A Million Things.-this was a heartbreaking debut by Emily Spurr. Rae is a smart, wise 10 year old girl who is used to taking on the world with her mom and her trusty dog Splinter by her side. She's resourceful, articulate and responsible. Her mom pulls the occasional disappearing act and during those phases Rae takes care of things as always and attends school. After school one day she arrives to an empty home and carries on as always...except it's not just like all the other times.

Enter nosy, next-door neighbor Lettie who has secrets of her own and is very observant about the neighborhood comings and goings. Both Rae and Lettie are keeping secrets and an unexpected friendship develops. This is a fast-paced debut that will tug at heart strings. Some of the story is very difficult to read and early on I had an idea of where it was heading but it didn't make it less difficult. I loved the friendship between Lettie and Rae and this is a well-written debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

A million things is the story of 10 year old Rae who has been abandoned by her mother. Rae tries to hide it from everyone including her neighbors, teachers and the authorities and how she survives and what happens to her form the crux of the story.
Rae is such a resourceful little girl, full of bravery. My heart wept for her and her situation. I just wanted to jump into the book and give her a hug. She was precious.
Her evolving relationship and friendship with her cantankerous neighbor Lettie was another highlight of this book. I loved loved loved how it developed. I loved how the issues of hoarding was also addressed via Lettie’s story. Both of them are unforgettable characters.
My one complaint was that I couldn’t get into the book in the beginning. It took me some time to feel everything but in the end I was bawling like a baby.
All in all, I definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a beautiful heartwarming book.

Rae was going away to a new home, well a new life really, and her neighbour Lettie gave her a book as a parting gift.   In it she inscribed the following words
 
<blockquote><b>A book about a brave, resourceful kid for the bravest, most resourceful kid I’ve had the pleasure to spend time with. Don’t forget me kiddo, I’ll never forget you. Lettie. </b> </blockquote>

Not only was ten year old Rae  brave and resourceful but she was equally feisty, she was self sufficient and she experienced what no child should ever have to.    I'm not going to say it couldn't or hasn't happened in real life but I cant explain the relief I felt when the author didn't say her story was based on actual events.    For this one time I wanted it to be a complete and utter work of fiction.

I fell into the story easily, intrigued about what was going on, from whose perspective the story was being told.  It was clearly a person whose grief was so overpowering and all-consuming that chunks of time, even actions were lost in the fog.   Little by little readers piece together the story is being told from a childs perspective but this child has not had an easy life and not only is she contending with grief but huge doses of fear.  It's always been her and her Mum, together, but now they're not.  Now it's just her and her dog Splinter.    This needs to remain a secret and she does everything she can to stay under the radar.   Sticking to her routines, acting normal, presenting at school as a clean, happy, well fed and likeable student all help but there's also the issue of the nosy old goat from next door who is always outside checking out what's going on over at Rae's place.  

Initially there's no love lost between these two but when Rae comes to the rescue of the elderly lady it becomes clear Lettie has a fairly massive secret of her own.   As the book progressed I wholeheartedly enjoyed the development of the unlikely friendship between these two.      Though Rae had an ulterior motive, she was instrumental in helping Lettie get her house in order and her life back on track.  This thread was just as compelling to me as Rae's own story.

Rae and Letty were the central characters, and I loved her dog Splinter, but Rae's mother was a huge presence throughout the story.   Through Rae's internal dialogue readers were able to formulate a very clear picture of who and what her mother had been.     It was no wonder Rae was as capable as she was, she'd needed to be over the years living with a parent who was clearly suffering from a mental illness.    Not that Rae used those words but readers could clearly infer that from her memories, from the echoes of harsh words and erratic behaviours.   Words like these <i>" I think of you, standing here, holding my hand. Of me here with you when I thought the worst that could happen was you screaming at me in the night or throwing something at the wall or staying in your bed for a week.</i>

Earlier I quoted the inscription Lettie wrote for Rae but those words summed up perfectly how I felt about <b>A Million Things</b>by Emily Spurr and I'm fairly certain it's a story I wont forget anytime soon.     Congratulations on a marvellous debut novel.  I'm not at all surprised it was shortlisted for the Unpublished Manuscript Prize in the 2020 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, but I'm a little surprised it didn't win.   Please write more soon.  Thanks to Text Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.    Quotes are from the ARC and may be subject to change.

A Million Things by Emily Spurr was an enjoyable book , but not one that I think will stay with me for very long. I do think the writing was quite good!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

A Million Things is a heart-wrenching story told from the perspective of ten year old Rae who forms an unlikely friendship with her elderly neighbour Lettie. Rae's always taken on more responsibility at home than most children her age, but with her mum suddenly gone she's got to keep everything together on her own. Rae must care for herself and her dog Splinter, buy groceries, cook meals, clean the house and pay bills all while trying to avoid drawing the attention of nosy neighbours, school administrators or officials from the housing council. Her one source of comfort is taking long walks with Splinter through picturesque neighbourhoods, where she can envision a different kind of life.

Lettie has been consumed by grief for decades; her life and home have gotten so out of control that she's reported to the housing council as a danger to the health and safety of the neighbourhood. When Lettie has an accident in her home one evening Rae comes to her aid, and so, after years of living side-by-side with minimal interaction, the pair unexpectedly become each other's support system.

Both humourous and tragic, A Million Things is a riveting novel that I read all in one sitting. Emily Spurr's prose was very well written and the characters exuded such raw emotion. I also loved the delightfully snarky banter between Rae and Lettie, ("kiddo"/"goat-o" had me in stitches). I liked how each chapter was a day in Rae's life after her mum leaves - as the days continued to pass you could feel the increasing amount of strain on Rae as she tries to keep it all together, until it all just gets too much for her. Watching the count of the days increase also really highlighted how traumatic it would be for a young child to be on their own for such a long time.

Overall, it was a great debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Emily Spurr in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Text Publishing for providing an eARC of this book for review.

What a wonderful read! A Million Things centers around, Rae, a ten year old who is wise beyond her years. Rae has probably always been the adult in her relationship with her mother, but now she finds herself completely by herself when her mum abandons her. Rae not only fends for herself, but also cares for her beloved dog, Splinter. Rae gradually develops a friendship with her elderly neighbor, Letty. Rae and Letty grow to depend on each other and create a beautifully unlikely bond.

This novel was both heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. The entire book is told through Rae’s perspective and it completely worked! A Million Things is a 5 star novel—I was shocked to learn that this is Emily Spurr’s debut novel because it’s so darn good! I am so excited to see what Emily Spurr comes out with next!

Wow... So, I have to admit that for the first 1/3 of this book I almost DNF it. The writing was very choppy with many sentence fragments. It did not flow well at all and due to this I could not get drawn into the story.

I also had a really difficult time meshing the language, thoughts, and behaviors of the narrator to a ten year old child. Regardless of how mature a ten year old is, she is not completely self-sufficient. She was able to pay all the bills, keep the house clean, do the shopping, keep up the garden, and basically coordinate every day life all while going to school, caring for a dog, and keeping the fact that her mum wasn't around a secret from everyone. I know plenty of full grown adults that couldn't manage all of that as well. If she was even a couple of years older I wouldn't have had to suspend my disbelief quite so much, but I just couldn't make ten-years-old work in my head.

However, as the story progressed I found it more engaging. The writing started to smooth out a bit and even though Rae was still too old for her age you could start to see some cracks where maybe she wasn't managing quite as well as she thought.

I really enjoyed the relationship she had with her neighbor, Lettie. I enjoyed watching it grow and develop into a nice bond. There is a lot that happened in the story and it kept a nice pace. I think the choppy writing in the beginning is meant to set a mood and give an overall feel for the MC's thoughts, but it just didn't work for me. For me, the second half of the book was significantly better and I couldn't wait to get back to it.

Overall, this turned into a very emotional and heartfelt read. I think it started out as a 2 star read and it developed into a 4 star read by the end. I will be interested to read more of this author's work.

When I first started reading this book, I was a little thrown by it being written in the first person and using the voice of a 10 year old. However, as I continued, I found myself being drawn into Rae and Lettie's lives, despite myself.

Rae lives with her mum and her dog, Splinter, in a house in the suburbs. There is an older lady next door who seems kinda grumpy and they avoid each other, pretty much. There is also a very annoying little boy who lives a few doors down who seems to be very needy and lonely. Rae's mum has her issues and she takes off sometimes but she always comes back.....until she doesn't.

Rae is left on her own to take care of herself, the house, her dog and go to school each day. Of course, things can't continue like that but she does a sterling job, a better job than I could have done at her age, for sure. I might have managed it at 14 but not 10. Anyway, things come to a head with Lettie and they start to slowly unravel for Rae too.

Inbetween all the hard stuff, there is the lovely friendship that forms between Lettie and Rae - both of them vulnerable but both in need of someone to care about them. This was the highlight of the story for me.

I found this a confronting story but also a very emotional and poignant one.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Text Publishing.

‘Silence isn’t really silent.’

Suddenly, Rae and her dog Splinter are on their own. Her mum is gone. Rae’s determined to manage on her own. She can use her mum’s debit card to buy food and pay the bills, she can take care of Splinter and, if she keeps the front yard tidy, perhaps she will be left alone. Rae is afraid though, and while she knows she cannot trust the world, she is afraid that people will learn that her mum is gone.

This novel portrays Rae’s life for fifty-five days as she takes care of herself and Splinter. Rae’s used to her mum disappearing for a while, she knows what to do. But this is not the same.

Next door lives a grumpy old woman called Lettie. Lettie has her own secrets, her own ways of keeping people at arm’s length. Rae is worried about what will happen when her money runs out, and when her mother’s absence is noticed. Rae rescues Lettie after a fall, and the two of them form an unlikely but guarded alliance. Then there’s Lucy down the street who keeps wanting to speak with Rae’s mum, and her son Oscar who want to be Rae’s friend.

What a wonderful debut novel this is. Lettie and Rae are well realised characters, each dealing with difficult situations and relaxing into a comfortable companionship. But Rae cannot keep her secret, especially after she receives an eviction notice.

And the ending? You will need to read it for yourself.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for
review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

🏠🏡Sad, with heartfelt message on friendship😞

This story drew me in and I could not stop reading, even knowing from the start that young, resourceful Rae was in such a sad, untenable situation and the facade of her life could crumble at any moment. It's well-written and believable, with a nine-year old female lead so brave and strong. The friendship she strikes up with her hoarding next door neighbor and her devotion to her dog provide spots of warmth and happiness in an otherwise bleak existence.

I can't say every page was enjoyable because this is not a happiness and light story. But it moved me, from Rae's loss of the one person she loved and depended upon; to a young girl's efforts to maintain normality when her life's anything but; to Letty's situation and the traffic accident that brings everything to a head, Truly a thought- and emotion-provoking, excellent read.

Thanks to Text Publishing and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

This is a wonderful debut novel that will not only make you laugh and cry but also fall in love with the delightful characters.

Told from the point of view of Rae, a nearly 10 year old whose mother has left her home alone. Rae's used to looking after herself as Mum often storms out of the house and disappears for a while or is angry or distant and in no mood for dealing with a child when she's home. So, Rae is good at being quiet and self-sufficient; getting herself ready for school, fixing her own meals, walking her big black dog Splinter, buying supplies from the shop with her Mum's debit card and doing her homework. This all makes her seem a lot older than most nearly 10 year olds, but she still misses her mum and wonders what she'll do when her money runs out.

Rae only knows the next door neighbour as a nosy old goat who sits on her porch watching what's going on in the neighbourhood, but when she hears her calling for help one day, she clambers in through a window and pulls her out from under a heavy bookcase. She discovers the old goat is called Lettie and is not too scary, although her house is in a terrible state with piles of hoarded books, magazines and all manner of stuff. From then on Rae and Lettie form a sort of alliance, looking out for each other and sharing hot chocolate and biscuits on Lettie's front porch.

I loved the close relationship that develops between the young girl and the older woman, both of them spiky and independent. Neither of them was too nosy or intrusive on the other's feelings, but caring and there for each other and to keep others who would meddle at bay. Rae's relationship with her dog Splinter also reminded me of how children can receive comfort and reassurance talking out their problems to their pets in the absence of friends and family. Although dark and sad at times it's a wonderful story of hope and resilience for these two unlikely friends who have been through so much.

5⭐ is not enough!

This is a wonderful book! It might well be the best one I've read this year.
The story is narrated from a 10 years old point of view which gives it an unfiltered, innocent taste.
Rae is used to her mother stomping out of the house in a rage and leaving her alone, but she knows she always comes back in the end. However this time she realizes that her mother is not coming back and she has to go on with her life pretending everything is normal, because she doesn't have anywhere else to go.
She goes to school everyday, she takes care of the house, the garden, her dog and herself, but something is eating her from inside: fear, pain, angst, distress.
In the narrative Rae speaks in first person to her mother and it's utterly heart wrenching. Even know, while writing this review, my eyes well up, it's so heartbreaking to read this little girl's thoughts and memories of her mother. One day Rae helps her hoarding neighbour Lettie and day after day they develop a friendship, which will let us have a deep insight in her character, too.
Soon after finishing this book I tried to look for other books from this author, and was highly surprised to find out this is a debut novel. Wow! If a debut novel is so incredibly beautiful, what can we expect from the future? I can't wait!
If you read only one book this year, it MUST be this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much! It was the first book I have read by this author and I can't wait to read more! The characters and their story stick with you long after you finish the book.

This is a heartwarming debut novel filled with grief, joy, sadness, laughter, and heartache, narrated by 10-year-old Rae. I felt like the ending was a little abrupt but the characters and story will stick with me for a while. Thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

🌟🌟🌟 + Awww Stars
Emotional Story
I was drawn to this story as it is described as the friendship of a 10 years girl and her elderly next door neighbor.
That reminded me of myself. I am the oldest and only daughter and have three younger noisy brothers.
Next door lived a family with their teenage daughter and the grandmother.
The teenager was much too old to play dolls etc. But I found that the grandmother loved to listen to soap opera stories. So every day around lunch time I would stop in for a visit and she and I would sit and listen. To this day, I am an avid reader love stories additionally I love audio books and am sure it started back when I was very young and just enjoyed being with my neighbor, Mrs. Morningstar.

This story is told in a span of 55 days in a diary form by Rae a ten year old girl.
Rae’s mother sometimes goes away and leaves Rae alone with her little dog Splinter.
Rae isn’t upset by this as her knows her mom will come back.
Rae and her elderly neighbor Lettie form a friendship as Lettie lives by herself and falls one evening and needs Rae’s help.
I do get emotional when reading stories like this but usually can keep from crying ~ lump in the throat Yep!

In the ‘Acknowledgements’ author Spurr states…
”I’ve never met so many people delighted that I made them cry!”

Want to thank NetGalley and Text Publishing for this early release granted to me for a honest professional review. Australian Edition Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 30, 2021

I loved this book so much! What a spunky little girl.
And of course, she has a wonderful dog. I must read this book again
sometime. There are so many wonderful lessons in life. I think it
is a wonderful story!

A Million Things is the first novel by Australian author, Emily Spurr. Rae’s mum has left before: “The silence you left after you grabbed the keys from the bowl on the table and slammed out the door would stand like a person beside me. The bang made me jump every time. Even though I knew it was coming. Knew from the second your eyes lost focus and tightened and you stopped seeing me and saw only this thing ruining your life. You’d shout, grab those keys and stalk to the door, and bang. And I would jump.” But she’s always come back.

On this winter Sunday, when Rae wakes, mum’s bed unslept in and the back door wide open, it’s different. She and Splinter (the dog) check the backyard, and she understands mum isn’t coming back. Rae may only be ten (nearly eleven) but she’s not stupid. She doesn’t know what will happen if people find out she’s alone, but she’s pretty sure it won’t be good.

Rae knows how to look after herself; she and Splints will just carry on as usual. Life with mum has taught her it’s important to fly under the radar, to keep the house and yard neat, keep herself clean and neat and fed, not to do anything to draw attention, to act normal: “Then I went to school. I slipped Schoolkid on like a jumper, without thinking.”

For now, she has mum’s debit card, she knows the bank passwords, she can shop and cook and wash and take care of Splinter. Bleach and oil burners and air fresheners will do the rest.

The nosy old goat next door always seems to be watching from her front porch but, apart from a few comments, seems happy to keep to herself. Oscar Geddes, though, could be a problem. The boy lives just down the street, he’s clearly lonely and he’s too interested, too persistent. And his mum’s a busybody.

Staying at home nights and weekends is both boring and unpleasant, so she and Splinter walk a lot, all over Melbourne. She helps herself to some things that will make the house look normal; a few close calls see Rae exercising more caution, but it’s working, for now. Rae knows she’ll have to face the awful truth eventually.

Then one day, she has to help the old goat (Lettie) out from a bad spot; Rae keeps helping, and they cover for each other. But Rae is wary of getting too close…

It truly is hard to believe this is a debut novel. Spurr so easily captures her setting, and her portrayal of young Rae is perfect. Her depiction of Rae’s feelings is often inspired: her anxiety “The chest -rat starts trying to push its way out. I fight with it till I can get a breath”; her confusion “I didn’t used to be a counter, … but I’ve found it helps when I’ve got a head full of bees.”


Rae’s first-person narrative, addressed to her absent mother, spans fifty-five days of her young life after the unthinkable has happened. Spurr gives the reader a smart and surprisingly mature protagonist who can’t help but capture even the hardest heart. As capable as Rae is, though, there are still moments when a girl really needs her mum, and some of these will likely exercise the tear ducts.

There is plenty of humour, though, some of it quite black, both in situation and dialogue, which is often sharp, witty, funny:
“‘You’re all right, kiddo.’
‘It’s Rae.’ I remind her.
She pulls a face. ‘I know that. I was being nice. It’s a nickname. A term of endearment.’
‘Oh. Okay .’ I wonder if I should reciprocate. What do you say to an old lady who likes to refer to you as a baby goat? ‘Thanks. Goat-o.’”
This is a tale that will have you laughing out loud one minute and choking up with emotion the next: an utterly brilliant read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing.

This story was such a beautiful and heart wrenching one. This book is about ten year old Rae who just lost her mother and is trying to cope with the loss without letting anyone know. Her only companion being her dog named Splinter. As the book progresses though, we see her become friends with her elderly neighbor, Lettie. The evolution of Rae and Lettie's relationship is well written and such an interesting dynamic to read about.

When I was reading this book I didn't realize Rae was only ten years old. She seemed so much older than that and I was honestly picturing a 16 year old. It didn't help that the dialogue and her own thoughts both conveyed her as much older than she was. I was really surprised when I realized that she was 10, so surprised in fact that it was a bit unbelievable to me at that point because I had just imagined her a lot older the whole time. How she dealt with the whole situation is just something you'd never expect of a 4th or 5th grader. This does make the book unique but it just takes a lot off the realistic/this could happen in real life vibe this book gives off.

Thank you #Netgalley and #AMillionThings for the ARC

In this book, we follow Rae, a 9-year-old girl whose mother has disappeared. She is struggling to make sense of things. Her dog, Splinter, is the only one who knows the truth and keeps her company in a house full of memories. Being alone takes a toll on her, and people are starting to notice her mother is not there. You see the panic attacks settling hard. However, the unlikely friendship between Rae and her elderly neighbour Lettie helps in many ways. Lettie is a very complex character and a somewhat bitter lady that also suffers in silence. Their relationship was portrayed beautifully, adding another layer of issues and themes to the story, which I really enjoyed.

I didn't expect it to be so great considering it was from a 9-year-old's point of view but that made it all the better. This unique perspective provides this story with a fresh curiosity right from the start. This book had me laughing out loud, crying real ugly tears and ultimately gave me back some faith in humanity.'

The climax of the book was well crafted and tear-jerking, and by the end of the book, I was a mess. It is a book about grief and loneliness, as well as it is about hope and finding friendship in unexpected places. I recommend this book for anybody who is looking to read a heartwarming story about a young girl, and her older friend, who is determined to make everything as normal as possible in a not-so-normal world.

I love a story which imparts a deep message, but manages to be an uncomplicated read because more people will read it and benefit from it. This book is both uplifting and heartbreaking. The story grabbed me from the beginning and held me tightly to the end. I cried more than once and I'm not the crying reader type. The unique POV of an Adult Fiction story unfolding through the eyes of a ten year old was skillfully wrought, and a perfect way to shine a light on how a parent's mental health and behaviors affect the children they are raising.

The half star deduction comes from the ten year old being way too mature for her age, even for the typical left-to-your-own-devices environment she mainly grew up in. Making the MC thirteen would have helped a lot in the suspension of disbelief deparment because her inner dialogue was that of a sixteen year old, a majority of the time. Even though I knew she was supposed to be ten, I was still picturing someone around thirteen in my mind's eye. There were also a few things she did physically that it was difficult to believe a ten year old had the strength and body size to do. There was also a misnomer about how old original teen fans of Pink Floyd would be now; I am one of those teen fans and I am nowhere near having age spots and purple marks on my hands from thin elderly skin, ha ha.

Two elements in this story which are dear to my heart were the child and senior citizen friendship, and the idea that, "... it takes a village."

One thing I want to stress about this book is it is NOT Middle Grade, even though the main character is ten years old. The content is too mature and disturbing for MG readers. The publisher has it listed as Women's Fiction. *WARNING: suicide.