Month: April 2020

REVIEW: The Toll by Neal Shusterman

REVIEW: The Toll by Neal Shusterman

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Endura has fallen. The ultimate scythe leadership has perished, leaving a vacuum for someone to step into.  The voices of reason, the challenges to a growing evil, have been silenced. Blame has been placed. And if the lies fit what people want to believe – and if there’s no one alive to refute them – fiction becomes fact.

The Thunderhead has gone silent. The world is cut off from the AI that kept humanity in some sense of order. One man alone still speaks with the Thunderhead. The Tonists revere him as a holy man.

A dead man and a librarian follow clues to a fictional land that could save the world. But is anyone ready for the truths they could uncover there?

Review

This is the third and final book in the Arc of a Scythe series after Scythe and Thunderhead (♥♥♥♥½).

There is a TON of stuff going on in this book, which is why it clocks in at 625 pages, not counting the 30+pages of author notes in my Barnes and Noble special edition. All of it is fascinating. And I was completely satisfied with all the ways things wrapped up. But this was a BEAST of a book to finish. It felt long, and it was too easy to walk away from it for days.

There are multiple timelines at work here as all of the threads weave together. There are easily 10 “main” characters whose goals and actions and choices are driving the bulk of the story, and another 15 or so who also play a role. I might not have remembered all of the intricacies of the previous two books, but I was able to follow along without too much trouble.

Some interesting features appear in this book. Some of the history of this world is divulged. And the world is set to a version of “right” in the end. I enjoyed the author’s notes in my edition which shared stores of character development (like the gender fluid character, Jeri, who was fascinating) and decisions made early on in the writing for how things would wrap up.

This story line is now complete. There are avenues for possible off-shoots the author could explore, but they aren’t essential in my opinion. I don’t have any unanswered questions. But if the author writes more from this world, I will happily read it.

I’ve seen other readers post on social media that they are struggling to push through this large, long novel. My advice is to press on. I found the journey totally worthwhile. (Some language, violence, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flower

BONUS REVIEW: Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flower

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this novella from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Bailey is looking forward to spending time with her parents, especially considering it’s Mother’s Day weekend. Aiden’s mom has invited Bailey and her parents to a Mother’s Day brunch. And the ladies have tickets for a women’s tea that weekend as well.

The tea is a fundraiser for Abigail’s Farm, a program for women in recovery who have finished rehab. Going into it, Bailey assumes the riskiest thing about the tea is having Aiden’s match-making mother spend time with Bailey’s mom. But that’s before thousands of dollars are stolen in the middle of the fundraiser.

Review

This is the second novella in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series by Amanda Flower. It’s considered book 4.5 in the full series. Book 5, Marshmallow Malice, will release at the end of May.

This was a fast read. Readers should note this is a novella, not a full length novel. There’s no murder, and the story is pretty straightforward. Series regulars like Juliet, Aiden’s mom; her pig, Jethro; and community leader Margot make appearances. The ladies at Abigail’s Farm and their neighbors are new characters for this story.

As this is a novella, there’s not the same pacing and suspense as you would find in a full book. I missed those elements. I like the twists and turns in a full length cozy. Fans of the series will want to check this out so you have all of the adventures for your favorite characters. There’s a new pig in this story that was a hoot! If you are more interested in  a regular mystery with Bailey and Aiden and the rest of the folks in Harvest, you don’t have to wait long.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

REVIEW: The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Edelweiss+ and William Morrow in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Bill Sweeney passed away, it was big news. He was famous in the literary world. And he had been working on a new memoir. The one about his deceased wife had been extremely well-received. The publishing world could only dream of what Bill might share next from his personal life.

The Sweeney sisters come home for the funeral: dutiful Liza who lives nearby, flighty and emotional Maggie the artist, and Tricia, the baby – the most controlled and put together of the bunch.

The Sweeney sisters have generally had good relationships with one another. Different circumstances bring out different pairings and alliances. But in a crisis like burying their father, handling the estate, and finding his final missing manuscript, they pull together. But their father’s death raises a new, unforeseen wrinkle.

There is a fourth Sweeney sister.

Thanks to a DNA test, Serena discovers Bill Sweeney was her biological father. This leaves the original Sweeney sisters reeling and wondering what agenda Serena might bring to their task of managing Bill’s estate. Will Serena capitalize on the scandal with a book of her own? Is she only there for whatever money she can squeeze from the estate? And what might the missing memoir have to say about Bill’s infidelity and his surprise heir?

Review

I enjoyed this novel about sisterhood and legacy. The blurbs promised me “belly laughs” and something “uproarious.” But I didn’t find much hilarity in this. It’s touching and nuanced as it explores the five main characters of the story – the sisters and their father.

The core of the book is the father’s death and what the loss means for the family, from dealing with the house to the search for the missing memoir. And there’s a good bit here about legacy. Those pieces of the story were good and engaging.

But the best part of the story for me was the exploration of sisterhood. The three main sisters have distinct personalities and bring a good amount of personal baggage into the grief journey. On their own, they are all dealing with something – Liza’s rocky marriage, Maggie’s flighty personality and work ethic and penchant for drama, and Tricia’s new romantic relationship. But in addition to their individual journeys there’s a great layer of sisterhood over the top.

The sisterhood pieces were fascinating to Serena as an outsider. She longs to be part of that dynamic, but she know she doesn’t really fit. I loved how she found her own way to step into the sisterly dance the other three already have going.

Readers who enjoy contemporary women’s fiction, family stories, and books with literary elements should not miss this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan

REVIEW: Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Just before Natalie starts at the local middle school, her best friend Lily moves across town. They’ll still be at  school together, but Lily’s been “busy” since she moved. So Natalie is feeling disconnected when school starts. Natalie’s nervous about starting at the larger school, but she feels secure knowing Lily will be there, too.

But Lily has made a new friend – Alex. Alex is super popular – athletic, talented, and stylish. Nat is desperate to get Lily back as her best friend, but it’s hard to compete with someone like Alex.

Review

This is lovely! Hand this new graphic novel to fans of Smile (♥♥♥♥), Real Friends (♥♥♥♥), or Just Jaime (♥♥♥♥), and I think they will love it! The art style here is great. The story is told through Natalie’s sketchbook. Readers should keep an eye on Nat’s pets because they are usually doing something fun on the pages where they appear.

There are hints in the art work early on for the sort of “friend” Lily is. Careful reading of the pictures will clue kids in that Lily is Nat’s friend because Nat lets Lily do whatever she wants. It’s pretty sad. But through the course of the book, Natalie makes some REAL friends – friends who point out what Nat isn’t ready to see yet.

The message of the story – focus on who you ARE rather than on who you are not – is reinforced in Nat’s contest entry which is presented at the end of the book. I love that the author included it – it’s a fun complement to the story.

Readers will enjoy this middle school friendship story (with a crush thrown in). The characters are endearing, the artwork is captivating, and the ending leaves you wanting to cheer. Don’t miss this one! Book 2, Forget Me Nat, will release in the fall. You can read about more great graphic novels for kids here.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: April 28, 2020

BOOK NEWS: April 28, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the final week of April. Here are some of the new books out this week!

Books for Kids

Cat Dog Dog: The Story of a Blended Family – A pair of pet siblings and an “only child” dog become part of a blended family. This looks darling!
Willow the Armadillo – Willow longs to be the hero of a picture book, so she auditions, but can’t find the right fit. This looks great, too!
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: I Am Cleopatra – A new early reader based on the Xavier Riddle show.
Ways to Make Sunshine – First in a new “young middle grade”/chapter book series about a girl who knows how to make “sunshine out of setbacks.”

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Finn and the Intergalactic Lunchbox (Older Middle Grade) – First in a new series from the author of the Sisters Grimm series and the N.E.R.D.S. series (two series I have loved over the years!).  Finn’s magical lunchbox does amazing things like opens wormholes. The downside is this grabs the attention of a race of bugs intent on destroying Finn because he has a weapon that belongs to them – and they want it back. The ensemble in this book is what grabs my attention. I can’t wait to check this one out!
Great Escapes: Nazi Prison Camp Escape AND Journey to Freedom – The first two books in a new series about history and survival.
How to Disappear Completely – A girl struggling after the loss of her grandmother writes one last thing in their shared notebook – and someone writes her back!
The Popularity Code – A new Aladdin MIX book. When a girl discovers an online SlamBook, she starts leaving nasty comments for the people she thinks have been mean to her online.
Rebel in the Library of Ever – A sequel to The Library of Ever. Lenora joins the resistance to fight against the darkness that has taken over the Library of Ever.
Wild and Chance – A special dog with mysterious skills and tech teams up with a couple kids to solve the mystery of where she came from. This sounds so fun!
Secret Message Origami – A fun activity book might be just what your kids need during these days at home!
Clique Bait – A teen who watched her best friend’s life get destroyed by the in crowd infiltrates the group to take them down one at a time.

 

Books for Adults

And the Killer Is (Hardcover) – Book 25 in the Savannah Reid mystery series. When a 90-year-old movie star is strangled in her own home, the Moonlight Magnolia gang is on the case.
Being Known (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Haven Makers series. What does it mean to be truly known? A woman grieving the loss of her mother has to decide if she will open up to her friends and let them help her or if she will continue to live a guarded life.
Botched Butterscotch (e-book) – An Amish Candy Shop novella. Bailey’s parents are in town for a rare visit when she starts investigating the theft of funds raised for a local women’s recovery group. I’m looking forward to reading this one!
The Diva Spices It Up (Hardcover) – Book 13 in the Domestic Diva Mystery series. Sophie agrees to ghost-write a cookbook for an aspiring lifestyle influencer, but she didn’t know when she took the job that the person who originally agreed to be the ghost-writer has gone missing. This sounds fascinating!
A Fatal Finale (Hardcover) – First in the new Ella Shane Mysteries series. In 1899, a gifted opera singer starts investigating a suspicious death when a fellow performer drinks poison during a performance and an English duke comes to town insisting someone is getting away with murder.
Head Over Paws (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 5 in the Rescue Me romance series (Book 3: My Forever Home – ♥♥♥♥). Two shelter volunteers find a love connection when they travel to rescue animals displaced by flooding.
Heiress for Hire (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new series. When a woman catches an intruder in her house, she discovers he’s investigating her because she has inherited a fortune from his uncle, a duke.
Home to Stay (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the A Little Child Shall Lead Them series. A widower meets a feisty newcomer to their community. She and her daughter capture his attention, but he’s not sure he is ready to love again.
How to Catch an Errant Earl (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Disreputable Debutantes series after How to Catch a Wicked Viscount (Rating: ♥♥♥♥). A debutante with a questionable past finds herself in a compromising situation with an exiled duke. He does the right thing and offers to marry her, but he doesn’t want her to get too close and discover the things he has been running from.
ImPerfectly Happy (Trade Paperback) – Four college friends formed a group to celebrate and encourage them in their ambitions. But 10 years later, nothing has gone like they imagined.
Island Affair (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Keys to Love series. When a woman’s unreliable boyfriend is a no-show for her extended family vacation (with her driven siblings and their perfect spouses), she recruits someone to pretend to be her boyfriend for the trip. I love books like this!
Murder Can Confuse Your Chihuahua (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Haunted Craft Fair Mystery series. Celeste and her chihuahua Van Gogh find a body at a craft fair in North Carolina.
Murder In Galway (Mass Market Paperback) – First in the new A Home To Ireland Mystery series. A New Yorker heads to Ireland with her mother’s ashes and instructions to find her uncle. Instead, she finds a dead body and her uncle has gone missing.
Murder in the Storybook Cottage (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Book Retreat Mystery series. There’s a rash of murders with rare and valuable books left with the bodies when a children’s publisher hosts an event at Jane’s resort.
Murder on Pleasant Avenue (Hardcover) – Book 23 in the Gaslight Mystery series. Sarah and Frank are investigating a murder when their dear friend is set up to take the fall for a crime he didn’t commit.
Promise at Pebble Creek (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Hope Chest of Dreams series. A writer who lives for adventure meets a young man fleeing his life in the city. But when he’s suspected of some local crimes, can they stand together to find the truth?
Proof of Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. A bookshop owner finds an insurance appraiser dead in a locked room while a rare and valuable magazine has gone missing. This sounds great!
Pulp Friction (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Cider Shop Mystery series after Apple Cider Slaying. Winnie is thrilled to be hosting a wedding at the Orchard until her ex starts trouble with the groom. If that wasn’t bad enough, the groom turns up dead and Winnie’s ex is on the run.
Pumpkin Spice Peril (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 12 in the Cupcake Bakery series by one of my favorite authors, Jenn McKinlay. The cupcake crew are enjoying life until one of their favorite customers is poisoned – and the last thing she ate was their pumpkin spice cupcakes.
Starbreaker (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Nightchaser series. Tess and Shade are still trying to evade the Dark Watch, but now they also have a near-impossible prison break to plan. Do they trust each other enough to take on this job?
Suck It Up Buttercup (e-book) – Book 2 in the First Fangs Club series. A middle-aged woman whose husband’s death was supposed to free her from his mob connections and complications is now the vampire governor of New Jersey. But her old life isn’t done with her yet. I have the first book because I couldn’t resist the quirky description of this series. I can’t wait to carve out time to read it.
Sugar and Vice (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Cookie House Mystery series. As if Kate didn’t have enough on her plate with a pirate festival and a new promotion for her shop, now her ex is back, trying to win her back, and a skeleton is causing problems for her best friend’s business. This looks like such a great series!
The Sweeney Sisters (Hardcover) – The three Sweeney sisters are drawn together when their father unexpectedly passes away. But in the midst of dealing with estate details they discover there is a fourth Sweeney sister.  I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Tents, Trails, and Turmoil (e-book) – Book 11 in the Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series. This is available to read for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers at the time of this writing. This time a dead body is found in Daniel Boone National Park. It seems as though the killer wants to shut down tourism at the park for good.
Delighted: What Teenagers Are Teaching the Church About Joy (Trade Paperback) – A group of youth workers assert that youth ministry could be radically changed if the focus shifted to one grounded in joy rather than fear.
Live Love Now: Relieve the Pressure and Find Real Connection with Our Kids (Hardcover) – Based on the thought that today’s kids need Truth Tellers in their lives rather than Taskmasters, “encouragers, not enforcers.”
Love Without Borders: How Bold Faith Opens the Door to Embracing the Unexpected (Hardcover) – A tale of motherhood, a journey with God, and a large family, grown through a combination of adoption and biological means. From the YouTuber behind This Gathered Nest.

BONUS REVIEW: Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo

BONUS REVIEW: Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and BOOM! in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Mindy is 27, single, and works as a barista. Mindy also has an eating disorder.

On a late night run for snacks, she decides to try a candy bar called “Eat, and Love Yourself.”

Every time Mindy eats a square from the chocolate bar, she revisits a moment of her past. While she can’t interact with her past self, watching these moments gives her insight into things that she thinks and experiences in her contemporary life.

Review

I was intrigued by the premise of this. The flashbacks communicate the complexity of Mindy’s experiences and perceptions as well as her eating disorder. It’s described as “body dysmorphia” in the text, but I didn’t see as much evidence of that in the story and the art. The art makes it clear that Mindy also purges after eating, but the portrayal isn’t graphic.

There are no quick, easy answers offered here. There’s no blame assigned for Mindy’s struggles, nor are there miraculous cures. But Mindy does develop some insight and self-compassion from her flashbacks. And those developments help her as she looks at her life in the present moment.

I wanted a bigger emotional punch to this, and I didn’t find it. While other readers have really connected with Mindy and with this story, I was left wanting more. Readers with eating disorders could find the material here triggering, so be cautious. Other readers might find this to be a decent introduction to eating disorders, but may want to dig into other stories for a more in-depth look. [I can’t think of any YA books I have read about eating disorders, but two great middle grade ones are Still a Work in Progress (♥♥♥♥♥) and Everything I Know About You (♥♥♥♥½.).] (TW: Eating disorders, purging)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter

REVIEW: What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Nash is an artist and a graphic novelist. He’s active on Twitter where he has shared his graphic novel, Rex, with the world. That’s how he met Kels.

Kels is a baker and a book reviewer. Her blog and social media accounts – One True Pastry –  pair book covers with cupcake designs that Kels bakes herself. She’s built a big following online and a small inner circle of Twitter friends, including Nash. He’s become her best friend over the last few years online.

Halle has moved to Connecticut for her senior year so she can focus on applying for college and building on her other interests. She and her younger brother are living with their widowed grandfather while their parents are in Israel filming a documentary. Usually Halle and Ollie would go with them. That’s one of the reasons Halle has struggled to make friends IRL (in real life). The family has moved so much, Halle has never really gotten to put down roots. Add to that her anxiety and her general awkwardness, and it’s easy to see why face-to-face relationships are hard for her.

Halle’s expectations for finding friendship in her new home are low. And then she runs into Nash. He knows her grandfather from temple and says hello, knowing she’s new in town. But Nash isn’t new to Halle. She’s been best friends with Nash online for years. Only he has no idea that Halle is Kels.

Review

There are so many things I enjoyed about this:

  • All the book love – This is a book lovers book. There are book Twitter stories and Bookstagram examples that will be familiar to readers who frequent those spaces. The book signing, cover reveals, and book convention pieces felt like home to me. This was my favorite part of the book.
  • The baking – I loved Halle’s/Kels’ take on her book reviews. The cupcakes sounded amazing. (There were no recipes in the review copy of the book.)
  • The characters – I loved the characters in this. Halle’s circle of friends – online and off – were great. And her family was even more delightful than her friends.

I’ve read other secret identity sorts of books before, but this one was on the painful side at times. I couldn’t relax into enjoying Nash and Halle together because of all the angst on her side and the lying by omission. As painful as it was – as much as I was dreading the moment where it all falls apart – I was also craving that moment. I wanted the lying done! I wanted Halle to get to be wholly herself and not this divided character.

The end wraps things up well. I loved  where everything settles in the end, both for Halle and Nash as well as for the other characters. Don’t miss this fun YA romance! (Language, LGBTQ+, TW: anxiety/panic attacks)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai

BONUS REVIEW: Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Avon Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Katrina King values her privacy and anonymity. Privacy protects her from people who would use her for their own gains. Like the guy who kidnapped her a few years ago for a big ransom from her rich husband when he had been alive. Or like her father who manipulated her as a teen so he could make money off her in her modeling career.

Katrina thought the conversation with the guy at the café was fun. Harmless flirting. Then she found out someone at the café had taken pictures of their interaction. They were shared online along with a fabricated story of new love. And it went viral. Now Katrina is terrified that someone will recognize her and her carefully constructed life will crumble.

Jasvinder, Katrina’s bodyguard, was with her at the café. He questioned the wisdom of chatting with a stranger. He couldn’t have predicted what happened, though. But now that it has, he can offer Katrina an escape. Jas takes her to his family’s farm where no one will see her or recognize her. Sure, it means he will have to face some family issues that have been building lately. But at the same time, Jas has some issues from his own past chasing him down. Katrina isn’t the only one who could use an escape.

But the close quarters on the farm threaten to expose the feelings they’ve each been reigning in tightly. She’s his boss. He’s her bodyguard. There’s no space for romance between them.

Review

This was so good! This is a sequel to the delightful The Right Swipe, and part of the Modern Love series.

I loved the characters in this! Katrina has been living quiet and small, drawn protectively in on herself. But that couldn’t protect her from a random stranger in a café with a cell phone and an imagination. The situation pushes her to decide how she wants to live her life. Does she want to continue to live small and sheltered?

Jas is suffering from events in his past, too. He gets by, but doesn’t really live. He stuffs his feelings down deep which protects him for awhile from the pain. But it also cuts him off from relationships that could bring him a lot of joy.

I loved the inner work each of them does in the course of the story. I was frustrated early on, feeling like I was missing vital backstory. It’s been awhile since I read book one, and I thought I might have forgotten some things. But I think the backstory was just doled out slowly. It felt like it was too slowly in the beginning for me, but it all becomes clear over time.

The viral photo/story felt like a plot device moreso than a major part of the story, at least to me. It moved Katrina and Jas to the farm which pushes them to deal with their individual issues while also addressing the feelings between them. And I was completely okay with that plot device. The character development was the star of the book for me. Fans of the first book should not miss this one. If you missed book one, somehow, be sure to pick that up, too. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+, TW: Anxiety/panic attacks)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Honest Enneagram by Sarajane Case

REVIEW: The Honest Enneagram by Sarajane Case

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

I was pleasantly surprised by this new book that introduces people to the Enneagram!

The author is the person behind the Instagram profile Enneagram and Coffee (which I love!). She opens the book with her personal experience, background and philosophy. (I appreciate her personal effort to de-stigmatize some of the historically used language of the Enneagram.) She focuses on the basic information of each type and adds subtypes (sexual, self-preservation, and social), wings, lines (she prefers the terms stress and “rest” instead of stress and security), and levels of health. I personally ascribe to the Suzanne Stabile school of thought on lines, which says while a 2, for example, goes to 8 in stress, they can choose/learn to go to the HIGH side of 8 and use those skills to help through stress rather than defaulting to the LOW side of 8. That is NOT how this author views the moves across lines in stress and security/rest. This difference in philosophy didn’t derail my reading or my enjoyment of the book.

The way this book stands out from the crowd – and this field has gotten crowded in recent years – is the author’s H.O.N.E.S.T. system for helping readers/clients pursue growth. The H stands for “Honor your strengths” and the O is for “Open your eyes to blind spots.” The author explains her system in general terms, but then she also applies it to each of the Enneagram types. This was the piece that surprised me.

I think it is easy right now, with the resurgence in interest in the Enneagram, for people to churn out books on the topic that cover the basics. And they all start to blend together into noise. This book didn’t feel like noise. Even though I have been working with the Enneagram for about 3.5 years, there were new pieces in this that I wanted to dig into and learn. THAT is why I will be adding this book to my Enneagram library and telling others about it. For an introductory book, the author added value to it that even folks with a firm grasp of the basics can enjoy. (I also loved that she didn’t include a test!)

I still like recommending The Road Back to You as a first step into the world of the Enneagram, but this would be another great resource for beginners to dive into! You can read about other Enneagram resources here.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: God Cares Series by Debbie Duncan

REVIEW: God Cares Series by Debbie Duncan

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received electronic review copies of these books from Netgalley and Lion Hudson Ltd. in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

These are two books in the new God Cares series, one for older kids, and one for younger ones. There are other books coming in the series including God Cares When I Am Strong: Friends in the Fire (ER) and God Cares When I Feel Down: Jonah and Other Stories (chapter book).

When I Am Anxious: Moses and Other Stories

This is a paraphrase of Bible stories including the life story of Moses. There is no actual scripture text. The non-Moses stories include references to the book and chapter where the story can be found. The emphasis here is on the emotions of the stories, those referenced in the Biblical text and those inferred by the author or the reader. The ultimate goal of the book is to normalize anxiety as something that everyone feels from time to time and to point readers to God when they are anxious. There is information for parents at the end of the book, written by a therapist, specifically about helping children with anxiety.

According to the publisher’s website, this is a “chapter book” for readers 8 and up. To me, the book feels young for kids 10 or older. I might target this more for the 7 to 10 range. It is unillustrated, but each section ends with a suggested activity for readers.

I was frustrated by this book. The chapter content moves from Moses to other Biblical personalities like Jesus or Gideon without a clear indication of what is happening. This may be a function of the structure of the review copy. I would have liked these transitions to be more clear. The chapters could have focused on one personality at a time for clarity, and then references could have been made back to Moses to tie them together.

I was also frustrated that there weren’t more references to the Bible. The research I am hearing says that the younger generations are growing up without a concrete connection to the Bible. I am all for storying the Bible in contemporary language – as a starting point. But I try to point kids back to the Biblical  text so the Bible itself is comfortable and familiar to them. Then they will go back to it time and time again. If they are counting on me, or on another resource to paraphrase for them, they will miss out on all the Bible has for them.

Here is the cover for When I Am Anxious. I love it. I think they could have offered this as an illustrated book, too. The art would have enhanced the story.

When I Am Afraid: Jesus Calms the Storm

This is one of the Early Reader books in this line, an illustrated book for readers between 6 and 8 years old. Originally this was also going to release in April, but some places are showing this as a July release now. There are pictures to accompany the story here, another paraphrase that focuses on the feelings and emotions of the narrative. There are a few places in the book where a few lines in verse are included.

Of the two formats, I preferred this illustrated Early Reader. The artwork is sweet and captivating. I didn’t care for the shift from prose to verse. The prose sections would have been sufficient. I feel like the paraphrase makes more sense here, with a younger reader, but I would have liked at least a reference to where kids could find the whole story in the Bible.

After the story, there are a few questions for kids to discuss with their parents as well as some prayer prompts. The Early Reader also includes advice for parents/caregivers about helping children who are afraid. There is no reference in the review copy to who wrote the information for parents. Therefore, I am not sure if that was provided by the author or by a therapist or psychologist like with the chapter book.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for Christian resources to talk about anxiety or fear with children, I think these could be a good starting place. I would definitely anchor your discussion in the full stories from scripture if you use these resources to start your conversation. I would love for kids to see the WHOLE Bible as a resource to help them with fear, anxiety, and other feelings they experience.

Rating: ♥♥♥