I finished the first read of my 12 Books in 12 Months list and it could not have been a sweeter, more magical way to kick off the year. Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah came recommend by so many of you and was an absolute delight to dive into. It’s hard to pin this one to a genre as it is a little fantasy, a pinch of mystery, and a dash of love story. I fell in love with Ursa, Jo and Gabe and by the end of the story, was left wanting so many more pages to turn. This is one of those rare, beautifully written books that painted a picture in my minds eye – similar to The Night Circus and Where the Crawdads Sing. In short, if you haven’t read this one, add it to your list.
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, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises.
The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay―just until she learns more about Ursa’s past.
Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore?
Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars.
With that, I just started number two on my list – The Gown – and it is another page turner. I’m pretty pleased with this list so far. :-)
On today’s agenda I plan to add a few Valentine’s touches to the main level, get a LOT of laundry put away, take a few pics for the blog and hit Whit’s lacrosse game this afternoon. I hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend!
Dixie Delights
join me as I travel, decorate, create & celebrate
Instagram | Pinterest
Dixie Travels
perfectly planned trips & our travel adventures
Book Now | Learn More
Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest
DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED
Thank you for recommending “Where the Forest meets the Stars”. This sounds like a great read and yes it does have that “Where the Crawdads Sing” feel to it by your description. I worked on touches of Valentine decor as well today and it was nice to add some punches of pink and red to our somewhat neutral January decor.