Book Review: Devine Intervention, by Martha Brockenbrough @mbrockenbrough

Devine Intervention is a sweet middle school book that presents a unique take on the afterlife.

Jerome is dead, and since he make some pretty serious mistakes during his life, he's been assigned to the "Soul Rehab" area of the afterlife, where he must be a guardian angel and prove his worth before he can graduate to heaven.

Heidi is his assignment. Heidi hears Jerome's voice in her head all the time as he gives her recommendations and generally helps her out throughout her life. However, tragedy strikes and Heidi drowns in a frozen lake. Jerome tries to save her, but he only saves her soul. Jerome then tries desperately to help her soul get into heaven.

The banter between the two characters is entertaining. Their relationship is unique, and Brockenbrough does a good job making the reader believe. But....I'm not in middle school, and as hard as I try to put myself in the mind of the intended audience, most of Devine Intervention seemed silly to me. The fact that the entire misunderstanding (which I won't explain any more) is because Jerome just decided NOT to read the instruction manual for being a guardian angel was too much for me to believe.

But, just get past that. There's an entertaining dog, a helpful best friend, and a cranky old lady neighbor. There's more to Jerome than we first realize, and he actually grows during his time in rehab, and learns a bit about his father that he never dreamed was true.

There's also a message about fitting in and coping with differences. Heidi is a misfit, and really doesn't want anything to do with most kids her age. She also grows during Devine Intervention.


By the way -- I'm not misspelling "Devine." It's Heidi's last name.

I did see the ending from way back in Devine Intervention. I'm not sure if middle school kids will or not, and it doesn't really matter. Either way, you are rooting for Heidi to find peace and Jerome to get to heaven! Recommend Devine Intervention to younger teens who like a lighthearted look at death and the afterlife.  On the Bright Side, by S.R. Johannes is a book that comes to mind as a read alike.

Published by Arthur A. Levine, June 1, 2012
ARC obtained from the publisher
295 pages

Rating: 3/5

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Book Review: On the Bright Side, by S. R. Johannes

On the Bright Side is a hilarious, if somewhat over the top, portrayal of life after death.

I must admit, it's been quite a while since I've been 11 years old. Maybe too long for this book. Gabby is killed in an accident, and leaves behind a best friend, Michael, who she longs to be more than friends with. When Gabby awakes in Cirrus (think: heaven) she finds that she will be a BIT (Bright In Training.) Brights are like guardian angels.

Now, back on earth, Angela, who used to be Gabby's friend, is now heavily after Michael. And, of course, guess who Gabby gets to watch over as her first human? Angela.

You can imagine this is difficult for Gabby, and her SKYpal, Jessica, is watching over Michael, so they are constantly together. Gabby breaks some rules, since she is so jealous, and ends up in a lot of trouble. She might even get kicked out of heaven. But she has a plan to fix everything....

There is quite an adventure mixed in with this light-hearted look at the afterlife for adolescents. I got annoyed with all of Gabby's stupid decisions and her jealousy, but it did make for an exciting climax to the story. The tongue-in-cheek heavenly references to modern day products and people will keep you chuckling.

The story is well-written and easy to understand. All of the characters are fully developed, and there aren't too many of them. The story is complex, but not difficult to understand. I did roll my eyes a bit much, but reminded myself that I'm not the intended audience.The middle school crowd will like this funny, adventurous book about a character they can relate to (even if she is dead).

Published by Colemann & Stott, January 25, 2012
eBook obtained from the author
639 KB

Rating: 3/5

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