Review: The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah

Review: The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah

1 comment

Blog Tour, Contemporary, Glendy Vanderah, Lake Union Publishing, Reviews, the light through the leaves, TLC Book Tours

The Light Through the Leaves

by Glendy Vanderah

Thanks so much to TLC Book Tours and Lake Union Publishing for this gifted copy.

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publish Date: April 1, 2021
Hardcover
464 Pages
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary

Go on a powerful journey of forgiveness and healing with The Light through the Leaves, a transcendent novel of love, loss, and self-discovery by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Where the Forest Meets the Stars.

One unbearable mistake at the edge of the forest.

In a moment of crisis, Ellis Abbey leaves her daughter, Viola, unattended—for just a few minutes. But when she returns, Viola is gone. A breaking point in an already fractured marriage, Viola’s abduction causes Ellis to disappear as well—into grief, guilt, and addiction. Convinced she can only do more harm to her family, Ellis leaves her husband and young sons, burying her desperate ache for her children deeper with every step into the mountain wildernesses she treks alone.

In a remote area of Washington, a young girl named Raven keeps secrets inside, too. She must never speak to outsiders about how her mother makes miracles spring from the earth, or about her father, whose mysterious presence sometimes frightens her. Raven spends her days learning how to use her rare gifts—and more important, how to hide them. With each lesson comes a warning of what dangers lie in the world beyond her isolated haven. But despite her mother’s cautions, Raven finds herself longing for something more.

As Ellis and Raven each confront their powerful longings, their journeys will converge in unexpected and hopeful ways, pulled together by the forces of nature, love, and family. 

My Review:

Apparently Glendy Vanderah has become a new favorite author of mine!  I absolutely loved Where the Forest Meets the Stars and fell in love with her writing there and The Light Through the Leaves just seals the deal.  UFF, y'all - two very emotional reads in a row but damn.  What a beautiful novel.  Put me through the wringer of emotions. 

Part I had me already knowing this was going to be a heart tugger of a read, because I was already half feeling empathy towards Ellis, but then also getting so ANGRY at what was happening.  I can't imagine the pain, heartache and guilt that a mother would feel from leaving her baby daughter to get abducted.  So we watch her journey begin as she tries to heal and do what's best by her and her family, and it's a rocky road indeed.

Then Part II comes and here we have a very earth/spirit of a woman and her daughter, Raven, who quite honestly steals the show.  I fell in love with her instantly and couldn't flip the pages fast enough to see how this was all going to play out.  And so we go back and forth between their lives until .... well, you'll have to read this and find out.

I don't know why it took me so long to put some things together but I do remember my very physical response to it... you know, when you're half laying and reading and suddenly you bolt right up!  Vanderah, again, brings us a very naive and yet very mature Raven.  There was a teeeeeeensy part of me that tilted my head in bewilderment at times, but hell... she certainly had plenty of reason to grow up so fast.  But then we also still see the child within still peeking out.

Goodness gracious, I'm not really a "one with the earth" kinda gal, but I LIVED through Ellis and Raven and their seemingly very deep bond with mother nature.  This story touches on oh so very much.  Different people deal with grief, family, forgiveness and finding their place in the world in very different and unique ways.  But we also get hope and love and ties that last forever.  It *may* have been a little too neatly wrapped if this was any other kind of read for my particular taste, but I just can't give this anything less than all the bright beautiful stars in the sky.

★★★★★

Blog Tour, Contemporary, Glendy Vanderah, Lake Union Publishing, Reviews, the light through the leaves, TLC Book Tours

1 comment

Share it: