Book Review: A Brother is Born by Angie Thompson and By Paths Unknown by Rebekah Morris

I'm so excited to be here today with a review of not one, but two books! I'm participating in the blog tour for Angie Thompson and Rebekah Morris' new releases, A Brother is Born and By Paths Unknown!

So, as I just said, I'll be reviewing them both. Let's start with A Brother is Born, shall we?

Benny's coming hadn't changed anything—or had it?

With a new foster kid joining Alex Carson's family, everyone is prepared for changes. So when Benny slips into the tight-knit group with barely a ripple, the family is at once surprised and delighted.

But beneath the surface, deeper waters are stirred as Alex finds herself at odds with Jess over his jokes on the unsuspecting and gullible Benny. Will Jess's teasing and her own insecurities separate Alex from her brother? Or can a surprising source teach them a needed lesson in love?

My rating:

Was there anything about this book to make it stand out? Um . . . by most people's standards, not really. The writing was very good, but not necessarily exceptional. The characters were endearing, but no more so than other characters I've read about.

So what made me give this book five stars?

Well, you know that book that just hits you in a way that you never expected? That book that just seems to speak right to you? Not many books do that. But this one did that to me.

It started out light and like a breath of fresh air. After reading several back-to-back books that I either just didn't like or they took me on a rollercoaster (sometimes in intensity, sometimes emotionally), this one made me smile. It was a little hard to get into, as it seemed to start out slow, but the more I read, the more I fell in love with it.

Can I just stop right now and go give Alex a hug? Please?? I adored Alex. Not just because she had 'normal' flaws that she was working through, but because I could relate to her so much. Angie, you hit the nail on the head when it comes to making your characters relatable to your readers!

Benny . . . he wasn't your typical sullen, teenaged, foster kid. Being a Christian before he joined the Baer family, his attitude allowed him to get along with everyone splendidly, and I love his character.

Jess was also relatable—the brother who's always being sarcastic, and doesn't seem to have a serious bone in his body? Alex's struggle with him was so real. And that is what spoke to me. Alex's lesson learned with Jess seemed to speak straight into my heart—a much-needed lesson for both of us!

There was a bit of adventure toward the end of the book, but nothing that makes you break out in a sweat. A Brother is Born was an amazing read with an amazing message. If you're looking for a book that will both make you feel good and challenge you in your attitude toward others, definitely pick this one up.

Ms. Thompson also has a lesson to glean from her book that she'd like to share: Don’t assume people know when your feelings are hurt.  Everyone processes things differently, and what one person thinks is good fun may be hurtful to someone else.  But if someone says something that hurts you, don’t just assume that they meant it that way, or even that they know they hurt you.  Be honest about your feelings; don’t drive the wedge deeper.

Now for By Paths Unknown!

Could God bring peace from such a winding path?

Austin Sparks is doing his best to hold his family together in the wake of his mom's death, but the world continues to spin out of his control. When his dad announces that the family is moving to their grandparents' ranch in South Dakota, it's anyone's guess whether the change will bring healing or just more heartache.

Back on the ranch, Austin finds hope in the familiar surroundings and help in his loving clan of relatives. But can his dad somehow overcome his grief? Will his siblings ever feel at home? And can Austin trust God to guide them all even when the path seems darkest?

My rating: 

So, this book was so close to getting five stars as well (every new book I read by Rebekah Morris is better than the last!). Buuuuut . . . I guess I'll just say that it was basically a 3-star beginning and a 5-star ending, so I decided to split the difference and give it 4 stars.

Austin's story was . . . wow. I think these kinds of stories are Rebekah's strong point—insecure children that work to find their way with God's guidance. Austin was such a fabulous character. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Ahh, this story! It was hard to get into at first—the beginning was extremely slow. But when they finally got to the ranch, and all the family that surrounded them, and . . . *hugs book* yessss. It seemed maybe just a little farfetched that every single one of Austin's uncles and aunts and cousins ended up doing something ranch-related, but not totally unrealistic. (I mean, I guess there was the obvious case of Austin's dad, but still.)

Austin's relationship with his siblings was so, so good. I loved how they interacted, and his struggles with his father (I'm trying not to give away any spoilers here . . . ) and how everything worked out in the end. I'd love to talk about allll the epic characters, but that would take all day! (Though, I have to say . . . Mimmie sounded awfully familiar. Would that be on purpose, Rebekah? ;))

This story felt so . . . so real. And can I please babble about the ending?? No? Fine. *pouts* but only because of the spoilers. (Though I will say it brought back fond memories of my childhood!)

Rebekah also has a lesson that we can glean from her book: Neighbors are there to help – Good neighbors lend a hand, pitch in when things are tough, and help a neighbor even if they don’t really know them.

You can find the rest of the blog tour by clicking on the image below: