Những Cung Đường Dưới Bầu Trời Sao

by Glendy Vanderah, Lý Thu Hằng (Translator)

Sau cái chết của người dì yêu quý và mẹ mình, cô bé Riley Mays chuyển đến vùng quê Wisconsin để sống cùng vợ chồng anh chị họ Alec - Sachi. Ban đầu, Riley thu mình và bị ám ảnh bởi cái chết của người thân yêu nhất trên đời. Mười năm sau, với những nỗ lực của vợ chồng chị Sachi, Riley dần tìm thấy khoảng bình yên trong tâm hồn khi được những phép màu của thiên nhiên xoa dịu.

Gặp phải khó khăn trong sáng tác, nhà văn nổi tiếng Vaughn Orr tìm về miền quê Wisconsin thanh bình để tĩnh tâm lại. Vaughn và Riley tình cờ gặp mặt, và cả hai nhanh chóng bị đối phương thu hút.

Nhưng Vaughn không chỉ đơn giản là một nhà văn hào hoa, và Riley cũng không phải một cô sinh viên bình dị thông thường. Cả hai vẫn luôn bị những bí mật đen tối từ quá khứ giày vò. Khi hai người gắn bó, những ám ảnh trong quá khứ một lần nữa ập tới, liệu họ có đủ mạnh mẽ để đối mặt với tổn thương và đón nhận sự kỳ diệu của tình yêu hay không?

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Magical Realism, Audiobook, Fantasy, Mystery

488 pages, Paperback

First published March 22, 2022

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pretty darn giddy when I heard Glendy Vanderah had a new book coming, and even more thrilled to get a review copy! Her debut Where the Forest Meets the Stars is one of my all-time favorite books (Review). While I was hoping for the same spark with this one, it didn’t quite deliver the same magic, though I did genuinely like it.

Riley Mays is a naive 21-year-old who’s been raised by her older cousins, Sachi and Alec, on their Wisconsin farm since the tragic deaths a decade earlier of both her beloved aunt, Julia, and her troubled mother, Nikki. When celebrated author, Vaughn Orr, shows up at the farm one night after running out of gas while scoping potential properties to buy, Sachi recognizes him and offers him a place to stay to relax and work through his writers’ block. It’s immediately clear that Riley and Vaughn are simultaneously attracted and repelled by each other and are both wounded souls carrying secrets. How their lives intertwine is the basis for this story.

What worked for me? I almost always love stories with a redemptive arc, and this was all about our main characters finding their way from darkness to light and learning to get out from under the weight of their respective pasts. Like her debut novel, Vanderah also brings a lovely thread of magical realism - this time in the form of Alec and Sachi’s delightful eight-year-old gender-fluid, vintage dress-wearing son, Kiran, and his mysterious clock part/fossil creations, as well as Riley’s memories of her aunt Julia. Almost all the characters were likable in their own ways and, despite some rough spots, by the end I cared for all of them and was rooting for their happiness.

What didn’t quite work? Vaughn’s character is 29, but read older, and Riley is 21, but read more like a teen, so the relational aspect felt weird when it shouldn’t have, though the age gap made sense in the context of the story. Occasionally, their dialogue was short and choppy because they’re both so guarded, which also made them slower for me to warm up to, and their hot/cold dynamic took awhile to get used to. Finally, although the story and final reveals were ultimately clever, albeit a bit unbelievable, I did get a little tired of their “I’ve got a terrible secret” thing.

I really debated the rating, because it’s a solid 3.5 stars. Issues aside, it’s still a sweet story, and if you like ones where characters have experienced trauma and come out stronger on the other side, it’s definitely worth a look. I know I’ll continue to watch for Vanderah’s future books!

★★★ ½ (rounded to 3)

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley, and author Glendy Vanderah for this ARC. My opinions are given freely and honestly. This is now available.

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glendy Vanderah is in my Top Ten Favourite Authors list. I absolutely loved Where the Forest Meets the Stars and The Light Through the Leaves . Those were very memorable reading experiences for me.





Riley and Vaughan's story was the stuff of "magic" - as if the Universe, and all the players in their respective worlds, conspired or served to unite these two very damaged young people.



Aunt Julia was my favourite character: Julia was the fulcrum - the ghost in the machine of the entire workings of this novel. She was, by far, the least complicated, "live out loud" personality in this entire heartrending drama. (That horrifying twist at the end had me shaking my head in sorrow.)



Without Aunt Julia, Riley and Vaughan would never have found their way to one another, nor would they have had the tools to deal with the traumas of their past, find it in themselves to forgive the "unforgivable" and move on to redemption, love and unconditional acceptance. We get to experience, in its infancy, Vanderah's recurring theme of Nature versus Nurture - that you can overcome the horrific experiences of your early childhood and choose your own life path if the right people intervene and show you that there is still something good in this world to strive for.



To say any more about this story would unleash all kinds of spoilers. I encourage you to experience one of this author's earlier promising works and to discover for yourself Glendy Vanderah's amazing talent for weaving words that fall into your mind and heart like stars from the heavens.



I'm rating this novel a 4.5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel, in exchange for an honest review.

Note: As I read The Oceanography of the Moon, I started to suspect that this was a "prequel" - one of Vanderah's earliest attempts at writing a novel. Why? Because the lead characters in her first two published novels were much older than Riley. Also, when I turned the last page on my ereader, Glendy Vanderah, in her Acknowledgment, thanked her agent for supporting her decision to dust some cobwebs off the original manuscript for this story. I was wrong, as it turns out! You should check out my blog for further clarification on how I discovered the error of my ways.....!

See this review and many others on my partnered blog, Crossing the Pond Reviews, https://crossingthepond.reviews/the-l...

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the deaths of her aunt and Mother, Riley Mays moved from Chicago to Wisconsin to her cousin's home. There she was raised in a loving family home and grew to love nature. She still carries the painful memories of her childhood with her as she plans for her future. Ten years later, she is 21 years old and attending college.

Vaughn Orr is a bestselling author who ran out of gas near the May's home in Wisconsin. He has writer's block and has things in his past which trouble him as well. When he sees Riley, he sees something in her just as she recognizes something in him.

Both Riley and Vaugh are drawn to each other. Both with secrets, both trying to forge ahead but will their pasts let them?

This was another enjoyable read by Glendy Vanderah. It wasn't quite as magical as The Light Through the Leaves, but make no mistake there was magic in this book! I loved the focus on family, love and acceptance. This book also deals with loss, bullying, guilt, death, and secrets.

Vanderah gives vivid descriptions and imagery in this book. She has me looking at the moon in a new light and I enjoyed this well thought out and engaging book.

*Buddy read with TravelingFriends/sisters

[John Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glendy Vanderah is one of my favourite authors and her first book 'Where the Forest Meets the Stars' is one of my all time favourites.

This book has similar themes, but also is quite different from her first two books. Some of it works well, some not so well. There is mystery and magic, a few really awful people, some very startling reveals, but overall, a love story with family ultimately playing the most important part.

3.5 rounded up because it is Glendy after all.

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.2 Stars

One Liner: Mixed feelings; has potential but doesn’t reach the expectations.

Riley Mays and Vaughn Orr don’t seem to have anything in common. After all, what can a girl living with her cousins on a Wisconsin farm and a best-selling author from New York have in common?

But when Vaughn ends up where Riley lives, they realize the deeply hidden pain and dark secrets in each other. What is it about their past that pushed them into neverending despair? Can the two break free of the shackles and build a better life? How do Nature and the mystical moon feature in the entire equation?

The side characters are interesting, especially Kiran. Riley sounds younger than her 21, and Vaughn appears older than his 29. Feels a little creepy when some secrets are revealed about their past.

The narration at the beginning is abrupt but flows well after a while. It would’ve worked much better if the second half wasn’t overloaded with secrets. The premise for magic is wonderful. If only it was taken to the next level!

Thank you for using the term Hindu rather than vague terms like Indian and South Asian. I don’t even remember the last book by Western authors who did this.

To sum up, The Oceanography of the Moon could have wowed me if the magic was explored and utilized rather than simply used to create a sense of something otherworldly.

Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

#NetGalley #TheOceanographyoftheMoon

******

Read the full review here.

[Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had so much potential, but it just fell flat for me. The last half was just overly dramatic for no reason at all (think “Sweet Home Alabama” vibes, just not family-related). I didn’t get the relationship between Riley (21, who read more like a child), and Vaughn (29, who read more like mid-30s)…..yeah. I didn’t like how these characters were connected, I just think it was too over the top. Like it’s trying too hard to be the perfect contemporary / literary fiction mix. I liked the secondary characters a lot more, but I wish there was more explanations about them…you know how some characters are made “different” for the sake of having diversity? Like we know Kiran was bullied for wearing dresses, and he often wore dresses throughout the entire novel, and I know it was probably meant to add whimsy and moderness to the old kind of setting…but it just felt like adding it in just because.

If this was just a book about Riley’s journey to healing from a traumatic past, that would’ve been better. We did not need this dramatized love story.

[Behind The Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Oceanography of the Moon took a mesmerizing beyond approach in the heartache and secrets that are buried deep within us and combined it with the sum and substance of the ability to heal through nature.
Glendy possesses a rare enchanting skill to make the reader envision the surroundings and characters as if they were present.
Her use of nature and its healing powers, in all of her books, is second to none.
Her writing, a modern-day take with a Henningway vibe.
I devoured this Novel.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC and a big applause to Glendy for another amazing read

[Radha · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5

Ugh. I hate the type of books that suddenly turns into a cringy romance with one (or both, like in this case) protagonists have some dark past, some dark secret they have to hide from the other one.
Incredibly dramatic, implausible situations and overall absurd ending.
So bad and cheessy.

[Sharon Metcalf · Rating 4 out of 5]

In September last year I read and enjoyed Glendy Vanderah's 2019 debut novel Where the Forest Meets Stars so when I saw she had a new release I didn't hesitate to request it.    Turns out this latest novel The Oceanography of the Moon is her third title but it was equally as enjoyable and contained many of the elements I appreciated in her first novel.    For example each had characters who had experienced tough times, in this case both Vaughan and Riley had issues they'd been working through for almost a decade.   Each of the novels had a quirky child character, in this case Kiran was an eight year old boy who preferred dressing as a girl and was home schooled as he was mercilessly teased and bullied by other students at a regular school.    Each of the novels contained strong nature themes and they had what might be considered a fantasy element.    In this case there were many references to magic and magical powers.  I don't tend to gravitate towards this kind of book yet this author does it so well it just blends right in and wouldn't be the same without it.   Finally, whilst each of the books had a romantic thread, this one moreso than the first, they had great plots and I didn't predict how either of them would end.    I especially liked the twist which explained how Vaughan and Riley's stories merged.

I enjoyed this book and am certain I'll be reading her second book The Light Through The Leaves before too long.   My thanks to the author,  to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this because an algorithm recommended it to me and the title suggested it would be SF. It was not. It's a Romance. A well written one even though the dynamics of the relationship are weird due to more than the age gap. That's the norm for the genre though, right? Right?!

[Renee Godding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Glendy Vanderah is an author I’ve been proudly championing from day one. Her debut Where the Forest Meets the Stars remains among my all-time favourites, and with her sophomore novel The Light Through the Leaves she proved herself to be more than a one-hit-wonder. The Oceanography of the Moon is her third release in as many years, and unfortunately my least favourite in the line. Although still a compelling and enjoyable read that I flew through, the deep emotional resonance I felt with her previous novels just wasn’t present in this one.

We follow 21-year old Riley Mays, living with her cousins on their Wisconsin-farm since a series of horrible events ten years ago took the lives of her mother and aunt. She now spends her days caring for her extraordinary adoptive brother Kiran, and indulging her personal fascination with nature, the moon and lunar oceans. Her fragile life’s balance is disturbed when a broken down car leaves best-selling novelist Vaugh Orr stranded just outside their property. Offering him a temporary place to stay, Riley and Vaughn quickly get to know each other, and it soon becomes clear that both are keeping secrets. Was it truly a coincidental car-breakdown that lead Vaughn to her property? Or have their lives crossed paths long before already…?

Clearly constructed from the same building blocks as her previous works, The Oceanography of the Moon offers much of what I’ve come to expect from a Vanderah novel; a melancholic yet hopeful story of family bonds and tragedy, carried by a cast of livid characters, and sprinkled with a little dash of mystery. The authors fascination with biology, nature, genetics, and themes of nature-vs-nurture that made me love her books so much, also make a reappearance here.
The final structure that came from these building blocks however, didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Vanderah’s novels are all about that deep connection with-, and love for, her protagonists to me. All of them have complex and troubled pasts, that may not be obvious from page one, but their stories never hinged around the mystery of that. The Oceanography places the mystery-aspect much more central, and sacrifices some of the character work to do so. Characters would go out of their way to speak in vague terms about certain events even within their private thoughts, as if aware the reader was listening. It felt painfully clear that this was for the benefit of preserving the mystery for the reader, and it often shattered my immersion. When thinking back on Where the Forest Meets the Stars, I could almost forget that Joanna and Gabe are characters in a book, and picture them as real people. Riley and Vaughn’s voices seemed so scripted and aware of the reader that they never reached even close to that level.
Their lack of real-ness bleeds over into other aspects of the novel as well. The plot was very contrived yet still somehow predictable. Dialogue felt overwritten and at times cheesy, which all added to my ultimate inability to feel for the protagonists, or be on board with their romance. Where the authors previous written relationships felt very mature and came from a place of support and emotional healing, this one did not. There was a feeling of inequality about it that I couldn’t shake, and left me feeling a bit uncomfortable. Many aspects of Vaughn and Riley’s relationship felt very inequal to me. I don’t have a problem with age-gaps (21 vs 29) when both parties feel evenly matched. However Vaughn read much older, and Riley much younger than their actual age, emphasizing the difference. Then there is the inequality of information (Vaughn lying and withholding information from Riley), and the fact that he happens to be rich, famous and much more sexually experienced than her. That's where the whole thing becomes really uncomfortable for me. The reveal that the older party knew the younger party as a child however is where it truly becomes creepy to me, even if there were absolutely no feelings present back then.

Overall there were many potentially powerful themes, metaphors and messages included in Riley and Vaughns story. Unfortunately, the level of polish and development I know Vanderah is capable of wasn’t there. Too many mixed metaphors and motifs that needed more depth lead me to speculate that perhaps there was some publishers-involvement pushing for a one-book-a-year-schedule. The core of greatness was present, and I’m sure that given adequate time, her next novel will be another favourite.

Many thanks to Lake Union Press for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review. The Oceanography of the Moon is out on March 22nd.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

*spoilers in the second half, but I'll warn you before*
I’ll start with what I liked.

Vanderah's talent shines through in the way she describes the details of nature and emotions. As you read, each one of her characters is vivid in your mind - their appearances, mannerisms and depth of thought.

I also loved the alternating viewpoints of Riley and Vaughn. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators, Brittany Pressley and Zachary Johnson, did a fantastic job.

I immediately liked Riley and her family. I really enjoyed the fact that they lived on a farm in Wisconsin. It’s not the setting I’d expect. I’ve spent a lot of time in Wisconsin, so it was relatable.

This book had my attention and excitement for the first half and then it took a sharp turn.

This brings us to the things I didn’t like.

I’ll go ahead and explain this without spoilers first, the best I can.

I understand that this is fiction, but I’m pretty sure the author meant it to be believable and to ultimately make sense. It fell really short of that for me. The plot went askew and got wonky. My reaction was just like, “Ewww is this really where we’re going with this?”

Riley’s reactions were not what I would consider normal or healthy. I felt like the real issues were glossed over and sugar coated. There was definitely delusion happening and the ending/resolutions were rushed, yet at that point, I was ready for it to be over anyways.

But hey, I did finish it because it had kept me interested up to that point and I just wanted to see how it would end.

Let me explain with spoilers.

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Riley’s initial reaction to Vaughn’s secret was normal and that should have been the end of them (at least romantically, if not entirely). But this is where it got really unhealthy and weird to me.

What Vaughn did was extremely wrong and creepy. It’s inexcusable in my mind. It’s ridiculous and delusional that Riley somehow convinces herself otherwise. I’m not saying that she shouldn’t forgive him, but forgiving him and then deciding to be with him romantically are two very different things.

Riley convinces herself that Vaughn was just a young victim like herself. Yet, that’s a really naïve and ignorant view. While both of their situations shared similarities and caused them each great pain, they are not the same. But Riley just groups it all together and justifies it all away.

What Vaughn did was more intentional than what Riley did. Even if you excuse the fact that Vaughn published the first book with good intentions, it still doesn’t take away from the fact that he pretended to run out of gas and showed up at Riley’s doorstep purposely, knowing exactly who she was. And that is some creeper toxic violating behavior.

Trauma does not excuse someone from responsibility for their actions and I feel like Riley gave Vaughn a pass, saying that he has already suffered enough. Riley chooses to forgive Vaughn pretty much immediately and sees the whole situation with rose colored glasses, claiming that Aunt Julia is the one that brought them together. And they all just live happily ever after.

It felt like it was all so glossed over and the resolutions were reached way too fast. I don’t buy the fact that all that trauma, especially everything that happened with Vaughn, would just be okay as quickly as it was.

Although I do believe that there are instances where two broken people can come together and help each other heal and make positive changes, this is not a good example of that. It just wasn’t done in the right way, in my opinion.

I ended this book thinking that these two characters need to each do some serious soul searching, therapy and healing, fiction or not. It really missed the mark for me.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this as I loved the other two books by the author. All I can say is I finished it and I wasn’t impressed by the plot or the character development. I found most of the characters unlikeable and one dimensional.

[Emily Jaronski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been waiting Months for this book! I loved Where the Forest Meets the Stars but her second book, The Light Through the Leaves was INCREDIBLE. One of my all time favs. It makes me so sad that I found this book to be pretty awful. The writing seemed juvenile. The plot seemed totally unrealistic and I just didn’t connect with any characters. The character relationship seemed too rushed to be fully invested. The storyline was all over the place. So bummed this was a miss for me. I feel like I’m being a little generous giving it 3 stars.

[Lauren coffeebooksandescape · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’ve always thought the barred structure of DNA looks like a cage. Because that’s exactly what it is. All of us are trapped inside the good or bad DNA we got from our parents, and I’m sure the helical prison I inherited from Nikki and my neglectful father must be especially bad and inescapable.”

✮ ✮ ✮ ✮

Okay, this book is definitely something special. It sports a theme of magical realism, in that the characters believe there is some kind of magic or force affecting their lives. From just seeing ‘magic’ in everyday objects such as a rainbow in a puddle of gasoline, to believing that taking apart everyday objects and using their parts can form magic of some kind. And I don’t think the magical realism here is the standout thing, it’s definitely living for the moment and trying to see the beauty in everything, looking for positives in negatives.

The characters were brilliant. Right from the start Riley and Vaughn are backwards and forwards with suspicions of each other, and both trapped in their own thoughts. The backgrounds of both characters were cleverly crafted surrounding death and abuse, and they both feel guilty of so much in their lives that just wasn’t their fault. I found them both relatable and they felt very real.

The peak point of the book was probably about 75% of the way through though, that’s when everything came pouring out and disaster struck. I was really struggling to focus on the book at this point, because it just felt like there was never going to be much going on, but OH EM GEE did Glendy Vanderah bring the juice!

I recommend this book to everyone. I hope you enjoy ☺️

[Ruthy lavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh there she goes again, Glendy Vanderah, wrapping me up in her wonderful imaginary world and making me an emotional mess … 🥰
I can’t fully put into words how much I adore the writing style, imagery, heartfelt emotion and attention to detail that this author puts into her stories, but suffice is to say that they move me beyond words.
I feel cocooned in her stories and fully invested in them, my only criticism is that they have to end 😩
She is super talented and I literally cannot wait for more books to be written!
Impossible to award this book any less than 5 stars ⭐️

[Olivia Wildenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous book! I didn’t know what to expect and does this book pack it all! A mystery with connections between the heroes that I did NOT see coming. And romance that seems so instant and yet… I cannot say more without spoilers so, just read the book. Or listen to it. The audiobook is fantastic.

[Erica Black · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like I must have received the wrong book in the book jacket because everyone else LOVES this author but I hated this book. Hated it so much that after reading a fourth of it, I had to let it go. But now I feel bad for whoever picks this up from my donate pile.
There's this whole thing of mystery around both main characters. His weird longing for someone who doesn't remember him at all. Her distrust. The artsy people she lives with (who I don't mind, BTW but they feel a bit forced.)
I kept waiting to see what would be hinted at. Are they aliens? Is he psychic? Is she? Could something interesting HAPPEN instead of characters being so wrapped up in their inner thoughts and giving weird, vague clues about their pasts?
I hated the writing style and I hated how the narrative was like watching a movie through dense fog. And I cared nothing about the main characters. I actually was more interested in his publisher than in miserable him.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another beautiful and heartwarming story by the author who made me fall in love with her writting of her debut novel Where the Forest Meet the Stars.
In her 3rd book, she tells the story of how we find family in odd places and where the path takes us trying to make amends for past bad decisions.

And, as in her previous books, nature plays a major role in the story.

[Victoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible Once Upon a Book Club book.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and intricately put together, this novel is essentially a romance between two people with awful childhood experiences but it’s also about secrets and magic and the moon and forgiveness and family. Riley is a young woman whose mother and aunt dies in Chicago when she was 11 and since then she has lived with her cousins in rural Wisconsin. Vaughn Orr is a successful young author who turns up at the property having run out of petrol. Both are attracted and both have secrets.
I really enjoyed reading this, I was pulled into the story from the start and the big reveals are gasp worthy. It’s probably a bit overly perfect, I’m not sure real people would act in the way Riley’s family does but they are shown as unique so it’s not too hard to accept. I thought it dragged a bit wrapping up the story but overall a great read.

[Scott K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story from the first sentence to the last. The book is populated by compelling characters who recover from past pain and mistakes through the healing power of nature, friendship, and family. The writing is vivid, compelling, and clear. Vanderah has a great feel for dialogue, which makes it impossible to put the book down. I cared deeply about the main characters and hoped that they would work their way past their inability to trust themselves. This book is rich in beautiful natural details. After you read this book, you will never feel the same way about luna moths, fossils, or the surface of the moon. I highly recommend it.

[Laura Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beautifully written and not at all what I was expecting.

The characters were well developed and grew more interesting as their stories intertwined.

Riley was my favorite character, and her ability to see past Vaughn's mistake spoke volumes about her and the family she belongs to.

I cannot to wait to read more from this author.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn’t finish this book. I felt like the author was trying to force her ideals and beliefs down the reader’s throat with how in touch she is with what is going on in the world. I did not agree with them nor do I agree with her tactics.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

How did this get published?

[Melissa Veras · Rating 2 out of 5]

Televisa presenta.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glendy Vanderah is a very talented and imaginative writer. I found Oceanography of the Moon to be well written, but it did not measure up to the greatness of her first two books. While I was interested in how the story would tie together at the end, I found parts of the story difficult to read and felt that some of the character’s relationships were inappropriate. In all three of Vanderah’s books, I’ve noticed her characters do not always match their actual ages, they seem older or younger. I found that Riley seemed very young, and Vaughn seemed much older than his 29 years.

I felt the first half of the book moved slowly and the latter half lasted too long. The story climaxes in a hurray after the halfway point but then the story takes another 100 pages to resolve. There are many elements of nature woven into the story which is standard for Vanderah and that part was creative and interesting.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy.

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Where the Forest Meets the Stars and I think I had too high of expectations going into this one. The author has a beautiful writing style with complex characters, emotional connections, and a touch of mystery which I really enjoyed. I was invested in the story and wanted to see what direction it took. However, I think the problem I had with this book was the relationship. I don’t have a problem with age gaps (21 vs 29), however Vaughn read much older and Riley much younger, almost like a teenager. Especially with some revelations later on, it felt uncomfortable at times. This was a solid 3-star read for me but I know a lot of other people loved it!

[Selena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free e-copy of The Oceanography of the Moon by Glendy Vanderah from NetGalley for my honest review.

After reading The Forest Meets the Stars I couldn't wait to read another book from this amazing author. This story is told from two points of view: Riley Mays, a twenty one year-old living with family in Wisconsin and Vaughn Orr, a celebrity author who decides to take a trip to Wisconsin.

The writing and characters are written with such amazing and beautiful description, it took my breath away. Beautiful descriptions of nature that make you feel like you can see it and almost feel it. Another magical and beautiful read!

[Aria Harlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a much more beautoful read than I expected. It was so beautifully written with such vivid imagery and symbolism woven throughout the book. This is a book that I would love to get a physical copy of this book and really annotate it. I loved the characters and the storyline. I was enchanted by this book and couldnt put it down and I havent been able to stop thinking about it since I finished. I loved it.