My Kirkus review of STAR CATCHING arrived yesterday. While close to two-thirds was a summary of the story line, it closed with the following review (the excerpt follows the Kirkus policy for excerpts:

“…Young Sarah is an appealing, memorable character who copes with injury, loss, and even bullying with admirable aplomb. Marian, despite her expressed concerns, is relatable as she deals with her problems—first with prescription medication, then with food—before she has a breakthrough that allows her to take control of her life….

“…An often heart-wrenching tear-jerker that, at its best, evokes hope and optimism.” Kirkus Reviews

For those of you who are unaware, Kirkus has a program for reviewing indie books. Paying for a review usually is the kiss of death for credibility, but Kirkus reviews an indie book with the same objectivity as any traditionally published book. That means, of course, that you can end up with a negative review. Authors can choose whether or not to have their review published, so you can keep a very negative review from getting out there. But the upside is, if you agree to it being published, the industry knows it’s a credible review, and potential readers can feel confident that it is meaningful.

(Note: as I’m writing this, I’ve been unable to get “links” to work. So if you are interested in a Kirkus Indie Review, here is the link: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/indie-reviews/how-it-works/).