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Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life...until now.

Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.

 This is a book I had been wanting to get my hands on for a very long time! So when I saw it on display in the library I was beyond happy. This is such a beautiful story; beautifully written, with beautiful characters. There were so many gorgeous quotes throughout the book which pulled at my heartstrings! This book made me feel a little emotional, but it also made me smile and laugh and I felt such a kinship with the main character Willow. There was fantastic character development for every secondary-character, and everyone will able to relate in some way or another. This book is perfect for anyone who has ever experienced loss, or has ever felt like a tiny fish swimming against the tide. The story highlights the beauty and good that can be found inside everyone, and the book has such a beautiful message for all middle-grade, young adult, and adult readers. Loved it. 4 stars/5. 

 “It's possible that all labels are curses. Unless they are on cleaning products.”  
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  1. MehsiJune 3, 2020 at 6:00 AM

    Lovely review, definitely curious about the book! Also that cover is so pretty.

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