Sparrow Migrations

by Cari Noga

An airplane plunges into an icy river and the world witnesses the dramatic rescue. Then, life after the Miracle on the Hudson landing puts three families on another crash course…with their own fragile humanity.

Airplane passenger Deborah DeWitt-Goldman knows her survival means one last chance to start the family she so badly desires—no matter the cost to her marriage. Preacher’s wife Brett Stevens witnesses the event from a ferry, burdened by a secret that could destroy her family. And while twelve-year-old Robby Palmer’s desperate parents struggle to reach through the fog of his autism, the boy discovers a deep connection to the birds responsible for the crash.

Now, all of them must navigate the crosscurrents of the consequences of their decisions…and when their paths collide a second time, another miracle just might happen.

Award-winning author Cari Noga’s Sparrow Migrations is an inspiring, heartfelt look at the crucible of crisis and the power of human connection.

Genres: Fiction, Amazon, New York, Contemporary

319 pages, Paperback

First published March 13, 2013

About the author

I'm so appreciative of all the readers who've reviewed The Orphan Daughter and Sparrow Migrations, and especially grateful to those who have selected them as book club choices. If your club has, I'd love to have a picture for my website, or join via Skype if we can coordinate schedules. Email me at cari@carinoga.com. (You can also sign up for my author newsletter www.carinoga.com -- the best way to hear about a new book!)

If you've not read my books yet, I write resilience stories about contemporary, unconventional families. My latest, The Orphan Daughter, explores whether prickly Jane McArdle will do better at motherhood her second time around, after her orphaned niece Lucy Ortiz moves from New York City to Jane's Michigan farm. It's set where I've lived for 20 years, Traverse City, Michigan, which made it a lot of fun to write.

Resilience in a theme in my author journey as well. After failing to finish two manuscripts, I finally completed my debut, Sparrow Migrations, during National Novel Writing Month in 2010. It becames a semi-finalist in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, with Publishers Weekly describing the manuscript as “brimming with humanity and grace.” Sparrow’s protagonist, Robby Palmer, a 12-year-old boy with autism, and his parents, Sam and Linda, embody many experiences my husband and I have had as parents to a son with autism. I self-published it in 2013 and then was lucky enough to receive an acquisition offer from Lake Union Publishing an imprint of Amazon Publishing, in 2014. Sparrow was re-released in paperback, digital, and audio formats in June 2015. It was nominated for the Great Michigan Read, a statewide reading project, in 2015-16. A five-part small-screen miniseries adaptation is now available - producers wanted!

You can stay in touch by signing up for my author e-mail newsletter at www.carinoga.com. Thanks for reading!

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book used an interesting event to tie different characters together, the Miracle on the Hudson. These characters were either on the plane or close witnesses to the miracle landing. The emotional aftermath they go through changes the course of their lives. The characters include an autistic boy and his parents, a couple trying to conceive and a preacher’s wife and her family. Each character faces a different challenge and the writer sucks you into wanting to know how everyone is going to solve or not solve their problems and what is the plot twist that will bring these people together. The story is written simply and is somewhat fast-paced, switching from many different characters perspectives. I think I enjoyed the idea of this book more than the execution of it. I read this as a buddy read with a friend and we both agreed the book could be a candidate for being made into a Lifetime movie.


Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of the book.

[Larry H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd rate this 3.5 stars.

Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

One of the more harrowing and spectacular moments in recent history was on January 15, 2009, when a US Airways flight piloted by Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger struck a flock of geese shortly after takeoff, and Captain Sullenberger made an emergency landing in the Hudson River. All passengers and crew on the plane were saved. The images of the plane floating in the river, with the passengers standing on the wings waiting to be rescued, remain indelible memories.

Cari Noga's excellent novel, Sparrow Migrations , uses that event as a catalyst in the lives of three families. Twelve-year-old Robby Palmer, who has autism, is on a ferry on the Hudson River with his parents when he becomes fascinated with geese flying nearby, and then he becomes amazed to see a plane in the water. When he learns that a bird strike is believed to be the cause of the plane's malfunction, he becomes obsessed with learning as much as he can about Canada geese and other birds, and this quest for knowledge despite his intellectual and emotional struggles provides both stress and joy for his parents.

Deborah and Christopher are emotionally exhausted after two unsuccessful attempts at in vitro fertilization, and Christopher is reluctant to support a third try. But being on the plane that landed in the river has intensified Deborah's need to be a mother, and her belief that this is a sign that life is too precious. Yet when Deborah gets news that could impact her future, she has to decide whether to press on with her plans or share this information with Christopher and run the risk that her dream of having a baby may not come true.

Brett is a preacher's wife in Scranton, Pennsylvania, who has kept her true self and her true desires locked inside of her for years, for the sake of her marriage and her teenage daughter, Amanda. But a chance meeting at a food bank conference reopens old feelings, and when a news camera catches her on one of the ferries that rescued the passengers from the plane, she believes this is a sign that she should tell the truth about how she really feels and what she really wants out of life, despite the consequences this decision might cause.

The lives of these people intersect in different ways throughout the book. Each faces challenges that seem insurmountable, but they find unique ways of dealing with them, and trying to move beyond what is holding them back. I found this to be a compelling, well written book, and I really like how Noga unfurled the plot. Nothing that happens is particularly surprising, but it is still very satisfying, and even a little emotional at times. (Or maybe that was just me.)

It has always amazed me how your life can change in an instant. That truth was certainly the case for the characters in this book, and their journeys from that moment were interesting and fulfilling. This is a quiet gem of a book.

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....

[Jack Chaucer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply, this is one of the best books I've ever read. I can see why it was a semifinalist for 2011 Amazon Best Breakthrough Novel. Cari takes a real and spectacular event, the "Miracle on the Hudson" plane crash, and goes way beyond the tabloid headlines of the moment to create a story that will stick with you for years to come. The jet may have just scratched the surface of the water, but Cari plunges us deeper -- into the lives of autistic 12-year-old Robby Palmer, who witnessed the results of the crash aboard a ferry, and his befuddled but determined parents Sam and Linda; passengers Deborah and Christopher, who are struggling with infertility and marital trust; and preacher's wife Brett, whose secret life as a lesbian is exposed by TV news cameras and threatens to destroy her family. The intertwining arcs of these characters is an eye-opening and fascinating reading experience. If you are ignorant about the struggles of families with autism, in particular, you will have a new appreciation and sense of empathy long before the end of the book. Robby's concern for the geese that were sucked into the engines of Flight 1549 helps drive the plot; and his new-found love of birds not only helps bridge the gap between him and his parents, but also ends up indirectly helping other characters to heal. No word in this book is wasted. The writing is superb, and every chapter is concise, focused and meaningful. The payoff for following the downward spiral between deceitful Deborah and cowardly Christopher is huge when their newborn daughter Gracie -- without a word, just her tiny presence -- ultimately helps them discover, as Cari writes it, "the frightening beauty of second chances." No counselor or near-death plane crash could have saved their marriage. Only the fragile but beautiful force of life itself -- and the shared human experience that binds us all together. That healing power builds and surges throughout this book like four jet engines, taking the reader on an unforgettable flight.

[Jen Winckler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me engaged right from the start. It was easy to read, well written, and had multiple story lines that merged together at the end - in a non-obvious way. The characters were well developed and the subject matter was very "real life". Reminded me a little of the TV show "parenthood". I read it very quickly on a plane trip, and had to wipe my eyes several times. I recommend it for anyone!

[Barbara Tsipouras · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thanks to NetGalley I got an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

To take the crash of an airplane into the Hudson River as starting point to look into the lives and the very different problems of three families was a good idea. It took me in immediately.
These three families who are facing very different problems are loosely connected in the end. The autistic 12-year-old Robby with his parents, the unfertile couple in their forties trying to have a baby by IVF, and the lesbian pastor's wife living a lie for 20 years and her 16-year-old daughter - all their lives change dramatically during the following year. As if the mentioned problems weren't enough there's also the bigot pastor, deception, Huntington's disease.
Just as in real life some problems get solved, some only relieved, some turn life upside down forever. So, there's no happily-ever-after-feeling in the end.
The story is clearly told from a feminine point of view, the men, especially Christopher and the pastor seem to be too cold, too unforgiving, not very human.
I was a bit disappointed with the description of christianity in this book.

[Magen - Inquiring Professional Dog Trainer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up because there was decent character development and I was engaged, but the story wasn't particularly memorable or interesting

When I read the summary for this book, I thought it was going to be a sad book and thus it spent a long time on my Kindle shelf. But this year, I've committed to tackle Mount TBR and have a quarter to half of the books I read be ones I already own. Plus, I enjoy listening to easy reads when I'm doing things around the house, so this one ended up being a book I finally got to. Thankfully it wasn't an emotional story. Yes, it starts with the Miracle on the Hudson landing, but it quickly moves beyond that to look at the lives of three families who were impacted by this event. In addition, only one of those families was on the plane; the other two were on ferries which aided in the rescue. This is not a book about tragedy but rather a book about finding oneself.

The stories of each family vary quite a bit from each other, which makes their stories more interesting. It does make it a bit easier to keep their stories straight; however, in the beginning while the reader is still learning their stories, it is really difficult to keep track of all the characters. This is because the story does not follow the point of view of one character from each family, but rather nearly all family members. This constant change in perspective is frustrating and it only minimally adds to the story. There's even a time when the point of view is from a minor character who is not one of the family members. It is simply too many perspectives, especially since all essentially told in the same voice. While I understand why the author did this, it simply did not add the depth to the story to the extent she thought it did. There were moments when these other perspectives were helpful in understanding the characters and their development; however, it would have been better to limit this to a few brief moments when the point of view was from the non-main family character. For example, Robbie was the main character of his family and I would have greatly preferred to have his family's story told from his point of view entirely, but it was useful to see his dad's perspective at one particular point in the novel. Yet, it was less useful to see his point of view nearly as often as Robbie's. This constant switching is particularly challenging in the beginning and I suspect some readers will bail early in the book simply because of this issue.

The best thing about this book was its character development, though it could have been better had the story stuck to one perspective per family. Mostly, the characters are developed enough that they feel like real people facing real challenges and this made it easy to finish the book. Unfortunately, the characters do not grow as much as one would expect in a book about how an event impacts one's life. For example, Deborah does not really grow much as a person. There are some changes, but mostly those are external events that naturally cause a person's life to change, not necessarily the person. Maybe Deborah did change internally because of these external events, but the reader doesn't read about those internal conflicts. Again, this is because there are simply too many perspectives in this book. Unless this book was going to be 100 or 200 more pages, it's simply not possible to develop this many characters and then have the reader inside each one of their heads to truly understand and see the full complexity of how external events are impact them. There is one family where their story is told nearly entirely through the perspective of the mom and she has the most growth of all the characters. This supports my conclusion that there were simply too many perspectives.

I was a bit disappointed that the storylines overlapped, but that was too be expected. It was a bit much that nearly each day covered in the novel was covered from the perspective of multiple families. I understand that it might have been easier to write this way, but I would have preferred to see each families timelines to progress in their own chapters instead of side by side in the same chapter about one particular day. It took me awhile to get used to this style and because of the sheer number of perspectives, it made it even harder to follow the book early on. I can see a decent number of readers bailing because it is just so much to keep track of.

There are two characters whose story did not always feel realistic: Robbie and the pastor's wife. Robbie is autistic and while there are moments when it appears to be an accurate depiction of an autistic person, there were moments when it was less clear. As someone who is neurotypical, I have no basis for determining whether this was an accurate portrayal, so do take my concern with a grain of salt. There were just a few times when it felt more like a neurotypical person writing about her perceived perspectives of a neurodivergent person than truly from the perspective of a neurodivergent person. This is also true with the pastor's wife. As she comes to terms with her sexuality, there are moments where her perspective feels more like it is the perspective of a person who has not seriously struggled with her sexual identity than an accurate portrayal. As a woman who has spent much of her life reflecting on and trying to understand her sexuality, her portrayal did feel inauthentic at points; however, I respect that my experience is not the only experience and there may be more truth to this portrayal than I felt there was. But ultimately, it did not feel like there was enough internal conflict to drive her changes.

This book was better than I expected, but was not as good as it could have been because of all the various points of view. If you are interested in reading this book, know that the beginning with be a bit slow going simply because of the number of perspectives. For readers who have difficulties tracking many viewpoints or simply do not like reading many viewpoints, this book is not for you. This book is best for readers who like developed characters and find many viewpoints interesting, even if it means a bit less depth for each character.

This review originally appeared on my blog here.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book for birders who will appreciate the references to Sapsucker Woods and piping plovers.The autistic boy, Robby, is very well drawn along with the problems of the parents in dealing with him. Brett and Jackie are a bit over the top for me, but Deborah and Christopher do seem real. This is the story of 3 groups of people who were involved in the Miracle on the Hudson, when the plane landed in the Hudson River after a bird strike. Interesting story weaving the lives of these people together. While it was geese that struck the plane, we are all the sparrows living in the surrounding areas who are touched by events and must migrate to be true to ourselves and those we love.

[Jason Schneeberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is without question one of the top 5 books I have read this year. This is an example of how you write a gripping and layered drama! I can't stress enough how much I loved this story and its idea that any event can be a harbinger of change in many ways, for many people. From the most subtle changes, to life altering transitions of awakening.

Based around the real life event of the "Miracle on the Hudson" plane crash in New York in 2009 SPARROW MIGRATIONS is fictional tale that is complex, moving, and has heartfelt, real characters that we come to know and care for. I can't recommend this one enough. I give it 5/5!

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book; I think if it had been shorter, I may have. To me, it seemed like the intertwining plots were far more drawn out than they should have been. I thought the boy with autism was written incredibly well, but the other characters were boring and/or poorly developed, and it was hard for me to care what happened to them. (Maybe if I had even the smallest interest in birds???) This was a book I could have easily given up on. It had such potential but was just plain underwhelming.

[Sylvia Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

What lovely writing! The book follows the lives of three characters, each of whom, with their families, is in an unhappy situation, and each of whom migrates on, towards their true selves. I especially liked the character of Robby, a 12-year-old boy who has autism. He discovers, and cares passionately about, birds, and through the birds begins to earn the acceptance of his father, a good person who is exhausted with caring for his son. All of the bird references are great fun if you are a birder, but the book is a good read, even if you're not.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michigan author Cari Noga wrote Sparrow Migrations as part of the 2010 National Novel Writing Month. The manuscript languished waiting for a publisher to accept it. Finally Noga self-published. The book was a semifinalist in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest and is being published by Lake Union Publishing. I first heard about the book in a Detroit Free Press news article.

The novel follows the stories of three families whose lives were impacted by the 2009 "Mircale On the Hudson." Noga explores how the experience altered their perception, their goals, and their family lives.

Christopher and Deborah had successful careers when their plane went down in the Hudson. They had spent years trying to get pregnant without success. Christopher's post-crisis reaction is to enjoy the life they had been given, telling Deborah that becoming pregnant had taken over their lives and kept them on an emotional roller coaster. But Deborah had come through the experience more determined than ever to have a child. Her consequent choices divide them.

Linda and Sam and their twelve-year-old son Robby were on the ferry near where the plane came down. Linda and Sam are in different places concerning acceptance of Robby's autism and how it has changed their expectations of parenthood. Robby saw the Canada Geese flying near the plane and it has sparked his interest in learning more about birds--hoping to understand how to prevent more accidents along their migration paths. As his parents struggle to allow Robby the freedom to follow his passion they discover their son has depths they had never understood.

Brett was to have been on the fatal plane but delayed her return to her pastor husband and their child. She was supposed to be learning about food pantries as mission outreach. Instead she'd had an assignation with her female lover, another pastor's wife. Suffocated by the expectations of her role, and alienated by a husband married to the church, Brett faces the decision to out herself and destroy her family or to play the role she's been playing for years for the sake of her daughter.

The paths of the characters take them from the Hudson and into their their private crises until their lives intersect again with hope and redemption.

Robby is a memorable character and his story is informed by the Noga's own autistic son. The characters are memorable and likable. We learn much about autism and its impact on family. Robby's father is particularly interesting as he observes the changes in Robby because of his newly found passion.

I have known several couples who have tried to get pregnant. I won't give away the plot but Christopher and Deborah's marriage is threatened by their differences and by information withheld. Their marriage can only be saved by forgiveness and honesty.

I was particularly interested in Brett's story line. She and Richard had met in college and bonded over a mutual interest in Social Justice. Years later finds the Reverend has lost his boundaries; his role as minister has become his only identity and his ultimate concern. He has allowed the congregation's values to become his own. He shows no prophetic leadership.

We know Richard mostly through his words when he tells his family what he expects from them. Their daughter Amanda is told to fit in, don't stand out, don't show off--a long series of expectations that protect his image to the congregation and puts his child's best interests in the back seat--maybe out of the car all together. His relationship with his wife is called 'platonic' but truly is not even a friendship any more; she is just there for appearances and to enhance his image. I found him a detestable character.

Noga knows about parenting an autistic child. She had to imagine the other character's stories. Richard seems too much of a stereotype, but that is perhaps because I understand what a pastor's life is like and have known pastoral marriages impacted by a spouse coming out. I enjoyed the references to Michigan places.
Publishers Weekly said: “The plot lines are sophisticated, the characters intricately drawn, and the book has a remarkably strong voice… brimming with humanity and grace.”

I received a free ebook through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[Melanie Falconer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dramatic river landing is the crisis that causes the paths of the books characters to cross in this novel about human connection. Deborah is a passenger on the flight desperate to start a family. Brett sees the crash from a ferry and is hiding a secret that will change her life! Robbie is also a witness from the fairy. He is a young boy with autism who becomes fascinated with what cause the crash. The way their stories interact in end is well crafted and makes this an excellent read!

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sparrow Migrations by Cari Noga caught my attention with Robby the autistic boy fascinated with the migrating Canada Geese he saw from the ferry boat just before a U.S. Airways jet was ditched in the Hudson River minutes after take-off from LaGuardia Airport. His hoodie, long hair, focus, and lack of communication and emotion seemed very characteristic of boys his age with autism. His parent's love and devotion also came across as very real and believable.
The bird theme throughout all 3 lives that were followed after this incident were all different and yet their lives migrated as the year progressed. New friends, babies, heartbreaking relationships, new directions, growth and change kept me reading to see how the lives of the people in each family would survive after this incident. I downloaded this book for free from BookBasset.com.

[Linda Lange · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book about a group of people whose lives came together when U.S. Airways Flight 1549 made its emergency landing in the Hudson River in 2009. I did have to suspend some disbelief. I found it hard to accept that the lives of Robby, Deborah, Brett and their families intersected to such a degree after the crash. But I found each character so appealing that I had to know what happened to them. I found myself actually sobbing when I learned the outcome for Robby, the autistic boy. I thought he was an especially well-realized character and was not surprised to reach the author biography and learn that Cari Noga is the mother of a child with autism. This book was a finalist in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, and I believe that distinction is well earned.

[Kristen Barringer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book reads like a made-for-TV movie on the Lifetime channel. Starts off with the Miracle on the Hudson, passengers on the wing, then goes back to tell their stories. A woman who wants a baby, a couple with marital problems, a woman questioning her sexuality, and a young boy on the Autism Spectrum. And surprise, all the stories are intertwined!
There were a few quick scenes that I found educational, mainly about the young boy. I found it interesting to learn how he perceived the world. The teacher twirling the piece of grass until he paid attention to her was one scene I found very moving.
Other than a little bit of education, this was a horrible book.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book 4.5 stars..... not quite a 5 star book, but more than a 4 star. It is about 3 families whose lives intersect after the "Miracle on the Hudson". One family was on the plane that made the emergency landing in the Hudson after the bird strike, one family and one other character from the 3rd family were on one of the ferries that rescued the passengers. I found the characters to be well written and believable. I came to care about each of them. Definitely worth taking the time to read this book!

[Emily Kestrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost never say this, but this was such a beautiful book. It's about an autistic boy who falls in love with birds. And a middle-aged couple whose marriage is strained by IVF treatments. And a pastor's wife who might need to leave her marriage in order to be true to herself. Collectively, it's a novel about how the limitations we face can be overcome with courage and persistence.

Also: the scenes with the piping plovers! Now I want to go to the Sleeping Bear Dunes and see them for myself.

[Jayme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three separate narratives related by the Miracle on the Hudson..each family has their life change because of the experience and I enjoyed seeing where each story would go and how they would eventually intersect . However, I felt the story was weak in the fact that the event was the catalyst for change but didnt seem to affect the characters at all after that day (no fear of flying, no nightmares, no time off of work etc) and that just did not ring true to me .

[Lorna DH · Rating 3 out of 5]

The connections between the characters were more interesting than I thought they would be when I started reading. The religious aspects were a bit heavy-handed.

Robby needs his own book.

[Ixby Wuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An airplane plunges into an icy river and the world witnesses the dramatic rescue. Then, life after the Miracle on the Hudson landing puts three families on another crash course…with their own fragile humanity.

Airplane passenger Deborah DeWitt-Goldman knows her survival means one last chance to start the family she so badly desires—no matter the cost to her marriage. Preacher’s wife Brett Stevens witnesses the event from a ferry, burdened by a secret that could destroy her family. And while twelve-year-old Robby Palmer’s desperate parents struggle to reach through the fog of his autism, the boy discovers a deep connection to the birds responsible for the crash.

Now, all of them must navigate the crosscurrents of the consequences of their decisions…and when their paths collide a second time, another miracle just might happen.

Award-winning author Cari Noga’s Sparrow Migrations is an inspiring, heartfelt look at the crucible of crisis and the power of human connection.

Revised edition: This edition of Sparrow Migrations includes editorial revisions.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this one on my Kindle. I don't remember buying it, but looks like I did so years ago. (It's a new year; I'm trying to clean out and clean up, including my Kindle backlog.) I dived in without reading the synopsis, as I do.

And I just didn't "get" it. It opens with three different vantages of witnessing the miracle on the Hudson, the plane crash with no loss of life. But then the rest of the book continues with three different narratives all progressing at the same pace but in entirely different places and with entirely different characters. It isn't until the very end that some things start to overlap just a bit. And the stories aren't necessarily overly positive or uplifting.

Now that I'm done I went back and read the synopsis and it ends with "heartfelt, inspiring look at the crucible of crisis and the power of human connection." I guess that happens.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

This is the story of three families’ lives, all affected by one event - Sully’s plane landing in the Hudson River. Their stories are separate but all converge. They’re all told with delicate detail, each character brought to life. I enjoyed listening to half of this and then reading the rest. The author’s ability to weave these stories together kept the pages turning.

*one oopsie on page 9 on IVF technical terms. Otherwise, fairly spot on when discussing infertility.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

I struggled a little at the beginning keeping characters straight as the narrative bounced between three storylines. Once I started seeing a few connections (and getting to know the characters better) it was easier.

Brett's struggle with her sexuality was glossed over as the story focused on other aspects of her life. I was most invested in Robby's story and how his interest in birds helped him (and his family.)

Well written, with only a few editing errors that stuck out

[Darcy Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite a good book, especially, as others have noted, the sections dealing with the family who has a child with autism. That's no coincidence, as the author notes that she herself has a child with autism. The other sections dragged at times, but I was impressed with the author's idea of using "The Miracle on the Hudson" as a loose thematic element. I was also impressed that she originally self-published this book before it was later picked up by Lake Union Publishing.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

The character development in this book is just phenomenal, and she tackles quite the variety of people, from a woman obsessed with having a baby to an autistic child to a preacher's wife realizing she's been pretending to be someone she's not her entire adult life. This is one of the best stories I've read recently.

[Paula Cadle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wrapped some human interest stories around the Miracle on the Hudson plane crash. Wasn't much about the plane crash, but it was a sweet enough story tying several families together including a young man on the spectrum, a couple disagreeing on building a family with a hereditary genetic disease and a woman being honest with her family.

Birds figure in the story and are an additional tie for many of them.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about an autistic boy

This was a pretty good story. It's about family living with an autistic child and a relationship that was on the dockside to dishonesty. And how ornithology brought everyone together.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

I cannot recommend this book enough. Many characters that intertwine through the book. Robbie, an autistic child is my fav character. The author caught his thoughts perfectly. I don't rate many books 5 stars but this one earned it for me

[Rhea L Gonczi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific

This is an awesome book of real life struggles and joy. I love that she has exposed autism and Huntington’s Disease in a true life manner. My sister-in-law died of Huntington’s.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great fictional look at the Miracle on the Hudson. Congrats to a fellow MU alum on an engaging novel with relatable characters. So glad I read about it in our alumni newsletter and had a chance to read it.