A well written coming of age story with lots going on and quite wonderful descriptions of the outdoors and nature. Strong female characters and it was certainly difficult to put down during the latter parts of the book.

Sugar Birds was a beautifully written literary fiction, coming of age, adventure story about two teenagers and a cast of other interesting characters, ie an autistic brother of one of the girls. From the moment I started reading I wanted to follow the stories of Aggie, aged 12 and Celia, 16; They were very real characters. Both are dealing with broken hearts and broken spirits, for different reasons. The book provided suspense, drama, and sprinkles of faith throughout.
After a traumatic event Aggie retreats to the woods and uses skills taught by her father to survive. There are vivid accounts of the natural world ( birds,and other wildlife) of the Pacific Northwest throughout the book making it even more interesting to me as an outdoor kinda person.
Sugar Birds is an ideal young adult story as we watch two young narrators come to grips with a world which can be cruel and tough, but also supportive and caring
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing the book in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting plot in this story that is part family drama, part mystery, and has several inter-connecting story lines.
Aggie, who is 10 years old, believes she has killed both of parents when her carelessness starts a fire. Overcome with guilt and responsibility, she hides in the forest surrounding her home to evade authorities and is believed dead. Burnaby, her brother, had spent the night of the fire and his aunt and uncle's farm. Although not addressed directly in the novel, he is likely autistic and has trouble finding his place. He is smart, artistic, and misunderstood by most. Lastly Celia, who is visiting her grandmother for the summer while her father is working out of town is consumed by teenage angst. Angry at the mother who left to pursue her career and feeling double abandoned by her father who left her at her grandmother's, she is looking to scorch the earth. She finds a partner in Cabot, a handsome young man too old for her, who is probably up to no good. These stories come together in a realistic way making or a driving plot with well-developed characters. There is a slight "Christian Fiction" undertone here, but if that is not your thing it is not so obvious as to be distracting. A good read. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

A story of two girls, 10-year-old Aggie, who lives in the woods after a terrible accident, and Celia, a 16-year-old Celia, staying with her Grandma after her father left to work on an oil-rig.

"Sugar Birds" was an emotional and though-provoking read, full of beautiful nature descriptions and complicated characters. Aggie must rely on the skills her Father taught her about survival and the wild after she accidentally sets her house on fire and has to get by in the woods. In the alternating chapters we meet Celia, who has been living with her Dad after her Mother left some years earlier, but now had to move in with Grandma after learning her Dad is leaving to another country for an assignment. We're observing these characters as they experience tumultuous, intense emotions related to their situations. Eventually, both girls meet and help each other, learning about forgiveness and strength through their experience.

I enjoyed this story, it was beautifully written and the alternating voices of Celia and Aggie were captivating, if slightly immature. The side characters were interesting and flawed, adding appeal to the narrative. The spellbinding nature descriptions especially stand out, bringing 'Where the crawdads sing' to mind.

This is my first book by Cheryl Bostrom and I was impressed. Sugar Birds by Cheryl Bostrom is reminiscent of Delia Owens, Where Crawdad's sing but located in the Northwest, a coming of age story. A survival story of a young girl running from starting a fire. There are two storylines of young ladies from very different backgrounds. This is a story of character, courage, persistence, and the will to live despite enormous challenges, providing potential role models for the yound ladies of today. Aggie, a child I could relate to, a deep lover of nature whose passions drove her blind to risk. Barnaby, his brilliant, beautiful mind filled with unique pecularities showed me the inside of his fascinations, each one of them dear to him helping me understand his character. Celia, bearing her heart, exploring the edges and borders of her changing emotions while untangling her pain and fury at her father for dropping their vacation plans and leaving her with her grandmother is visceral. I enjoyed Cheryl’s attention to detail, her knowledge of nature in the Pacific Northwest, and her character development. Pub date: Aug., 2021. A heartful thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publisher, the ARC in exchange for a review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Wow, this was an amazing read!

This definitely ranks up there as one of the best books I have read so far this year. 🙌🏻 It was beautifully written. Rich in details. The nature setting was perfectly done. The plot emotional and thought provoking. The character's well developed and unique. Burnaby being by far my favorite of the book. And the ending was heartwarming. I loved every minute reading this one. 👍🏻👍🏻

**ARC Via NetGalley*

Released last month, I was anticipating this book, marketed as 'perfect for fans The Scent Keeper, The Snow Child, and The Great Alone, immersing readers in a layered, evocative coming-of-age story set in the breathtaking natural world where characters encounter the mending power of forgiveness—for themselves and for those who have failed them'. Mention The Great Alone, and I'm there. I also had Crawdads vibes from the synopsis.

Whilst I loved the two perspectives, I wanted to spend more time with Aggie - the storyline focused more on Celia, a character I didn't quite feel connected to. Perhaps it was my initial expectations of a book set in the beautiful wild, a story of survival and resilience, so Aggie was where I kept wanting to return to. Whilst Celia's storyline carved out Aggie's world outside of her self-banishment, it felt like it went off-synopsis for me. This isn't to say it's not a great book - just not the book I picked up when the mood struck.

Atmospheric for sure. A little more character development, more bird in the story arc, a lot less about the city girl and more about the 10-year-old hiding in the woods… and a story more closely embedded with nature, the wild and survival and I would have been right at home.

This is a beautifully written story set in the Northwest Washington State. It tells the story about a terrified 10-year-old girl, Aggie, who thinks she is the cause of her parents' deaths in a fire. She runs away, and manages to survive, using her bush skills, taught to her by her father, as the community searches desperately for her. Included is 16 year old Celia who has been left with her grandmother by her father while he is working on an oil rig. The third young character is Burn, Aggie's brother, who is autistic, All these characters have an intimate connection with the wilderness, and the wilderness is a character in its own right. The author's deep knowledge of the ecology of this area shines through, and she writes beautifully about it. some readers may find the descriptions overpower the story; others will love them. The survival skills of Aggie feel a little unlikely, but perhaps not! Thankyou to MetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy.

Amazing debut novel! I've seen lots of comparisons of this book to Where the Crawdads Sing and for good reason. Both have the element of nature that is prevalent throughout the book which I love, both have a young girl trying to survive on their own, and both are just beautifully written.

Ten year-old Aggie she has carelessly burned down her family home and killed her parents. Fearing going to jail as a murder she runs off and hides the woods of the PNW. Celia is a few years older than Aggie and has just been unceremoniously dumped at her grandmother, Mender's, house for the summer by her father so he can take a job in Brazil. The books follows both their lives switching points of view as Celia tries to deal with her anger and takes up with a local boy, Cabot, who has a darker side while Aggie is living in the trees next to Mender's property and her aunt and uncles neighboring dairy farm. Cabot and her brother, who stayed at the farm the night of the fire, both work at the dairy farm and from her hiding places she begins to see a sinister side of Cabot that he shows when he thinks no one is watching.

I felt instantly for both these girls and the weight of the emotional burdens on them both. I will not lie when I say that there were two points in this book that there were tears running down my face. That said it is not a sad book but a deeply emotional one.

I highly recommend this book. You will not regret it.

Many thanks to #NetGalley and She Writes Press for providing me a copy of #Sugarbirds in exchange for an honest review.

Sugar Birds was a uniquely drawn story of a young girl hiding in the woods after she accidently starts a devastating fire. Since the release of Where the Crawdads Sings, I’ve read many similar themed books that have a young, female protagonist that survives in the outdoors. Some, I chose not to finish, but I could tell this one had promise.

In Sugar Birds, I learned a lot about nature, animals and trees. Most I took pleasure in learning, some I didn’t need to know, like dissecting for bones in owl pellets. I found it remarkable how Aggie was able to care for herself at such a young age and I was rooting for her, although I couldn’t wrap my head around her need to stay hidden, especially when her brother was so close.

The story kept me interested and engaged, and overall, I really enjoyed the book. However, the characters seemed to be molded to cover all the topical issues of today’s world – depression, autism and mental illness, for example. In truth, that’s pretty representative of the real world; we’re all suffering from something, but in a compact book, it comes on strong.

I think the grandmother and Burnaby were the most memorable characters, which is interesting because they were minor characters, yet somehow, they touched my heart the most. Nature lovers will eat this book up.

In Washington State in the 1980s, Aggie is a ten-year-old who loves birds. She climbs the highest trees to peek at the birds and their eggs. But after a fight with her mother about her climbing, she lights a fire that ends in tragedy–and she flees into the woods.

Celia, 16 and angry at being left with her grandmother for a few months, joins the search for Aggie. Her anger turns to intrigue as she gets to know Aggie’s autistic brother, Burnaby, and the charismatic Cabot, a local farm worker. She feels a kinship with Aggie and slowly gains her trust, just as her own relationship turns dangerous.

This was a fantastic eco-fiction novel with three unforgettable characters, each brilliant and sensitive in their own ways. I loved their bonds and their ties to the Washington landscape.

This title has lots of helpful 4-5 star reviews, so I'll just recommend this to Literary Fiction fans. Good stuff!!
Thanks very much for the free review copy!!

Sugar Birds is a pleasant read with interesting characters by first-time author Cheryl Grey Bostrom. Told from the perspective of two girls, one sixteen and the other ten years of age, who have to confront personal disappointment and a new environment. Whilst one disappears, the other is dumped at her grandmother’s by her father, then each has to struggle to understand their families, accept their shortcomings and navigate personal danger. This is a coming of age saga and naturalist’s delight, making for a three-star read and delightful entertainment. With thanks to She Writes Press and the author for an uncorrected proof copy for review purposes.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝? 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬, 𝐟𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐛? 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬? 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬?

𝐈𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬?

I am always delighted when novels about nature hit the shelves. So many of us are out of touch with it and it’s a shame. What makes this novel engaging is how the author uses nature as a balm for the heavy sadness in a young girl’s heart. With a mother who is deeply depressed, Agate “Aggie” Hayes turns to sketching birds nests in their northern woods as a means to soothe her own woes. Her father Harris, an arborist, has taught his daughter everything show knows about the land but her mother is the one who tries to stop her from doing what she wants, like dangerously climbing high up in the trees. Ten-years-old and still her mother watches her like a hawk, which makes her ‘spitting mad’. Her mamma seems better, not as wild as before, no longer making scenes in front of strangers but she hasn’t stopped her yelling, particularly at Aggie. Her brother Burnaby is another worry, for different reasons but a good distraction to keep their mamma’s ever watchful eyes off Aggie. All she wants is to escape, without the climbing her sadness would suffocate her. When she lights a deadly fire, she must run, believing there is no turning back from her actions. Worse, no one in her entire family could ever love her after what she has done. She escapes on the river by boat and finds herself grounded in the forest, a place she hopes will swallow her up, keeping her hidden until the end of time.

Celia has already suffered enough with the end of her parent’s marriage. Staying with her father, she is starved for a flash of love from her mother, love that never shows itself. Now, her father has informed her that he too is dumping her, this time in Washington with her grandmother “Gram”, so he can take a job assignment in South America. Beloved grandmother or not, she isn’t thrilled to be stuck for months with her, despite her love of the beautiful land. What sixteen year old wants to be buried in the middle of nowhere, without their best friend? At least she can keep herself busy helping Gram, an acclaimed biologist, rehabilitate birds. She may not be as skilled but she is learning. She learns about the fire at the Hayes’ place through her gram and that their girl, Aggie, is missing. Just what Celia needs, to be dragged into a search. Both girls, despite their age, are more alike than anyone realizes. Both wrestling with a hunger for acceptance from their mothers, and disappointed by their fathers. Their lives are about to merge.

Celia teams up with two men, one is Burnaby (Aggie’s autistic older brother) and the other Cabot, sexy and irresistible. She scolds herself, she shouldn’t even be thinking about a good looking man right now, but focused on their search. They could miss the little girl easily, if they don’t remain alert. She comes to learn more about Burnaby and his genius but it is Cabot’s kisses she desires. His confidence, his claim on her, she can’t seem to resist the gravity of his pull but there is more story to his past that she will learn as time unfolds. Burnaby is a puzzle, no one is more patient with animals than him and his mind works in fascinating ways, with a brain that feels in colors. He is someone special and it won’t be long before a less ‘secure’ guy starts to harass and suspect him. Just who can Celia trust? Things are heating up and like Aggie, she may not be able to control the fire she is playing with. What we see with our eyes can betray us, in every aspect of nature, human and man.

Aggie, in the meantime, is still on the run figuring out how to dodge those hot on her heels. She has survival instincts, thanks to her father’s teachings and as she hides she is like a ghost, seeing things about people that others don’t. The longer she stays hidden, the bigger threats loom over her family but if she makes her presence known, she will be put in jail for setting that fire! Wild creatures can be friends, but humans need one another, Aggie has never really had a friend. If she hides forever, she never will. It will take courage to figure out her next move but how does Celia fit into the equation of her life? Both girls have a lot to learn about themselves and those around them. It’s a tale of the wild world as well as the deceptive nature of human beings. It’s about those we love, misunderstandings, mistakes and how our spirits steer us, for better or worse. Beautiful read. The author, Cheryl Grey Bostrom, is a naturalist and it is evident in the writing with the atmosphere she has created. The human and animal heart beats loud and strong. Yes, read it!!!

Publication Date: August 3, 2021

She Writes Press

This is an outstanding debut novel that takes place in 1980s rural northern Washington.

Aggie, a ten year old adventurer, takes refuge in the woods after her careless act causes family tragedy. Celia arrives from Texas to stay with her grandmother just as Aggie has gone missing. Angry with her parents, Celia welcomes the distraction of joining the search for Aggie. In the process, she meets older local farm hand Cabot, who seems like the perfect diversion from her unwanted situation.

Aggie and Celia's mutual love of birds and the wilderness that surrounds them helps them both come to terms with their emotions surrounding the unfortunate events in their lives. Lovers of the outdoors will admire how the natural backdrop of this story is so vividly incorporated. The author is a naturalist and photographer in the Pacific Northwest, and her knowledge of the area really shines as I could almost hear the birds and smell the trees as I read. This level of detail allowed me to get lost in the woods right alongside Aggie and Celia.

While this read is described as a coming of age story, there are also elements of suspense as the search for Aggie and Celia's relationship with Cabot progress. It is at once a beautiful story of forgiveness and a compelling page turner.

This novel is another winner from She Writes Press. The impressive quality of writing coupled with an intriguing story make for a riveting debut!

I felt very privileged to receive an advanced copy to review before the release.


Aggie is a little girl who in the opening of the book loves to observe. Not just looking for birds but she also observes the world around her. How nature functions. Hyperfocusing on something is a trait of being on the spectrum ( which seems to be alluded to but not confirmed) and this is what I get from the character. She comes from a family that is battling mental health issues: her mom having bouts of depression and her brother Brun being autistic.
I guess that it can be difficult to write in the perspective of a small child - and to convey and use language that isn’t too bogged down with meaning to portray the feelings that Aggie is trying to tell us. She is full of wonder and excitement of the world around her.
One of the bits of the book that made me chuckle was that she had hidden a small snake in her windbreaker, completely forgetting that it was there ( as most children do). Next thing it escapes and slithers across her mothers foot. Then her mother hit the ceiling ( figuratively speaking). I do not mind snakes - now spiders, thats where I draw the line.

What drew me to the book was the opening of how the woods, fauna and flora were being described. I could feel the woods, the smells and was able to create a perfect picture of the scenes in my head.
This is truly one of the greatest aspects of the book.

Overall, it is a great read, as mentioned the way the natural world was written was perfect, the characters weren’t my favourite, but that was made up by the plot of the book.

Thank you again to the author/ NetGalley for providing an advance copy, so that I can write an honest review.

Sugar Birds, by Cheryl Grey Bostrom, was definitely full of surprises. Beginning as a beautiful declaration of the serenity and peacefulness of nature, Ms. Bostrom invites her readers on a ride packed with action, adventure and mystique, as evidenced as the story builds. A lot happens to this merry band of characters, and readers will be highly entertained and interested from beginning to end. Thank you NetGalley for this beautiful advanced eCopy.

I'm always happy to come across a book that keeps me reading till the end. Sugar birds was such a book. The story was interesting, though I found myself preferring Aggie's story and not so much Celia's. The author has a knack for word pictures which I always enjoy in novels. The plot was well thought out though, at times, I did wonder if a young girl could actually survive all that long in the wilderness especially where there are predatory animals around.

I appreciated the clean language and lack of sex scenes. Very promising author and I look forward to reading her next novel!

‘Sugar Birds’ had me immediately captivated by the young tree-climbing Aggie who is far more at home in the natural world than the world she runs from. Her flight from the consequences of her home burning down, her fear, her fight for survival, all make for an exciting page turner.
I enjoyed the shift in points of view from Aggie to Celia, who is also running from the world she knew. Being ‘dumped’ by her father at her grandmother’s and forming a new friendship with handsome Cabot, parallels the dangers that Aggie faces.
Through Aggie’s knowledge of her surrounds the reader has a vivid picture of the landscape and its flora and fauna. Aggie & Celia’s characters are skilfully created by the author, as are the secondary characters.
This is a terrific book that can be enjoyed by young adult readers and seniors alike. Well done, Cheryl Grey Bostrom!

Sugar birds is a story of youngsters, Aggie, 10 year girl who burns her house by mistake and hides in the woods out of fear that she would be sent to jail and Celia, 16 year girl who is angry with her parents for getting separated and for leaving her to spend summer at her grandma house. They both are from dysfunctional families and this coming of age story is all about how they meet, become friends, learn about themselves and their family, their mistakes, experiences and relationships along the way. The writing is poetic as well as scientific and I enjoyed the narratives that covered the details of life in forests, amidst wild animals, birds and trees. I would recommend this book if you enjoy reading YA fiction.