Welcome to book spotlight where instead of giving you another book review, I’m just going to talk about books I’ve read recently that I enjoyed. Prepare yourself for the fangirl gushing.
When I learned Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk had a sequel, I was a bit apprehensive. Wolf Hollow is a phenomenal book. It didn’t need a sequel. The story wraps up so well. I was afraid a sequel would be unnecessary or ruin the first book.
When I began to read My Own Lightning, I was so unsure. It didn’t do anything like I expected. It was about Annabelle getting struck by lightning and about looking for lost dogs and dealing with new and old neighbors. It wasn’t at all what I expected in a sequel to Wolf Hollow and I was uneasy, expecting it to disappoint me.
But it didn’t. It was so good. Not as good as Wolf Hollow, but good in a different way. It still focuses on similar themes and messages as Wolf Hollow but approaches it in a new and fresh way.
I like the new characters in the story, but I love that this book also focuses heavily on Andy Woodberry. I didn’t expect to care so much about Andy after the things he did in Wolf Hollow. But wow, I am impressed with Lauren Wolk’s ability to make readers care and understand someone who did make bad decisions but is trying to be better. Seeing where he came from, what he was going through during the events of Wolf Hollow and after, made me think long and hard about how often we judge people without knowing them, just like the town judged Toby in the first book. I like how this book continues the journey Annabelle began in Wolf Hollow.
I love the themes and messages. I love all the details of the farm and the historical time period and the whole aesthetic of summer this book has. I love the weird “ability” Annabelle gets from getting struck by lightning. I love all the dogs!!!! And I love that there was just so much unexpectedness in this book.
My Own Lightning isn’t a book I thought I wanted or needed, but I’m glad Lauren Wolk wrote it and I’m glad I read it.
Keeper of the Wood Between Worlds 
I do appreciate it when sequels I didn’t think I want do something different than I had expected. It sounds like this one was almost more of a companion book than a true sequel—and honestly, companion books are something I want a lot more of.
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