Rating: Needs Minor Parent Supervision

Reading Level: Late Elementary, Middle School

An orphan frustrated with his foster home declares himself president of a micro-nation and claims a neighbor’s hot spring lake as his own country. The neighbor, amused, plays the game until the two become friends and unravel a mystery that has haunted the town for nine years.

Possible Concerns:

  • Suspected murder. The town believes the neighbor murdered his own brother over some money. The townspeople make mean comments, even though he was never convicted.
  • Ghosts. People say they’ve seen the missing brother’s ghost
  • Bullying, kicking, stealing. The foster family is full of bullies, including the parents. The kids abuse Jax, and the parents verbally abuse him and assign unreasonable punishments. If your reader had negative experiences in the foster care system, this may bring back traumatic memories.
  • Orphan. The main character’s parents were killed in a boating accident when he was three. He liked living with grandma, but she can’t take care of him anymore. The aunt and uncle are horrendous foster parents.
  • Conservatives on the structure of the family may wish to know there is a brief mention of two dads in Chapter 42 (see image @ bottom, top paragraph). It is extremely brief.

I preferred Nielsen’s Ascendance Trilogy, starting with The False Prince.

Discover more from Jesus loves bookworms

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.