My first book by this author but it will not be my last! I loved every minute of it.

Ru Evans is thirteen years old, freakishly intelligent, has an eidetic memory and is about to start attending university. She boards with a family and meets Gabriel aged 17, another young person who is out of sync with the norm. They form a close friendship and, when everything goes wrong, they run away together with plans to see the Northern Lights and Puffins.

Such a lovely story. I shed a few happy tears for them especially when Gabriel fulfils Ru's desire to see Puffins. A delightful tale beautifully told. I already have another book by this author ready and waiting.

There is a frame to this story. As it opens, Ru is sharing her story as it happened to her years ago to two young girls who have lost their mother to whom she has become guardian. We never find out who the girls are or how she came to be their guardian, but it adds a solemnity to the story as if she's trying to impart to them the wisdom she acquired during that time.

Ru's mother describes her as "freakishly intelligent". At thirteen years old, she just received a full scholarship to college. Her mother is reluctant to have Ru so far from home. At the suggestion of the college, Ru ends up rooming in a private home of Mrs. Gulbranson and her seventeen year old son, Gabriel.

Gabriel and Ru become friends quickly because they get each other. They don't expect the other to be anything other than who they are. Gabriel accepts Ru's intellect, but treats her like a "regular" person. When Ru's mother dies, Ru faces having to live with her unlikeable Aunt in Kentucky. Before she's forced into that situation, Gabriel suggests she make a college list - like a bucket list but things she wants to do before college. So Gabrielle and Ru set off on a road trip that will take them from a campground in Utah to the Northwest Territories of Canada.

This is a story of friendship, of being able to be who you are without expectation. Of friendship and freedom. Together they navigate the ins and outs of two minors traveling to unbelievable places. As they travel together, the bond they first formed when Ru moved into his home grows stronger. Throughout their adventure they make new friends and learn the satisfaction of helping people just because.

I'm not quite sure how describe the way I absorbed this book and how it made me feel, made me think. I wanted to feel the freedom that Ru and Gabriel had as they traveled, especially as they sat out and watched the stars in Utah, or the northern lights in Canada As I approached the end of the story my first thoughts were reminiscent of the feelings evoked when I read Jonathan Livingston Seagull There was a similar metaphysical impact. We should all be able to feel the freedom Gabriel and Ru felt on their travels. I'll carry this story with me for a while.

I had such high expectations for this book because i conpletely fell in love with this author's book from last year "just a regular boy". I thought this one was fine and in some parts, it gave me the emotions I was looking for, but to be honest, most of the time, I was a bit bored and the events weren't keeping my interest. The ending fell flat too.

I love tales of adventure and boy was this book a fun read. A strong 4.5 stars! The author is able to weave grief, happiness, saddness, joy and so many emotions into a story that I did not want to put it down and sure didn't want it to end. So many parts of the book resonate with me and I wish that I had had a friend like Gabriel as I navigated somewhat similar circumstances to Ru many years ago. I loved how the story came together - not perfectly wrapped up in a little bow, but a messy yet stunningly beautiful package. The book really stood up to Ru's advance intelligence - the author kept things real and accurate. A few minor picky things (antlers, not horns) didn't detract from the story at all and most readers probably didn't even notice. This was my first read by this author and I can't wait to indulge in more of her warm, moving, and sometimes hilarious writing. Many thanks to the Author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my review.

Life, Loss, and Puffins by Catherine Ryan Hyde was an emotional book about grief, hope, friendship, and taking life one beautiful day at a time. But, don't let that put you off, it was beautifully written from start to finish and it was written from the heart. This is the first book I have read from the author and it will not be my last.........

The story was amazing and the characters were excellent and bought the story together.

This book was such a delightful read. I loved it.

Big Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my ARC.

Catherine Ryan Hyde has done it again! Rumaki stole my heart as a 13 year old genius who is beginning college. She has never known fun as she takes everything so seriously. She boards at a home and meets the woman’s 17 year old son who is also a unique person. Together they form a very close friend bond. When tragedy strikes they set off on a road trip together. Having always wanted to see the Northern Lights (and feeling so very disappointed that they were not visible here in southern CA last weekend when so much of the country had the very rare ability to see them) and having always loved puffins I was thrilled to travel along with them, living vicariously through the immensely talented Catherine Ryan Hyde’s descriptions.
So loved the dynamics between Ru and Gabriel throughout this coming of age story. Having spent my career with students with special needs I so appreciated this story and the feelings it evoked. Both Ru and Gabriel hopefully opened reader’s eyes to the struggles faced by those society deems to be different. Awareness and acceptance of others need to be more present in our current society.
Many many thanks to Catherine Ryan Hyde, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this precious coming of age story being published on May 14th.

This is my third book by this author, and it won't be my last. The book begins as Ru is telling her story to 2 girls, and we find out in the end who they are. The story begins with a 13 year old "freakishly smart" Rumaki Evans (her mother didn't realize it was an hors d'oeuvre) going to college. She doesn't know why her mother let her go away, and I am not going to spoil the reason. However, she must board in a home and not live in the dorms. Gabriel and his mother take in students, and Ru thinks Gabriel's smile is the best thing she has ever seen. He is 17 and drives her to school every day. He wears eye makeup and nail polish, so he is also seen as different, and they bond. It is a truly beautiful friendship.
They have dreams of seeing the Aurora Borealis and Atlantic Puffins.
I also have dreams of seeing the Aurora Borealis, but I have seen Atlantic Puffins in Iceland, and it was worth the trip.
This is a truly lovely story with a basic theme of "be yourself."
I think the author might have watched the TV show Sheldon,for that is who Ru reminds me of, and there is a scene at the university that reminds me of that show.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review, and I highly recommend it.
A postscript: The day I finished the book, the Northern lights were seen almost all over the Northern Hemisphere, even down to Southern California, but unfortunately, I could not see them.

Thanks to net galley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of LIFE, LOSS AND PUFFINS. While I have enjoyed some of this authors books more, this was a good book. It tells the story of Ru, a 13 year old genius and her friend Gabriel. I was intrigued by the concept of a young teen-ager attending college and was interested in how she would deal with that. However, the death of her mother changed things a bit. Ru and Gabriel take off together and find lots of adventures in their travels. This novel shows a lot of character growth as we read about a young girl and her friend coping with adult issues.

When I need some "comfort food" for my soul, I turn to a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde. She writes stories that restore my faith in humanity, and her characters stay with me long after I turn the last page. Life, Loss, and Puffins is a coming-of-age story that should appeal to younger readers as well. Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for an advance copy to read and review.

I'm only now starting to get into this author despite owning quite a few of her books. Thank you, Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the opportunity to finally force me to dive into one of her stories.

This was an unusual journey for 13 year old Ru, a highly intelligent genius who has suffered a huge loss. The probability of being taken from her home and her comfort (her only friend, Gabriel) thrust the two into an adventure many of us as adults could only dream of. The people you meet along the way are just as important and the journey itself, and these two will have a lifetime of memories in a few short weeks.

This journey was worth the read (but I'd really like to know who the "audience" was.)

LIFE, LOSS, AND PUFFINS is the latest emotional and uplifting novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I have read over a dozen of this author’s books and I can say without hesitation that each one becomes my new favorite. This one is a story of grief, friendship, acceptance, hope and living life to its fullest. Rumaki “Ru” Evans has been labeled as freakishly smart. Besides having taught herself Euclidean geometry at age seven, she has an eidetic memory and has been accepted to college at age thirteen. Attending a college nearly 150 miles from her home means Ru will have to board with a local family. There she meets seventeen-year-old Gabriel, who also has trouble relating to kids his age. The two form an unbreakable bond as they both finally have someone they can relate to. But when Ru’s mother dies unexpectedly, Ru learns she will be forced to leave school and go to live with her miserable aunt. Determined to avoid this at all costs, Ru plots an escape, and Gabriel is more than willing to come along. Their trip takes the pair from California to Northern Canada to fulfill Ru’s “college list” of things she wants to do and see before she re-enters college. The story takes us on their remarkable journey as they pursue their dream experiences. I so enjoyed this story of self-discovery and working through grief and loss with the help of a friend. I highly recommend this beautifully-written and heartwarming book and look forward to whatever comes next from Catherine Ryan Hyde. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Thank you to Union Publishers and Catherine Ryan Hyde for allowing me to read and review this book. I have read several books by this author. Her books that I have read have the same vibe as a young adult who goes on a journey. This book is no exception it involves RU a teenager and her friend who participated in a journey, To be honest I found some of this book to be a little boring especially the beginning.

This is the most delightful book. We start with Ru Evans, a very smart teenager, who has just won a place at college at the ripe old age of thirteen. The college is one of the very best and nowhere near where she lives so, after some begging, manages to persuade her mum to let her board with a local family. There she meets Gabriel, the 17 year old son, who she identifies with right from the off, the both of them having similar trouble fitting in and finding friends. After a couple of weekends where her mum cancels plans or visits, Ru returns home only to find out that her mum is dying. And then the worst happens and Ru is left an orphan, with only an Aunt left as family. An Aunt who pretty much doesn't want the hassle... Long story short, she hatches a plan with Gabriel and the two of them set off on a journey of a lifetime, one of discovery, and shenanigans, one which will lead them to big trouble when they are eventually caught, as they obviously will be, no spoiler, but in the meantime, they have an open road and a plan...
I loved this book. I loved Ru, old beyond her years, and Gabriel equally. They are so well suited and their bond transcends the walls they both have with most people. I also loved the to-do list they crafted and the way they worked out what they had to do to make it happen. It's quite the lesson that a lot of people would benefit from heeding.
It could be described as a coming of age tale, but that would be simplifying things and doing the book and the author an injustice as it is so much more than that. It's sad and magical, grief and sorrow, loss, and living, adventure and wonder. It's a brilliantly crafted, character driven story, which gives so much more than you'd expect as you are reading. It's a book that kept on giving for me, even after I turned the last page. And one which will stay with me a while yet. I'd love an update on our duo in the future too...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Life, Loss, and Puffins by Catherine Ryan Hyde was one story I didn’t want to escape from.
This was a heartwarming story. I enjoyed the writing. The story and characters are written in such an inspiring and beautiful way.
Catherine Ryan Hyde does an amazing job of writing books that are emotional, captivating, and full of characters you adore.
This was such a delightful read.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Catherine Ryan Hyde has such a unique way of storytelling that just doesn’t compare to any other author I’ve found. This book is another one of my favorites of hers. A story about loss, identity, and living in such a way that you feel alive. So good.

Catherine Ryan Hyde has become one of my favorite authors. I enjoyed this book so much until it abruptly ended. The book is about an amazing young woman. She is brilliant beyond likely what can be tested. Orphaned and being raised by an aunt who doesn't seem to understand her, she finds herself on a long trip north, to see the Northern lights with a friend who just happens to be male and almost legal age. When they are accosted on the return at the Canadian border crossing life changes, for both. The young woman finds herself befriended by teachers at a community college then off to another major university where her intellect remains unchallenged. However, the young man who is her soul mate is lost to her. All is well in the end as she follows her heart. Loved this book and the characters but so much wanted to know more. How about bringing them back? Thanks to #netgalley#Life,Loss,andPuffins#CatherineRyanHyde for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. This is my second book that I have read by Catherine Ryan Hyde. It was a quick easy read with some heavier topics. The story follows Ru, a thirteen year old who is quite intelligent. As she is attending University, she meets Gabriel who becomes more of a friend. Ru’s life changes in a few short weeks, which leads to her and Gabriel going on an adventure. Hyde wrote the book in an interesting perspective with Ru telling the adventures as a story to two unnamed characters. I would have liked a little more backstory to those characters but overall it was an enjoyable read.

A heartwarming read, I loved the relationship between Ru and Gabriel and the story of their road trip. It did feel a little like the middle bit of Ru's story was missing though.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

An unusual and interesting book. A look at the world through the eyes of a child genius. Book smarts are quite different from street smarts. I'm still cold after reading about their adventures to see the Northern Lights. Not on my bucket list as I am definitely not a fan of the cold. Sweetly sad story. Many misty-eyed moments. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

4.5 stars. I have loved all of the novels by Catherine Ryan Hyde that I have read, and this one is no exception. What a beautiful written and feel-good story! The development of the friendship between Rumaki (Ru) Evans, a freakishly smart 13-year-old, and Gabriel, who is 17 and attends a college nearby the one in which Ru as enrolled as a freshman, is so very heartwarming. Their bond, one which is a like a very strong big brother/little sister bond, forms the basis for the storyline as both decide to take out on an adventure from California to Canada in order to fulfill a couple of dreams: to be able to view the Aurora Borealis in all its glory and to see Atlantic puffins. This is a superb, affirming and uplifting tale focusing on the very strong bonds that “found family” can have and the fact that the world is really full of great wonders that we can discover if we go looking for them just as Ru and Gabriel did.