Middle Grade Superhero, Kid Lit Nonfiction, YA Medieval, Christian Rom-Com

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In this article:

• Wanted: A Superhero to Save the World by Bryan Davis

• What to Do When It’s Not Fair by Toner and Freeland

• An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund

• Pixels and Paints by Kristi Ann Hunter

Wanted: A Superhero to Save the World (Wanted: Superheroes #1) by Bryan Davis

3.5 STARS, Middle Grade Light Fantasy, My format: paperback

Goodreads Synopsis | Buy on Bookshop

Eddie and his sister, Sam, are on an adventure to help the local superhero, Damocles, rescue the town from the villain Mephisto.

Personal Review:

This was an interesting story that I’m not sure how to describe. Eddie is a 12-year-old genius who has studied the ways of Damocles and invented his own superhero gadgets and machines. I liked his little quirks and how his girly sister played a fun part in the story as well.

However, I think I’m just really out of the demographic of who this was intended for. I wasn’t personally a fan of all of the dangerous situations that came up, such as streets thugs in the Dead Zone and a swamp full of terrifying crawly creatures. It is possible that a 12-year-old boy would love this book, but I have a feeling none of my girls will ever pick it up.

For me, the danger was too real and the solutions were too fantastical. I like my stories to be one or the other and not have one foot in each of the realistic and unrealistic worlds.

I should add that the writing, the characters, and the plot were very well done. But they didn’t overpower the content enough for me to enjoy it like I wanted to.

Content Warnings:

street fighting with knives and guns and superhero gadgets, adults striking and threatening children, a scene involving several crawly and slithery creatures, death of a father before the book begins (the story of the death is retold within the book)

What to Do When It’s Not Fair: A Kid’s Guide to Handling Envy and Jealousy by Drs. Toner and Freeland

4 STARS, Juvenile Nonfiction, Self-help, My format: Read aloud to girls ages 8, 7, and 4.

Goodreads Synopsis | Buy on Bookshop

A book for kids about identifying and dealing with envious thoughts, all shared from the perspective of jealous pirates!

Personal Review:

This was extremely timely for our family. One of my children has been struggling with extreme cases of wanting everything her sisters have or get to do. I have been trying to find ways to help her with this; and this book gave us the language we needed to talk about it.

My favorite section of the book taught us two ways to overcome envious feelings: change your thoughts or let it go. The chapter expounds on this and explains how our thoughts determine our feelings and it was just excellent. This was just one of the 10 chapters, which were all helpful in their own way.

As a Christian, I would always prefer to have a scriptural aspect to a self-help book. However, I also have a very strong aversion to Christian self-help books because they often stretch the meaning of Scripture to fit the point they are trying to make. So I prefer practical and academic books that allow me to draw my own connections to the Christian life. This book worked very well for that!

Content Warnings:

One chapter towards the end introduces yoga poses and quiet mind exercises to help kids regulate their nervous system. I value breathing and stretching exercises, so I read the chapter but left out the words and phrases I didn’t like. (I changed “yoga” to “stretch” and left out the meditation completely.)

An Uncertain Choice (An Uncertain Choice #1) by Jody Hedlund

4 STARS, Young Adult Christian Medieval Romance, My format: paperback

Goodreads Synopsis | Buy on Bookshop

Lady Rosemarie has a month to find true love or she has to commit herself to living in a convent for the rest of her life. Luckily, The Noblest Knight has come with three of his top knights to vie for Rosemarie’s hand.

Personal Review:

I have to admit that I enjoyed this more than expected. I really enjoyed the writing. There was some repetitiveness, especially toward the end when the two main characters couldn’t stop expressing their love for each other, but it did help move the story forward at certain times.

The three knights that have come to compete for Rosemarie’s hand are so interesting. They have been given almost exaggerated personalities, but it seems fitting because they are bigger-than-life men who need bigger-than-average characters.

The child-like innocence of Rosemarie was challenged at a steady pace and she saw substantial growth throughout the book (during the one month she was given to find true love!).

I saw one person online complaining that the characters lacked depth because they always said what was on their minds instead of the reader having to figure it out. I LOVED that aspect of the book. Most YA romances are angsty and moody but I really appreciated how these characters communicated with each other, including the three knights who were close friends throughout the book. I commend the author for including that element and still providing an entertaining and exciting quest for love.

This has a similar setting and feeling to Lisa Bergren’s River of Time series but is much cleaner and more appropriate for teen girls.

Content Warnings:

a lot of eyes lingering on lips (but the only kiss is saved for the wedding day), various descriptions of physical torture (including some PTSD)

Pixels and Paint (Trinket Sisters #1) by Kristi Ann Hunter

5 STARS, Contemporary Christian Romantic Comedy, My format: e-book

Goodreads Synopsis | Buy on Bookshop

Emma, an app programmer, and Carter, a successful but stalled painter, cross paths and spend time discovering each others’ quirks and growing up in their own ways.

Personal Review:

Hunter is my all-time favorite author in any genre. Up to this point she has only written regency era clean romances. I was nervous to read a contemporary rom-com from her because I didn’t want to taint my love of the rest of her books. And the conclusion is that this book was PURE DELIGHT.

Emma is trying to please everyone by keeping the different parts of her life separate. That all changes when she meets Carter and he somehow allows her to expose all of her different worlds. I love her character. She is spunky and nerdy and quirky and I just appreciated so much of her weaknesses and her growth.

Carter is a famous painter who has spent a few years lacking inspiration. That all changes when he sees Emma, a woman of many contradictions, and he feels drawn to her puzzle of a life. He has a moment where his pride of “understanding people” brings about a downfall, but it is a beautiful growth opportunity and he pulls through in the sweetest way.

I was so pleased to find that this rom-com was just as clean as the regency novels Hunter has written. And just as hilarious. I laughed several times, once so hard that I leaked tears. I so appreciated that the two characters were truly attracted to each other as individual people as opposed to bodies. There was almost no dwelling on physical attraction but it somehow wasn’t just “a great personality” that makes you fall in love with the characters and compels you to root for their love as well.

My only complaint was that the chapters alternated between first-person Emma and first-person Carter so it was difficult to stop reading in the middle of a chapter because I could never remember who was talking when I came back. This led to a few later-than-I-like nights reading before bed. What a shame ;).

I would feel comfortable with teens reading this, but they probably wouldn’t be interested as the characters are late-twenties and early-thirties.

Content Warnings:

a scene involving a condom (this was clean and hilarious, but some may not appreciate the prop), 2 kisses that are not detailed

Have you read any of these books? Do any sound interesting to you?