I am glad I read this book! Despite the tragedy, I enjoyed the times on humor that shined through. I enjoyed the writing and would recommend this book to anyone dealing with loss and grief.

I loved this book. I have read several of Molly Campbell's books and notice I gave 5 starts to them. This story deals with a range of topics that usually aren't high on my interest list. Gay marriage, transgender relationships, grief, and bullying. The areas all blend together perfectly and the page turning won't stop, even at midnight. Thomasina returns home to find her mother Meg awash in grief over the death of her wife Sam. They decide to become hermits for a year to deal with their grief together. A neighborhood teen becomes part of their life along with her foster mother. Their bitter old neighbor becomes a pain from complaining about their dog, a rescued pit bull. So many good characters this book is an eye opener that is funny, sad, informative and family oriented. Don't let the subject matter keep you from a truly wonderful story. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Molly D. Campbell, author of "The World Came to Us" has written a captivating, unique, intriguing, emotional and thought-provoking novel. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction and Women's Fiction. The timeline for this story is in the author's present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The author describes her characters as complex, and complicated. The characters are different physically or emotionally from what the community or society's expectations might be. The themes in the story are acceptance, friendship, kindness, and anti-bullying.

I appreciate the way Molly D. Campbell tells her story and vividly describes the feelings and characteristics of her characters. Tommy Poole comes back to live at home with her mom Meg, after the death of Meg's wife, and Tommy's Mommy, with her sweet lovable Pit Bull. Both decide to grieve and live a year as recluses. Tommy can work her job at the house and go out at night. Tommy's parents were lesbians and the sperm-donor is her Uncle, who she could never acknowledge as her father. Tommy has some dark secrets she has been keeping to herself.

In a subtle way, this story reminds me of a children's book, "The Doorbell Rang" by Pat Hutchens. The Grandmother makes a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and of course, her grandchildren are excited. The doorbell keeps ringing, and more and more people come, and they all have to share the cookies. The intent of Tommy and Meg is just to be reclusive, but somehow that might not be possible.

Tommy's Uncle comes to visit, and next Tommy's best friend and new Pit Bull come and move in. As Tommy meets more characters, they seem to join in as well. There is also symbolism in this story. Just as Pit Bulls are often seen as fighting dogs, they are loving and loyal. There is a lot of bad press about these wonderful dogs. The people in this story are looked upon as outcasts for physical characteristics, or lifestyle choices. I do love the way the author addresses bullying and makes it a part of the story. I would highly recommend this unique and thought-provoking novel.
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What a fantastic book. I'll admit that it took me far longer than it should have to realize that Tommy was Meg's *daughter* but once that was clarified in my brain, I was sucked right along. As a gender non-conforming person myself, who has been able to watch a child be raised by two women, I could not take my eyes off the pages. It was so easy to imagine the little one I know growing up with some of the same questions and concerns. And the sideline characters are hysterical!! Truly wonderful, good character building, and while some might say that locking oneself in their house for a year would be unreasonable, I can guarantee I'd do the same if I had the opportunity. Definitely worth the read!

I really liked the characters in this ebook they were funny and engaging I found the plot boring though I did finish the story

Not at all what I expected. The family dynamic took a bit to understand, but interesting twist. A year of solitude, not leaving the house after losing Mommy is what Meg and Tom decide on. In addition to their story, novel is about bullying, discrimination of many types and how it affects the characters. It is a bit of a slow read.

Thank you NetGalley and Fiction Studio Books for this advanced reader edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partners

BookReview: The funny thing about life is when you decide to step away from the outside world, it comes barging in welcomed or not.

The World Came to Us
By
Molly Duncan Campbell

People do funny things when grief overshadows common sense and yet it made complete sense for Tommy (Thomasina) Poole and her mother Meg to commit to becoming recluses for one year. When Tommy’s other mother and Meg’s wife, Sam, died they couldn’t recover from her loss. So shutting themselves off from the world became their answer. However, there were rules; they could only go out at night to walk Tommy’s sweet Pit bull, Herk, and to sit under the stars in the backyard. Everything else could be ordered in. Most importantly, they had a deadline of only one year.

The funny thing about life is when you decide to step away from the outside world, it comes barging in welcomed or not. The world shows up at your metaphorical doorstep with your tribe in tow, whether you know them as your tribe or not.

Tommy and Meg, outsiders from society from the get-go, find they have allies amongst other outliers that respect and champion their cause. Tommy’s best friend, Suze, moves in with them and becomes a lifeline to the daytime outside world. As a foster parent, she brings in another Pit bull, Saylor.

The dogs are an annoyance to the neighbor next door, a lonely, crotchety man that threatens having the pit bulls exist at all. A bully of epic proportions. Yet every bully has a story and his is just as fascinating.

Add in a troubled teenage girl, wise and yet guarded behind emotional, reinforced steel walls. Her story is only beginning but adds so much spice to this mixture of extended family.

Little did Tommy and Meg know that they invited trouble, love, hi-jinx and a tribe of people into their recluse world.

The World Came to Us is a fantastic story of grief but more importantly of love. Love of those that care long after a death shakes a family foundation to its core.

The World Came to Us is a story of emotions, those of a child bullied because her parents were a lesbian marriage in a small town not tolerant of anything different.

The World Came to Us is a story of a teenager passed from foster home to foster home that endured abuse from the aunt that was supposed to love her after she was orphaned.

The World Came to Us is a story about stereotypes that are projected on everybody by society standards and how messed up that is. It is a story of standing up for the rights of others, but not becoming a bully by doing so. It is a story of childhood betrayal and growing through the pain by letting go of the wounds against you.

It is a story that captivates the reader as emotion after emotion is put under a microscope, dissected and presented for all to see. The World Came to Us is the next “Must Read” to be put on the top your to-be-read pile.

The premise is a bit odd with a woman refusing to leave her home after her wife’s death so her daughter made a deal with her to stay with her for a year after which time she would return to the world. Eventually the daughter’s friend and dog moved in for support as well. Various damaged people come into their lives as they build a new life in the house.
It’s a well written book about overcoming and/or dealing with discrimination of one type or another. My thought was why would the mom, her wife and daughter live in that small town for years when they are never treated as real neighbors because they are gay.
Not much happens throughout the book but maybe I’m just the wrong audience

This story took a different turn for me, as I kept reading it. Not what I expected....alittle slow in the beginning with good humor, but I gave it a chance and continued reading it later.I was abit confused who was who and realized its a story about judging feelings and  bullying and yet compassionate people and neighbors who bring  those who hate,...bringing them together and find freindships, and empathy in each other.
When Tommy Toole's mom  Sam dies, his  other mom Meg is heartbroken and wants to be a recluse in her own house .
After checking up on her,Tommy cant bear to leave her alone by herself, and joins her trying out to be a recluse for a year too . Tommy has old wounds and a secret that needs healing too, but cant bear to tell his mom. The people they encounter in the neighborhood,including a grouchy senior man Percy, who he himself has a loss in his life, and his neighbors find a new discovery on hate, fears, revenge, and all the pain there is in this world when those who don't accept others on how they are.
There is a growth and new discovery in each one that some of this story's characters become : from teenagers to older people, they come together with a quest to show that there is no room for hate in their community .I also fell in love with their two dogs and goes to show even dogs get judged because of their breed.
The story did not grab me at first, and I didn't know who the author Molly Campbell is and did some research on her writings .Her humor in this book is warm and touching and then I came to appreciate this book and the meaning behind this book, to show people its very easy to be judgemental without knowing why a person is how they are.Especially our neighbors.Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book to review.

A heartwarming story about life, love, loss, grieving, and the power of community.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a warming and heartfelt read. Loved it. The characters were very strong and I felt as thought I knew them! Hope to read some more from Molly Campbell. Thank you Net Galley.

I was so loving this book. Beautiful and full of great characters, Man, each person stood out, even the dogs.
I will shout this book to everyone. Thank you, NetGalley for the advance copy to review. 100 stars.

If I could, I would give The World Came Us ten stars. Warm, delightful, fun, full of heart. I hope Ms. Campbell has more work out there for me to read.