There is so much depth to this book, and I loved every second of it. I’m sad I’ll have to wait so long to see what other people think of it! It was adventurous and whimsical, and a little mysterious. The writing is really unique and beautiful. It definitely takes some time to get into though. There is a LOT of buildup and some parts have a lot to them while others dont. Elia’s dad passing felt like it should have been a bigger part of the book, not just a couple of paragraphs. For a book about a character’s grief journey, I felt like I couldn’t fully feel it with her. The romance was also cute but not really the main event and I wished it got more depth. It was definitely a good read but it felt a little rushed and I had many questions still after finishing.

Can we take a sec to just appreciate the stunning cover on this one? Not only does it fit the book perfectly, it's also beautiful as art!

The writing in this story is phenomenal and deserves all the stars. From capturing the fragile interplay of the natural world, to the animals that live in Alaska, the sense of place, people, and nature is artfully and intricately drawn. I was transported while reading this!

I enjoyed spending time with Eila. I found her commitment and connection with the caribou so moving. Her relationship with her dad was beautifully rendered too. Despite exiting the stage early on, Stefan's a key player throughout the book - powerful characterization. Sadie was a compelling character and I was disappointed we left her where we did.

Where the book let me down was the actual story: I felt like it was trying to do too much overall. We had sections (like the loon episode) repeated in detail at least twice yet some of the other threads and time transitions felt rushed. I didn't really care about the Eila/Jackson thread compared to Eila's grief, the caribou, or Stefan's backstory. This reader didn't love the immortality thread or the blink-and-you-miss-it resolution to the lichen mystery. While I appreciated the idea behind illustration the fragility of nature's balance, it felt cloyingly simplistic and rushed. Many of the threads seemed to take a backseat to (for this reader) the least interesting one by the end.

Overall, this was 100% worth the read for the writing and beautiful love note to Alaska; but, I wanted more of that and more about Eila/Stefan than the melodrama around Jackson.

This novel is what I would consider quietly powerful with a story that lingers with you even after you read the final page.

We follow Eila, a scientist with a deep passion for caribou, she navigates loss, grief, and exploration of not only nature but her inner self. With the recent loss of her father and the mysterious disappearance of her childhood best friend and love, Jackson, Eila must navigate the drive to save the caribou and the inner conflict of grief.

The depth of writing is what really drew me in. Every page had intense sensory detail and felt like an immersive experience. I could feel the snow, see the ice reflecting on the trees, and truly feel and understand Eila's emotional turmoil. The tension of Eila's drive to not only save caribou but the need to process her deep loss is heartbreaking and inspiring all in the same.

Without giving spoilers, I'll say that the ending of the book is beautiful. I truly didn't want to leave Eila and the other characters behind and wanted to continue on with their story.

If you want a book that will make you feel something, that will create an immersive world to get lost in, with a little mystery, this is one you should check out.

This book follows Elia, who's dealing with a lot of loss and is feeling kind of unmoored. She joins a research trip to Alaska, thinking it'll just be a change of scenery, but it ends up turning into this deeply personal journey of healing, reflection and rediscovery.

What really stood out to me was how stunning and vivid the nature writing was! The Alaskan wilderness felt so alive - it's not just a backdrop but it's it's own character. The way the author described the landscape, the stillness, the wildlife and even the changing light made me feel like I was right there. I loved the quiet respect this book had for animals and nature, and the conservation thread felt so naturally woven in.

There's a soft mystery woven into the plot too, tied to Elias past and a discovery she makes that shifts her whole perspective. It's not action packed yet it pulls you in with its heart and atmosphere. It's thoughtful, emotional and quietly powerful.

If you love stories that are grounded in nature, with a strong emotional core and a touch of mystery, I definitely recommend this one.

4.5⭐️

WOW this was beautiful!! I was expecting this story to just be about Eila and to begin following the passing of her father: two things which were incorrect assumptions and that made the book exceed all of my expectations. WOW this book went above and beyond the scope I had anticipated and I loved all of it, from the characters to the settings to the world to the little tidbits of knowledge I learned about caribou and birds and migration.

The writing style is really well done. I LOVE how the author chooses not to disclose everything at once, and leaves little clues and cliffhangers throughout the chapters making it feel more like a mystery than a literary fiction novel. It kept the story thrilling and enticing.
The language was very literary-fiction-esque and was beautifully descriptive and full of depth and symbolism. The author perfectly captured the beauty and magic of Alaska and its natural flora and fauna. The story and its plot weren’t boring and it was a surprisingly quick read for me, as I didn’t want to put it down and spent an entire Saturday afternoon reading it.

Some of the pacing was a little off for me nearing the passing of Eila’s father (this isn’t a spoiler as it’s in the synopsis of the book). One paragraph he is declining and the next he is gone. It was brief and not discussed with a lot of emphasis so it felt lackluster when it was in actuality an extremely significant moment to the story. I wish there had been more surrounding what happened with his passing rather than a vague and meaningless sentence. Despite it being sad to read, it does hold a lot of significance for Eila’s journey so I feel as if there needs to be more emphasis on this section and better pacing regarding the end of his life and his passing specifically. The pacing was really consistent everywhere else so this is a really small note, but I did think it was worth mentioning.

It took me a while to get used to the chapters staying in one persons pov for a few chapters in a row, despite only being labeled as their chapter on the first one. I did get used to it eventually so it was fine, but I feel like perhaps there could be subsections in each Part of the book to notate which person’s pov the reader will enter (for example: Part 1: Section 1: Eila, Part 1: Section 2: Stefan).

The time jumps were also really well done and I loved them. I think that some readers may get confused without labels though, so I would have liked to see time labels for the chapters that highlighted past events, such as “Five Years Ago” for Jackson’s story, and “X Years Ago” for Vern’s backstory, so on and so forth.

THE CHARACTERS
Eila experienced a lot of major life changes and came out a stronger and better version of herself as a result. I loved her journey and how she continued to overcome her grief. I was expecting to see a lot more from her based on the synopsis and her role as the main character, but honestly I don’t think she needs more writing time than she got. She still got the majority of the book in her pov and had a lot of development, but the side characters were such a pleasantly unexpected addition that I really didn’t have any notes on character development.
In a few short chapters, Vern had so much character development, a backstory that had me wanting to know more, and growth and hope for a better future for him. The fact that Vern is not the main character and that this all happened within the first 20% of the book was INCREDIBLE, and it had me wanting more of his character. I wanted to know what brought him to Alaska, his relationship with his wife and daughter, and why he has so much emotional damage and a desire to run when things get scary for him. I was so glad that we got more backstory from Vern and some other side characters as the story progressed - there was SO much character development and growth in this book which was great to see.
I absolutely LOVED the authors retelling of a past event from two different character’s perspectives (Vern and Jackson) and noting the differences in the words used in the conversation, the things in the setting worth noting, and the perspective of each individual during the event. This showed that each historical pov was slightly unreliable as time went on in the tiny nuances, yet the events had the same outcomes. This was really smart to include and I enjoyed it a lot.

THE ROMANCE
While I wouldn’t call this book a romance by ANY means, I did want to mention the love of Jackson and Eila because it was so sweet and made my heart so warm and fuzzy. I loved how Jackson took notes on wildlife patterns while Eila was in the hospital IN HER DATA COLLECTION STYLE so her data was consistent and she wouldn’t have to start over given the time-gap of her hospitalization. Despite being best friends and brief lovers before Jackson’s disappearance, their love was deep and was shown through the little things. The author went above and beyond in showing these things in the historical flashbacks and it warmed my heart and made me reminisce on my personal time growing up as best friends with my now-spouse.

Such a wonderfully atmospheric read. I thoroughly enjoyed following the characters through their transformations in the Alaskan wilderness. The focus on science, research, and family was balanced well through several points of view.

I would recommend this book to readers that want a literary read exploring Alaska, field research, and the way love and relationships evolve over time.

An ARC copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐

“You were made for this place, made of this place.”

A journey through grief and understanding set in one of my most favourite places in the world. I was reminded that sometimes we need to journey back in time to understand the present and move forward. I enjoyed the author’s focus on forgiveness, both for ourselves and others, and on new beginnings. The love of place shines through this work, so be patient.

I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

North of the Sunlit River by Jessica Bryant Klugman, published by Lake Union Publishing, a stand alone novel set in Alaska, yay sign me up, I'm a huge fan of stories set there. The story is written with great love to detail, told in 3rd pov, what works well for the story, jumps between past and present - what I'm not a fan of, but again, works well for the story. A slow burn that gives all the feels, 4,5 beautiful stars.

North of the Sunlit River follows Eila, a caribou researcher living in Alaska. Still haunted by the disappearance of her best friend, Eila is hit with another loss, her father passing away. Struggling with her grief, Eila must find the strength to continue her research and uncover the reasons behind the declining caribou population.

Jessica’s writing sweeps you off your feet and places you in the middle of Alaska. I could feel how cold it was, hear the birds singing, and taste the peach pie. This story teaches you about the importance of environmental conservation, how people handle grief differently, and that running away from your problems doesn't always lead to healing.

The story shifts between different character POVs, both in the past and present. I think this is an interesting insight into all the different characters and how everyone ties into each other.

The story is wrote in third-person, which isn’t my favorite, but works really well for this story. There are so many different descriptions, sights the characters see, and feelings that I think in first-person would be dull and wouldn’t help the story flow.

I loved all the details and information about the wildlife and fauna of Alaska. It makes me want to book a trip to see everything and experience the feeling of Alaska for myself.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves a character driven story, nature, and has a sense of adventure.