Honey Butter by Millie Florence | A Sweet Middle-Grade Book!

Hello, all!! ^^ How have you all been doing? December has been a calmer month for me, which, if any of you know me, is very greatly appreciated! I’ve been mainly trying to… slow down, this month, I suppose. Not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the world and just read, listen to music, and just linger in my own imagination. And it’s just felt amazing — like I’m a bit less tangled up in a million threads.

I don’t really know how to describe it. However, that shall have to wait for a later post!!! Because today, I have here with me, another book review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *grins* And oh my gosh you guys, this is such a sweet middle-grade book!!! Like, so sweet and heartwarming and just full of joy!! And said book is Honey Butter by Millie Florence!

The blurb reads: Everlasting Blue, Slam Dunk Orange Dragon Fruit Pink…

Seven-year-old Jamie Johnson is obsessed with collecting paint cards. In fact, it’s the only thing that can distract her from fighting with her older sister, during the long, boring summer. Until, that is, a mysterious girl moves in next door. Laren Lark is almost thirteen, a homeschooler, and a passionate poet.

Despite their differences, the two girls quickly become friends and Jamie begins to think that the summer doesn’t have to be so boring. After all, Laren says that adventure can be found anywhere—it’s all about where you look.

“One of my very favorite reads of the year. I adored it, and it’s one of those stories that has stayed with me throughout the year, so I know it’s one I will return to in the future.” – Anna Rose Johnson, author of The Star that Always Stays.

I really cannot express how much I love this book (and how impressed I am with the author!! She wrote and published this at thirteen!!!! Thirteen! Which is amazing!!! As a teen author, I always love discovering books by other young writers, and oh my gosh, Honey Butter does not disappoint at all!!!)

First off, I simply must rave about the cover. Look at it! *points* Is it not simply gorgeous?? The two girls drawing the title of the book in chalk and the box of paint cards beside Jamie, and the cat just lounging around… Not to mention the fact that the color of the chalk is Honey Butter, which is the color of one of Jamie’s favorite paint cards (and also the title of this book!).

The writing style of this book was so sweet — it was vivid, it brought me right into the story and into the hearts of the characters — and Jamie was such a relatable protagonist! While seven years old isn’t typically an age for protagonists you see in middle-grade*, I really do love how Millie Florence really captures the feeling of being seven!!

She doesn’t dumb down and she doesn’t refrain from letting Jamie feel all of these big emotions, which is amazing. I’ve found that with a lot of books with younger protagonists, the writer sometimes dumbs down on things and makes it feel as though the MC is too young to understand what is really going on. But Millie Florence doesn’t do that at all!! Jamie feels like a real person, one with her own feelings and who does understand what is going on while still acting very much like a real seven-year-old!

Laren was such a wonderful character as well, and she and Jamie have such a lovely friendship with each other! I really do think the two of them bring out the best in each other, and Jamie learns quite a bit from Laren over the course of the summer!! I think Laren has to be my favorite character throughout this book!!! She’s just so poetic and has such a way with words! Her love of reading, her love for poetry, and the way she expresses herself is simply wonderful! (And she is a fellow homeschooler! Which I love seeing in books!)

In fact, one of my favorite quotes from Honey Butter is from Laren: “A blue sky day,” Laren said poetically. “A magic moment in time. Everlasting…”

Honey Butter is also such a quotable book!!! Again, the writing is just so sweet and vivid, but also so poetic at the same time. It really has such a calming, wistful feel to it and really captures the warmth and joy found in life.

And also, Laren’s backstory…..

*blinks*

*sobs*

The way Millie Florence revealed it to us, the way it relates so much to Jamie’s fighting with her sister, and how much it impacted Laren………..

I…. I am shooketh. Poor Laren!! *sobs* I can’t believe her… *shakes head* *sniffles*

Anyway, such a beautiful book!! And Jamie and Erica’s relationship is just so wonderful to see develop and grow throughout the story!!! I won’t give any spoilers, but the scene with Erica up in that tree and just the way their relationship develops and climaxes…. everything in this book is just so perfectly woven together!!!

And also the ending….

I have no words.

Laren….

Well, no spoilers, but if you know, you know.

So yes! Overall, just such a beautiful book!!! And though it is only around 30K words (and much shorter than what I typically read), the story expands and develops so much, with all these plot threads weaving together beautifully that it honestly makes the word count, kind of perfect!! The writing is wistful and poetic, and the short word count makes this the perfect read for any reluctant, young reader!!! (And this book would also be such a sweet read-aloud, now that I think about it!!)

Undoubtedly, I’d give this book six stars out of five. Undoubtedly. Just such a beautiful read!!!

And if this review itself hasn’t convinced you to read the book, then you can actually get a digital or audio copy Honey Butter for free by signing up to Millie Florence’s newsletter here!

So go and read this book!!!!! *shoos you away to either the newsletter or the nearest bookstore to snatch a paperback of the book*

source

Oh yes, and I also found this on Pinterest!! Which I think is just… kind of perfect for Honey Butter.

Till next time, my fellow bookworms!! And wishing y’all a very happy, book-filled holidays!

-Isabelle