Beware The Fury by Lena Austin

November 13, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Beware The Fury by Lena Austin
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Detective Bach didn’t like getting thrown off the case of the Feather Boa Killer just because he’d begun to suspect it was personal between him and the killer. Turns out he was right — the killer follows him to Los Regalos and picks up his murderous spree there.

Bach likes it even less when his new partner at Los Regalos is a lady detective with a really bad temper, snakes in her hair, bat wings, and an infallible nose for murder. Oh, yeah, and Cissy’s got a mushy heart for animals — lots of animals. And she’s a triplet. And a goddess — really! His head hurts.

Cissy’s real name is Tisiphone the Fury, and she’s been trying to find her own individuality since she and her sisters decided to live on different continents. What’s a Fury supposed to do except become a murder detective at Los Regalos? Now her contract is near an end and she’s weighing her options. That is, until Detective Bastian Bach walks into her precinct and dumps the case of a serial killer on Cissy’s desk. Her nose tells her more. Bach’s right. It’s personal.

And it’s about to get really personal.

Detective Bach hated getting thrown off his last case, but no one expected the killer he hunted would follow him to Los Regalos when he was forced into a week’s “holiday. Bach also isn’t thrilled with his new partner, a bad tempered lady detective with a short fuse and snakes in her hair. Both of their instincts tell them that this case – and their lives – are about to get very difficult.

I believe this is a new-to-me author and I was really impressed with this spicy murder mystery. I really enjoyed how the author made much of Bach and his interactions really sound like a hard boiled detective mystery. Given the short length of this story I really found the tone and style of writing drew me right in from pretty much the first page.

Readers looking for a bit of spice in their story also won’t be left disappointed. While the mystery is absolutely front and center, the attraction sparking between Bach and Cissy leaps right out at the reader and takes a firm hold. Readers who enjoy some spice but also a clear and well plotted mystery should find this short story really suits their needs.

Funny and sexy with a strong plot, well moving pace and surprisingly satisfying ending – I found this to be a wonderful, quick read. I’d happily check out more books by this author. Recommended.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Happy Iceland – How Icelandic Strangers Taught a Miserable American the Secret to Lifelong Happiness by Anne Marie Wells

November 12, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Happy Iceland – How Icelandic Strangers Taught a Miserable American the Secret to Lifelong Happiness by Anne Marie Wells
Publisher: Star Belt Press
Genre: Non-Fiction, Action/Adventure, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A simple question at Iceland’s international airport-What are your happiest memories of Iceland?-sets off an unforgettable journey across the Land of Fire and Ice. Abandoning guidebooks and itineraries, a young woman on the precipice of turning thirty, newly unemployed and stuck in a faltering relationship, spends five weeks backpacking and hitchhiking to find the locations where Icelandic strangers’ happiest memories took place. From childhood sports fields and family farms to hidden waterfalls and the remote Highlands, this intimate travel memoir explores Iceland far beyond what can be seen from a sightseeing bus tour. Part adventure, part meditation on what it takes to be happy in a volatile world, Happy Iceland is a reminder that some of the best journeys begin when we shut up and listen.

Adventures are for everyone.

Some of the most memorable scenes for this reader were the ones that discussed the risks and benefits of traveling alone as a woman. The travelogue genre hasn’t always included a lot of examples of how hitchhiking, camping, and spending time alone in the wilderness can be quite different depending on one’s sex and gender identity, so I loved the fact that this book talked about it so thoroughly.

Given the promises the title and blurb made, I found myself wishing that more of this memoir had been spent exploring the concept of happiness and how Ms. Wells’ life was changed as a result of her adventures. Discussing happiness grabs my attention immediately and was my biggest reason for wanting to read this, but it turned out to be far more of a record of her travels than anything else. I was also surprised by what the author did with her life after returning home to the United States as that didn’t quite fit the tone of the blurb or title either.

The descriptions of Iceland’s geography and culture were gorgeous and made me want to visit this part of the world. For example, there were times when the author and those she met on her journey would knock on the door of a friend’s house for an unexpected visit or even find the hidden key in the garden and enter the house itself. These aren’t things that are done in my culture, so I was fascinated. I also liked the conversations that explored what many people in Iceland believe about the elves that are said to live there and cast such a strong influence for better or for worse over the fates of humans who are or perhaps who are not kind to them.

I also struggled with how the writing style switched between being a memoir and sharing the many exciting and sometimes dangerous adventures the author found herself experiencing during her five weeks of traveling in Iceland. Their themes were so different than it almost felt like reading two books at once, and having more connections between them would have made this a stronger work in my opinion.

One of the strongest themes in this book involved the many forms friendship can take, and I enjoyed learning about the many kind people that the author met in Iceland. It’s interesting to see how even brief interactions between strangers can change their lives forever, and my fingers are crossed that some of these old friends will reach out to the author and rekindle their connections in the future.

Happy Iceland – How Icelandic Strangers Taught a Miserable American the Secret to Lifelong Happiness was thought provoking.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Keep Walking, Your Heart Will Catch Up: A Camino de Santiago Journey by Cathay Reta

November 11, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Keep Walking, Your Heart Will Catch Up: A Camino de Santiago Journey by Cathay Reta
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Non-Fiction, Memoir
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Thirty-seven days. Four hundred eighty-three miles. A chance to discover what life could hold next.

Newly widowed and in her mid-sixties, Cathay Reta couldn’t picture her future. Looking for direction, she left her familiar surroundings and traveled alone to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage trail across the country’s northern landscape.

Preparing for the journey meant trading a sedentary life for long walks and hikes. But no amount of training could prepare her for the questions she would carry—or what it would take to face them.

Walk with Cathay through Spanish villages, past centuries-old churches, and into the company of strangers who become companions. Share the laughter, tears, exhaustion, and unexpected joy of a journey that tests her resolve each day. Some mornings, she wonders why she’s doing this at all. Surely she could have figured out her future from the comfort of a nice hotel.

Yet she keeps walking.

As the miles unfold, so do the anger, loneliness, and grief she brought with her. Through conversations with fellow pilgrims, reflections on faith, and the daily effort of putting one foot in front of the other, Cathay begins to imagine a life she wants to live.

Candid, warm, and rich with the history and beauty of the Camino, Keep Walking, Your Heart Will Catch Up is a memoir of loss, adventure, and the courage to begin again at an age when others might expect you to settle in.

At a crossroads yourself? Come walk beside her. You may find that her journey opens a path for your own.

I’ve often heard of the Camino de Santiago but that’s about it. I looked forward to reading what the author had to say because I’d read her other book, Dance in the Meadow, and I quite enjoyed it. I am happy to say that I enjoyed Keep Walking, Your Heart Will Catch Up just as much but for different reasons.

This novel has a lot more history, both of local flavor and true historical backgrounds, than I expected. The author kept the details on the light side in order to not overwhelm the reader. This is her story, about her journey of self-awareness, facing and coming to terms with her vulnerabilities and the loss of her husband. She presented stories of the amazing trust shown among pilgrims who are also on the Camino journey. It was very gratifying to see, and I found it amazing as well. Why? I didn’t expect that level of positiveness from humanity. Ms. Reta had one uncomfortable encounter, but the worst was the 6-legged variety. That creeped me out as well, and yet, I read that it’s not an unexpected experience for many pilgrims. The hosts of the albergues (hostels) were pragmatic about it, were extremely helpful and knew exactly what to do. There’s no stigma about it like there would be in the U.S., that’s for sure!

A couple of her observations differ from my own viewpoints when it comes to absolution and forgiveness, but that didn’t take away from the value and truth of her experience. Ms. Reta shares very open, honest and well-spoken moments of introspection and reflection along with a wonderful recounting of her interactions with various pilgrims like Amy, George, Mark and others.

I realize it meant something to the author when she’d share references and quotes from a book she was re-reading during the journey that practically mirrored her own real-life experiences, but I wasn’t fond of their inclusion. I’m sure others will find it amazing that the author discovered a book that inspired her just when she needed it most at critical moments along the trail. I found it distracting.

Since it’s a memoir, it made sense to include the numerous names of all the places/locations that she traveled through but I found myself further distracted by trying to pronounce all of them. I gave up after a while and just concentrated on her storytelling: what she learned, saw, ate and listened to; who she met, their stories they shared and what she learned about herself through them.

This book provides a variety of opportunities for a reader to enjoy the journey along with the author. I also saw myself in her descriptions of herself. Honestly, I don’t know if I’d ever have the courage to face things as she did. It’s a lot about letting go, being true to one’s feelings and having the courage to admit it loudly to the world, paraphrasing, “I am amazing’. I don’t want to diffuse that moment in the book where she figures that out. It’s powerful stuff.

There are humorous moments too – my favorite is the expected wake-up call and what actually happened. That was cute.

I also learned about a product I’d never heard of and could have used for one of my kids- Compeed. It’s a brand of hydrocolloid blister plasters and it’s great for friction blisters. I’m going to see if I can get some. I like learning about new products that can make life easier!

There are tons more details I could get into but I’d overwhelm you, the reader. I don’t want to do that. I am hoping my enthusiasm, my enjoyment and my recommendation to read this memoir about the Camino de Santiago will come through and inspire your curiosity too. The author stays close to ordinary life: plainspoken, entertaining, and the kind of writer readers feel they know. She writes in a grounded, down-to-earth style that is engaging, entertaining, and easy to relate to.

Anyone who has gone on, or thinking of going on the Camino journey, or just curious, might very well enjoy reading Keep Walking, Your Heart Will Catch Up: A Camino de Santiago Journey. Ms. Reta’s story is worth the visit.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

What The Night Brings by Mark Billingham

November 10, 2026 By Leave a Comment


What The Night Brings by Mark Billingham
Publisher: Little, Brown Group
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

What the Night Brings by Mark Billingham is the latest mystery in the bestselling Tom Thorne series, and this time, a killer is targeting the police. Is it payback? And is it justified?

“Three dead coppers, Tom, maybe four by lunchtime…”

The targeted murder of four officers is only the first in a series of attacks that leaves police scared, angry and, most disturbingly of all, vengeful.

As Tom Thorne and Nicola Tanner dig into the reasons for the violence, a deeper darkness begins to emerge: the possibility that these murders are payback. The price paid for an unspeakable betrayal.

To uncover the truth, Thorne will be forced to question everything he stands for. He can trust nobody, and the shocking secrets revealed by one terrible night will fracture his entire world.

With public support at an all-time low and distrust of the police force growing at an alarming rate, everyone is shocked when the targeted murder of four officers happens on DI Tom Thorne’s crime scene. Joined by his team – and particularly DI Nicola Tanner and DI Dave Holland, they work tirelessly – only to uncover more betrayals, and corruption, than they could have ever dreamed of. As their world implodes, can they hold those responsible to account for their actions?

In the space of less than a year I’ve managed discover – and read – the entire series of DI Tom Thorne books. I’ve found this to reliably be a well written, deeply plotted British Police Procedural mystery series and one that regularly looks at harder aspects of crime and society in general. Most of these books have been – to one level or another – uncomfortable and confronting reads. While I admit the last few books have been gripping, but likely less harsh and uncomfortable, I do feel this most recent book takes a few steps back towards that discomfort.

Police corruption, the police abuse of their powers and reach particularly when it comes to victims would never be considered a cosy or easy kind of read. I definitely feel readers should be mindful of the main aspects of this in the plot. That said, just like there will always be villains, there will also be those who strive for good and those who want justice and to put the bad guy – no matter who they are – behind bars. Tom Thorne might not be a warm and fuzzy kind of hero, but he absolutely wants the bad guys behind bars – no matter who or what they are.

I found this book to be gripping reading. Partly I do feel this was because I have quite an emotional connection to the main cast, having read the whole series, but equally I strongly believe the plot and action of this book by itself would have grabbed me by the neck even if I had picked this up by itself. I did feel there was a monumental impact from the final twists and while I suspense something along these lines would be the big climax I was still gutted and surprised. This is not a book to start late in the evening or at the end of a weekend. I read the second half of this novel in a full-day binge and regret nothing.

With excellent characters, a solidly written plot and plenty of twists this was an exceptional book. I will absolutely be keeping an eye on this authors website. Highly recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Murder Among the Cornstalks by Jody Chaffin

November 9, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Murder Among the Cornstalks by Jody Chaffin
A Table Rock Lake Word Search Mystery, #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A field full of witnesses. Not one of them saw a thing. 48 word searches to the truth.

On Halloween night, a hundred people from three counties walked the haunted corn maze out on the Flat Creek bottoms. At first light, somebody found Shane Merrick in the uncut corn — the equipment operator who turned up in March looking for work, got hired off a handshake, and was leaving the day the maze closed. The sheriff’s office worked the case on people who had already gone home. Retired biology teacher Eleanor “Nell” Ashworth spent that whole evening at the ticket table. She is new here, and she is the only one still asking the questions the county is content to leave alone.

But this time, the detective is you.

Each chapter hands you a scene and a word search. Solve the puzzle, and the leftover letters reveal a hidden clue — a suspect cleared, a motive exposed, a small hard fact nobody thought to write down. Track them across forty-eight puzzles and you will be ready to name the killer, the motive, the means, and the place before Nell does.

Six suspects. One night nobody can account for. A verdict only you can reach.

Fear comes in many forms.

The corn maze setting as Halloween approached was perfect for this murder, especially given Shane’s weak and temporary ties to the Persimmon Bluff community. I’ve often wondered what happens to people who constantly travel for work and who die while far away from the place or places where they grew up. This tale gave one sad but realistic possibility of how such lives end up being concluded after the worst happens.

It would have been helpful to have a little more development for the ending, especially considering how few clues were shared earlier on that the plot was moving in that direction. I thought it was a creative approach to this murder mystery, but I also would have liked to see the characters discuss why the murderer wasn’t following certain safety protocols involving outdoor activities in the autumn that most people who live in rural areas are taught from a young age. This omission felt a little odd to me, although I would have gone for a full five-star rating had the narrator explained it better as it definitely was a unique twist.

I enjoyed getting to know the permanent residents of this town a little better than I did in the first instalment of this series, and I’m hoping this trend will continue in the future. While everything in it definitely can be read as a standalone novel from what I’ve observed so far, fans who follow the mysteries in chronological order will be rewarded by small moments of character development that new readers might not notice.

Murder Among the Cornstalks made me yearn for the scariest time of year.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

These Bright and Perilous Designs by Felicia Martínez

November 6, 2026 By Leave a Comment


These Bright and Perilous Designs by Felicia Martínez
Publisher: Thinking Ink Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A layered, lyrical, and heartbreaking novella.

In the near future, a grieving son uncovers the secret journal entries of his genius mother-and the life and love story she tells is layered across multiple universes.

In one universe, Phaedra falls in love-tragic and doomed-with Hippolytus. In another, the pair are brilliant and misunderstood software engineers whose creations threaten the world.

In ancient Greece, in the near future, in every world, some things remain true: Phaedra and Hippolytus’ love is doomed, and Phaedra’s scorned husband Theseus will do anything to seize their designs.

Greed is a disease that ruins everything it touches.

The dual timelines complemented each other beautifully. Generally, I tend to prefer one timeline over the other when I read stories written like this one, but in this case I enjoyed both of them equally because of how detailed their descriptions of the characters and their relationships with one another were. Honestly, they could have both stood alone as novellas, but they worked even better together here.

I struggled with the stream-of-consciousness writing style because of how it interacted with the plot development. There were times when I wasn’t sure what was going on with the characters due to how few concrete details were being shared in those scenes about what they were currently experiencing. This is something I’m saying as a reader who was quite excited to read this book due to my love of Greek mythology, but unfortunately the main storylines never quite gelled together for me.

One of my favorite things about this tale was how well it explained the original myth that inspired this modern-day retelling. There was no reason to read about the plot or anyone featured in it ahead of time for readers who may not be familiar with it because of how much effort was put into explaining who all of the characters were and what conflicts they were facing. This is something I love seeing in this type of book, and I only wish it were more common than it currently is.

These Bright and Perilous Designs was creative.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Murder in Persimmon Bluff by Jody Chaffin

November 5, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Murder in Persimmon Bluff by Jody Chaffin
A Table Rock Lake Word Search Mystery, Book 1
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

They stopped speaking in 1980. Forty-eight word searches to the truth.

Earl Halstead and Joe Sowder came home from Vietnam like brothers and built most of this end of Table Rock Lake with one truck between them. In December of 1980 they divided the company down the middle and stopped speaking. Neither man ever said why. Their families have bid against each other ever since.

Now Marla Sowder, the engineer who runs the Sowder half, has been found dead in a Halstead driveway on a Friday night, and the county has already closed the case. Retired biology teacher Eleanor “Nell” Ashworth has been in Persimmon Bluff six weeks. Nobody here tells her anything.

But this time, the detective is you.

Read the chapters. Solve the puzzles. Track the clues. Each chapter hands you a scene and a word search, and the leftover letters spell out what the scene would not — a suspect cleared, a motive ruled out, a place crossed off. Across forty-eight puzzles you will gather everything you need to name the killer, the motive, the means, and the place, and you will get there the same way Nell does.

Six suspects. Two families with nothing to say. A verdict only you can reach.

Autumn is the perfect time of year to solve a murder.

I continue to be impressed with the author’s understanding of both the positive and negative aspects of living in a small town. The scenes that explored how characters maintained relationships with each other over the decades, especially with people they didn’t like but needed to see regularly for a variety of reasons, were among my favorite ones.

There were some pacing issues in the beginning that prevented me from diving as deeply into this book as I was hoping to do so. It took me a while to cozy up to the characters and become emotionally invested in solving the murder. This is something I’m saying as a reader who enjoyed the author’s previous Larkspur Hollow Garden Mystery books and was quite excited to see what he’d written next. My fingers are crossed that the future instalments in this new series will have smoother pacing as the word search aspect of each instalment is unique and quite a bit of fun to participate in.

The murder itself was creative and interesting. I liked the way it was folded into the patterns of everyday life in Persimmon Bluff and thought the characters’ reactions to that moment were as reasonable as they were illuminative of their personalities. Based on this introduced to these characters and their community, I am definitely interested in visiting them again through the power of the written word in the near future.

Murder in Persimmon Bluff piqued my interest in these new adventures.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Second Secret by Alan Lee

November 4, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Second Secret by Alan Lee
Publisher: Sparkle Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Private detective Mackenzie August is trying run to an honest business.
Until the woman of his dreams walks in,
With a mystery on her hands.

Meet Veronica Summers.
She’s a client in Jimmy Choo heels–a local attorney needing the services of a private investigator.
She’s come to the right place.

Mackenzie August is hired to sniff out a traitorous informant hiding in an underworld operation. It’s an assignment he should turn down–if only someone other than Ronnie Summers had asked, maybe he could have…

Mackenzie is tossed into the deep end and finds himself mingling with the mafioso. Is his professional career worth risking for the sake of a cute girl with sordid secrets?

PI Mackenzie August has complicated feelings about Veronica Summers. She’s a femme fatale local attorney but everything between them is complicated. Ronnie hires Mackenzie to uncover an informant, but when Mackenzie knows the informant will likely find a messy ending because snitching on a criminal kingpin can never be let slide – so how can Mackenzie balance his duty to their mutual client – Ronnie’s father – but still do the right thing?

I enjoyed this mystery, very much written in the sense of a classic hard boiled detective novel. Even though it’s quite current the feel and overall tone of the book is old school and brilliantly balanced. I feel this should appeal to a wide range of readers, but both modern and more traditional.

I thought the plot was well balanced but not too complicated. This is an easy book to pick up and put back down again. I also appreciated that the author did a good job in highlighting some of the moral grey area Mackenzie found himself in. While the plot is quite straightforward really, there was quite an undertow of right vs wrong and the grey area of real life in the middle.

With interesting characters, a lot of shades of grey, and a solid detective mystery in the middle this was an enjoyable and good read. This author is fairly new to me and I am absolutely keen to read more. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Amazing Answers for Curious Kids – Space Edition by Ross Austin

November 3, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Amazing Answers for Curious Kids – Space Edition by Ross Austin
Publisher: Beyond Why Press
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Amazing Answers for Curious Kids: Space Edition

Why do planets orbit the Sun? What would happen if you dropped a hammer and a feather on the Moon? How do astronauts go to the bathroom in space? And what does it actually feel like when a rocket launches?

Amazing Answers for Curious Kids: Space Edition turns the questions children genuinely wonder about into 84 fascinating space discoveries they can understand, remember, and want to explore further.

Designed for curious kids ages 6–12, this full-color book explores the Solar System, planets, stars, black holes, rockets, astronauts, and the universe through clear explanations, vivid visuals, surprising facts, and questions that encourage kids to think before discovering the answer.

Older readers can explore independently, while younger readers can enjoy the questions, pictures, and discoveries with a grown-up.

Science is filled with endless possibilities.

The conversational writing style made this easy to read even when complex topics were being broken down into something that elementary-aged kids can better understand. It honestly felt like sitting down with a scientist and talking to them about subjects so many people may quietly wonder about but not actually bring up in some cases. This was an excellent stylistic choice and was one of the many reasons why I chose a full five-star rating.

I love how detailed so many of the answers were. For example, one section described what astronauts’ spacesuits smell like after they’ve returned to the space station from a mission. It never would have occurred to me that the molecules out in space might have a particular scent to them, although the explanation of why and how that happened made a great deal of sense. This was one of many examples of things I wouldn’t think to ask but am glad I learned about while reading this book.

Some of my favorite sections were the ones that discussed how scientists are preparing now for future longterm missions to Mars and similar places. For example, figuring out how to have enough food and water for people living that far away would be a constant challenge. There are experiments currently being done on how best to grow food on spaceships or other enclosed areas so that there could be a continuous supply of it for everyone who lived there. These topics are complicated and it will probably be a long time before we’re able to grow enough food for an entire community in such a closed system, but the exploration of some of the techniques they’re trying was absolutely fascinating.

I’d recommend Amazing Answers for Curious Kids – Space Edition to people of all ages who love this topic and want to learn more about outer space.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Curious Mind and Dancing Feet by Melinda González

November 2, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Curious Mind and Dancing Feet by Melinda González
Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Children’s (0-6 y.o.)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

A young girl with ADHD celebrates what makes her who she is

In Curious Mind and Dancing Feet, a young girl explains what it’s like to live with ADHD. Sometimes her mind wants to wander, and she often gets the wiggles. But when it comes to bugs, she’s laser focused. People don’t understand why she fills her pockets with bug-friendly snacks, and they don’t have to. The important thing is, her Mami, Abuelita, and friends understand, and they help her embrace her ADHD when she starts to feel jumbled up. With ADHD, life is complicated—and full of joy and wonder.

Offers an honest portrayal of life with ADHD, including challenges and strengths
Celebrates disability joy and offers an empowering self-representation for disabled kids
Helps children develop empathy and understanding with first-person storytelling from a child’s perspective
Centers disabled voices by drawing on the author’s experience with ADHD
Features a Puerto Rican and Muslim girl as the main character

The Disability Books for Kids series explores visible and invisible disability in the first person, as seen through the eyes of children and written from firsthand experience. The series builds allyship, challenges ableism, and celebrates difference, empowering and educating all readers. Each book includes an author’s note to the reader.

Curious Mind and Dancing Feet is a joyful, beautifully illustrated celebration of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the unique strengths it brings. The artwork is vibrant and engaging, perfectly matching the energy and curiosity of the young girl at the center of the story. I love how clearly the book explains ADHD, its characteristics, its challenges, and the myths that often surround it. In a way that’s accessible for children and eye‑opening for adults. The story highlights that it’s not only okay to be different, but that those differences bring creativity, expression, joy, and a wonderful sense of curiosity about the world.

The main character’s love for bugs, her wandering mind, and her “dancing feet” are portrayed with warmth and authenticity. Her family’s support shows the power of understanding and acceptance. It’s a beautiful reminder that children thrive when the people around them embrace who they are. This book is an excellent resource for schools, classrooms, and personal libraries. It encourages empathy, celebrates disability joy, and offers empowering representation for kids with ADHD. A meaningful, uplifting read that shines with heart.

A definite five-star addition to any child’s bookshelf.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,
Next Page »