Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

Je n'ai malheureusement pas eu le temps de lire ce livre mais l'intrigue me plait tout particulièrement.

A story of family, love and where we come from. Home isn’t always a place. The relationship between the siblings is truly beautiful. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

Overall

Orphan twin boys who are convinced they’re descended from aliens? Color me curious. The blurb for this one absolutely grabbed my attention and demanded I read it. Who wouldn’t want to be descended from aliens, first of all?! And second, I have a soft spot in my heart for children who are just trying to find a home. Call me sentimental, I suppose. What can I say?

Jordie and Joey Fell from the Sky is a heartwarming story about two orphan twins trying to find their place in the world. One is convinced they’re descended from aliens, and the other is willing to go along with anything, as long as they stay together. Both are in for an adventure.

This book ended up being not quite what I expected, but not in a bad way. Honestly, going in, I wasn’t sure exactly where the story would go, so it’s pretty natural that I be a bit surprised. I enjoyed the journey, though. The boys are easy to relate to, and I love their friend they bring on the adventure with them. The ending seemed a bit sudden and almost incomplete in some ways, but it fit the overall message of the story and left on a hopeful note, which is pretty common in middle grade.

My Thoughts

- Jordie is absolutely convinced that he and his brother are aliens. And maybe they are. They were both mysteriously found abandoned in a cornfield, both have strange marks on their back, and they have no recollection of their lives before they were seven. At the very least, it’s certainly a mysterious situation. I think we can all agree on that one. The alien narrative was just plain fun. I love me a good alien mystery. Even though I don’t really believe in aliens. But, I mean, how can you not love that conspiracy theory, “someone else is out there” sort of vibe to a story?!

Jordie has basically dedicated his life to proving the boys’ mysterious background and finding their alien ancestors. Surely someone will come back for them, and they must have had a good reason for leaving them behind. If this doesn’t just break your heart, I don’t know what will. Ugh, my poor feels. I imagine this is a common sentiment for orphaned children who are struggling to understand why they were abandoned and trying to make sense of it all.

The story is also riddled with small alien facts and tidbits and close encounters that will easily delight science fiction fans. As I said, I’m not a huge fan of aliens, but even I enjoy a bit of alien mysteries now and then!

- The relationship between Jordie and Joey is absolutely adorable. Afraid of being split up after they find themselves in trouble again, the twins enlist their friend, Nadia, and go on an adventure to find their birth parents. I absolutely love sibling bonds. And what could be stronger than the bond between twins who have grown up in the system and are the only consistent people in each other’s lives? The depth of caring between the boys is out of this world (pun only slightly intended). That’s not to say that they’re the same, because they absolutely are not. Jordie is intent on his alien theory and sort of has his head in the clouds, wanting so desperately to find a legitimate reason behind their abandonment and the absence of their family. Joey, on the other hand, is more practical, doing whatever he needs to keep himself and his brother safe and together in the face of challenges.

They’re not alone on this adventure to discover their origins, though. They bring along friend and classmate Nadia, whose parents are lawyers and who is studying the law herself. Nadia is determined to find a legal loophole that will allow the twins to stay together in the face of the threat to put them in separate homes. While Nadia means well, she doesn’t always say the right thing, as someone who has two loving parents. Still, she’s there for the twins through it all, and I really want to see their friendship continue!

- What starts as sort of a light-hearted, sci-fi ode to aliens quickly becomes a story that will tug on your heartstrings, especially as the reader learns more and more about what Joey and Jordie have been through in the foster system. I have never been in the foster system. While it’s true that I didn’t know my biological father until recently, I was adopted by a wonderful man who raised me and has been there for me since I was a toddler. Sure, I had the traditional thoughts about why my biological father wasn’t around and why he didn’t want to be part of my life (a whole complex story for another time), but it definitely wasn’t the same. Reading about Jordie and Joey grappling with why they were abandoned, why they couldn’t find a forever home (even though they aren’t bad kids), and so desperate to find their origins . . . well, it just broke my heart! It’s hard not to feel for these kids.

- Expect a happy ending, but without everything fully wrapped up. Because that’s usually the case with kids in foster care. While I’m a bit of two minds about the ending, it felt realistic. One big middle grade trope (for better or worse) is that books should have a happy (or at the very least hopeful) ending. That’s sometimes hard to do when you’re talking about children in foster care, who sometimes never get their happy ending. Especially ones like Jordie and Joey, who have been passed around so often and not always to good homes.

So while there’s a very heavy-handed “fade to black” element to this ending, it did justice to the situation. Who knows whether Jordie and Joey live happily ever after or find the home they’ve been looking for? The reader can hope they do, but I like this compromise, where the author isn’t promising that everyone in the foster system is going to end up with a happy ending (which, to me, inspires false hope). Instead, she does give some hope, which feels like the perfect balance between the two!

This hard-hitting middle grade novel focuses on the connection between siblings, resilience, and identity. From a foster care perspective, I appreciated the ways that this novel explored the importance of maintaining sibling connections, the impact of multiple placements, and the ways in which kids often fill in the gaps about who they are or where they come from when they don’t have clear information. I didn’t realize going into this book that it was going to discuss child abuse, but I think that Lauren handled the content well, including exploration of the impact of trauma, including dissociative amnesia. This novel will appeal primarily to middle grade readers interested in contemporary issues (and aliens). Readers with lived experience of foster care or abuse may need adult support reading this novel.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this novel. Kids with strange crop circle scars on their spines? Aliens?! I haven’t read too many books about aliens nor watched many movies/shows with them, so it was refreshing to hear more about the history of abductions and sightings. Throughout the book, the readers get several clips of moments from history in the form of blog posts. I admit that I haven’t actually verified whether these sightings and supposed-abductions are from real history or simply made up by the author, but they were a joy to read regardless.

Jordie and Joey Fell from the Sky follows the story of two twins (and their friend Nadia) who are on the hunt to figure out who they are. Having been abandoned at one week old in the middle of a crop circle with identical crop circle marks on their spines, Jordie is convinced that he and Joey must have been dropped onto Earth by their alien parents. In an attempt to figure out more about their past and possibly uncover the identities of their parents, the three children travel to Roswell and Area 51 in a hunt for answers.

The overall plot of Jordie and Joey Fell from the Sky is very standard and predictable. However, I still thought it was an important read, especially for its target audience of middle school readers. It’s a story about loss, about love, and about the importance of family.

This is an emotionally charged story about foster care and the resilience of kids who have been through far too much in their young lives.

Jordie and Joey were found on a crop circle when they were one year old. The twins had nothing but notes with their names and birth order on them, and finding their parents has been unsuccessful so far.

Joey is a fighter, while Jordie is more of a thinker and daydreamer. Joey may only be minutes older than Jordie, but he protects his "younger" brother as they bounce through the foster care system in Payson, Arizona. Some foster homes have been okay, but a lot have not. Their current foster parent, Katie, doesn't want to see or hear them, but at least she lets them go to school, and they have a safe place to sleep and food to eat.

Jordie is picked on at school because he believes they were dropped off in that crop circle by aliens. He figures that's why the system can't find their parents, and why there are several circles on both boy's spines. When Joey gets into another fight protecting Jordie, the boys run away because Joey saw on their paperwork that they might be split up next placement, and they know Katie won't want them anymore. There aren't many foster parents willing to take two kids at once. Jordie wants to go to Roswell and research alien encounters. He figures he can find their parents, or information about their parents, there. Joey doesn't believe, but is willing to go along so they can stay together and he can protect his brother. Their friend Nadia comes along to try to help them find a way to stay together. They run into obstacles and have close calls, but learn more about aliens and perhaps about their own history as well.

What I really appreciated about this book is the unflinching look at foster care in a way that is developmentally appropriate for middle grade readers. My hope is that it would teach compassion and understanding, as some kids have trouble picturing what life is like when you don't have a supportive family, or a safe place to live. The book doesn't shy away from sharing the details of Joey and Jordie's bad experiences, but it doesn't describe abuse in detail in a way that would upset most readers. Sensitive children may be upset by the descriptions, so parents should be prepared to discuss why some people do bad things to others.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy of this wonderful book.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Jordie and Joey Fell from the Sky

Author: Judi Lauren

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3.5/5

Diversity: Twins in Foster Care, Gay character

Recommended For...: middle grade readers, contemporary, aliens

Publication Date: April 19, 2022

Genre: MG Contemporary

Age Relevance: 11+ (bullying, child abuse, child neglect, violence, homophobia, animal abuse, PTSD, running away)

Explanation of Above: There is some bullying mentioned in the book, as well as one scene where a fight is shown between two characters. There is some slight mention of homophobia in the book and mentions of animal abuse (nothing shown for the animal abuse). PTSD is shown in the book in regards to remembering a past traumatic event and child abuse and neglect are shown and mentioned in the book. Most of the story revolves around the twins and a friend running away from home and it shows the consequence of that.

Publisher: Jolly Fish Press

Pages: 230

Synopsis: Twin brothers Jordie and Joey have never met their parents. Maybe it’s because they aren’t from this planet?

When another kid at school tried to force Jordie to show him the “crop circles” on his back that prove he’s an alien, it was Joey who took the kid to the ground. And when the twins got kicked out of their foster home because Joey kissed the other boy who lived there, it was Jordie who told him everything would be okay. And as long as Jordie and Joey are together, it will be. But when the principal calls their current foster mother about a fight at school, the boys know she’ll be done with them. And, from spying in their file, they also know they’re going to be separated.

Determined to face the world side by side rather than without one another, Jordie and Joey set off to find their birth parents. From Arizona to Roswell to Area 51 in the Nevada desert, the twins begin a search for where they truly belong. But Jordie’s about to discover that family isn’t always about the ones who bring you into the world, but the ones who help you survive it.

Review: For the most part I liked this book. The book is about our MC who believes his real family are aliens and that him and his twin brother were dropped off on Earth before they were taken hostage by the government. The MC is determined to find his family and, after an incident at school, the twins and a friend run away from home to find the twins’ family. I really liked the story overall and I felt like it would be relatable to kids who are in a similar situation as the twins. The book shows a lot of darkness in that situation, but has a hopeful message by the end. The character development is good and the world building is fair. I also want to commend the book for having resources in the back of it for people, especially children, to contact if they are in similar situations as the twins find themselves in.

However, I felt that the book lacked in some areas. I felt like the book was too fast paced for the story and there were some stuff that wasn’t explained well in my opinion. I also felt like the author didn’t know how to end the book and it went on for a bit longer than it should have maybe? It was weird and the book maybe needs another round of revision to perfect it.

Verdict: It was good!

“In the summer of 1947, aliens crash-landed on earth outside of Roswell, New Mexico. I’m pretty sure they were my great-grandparents.”

This was a super cute book and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Jordie and Joey’s story is heartfelt and wonderful. It is a beautifully written story about friendship and the bond that siblings share. I read this book in one sitting and enjoyed it from start to finish.
From the beginning of chapter one I was hooked. I loved following Jordie and Joey on their adventure to find their birth parents after the threat of being separated. The lesson learned is that family isn’t always blood 💕

A nice book about brotherhood, family, friendship and belonging wrapped into a roadtrip. I liked the themes and felt a lot of feelings. The pacing seemed to be a bit off which made it a bit hard to Istick with the book which was a shame.

The whole review you'll find <a href="http://tirilu.com/2022/04/21/blogtour-jordie-and-joey-fell-from-the-sky/">on my blog</a>.

Me and Jacks had so much fun reading this book together! The characters are fun and the bond between the brothers is wonderful! The mystery of the boys about the aliens and where the boys come from was fun. I liked that the author kept us guessing it really added to the excitement of the story! The author balanced the humor with the heavy and light situations really well. It's a heartwarming read but most of all it's about love and learning to accept others and yourself! It really was a fun and beautiful story!

When I saw the blog tour for Jordie and Joey fell from the sky I was intrigued just by the title alone but when I read the synopsis and Roswell and Area 51 was mentioned well I knew I had to read this book asap.

I loved the relationship between twin brothers Jordie and Joey which was so strong they would do anything to stay together and if that meant running away. Together with Nadia they go on a Road Trip to Roswell and Area 51 hoping that they can find where they come from.

There is another side story but I am not going to go into that but what I will say the reveal not only shocked me and gave me all the feels. In fact Judi made me ugly cry which is never pretty.

For me it was a story of hope and finding people who cared for you and it didn't always have to be with your Biological Parents. For all these reasons I have given this wonderful book 4 stars.

Hi everyone! Today I'll be reviewing Jordie and Joey Fell From the Sky by Judi Lauren.
This book, which is told from Jordie's point of view, narrates the story of two orphan twins —Jordie and Joey— who go on a trip across the country in order to find their parents, which they believe are aliens, for they have strange birthmarks that look like crop circles on their backs.
This was a very enjoyable read. I really loved the story, which I think is very original, and the way the characters developed as the story went on.
If you like adventures, middle grade books and stories about finding your roots, you'll absolutely love this book.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Jolly Fish Press for an eARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
4 stars

I enjoyed reading this one. It was a pretty quick read, and the pacing moved along well. The writing style was easy to follow.
Jordie is our narrator (first person POV), and he believes that he and his brother, Joey, are aliens. Jordie is desperate to find their parents, and believes that they’re aliens and that’s why they haven’t come back for him and Joey. Joey goes along with it, but he doesn’t really believe.
The story was both humorous and sad. Jordie and Joey were so desperate to stay together and find their parents, but the whole alien thing was kind of funny. I also felt bad for Jordie because he was teased and picked on, and that left Joey in a protector role over his younger brother.
Some of the foster homes that the brothers had been through were good, but others were bad. One in particular left lingering trauma that was sort of explored in this book. I thought this was handled well by the author, and I also liked that the author showed how skittish Jordie and Joey were around adults and authority figures.
Overall I thought this was a really good read. It had some funny moments, some sweet sibling moments, some heavy moments, and I liked how the author balanced all of these things within the book.

Thoughts and Themes: I really enjoy reading middle-grade books so when I was given the chance to be on the book tour for this one I was quite excited. I really enjoyed this story and how so much is packed in not so many pages. This book touches on the foster care system, family, friends, belonging, and more.

This whole time you know that it is very unlikely that the boys are actually aliens but you are wondering what else could explain the things that Jordie is saying. I wonder if other adults may have picked up on the signs and knew what was coming before I did. I certainly didn’t see the explanation that happens at the end of the book and I was hurting right alongside Jordie as he learns information that was missing from his memories.

I really liked the adults that are included in the later portion of the book. I like how they show Jordie and Joey what it means to have a sense of belonging in the world and what it feels like to be wanted. I can’t give too much away but by the end of this story, you get a sense that Jordie and Joey both found what they were searching for at the start of this book.

Characters: There are several characters that you get introduced to in this story through their interactions with Jordie and Joey. You get to meet their best friend who goes along the journey with them in search of their birth parents. You get to meet their social worker who has tried her best to make sure they stay together. You get to meet some of the people whom Jordie and Joey cross while on this trip and more.

At first, I wasn’t too interested in any of the characters but once I got about 50% of the way I was invested in the well-being of Jordie and Joey. These boys have been through so much as they go from foster home to foster home and all they both want is a place in which they belong. Joey would do anything to protect his brother which includes keeping some memories locked away until he is ready to learn about them. I really liked how this book showed the love between these brothers and showed them being affectionate with each other. I also really liked how they were allowed to have feelings, they allowed each other to have real emotions and the adults in their lives also were prepared for that.

Writing Style: This book is written in the first person from the perspective of Jordie. The book also includes snippets from an online blog that Jordie follows regarding alien encounters along with information that he may have been searching for regarding other topics that become important later on in the story.

I really enjoyed this being told through Jordie’s perspective as he is missing memories from several years of his life. As he is missing those years so are you as the reader and that makes it so much more believable when he thinks that they came from aliens. I like how Jordie seems to be a lot younger than Joey and we learn why that is throughout the story. There are so many scenes in which my heart breaks for these boys and I just want to protect them the way so many others they meet want the same

Jordie and Joey have been through a lot of painful events together. They have changed a lot of foster homes. When they fear that they might be separated they act and try to find their parents. Jordie is the one that thinks they are from a different planet and that their parents are aliens, blurry images from a traumatic past, only encourage him in persuading this idea. Joey is the skeptical one.
The brother’s journey is a bildungsroman, an emotional lecture and a story full of connectable characters.

While I didn't find this book to be amazing, the final act and big reveal make this book a great coming of age story, especially for those in the foster system or that were adopted. I felt disconnected and disinterested in much of the story, but the "twist" of the book make it feel more heartfelt and deepened my connection to the characters. Although I didn't love it, I found enough here to want to have a copy in my classroom, especially as a representation of kids going through the foster system.

WOW! Debut author Judi Lauren's JORDIE AND JOEY FELL FROM THE SKY had me flying through the pages. This story follows twins brothers Jordie and Joey on an epic journey to figure out where they came from and who they really are. After getting passed around from foster home to foster home, Jordie has had enough and is determined to prove that he and his brother are, in fact, aliens who were abandoned at birth. Lauren's voice simply sings on the page, and the pace does not let up for one second (in a most delightful and engaging way). This book has so much heart and humor, and it tackles some incredibly important topics: LGBTQ+ love and acceptance, examining the foster care system, and understanding trauma and abuse to name a few. I highly recommend this title!

Jordie and Joey Fell from the Sky is the perfect MG Contemporary Adventure! From the first pages, the reader is drawn into the story and instantly attached to the complex and compelling characters of Jordie and Joey. The excitement of the travel kept me on the edge of my seat, and I loved the tidbits of alien folklore. Jordie and Joey's foster care experience was enlightening, heartbreaking, and authentic. The ending packed an emotional, satisfying punch that stayed with me. This book is a triumph and I'm grateful to have read it.

Life can be confusing when you are don't have a home of your own. Jordie and Joey are twins who live with with a foster family. They are afraid that they will soon be split up so they set out on a quest to find the truth of their existence. Are they aliens from another planet? This quest takes them great distances as one of them communicates with other searchers online.