Spy Kids meets portal fantasy in this inventive, whimsical story.

Tuesday and Zedd Furst are suspicious of their quirky and secretive parents, but they never could have guessed the truth: that the answers to their questions lie in a secret fantasy world.

I recommend this book for grades first through fifth, and it would also be a great read-aloud book for younger kids. The plot is exciting but not scary. It reminds me of books I loved as a kid like The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Magic Tree House.

4.5 stars rounded up.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***
Relatively Normal Secrets is the start a new series for middle grade children.
Tuesday and Zed Furst come from a family of quirky people. They see themselves as being relatively normal but feel their parents are definitely not, but in a nice way. The children decide to do some digging into their parents as their father won't give them an answer as to what his job is and their mother won't go anywhere without her guard dog with her. After being targeted by a gang of thugs the children find themselves trapped in Falinnheim being left clues in a coded format as a trail to help them. They keep hearing their father is a disgraced fugitive and need help from the most unexpected people to escape and be with their parents again.
This book is great for helping children embrace their differences and realise that normal is underrated.
I loved the mystery element to this book and thought the narrator did a wonderful job of narrating the story.

Audiobook Review - This is a fun middle grade adventure that is heavy on the details, but will appeal to a wide audience. I found the narrator authentic and enjoyable. Highly recommend for middle grade collections.

Thoroughly enjoyed this audio book. The narrator takes you into the world created by C.W.Allen. This is a fun, cozy read. If you like books that are heavy in the detail this is the book for you. highly recommend

Rating breakdown:
total: 4(.25)/5
enjoyment: 4/5
problematic content: 1/5 (1 being the lowest possible score)
writing style: 3.5/5
pacing: 3/5
characters: 4/5
romance/frienship/character relationships: 3.5/5
worldbuilding: 4/5

Relatively Normal Secrets is the first novel in the "the Falinnheim Chronicles series" by C.W. Allen. This series follows the Furst siblings: Tuesday June and Zed; whos family is decidedly not like other families, but they are about to find out how much more different their family is than Tuesday and Zed ever imagined.

<spoiler>It all starts, when two armed officers who are not from the police ring the doorbell to their home and threaten to kidnap the siblings to capture their parents, who are at the time on a "business trip". Tuesday and Zed are saved by their strange dog Nyx, who turns out to be more than just a normal dog (bursting into flames, manipulating electricity and magnetic energy ...). They are also transported away from the soldiers who were trying to take them into a strange new world named Falinnheim by someone named Scrimley (not sure on the spelling because I listened to the audiobook).
In Falinnheim people pay with time, weapons can transform in all sorts of convenient objects, leagues are the predominant method to measure distances and people live in small medieval-ish villages. But even the soldiers there seem to have it out for them, claiming their father is a traitor and what is up with these mysterious nursery rhymes they find everywhere, that seem to contain coded messages for them ?
As they attempt to find out they come into contact with the rebel faction of the kingdom, lead by "the general, that attemps to overthrow the kingdoms dictator Tyrian (same as with Scrimley, I have no idea how it's spelled). Tuesday and Zed have to discover how their parents are related to Falinnheim, who is tsending them the coded messaged and how they fit in into all this chaos. </spoiler>

Overall I liked this book, a lot actually. Personally I didn't find it awesomely groundbreaking, but definetely enjoyable and just great for a cozy little read. It's relatively short, making it perfect for an evening spent on the sofa. Relatively Normal Secrets is an absolutely unproblematic read with no graphic descriptions, though there is some mention of orphans and one scene where it is discussed, how someone lost part of their family (murder). And I would say it's something even younger children read or be read to.
The narrator, Ivy Tara Blair, did a good job and lend the characters a pleasant voice.
The writing style of C.W. Allen was good, and while I liked how funny Zed's narration of the story was written I found her writing overall average. Good enough that it was of no distraction and kept me engaged, but nothing I would sing praise to (though I don't think that would be necessary anyway, especially not in a middle-grade novel). Sometimes I felt that dialogue or characterisation was used a little heavy handed and easy to detect. For example <spoiler> when Zed and Tuesday are dropped in Falinnheim and explore the market. The whole sequence where they help the man with his bottle-placing-problem and then cleverly trade with the woman baker. While I liked the interactions afterward it felt quite clear that their only purpose was worldbuiling and showing how the two of them work together and have different qualities, but both street smarts. Still it struck me as unrealistic, that the villagers needed the kids help and so freely asked them for it, reminiscent of how NPC's approach players in video games offering quests. I didn't mind that much though</spoiler>

The pacing was also somewhat wonky. For the first quarter it felt a little like there was no purpose, because when Tuesday and Zed <spoiler>arrived in Falinnheim</spoiler> they were just left to their own devices without anything to do, so that part felt a little unguided and looser than the rest. But fortunately after <spoiler>they encounter the legion soldiers and are subsequently brought to the rebel base </spoiler> the plot picks up again and especially the end tied together enough plot threads to provide a satisfying conclusion, but also left you with enough questions to be excited for the second, and subsequent, book(s).

"I'm your partner, and I'm not going anywhere!"

The characters are where C.W.Allen really shines in my opinion. Tuesday and Zed were great and instantly likeable. Every character had something to them that made them different and interesting. I especially liked Nyx and even minor characters like Leander had characterisation that made them stand out. <spoiler> He was in one scene and somehow I still want to learn more about him and Nicodemus. I just had to include this quote, because even in the twenty or so lines he has, we as the audience, get to know he's young, loyal, friendly and a good guy, despite being part of the legion.</spoiler> The only character where I felt there was some backstory lacking was Nicodemus, but maybe in the next book we'll learn more?
The relationships between the differnt characters were well portrayed too. You really felt that Tuesday and Zed were siblings, even if they usually get along, one sometimes annoys the other and they have known each other for so long they can communicate almost without words.

Additionally the worldbuilding was also something I enjoyed. Trustfully I read fantasy mostly because I love magic and how it impacts a world, as well as just the different ways authors bring to live whole worlds entirely different from out own. This genre has so many different sub-genres where you can experience differnt parts or interpretations of similar themes (or very different ones) and that's what I love about it. Epic fantasy, Grimdark, Romantasy, Low-fantasy or High Fantasy. Everything is possible, but what I've found is that middle-grade fantasy feels the most excitingly magical and creative (mostly because there's less thought about rules and explanations and magic just is soft and there, but not that I judge, I love it after all).
And the world of Relatively Normal Secrets proves that again. Does it make much sense that part of the world is medieval with a kingdom, little villages and soldiers with "swords" on horseback, while the other is modern or even futuristic with dental beads and hoverboards? No, but it doesn't need to, because this adds to the feeling of wonder it ellicits. The little knods to our world like villages/cities named Kyoto and Alexandria, but in a totally different context are really fun too. And there is even a sort of explanation <spoiler> I believe it's stated, that there used to be a connection between Falinnheim and our world or at least that realm -/ dimension travel used to be more accessible.</spoiler>

In conclusion I think this is a great book, even though it has a few little things that could be improved, and I would recommend it to anyone searching for a cute fantasy middle-grade, but especially to children from the ages eight to twelve.

This review is made possible through NetGalley and Cinnabar Moth Publishing LLC. Thank you for providing me with an ARC audiobook copy.

I accidentally listened to this series out of order, as I did not realize that The Secret Benefits of Invisibility was the second in the Falinnheim Chronicles.

Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed this title just as much as I did the other. I specifically received the audio edition of this title, and I found the narrator just as enjoyable with this story than I did the previous,

Although I am realizing I am probably making this way to confusing that it needs to be, to put it succinctly; Relatively Normal Secrets is the beginning of a exciting series, and I look forward to future installments featuring Tuesday and Zed.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Cinnabar Moth Publishing LLC for the opportunity to listen and review this audio book!

Tuesday's last name is Furst, and her middle name is June, making her full name Tuesday, June Furst. She and her brother Zed are starting to realize that their father never talks about his job and their Mother is the only one they know with a guard dog. Then Tuesday and Zed are whisked off to another world and begin an epic journey, helped with clues along the way.

This is such a delightful middle-grade adventure, expertly narrated by Ivy Tara Blair. The main characters are so endearing and the narrator captures their personalities perfectly. The plot is fun and creative, and the reader/listener gets to go along on a fantastic journey. I was highly entertained from start to finish.

Fans of fantasy adventure stories should definitely check this one out.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. The story is great, especially for the age groups it's intended for (but also adults!).

The narrator is clear, engaging and fun, which bearing in mind this is for younger listeners is absolutely key.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cinnabar Moth Publishing LLC for providing this ARC for me to review.

Relatively Normal Secrets was a really cute book! The characters were fun and the story was so exciting. The beginning of the book definitely gave me Spy Kids vibes and that really endeared me to the story!

The audiobook was great and made the story even more exciting.

This was a quick and fun adventure! After bad guys show up at their door, 2 kids end up traveling to a different world. There they begin to discover clues hidden in nursery rhymes, they must find the puzzles in hopes to give them answers about the world and their family secrets.

I really enjoyed the magical elements/devices that came up throughout the book- especially the weapons. This was a fast listen and was highly entertaining- the narrator, Ivy, is wonderful and kept me engaged! I can’t wait to see where the series (I assume its a series based on how it ended) is going as the twist made me really excited for the next part of the adventure- I really hope that in the sequel we will learn a lot more about the parents and the world!

Thank you to Cinnabar Moth Publishing and Netgalley for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review!

Rating: 4.5/5⭐️
Pub day: 9-6-2022

Seeing all my Booksta friends reading and posting rave reviews about middle grade books pushed me to give this one a try. I’m so glad I did because it was a fun a quick read with colorful characters and interesting creatures!

I liked that there was nothing too frightening in the story but there were stressful moments and some twists that surprised me. I’ll definitely be reading more so I can hopefully find some great options for my daughter as she gets older.

The audio was very quick and I enjoyed almost all the characters the narrator portrayed. The only one that didn’t quite fit was the young girl who was smart but made to seem extra whiny at times. That might just be me so don’t let it deter you from giving this a listen.

Thank you Netgalley and Cinnabar Moth Publishing LLC for the alc in exchange for an honest review!

Relatively Normal Secrets is a fun filled fantasy adventure perfect for middle grade readers and parents alike! It follows curious siblings Tuesday and Zed Furst through their completely normal lives as they try to figure out the secrets they are convinced that their parents are hiding. An out of the blue business trip whisks away mom and dad and sets off an epic series of events involving magical portals and hidden kingdoms. Using familiar nursery rhymes and fantastic imagery C. W. Allen builds an imaginative story that reminded me of A Series of Unfortunate Events or Artemis Fowl. I would recommend this five star book to anyone with an inquisitive mind and a heart for adventure! The audio book narrator did a wonderful job of bringing this story to life.

Relatively Normal Secrets was a super cute MG fantasy. It starts out in our world but moves to a fantasy world called Falinnheim that sounds really cool. Tuesday and Zed are normal kids, even though their parents can be a bit strange sometimes and their mom has a weird guard dog. It was interesting to see them adapt to Falinnheim, which is a medieval fantasy world that is also modern in some aspects. The combination was cool and I'd love to learn more about the world.

I also enjoyed the mystery around why the kids were in this world and who was trying to find them. Their adventures and sometimes misadventures were fun, and I especially liked their dog and everyone's reactions to her. This was a good first book in a series and I'm excited to see what happens next.

A gentle middle grade adventure story set in our world and another. The clever kids solve the problems they encounter after being kidnapped and taken to another realm. Their trusty dog protects them from danger and displays interesting otherworldly powers and skills. It took me a while to get used to the narrator’s accent, but it grew on me.
My 12 year old son enjoyed listening to this in the car.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Very entertaining book for (very) young adults not
only filled with secrets, but bunches of creatures,
vivid settings, and not to mention amazing
character names! An over all good read for pre YA
readers.

I'm having trouble reviewing this book because it wasn't *bad* and I can totally see middle-grade readers being obsessed with it. However, as an adult with a young daughter, I wouldn't buy it for her, or any of her friends.

Here's why: none of the female characters were all that great and they were really lacking in significant self-determination. The male characters were nuanced and, in general, had a lot of agency, whereas the female characters mostly didn't. Plus, <spoiler>they were all related!!</spolier> It's such a small and niggly reason, but I think it's really important. I want my daughter to read books about girls who have agency, girls who drive the story, rather than being dragged along by the male characters of a story. Girls who don't just say silly things in order to give the male characters a chance to show how smart they are.

And if this book is aimed at boys? I'd prefer my boy also reads books with female characters who have agency. If girls can relate to male characters, boys should be able to-- <b>nay, be expected to</b> -- also relate to female characters. And if you're teaching young boys that girls are dumber than them, how do you expect them to treat girls in real life?

And I know what you're going to say..."but one of the main characters is female and half the story is in her POV, and she has some badass moments". All very true, but Tuesday's character is entirely inconsistent. When we're reading from Zed's POV, she says and does things that are completely out of character in order to either give Zed a chance to roll his eyes at her or drive the plot forward. For the majority of the book, I was convinced she was a younger sister, like MUCH younger sister. I listened to the audiobook so the cover was quite small. When she's finally described as being a teenager, I had to actually pause and try to reconcile what teenage girls are actually like vs how she was written.

And honestly, that's not ok. When you're writing a book for young kids, you need to keep in mind that the way you present your characters is going to bleed into the way they view the world. That's the best and worst thing about writing middle grade books. And as beautifully described as this setting was, as amazing as the magical world was, this book is just not it. I honestly expect better from authors in the 2020s.

I found relatively normal secrets a throughly enjoyable middle grade book for what I was expecting.
My experience with middle grade books has been very hit or miss, typically the latter, so my expectations for relatively normal secrets wasn’t the highest.
Really fun read for all ages, suitable for kids and the narrator was perfect for this story.
Adults would also enjoy as the characters felt like real children but not too childish not patronising. Fun, short read to just relax to.

We follow our characters Tuesday and Zed who are living your typical life for children until their parents have to leave for some time and the kids find themselves being encroached by trouble that will be quite the difference for their mundane lives.
Finding out that their dog may not be a normal dog and they’re being sought after by some villains are kids embark on a journey to find out the answers to their questions.
Escaping from the villains the kids find themselves in a unique world different from their own.
Along the way we meet a cast of engaging characters each moving the book forwards at an enjoyable pace.
The plot has a somewhat mystery element to it using nursery rhymes that our characters need to solve which I found a little repetitive to get through when they would be brought up pretty often, but it was a fun idea that im sure younger readers will enjoy.

I found the ending to be over fairly quick for my liking, I do think the story could have benefited with a slightly longer ending or maybe an epilogue, although not too necessary as it wrapped up nicely enough.

Would recommend for adults who just want a fairly simple middle grade book to enjoy and to kids who are eager for some awesome sibling dynamics, Magical dogs, magic and technology all coming together for an enjoyable story.

Adorable! Book feels like a kid is telling the story, which is difficult to do while still keeping the adults engaged. Zed and Tuesday are normal children with weird parents and when mom and dad go on a business trip they get their chance to prove how weird they are.

4 stars

5 out of 5 stars:

This book is great! I really enjoyed it! C.W Allen made characters really likeable and I felt like I was in the story with them. Its a fast-paced read, lighthearted and mysterious. Its a middle grade age range book but I’m 26 and loved it! When I have children I would definitely read this with them. Zed and Tuesday go on this mysterious journey with clues leading them and it’s really a lot of fun for the reader. I have always enjoyed books like this. If you like books with clues leading the way and want something older (closer to high school age) I recommend the inheritance games by Jennifer lynn barnes. Or you can always read the sequel to this book called The Secret Benefits of Invisibility by C.W Allen. That’s next on my Want To Read list. I Can’t wait!

Simple yet very satisfying!

Relatively Normal Secrets definitely is joining my list of books which I want my future kids to read.

Personally I am always amazed how authors can turn simple plot into something amazing that you cannot put down. C.W. Allen did an excellent job!

Book is telling a story of sister and brother and their parents secret life. It is packed with riddles for kids and some adventures. It shows a healthy way of dealing with different situations and generally shows picture of strong kids able to think! I love it.

Definitely recommend 👌 and I can not wait to get my hands on the second part in the series!