Blog

A beautiful story about the power of empathy.

Welcome!

A big thank you to Goodreads Giveaways and Amazon Kindle for giving me the opportunity to read an e-copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my 100% honest, unbiased opinions.

Now, I’m not familiar with this author, and I really didn’t know much about the story going in but I’m happy to be able to say that it was worth reading.

A short, sweet read about a young, ten year old girl who’s just looking for somewhere that feels like home.

It’s the kind of book you can get lost in.

Enjoy!

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through my links may earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you.)

Because of the Night by Rue LHommedieu

Publication date: October 18, 2022
Pages: 130
Genre: Teen and Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery
Standalone

Four Stars!

Ten year old twins, Icky and Kiffer, couldn’t be more different.
Kiffer is focused and serious, while Icky is a ball of energy, struggling with ADD.
On this night in the heat of the moment, Icky, without thinking, declares that this family couldn’t possibly be hers!
And so begins the hunt to find a new home. One where she fits. Where she’ll belong.

Family after family along her street turn her away and each house she leaves.. she feels a little more hurt, a little less wanted.
Defeated, she returns home where she curls up on the porch and drifts off to sleep.
But there’s something off in the night around her. Something waiting. And before she knows it, she’s being ushered onto a boat (an actual boat!) by a grumpy old woman and her grandfather.
The strange woman makes Icky a promise, if by the end of night she still wants a new family, she will have it.
Icky agrees, sure that she’ll succeed.

Sailing through the night on unseen currents, the small group visit home after home, each new home giving Icky a look into the lives of people who have supported and stood by her, and every glimpse brings her closer to the realization that..
Maybe she hasn’t been as alone as she thought.

This was such a sweet, sometimes sad, occasionally frustrating book.. and I loved it.

Icky was a lovable as she was exasperating. I felt so much about her was relatable, realistic, and well written.

One thing I did not like was the lack of consideration from the other characters in regard to Icky’s ADD.
Yes, this book was about her learning to empathize with others but I found the hypocrisy a little grating. She’s a child. Her parents, particularly, could have handled her condition with more care. Something like ADD is already difficult enough.. but there was zero support and no one to help her learn to manage it in a healthy way. That’s irresponsible and, frankly, cruel. Again, this girl is TEN.

Everything else was wonderful.
The story was unique, the characters are entertaining and (for the most part) likable, and the message is one we should all think on more often. “Look. See. You’re not alone. You’re not the only one who struggles.” All told in a way that seems almost dreamlike, magical, and oddly enough.. similar to A Christmas Carol.

We all have moments in our lives, a blink, where our actions and words can not only change our own fate.. but that of others as well. You can choose to be a good influence or a bad one, but each choice changes you both, for good or ill.

Despite how short the book was, I enjoyed watching this quirky, chaotic little ball of energy grow and I think a lot of readers will agree.
I look forward to reading more from this author in the future and fully recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet, unique story full of character growth and discovery.

Thanks so much for stopping in and checking out my review!
I hope I’ve encouraged you to give it a chance and that you enjoy it as much as I did.

What are you reading?

Follow Read Betwixt Words on WordPress.com