Book Review-Aster’s Good, Right Things

​Good Afternoon :) 
I hope this post finds you all safe and well.
 
Recently, I was lucky enough to nab myself an Advanced Reader Copy of a brand-new Middle-Grade novel titled Aster’s Good, Right Things by the fabulous Kate Gordon.

​Aster’s Good, Right Things is releasing November 1st, 2020 and is set to be a hit with young and old alike. ​

To begin, let me share the book synopsis with you (taken/quoted from Goodreads)

 'I can’t let go of them – the good, right things—because if I do I’ll turn into a cloud and I’ll float away, and a storm will come and blow me to nothing."
 
 Eleven-year-old Aster attends a school for gifted kids, but she doesn’t think she’s special at all. If she was, her mother wouldn’t have left. Each day Aster must do a good, right thing—a challenge she sets herself, to make someone else’s life better. Nobody can know about her ‘things’, because then they won’t count. And if she doesn’t do them, she's sure everything will go wrong. Then she meets Xavier. He has his own kind of special missions to make life better. When they do these missions together, Aster feels free, but if she stops doing her good, right things will everything fall apart?'

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I am so glad that I grabbed a copy of this book for myself and I congratulate the author, Kate Gordon on such a heart-warming and real book.
The book is suitable for young and old, those who love to read and those who only read a little. It follows the journey of young Aster, a sweet, quiet, and kind-hearted girl, who attends a progressive school for the gifted.
Young Aster does not feel gifted, she feels abandoned and anxious. The noise in her head makes her daily activities challenging but she finds a way to cope and sets out every day to do good things for others. She shows us that you can do good, no matter what comes your way. She teaches us that it is the small things that make a difference, to ourselves and to other people. She also teaches us that when doing right and good things, it does not have to be shouted from the rooftops, it does not have to be publicised so that other people know how ‘good’ we are. Good and right things can be and are best done quietly, under the radar and because they are good, not because they will get us praise.
Such a good message to spread far and wide.

Aster finds many situations challenging, as do many of us and often finds herself unable to think and function as well as she would like. Alongside her father, Aster comes up with a way to cope and It is such a sweet method.
(Aster, I love flowers also 😊)
 
As with many people, Aster gets anxiety, sometimes it is very intense and she finds it difficult to hang out with other people, they do not 'get' her. During the story, she happens to find a couple of the best friends she could ask for and they are the most unlikely trio. Alongside her new pals, Aster  flourishes and even begins to dance.

The three young people, all with their own challenges, grow close and though they struggle with their own situations, they find the time and the heart to support each other through their most trying times.

This book is a wonderful firsthand account of the struggles that many people face. It makes us think, it makes us feel.
I must admit, I found myself with a heavy heart when Aster struggled and smiled at her accomplishments, I fell into the story and found myself reading at 2 am.
I just could not put it down.

This book is a must for anyone with anxiety, it is a wonderful resource while being entertaining and is just a great read. The voice and feel of this book very much reminds me of ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ and ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ while also shining with its own light.
 
I cannot wait to hear what you all think, and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of Kate’s other books.

Thank you so much, Kate, for sharing Aster and her friends with us.

Aster’s Good, Right things is launching on November 1st, 2020 and is sure to be a big hit, do pop over to the following links and grab yourself a copy

Website
http://www.kategordon.com.au
Twitter
Direleafehall
Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/kategordon