Published by Lake Union Publishing Genres: Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery
Format: Hardcover
I loved Glendy Vanderah’s writing. After reading The Light Through the Leaves, I wanted to read all of her books and I can say I have thoroughly enjoyed them all. I love her use of nature and magical realism. There is a little bit of magic in all her books which shines through in her characters, the quirky personalities, their relationships and the hardships they face. She tackles difficult subjects with grace while pulling on the heartstrings of readers.
Joanna (Jo) Teale has had a lot on her plate. After losing her mother, and a battle with breast cancer, she is ready to get back to work. She is an ornithologist and spends her days working, studying birds as part of her graduate research. One day, a barefoot. bruised, and dirty young girl shows up at her cabin. She says her name is Ursa and she came from the planet Hetrayeh. She is on Earth to learn and witness 5 miracles.
With the help of a quiet egg selling neighbor, Gabriel Nash, Jo tries to determine if Ursa is a missing child or abandoned child. Did she run away from a horrible home life? Jo, Gabe and Ursa form a tight bond. Ursa continues to impress them with her intelligence and quiet strength.
This was such a wonderfully written book about love, finding your family, trauma, family secrets, loss, and second chances. This book has the right amount of mystery, tension, likeable characters, and heartwarming moments. This left me with a smile on my face and looking forward to reading more of Vanderah’s books in the future.