Life, Loss, and Puffins: A Novel

Name: Life, Loss, and Puffins: A Novel
Price: 2.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.5 (8653 reviews)
Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde

by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Contemporary Fiction Literary Fiction

4.5 (8,653)

4.5 stars from 8,653 reviews. One of the highest rated Contemporary Fiction books we track.

Published by Center Point Large PrintPublished 2024-01-01

$2.99KU57% off peak

Last checked: May 16, 2026

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Price history: $2.99 – $6.99

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Price range: $2.99 – $6.99

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Perfect for you if...

You've felt like an outsider because you're too much of something. your brain works differently or faster or differently than those around you, and you crave a story where that becomes a strength, not a burden.
You love character-driven road trip stories where the destination matters less than who you're with and what you learn about yourself along the way.
You're drawn to quiet, introspective fiction about grief and healing that doesn't pretend loss gets tidily resolved. but finds joy and connection anyway.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer plot-driven thrillers or high-stakes conflicts. this is contemplative and character-focused, with the 'trouble' of the road trip feeling distant and low-threat.
You're looking for romance. Ru and Gabriel's bond is platonic and sibling-like. there's no love interest here.
You want a fast-paced adventure. this is a slow, meditative novel about presence and friendship. pacing is gentle.

About this book

A novel about grief, hope, friendship, and living life one day at a time by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde. Ru Evans is exceptionally intelligent—she taught herself euclidean geometry at age seven, has an eidetic memory, and is entering college at thirteen years old. Boarding near campus 150 miles from home, she meets Gabriel, a seventeen-year-old outsider who, like Ru, struggles to make friends. They form a close bond, finding in each other a relatable person to talk to for the first time. When Ru's mother dies and living with her aunt becomes a possibility, Ru plans an impulsive escape. She and Gabriel embark on a road trip from California to Canada, where Ru hopes to see Atlantic puffins in their natural habitat. Along the journey, Ru experiences friendship, found family, dark night skies, and the aurora borealis. She transitions from being defined by her intelligence to simply being a person. Though they know consequences await when caught, during their time on the road, Ru feels free and alive in a way she never has before.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$2.99 – $6.99

Currently on sale at $2.99 — 57% off peak. Price has dropped 7 times over the last 3 years. Goes on sale roughly every 100 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #16K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Sales have softened 109% recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.5★ from 8,653 reviews

Gaining approximately 420 new reviews per month. Reader interest is accelerating. Rating has dipped slightly from 4.7 to 4.5.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $2.99. It typically returns to around $6.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.