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popthebutterfly 's review for:
Strong Like the Sea
by Wendy S. Swore
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Strong like the Sea
Author: Wendy S. Swore
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Native Hawaiians and some culture
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Mg readers, Mystery
Genre: MG Mystery
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 8+ (Some scary moments, Puzzles)
Synopsis: Even though twelve-year-old Alexis was born in Hawaii, she won’t surf or swim with her friends—not since the ocean and its hidden creatures swept her out to sea. Instead, she grabs her best detective hat and decodes her mom’s latest challenge
Alex’s mom works in counterintelligence and leaves codes, ciphers, and puzzles behind for Alex to solve, always with a “treasure” at the end. It’s a brilliant game between them, and Alex loves figuring out her mom’s puzzles—especially the tricky ones—but when an emergency at sea puts her mom in possible danger, solving the next one suddenly feels far more urgent.
Friends help as Alex races to decipher each clue before time runs out, but when the trail leads to grumpy old Uncle, his enormous dog Sarge, and a sea turtle unlike any other, the challenge changes into something bigger than any before. With storms on the horizon and lives on the line, Alex must face her fears to solve Mom’s challenge and save those she loves. With her ohana to help, she must be strong like the sea.
Review: For the most part I loved this cute middle grade novel. It was full of puzzles and I loved the adventure. The characters were all well developed and the world building was well done. I also liked the plot and thought it was a great read for littlies and oldies.
My only criticism of the book is that the pacing does slow down in the middle and it's a little rough getting through that section, but overall I highly enjoyed it.
Verdict: It was adorable!
Book: Strong like the Sea
Author: Wendy S. Swore
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Native Hawaiians and some culture
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Mg readers, Mystery
Genre: MG Mystery
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 8+ (Some scary moments, Puzzles)
Synopsis: Even though twelve-year-old Alexis was born in Hawaii, she won’t surf or swim with her friends—not since the ocean and its hidden creatures swept her out to sea. Instead, she grabs her best detective hat and decodes her mom’s latest challenge
Alex’s mom works in counterintelligence and leaves codes, ciphers, and puzzles behind for Alex to solve, always with a “treasure” at the end. It’s a brilliant game between them, and Alex loves figuring out her mom’s puzzles—especially the tricky ones—but when an emergency at sea puts her mom in possible danger, solving the next one suddenly feels far more urgent.
Friends help as Alex races to decipher each clue before time runs out, but when the trail leads to grumpy old Uncle, his enormous dog Sarge, and a sea turtle unlike any other, the challenge changes into something bigger than any before. With storms on the horizon and lives on the line, Alex must face her fears to solve Mom’s challenge and save those she loves. With her ohana to help, she must be strong like the sea.
Review: For the most part I loved this cute middle grade novel. It was full of puzzles and I loved the adventure. The characters were all well developed and the world building was well done. I also liked the plot and thought it was a great read for littlies and oldies.
My only criticism of the book is that the pacing does slow down in the middle and it's a little rough getting through that section, but overall I highly enjoyed it.
Verdict: It was adorable!