--- product_id: 113612301 title: "Where the Forest Meets the Stars" price: "AED 71" currency: AED in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.ae/products/113612301-where-the-forest-meets-the-stars store_origin: AE region: United Arab Emirates --- # Heartfelt storytelling Nature-inspired narrative Engaging character development Where the Forest Meets the Stars **Price:** AED 71 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🌌 Discover the magic where love meets the wild! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Where the Forest Meets the Stars - **How much does it cost?** AED 71 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ae](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/113612301-where-the-forest-meets-the-stars) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Emotional Depth:** Experience a story that challenges and uplifts. - • **Nature's Embrace:** Immerse yourself in a vivid, enchanting setting. - • **A Journey of Healing:** Explore the transformative power of love and loss. - • **Thought-Provoking Themes:** Delve into life, death, and the beauty in between. - • **Unforgettable Characters:** Meet a cast that will resonate with your soul. ## Overview Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a poignant novel that intertwines themes of grief, love, and the healing power of nature. It follows the journey of a woman who, while grappling with her own loss, encounters a mysterious child and an unexpected connection that changes her life forever. ## Description An desertcart Charts, Wall Street Journal , and Washington Post bestseller, and a Goodreads Choice Award finalist. In this gorgeously stunning debut, a mysterious child teaches two strangers how to love and trust again. After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises. The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay―just until she learns more about Ursa’s past. Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore? Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars. Review: Beautiful story of second chances - Glendy Vanderah’s Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a breathtaking debut novel that effortlessly blends magic, mystery, and raw human emotion. The story pulls readers into an enchanting world where three unlikely souls—Ursa, Joanna, and Gabe—find each other and create an unbreakable bond. With its perfect balance of drama, heartache, and hope, this novel is a masterfully woven tale of love, loss, and healing. The story follows Joanna, a scientist conducting field research, who stumbles upon a mysterious little girl named Ursa. Claiming to be an alien from another galaxy, Ursa refuses to leave until she witnesses five miracles. As Joanna and her reclusive neighbor, Gabe, take her in, their lives become entwined in ways neither could have expected. The novel keeps readers engaged by slowly unraveling Ursa’s true origins, all while exploring deep themes of grief, trauma, mental illness, and resilience. The way Vanderah reveals the truth behind Ursa’s past is beautifully executed, holding back key revelations until the final act. This slow-burn storytelling ensures that readers remain emotionally invested, mirroring Joanna’s own journey of discovery. Each character is deeply layered, with personal struggles that make them feel real and relatable. Joanna is a strong yet vulnerable protagonist, carrying the weight of personal trauma, while Gabe’s battles with depression and isolation add further depth to the narrative. Ursa, with her whimsical and wise-beyond-her-years personality, is the heart of the novel—both a mystery to be solved and a beacon of hope. What makes this book truly special is how Vanderah uses these characters to highlight the power of human connection. Each of them carries significant pain, yet through love and trust, they find solace in one another. Vanderah’s writing is immersive and poetic, drawing readers into a world that feels both real and magical. She seamlessly weaves heavy themes like death, illness, and abuse into a story that ultimately feels uplifting. The novel’s emotional weight is balanced by moments of warmth, humor, and wonder, making it a deeply moving read. For a debut novel, Where the Forest Meets the Stars is astonishing in its depth and quality. It offers a Shakespearean-style comedy, delivering a profound message about love, resilience, and the unexpected ways in which people come into our lives. This is more than just a story—it’s an experience, one that lingers long after the final page. An absolute must-read. Review: Gripping - It has been a long time since a book gripped me so tightly that I couldn't put it down during the climax of the story - this one did. This is a story of of three broken people (four if you count the dog) that fate brings together to make whole again. It is very well written in that the reader becomes emotionally invested in the story. The characters are well developed and believable. The plot is also well put together and believable. This is actually a departure from my usual genres of books and stories - and I'm very happy I ventured outside of my boundaries this time. One of the things I liked most about the writing style is how Glendy Vanderah refers to the little girl in the story as the alien (at least until she is given a name later in the book). This despite the fact that he reader knows from the very beginning that this is a very troubled little girl and the book is not a science fiction story. This simple technique helps pull the reader into the story that is being woven together. As for the little girl herself (the alien) I have to think for an author developing and characterizing a child, especially a troubled child, has to be a very difficult task. Nevertheless, Ms. Vanderah gives us a very believable character in the alien. A character that you simply want to reach through the pages and hug because you know something bad has happened to her. On that point Ms. Vanderah does an excellent job at developing her plot without revealing very much of it at all. Ms. Vanderah stays on the fringes of the plot secret only giving the reader enough information to know that some tragedy has occurred to this little girl but not enough to help the reader come up with a theory of what that tragedy may have been. And speaking of tragedies, the other two main characters Jo and Gabe have both had their own individual tragedies in Jo's case recently and in Gabe's case for his entire life. Their stories are such that one could be forgiven if they never believed these two would hold much of a conversation with each other. But the alien becomes a catalyst that brings these two broken lives together - and in the end those two broken lives become instrumental in saving a third broken live - the alien. At it's core this is a love story. But not necessarily a sappy romantic love story - I would have lost interest in that quickly. But a love story that demonstrates just how powerful and magical love can be and how love truly can conquer all. This is most evident at the very end of the book and again Ms. Vanderah kept the ultimate ending well hidden. I have so much more I could say about this book. But I may end up revealing too much. Suffice to say that this is one of the best books I've read in a long time and I enjoyed my time with Jo, Gabe, the alien, and Ms. Vanderah. Ok, so why four stars. Ms. Vanderah, while writing a beautifully woven tale chose to interject colorful adult euphemisms into her dialog. In this particular story this added nothing to the story and exemplified my belief that the use of this language is a writer's "lazy tool". That is, I belief the author thinks to themselves, "I want to make a strong point here" and rather than come up with a more literary manner of doing this they fall back to guttural language. This particular story did not need this guttural language and I'd have preferred it not be there. Ms. Vanderah was demonstrating what a masterful author she is so I don't think it would have been overly difficult for her to eliminate this language and find another way to make her strong points. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #5,572 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #18 in Magical Realism #54 in Contemporary Women Fiction #66 in Women's Domestic Life Fiction | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 124,074 Reviews | ## Images ![Where the Forest Meets the Stars - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/918hXn4Uy1L.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautiful story of second chances *by R***E on February 14, 2025* Glendy Vanderah’s Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a breathtaking debut novel that effortlessly blends magic, mystery, and raw human emotion. The story pulls readers into an enchanting world where three unlikely souls—Ursa, Joanna, and Gabe—find each other and create an unbreakable bond. With its perfect balance of drama, heartache, and hope, this novel is a masterfully woven tale of love, loss, and healing. The story follows Joanna, a scientist conducting field research, who stumbles upon a mysterious little girl named Ursa. Claiming to be an alien from another galaxy, Ursa refuses to leave until she witnesses five miracles. As Joanna and her reclusive neighbor, Gabe, take her in, their lives become entwined in ways neither could have expected. The novel keeps readers engaged by slowly unraveling Ursa’s true origins, all while exploring deep themes of grief, trauma, mental illness, and resilience. The way Vanderah reveals the truth behind Ursa’s past is beautifully executed, holding back key revelations until the final act. This slow-burn storytelling ensures that readers remain emotionally invested, mirroring Joanna’s own journey of discovery. Each character is deeply layered, with personal struggles that make them feel real and relatable. Joanna is a strong yet vulnerable protagonist, carrying the weight of personal trauma, while Gabe’s battles with depression and isolation add further depth to the narrative. Ursa, with her whimsical and wise-beyond-her-years personality, is the heart of the novel—both a mystery to be solved and a beacon of hope. What makes this book truly special is how Vanderah uses these characters to highlight the power of human connection. Each of them carries significant pain, yet through love and trust, they find solace in one another. Vanderah’s writing is immersive and poetic, drawing readers into a world that feels both real and magical. She seamlessly weaves heavy themes like death, illness, and abuse into a story that ultimately feels uplifting. The novel’s emotional weight is balanced by moments of warmth, humor, and wonder, making it a deeply moving read. For a debut novel, Where the Forest Meets the Stars is astonishing in its depth and quality. It offers a Shakespearean-style comedy, delivering a profound message about love, resilience, and the unexpected ways in which people come into our lives. This is more than just a story—it’s an experience, one that lingers long after the final page. An absolute must-read. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Gripping *by A***D on March 5, 2019* It has been a long time since a book gripped me so tightly that I couldn't put it down during the climax of the story - this one did. This is a story of of three broken people (four if you count the dog) that fate brings together to make whole again. It is very well written in that the reader becomes emotionally invested in the story. The characters are well developed and believable. The plot is also well put together and believable. This is actually a departure from my usual genres of books and stories - and I'm very happy I ventured outside of my boundaries this time. One of the things I liked most about the writing style is how Glendy Vanderah refers to the little girl in the story as the alien (at least until she is given a name later in the book). This despite the fact that he reader knows from the very beginning that this is a very troubled little girl and the book is not a science fiction story. This simple technique helps pull the reader into the story that is being woven together. As for the little girl herself (the alien) I have to think for an author developing and characterizing a child, especially a troubled child, has to be a very difficult task. Nevertheless, Ms. Vanderah gives us a very believable character in the alien. A character that you simply want to reach through the pages and hug because you know something bad has happened to her. On that point Ms. Vanderah does an excellent job at developing her plot without revealing very much of it at all. Ms. Vanderah stays on the fringes of the plot secret only giving the reader enough information to know that some tragedy has occurred to this little girl but not enough to help the reader come up with a theory of what that tragedy may have been. And speaking of tragedies, the other two main characters Jo and Gabe have both had their own individual tragedies in Jo's case recently and in Gabe's case for his entire life. Their stories are such that one could be forgiven if they never believed these two would hold much of a conversation with each other. But the alien becomes a catalyst that brings these two broken lives together - and in the end those two broken lives become instrumental in saving a third broken live - the alien. At it's core this is a love story. But not necessarily a sappy romantic love story - I would have lost interest in that quickly. But a love story that demonstrates just how powerful and magical love can be and how love truly can conquer all. This is most evident at the very end of the book and again Ms. Vanderah kept the ultimate ending well hidden. I have so much more I could say about this book. But I may end up revealing too much. Suffice to say that this is one of the best books I've read in a long time and I enjoyed my time with Jo, Gabe, the alien, and Ms. Vanderah. Ok, so why four stars. Ms. Vanderah, while writing a beautifully woven tale chose to interject colorful adult euphemisms into her dialog. In this particular story this added nothing to the story and exemplified my belief that the use of this language is a writer's "lazy tool". That is, I belief the author thinks to themselves, "I want to make a strong point here" and rather than come up with a more literary manner of doing this they fall back to guttural language. This particular story did not need this guttural language and I'd have preferred it not be there. Ms. Vanderah was demonstrating what a masterful author she is so I don't think it would have been overly difficult for her to eliminate this language and find another way to make her strong points. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ captivating read *by K***C on September 5, 2026* Such an easy book to read and fall in love with. I didn’t want to put it down and was sad to see it end. This was my first book from Glendy but will not be my last! ## Frequently Bought Together - Where the Forest Meets the Stars - The Lost Bookshop: The most charming and uplifting novel for 2025 and the perfect gift for book lovers! - The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ae/products/113612301-where-the-forest-meets-the-stars](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/113612301-where-the-forest-meets-the-stars) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Arab Emirates* *Store origin: AE* *Last updated: 2026-09-22*