A quick read. Characters you cared about. Goodreads: 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, 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.

I can’t remember the last time I read a book so good it made me put everything else aside so I could just finish the story. This was just that good. I quickly got invested in Jo’s, Ursa’s, and Gabe’s tale and couldn’t wait to find out how everything turned out. All three of them were wounded, for differing reasons, and together, they brought healing to one another. I also loved Ursa’s quick intelligence, her vivid imagination, and the joy she brought to every little thing. Her spark (I loved that she called them “quarks”) was contagious enough to light Gabe’s way out of his suffering, as well as Jo’s road to Gabe.

I can certainly see why Forest is classified as Women’s Fiction; with Jo as the main character and Ursa the main focus, and both of them being exceptionally strong females in harsh circumstances, the story is sometimes suspenseful, sometimes heartbreaking, but hopeful throughout. It’s a real “feel-good” book that warmed me to my core.

There’s nothing not to love about this story. Very highly recommended. ( )

I read this for my aunt’s book club because I love her deeply, but holy shit, this was truly terrible. This novel is somehow a Hallmark movie in print masquerading as a deep exploration of trauma. Gag. Horrible dialogue, unrealistic plot movement, one-dimensional characters… Some jaw-dropping moments when these three strikes come together.

Anyway, while the characters were cute the rest of it just reeked as easy airplane lit. I’m especially ticked off that the publisher is Amazon Inc. associated so they keep all of their e-copies and audiobooks off library services like Libby and instead hold a monopoly for those formats on Audible and the Kindle store. Just horrific levels of trash everywhere I turn. I’m so petty and jealous this author has doubtless made some fat coin. ( )

Jo is a researcher working towards her PhD after taking a break to care for her mother and herself after cancer diagnoses. She lives in a forest cabin, and one night, a young girl comes out of the woods. Jo tells her to go home, but the girl tells a story that she is from the stars. A neighbor, the egg man, Gabe, also falls under the girl's spell, allowing her to spend days on his farm.
They attempt to call the police, and scour sites to see if anyone has reported the girl missing. However, the girl, Ursa, runs each time. She wears them down. There is a secret but Jo and Gabe don't know what the girl is hiding.
This is a story of love, family, fear, and forgiveness. A sweet story. ( )

I was certainly kept engaged while reading this book. I couldn't figure out where the author was going with the story for a while, which intrigued me. A strange little girl, Ursa, wanders out of the woods while Jo is doing bird research. For Jo and neighbor Gabe, Ursa's presence signals many changes to come. I found this book to be charming and well-written. ( )