I have been in the worst reading slump this month. Nothing holds my attention, nothing interests me…..until this book fell into my lap. I devoured this book in between breaks for tears. Wow! What an incredible story. I love debut authors. I love character driven novels. And I absolutely loved this beautiful story of resilience and unlikely friendships. I’m not even a dog person and I fell in love with the dog Splinter if that gives you any idea how good this book is.

Rae is an incredible character. At 10 years old, she displays independence, self reliance, and maturity far beyond her age. Your heart breaks for Rae immediately when you realize the situation she is in. And you cheer for her when you see her friendship with her next door neighbor begin to take root.

I am so grateful to @BerkleyPub for the chance to read this amazing book. Thank you to @spurr.emily for writing a book beautiful and strong enough to break through my reading rut. #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen indeed.

A Million Things by Emily Spurr

All ten year old Rae has known is life with her mentally ill mother and her beloved dog, Splinter. Routine is the name of the game and it's Rae who keeps up that routine, doing the chores of a functioning adult, to keep the household going, even during the times when her mom disappears, can't get out of bed, can't function at all. Rae is the adult in this house but this arrangement works until her mother can't keep going at all anymore.

There comes a day when Rae's mom doesn't come back from that dark place in her head, doesn't come back indoors from the shed out back. Now Rae's constant task is trying to mask the smell, to discern everything that needs to be done to make things look like the routine of this household has not been disrupted. But a ten year old can only do so much, time is running out, Rae needs a hug, an adult, someone to hold her up.

Lettie, the nosy old goat next door (Rae's mom called their neighbor an old goat and Rae likes to call her that, too) worms her way into Rae's life. Their cantankerous friendship warmed my heart, two people very much in need of human companionship and kindness who also feel the need to hold off closeness because of the hurts in their hearts. I love how the story shows us the kindness of strangers, acquaintances, and new friends. There really are people out there who care even if most people feel the need to stand back a bit until they know it's safe to open up.

I feel drained after this story. You know that things can't keep going on the way they are for ten year old Rae. She's just trying to keep up her front for another day, knowing that this pretend life is going to fall down on her head, since her real life has been blown up by the actions of her mother. I skimmed through the last part of chapter 48 because something happens to the dog, Splinter, who is as much a character in this story as Rae and Lettie. Thankfully friends had warned me about this part of the story and things do get better, even if they are different for Rae and Splinter.

Thank you to Elisha Katz, Berkley, and NetGalley for this ARC.

A beautiful, wonderful, authentic, poignant and altogether lovely book. The narrator, a girl of ten is described by one of the characters as “ …the bravest, most resourceful kid I’ve had the pleasure to spend time with.,” and I feel that way too. We see Rae’s world through her eyes and it is a world full of danger and unanswered questions. I had figured out the answer to the most dangerous of the questions early in the book but that was alright because this was never a mystery story. It was about a child finding her way.
You can’t help but grow to love all the characters in this book, but it is Rae who will fill your heart long after you turn the last page.

Oh just pull my guts out and twist them around… this book touched my soul!
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A Million Things, a debut by Emily Spurr will stay with me a long time. Ten year old, Rae, who we spend 55 days with after her mom isn’t there to take care of her any more, and Lettie, the old goat next door, may be two of my favorite characters ever. Both are impacted by mental illness and loneliness, loyalty and a drive to survive. I loved them individually, but I loved when they were together having hot chocolate on the porch even more.
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I don’t actually have the proper words to describe this book, it is definitely a character driven story that draws you in to this little girls small world in such a way that you can smell the oil diffusers, hear the dog lapping water, feel the uncertainty in her day to day. It made me sad, but gave me hope, and I was so impressed by the courage of these characters who both faced things they didn’t want to face.
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#BerkleyWritesStrongWomen and they also write strong girls. I feel like Rae will grow up to be an amazing woman. I like thinking of what happens next in this story and enjoyed the discussion about it with #BerkleyBuddyReads.
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Thanks @BerkleyPub for my advanced ecopy of this great book. I loved reading a new author and enjoyed this heart wrenching story of compassion and resilience she brought to us.

This book is absolutely everything! I had no idea how I would feel based off the synopsis but it blew me away! I absolutely adored the main characters Rae and Lettie and wanted to just hug them! I am stunned this is a debut! The writing was exquisite and I could picture every single thing being described. This story absolutely broke my heart and gave me so much hope!

I received a gifted galley of A MILLION THINGS by Emily Spurr for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

A MILLION THINGS follows Rae, a young girl facing very difficult circumstances. Her mother has often left her alone, but Rae always knows she’s coming back. Until now. Now she wakes up with her pup by her side and the back door open and a knowledge that things have gone wrong. She isn’t quite ready to face what is going on, so she resumes life as normal. She make excuses for her mother’s absence and continues on with life fending for herself and her dog.

Next door to Rae lives Lettie, an older woman with a hoarding problem. She is the talk of the neighborhood as her house’s condition makes itself more and more obvious that she needs help. Rae is a resourceful girl and she finds little ways to make an impact in Lettie’s life and finds ways for Lettie to help her out as well. As an unlikely friendship forms, Lettie begins to ask more questions and Rae must get closer to admitting the truth to herself.

This book was SO heartbreaking and so compelling and so beautifully done. Rae is such a bright and resourceful girl, a ten year old managing to fend for herself completely for weeks on end. I love the relationship she has with her pup (of course!) as it is the only consistent relationship she’s really had. Though she attends school regularly and sees people there, it doesn’t seem she’s ever been able to let people close to her given her difficult home situation.

The friendship between Lettie and Rae is beautifully developed as well. They are an unlikely pairing, but each has needs and hurts that the other is able to uncover. They’re each willing to accept the other as they are.

This made for a great discussion book as there are a lot of elements to dig into and I’m still not entirely sure if I loved the direction the ending takes. Even so, the entire book was thought provoking and it will pull at every heartstring!

Every now and then a book comes along, and just steals your heart. A Million Things is THAT book.

A stunning debut that chronicles the life of 10 year old, Rae, over the 55 days she's left alone. Rae forages for herself over the course of the story. She goes to school, does homework and sets about the tasks of running a home; cooking, cleaning, yard work and bills. Her most loyal companion is her dog, Splinter, who has never let her down. Rae soon finds herself befriending her elderly neighbor, helping her just as she is helping herself through each day.

A girl mature beyond her years shows resilience and strength to NOT give-up. I truly wanted to just hug her and never let her go. Don't stop after the last page, continue on through the "Behind the Book" authors notes.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the complimentary copy.

#AMillionThings #NetGalley #berkleywritestrongwomen #berkleybuddyread

55 days. Almost eight weeks. Rae is barely ten years old and secretly lives alone with her big dog. You read it right; they live alone. No adults.

The title A Million Things comes from “Knowing you is not one thing....It’s a million things.” Your heart will be tugged a million times while you read this.

Highly recommended. Unusual style of writing. Many thanks to Netgalley and Berkeley.

Oh man. I’m a book snob and it’s very rarely that I give out five stars. But this book. Oh this book. It grabs hold from the start and doesn’t let go til the very end. It is haunting, emotional, traumatic, hopeful and so many other things that your mind can’t comprehend being in one single story, but here we are.
Rae is 10 and lives at home with her bestest pup, Splinter, named of course from the TMNT. Her mom is gone and Rae and Splinter have to survive on their own without anyone knowing that they’re on their own. The struggles they go through physically and emotionally will take you on a journey-you know what’s coming and yet you don’t. Rae tries not to attract any attention so she carries on with school and going to the store, and cleaning and although the average 10 year old would most likely not be able to carry out this charade, Rae isn’t your average girl.
One day, her old lady neighbor falls and Rae comes to her rescue, despite the animosity that the 2 have for each other and it begins the most lovely of friendships. They learn that they both need someone to fill in the wholes in their lives and their hearts and their bond just makes life better for both of them.
This book will stick with me for a long time. Make sure to grab it when it’s released Aug 24.
Warning: Triggers-abandonment, trauma, loss
Thanks to Berkley Publishers and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.

Wow. This book is heart-wrenching. I went into it blind and was not prepared! I'm sad this book is over.

This is 100% character-driven. It was slow but not at all boring. The relationship with Lettie and Rae was perfection. Told from the point of view of 10 year old Rae to her missing mother, we learn about the 55 days since her mother left and how Rae survives. This had some A Man Called Ove vibes with the elderly neighbor, Lettie, next door, but is very much its own book. These characters will stay with me for a while and not just Lettie and Rae but Oscar and Splinter too! A few small things kept me from giving it 5 stars but I don't want to mention them and give the book away but it was still an excellent story that moved me.

*Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

This book absolutely blew me away. It is, in my opinion, proof of why Up Lit is the very best genre. This book is heartbreakingly and breathtakingly sad...but also so beautiful. I love that Lettie is not your typical sweet grandma. She is hurting and learning and struggling, yet she's able to love and support Rae in spite of it all.

Rae. Oh sweet Rae. I love her more than I've loved a main character in a long long time. Watching her fall apart in real time is unbearable. But she's plucky and resourceful and precocious and even as she is avoiding the truth, she is strong and brave and I just want to hug her.

Read this book if you love Ove, Ona (The One in a Million Boy), Eleanor, Rosemary (The Lido), or Arthur (Trulove OR Pepper). Read it if you love the notion that in spite of neglect, pain, and even death...love wins.

This book is truly beautiful and magical and endearing.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

5 stars.

It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel, as it’s fast-paced, intricately layered and difficult to put down.

I did find this story to be incredibly sad and honestly heartbreaking. The friendship between Lettie and Rae was genuinely lovely though, and I’m glad I read this important book.

Those days in Rae's life will not be forgotten soon. A Million Things by Emily Spurt meshes very different characters into a unit who will save Rae.

A heartbreaking and powerful read about the resilience of a young girl faced with being on her own.

10-year old Rae lives with her mom and her dog, Splinter. Her mom has a history of leaving her for stretches of time. When she wakes up one morning, she knows she’s been abandoned again.

Told over the course of 55 days, Rae goes to school, takes “Splints” for walks, and tries to behave like it is any other day, while studiously avoiding her “old, nosy” neighbor, Lettie.

Then one day, Rae hears Lettie inside of her house, asking for help. She’s trapped under a bookshelf, and Rae helps move it off of her body.

What becomes of that is a friendship of sorts, as both Rae and Lettie are lonely and both have problems that the other one has no experience with. They begin to rely on each other. As the days go by and her mother is still “away on business”, Rae knows she can’t keep up the charade forever.

This is a touching and quietly emotional story that was easy to get lost in and fly through. Rae and Lettie are truly memorable, well-rounded characters. Their growing friendship will stay with me for a long time.

Splints, the dog, is a wonderful companion to Rae...such a fun and loving soul. Heed the advice of many others and skim or skip Day 48 if harm to animals is a trigger. I was made aware ahead of time, and skimmed through the day to get the gist. It’s not easy to read, and you will still know what happens if you jump ahead to Day 49.

Other than that, this is a truly moving and captivating story, and I love that despite the narrator being that of a 10-year old girl, it doesn’t feel like a YA read. The author discusses that in the truly interesting “Behind The Book” segment at the end, so make sure you check that out.

I highly recommend this stunning debut novel, and look forward to more of Emily Spurr’s work.

Thank you to Berkley for providing me with a widget of the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 8/24/21.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

Stunning! Gut wrenching! Captivating! Heartbreaking! This original story was amazing and it breaks my heart to think it could really happen to a child. This story covers 55 days in the life of 10 year old Rae. She lives in a rented house with her Mum and her dog Splinter. Her Mum has been gone for a while, she has disappeared before but not for this long. Rae tries to carry on alone, buying groceries, pretending her Mum is working away. But this can’t last.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This a the heartrending story of Rae, who has been left on her own and is desperately trying to keep it a secret. When her neighbor Lettie needs her help, Rae risks the toppling of her house of cards and learns Lettie has secrets too.

This is a well-written, gritty, and realistic tale that will break your heart as you devour every page. If you enjoy realistic, no-holds-barred fiction, you will enjoy this book.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Rae, almost ten years old, finds herself alone after her mother disappears. Rae knows how to take care of herself as her mother is often moody and leaving home. Rae takes herself to school, walks her dog, fixes her own meals, using Mum's debit card to buy food. She has a neighbor who always sits on her front porch, and seems to be very snoopy, according to Rae and Rae's mother. One day Rae hears the neighbor calling for help and she goes to see what she can do. The neighbor, a hoarder, is caught under a piece of furniture which fell on her. As the health authorities become involved in the neighbor's business, Rae's solitary life stretches out ahead of her and everything becomes more precarious, knowing she could be found out at any moment.

How do Lettie and Rae work out the issues? Can Rae figure out how to trust anyone ever again? This story was difficult emotionally for me, as an adult, to read. Having had students who were mostly responsible for themselves and younger siblings, Rae's taking responsibility for herself did not seem a stretch.

this was so sweet and heartfelt. i am so invested in lettie and rae's friendship and in both of their lives and it was sad to say goodbye!

Where to start about this book? That it broke my heart from almost the first page? That I loved both Rae and Lettie, but most of all Splinter? That I both wanted to rush through this but never have it end?
The book covers 55 days in the life of 10 year old Rae and her dog, Splinter, after her mom disappears. Rae is an amazingly competent young lady and looks to manage on her own. But I still wanted to just hold her in my arms and care for her. Lettie is her elderly neighbor who has a hoarding problem. They slowly form a friendship. But still, it’s obvious this is a situation that can’t continue long.
Second person narrative is hard to pull off. But I loved it here, as Rae talks to her mom.
It’s amazing to think this is a debut novel. Make sure to read the Author’s “Behind the Book” which explains where she found the idea for this book. I highly recommend this book. It’s one of my favorites of the year.
My thanks to netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book.

A powerful debut novel. It pulls you in and tears you apart. Incredible characters living the impossible. You have to read this one.