Advanced Reader copy - Enjoyed this book, really opened my eyes and made me seek out other similar books to read.

Meet Ginny. She’s fourteen, autistic, and has a heart-breaking secret…

Ginny Moon is trying to make sense of a world that just doesn’t seem to add up….

My first book about someone on the autistic spectrum, and I was absolutely fascinated by what it was like to live in their world. It made for some very uncomfortable reading in places, and there were some shocking events, but nevertheless I felt I learnt a lot from Ginny moon's story.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

I keep meaning to read more books centred on a young character with autism. I think subsconsiously I'm trying to find the next "curious dog in the night time" (so any suggestions would be greatly appreicated). The Orginal Ginny Moon is about a 13 year old girl, with autism, following her trying to settle into her forever home after coming from an abusive home. Yet, transfixed on getting back her baby doll from her birth mother, she schemes all the ways in which she can successfully get herself kidnapped by Gloria (her birth mother) to check to see if her baby doll is where she left her... 4 years ago.

I find it fascinating how Ginny kind of regresses back to an even younger mental state where she was a 9 year old in order to say certain things or getting caught up in those memories so much that she thinks it's present or believes she can some how go back to that state. She describes similar feelings as "going into her brain" or closing her mouth in order to "hide her brain" to hide her secrets. It was really sad when it became apparent why she would say "I'm so sorry" to her baby doll and when people realised why she was fixated on getting her back it was a very good twist that had an exciting change in dynamic. Not as much of a change as I would imagine but still had an impact. It must be an incredibly overwhelming existence for her and I find the author has tried his best to represent that on paper, although, not being on the spectrum myself, I cannot say how accurate the representation is. However, he has experience with his own adopted daughter who also has autism, so I'd imagine he has a good idea and tried to use those experiences to influence his writing.

Ginny is a very interesting child. The way she analyses situations in her mind is intriguing. She seems to understand how people would want her to reply but just doesn't. But it's more complex than that. She constantly puts herself into dangerous situations to try and get her baby doll back, fully understanding that she shouldn't be doing these things but lacking self advocacy to explain why she needs to go back.

There was a very disturbing scene with the graphic death of a cat. As an animal lover and just someone who is very empathic for creatures, it made me feel sick and I feel like it didn't need to be as graphic as it got. The first half of its death was manageable but then to clear the evidence it got really dark really quick and it made me want to cry. After this I felt a sense of dread which only heightened as we got to the end and what I thought Ginny was gonna do. So glad that didn't happen!

Although I was waiting for something terrible to happen at the end and was relieved when my worst thoughts didn't happened, I would say j was left underwhelmed by the ending. It was nice but the overall story was just okay. Nothing too exciting but not incredibly boring either. Just a nice story, having a look at a different life.

The story of Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig is quite simply a wonderful story about an incredible young girl. Although it may have taken me a while to pick this book up, I am so very glad that I did as I feel certain that the tale of Ginny Moon really is one that I will remember for a very long time. From beginning to end, this was a story that was unique, poignant, beautifully written and so very easy to fall in love with.

Within the book we meet fourteen-year-old Ginny Moon who is autistic and was removed from the care of her addict mother at a very young age. Having lived in multiple foster homes where things really haven’t worked out, Ginny is now living in her fourth forever home. Whilst things don’t always go to plan for young Ginny, she has been living with her current foster parents for some time and for the most part all are happy. However, as her foster mother prepares for the birth of her baby, things start to fall apart for young Ginny with talk of a new baby reminding her of her “baby doll” who was left in a suitcase at her birth mother’s when social services took her away. Ginny sets out on a dangerous mission to get her baby doll back…

This remarkable tale is one that is told entirely from the perspective of the young Ginny Moon, which allows the reader to really get to know her. Whilst she wasn’t entirely cute or sweet, she was a character who I loved for her bravery, determination and strength in what is, for her, a very confusing and difficult world. I became quickly engrossed and invested in Ginny’s story from a very early stage in the book and struggled to put it down as I was so desperate to see how things would turn out for Ginny.

One thing that struck me whilst reading this novel was how incredibly realistic the story of Ginny Moon seemed to be and Benjamin Ludwig’s knowledge of autism through his own experiences of adopting an autistic child really did shine through. This book really opened my eyes to a condition that I previously knew very little about and I felt like I learned so very much from reading it, although I didn’t always appreciate the repetitive nature of it. Furthermore, the way in which Benjamin has written this book is absolutely stunning and the writing kept me hooked from beginning to end, with moments of suspense, moments that made me cry and moments that made me laugh.

Ginny Moon is one of those books that I really do recommend particularly for those who enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. I think the tale of Ginny Moon is an important one, that needed to be told and will hopefully lead to an increased awareness about the condition of autism. For a debut novel it was overall incredibly impressive and I’d definitely be keen to read more by Benjamin in the future.

** spoiler alert ** This was hard for me. I just found it a bit far fetched. I know bad parents exist. I know they hide from the system. However, I find it very hard to believe that Ginny was able to be place for adaption so soon and that no one discovered about baby doll. I understand that no one asked the correct questions for Ginny to explain that the baby doll was real, I just find it hard to believe that social workers never discovered her. Especially since it was obvious Ginny's mother didn't want to give up custody. You add to the fact that Ginny's mother is kinda portrayed as not very intelligent, unstable and very impulsive, well it doesn't make sense to then have her smart enough and level headed enough to be able to hide the existence from the authorities. I feel like there would have been some supervised visits between Ginny and her mother before adaption was placed on the table. Especially since drugs were involved and Ginny's mom went into treatment voluntarily. Maybe it's different in other states, but when I worked within the system it was evident that the main purpose of the system is to try all means to keep families intact. Even those that (I feel) have no business intact or with parents I felt should never have second chances.

Also, the adoptive mother....I get the whole protective mother thing and maybe even postpartum depression (giving her the benefit of the doubt here) but I just don't understand the relationship at all. I do get that Ginny might have been very difficult, but still. To turn off like that and then at the end for us all to believe in a HEA ending...it was just too much. Again, I worked within a small part of the system, so I understand that people like this do exist...but it just didn't mesh for me like it should have in this story.

Even Ginny's doctor didn't seem to understand that proper was to communicate with her at times. Yes, I get it. But as a trained professional, she should have understood the basics.

I hope my review is clear, I didn't dislike Ginny. Or even the story. And certainly not the plight that all the characters found themselves in. I just think the things I mentioned left too much of a stretch for my imagination to believe. It really ruined the whole book for me.

Review copy provided by Netgalley for an honest review

"I'm just a cave girl who doesn't belong. I can't do anything right and can barely keep my mouth closed"

These words come from the depths of Ginny's soul, however, I think that they are most probably felt by every child and adult on the autism spectrum. "Why?" I hear you ask. To answer this I will need to tell you about Ginny, a little girl who is autistic.

Ginny Moon was removed from her mother, Gloria, when she was nine years old. She got pushed from one set of foster parents to another – the common remark when she was returned into the system was that the foster parents couldn't cope with her behaviour. She now lives with Maura and Brian - her "forever parents".

It doesn't matter how hard they try to give her stability and love, she seems determined to find her "baby doll" who is somewhere with her mother. The lengths Ginny goes to find her mother and baby doll cause huge disruptions for all those involved in trying to help Ginny to accept her new life.

I was hooked from the opening lines of this book and turned off my phone and refused to do anything until I had finished. Benjamin Ludwig has managed to give us Ginny, a living, breathing being, along with how she processes trying to find Gloria. How things are literal, not ever figurative. Using Ginny’s voice gives us a glimpse of how the autistic brain analyses information. (My personal experience with my son is that they can see a straight road, never the crossroads or hills or valleys – everything is straight and fairly narrow).

It is one of the most powerful, profound and insightful books and has finally allowed me to begin to understand just how complex life is for someone on the autistic spectrum to understand daily interchanges with society. Too many voices, too much noise makes them freeze and closedown.

Reading and following Ginny has helped me in a very personal situation. My son has recently been diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum. A diagnosis which was made when he was three and then put on the back burner and never re-ignited (although I always questioned why - only to be labelled "hysterical mother") when at the age of four, he was diagnosed profoundly deaf. He's now in his forties and the diagnosis was only made last year.

I also found things that Ginny says pertinent, and would have to stop reading and go to my son and ask if what I was reading made sense to him. It was hard to hear that it's incredibly difficult for him to process multiple questions or instructions. (Something I'm inclined to do!)

There were some incidents which Ginny refers to that also made sense YEARS after the event. Like receiving communion aged seven and thanks to the nuns telling him that he was receiving the body and blood of Christ, which someone else would realise is figurative, not literal, but he thought it was absolute and he had to be rushed out of the church to throw up!

Another incident that Ginny refers to is meeting a nun for the first time. "Sister Josephine wears a black sheet with a pillowcase hanging from her head". Again, he could completely relate to this as he was forced to attend a convent that catered specifically for deaf children in South Africa.

Autism is thankfully, finally being talked about and discussed and I’ve been fascinated to discover how many people (some very famous) are on the autistic spectrum. The list includes some of the most brilliant composers of music, mathematicians, TV personalities, politicians and actors, who have gained recognition because they have used their autism to focus on a particular subject and give their undivided attention to it.

Benjamin Ludwig I must salute you, and thank your wife and daughter for allowing them to base the story partially on them. I want to congratulate you for writing a novel that is tragic in some ways, but totally uplifting, showing that there is a silver lining for the majority of those on the autistic spectrum. Through this story, one can see that huge leaps and bounds have taken this disorder from being something dreaded to something where there is hope.

I hope that parents, teachers, family and friends of anyone with autism will read this book because there is so much in what Ginny says that should help anyone be better equipped and more sensitive to these very special people's needs,

Treebeard

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

An interesting take on an Autistic child's way of thinking. This is a well-thought out book and makes for an interesting read, wonderful! The ending is also great, lovely to see a happy ending coming together, especially after some upsets throughout the book.

Think I spent the whole time feeling sorry for her and feeling frustrated for her, how hard it was for her to make her self understood.
Saying that it wasn't a depressing book and there are funny moments. It was a real good insight into the mind of an autistic teenager.

Ginny Moon is fourteen, autistic and living with her ‘Forever Mom & Dad’ – the fourth one. This one looks good. - they really seem to love and want her. Ginny tries hard to make sense of the world and obey the rules she has so carefully learnt but something stops her from being settled.
Her birth mother neglected her and when Ginny was eventually taken into care she was severely malnourished living in squalor. Why then is Ginny obsessed with getting back to her? What does she need to do before she can settle?
Told by Ginny, at times it is hard to realise this book is actually fiction. Benjamin Ludwig beautifully takes us to Ginny’s world where things make perfect sense to her. I loved this book it will stay with me for a long time.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for taking me to the world of Ginny Moon.

The Original Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig (June 2017) is a haunting tale of an autistic girl (Ginny Moon) who was taking from her abusive mother when she was nine and after a series of unsuccessful foster homes she settles with her 'Forever parents'. Then an unexpected event triggers Ginny to remember something she left behind with her birth mother ... something she is determined to find because she is the only one who can take care of it. this leads to a series of miscommunications between Ginny and her 'Forever parents' and her social worker. This is a poignant and beautiful read that exposes the challenges of living with an autistic child whilst celebrating the beauty and diverse thinking they bring to the world. I loved this!

Completely original, compelling and a little bit heartbreaking this is an incredible debut novel from Benjamin Ludwig. It’s not my usual type of read and I didn’t expect to love it but I totally did.

"They like you, Ginny, and believe me, it’s hard to find people like that. It’s much easier to love someone than it is to like them."

Let me just start by saying that I’m completely in awe of anyone who cares for an autistic child and having read Ginny Moon I’m now even more in awe. I have to admit that it’s not something I know a lot about as I don’t really have anyone in my life who’s autistic but this definitely opened my eyes. The whole story is told from inside Ginny’s head giving a completely unique and fascinating view of what it’s like to have a brain that just doesn’t quite work the same way as everyone else’s. It’s compelling, frustrating, amusing, touching and emotional. Once I started reading I literally couldn’t stop.

Ginny is an absolutely fabulous character and I couldn’t help but love her, even though she drove me and everyone around her crazy at times. She is completely single minded and once she’s on a path there is absolutely no way you’ll change her mind. She takes everything literally and picks up the most bizarre words and phrases from those around her. I found myself laughing at some of the things that come out of her mouth one minute and being so incredibly frustrated the next that I wanted to shake her.

Ginny was brought up in an abusive home (trigger warning: there are some disturbing scenes) but despite being in her newest forever home she can’t let go of the past and is determined to escape and find her birth mother Gloria who she hopes has her baby doll. I felt so sorry for her adopted parents Brian and Maura and I could feel their frustrations that they want to give her a stable and loving home but she seems determined to leave. While Ginny is unable to interpret their emotions and reactions the author still managed to transfer them to the reader through her observations, something I thought was incredibly well done.

There were more than a few occasions where I felt like crying or shouting because Ginny just doesn’t see what she’s doing to those around her. Her aunt “Crystal with a C” in particular really got to me. Her guilt, frustration and just desperation to do the right thing was a little bit heartbreaking.

I have to confess that I was surprised the story held my attention the way that it did. It’s not my usual type of read and I would stop every so often and think “I don’t know where this can possibly go” and “I’m not sure how the author can keep this level of engagement and intensity for the remaining x number of pages” but somehow he did. I found myself unable to put it down and even when I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it or talking about it.

It’s not a perfect book, there are elements that are a little unbelievable, but I definitely think it’s a worthwhile read for everyone. There aren’t anywhere near enough characters like Ginny in books and it gives a real insight and unique perspective to their everyday lives and thoughts as well as those around them.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review and apologies for taking so long to read it.

10☆+ Utterly FANTASTIC- if there is one book to read this year then let it be Ginny Moon!!

I want to start by saying Ginny Moon is absolutely fantastic!
I also want to applaud Benjamin Ludwig for he's creative, inspiring, beautiful and honest writing.

I want to also mention that I have worked with children with Autism so for me this book was very special and much needed. I am so glad Ginny Moon had been written and it swells my heart.

Benjamin creates the inner most thoughts feelings and confusion Ginny faces on a regular basis. Her need for routine and time keeping and her need to express her self when she goes into Ginny's brain is cleverly written.
The way Ginny reacts to change and the understanding of the world is beautifully written. 

Ginny Moon is now living in her forever home with adoptive parents.
After several attempts to settle in with other homes she has finally found a home she is comfortable and feels Safewith.

However a massive change is about to rock Ginny's world and spiral her into a change she may not be ready for

Ginny is lucky, she has a great support worker who works with her family and Ginny. Ginny has built up a close bond with her and she trusts her which is so very very important.

Ginny' s forever Mother is about to give birth and Ginny is having a tough time adjusting as it is unearthing some memories for Ginny, that her family don't  understand.
 
Ginny's Mum was abusive and had alot of issues. So she is no longer aloud to ever see Ginny.

However Ginny is desperate to 're connect with her mother. These reasons will be explained. I can't divulge these as it will ruin the fantastic story line.

But Ginny becomes very artful and clever in finding ways to contact her mother. But her actions have consequences which Ginny is unable to understand as she just has one goal and one goal only!

I absolutely loved Ginny, she is a little star and her journey throughout this book is incredible.

Her forever parents, particularly the Dad was so understanding and patient. He really was the glue that held he's family together.
Ginny's forever Mum could come across as selfish and irrational. But I could feel her pain. She was sinking into depression of being a new Mum and a Adoptive parent.
But please stick with her because she will surprise you.

For me the shock twist was really intriguing and kept me guessing. But I had my suspicions. Due to the way this book is written you are literally hanging on right till the end to get answers!

Ginny Moon is written entirely as Ginny's point of view. There is no other way this emotional, captivating, beautiful book could of been written.
You are literally going to experience what it is like for Ginny and the reasons behind her thoughts and actions.

I really can't put this into words to say how brilliant and clever this book is.

If there is one book you read this year.... let it be Ginny Moon!!!

found this a fascinating read- I don't always find it easy to read books with an autistic character having a daughter on the spectrum.
Ginny has had an extremely difficult life, being taken away from an abusive mother and struggling to settle into a 'forever' home. She also struggles with processing more than one question at a time- which resonated here. We were always told that any information had to be given in bite sized chunks as she wouldn't process more than one bit of information at the same time.
Ginny's 'voice' is described very realistically- you can almost see into her mind and see her processing the situations. She takes situations literally- never ask an autistic person for an honest answer if you aren't really looking for one! You can also feel the agonies her 'forever' family are going through- it's a huge commitment to take on a child with additional needs.
There are some unexpected twists and at times you do wonder where the book is headed and what will happen to Ginny

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the arc in return for an honest review.

Looking at the reviews, I am definitely in the minority, but I just couldn't love this book at all.
There was no showing, and all telling, and the book felt overly manipulative.

I just couldn't get on board with the idea that no one questioned Ginny's assertion that she needed to look after her "baby doll" and just assumed that she was talking about a toy. Particularly when she had so much care in the form of a therapist, teaching assistants etc... and particularly when Ginny is so obsessed with the idea of making sure her "baby doll" is ok.

The behaviour of Maura lacked any subtlety. There was no exploration of her thoughts and feelings other than overheard conversations filtered through Ginny's understanding, so for her behaviour to change so dramatically and so instantly at the close of the book, I couldn't accept this happy ever after ending for anything other than a cosy way to finish Ginny's story.

For me the book felt flat and one dimensional, which is a shame, because there were some important themes running through the book that deserved a far better exploration.

Benjamin Ludwig has written a remarkable novel that almost doesn't feel like fiction at all. I suspect that is because he adopted an autistic girl and that experience has critically informed his creation of the one and only Ginny Moon. I have read a number of books with autistic boys, this is my first with a teenage girl. It is written from the perspective of Ginny and Ludwig does a superb job in revealing her interior world, a world that otherwise be difficult to unlock for most of us. Ginny adores Michael Jackson, has 9 grapes for breakfast, takes things literally, and has a need for routines, lists and rules. At the age of 9, she was removed from Gloria, her mother, after a catalogue of horrors, and placed in foster homes by social services. At 14, she is now with her forever family, Brian and Maura Moon, who have adopted her and are keen to prepare Ginny for the upcoming birth of their child.

However, the coming baby has triggered some desperately deep anxieties in Ginny and a driving need and obsession to retrieve her Baby Doll from Gloria. At school, she gets Larry to help her get in touch with Gloria online, and this triggers a set of events that shake her world to the core. Ginny does not always understand the implications of her actions and behaviour. She fails to get others to comprehend why she must do what she does, and when they do, it lifts the curtain to reveal precisely who Ginny Moon is. She really is something else, just absolutely incredible. We glimpse the stresses, despair, fears, and concerns of Brian and Maura and their failure to connect with Ginny. It is a realistic portrayal of what can be the tremendous complications and struggles that adoption can bring to a family.

This is a story of love, family, communication problems, secrets, and the heartbreaking world of the inimitable Ginny Moon. The character of Ginny and her development is stellar, complex, feels completely authentic and is utterly compelling. The quirky, intelligent, brave and courageous Ginny will worm her way into your heart and stay for a long time. A brilliant and outstanding read. Highly recommended!! Thanks to Harlequin for an ARC.

Ginny Moon is a fourteen year old girl who is autistic. Ginny narrates the book through out. She's had a hard start in life but has now found her forever home. I liked Ginny and found her story sad but I didn't enjoy the dialogue repetition concerning her baby doll! I have been told this is something that autistic people will do, I don't know personally having never spoken to anyone with autism. The author writes with experience .

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Thanks Netgalley. Loved Loved Loved this book and cannot say any more

Benjamin Ludwig is a thoroughly admirable man who has written this book from close personal experience, having adopted a teenager with autism. Any criticism of a book written with such goodness of heart and nobility of purpose seems terribly churlish, but although I thought Ginny Moon had its merits, I had some reservations about it.

The story is narrated in the first person by Ginny, a girl with autism who has her 14th birthday during the story. She is very troubled by a traumatic past with her neglectful and violent birth mother and is now adopted by her Forever Family (the third family with whom she has tried to make a home). How her past affects her current behaviour is well depicted, the story emerges skilfully and one's heart is genuinely wrung by Ginny's plight and puzzlement at the world, even when she behaves in ways which look terrible to outsiders.

All of this is well done, parts of the book are very gripping and Ludwig plainly cares deeply for his subject and for Ginny, whose internal state he portrays well for the most part. However, I think his degree in Creative Writing interferes with what he is trying to do in places. Ginny talks in simple, literal sentences which are very convincing, but far too often some very non-Ginny language or phrasing intrudes. For example, "I am talking to the only person who can bring me to the other side of Forever. To the other side of the equals sign. He is gone." In the context, this is a heart-rending moment which Ludwig renders very well in those words…but they are the crafted words of a writer, not Ginny's voice at all, and this happened often enough to continually throw me out of the narrative. I also think the book is too long at nearly 400 pages; in the structure and plot Ludwig labours his points rather and a tighter structure would have made the impact greater, I think, and I had my doubts about the slightly Disney-esqe ending, too.

Ginny Moon is not a bad book at all and has some excellent things about it. I am genuinely sorry to be critical; it’s just that for me it doesn't compare with the brilliance of books like The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime (Mark Haddon), The Universe vs. Alex Woods (Gavin Extence) or Shtum (Jem Lester) and this comes with a somewhat qualified recommendation.

This book is just stunning. Like, seriously, breathtakingly stunning. Within the first couple of pages I was bubbling with excitement, because I KNEW this was going to be good. And it was so very, very good.

Ginny Moon is a fourteen year old girl with Autism. She's living with her third set of "Forever Parents" Maura and Brian, since she was taken away from her abusive and chaotic mother five years ago. She's been here a while now, longer than the rest, but things are becoming unsettled as any day now there'll also be a "forever sister". But Ginny can't let go of her past, there's something she needs to deal with, only nobody is listening. So Ginny has to take things into her own hands, in her own unique way.

So, I work with some young adults with Autism and while I'm no expert and don't have close living experience, I thought that this was the most authentic and genuine voice I've read in fiction. It's told entirely in Ginny's first person perspective and I believed wholeheartedly in this character from beginning to end. Benjamin Ludwig gets it spot on, a blend of identifiable traits and a distinct uniqueness to make one of the most memorable characters you'll come across.

Ginny Moon is endearing, but this isn't a heartwarming tale for the most part. It's dark. Actually, I was surprised at how dark it got at one point, not being entirely what I expected when I first chose to read this book. I'm not going to give anything away, but there's abuse and neglect, frustration, miscommunication and families faltering under strain. Nothing is glossed over, it's very real and believable. It is uncomfortable at times. I got the rage at the people around Ginny, but I could also understand some of the frustration and fear from her foster parents. This book is nothing but honest, everyone is human and flawed, even those trying their best to do the right thing.

As far as character's go, Ginny is one who'll get right under your skin from the very beginning. I loved her. My heart ached for her. She really is a girl lost in a world she doesn't understand and I really, really wanted everything to be ok. I think for people who haven't any experience of Autism, then this book will be an eye-opener and will gain an understanding of the difficulties and everyday struggles faced by both individuals themselves and the families and carers who support them.

I could probably go on for ever saying how much I loved this book, but I really don't want to give anything away. I read it in one sitting, completely unable to tear myself away from the raw, honest writing and this unique, quirky, endearing, frustrating and heartbreaking girl with a story to tell. I can't recommend enough that you take the time to listen.