Annabelle is still coming to grips with the events from Lauren Wolk’s Wolf Hollow, but it is not necessary to have read this book’s predecessor to follow her journey of forgiveness nor Andy’s of redemption. Set in 1944, some have characterized these two books as “historical fiction” and while the technology and culture of the time is present, this one really does not reflect the affects of World War II as much as Wolf Hollow did so I would call it realistic fiction with a light touch of magic. A lightning strike nearly kills Annabelle but a stranger rescues her and she is left with an ability to understand the feelings of animals. Good thing, too, because pets are disappearing in town. Along with themes of forgiveness and redemption, readers will come away with a real sense of family and community. A lovely book, but its slow, steady pace may lose some readers in the target range of grades 5-8.

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy of My Own Lightning by Lauren Wolk. I enjoyed this follow-up to Wolf Hollow very much. It begins with a bang - with Annabelle still reeling from the events of Wolf Hollow, and brand new challenges.

As with Wolf Hollow, there is a lot of heavy topics here, but I absolutely loved being in this world again. The characters are amazing and engaging. I recommend this series, but you must read them in order!

A wonderful YA adventure about healing and growth! A young girl is struck by lightning but who saved her...?
Her little brother is in love with her new "super powers" but she's trying to figure out did the lightning do this or did she already have these abilities? Is this her own lightning?

Author never disappints. Strong characters, moving plot and story. A page turner for sure! Follow up and much awaited sequal.

When I began reading this book, I didn’t realize that it was a sequel. But I soon discovered that it wasn’t a problem. In fact, it made me want to go back and read the first book. In this book, teen Annabelle struggles with the aftermath of the first book in many ways. But when something very traumatic and statistically nearly impossible happens to her, it changes her perspective on so many things in her life, including what had happened before. As Annabelle comes to grips with this very traumatic experience, she’s given the ability to perceive a great many things very differently, which helps her resolve her emotional and interpersonal challenges from before. Antagonistic relationships are reconciled, misconceptions and fears are resolved, compassion and doing the right thing win the day. I enjoyed this book because Annabel isn’t perfect. Yet she struggles to do the right thing, to think rightly about others, and to be the best young lady she can be in a confusing world. I will definitely go back and read the first book and probably several others written by this author as they come out in the future. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In this follow-up to Wolf Hollow, Annabelle struggles to come to terms with the events that led up to her friend Toby's death. While the instigator of the trouble is gone, Andy, a participant remains, and Annabelle doesn't know what to think about the boy. After getting struck by lightening, someone gets her heart started again but she doesn't know who. In addition, Annabelle seems to develop extrasensory capabilities especially an ability to sense what animals are feeling. This sense comes in handy when her brother's dog, Buster, goes missing and she and Henry go looking for him. This leads to some surprising discoveries about their neighbor, Mr. Edelman, and as well giving Annabelle more to think about regarding Andy. As with her other titles, Wolk gives readers a lot to think about here regarding human complexity, knowing yourself, and why people do what they do. Annabelle slowly realizes that right and wrong aren't always as clear cut as we might want them to be, and forgiveness takes time and effort. Above all she learns to look beyond the surface to see what may lie beneath. Please note, the book does present some difficult topics related to child abuse, a train crash, and dog fighting, as well as Annabelle getting struck by lightning. This beautifully written story shines with wonderful descriptions of the setting, and remarkable imagery. A compelling story with important themes of family and the importance of human kindness and understanding.

This is a nice clean middle grade historical fiction novel. It was about a girl that gets struck by lightning and develops a supernatural power to hear the voices of dogs. During her journey she saves not only dogs but a local bully who is being mistreated. She learns to see a different side of others and use her voice to stand up for the underdog.

I found this book to be a little slow but overall a great story.

3.75/5

I truly enjoyed this story and found it way more uplifting than the first. I would order it for an elementary library.

It's 1944 and WWII is still being fought far from the home front in this sequel to Wolf Hollow. Annabelle McBride, 13, is finding it hard to move on from the events of the past winter when she tried to save her friend Toby, a homeless, shell shocked WWI veteran, from the cruelty of a girl named Betty Glengarry. Now, summer vacation has just started and Annabelle has promised to help her teacher clean up the schoolhouse for next September. While there, an unpleasant stranger named Drake Graf shows up looking for his lost dog Zeus. And just as Annabelle and Mrs. Taylor are leaving the schoolhouse, not only to they hear thunder in the distance, but Andy Woodbury, Betty's partner in crime, is not far away watching them.
As Annabelle is walking home, the storm begins and a lightning strike hits her, knocking her out and stopping her heart. But then someone appears, pounding her chest and getting her heart started again, before they run off and Annabelle is carried home by someone else. When she regains consciousness, she doesn't remember who helped her , but her senses - smell, hearing, vision - are so heightened her brothers call them superpowers. The morning after the lightning strike, as Annabelle's petting their dog Hunter, she is overcome with a strong sense of real peace. Then, she learns that her brother's dog Buster is missing and that Andy Woodbury has been living in their potato house with Mr. McBride's permission after he was badly beaten at home. Later, Annabelle realizes she knows animals better than before and in a whole new way.

Being able to understand animals and feel what they feel proves to be very useful as more dogs begin to disappear. Animals are so much easier to understand than people are for animal-loving Annabelle. And so she sets out to try and discover where the missing dogs are, often in the contentious company of Andy Woodbury, while also trying to solve the mystery of who saved her life. In the course of all this, Annabelle meets the newly arrived to the area Mr. Edelman and his reclusive daughter Nora, who has her own healing to do and who has been secretly taking in injured and sick animals in need of attention that her father finds.

Annabelle had just wanted to put the traumatic events caused by Betty and Andy behind her, but she soon learns that she must reconsider some things in order to come to terms with those events. She had never wanted to see Andy again, but after learning about the abuse he is subjected to at home and also seeing how kind and gentle he is with animals, Annabelle is forced to reconsider her feelings toward him. Annabelle and Andy are both very flawed characters but their individual journeys - one towards forgiveness, the other towards redemption - show us that we don't always know people as well as we think we do. I know it sounds like there's a lot of disparate threads running through this coming of age novel, but they do all come together in the end. And although Annabelle's journey includes references to Wolf Hollow, it is not absolutely necessary to have read that first novel to understand this one.

My Own Lightning is a wonderfully layered novel that tackles themes of abuse, family, friendship, family, and acceptance and an excellent sequel to Wolf Hollow.

This was a good but unexpected sequel to Wolf Hollow. When I first heard that there would be a sequel, I thought “WHY? Everything already happened…”… and in a way, I was right… but I like the character development in this one because it takes the events of last book and twists them around to see them from a different angle. Really good! I enjoyed it!

Another great piece from Lauren Wolk. I really enjoyed the characters, the story, the writing - I enjoyed it all.

This was another wonderful text by Lauren Wolk. I was so happy to see a follow up to Wolf Hollow and loved meeting the same characters again on the pages of this story. This was inspirational and filled with authentic emotion--thank you! Beautiful!

Loved this book about family, secrets, dogs, trust, and forgiveness. Annabelle is in search of her brother’s missing dog when a storm hits and she finds she senses things more easily since the storm and is listening harder than before. She has ideas about what animals are feeling. Will she find her brother’s dog?

Annabelle is leaving school late and gets stuck in a storm and struck by lightening. She wakes in her house with no idea how she got there, why she is bruised, and why she is hearing talking no one else seems to notice. She soon realizes she can hear animals talk.

At first she doesn't tell anyone but eventually does when she finds out the animals are trying to tell her important information or ask for help. Due to this ability she is able to help some find their home, some get medical help, and some escape from dangerous people. She is able to make new friends and find out that some people aren't who they seem to be. She also learns more about herself.

I do like this book and intend to introduce it to my students this year. I recommend this to anyone looking for a heartwarming story of understanding.

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This sequel opens with quite a jolt!
After being struck by lightning, Annabelle discovers she can sense the feelings of animals. She also learns more about her bully.

Character growth and themes of forgiveness.

Annabelle, while walking home from helping her teacher clean the country school at the end of the school year, is struck by lightning. An unknown someone saves her life by hitting her chest - hard - and restarting her heart. A visit to the doctor finds her discussing her heightened senses, colors are brighter, noises are louder. Dr. Peck wants to take her to Pittsburgh to the hospital to be examined.

Several dogs, including her brother Henry's, have gone missing, and Annabelle discovers she can use this new skill of heightened awareness to figure out what happened to the dogs. Along the way she meets Nora and her father, who are secretly caring for a number of injured dogs. She finds Henry's dog who is seriously injured and arranges to take the dog to Pittsburgh to a veterinarian who has an x-ray machine. And yes, the vet is able to figure out what to do for Buster the dog. Then Annabelle finds her neighbor Andy's dog in the shelter and returns him to Andy, her arch-nemesis. Turns out Andy is secretly an animal lover, all the while surviving a very abusive home life.

Historical fiction, this story is set in rural Pennsylvania as World War II is starting to wind down, Annabelle learns she can't judge a person only by what she sees, that things go way deeper than that. This story is a sequel to Wolf Hollow, but works as a standalone. Upper elementary and middle school students will enjoy this book.

Own Lightning stands well on its own. And I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Annabelle is still working through the grief and injustice of the death of a friend. She is walking home when a storm catches her by surprise and she is struck by lightning. Her heart stops but she is rescued by a mystery savior and slowly recovers. She surprisingly has gained a super power of sorts from her experience - she can understand animals and her other senses have been heightened also. This is central to the plot since her brother's dog has just gone missing and her abilities may help them find his beloved pet. In addition, Annabelle must come to terms with a neighbor boy who, in Wolf's Hollow, was an enemy. She struggles with forgiveness and acceptance as realities about the boy's life are revealed. And she actually talks to him about what happened.
This book is set in the past - the 1930s - in Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh. Annabelle's strong ties to her family and her home play an important part in her ability to work through her grief and help both old and new neighbors.

My Own Lightning
Lauren Wolk

This is not a gentle book. But it is eloquent in its portrayal of the harsh sides of life and our responses, the evolution of understanding and emotions, and the moral dilemmas we can face.

This book is a sequel to Wolf Hollow, and Annabelle is struggling with traumatic memories and grief from the tragic death of Toby, a veteran who had become her friend.
Returning home from helping her teacher clean the school, a sudden storm catches Annabelle out in the open and she is struck by lightning. She has a foggy memory of rough hands restarting her heart; she is confused but knows she is lucky to have survived. Although physically healthy, her sensory world is magnified, and she intuitively understands the feelings and body language of animals in her rural home.
Annabelle is searching for her brother’s lost dog, and learns that other dogs have gone missing.
Andy Woodberry, a bully who persecuted Annabelle in the past, is also looking for his dog, and she realizes they share a compassion for animals. Slowly they come to see each other differently.
Wolk’s characters are complex : Annabelle is introspective and suspicious; Andy is cruel in response to the harshness and cruelty he experiences at home.
Annabelle is distrustful of her reclusive new neighbor and intrigued by a stranger claiming to be looking for his dog. She comes to view Andy in a new light as they learn the brutal truth about the stranger and the charitable truth about their secluded neighbor and his daughter.

This is a beautifully written book; while it is not necessary to read Wolf Hollow first, the reader will get much more from My Own Lightning if they are familiar with Annabelle and Andy’s backstory.


I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review

I listened to the first book in this series, Wolf Hollow. It was really tough content for a YA Novel but I enjoyed it. Annabelle was full of bravery, courage abcs a String sense of Justice. All that said, I haven’t read this book yet. I decided I want to listen to audio. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

Though very readable, this book has a great message about redemption. It deals with difficult topics like abuse of both people and animals so it may contain triggers for some readers. It should be part of all middle school libraries and would be a great book for a reading group for grades 5-7. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.