Review: The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah

The Light Through the Leaves

by Glendy Vanderah

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Pages: 464

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  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.

Kritters Thoughts:  Before I dive into the review, let me say before you start this book, the first few chapters are a little different, but hang tight on this one and you will be glad you did!  This was a book I almost quit, but so glad I kept going and finished it very quickly!

Ellis Abbey is having a hard time and is distracted by her twin boys enough to leave her newborn daughter at a park and when she shortly returns she is gone.  This one moment sends Ellis' life down a completely different path and the reader follows her as she tries to figure out how to create the life that she is willing to lead.  

Raven is a young girl living in remote Washington state and her mom keeps her secluded from everything as she is dealing with her own demons.  Raven slowly realizes there is a life beyond her mom and their property and wants to know more about this world.  

This was an epic novel where the reader is just waiting for it to all come together!  I couldn't wait to see how these two stories would intersect and I appreciated that the author allowed for some story to happen after the two stories converge.  

Even though these characters were SO far from my own experience, I could still enjoy dipping into their lives and watching it unfold.  I am not the outdoorsy girl, so I definitely couldn't have camped like Ellis did or be so connected to my environment, but I could appreciate how both of these characters found peace in the outdoors.  

This is the second novel by this author and I will be adding her other title to my TBR and hope to read it very soon.  I will also be waiting what comes next from her!

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 31 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.