Okay, this book! Just--I feel like I've overused "wow" lately, but other words are failing me.

I first heard about this book when I read Millie Florence's interview on Homeschooled Authors. The premise sounded cute, and the ebook wasn't expensive, and it's a nice thing to support your fellow new authors, right? Hmm, yeah, okay. Except that when I finished it this morning and had to scramble to get out the door for work on time, the fact that I'd "helped out" a new young author was the last thing on my mind.

I'm really not sure why my expectations were so low, unless I was remembering my own writing at thirteen. (And no, I will not show it to you.) This book is...not that. Not by a long shot. Was every sentence perfectly polished? No. Did I come away with an "awww" sentiment for a cute first try? Not even close.

Honey Butter is the perfect name for this book. It's sweet--so sweet--but not in a cotton-candy or even a cake-and-ice-cream way. It's a homey, comfortable, down-to-earth sweetness. A lot like a fresh-baked yeast roll covered in--honey butter.

As someone who's enjoyed a lot of mixed-age friendships (although I was usually on the older end), I loved the chemistry between Jamie and Laren. I also loved the fact that their friendship didn't make Jamie dependent and clingy; instead, seeing the world through Laren's eyes helped her open her heart to the people already in her own life. The chaos of Jamie's big family was spot-on, and I felt her pain as she struggled with the frustration and hurt of her sister's rejection.

Content: arguments between siblings, including "I hate you" (discussed and corrected); "magic" used as a description in several places

Final analysis--I think I shot myself in the foot buying the ebook first, because now I want the print book, too... I'm already considering which parents, libraries, schools, etc. I might be able to recommend this to. It's just that kind of book. 4.5 shining stars!

My 9 year old daughter read this to herself, and I read this out loud to my 6 year old daughter. We all LOVED it! I will admit that I even cried (more than once!) while I was reading it aloud. (The poem at the end definitely made me cry!) Your book is very touching.

I am very impressed with your first book. I noticed that you used the literary devices of imagery and foreshadowing, such as using the weather to reflect the mood of the characters or to reflect what was happening in the story.

Your book has sophisticated themes, and you do a great job of weaving them throughout the entire story. The whole story line is clever and well-executed. We really enjoyed the chapter titles, and my youngest daughter liked making predictions about what would happen in the chapter based on the titles.

It was also pretty awesome to have a main character who is a homeschooler/roadschooler! My youngest thinks that there should be a sequel to Honey Butter, and she also thinks it would make a great movie.

Thanks for writing and sharing this story. We look forward to reading your next book!

Honey Butter is an amazing story about friendship and sibling bonding. It shows a new outlook in life, and reveals that not everything is what it is originally perceived to be. Honey Butter has amazing, well thought out character arcs through out the novel, as well as believe able character actions and events. I'd recommend anyone to read this novel- you're never too old to learn from a new perspective.

I discovered this book through an interview with the young author on a BraveWriter podcast. I loved listening to Millie and her passion for writing was infectious. I knew it would be a great selection for our mama + daughter bookclub. We all loved the story and had a blast looking through rainbow stacks of paint cards together, creating our own mini games with them. We highly recommend this book and look forward to Millie’s next book someday!

Ok, so I like never reread books, but when I finished this story, I instantly knew I would read it again - and again, and again - because it’s a beautiful, short book about a seven-year-old girl who makes a new friend and learns new truths about the world. I looked forward to reading it each night, under my warm blankets. It is sweet, funny, and honest, and I love that. I loved how Jamie carried around her paint cards everywhere - she is a unique and wonderful character. I know this little book is going to get worn down from me reading it so many times... and I’ll give it to my friends to read too. But I think Laren would agree that a worn book is a well loved book.

In this gentle and lyrical book, 7-year-old Jamie navigates the frustration of being overlooked in a big family, the pain of being belittled by an older sister and the joys of making a new friend. It is a remarkable little book that really brought me back to what it's like to be a child, when the most important things in life were to be noticed and included.

I must admit, I didn't expect too much of this book, but it crashed through my unbelieving mind with a solid plot, awesome set of characters, and a great little world you can forget yourself in.

Although the book is written wordier than I usually prefer, the writing style is set from the first page, and stays consistent and cleverly crafted throughout. A few times in the first chapters the dialogue 'tripped me up' so to speak and I found a few typos in the Kindle edition, but the story kept me going and I was pleasantly surprised (And rewarded) by an ending that quite literally made me smile and feel warm and fuzzy (but really, though! Not saying it just to be cliche!). In the 2 solid hours I spent bingeing the story from start to finish, I realised 4 things:
1. the things you have around you, the ones taken for granted, are usually your best resources for the day you want a hug...or to take over the world. Siblings could come in handy for planning world domination, or just to make you feel good on a rainy day
2. friends might not stay, but God's always got a reason to send them around, even for just the little bit of time they were with you
3. I may or may not be tempted to start collecting paint cards
4. Millie Florence is a brilliant author
I promise, by the last page, you'll be feeling as sweet, melty, and warm as a big pot of honey butter.

I had little idea what to expect from this young author, but whatever expectations I vaguely had were vastly exceeded. I enjoyed the whimsical feel and interesting characters who drew me in so that I tore through the book in one sitting.

The conflicts, though minor, felt realistic in how they affected the young, loveable protagonist and evoke childhood memories with ease. It's also nice to see a protagonist who isn't originally book obsessed but with a unique and interesting hobby. The poetry was sweet and I liked the inventive use of colour.

If I had to nitpick a minor fault I'd say some of the scenes can feel a little crowded almost which can make them slower to read, but I think this is in part to reflect the busy household Jamie lives in.

I'd recommend this to any young reader and I'm looking forward to seeing how Millie will grow as a writer in the future.


(I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.)

I loved the detailed descriptions that created a perfect image in my mind. Family relationships, sibling dynamics, curiosities about a new neighbor blossoming into a new friendship...paint card collecting...this book has so much that is wonderful about it, that I want to read it again, and recommend it to everyone! By the way, I'm not crying. You're crying. The next time, though, I will read it with my boys. Wonderfully written, Millie! I can't wait for your next book!

Honey Butter was such a cute story about a young girl's summer--meeting a new friend, birthday parties, and, of course, paint cards! It's a great book aimed at a middle-grade audience, but I also enjoyed it!
As I began reading it, I had a hard time discovering what the plot was about, but I fell in love with the characters and the story got better! And, oh my word, I love how relatable Jamie and her family is. I couldn't help but smile as I read and reminisced about my own childhood. What Jamie did with her paint cards was so cute as well.
Millie's writing style is great--just enough colorful details, but not too much that it drags on--and like I said above, the characters were well developed and relatable. I highly recommend this book!

Honey Butter hits home, telling a tale of friendship and the hardships of siblings.

Very strongly written and just full of pure emotion, I absolutely loved the depth of the storyline and the feelings that went into this story.

Honey Butter went beyond my expectations in a very good way!

Such a wonderful story! This is the first book that I've ever read in a single day, I couldn't put it down! The friendship Jamie and Laren share remind me of what's really important in life. I think the next time I'm at a paint shop, I'll pick up a few cards for myself. I can't wait to see what you write next!

A heartwarming story with colorful (pun very much intended) descriptions and charming characters! I loved the message Honey Butter delivered and how vivid the emotions were. It's a great read for a rainy day.

I read Honey Butter in one sitting!!! I am absolutely blown away and so, so impressed. The author nailed the feeling of summer nostalgia that is so hard to put into words. Her writing style is extremely mature, her grammar is perfect and her voice is beautiful, her characters are unique and feel so real, and her plot is well-executed and well-thought out. Honey Butter is a new absolute favorite book of mine. I absolutely recommend it to readers of all ages!

What a sweet book!

The author truly has tremendous talent for pulling the reader right into the setting; we can practically hear Jamie’s flip flops flop or imagine Laren’s excited voice. I was blown away from the first page!

It truly is such a sweet story, too, just a simple, but beautiful, portrait of a summer from the perspective of a 7 year old—and how genuine and realistic that 7 year old viewpoint is, too! It perfectly captured both Jamie’s enthusiasm and disappointment, as well as her interactions with friends and family. We watch friendships grow and families come closer together, all through the eyes of one little girl and her paintbox of colors. I really thought this was super sweet—I know I keep saying sweet, but it’s really the best word to describe the book!

On the flip side, I felt the plot wasn’t as strong as it could have been. A mostly character-driven story, I really only kept reading because I liked Jamie, not because of what was going on. And granted, there are plenty of books that can completely pull this off. I just thought that in this case, a little more overaching storyline to knot it all together would have produced a stronger story. Sure, there were small side things that happened and dramatic events along the way; but there was no overarching plot pulling it altogether, and that unfortunately left the book feeling a little too scattered, in my opinion.

Nevertheless, it was a truly exceptional story, even if lacking a bit in the plot area; it was full of living, breathing characters embarking on radical adventures. I was blown away by the amazing talent of the author and I recommend this book to anyone and everyone!

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“Well,” she said, “there will never be another today, so let’s make it extraordinary!”

I give this lovey book 3.5 stars!

To find out why check out my full review at:
https://smcreanza.blogspot.com/2018/0...