Middle Grade Fantasy, Animal Fiction, Christian Parenting, Regency Romance
A couple of 5 stars!
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In this article:
Amari and the Night Brothers by Alston
Frog of Arcadia by Bobechko
Triggers by Lia and Speake
A Return of Devotion by Hunter
Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations #1) by B. B. Alston
5 STARS, Middle Grade Fantasy, My format: paperback
Goodreads Synopsis | Buy on BookShop
Amari believes her missing brother is still alive. After she learns about a hidden supernatural world she discovers the path to finding her brother.
Personal Review:
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Think Men In Black for kids, but there's a traitor in their midst! I really appreciated the character of Amari. She is unsure of herself but she doesn't stay in that space. Her growth is refreshing and fantastic for a middle grade book. I also love her relationships. It is clear who are her enemies and who are her friends because she doesn't sneak around or lie to her friends, like many middle grade heroines do.
I also really liked her interactions with the adults. There was no strange rebellion against authority that happened. Amari managed to do her own investigation and have some fun adventures without blatantly going against the advice of the adults. And the adults (that weren't kind of evil) had a respect for Amari and the other students that is often missing. So well done!
I have started a couple of other middle grade series this year that have a similar premise of normal kids finding an alternate world and this one has been by far the best. I have high hopes for the rest of the series!
My daughters will likely enjoy this series as teenagers since there are a few things that could be potentially scary.
Content Warnings:
good and bad magic, nightmares become reality, a couple of adventure/fight scenes involving magic, bullying
Frog of Arcadia by Blake Bobechko
3.5 STARS, Juvenile Animal Fiction, Christian Author, My format: paperback
Goodreads Synopsis | Buy on BookShop
Thomas is a terrarium frog, until the day the terrarium lid is left open and he takes his life into his own hands - outside in nature.
Personal Review:
This little book reads like a classic, like an extended fable with quirky animal characters and unexpected events and adventures along the way.
I am out of practice in my classic reading, so I had to read slower than normal for the sake of understanding what was happening. I appreciate the extra effort it took to make it read like that and I hope to use this for my kids as a sort of "intro to classics" if they are ready to take the dive before school requires it of them.
I originally found this author by looking for people to follow on Substack. Blake Bobechko has a Substack where he writes about animal fiction and Reformed theology.
Content Warnings:
violence that you would expect from the animal world, the epilogue contains a scene with a snake that was written a little more intensely than the rest of the book
Triggers by Amber Lia and Wendy Speake
4 STARS, Christian Parenting, My format: paperback
Goodreads Synopsis | Buy on BookShop
A 31-chapter devotional style book addressing the most common things that cause moms to lose their cool.
Personal Review:
This is one of the better Christian parenting books I have read. Christians who don't believe gentle parenting is "biblical" would do well to read this book. It shows us how being gentle and kind to our children is the best way to get through to them and how to have a Christlike response to childish behavior.
It was so close to a 5-star read for me. I loved what the authors had to say and the real-world examples they gave from their own experiences - I especially loved hearing about the unique struggles of raising boys since all of my struggles are directly related to raising girls! But there were a few times that the authors quoted outside sources to make a point, and it actually seemed to me that those sources were either using the Bible inaccurately or were saying something that was opposite of the point that the author was making! I much preferred the authors' perspectives as opposed to the sources they quoted.
A Return of Devotion (Haven Manor #2) by Kristi Ann Hunter
5 STARS, Christian Regency Romance, My format: ebook
Goodreads Synopsis | Buy on BookShop
Daphne’s life is about to change dramatically when William, the new owner of Haven Manor, decides to make the secluded country manor his new home.
Personal Review:
Every time I read a Hunter book I am convinced that the new couple is my favorite couple she's ever written. But Daphne and William are seriously my favorite! (For now 😉.) I have a feeling many bookworms will relate to Daphne and the way she gets lost in her head. Occasionally, I was annoyed by her "lostness" but I started to realize it was just because I related to it too much, ha! Her character was well-written and I loved the growth she experienced. I also really loved the parts with her and her son Benedict; they were just so sweet.
William is so different from any other male lead that Hunter has written and I love his uniqueness. He is patient and quiet and doesn't come from a perfect background. I really enjoyed his internal monologue because it just made it all the more sweet to see how he adjusted to accommodate Daphne and allow her to come to her own realizations and decisions.
I really enjoyed this re-read and I'm looking forward to the entertaining story that belongs to Jess in book #3!
Content Warnings:
2 kisses that are not detailed, references to sexual mistakes of the past
Have you read any of these books? Do any sound interesting to you?