KJK Reads

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Malashia’s Magical Twists by Hailey E. Robinson

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Children's Fiction Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is an amazing little book. I didn’t have type 3 or 4 hair or get protective styles every week but I still hated having my hair done and I can only imagine how much worse it must be to be the only one whose hair looks different in the class. The idea of Malashia twists being magic brings childhood joy to the different possible protective styles and is a fun way to talk to kids about their hair. I really liked the glossary and care guide/steps at the end of the book to help not only the kids but potentially parents of mixed race kids or even just those whose hair is a different type to their child. Favourite Quote: “Malashia realized that what made her different also made her special. She and her hair were perfect just the way they are.”

All About Body Safety by Hanna Yameen

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Children Thoughts: This isn’t the first book I’ve read around children and their bodies to keep them safe but it is the first that’s targeted to young children. It handles the topic in a very age appropriate way and the cartoon images add to the explanations and examples given in a way that kids are more likely to identify with. I liked that the can you identify your body bit is given for both boys and girls rather than just a basic body expecting the child to be able to identify themselves on a basic outline. Favourite Quote: “It is okay to speak up and ask for help if we ever feel unsafe Let us always take care of ourselves and protect our bodies.”

Instant Light by Sara Maitland

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Historical Fiction, Short Story Thoughts: What a cute story for the creation of the friction match and also the origins of the Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF). I didn’t actually know that the friction match was invented in Teesside until I saw a display in the library and the local knowledge helps with some of the streets (though since I only shop there I didn’t know them all). I loved the idea of tying in the origins of SIRF as it is a beautiful celebration and added some colour to the end of the book. I also think it’s a great book to teach a little history and instill pride in their area to children too. Favourite Quote: “It is a restless river, the Tees - it always has been.”

A Little Sweetness by Janet Koops

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Romance, Short Story, Found Family Thoughts: This is a cute short story emphasising the importance of found family over the case of a week. It seems like I’ve jumped in in the middle or at the end of a story so I think I need to go back and read more from the series but seeing the bakery come to life over the space of a week and the interactions between the friends that feel like family are a happy and cozy read. The cookie flowers as chapter breakers between days is also a cute touch. Favourite Quote: “I looked around at these faces - my people, my family. None of them were related to me by blood. I had spent most of my life believing that family was something that happened to other people something determined by birth, by luck. But this table proved otherwise. Family was a choice.”

The Boo Next Door by Annie Carlisle

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Romance, Halloween Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I love Carlisle’s romances because they feel like they’re focused on a theme or aim alongside the romances, and this one is a fun one with a Halloween decorating competition. I’ve always loved Halloween and decorating for the holiday so it was fun to watch Lila and Grady construct the elaborate scenes. The small town element also feels relatable as someone who’s family is from small towns with everyone knowing everyone else’s business and I liked the banter between all the townspeople as well as Lila and Grady. I also loved Beetlejuice with the judgy looks and the perfectly terrible timing, he added an extra element to the romance. Favourite Quote: “A good scare is a gift. It's the safest fear you'll ever feel. You scream, and then you laugh, because your body just found out the monster was foam, and for one second, everything that's a...

People Like Them by Samira Sedira

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Thriller Thoughts: This book has quite an interesting story, the wintery small village makes an eerie setting for a murder as it feels more idyllic and romantic than violent and scary. Seeing the murder of Bakary through the murderers’ wife instead of the victim or the murderer themself gives the book a different feel and also leads to us as outsiders considering what we may have done in those circumstances. The crime itself is unsettling as there’s layers of race, and prejudice as well as crime and finances. It’s also interesting that the further into the facts of the case we go the more the murderer also becomes a victim of another crime. Reading the authors note, I didn’t know anything about the case before and I’m not sure how much of the book is supposed to be true to the real crime and how many are fictionalised to make the story up. Favourite Quote: “I don't know if we're all capable of killing with as much as savagery as you had. I still don'...