Where the Forest Meets the Stars

This was such a wonderfully woven story. A great mix of characters and specialist subjects. I loved all the quarks.

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝗪𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐲 @glendyvanderah⁣ ⁣ ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5⁣ ⁣ It lost its last star because without giving the game away, I wanted more love and lust out of the last chapter then I got. But on to the magic...⁣ ⁣ This was a truly incredible read. This opened up such a broad range of emotions, it took me to a fearful reality then the next second transported to a parallel universe. Absolutely adored all of the characters, in particular Gabe and Ursa. I think I quite fancied Gabe. Such a cleverly thought up plot, I wonder, did Glenda ever have her own imaginary world or imaginary friend growing up?⁣ ⁣ "𝘈 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘯 𝘑𝘰'𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘺. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘑𝘰 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘜𝘳𝘴𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝟻 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴. 𝟻 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘜𝘳𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮?"⁣ ⁣ It had similar vibes to The Shack, which is a book that changed my life. Highly recommend reading about Ursa, Jo & Gabe's story. Its 321 pages of pure magical contentment. ⁣ ⁣ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬. ⁣

This novel captured me immediately, I couldn't put it down. I was quickly drawn in to the mystery of the runaway little girl. The main characters are in depth and wonderful. All with their own story. Jo is a highly intellectual PHD student and cancer survivor. and follows her heart rather than her head, which leads her in to trouble. Gabe has physchological issues that hold him back socially and intellectually, Ursa is clever, witty, complex.and charming and Tabby is simply a wonderfully described character with a big personality. The relationships between these characters are beautiful and make the book a page turner. The book is full of love and charm, but also dark and deeply sad at times. It's obvious a lot of research went into this novel. Research on Ornathology, mental health and child welfare issues. Reading this novel is cathartic, well worth a read.

Loved this book. Beautifully written and a lovely sweet story.

I really, really enjoyed this book. This is a magical, delightful book about love, life and ordinary happiness and how it can change the world. Jo and Gabe are great characters and I love how they come together to help Ursa. Ursa tells them that she’s an alien sent from the stars to witness five miracles. As Jo and Gabe start to trust each other and bond through their love for the mysterious Ursa they start to learn some dark secrets about her. There are two possibilities. Option 1 = Ursa is telling the truth, she’s an alien sent to earth to witness five miracles, sent to inhabit the body of a girl who died. Option 2 = Ursa has created this fantasy about being an alien because she witnessed horrific events and is trying to cope with what she witnessed. The truth isn’t clear in the book. This lost one star because I really wanted Ursa to be an alien. Still, Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a terrific read.

It was readable but poorly written and trite. I liked the premise and it could have been good. The characters were one dimensional and change completely. Someone who is so depressed that their job is to sit and sell eggs at the roadside suddenly seems to be completely well. A nasty character who has been vile for 25yrs suddenly becomes lovely on hearing one bit if news which really ought to have made her worse not better. The father and son at loggerheads suddenly are great mates. All explained by Ursa's quarks but actually are too unbelievable otherwise. There are no loose ends in the story because EVERYTHING is tied up so neatly that it becomes twee. The language and writing style are basic. I gave it three stars as I did enjoy reading the story but it felt like the debut novel it is.

My first book read, from Glenda Vanderah, and I was not disappointed. A beautifully well written story, with a heart warming, feel good finish. I throughly loved this unique storyline, that had me warming to the characters and had me feeling for them with emotions. Impossible not to enjoy this book, from start to finish, Glenda Vanderah, is a great writer. I would definitely recommend this book, and will certainly be reading more from this author.

I really enjoyed this story, the characters were well developed and believable.....even Ursa the alien. It has a real feel good vibe!

I bought this book for the title only, and it does the book justice. A wonderful tale of attachment and love weaved into a forest setting. No spoilers here, but do not miss the opportunity to benefit from the experience of this read.

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.

Its such a beautiful story full of love and compassion. I am usually a fan of thrillers n suspense novels but this one kept me hooked. The character of Ursa is such that till the end you want to believe that shes a soul from somewhere else.. shes lovely and exhurbiant and so much full of magic. Beautifully the writer has explored the delicate topics of depression and how one bounces back from a terminal illness. Simple yet so engrossing... the forests truly meet the stars ... loved it🤗

Glendy Vanderah’s Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a breathtaking debut novel that effortlessly blends magic, mystery, and raw human emotion. The story pulls readers into an enchanting world where three unlikely souls—Ursa, Joanna, and Gabe—find each other and create an unbreakable bond. With its perfect balance of drama, heartache, and hope, this novel is a masterfully woven tale of love, loss, and healing. The story follows Joanna, a scientist conducting field research, who stumbles upon a mysterious little girl named Ursa. Claiming to be an alien from another galaxy, Ursa refuses to leave until she witnesses five miracles. As Joanna and her reclusive neighbor, Gabe, take her in, their lives become entwined in ways neither could have expected. The novel keeps readers engaged by slowly unraveling Ursa’s true origins, all while exploring deep themes of grief, trauma, mental illness, and resilience. The way Vanderah reveals the truth behind Ursa’s past is beautifully executed, holding back key revelations until the final act. This slow-burn storytelling ensures that readers remain emotionally invested, mirroring Joanna’s own journey of discovery. Each character is deeply layered, with personal struggles that make them feel real and relatable. Joanna is a strong yet vulnerable protagonist, carrying the weight of personal trauma, while Gabe’s battles with depression and isolation add further depth to the narrative. Ursa, with her whimsical and wise-beyond-her-years personality, is the heart of the novel—both a mystery to be solved and a beacon of hope. What makes this book truly special is how Vanderah uses these characters to highlight the power of human connection. Each of them carries significant pain, yet through love and trust, they find solace in one another. Vanderah’s writing is immersive and poetic, drawing readers into a world that feels both real and magical. She seamlessly weaves heavy themes like death, illness, and abuse into a story that ultimately feels uplifting. The novel’s emotional weight is balanced by moments of warmth, humor, and wonder, making it a deeply moving read. For a debut novel, Where the Forest Meets the Stars is astonishing in its depth and quality. It offers a Shakespearean-style comedy, delivering a profound message about love, resilience, and the unexpected ways in which people come into our lives. This is more than just a story—it’s an experience, one that lingers long after the final page. An absolute must-read.

"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 sense of hope and renewal by the end. "Where the Forest Meets the Stars" is a literary gem that will resonate with readers who appreciate stories that are both heartwarming and thought-provoking. It's a book that reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is light to be found, and sometimes, that light is as extraordinary as the stars themselves. This novel is a testament to the magic that can be discovered where the forest truly meets the stars.