The House on Sunrise Lagoon: Marina in the Middle

This review may contain spoilers: "Marina in the Middle" is the second book in "The House on Sunrise Lagoon" series. It follows Marina as she navigates her feelings around being adopted years prior by the Ali-O'Connor family. Marina appears to struggle with anxiety and connecting with people, but wh......more

It should be illegal to make someone cry so much within the course of a 200 page middle grade book. It's me, I'm someone. It's been a minute since I have literally had tears rolling down my face while reading a book but Marina was just such an endearing and relatable character that I found myself sa......more

Marina is the middle child in the Ali-O’Conner family. She’s suddenly become scared of the water and boats, which is a problem since her family lives on Sunrise Lagoon and her mom has a boat repair business. Marina feels like the forgotten sibling. Her two older sisters look like her mom and they li......more

I admire the diverse array of characters within the Ali-O’Connor family. Each member possesses distinct traits, undergoes significant development, and elicits genuine affection from the reader. Marina, in particular, emerges as a compelling protagonist, grappling with feelings of confusion and anxie......more

In this second volume, we empathize with Marina's fears and anxieties. She is the middle kid and sometimes that can be overwhelming when Marina starts to think she isn't as cool as the others or loved as the little ones. Her fears take over but I love that through communication, getting together as......more