The second in The House On Sunrise Lagoon series follows the middle child, Marina. This book was full of anxiety and a feeling of not belonging, but Melleby does a great job at not overwhelming the reading. I related to Marine's out-of-nowhere fear of the water. Many of my fears were not something I was concerned with as a kid - including drowning.

I love Marina's new friend and the documentary they tried to create together. Their hope that making the film and forcing Marina on the water would help her better belong with her adopted family and stop her fears. Exposure therapy before they knew it, lol. Melleby once again does not disappoint with her way of writing family and friendships.

Another short book, but one with great messages and representation. I can't wait to pick up the next book in the series real soon!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.

This series is a nice addition to the catalog. The books are a great length for many readers, and by centering each book on a different sibling, it broadens the scope of relatability. These are great for readers seeking blended or non-traditional families.

I absolutely loved Sam Makes a Splash and Marina in the Middle by Nicole Melleby. Both of these are the first in The House in the Sunrise Lagoon series.

In The House in the Sunrise Lagoon books we meet the Ali-O’Connor family: Harbor and Sam the two big sisters, Marina the middle child, the twins Cordelia and Lir and both mothers Mom and Mama.

These two books were so fun and cute but had a lot of heart at the same time. Each book follows one the adopted siblings, Sam and Marina, as they navigate their place in the family. This family is adorable. I love the dynamic of the characters together and how they interacted. Even if they have differences you can see how much they care for one another.

I also love how these books deal with certain topics as being adopted, being a big sister or being stuck in the middle, they even touch on living with same sex parents and having a family member with Alzheimer. These are perfect for kids that deal with these topics and issues. I already recommended them to all my school librarian friends.

I cannot wait for the third one to come out.

Nicole Melleby is so good at writing middle grade, and this is so different. This story once again is so cute and I can’t wait to read more Nicole Melleby!!

This is the 2nd book in the Sunrise Lagoon series; my 10 year old read the first one and was very excited to receive the second book. This time we follow Marina who was adopted by the Ali-O'Connor family. She has trouble connecting with other people, until she meets Boom who just moved in up the street. This book walks you through the struggles of anxiety and the stress of meeting new people. With going into Middle School next year my daughter is facing the same struggles and this book helped her see how to navigate through it.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC!

I am so excited to continue to read this series. I love how each book focuses on a different sister. It’s like Full House meets Odeon Family, and I am here for it. I could see so many middle level readers loving this series. My one point would be that I felt like the cover design does make this book appear for younger readers more than I originally anticipated. It’s definitely at a text level closer to 5th grade level.

Thank you, Algonquin Young Readers, for allowing me to read The House on Sunrise Lagoon: Marina in the Middle early!

I just love this series so much and Nicole Melleby's writing style and characterization.