwheel Galaxy and says she’ll return home after witnessing five miracles, Jo doesn’t believe her. Neither does Gabe Nash, the multilayered “Egg Man,” who owns the farm adjacent to the property Jo is renting for the summer and who is every bit as broken as she is.

This novel was the January pick for my book club, and I wasn't happy about it. I'd read reviews, and the book sounded a bit too science fiction-ish for me. In fact, I started reading it New Years Day to be sure I'd finish before our meeting the middle of the month.

I couldn't have been more wrong. After a few pages, I decided its genre was magical realism (my favorite), and I plowed right through it. I finished it in three days, which, if the child, Ursa, had witnessed, would've counted for one of her five miracles.

The people in this book seem very real, and their past is doled out piece by piece as they gradually get to know...

United States on Jan 15, 2024

Reader Lady: At first, I wasn't sure about this book, but I was intrigued enough that I continued to read and listening. I'm so glad I did! Idea is such a delightful small character. She stole my heart, her and little bear. Joanna and Gabe are such quirky characters. They both have a lot of baggage that could drive a wedge between and yet they fit together perfectly. I am so glad I found this one in Kindle Unlimited with the audio included. A very happy reader and listener!

United States on Jan 06, 2024

Buzy_reading: Joanne is renting a house for the summer to study bird nests. Joanne studies bird ecology and conservation. Joanne is a cancer survivor. Before she began her research in the woods she slept with Tanner a guy whom she did research with. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer he became a man she no longer wanted or needed in her life. The realization that without breasts and a uterus she wasn’t the woman for him. When a young girl wandered onto the property claiming to be from the stars she grew curious about her life.
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Joanne’s world became about finding Ursa’s home and learning more about where she came from. Along the way they bonded together accepting each other’s pasts. Joanne’s neighbor was united with them linking them together forming a friendship that the girl needed. Sometimes people can’t choose their family but they can choose who they want to be friends with. Sometimes these friendships become more important.
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Glendy Vanderah writes a brilliant enchanting story about a young girl named Ursa who meets a bird ecologist living in the woods. It’s a magnificent story written beautifully well. I was encapsulated by her writing voice. Ursa...

United States on Jan 03, 2024

smslwm: Kept me guessing throughout… Interesting how my mind struggled with what to believe. Amazing how the mind works to protect us.

United States on Jan 03, 2024

Pranav Sharma: "Where the Forest Meets the Stars" by Glendy Vanderah is a captivating tale that seamlessly weaves together themes of grief, healing, and the magic of connection. From the very first page, I was drawn into a world where the ordinary and the extraordinary collide.

The story revolves around Jo Teale, an ornithologist who is grieving the loss of her mother to cancer, and Ursa, a mysterious young girl who claims to be an alien on a mission to witness five miracles. Their unlikely friendship forms the heart of the narrative, and it's impossible not to become emotionally invested in their journey.

Vanderah's writing is nothing short of exquisite. Her descriptions of nature are vivid and poetic, creating a rich backdrop for the story. The characters are beautifully developed, each harboring their own wounds and secrets, and their growth throughout the novel is both moving and believable.

As the story unfolds, it explores the themes of love, loss, and the healing power of human connection. It also delves into the profound idea of finding wonder and miracles in the most unexpected places. Vanderah's storytelling skillfully tugs at the heartstrings, leaving you with a...

Canada on Sep 27, 2023

Mary E. Trimble: Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah is a spell-binding contemporary novel about love and trust.

Joanna Teale is a survivor. She’s battled breast cancer, leaving her disfigured and unable to have children, and is still grieving the death of her mother. She turns her energy and dedication to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, renting a cabin for the summer that’s close to her work.

While conducting research—monitoring nests, finding new nests, and downloading data from nest cameras—a little girl appears from the forest. The girl, about eight years old, is dirty, barefoot and covered in bruises. She calls herself Ursa and claims to have come from the stars to witness five miracles. She’s a bright girl, full of facts about the stars and constellations. Joanna is worried about the little girl, and about how concerned her parents must be. But Ursa is adamant: she doesn’t have parents. Joanna calls the sheriff, but just as he arrives, Ursa runs away and cannot be found. After the sheriff leaves, the little girl returns. Worried and frustrated by the situation, Joanna simply cannot turn the child away.

Gabriel Nash...

United States on Sep 17, 2023

Ron: This book keeps you grappled till the end. It takes you on a tour to faraway wilds and country life, it leaves you questioning child safety, child services guidelines and most importantly it flashes light on human emotions and human mental health paradigms.

India on Jul 23, 2023

Nino: I read this in one day. I had to know how it ended. Cried a lot at the end. Beautiful

France on Apr 05, 2023

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Spain on Oct 13, 2022

Enrique Lopez: At first, I thought the novel was pure fantasy, given the way Ursa enters into the life of Jo, claiming she came from the stars. However, nothing magic happens, but everything is so normal, such as things that happen among normal people. Ursa mingles into the lives of the neighbors so naturally, yet so intensively, that she changes everybody’s life, and, certainly, for the better. Ursa is the missing puzzle piece, the one that brings happiness and love to everyone she meets. Reality prevails over fantasy and long she was really an alien coming from the stars.
I think it is a great book. An original story that moved me and reminded me of the importance of enjoying every minute of my life, while I have it.

Mexico on Aug 21, 2020