“The only true currency in this bankrupt world are the moments you share with someone when you're uncool.” Cameron Crowe

“It wasn't until after the ink had dried on my birth certificate that she found out rumaki is actually an hors d'oeuvre people make for parties, with chicken livers, water chestnuts, and bacon”.

13 year old Rumaki (Ru) Evans was described by her mother as freakishly smart, she has an eidetic memory, (photographic memory) which is why she’s been offered a place at college at such a tender age. However, the campus is 150 miles away, so it’s decided that Ru will board with a woman and her 17 year old son Gabriel. Ru surprisingly finds a soulmate in Gabriel. Both are ‘uncool’ and therefore find it difficult to make friends, but there’s definitely a meeting of minds, and a sibling-like bond is formed between them.

Ru has never had fun in her life, she actually doesn’t know how to have fun, but there is one thing that she would love to do and that is to see Atlantic Puffins in their natural habitat.

When Ru’s mother dies quite unexpectedly, she’s expected to go live with her aunt in Kentucky, but here’s the thing - her aunt doesn’t like Ru and the feeling is mutual, and so it is that she decides she’s going to fulfill her dream and thereby avoid living with her aunt for as long as she possibly can.

Between them, Ru and Gabriel take a road trip from California to Canada, not only to see the puffins but also to witness the Aurora Borealis. The trip is a joy to witness, with some truly magical moments, and to say it’s transformative for Ru and Gabriel is an understatement.

Life, Loss, and Puffins elicits so many emotions because it’s so beautiful and heartfelt in its telling.

This book had potential but for me fell a bit flat. The main narrator is a girl of 13 who is gifted and is attending university. She makes friends with a boy of 18, Gabriel, and the book is about a monumental road trip as well as a personal journey of growth and self discovery.

Whilst all the elements were there for a great book I felt the characters were a little two-dimensional and it was hard to care much about any of them.

What a story Life,Loss and Puffins was- I enjoyed the adventures of Ru and Gabriel they both are super intelligent and their thinking and thought process isn’t the same as what regular people think. Ru goes away to college at 13 and lives with Gabriel and his mom. Gabriel identifies as binary and wears heavy makeup and dark colored nail polish but him & Rue clique it off right from the start. Rue’s mom is diagnosed with a terminal cancer and her aunt comes to care for her mom and then Rue has to go to Kentucky to live with her unsympathetic aunt but before she reluctantly goes with her Rue and Gabriel take off on the adventure of a life time.
Thank you to NetGalley for ARC of this great story.

A well written story. Had some interesting parts. Felt sorry for the characters. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Ru is incredibly smart and at the age of thirteen will be entering college. She has always felt on the outside, others not understanding her. She is boarding at a home near the college and meets Gabriel who is seventeen and a bit of an outsider like her. Together they escape and go on a road trip which is quite an eye opener for Ru. She begins to feel like a normal person, not just someone who is “freakisly smart”. Ru and Gabriel know they have to return but for a short time they have freedom. This story was full of joy and touched my heart.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ru is 13 years old and has been accepted at a college, 150 miles away. She is an only child, and it is just her and her mother. Her mother didn't want her to move away, but when her mother, Ru's grandmother, passed away, it was her last wish that Ru go to college. He mother finally agreed and when they went to visit the college they learned that there was a family nearby that would rent Ru a room, treat her like family, take her back and forth to college, but it would cost them money. Ru had a full scholarship to college, Her mother said she would come up with the money. They went to meet the family, and when she went to college, she moved in with them.
Gabriel was the woman who owned the house, son, and when he met Ru, they made a connection. They both struggled with meeting people because they were different. As they got to know each other, they bonded as brother and sister. When Ru's mother passed away, Gabriel and Ru decided to go on an adventure, and what an adventure it was. They discovered so much about themselves, Ru thought she was always going to be known as freakish smart, and Gabriel discovered why he was the way he was. . Gabriel is 17 and Ru is 13, and they knew eventually they would get caught. The day did come, and Ru had to go live with her Aunt in Kentucky, and Gabriel went back to his mothers. The story doesn't end there. We get to see who they became, what is happening after their adventure, and if they keep in touch.
I received an ARC from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley.

“Always choose to live your life in a way that promotes awe.”

Rumaki ‘Ru’ Evans turned 13 just as she was accepted into college. It was a fight to get there, not because of her grades or age, but because her mother didn’t want to let go. Finally, her mother agrees to let Ru board with the Gulbranson family and attend college. It was one of those experiences that changed her life.

An only child, and a sheltered one at that, Ru learns to lean on the Gulbranson’s 17-year-old son, Gabriel. He becomes her best friend and confidant and he loves that she accepts him as he is. They provide the scaffolding each needs to grow and blossom. When trauma enters Ru’s life, Gabriel plans a trip to see the aurora borealis and the puffins. He knows exactly what she needs to dig deep and find herself and soon the words of her Astrophysics professor have meaning.

I really enjoyed this story about self-discovery and self-acceptance. I don’t often read YA fiction but appreciated the reminders about things teens struggle with: fitting in, being seen, love, acceptance, and learning to ‘fly’ after leaving home. Ru’s eidetic memory (photographic memory) and hyperthymesia (HSAM, highly superior autobiographical memory), age, and course selection set her apart from her peers but Gabriel bridges the gap and helps Ru to build that bridge between herself and others. I enjoyed the examination of the mother/child bond and the chance to see YA work through loss and grief.

I chose this book because I’ve yet to see the aurora borealis for myself. I’ve been far North many, many times and have been disappointed. Hyde was able to capture the spectacular experience on paper and allow armchair travellers an opportunity to join in on the deeply affecting nature experience. I appreciated Hyde’s reminder that life is a journey, filled with experiences we wouldn’t choose for ourselves. Gladys reminded me to laugh. Ru reminded me to see the beauty around me. Gabriel encouraged me to be myself and accept others where they are and as they are.

This book will ‘move’ you. Read with caution. Grab Kleenex.

I adored this book! I absolutely love all of this author’s characters and how they grow and change in positive ways throughout the book. This book was such a feel good story about growth, heartache, and opening yourself up to life. I would recommend this book to everyone! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Life, Loss and Puffins is the latest heartwarming standalone from one of my favourite authors: time after time, she comes up with unique characters and original plots that celebrate the power of friendship and the beauty of non-traditional families. This one is about Ru, a 13 year old child prodigy who is faced with having to live with her awful aunt when her solo mother dies, so runs away with her new best friend Gabriel for the adventure of a lifetime.

Like Ru, I have a fascination with seeing the Aurora Borealis with the naked eye - down here at the bottom of the world in New Zealand, we do get fairly frequent Aurora Australis sightings, but it’s generally only visible through a camera. One day I do hope to see it properly. The main suspense element of the book - would Ru realise her dream and get to the Arctic to see it? - wasn’t really in any doubt, but I didn’t expect what happened afterwards - and I did appreciate the ending (I was dreading them becoming a couple which would’ve negated the whole message of the book - I should’ve trusted CRH!)

I confess I didn’t like it quite as much as her previous books, but that doesn’t mean it’s not great: some of the story seemed rather far-fetched, and I didn’t love the structure - Ru telling her story to some unspecified “girls” (whose identity is not revealed until the end) made it a bit clunky. My initial instinct was to give it 4 stars, but on reflection it’s only suffering by comparison with her 6-star books, so I’m rounding up from 4.5 for overall enjoyment and that beautiful cover.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC; Life, Loss and Puffins is published on May 14th.

I have ready many of Catherine Ryan Hyde's books. Most of them feature children and/or animals. This has both but moreso follows the story of a gifted 13 year old Ru and her friend Gabriel. If you have read Allie and Bea by the same author, this is extremely similar. In both, a teen runs away after a family tragedy and goes on an 'adventure'.
It's a shame that the author had to rehash her original story to create another book. The author seems to produce at least 2 books a year. Maybe 1 a year would be better
However having said all that I really did love the book and the characters and I will definitely be reading more from Catherine Ryan Hyde. Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

5 big stars

Ah, I just finished my first Catherine Ryan Hyde book of 2024. Much to my delight she faithfully continues to come out with two books every year. Even better, her writing never falters. I have now read eleven of her books, all worth 5 big stars. Her streak of excellence continues with Life, Loss, and Puffins.

This novel follows her usual themes of life struggles, quirky friendships, and hope. We have wonderful writing, finely developed characters, including the almost always present elderly person or two, and an uplifting satisfying ending. Life lessons are always found. To my delight, this author also almost always presents an epilogue. Clearly a lot of research went into this one—another Hyde trademark. This time she gives us insight on eidetic intelligence, the stars (oh, the stars!!!), and the fascinating Northwest Territory of Canada.

Our protagonists, thirteen-year-old Ru and 17-year-old Gabriel are thrown together by an unfortunate event. As they get to know each other, they form a strong brother-sister-like bond. As Ru’s situation worsens, they decide to take what could be loosely described as “an off year” from school to get away from their problems and follow their dreams. This part of the story is full of awe, magic, fear, trouble, and bone-chilling cold. Along the way, Ru and GabrieI ultimately form a deep bond. They refer to their bond as their “herd.” If only everybody could be part of a “herd.”

CRH is one of my 5 most favorite authors. I will read anything she writes. I have about 20 of her books to go, which makes me very happy. I have no hesitancy in strongly recommending her books to all readers. Oh, and as a note to Net Galley users, her books are always READ NOW.

I want to thank Net Galley, Lake Union Publishing, and Ms. Catherine Ryan Hyde for an advanced copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

Life,Loss and Puffins by C R Hyde, published by Lake Union Publishing is afull lengtrh, stand alone novel.
This new to me author managed to intige me right from the start, telling a captivating story, heartwrenchingly beautiful, literally unputdownable.
Blurb:
An exhilarating and emotional novel about grief, hope, friendship, and taking life one beautiful and spontaneous day at a time by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.

Freakishly smart. That’s the unwelcome box Ru Evans is put into for life. After all, she taught herself Euclidean geometry at age seven, has an eidetic memory, and is about to enter college at thirteen years old.

Boarding at a house near campus 150 miles from home, Ru meets seventeen-year-old Gabriel, an outsider himself who, like Ru, has trouble making friends—until they form a fast sibling-like bond. Finding a relatable someone in the world to talk to is a first for both of them.

But when Ru’s mother dies and the threat of living with her miserable aunt looms, Ru hatches an escape. It’s an impulsive road trip that takes Ru and Gabriel from California to Canada, where Ru can fulfill her ultimate to see Atlantic puffins in the glorious wild.

Mile by mile, Ru discovers the joy of friendship, found family, dark night skies, and the aurora borealis, and she basks in going from being a smart person to just a person. Though she knows they’ll be in trouble when they’re caught, for the short time they are navigating twist by twist of an unknown road, the freedom is liberating, and she is living for what feels like the first time.

Another good book by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I've enjoyed every book that I've read by this author. Her books are always about real people that you can relate to. Ru and Gabriel meet and become friends at a time in their lives when they really need someone. It's about friends, family, and having that special person in your life that you can always count on. Its about trying to fit into a world where you don't feel like you belong.

I have read many books from this author and am always captivated with the way she creates these amazing characters and relationships. In this book, it is based on a friendship for two outliers named Ru and Gabriel. They are both at a precipice and need an escape from their circumstances. There was a lot of outlandishness in their adventure that lacked any probability and ended up feeling more like science fiction/fantasy instead of something plausible. I felt that this distracted from the friendship and away from the story. I ended up feeling that this book was ok. It is definitely not one of my favorites of hers, but I like the originality. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

This is such a good book!! I was so
excited about the places the youngsters visited, that I was googling the area to see for myself where they went.
Catherine Ryan Hyde's books are always beautifully written and so different with each book. I do not know how she does it. I just know that they are always written very well with every storyline.

Thank you so much, Catherine Ryan Hyde, NetGalley, and the Publisher for giving me a chance to read and review this amazing book!!

I really loved this book! It's a great story about friendship, loss, grief and fulfilling your dreams. I adored Ru and Gabriel and reading about their trip made me want to go to the same places and see what they had seen.
It really is a great book - go ahead and read it.

I received an ARC via Netgalley.com and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Ru is so smart, she’s entering college at thirteen. To go to school, she lives in a boarding house nearby, where she meets Gabriel, who also doesn’t fit in. They become fast friends, like a brother and sister who don’t fight. When Ru’s mother abruptly dies, Ru is going to be whisked out of a good college to go to a community college and live with her miserable aunt. Ru needs to be challenged intellectually as much as possible, so this outcome is grim.

Together, Gabriel and Ru make up a sort of bucket list, except it’s a college list, something to accomplish before Ru goes back to college—she’s only thirteen, so starting up again in a year or two might actually be a good thing.

Their journey takes them to Canada to see the aurora borealis and Atlantic puffins. It’s a life transforming trip for the two of them, and it’s fun as a reader to travel with them without having to get cold visiting so north as they get close to the Arctic.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this touching novel, which RELEASES MAY 14, 2024.

At age 13, Ru has graduated from high school and on a scholarship, is ready to begin her freshman year of college 150 miles from home. Feeling she is too young to live in a dorm with other college-age students, her mother finds a family near the school for Ru to live with. Ru and Gabriel, the 17-year-old son, who lives in the house with his mother, quickly become friends. Ru is “freakishly” smart and does not make friends easily, and Gabriel does not easily fit in with other kids his own age. The two form an easy friendship that becomes more like siblings.
When Ru’s mother unexpectedly dies, Ru is to move to Kentucky from her home in California, to live with a difficult and disagreeable aunt. To escape moving to Kentucky, Ru and Gabriel spontaneously start out on a road trip with the ultimate destination of Canada where Ru can fulfill a dream to see Atlantic puffins in the wild.
As the two friends start out on the adventure of their life, making their way to Canada, they meet some interesting people along the way and learn the art of making friends and even the importance of friends and family. Both being underage, they plot how to successfully cross the border into Canada. Finding a grandma, they claim as their own, works like a charm, however, the return trip back into the United States proves to be a much greater challenge.
The characters are loveable, and the story is fast-moving with many twists. Difficult to put down.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions and comments are my own.

Loss, Life, and Puffins was another great story by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Ru and Gabriel are fast friends who form a sibling-like bond. They are both a bit thought of as odd by some, but they get each other. They are both very likeable characters. Aunt Bitsy was horrible and I think I would have run away from her too if she were my guardian. This book touches on friendship, loss, with a lot of adventure thrown in. I would definitely recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own. Publication date: May 14, 2024

Not one of my favorites due to the major part of the story not being a subject on my favorite list. I’m sure there are other readers that enjoyed it. The writing was good!