I’d like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is the sort of author you turn to when news of the world presses in on you. This book features two very you g—teenaged—protagonists who are ´different’ in different ways, and who find solace in each other. Ru Evans, the narrator, is thirteen and so ‘freakishly smart’ that she alternately impresses and scares everyone around her. Gabriel is a seventeen year old boy who wears makeup and blue nail polish. His parents are divorced and his mother is protective to the point of being controlling.

Ru, who was named Rumiko because her mother didn’t know that was the name of a liver and bacon appetizer, is well-meaning and well-intentioned, but her genius IQ and under-developed emotional maturity have her getting by on knowledge but not experience, exactly what is needed to navigate the adult world. She has always relied on her grandmother and her widowed mother for that task, as do most ordinary thirteen year olds. But just as she is about to be thrust into the adult world, through a full scholarship to university, her grandmother dies suddenly. Almost as suddenly, her mother is diagnosed with lung cancer and dies only six weeks later.

In the meantime, however Ru has been staying with a host family, consisting of Gabriel and his mother, in her university town. The two form an instantaneous bond that starts a deep friendship—what Ru comes to see as a ‘herd’ type of relationship in which they occasionally switch leading but always follow each other. What happens when Ru is faced with her fearsome Aunt Bitsy’s guardianship takes them on an adventure that seems unbelievable but readers will absolutely want to believe in.

As always, the author simply weaves a spell that brings on tears, laughter, compassion and hope—for these two kids and for all humanity. Ru is a hilariously honest narrator, Gabriel is as gentle and introspective as she is prone to speaking her mind and spewing the accumulated store of facts in there. Both are endearing and memorable and their story is the kind of magic that soothes the soul.

Get ready for an adventure that leaves readers seeking the northern lights, sneaking across the Canadian border and challenges us to accept people for who they are rather than appearances. Ru was labeled 'freakishly' smart by her family and she's enrolled at a prominent university at thirteen.

Staying with a family during her first year at college, her mother disappears from her life but the reason unleashes Ru and Gabriel's gap mission that will change the trajectory of their lives. Filled with new friends, flying by the seat of their pants and high-jinx antics, the duo embrace a love that true friendship unlocks.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #LifeLossandPuffins in exchange for an honest review. While at times I confused by the novel's direction, Ru and Gabriel's commitment to each other was a powerful elixir to forget ahead and share in their story.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is one of my favourite authors and I was delighted to receive a copy of her book Life, Loss and Puffins.
A story that tugs at your heartstrings and characters that keep you interested and entertained.
I thoroughly enjoyed Ru and Gabriel’s adventure and I can’t wait for her next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Lake Union and NetGalley.

I was thrilled when I saw another Catherine Ryan Hyde novel. She is the queen at writing books that tug at your heart strings. This was no exception.

Ru is a genius. She is freakishly smart. And 13. She is at university. However, her mom dies and she is going to be sent to live with her aunt in Kentucky. Instead, she and her only friend, Gabriel who is 17, run off to complete fun things. She's never had fun before.

I loved this story so much. I loved all the characters. I loved how the story unfolds from Ru's eyes and how she finds meaning in the world around her. This was so so good. I can't wait to read another from this author.

Hyde has been a must-read author for me for a few years. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of her latest book. It was full of rich characters and an intriguing storyline. Hyde is talented in that she can make you feel like you're right there with them immersed in the happenings! Five stars.

The best part of any Catherine Ryan Hyde book is how it makes you FEEL the story. She slowly builds the characters into people you'd love to meet and talk to, even if only to discuss the book. She does not shy away from hard topics, her characters learn to handle life head on.

When you are this smart, every one around you sets goals and expectations for you. No one asks what do you want to do/be? You are known as the smart girl and that's it. The only people who understand are those like you. So you make a friend or two, but they inevitably leave, except now this one "smart" boy becomes your big brother, protecting you and listening to your hopes and dreams. Ru and Gabriel, friends, and the world is a little brighter. But when Ru's mother dies and her future becomes uncertain, these two friends will embark on a trip to see puffins. Along the way, they will learn alot about life and the importance of friends who become family.

This book is sure to bring a few tears to your eyes and a lump or two to your throat.
PS: Puffins are definitely trip worthy. I never turn down an opportunity to see them in the wild.

Thank you,NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the copy of Life, Loss, and Puffins. I anxiously await every new book by Catherine Ryan Hyde because I can immerse myself in the lives and world of intriguing, skillfully drawn characters. Ru and Gabriel are captivating, and I love how their relationship was a touching lesson about friendship, acceptance, and the power of dreams. As with many of the best books, this one made me tear up a number of times from the sheer beauty of the writing. If you’re looking for a comforting book that will touch you and remind you of the goodness of people, make sure you read this book. It’s going on my shelf of ‘comfort’ books!